Purging

Buffalo Wild Wings

  

Holy cow! So many ups and downs this week! 

This morning, Hermana Davis and I were studying in John 15:1-16 and we loved verse two which says, 

          "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." 

We absolutely loved that scripture this morning because it just described our lives this past week. There were so many amazing incredible moments and so many "purging" moments as well. But just to read that scripture and know that the Lord is not purging us because He doesn't love us or feels that we're not working hard enough. He is purging us because we're bringing forth fruit, and He wants us to reach the fullest of our potential. 

We are praying for charity. 

We are working on becoming more bold. 

We are developing our faith.

It has been such a wonderful experience serving with Hermana Davis. Because we work so hard and we try so hard but at the same time it just comes so naturally because she is such an outstanding missionary. It's so easy to work the area because we really don't have to work at our companionship. It's exactly what this branch needs right now. We can completely focus all of our time and love and energy and just put it all into the branch because we don't have to worry about getting along or being disobedient or anything. 

It's amazing.

So that's exactly what we've been doing. Putting everything we have into the branch. The work is exhausting, but it is well worthwhile. 

Some of the lows that we hit this week...

on Monday we got cut 300 miles which was a real hit for the area. We have been praying to know how to work the area and last transfer we received 300 extra miles so that we could get to each of the sub areas that we cover. But now with the cut, we're not sure how we're supposed to make it work. We've been struggling a little bit because we don't understand how there are missionaries who are only covering the boundaries for half of a ward who have 900 miles, and we're supposed to cover the boundaries for half of a STAKE and we only have 1000 miles - only 100 more than those other areas. Someone tell me how we're supposed to cover 4 enormous wards with 1000 miles. Hahaha. Soooo it's just kind of stressful and we're trying to pray for patience to deal with the situation. We've just been spending a LOT of time walking around from appointment to appointment and getting better and better at planning things closely together so that when we have appointments in our far out areas, that we have the miles to get there. 

BUT I guess it's just preparing us for our new area!!! 

We were just confirmed this week that we're DEFINITELY getting moved to the new walk area that's opening up in the branch and honestly we are just so stoked. We have wanted this so bad and just prayed and prayed to receive it and the Lord was all like, "Knock and ye shall receive." And we were all like, "OMG did that really just work?"

TOTES DID. 

So that was a highlight and definitely not a low light so it shouldn't have been included in this section but it was just such a good transition so it had to be done. 

But I guess I shouldn't really focus on the negative things that happened this week. I do what you guys to know that I definitely have days where I struggle and cry and that things are really hard but in spite of all of those things I always focus on the one guy who pulls me through and that is my Savior Jesus Christ. Why should I be focused on the bad things that happen or the trials that come when I have a God who loves me and is perfectly aware of me? Who directs me in the work and has prepared a plan for my life that is perfect and beautiful beyond anything I can ever imagine on my own? 

And I truly have felt that. 

This week we had the amazing opportunity to go to the Washington DC temple. As I sat in the Celestial room I was just overcome with this incredible joy and feeling of love that the Lord has for me. I am becoming (slowly but surely) more and more aware of His watchful hand, guiding and directing me in my life. Always for the better. I know that He prepares each of us for our great callings in life. My love for the Lord and His commandments has never been stronger. This gospel is so amazing. I am so blessed to be a part of it! 

The temple was incredible. I learned so many new things as we went through the endowment session. I was grateful for the opportunity to go. It has been hard to only go every couple months as a missionary. I have made a goal to go weekly when I get home, and I'm so excited for that! 

Something else that I will never take for granted LITERALLY EVER AGAIN is Cafe Rio you guys. 

That place. 

Is.

Amazing.

We went there on Saturday on our way back from the temple and I literally wept tears of joy. 

Cafe Rio is the food of choice in the celestial kingdom. 

I know it. 

I have leftovers in the fridge back home and I am planning on eating them within the hour. 

I haven't felt this excited about anything in a long time. 

Jk.

Speaking of excitement, though! Some exciting news! Diana and Jorge got married on Thursday this week!! There was so much support and love from the members of the branch. Hermana Martinez (our hispanic adopted mother) called us on Wednesday night and we spent a little under an hour getting things set up so that Diana and Jorge felt special and loved! It went really well and looked really nice! It was a super short ceremony, and there was a little gathering afterward. We met Diana's daughter and son-in-law! They were really nice. 

