Hello,
Happy Pioneer day! Well I am still alive, fortunately I didn't melt in this delicious heat and humidity, I'm just sweaty 24/7. Does life ever seem to slow down. It seems like you all are keeping yourselves busy, it's the best way to be!
Life is good! I think it is so funny when people on tour take pictures of us and then ask us if they can send them home to you. So good! I'm glad you enjoy them. I am sorry you got to see what I look like when it is hot and humid and my hair is frizzy, it is soooo not attractive! I had to buy a new straightener so hopefully it keeps my hair calm. That was a fun tour, I really enjoyed both of them!
Sister Nelson is very easy to train, she loves to work and so it's been nice not having to drag her everywhere. She is adjusting but the first few weeks are a little overwhelming but in a few weeks she'll be ready to go! It's been a very humbling calling, I'm definitely learning patience and to trust in the Lord. How am I suppose to teach someone something I don't even know half of the time. It's nice that we get to learn together! She says she loves it, which I don't blame her, it's the best mission ever! We get a long pretty well! No major fights yet. We are pretty opposite in personality but we fit really well together, we go on some fun adventures!
The work in Mayfield is picking up! So Moses went back to Kenya for awhile we will start teaching him when he gets back again. He has a friend back home that is also investigating the church so hopefully it will be good to have someone else to talk to! we have high hopes for him! We picked up a former on Sunday who says he wants to be baptized but wont set a date because he wants his whole family to be baptized with him but his wife won't commit! We are still on the find for another golden investigator. All in good time :) There are plenty of streets to tract! We are still at the VC just 3 days a week. It got crazy busy there for about 3 weeks but we think it will start to slow down again now that the pageants are over! I'm excited to bring everyone back! So much to see!
This week was a really good one! We had training meeting at the mission office, this is for all the new missionaries and the trainers, we had some workshops and then we got to go contacting in downtown Cleveland. I love this city! So many people to talk to. Sister Nelson had a lot of fun. It's been super busy so we haven't had many opportunities to go contacting so it was good for her. We talked to some really awesome people, and got their information so that missionaries can drop by and teach them more! I wish I could do that everyday! That night we went to Book of Mormon club, all of the missionaries and their investigators a long with some less actives come and discuss certain chapters in the Book of Mormon. It was really good. The Elders created a game called who wants to be a celestial heir, it was a lot of fun. Especially because I get super competitive, yes it is still there!
Thanks for everything! Love you so much! I pray for you all often.
Love,
Sister Hillman
7.29.2012
July 18
Sorry about the lack of letter yesterday. They had to move our p-day for this week because we had president's interviews yesterday. They were good and I passed another one. phew..I love President Vellinga he is not quite as stern as Pres. Sorenson was so his interviews are a little less intimidating. Don't get me wrong I love Pres. Sorenson too.
What a crazy week. In one year from today you will be seeing me walk off the plane. Weird. After today I don't repeat anything. No second July 19th. It feels weird like I just got here. Where does 5.5 months go? Sister Nelson arrived safe and sound and is a great companion. Already trained which makes my job a whole lot easier, I put her to work as soon as we got back into our area. We need to find those prepared souls so we have someone to teach. Getting behind the wheel again was an interesting experience, I'm a little rusty and so sometimes I push on the gas or break to hard. Whoops. But it hasn't been too bad. We have to drive downtown Cleveland so that will be interesting. I will work on getting pictures from transfers asap. I miss sister hatch but she is coming out in August to visit with her family so that will be nice. It's been weird being the senior companion, I feel like I should know more than I do, but well I kept her a live this long right, a whole week with only a few minor issues. She is catching on really fast. It has been another hot week. Woe is me. Humidity is not my favorite, my hair is starting to get out of control.
The VC is starting to get crazy. We have a lot of tour buses coming through on their way to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, so it's been fun. I met Glen Rawson (sp?) woot wooot!!! Yesterday we had a tour bus come through and it was a lot of old people who were on the american heritage tour. It was such a fun group. One man told me I had a good sense of humor, so I guess I'm still doing good. We had an emeritus General Authority on our tour, it was cool. He was 91 and had a lot of stories to tell, such a strong testimony. Tours are fun.
Sorry this is super short. Have to run. You will do great in your lesson. Just remember your purpose as a member missionary and that is to strengthen other's faith in Christ. Ask questions and make it applicable. Alma 32 is my favorite.
