March 7, 2016

Hey Family!

Why haven't I gotten a picture of mckennas wedding dress yet? 🙃 also
it's sounds like everything is going to be super fun and awesome for
trek! #reminiscing

Well I have a lot of really cool stories for you.

1. Remember Brother Messer? Refresher: he's a member that was randomly
in the records, he said he was just considering coming back to church
when we knocked on the door. He was a convert, and had been inactive
for 22 years. 15 sets of missionaries had come to him and he turned
them away but when we talked to him he said that his daughter was here
on Fridays so we could come in. Well that's great but we invited some
members anyway :) his daughter had never even really considered any of
it but we've been teaching them both together and how she has a
baptismal date for April 16th! She has been soaking everything up a
lot and loves to read. Her dads testimony has been a huge strength to
her and she is striving to live the word of wisdom which is really
hard but she so willing to give it her all! It's been really cool.
We've only met with her twice but when we asked her to come to church
she said that she has already been working with her work to change her
schedule so she can come to church on Sunday's. She's SO prepared and
I love their family so much.

2. Let me tell you about why it's ALWAYS a bad thing to deny a
prompting. Or in this case, why it's ALWAYS good to follow a
prompting. We were parked outside of McDonald's stealing wifi (as you
can often finding missionaries doing) to sync our areabooks and there
was this lady inside and she looked sad. I felt like we needed to go
in and talk to her so I told sister McDonald who said " I was just
thinking the same thing" she was on the phone so we were trying to
decide how to go about it and we wrote her a note on a card so we
could leave it with her and after we prayed she was off the phone so
we hurry and get in there. We walked up to her, feeling a little bit
awkward as there were people around who could see and hear us but WE
FEAR NO MAN! So we say hi and all and then say " we aren't sure why,
but we saw you and knew we needed to talk to you" and introduce
ourself and she says "did God tell you anything to say to me?" and we
bore testimony of Gods love and Christ and new beginning and she says
"well, that confirms that there actually is a God" and starts crying.
She lives in Indiana but she just barely broke up with her truck
driver boyfriend and left and hid her stuff and everything. She had
been clean from heroine for 15 years before she started dating this
guy and relapsed and she felt absolutely worthless. She said she had
tried to commit suicide twice and didn't want to live anymore. She
wondered why, even when she tried to do what was right, she still had
trials. She didn't know her purpose. As she learned of Gods love, and
read to her from the Book of Mormon she knew God was there and she
left with hope. We got her information so missionaries in Indiana can
talk with her more and let me just tell you if I spent 18 months here
in Ohio for the sole purpose of saving this woman's life, then it's
all worth it. I know that God is so mindful of everyone!! And I'm
grateful I could be an instrument in his hands to manifest that love.

3. We have a mission-wide goal of increasing church attendance. Our
average is 320 a month which is really quite sad and at MLC we prayed
about what our goal needs to be. After our prayer president Daines
said "I don't know what the number is, but the spirit confirmed to me
that someone here does" and all at once 3 people say "600." The spirit
was so strong! We had a similar way of setting goals in our zones
and this time 4 people said "120" our Heavenly Father is so involved
in this work. So we have had a mission-wide fast for this goal as
well. This requires each set of missionaries to get 2 people to church
every week. We worked our very hardest. We invited EVERYONE, we
testified, we set up member rides, and we should've had about 10
people there who said they would come and last minute every single one
fell through. And then we come to church, and Brother Messer has
brought his daughter Sara and her husband Larry with him and they are
in our area! It was a miracle. Miracles are real!

4. We went to go visit a potential named Helen and she was asleep so
we talked to her sister Virginia. Meanwhile, Helens daughter was
outside played with a 10 year old boy named Jacob from across the
street. We taught the restoration on Virginias door step and Jacob
listens, very closely. While I was teaching about the Book of Mormon
Jacob turns to Sister McDonald and whispers "how much is that book?"
She says "it's free" and he immediately says " I want one" after we
finished talking to Virginia we ask Jacob if he thinks his family
would be ok with us coming over to talk with them. Only his sister was
home but we gave him a Book of Mormon and restoration pamphlet. Ok, no
joke though, Jacob is the most prepared human being I met on my whole
mission. He sneaks up to his dad's room to read his bible. He's the
only one in his family who still prays at dinner and night and that
makes him sad. He tries to help his old siblings not to swear. He
knows and lives repentance every day. We told him that the Book of
Mormon would bring him a lot of peace and happiness and he said "I
already know that because while I was listening to you talk to that
lady I could feel it. You were teaching me things I didn't know, that
I know I should be learning about" like, what?? And then he sets up
his own return appointment. He say (my favorite quote of all time) "
if you have anything more that you should tell me about I can talk on
Saturday. I'll be around all day, except for playing with friends" and
we're going to go meet his family on Saturday at 12:30 hahahaha pray
for us :)

