It's a girl!

Fam-bam

Oh, just Prague, no big deal. Haha did you know Erin Heller from the
far,ingrown crossing ward went to college there somewhere? From the
pictures I've seen her post it's BEAUTIFUL so I'm glad you two are
having a good time!

Well I have some crazy news that you probably guessed from my subject
line..... IM TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY. I AM a new missionary. I am so
unbelievably terrified and excited at the same time. I go through hour
to hour phases of feeling super ready for it and being on the verge of
calling president Daines to tell him that there is no way hahaha but
my daughter comes tomorrow! #prayforme #actuallyprayforher haha but
seriously we're going to be doing a whole bunch of learning together
and I'm going to be doing a TON of relying on the Lord. I figure if he
could take a little bit of fish and bread and make it enough to feed
the multitudes then he can take the little tiny bit of knowledge and
experience and make it enough to help my trainee. So it also looks
like I'll probably be in Powell for another 3 months.

Well we have had the best and worst week mashed together in 1 haha but
we have sure had a ton of great miracles! Our investigator Lacey is on
date for baptism! The powell Elders also have someone on date for the
same day... Double baptism?! Perhaps. We also met this boy named Nolan
walking his dog and he is the most prepared miracle child that ever
happened to the world. He asked US about what we do as missionaries,
and when we told him that there was a prophet on the earth he was like
"there's a prophet on the earth today?! What's his name??" Like, he is
so prepared it's not even funny. It was a little funny though, because
we were quoting him all day we were so excited. We got his number and
set up a time to meet with him this weekend! Another guy just walked
up to us in the parking lot the other day and when we told him what we
do he wanted to know when our church happened and where and wants to
come and learn more and bring his cousin too. Given, he informed us
that he had a few drinks and smoked some week that day, so we didn't
know if he was going to remember our conversation but when we texted
him he was still all for it!

We've been biking around because our car is being fixed for hopefully
no longer than a week. It's super hot and humid so we get really
sweaty. It's gross because sometime bugs fly into my face and die on
contact by drowning in my face perspiration. Then it's hard to get
them off your face haha.

Well we had the amazing opportunity of hearing from Elder Cook as a
mission! It was super good and well needed. One of the less mission
related things that I loved is that he talked about the atonement and
how it not only covers our sins and afflictions but it covers all
unfairness in life as well. It's amazing how far one act of
selflessness can go and the joy we can find in our saviors sacrifice!

I love you all so much!
~Sister Hill

 Mini car parties don't die on the mish

 Powell Ohio summed up into one picture..... Open grass fields.....

Power lines..... Little ponds.... Lush greenery..... And a nice

multimillion dollar house on the corner.

 For our district activity today we went to the Indian caverns and

it was so fun!! Sister Davis, sister McDonald, sister bradford, me

It started pouring at our activity again(while we were playing

frisbee after the Indian caverns) but we took some frolicking

pictures, I tried to send you the least awkward one but they were all

awkward.

Subhuman

Ohhhh my goodness sounds like one fun week with the fam! I love those
canoeing pictures, and I'm glad you guys had tons of fun! I can't believe you two
are going to Europe, that will be so fun. Make sure you take some good
Budapest pictures for me cause seriously, budaPEST ;)

So I don't have my notebook with me today so I couldn't write down
your questions.... So I'll answer the ones I remember haha.  We're doing a progressive treat fast for Stacy (the returning member) to help her keep the
word of wisdom, so for this week I'm only allowed to have treats on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! Osu has 8 missionaries, we've done trainings there
which is kinda fun! In fact, we talked to a guy that thinks there
isn't a God because if there was one he would have evolved us from
cows instead of apes, that way we would be calmer and there would be
no wars hahahaha GOOD TIMES. but I heard osu is super fun! But just
contacting all day long.

