October 24, 2016

Aaaaalllllright I will do my best to catch up!

For one the toe has pretty much just been stagnant. Just floatin along, I finish the antibiotics so I am a little worried the infection is just going to get worse again. I've been trying epsom salt, then I read the package that said to stop use if there are signs of infection and to consult a physician before using if you have diabetes. Well I figured after about a week of soaking my infected diabetic toe in it that it couldn't be too bad right? So yeah. It's fine. My toenail is dang long though. But everything is good. 

Oh man there was seriously so much these last few weeks. 

First of all Lauren. Ok. So much. So we had this KILLER awesome lesson with her that was soooooo good! She had started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning which really set a good base for the lesson, and we had this awesome member, Jacob, with us. We asked her how she felt about the Book of Mormon and she is just dying to figure out if it's a good book or holy scripture. We asked what would classify something as holy scripture to her and she basically said "i don't know. I really like the Book of Mormon. Like, sometimes you read that bible and you just kinda think yeah great Jesus died for my sins, that's awesome, but the Book of Mormon really makes you think about what that means. Like, how broken I really am, and how much the savior really has done for me" " so you mean to say that the Book of Mormon motivates you to act" "..... I guess. Yeah. " and we had this way good discussion, and she fasts every Monday so we asked if we could fast with her last Monday and Jacob says "Lauren, I think you already have your answer. With that in mind, consider fasting instead for strength to act on your answer" and she 600% did not deny that she had received her answer. As with all things, once the spiritual moment is gone, it's only as good as the commitment you make to act on it no matter what, and she is in question mode again. But I know she will make it. Gosh I love 

Lauren so much, and we are having a temple lesson with her tomorrow!! :) 

Ok Lewis is wonderful. BUT HE MISSED CHURCH AGAIN. so we will be moving his baptism back another week to help him prepare for baptism. He told is he is very excited to be baptized but wants a little more to to be prepared and integrated and we agreed. Keep him in your prayers! We have not heard from him since he missed church and we need to meet with him to see what his concerns are. The language barrier is so hard but that's definitely why we have the language of the spirit. Our lessons with him are always so powerful because of the strong testimony he has! 

Ok there is this way cool girl named Megan that we met a little while back and she came to a lesson with us and stayed for fhe with the member that we brought to our lesson. It was awesome! She wanted to come to a church service but couldn't because her parents were in from out of town... well our return appointments kept falling through, she bailed on fhe again last minute all this stuff and we were so sad because we were convinced she is getting baptized. So we just assumed she was dropping us and had to let it be because she didn't get back with us.

So on Sunday everyone falls through for church. We even went to meet this girl and stood out in the cold to wait for her and even though she confirmed the night before, after she was late several minutes, we called her and she answered with a really tired "hello?" "Hey TaKea how are you?" *hangs up phone* anyway moral of the story we worked so hard all week, way exceeded our goals for lessons and new investigators and everything, invited so many people to church, and it felt like all of our efforts were worth nothing. So it was kind of a hard morning. Mind you, I was fasting this week for a miracle. For a baptism really but also a miracle. And I have bee. Really praying and pondering about getting people to church. Well God knows everything and since all our people fell through for 1st ward, we decided to study and then just go to 2nd ward sacrament meeting. And since everyone fell through for 2nd ward in advance, we didn't have anyone to wait for inside the church. So with church starting at 1, we say a prayer at 12:45 and get to work. We talked with EVERYONE up and down the street and no one wanted to come to church with us.... that is until 12:57. (Is this dramatic and intense yet?) when we look down the road and see J. And this is what happens:

Us "Hi, how are you doing today!"
J " Great! I just got done with dance class, where are you guys going"
Us" we are actually on our way to church..." *cut off by J's gasp*
J "ok this is going to sound bad, but I got baptized a year ago. And I got so busy I fell out of church. And I was JUST walking and thinking about church and how I want to get back into it"
Us *crying happiness* "that's crazy because just a few minutes ago we were in that church building praying that we would find someone who needs to come to church with us today"

And then he just gets so excited and was like "great let's go! Has it started yet?" It was 12:58!! As we walked over he points to his car, just a few feet further than where we had stopped him, and says "wow! If I had walked 3 more steps I would've gotten in my car and drove away. Wow. Amen. Wow" and literally inserts amen as about every 4th or 5th word that comes out of his mouth. So we went and he stayed the full three hours and LOVED IT. He said it was like a family and he learned so much about the importance of church, He's seriously perfect. At church he introduced himself and said " I am J, I am here with Sister Hill and Sister Gibson, and, Amen" and sat down. 

