January 23, 2017 - Alma, GA

Hey Y'all!

This last week has been quite memorable! Many memories were made with the weather, finding our new investigator Austin who I'll tell you about in my email, but its been a week I'll always remember! I'll write about it in my letter but on Saturday night Elder Irons and I woke up a few times during the night hearing the lightning crack and the trailer shake from the thunder. I got up around 3:00 a.m just to see what was happening outside and it sure was stormin'. It was wierd because the storm would go really hard for about 15-20 minutes and then all of a sudden stop so I stayed up til I thought it was over but we woke up to gusts of wind and hard rain. They ended up canceling church, but I'll tell you the rest of what happened in my letter. But yes I'm alright, our trailer survived we just had 6 inches of water around our entire trailer, but there wasn't any damage. However we heard that 11 people died in the southeast part of Georgia and so I'm grateful we didn't experience anything too bad. There are really good chances I'll see gators down here we just have to go to the sticks to find them but I'm sure I'll see some in my time here. Being in a trailer is pretty fun! Its a double wide and double long trailer and we cleaned it all out this past week so there isnt any random missionary stuff laying around but its just everything we need. I'm sorry y'all are sick and I hope you get better. I'll be prayin' for ya! There's alot more I want to talk about with the storm but I'll save that for my letter haha, but yes I'm safe and happy! Its too bad USU lost but theres always next game!

On Monday, we hada pretty fun P-day where we went to Brother Flowers home and played basketball with him! He's a U.S history teacher and used to play basketball as much as I did when he was younger and we bonded really fast! It was fun to play against people again and I just love the game! That night we got picked up by Brother Jewells who was taking one of his friends home and it was a single-cab truck so he asked if we could sit in the back and we didn't really see any other choice than to sit in the bed of his truck. I felt so southern when we were riding there and it was a lot of fun! We had dinner with them and had a great lesson on the Restoration they said they the missionaries had asked them about baptism in the past but over the course of transfers we had lost contact with them and didn't know they were progressing that much. But we found out Sister Jewell wants to be baptized so we are working with her on that!

On Wednesday, we did lots of walking and talked to as many people as we could. We found some people that were really interested but we never would've known that if we would've not talked to them. Sometimes we see missionary work as being awkward or you feel you have to preach to them, but a more effective way is definitely by showing them that you're their friend and you want the best for them. Making a friendly connection with them at first will always allow them to feel the spirit because they realize that you aren't doing it for yourself but you're doing it for them. The more interest you put into peoples lives the more friends you will have and by serving them, getting to know them, or relating to them will help them be interested in what you have to say. After a good day of talking with people we were walking back to our trailer for dinner and saw that the new presidency were having a meeting and a we sat down with President Peterson and we were able to understand more of what he wants from us and how he thinks the work will progress here so that this branch will grow. Its definitely a daunting task but everyone is on board with making Alma a progressing area!

On Thursday, we started the day off by helping Sister Rewis with raking here pine straw and leaves in her yard. It was a very big project and she hadn't raked them in a year and a half so there was quite the pile when we were all done with it. Even though it seemed like we would never get it done, in a total of three hours of labor we were able to make a big difference for her. You could just see on her face how happy the service made her and she was very grateful that Brother Taylor, Sister Taylor and us were able to help her out with that! Later that afternoon we went to the library to look at referrals and when we walked outside there was a guy in his truck waiting for his mom to come out of the library. His name is Austin and he is something special. After we talked to him a little bit he expressed to us how much he wants to know about the truth and the Restoration. Elder Irons had met with him briefly on Thanksgiving but then lost contact with him. Austin recognized us and invited us to come over on Friday to tell him more about the church and what we believe. I'll tell you what happened on my entry for Friday and Saturday, but just know that by small things great things shall come to pass and Austin was someone that Elder Irons and I were supposed to meet here. We spent the day finding and teaching people. The people here are really friendly and they always mention how we are always walking/ biking around and they express how much they appreciate young men who dedicate two years of their lives to teach what they know. That night we went to a place called Nichols, GA. A very small town and I learned there from different people that its the #1 cocaine capitol of Coffee county so I could tell its not the best of neighborhoods.We met with this man named Arley who had a stroke and lost feeling in the right side of his body and throughout our meeting with him I just was grateful for my body and the abilities I can do with it and that's something we all take for granted sometimes. We met with a few other people who lived out there that night including Sister Adams. She is a very faithful member but because of health conditions she isn't able to come to church as much as she'd like. We dropped in when they were having dinner and they invited us to eat some pork, collard greens, beans and potatoes. Classic southern meal! The lesson was based on Christs Atonement and what he did for each and every one of us. Without Christ we wouldn't even be able to make it back to Heaven which would make life here on earth unpurposeful because we would account for what we have done here but because of Christ we can be made whole again spiritually and physically.

