Crazy, Busy, Wild, Spiritual, Awesome, Missionary Life -- 17 December 2012

Lots to say, and only 20 minutes to say it! AHHH!!!

First, we DID get a transfer call last night. I am leaving the YSA. I dont know where, or who I will be with, or even what my new phone number will be, so don't ask. I don't know if we will have normal e-mail next Monday, either, since Christmas is on Tuesday.... So long story short, I don't know how/when we will be calling. :)

Second, thank you to everyone who sent a letter for Christmas conference! I loved every minute of it! Mom, all my comps love you and think you are the greatest comp-mom EVER! (I know, right?!)

Christmas conference was so nice! We got to watch Mr Kruger's Christmas, and we sang basically every Christmas hymn in the hymn book. So dang much fun!! Also while we were there President Collins told us our new Mission compliment number.... Right now we have 175 missionaries, 18 Sisters and 25(?) Senior missionaries. Our new compliment (that the church is going to fill as fast as possible!) is 278 with 58 SISTERS!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!! The work of God moves forward in Indiana! The church is true! Can't wait to talk to you next week! Be all the Bee's!

Love always,

Sister Hill

Busy Week... -- 10 December 2012

And yet, not busy at all. Because we are YSA, we work on campus a lot. And as some of you know, it's finals time. Now what does that mean? It means a lot of walking for the Sisters, as everyone else runs away. (Faster than they did before. Seriously, it is so funny how fast people run away! You can almost hear them saying: "RUN! The Mormons are here to get us to join their cult!!!!")

But this week has been really good! We went on exchanges this week, and it just so happened that Sister T went up to Lafayette with Sister C, and Sister S came to the YSA with me!!!! We had a lot of fun catching up on each other and Lafayette, and how our investigators were doing. We had So. Dang. Much. Fun!

We had a lesson with one of our investigators that we are just not sure what the best thing to do for him is. So "What do you do in those situations, Sister Hill?" is what you ask. Well I will answer you. You call and invite President C to join you for a lesson. Yes, that is right, folks. President C came and taught with us. It was pretty fun! A little bit intimidating, as both he and our investigator are very intelligent people! They had a whole conversation, and Sister S and I understood the words they were saying but as to their meaning, we were totally clueless! Haha!

This morning we met with a referral (that President C had given us earlier in the week) at the mission home with him there. :) It was a really great lesson! The woman we met is a sweetheart who was recently diagnosed with MS. She is getting shots every week that make her feeling flu-like, and she absolutely HATES it. It threw me back to the past for a minute. I don't remember much of when you were diagnosed, but I remember a lady coming to the house and you giving shots to an orange. I remember you saying that you would be sick for a few days, then have a few good days, and have to start the whole thing over again.

I remember when Ash came home from S's house totally freaked out, because Mama B didn't remember Ash, and S telling her that her mom had had a really bad MS day.

I was reminded today how grateful I am for the blessing that I have a healthy mother who does normal stuff, and is not wheelchair bound, and can talk, and just be normal, even though she technically has this disease that should be debilitating. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation--that I know who I am and why I am here on this earth, and I am grateful for the knowledge that those who are in pain and miserable in this life will be okay and at peace after this life, and that it's not far away. Life is very short. We are here for a specific purpose (see Alma 34:32).

We had a "Why I Believe" fireside last night. I have come to love those! I love hearing recent converts bear their testimonies on the truths that they have come to know for themselves. I love being around my brothers and sisters who have found the joy and peace that the gospel brings.

Thank you to all who have shown me that joy throughout the years! Whether you were a priesthood/YW leader, a surrogate parent, a sibling, or a friend. You have all shown me the good news of the gospel, and you are why I am out here! I love you all! Can't wait to talk to you!

Love Sister Hill!

What a Week! -- 3 December 2012

So.... This week has been pretty cool!

Monday: Birthday! Greatest day ever! Thank you all for the love you sent!

Mama: when I got home from the li-barry, there on the doorstep was a bright pink package! Super exciting! Don't worry: Sister T took lots of pictures while I was opening!

Bestest Friend: Your letter also came right on Monday and was one of my favorites. I HOPE to be hearing more from you, but I know life is super crazy.

Special thanks to all of my wonderful grandparents! The consistency of your love and encouragement has been such a blessing not only on my mission, but my whole life!

Monday night was FHE, and we made gingerbread houses. Don't worry: a member of the branch took the time to make REAL gingerbread AND put the houses all together.  All we had to do was decorate! It was so dang much fun! One of our investigators came, and he decorated one of the gingerbread men (yes, she made little men to go with the houses) as a missionary! He put a tie on it and everything! It was so cute!

