Week 7! :) 2 months into my mission! :)

Hey Hey!

Can you believe I have been out for 2 months already!?  It is kind of blowing my mind!  Crazy to think that the time is going so fast!

This week was pretty good :)  It was kind of a slower week but it still was really good :)  We were able to find a new investigator named Burgundy on Monday who was really open to learning more about the Church.  Her and her husband have 3 adorable children and they are Christian.  They haven't been going to church really but we were able to set up a return appointment with her for Wednesday morning.  Sister Hopkins and I taught her about the Restoration and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon.  She committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true.  We then went back on Friday and invited her to church and she said she had already read what we had left her!  It was so cool to see her willingness to read and to learn.

This week was definitely tough in regards to Seneva and Izeyla.  Both of them were supposed to be baptized on Saturday and it totally didn't happen... It was very sad but we will keep working to get them baptized in the Lord's timing.

Also we have been able to visit Elizabeth 2 times this week :)  When we met with her on Monday, she hadn't read what we had left her so we recommitted her to read 3 Nephi 11.  We went back on Friday and she still hadn't read, so we got her number to send her a text to remind her.  We text her that night to remind her and yesterday when we text her to see how she was doing and if we could meet with her tonight, she said she has read through half of the book of Alma!  And the best part was she was serious!  She is starting to become such a golden investigator because she is super excited to learn all about the gospel as well as she is now finally keeping her commitments!  There have definitely been some wonderful miracles this week in the Lake Sawyer Ward and I am can't wait to see more happen!

The work is progressing... slowly, but still progressing.  I know that it will pick up as we are faithful and exactly obedient!  I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for my mission and how I will be able to bless the lives of others!

Yesterday we were able to go to the "Work of Salvation" broadcast!  It was awesome!  I took 2 pages of notes (front and back)!  It was so inspiring to be able to go and see what changes they are making to help accelerate the work of the Lord!  I love how Elder Holland said "Never again are you going to be in this big of a zone conference, so enjoy it!" and I also really enjoyed how Elder Nelson said (and I might be paraphrasing) "The work of salvation excludes NO ONE!  We all have some part to play in missionary work."  I want to challenge everyone who reads this to help in the work of the Lord by finding a family member, friend, or a complete stranger that would be interested in learning more about the gospel.  It really isn't that hard after you do it a few times! :) 

Being a senior companion and having a new companion has actually be fabulous!  Sister Hopkins makes the days so much better because we both are such big giggle guts so we laugh a ton throughout the day!  It makes me super happy and so I have really started to enjoy the work a lot more.  Sister Crockett was a great companion but it's nice to have someone who laughs just as much as I do.

We aren't teaching Heidi or David anymore because we haven't been able to meet with them at all for the last 3 weeks or so.  A little bit of a bummer but I know Heavenly Father has prepared someone for us to find and teach.

That is crazy that Ben Cox is in the MTC now.  I love being out in the mission field but I do miss being able to see my district every day... I rarely see anyone out here now. :(  Sister Hopkins and I were able to see Elder Dawson the other day :) That was definitely fun!  3 of the 9 people in our district together in one place. :) He was coming up to the baptism that we were going to be having on Saturday... It didn't end up happening.... Will explain in my paper letter.

Thanks a bunch for the GPS.  I have already had to use it quite a bit.  I know the area pretty well but there are some places that I can't remember how to get there unless I look at a map.  I will definitely take good care of it so I can use it after I get home.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to be serving a mission and bringing others unto Christ.  I have seen it change people's lives and it definitely has been a blessing for them and for me.  I am so thankful for all that I have been given and for all that I am learning.  I am so thankful for everyone's examples in my life.  I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world!

I love you guys so much!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills  

Week 6!!!! TRANSFERS!

Hey Hey!

So news on transfers.... I will be in the.... wait for it...... WASHINGTON FEDERAL WAY MISSION!!!!!! I stayed in Kent in the Lake Sawyer Ward! :)  I am so happy and excited about it! :) I will get you all the address to the mission home as soon as I know what it is :)  Until then, just send things to the address I gave you.

Sister Crockett got transferred so my new companion is Sister Nancy Hopkins!  She was in my MTC district so I am super excited!  It is going to be a great transfer!  Most of our MTC district is going to be in the Federal Way mission so that will be fun! :)  It's crazy though because I am the Senior Companion and I have only been here one transfer!  It's sort of freaking me out!  It will be exciting though!

