THE DAY THE PORCH SWING FELL

What's good, my family and friends?! Okay before you do anything else, take five seconds and just clap for me because I MADE IT TO TWO MONTHS YO. #winning

Okay but on the real... this week was cahhh-razy. Crazy good though!

You know what time it is!!! Weekly highlights:

1. Lidocane 4 Dayz: HAHA okay Sister Tuprin got an ingrown toenail and we had to go to the doctor so they could numb her with Lidocane and fix it. It was an all day ordeal but two good things came out of it: 1. We celebrated with pizza and 2. I fulfilled another lifelong dream of being able to draw the Plan of Salvation on the examination table. 

2. Teach me how to Waddle: remember when I said that I will have to waddle off the plane in 16 months?? I wasn't lying. Here's what went down this week: we went to dinner with our investigators at this place called Pasta House. They ordered TWO appetizers and we got unlimited salads and we each got a large pasta dish AND we got cheesecake and then they took us to get frozen custard after. What even. The sad thing is that I ate everything they put in front of me. #noshame

3. THE DAY THE PORCH SWING FELL: *keep in mind above highlight while reading* soooo... Saturday night was Sister Goeller's birthday! She wanted to have a Halloween themed party (remember when she invited us to it from the pulpit? lol) and everyone had to dress up! I was a bunny and Sister Turpin was a schoolgirl. We killed the costumes not gonna lie... anyway they had a bonfire and I wanted to sit in their porch swing. So I did but right as I sat down it fell. To the ground. I broke their porch swing................................................................................ I really gotta stop eating at lix.

4. Bye bye Potosi: yesterday in church we got a huge announcement. Our little Potosi Branch is being dissolved and will  be combining with the Farmington Ward. This will be soooo good and needed to happen. I felt right at home since for a while there our stake was being changed and wards were being split and all that fun stuff in Eagle :) There truly is strength in numbers so it will be good. BUT. What does that mean for us missionaries?!! So there are Elders serving in the Farmington Ward so now there will be two sets of missionaries in our ward. We don't really know how it's all going to work... we have to wait and see what President Morgan says but for now, we are both staying in our areas!

And now for the more important things...

1. Carolyn: we had a really good lesson with her and read Ether 12. We talked about faith and how it is an action word. She told us that she has been living the word of wisdom and that she would be at church on Sunday. Well....... she didn't show. Darn it! But it's all good. It's all good. We are just sad because we know she knows it's true but she isn't making an effort to be at church. Keep her in your prayers... she needs them!

2. Andrea: that's right a new name, a new investigator!!!!! What's up!!! So this is such a cool story actually. So we got a call the other night from the Hillsboro sisters. Apparently Andrea went to their ward last Sunday on her own and told them she wants to take the lessons. What? This never happens. But wait it gets better. Turns out she lives in Potosi aka OUR area. So we went and met with her on Saturday and told her we were going to talk about the Restoration. We pulled out a pamphlet so she could follow along and she goes, "Oh I have all those on my phone! I've already read them." Okay, who reads the missionary pamphlets on their own?! And then she came to church yesterday with us. Guys, if you ever doubt that Heavenly Father loves you... I can promise you He does! Because He sent Andrea to me. And so many other miracles. 

3. Rose and Steve: we had planned to commit them to pray on Friday night to know if the Book of Mormon is true. They've been reading, just not praying and we've really been talking about having a sincere heart and real intent when they read and pray. We read Mosiah 3:19 and talked about putting off the natural man and how in order to feel the Spirit we need to become as a little child (submissive, meek, etc.). We were then going to read the Book of Mormon intro and commit them to pray that night but things took a different turn... dun dun dun. Steve sat there and really opened up. He said how he loves having us come over but not for the right reasons. He just likes to hang out with us. He hasn't been doing any of the things we tell him to and he realized he needs to take us more seriously. He also realized that he needs to open himself up to Christ in order to really progress. I then felt prompted to share Ether 12:27 and talk about weakneses being made into strengths through Christ. Rose and Steve want to be more broken hearted but it's hard for them to open up... it's a weakness. I commited them to have a "heart to heart" with God (that's what Steve called it) and to ask Him to make their weaknesses into strengths and to find out if continuing to meet with us is really something they want. They need to figure out their intent and where their heart is. It was a really good lesson though and the Spirit was present.

