"El Diablo was pronounced DEAD!"

Hey Everyone!

Things are going lots better here in Elko!

We set a kid for baptism for dec 17! He is the kid named casey that the elders found. He is amazing and so humble. He doesn't care what anyone else says in his family he knows that the BOM is true. Since he is 18 he can legally take the lessons and get baptized without his parents approval. THey are not allowing us to meet in their home so we are meeting at the ward mission leaders home. He is amazing!

Some sad sad news...........neither balil or ruby got baptized.........they backed out and now they aren't going to at all. I was really sad but I know that they will come around as they feel that emptiness inside them. I have no doubt that they will get baptized someday. Gerry is still on for baptism this sat and I am so excited for him even though I will not be there. Sister Garner will be sending me pictures and a program so that I can have that. I am excited.

Another cool thing is we met this girl named Zharlay right when we were going to contact a referral we received. She was so sweet and so open to the message. She has been through a lot of hardship in her lack of an upbringing but she has felt the spirit when she has been with us. She prayed for the first time with us and I could see the tears well up in her eyes. Amazing. She said that if she finds out for herself that it is true then she will be baptized.

Another miracle is I told you that I met Gary Fine and his girlfriend brandy. One night a few days ago I had a feeling that we should go there. It was so dark and we couldn't find where they lived so we decided to go back to the truck  and call them. As soon as we called he said "wow sister Fine you must be an angel sent from God..." I was super confused as to why he said that so he found us and he invited us in. Apparently he and brandy were having a really rough day. They had just been thinking about us when we called. Crazy....... Then they invited us in and we sat down on the couch. As they were talking to us, sister Espinal and I noticed that there was a piece of paper on the coffee table in front of us and it said in someone's handwriting..."I am so thankful for a modern day prophet on the earth in these latter days. I am also thankful for the ultimate sacrifice of the atonement that christ made for all of us. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen." We were a little snoppy by looking over at that but then sister espinal asked who wrote it. Brandy said that she did. She said that those words just came to her as she was writing last year. It was out on the table because she was just moving in and there was alot of stuff everywhere but that happened to be right there in front of us when we sat down. Brandy said that she has NEVER been in a LDS church before. How crazy is that? She said that she talked to her LDS friend once and that he told her about a modern day prophet and she believed him. After she told us this we asked her and Gary if they would like to learn more. We pointed out that everything that had happened with us meeting each other and coming at that specific time with the piece of paper sitting in front of us was not a coincidence. Since I have been on my mission I DO NOT believe in coincidences. They don’t happen. God makes everything happen for a reason. As soon as we asked them if they wanted to learn more the spirit flooded into the room. I know that we were there for them and that they would get baptized someday. Wow what an amazing experience.

Thanksgiving was good. We got to play football in the morning with a bunch of members and it was so fun! Let me tell you tho.....wow missionary work on holidays is hard. No one is out! But we did talk to everyone on the street and we got a few new investigators. SO that was good. I am continuing to play soccer in the mornings and yes it IS with a real ball hannah....hahaha. I did really well the other morning and made all the goals! :] This morning however.....hahaha pretty embarassing.

Yes dad that was an amazing deer! NICE WORK! I loved the story and how you described it! OUr brach pres for the spanish branch wants to hook up with you sometime and go hunting! His name is pres Nielson and he is amazing. SO FUNNY! You would like him. I told him last night when he came out with us that after my mission I will come back to visit this area and we will all go hunting together! He has a huge elk in his family room and it made me think of our explosion room of death. hahaha.

Christmas plans.........no idea. I am pretty sure that we cannot skype so just plan on talking to me for about 40 min. I would encourage you to write down things that you want to talk about so you dont forget when we get on the phone hahaha. I will do the same. I have no idea when we call home (what time in the day I mean) so when I hear more about that I will let you know. When I talk to you that will mean that I have been out for 6 months. TIME GOES BY TOO FAST!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Im glad that you had a great time on thanksgiving. It felt just like another dinner with a member here. But they made us feel right at home it was very sweet. But wow this church is SOOOOOOO TRUE and there are no buts about it!

