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.

THE SINGLE GREATEST WEEK OF MY MISSION TO DATE

THIS WAS THE BEST WEEK EVER!!

Literally!

Like... I could not imagine a better week. 

It started on Monday (obviously), we hung out as a district and then we split up and went with the sisters to try to go thrifting when we discovered UNFORTUNATELY that the thrift shop we wanted to pop tags at actually wasn't even open for like... Who knows how long. So we just went to the mall, which was slightly uncomfortable. I mean, I've never been a big person for malls or shopping anyway, but just take that feeling of awkwardness and magnify it by a million and that's how I feel shopping in a mall as a missionary. It's not a pleasant experience. But it's what the gals wanted to do, so we did it. I love those sisters so dang munch. They mean everything in this world to me. I was feeling a little bit trunky/homesick and they just talked me through everything. It was so great. 

I think it is so funny how the devil and his little minions work so much harder on you when something incredible is about to happen in your life or in the work... But if you just persevere then the Lord will reward you. Just because you're currently surrounded by darkness, doesn't mean that the light will not come. So, I pushed through and this is how the week went.

The first miracle was Monday night. We were supposed to go on an. Exchange with our STLs. They were going to meet us in Lancaster at6 o'clock so that we could have our exchange review. Our dinner appointment was at 5:15, but we hurried out of there so that we could get to the chapel on time to meet with the sisters. Well, after about 15 minutes of waiting there for them, we decided that we should check our phone to see if something had come up because they obviously weren't at the chapel. 

When we looked at our phone we saw we had a couple of missed calls and missed texts from them. We found out that one of their recent converts was having a hard time trying to quit smoking, so sister Jarvis had given up her P day so that she could go sit with this convert, and hold her hand while she went through withdrawals. Meanwhile, sister Oliver had been staying with the Fergusons because she was sick. So the sisters were not going to be able to come to Lancaster. They called and asked if it would be possible for us to meet them in Elizabethtown. So, after a rockin lesson with one of our less active families, and after going to a members house to get to know her a little bit better, we headed on our way to meet up with the sisters.

When we got to the address that they had sent us, we walked up the steps, swang on their tire swing outside for a little bit, and then went in for our exchange review. The sisters were seated at a table with some of the members who lived in the house. At first, I was looking at one of the girls to try to figure out where I had seen her before, but I couldn't figure it out. I just couldn't quite place where I had seen her face before. All of a sudden, the mom walked in and I literally just fell to my knees with shock. Talk about a blast from the past! It was sister Ferguson, who I had talked with so long ago when I was on an exchange one of my very first transfers with sister Wade in Lititz. Way back when, we had just had the opportunity of teaching one of the Isaiah chapters in Nephi in the book of Mormon class that sister Ferguson used to attend, but has since stopped. I distinctly remember the first time I met her I had this deep impression that if I stay true and faithful to the Gospel, that someday I can become as faithful a servant as sister Ferguson. I had since forgotten the impression that she left on me that day in Lititz, but it quickly came back to me as I sat at the kitchen table in her home and exclaimed that I knew her! 

Not only was she alarmed by my exclamation, but I think it also threw her a little bit off that my first reaction was just to fall on my knees haha. She told me to sit down and asked when we had met. All I could say was, "I met you in Lititz on an exchange with Sister Wade and you told me things about this gospel that BLEW MY MIND." 

I couldn't stop freaking out. I couldn't believe that I had actually run into that family again. What are the odds!?

Anywhoo, while we were doing exchanger of you, she took the liberty to interrupt to give us a talk about being better at identifying with the speaker is speaking to us. It was such an answer to my prayer. I have read the talk several times over since I received it. It will greatly bless my life.

The exchange was great on Tuesday. We visited some wonderful people. We even went back to the ferguson home to help weed and then I got to talk to Sister Fergusons son, who is leaving for his mission this month. He's gonna be in the CCM! I'm so dang jealous! 

Anyway. We exchanged back that afternoon. I was so happy to be with Hermana Tolman again. Exchanges are fun, but sometimes you just want to be in your own area with your own companion, you know? So we are happy to be back. We got right back into work. We had this awesome active member lesson with one of the members in our branch that we didn't know super well and now we're like best friends with her. We sat down with her and got to know her life story and shared a message and now she wants to come out with us and teach people! Like she literally quit one of her jobs so that she could have more time available to go out with the missionaries! It was so cool. This branch is just getting stronger and stronger.

