CALLED to SERVE LAVAPIES

This WEEK are CRAZY AWESOME!!

We put 8 Baptismal Dates with CONVERSION as the GOAL not baptisms...and they told me that it couldn´t be done..psshhh!

My favorite investigator is Sencio (pronounced sence-e-o). I contacted his son, Alberto, on the street because him and his friends were whistling and saying things to us. (Contacting them, telling them who we are, makes them stop the whistling and the ¨endearing¨ name calling hehe) Alberto had actually turned out to be interested and had read the Book of Mormon, so we made an appointment. =)

Well we got to the appointment and taught Alberto and his friends, then his dad Sencio showed up. They had a MILLION questions and BASHING comments! We somehow managed to answer the questions that were appropriate to answer and I bore testimony of why I am here! They were silent during my testimony and after. Alberto then commented ¨I want to feel the spirit like you do.¨ (You might remember this from WEEK:2)

Well, we came back three times a week these last two weeks. Every visit there are new friends and his dad, Sencio, always comes and he continued to ripe us apart to make us doubt our beliefs, he said so himself. He would talk to us about the Buddists, Science, and what EVERYONE else was teaching...UGH so frustrating. Until I exploded a TINY bit last week and said ¨well that´s fine, other people can believe what they want, but my purpose here is to simply share with you what I believe and know to be true, it´s up to you to accept it or not.¨ He was silent and we prayed and left. And we came back this week. I WITNESSED A MIRACLE! Sencio read everything we left him and he testifed to us that he didn´t doubt that what we shared was TRUTH. He said that he could see that we were really there just to show the love God had for his children. He asked us if we really thought that God loved him and if He was close to him. I assured him that he loved him so much and I shared 1 Nephi 21:14-16, quickly the Spirit filled the space around us. We teach them at a car shop =) under the sun! IT´S INTENSE!

Every visit we´ve asked Sencio to pray and he refuses EVERYTIME saying that people that pray need to be really into a religion. We continued to assure him that that wasn't the case. Prayer is a form of communication that allows conversation with our Heavenly Father. What great gift He gives to ALL his children!

Saturday, was the last time we saw Sencio and it was truly MIRACULOUS!! He had an intense lesson about him, one that revolved around his needs entirely! We talked about how the Holy Ghost felt (this was huge for him...cus a lightbulb went off), prayer, faith, Christ's love and Christ's example...the Spirit was INTENSE! After settling his doubts, I felt prompted to ask him the baptismal question and the date Sept 7th and HE ACCEPTED!!!!! He slightly nodded and paused and then said, "Well...I'd like to..." At the end of the lesson, he PRAYED!!!!!! That was HUGE, even if it took five mins of silence with our heads bowed down haha.

I walked out of the car shop with the biggest smile I've ever had and with tears running down my face because we pulled teeth and hair for this man!! I know this church is true with all my heart and I will stand witness of it wherever I go! For now I'm staying another transfer (6 weeks) in Lava Pies, San Cristobal, Republica Dominicana!! I will testify of the truthfulness of this gospel and the love God has for all of us!!

I'm so happy and although I haven't stopped sweating since I got here...I will keep smiling and sharing the gospel with all who will hear it! Sorry I don't have much time to write back to the emails and letters, but I LOVE them! KEEP THEM COMING!

Thank you for the love and support!

Your missionary,

Hermana Fernandez

MY LIFE in the DR!

LIFE in the REPUBLICA DOMINICANA

CURRENT AREA: Lava Pies in San Cristobal

CURRENT COMPANION: Hermana Ortiz

Apartment Life. I live with three Hermanas (Hermana Ortiz, Hermana Guiterrez and Hermana Reyes) We have a transfer coming up next week, so we´ll find out if they´ll move us or not. The light lives everyday but not for very long at all. I don´t have bucket showers too often and the water is always cold, but it feels great because it´s bloody HOT over here. We just entered Summer season. THERE ARE HUGE ROACHES!!! YUCK =( but other than that, my living place is normal!!

