A MOMENT ON THE LIPS, A LIFETIME ON THE HIPS

(Letter sent December 14, 2015)

Holaaaa! What's up fam.

Okay before I go on... so this weather has been insane. Like I'm talking it's been in the 70s this whole week. what is life. Sorry to all you Idahoans. 

Anyway.... this week was kinda rough for everyone haha we saw the Elders on Saturday and they were like "man. this week has been rough!" and we were like "no way us too!" hey at least we could all sympathize together :)

Weekly highlights:

1. Zone Conference: it was SO GREAT. I wish we had zone conference every week. We had super good trainings by the STLs and our ZLs and Pres. and Sis. Morgan. Also our ZLs asked us to do another musical number. What is this. Hey on the bright side, my piano is getting better and better since I'm forced to play all the time :) and now they know I can semi play which is dangerous but whatevs. I played Silent Night and Sister Knight sang. It sounded pretty good #lookatusnow. Also we had a white elephant gift exchange which was SO FUN. I love my zone. Cape crew for lyfe. Anyway we brought this super ugly skirt that had fish on it. It was bad and one of the zl's got it hahahahaha we were so lucky to get this black Santa statue. Everyone was super jealous of it actually. #swag ALSO THEY CHANGED THE TEMPLE POLICY which means that I get to go every SIX MONTHS now. AHHH!!!!! which means I get to go in feb/march whenever the transfer falls! eeeeeeeeeeeeep! I miss the temple so much. 

2.Service for Steiny: we went to visit Sister Steinmeyer and she was doing yard work so we offered to help. She had us make this brick walk way in her backyard that took forever! It actually looked super good when we were done but that is my last time that I ever do yard work in a skirt....... more specifically a pencil skirt. no bueno. 

3. "Don't eat that bread....": okay so we were having dinner with the Goellers and Bro. Goeller asked if I wanted some bread and I said no thanks. Sis. Goeller then says "yeah don't eat that bread... A MOMENT ON THE LIPS, A LIFETIME ON THE HIPS." words. of. wisdom. thasss right. the bread ain't worth it.

4. Your waist is that big?: so Joy (we visit her every week, she's LA, in a nursing home) is making us matching skirts. hahahaha well..... she was taking out measurments the other day and was measuring my waist and goes "woah. your waist is THAT big??????" I was like excuseee meeee? lol. l Like who says that? hahaha she goes "I thought you was supposed to be skinny?" dont worry tho... my hips were an acceptable size............ because I didn't eat that bread at the Goellers.... lol jk

5. Sister Knight and I spoke in church yesterday! hehe that was fun. We just bore our testimonies on Christmas/Missionary work for a few minutes so not too bad. 

Teaching:

1. Dennis: okay real talk. I will probs cry at Dennis' baptism. I'm not an emotional person but he and I have such a special bond. He is like my adopted grandpa.I'm gonna cry. It's cool. Also he asked me to speak at it. Only for dennis :) I AM SO EXCITED FOR SUNDAY DEC 20. IT WILL BE THE BEST DAY EVER. FORGET CHRISTMAS. THIS IS BETTER THAN THAT. But really people. I have been working and waiting for a baptism for 3 months now and who better than Dennis to be my first. 

2. Hayden: we read 2 Nephi 31 and talked about why he wants to be baptized. We were bold with him and really wanted to see his intent. Our DL has been telling us to be careful and to really make sure he is doing this for the right reasons. So I was a little stressed out before our lesson with him because I felt like everyone was telling me how to deal with my investigator! So I prayed really hard that I would be able to feel if his intent was pure. And you know what? I DID! the spirit told me that it was okay and there was never any hesitation or doubt in my mind during our lesson with him. He truly does want to be baptized and I'm so excited for him! January 10 is the date :) oh and we also taught him some commandments but he already lives all of them so that was easy.

3. DD: we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My favorite lesson to teach :) She understood it well and still wants to get baptized. I asked her how she feels when she takes the sacrament (we were talking about renewing our baptismal covenants each week) and she said "peaceful and relaxed." DD has such a pure, real desire! 

4. Andrea: we finished teaching her the laws and ordinances. She understood them all really well. She expressed to us some doubts that she has been feeling about baptism and how she sometimes doesn't feel worthy and feels like a failure. (been there done that) we showed her the video "Because He lives." That video was definitely inspired. I have never ever felt the Spirit so strong before in a lesson. Holy cow. She said she felt peaceful during it and we talked about how Christ is with her always... even and especially during those rough times. It was a really great lesson but then she didn't show at church yesterday. uhhhhh Satan is so annoying! He is working on her HARD because she is on the right path. Keep her in your prayers. She is so ready and prepared for baptism and knows it's all true. It would literally break my heart if she dropped us. 

We are staying busy,  busy here in Potosi! This morning during my study, I was reading my call letter! I haven't read that in a while and it brought back all those emotions again. Towards the end of the letter is states:

Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children.

This is so true. Family and friends I love you all so much and miss being with you but I want you to know that NOTHING (not even BYU sports) has brought me more JOY than being a missionary. Nothing. I get to put on my nametag each day that states that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and that I am here to help people strengthen their relationship with Him. I look back to almost 4 months ago when I was preparing to leave... not knowing exactly what I was signing up for, but knowing that I needed to do it. Little did I know all the growth and happiness I would experience in such a short amount of time. I am not the same person that I was 3 months ago. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a really really good thing :) because of my mission, I know who I am. and I'm not afraid to be myself. My self confidence is higher than ever before, yet at the same time, I have realized that all I am is BECAUSE OF HIM. 

I know a mission is not for everyone and I would never ever try to force someone to go on one haha but with that said... I know there are some people who feel indifferent towards it or who feel like they should go but are scared. I was one of those people! and I'm here to tell you today that a mission will never steer you wrong. You can never go wrong with serving a mission. So, if by chance you receive a prompting that you need to go on a mission, GO. Go forward with faith and recognize that only the best of times lie ahead.I already know that I will not be ready to give up this calling as a full time missionary when my time to comes. 

I have never laughed as much, loved as much, or gone through more hard days. I am forever changed because of my mission. Isn't it funny that something so short will have a lasting impact on the rest of my earthly life and eternal life?! 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY and I love each of you. Don't forget that someone in Potosi, MO is praying for you :)

love,

sister hill