Love ya,
Sister Hillman
What a crazy week. In one year from today you will be seeing me walk off the plane. Weird. After today I don't repeat anything. No second July 19th. It feels weird like I just got here. Where does 5.5 months go? Sister Nelson arrived safe and sound and is a great companion. Already trained which makes my job a whole lot easier, I put her to work as soon as we got back into our area. We need to find those prepared souls so we have someone to teach. Getting behind the wheel again was an interesting experience, I'm a little rusty and so sometimes I push on the gas or break to hard. Whoops. But it hasn't been too bad. We have to drive downtown Cleveland so that will be interesting. I will work on getting pictures from transfers asap. I miss sister hatch but she is coming out in August to visit with her family so that will be nice. It's been weird being the senior companion, I feel like I should know more than I do, but well I kept her a live this long right, a whole week with only a few minor issues. She is catching on really fast. It has been another hot week. Woe is me. Humidity is not my favorite, my hair is starting to get out of control.
The VC is starting to get crazy. We have a lot of tour buses coming through on their way to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, so it's been fun. I met Glen Rawson (sp?) woot wooot!!! Yesterday we had a tour bus come through and it was a lot of old people who were on the american heritage tour. It was such a fun group. One man told me I had a good sense of humor, so I guess I'm still doing good. We had an emeritus General Authority on our tour, it was cool. He was 91 and had a lot of stories to tell, such a strong testimony. Tours are fun.
Sorry this is super short. Have to run. You will do great in your lesson. Just remember your purpose as a member missionary and that is to strengthen other's faith in Christ. Ask questions and make it applicable. Alma 32 is my favorite.
Love ya,
Sister Hillman
July 10
Hello,
Well I survived the record high heat we had in the great Ohio. It was near death. Oh my. I hate humidity, and that is being positive. No but it really wasn't that bad. We were at sites both days that they had a heat advisory out and luckily all of the buildings have modern conveniences such as air conditioner.
I find myself missing the Burg and just being a part of campus. I miss school. Jury Duty? Lame sauce. Tell them I am doing something far more important like saving souls.
The work here continues. We met with Moses this week. Devona seems to have walked off the face of the earth. We are meeting with Moses again tomorrow night. Sister Nelson's first lesson. I am going to have her invite him to be baptized. It will be good for her to just jump right in! Sis. Marx is getting closer to baptism. The elders in our ward had dinner with her on Friday and taught her the doctrine of Christ. She doesn't know who God is, but she says as soon as she finds out she will be baptized. Yes. Please put them on the Prayer roll. That's another thing I miss. Going to the temple. So cool story. This non-member showed up at church on Sunday. Apparently she had a falling out with her pastor and she is now looking for another church. Her brother who is a member looked up the closest one to her and told her to go. It just happened to be our ward. She is awesome. Her name is Margaret Douglas. We had dinner with a member that night and we asked if we could invite her over and they said yes. It was great. Just one of those tender mercies from the Lord.
We have transfers tomorrow. Sister Hatch leaves then, I will get Sister Nelson and then we will go to our area after transfer lunch. She is on the plane here right now.....AHHHHHHHHH! I'm still freaking out. I don't know anything about being a missionary. So Akron is about 45 minutes away. We serve in kind of a special mission. With the call to be a VC sister our first priority is sites so there has to be at least 3 sets of sisters there everyday along with the senior couples. When our zone has Zone conference or in last weeks case Mission tours we are suppose to stay within our zone, but it's not possible for all sister's to attend so we go to the next zone meeting. The closest zone to us is the Akron or Youngstown zone (they were combined for the mission tour). We have special permission to go to these meetings. Normally our zone (Kirtland) is paired up with Cleveland zone. Make sense? Probably not. Ask me when I get home :)
I haven't driven yet. I am slightly scared I have lost all skills.
Well. Hopefully I will have more next week. Lots of changes.
Love you,
Sister Hillman
p.s. Amish country was awesome. I'll send pics asap
Well I survived the record high heat we had in the great Ohio. It was near death. Oh my. I hate humidity, and that is being positive. No but it really wasn't that bad. We were at sites both days that they had a heat advisory out and luckily all of the buildings have modern conveniences such as air conditioner.
I find myself missing the Burg and just being a part of campus. I miss school. Jury Duty? Lame sauce. Tell them I am doing something far more important like saving souls.