Speaking of strengthening the branch... Salvador was baptized!! It was incredible. Unfortunately, the water was freezing cold haha. We tried calling a bunch of people to come and fix it, but it would not be fixed. So we ended up just boiling a bunch of pots of really hot water and pouring them into the font to help bring the temperature up a little bit. When he was getting baptized, he wasn't bending over far enough (he probably didn't want to go in any farther into that freezing water) but anyway he wasn't getting submersed, so they had to try three times haha. But he was a trooper and seemed really happy. 

On Sunday when he was confirmed I was just crying and crying and then they stood up and had him sustained as a member and then like literally immediately after that President Gogna said that he also interviewed him that morning to receive the priesthood and found him worthy, so he gave him the Aaronic Priesthood right after church. It was crazy, and definitely did not help me with the whole crying issue. It was just an emotional day. 

Then, to make matters worse, I was prompted to bear my testimony. So I hopped right up and bore my testimony and, of course, I just kept right on crying. It was so crazy. 

I just want to share that testimony with you guys right now, though. Wednesday was a seriously incredible experience for me. It was the coolest thing... as I knelt down to pray that evening at 10:00pm, and realized that in Utah it was 8:00pm, which is right around the time that I was set apart to be a missionary exactly one year ago, I took some time to account to my Heavenly Father some of the incredible lessons and experiences that I have been a part of over the past 12 months, and I was overwhelmed with this incredible feeling of gratitude. I was literally brimming with thanksgiving that the Lord had seen fit to direct me in serving a mission. I thought of that person I was at that time last year... and then I took time to think about the person that I am. 

Those two people are completely different. I'm still me... but I'm new. The Lord has slowly been taking the weak and unworthy parts of me and making me into someone who is qualified to do His work. I am sincerely awed at what the power of Christ's atonement has done for me in my life. That is the miracle of what Christ did for us - that we don't have to hold on to who we used to be, and that we can move forward and become new people. I am so grateful for that knowledge and the joy it brings to my life...

Wow :) 

IN OTHER NEWS. 

We had some seriously fantastic times this week. 

First off. 

WE GOT TO DO SERVICE ON AN AMISH FARM.

Guys! 

I literally spent like 4 hours just hanging out with the Amish people! Can you even believe that!? Because I can't!!! It was so incredible! They even gave us a buggy ride and then made us Amish pretzels and Amish cheese sauce! 

They were seriously the coolest people in the whole world. Hermana Tolman and I got to be inside washing windows and stuff, and so we just got to sit and talk to Becky - she's 18 - about like... what being an Amish person is like and what it's like to live on a farm. Hopefully we get to go back soon and have another service day with them! They rock!! 

I would send pictures but... you know how the Amish are about that kind of stuff ;) haha

Second, we had a bumpin dinner appointment with the Martinez family. First off, Ruth Martinez is like seriously the best human being on the planet, and her husband is the funniest person I've ever met. So we went over and had dinner with them and the elders. Not to mention, this is one of the very few ALL SPANISH dinner appointments that I have been privileged to have on my mission. We talked and laughed and shared a spiritual message. It was such a good time. I don't really know why I'm including this. It was just a highlight from my week. 

There were so many highlights from this week.

Like our Branch fiesta on the 4th of July. That was great. It was raining and so we all had to cram into the little garage but hey! We're Latinos and none of us really care! It was actually really good because it brought us all closer. We were able to meet some really cool people from the York side of the branch! 

Another highlight was a lesson that we had last night with a less active that we've been teaching for a while. I think we finally had a break through moment with her and it was really cool. The spirit was super strong and I could feel God's love for her in the room. Wow. So hopefully she comes to church on Sunday!! 

More good news - we finally OFFICIALLY have a branch mission leader! It's the same person as before, but he just was finally actually called and set apart! so that's great! He has so many awesome ideas for missionary work that we're excited to implement. 

I have just been blown away by the love and blessings that the Lord is constantly showering upon our heads. I just want to close with one story from this morning.

So when Hermana Tolman was my trainer many moons ago in Lebanon, we taught this guy named Hector Guzman. He was super cool and one of my best friends. HE OYM'd US. He was totally prepared for the gospel. So we were teaching him and had him set for a baptism date and everything and then he had a stroke and he dropped off the face of the earth and ended up moving to West york.

