Hola! From the Great State of Ohio!
I am working on my Spanish that we may more fully help Leticia and Lazaro make the commitment and covenant of baptism. It's been an interesting journey. We talked to them on Friday about the importance of coming to church. They accepted to come. When we asked her if there was anything that we could do for them, she responded with "pray for me that I may stay active in the church and make it to my baptism date." We can do that! They are solid. President Vellinga told us he was impressed with the progress they are making despite the language barrier. Thank goodness for the spirit and it's many gifts. This week in Ohio has been a hot one and we are keeping busy. We have set really high goals this week, and we are exercising faith that we can meet them. We want to give everything to the Lord, his time is precious, and I feel as if I have been wasting it. I can't believe we are half way through the transfer. Time is messed up.
I am excited to talk to some of you on Sunday. Yes 4:00 MDT is still the plan. We are eating dinner at our Bishops house and we will be done around 6:00 our time so be ready. I don't know an exact time. But sometime around there. I'm excited to see all of my little babies, who don't seem to be babies any more.
We have zone conference this week so we are prepping for that. A lot of lessons to practice. President has this thing that he likes to make a companionship go up and practice it in front of everyone. It's awful. I mean I don't mind talking in front of people, or talking to a group of people on the street. But doing a lesson presentation in front of other missionaries makes me want to pee my pants. I get so nervous and then I can't remember what I'm teaching and then we slaughter it. But it will be fine. I'll just pray for the spirit!
This week was a good one. It had it's ups and downs but it ended on a high note with Stake conference. It was sooo good! Especially the adult session on Saturday night! Whelp! Have to run! Love you all!
Love,Sister Hillman
5.06.2013
4.29.2013
April 29, 2013
Dearest Family and Friends,
A week goes by really fast. We saw a lot of miracles so that was lovely. We have kept fairly busy. I'm still just trying to figure out why I am in Massillon. Sister O'Driscoll has only been out one transfer, so I'm training her. No sister has ever gone out full-proselyting twice so there has to be a reason right? It's been kind of a struggle living with another set of sisters, and sharing the ward. Especially when you are trying to lose yourself in the work. I would say that there was a minor digression in my love for the work this week. I seemed to be a little less focused than normal. I just need to get over this feeling and remember it's not about me. Don't get me wrong I still LOVE it here, and I'm not thinking of home, but Satan works in many ways to tear us down. Thank goodness for that enabling power of the Atonement. It's been a blessing out here.
Sorry this is going to be short. We've been working hard and are starting to get to know the ward and area a little better. That makes it a little less overwhelming to open a new area. Sometimes I just expect Heavenly Father to give us people to teach, everyone should want to hear this message right? Ha. Just kidding. It takes work, and a lot of prayer. It's pretty easy to find people. It's just a matter of helping them to progress to the waters of baptism. We are teaching the Padilla family. They are from Cuba and speak very little English. Woe is me. Our teaching involves a lot of hand motions to help them understand what we are saying. We will say something, and it is a completely blank stare. Dang language barrier. They do speak a little so we just have to piece together what they are saying. It's a challenge. Maybe I was suppose to come and learn Spanish in Massillon? Sometimes I pretend I know Spanish and will randomly throw out a Spanish gospel term, and then continue in English. "El Libro de Mormon, es Verdad." :) It makes missionary work exciting. They feel the gospel changing them and Leticia (the mom) loves the Book of Mormon. They have a baptismal date of June 1! So pumped.
Love,
Sister Hillman
A week goes by really fast. We saw a lot of miracles so that was lovely. We have kept fairly busy. I'm still just trying to figure out why I am in Massillon. Sister O'Driscoll has only been out one transfer, so I'm training her. No sister has ever gone out full-proselyting twice so there has to be a reason right? It's been kind of a struggle living with another set of sisters, and sharing the ward. Especially when you are trying to lose yourself in the work. I would say that there was a minor digression in my love for the work this week. I seemed to be a little less focused than normal. I just need to get over this feeling and remember it's not about me. Don't get me wrong I still LOVE it here, and I'm not thinking of home, but Satan works in many ways to tear us down. Thank goodness for that enabling power of the Atonement. It's been a blessing out here.