On Friday, we had weekly planning which was good but the afternoon was a day I'll always remember. We had a lesson with Austin scheduled for 3:00 but while we were walking we saw a man who we thought we should talk to and we were able to give him a Book of Mormon but because of our lengthy conversation we were going to be late for our appointment with Austin. We decided on the walk there we would call him. What we didn't know is Austin prayed that we would come to his home after we became 20 minutes late, and as soon as he ended his prayer we called him saying that we were on the way and he knew it was an answer to his prayer! The lesson was remarkable, he had read the Restoration 20 times and even before coming over knew it was true. He was intrigued when we talked about a falling away from the truth and how those truths were restored. In the beginning of lesson the thought of temples came across my head a number of times and normally we don't talk about that til the Plan of Salvation but after I had talked about how temples are the closest place on earth it was like an answer he'd been waiting for all his life. He knew we came from somewhere before this life but no one could tell him for a surety that we came from Heaven. He told us pointing to the Logan Temple..."I'll be there one day...!" We all felt the spirit and he wanted to read the Book of Mormon all in one night. The lesson was so spiritual and he accepted to be baptized on February 18th!! The lesson we had with him was for 21/2 hours but each moment was filled with the spirit. He is so prepared and it testified to both of us that because Elder Irons and I have lived in such a way we were able to teach him and bring him this happiness. We are so excited for him!! We had dinner with the Jones family who then fed us dinner and had a great chat with them as well!

On Saturday, we went to the nursing home and helped the people there play Bingo and it was alot of fun! In the afternoon we heard from different people that a bad storm was on its way and we were on bikes with lots of appointments in the afternoon and we hoped we'd get all the appointments done before it got so bad we'd have to return home earlier. We met with Henry Sumner who just talked to us about religion and the inauguration so we could tell his mind was on other things. We headed to Austins home in a light rain and the skies were becoming gray/blue when we stepped into his home. The lesson with Austin was just as spiritual as the first, his grandma cussed him out with things that she thought we believed but he stood up for the Book of Mormon and said I haven't read it yet but I believe its true! That's the power of the Book of Mormon. We read 1 Nephi 1-4 and the Spirit kept poking at him to ask us about missions and after we talked about the things you need to do to prepare for a mission he said that he wants to go on a mission in February 2018!! So crazy... god definitely led him to us and we cant wait to work with him more and more!! When we got out of his home we biked back in the rain and our Branch President wanted us to stay out of the rain so he picked us up for dinner at his home and it was definitely a blessing!

On Sunday, it definitely was Sunday like I haven't had before. I woke up around 3:00a.m to lightning cracks and thunder rumbling our trailer and I looked outside and it was like the gates of Hell were being opened but after 20 minutes it slowed down and I went to bed but when we woke up it was about the same intensity as when I saw it at 3:00a.m. We assumed we still had church. Brother Robertson pulled in our driveway with his truck and told us church was canceled because of the storm. We didn't know what to think cause we had got a ride for Austin and called him that morning to wake him up but we had to call him back and tell him church was canceled. With church canceled we stayed at the church to make sure everyone knew it was canceled and then at 10:00 it had calmed down so we said lets to work and it was practically sunny skies with mist for about 2 hours but it was just hard to walk around and talk to people when church just got canceled. But at 12:00 we got a text from the zone leaders saying we needed to head home before the 2nd wave came. So we walked back in the rain and returned home in very wet clothes. We ended up going on lock down for the day while the storm through all it could at us but nothing bad happened just TONS on water!! Read the scriptures and read some quotes and I'll share my favorite one... Short and sweet but it says "Don't rush the process, trust the process." Trials come but the only way we grow is through trials. Overcoming them is when you become a stronger, better person.