I have been thinking a lot about Ether 12:27... I mean, it is my plaque scripture :) it is so good!  We all have weaknesses whether it seems like it or not. Maybe you are impatient, maybe you are deaf, maybe you don't have a job, etc., etc. Whatever it may be, we are all blessed with weaknesses/trials. And yes, I did say blessed. I say that because learning to turn to Christ to and allowing Him to turn our weaknesses into strengths is a beautiful thing.

I hope you all have a great week and gain 10 pounds because it's Halloween!!!

xoxo

sister hill

A CHILDHOOD DREAM FULFILLED

Okay I need to start off by apologizing upfront to Mom and Dad.... I fulfilled a childhood dream this week that I was never able to fulfill while living at home. Don't feel bad... you were still okay ish parents (jk) but this week... this week I fulfilled a dream. Read on to find out what it was.....

I will also apologize if this email doesn't seem super coherent. I've been sick with a head cold all week and therefore have been taking lots and lots of medicine! Sooo yeah. But all in all, another great week in Potosi.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Somebody Call 911 Shawty Fire Burning: We had a Relief Society activity and we made emergency candles. Which is cool. They are made with sawdust and supposedly burn for 48 hours and give off a huge flame. So we made one for Elder Quinn and Elder Stoddard because that's the Christlike thing to do but failed to mention the 48 hours and huge flame part. Turns out they lit their apartment on fire. All is well though, the apartment has fire insurance. #blessed

2. Oh Grandma: I've talked about Sister Goeller before... she is one of a kind and honestly one of the greatest people I've ever met. We just love her. So anyway... at church on Sunday she asked us to come over on Wednesday and have "Sister Goeller night." Here's what went down: we started by going to Lix (we may or may not have gone two days in a row this week.... it's cool but it won't be cool when I have to waddle off the plane in 17 months. Whatever). Then we went to her house and helped her plant rose bushes and had dinner and read the Book of Mormon with her. We also had the pleasure of reading the poem "Oh Grandma" that her grandson wrote her. I couldn't do it. My voice started to quiver and I was done for. Not because I was emotional, but because I think everything is funny. That included. Someone help me.

3. "I Have A Dream That One Day...: I will get to eat at CiCi's Pizza." No joke you guys that has been my dream since the ripe old age of about 5. I have always wanted to contact their advertising people and praise them because their commercials are on point. They made CiCi's look like a dream. And I'm here to tell you that it was. Guys... I FULFILLED A CHILDHOOD DREAM THIS WEEK. But sorry to all you Utah and Idaho people... there are no CiCi's anywhere near you, you'll just have to come to MO;)

4. Going to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Married: side note- Kate I hope you're laughing right now... this song should have extra special meaning to you HAHAHA. Anyway... this couple in our branch got married! Their reception was baseball themed and it was super cute. But all of us missionaries were sitting there watching them cut the cake and we're like "ew.... we're never getting married. #missionaryandsingle4life" hahahahahahah jk but it was so fun!

TEACHING:

1. Rose and Steve: Okay, here's the deal. Every time we teach them, they argue with each other and the Spirit leaves. So that's a struggle. They decided that they want to read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon before they pray about it.... which is rough so we're planning on talking with them tonight about recognizing the Spirit and how they don't have to read the whole thing to know that it's true. They're kinda just blah right now so we're hoping to make a breakthrough.

2. Tracy: This is our less active that we are working with a lot right now. She is working on quitting smoking and has made it goal to go to the temple in one year. I'm so proud of her!

3. Carolyn: We taught her the Restoration becuase we weren't sure how much she actually understood. She said she still knows it's true and is going to come to church this Sunday. And she's still on date to get baptized Nov 14. Woohoo!