More excitement, Jorge finished the lessons and passed his baptismal interview, so he'll be getting baptized this Saturday! We're so stoked! 

We were able to work with some awesome families this week and so see a lot of success! Honestly it's something that is so exciting to be able to work with FAMILIES rather than individuals. So cool. So we'll see what comes out of some of those things. Stay tuned.

We were also able to pick up a new investigator living in Elizabethtown! He doesn't speak any English so he wants to come to the branch with us! But it's like a 45 minute drive! He has a car and everything, he's just got to be willing to make the sacrifice! So we're hoping that as we teach the gospel to him boldly and with love that he will understand the importance of coming to church! He seems like a seriously great guy, and hopefully we can start teaching his son as well!! 

Anyway! This work is amazing! I'm out of time for the week, I feel like I could go on and on and on! 

You guys are so amazing! I hope that you feel my love and that you know how spectacular you are! We each have a purpose in this life - we are so important in the Lord's work!! He needs us! 

So go out there and change lives! 

I'll be doing the same right along with you! 

I LOVE YOU GUYS! 

Love, 

Hermana Bills 

MI VIDA HA CAMBIADO. I finally get it.

HEY GUYS!

Everything is great! Seriously! 

Blacklight

This week was so amazing. I have seriously been able to see the hand of the Lord in my life this week in a powerful way. It's been truly incredible. I am so blessed. 

Things started off wonderfully when we happened to miraculously run into Kathy again as we were running on the track one morning. She asked if she could walk with us and she confided in us some of the things that she was going through and struggling with. We told her that we'd love to come do some service for her, and she actually stopped and thought about it and said that she would try to think of something that we could do for her. So she was going to let us know! 

BUT THEN I GOT SICK! D: I was so sick and running this awful fever and I just felt awful. So we didn't do missionary work all day one day this week cause I was just so gross and sick. We went to the church to get a blessing from the elders because I was so sick... did I mention how sick I was? It was awful! The worst part of being sick is that you feel guilty for being sick because you're not doing missionary work and then it's just even worse because you can't do anything about it but sleep so that you can get better so that you can do missionary work sooner but then when you're sleeping you feel bad cause you're not doing missionary work! 

The cycle! 

It is just awful. 

But anyway, the blessing was super awesome, even though I don't even feel like Elder Ekins was talking at all about how I was going to be healed and get better. He talked more about the importance of the work we were doing and how I am here for a reason and how the people need me and I need to be here and there was one point of the blessing where Hermana Davis and I were just SO SURE that he was going to tell me how much longer I am going to be serving in the area, but then he changed what he was saying mid-sentence and it was awful! 

But anyway. So I finally got better and then we went and had interviews with President Johnson and that part of the blessing was just tearing me up, so I made sure to ask PJ if I'll be staying for another transfer and he said YES!! 

YOU GUYS!!

HE SAID YES!!

I GET TO STAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am literally the happiest sister missionary en todo el mundo!! 

Anyway. The interview actually went super well. We talked about some awesome stuff. I love being able to have one on one time with my mission president. He makes me feel like I'm the best missionary in the whole world and that I can do anything! 

I bet that's how interviews would feel like if we were face to face with our Heavenly Father!! The best! 

Well, I guess unless we were wicked. Then we'd probably want the depths of earth to swallow us up and the mountains to cover us and the whirlwinds to carry us away and buildings to fall on us and crush us to pieces and grind us to powder.

Either or. 

But anyway, at least I'm not wicked so I didn't have to worry about that sensation in my interview. It just went good and we both cried together and it was really nice. 

I told him again of the love I have for this area and the people and Hermana Davis and how I don't know if I've ever been happier in my entire life. Everything is awesome. 

Some awesome things that happened this week specifically was that we were able to do service for an inactive member who is really struggling with her testimony right now and has been thinking about leaving the church. It ended up being really good and we thought of the perfect idea to invite the relief society president to come with us since she is a professional painter. Maybe some fellowship will help this lost sister feel loved and important and have a desire to come back! Who knows what will happen. 