I LOVE Y'ALL!! The church is true and through adversity is how we grow!

-Elder Hill

#Tornaders  #Countryliving

Austin is Awesome!!

Surviving the tornado storms!

Surviving the tornado storms!

There's gotta be a gator in the swamp somewhere!?

Cleaning up Alma, GA - January 2017

January 16, 2017 - Alma, GA

Hey Y'all!!

What an eventful/adjusting week it has been! I'm definitely not in Evans anymore and the work here is a lot different than how it was in Evans. Sorry I wasn't able to email y'all yesterday, but it was Martin Luther King Jr. day yesterday and its a pretty big holiday here in the south so all the libraries were closed. But on Tuesday I got transferred to Alma,GA! I'm now serving in a branch in the most southeast part of the mission you can serve and it is very southern here. If I stay here the rest of my mission I'll have lots and lots of southern stories for y'all when I step off the plane haha. My new companion is Elder Irons from Roy, UT and he has been out for about 5 months. I'm not a zone leader anymore but I'm the district leader here in Alma.

But this week has definitely been one to remember. It has been challenging mentally and physically but I can tell that this will be one of my favorite areas in terms of growth in my personal testimony and also in my faith.

On Monday, it was my last day in Evans,Ga and it was a very bittersweet moment. I have absolutely loved serving here and it was so hard saying bye to something you have grown so close to. It has felt like home here and saying by to the loving members was like saying bye to family members. We had a very busy night of visiting various members that I've grown close to and even though I would've liked to have visited all the people I had wanted to there just wasn't enough time. This area flew so fast and packing my bags that night was so surreal and it didn't hit me that I was leaving until Tuesday morning.

Tuesday, It was transfer day and we had a very early and brisk morning and got everything into the members car. We got to transfer meeting and found out that I'd be heading to Alma, GA with Elder Irons! I'm so excited to serve here and all the memories that we will have here. I found out that I'd be serving in a small branch and before we left for Alma, President Fussell told us a brief history of Alma and he has high hopes for the work Elder Irons and I are about to undertake here. After a 3 hour drive we arrived in the very very small town of Alma,GA. We live in a really big trailer right down the road from the branch building. We unpacked got to know each other and made goals as a companionship of what we wanted to have happen here. We are in a car share with the Baxley Elders and this week we were on bikes. Elder Showers is serving in /Baxley and it is pretty crazy that we are serving so close to each other again at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of time left on our missions. That night we walked to the small town grocery store here in Alma and walked our groceries back to our trailer 3 miles away both ways, and it was then when I realized that I was not in Evans anymore haha. After getting back to our apartment we rode along the highway that we ride along everyday for the first time and don't worry I wont get hit again haha. Instead of endless buildings and businesses on either side of the road in Alma we have never ending farm land, cotton fields, and country homes built in the 1850's. We saw an investigator that night and got a feel for the small town here. The town here reminds me a lot of Back to the Future.

On Wednesday, I was trying to cope with the change and it has been the hardest change for me because a lot of things are a lot different here than what they were in Evans. Its not a bad thing for the area to be different from another  but there is an adjustment period and I'm working on getting through with that. This day we taught so many people on their country porch rocking chairs and meeting people in the town. Alma is known for blueberries and radio and communications. Right next to the blueberry plant there is dog food plant which makes for an interesting mixture of smells. WE saw a family that we teach go mudding in the creek right next to their house in their ATV. It looked like a lot of fun! We did lots of walking and I was shocked at how much hotter it is down here near Florida than it was in /Evans. I'm not sure if I'll even need my winter clothes anymore on my mission but we will see haha. Throughout the day Elder Irons and I talked and we get along really well. We both want to work really hard in this area and I'm trying to still grasp what we can do with the resources we have. He was telling me how they have to call members from surrounding wards to come serve in different callings here in Alma because they don't have enough active members to support the branch so we are definitely going to make that better after I leave this area.

