This is your friendly OREGON missionary!!

Hello Everyone!

This is your friendly OREGON missionary!! Yup, I am living just outside of Portland in a city called Troutdale. (I think I choose the Ducks more than the Beavers, the Ducks have way cooler football jerseys ;) Actually you know how you two, Mama and Daddy, stayed at McMennamen's? If the one you stayed at is about 15 minutes East of Multnoma Falls, it is literally about 3 blocks away from my house :) Crazy right?! The ward here is absolutely amazing!!! And I am not saying that to be kind, we have dinner every night with a family. The first night the most darling woman named Sis. Judd took my companion and I, Sis Furnell, around our ward boundaries and to 3 members homes. It was great walking into sacrament yesterday. This ward has not had sister missionaries for 15 years; so we are pretty popular you can say ;) We got asked to do the opening and closing prayers in sacrament and everywhere we went we had at least 2 people talking to us. I guess I know how 1D feels right? ;) I miss my boyfriends... but the mission is worth it ;)

So, the day our family was sealed in the temple has been, without a doubt, the best day of my life so far. However, Saturday became a close second. I had the unbelievable opportunity to meet Elder Holland. President Taylor somehow convinced him to speak to the Vancouver Washington missionaries for an hour and a half. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ; I testify of it. He asked to meet every single one of us. I only shook his hand and spoke to him for a moment and in that short amount of time, I knew without a a doubt in my heart that he is called of our Lord and Savior. He spoke to us about missionary work of course and the importance of it. He shared how we need to teach with power and authority. We all have the authority, now we need to find the power to not be proud or rude or anything like that, but rather to teach as clear, simply but bold like how Christ taught. I am so honored to be a missionary. This is the best decision I have made and I am so very grateful that Heavenly Father has given me this opportunity to help spread his gospel to my brothers and sisters. The work is hastening family and friends. The Lord does not need our help to spread his gospel, but I am sure he appreciates it when we are willing to help him. I have come to know the truth that is in the gospel. I think that when investigators look at our religion it is a lot of "can not"s rather than "can do" opportunities. What I mean by that is people look more at we "cant" drink coffee, or smoke, or drink alcohol, and we are required to live a certain lifestyle otherwise we are not welcome. I realize being out less than 1 month how much "can" is applicable to everyone. My purpose as a missionary is "to invite others to come closer to Christ." This gospel is designed so we can live the happiest lives that we can; that is the beauty of the plan of salvation! How blessed are we to have this knowledge? And, if we accept the knowledge and have a little faith, the Lord promises us blessings. It's amazing... I invite all of you: if you have a question about the doctrine, search the scriptures. If you desire to learn from others, attend church and ward activities. If you have a question about yourself, ask in prayer. I love praying!! I love personal revelation. I love the ability I have to speak directly to Heavenly Father and I know he loves me; therefore he will help me. I love this gospel :) I could go on forever about how strongly I feel about this... but I won't bore you all too much ;) 

Hunter, I loved your first day of 11th grade picture ;) haha!! I miss you Nugget!!!!! Sis. Furnell already knows so much about you. How is school so far? :) I am waiting to hear the things on your check of list to start happening.... ;) and Mama my room looks great!! Thanks for cleaning it for me ;) Darn papers... hopefully we will find them all one day! Haha :) 

I cannot wait to get your letters in the mail! And I love you SO SO much!!!!!

Love forever and always, Sister Birch :)

I totally forgot to talk more about the actual mission more than my testimony.... sorry :) So we have a pretty big ward boundary and we don't have a car or bikes. But we are working on it :) We have talked to the mission office quite a few times so they are trying to get us one. But we make do and Sis. Furnell and I get along great so no worries at all there :) Sis. Furnell is from West Jordan and went to Copper Hills. He is a great trainer! He actually went down to SUU too so she looked familiar to me when I first met her but we didn't actually know each other. There are 7 other missionaries in my mission from Riverton/Bluffdale/Herriman area. Nuts right?! We breed missionaries I guess ;)

I know some people were worried about where to send packages and letters. I think this is the correct address 

2223 NW 99th

Vancouver, WA

98665

I would love to hear from everyone! :) That's about all... just trying to find people :)

I pray for you everyday and really hope everything is going great!

