Feb 4, 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

I have now been set apart as a missionary for 365 days!!!! And then some. And I still have no clue what I am doing:) But I love it more and more everyday! Spring keeps getting turned on and off this week in the Ohio. On Wednesday for transfers it was 67 degrees outside, we were walking around in t-shirts! It was lovely. Then the next day it seemed like heaven dumped all the snow it had up there on us. We were covered in about 8 inches of snow!

We are still keeping busy. We have a shortened transfer this round because of the new missionaries trying to get on the new schedule. I may have mentioned that last week. So we are trying to get everything put together, we have another fireside coming up and zone conference next week! Oh man so many things to look forward to. We have mission council tomorrow. I always love those meetings. President Vellinga is such an amazing teacher. There were some big changes this transfer, not too many for the VC but definitely for the mission. I am now serving in the same ward as one of the elders that I came out with. Elder Berryessa! Love him. He may be in some of the pictures I sent home. He is hilarious. Next transfer we have 29 new missionaries coming out with only 4 leaving so it's about to get crazy in the Ohio. But that's how we like it!

Our area is doing well. We are still on the hunt for more people to teach, but we know that as we are diligent and have charity that the Lord will put them in our path. Sandy is doing very well. We found a new investigator this week. His name is Maurice. In a bad relationship who is searching for Christ. It's heartbreaking sometimes hearing about all of these trials that people have to face. It makes me really grateful for my trials. I was able to see Sister Feldt this week. I miss her! That was nice, also some of the Elders that I served with out in Lorain got transferred so I saw them too. We are trying to work with the members. We went to a baptism for one of the little girls in the ward, to present a restoration lesson, because they invited a non-member to come. She was loving it. Their names are Tim and Kate. Kate was loving it. She started crying when Gabby (the little girl) was given the Holy Ghost. It was tender. I love baptisms. It's definitely a wonderful opportunity to feel the spirit and see the powers of godliness manifest themselves!

We are busy as always and it sounds like you are staying busy too. Jason and Jeni are getting married in less than a month. Crazy stuff. I better get an anouncement even if I can't come :) You'll go from being busy in Ohio to busy in Idaho! Then everything will settle down again. Just in time for Mother's day and then July! What else do you have planned for the coming months? Anything. I will hopefully be getting a letter out to GandG this week. I wrote them one. Now it's just a matter of addressing them :( Sometimes I just want to sleep! We went and got departure Jammies today. The 7 sisters that I came out with decided we all wanted to have matching Jammies for the night that we stay at the mission home before departure so we went and got matching footie jammies! Now we just have to get the 10 elders on board and we can ALL match:)

The gospel is true! Kirtland is amazing! I love it here! I love you all! I pray for you everyday!

Love,

Sister Hillman