This week was a super interesting week.  Hopefully I can get everything in my email (if not, I will send whatever I forget in my letter this week).  So first things first... After we emailed last week, we got a call from our ward mission leader.  He told us that a lady who lived down in Federal Way was moving up to our ward on Tuesday.  Her name is Seneva.  She has taken all of the discussions from the Elders down there and is basically ready to be baptized!  She has been such a miracle for Sister Crockett and I!  We are planning on having her baptized this weekend (or possibly sooner!).  We worked all week to have her baptism this past Saturday but she was sick that day so we had to cancel. :(  A little bit of a bummer, but it happens.

We found a couple Potential Investigators this week as well :)  It's still a little difficult to find people but I think we are getting better at it :)

We did exchanges this week as well! :)  I was able to be companions with Sister Morrow again!  It was so fun to see her and to learn from her.  

Besides finding Seneva this week, working all week to have her baptism happen last Saturday, and exchanges, nothing else too exciting has happened.

Mom, thanks for the cookies!!  They hit the spot and they were still soft when I got them :)

Pictures...

On Saturday, there was this crazy rainbow around the sun!  It was in a perfect circle around the sun!

One picture is of me and Elizabeth (the 17-year-old that we are teaching).  She is such a sweetheart!

One is of Brother Sanchez, his son Isaiah, and I.

And one is of Brother and Sister Graney and I (the ward mission leader and his wife).

Thank you guys for everything!  Love you!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

Week 5 :) One more week until transfers!

Hey Hey everyone!

Can you believe that I have only 1 week left before I might be moving again!?  I can't believe it!  Wherever I get transferred to (if I get transferred) on Tuesday will determine which mission I am going to be in for the next 16 months.  Kind of scary!  I am so excited though to see where I am going to be.

This last week was quite good actually! :)  We were able to participate in Sister Elaine Weaver's baptism! :)  I was so happy for them!  It was such a great experience!  The Spirit was there really strong and it strengthened my testimony of the ordinance of Baptism.  I was able to do the special musical number along with a lady that is in our ward and it was fantastic!  I normally am so nervous to perform in front of people but Saturday I was really calm and collected while I sang.  Both Elaine and her 8-year-old son, Garin, were both so excited and they were so happy after the baptismal service was done! :)  When Sister Weaver invited her mother-in-law to the baptism, she didn't tell her that she was getting baptized, only that Garin was.  So her mother-in-law walked in, picked up a program, and sat down.  She talked with everyone and then started to look at the program.  All of the sudden, she asked "Is Elaine getting baptized too!?"  Bruce, Sister Weaver's husband, said, "No. Her name is just on there because she is Garin's mom."  The whole time, Sister Weaver and Garin were standing behind the door that leads to the font so Sister Weaver's mother-in-law couldn't see them.  Sister Crockett and I opened up the door into the font, and when the mother-in-law saw both Elaine and Garin standing there, she burst into tears!  It was such a cool experience because she was so happy for both of them!  I will include some pictures :)

This week we were also able to go visit Elizabeth a couple times!  That's a huge deal because she's always sick or not home so it's difficult to meet with her.  We were able to teach her about the Restoration as well as a little bit about the priesthood.  We then asked her about if she wanted a priesthood blessing and she said she really would like one, so that's scheduled for sometime this week.  She had said that she was going to come to Sister Weaver's baptism and to church, but she called Saturday morning and didn't sound good.  She was sick again! :(  Hopefully we can get in touch with her this week and be able to teach her again.  She has really been taking in those things that we are teaching her though so I think she will continue to progress. :)

The only thing that has been a little difficult this week is just trying to find new investigators.  Most of the time, we find people who aren't interested so that's a bit difficult but we are continuing to press forward and work hard.  Even though finding new investigators has been rough, it still has been a fabulous week! :)

Thank you guys so much for everything that you do for me!  I feel of your prayers and your love.  If you could keep Brother Sanchez in your prayers for me that would be great.  We are working so hard to help him realize he needs to be baptized and that it will help him in the difficult situation that he's in right now but he's being a little bit stubborn.  Thanks a bunch! :)

I love you guys!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

P.S. Mom, I won't be emailing until Tuesday next week since it is transfers.  Talk to you then!

Week 4!

Wow!  1 month is gone already!  I can't believe it!  It's going so fast!  Hope this email finds everyone happy and well!

This last week was kind of rough.  It was so hard to find new investigators because no one wanted to talk to us.  But I kept pulling through and now it's super good because the sun has been shining EVERYDAY since Saturday!  I love it! Yesterday we were able to have interviews with President Larkin and it was fantastic!  I told him about how hard it was for me that no one wanted to talk to us and he said just what I needed to hear!  

