Faith and Fireflies

This week has seriously been the craziest week! I feel like I say that every week as an STL but this one really takes the cake.

Plus, I found out that it's my last week as an STL.

so first off, I'm really sad about transfers. Sister Talbot and I were just praying and praying that I didn't get the call but it came anyway. It was so suspenseful. They sent out a text saying that if Elder Boren called you were staying but if Elder Stallings called you were getting transferred. So when the call finally came at 10:15 I answered and said, "Is this Elder Stallings?" Them there was this awful dramatic pause that I TOTALLY could have lived without and the answer " Yes, it is." 

Ooooh man I could have broken down and started crying. Instead I just said, "Oh hey Elder Stallings. I was actually wondering if I could talk to Elder Boren." Haha we all laughed outwardly but inside we were all crying. It was rough. Elder Stallings gave me a little pep talk and told me I was gonna be great and then he had to go make more transfer calls so we hung up and I just fell to the floor.... so sad.

Mostly because I had to pack.

Have I ever told yinz how much I HATE packing. 

But also because I love this area and this ward and all the people. I love the scenery and how the freshly cut grass always smells like glorious avocados and I love the goats that live by the pond by our parking lot and being 15 minutes away from Gettysburg, I definitely love that. I love my companion and going on exchanges every week and driving our brand new car around and I even love our tiny little apartment. I love everything.

And I know I'm going to love my new area and stuff. I just hate saying goodbye!!

*sigh.

But anyway. This week was so fun. 

Monday was Memorial Day so we had our ward picnic. Sister Talbot and I drove to Gettysburg to get hoodies from this little shop on the square cause I've wanted once ever since I got to this area. Then we picked the elders up and drove to the picnic. It was really great. Our investigator family came and there was great food. Then we went to get ice cream from Mr. G's which reminded me of the BYU creamery. Then we wrote emails at the church from our iPads which was weird. But anyway, after that we grabbed some dinner and then did laundry at the apartment. I just hope that my new area has its own washer and dryer. Paying $3 to do a load of laundry is so lame!

Tuesday we had PAL LUNCH. Which was the best. I love that. We had a little miracle, though. So usually pal lunch is very well attended but somehow this week nothing worked out and when we showed up there was only one other member there. So we were kind of panicking and we called the elders for backup. So they came to the rescue and I don't know what we would have done without them, cause halfway through serving lunch we ran out of food and so we had to find something else to cook really fast and then when lunch was almost over this guy came up to us crying and said he wanted to talk to the missionaries so Sister Talbot and I went out to talk to him but he said he wanted to talk to the boy missionaries and I don't know what we would have done if they hadn't been there. They were able to help him out, and it turns out that he's an inactive member who is struggling to get out of a bad situation and wanted to start coming back to church. The elders were able to talk to him, and convinced him to come to Book of Mormon class that night with us, and now we're teaching him and he even came to church on Sunday!! Miracle!!

When Pal lunch was over, a sweet member took us all out to lunch which was so nice of her. 

Then we had to do an online training course for out iPads which took us like 3 hours. By the time we were done, it was time for BOM class and then we had correlation and then we went home and packed for MLC! Crazy!

Wednesday was great. Our alarm didn't go off in the morning so we didn't wake up on time to get ready for MLC. We ended up having like 20 minutes to get packed and ready to go. Then we showed up at the Zone Leaders house and they weren't even ready! Haha the awkwardness... 

But anyway. We always have the best road trips. We ask these super deep questions and honestly I feel like Elder Stallings and Elder Boren are some of my best friends in the world. I'm going to miss our car rides.

MLC was great also. We all had lunch together in the gym and then we had our meeting. We talked about the iPads and the trainings we've received and some of the miracles happening throughout the mission. It's always a spiritual high for me, I get so pumped for missionary work at MLC. We talked about our purpose as missionaries and how we can be inspired by it. I love our purpose. I love inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. It is our continual purpose all throughout life, wherever we are and whoever we are. I love it...

After our meeting, we had dinner at the mission home and then we all went on this great hike!! It we so gorgeous, I love Pennsylvania. I felt like I was exploring a rainforest or something haha. I was able to have a couple really great conversations with some awesome missionaries, a few that I had never really talked with before. And I also got to talk to Elder Crook who served in Lebanon ward and he updated me on how everyone is doing and it was so good to hear about everyone!

The sisters got to stay the night in the mission home. I love the other STL's. They are some of the best missionaries I've ever met. We talked and laughed and had a great time.

We woke up Thursday and all got ready to go. Sister Johnson made us a super yummy breakfast and I got to play the piano for a while. Hen the elders started showing up and we all started taking funny pictures with photo booth and air dropping them to each other and we were laughing so hard we could barely breathe. 