The work here continues. We met with Moses this week. Devona seems to have walked off the face of the earth. We are meeting with Moses again tomorrow night. Sister Nelson's first lesson. I am going to have her invite him to be baptized. It will be good for her to just jump right in! Sis. Marx is getting closer to baptism. The elders in our ward had dinner with her on Friday and taught her the doctrine of Christ. She doesn't know who God is, but she says as soon as she finds out she will be baptized. Yes. Please put them on the Prayer roll. That's another thing I miss. Going to the temple. So cool story. This non-member showed up at church on Sunday. Apparently she had a falling out with her pastor and she is now looking for another church. Her brother who is a member looked up the closest one to her and told her to go. It just happened to be our ward. She is awesome. Her name is Margaret Douglas. We had dinner with a member that night and we asked if we could invite her over and they said yes. It was great. Just one of those tender mercies from the Lord.
We have transfers tomorrow. Sister Hatch leaves then, I will get Sister Nelson and then we will go to our area after transfer lunch. She is on the plane here right now.....AHHHHHHHHH! I'm still freaking out. I don't know anything about being a missionary. So Akron is about 45 minutes away. We serve in kind of a special mission. With the call to be a VC sister our first priority is sites so there has to be at least 3 sets of sisters there everyday along with the senior couples. When our zone has Zone conference or in last weeks case Mission tours we are suppose to stay within our zone, but it's not possible for all sister's to attend so we go to the next zone meeting. The closest zone to us is the Akron or Youngstown zone (they were combined for the mission tour). We have special permission to go to these meetings. Normally our zone (Kirtland) is paired up with Cleveland zone. Make sense? Probably not. Ask me when I get home :)
I haven't driven yet. I am slightly scared I have lost all skills.
Well. Hopefully I will have more next week. Lots of changes.
Love you,
Sister Hillman
p.s. Amish country was awesome. I'll send pics asap
7.05.2012
July 5
I hope you have all had a wonderful week! Isn't the 4th of July the best! I love it. It was a hot one this year! 100 degrees plus humidity. We went contacting at the firework show until about 9 o'clock and then we had to rush home so that we could make curfew! There was a beautiful storm last night. Ohio really does have the best storms. It was like Heavenly Father was trying to show us how He makes fireworks. His are much prettier!
Where to begin with what has happened this week. It is such a blur. We met our new mission president Saturday at the Mission Tour down in Akron. He brought with him is wife, and 16 year old daughter! They are so sweet, completely opposite than president Sorensen, but in a good way. I think they will be good for this mission. I got the call on Sunday and that's where the week went crazy. My new companions name is Sister Nelson from Nibley Utah, and she is beautiful! I'll send pictures as soon as she gets here! I am so excited to meet her! I don't know how it happens but I love her so much already. Normally we don't know who we are getting, but she is the only sister coming out so I know who I get to train. It is nice that way, I get to ask Heavenly Father specific questions on best how to help her. I feel sooooo inadequate for this calling. The tears have pretty much been endless, it's a lot of different emotions in one. It's a very humbling thing and I am excited to see what the Lord needs me to learn. Our meeting was awesome, I was the only sister with a whole lot of elders. It was nice not to have drama for a time! We learned a lot about what it meant to be a successful trainer. Don't worry I wrote all of this stuff down in my journal, I don't have time to tell you the whole story.
We are going out to Middlefield today with one of the senior couples. It is a Amish area. There are a lot around Kirtland. I am going to eat some delicious Amish food!
As for the work. Moses and Devona seem to have walked off the face of the earth. We are going over to Devona's today to talk with her. Moses just works all of the time so it's been hard to find a time to teach him. We do a lot of teaching over the phone with him. We are hoping next time that we meet with him. Which will probably be next Wednesday to commit him to the 12 of August! I know and feel that he will come around. It is just all in the Lord's time! We continue to knock doors, contact in the park and find people to teach! Mission life is so great. The only thing we have to worry about is teaching the gospel! That makes it sound a lot easier than it is! But I really do love it. I am learning so much, and there is still a ton more!!!!!!!
Well I have to run! Love ya lots!