On Thursday, we drove to Douglas ,GA for Zone Training Meeting and it was a lot different being the one to receive ZTM trainings instead of the ones giving them and organizing them. The trainings were really good and I loved seeing Douglas and meeting all the missionaries that serve here in this zone. There was a quote that I really enjoyed while we were there and it was "You cant invite someone to Christ unless you're already there." I love that because we have to understand and know within ourselves if the gospel is true before you can invite people to live the gospel that we are supposed to live. That night I met the Joiner family and they are a really nice family that know how to live southern. We taught them about the Word of Wisdom and the spirit was really strong as we talked about the ways that we should treat our bodies. They are gifts from God and we should treat them as such.

On Friday, we had weekly planning and after we finished weekly planning we were walking along the road and heard a guitar and a man singing from a gas station and I said to myself "This is the south!" People were waving/ honking their horns at us. Everyone here sees us and respects us, it is a really small town after all haha. We met a lot of different people and all the people we talk to really seem to enjoy our visits and know where the church is at which is really cool.

On Saturday, it was a really memorable day we first went to the nursing home and we called out numbers for Bingo! It was a lot of fun and they were all really appreciative of the service we render and they loved the Spirit that we brought. I met a member and his name was Brother Jones. He loves when we come over and we talked to him a lot about the temple and how we overcome trials and temptation. We walked and walked and walked some more. That night we had a pretty cool moment. We weren't really sure what to do, it was late at night all our plans fell through and we had run out of people to go see. We talked for a bit and decided to try and knock a few doors. After doors slammed in our face we felt discouraged but kept on going. We kept walking and this nice couple asked if we wanted any water. We of course accepted and after they gave us water we talked about our purpose as missionaries, the Restoration, how we gain faith, and our purpose in this life. I cant really explain the experience I had in a way you'd understand fully but what I can tell is that I remember being there before even though I had never stepped foot on the place we were at. The field behind us and the people we talked to felt so familiar but I couldn't figure out why. I knew God put us there to talk to those people and it was a really fulfilling moment. We were walking back home late at night and this random man saw us and picked us home to take us back. God looks out for us and answers prayers.

On Sunday, we were all shocked to see the stake presidency in Alma and come to find out that the branch presidency was released and we were getting a new presidency. No one knew about it and it was quite the change. God definitely answered our prayers because we were struggling to figure out what we should do here in this area to make the branch bigger and with the new presidency things are coming in line.We went to our investigators home later that day and while we were teaching them their 2 year old kid quietly comes into the room holding something brown above his head in his hands. We all didn't know what it was but was he got closer to was a cockroach and the expression on the kids face made for a funny occasion haha. That night we had a parting fireside at President McDowells home and it was weird to get to know someone for a brief moment and then he was released a few days after you met him. We are really excited about the miracles that will come to pass here and big things are fixin' to happen here down yonder in Alma,GA!

I LOVE Y'ALL and I'm excited to be here in Alma, GA

-Elder Hill

#Alma  #Southernstateofmind

Sunset Alma, GA

Alma, GA

Got Some Goats!?

Town Center Alma GA.

Run over opossum

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January 9, 2017 - Augusta / Evans, GA

Hey Y'all!

Wow what a crazy week it has been for the both us!  I really have fallen in love the people here and the area so it will be really hard to leave, but wherever I go it will be where the Lord needs me. I'll let you know my new address and my new area next week. It will be good it get a new start but it will be hard to let this area go. Those snow pictures are crazy. It sounds like mother nature played a toll on y'all! It has been cold here this past week, but not that cold.

But wow this past week was a bittersweet week, transfers normally bring that emotion around.

On Monday night, since we have been meeting with the Stake President and implementing ways we can improve the missionary work in this area we set the goals for the week super high and we wanted to show that with the new goals we set were goals we could attain and at the end of the we sure did. That night a few plans fell through but we ended up going with a youth, Daniel Barclay, to go visit some people in the area. We stopped by Scott Bradleys home and talk with him and his wife about church. It is crazy in the time that I've been here he has really improved and he has quit smoking, came to church and is the reading the scriptures more and more. Its amazing what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do if you really try to live it. We then saw Justin Carabello and taught him and his girlfriend about the Book of Mormon and the spirit was definitely evident. I always love teaching Justin because he is a very dedicated MMA fighter and I have alot in common with him and how I am with basketball. He also is someone who is really humble and wants to learn about the gospel and what is true which is an attribute that is very valuable.