Sister T, sneaky Sister mish that she is, told everyone it was my birthday, and would they sing to me at some point. So all of the sudden about an hour in the ENTIRE cultural hall is singing "Happy Birthday!" I was very red, but also very pleased!

Afterward we were talking to one of the guys who works at the totally amazing Children's Museum (that is NOT open on Mondays) and he told us that on the 17th of this month it will be open, and that he would hold some tickets for us to go!!! YAY!! I am SOO excited! We have heard that this is a super fun place to go! Plus! It's Christmas time!!! Need I say more?

Wednesday: (Yes I know I skipped Tuesday) Wednesday, we went up to the mission home to hang out with President and Sister C. and the assistants. Just kidding, we weren't hanging out, we had a campus missionary special training. We loved it, and came away totally uplifted, and REALLY ready to get to work, and apply what we learned on campus! We also all went out to lunch (about 17 missionaries).  Since Sister T. and I were the only Sisters who went we got the privilege of sitting with President and Sister C. and laugh and talk with them. I love watching the two of them interact! You can tell they are crazy about each other! I have been so blessed with so many examples of what a great marriage looks like! Thank you so much to you all! Especially Mom and Dad! You are the best, and I couldn't ask for better parents!

After the training, I went up to talk to President C. one on one. I truly love my mission president! I know you all think you have/had the best one, but I am telling you, I WIN!!! He gave me some advice that I went home and applied right away, and the remainder of this week has just flown, full of the spirit! He was called here for me! (And Indiana is the BEST Mission on the earth!)

We have done a lot of walking this week. Applying what we learned, (and also this area just struggles with commitment. Can't be that we are in a YSA area?)

I got a very sweet letter from one of my best friends on Saturday! You know who you are, and I want you to know, that this has never been a one-sided friendship! I am forever grateful for you, and all you teach me as well! And thank you for waiting for me! ;)

Today: We left the house early (after study! Stop thinking I am disobedient!) and headed to.........LUCAS OIL STADIUM!!!! We (the whole zone) had a private tour that a member in a neighboring ward paid for us to go. It was so neat! That is a really cool building! I kept thinking: "My family, especially Uncles, would be dying right now!" We stood on the 50 yard line. Went into the Colts locker room, (the guide showed us Payton Manning's exact locker!) For the most part it wasn't "big-whoop" to me and the other sisters, BUT it was SO fun to watch the Elders. They thought they had died and gone to heaven! We have one Elder in my district who is only serving an 18 month mission, because he has a contract to play football for BYU next fall. So, he was soaking everything up! :)

Lisa, I got some really great pics, so when you go scrapbook paper shopping, look for Colts stuff! :)

I love you all and hope you have a great week! I echo Elder Hill's challenge. You will be such a powerful tool in the Lord's hands if you are serving your brothers and sisters! Keep the faith! Talk to you soon!

Love, Sister Hill

Pictures! -- 3 December 2012

Here is Sister T and I at Gleaners Food Bank. This is our weekly service!

Holidays -- 26 November 2012

First off: Thank you all for all of the birthday wishes!!! They have made my day!

I have been treated like a queen by Sister Tagg all day yesterday, and today! I keep thinking it's just a normal day, but she is being super EXTRA nice to me. (I say extra cause she is always nice to me!) Last night at dinner, the member who fed us remembered that it was my birthday, and they made a cake, and put 2 matches on it, and sang Happy Birthday! It was so sweet of them, and all I could think, was: "Mom, I am well taken care of. (Even if it is a singles ward)" :)

This morning while I was in the shower, Sister Tagg Made french toast for breakfast! I am a lucky Sister Missionary, I have the best companion in the mission! ... That is actually not true, I guess she is tied with all my other companions. I have just been a lucky Sister!

We don't have any super-awesome-amazing-rockin'-awesome plans for the day, but all of the birthday wishes I have received have absolutely made my day! Sister Tagg got me a button to pin on my shirt that says: "Birthday Girl" Its pink and huge, and obnoxious, but I love it!

Thanksgiving was good. I got a little homesick for the my "normal" Thanksgiving. But for the most part I was just grateful for all that I have, and that I even got to celebrate Thanksgiving.

There is a Sister in our ward who is flying to Utah right now because she is reporting to the MTC on Wednesday. She is going to the (I am going to butcher this [sorry Uncle Brant])  Nagoya, Japan Mission. We are all super excited for her, and she is going with nothing but confidence! Honestly, she reminds me of Mama Montgomery. Her "farewell" was super fun to be at.