Sister Hillman
Where to begin with what has happened this week. It is such a blur. We met our new mission president Saturday at the Mission Tour down in Akron. He brought with him is wife, and 16 year old daughter! They are so sweet, completely opposite than president Sorensen, but in a good way. I think they will be good for this mission. I got the call on Sunday and that's where the week went crazy. My new companions name is Sister Nelson from Nibley Utah, and she is beautiful! I'll send pictures as soon as she gets here! I am so excited to meet her! I don't know how it happens but I love her so much already. Normally we don't know who we are getting, but she is the only sister coming out so I know who I get to train. It is nice that way, I get to ask Heavenly Father specific questions on best how to help her. I feel sooooo inadequate for this calling. The tears have pretty much been endless, it's a lot of different emotions in one. It's a very humbling thing and I am excited to see what the Lord needs me to learn. Our meeting was awesome, I was the only sister with a whole lot of elders. It was nice not to have drama for a time! We learned a lot about what it meant to be a successful trainer. Don't worry I wrote all of this stuff down in my journal, I don't have time to tell you the whole story.
We are going out to Middlefield today with one of the senior couples. It is a Amish area. There are a lot around Kirtland. I am going to eat some delicious Amish food!
As for the work. Moses and Devona seem to have walked off the face of the earth. We are going over to Devona's today to talk with her. Moses just works all of the time so it's been hard to find a time to teach him. We do a lot of teaching over the phone with him. We are hoping next time that we meet with him. Which will probably be next Wednesday to commit him to the 12 of August! I know and feel that he will come around. It is just all in the Lord's time! We continue to knock doors, contact in the park and find people to teach! Mission life is so great. The only thing we have to worry about is teaching the gospel! That makes it sound a lot easier than it is! But I really do love it. I am learning so much, and there is still a ton more!!!!!!!
Well I have to run! Love ya lots!
Sister Hillman
7.01.2012
June 27
Hello,
Oh my lanta. I can't believe Dallin is home, that seems so crazy to me, but yeah he left in June so he would definitely be home by now. I think Bo, Jase, and Tanner are all home too. Weird. I got a letter from Carson the other day that said he only had 43 days left, which means Braden, Dillon, and Derrick will all be home by the end of next month as well. Next time you see Dallin tell him I said hello! How was Africa?
I honestly don't know where this week went, it is all kind of a blur. It was crazy busy and we only had about 13 hours in our area but somehow the Lord magnified our time. We found two potential investigators contacting down in Cain Park, which is Cleveland Heights. Dennis is my favorite person ever. He kept raising his hands in the air, much like a baptist preacher, and yelling "I love God." He was really excited about the Book of Mormon, so we are hoping to go back to his house and teach him. We went down to a social media fireside in Canton and it was really good. It was all about how we can share the gospel using the internet and different things the Church is doing to prevent anti-getting out. It really is amazing the resources that they have developed. We took brother and sister Marx down, they really liked it. Sister Marx still refuses to be baptized, so we are giving her a break, focusing our work elsewhere for the time being. Pray for them!
The VC is getting crazy busy, we have hundreds come through everyday, and I'm like WO IS ME!!! We took a non-member family out yesterday, they were the cutest thing ever. The children were so well behaved. These people need to be Mormon's. They were a local family that just thought they would drop by after being at the Holden Arboretum all day. The spirit guides, it really does. There was also a couple that were converts. I love converts, they really just have such amazing life stories, they really understand the atonement a whole lot better than I.
Transfers is in 2 weeks. Scary. None of us can figure out what will happen with the new president, no one knows his style. I will probably stay in Mayfield for at least one more transfer. Next transfer is only 5 weeks since this one was 7. Can you believe I have already been out for 5 months. Seriously? I feel like I just got here. I will have 1 year left on July 16. :( The weeks are starting to become blurry, I am trying to keep my journal up, but to be completely honest, it's the last thing I want to do when we get home at night, so it needs some attention today now that it is P day. I have a lot of letters to catch up on. Mal Foster/Monson is expecting a baby in December. I was super stoked to get that letter! I have heard from Sister Scott yes. She writes me every week. I miss her so much. But whatevs. All of my companions are great! It will be interesting to see who comes to Mayfield with me.
We went to the missionary fireside with the Marx on Sunday, they have one at the VC every 3 weeks. But Pres. Sorensen spoke and it was SOOO good. All about making covenants and what not. Afterward he was talking to Sis. Marx and told her not to procrastinate the day of her baptism, it was really bold, but so awesome. So maybe that softened her heart. People think I am really animated when I talk. I use my hands a lot to tell stories and everyone thinks it's funny. I thought it was completely normal. That's normal right?
Life is soo good. I hope you all have a fun filled week. Mine is going to be AWESOME. We are committing (hopefully if the spirit says so) 2 more people to baptism. Moses, (love him) and Devonna, their date is July 25!
Well gotta run. Love you.