4. Jordan: We read Alma 40 with her and talked about how she can know if the Book of Mormon is true. It was one of the best lessons and I definitely felt the Spirit as I testified to her. She committed to reading the Book of Mormon and we are going to meet with her again this week!

5. Julie K: We read 1 Nephi 3 and 4 with her and talked about how we have to do what God commands even when it's hard. She continues to pick up what we put down which is awesome. We are also helping her get a divorce this week so she can get married so she can get baptized. That will be a first! She is my favorite investigator :) and I love watching her progress each week. We are hopefully getting her a big print Book of Mormon so she can read it easier.

Well... it was another great week. I am officially in my second transfer and am excited to see some miracles these next six weeks:) Okay my computer is going to log me out so I need to go but know that I love you all and I know the church is true! I KNOW!

xoxoxo,

sister hill

 The Sisters apartment

Two Idaho girls found an Idaho license plate!

HUMILITY IS HUMANITY

HOLA! To find out who said this great quote and when they said it, you will have to read on... 

I hope you all have had the best week ever. I know I have! It's been a week full of work and crazy Potosi moments and I know that I am the luckiest person to get to serve here.

I know you're all dying to hear, so here are this week's TOP TEN PLAYS:

FUNNY MOMENTS--

5. It May Be My Medicine: We were visiting a less active, T. She is so funny and always talks our ears off for two hours. Anyway... she has been having a hard time feeling the Spirit. We were reading Mosiah 27 with her and it talked about praying and fasting. She stops us and was like, "That's what I need to do. I need to fast to feel the Spirit!" Sister Turpin was like, "T, I know that you just received personal revelation and that the Spirit impressed that upon you." T, "yeah..... or it may just be my medicine!" No, it's the Spirit!

4. How Tall Was Jesus?: We were watching The Testaments with B, our recent convert. She was loving it. The movie showed a clip of Christ walking with His disciples and she goes, "How tall was Jesus? He had to be tall." I was just like, what? that is so irrelevant. And then it showed the people in the Americas and she goes, "Jesus didn't wear jewelry did He?" She always asks us interesting questions!

3. Love From the Pulpit: Testimony meeting was.... oh man.... a hoot. One of my favorite members Sister G bore her testimony. She talked about how she wants to have a Halloween birthday party with the missionaries and how we wear her out because we call her all the time..... and then she started talking about general conference and was like, "Dieter Uchtdorf.... not only is he good looking but a good talker too" I was trying so hard not to laugh! 

2. Gonna Read my Book of Norman: The Elders in my District had a baptism! Their investigator J is so awesome and I just can't wait to hang out with her in the Celestial Kingdom. She is probably my favorite person. She is crazy and I can't even accurately describe her to you because it won't do her justice. But anyway, I had met her once before because we took her with us to the Women's Broadcast a couple weeks ago. After she got baptized, Elder Quinn was giving a talk on the Holy Ghost and she just kept going, "mmhmmm. Amen. I gotta keep reading my Book of Norman." Wait hold up. Book of what? Norman. She calls it the Book of Norman. Don't ask me why.

1. 20 lbs of Red Meat: We met with our recent convert C. Our meetings with him are always entertaining and I have to mentally prepare myself for them because I just always want to laugh. Anyway... we pulled up to his house and I was feeling good. I was ready for a good, spiritual meeting with C. We were talking to him, asking about his day and stuff, and he starts talking about turtles and how he loves to eat turtle. So then he showed me a picture of a turtle and was like "I got 20 lbs of red meat from this one" and slapped his belly. Then goes, "Oh I think it jiggled!" Okay people. Game over. I was done. We started laughing and then I was done for the rest of the night. But wait it gets better. We read Ether 12 with him and were talking about humility. Now, he always likes to give these really deep insights to scriptures. He was talking about humility and goes, "Humility is being turned into lots of things. Like humiliation." Me: "mhmm. Yeah" C: "Yeah you know like HUMILITY IS HUMANITY." Sister Turpin: "Wow that should go on a quote wall." C: "Yeah maybe I'll use it to get me some dates." We are still a little confused about what that meant. If any of you can enlighten me as to what he might have meant... please let me know :)