Sorry this is going to be short. We've been working hard and are starting to get to know the ward and area a little better. That makes it a little less overwhelming to open a new area. Sometimes I just expect Heavenly Father to give us people to teach, everyone should want to hear this message right? Ha. Just kidding. It takes work, and a lot of prayer. It's pretty easy to find people. It's just a matter of helping them to progress to the waters of baptism. We are teaching the Padilla family. They are from Cuba and speak very little English. Woe is me. Our teaching involves a lot of hand motions to help them understand what we are saying. We will say something, and it is a completely blank stare. Dang language barrier. They do speak a little so we just have to piece together what they are saying. It's a challenge. Maybe I was suppose to come and learn Spanish in Massillon? Sometimes I pretend I know Spanish and will randomly throw out a Spanish gospel term, and then continue in English. "El Libro de Mormon, es Verdad." :) It makes missionary work exciting. They feel the gospel changing them and Leticia (the mom) loves the Book of Mormon. They have a baptismal date of June 1! So pumped.
Love,
Sister Hillman
4.22.2013
April 22
Dearest Family and Friends,
Where do I begin? This week has been crazy but at least it's been warm. I'm doing well. Massillon is amazing. It's completely different than all of the wards I have served in. The people are awesome and they love having sisters in the ward. There is one other set of sisters besides us. It is a pretty big ward. Geographically at least anyway. There are a lot of Less Actives. A common theme in Ohio. It's an interesting area. I love the people and the people we have found are all really awesome. They all have dogs, and have no teeth (the people not the dogs), which seems strange. Maybe it's the water. My companion is Sister O'Driscoll. From Utah. She's awesome. She likes to work. So we are opening a new area and that has been kind of rough, neither of us know anyone in the ward so it's starting fresh. We have found a couple of people this week, that hopefully will be solid. I'm excited to really get to work and leave it better than I found it. I only have six weeks so that's a little scary. 5 now. It's kind of hard to get to used to the schedule of proselyting all of the time and not having the break of the Visitors' Center. But I LOVE it. You meet a lot of interesting people. We were craving a Hot Dog the other day, we stopped at speedway and there is where we met Anthony. Turns out he just got out of jail and is trying to find God, so we committed him to baptism. I knew that one day my appetite would pay off. I love spiritual food promptings. Also we ate at the Kremers home the other day. He is from Firth. Does that name ring a bell, he knows uncle Dennis? Side note: Matt and Jason guess what? The Football hall of fame is in Canton, OH, that's in the area that I am serving in. We are going next week for Pday. Do they have multiple hall's of fame or is there only one?
Well it sounds like everyone is getting married. Lame. I'm not going to have any friends when I get home. That's okay I'll just go hang out with grandma and grandpa. Go finish my education and then do something else. As for mother's day. How about we plan on skyping around 4 your time? Will that work? I'll give you a call before I skype you just to make sure you are online and all goes well. It sounds busy at home. It's busy here too! It's going by a little too fast.
My new address is 2040 Tennyson Ave NE # 7 Massillon, OH 44646. After the 29th of may it will go back to the VC address. Life is good. The gospel is true.
I love you all.
Love,Sister Hillman
Where do I begin? This week has been crazy but at least it's been warm. I'm doing well. Massillon is amazing. It's completely different than all of the wards I have served in. The people are awesome and they love having sisters in the ward. There is one other set of sisters besides us. It is a pretty big ward. Geographically at least anyway. There are a lot of Less Actives. A common theme in Ohio. It's an interesting area. I love the people and the people we have found are all really awesome. They all have dogs, and have no teeth (the people not the dogs), which seems strange. Maybe it's the water. My companion is Sister O'Driscoll. From Utah. She's awesome. She likes to work. So we are opening a new area and that has been kind of rough, neither of us know anyone in the ward so it's starting fresh. We have found a couple of people this week, that hopefully will be solid. I'm excited to really get to work and leave it better than I found it. I only have six weeks so that's a little scary. 5 now. It's kind of hard to get to used to the schedule of proselyting all of the time and not having the break of the Visitors' Center. But I LOVE it. You meet a lot of interesting people. We were craving a Hot Dog the other day, we stopped at speedway and there is where we met Anthony. Turns out he just got out of jail and is trying to find God, so we committed him to baptism. I knew that one day my appetite would pay off. I love spiritual food promptings. Also we ate at the Kremers home the other day. He is from Firth. Does that name ring a bell, he knows uncle Dennis? Side note: Matt and Jason guess what? The Football hall of fame is in Canton, OH, that's in the area that I am serving in. We are going next week for Pday. Do they have multiple hall's of fame or is there only one?