So usually our biggest struggle with Chinese is that they are so busy all the time with school. Well the miracle about j is he just graduated with his masters so he works and has all the evening times in the world to meet up with us and he is incredibly excited about it. AND HES IN 2nd ward boundaries!! (It's hard to find 2nd ward investigators and we have been praying to find one) so yeah. He's coming to fhe tonight and when we texted him to remind him he said "Thank you sisters so much Gibson and Hill. It's just amazing that I run into you. God has a plan for us. I'll see you tonight on time. Hope you have a great day! Hope God is with us today. " dooooooooods he's perfecccccccct.

So we get home. We break our fast for dinner, thank God a TON, and right as we say amen the phone buzzes AND MEGAN TEXTED US ASKING IF WE CAN MEET UP ON TUESDAY. Yesterday was like the best day of ever. 

-funny story-

This Indian guy stops us and says he could spot Mormons from a mile away. He proceeds to tell us about how he knew this girl from Idaho and wanted to marry her because he likes good girls and all and thought she was pretty and all this stuff and tell us how he asked her to marry him and she said no and he was SO heart broken and it took him a long time to recover and still still hurts. Well he just keeps talking about how he can't figure out what is wrong with him because he can't find a wife and after some questions about the one girl, as the story slowly, oh so awkwardly unfolds, we find out it was a SISTER MISSIONARY. He talked with them once, saw them and said hi two other times on campus and then he asked her to marry him. Hahahahahaha I was dying I had no idea what to do. Well this guy just keeps going and going and he starts saying "I used to be very stalkery and hunt girls down it was bad. Not like, hiding from behind the trees but once I saw a girl I headed STRAIGHT for her and told her" and then tells us he doesn't even go to OSU anymore. He was just back to try to pick up girls. So we were like "great, here's a [blank] card with a cool website bye!" Hahah it was so funny the whole time. We tried so many times to get out but it was like a 20-30 min convo. 

Anyway, my fingers are getting tired and I need to buy food. 

But I love you guys!!

~Sister Hill

Pictures 10/19

really enjoying my mumu thanks mom!!!! 

I know I sent you another rendition of this last summer but someone went home and perfected it hahaha. 

Sister Alius sent this to me in my old marble cliff apartment. I don't understand it but I like it.

Pictures 10/10

We went on a nice trip to target which was a nice hour long walk. Anyway, we ran into this on our way jajajaja

October 10, 2016

Hello!

Ok to answer some questions: as of now it looks like I am extending just for 2 days, and will probably be getting a flight Saturday night after the endowment. Sister Farmer is coming for it too!! Ahh doods I am so excited. So that's the plan as of yet, I'll let you know if it changes :) Lewis is reading an English children's Book of Mormon hand in hand with a Chinese Book of Mormon. All the Chinese people make fun of the Chinese Book of Mormon because I guess the translation is super bad hahaha. So yeah, that's how that goes. The weather is wonderful here!! Too good. And as for my toe it is infected again, growing granuloma #3, and I'm on my 3rd round of antibiotic #cephalexin4lyfe but hey it's all good I'm still alive and the work will go on! Getting more of my toenail removed tonight by Dr Kiehl. 

