Hi Mom!!

I love you so much Mom! Did I tell you that whenever my companions are feeling down, your words of comfort come to my mind and all I do is repeat them. You have always been the best comfort and friend I have because you love me no matter what. That's what makes serving the Lord so easy you know. I know that you and Dad are in the hands of the Lord so our once-a-week communication is sufficient for this time. If I didn't whole-heartedly believe that our family could survive without me being...well...me, (I still haven't figured out what it is I do but I do it here too. I've noticed it. I'm calling it my unnamed spiritual gift.) I wouldn't be here. I have come to realize more and more just how much work a family requires and not in a bad way either. People need love and encouragement. From friends and acquaintances, it is a nice surprise. From family it is expected, and much more. Family is more than just love and encouragement though. It is an eternal binding that cannot be broken by man. What do the scriptures say? "What God doth bind let man not divide asunder" or something like that. Now that doesn't mean that there aren't extreme cases of abuse and covenant breaking that already break that bond but there are serious consequences for that beyond just the loss of blessings.

I used to be ashamed of being raised in the gospel. I thought to myself, where/when is my conversion experience? What do I have to offer that shows contrast? I have learned this week that life isn't always about contrast. It is enough just to be beautiful. (in a color sense.) My life is beautiful because it has been continually blessed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I grew up learning the gospel so I can share it with others. It is what has kept my family together. It is what will keep my future family together. It is what brings me joy, the kind of joy that doesn't just fade with the lights or the sun. It is a lasting joy that remains as long as I endure faithfully to the end.

This ward is so cute. That is the only way I know how to describe it! One lady gave us some familiar advice last night. She said, "Remember sister missionaries; the dishes will still be there. The clutter will still be there. The laundry will always be there. But your children will not always be there. Take the time to love/play/share with your children." Mom, thank you and Dad for taking the time for us kids. You had a ton of us, but we always had individual time with you at some point or another in our lives.

The next two paragraphs came from my letter to my mission president. I copied and pasted them because I didn't want to type the same story twice. :D Forgive my efficiency!

We had a great experience with that very thing this past week. We have begun teaching a woman in a part member family. She used to come to church with her husband but then he fell away and they stopped attending. Now she wants to come back to church because she knows what she felt there. She's super shy and won't go without him. We have invited her every week since I got here and she has always said, "I won't promise anything but we will try." This past week, her dear friend invited her to church. It was the perfect opportunity because it was invitation Sunday. She expressed her concern to her friend that she didn't know what to wear. When her friend told her to just come, she said she would talk to her husband. We saw her and her husband come into the chapel on Sunday morning. She has never looked so beautiful to me! I'm pretty sure I might have weirded her out a little by my constant compliments but she just looked so happy and touched to be there. We didn't get a chance to talk to her afterward because they left as soon as the last hymn was sung but I hope she felt the Spirit like I did.

What a testimony that was to me of the power of member missionary work. Yes, we missionaries have been set apart to preach the gospel with power, but the love of a friend and confidant can overcome all other influences. That love is charity. We missionaries do our best to just glow with it but the most convincing evidence of love comes from their friends.

Well Mom, I think I've written you a long enough email. :D Sometimes I just get so wordy. Gotta work on that. Looks like Aaron is doing well. Leah just sent me some pictures of their excursions and Aaron was in a couple.

I miss you and the family a lot. I know this is where I am supposed to be. The Lord has blessed me so much. I hope you are getting some of those blessings too. I keep asking for them anyway. ;D
I love you!!!!

Love,
Sister Shavonne Fielding

P.S. It has now officially become weird to spell out my first name. :/ I can't even imagine how weird it will be to go by my first name again.