Dear
Family,
The
Christmas day call was really great. I loved seeing everyone; Alex, McKenzie,
Maylin and parents. Everyone looks so grown up and more mature. McKenzie has
changed the most for sure! My first date when I get back....will be with
McKenzie for sure. She will have to help me get back to things. Sounds like
things are going well though in the family and at home.
This week has been
great but also I am still sick, been sick since Tuesday of last week. Tuesday I
was throwing up and things and then Wednesday morning with fever, and also some
weird acid reflexes or something I can't sleep at all, hurts to lay down and
then strep on Thursday and now a super bad cold that's in my chest. This week
has been great!! I am taking medicine for the strep throat but I still think I
have a fever. I hope to get feeling better soon! Rough but the blessings are
sweet.
Monday:
We went on a district activity to the Black diamond mines which was a lot of fun.
We hiked all the way to the top. It was weird feeling heart stress again, I
haven't felt that in a while. Missionary work is a breeze. We took a lot of
pictures up there but it was good to be outdoors and to hike with the other
missionaries for a while. We enjoyed it. Family home evening that night was
great, it was at Megan's house the Relief Society President's house. The lesson
was good and then they played reverse charades or something like that and so we
just talked with some of the non-members and then headed out. We started
exchanges that night with the Spanish district leader. It was awesome to be
back into by native tongue! Mission speaking.
Tuesday:
I was having a blast on exchanges in the Spanish program. I spoke 100% Spanish
the whole day. Had to warm my tongue up to it though, too much English lately.
Also We taught 5 lessons in 5 hours it was awesome. We just taught and taught.
I felt back at home teaching in Spanish. At about 3 or so I started to feel the
worst stomach ache and it lasted all night. That night it was Christmas eve so
we just stopped by members and then we headed to end the exchange early because
I was feeling really under the weather. That night I threw-up and had a rough
night. We were also in a tri-panionship back in our area. I couldn't exercise
almost at all this week because one I didn't sleep at all and so I was tired
and then felt like throwing up and horrible so I was a hold back to the others.
Wednesday:
Christmas was awesome. We had breakfast with the Mason family. We ate eggs
Benedict, it was amazing! First time I have ever eaten it. We also set up an
appointment for later that day for the daughters boy friend. We also ate lunch
with Brother Ridenour our stake high councilor. I tried to stay away from
everyone but can't really. We then had our calls which was great. After the
calls we taught the girls boyfriend. It was an awesome lesson. We taught the
restoration and it was one of the first times he had ever really prayed. We set
up another appointment for the next day because he was heading back to LA on
Sunday.
That night we had an awesome experience at a non-members house. They
had invited us over about a week ago after we had helped them move in.
They had spots all ready for us and they had a huge family there. Everyone was
so nice a few family members from Utah. We ate Pot roast and twice backed
potatoes and ravioli. It was so good. We talked with the dad and his brothers
for a while. They are great people and the wife was so happy and grateful to
have us over. We didn't have an opportunity to share anything due to the huge
family and everyone everywhere but we are coming back to teach them this week.
They are awesome! The dad said that his wife told him that we were angels sent
from God because he had some really bad back issues happen earlier that day and
didn't know how he was going to finish the move in and then we showed up. The
Lord needs that family. That night we visited the Cook family and talked to the
son who is leaving on a mission soon. We were so full!! We ate a lot that day.
I didn't want to but had to and I felt pretty sick. Just haven't wanted to eat
all week at all.
Thursday:
We had to go to Oakland this morning to pick up an elder's new companion. There
I got my travel plans, everyone else got it a week or so ago but I still hadn't
gotten them. When we got back we had a lunch appointment with that girls
boyfriend Anthony. It went well but didn't have enough time to teach him or
anything.
We then went to visit Gregg and we went over some things for his baptism.
He is so ready he just needs to do it already! The rest of our lesson that day
fell through. We did teach a new investigator Estres on his driveway and it was
cool because in the lesson as we were teaching him we both had the
feeling that we really needed to invite him to be baptized with a date. We
did and he accepted for the 18th of January. It was Faith over Fear our zone
focus! It has been really tough lately at night because everyone is gone
especially with YSA. We ate dinner with Megan again and also the Oakley
sisters. These sister missionaries are very interesting. That night we visited some
less-actives and had an interesting experience with some anti-Mormons. It was
rough but I learned a lot from that experience. We taught Gustavo that night
who is a less-active who wants to gain a testimony and come back. That was a
sweet lesson on the background of a sour experience with those anti-Mormons. I
love teaching people that thirst after righteousness and wanting to know the
truth. Humility is awesome!
Friday:
After weekly planning we went over to the church to give a blessing to two
sisters that were pretty sick, they were the sister training leaders. The
blessings were really powerful. I had a really powerful spiritual experience
giving it. I just felt an overwhelming feeling and the words just came out. It
was a testimony builder for me. I just had a calm feeling the rest of the day.
We then had a stake coordination meeting with our two high councilors over
missionary work. We talked a lot about the zone and the stake and it was really
productive and good. It is sad that they don't do that in Utah too many stakes.
Saturday:
Today was such a blessing. We couldn't find some of our investigators that
morning but we went to a baptismal service and Cairey Ho came! She was so
excited for it. She told her ride the whole time that she was so excited to get
baptized. She is just like Maylin! She loved the service so much. She is so
excited and makes me excited to see her. The mission is so awesome! Afterward
we had a lesson with her and we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She
accepted it and understood it so well. We then had our lesson with Anthony
again. We taught the restoration this time in full and it was really good. He
accepted to be baptized too and then we are going to send his info
down to the missionary in LA. That night we met the Oakley sister again at one
of our investigators Scotts. They had found him and so they were passing him
over to us. These sisters are so funny, they are like our moms telling us to
talk to him, and make sure he prays and all that. It went well though. The
lesson was short because we got in and a friend showed up and he had to go and
help him.
Sunday:
Today was truly blessed. Only one of the 7 investagtors we had ready came. YSA
is super flaky. It is the age. Cairey was the only one that came and she loved it so much. IN
the 5th Sunday combined class there was a guy that would volunteer to read the
scriptures and everyone would love it because his voice was exactly like the
church's scriptures recording. It was awesome. After church we taught Cairey
again and taught about Tithing. She understood it and accepted! Afterward she
said, I never thought I would come to America and have a religion, especially
the Mormon religion. No you didn't :) I am really excited! That night we taught
a new investigators that is having some hard stuff right now. She wants to
commit suicide and all sorts of things. We taught about our purpose and the
plan of salvation and then left her with that. She is really sweet though and
awesome and wants to live and accept the gospel. The rest of the night we ran
around trying to visit some people but no one was home at all.
Everything
is going well. Still sick but doing well! I will start sending some packages
home with stuff in it so I am lighter on my flight home.
Love
everyone!
Elder
Hill
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