TEACHING--

5. Steve: We went over to talk to Steve about how we believe that Jehovah is Christ, since that is a concern of his. He got a little side-tracked and we ended up talking about the light of Christ and committed him again to pray with Rose to know if the Book of Mormon is true. We talked about prayer and he told me that when I bore my testimony on prayer a couple weeks ago that it really hit him. He also told us that he always feels good when we come over and we were like uhhh yeahhhh that's the Spirit bro! And then he said the closing prayer and the Spirit was so strong. He said they would pray to know and we are having dinner with them tonight and are hoping to commit them to baptism! Eeep! Fingers crossed!

4. Ron: So we taught Ron about tithing and fasting on Thursday. He said he would even fast this Sunday to get work off on Sundays. He was progressing so well. Well... we got a text from him yesterday that said that he has decided to go back to his old church. But he said he wants to still read the Book of Mormon. He agreed to let us come talk to him this Thursday so hopefully we can remind him why he wanted to get baptized in the first place. Keep him in your prayers!

3. Julie K: We taught her faith and repentance and talked about how going to church is an act of faith. She hasn't wanted to come to church and I think she just feels uncomfortable. But we set a "Church Timeframe" with her. She said she will be at church in November. Baby steps! We are excited for her and can truly see her desire to follow Christ.

2. Jordan: OUR NEW INVESTIGATOR! Yes, we finally got someone new to teach! She is a former investigator and we went over to check up on her. I want her to get baptized so bad. She is 16 and wanted to be baptized at one point. We talked with her and answered some questions she had and set up a time to go teach her this week. She was definitely a blessing sent to us because we had been praying specifically to pick up a new investigator this week. Prayers are answered people.

1. Tracy (less active): She came to church yesterday! She said she really enjoyed being there. She has such a strong desire to be active again and she is so close. She has gone through a lot but still has a strong testimony. Reactivation is so important and so cool to be a part of.

I know I say it every week but I love being a missionary. I love helping people come unto Christ. I have come to truly cherish my testimony as I have helped people either gain their own, or find theirs again. My challenge to you all is to write down your testimony this week. Don't try and make it sound complex.. just write it exactly how you feel. Then when you feel that you are wavering, you can pull that testimony out and it will remind you of what's truly important in your life. 

I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for all the prayers in my behalf. They are felt for sure!

XOXOXO

sister hill

POTOSI LOVE

Potosi did not disappoint this week! 

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!

1. We had exchanges on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was soooo nervous... I don't know why but I was. Anyway... I got to go to Glen Carbon, IL with our Sister Training Leader Sister Ewell! Sister Ewell is adorable and we had so much fun. I got to meet some really great people there and really want to serve in Glen Carbon now! They cover a Young Single Adult ward which is so cool, so I got to teach some YSA's! Sister Turpin asked Sister Dunn (the STL that went to Potosi for the day) if she like MO or IL better and Sister Dunn said: "well....... Illinois has normal people...." HAHA pretty much yeah. Potosi is unlike anywhere I've been but it's the new norm to me and I love it!

2. "IDK Baby...": we called a potential investigator named Cole. He answered and we explained that we were missionaries and asked if we could come meet with him. Well... he then goes on to explain how he is on lots of morphine and has cancer. Sister Turpin told him that our message could really help him and he goes, "I don't know, baby. You ladies have a great night hehe" Potosi is the craziest, I'm telling you!

3. Mormon Elvis: we got a referral and his name is Elvis. How cool right? It would be even cooler if he answered our phone calls..... pray for him! 

4. Service: Yard Edition: We attempted to help our investigator Julie K. dig up her plants so she can transplant them to her new house but we kept hitting rock so we gave up. BUT she did have a lot of stuff strewn throughout her lawn so we helped her clean it up. We filled 2 full garbage cans with stuff! 

