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

Week One (Again) -- 8 October 2012

Well, here I am in downtown Indianapolis! I am serving in the Indy YSA branch! It is weird being with people my age again. Lisa, I think I have a little bit of your attitude towards drama now. I feel like I used to handle it pretty well, but I have only been here 5 days, and already I have heard more drama than I did in high school! :D  But I am really enjoying it!

I am in a temporary trio at the moment. Sister W. is staying with us, and we are covering her new area until our new TEMPLE SQUARE SISTER shows up!!!! (Ask me how excited I am!) Anyway, my comp is is Sister B. (She is the sister from Heber who knows J-H.) And Sister W. is the sister who Sister W. just finished training so she is my mission sister! So I am surrounded on all sides by friends! Actually I would be excited to serve with any sister from this mission, they are all amazing!

For letter writing, and package sending purposes, my new address is:

1618 N Whitcomb Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46224

Love you all! And can't wait to hear from you! (Hint: Bestest Friend! (I need a bestest friend hug))

Have a good week, and I will talk you ya'll next week!

Love always!

Sister Hill

PS-Wasn't Conference AMAZING!!!! Can't wait to see what this is going to do for missionaries around the world!!! When you write me, please tell me your favorite part, favorite talk, or something you learned, or all of the above! 

Official -- 1 October 2012

Well, folks. It's official. After only 6 weeks in Lafayette, Indiana, yours truly is being transferred. Where to? Only the Lord knows. And President C.....And the assistants.

Turns out that it is Sister S who will be training. (She is not super excited) Also, I don't remember if I told you, but Sister W has been in her second transfer of training in the Lafayette 2nd ward. They have been in our district, so we have gotten to hang out with them quite often. Well, turns out she is training again. In  Lafayette 2, again. Not sure how she feel about it.... She and Sister S were in a trio in the MTC and their other comp will be training this transfer as well! How crazy is that?! So that means that for all 3 of them this is their last area. When they finish training in 11 weeks they get on a plane and go home! (Oh yeah, the transfer after this one is weird because 12 weeks from tomorrow is Christmas. so instead of a 6 week transfer we will have a 5 week, then a 7 week. That is going to be super weird!)

Anyway, Sister S and I are super sad to be splitting. We have really connected well, and have had NO problems. And 6 weeks really isn't long enough to get to know someone! I mean it is, but at the same time, its not enough time to really super open up to someone, and connect on a super deep level of trust.... :_(   Life goes on. And there is always after the mission.

Moving on!

So I don't know how many of you saw (or care) but the Indiana, Indianapolis temple's ground was broken this past weekend!!! Construction has officially begun!!!! We are all so excited! We know we won't be around when it is finished, however we will all be back for the dedication approximately 2 years from now! PS, Mom, you are hereby expected to and volunteered to pull stings to get me a ticket to that dedication!! So you can't say you haven't been warned!

General Relief Society Broadcast was amazing! We had the greatest time! We love the new Presidency! And while we will always have a special place in our hearts for Sister Beck, it is amazing how our Heavenly Father speaks through the Spirit to our hearts about his called and chosen! This is going to be a great change!


Well I love you all, but daylight is burning, and I still haven't started packing yet! Have a great week! I will let you know my new address next Monday! Until then you have the mission office address, (although that takes longer to get to me than just waiting an extra week.)

Love ya!

-Sister Hill

Week 6 -- 24 September 2012

I know what you're thinking! "Weren't we just at week 6?" Well, you are right. We were just at Week 6. Only that Week 6 was in North Vernon. Now we are in Lafayette, and we are now starting Week 6!!!!! WHAT?! How!? Sister Stanford and I also found out (from a very reliable source) that 5, that's right, 5 new Sisters will be entering the Indiana, Indianapolis Mission next Tuesday night. Do you know what the means? Well, I will tell you. It means that every Sister, but 2, in the Indiana, Indianapolis Mission will either be training, or being trained. That is right. 18 Sisters. 9 Companionship's. 8 in some form of training.

So, "What," you ask, "does this mean for you Sister Hill?"

Well, let me tell you. Sister Stanford thinks that she is not staying in Lafayette any longer than next week, and she says she is sure that I will be training one of the new sisters.....

AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I will let you know what happens next Monday.

So this past week. :) Monday, we had a lesson with a woman who is amazing!!! We have met with her 4 or 5 times, and every time we meet, she has been on her computer reading anti to us, and asking what exactly we believe. Sister Stanford and I have loved this opportunity to strengthen our testimonies. (I am NOT saying go read anti just so you can strengthen your testimonies. DON'T!!!!) The reason it has helped us is because it was not done in a contentious way. She was/is genuinely curious, and by her asking, we have had the opportunity to answer (and laugh at) some of the ridiculous things people are saying about "Mormons"

A common phrase that is said when we get in the car is: "Satan is good!!!.... God is Greater!!!!" It is amazing to us how good satan is! He truly hates this world, and wants to bring down everyone in it!

Well, so Monday night we had a lesson with her, and we felt differently going into this lesson. We felt like we should share the Restoration with her. We felt like we had established our relationship with her, and that now she trusted us, and knew that we weren't crazy cult members, and that what we had might just be true. So we went in and shared it with her, and then asked: "Why do you allow us to keep coming back?"

....

"I don't know. But I think you have something I want. I feel like what you are saying might be true."

Oh my goodness, that was one of the most powerful lessons I have ever had!!!! The Spirit was absolutely tangible! Sister Stanford and I walked out saying: "This is why we are here. Because this is true, and there are those all around us that are just waiting to hear the truth, and come closer to Jesus Christ!!!"

Life sucks sometimes, and satan is good....But. God. Is. GREATER!!! Never doubt that. Don't doubt God. Life outside is not worth what you would be giving up inside this gospel. If you are struggling, PLEASE go back to the basics. Read the Book of Mormon every day. Have a conversation with your Father. Have several! He is waiting to hear from us! He wants our happiness, and he knows that this gospel will give it to you!

The Church of Jesus Christ is the Lord's Church on the earth. Christ died for us, and most important....HE LIVES!!!!

Let him help you.

-Sister Hill

Life Is Good! -- 17 September 2012

I love life in Indiana as a missionary!

"What more can we say than to you hath been said?" :)

Life in Lafayette continues to grow and develop.We got a new ward mission leader yesterday, and we are excited to get to work with him. He says he is ready for a challenge.... (I dont know what you are talking about! I am a little angel!!)

We went on exchanges this week. I got to work with Sister Allen. She has already been out 3 weeks, and is doing SO great! I still feel like a beginner and a novice, and here I was working with someone who really is, but she didn't act like it! I can't wait to work with her more in the future!

Some sad news. We had a sister go home this week. She had some health issues, and couldn't get the help here that she needs, so she went home. She had a really neat experience leaving, though, and I wish her luck in all the endeavors of her life!

Well since we are getting to the library late today, I need to be going!

I love you all! Hope things are going well in your lives!

Love always,
Sister Hill

PS- Can you believe Hermana Scott leaves the MTC this week?