We were also able to get a team up with one of my favorite people - Hermana Mateo! She drove us ALL the way out to columbia - a 30 minute drive one way - drove us all over the town looking for potentials, and walked around with us while we knocked on doors for like a whole hour. And then when we were FINALLY about to leave, thinking that the whole evening was a failure, I saw this young mom unloading stuff out of her trunk. We went over to see if she needed help, and we offered her the gospel and she was super interested and she said we could come back! Now we have a return appointment for this Wednesday and Hermana Mateo is planning on coming again! The Lord blesses us so much! We have the best members in the whole world! 

We've been following the prompting that the Lord gave us to spend a lot of time with the members whenever we can. This week we were able to stop by and visit with a family that is struggling right now that we didn't know very well, and now we're super close! We found out that they've been wanting to do family history for forever and didn't know how, and now we have an appointment with them to do it at the church with another member! We also found out that they have two less active sons, and that we can work with one and try to help to reactivate him! It was such a good visit. The spirit was really strong! And now we have a great relationship with that family, they called us a few times this week and we just love them so much and are super excited to get them to the temple to do the work for their ancestors! 

The best day of the week, however, was fast sunday. 

Honestly yesterday just changed my life. 

We had the opportunity to go to SPC which was the first and probably only time any sister missionary in this whole mission has and/or will ever go to that meeting so that was crazy. Our stake president just asked us to be there to talk about the branch and it was insane. We had to wake up at 5am and drive an hour to get there, though. Crazy. But it seriously changed my life. He was talking about the reason they decided to organize the branch after YEARS of trying and how it had never been right in the past but they had FINALLY gotten the ok from Heavenly Father to go ahead and try it. But he told us that if they do not see SIGNIFICANT GROWTH in the branch, that they'll just dissolve it back into the wards and that was it. It just got so real after he said that. And I think right then it finally clicked how important this work is. Like... Not only do I feel the urgency for the branch - if we're not baptizing at least one family a month, they're going to close it down. But I feel the urgency for everyone. For like missionary work in general.

Guys! THE LORD IS COMING. Like we are preparing the way. This is the only dispensation in the whole history of the earth where we will not fail. Literally all the other prophets in every other dispensation of time knew that eventually the gospel was going to be taken from the earth. But THIS is the dispensation of the fullness of times. This is the one and only time where it will not fail. We are literally destined to succeed. And these people need to know that! They need to know that this is the way to live in God's presence again! If we don't tell them, who will!? 

Wow.

So anyway. 

But yeah so then we had church which is always great. Somehow we ended up not having anyone signed up to feed us for dinner which is SUPER unusual, not only for a Sunday but especially for a fast Sunday, so we were really sad. But we had some leftovers from dinner with w member from a couple of days ago and we figured we could just eat that. So we were leaving the church after sacrament meeting with heads hung low and ALL THE SUDDEN this member (the Martinez family) just put their van in reverse and called us to come over and talk to them and get said "Hermanas, where are you going right now." And we said we were just going home cause we didn't have a dinner appointment. Then they said "Hermanas! Eso es apostasía. Ustedes tienen que venir con nosotros a nuestra casa" so they invited us over and we had dinner with them and it was amazing! They made us authentic Colombian food and I was drooling it was so delicious. 

Then we had a miracle! One of the sisters in the relief society called Hermana Martinez (cause we have an elderly member that was checked into the hospital on Saturday - grampa Arocho) and she was looking for someone to go to the hospital with her because she wanted to visit him but she didn't want to go alone. Luckily, we didn't have any set appointments, so we were able to help her out! She expressed how grateful she was because she had called like 4 other people and no one had been available. But honestly it was just such a good experience for us. We got to sit and listen to him tell his conversion story and we sang hymns together and talked about the gospel and it was super spiritually uplifting. It was a great blessing. 

So basically missionary work is the best thing ever. I can't believe it took me 13 months of being a missionary to finally start to get the full importance of being a missionary, and the urgency in the work. I do not want to let one single person pass me by without making sure that they have a real chance to understand and accept Christ and His gospel. This is way too important. 

I love this work!

I love you guys, 

Have a good week!!

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Enviado desde mi iPad

Only in Pennsylvania!