Food. I haven´t had much Dominican food because we aren´t allowed to eat at member´s houses, but I hope to get a Dominican companion, so that she can introduce me to some =) I eat cereal, peanut butter, pasta and LOTS of FRUIT!! Umm the mangos, pineapple,bananas, guava and other kinds of fruit not known in the US.

People. I love the people. They are full of faith, they are super kind and loving. Although I do get hit on everyday...haha oh I have to learn not to turn when they listen. My leaders say to keep walking haha or to introduce myself and the church and they´ll leave us alone haha..

The Work. Hard and tiring, but the BEST thing I could be doing right now. Although the mission is a rollercoaster of emotions, I have never been so happy and to feel the love that God and Jesus Christ has for these people is incredible! I love this work and I get up everyday to invite more people to come closer to Christ.

I know this church is true. I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each and everyone of us. I know now more than ever that we knew Him and felt His love in the life before this one and that we promised Him that we would return to Him and help His children return to Him also. I love this gospel!

Your missionary, friend, daughter, sister,

Hermana Fernandez

WEEK 2: HARDEST and GREATEST week thus far!

I LOVE THIS COUNTRY! It´s beautiful and I love the people. I can´t get enough of their spanish accents haha!

Highlights of the Week:

Thursday and Sunday were probably the best and hardest days of my mission so far!

Thursday. We taught a first lesson with an investigator named Alberto I contacted (someone I introduced myself and the church to). We arrived and not only him, but his two family friends and his anti-religion dad joined. His dad was ready to ripe us apart because he wouldn´t even let us continue with the opening prayer. Well Alberto and his two friends calmed his dad done and defended us, we got to continue with the prayer. Then they all asked us questions about God and why..why...why...lots of why questions and how. That was the first time that had had that happen to me and we assured them they we could talk about all their questions and those we didnt know we´d look up in the scriptures. I wasn´t intimidated or scared. Then the dad was getting all heated up again and the questions continued. I felt strongly prompted to bear testimony of my conversion story and I got so emotional because the Spirit was so strong and they all were silent. And Alberto said, "I want to feel the Spirit like you do." And I testified that he could if he only desired and pray to God to know for himself if the Church and everything we shared was true. I knew at that point exactly why Heavenly Father had called me to serve a mission and not only a mission but the people of the Dominican Republic in San Cristobal at this time!

Sunday. This was the hardest day yet! I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and ask God why were these things happening this way here in this ward! I went to Ward Council and the Bishop was absolutely awful and unhelpful. He called all less-actives sinners and I couldn´t believe that someone like him could be called to be Bishop. But I quickly realized that the those were horrible things for me to think and I knew that he needed us more than ever. So we left Ward Council and me and my companion came out depressed from what had just happened, I didn´t even want to invite or teach people anymore. But my wonderful companion said that we must be strong because this ward needs us more than ever. We continued to walk to find one of our investigators and came across a lady. A lady who had been baptized and a member for 4 years now. Her name is Celeste and she was wonderful, but when we asked her why she didn´t go to church...she said that members of the church were evil towards her and accused her of only joining the church to get money, because after being a member for 3 years her home was damaged from a flood and needed help. But when they pushed her away and other reasons, she decided never to come to her assigned chapel. THAT HURT SO MUCH..I couldn´t help but cry with her and I realized that I have a bigger purpose her. I MUST BE STRONG TO BE THE BEST EXAMPLE TO THESE PEOPLE AND TOOL OF THE LORD.

I know with all my heart, might and mind that the gospel is true. I will stand as a witness of God at all times and all places. The gospel is my everything and I´m so blessed to have it in my life. I challenge you all to be missionaries where ever you are and never judge anyone because the only judge is God! I love my mission and I am working every minute to share this wonderful message with all who will hear and listen!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Your missionary,

Hermana Fernandez

IN the DR AT LAST!

Wow I can´t believe I´m actually here...even after a week!

First off, sorry family and friends I couldn´t email last Monday (on PDay) because I was traveling all day and didn´t have a chance to get on the computer, but thank you so much for the Dear Elders and emails! Seriously they mean so much to me!