Sister Hillman
Oh my lanta. I can't believe Dallin is home, that seems so crazy to me, but yeah he left in June so he would definitely be home by now. I think Bo, Jase, and Tanner are all home too. Weird. I got a letter from Carson the other day that said he only had 43 days left, which means Braden, Dillon, and Derrick will all be home by the end of next month as well. Next time you see Dallin tell him I said hello! How was Africa?
I honestly don't know where this week went, it is all kind of a blur. It was crazy busy and we only had about 13 hours in our area but somehow the Lord magnified our time. We found two potential investigators contacting down in Cain Park, which is Cleveland Heights. Dennis is my favorite person ever. He kept raising his hands in the air, much like a baptist preacher, and yelling "I love God." He was really excited about the Book of Mormon, so we are hoping to go back to his house and teach him. We went down to a social media fireside in Canton and it was really good. It was all about how we can share the gospel using the internet and different things the Church is doing to prevent anti-getting out. It really is amazing the resources that they have developed. We took brother and sister Marx down, they really liked it. Sister Marx still refuses to be baptized, so we are giving her a break, focusing our work elsewhere for the time being. Pray for them!
The VC is getting crazy busy, we have hundreds come through everyday, and I'm like WO IS ME!!! We took a non-member family out yesterday, they were the cutest thing ever. The children were so well behaved. These people need to be Mormon's. They were a local family that just thought they would drop by after being at the Holden Arboretum all day. The spirit guides, it really does. There was also a couple that were converts. I love converts, they really just have such amazing life stories, they really understand the atonement a whole lot better than I.
Transfers is in 2 weeks. Scary. None of us can figure out what will happen with the new president, no one knows his style. I will probably stay in Mayfield for at least one more transfer. Next transfer is only 5 weeks since this one was 7. Can you believe I have already been out for 5 months. Seriously? I feel like I just got here. I will have 1 year left on July 16. :( The weeks are starting to become blurry, I am trying to keep my journal up, but to be completely honest, it's the last thing I want to do when we get home at night, so it needs some attention today now that it is P day. I have a lot of letters to catch up on. Mal Foster/Monson is expecting a baby in December. I was super stoked to get that letter! I have heard from Sister Scott yes. She writes me every week. I miss her so much. But whatevs. All of my companions are great! It will be interesting to see who comes to Mayfield with me.
We went to the missionary fireside with the Marx on Sunday, they have one at the VC every 3 weeks. But Pres. Sorensen spoke and it was SOOO good. All about making covenants and what not. Afterward he was talking to Sis. Marx and told her not to procrastinate the day of her baptism, it was really bold, but so awesome. So maybe that softened her heart. People think I am really animated when I talk. I use my hands a lot to tell stories and everyone thinks it's funny. I thought it was completely normal. That's normal right?
Life is soo good. I hope you all have a fun filled week. Mine is going to be AWESOME. We are committing (hopefully if the spirit says so) 2 more people to baptism. Moses, (love him) and Devonna, their date is July 25!
Well gotta run. Love you.
Sister Hillman
June 19-Where did the week go???
Hello,
Just a few items of business.
First HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADIO!! We sang to all our Kirtland Dad's (more like Grandpa's) on Saturday night, which are all of the Senior Elders. We even did a little dance :)
Wow, it gets REALLY hot and humid here. I think my hair is going to be perma frizzy :( Time definitely goes faster that way, that's the way it seems here as well. I can't believe I have almost been out 5 months. Weird. To answer your question, I get the mail out on Wednesday, we write it on Tuesday and then send it out the next day, so that might be why it takes longer.
Moses is coming along well. We had a lesson with him the other day, we planned on teaching him the Plan of Salvation, but he had questions about the Book of Mormon so we answered them and by the time we were done we only had about 5 minutes to teach the POfS so we hit 3 points. Pre-earth life, Our purpose on Earth, and Celestial Kingdom. His response to it, "It's a perfect plan!" Well duh! Wait until we teach him the whole thing, it will make so much more sense! He is so funny he loves to learn about everything, and loves the Book of Mormon! We have been trying to take members teaching with us, but right now we are just teaching him at the park, and we haven't needed to go on splits yet, but I think we might start. There is soo much work to do with just 2 of us! There is a boy who is preparing to go on a mission so we are going to start taking him with us to lessons, he is nervous about teaching. So the ghetto just refers to a lot of really, REALLY poor people, and yes there are some members down there. That is where a lot of the Resident students live. We have a couple of people who are life long members, but most of the Cleveland-ites are converts. Everyone here has such a cool story.I LOVE it. As far as tracting goes we get in maybe two hours a week, if we are lucky, sometimes more if appointments fall through.
