The BIG news of transfers!!!!

Dear Family,

Ok! so the big news of transfers!!! I know I was saying in my last letter that I really wanted a challenge these next three transfers.... I must have opened my mouth to soon because after stake correlation meeting we asked President Meredith how transfers was doing? He replied and said it was pretty hairy. He then said that he needed to talk to us to save him a phone call. He pulled us aside and said that Concord Zone needed some help. He said that that zone has been a really big baptizing zone but lately it has taken a big turn downward on the missionary side of the work. He then said that I was going to be transferred to Concord Zone (Richmond) to turn that zone around. I didn't know what to think but I am excited. I don't want to leave this zone though, I love it so much but President said that he really needs my help to turn the Concord zone around. I will be the senior zone leader there also. I am excited and felt a huge weight on my shoulders. That night I really prayed for help. These next transfers I am going to commit to the Lord to give Him my all, every bit of my time, my thoughts, my effort, everything. I want to give everything and do what the Lord needs me to do. I am a bit nervous of course but more excited than anything it will be a big learning. I will be in the area where the zone leaders car got 3 bullet shots to it while they were in it. Richmond is like Oakland. It will be a big change though too because the Concord zone will be a lot smaller than Oakland. The Oakland zone is going to grown this next transfer too and will be the biggest zone. Elder O'Farrell will stay and his new companion is Elder Foliaki. They have been together quite a few times on the mission so far. It is a little hard for me to leave this zone, the investigators and my recent converts but I know they will be treated well. Sunday was super hard for Consuelo. We visited her on Friday to give her a blessing of health and she said that she had a feeling that one of us were leaving. We couldn't tell her of course but it was hard. On Sunday they announced it in sacrament and she looked right at me. After the meeting I went over to her and she was speechless. I didn't know what to say, she just said, "Your leaving? how? Why?" I told her it was all going to be ok. It was sad because she was starting to cry a bit. She is so awesome. I told her that we would visit her one last time tomorrow night. I printed off a picture of her, her family and us that I will give her. She asked me what I would be back and I told her I would be back in January and that I can call her on her ipad. She was happy about that.

Monday: We found two new investigators tonight. We found a new brother named Raul that really wanted to feel the spirit. He told us that he had been in jail for 3 years and since then hasn't been able to come closer to God. We testified to him and read in Alma 36 about the power of repentance.

Tuesday: Today we had mission leadership council. That went really well. They talked about a new stress program that the church has released for adjusting to missionary life. The council went well though. That night we had an amazing lesson with Consuelo and Marisol. Marisol isn't really working with us very well but we taught Consuelo about the priesthood. She already kenw so much already about it. We watched the video about "Santify yourself." That was so powerful. Consuelo cried afterward and said she knows the priesthood is real and that she knows that we have it. Marisol didn't quite understand and said that she has to see to believe. That night we started exchanges with the Cambodian Elders. I was in a trio with the funniest two elders ever. One is Elder Caleja from the Philippines and the other from Texas Elder Chapman. They cracked me up. Bot.

Wednesday: This morning we helped the Felts move in a new apartment for the new Oakland sisters. Their apartment is so awesome and nice. We enjoyed that. Having a three-some made it easy to carry things too. That afternoon we taught Carlos and Graciela our strongest investigators. They are so awesome. We taught the Restoration and our member helped me teach. Carlos read what we left him and had some good questions and concerns about Joseph Smith. They were resolved as we taught about the first vision. Afterward the wife asked us for a blessing of health. This was such a powerful experience to give that blessing. Elder Chapman did the oil in English and then I did the blessing. Right as we began the blessing the spirit filled the room so strong. When I ended She thanked me with tears in her eyes and said she felt such a warmth and comfort come over her. It was so powerful. She said that she has enough faith that she will be healed. That night we taught another investigator named Hector. This was a really weird lesson. We found this boy on Sunday he is about 14 years old. He has some really good questions and good desire from what we could understand. When we visited him today it was hard because it was in English and in Spanish because he speaks both. I had an impression at the beginning of the lesson to ask him why he allowed us to come back, what he was looking for from us. He then told us about a dream he had 3 years ago that scared him and that he was looking for the answer to what it meant. This led into his question that started to get us a little confused. he said that we wanted to know, "if I were to hurt or kill someone would God forgive me?" We tried to understand him as much as we could. It was just a strange question and especially coming from a 14 year old. We then taught about repentance and that its harder to repent when we intentionally do something that is serious. HE then said thanks for explaining, "I understand now that makes sense." He then said he didn't want us to come back again. I didn't feel good about the whole lesson but we were really confused about what he was looking for. We then had english class that night. We had a blast with our three some. We ended exchanges that night.