So. 

Hermana Tolman and I were placed back together 5 weeks ago (obviously) and we just KNEW that one of the reasons we got put back together was to find Hector because the new Spanish branch covers York and so that's our area!! So we have been looking and praying and fasting for FIVE WEEKS to find this man because Hermana Tolman goes home in 9 days and so we really wanted to find him. 

Literally THIS MORNING. 

THIS MORNING YOU GUYS. 

The Lebanon sisters got a text from this number saying that it was Hector and he was trying to find us. Well, basically we've had everyone on the east side of the mission on HIGH ALERT looking for this man with us, so of course they text us the number... we call the number... Hector answers.... we scream... I start crying.

Anyway. We have an appointment with him tomorrow. 

It is the biggest miracle. 

The Lord is so good.

I can't believe we just found Hector Guzman.

This week literally rocked. 

That is all.

Love, 

Hermana Bills

Tornadoes, Umbrellas, Llamas, and more!

This week was so marvelous!! 

First off - This upcoming week I hit my one year mark! So it's officially 6 months until I get home! Furthermore, I get home ON the 30th of December, so technically tomorrow is my "6 month countdown" 

Isn't that exciting!!! I miss you guys and I can't wait to see all of you in 6 months!! 

As for now, things are going incredible here in Lancaster. I love this area. Like, out of all of the places that I've served, I might actually consider moving back to and living here. But it's still pretty humid and I hate the gross humidity and so I probably won't actually do that. 

But! Good news!!! So who of you remembers last week when I was trying to summon a tornado and nothing happened? WELL! Let me tell you what happened!! The siren went off AGAIN this week! AND THERE WAS A TORNADO IN LANCASTER!! It did minor damage and threw a couple of trees around and only touched down for a few minutes and then it was gone!! 

Bad news is, I didn't actually get to see the tornado, so I'm not sure if the bad weather was actually worth it. Someone just showed me a video of it... But! I'm just happy to know that I have the power to summon tornados!! 

Other bad news... there were some fiercely hot days this week, my friends. One such day, we had planned to walk around Lancaster to try some investigators and less actives so that we could also be doing street contacting because we thought that would be effective. But it was like a bazillion degrees outside. Not a problem. Just working on our tan. 

Anyway. As we were trotting along, about to get into the downtown area, a member pulled over and stopped us and told us something about the heat index or something and out of the kindness of her heart, handed us an umbrella and told us to make sure to be drinking water every half an hour, if not more. We thanked her for her goodness and went on our way. 

But the thing about this umbrella... it was not like a handheld umbrella. It was like a full on SHADE umbrella - like one of those huge, enormous ones. So we're just plunkin' around Lancaster with this enormous umbrella and people are just giving us these super judgmental looks and one lady even had the audacity to tell us, "Hey, I don't think it's gonna rain today, you can put your umbrella down." 

So basically we were torn between following the wishes and desires of this member vs. the ridicule and persecution of the entire city of Lancaster so obviously we gave in and folded up the umbrella. But then I was just lugging this giant umbrella stick around. So then, like a champion, I started using it like one of those classy walking sticks that classy people use, and finally everyone accepted us and just flocked to us to ask us about the gospel of Jesus Christ and we baptized a whole city this week.

#allinadayswork 

But for realz, there were no "city baptisms" this week. What a dream that would be. However, we did have the privilege to attend a baptism for Steve. Hermana Tolman used to teach him before we got moved to the Spanish branch. The spirit was really wonderful. Steve seems like a really good guy, and he got up to bear his testimony at the end of the service and it was so powerful and the spirit was so strong. Baptisms rock. 

Salvador is getting baptized this Saturday at 11:00!! We're so excited! It's the first baptism in the branch! Everyone is really excited! And then we're having a 4th of July celebration afterward! It's going to be awesome! 

We met some incredible people this week!! 

The first one is Jorge. He is so awesome, seriously! The Lord has prepared him so much for this gospel. When he was growing up in Ecuador, he said that he always saw missionaries and members and stuff, and always had interest in learning about the church, but never made it a priority! Then he lived in Italy for a bunch of years and didn't really make God a priority there, either! But then he moved to the United States and he met one of our other investigators, Diana, outside of a grocery store here in Lancaster! They had a conversation and are now together!! Diana is so happy about it!! And Jorge was ecstatic when he found out that she had contact with the Mormon church! So now he's taking the lessons and is so stoked to start coming to church and get baptized. The hard thing is, Diana is not ready to start coming to our church full time right now. She's still attending another church and keeps going back and forth. But hopefully his excitement and desire to learn about the church will spark a stronger desire in her as well!! 