HAHAHAHA ELF! wow I love that movie. Amazing. I hope that you guys had a great time. I have no christmas ideas......I would like some music to play for christmas. BUt not for christmas because I want to listen to gospel christmas music before it comes. And the music guideline for this mission is anything that brings the spirit. So you can be the judge. :] Um I do want the cd "work" and nashville tribute to missionaries. We listened to it in green valley all the time and I love it with a passion. But that is all that I can think of. you know me and I trust you. Anything you send me will be amazing so dont stress too much over it. :] Yes sister garner did send the package to me that I was supposed to get. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH APPLE CUP! DANGIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Oh just a little about elko. Everyone and their goldfish works at the gold mines here. So trying to get an appointment with people is crazy! hahaha. I want to go for a tour of the mines one of these days. :] I think that will be coool.Oh God gave us a thanksgiving present and that was the answer to my prayers. EL DIABLO WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD THANKSGIVING DAY. It was bad tho because in the middle of the night I heard a screaming noise coming from a small rodent underneath my desk. Yea gross. It fell into the tray of glue trap and it was stuck. I went back to sleep because I didn’t want to deal with it right then........then we went to morning sport and then came back and he was still alive. I unfortunately had to take care of it. Let’s just say he is now frozen in the garbage outside of our little cottage. None el diablos hosts haven’t died yet but hopefully soon.

I was asked to sing for a big festival called the christmas creche this saturday. I asked brandy (gary fine's brandy) to play the guitar for me. It shall be fun! I am singing O Holy night in spanish. :] going to be fun! Oh I am sending you all of my photo cds so that you can have all my pictures at home if anything happens to my camera or something. So make sure to keep them safe in my box or something after you do whatever you want with them. I want them to be there when I get home so that they will be safe. THanks momma and daddy for everything you do for me! XOXOXOXO give my little babies a kiss kiss for me. Love you and miss you all!

Sister Fine

A Poop Magnet?

Things are going okay. ELko is cold and the work goes a little slower here but I love it. Elko looks like home. IT is very pretty and the sunsets and sunrises are GORGEOUS! I feel the extra help from being a servant of the Lord. I love the mission and I know that I will never want the mission to end.

Wanted to tell you a cool story. So this week we were playing morning sports and the zone leaders came to us and told us about this amazing referral they had for us. THey ran into this 18 yr old kid and he was like oh ya my girlfriend gave me a book of mormon and I wanted to start meeting with the missionaries but she told me that I had to read the whole book first. And the elders were like NONONO you dont have to do that but that is so awesome! And Casey said...ya I have been meaning to get baptized. And the elders were freaking out hahaha but he lives in our area so they handed him  over to us. When we contacted him the spirit was SOOOOOOOOOO strong on his front porch. He told us about his experience with feeling the spirit so strong as he read the Book of Mormon. I wanted to cry on the doorstep. The spirit was so strong. I know that he will get baptized really soon and that he will go on a mission in a years time. He went to church on his own for 3 months and has been going to mutual every week. He went under the radar but I am so glad that the elders found him. He is going to be a huge influence on others around him I can just feel it.

Dad I am so proud of you and the beautiful deer! I am focusing hahaha. I am so glad that you got to do that! You deserve it! Love you daddy and I miss you alot!

Momma! I am so glad that you loved your present! Sorry the tape wasnt very long but I hope that you enjoyed it. I love you and I hope that you had a great birthday.

According to president, learning spanish is not high on his priority list for me. He said that I just need to learn how to pray which I am already doing every prayer and how to read the scriptures aloud and bear my testimony. I bore my testimony and prayed in spanish at the 7th spansih branch yesterday. I was so nervous. But it ended up being okay. I know that I am here for a reason and  maybe casey is the guy! hahaha. Sister Espinal predicts that I will only be here for one transfer and then go back to vally but who knows. Only God hahaha.

Yes thank you I got a few things and I tried to get them as cheap as possible. I went to walmart for clothes and jc pennys for boots. I got a better coat at walmart which has saved me. Transfering areas is EXPENSIVE! AHHHHHH but know that I am doing my best. I hope that I am making you proud and that you always feel that your money is being well spent with me. But one of these days I will be paying you back for the mission since I have had no means since I left school. One day that will come. I have full intentions on starting to do that when I get home.

Wow 5 months tomorrow! How crazy is that? Time goes by so fast! I am trying to be ther best missionary that I can so that I can be more effective sooner. There are so many amazing people here and I know that the Lord is preparing more. I just recieved word that Balil and Ruby are not getting baptized this week anymore. My heart sank and it hurts so bad because you desire their salvation. It makes you think as a missionary....what did I do wrong? Did I not teach something well enough? etc etc....But I read in preach my gospel what they define as a successful missionary and  that there are many who do feel the spirit and know that it is true but they use their agency and choose not to accept it for themselves. I know that they will come around some day. It will be alright. I have been able to talk to Sister Garner a few times on the phone and wow I miss her so much.