But as fun as that was, we had to get on the road because we needed to be home. The elders dropped us off in Chambersburg and headed to a meeting for one of the districts in our zone and we had lunch and then went home and planned for our baptism on Saturday. That evening we were able to go to the clinic and I got my very first INHALER!! Wahoo! The doctor said that allergy induced asthma is pretty common in PA apparently, so now I don't feel like such a loser! There's like such a high concentration of pollen in the air that it's ridiculous! But it's all better now. 

Friday was good. We had district meeting and the Zone Leaders were able to come as well. They trained our district on the things that we learned at MLC. It was a little bit funny because Sister Talbot and I already knew everything they were going to talk about, so we couldn't help but laugh sometimes. It was a good meeting. After the Zone Leaders had done their training, we had a testimony meeting since it was our last time meeting together, and the spirit was so strong. We were all crying. And then we sang "God be with you till we meet again." and started crying even more. 

Then we had lunch as a district and we all talked and laughed and signed each other's notebooks and wrote nice things and it was the best time. I have loved this district. 

That evening was awesome. We visited a member family and had an awesome spiritual experience with them and the elders. Afterward, we were heading home and the fireflies came out for the first time this Summer. It was incredible to see them, and such a blessing as well. I'm very grateful to be living in such a beautiful area of the world. 

Saturday was good and bad. It was bad because we helped one of my favorite families clean and pack their house so they can move out of the ward. I guess it's not that bad now that I'm getting transferred... but it was still really sad. We were over there for a couple of hours in the morning. Then we hung out at the church and filled up the font for Teresa's baptism. It was a great service. Lots of people came and supported and brought treats. We even made a cheesecake! Sister Mealey (the one we packed up) gave us her recipe and it's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. Everyone was blown away by our baking skills! I will bake so many cheesecakes when I get home! I will auction them off and make millions!! :D wahahaha.

Then, of course, Saturday evening the transfer call came. And Sunday was really hard saying goodbye to people I have come to love. I am always amazed at the outpouring of love from the members and people whose lives you have touched. None of you will ever have any idea the difference you make in people's lives. So much love... 

Transfers are always really nerve-wracking. But I know that things are going to be okay. I found this quote during my personal study from the gospel principles manual.

"To have faith in Jesus Christ means to have such trust in Him that we obey whatever He commands. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ, becoming His obedient disciples, Heavenly Father will forgive our sins and prepare us to return to Him."

This just means so much to me. I know that this work is the Lord's work and that He leads and directs it. Sometimes it's a little bit frightening to step into something that's new and unfamiliar to us. But we know that with the Light of the World, we will never be led astray. I know that the Savior loves each of us and has a perfect plan for our lives. We just have to be willing to follow Him to find out for ourselves. 

Faith is the antidote for fear. So I'm going to move forward into my new area with faith. I encourage all of you who are experiencing change or fear in your lives to do the same. I know the Lord will guide and bless you!! 

Have a great week.

Love, 

Hermana Bills

iPads!?

Hey everybody! 

Wouldn't you know it but right now I'm typing this message from my iPad which makes me feel super legit.

I am the proud owner of an iPad that I will readily admit I'm not entirely sure how to use... 

Someone pray for me. 

(Okay so like... Since its Memorial Day, the libraries are closed so I legit have to type this whole thing from my iPad which is super dumb because I totally don't even like typing on this..

So I hope no one feels bad this week if I just send a really short response or don't send a response at all! Because technology is... Too advanced for this simple little sister. 

Pluuuus...

I forgot to charge my iPad last night so it's almost out of battery haha... #awkward)

The all mission meeting in Cranberry was legitimately the best thing of my entire life. It was so incredible to be able to be there and to see all of my friends and past companions and whatnot. I was happy as a little clam.  

It was a really long day though, I'm not going to lie to you. Our logistics were a little bit crazy... We were in charge of picking up the elders in Dover and then we went to the chapel in Harrisburg (which was fine by me because that is my old stomping grounds) and we picked up Elder Whitby (what was also fine by me since he was in my first district and we came out together) and then we headed to Cranberry. It was a long drive and we had to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to pick everyone up and get there on time. Haha it was worth it though!

We got there about fifteen minutes before the meeting started which was just about enough time to say hi to a couple of people and situate myself right next to Hermana Landa:) I was so happy to see her!!

The meeting was really incredible and fun. The mission department does such a good job. We were supposed to have a brother from the quorum of the seventy come to teach us, but he ended up getting sick and so that didn't happen. But the brothers that did come were so fun. It was such a spiritual meeting. They talked about why the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve feels like it's a good idea to give missionaries iPads and how it really is a tool that the Lord allowed to be created so that He could hasten His work. They also talked about helping our generation develop better skills and habits working with technology as an everyday part of our life. It was very uplifting to be a part of.