This week has been pretty good! Some updates on some investigators:

We had a couple lessons with Lewis that went great. Now, the word of wisdom is probably the hardest for Chinese people because that's just a huge part of their life. So we brought Ziqian who was baptized a few weeks ago who shared his experiences in replacing coffee and tea with orange juice and how he feels so much healthier now! Lewis, although he had questions at first, basically bore testimony to us that it makes sense to live the word of wisdom to be healthy and committed to living it! In his prayer at the end, he thanked God for giving us to word of wisdom and told God he was going to obey it. It was awesome! Lewis has this crazy thing going on where he is in Chicago every weekend for the next few weeks so prayer really hard for him because he needs to come to church again to be baptized! He feels so bad and said he will "pray for forgiving and protection from the God. " but he really wants to come to church and seems very excited to be baptized!! Literally I am going to move to China. 

We had a rough lesson with Lauren. Come to find out her dad investigated the church for a year many years ago so I don't think he's against it or anyone but it sounds like he is kind of swaying her decision. She said she has had revelations 22 on her heart and she has some questions. We were able to talk through them and testify of the Book of Mormon. It ended up being great! I am just worried for her. We typed up an email with more scriptures she can study and pray about regarding her questions and if I do say so myself it was a pretty bold pretty awesome email. We are meeting with her tomorrow to talk about the importance of daily Book of Mormon reading to get her answer!! 

We met a new guy named Winston this week, we actually stopped him on his bike! He was Christian for 2 years then stopped because he had the concern about what happens to people who aren't christian, and if teaching people about Christ is a bad thing because then it will just hold them accountable. After all this talk in conference about gods plan it was so wonderful to testify of it to him! He came to all 3 hours of church and we are meeting with him again this Thursday :) 

We also met a cool girl named Sarah who was very open and interested and actually accepted November 12th as a baptism date on our first contact! We are excited to see where it goes!

Also we met a girl on the bus and we are meeting with her today at 6:30. A member is picking us up and taking us all there, we are teaching a lesson, and then she is staying with the member for FHE yoga class haha! It's perfect. We literally talked to her for like 30 seconds but I'm really excited about this all :) 

We had interviews this week and it was awesome! President and Sister Daines are so wonderful and inspired. They came to our apartments and we got to highlight some of our favorite miracles, parable, and verses in a large print bible they got. Of course I was able to get some advice from president about how to further the work here. Man, they do so much for us and I love them! It was actually right after our huge new missionary follow up training meeting which was also good. One step at a time, I am trying to further consecrate myself and endure to the end! It's so weird. I feel like I'm never gonna leave this place, and I never want to. 

Love you all. And I hope you have a great week!! 

October 3, 2016

Fragility!

Sorry today is going to be short. We have interviews at our apartments this week, so it's deep clean day hahahaha #somanyspiders

This week has been wonderful! We had a way cool lesson with Lauren. She came to dinner at a members with us and then we talked about priesthood and the temple. It was so cool! We watched a clip from last conference from Bonnie Oscarson where she gets super bold and just lays it out that if this church is true it IS the way to Christ. And all the blessings that come with that. And Lauren LOvED it! She will be out of town for her baptism date.... but she said it in a way like she is totally planning on getting baptized not just think in about it and she is praying about a date in November :) 

Lewis' Lesson was so cool too! We talked about the doctrine of Christ. He has learned so much from his children's Book of Mormon! And his prayer at the end was wonderful. He couldn't make it to conference this week and we were so sad but he texted us and said "I will pray for forgiving and protection from the God" haha he's so cute I can't handle it. 

We dropped Gracie :/ she's still coming to church and all, and she watched conference, but she told us she just isn't ready to jump all in. And she recognized that her answer hasn't come because realized that this whole time she has just had in the back of her head that she won't get baptized. Some day, I know it will happen!!

Conference was AWESOME! Some themes I found: 1) Jesus is the greatest ever 2) Gods plan is literally perfect 3) that plan is made to bring us joy 4) we will all make mistakes along the way 5) those mistakes don't have to hold us up anymore, because REPENTANCE IS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING IN THE WORLD. I've learned a lot about repentance on my mission and I think conference just summed it right up! It's perfect and lovely and hard and joyful. And everyone needs it :) so tell people about it!!

I love you all so much! Have a great week! 