I love these people. and free newspapers. Nothing better!

TIRA-MISU GUYS, lol, get it? ;)

Wow! What a week! 

So this week we were starting to get SO stressed out because one of our goals for our companionship was to involve the members WAY more in missionary work, and we feel like we've been trying SO hard to do that and like no one ever answers their phones, or if we leave messages they never call us back and it's just really really stressful.

So we were having this stake activity this week and we really wanted our investigators Diana and Jorge to go. They had even made food to take for the potluck dinner and they were really excited, but no one was answering our phone calls or returning any of our messages. I think we tried almost everyone on the branch list and like half of the people on the Lancaster ward list that I know, and hadn't heard back from anyone and it was just really dumb! 

Basically we were just feeling really frustrated so we decided that we needed to pray about it. So we took it to our Heavenly Father, and he just gave us the peace and comfort that we needed. We knew that we had done all that we could do, and so we just left it in his hands. So we started getting ready for bed, and all of a sudden, a member called us back! Not only was she willing to take Diana and Jorge to the activity, but she wanted to come to the lesson that we were having with them right before the activity started! It was amazing! And she is the perfect fellowshipper for them because she is bilingual! It was amazing! 

Diana and Jorge

The most incredible thing was that she was absolutely key in the lesson that we were having with Diana. Diana has been struggling with how she feels about Joseph Smith, and honestly she really just didn't understand that there is ONE church. So we knew that we needed to go back over the story of the restoration, and to talk about the importance of sincere scripture study and fervent prayer. The member was able to come in and boldly testify that the things we were saying were true. We knew that things were finally clicking with Diana. We were so bold that sometimes I worried if it was too much, but it ended up being exactly what Diana needed, and the spirit was so strong! Then that evening at the stake activity we watched Meet the Mormons. Diana came up to us afterward and told us about how much of a blessing the whole day had been for her. In regards to the movie she said, "I really felt something, wow. This makes my decision to join the church so much easier." 

SO SHE FINALLY GOT HER ANSWER! 

Which is really awesome because tonight we're teaching the word of wisdom hahaha so just keep us in your prayers! ;) 

Speaking of... 

We had a SUUPER awkward dinner appointment with them this week. The food was really good and everything was going great. We were "No Spanish" at the dinner table and Jorge was practicing his English and he's actually really good! And then Diana is like, "Oh I made tiramisu for dessert, so I hope you saved room!" and luckily Hermana Davis was like, "Oh, what's tiramisu?" And then Diana told us it had coffee in it and she just went off on how delicious it is and how much she loves tiramisu and how it's her favorite desert and she made it for her birthday but made sure to make enough so that there'd be some leftover for our dinner appointment and how she likes it with extra coffee and Hermana Davis and I just got all quiet and awkward and changed the subject. I was just praying that I would know what to say because at that point, we knew that she didn't have a testimony of Joseph Smith. So I was just praying and praying. Then she says, "Anyone ready for dessert?" 

So then I just explained to her a little about the word of wisdom, and how we don't drink coffee because of it and she was just really shocked and had a lot of questions. But it ended up being really good, even though at the beginning it was super awkward. We talked about what was really important was that she needed to get a testimony of Joseph Smith and to understand that he was called by God as a prophet, and once she got that testimony, then she would understand why it's so important to live the word of wisdom. So it ended up being really good. But at first it was just soooo awkward. hahaha #missionprobs

This week was also awesome because we were able to pick up two new amazing investigators. Reilin is probably 14-17 years old. He is so amazing! We just street contacted him and he said he was really interested, and hopefully we can start teaching his whole family as well! They are all super nice. Reilin is a super sharp kid and he totally picked up on everything we were teaching really quickly. The next step is just to find someone who can be his friend! 

The other one is Rosie! So we were working in Columbia one day, tracting doors in this apartment complex and we knocked on Rosie's door and her first instinct was not to let us in. We told her who we were and why we were knocking on her door, and she went off on this whole schpeel about how her brother had just passed away and she really didn't want to hear it. But instead of giving up, we bore our testimony about how this message was exactly what she needed in her life right now and how we know that families are forever and that the gospel will help her find greater peace and her countenance changed completely and she cut me off mid-sentence and said, "Come on in." and we had an amazing first lesson and we've got a team up to go back Tuesday night! So hopefully great things will come from that! 