Well it sounds like everyone is getting married. Lame. I'm not going to have any friends when I get home. That's okay I'll just go hang out with grandma and grandpa. Go finish my education and then do something else. As for mother's day. How about we plan on skyping around 4 your time? Will that work? I'll give you a call before I skype you just to make sure you are online and all goes well. It sounds busy at home. It's busy here too! It's going by a little too fast.
My new address is 2040 Tennyson Ave NE # 7 Massillon, OH 44646. After the 29th of may it will go back to the VC address. Life is good. The gospel is true.
I love you all.
Love,Sister Hillman
4.17.2013
April 15
Dearest Family and Friends,
How are you all doing? Life in the Ohio is crazy madness, all the time and it's 100% fun. Things have started to heat up. After two weeks of rain we have 70 degree weather and blue skies. Not to rub it in for those of you who have snow!
We are getting a lot of tours, some from Idaho and it's been really fun to talk to them. I hope you are all doing great, and that you are keeping busy. We should figure out how to make more time in the day. I can't believe a new semester is starting at school. Ugh I don't even want to think about going back to school. I think I may just travel the world. Just kidding, I love learning, and studying the gospel has given me a thirst to study as much as I can, both spiritual and secular, but still the thought of going back to school is a little daunting. They should have missionary college. Tell me all about the stories from home!
As for the Northern part of Ohio. First Kenia and Ernest are baptized and confirmed. Kenia kept kicking as they were baptizing her so she was washed really clean by the fourth round. Ernest was baptized by one of the youth in the ward, Kody, he was nervous, but his went flawlessly. The baptism flowed really well. Huge blessing, we didn't have a lot of time to plan it this week. Thank goodness for tender mercies. On Saturday after they were confirmed Ernest sat down and said" That felt good." Yes it does my friend, yes it does! It is the coolest thing to see someone make the progress to baptism. I love it. I love missions. Miracles are the norm out here. There was a lot of support from the ward, and the Young men, love having a 3rd priest! Also Sandy committed to baptism for the 31st of May. Woot.
We got transfer info this week, as tomorrow are transfers. They have been really messed up for the last few transfers. I know isn't it weird that I am getting released on a Saturday, they have had to change it a couple of times! But I was released as a training sister, broke my heart. I love the sisters, and I am being sent back to full-proselyting in Masillon, OH. It is down near Akron. I will only be there one transfer, but I was called to train one of the Full Proselyting sisters. I can't believe it. No Kirtland sister has ever been called full-pros twice, Salt Lake has given P. Vellinga directions about site sisters going full pros. I will still spend my last transfer at the VC. I am sooo pumped. But it's going to make the time go by even faster! Mother's day is coming up. We will want to start planning our skype session! Weird! They are splitting zones this transfer and they are also getting Sister Training Leaders, the new leadership position from SLC to accommodate the amount of sisters in the field. This is essentially what we were doing as training sisters, but now there is 6 of us instead of just two of us, so the work load goes down. WOOT! So many wonderful things are happening in missionary work and most of it is a little chaotic, but we are still surviving. Sister Crabtree leaves tomorrow. So sad. i love her. But we have made a lot of plans post mission. Good thing we are all from Idaho or Utah.
Well I have to run. We don't get a pday today because we are covering for the all of the sisters at sites today, and there are a lot of tours! I love you all. I hope you are doing well!
Love,
Sister Hillman
How are you all doing? Life in the Ohio is crazy madness, all the time and it's 100% fun. Things have started to heat up. After two weeks of rain we have 70 degree weather and blue skies. Not to rub it in for those of you who have snow!
We are getting a lot of tours, some from Idaho and it's been really fun to talk to them. I hope you are all doing great, and that you are keeping busy. We should figure out how to make more time in the day. I can't believe a new semester is starting at school. Ugh I don't even want to think about going back to school. I think I may just travel the world. Just kidding, I love learning, and studying the gospel has given me a thirst to study as much as I can, both spiritual and secular, but still the thought of going back to school is a little daunting. They should have missionary college. Tell me all about the stories from home!
As for the Northern part of Ohio. First Kenia and Ernest are baptized and confirmed. Kenia kept kicking as they were baptizing her so she was washed really clean by the fourth round. Ernest was baptized by one of the youth in the ward, Kody, he was nervous, but his went flawlessly. The baptism flowed really well. Huge blessing, we didn't have a lot of time to plan it this week. Thank goodness for tender mercies. On Saturday after they were confirmed Ernest sat down and said" That felt good." Yes it does my friend, yes it does! It is the coolest thing to see someone make the progress to baptism. I love it. I love missions. Miracles are the norm out here. There was a lot of support from the ward, and the Young men, love having a 3rd priest! Also Sandy committed to baptism for the 31st of May. Woot.