Afterward we were able to get a picture with everyone which is the coolest thing ever because how many people get to have a picture with their entire mission!??!? No, really. Like is that a common thing? Because I don't really know how other missions work... 

Anyway, I thought it was pretty legit. I hope my eyes are open in at least one of them. President Johnson said that he'd send the picture out of all of us so hopefully I'll be able to forward that on. 

It was such a good day. It was hard when it came to an end. You could tell that nobody wanted to leave. We were able to go out to dinner with a couple of people which was awesome. Elder George and elder Mann and elder miller and elder Baxter and sister Landa and sister Wadsworth and a senior couple and elder Wadsworth and elder foster and elder Whitby were all there. I think I got everyone...

But dinner was really short because we had to get on the road to get home. It was really rainy on the way home and I don't really enjoy driving on the turn pike between all the cement walls and giant semis... I always feel like I'm gonna die.  

Luckily, we didn't die. We made it to Harrisburg. We had to wait for elder Whitby's companion to show up so we started setting up our iPads. Then, they finally arrived and we were able to head home.

At this point it's like 11 and I've been awake for like 18 emotional hours and it's all I can do to stay awake as I drive through the winding backwoods of Pennsylvania... Haha, good times. We made it home alive at about 12 and then zonked out as soon as we were there.

So yeah, it was definitely a long trip, but it was such a good day. And, of course, we got iPads! So I can't really complain. :) 

Other than that... We had a funeral this week for a member in our ward. That was a little bit hard for me. I didn't know him super well but I knew him and he was a friend. They had this dumb little slideshow video of pictures of him and "when I get where I'm going" playing on the background haha everyone was like bawling... But it was really great. The spirit was super strong. I'm so grateful for the plan of salvation in times like those.

We also went on an exchange this week with the sisters in lewisberry. It was really awesome. I got to spend 24 hours with an angel named Sister Purcell. She rocks. 

We also had a good day today, it was the Memorial Day picnic. Both the Hanover and Gettysburg wards combined and it was a great turnout. We also saw a snake eating a fish!!!!! 

We played horseshoes and I was awful. Then our investigators Levi and Shauna taught me how to play lacrosse and I was awful. Then Sister Talbot tried to teach me how to do a cartwheel and I was awful. 

So... At this point I'm wondering if I have any talents ;) I can't even breathe right anymore! I blame the humidity.

Well anywhoo. I am really sick of typing on this iPad... 

I love you all! I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend, and a special thanks to all of those wonderful people in my life who have fought or who are currently serving to defend our rights and freedoms. Thank you all for all that you do.

God bless America.

#murica

Sent from my iPad

A Smashing Week in the Field!

This was probably the longest week of my whole life but somehow at the same time it went so fast. Tons of stuff happened! I don't even know where to begin...

We went on two exchanges this week. This first was Monday-Tuesday with the Carlisle sisters. I was able to spend 24 hours serving in Carlisle with Sister Wilson which was great. She is a wonderful sister. She's just starting her mission - been out for about 9 weeks now. I wish I was back in her place... I told President Johnson that I wanted a restart on my mission, but for some reason he wouldn't let me. I'm not sure why. He must be in cahoots with my mom. 

We had a really good time in Carlisle. We were able to find a couple of people that they could potentially start teaching which was awesome. Then we picked up a new investigator named Teresa. She is so incredible and her life circumstances have seriously prepared her for the gospel. She actually had meant to be baptized a few years ago but ended up having to move away and she could never find out how to get in contact with the missionaries until the elders tracted into her! Which was a miracle... 

Something...interesting... that happened...

So as missionaries we do this thing called "backing", right? I don't know if I've ever written about it. But we have to stand outside of the car whenever someone is driving in reverse and direct them. So this is what I was doing for Sister Wilson, I was trying to help her parallel park. So I was trying to direct her, but... well, basically what happened was she wasn't watching me as I was backing her and so when I lifted up my hand to tell her to stop... she didn't stop. So I had to act really quickly. I knew that if she didn't stop, she was going to run into the car behind her and there was going to be a dumb little accident that I just wasn't ready to deal with. I've never been involved in an accident on my mission and I wasn't going to start now! So... logically... I just placed myself in between the two cars and hit the back window and yelled, "STOP THE CAR!" So, she stopped just as I felt her car push me back into the other car... and then I knew I was pinned. Well, for some reason she just wasn't moving. I didn't know why. But I felt like pain shooting down in my legs cause the blood flow had stopped and I started to panic. So I started hitting the back window and yelling "Go go go!!" 