It snowed this week and I sent a few pics to you but I dont know if I like them haha. But you can choose one for the card. Love you alot and I miss all of you! Happy thanksgiving! I hope that you guys have a good time together as a family! I will be doing service and going to a member's house for dinner. Going to be good haha. Sister Espinal says that the holidays are so hard for missionary work because everyone wants to be with their families and not meet with the missionaries but I hope that things wont slow down too much! Yes I did get my package! THANK YOU THAT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SWEET! Wow time goes by so fast! I never want this to end. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that he loves us all. As we keep the commandments and live by the laws and bounds he has set then we will become more like him and he will be a greater part of us that can overcome sin.

We had an awesome lesson with this guy named steve. He is a really heavy smoker and he did something really awesome with us this week. We asked him if he would give us his cigarettes and he said that he would. We were so excited for his great faith to be able to do that. I have a great hatred for cigarettes!!! They keep people from being able to use their own agency so that they can follow God. We had a great time ripping all of the cigarettes to SHREDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have another funny story to tell you! We went to this lady's house and she was a spanish lady and we (sis espinal haha) was teaching her the plan of salvation using the little visual aid map of the plan. When we do that we usually sit on the floor. While we were sitting on the floor I could smell this awful poop smell and it was horrendous. I looked around to see where the smell might be coming from and lo and behold it was coming from my shoes.........yea........my shoes...............and mind you I was kneeling down and SITTING on my feet. YEs SITTING on my feet. I was mortified but I couldn't just explode in the middle of the lesson and when I found this out the lesson has just begun. An hour of poop all over me and I was ready to be out of there. I had realized that little pieces had come off onto her carpet and I cleaned it up but wow. That was an adventure........then last night we were going to an appointment with a new investigator. It was dark and we knocked on the door and I felt myself step in something. Yes it was poop..............AGAIN! We told the new investigators the story and he called me a poop magnet..........yes............a POOP magnet. hahahaha well how embarrassing. Mom dont worry I disinfected EVERYTHING! hahaha. We are buying a mouse trap especially for el diablo today. He will only be here for one more night I can assure you. I think that we might have el diable a, b, c, d, e,f,..............and so on but I guess that we will find out!

Oh by the way sister Garner thinks that she accidently sent a package home that was supposed to go to me. She was sending you my jeans so that I didnt have to haul them around and there was another package that was supposed to come to me that had my picture of chrust and stuff in it. She told me to mention that in my email.

I love you all and the work is going along! Miss you all.

Thank you  britton and caden for the emails you are so sweet! I love to hear how you all are doing. MWAH MWAH!

Sister Fine

"I love the mission and I know that I will never want the mission to end. "

"Have joy in the journey!"

I love all of you! So I will be writting email a little earlier on pday in this area just to let you know. Here are a couple of things right off the bat.

Well spanish, hmmmmmm......lets say that I am on my knees all the time. But I talked to president because when I got the call from the Ap's about my new assignment NOBODY said anything to me about spanish so I had no idea. ANd I still didn'y have anyone talk to me until I talked to president when he was up here. They must have made a mix up because they said that I am here for english but that I need to work on my spanish so that I can talk a little bit to people. Spanish is so hard. BUt I have a testimony about the gift of tongues because I started remembering all the spanish I learned from high school and it was crazy. BUt I do not know enough to talk to people hahaha. Most of our work is in spanish and so I find myself sitting there while sister Espinal teaches them. But I did share my testimony in spanish last night and also I have been praying in spanish. This is going to be the time that I am on my knees the most that is all I am going to say about that hahaha. Sister Espinal is really hard core. I think that President Neider is giving me the hardest companions to teach me something hahaha. Times get hard but I think this time I am supposed to learn that I shouldn't be as hard on myself as I am constantly. This week so far has shown me that I am always doing my best and no matter what anyone else says to me I know that I am doing my absolute best and have great desires in my heart. I also learned to not be critical of others because it never makes anyone feel good (because of how I feel right now). All I know is that I am supposed to be here and I know that I am here for a reason. I love this area because it reminds me of home and the amazing scenery. I love this area even though it is really cold hahaha. I miss vegas in that respect. I also miss all the people I taught in Green Valley and how many people are out that we can talk to. There aren't as many people on the streets but every time we see someone we stop the truck, jump out and run after them hahaha. You should see the look on their faces when they realize we are coming to talk to them hahaha. We are God's rescue team! WE HAVE TO GIVE EVERYONE THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL!!!!