This week we were also able to do a lot of service! We helped one of our less active members clean her house because she is taking care of her granddaughter and never has time to do it. 

We also volunteer on a weekly basis at the hispanic center where we make food and prepare lunches for poor and homeless people and it's always so amazing. This week was super crazy cause we just kept running out of food and they had to keep bringing different things out! It's so sad to see all of the people who are suffering - especially all of the children. The hard thing is that like all of them have these smart phones but they can't afford to feed themselves! It just breaks my heart to see these people who don't know how to take care of themselves. And like quite a few of them that we've talked to never even graduated from high school so they don't have educations and they can't get into a university or get a good job... it is seriously heart breaking! 

It just makes me realize how important it is to have strong families in today's society. The prophets and apostles are SO inspired! (Obviously!!) They talk so much on the importance of establishing strong families and basing them on the principles of the gospel. I am so grateful for my mission and how it has taught me how blessed I am to have parents like mine, and just especially to have the gospel in my life because I receive SO many blessings from the teachings of the church and being a member. I am so blessed. 

Something that has just blown me away is the love that I have for these people. I did not know that I was capable of loving anyone as much as I love the people we're teaching and the members in this branch. Like last night I was just saying my nightly prayer and I seriously started crying because I was just overwhlemed with love as I thought about the incredible individuals that I have the opportunity of working with and...wow. I am the luckiest son of a gun out there. 

Funny story for the week. AND IF THIS DOESN'T SHOW MY LOVE FOR THE BRANCH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.

So something that the branch has been struggling with is finding people to play the piano every week. Like I am the unofficial branch chorister and so I get up and conduct the music. Usually at the last second, they'll scrape something together so that we have audio. But this week nobody showed up and we didn't get audio hooked up or anything. So the first councilor in the branch presidency just asked if I would conduct and just sing really loud. I was super nervous because I DO NOT LIKE SINGING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. Haha. But I told him that I would do anything for the branch! So I got up. The first song wasn't too bad cause everyone knew it. 

Then came the sacrament hymn....

Nobody really knew which hymn it was. 

Heck, I didn't really know which hymn it was. So I tried to hum it out in my head and then I thought that I had figured out which hymn it was, so I indicated to the congregation to start singing and I just went into it whole-heartedly, fully expecting everyone to join in.

But no one did.

So I was literally just singing a solo.

In front of everyone.

For like the first two lines. 

Cristo el Redentor murio will forever be my least favorite hymn because of that. 

But Hermana Davis laughed about it throughout the meeting and for a good five or six hours afterward, so at least someone got a kick out of it. 

I love you all. 

Lancaster is amazing. I never want to leave.

I'm talking to President about it this Friday during our interview.

I'm really excited!! 

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Homies and Humidity

This week has been incredible. 

Is that how I start my emails every week? 

I don't know man, it's always the truth though. I have been having a pretty dang good mission these past 12 months. But this one really takes the cake. It just gets better and better every day. 

So honestly I was really scared when Hermana Tolman left because I felt like I'd never be able to have that much fun with another companion. But I was wrong. Hermana Davis is literally the best, funniest person on this entire planet. She is so awesome. We're going to have a lot of fun together. 

The only problem is that she is SUPER intimidating! Not only is she the nicest, funnest person you will ever meet - she always has a smile on her face and she is not afraid to talk to every single person and she has the ability to make them feel so loved and needed - but she is also the hardest working missionary I think I have ever seen. She is so focused on her purpose. All of the time. Like companionship studies with Hermana Davis are some of the best things that I have ever experienced. We get so much done. We stayed completely focused during weekly planning. And yet somehow we're still laughing and happy and having a good time. 

Also she is literally the most beautiful person you will ever meet. Ever. And she like doesn't even try!! Her outfits are always professional and adorable. Her face is perfect. 

So the problem here is that I will never be able to measure up to Hermana Davis. But I am just blessed to serve with her. 

What a blessing. 

SPEAKING OF BLESSINGS.

Can we just talk about Tuesday? 