It was the scariest 30 seconds of my whole mission hahaha. But as soon as it was over I just doubled over and started laughing cause of how funny it probably looked. 

So we got a kick out of that :) 

And I think Sister Wilson learned a valuable lesson ;) If you don't watch your companion, you're probably going to run her over. hahaha

Our second exchange went well. Definitely less eventful than the first, but just as fun. I spent the day in Greencastle with Sister Bennett. It was awesome. We taught a few lessons Wednesday evening and then we were doing service all day on Thursday. We helped an older lady clean out her house which was awesome. They rewarded us by taking us to lunch and letting us play with some baby kitties. They were so cute! Then we mowed the lawn for another disabled lady. I had no idea that mowing lawns was so relaxing. I should start my own business or something! I'd be tan, buff, and relaxed all of the time! What a life! I smelled really grassy though. And I was still in my dirty service clothes cause we had just barely finished up when Sister Talbot showed up with Sister Thompson to exchange back. And we were running late so we had to go straight to our dinner appointment at the Shearers... and on the way there Sister Talbot told me that our investigators were coming to dinner so we were going to have a lesson! I was so embarrassed when we showed up and I was all grassy and in my basketball shorts. I had to change at their house and they were all laughing at me :) Hahaha it was so great. 

It ended up being a super awesome evening! We've been trying for a LONG time to get Lauryn and Brady to be able to come out to dinner at the Shearer's and it finally happened! And they were even able to come to church for the first time this Sunday! It was so amazing. They're going to be getting baptized on June 20th and we are seriously so excited for them! It was a really big blessing. 

Friday was a long day. We spent most of the day doing weekly planning... which is basically where you sit down for 5 hours and plan out your upcoming week... like who you're going to see and what you're going to teach and when you're going to see them and who you're going to bring with you and all that jazz. It was really good. I appreciate Sister Talbot as my companion always. I love going on exchanges and learning from others but it is so good to be back with Sister Talbot. She is so wonderful and we are growing so much together. I love serving with her. I hope we get another transfer together!! 

Saturday was LEGIT! We helped two people move! It was the funnest thing ever. The first one wasn't too bad. Just taking some stuff from a storage unit and carrying it up two flights of stairs. Most of it was pretty light. The super heavy lifting we left to the men ;) haha. The hardest part was the couch... because of the door and the stairs and everything, we couldn't get the couch into the apartment by just carrying it up the stairs and putting it through the door. Instead we had to lift it up to get it to go straight through the door... I know that description doesn't make any sense but I sent a picture so I hope that helps, haha. Anyway. That was insane. 

By the time we were done with the first move and on to the second it was like 89 degrees and REALLY humid because a storm was rolling in. 

The second move was pretty rough because we were taking things from one house to another and they were about 30 minutes apart, driving. We only took two loads though, so that wasn't so bad. In the middle of getting the second load in the U-haul, it started to rain REALLY hard! It was so awesome! So we ran around in the rain and played... okay... I ran around in the rain and played by myself and everyone else made fun of me. But it was still awesome! Plus, SUPER refreshing since we had been working really hard in the heat of the day. So the cool rain felt really nice. Then I was soaking wet. By the time we finished unloading the second load, a giant storm was rolling in, so we called it quits. When we got back to our apartment, we had worked for 8 hours moving people. It. Was. Awesome. 

Then we had dinner at the Mealeys and she made us fajitas and brownies with ice cream because she's the best human being ever to live ever. 

But she's moving to Texas  So now I'm sad. 

But that means more moving!! YAY! 

Well anywhoozies. I feel really discombobulated with my thoughts today so hopefully this email made sense... haha. If not... better luck next week, I guess? :) 

The scripture that I want to share today is Mosiah 2:17 (or just all of Mosiah 2 in general ). I know that as we serve those around us, that we are truly helping to build God's kingdom on the earth. It was incredible to be helping and serving so many people this week. I feel better about myself and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. But it's all about your attitude! You either make yourself miserable, or you make yourself strong. The amount of work is the same. But people really do pay attention! The sweet lady that we helped move on Saturdaythanked us for our example and enthusiasm. She said that her inactive son had been impressed by how hard the missionaries were willing to work, and she told us that our lightheartedness and humor really helped to lighten the atmosphere and she felt like it was greatly needed throughout the day. When we put the Lord first in our minds, the needs of others naturally become our greatest priority! And as we serve others, we feel better about ourselves... naturally :) It is incredible to see the Lord's hand shape and mold our lives into something so beautiful, there's no way we could have even imagined it ourselves. I am grateful to see Him at work in my life personally, and to catch little glimpses of what He has in mind for who I am to become in time and eternity. I know that the Lord has a perfect plan for each of us and that we will learn to love His will as we wholeheartedly give our lives to Him. He will fill our hearts with joy and our minds with understanding. 