I love the mission and I have been learning SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much these past few days. I learned that if you want to know Christ you MUST live the eternal law. God is the law and if you live the law he will in all of you and all that you do. As a missionary living the law is the most important thing so that you can be obedient. Obedience=BAPTISMS! I have a firm testimony on that. SOrry my emails are always random. These elders around me are crazy loud and I cant focus hahaha. uhhhhh.............anyways! You Didn't tell me about how well the girls did! I wish I could have seen them in their uniforms and I wish I could have watched them dance. I miss them and I miss dance so much! THank you so much for the money so that I can go get clothes. I NEED THEM BAD! hahaha. I will go get some things today. In my mission there are like 40 spanish missionaries and and the rest are english. There are 197 missionaries in our mission total. There are 10 missionaries in elko, springcreek and elly. It is crazy because we dont see alot of missionaries ever.

MOMMA HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you and you better go get yourself something big! I am sending you something today, but know that I have very limited resources as you know. BUt I have put a lot of thought into your present. Hopefully you like it. I love you and I want you to know that you are the most amazing mother in the entire world. You are so amazing and if there is one thing that I want you to know is your worth. Your worth is so far above that of rubies. I know that that is a scripture but I have no idea where it is right now hahaha. There are no words to describe how amazing you are. You work so hard, you are the sweetest human in the world and you are so patient and kind. I think that God will exalt you just for how you raised us kids. I cannot describe how grateful I am to you for doing that no matter how long and hard things got. I look at the world and I am amazed that I have been able to weather the storm and be protected because of how you and dad raised us. I am so thankful for the home that you provided and fostered as a spiritual place so that my testimony could grow. Without that, I would not be as strong of a missionary. I attribute all of my success to God and to you as my parents for loving me and allowing me to grow in my testimony on my own. That has made me so strong! I LOVE YOU and I am so thankful that all of the ordinances have been done so that IF we keep the commandments and live the higher law, we WILL be together as an eternal family. I can just picture us walking into meet eachother on the other side and how joyous that will be someday. I know that my savior lives and I am so thankful that he allowed me as a missionary to be his hands in his work so that I could grow. I love being a missionary and I am always doing my best. I know that the Lord will always take care of me and that there is eternal joy to look forward to. HAVE JOY IN THE JOURNEY! I have learned that alot on my mission so far. Wow Next week I will be 5 months old. HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!?!?! That means I only have 13 months left which means I better get my buns in gear. Wow there is always so much to say. I love you so much and I miss you all the time. Don't worry I never get distracted by it! :] Im a good girl about these things.

I am so glad that cas is okay and that you guys have kept me updated. Sister Espinal is the only spanish speaking sister in this area...and me too kinda?!? hahaha yes it is really unusual that I was sent here into a mostly spanish area but I know that if God is going to make that much of a move for me that means that I have a great need to be here. Yes I am driving a truck and it is so fun hahaha. LOVE IT! I have no idea what I want for christmas but it will be interesting not having christmas at home (and thanksgiving) so I guess just anything that would make me feel more comfy being away from home for the holidays. It looks like I will be missing the holiday seasons twice. I come home a year from Jan 1st. Crazy huh! I cant beleive that christmas is coming. From my understanding we only have 30-40 min to talk to our families and I need to be obedient so just a heads up there. So just help me be obedient by helping me only talk for that long. It will be crazy to hear your voices. Mom you are such a dance mommy I am so glad that you have ben able to see all of us go through dance. Amazing stuff. Well I dont know what else to say because I wrote you a BOOK! hahaha But I love you and I hope tha tyou all have a great week! Muah!

XOXO Sister Fine Here is a pic of me right now emailing. Love you!

Our beautiful missionary e-mailing us TODAY!

"I love my mission and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

Hi Everyone!