I was so sad about not being able to see Pam. They told me the next day that they came. I had to go to a mission tour in Cleveland to say good bye to President and Sister Sorensen! So sad! They are speaking on July 15, in Sandy, you can go and meet them. They will change your life, I am sure of it. They have taught me soo much about my purpose as a missionary and who I am in relation to Heavenly Father. I'm excited to meet President Vallinga, we have his mission tour next week. It has been a month of meetings!!! But anyway yeah Sister Southwick said they came, she said she was hesitant to tell me because she didn't want to make me sad. I hope they liked their visit here. So many amazing things happened here!
We were out contacting in the park the other day and we found an awesome family to teach. They attend one of the Baptist churches in Cleveland Heights but we are hoping to change. We read them Alma 27:18 and taught them about the Book of Mormon and if they were on their search for happiness that the BofM would help them find it! We have a return appointment tomorrow! The work continues to roll forth, and I have SOOOOOOO much more to learn!
So on Friday night we had the opportunity to help out with Strawberry Festival, it is a fundraiser held by the Kiwanis club which some of the Elders are apart of! I am now an expert at applying whipped cream to strawberry shortcakes! This is also something we should try to attend when we come to visit! It was a lot of fun!
Somethings to know about Sister Hillman at this time, I love days when I get to sleep in until 6:30, Mosiah is one of my new favorite books, my last name has been changed to Mountainwoman, (not quite sure how that happened), letters are my favorite, I have 23 new best friends, I have become part vegetarian (not really I just eat salads all the time because it is way too hot to cook meat), Teaching the gospel is the best thing ever, all of my friends are getting married or having babies, hence why the 23 new friends are so important, I eat more ice cream than 57 people combined, I cry from laughing so hard, oh yeah and I'm a Mormon!!!
I love you and miss you all! Love life!!!
Sister Hillman
Just a few items of business.
First HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADIO!! We sang to all our Kirtland Dad's (more like Grandpa's) on Saturday night, which are all of the Senior Elders. We even did a little dance :)
Wow, it gets REALLY hot and humid here. I think my hair is going to be perma frizzy :( Time definitely goes faster that way, that's the way it seems here as well. I can't believe I have almost been out 5 months. Weird. To answer your question, I get the mail out on Wednesday, we write it on Tuesday and then send it out the next day, so that might be why it takes longer.
Moses is coming along well. We had a lesson with him the other day, we planned on teaching him the Plan of Salvation, but he had questions about the Book of Mormon so we answered them and by the time we were done we only had about 5 minutes to teach the POfS so we hit 3 points. Pre-earth life, Our purpose on Earth, and Celestial Kingdom. His response to it, "It's a perfect plan!" Well duh! Wait until we teach him the whole thing, it will make so much more sense! He is so funny he loves to learn about everything, and loves the Book of Mormon! We have been trying to take members teaching with us, but right now we are just teaching him at the park, and we haven't needed to go on splits yet, but I think we might start. There is soo much work to do with just 2 of us! There is a boy who is preparing to go on a mission so we are going to start taking him with us to lessons, he is nervous about teaching. So the ghetto just refers to a lot of really, REALLY poor people, and yes there are some members down there. That is where a lot of the Resident students live. We have a couple of people who are life long members, but most of the Cleveland-ites are converts. Everyone here has such a cool story.I LOVE it. As far as tracting goes we get in maybe two hours a week, if we are lucky, sometimes more if appointments fall through.
I was so sad about not being able to see Pam. They told me the next day that they came. I had to go to a mission tour in Cleveland to say good bye to President and Sister Sorensen! So sad! They are speaking on July 15, in Sandy, you can go and meet them. They will change your life, I am sure of it. They have taught me soo much about my purpose as a missionary and who I am in relation to Heavenly Father. I'm excited to meet President Vallinga, we have his mission tour next week. It has been a month of meetings!!! But anyway yeah Sister Southwick said they came, she said she was hesitant to tell me because she didn't want to make me sad. I hope they liked their visit here. So many amazing things happened here!
We were out contacting in the park the other day and we found an awesome family to teach. They attend one of the Baptist churches in Cleveland Heights but we are hoping to change. We read them Alma 27:18 and taught them about the Book of Mormon and if they were on their search for happiness that the BofM would help them find it! We have a return appointment tomorrow! The work continues to roll forth, and I have SOOOOOOO much more to learn!
