Un año nuevo y compañera nuevo

Happy New Year everyone!

With a new companion and year at my side I feel so happy about the outcomings of this week. Because I dont have time--as per usual--I thought I would copy and paste some of the things from my email to my mom. They were special experiences that I believe will inspire all of you and inspire a trial of your faith with Heavenly Father:

"Today, I had an opportunity for that obedience. This morning, we made tortillas with a couple in our ward since all of us were craving a taste of Mexican food. We cooked inside the chapel and the elders were there. Just an hour ago, Hermana Dodson was on the computer and I was quitely reading my book in the corner. We could hear the radio of one of the Elders from the other room, and it was playing Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. If I remember right, that isnt an innappropriate song, but for the field, we are asked to have a higher standard of music choice. To only listen to the hymns, classical music, or spiritually inviting choices helps us focus on our purpose as missionaries every day, every hour, every minute. I stammered up some courage and walked into the room to ask if we could change the song. They willingly replied and I felt such a reassurance from Heavenly Father that that was what I needed to do. Minutes later, the zone leaders and a few other Elders walked in. If I hadnt asked to turn the song, impressions might have been made about the Elder with the music and about me and my companion too. It just went to show what a blessing obedience can bring.

My email is quite lengthy but I just want to mention one more thing that I told Ashley this week-- I received confirmation about what I need to do after my mission! Through divine revelation and guidance in my patriarchal blessing, I know that I need to be a teacher during my life. It will help my family and as I am instructed, I will be guided to the classrooms and knowledge I need in this life. I am so thrilled that I have an answer to such a begging question. What is better is, I cant receive any greater training to be a teacher than to be on a mission! While I focus on serving the people, I will learn how to be a better teacher. What a BLESSING this mission is."

Thanks all! Good luck to the missionaries in the field, safe holidays to the people at home, and God speed with all. I love you all and thank you for the support!

Love,

Hermana Furness

Quick Emails

Dear friends and family,

My sincerest apologies that my emails have been so short! It seems that the hour or half hour sessions to email are becoming more and more short. I was so blessed to skypé my family for Christmas today and hope that all of you are having a beautiful time with your families during this holiday season. 

I am blown away that I have 3 months in the field already! Time really does fly by although we arent totally immune to feeling a little homesick once in a while. The progress we have made here in Patapo has been tremendous and we have some fantastic investigators. Hermana Dodson, of Bountiful, UT--my other trainer--had a fantastic moment with our investigator couple the other night. They are keeping all of the commitments and desire to be married. When we knelt down with them to pray, Hermana Dodson and I both felt an impression that they would be an eternal family and that we would see them in the eternities. It was so strong and undeniable that we were on cloud 9 for days after. This work is truly the best decision I have ever made. 

Since time is spent for me, this will have to be all this week! All is well and I wish all of you a great holiday season--enjoy the cold!

Sincerely,

Hermana Furness

Cambios Cambios...

Dear friends and family,

A bit of a triste week Im afraid. My dear companera Hermana Hawks is going home as she has faithfully served the Lord for a year and a half. I must pay tribute to what a fantastic trainer shes been and how I am so thankful Ive gotten off on the right foot at the start of my mission. She was truly called of God to serve the people of Peru and all of us in Patapo will miss her dearly. Truly, she is a legend of the Peru Chiclayo mission.

On the other hand however, things are blowin up here in Peru. I am LOVING every minute of the missionary life and wish I could share how amazing it is with everyone. My spanish, teehee, is actually progressing quite well. Everyone has told me that I speak very well and I actually understand about 90% of the conversations. I am definitely not near perfect but I feel a step ahead of the game. 

This week I thought I would give all of you in the states a little taste of costumbres here in Peru.I made a list on one of our combi rides back from Chiclayo one day and thought they would be fun to share (:

Coming into a room--all the women do that little italian cheek kiss thing and all the men shake hands. 

Christ and God are eveeeerrryyywhhheeerre. All the cars and motos have "Dios es mi guia" or "Cristo nos alma". I lovvee it.

Everyone says buenos dias, tardes, noches. Everyone on the street will be friendly and talk to you when we greet them good morning, afternoon, night, etc.

There are speed bumps all over the road. And everyone drives like its Tokyo Drift. The crazy thing is, I trust nearly every driver on the roads here. Theyre all crazy but no one gets into wrecks. Crazy.

Perros. En todas lados. Insectos tambien. Especialmente sancuros.

In patapo, we are surrounded by sugar cane. The fields are all green billowing stalks and I love passing them on the way to Chiclayo. 

I dont have any more time but thanks so much for the support friends and family! I am loving this mission and want to bear my testimony that I KNOW this gospel is the church of Jesus Christ himself. We have so much purpose and potential and hope in this gospel and I want to show everyone how much happiness they can have with this knowledge. Suerte everyone!