Well I´ll fill you in on the last two weeks!

My last days in the MTC. Sunday was probably my favorite day at the MTC! Sheri Dew, a well known LDS woman in the church, came to speak to us during Relief Society. She´s absolutely amazing! She said lots of things that got me prepared & motivated. She shared with us that conversion required immersion. She explained that she wasn´t only talking about baptism, but she really was referring to everything we continue to do after that, we must immerse ourselves in the gospel everyday to become converted each and every day and come closer to Christ. We must read our scriptures and pray everyday, attend church each week, and attend the temple as often as we can. That just hit home and inspired me to do my absolute best, then push harder to reach my full conversion every day to come closer to Christ. She´s a great speaker. I recommend listening/watching her talks! FANTASTIC LADY & ROLE MODEL! She also finished her talk by saying that God held his most noble spirits for the last days. (D&C 138; Abraham 4)

We are all to work harder every day to invite people to come onto Christ. Just as our Apostles and Prophet have counseled us to. I know that if everyone works together, missionaries and non missionaries, to come unto Christ, we can be a great force in the Lord´s work! I know this to be true with all my heart!

My first week in the DR. Words can´t describe my experience this last week. I got here last Monday afternoon and I´ve witnessed the power of God´s plan for each of his children.

(side note: I arrived and was told that I wasn´t going to receive my companion and area until Thursday, so they gave me temporary companions, Hermana Brockman and Hermana Buhrley, in an area in the capitol called Quisquella)

Anyway, my first lesson was at 6pm that Monday night I arrived. It was with a boy named Jose Gabriel and he is 13 years old. Me and my temporary companions went to visit him. My companions had already planned with him that he would get baptized by the end of this month. Well, I wanted to get to know him better, so that I could better help him and my companions, so after he had told me a little bit about his family, I felt impressed to ask him what he expected of this life and I expected him to say something like, "I want to be a baseball player or a doctor," considering I have a 12 year old brother, who knows that he wants to be a football player. But I got quite the opposite. Jose Gabriel looked at me, then looked at the floor and shrugged his shoulders. The look on his face almost put me to tears. I felt him say without words, "Nothing. This is my life."

That hit me hard. I immediately came to realize as I walked the streets of Quiquella  that these kids are not only robbed of their innocence, but also of their aspirations. Jose Gabriel doesn´t have much like many here. But live from day to day and their faith is great! This country is beautiful, HUMID, and so humble when it comes to the style of living. The people are wonderful and loud and full of spirit and love.

I now have 4 days with my first companion in the mission and in my first area. Currently, I´m in a town an hour outside of the capitol called Santo Cristobal. I love it here, it´s so green and the people, well 90% of them are so great! My companion is from Mexico, her name is Hermana Ortiz and she´s been in the mission field for 3 months! We get along, but we´re just getting to know each other

MY MISSION is CHEVERE!! (that´s what they say here when something is great, sweet or awesome)

Well thank you again for all the support and love. I love hearing from you! Keep it coming!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Con Amor,

Hermana Fernandez

I Will Go Where You Want Me To Go

First Mission Email! Woot Woot!

Wow it´s crazy how much I´ve experienced in only 6 days!

The Missionary Training Center (MTC) is amazing! I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I love it! I´ve never cried this much consecutively, but don´t worry they´rehappy, awe moment, joyful tears. As if my heart and emotions can´t contain themselves inside of me. It´s been the greatest, most growing and humbling experience of my life.

My companion is Hermana Ruiz and she's awesome! Seriously everyting happens for a reason because we get along so great and we need each other for sure! She's from Houston, Texas and she's going to the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission. The food here is alright, I miss my own cooking, but especially your cooking, Mom! Other than that, this place is FANTASTIC! All my days here vary because I´m in advanced Spanish and supposedly only here for two weeks, but today I found out that I leave this Sunday night! I arrive at Dominican Republic, Saturday afternoon! What?! I know crazy!!