At first it wasn't a blessing because Hermana Tolman left me and I was really sad about that. But it was her time, you know? It was her time... 

But then! The greatest thing happened! 

I got to go work in Lebanon for the entire day! 

DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW HOW AMAZING THAT IS!? 

I got to see so many people that I miss and love and that I haven't heard from in quite a while and it was really amazing. And Hermana Tolman and I spent Monday night in the Lebanon apartment and it was just like old times. 

Well, except for the fact that we weren't sleeping in beds. But whateva. 

ALSO! Anyone remember the Christmas tree that Hermana Landa and I purchased in December? IT WAS STILL UP! I have never been so happy! Hahaha it was so rad. 

But anyway. One of the best experiences was with Sister Dourte. She is a recently reactivated member that I love SO much. Like she seriously means so much to me!! And I want to share this story not because I want to boast or anything but I just want whoever is reading this to know that YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES even if you don't realize it. 

So when I was serving in Lebanon, we used to visit Sister Dourte pretty regularly. She was someone that I felt a real connection with, so even though she didn't exactly show signs of progression, I still wanted to go and visit with her. Honestly she reminded me a lot of my grandma Johnson. Her husband wasn't a member and I was always really interested in teaching him the lessons, but he always seemed pretty weary whenever we asked. So we didn't push it super hard. 

When I left the area, I thought about them a lot but I never found time to write them or anything. When I heard that Brother Dourte had passed away, I was really torn up about it. I was super worried about Sister Dourte. I wrote her a letter to let her know how much I cared and I bore my testimony of the Plan of Salvation, but I never heard from her. 

When I found out that I was spending the day in Lebanon, I knew that Sister Dourte was at the very top of people that I wanted to visit. So we got to go over there and that conversation changed my life.

I've never really felt like I've had anyone on my mission that I was sent specifically to teach them. You know how like you hear stories all the time about people who have "their missionary" who like none of the other missionaries seemed to be able to connect with them until that one missionary comes along and says something that just like changes their mind or finally clicks with them or whatever? Well I'd never really felt like I'd had any of those people on my mission. I just felt like all of the people I taught were so prepared and that the Lord had just helped them along so much. And honestly, that's really what it all comes down to. But the Lord loves to use us in His work to touch the lives of people. We literally are His hands. And as I sat there and listened to Sister Dourte explain how much of an impact I had on her and her husband, and that he had started to think about joining the church, and they talked about how much they missed me when I left, and I was just so shocked! Because honestly I had no idea! 

I think sometimes we underestimate the impact that we have on people's lives. We know how much other people mean to us, but we forget that we are important in the lives of other people as well. I know that I have a tendency to forget about that. But we are SO important to the Lord and to the people in our lives. If any one of you ever forgets how important you are to me, I just want you to remember that YOU ARE AMAZING! And you mean so much to me! 

This week I got a couple of letters in the mail from the young women back home and they made me cry because they were so sweet and wonderful! I wanted to just hug each of those girls and tell them how much those letters meant to me and how much I needed them! I also got one from my sweet Mamma! I felt so loved!! You guys are seriously the most amazing people! 

This week has been hard but SO good! Hermana Davis (like I already said) is the hardest worker ever! At the beginning of the week I started to feel really sick, and I couldn't seem to shake it throughout the week, so we haven't been going to the track in the morning to work out this week. But on Friday we had weekly planning and comp inventory and I set me goal to go to the track and run EVERY day this week! Because I was just tired of feeling sick and icky! 

So this morning we got up and headed out the door and the Lord was able to bless us with the miracle of running into this awesome lady named Kathy. We invited her to walk with us and she just talked with us about her faith and some of the miracles that the Lord has given her in her life and we got to share our testimonies of how Christ loves us and we even talked about the Book of Mormon and she thought it was so awesome! Ugh! I love people! 

She said that she is usually out walking near the track in the morning, so hopefully we get to run into her again! I'm going to bring a copy of the Book of Mormon with me every morning to work out! Haha #missionprobs

Also! This morning we saw a bunch of Amish people at Walmart while we were shopping and ever since we did service on that Amish farm I feel like all of them are my best friends so we were smiling and waving and talking to all of them and it was so fun. 

Being a missionary in Lancaster is the best. 