Well this week was super great! I had my first zone conference, and I
was totally dreading it because me and 8 hr meetings (or meeting that
go over an hour) don't mix well, but it was the best thing EVER. So
well needed! You know how people pass out from feeling the spirit so
much in the scriptures? Well after that 8 hrs I was so exhausted haha
but it was soooo good! We talked about how covenants are our permanent
tap-ins to the atonement. We also talked about Joseph Smith and the
huge sacrifices him and his family made, it's so sad to see all of the
anti material against him, HES SUCH AN AWESOME GUY. We met a few more
people this week as a result of our extra fast yesterday (for a senior
couple elder who is going through chemo while still serving) and I
actually had a super cool experience! We went to this door that we
felt impressed to go to, and it was my turn to knock so this guy
answers the door and I started talking to him and asking questions and
I have no idea what I was saying but I remember feeling just flustered
and awkward and thinking "how has this guy not shut the door on me
yet, I have no idea what I'm saying, I can't keep my thoughts
straight, and I'm being so awkward" but he came out and talked to us
and he's going to be gone until September but he promised us he would
come to church with us then. The next day (yesterday) Sister Bradford
said to me "Sister Hill, I forgot to tell you but when we were on
Carl's porch yesterday and I was behind you at the beginning while you
were talking to him, it wasn't even you talking. You just kept saying
the exact perfect things and I felt the spirit so strong and was just
sitting there in amazement! You can tell what level of teaching people
are at, and that wasn't you talking." So I've learned this week to
take no though before hand what ye should say! I can't lie, I didn't
have very much faith in that statement, and I still don't fully, but
I'm getting better. Let the Holy Spirit guide! Lots of other great
tender mercies this week :)

I hope you all have just the best week ever!
Love you!!!
~Sister Hill

Miracles 4 dayz

Fam, 

Oh my goodness I'm so glad you all had so much fun in Newport! You are all total babes in those pictures (every time I show sister Bradford pictures of you guys she says "your family is a dream!" ) also Europe, what?? Looks like it was amazing! I wish I could say I'm jealous, but to be honest I'm not even hahahaha OHIO FOR LIFE! Dad, I sure hope you get feeling better! Prayers comin your way (even though I already pray for you guys every day) but being sick is no fun! 

These last few weeks have honestly been miracles after miracles after miracles. The work is finally picking up and we actually teach and find people! So the niece of the new convert (Lacey) is the one we just started teaching. She is so awesome and I asked her if she's old be baptized after the first lesson (she said yes) and we are planning a time to come teach her the restoration! (We taught the plan of salvation last time and she just ate it up. ) she's so prime. So that is looking hopeful! Elaine and Chuck are both doing the things we ask for the most part and meeting with us, but we're having a hard time to get them to understand the importance of this being the 1 true church and the priesthood, but it will hopefully come with time! We met a super nice lady who just came up to us and started talking to us about what we do. Her name is Shelley, and she said she always turned missionaries away but had a Mormon friend who told her that she should let missionaries help her. She doesn't have really any religious background but she hpgave us her number and she's really excited to meet with us! We also visited the mom of a recent convert from the ysa ward, and she was really hesitant. But then she texted us asking when church was so her son could come, and invited us over and wants to set up a time so she can make dinner for us. MIRACLES. 

Well I was reading a talk called the fourth missionary by Lawrence E. Corbridge and there was a part that I really liked! "The purpose and central blessing of life is change. It is to be changed to become more like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into your character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, and from there to the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you." I have really come to see that there is a never ending staircase to Christ, but each step that brings us closer will really open our eyes to where we are and the potential we can reach!

I love you all so much! I have no idea why my words just turned red, I didn't even push any buttons..., darn iPads. Regardless, I hope you have just a wonderful week! Also I just realized that my pictures last week didn't send :/ I'll see what I can do but I'm almost out of time (also dad I will write that letter to the priests as soon as I have time :)) 

~sister hill

This is the crew. And I love every single one of them.

 My diabetic grandmother came to the mish to visit, so this is our genealogy picture.

  Beach day zone activity gone RIGHT.

this is the creepiest picture ever, but we get to bike around so
that's a good (hot) time

 This is the produce the Carsons sent us home with from their garden hahaha.

At the zoo. Because everyone thinks I'm Asian. 

I saw manatees!!! (Because Easton was praying for me ) 

 #nofilter

Mug Citrus

Hello family!!

Newport, whahhh? That's so fun!! I'm glad you all just having a good
ole time on the beach. Seriously though, you don't have to feel bad at
all that I'm not there, cause every day I just feel bad that you guys
aren't out here!! The steaks would be nice though ;) and good work
with the missionary work! Justin is one lucky guy. I'm convinced that
Heavenly Father puts people in our paths for missionary work, and that
there is always someone around that he wants us to help, we just have
to look for them!