Total Time in the MTC = 11 days

They expect me to be ready in 11 days! AAAHH! Well I guess that ok considering I've been going 1000 miles per hour since I've gotten here. Y puedo orar y leer muy bien en espanol! And with the faith in the Lord, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is possible (Mark 9:21-29), as a friend once shared with me!

As for my days here:

6:00am - I wake up.

6:30am - Breakfast

7:00am - I'm either in class, having personal study, or some days gym time or service projects.

11:00am - Lunch

12:00pm - I'm either in class, having personal study, or teaching an "investigator" the lessons.

4:00pm - Dinner

5:00pm - I'm either in class, having personal study, companion study time, or there's a workshop or devotional.

9:30pm - I get ready for the next day, write in my journal, etc.

10:30pm- Lights out!

The days feel like weeks here, but the week that I've been here has left like a day.

Not a day goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father for the opportunity he was given me to serve him and his children.

Not a day goes by that I realize that the work is hastening on and the Lord's has called all to spread the word.

During the Broadcast this past Sunday, it was so powerful to know that the Lord has called all to the work, I love that the big focus, at least for me was, that all members must help the missionary get investigators and the missionaries have a responsibility not only to help those searching the gospel, but also those who are less active in the church! It was powerful because that is what I felt, as Sister Fernandez, was my calling in Dominician Republic. To strengthen the members and build the Lord's kingdom.

I've experienced countless miracles and blessings this week, but one that really made me realize what my purpose was in serving a mission was during a lesson my companion and I taught. So, here in the MTC, you have what is called a TRC, where volunteers or real non-members come in and pose as investigators. Well, me and my companion, Hermana Ruiz, were so nervous because this was the first person we were going to teach that wasn't our teacher. But we took a breathe and said a prayer to have the Spirit with us as we taught Jorge. Jorge was a Baptist, but now he can't get himself to believe or have faith in God. We started to talk to him and he opened up to us very quickly, but he was a bit stubborn because he hated God so much for taking his son at the age 14 through cancer. He also was mad at God for being unjust because his Baptist Pastor told him that his son was in hell because he didn't get baptized before he died. This really affected Jorge, so much so that he considered taking his life. I sympathized with him and felt the hurt he was going through, like Christ knows each and every one of our pains. At that moment, I truly felt like a disciple, a representative of Christ. I have been called to serve the Lord's people, just as Christ did and would do if he was here.

But there was nothing more humbling than what happens next...

As we talked to Jorge and felt the love Heavenly Father had for him, I wanted so bad for him to except the gospel, so that he may know for himself the true plan of salvation. THE TRUE PLAN OF GOD! But he wouldn't allow himself to have the desire to really know for himself if what we were teaching him was true, to find out where his son truly was. We knew and felt it, we just wanted him to know it for himself. I was stuck and didn't know how to help him anymore because I couldn't relate. So, my amazing companion, Hermana Ruiz, stepped in and shared her amazing experience with a similar situation. Jorge was STUNNED because he couldn't believe that my companion would have so much have faith, enough to send her on a mission, even with her situation. He had a change of heart almost instantly because she chose to listen to the spirit and share her experience with Jorge. It was extremely humbling because I felt like it was my job to help every person I met, to be the answer to prayer for every person I met, but this experience taught me that I am a tool in the Lord's hands. It isn't me that will convert people, it's God! I was there to open up the investigator and my companion touched his heart! I was so humbled and blessed to have had this experience.

I know more than ever that this church is true. I know that God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet on earth in these latter days. I know that we now have the fulness of the gospel. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that Heavenly Father watches over all of us and that he loves each and every one of his children.

I can't wait to "declare his words among his people [in the DR], that they might have everlasting life." - 3 Nephi 5:13

I love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Until next week,

Hermana Fernandez "Nat"

P.S. Thank you for the letters and emails. Keep them coming! I love knowing about your life!

P.S.S. I love and miss you MOM, DAD, and my AWESOME Gisselle, Junior and baby Brandon!

Scripture of the Week:

"...Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believeing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it." - Enos 1:15