It all comes by faith. 

I love you all and encourage you each to look for the hand of the Lord in your life this week. I promise it's there. He's there.

He loves each of you. As do I. 

All my love, 

Hermana Bills

Life Doesn't Come with a Manual, it Comes with a Mother

Well, as you all know it was just mother's day yesterday and I think that is the worst holiday ever invented and that we should stop celebrating it because that was absolute torture. Sitting through the little primary children singing "Mother, I love you" during sacrament meeting and having to get up and leave halfway through the talks because you miss your mom so much. And then getting so pumped to just be able to skype her and then it's over before you even feel like you were able to say anything. Plus you can't get a hug over a skype call. Sister Missionaries need hugs. 

But I just want to shoutout to all of the wonderful women in my life who have taught me what it means to be a mother and who have helped me develop all of the positive qualities in my life. I am grateful for these strong women who are examples of righteousness and true beauty in a world that doesn't know what that word means anymore. Thank you first and foremost to my own mother who is my best friend and hero. Thank you to my step mother McKell for being such a wonderful friend and example. Thank you to my Grandma Lamoreaux and my Mamma who have taught and loved me all my life. Thanks to my mission mom Sister Johnson for being a wonderful example of Christlike leadership. Thank you to my surrogate mothers growing up and out here on my mission. To the mothers of my friends and best friends. To all of the wonderful teachers that I have learned from and loved.

Thank you to you. You are excellent. 

This week was quite a trip! We had so many things to do. We had loads of less actives that came to church yesterday! The most I've ever had show up to sacrament meeting my whole mission - Christmas and Easter included! 

The best part of my week (besides skyping home yesterday) was participating in our Zone Training in Chambersburg on Friday. It was wonderful to see President and Sister Johnson there. I love and admire them greatly. The greatest thing was to see the excitement and spark in the eyes of each of the missionaries in our zone as they caught the importance and power of what we were teaching. It was great to see that and to take part in teaching about it. I am so incredibly blessed. It will be such a powerful tool in this mission when we get our ipads in 10 days. 

More good news from zone conference! We just got told that our mission is going to pilot a program called "Just serve" which we are so excited about! It's a lot of opportunities for service in the community with members from other faiths! How legit is that? So we're pretty stoked. 

Things that have been trending in Hanover lately...

*Dinner appointments with less active members. I feel like a good portion of the less actives have either had us over for dinner or have plans to have us over for dinner. 

*Mexican food

*Investigators cancelling/not being willing to set return appointments. #problematic 

*Finding more awesome less actives to teach that are ready to get back into church

*Pollen on cars

*Weird allergies

Yeah... that's about it. 

The story of the week comes from Brother Rummel who is one of my most recent heroes. Brother Rummel is a convert of 9 years who went less active after losing his wife. Somehow he also never received the Aaronic Priesthood after getting baptized! We're still not sure how that happened. 

But we've been working with Brother Rummel for about 2 months now and he's just been reactivated officially as of yesterday, he now has the priesthood and he was able to help bless the sacrament yesterday which was one of the most legit things you will ever see a convert/reactivated member do. What an awesome guy. 

We're planning a temple trip with him hopefully sometime next month or at the end of this month. He's got lots of family names done and we're getting really excited to go with him.

We will also hopefully make a stop at Cafe Rio on the way home and that will be the icing on the cake. Somebody go eat a pork salad in my memory. 

Well, that's about it for this week. There are some good things that are happening here in Hanover, they're just moving along a little bit slower than we would like. There are little disappointments here and there, but overall we are just drenched with the outpour of blessings that the Lord is sending our way. He is so wonderful and we are really enjoying our time here. Sister Talbot and I have so much fun together. She is a great blessing to me. 

This should be a really busy week so hopefully my email next week will be a little bit longer. We have a lot of big things coming up! 

May 11-12 Exchange with Carlisle sisters

May 12 Broadcast with Elder Bednar

May 13 District meeting in Fairview

May 13-14 Exchange with Greencastle Sisters

May 19-20 Exchange with Lewisberry Sisters

May 21 All mission meeting in Cranberry to get IPADS

May 25 Ward memorial day picnic

May 26 PAL LUNCH (my favorite!)

May 27 District Meeting 

June 1 NEW TRANSFER

So we have a couple of seriously crazy weeks coming up! I'm so excited! Like I said, big things are happening! Big things!! 

Thanks again to everyone for all the love and support. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. You are in my prayers, and I know God is sending angels to watch over you.

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Roadtrips, Exchanges, New Friends, old Faces, and A NEW CAR! :D

Where do I even begin. There is so much to write about.