I am alive I promise. :] I have been hoping that you are not too worried about me since I wans't able to write you on monday. Yes I am in Elko and I am Spansih speaking. My new companion is sister espinal and she has been out on the mission for as long as sister Garner. I miss sister Garner so much! You can't help but love your companions to death because you go through so much together! I got to talk to her on tuesday night and that was good. 5 of our baptisms are coming up in green valley and unfortunatley I will not be able to see them because I am so far away but I am so happy that they are getting baptized. Wow spanish, hahaha I don't even know what to think about that yet. But I know that the gift of tounges will be given to me as I work really hard. I have been reading el libro de mormon for about 30 min a day and I really have no other reasources than that. Most of our work is in spansih so that past few days in elko I have said hola and mucho gusto (nice to meet you) and como se llama and tenga una buena dia! But Sister Espinal has taught me how to pray in spanish and every time we pray together I pray in spanish. Sister Espinal is talking to me only in spanish and I have a really hard time understanding but I know that I will be given the guidance and ability through the love of the Lord as I do my best! That is what it says in the P. Blessing. Elko is cold hahahaha. Every night it gets down to the single digits and soon it will be 30 below....that is what I have been told. It is going to snow here pretty soon! Crazy crazy. We have one person set for baptism here in Elko. We are the only sisters here and the nearest sister is 8 hours away! Crazy huh! Now I am an out of valley missionary. I have a feeling I will be the strongest missionary in the world when I come home. But I know that the Lord doesn't give us any assignments or commandments that we cannot reach and achieve. I know that I can do this with the Lord's help. ALthough I want to speak fluent spanish RIGHT NOW and I expect that of myself, it will not happen until I have shown the lord that I trust in him and have faith that he can teach me spanish. I love my mission and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I wanted to apologize for ever saying anything to all of you that might have had a negative tone up to this point in my mission. Eric, nick's brother wrote me this last week and he said something that I really needed to hear. He said that if I rely too much on people at home, I am cheating myself of growing on my mission and growing closer to the Lord so I am striving to lean on the Lord and no one else so that I will grow a closer relationship than ever before. I don't think that there is any time that I will be able to get closer to him to benefit the rest of my life. I love you family and I miss you tons. 

I hope that everything is going well and that tas tas face is okay. I know that the Lord was protecting her. There are a few missionaries in the Elko zone that know cassie. Elder Dixon (one of my zone leaders) and Elder Chowan. It was crazy to find that out. THey say that I look a lot like cas and they talked to me about John Fryhoff. Elder Dixon said that he was one of the strongest members in his ward and that I shouldn't worry hahaha. But I like to be very protective anyway hahaha. Hannah and Shar....I am playing soccer every morning and you would be so proud of me! I have made some goals! Even when we play with the Elders! I am still really horrible but hahahaha I am doing better than I was hahaha. ELko feels like home, its cold....no palm trees, but it is more PO DUNK than tumwater hahaha. Everyone wears cowboyhats and boots and I want some immediatley! hahaha this next monday I will get some! hahaha if it is cheap! I am the driver again and we are driving a truck. His name is big boy hahaha. It is a chevy colorado and it is new. How amazing is that! We live in a little cottage right by a members home and it reminds me so much of the cabin. We have a little friend that lives in there and eats everything. He is a mouse but we haven't named him yet. hahaha. Some of my green valley investigators have written me and I actually gave carey your address and number so that he could call you and say hi one of these days. Carey seriously was the hardest person to leave. It was so sweet cuz he bought me all this stuff because he knew that I didn't have ANY warm clothes. How sweet is that?!?! We are starting to write back and forth! I cant wait for you to meet him. HE was the reason I was in green valley. His story is a miracle and I am not able to see him get baptized. But I know that there is a reason for mi padre celestial to drag me all the way up to elko 8 hours away. haha I will be looking for that reason every day. Dad someday we are going to go hunting here in elko. It is the best! One of the elders thought it was funny the other day and put a deer leg on our windshield. People hunt here like crazy! Wow there are so many things that I want to say! But sorry I couldn't email this last pday I was travelling all day and we went right to work. I love you and I miss you so much! I will be able to write again on monday and I will write you a letter home too. Take care of yourselves. Love you mommy! Love you Daddy! Love you tas tas! Love you baby nah nah! Love you Shashabonah! Love you Brittania! Love you baby cade cade! HANNAH AND SHARLEE I AM SO SAD THAT I HAVE TO MISS YOUR COMP! KICK SOME TRASH AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! Oh man I cant bear to miss that but you better show me hours and hours of videos Jan 2013! Happy 11/11/11! At 11:11 tonight I will be thinking of you! If you havent given the sister a referral of someone to teach this week call them up and give them someone that needs to be intoduces to the gospel. Man sorry this email is so random.

LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Excited to see email on monday! :] MWAH MWAH MWAH! The pictures I have with people are my investigators that are going to get baptized soon!

Hermana Fine

Sister Fine and her new Spanish-speaking companion Sister Espinal!