I seriously feel like our apartment complex just sums up what it's like to serve in this area... on the far side of the complex it's like... pretty sketchy and a lot of questionable people live there, and then there's us in the middle with our asian neighbors who sit on their porch and play the guitar and bbq every night and just are all around really good people, and then on the other side is this giant glorious Amish corn field in full bloom and I just seriously love living here. 

Just... gah.

I love it.

(except for the humidity) 

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Skype-ing Correlation meetings

Our District

Mormon 9:15;19 HE CHANGETH NOT

SONG OF THE WEEK

"God of my Everything"

not actually sure who sings it. The USB says Aaron Shurst but... who knows. The USB has been wrong before. 

This week was so amazing! so many incredible things happened! There's no way that I'll have time to write them all, we're short on time this week because it's Hermana Tolman's last pday as a missionary, and so we've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get everything done. I'm just amazed that I had time to brush my teeth this morning! I haven't even eaten yet today and it's noon!! Woah! 

Well the first and most important was our lesson with Hector. 

Oh my gosh.

Have you ever read that account in the Book of Mormon when Alma the younger sees the sons of Mosiah again and they're all just so happy and wow! That feeling is a real and legitimate feeling. I didn't know that feeling of happiness even existed. I could relive that moment over and over again. 

It was so funny. 

So we were walking on the street and getting closer and closer and it was honestly just... wow. The anticipation was killing me and then we round the corner to his house and THERE HE WAS!! And I was just so done with the situation like Hermana Tolman and I just wanted to run up and hug him but then he wasn't wearing a shirt so we definitely DIDN'T do that...  So instead I just turned around and walked the other way haha cause I was so done with the situation. LIKE WE HAVE LITERALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS MAN AND HIS FAMILY FOR 5 WEEKS AND THERE THEY WERE? 

No.

Just no!! 

Miracles like that do not just happen!! 

But they totally do!

And this week they did! 

Well, Hector was his usual sassy self and we just could not stop smiling and we  bore our testimonies that they were ready to make this commitment and that God had allowed us to find them again because he knew that they were ready and we invited them to be baptized and they said yes and we all lived happily ever after.

Except not really because Hector and his family live in West York and so we don't actually get to continue teaching them... :( So we had to send them over to the elders which was truly unfortuante because I would have given anything to teach them because they're so prepared... 

But I was just praying about it, wondering why we couldn't have the opportunity to teach them because honestly I was just sad... and the answer that I got was this really warm feeling of peace and a voice that told me, "If I needed you to be teaching him right now, he would be living in Lancaster." And that was enough for me. All the fear and sadness was just replaced with this peace and gratitude that I had been given the opportunity to take part in the miracle of finding him again. Like... 

wow. 

Just wow. 

We had so many other awesome miracles this week!

It was just a week of miracles! 

One of those miracles is Rufino.

So when Salvador was baptized last Saturday (the 4th) we passed around these little cards and invited people to think of a name and write it on the card. Then our branch mission leader just got up and testified that whatever name the Lord was going to put into their mind was someone that He had prepared to hear the message. 

One of the sisters - Hermana Concha - had this person come into her mind, but she didn't think it was the right timing or anything, so she didn't write him down or refer him to us. 

But the very next day, Rufino was calling her and told her that he was feeling really lonely and lost and that he felt like something was missing in his life and he just wanted to be happy. 

She was all like, "Whaaa??"

So she told us to go contact him and he was so happy to have us over. We taught him the message of the Restoration and he loved it and invited us back and even came to church this Sunday! The members were so sweet and welcoming and it was just such an amazing miracle.

AND GET THIS.

He's Salvador's old roommate! 

#whaaat

#miraclesonmiracles

So when Salvador showed up at church we told him, "Hey! Rufino is here!" And he was like, "What? Rufino? How?" And they sat by each other and smiled and laughed and were so happy and honestly I've never seen Salvador that happy than to sit in church next to his friend who had decided to follow the Savior just like he had... 

 Ugh. So many tender moments. 

And speaking over sacrament meeting... that may have been the biggest miracle of all... 

WE HAD NEARLY 50 PEOPLE AT SACRAMENT MEETING YESTERDAY.

YOU GUYS.