I'll start from the beginning. Pday last Monday was great. We got tons of stuff done, and we ended the night having a family home evening at the Shearers and learning how to play Chinese Checkers. I lost. 

Tuesday we went on an exchange with the sisters in Fairview. This is something that I have been looking forward to for WEEKS because there is a member there who is a chiropractor and he gives free adjustments to missionaries. I felt like a new person. I hope our investigators feel half as good as that when they enter into the waters of baptism. (joke).

But I got to stay in Fairview with sister Zaugg. It was so great. They were out of miles on their car so we walked around for 5 hours and I really felt like I got the full mission experience. Now I am stressing out because I worry that the Lord was secretly trying to prepare me to go into a walk area. Not okay! 

I guess that way I could get back in shape... 

Oh! Did I mention that I cut down my mile to 10 minutes? Anyone impressed yet? ;) 

Neither am I...

Ah well. 

Anyway. While I was on the exchange we went to a Relief Society activity and I won a cheesecake and it was awesome... hands down best activity of my life! Also Sis Zaugg got peanut butter fudge which was epic. (Anyone still wondering why my mile takes me 10 minutes? )

Then we exchanged back on Wednesday after district meeting and Sister Talbot and I headed to Chambersburg to go to MLC. The road trip was great. We have a new Zone Leader - Elder Stallings - and he's really awesome. So we spent the car ride asking deep soul searching questions and talking about life and how we can help improve the zone. It was grand. 

Wednesday was ALSO my favorite day because we got to see the Clarksons. I couldn't even wait to see them. I pounded and pounded on their door and they answered and I just hugged and hugged and hugged those wonderful people because I just miss them so much. 

Then they took us to the mission office and we got...

A NEW CAR!!!

it was... the single greatest moment... of... okay I couldn't figure out how to end this statement and keep it true. ;) It was a great moment. But I've definitely experienced greater.

It is a really nice car though. :) It makes a really nice vroooom noise. 

Well anyway we stayed Wednesday night with the Clarksons and had breaky with them the next morning before going to MLC. Guess who was there!? SISTER LANDA. And like a billion other people that I know and love. It was so great! So I got to sit by her and it was wonderful. And I decided once and for all that I'm going to USU and rooming with that wonderful woman. 

The next item of business is the fact that we had people visiting from the missionary department and it was the greatest training of my ENTIRE mission. No overstatement. It not only changed my mission, but changed my life. They answered SO MANY of my prayers, and straight up... just by applying the principles that they taught at that training over the last 3 days, we have already seen miracles and blessings from it. 

That's crazy. 

That. Is. Crazy. 

So yeah. To say the least, it was an incredible meeting. I feel bad for all of the people that didn't get to attend. But I still am happy that I got to be there with Sister Talbot and Sister Landa.

It was a really good time. 

Unfortunately, some good things have to come to their end... and so we headed back to Hanover with the Chambersburg Zone Leaders. On the way home, we were able to stop and help someone in the pouring rain. She was so awesome. She was stuck on the freeway and we said this prayer with her and this powerful spirit was there... It was a great experience. We gave her our phone number... but she never texted or called (at least not yet). We're still waiting!

Friday was really awesome. We got to do some weekly planning and teach a couple great lessons. Then Saturday was incredible. We picked up a family of new investigators and they accepted to be baptized. We didn't set them with a date yet, though, because we felt that the mom had a concern. We tried to ask questions, but it didn't seem like she trusted us enough yet to bring it up. So we're going to try and get to know them and serve them a little more. They are incredible and even came to church yesterday. The ward just loves them. 

That evening, we were able to meet with Lauryn and Brady (now Brother and Sister Hinton ) two of our other INCREDIBLE investigators. They're theee coolest people. We were able to give them a new baptismal date of May 30 and they seem really excited about it. We went to get Ritas afterward. It was my first time and I got Vanilla mixed with Horchata and I was on a sugar high for like 3 hours afterward and I think I woke up with a hangover the next day ;) hahaha

Sunday was also awesome. We got tons of referrals and we're excited to go contact them and hopefully pick up some new investigators and man alive this area is seriously just booming with people to teach lately. We never have enough time. It's so great! I'm exhausted! I love it! 

Sunday evening we were able to have dinner with an awesome family! Three of them are nonmembers and we watched meet the mormons and they had lots of great questions and we set a return appointment to come and teach them about the restoration, which we're really excited about!! 

Lastly bot not leastly... Today was the biggest blessing. There is an incredible couple living in the Gettysburg ward and they have been here for about 20 years. The Sister is so wonderful and she was a tour guide for Gettysburg for many years and she volunteered to take us and show us around the battlefields. So this morning we were able to go and the spirit was wonderful and she walked us through all 3 days of the battle of Gettysburg and told us a lot of historical facts about the civil war and then they took us out to get Mexican food and they are angels. 