So on Friday night we had the opportunity to help out with Strawberry Festival, it is a fundraiser held by the Kiwanis club which some of the Elders are apart of! I am now an expert at applying whipped cream to strawberry shortcakes! This is also something we should try to attend when we come to visit! It was a lot of fun!
Somethings to know about Sister Hillman at this time, I love days when I get to sleep in until 6:30, Mosiah is one of my new favorite books, my last name has been changed to Mountainwoman, (not quite sure how that happened), letters are my favorite, I have 23 new best friends, I have become part vegetarian (not really I just eat salads all the time because it is way too hot to cook meat), Teaching the gospel is the best thing ever, all of my friends are getting married or having babies, hence why the 23 new friends are so important, I eat more ice cream than 57 people combined, I cry from laughing so hard, oh yeah and I'm a Mormon!!!
I love you and miss you all! Love life!!!
Sister Hillman
June 12
Hi!!
The VC is really starting to pick up here, we have a plethora of tour buses everyday, sometimes announced and others not so much, each day we wake up not knowing how the day is going to pan out. I love it, I meet people from all over the world, and hopefully strengthen their testimony so they have an increased desire to share the gospel back home. Do you remember Lindsay Taylor from my track team? Her cousins came in the other day and we had a nice little chat about Rigby, I see a lot more people that I know then I thought I would. The other day we took a tour with a group of people from Pittsburgh, PA they knew my friend Carson! We had a nice chat about him as well! Most of the boys from high school are home now, that's weird.
Sister Hatch is super anxious about leaving, but I am just as anxious for her to leave! I still have things to learn! It's hard to say what will happen with transfers. Seeing how we have a new mission president, none of us know his style at doing things, with President Sorensen it was easy to tell what his game plan was. We meet President Vallinga on Jun 28. So soon. President Sorensen leaves the 27. We have mission tours on Thursday, down in Cleveland. I'm so excited to go back to the city.
Back to the work. So the other sisters in my district were teaching this girl named Alice (pronounced Alyse). She is so amazing, totally prepared to hear the gospel. Someone referred her when they came into the VC. Anyway, they started teaching her and it turns out she was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She is 17. Everyone loves her, seriously a best friend the moment I started talking to her. She is in one of the pictures from the Luau, sitting next to me. Blonde, short hair. She committed to baptism on June 9. This last Saturday. The reason why I am telling you this story starts on Friday night. We had to work sites both Friday and Saturday so we just stayed the night at the Edman's to save on miles. No one was home when we got there, so we just got ready for bed and family prayer. Still no one was home. I was up laying on my bed reading the Book of Mormon, and Sister Hatch on the floor. Sister Edman came up and had tears in her eyes and I knew what she was going to say before she said it. "Alice passed away this morning." We went downstairs to talk to the training sisters, and discuss what needed to be done with things regarding her baptism, it wouldn't be happening. We sat there and talked about this and how we were all so grateful for the plan that Heavenly Father has prepared for us! The center of that plan is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which covers not only our sins, but sorrows and disappointments as well. I love this gospel so much. It never ceases to amaze me how true it actually is. Everyday I feel like it just makes more and more sense. Why wouldn't I want everyone to have that same happiness and peace? "Perfect love casteth out all fear." I love the people I serve everyday. I want them to know it. It's been hard for a lot of the missionaries here. We all loved her so much, but we still go on. Realizing now more than ever how important it is that we keep the work moving along.
We are making progress with Sister Marx. Brother Marx received the priesthood this past week and so we along with sister Marx went and sat in on the ordination in priesthood. I felt out of place, but Sister Marx didn't want to sit by herself. After it was over she had the biggest grin on her face. I'm telling you, the powers of Godliness are manifesting themselves, and through ordinances in the gospel people will be converted. Her saying is now "WHEN I get baptized, not IF..." Boo yah. Moses is still doing awesome. We met with him in the park on Sunday night to teach him the restoration. This is how our conversation went (imagine his part in a cool Kenyan accent):
Moses: Can I be honest with you?
Us: Yes!!
Moses: I wasn't going to open the door for you. I saw you coming down the road and had decided not to open the door.
Sis. Hatch: Why did you?
Moses: I was weirded out that you were going door to door. But for some reason I found myself opening the door, AND talking to you. Then you guys mentioned Jesus Christ and the Mormon Bible and I gave you my phone number and told you, you could come back.