I love you lots :)

Love, Sister Birch :)

MTC Letter August 16, 2013

Oh my goodness, it is so amazing how much someone can learn in one week with the Lord's help! I have grown so much not only in knowledge but as a person, it is amazing :) I can feel myself almost being fine tuned into the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I am loving this experience so much!! It is very difficult some days but it is true what I have heard from other missionaries, it is all what you make of it right Dad? "Everyday is a good day when you want it to be." A quick example of what I mean is yesterday we had a small orientation and I realized how much I need to improve with letting the spirit teach, not Sister Birch. I prayed multiple times during the day and we met with a pretend investigator and I didn't do a great job listening to the spirit. Sis Walker did great! But I just wasn't getting it. Then we watched a short film about a woman with cancer that is terminal and is going through multiple treatments of chemo and we had to role play that the other missionary was her and we were teaching her. I felt so prompted to go in the index and look at the word perfect when Alma 11: 43-44 (I believe) stood right out on the page. I knew basically what it said and I had the missionary pretending to be her read it. In there it mentioned how our bodies will be perfect and not a single hair on her head will be lost. The Elder and I both looked at each other and our eyes were watery. The spirit was amazingly strong and I felt prompted to ask him about baptism and I knew that is what the spirit wanted me to say. I wish I could have recognized the spirit more before the mission because it is so rewarding when you know that how you act and what you say is how the Lord would like us to be. Especially with his name over my heart I need to be the most perfect representative as I possibly can. I love this gospel more and more every day. I realize the beautiful purpose behind why we are here and how much Heavenly Father loves us, and also the example Christ was. I have not appreciated what they do for me every single day until I came here. Please, my favor to ask this week is don't take anything for granted. All that we have is a blessing and it is in our lives for a purpose. Anything from family to a job to where we live, we are all so blessed. 

Also how blessed the men are to have the priesthood. I haven't realized as well the true power of the priesthood. The authority of God to bless and comfort anyone on the Earth. God is willing to share that power with the men here on Earth. What an absolute blessing!!! I am grateful for you Daddy and Hunter for being priesthood holders :) You 2 make our home a wonderful place to be!

I loved the pictures Mama!! Thank you so much!! :) It looks like everyone is having a splendid time!! I love getting letters and Dear Elders!!! It makes us missionaries so very happy :)

I love you all SO much! I have grown to love so many people since I have studied more of Christ's life and his example. He loves everyone. And he knows us. He knows Sierra Morgan Birch better than she knows herself. And he wants to make us happy. That is one example I hope everyone can share and remember and I promise I am striving daily to work on this :)

I love you all so much again!!

Love, 

Sister Birch

First Email from the MTC Friday August 9,2013

Hello Family!!!

How is everyone??!!! I want to hear about everything :) The MTC is going alright. Yesterday was easily the most challenging and longest day of my life. It was miserable let's be honest haha but today is going a lot better!! We have a lot of down time and we are trying to find things to do. My companion, Sister Walker, is adorable!! She looks kind of like Emma Stone and is hilarious. She is from Indiana and just barely graduated high school. We work really well together and it is funny how we seem to be thinking the same thing most of the time. She also likes to work out which is good, I definitely need it :) It's crazy though, I have ran into SO many people that I know. I will make a small list: Alley Ekins, Ian Anderson, the Painter boy, a friend of Randy Lane, a boy from the basketball team (he thought I was Alissa because he said "Wait I know you! Bronson right?" and I said yeah just thinking that I was friends with him but I am pretty sure that's not what he meant haha!) an attache from SUU, Paige's boyfriend, and a few more. I haven't seen Tami yet but I hope I do! The MTC is different than anything I have done before. I pictured it to be like school and a similar learning experience to that. But it definitely is not. I am tired all the time and they have put so much information into my head it's insane. Not only that, I am being challenged spiritually. It has honestly had me question my own testimony and beliefs so for a moment I am worried that I don't believe in everything I should and I should go home. But then I have a reassurance that this gospel is true. I know these teachings could benefit everyone in the world. It is amazing to learn that our church's central truth is to come unto Christ. That is it. We must come unto Christ to gain immortality and eternal life. The principles with it like baptism, repentance, church attendance, going to the temple, everything else is essential to his plan, but it is all central to that purpose. It is so... unbelievable I guess to realize how simple our purpose is in this mortal existence and how much we choose to make it difficult for ourselves. I know that Christ loves all of his children. I know he died for us and he knows every single one of us; which is amazing!! I can't even remember the other sisters names I live with haha! But he knows them, and me, and all of you because he did atone for our sins. Not only that, he knows what makes us happy and that is what he is striving for :)

So this is a random thought but Sister Walker and I go to the fitness classes at 6 am every morning. I didn't think I got the "Lifetime Ego" but I definitely do haha :) The class was kickboxing this morning on the schedule... but it wasn't kickboxing, I am not sure what it was... and I was kinda laughing the whole time; I'm awful :) I started imagining what you, Dad and Hunter would be saying during the class and that got me laughing pretty good. Then for some reason I imagined Manda and Brenda taking the class too and how much they would be laughing and kicking and oh my, I lost it. I was laughing so hard! I need more sleep. 

This email is so long... Hopefully that's alright!! I uploaded a picture of Sis. Walker and I. K, I need to lose weight!!! Look at my fatty fat face!! Yuck. Good thing I am going to the gym after this :)

I hope everyone is doing fantastic! I love you all so much, please know that :) Have a wonderful weekend!!

Love, Sister (Seester Birch) Birch