On Tuesday, we had district meeting in Aiken, SC and then I went on exchanges with Elder Sommer and it might have ended up being the last exchange I will do as a zone leader which is such a crazy thought. When we got back it was like the Lord had planned the day for us. We planned in to contact people at a park and right when we got there people were just prepared. We talked to two ladies who had a question about our church that day and we were able to answer their question and also testify of the Restoration. We then saw a less active and a youth preparing to go on a mission who saw us pray with someone and he thought it was neat to see missionaries to work in action. We had a great dinner with the Negren family and she posed an interesting question at the end of dinner as to why the Mormon church is more persecuted than any other religion in the world and our answer was that Satan knows that this church has the restored gospel and wants so badly to take it down. Satan is very good at making something seem so enticing because of the immediate and temporary satisfaction. Whereas the gospel of Jesus Christ is something that takes a little bit longer to fully enjoy but the result is everlasting joy. That night we saw the Pahuamba family and we went with Brother Stott who was able to help out speaking Spanish to the family. We taught Julio and Catalina of the Plan of Salvation and answered the questions "Where do we go after this life? , Why are we here? , and where are we going?" The lesson was really powerful! At the end of the lesson Elder Sommer can speak like Donald Duck and he made all the kids laugh it was so funny!!! 

On Wednesday, we got back from exchanges and had our district meeting in Evans. It was a really motivating meeting and we were all ready to show people just how many lessons we can teach. Elder Goodsell and I had scheduled a 3 hour block of contacting people in a park. At the end of the 3 hours we taught 11 lessons and talked to 50 people. It was really good and I really felt that the people we were able to teach were prepared and wanted to know more about our church. A lot of people have a lot of questions about our day to day lives as missionaries and it helps people understand how much you're giving up that the message that we share really is important to us or we wouldn't be sharing it. There are not many 20 year olds outside the church that go and leave everything behind to help serve people. That's a blessing we have within the church is knowing how much stability can come from serving a mission, I would be in a different place with out going here. We then went to dinner with the Barclays and they are such great people! This past week because we have pressure on us to reach our goals and because our goals for the week were really high goals it was interesting how much more you desperately want as many people as possible to know of the restored truths that we teach. Because our district is so unified and we have our focus all on our purpose the power that we had this week was incredible and it will be a week I'll always remember.

On Thursday, we went to lunch on the border between the Augusta and North Augusta zone to eat with a lady named Grandma Becky. I got to see Elder Showers and talk with him about his mission. We went to Cracker Barrell and it is a place where all they cook is southern food and it is the best! Nothin like a warm biscuit and jam to put you in a good mood! They had a really good catfish that I tried and it was super good!! The highlight of the day was definitely going to Coreys home and teaching him the gospel of Jesus Christ. Brother Hinds was able to come and we first watched the bible video titled "Sermon on the Mount Treasures of Heaven" https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-035-sermon-on-the-mount-treasures-in-heaven?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&lang=eng . It really set the spirit for the lesson as we talked about the Atonement, how to recognize the Spirit, how to have faith in adversity, repentance, enduring to the end, and Brother Hinds testimony was huge in the lesson and Corey could tell that the spirit was there. Corey had an experience last week that was neat to hear about. Corey grew up atheist but as  we have taught him alot of the topics we bring up are things that he agrees with but has been waiting for that moment where the Spirit testifies its all true. He was really sick last week and couldn't call in sick from work. After he took a shower he still didnt feel good and the first thought he had was to pray and after the prayer he felt 100% better and he knew that God was there and that he answers prayers. Im so grateful that I was able to start teaching Corey, but because Im getting transferred Im sad that I wont be able to get baptized, but the important thing is that he is and that he believes in Jesus Christ. We also taught Larry that night who has been learning so much about Jesus Christ and from the time we first time we taught him he has learned and changed so much! Im so proud of him and how far he has come!

On Friday, we drove to MLC in Macon. It was a really rainy/cold drive. Sister North and Sister Farmer followed us as we went and calling each other while we drove sure made for a fun drive! MLC was good, but it was crazy to think that it was probably my last MLC that I'd be apart of and its hard to be believe that its over. I felt like such an old missionary because I was the second oldest missionary there and I knew little to none of the new missionaries. Time sure does fly.Traveling back from Macon was a long drive but the Sisters helped us stay awake by talkin' to us which made it really fun!