Well folks. Christmas is just around the corner, and It is finally getting chilly here. We had a 5 second flurry of snow 3 weeks ago, but since then nothing. I am not complaining mind you. I will keep it warm as long as possible. People are predicting a bad winter this year because last year was so mild. Yuck! And I will be the designated driver (most likely, since after this transfer [when Sister Williams and Stanford go home] I will be the 4th oldest Sister Missionary in Indiana. How did that happen?!)

Anyway, They did a big celebration of turning on the Lights downtown the day after Thanksgiving. We were PCing down there and saw the dress rehearsal, and then later on our way home for the night we saw the FIREWORKS!!!! (Why doesn't Temple Square do that?!)  Anyway, I would like to come back and see that show one day. Parentals, I really think you would enjoy Indy. There is A TON to do and see, and I cute little river walk that goes through the middle of downtown that I keep seeing Daddy running on, and Mom looking at all the art!

Anyway, I love Indy, and am going to miss it when I am asked to leave, whenever that may be. I love you all, and thanks again for all of the birthday wishes!

Love always, Sister Hill

Week... -- 19 November 2012

Life is so good!!! Transfers went really well. Sister B went down to North Vernon, with Sister C, and Sister C's comp (the one who replaced me when I left) has come to Indy YSA with me! We are "kindred spirits"!!! We have not stopped talking since she got here! We laugh all of the time! Found out that she was in FCCLA too! She swam in HS. She is from Coolidge, Arizona. She graduated college in May, with her bachelor's in journalism. She has been out 3 months and 3 weeks, and is already putting me to shame! :) I am grateful for her example, and am so excited to spend the next 5 weeks with her! She is so great, she has already bought me a birthday present! (How many of you can say that?) She ratted me out in Relief Society yesterday. Those gifts are for the ward, and she told them and they wouldn't let me leave without a present!

Speaking of birthdays: On Saturday, we were driving along, and I asked what day it was, and guess what? It was the17th!!! Now every Hill should know that that date means something!

HaPpY bIrThDaY wHiTnEy AnN!!!!! (I am sorry its late!) Can you believe we are 22? Hope it was a happy day and all your dreams came true!

Well family, I hope that your Thanksgivings are wonderful! I am being taken care of here! I love you, and I will talk to you next week! Love, Love, LOVE!!!

-Sister Hill

Kids Against Hunger Million Meal Marathon

Last week's service. A member of the branch invited us to Lucas Oil Stadium to help Kids Against Hunger. It was pretty fun!

Time of New Beginnings -- 12 November 2012

I know it isn't New Year's yet, and you may get the same subject line when January 1st rolls around, but it is transfers this week, and for a missionary, it's kinda just like New Year's.

I am not leaving the YSA, but Sister Bonner is. I am sad and slightly nervous. I can feel God is preparing me for a lot of growth in this next transfer, and that refiners fire is HOT! However with the Lord all things are possible, and I know He won't give me more than I can handle. In my Bible reading (I am not sure if I told y'all, but I plan to have the entire Bible read before I come home) I started Job yesterday, and I am telling you, it isn't a happy book.

Basically: Satan bets God that if He takes everything away from Job, that Job will turn his back on God, and Satan will win Job's heart. Well of course God knows Job's heart, and knows he wouldn't do that, but to prove it to Satan, God says: "Do what you want, just don't kill him."

.........

Now, Sister Bonner and I were talking, and being the imperfect humans we are, we were shocked, and basically said: "If we were Job and we found out God did that to us we would....."

I have had that conversation in my head since yesterday morning. What would you do if you were Job? What are things in your life that you have been called to pass through, and didn't know why? Has there ever been something in your life that other people have said: "Man, I am glad I am not them right now!"? Have you ever said that about someone else?

A scripture I found early in my mission is D&C 122:7-8. I particularly love the question posed in 8. "Art thou greater than he?" (talking of Our Savior)

Trials come. Bad things happen to good people. Life isn't fair! We can scream, and curse, and rage, and be mad, and sad, and, and, and! But in the end, what matter is the growth that has occurred. Whether you like it or not, you have grown, you will be blessed for the trials you are asked to go through. And every trial is tailor made for you. And if you endure well, those blessings (and more) are still yours!

So, here we go. On another adventure with new trials, and exciting things happening.

I love you all, and hope you are doing well! You are in my prayers! I love you very much!