Sis Hillman:What were you thinking when we were talking about the Book of Mormon?
Moses: That ya'll were crazy. After you left I was like, oh man those girls have all of my info, and I just prayed in front of them. But I still wanted you to come back. What was I feeling anyway?
Sis Hatch: That Moses would be the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost.
Oh man this boy is solid. He really has the best questions.
But really life is good. Sorry I ran out of time. Hopefully more questions answered next week! Love ya!
Love,
Sister Hillma
The VC is really starting to pick up here, we have a plethora of tour buses everyday, sometimes announced and others not so much, each day we wake up not knowing how the day is going to pan out. I love it, I meet people from all over the world, and hopefully strengthen their testimony so they have an increased desire to share the gospel back home. Do you remember Lindsay Taylor from my track team? Her cousins came in the other day and we had a nice little chat about Rigby, I see a lot more people that I know then I thought I would. The other day we took a tour with a group of people from Pittsburgh, PA they knew my friend Carson! We had a nice chat about him as well! Most of the boys from high school are home now, that's weird.
Sister Hatch is super anxious about leaving, but I am just as anxious for her to leave! I still have things to learn! It's hard to say what will happen with transfers. Seeing how we have a new mission president, none of us know his style at doing things, with President Sorensen it was easy to tell what his game plan was. We meet President Vallinga on Jun 28. So soon. President Sorensen leaves the 27. We have mission tours on Thursday, down in Cleveland. I'm so excited to go back to the city.
Back to the work. So the other sisters in my district were teaching this girl named Alice (pronounced Alyse). She is so amazing, totally prepared to hear the gospel. Someone referred her when they came into the VC. Anyway, they started teaching her and it turns out she was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She is 17. Everyone loves her, seriously a best friend the moment I started talking to her. She is in one of the pictures from the Luau, sitting next to me. Blonde, short hair. She committed to baptism on June 9. This last Saturday. The reason why I am telling you this story starts on Friday night. We had to work sites both Friday and Saturday so we just stayed the night at the Edman's to save on miles. No one was home when we got there, so we just got ready for bed and family prayer. Still no one was home. I was up laying on my bed reading the Book of Mormon, and Sister Hatch on the floor. Sister Edman came up and had tears in her eyes and I knew what she was going to say before she said it. "Alice passed away this morning." We went downstairs to talk to the training sisters, and discuss what needed to be done with things regarding her baptism, it wouldn't be happening. We sat there and talked about this and how we were all so grateful for the plan that Heavenly Father has prepared for us! The center of that plan is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which covers not only our sins, but sorrows and disappointments as well. I love this gospel so much. It never ceases to amaze me how true it actually is. Everyday I feel like it just makes more and more sense. Why wouldn't I want everyone to have that same happiness and peace? "Perfect love casteth out all fear." I love the people I serve everyday. I want them to know it. It's been hard for a lot of the missionaries here. We all loved her so much, but we still go on. Realizing now more than ever how important it is that we keep the work moving along.
We are making progress with Sister Marx. Brother Marx received the priesthood this past week and so we along with sister Marx went and sat in on the ordination in priesthood. I felt out of place, but Sister Marx didn't want to sit by herself. After it was over she had the biggest grin on her face. I'm telling you, the powers of Godliness are manifesting themselves, and through ordinances in the gospel people will be converted. Her saying is now "WHEN I get baptized, not IF..." Boo yah. Moses is still doing awesome. We met with him in the park on Sunday night to teach him the restoration. This is how our conversation went (imagine his part in a cool Kenyan accent):
Moses: Can I be honest with you?
Us: Yes!!
Moses: I wasn't going to open the door for you. I saw you coming down the road and had decided not to open the door.
Sis. Hatch: Why did you?
Moses: I was weirded out that you were going door to door. But for some reason I found myself opening the door, AND talking to you. Then you guys mentioned Jesus Christ and the Mormon Bible and I gave you my phone number and told you, you could come back.
Sis Hillman:What were you thinking when we were talking about the Book of Mormon?
Moses: That ya'll were crazy. After you left I was like, oh man those girls have all of my info, and I just prayed in front of them. But I still wanted you to come back. What was I feeling anyway?
Sis Hatch: That Moses would be the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost.
Oh man this boy is solid. He really has the best questions.
But really life is good. Sorry I ran out of time. Hopefully more questions answered next week! Love ya!
Love,
Sister Hillma
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)