5. #theusual: we went to Lix for frozen custard AGAIN. Yikes it's so good. 

6. GENERAL CONFERENCE: You didn't think that I would forget conference did you?! Let's just take a minute and talk about how on point conference was. Literally a 10/10. You already know that I loved all the talks but I will point out a few I really loved. 1- Sister Marriotts. WOW. Her talk made me reflect on how a mission was not my plan for myself but it was God's. We gotta have that eternal perspective! 2- The 3 new Apostle's Testimonies. WOW x 3. Literally I felt the Spirit soooo strongly while they were each speaking. I know they are called of God. And I know that I am called of God as a missionary. 3- President Monson. Okay you guys. Can we all just agree that he is the most precious person ever? My heart hurt a little while he was speaking because I realized that he probably won't have very many talks left. His talk called me to self reflection and made me really think about if I am taking every opportunity possible to shine and be a light. 4- Elder Durrant. He is like the coolest person ever, right?! PONDERIZE. I love it!!!!!

TEACHING HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Carolyn: We taught the word of wisdom and she said she would live it! *fist pump* it was so precious though. She drinks coffee at work to help her stay awake so we told her that apples help you stay awake too (true fact). She was worried that she wouldn't have time to eat an apple so she said she will try and drink apple juice instead. YEAH YOU GO GIRL DRINK THAT APPLE JUICE!

2. Julie K: Julie K is probably one of my favorite people. She has the weirdest sense of humor but she's so funny! She's just the coolest. We read 1 nephi 2 with her and she told us she wanted to be a Nephi, not a Laman or Lemuel. YES!

3. Rose and Steve: They are kind of at a stand still. They're not really progressing but they're not going backwards. Last night we read Joseph Smith History with them because we want them to get their own testimonies of Joseph Smith. We read it with them and they totally applied it to their life! We told them to pray to know if he was a prophet and they said they would. Steve admitted that he is kind of rebelling, though. He thinks Joseph Smith is weird and out there and always wants everything we teach to be backed up by the Bible which is hard because we don't know the Bible like we do the Book of Mormon, but that's why we have the Spirit:) Somehow we always make our point.. which is often done by just bearing simple testimony. Last night I bore my testimony to them about prayer. They listened so intently and I felt the Spirit guiding my words. I really think I had a break through with them by bearing that testimony. The Spirit is so amazing. I never know what to say to them but somehow the Spirit always places thoughts in my head. They watched one session of conference and liked it but were also bored soooo.... please keep them in your prayers! They need all the prayers they can get!

4. Dewaals: They are a member family but we had dinner with them and talked about the First Vision. Okay, this was probably one of the most spiritual experiences I've had on my mission so far. They have two sons who are 12 and 14. Sister Turpin and I directed our message to them becuase we felt we needed to. We had them read the first vision and talk about their feelings about Joseph Smith. We asked them to pray to know that he was a prophet and we bore testimony. They both listened so intently and the whole time I just had such gratitude in my heart for Joseph Smith! He was 14 when God appeared to him. 14! "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." To all you kids out there: Never think you are too young or inadequate to do something great! You can do great things just like Joseph Smith did, if you will put your faith in your Heavenly Father!

Another great week out here in MO! Guys... I love being a missionary. Nothing has brought me greater joy than this. Sometimes I pinch myself because I don't know how I got so lucky. One challenge I leave with you all is to ponderize this week! My scripture that I am ponderizing is Helaman 5:12. Is it weird that I'm super excited to ponderize? lol #missionarylyfe. But seriously I am so pumped to see the effect it has on my life! I hope you all have a great week and don't forget to ponderize :)

 

Love, Sister Hill

Exchanges with the Illinois Sister Training Leaders

Fall means pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

Sister Turpin and Sister Hill

The District wishing Elder Quinn a Happy Birthday!

Watching conference and eating with members