Today we got to go to the temple!  It was fantastic!  Inside, it looks a lot like the Provo Temple! :) I can't wait to go again (if I get to)!  2 weeks until I know where I will be for the remainder of my mission!  Scary and crazy all at the same time!

Saturday can't come fast enough!  We have a BAPTISM! :) Sister Weaver (I think I've mentioned her in past emails) is who's getting baptized!  She is SO prepared!  Before we even taught the Word of Wisdom, she had stopped drinking coffee because she knew she would have to quit sooner or later! :)  It's been great to teach her and realize how prepared she is! :) I will include pictures of the baptism next week :)

Mom, thanks for the letter and the pictures!  I had so much fun looking at them! :)  The backyard looks so different with those new trees!  I bet Rescue loves them! :) Last week, we went down to a church building in Auburn that had a Family History Center in it to email :) That was fun to do! :) Two other things...

1) Whenever you send another package, do you think you could include my copy of "Daughters In My Kingdom"?  The one about the relief society?  It should be on my desk :)

2) Be on the look out for warm winter clothes that are on sale :)  Apparently, because of the humidity, it feels a lot colder than it actually is and Sister Crockett said it would be good to have some warmer tights and stuff for then.  No hurry though :)

Pictures... My click day picture, a picture of my Zone at the temple from today, and a re-enactment of Alli's picture with the statue :)

I am so thankful for this gospel!  I know that it is true with every fiber of my being.  I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each and every one of us unconditionally.  I know that we can come closer to Them as we read the scriptures and pray.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that we can receive revelation for ourselves as we read it. I know that families can be together forever as long as we are obedient and are sealed in the temple.  I know that Joseph Smith really did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove and that the only way you can know if he really did is by reading the Book of Mormon.  I know that we are blessed as we are obedient to the Lord's commandments.  I am so thankful for Christ's Atonement and His glorious Resurrection.  I know that the Plan of Salvation is also the Plan of Happiness!

I love you guys!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

Week 3 :)

Hey Everyone!

This past week was a pretty good week.  We were able to teach the Weavers a couple times, Elizabeth once, and Heidi once.   When we went over to Elizabeth's house, we were on our way home for our dinner break when I thought that we could stop over there.  She was the only one home but we were able to teach her more about the Book of Mormon and prayer.  That was such a cool experience!  When we were getting ready to pray, we asked her if she would like to say the prayer.  She hesitated a little bit so Sister Crockett asked her if she would say it after one of us said it.  She said she would.  When she started her prayer, it was so simple and sincere that it made me smile!  She did such a great job!  After we asked her how she felt and she said, "I feel as if a weight was lifted off of my shoulders, and I feel super happy!"  I was able to testify to her that she was feeling the Holy Ghost.  I could definitely feel the Spirit the whole time we were talking to her, and I most definitely feel like she felt it as well. :)

Sister Weaver is progressing well.  She has been to church both Sundays since we met her and we were able to teach her about the Restoration when we met with her on Thursday night.  We scheduled another appointment with them on Saturday evening and we were able to teach her about the Plan of Salvation as well as the Word of Wisdom.  She apparently drinks coffee but it was amazing to see her want to change.  We asked her if she would commit to living the Word of Wisdom and she said, "Yes I will.  I know what I need to do."  It will be exciting to go back this week and see how she did!  I've been praying for her!  She seems to be taking everything in really well which makes me super excited! :)

This week were were also able to go and teach Heidi on Friday evening.  She is such a sweetheart and is really interested in learning more about the gospel.  When we went over there, we were planning on teaching her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of Wisdom.  When we got there, we asked her if she had read 3 Nephi 11 and she said no.  It was a bummer to hear that but we were somewhat expecting it because she had been sick all week and was sleeping a lot.  We threw out our plans to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of Wisdom and ended up reading some of 3 Nephi 11 with her.

A couple days ago, we were tracting and ran into a couple guys that we sat and talked with for a little bit.  One of them was really closed off and didn't want to hear what we were saying (because of experiences he has had with family members) but the other guy's name is Lance.  He had lots of questions for us that we tried answering to the best of our ability and we were able to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon.  I hope something comes from that conversation because he seemed really interested.

I have been out on my mission for.... wait for it..... 1 MONTH! :)  In the mission, it's tradition to go get a treat or something on the month anniversaries of being out on your mission.  They call it "Click Days."  So Friday for my click day, we went and got Jamba Juice!  I'll send you the picture I took next week (I left my camera cord in the apartment).