On Saturday, it was a memorable day and a very bittersweet day. WE first went to Ultimate Frisbee and it was about 35 degrees and lots of humidity and it was bone chilling cold. Then something magical happened there was this weird thing called snow that started falling from the sky and its like I haven't seen it in about two years!! It was sooo good to rekindle that friendship with snow haha. The fields were so muddy and we were all soaking wet and frozen at the end but it was still sooo fun!! There was this part where someone through this Frisbee way far out in front of me and there was no way I could to it without diving and I sprinting and jumped for it and caught it and smashed my face in a muddy puddle haha. That night we had transfer calls and it sad to say that I'm being transferred to a new area. Itis so hard leaving an area that means so much to you. It's like leaving home again and I cant believe that my time here is up. This district, the members, our investigators have all meant so much to me and its like saying by to family. I know that God is in control and will help me love my next area but goodbyes are always hard.

On Sunday, it was a very bittersweet day full of saying bye to members and reminiscing of good times. Not gonna lie I cried a little bit haha but the people here have been amazing and I'll miss them all. We had dinner ate the Hinds' home and after dinner we went through the ward roster because after moving in after three weeks she has been called to be the Relief Society president and Elder Monsen shared this scripture with her to bring peace that it will all be okay. It's Doctrine and Covenants 121:7 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment.8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

I know that I'll have peace if I follow Jesus Christ and that if I live in the moment then I will live iup to my potential.

I LOVE Y'ALL and I'll let you know my new address and area next week. Stay tuned!!

-Elder Hill

#ByeEvans   #ontheroadagain   #lastarea?

 

 

Lunch with Grandma Becky!!

​Saying bye to Dan Nguyen:(

 

Frisbee in the snow!

MLC January 2017

Somebody found the Mormons, January 2017!

January 2, 2017 - Augusta / Evans, GA

Hey Y'all!

Wow what a memorable week it has been and it definitely has been one to remember! I cant believe it is 2017!! I'm really trying to enjoy the moment cause I know its going to fly by like crazy! 

 

We had a very memorable week to cap off 2016 and we finished that memorable year in style!

On Monday, we had a few complications come up with planning where the members planning to attend Madison's baptism wouldn't be able to make it because it was at 11:00 and they wouldn't be there cause they were at work. At that point we had exchanges planned for Wednesday with the AP's on Wednesday after the baptism but because we now moved it to 7:00 we wouldn't be able to do exchanges til Thursday. Elder Ballard was planning to come here to Evans and he served here before so there were a few appointments we had set up for him to see some old friends so we had to rearrange the appointments to Thursday and also let all the members know the time changed. It was very hectic and stressful with lots of small details to figure out but in the end we made a plan as to how we were going to make it all work. It is amazing how the Lord works in mysterious ways for a few reason that I'll explain later in my email.

On Tuesday,  we had very busy morning straightening out the plans and ensuring that the baptism would go well. We then went to North Augusta for exchanges and saw many miracles on exchanges as well. I went on exchanges with Elder Richards and we first started out by riding our bikes over to an elderly lady's home where she wanted help raking her leaves. As it turns out that she had raked them that day but she invited us in to watch Light the world. After we showed her the video she broke down in tears and said"They have nothing like this at the Methodist church" We then watched a bible video and she was captivated and wanted to know alot about how the church functions and our beliefs. As we explained the Book of Mormon and how it came to be the Sp[irit was very strong. She asked if we could give her a blessing and this is where the miracle comes in. That morning I was going through my bag throwing away trash and things I didn't need anymore and I came across an old oil vile Elder Weston left for me, I had no need for it cause I had one but for some reason I felt I should keep it. Fast forward to later that day and this lady asked for a blessing and my oil vile was in the van in Evans and Elder Richards forgot his and I was thinking and recalled the oil vile in my bag. I knew it was empty because I saw this morning it was empty, but as I looked inside and there was a drop left. So either I didn't look hard enough that morning or God saw it fit to put another drop in the vile but nonetheless it was a miracle and we were able to give her a blessing! We met many people while biking including a man on Seal team 6. We biked close to 15 miles and met lots of people, where we had good and bad interactions but that's all part of the fun of being a missionary.