It's been a good week. Yes we are still trying to get in contact with
Mollies mom and boy is it a PAIN. She won't answer our texts or calls.
Mollie wants to be baptized SO bad and she knows it's right. We have
met with her at her older sisters and at her house. We bring members a
lot. Sometimes her step dad Jason is there. But her mom never is....
And we can't teach her anymore without her moms permission... :(((((

On a side note, we met this guy name Masiah and talked with him and
then this big bag of cocaine fell out of his pockets and he laughed it
off and put it back then all of a sudden he's like uh, I don't feel to
good, and throws up in the bushes. Like, for so long. And sister
McDonald and I just had like no idea what to do and it was super
awkward. He was so hung over. Needless to say he wasn't there for our
return Appointment.

Jake is doing awesome. Crystal is doing awesome. Life is good, God is
good. Doods I love the mish. You know what's crazy? That we skype in 2
months. When I'm 2/3 done. Where did the time go?? I love you guys so
much.

~Sister Hill

Pictures 2/29

Our 3 week old district.

Ok this is a funny story. There was this little super shaken up
scared dog in the street that almost got hit by like 4 cars so we
pulled over to rescue it and ask our zone leaders what to do and
eventually we settled on dog contacted by spreading the gospel by
knocking on doors and asking people if this was their dog/ if they
knew who's it was so we pray that we can find the owners and get out
of the car and there are some people down the street whistling and we
set the dog down and it runs to them and it's so unbelievable
uncomfortable so we get in the car and drive away asap rocky and we
weren't saving a lost puppy we were kidnapping it. Never again.

when you have exchanges with a tripanionship and they all come to
your apartment.

February 29, 2016

Hey Fam!

I had lots of question about health etc... I'm healthy, I'm happy, and
everything is great :)

Update on Mollie: we have been in this struggle of meeting her mom for
a few weeks now. Both us and Mollie have been doing everything we can
to make it happen but her mom hasn't gotten back to us and is almost
never home. We know mollies moms boyfriend pretty well but we need her
moms signature. Mollie wants to get baptized SUPER bad, she keeps
reading and praying, but she has talked to her mom about baptism and
her mom is a little unsure be we don't know to what extent. It's been
a struggle but I know everything will work out the way it is supposed
to!

This week has been super crazy. We had zone conference and then follow
up zone conference a week later which happened this Thursday. Within
that week we were having a blitz where we set goals on theusday then
followed up with the whole zone the next Thursday to see how we did.
Our goals were 48 contacts, 6 referrals received and contacted, 3
people at church, 22 lessons, 15 baptismal extensions, and 7 new
investigators. We got 52 contacts, 5 referrals, 1 person at church, 39
lessons and 17 new investigators. Obviously we had some room to
improve but we were really proud of the things we accomplished with
the help of the spirit! The problem is it left us with all the
administrative items to catch up on so our last few days have been a
little rough but we've pulled through!

I'm trying to think of anything else really that happened this last
week besides that and the pictures..... Missions are the best form of
exhaustion. My advice to you this week is to be grateful. At all
times, in all things, in all places :)

Ohhh by the way the temperature today is perfect. 🏾

Love you!!!!!!!
~Sister Hill

Pictures 2/22

Now let me tell you a story. Everything that could possibly go
wrong for jakes baptism did. We had to change the building.... Then
the time.... And when we thought we had it all worked out we were
meeting the zone leaders at their church building to unlock it so we
could fill the font and they show up 45 minutes late. We are in a huge
rush and then the water that starts coming out is FREEZING. (About 40
degrees according to the thermometer.) their bishop came to try to fix
the water heater because he's a handy man and it was just broken. So
we called Jake and he is so golden that it didn't even phase him that
he would be baptized in 40 fetching degrees. It all worked out as
things always do and he's never been happier. Jake is my fav. The
funny thing is the morning of we were thinking about how we could make
his baptism more memorable.,,, careful what you pray for.

A really awkward picture of us and the elders hahaha #obedience 1st

Manatee stickers 4 lyfe

Pawn shopping in the city is my fav.

#gospelblessesfamilies

You both seem to be wondering more about our responsibilities....
Our whole mission got flipped upside down and all exchanges happen in
our area now meaning that we have to plan for 4 days In 1, 2 nights
every week. Sister McDonald snapped this the first night we had to
hahaha hopefully it gets easier #prayforus