Thursday: Today we had a great English class in the morning. We only had one person show up.
her name was Ana and was about 4 foot nothing. We enjoyed it a lot. Elder Clark is 6'6" and he stood beside this lady and it was pretty funny. We then had district meeting. That went really well too. That night we had stake correlation and that went really well also. I wanted to show the stake about the decrease in baptisms that has been happening sine about 1 1/2 years ago. We had 15 baptisms and 11 were from members. Now we are having 4 and all from personal missionary efforts. They kind of turned it back on us that we needed to gain better trust with the members. I was a little tough because we felt like we didn't get anywhere. Afterward President told us that the zone missionary size of this zone is doing really well, but the stake isn't willing to work and that is why we are struggling. That is when we told me that I was going to be transferred.

Friday: Today we did our zone planning and our weekly planning. Afterward we visited Consuelo and that was good. We taught her about family history again. We also gave her a blessing with our member because she was pretty sick. She kept asking us about which one of us was leaving because she said that she had a feeling that one of us were leaving. It was hard for me not to say anything. We then had enlgish class again but we had to cut it short because we had to get to an exchange in pleasant Hill.

Saturday: Today was one of the most powerful spiritual exchanges I have had. I was with Elder Baird who has been out for 6 weeks now. Brand new. We had our district leader Council that went really well. We talked about excitement in the missionaries and the progress of the zone. It was really motivating and good to have that discussion. We then had bible study in the rest home. This was such an amazing experience. We taught about the 10 commandments to a bunch of 80-90 year olds. We had a group of 7 people. We taught the 10 commandments and then afterward one of them said that when we break a commandment it styas with us and we are marked forever. Of course when we heard that my companion began to teach and testify of the atonement and then I taught about repentance. It was such a good experience because they had never really understood what repentance was which was sad. We asked them how they felt as we taught and they said they felt good. We told them that that was the Holy Ghost. They said they wanted to learn more of that next time. Afterward we sat in the car and just thanked the Lord for that experience. It hit me really hard about my purpose as a missionary. We really are here to proclaim repentance unto all. My perspective of the Atonement changed so much on that exchange. Elder baird taught me a lot about it. Their generation is very special. They are called at this time and have such an understanding of the atonement. That night we had another experience talking with a lady named PAula. She told us 3 times in a row that she didn't want us to come back. I could fell the spirit telling me to not let her say no. I was bold with her and then we found out that her husband had passed away recently. We then began to teach about the plan of salvation and on the 4th invitation she accepted. The spirit is so amazing. That night also we couldn't find a lady we were looking for. All we had was a first name and an apartment building and 10 minutes. We prayed hard and then felt the impression to go knock door number 3. We did and it wasn't her but we asked her if she new the lady we were looking for and she did and told us where she lived. What a miracle.

Sunday: Today was good. Sunday went well. Everyone was telling me thanks for all the work I had done. We helped with the baptismal intermedio. That night we taught the Garcias and used Alma 50 and did a family home evening on that. We helped them see the things they can do to strengthen and protect their home. We then had indicators that night. We had a great zone focus that was focused on the Atonement and helping members understand that.

Thanks family. I love you all! Richmond :)

Love: Elder Hill