Pictures 9/26

it took everything in me not to buy this calendar

lemonade stand contacting. We have a few chapel tours because of it :)) don't mind my other chin in the first picture i literally have no idea how it got there. (Yes I do, ice cream has been permanently on sale since I've been here) 

September 26, 2016

Hiiii

Btw sister McDonald is from California.... but yeah other than that all utahns!! It's cool though. Sister McDonald and I already have a bunch of plans to visit. Also we served in 3 of the same areas so we're gonna come back together some time :) 

First of all dad, I keep forgetting to tell you, I met this OSU football player twice on campus who apparently is REALLY good, REALLY famous, seems REALLY old, is REALLY big, and is REALLY actually a baby 18 yr old. His name is Jonathan and he thinks sister Alius has really pretty eyes so I guess that basically makes me famous right? So yeah. Fun fact. 

Also let me tell you a fun story from today. Jabari (the one who moved to Nebraska) accidentally butt dialed us so we called him back. Anyway he was like oh sorry that must have been an accident so we asked how everything is going and he said he is still planning on being baptized on Oct 15th! It was so cool. We went on reminiscing about when he came to church with us for the first time and how he "fell in love with the church" those were his words. Ahhhh I'm so excited for him so keep him in your prayerseroos. 

Keep Kandyce in your prayers as well! We get to go see her do baptisms next week yay! But she is going through a hard time mentally and emotionally and could use any prayers at all! She is so wonderful. We did family history with her and her face just absolutely lit up and she was able to search for information about her family. I think the coolest part was when she got to request the ordinances for her grandma. The other member with us said "kandyce I think your grandma is so happy right now that you get to do this for her" we later found out that her grandma had passed away on that date a few years ago and that was a large part of the reason that kandyce is going through a hard time, but she was so uplifted and edified by doing genealogy. What a blessing :)

Lauren came to church yesterday!! Yasssss!! There was a triple baptism for OSU on Saturday so Lauren got to see all of them confirmed, and one of the Chinese ones, Frank, lives in her building!! It was awesome. Another member came up to us later and told us she went to high school with Lauren. So things are looking bright! She had some questions about the Melchizedek priesthood that was used to give the gift of the Holy Ghost so we are going to teach her more about that tomorrow :) we also taught her the word of wisdom last week and he was like " yeah I was aware of that. I think it's so awesome!!" Like whahht?? So we asked her if she would live the word of wisdom and she's like "oh yeah I don't use any of those anyway" like double whahhhht? It was awesome!! Dooods I love Lauren. She's so cool. 

We had a great lesson with Lewis this week that was so awesome. We taught the restoration and sister Gibson asked if he has ever heard of prophets before and he goes "yes!" And points to his children's Book of Mormon "Lehi was prophet!" We go on and we keep teaching and talking with him and he all of a sudden just starts summing up the first 5 chapters of the children's Book of Mormon to us in his crazy broken English and then just says " nephi has a lot of confidence and that makes him want to do good while his brothers do not. I need to have more confidence like Nephi and I can do more good" (in a much less grammatically correct way) and then he told us how God has given him more confidence. It was so cool. We had him say the closing prayer and it was soooooo good. Like, incredible. Lewis is seriously perfect. I can't wait until I am Chinese because the Chinese are literally the most flawless humans in the world. 

We've been struggling to find more solid investigators this past week. Like, fake number on fake numbers and all of our return appointments falling through so that is what we fasted for this last week. Basically what I am saying is to get pumped to hear about all our new solid friends next week :) 

I love what you all said about youth standards night. It reminds me of a parable Christ gave in John 10. He talks about how he is the door and when he enters in by the door the sheep hear his voice and follow him, and how if any man enters in not by the door the sheep do not hear them and know they are a robber/ thief. Well I love verse 10 which says

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" 

There are so many thiefs in the world that come to steal our agency, to kill our confidence, and to destroy our happiness but as long as we are true sheep or true disciples of Christ we will know. We will know which voice to listen to that will not only bring us life but that we may have it more abundantly. Life was meant to be enjoyed and Christ is the door that lasting joy! He is the good shepherd :) 

I love you all, and hope you have a wonderful week! 

~Sister Hill