With all my love,

Sister Hill

Grandpa A. -- 5 November 2012

Mom: 

Grandpa A passed away peacefully (and finally) this morning at about 8:02 a.m.  It is a tremendous blessing in so many ways, and I will write you more about all of it in my letter.  I just wanted you to know.  No definite information on when the funeral will be yet, but we will be thinking of you and praying for you; and we hope you will be doing the same for us.

I love you, Sis!  Have a beautiful, blessed week.  Life is filled with joy and blessings!

Love,

Mom

Bri:

Thanks for letting me know! Are you ok?

Mom:

Yes, thank you, Love.  I’ve been over several times this week.  He’s been unconscious for days.  This morning is just a blessing.  (Don’t get me wrong, I had a good cry, but it truly is a blessing…)

Are you OK, sweetheart?

Bri:

I am sad. And relieved. And grateful. And wish I could be there to do something for you, or grandma, but I know that even if I was there, there wouldnt be much I could do anyway. I am where I need to be.

Mom:

Yes, you are.  And we are grateful for that as much as for anything else.  You’re a wonderful woman and a blessing to me.  I love you so much!

Bri:

I love you too!!! Well we are off to the Zoo. I love you! Know that you all are in my prayes and please give Gma A my love, and testimony. She has been in my prayers since this started, and I love her so much! Also Gma F. I love you!!! 

6th Transfer...6th Week -- 5 November 2012

I just want you all to realize how sad I am going to be next Thursday. First: The possibility of going to transfer meeting the day before. (I won't find that out until next Monday.) Second: That is my 9 month (to the day) mark. My mission is half full..... :_(   

Now. While I love you all, and I do miss you (!) I don't wanna! Things here have gone way too fast. This feels like this has always been my life, and I don't know what life will be when I am just Bri, again... Well enough about that!

This week we had Zone Conference again. May I just say, I have the greatest Mission President in the whole world!?! Dibbs! Infinity! No Battle! Shield! (And any other protective words that are used to be the best!) You could never ask for a better person in all your life! He is caring, he teaches to everyone's understanding, he cares about the individual missionary, and that missionary's area. He has got a wonderful wife (they just celebrated 40 years together this week [aw! toot pessis!]) Most importantly he has the Spirit of the Lord in great abundance with him. I am never left in any doubt when he makes a decision that it is what the Lord wants to happen. Be it who will be comps and which area or what he needs to train on the will help our mission skyrocket into being even better for the Lord. I have the BEST. MISSION. PRESIDENT. IN. THE. WHOLE. WORLD!!!!!!!

On that thought: I know this is short, (again.) I love you all! We are going on a zoo adventure today! That is right. The Indy Zoo. We have heard its better than San Diego. That is a pretty big claim to me, so we will see!

Speaking of adventures: I don't think I told you. We live a mile from the Indy Speedway. I have yet to be there, but we drive by every day. :) For those who are racecar fans. :) 

Anyway. I love you all, and love hearing from you! Have a good week, and God bless!

Love always,

Sister Hill

Here It Is Again! -- 29 October 2012

Monday. How did we get here? Wasn't I just telling you about Sister B 20 minutes ago?

Well, obviously this week has gone fast. We found a new investigator this week. He is pretty cool!

We are still teaching R. I don't know if I have told you about him or not. Well, just a re-cap/very vague description: He was the first guy I taught in the YSA. He is in some anti, and likes it. He knows the BoM is true, and that JS is a prophet, but has a hard time with Pres Monson. He kinda holds himself back, but participates in everything! He drives me crazy, and I love him all at the same time! He has a baptism date, but we need to move it; but he will be baptized someday, cause he knows it's true. He just needs a solid testimony on the specfics. :)

Yeah. that is R. Please keep him in your prayers.

Life in Indiana is good. We need to run, caue I have an eye appointment to get to! ;)

I love you all, and you are in my prayers!

Love always,

-Sister Hill

Cool Weekend -- 22 October 2012

Wanna know why? We had the very neat, once in a life-time, opportunity to have the the General Relief Society President in Indiana this weekend. She invited all of the sisters (in every stake in Indiana) to come meet her. President Collins felt it, of course, was worth our time to go, and gave permission. So all 18 sisters in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission got to go meet her.

You should have seen the crowd. They set up like they would have for stake conference with 5 extra rows on the stage, and more chairs set up in the RS, the Primary, and the YW rooms. But the fun part was that it was all women!

I was having a lot of fun, mainly because I kept running into people from North Vernon! This may be a little shallow, but I loved how everyone was approaching me and telling me that they missed me, and I am welcome in their homes anytime. They all wanted to tell me of the things that were going on in their lives, and with their families. Seriously, I have made friends for life!