Mom, to answer your questions:

1) So that lady that I told you about that I gave a Book of Mormon and placed her on date for baptism... We've tried every week (or a couple times during the week) to go teach her but she hasn't ever been home when we go over.  There's always someone else there but she hasn't been there.  I believe she does daycare stuff so she's home at crazy hours.

2) The ward is FANTASTIC!  They work really well with us and are always willing to go with us to appointments.  They always come up and talk to us and want to know which investigators are at church on Sunday.

3) That's a lot of stuff that is going on in the ward!  I can't believe how many people are moving!

4) Tell Alli and AJ (Raj) that I just want something from them!

5) Thanks for the necklace!  I've been wearing it every day since I got it in the mail!

6) I got your package on Monday, your letter on Tuesday, and the necklace in the mail on Friday! :) Thanks a bunch!

7) That's cool about the Washington License Plates :) Whenever people ask me where I am from, they almost always know someone down in Lehi! :) It's crazy how many people know where Lehi is!

8) I'm not sure where that reading list is but it's either in my desk drawer or on the bottom big shelf in my closet.

9) Last but not least.... HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DAD! And HAPPY BELATED MOTHER'S DAY MOM! :) I realized I forgot to tell both of you that when we Skyped and even last week in the email.

That's about all the exciting stuff for the week.  We had a lot of plans fall through and not a lot of people interested in learning but we kept pushing through. :) It's been a good week none the less! :)

Love all of you guys!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

Week 3 (I guess technically Week 2 but my 3rd email)!

Hey Hey!

Holy cow!  The time is flying by!  I can't believe that I have been in Seattle for 2 weeks already!!!!  It has been so good already! :) It's been tough but it's totally been worth it!

This week has been good and bad. Monday we were able to find a couple new investigators. Their names are Heidi and David. David had a bunch of questions about the Book of Mormon. It was fun to talk to him and explain a little bit about the Book of Mormon. Heidi was very sweet and willing to listen to what we had to say. She has 4 kids and has an ex-boyfriend that she broke up with because he was doing drugs and she didn't like it. We had an appointment to go back and teach her on Friday. 

Tuesday-Friday basically all of our appointments fell through (except for Heidi's) and not very many people wanted to talk to us. It was quite rough for me because I was always so excited to get out and teach the gospel to everyone, but I worked hard at keeping a positive attitude and just letting it roll off of my shoulders. Friday night was good though because we had Heidi's appointment and we asked one of the ladies in our ward to come with us. Her name is Sister Belo. Heidi could totally relate to Sister Belo so the appointment went well! We put Heidi on date for June 15th! :) She was so willing to listen and she seemed committed to follow through with the commitments we left with her. I can't wait to go back and teach her again! 

After we finished at Heidi's house, we went and contacted a referral we got from someone in our ward. We went to go see the Weaver family. They are a part-member family, the father and his daughter are members. We went over there to get to know them better (because Sister Crockett and I didn't know much about them) and we shared Ether 12:6 with them. After we said the closing prayer and were getting ready to go, the mother (she's not a member) told us, "I had a question to ask you, but I'll just ask you when you guys come over next." We told her that we weren't in a big hurry and that she could ask us right then if she wanted to. The next thing she said shocked me! She said, "How do you feel about converting someone?" We said, "That's the reason we are here." She then said, "I want to be baptized before my son gets baptized." Her son just turned 8 last week. Let me tell you, I was SHOCKED but I was so happy! We asked her when she would like us to come over again and she just told us to come back over next week sometime. I can't wait! :)

Yesterday, Elizabeth (the 17-year-old) and the Weaver family were AT CHURCH! :D  I was so excited! :)  We talked to Elizabeth after church and she said that she really enjoyed church.  I keep praying that she will want to come back next week! :) 

Dad, I don't know what to tell you about Pete and Sherri.  I think they might need to get permission to take my companion and I out for lunch/dinner but I don't know what the best way to do that is.  They could probably call the Mission Office and just ask.  No, I haven't had to give a talk yet!  Thank goodness! :)  I hope your talk went well! :)  Can't wait to get a copy in the mail!  My address is:

They are kind of some rough apartments (at least the area kind of is) but now you have it :)

Oh!  Yesterday, guess who I saw in the church!  I saw Meghan down the hallway and she came over and gave me a hug!  It was so fun to see her! :)  She was so sweet and was excited to hear how life was going! :) 

I think that's about all I have for updates for this week! :) Feel free to email me questions that I can answer when I email you guys back!  And look up "Rhododendrons" and "Fuchsias" in Google!  Both of those flowers are EVERYWHERE up here!  They are absolutely breathtaking because they are so bright and the Rhododendrons pretty much look like a pink (or other colors) bush!  You can barely see the green leaves that are on the bush because of all of the flowers!  Thank you for your prayers and your support! :)  I am loving the work and all that is accompanied with it! :)

I love you guys!