IT WAS INSANE. 

A lot of them were just visitors. One of the members - Mercedes - had her daughter in town and all her family from the Dominican Republic and they stopped by to visit. Well Mercedes' son (also a member), was giving a talk in sacrament meeting that day - he had been assigned to do so like a month in advance. So when the whole family came to visit, he was like, "I'm sorry guys, I have to go to church because I'm giving a talk." And they were like, "Oh, it's fine. We'll just come with you!" IT WAS SO COOL! 

The spirit was super strong. Hermana Tolman gave a departing testimony and I was just bawling because I'm gonna miss her so much. The talks were very spiritually uplifting and I think a lot of the visitors and less actives that were there felt the spirit super strongly. There have been some less actives coming out recently that haven't been to church in YEARS and it's been so incredible! 

One of those is our best friends Eunice. Ugh. she seriously means the world to me. She came yesterday for the first time in a really long time. Like I don't even know how long it's been since she's come out. Then, later in the evening when we had a lesson with her, she told us about how peaceful she felt. We committed her to just keep it a habit now, and she said that she would. She's committed to coming to church again next week!! It was such a break through! 

Anyway! After sacrament meeting we talked to this couple who were visiting from Washington, they're members of the Concha family (the family that is baptizing nations in this Branch - Hermana Concha referred us to Rufino and the other Hermana Concha referred us to Salvador. So basically they're boss.) but the guy apparently has been less active for a couple years, and his wife wants to take the lessons and get baptized!

WHAT? 

Wow... 

Pretty much just another day in the life of Hermana Tolman and Hermana Bills. People just walking around, asking us to be baptized ;) hahaha. ;) 

Not much else happened this week. Just trying to finish up some loose odds and ends before Hermana Tolman heads back home to that eternal pday in the sky ;) We said goodbye to a lot of people. 

One of my favorite things about serving in a branch as opposed to serving in a Ward is that you have the opportunity to help out a LOT because the members need a lot of help. So this week, because there are not a lot of sisters in our ward, but a lot of less active sisters to visit, we were given a visiting teaching list of people that we're assigned to visit teach. Haha. Didn't think I'd have one of those for at least a couple more months! So we had a good laugh over that. 

In other news... we had Zone Training on Wednesday. Learned about setting expectations and how important that is. 

We watched President Packer's funeral. So sad 

We found an investigator in Columbia. So our next step is to just go ahead and baptize everyone living in that city... or at least have enough work there so that President Johnsons can send another set of missionaries to start working there . 

IN OTHER NEWS!! There was a tornado warning in Lancaster County and we were just leaving a dinner appointment when the storm hit, and I don't think the tornado ever touched down or anything but the wind definitely tore a bunch of stuff up and knocked some trees over and wreaked a decent amount of general havoc and made a mess and blew stuff around a lot. You know. typical wind business. The craziest thing was that we were RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT and it legit was probably one of the most exciting moments of my entire life. Like.... Hands down. I don't think I've ever been so excited about anything. Cause we were just driving and it's like 5:00, right? But the sky is all like dark and greenish and then the lightning just starts flashing everywhere and the clouds are literally like SO close to the ground and it was just like we were in this tiny little dome of crazy hulk weather... and then it just starts POURING down rain like in these torrential sheets and we're literally driving like 12 miles an hour and the wind is seriously trying to blow our car away and I think that is one of the single happiest moments of my entire life. I was just so sure that I was going to see a tornado. I have never seen weather like that before!! Ugh. Coolest. It was so cool. 

Lastly, we committed two of our investigators to get baptized on August 8! It was amazing! They both said they feel so ready to start a new page in their lives. So hopefully we'll be having a couple awesome baptisms in the near future! 

Guys, thanks for all that you do for me! For the love and prayers and support. And the letters!! Thank you for all of the letters! You guys are seriously amazing. There is nothing that brings a bigger smile to my face than getting a hand-written letter from someone in our little mailbox on hitching post lane ;) hahaha. So if any of you are looking for a pen pal who usually doesn't respond to anything you send but at least you'll know that she was happy to hear from you... I'm your gal! ;) 

Hahaha. I love you guys. 

Love, 

Hermana Bills 

 15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.