But yeah, so basically I'm a civil war buff and I'm bringing every single one of you back to Gettysburg so I can show off my impressive knowledge. Or maybe I'll just call up this couple and rent a tour bus and they'll just take us around because she seriously knows EVERYTHING about the Civil War.

What. You think I'm joking?

You don't even know. 

Alrighty. Well that was my week. So many other wonderful things happened that I just don't have time to write about because we spent too long touring Gettysburg. But... #sorrynotsorry

I just want to thank you guys, seriously, all of you, for all of the love and support I get. For the cards, emails, packages, the help that I receive in funding for my mission, the prayers, the good vibes that are constantly being sent my way... Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I know there are other missionaries out there that don't have the amazing support group that I have and I am grateful every day for each of you... 

I love you!! 

Happy Summer!! (Since it was 87 degrees today in Hanover... yikes!)

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Service with a shovel . . . and a smile! :)

This is Sister Bills reporting live from my swivelly library chair in Hanover, PA. Breaking news this week: my companion and I spent three hours mulching trees outside a state park office on Saturday and now our backs are really sore from shoveling and wheelbarrowing up and down the treacherous hills of Codorus, PA. 

Other services that we provided this week included: playing games with a less active family so that their mom could get some work done around the house, weeding an older sister's garden, helping a partially paralyzed brother do his exercises and build his strength in hopes of him making a full recovery, and getting our ward mission leader's home ready for a yard sale.

Consequently, we're feeling slightly exhausted and definitely achy.

The good news is, we're heading to Fairview tomorrow afternoon when the friendly chiropractor lives and we are going to get realigned and then we're going to rub the knots out of each other's shoulders and be good as new :) 

The other good news is, we feel very accomplished and spiritually happy. It was a good week! 

It's crazy to think that transfers were just this last Tuesday. I feel like that was ages ago. Everyone is in their new areas now, and we were able to see the transfer boards and it's so exciting to see where all my friends are serving and who they're serving with! One of the Sisters that I was just an STL over (Sister Aston) got transferred to Pitt 6th and is now serving in a trio with Courtney's little sister - Sister Crockett. Also, Hermanita Landa is now serving with someone that Sister Talbot used to be companions with! I think it's so fun to find little connections like that.  Maybe I'm just weird. I always like to see where my peeps end up. 

But, as you know, Sister Talbot and I were unaffected by the transfer and are so happy to be serving together for another six weeks. We are just starting to see our area take off and we're working with quite a few very promising people. We're hoping to be able to take a temple trip soon with Mammaw and help her get some of her family names baptized. That will be really cool. 

I was able to make some really good friends this week. One, I found in a field a Codorus. It was just laying in the middle of the field... a little dead fish. About 300 feet from the nearest lake. It was actually a pretty cool neature moment for me because the park officers were telling me about how the eagles had probably caught it and were taking it to their babies and had dropped it. So I just kind of felt a connection to the eagles. You can apparently watch the live feed of how they're doing online somewhere. I wouldn't know. 

My other friend was a hissing goose. I was in the middle of telling him how wonderful of a day it was and he just started hissing at me? It was the greatest moment of my life. But I started to feel bad when he walked over and pecked at the sleeping goats. I felt like it was my fault. I am the scum of the earth. 

We actually had a really awesome moment on Wednesday. I have been working at getting better at recognizing spiritual promptings.Wednesday was a struggle because we had so many appointments that were set and that were supposed to work out. We had so many that we were worried how we were going to make it to all of them. But then, seemingly simultaneously, everyone decided to cancel. So we were really sad. We were trying to figure out what the Lord wanted us to do, so we decided that we just needed to act. So we started just stopping by and trying to visit people... nothing was working out. So, we went home to have dinner and we were feeling a little frustrated and not able to motivate ourselves to go back out. A quote from "Ephraim's Rescue" came to my mind: "You can't move mountains while you're sitting on your backside." So, I told that to Sister Talbot and we both decided to go see this Less Active Sister who we hadn't been able to have any luck with previously. 

Well guess what?

Bet you can't guess what happened!?

I'll tell you.

WE GOT IN.

Not only were we able to visit with her, but we also met her daughter who has been inactive for several years. They both expressed a desire to come back - told us that they've been talking about it for a while and they both feel like they're ready for it. We shared a message about sacrifice and about how we can be sanctified and receive blessings as we make sacrifices for the Lord. The spirit was so strong and it was so much fun to be there with them. 