THEN! We had got to listen to Sister Burton! She is such a sweetheart! I absolutely love her! Her husband was there too, and It was cute to see how much more relaxed she was in our little stake house than she was in the Conference Center. She would forget what word she wanted to use, and would turn to her husband, or you could hear him prompting her from behind. You could tell that they have a wonderful relationship, and are each other's best friends!

She talked about mainly the Temple, and what we can do to prepare our families, our homes, and ourselves to attend and receive the blessings of the temple... (that is coming to Indiana [cause she was talking to the sisters who live in Indiana permenantly]) but it applies to the missionaries too!

After, if we chose to do so, we got in a line to meet her. She is a sweetheart, and Mom, I told her that if she gets a minute to come see you and tell you that I am doing great! (Not to have doubt in her or anything, but I am sure she is super busy, and that is why I am telling you now. :)  )

She also talked about being homesick, and how that is an okay thing to be/have. As missionaries I think sometimes we think that being homesick is a BAD thing, and you are a HORRIBLE missionary if you feel home sick, and you can NEVER get it right, because you feel homesick. Now while I know that is not what your mind should be focused on 24/7, IT HAPPENS!!!! There are always going to be days that you think.... "I would rather....." or "If I could call Dad/Mom..." or "I just want a Bestest Friend hug!"  I feel like that does not make me a horrible missionary. That may be what Satan wants me to think but it isn't true. Sister Burton pointed out that if we feel homesick, that is okay, because it means we have had something good in our lives. And that we have been loved and cared for, and to just FORGET, or DROP all of that is inhuman! :) (These are my words not hers, but you get what I mean.) 

The main thing with homesickness that she talked about was our Heavenly homesickness. It's okay to have days where we just want to go back to God, because this life is hard! We know that in His presence we will be done with our trials, and our worrying, and our stress, and we won't have Satan breathing down our backs anymore! Man! I know that is what I want! But I am also so grateful for the opportunity I have to be living at this time! I am grateful for the family and the friends that I have. I am grateful for opportunity I have to be here in Indiana, and make new friends! I am grateful for this Gospel, I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation, so that we can be "Heavenly homesick". I am grateful for the living prophets, especially Joseph Smith and President Monson. I know that they are/were inspired men whom God has called. I am grateful for temples, and the blessings that come through them. I can't wait to back inside one! (First thing I am doing when I get off the plane, btw!)

Mostly I am grateful for my Saviour!!! Words cannot express the love I have for my Older Brother! He is my rock, and my Foundation. (Hel 5:12) I know that He lives, and that He loves each and every one of us! Trust Him!

With Lots of Love!!

Sister Hill

Very Nice Week -- 15 October 2012

It has been a good week. On Wednesday Sister W. got her new companion and they have hit the ground running in their area. It has been a little strange to just go back to the two of us here in the YSA. (Which I know sounds crazy, as I have only ever had 1 other person with me, but we all worked our trio really well!)

The YSA is truly something to get used to. We can only tract in certain places because we are not looking for families (WEIRD). We are looking for: Young. Single. Adults. Who are under the age of 30 and don't have 2 or 3 kids (because that constitutes as a "family"). 

Yesterday was the best day! We have 1 o'clock church (because we are in the YSA) so we got in our full morning study. Then we had our missionary coordination meeting, then branch counsel, then Sacrament meeting started. I love sacrament meeting! And I had a blast-from-the-past moment. One of the girls who lives in the North Vernon ward comes the the Indy YSA branch! So we caught up on some people in the ward, and one of the ward missionaries who moved to Idaho at the end of the summer for school, and is S's best friend, she is getting married at the end of December, and was one of my favorite ward missionaries! Anyway that was fun!

At the end of the night we had a "Why I Believe" fireside, which, for those of you who don't know (I am not sure if these are done everywhere,) is a fireside where recent converts come and tell everyone how they found the Church, or how the Church found them (aka missionaries!). But anyway, they come and share their testimonies of the gospel. The purpose of these is to bring investigators to see that "normal" people made a huge leap of faith and are now being blessed for it! This is my second one, and it was absolutely wonderful! Sister W, Sister E (new Temple Square sister) and I were all asked to perform a musical number. We sang I Am a Child of God. It went pretty good. There was nothing but nice things said (of course, "if you can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all." right!?).  Anyway, it was just a really nice day.

 I love you all! Hope you are having a good week!

-Sister Hill