We got transfer info this week, as tomorrow are transfers. They have been really messed up for the last few transfers. I know isn't it weird that I am getting released on a Saturday, they have had to change it a couple of times! But I was released as a training sister, broke my heart. I love the sisters, and I am being sent back to full-proselyting in Masillon, OH. It is down near Akron. I will only be there one transfer, but I was called to train one of the Full Proselyting sisters. I can't believe it. No Kirtland sister has ever been called full-pros twice, Salt Lake has given P. Vellinga directions about site sisters going full pros. I will still spend my last transfer at the VC. I am sooo pumped. But it's going to make the time go by even faster! Mother's day is coming up. We will want to start planning our skype session! Weird! They are splitting zones this transfer and they are also getting Sister Training Leaders, the new leadership position from SLC to accommodate the amount of sisters in the field. This is essentially what we were doing as training sisters, but now there is 6 of us instead of just two of us, so the work load goes down. WOOT! So many wonderful things are happening in missionary work and most of it is a little chaotic, but we are still surviving. Sister Crabtree leaves tomorrow. So sad. i love her. But we have made a lot of plans post mission. Good thing we are all from Idaho or Utah.
Well I have to run. We don't get a pday today because we are covering for the all of the sisters at sites today, and there are a lot of tours! I love you all. I hope you are doing well!
Love,
Sister Hillman
April 7
Dearest Family and Friends!
What a glorious week it was here in the Ohio. My week consisted of exchanges like crazy. Training, Meetings, The VC, and prepping Kenia and Ernest for baptism. They are doing excellent. We taught both the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity this week, double whammy! They both agreed to live it! We are so excited for their baptism this weekend. We still have a lot of calls to make to get the ward involved but they have a really great support system so I think it should go smoothly! We took them to Book of Mormon club on Friday and the elders got a little taste of what it was like to teach with Jordan being as crazy as he is! They loved conference. Kenia loves that we have a world wide church. She got her confirmation that Joseph Smith restored the gospel this week! We just need to get her to read the Book of Mormon consistently! Mostly I don't know where this week went. I can't believe it has already been a week since I was writing you!
The weather has decided to warm up here! Which is just lovely! I haven't had to have a jacket for the last 3 days! Woot woot. It amazes me that 40 degree weather feels warm to me. This week it is suppose to get up in the 50's! Boo ya! I got your package! Thank you so much.
So sorry not much time today! I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well and keeping busy! You are always in my prayers! I love you!
Also. No I should be good with my journal. I haven't been as diligent as I should have! Whoops!
Love,
Sister Hillman
April 1
Dear Family and friends,
It's Spring. The weather is looking up. It all started as we prayed with all of our hearts that we wouldn't have to tour the Morley Farm in pouring rain, or in a snow storm and it has been beautiful ever since. I love the sunshine. The leaves are starting to come out, and the birds are chirping, and the best part is Conference is this weekend!!!! So pumped. We have been talking and inviting like crazy, people are listening too :) We saw a lot of miracles this week! I love my companions. Oh my. Best week of my mission. It's been a work party all week. We have been going on exchanges like crazy just so we can fit all of the sisters in this transfer cycle. So we are never together, but when we are it's the best thing ever. I have never laughed so hard. We found three new investigators on Saturday. MIRACLE!!! We only tracted for about 15 minutes before we found them. Antoinette, Carissa, and Duane. Turns out they want to align themselves with a religion with high morals, and so we said "Hey we have those!" and they let us right into their home! Kenia and Ernest are still good for their baptismal date for April 13. We had a monster weekly planning session this week so that we could make sure that they are prepared for the date. We still have a lot to teach them. We are teaching Kenny, the 10 year old, the first 3 lessons tonight in the form of a treasure hunt. We'll see how this goes. Information overload. Sandy showed up at church dressed in a nice bright purple leather suit, she always keeps it classy. Love her. She decided she wanted to stay for gospel doctrine instead of coming to gospel principles with us on Sunday. We even taught the lesson. We used the 12 eggs of easter that you sent me last year. It went well. Pretty much we just laugh all the time. Our district thinks we are crazy because we have so many inside jokes that get us laughing really hard. Love it! Also we had President Interviews this week, and I actually made it through without crying...woot Gold star for me!