February 22, 2016

Famry,

Ayyyyyyye! To answer some questions: yes, maybe you did teach me not
to eat out of the ice cream container, BUT I feel it doesn't apply if
it your ice cream, right? We didn't do anything to help Terrance
out.... He's not allowed in or anything sooo... He just needed
something from inside that we couldn't get because it's locked from
the inside too... Am I justifying? It was the middle of the night
ok... I'll repent. Yes I did get contacts but they aren't the right
prescription... But they aren't too far off so I'll be fine. Yes
Crystal was baptized the very end of November and is the greatest
member to ever exist. Jake is now a member too! Yay! Mollie is soon to
come. Not this week cause of complications meeting her mom, but soon
:) she's the best ever. Yes 21 pilots have been around for quite some
time, but they originate in Ohio so everyone here is like OBSESSED
with them. They're aight. Well, their pretty good actually, I just
haven't heard them in over 9 months sewwwww.... Speaking of which I
hope you are all enjoying that songs that's like " I'm wishing we
could turn back time to the good old days" cause I hear it in the
stores and I secretly love it and have to try not to listen.
#musictrunky? #nahh Sister McDonald is great! She's lots of fun cause
she has a lot of personality. She's like as tall as dad which is cool. She is super
awesome and always trying to work harder! She's a good one :) I
mentioned some responsibilities we have... It's kind of a lot. But we
make it work. Scratch that, the lord makes it work.

Phew. I think I made it through. So paps how detailed? I struggle to
remember details because life is one big crazy mess of blessed joy
haha. We currently have like 30 investigators so it would be cool to
tell you about all of them.... Buttttf..... So anyway we had a lesson
with Jake at the temple because we live right by it and it was SO
cool. He understood it really well and prayed for the spirits who are
learning about the gospel. He was so overwhelmed with the spirit and
everyone there teared up at some point during the lesson. He's so
great. Mollie is doing well too, working on teaching the mom hahah it's
a struggle.

Here's a cool story. While we were on exchanges (4 sisters, 1 car) all
these crazy things happened and ended up putting us in a place that
wasn't in our plans while the other sisters were at a lesson. Sister
Blaser and I decided there was probably a reason we ended up there and
prayed that we could find out why, then we went to knock on some doors
in a close by neighborhood. Then, we knocked on the door of some
members that no one knew about who had been there for over a year and
wanted to come to church. That was cool.

There was another less active member who randomly showed up in the
records. We knocked on his door and he said that he was just thinking
about how we wanted to come back to church. After 22 years!! We are
now teaching him and his daughter, he's come to church twice, and we
have dinner with them this Friday :)

I don't know what else to say. But I love you all so much and hope you
have the best week!
~Sister Hill

Pictures 2/15

New district woot.

This picture was actually taken accidentally. I was really eating
ice cream as I broke open the package. Thank you!!!!

We appreciated the valentines from Easton and Hadley as well :)

This is just for your enjoyment.

February 15, 2016

Aye family!

What's up? Ok, let me start with a story.

So I wake up at 5am to sister McDonald sitting at the edge of my bed
with a baseball bat saying "Sister Hill, sister hill wake up, sister
hill don't freak out ok??" And I'm like what the heck is going on
(plus my blood sugar was low) and she's like "don't freak out but some
guys have been knocking on our door for over a half hour" and I'm like
" ok. But uh, I need a juice box" haha and she's like heck no I'm not
going down stairs. But anyway I'm like "I'll go look out the window"
and there's this way creepy laughter and voices from right outside so
we are thinking about what ward members to call or what and then I
went and slyly looked out the blinds from our other window and our
neighbor Terrance was locked out of his apartment, on the phone, and
knocking super loud as well as kicking our fence. Hahahaha gooooood
tiiiiiiiiiiiiiimes.

Anyway let me tell you an even better story. So Jake had his baptismal
interview this week and it went great from what it sounded like! We
had a lesson at the church after with him and Crystal and we talked
more about baptism and then the sacrament. We showed him the video
"always remember him" by Holland (you should totally watch it if you
don't know what I'm talking about) and he just said "now I get it. It
makes perfect sense." And bore this amazing testimony about how he
knows the Savior is there during the sacrament. The spirit was so
strong! He is getting baptized this Saturday please pray for him this
is the hardest part for investigators!!

Let me tell you another good story. We had a lesson with Mollie (the
15 year old who is getting baptized on the 27th) and we were talking
about the things she has learned and how it has helped her. She had
practically no religious background at all so we were the ones that
taught her how to pray and she said "when I pray now, I notice that I
can't stop smiling" she has been reading the Book of Mormon every day
even though she doesn't like reading and she takes it to school to
read in her spare time. She is so awesome!! I gave her a ctr ring at a
baptism that she attended with us and she was wearing it at church
this week :) pray for her too!

Pray for everyone actually. Everyone needs prayers. Something that
president Daines has helped me learn is that prayer is there for a
reason, it's not selfish to plead with the lord for things we stand in
need of, it's putting our faith and trust in him. We learn in the the
scriptures that so many great things were brought to pass only through
the prayers of the righteous. Don't be afraid to seek God! He's here
for all of us :)

Well I love you all a whole ton and hope you have a great week! Also I
hit 9 months! OH WHAT? Hump day is on the 22nd :)