On Wednesday, we exchanged back with our companions and caught back up with all the craziness that happened the other day. We had district meeting and we talked about meeting with the Stake President on Thursday and how we wanted to to organize it. With the exchange with the AP's being moved to Thursday I now wouldn't be able to be there for the meeting. We planned to meet with the Stake President to talk about Spanish getting put back into the area, revamping bible class, and introducing a way to track missionary work through multimedia. After district meeting we went home and got ready for the baptism. We went to the Storrers home for dinner where we were eating dinner and a strawberry fell on my white shirt and stained the shirt I was going to baptize Madison in and we had close to 1:00 til the baptism. The Storrers took my short and put stain remover on it so I'd be able to wear it for the baptism. Meanwhile I got dressed in Brother Storrers polo shirt and went to the baptism to fill the font. The Martinez Bike Elders were dropped off to fill the font while we picked up the other Elders and took them to the baptism. I felt so out of place being the person baptizing dressed in a polo shirt, but about a half hour before the baptism they showed up with the shirt and I got dressed and everything worked out. But man talk about a stressful way to start a baptism. So many people attended Madison Boswells baptism to support her. We had to move into the chapel to fit everyone and 4 investigators of ours came which was amazing. Baptizing Madison was a very special moment because you could see how much she had worked and wanted to be a member of Christs church. she stepped in the font and weas crying for joy for this moment and it was hard for me to not be emotional with her. Her parents and family were all supportive and after the baptism she was just crying out of the font and it was great to see someone so converted! It was a very special day and I'm so grateful for her commitment to be baptized!

On Thursday, we then drove to a small town close to Statesboro to exchange with the AP's. I went with Elder Ray to Macon while Elder Ballard and Elder Goodsell stayed in Evans. It's amazing how the Lord works because on Thursday they met with President Squires and because Elder Ballard was there and had served there before he was able to testify to him that these plans are good things. But because Madisons baptism was moved we exchanged on Thursday which meant elder Ballard was then able to be there for the meeting and it just shows that the lord is in control and knows whats best we just have to trust him. Exchanges with Elder Ray was awesome and I love talking to the people there and working with the office.

On Friday, we exchanged back and just to add to the stress pile I went to take a picture with my camera and my SD card somehow got corrupted and I had backed up all my pictures on USB's up to Monday but because it got corrupted I had potentially lost the baptism pictures and it made me upset, but I knew it would be okay and I'd figure out. Even though knowing that there was a chance I had lost that evidence of the baptism I was trying to stay positive. It turns out there was a member I went to to help me recover all my pictures and help me with restoring my SD card. So I was able to get them all back and backed up on a 64GB USB which made me feel a lot better about life. Its amazing how the spirit can give you ideas of things you should do and if its a good idea then do because good will come from it. Even after I had said a prayer to help me fix my SD card got expected me to go and work on fixing the problem but as I was thinking of solutions he helped me through the process.

On Saturday, we started the day off by playing Frisbee and I had a lot of fun getting my competitiveness out and running a bunch. We then had lunch with a member and contacted a people on the street and had a few doors slammed and people accepted all part of the fun!.

On Sunday, we had a great service and we were able to talk to a family who wants their kids baptized in two weeks so in two weeks we are preparing for another two baptisms!! Woohoo! Later that day we knocked a bunch of houses in the rain and there was this one guy who cussed us out just because we knocked at his door while he was eating dinner, we had another lady who loved our message and wants us to come back, and many other people who just didn't want any part of our message because they found and know everything about Jesus. Later that night we went to YSA where we invited an investigator to come and she had a great time and had a lot of fun!

I cant believe 2016 is gone but I'm excited for this big year for me and all the goals that I have to accomplish. The church is true and this past year has been to remember and I'll always remember 2016 for all the growing I've had

-Elder Hill

I LOVE Y'ALL!

#2017

 

 

 

Macon, GA.

Madison Boswell's Baptism!

 

Bikin' !!

 

The Sisters saw us talking to someone and took a picture haha!