It sounds like you had a fun Easter! Ours went really well. We started out with a Sunrise Service in the Kirtland Temple. It was put on by the Community of Christ, and then we went to our meetings. Then after church we had to work at sites, not many people came in so we put on a Egg hunt for the sisters and hid all of the eggs out in the sawmill and ashery. Our site director thinks we are crazy. But that's fine. He just makes fun of us all the time, and asks for new assistants! Rude. He loves us, and wouldn't know what to do without us! Things are starting to pick up at the VC, it's spring break and so we have had quite a few tours. It's been really nice. Sometimes it feels like summer again. It gets crazy here. I wish I could sum up my week for you we had a lot of funny stories, but it would take me at least 3 hours to write it all out. I had to make bullet points in my journal just to fit it all in, and I still missed some.
This week I was really able to see the hand of the Lord. We had so many miracles of being in the right place to find those that are being prepared to receive this gospel. When we are about our Father's business, he blesses us to do His work. It's been really cool to reflect on our Savior this week, don't think I'm a bad missionary I do this a lot, but especially this week as we think about his sacrifice for us and how it wasn't only for our sins that he died, but that we could live again. The atonement is amazing, he knows what it's like to be sick, or to be hurt, and he's felt what it's like to repent. I've been reading Atonement talks this week. None were with him, has to be one of my favorites. I don't comprehend it but I feel it's power working daily.
Well I love you all!
I hope you have all had a wonderful Easter weekend!
Love,
Sister Hillman
Sister Hillman
March 25
Hello Family,
Is it really spring? We have been dumped on by the snow fairy this last week. :( it doesn't do great things for our morale. But that's fine more opportunities to make snow angels. This is going to have to be brief. We have a lot going on today. We have to get some of the sisters moved around. I will be in a triple up with Sister Crabtree and Mahrt because Sister Haupt got her visa and is leaving for Taiwan so wooot woooot, triple up in Shaker Heights! It will be so fun!
This week was really good. Both Kenia and Sandy came to church. Sandy in her classy bright blue leather suit! Love her. She refuses to wear dresses to church and I asked her if I could have one of her leather suits but says I'm not fat enough so it wouldn't look good on me...apparently you have to have curves for those kinds of things. She cracks me up. Kenia is rock solid. I have never loved a family so much. She came to the RS birthday celebration and loved it. The ladies in the ward are so good to invite her to things and fellowship her. When Ernest gets baptized and given the priesthood we will have 3 priest. A first time ever for the Shaker Heights ward. Crazy huh. We don't have a lot of youth, and most of what we do have is young women. They are great!
It sounds like life back home is busy as always. Keep being happy. The gospel is true. Will you let me know when you get the packet from the mission about my homecoming date? It should be coming any week. Yuck. It will be a crazy next couple of weeks. Also. Someone should send me pictures from the wedding. It's killing me.
Thanks for everything!
Love you all!
Love,
Sister Hillman
Is it really spring? We have been dumped on by the snow fairy this last week. :( it doesn't do great things for our morale. But that's fine more opportunities to make snow angels. This is going to have to be brief. We have a lot going on today. We have to get some of the sisters moved around. I will be in a triple up with Sister Crabtree and Mahrt because Sister Haupt got her visa and is leaving for Taiwan so wooot woooot, triple up in Shaker Heights! It will be so fun!
This week was really good. Both Kenia and Sandy came to church. Sandy in her classy bright blue leather suit! Love her. She refuses to wear dresses to church and I asked her if I could have one of her leather suits but says I'm not fat enough so it wouldn't look good on me...apparently you have to have curves for those kinds of things. She cracks me up. Kenia is rock solid. I have never loved a family so much. She came to the RS birthday celebration and loved it. The ladies in the ward are so good to invite her to things and fellowship her. When Ernest gets baptized and given the priesthood we will have 3 priest. A first time ever for the Shaker Heights ward. Crazy huh. We don't have a lot of youth, and most of what we do have is young women. They are great!
It sounds like life back home is busy as always. Keep being happy. The gospel is true. Will you let me know when you get the packet from the mission about my homecoming date? It should be coming any week. Yuck. It will be a crazy next couple of weeks. Also. Someone should send me pictures from the wedding. It's killing me.
Thanks for everything!
Love you all!
Love,
Sister Hillman
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