To answer some questions: yes, we finally got an investigator to
church! (First time since I've been here) I'll add more about her
later :) the heat has been kinda crazy! I
decided on an invention I'm going to make when I get back to make tons
of money with in Ohio: a really heavy duty umbrella with built in
fans. Because that's about what you need here! Luckily this whole El
Niño thing is supposed to give us a nice mild winter. YESSS. Lessons
for the most part are fun! Sometimes depending on the people though
it's awkward and a little stressful, but we are always looking for
more lessons! The only thing that stresses me out is knowing what to
say. 

This week has been super good! We were able to have more lessons with
our new investigators Chuck and Elaine! Elaine came to church and she
said that it was really cool but we have a hard time knowing how
much... Sets in. She's very nice but she's also
currently studying Catholicism. Chuck is a super nice guy but he's
been sick so he couldn't come to church, but we're hoping to get him
there! We also had a miracle where we got a referral from a new
converts niece (who we are teaching this week) in the worthington area
so we sent elders there and they said it went super great and they're
going back to teach them! It's been real good out here. We've been
seeing the fruits of our efforts and it's been super great to see the work start picking up! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

I love you all so so so much!
~Sister Hill

 WE FOUND THE OHIO IVE BEEN DREAMING OF.  In picture 1 with sister

Bradford those are just a bunch of carpets in the greenery. No one was
home :(

 3) double rainbow what what!

Encoding Gem

Fam-bamily!

Greetings from Powell! Ah, sounds like you all had a super fun week! A
little jealous of the sleep over party... How have you all been?
What's going on this fine summer? Our
zone activity was the absolute best! It started out unbearably hot and
then it's started pouring rain like nobody's business but luckily we
have a super fun zone so we kept playing volleyball and doing relay
races. It was super fun because the whole field was all gross and
flooded. (Pictures to come, just not sure how to get them from the
camera to the iPad yet) 

It seems like both of you are worried that I'm not telling you about
struggles but to be entirely honest... There aren't really any hahaha
so don't ever worry about me "sugar coating" it, you know I'm not a
sugar coater ;) honestly the biggest struggles are 1) trying to get
used to the "sister missionary" thing, you know, hugging everyone and
being over the top and telling people you love them every 3rd sentence
haha they all seem to just be really touchy and overbearing which
makes me uncomfortable. I know, it's a stupid thing to be annoyed
with. 2) my social skills. They're worse than I thought. 3) missions
make you kinda bipolar which is kinda weird, like hour to hour haha.
But everything is going so good here and I wouldn't trade it for
anything! I am seriously having the time of my life! Nothing to worry
about :) trust me, I'd let you know :)

Ok the weather here is absolutely psycho, which is kinda fun. The rain
has been just soooo crazy! But there was a 1 day break from the rain a
few days ago so we decided to walk that day... Worst idea ever haha it
was 108 degrees, which does not feel good in humidity! There was a
heat alert sent out that day. But don't worry, the rain came back ;)
supposedly it is forecasted that Ohio won't get a summer this year
because of rain until October. But I'm not even mad because I was
worried about the heat anyway haha. And no, it hasn't given us service
opportunities which is dumb but when you have  a 4 million dollar
house you also are usually more willing to pay someone for your
service than let two random girls do it. So that's the worst.

Well this week has been super good!! We actually got 2 new
investigators this week! Chuck and Elaine. And we taught 7 lessons
this week!! (All you South America goers, you're just gonna have to
trust me that 7 lessons in a week is an absolute miracle here) in
fact, we got a member present and we told president Daines about it
and he got super excited and said "forget member present, you got a
LESSON!" It was a joke, but it was also true hahaha. So we've been
pumped! We were supposed to have a few people at church but satan is
really good, and this whole agency thing is really throwing us off, so
we didn't have any :/ BUT that's ok because we'll get me next week :)

Have they been stressing church and the sacrament in Utah too? I think
it's been for everyone, but that's what the church has been pushing
and I think it's awesome! I remember as a kid mom explaining the
sacrament to me (in a very simplified day) and telling me that we are
supposed to remember Jesus. Because I'm super stubborn I remember the
sacrament prayer annoying me because I would be like "I can remember
Jesus on my own, they don't have to TELL me" and now we go and take
the sacrament every week, and hear the prayer every week, so how is it
that we STILL forget about everything Jesus has done for us day to
day? We have the opportunity to have a mini baptism every week, how do
we prepare for that baptism? Food for thought. I'm so grateful for the
opportunity to take the sacrament each week so that my every day
constant short comings can be forgiven and I can commit to improve
each week!

I love you all so much! Have a great week!
~Sister Hill