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

Week 2 in the Field!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry this email is kinda short but there isn't too much to write about since I've only been here for about 1 week.

So one story! :) I haven't been out here for too long but let me tell you, I have never had so many people uninterested in the gospel or so many doors slammed in my face (not really slammed, but you get the picture).  Friday was such a cool experience though.  So President Larkin sent us a voicemail (he sent it out to the entire mission) and he told us that the Lord had prepared 3 people for us to put on date for baptism.  He called them "Miracles." Sister Crockett and I were so excited to get out there and find those 3 people!  We started out our day trying to meet up with people at their houses (whether they were referrals, less actives, appointments, ect.) and every house we went to, no one answered.  I was feeling okay about it though because that's how every day since Tuesday kinda went and I knew that it was going to be that way so it didn't really bother me.  All day, the Assistants to the President were forwarding all of the voicemails about the miracles other people were having and I was always so excited when we would get one!  The day kept going and we still weren't having any luck with finding our 3 miracles.  We decided to go over to this one lady's house (her name is Sally Anne) and see if we could teach her.  We drove all the way out there (and a member met us at her house) and she didn't answer her door.  So we decided to go sit in the car (because we were a few minutes early) and the next time we looked over at her house, ALL of the blinds were closed!  We realized that she was there but didn't want to meet with us that day and I pretty much burst into tears! I was so frustrated that we still hadn't found a single miracle that day and some companionships were getting 5 and 6 miracles.  I felt like I was failing as a missionary.  So we left her house and went and knocked on people's doors again.  We found a couple people who said they would be baptized but they wouldn't commit to a date (and the date was what we had to have to count it as a "miracle") so I just kept getting more frustrated.  I felt like "If we could just get ONE miracle, I wouldn't ask for anything else.  I just need one to lift my spirits." That evening we went out to a part-member family's house and taught them a little bit.  On the way home, and not too far away from the part-member's house, my companion pulled over and said "let's knock on these doors real quick."  There were 3 houses and it was like 8:55 and I just wanted to go home but I consented.  So we ran up the first house and knocked on the door.  A girl answered and we asked her if her parents were home.  She said that they weren't and so we were kind of discouraged again (apparently we try not to talk to them for too long if their parents aren't home).  We ended up talking to her for a while and found out her name is Elizabeth, she's 17, and that her grandma had just died.  My companion asked her if her parents would be interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and she said "no, they aren't super open to that" but then my companion asked her if she would be interested in learning about Him.  She, very enthusiastically, said, "Yes I would love that!"  We both got super excited so we gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and a pamphlet about the Restoration.  I then felt like I should just ask her about baptism.  I asked, "As you come to know if the Church is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized?"  Guess what her response was!  She said YES! :) I told her that we have a baptismal service on June 8th and that that would be the day she would get baptized if she knew it was true and she said "sure!"  THERE WAS OUR 1 MIRACLE THAT I HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR! :D We were so excited!  I just know that Heavenly Father knows each and every one of us!  He knows what we need to succeed and what we need to keep going!  It really strengthened my testimony!

That's about the most exciting thing that has happened this week so far.  I'm missing my district from the MTC but I get to see all of them tomorrow so I'm super excited! My apartment is small and not in the best shape but oh well.  The area is BEAUTIFUL!  I am in Kent right now and am loving it! :D It's a lot of country roads and fields but it is such a pretty place!  I finally got to experience the Seattle rain that I hear about all the time last night!  It has been sunny everyday up until last night and now it's overcast but no rain today yet.  We have a couple investigators and a lot of potential investigators. We are just working on getting them ready for baptism.  I placed my first copy of the Book of Mormon on Tuesday about 1 hour after we started working!  That was fun to do! I am working so hard to be the best missionary I can possibly be!  It definitely isn't easy at all but it is so worth it!  I have come to find out a lot about myself in just the few weeks that I have been gone. A mission is one of the best things ever!  Plan on going on a mission if that's something you want to do, and if it's not something you have in mind right now, make it a goal to go on one!  Your testimony grows so much in just 1 week and you learn so much about the gospel in such a short amount of time.

I love you guys and am so thankful for your support!  My mom has set up a blog for me that you can follow how I am doing if you want :) It's http://www.sistermeganhills.blogspot.com/ 

Love,

Sister Megan Hills

Sister Megan Hills

Washington Seattle Mission

10675 NE 20th St

Bellevue, WA 98004