We had similar experiences on Thursday and Sunday, as well - both with families that we had previously not been able to make any progress with. It has been so wonderful to see how, if you just give all your faith, will, and best effort to the Lord, He will somehow make it enough. Just like He did with the loaves and the fishes when He fed the 5,000. There was no way those things were ever going to be enough, but He just made them be. He has the power to do that with our efforts, as well. When we are sincerely putting forth our best effort, and giving all our faith to following Him, we will see miracles in our lives.

I know it. :) 

Love, 

Hermana Bills

 

Faye's Day

Well. 

This week was straight up awesome because FAYE GOT BAPTIZED. 

It was the coolest thing ever!! 

You guys don't even know!!!!!

So first off, Faye is just hands down the most incredible person I've probably ever met. She has been SO prepared by the hand of the Lord over the last 22 years that it amazes me. I would always say to her, "Mammaw," (we call her mammaw) "you realize that a potato could be teaching you right now and you'd still be getting baptized. You are so prepared." And then she would always talk about how it's all thanks to her granddaughters Courtney and Ally who were her angels and her examples of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bless our lives, and how they were the ones who convinced her that the church was true. 

Her story is incredible. 22 years ago, her daughter Cheryl and her son-in-law Greg (currently serving as bishop  ) ran into some missionaries and decided to join the church. Courtney was like 5 at the time and Ally was born a year later. Well, they lived and loved the gospel with all their hearts, and then Cheryl got really sick and passed away. Faye said she was amazed by how Courtney and Ally and Greg were able to handle the loss of their mother and wife. Then, Courtney was called to serve a mission in Rio. Faye said that watching Courtney go out and serve the Lord for 18 months was so incredible, she knew there had to be truth to the gospel she was teaching. 

That's where we came in. I remember my first night in Hanover, we were out on a team up with Courtney and she said, "I really hope you guys will be able to teach my Mammaw." and I thought to myself, "Yeah. We'll get her baptized." 

Well, sure enough... It happened last Saturday. The baptism was wonderful. She had so many people there to love and support her - people who knew and loved Cheryl, as well. 

The spirit was so strong. Faye was able to have a wonderful experience as she was getting baptized. She told us after the service, "I know that Greg was in that font and that his hand was on my back helping me up out of the water. But there was another hand in there, as well."

SPIRIT BUMPS!! 

She's the coolest lady ever. We are so happy to have her baptized. 

Other than that... this week just kind of flew by like a blur. It is amazing to me to see how the Lord prepares you for specific moments. That because of your trials and your experience; your faithfulness and your obedience, you can help the people that He places in your path to strengthen their faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Some good things that happened this week:

Pal lunch. My favorite thing. Tuna noodle casserole and homeless people. Yo-ho yo-ho Pal lunch life for me. 

Our investigators Lauryn and Brady went to Florida and GOT HITCHED! :D

We got to do a lot of service for members in the ward!! #youwantfrieswiththat

We gave a Book of Mormon to a baptist lady and she asked why "all you mormons look so healthy?" So we've got a follow-up appointment to talk about the word of wisdom :) 

We had a wonderful lesson with our 9-year-old investigator about the Plan of Salvation and realized that we really don't know how to teach children so if anyone can help us out with tips or teaching tools... we need all the help me can get!! 

We went to Texas Roadhouse with a 90-year-old member and SHE drove us and she is like... hands down the spriest 90-year-old I've ever met. She loves her bbq ribs. Then, the next day, we had a combined ward activity for her 90th birthday and it was a surprise birthday party and it was great! Tons of people came and she was totally surprised! I told everyone that it probably wasn't a good idea to try and surprise someone of her age... but no one would listen to me!! It turned out okay, though. No heart attacks or anything... She's a sturdy one! Love her so much :) 

The saddest thing that happened this week was that the moving elders came down from Pittsburgh and we helped them move all of the things out of the Clarksons apartment and it made me so Clarkson-sick. I really miss them so dang much...  It's been really hard to have them gone, and moving their apartment out... it made me cry all over again! So that was a struggle. 

The good news is, we'll be able to see them next week at MLC and I seriously can't wait. 

Well... Today marks another transfer... this is #8 for me, so I've got 5 left after this one. I'm kind of wigging out. I'm to the point in my mission where the "younger folk" start referring to me as an old missionary, and I don't like that very much. I keep telling everyone that I just came out, because that's what it feels like! But whatever ;) 

But anyway. Sister Talbot and I are having a blast. We're learning and growing so much spiritually - individually and as a companionship. I honestly don't know what I'd do without her in my life right now. She is so great! 

Well... Alright. I guess that's about it for this week! Sorry it's short and sweet. Our weeks are super busy and fun, and PA is beautiful right now as spring springs up everywhere! 

I love you guys!! 

Love, 

Hermana Bills