Sincerely,

Hermana Furness

P.S. I got a surprise surgery for an ingrown toenail this week. Surprise mom!! (:

The First Agenda

Dear Friends and Family,

It seems I've reached a milestone in my mission--this coming week will be my first 6 completed weeks in the field and that means I will finish my 1st out of 13 "daily planners" or "agendas" in the mission. Feeling pretty accomplished for finishing the first 6 weeks of the first few struggle months. 

This week has really been fantastic though. We had our first baptism date set with one of our investigators named Maria Violetta. She is the sweetest and most tender hearted soul. She knew that the church was true just from reading the introduction to the BOM. What courage and faith she has; it is simply inspiring.

As with most if not all weeks, I dont have much time to write this email. I would love for you all to check out D&C 58:3-4. It is so beautiful and really pinpoints what struggles we have with faith. We have to trust the designs of God and wait for the reward after the work. I am loving reading the D and C chapters. 

Well, with a minute to spare and no computer port for my camera, I am afraid that this will have to be the extent of my group email. Your individual emails have been such a great support to me and I hope all of you are doing well wherever you are in this world. God speed!

Love,

Hermana Furness

Insectos en toooodos lados

Monday, December 1, 2014

Greetings family and friends!

Another week down in my mission in Pátapo, Peru and things are going swell. Hermana Hawks and I are prospering in our companionship and our investigators are progressing in this area we have opened up. I have so much to write and so little time so here are some little sweet moments from this week. 

First of all, Spanish can be frustrating. I came to terms with it a few weeks ago but sometimes it can still be frustrating. This week, however, I learned something beautiful about this language. This might actually be really cheesy but it was a nice spritual moment for me haha--My comp and I were walking down one of the calles here in Patapo and I looked up at the sky to a beautiful sunset. The clouds were the perfect amount of fluff and pink, purple, and orange painted the sky. I asked what the word for sky was and learned that "cielo" means sky. As I continued, I realized that los cielos means heaven, and I thought it was just beautiful that for a language that I cant describe everything I want to, the sky and the heavens are all the same because they are Gods. Just a sweet moment. 

ALSO.

I love the definition of Charity from the Bible dictionary. "The highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection; the pure love of Christ." Just beautiful. I dont have any more time but just ponder that everyone!! I am loving my mission and hope all is well wherever you may be.

Sincerely,

Hermana Furness

Sigh of Relief

Monday, November 24, 2014

Ok. Sigh of relief this week. Things are getting settled in finally and I think Ive just about caught up to the 3 week old emails that are haunting my inbox. Pictures are a seemingly daunting task to upload but I should be able to write my group email more efficiently from now on. 

First off, APOLOGIES! I feel so terrible about adding my own district emails to my last so late and my apologies for not writing my group email last week. Things have been CRAZY everytime our internet hour rolls around but I love having the opportunity to share a spiritual insight with such a large collection of people.

This week has been exponentially successful. My 2nd week in the field was beyond rough with stomach pains, language barriers, and fighting thoughts about home constantly. This week, however has been much better and I adore the field. Im more accustomed to mission life and Im starting to find my feel around. Time is short today so this might be cut short. 

I just want you all to read D&C 6 verses 32 through 34. (especially district 114)!! Because that perfectly describes mission life. I will share them here:

32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching onething, behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you.

33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

What comfort to hear "fear not, little flock; do good" I just think those words are so poetic. We are going around in pairs of 2, touching the lives of our investigators and inviting the spirit to be amongst us. What a privilege it is to be in the field and respresent our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

I hope all of you are doing well and thank you for having patience with my emails!! Do well and stay strong in the field, home, or wherever life takes you. 

God bless!!

Love,

Hermana Furness

#realtalk

Dear friends and fam,
With a meager 8 minutes on the clock, its another rushed email. My
past hour and a half on the computer was filled with tears, news about
my dear grandfather, frustrating rants about missing toilet seats and
slow internet connection, and an endless list of difficulties. Within
each, however, the frustrations seem to slide away and I realize the
humility that is awaiting me. I start to think about how I must enter
into these trials if I am going to reach the people awaiting to enter
into the Lords kingdom. I remember how lucky I am to serve Gods
children and be the one who delivers the good news of the gospel to my
spiritual brother or sister.

While here in Potapo, just 20 minutes from Chiclayo, I feel like I
have learned the entire world and more. The growth in the field is on
STEROIDS because we are required to work hard. The physical toll isnt
too high--only stomach aches, mosquito bites, and odd tans from our
clothes--its the emotional toll that seems the hardest to surmount.
Self mastery is an art and while others seem to have it on the ball, I
have felt my confidence dissapate as I try to manage myself around all
this chaos. Obedience is constantly echoing in my mind but when I
focus on the blessings, I feel my soul filled with hope.

Well folks, I only have 1 minute and a half. I have to apologize for
not being able to answer individual emails outside of Mom and Hill but
know that they have all been read. I hope that not only my typing
skills but my time limit will increase in the coming weeks, months,
and year and a half. God speed and continue to build all of your
testimonies.

sincerely,
Hermana Furness