The other person that we met was Terry. He's a llama farmer and probably the most legit person I've ever met. Maybe ever. He was so cool. We just randomly stopped on the side of the road with the elders on our way back from a dinner appointment to take a picture with a glorious llama, and then Terry calls out to us from the other side of the road and asks if we want a group picture with a baby llama!! So obviously we say yes!! 

Well, we got into this super long conversation about him and his life and about how his wife just recently passed away from cancer and how his parents are both passed as well and how, besides his llamas, he's all alone and doesn't really have anyone, and he's struggling with his faith and everything... we got this awesome opportunity to bear testimony of God's love for Him and how He has a plan for his life! The guy told us to add him on Facebook! We explained how our mission does not have Facebook yet and all that... he said not to worry and to just add him once we got it, and we could come to service on his farm! 

So! That will be awesome! 

Plus, we got to pet llamas! So it was a win-win situation! 

The baby llama's name is Sydney. Like Australia :) 

Llamas look so funny when they run.

Also. They play with you by wrapping their neck around you and trying to pin you to the ground. How fabulous is that. 

the things you learn as a missionary...

Funny story of the week:

One day we were walking and this guy was coming toward us and I was gonna try to talk to him, but instead this is what happened... I said, "Hi, how are you today?" and, without making eye contact, he walked right in-between me and Hermana Tolman and said, "Red rover, red rover."

Song of the week: 

I Smile by Kirk Franklin. That gospel music speakin to my soullll.

Quote of the week: 

"Happiness doesn’t come as a result of luck or accident. It most certainly doesn’t come from having all of our wishes come true. Happiness doesn’t come from external circumstances. It comes from the inside--regardless of what is happening around us."

Dieter F Uchtdorf

I hope you all have an awesome week! Remember - choose happiness!! 

Love, 

Hermana Bills 

WHAT FROZEN THINGS DO IN SUMMER

Well, people! It is officially Summer! Congratulations. To those of you who are not missionaries and can actually enjoy the summer by basking in the cool of the pool in the jungle of nool or by going boating or the various other extracurricular summer activities that normal people participate in... Please send me lots of pictures about all your adventures! 

Or letters! I love those :) 

Or both! I love everything! :) 

I want to start this email with a shout-out to my dad!! Happy Father's day! I love you and I'm so grateful to have a dad who loves and supports me. I miss you and think about you every day and I hope things are going wonderfully in Cedar Hills :) Thanks for all that you do! 

Thanks to all dads for what you do! You people are fantastic! 

This week has been pretty normal. We have spent many many hours out walking the streets of Lancaster, and have consequently had some extremely interesting conversations about many different subjects. 

One of those being how Lancaster is seriously like a mini Puerto Rico. Like it really just is. We were commenting about how ghetto the city is, and we made the executive decision to rename the city... and thus, the name "Swankaster" was created.  

Welcome to Swankaster. 

or, Swanky Lanky. 

or Spanky Lanky

Stanky Lanky

Skanky Lanky

or anything similar to those. 

We've also spent a lot of time "rating" things. 

ie - the other day we were at a Zone Conference, checking out all of the items in the clothing swap when my dear companion decided that she had found a skirt that she liked and wanted to take home. When she presented the skirt to me and told me that she would be charting it with us, I expressed my disgust by explaining to her that, "Why would you take that skirt home? That was one of the skirts that WE brought for the clothing swap. It was literally already in our apartment, why would you bring it back?"

She replied, "Because it's cute and I like it! Why would we put this in the swap?"

Then I commented on how hairy it was.

Well. She took it home anyway. The next day, she was putting it on and, in despair I cried out, "Oh, tell me you are not wearing that dumb hairy skirt." 

She said, "It's cute. I like it and I'm wearing it." 

In my final attempt to persuade her not to wear it, I exclaimed, "Hermana Tolman, on a scale of 1 to Wildebeest I give that skirt a solid 7." 

The best part about that is that I don't even know if Wildebeest's are hairy or not! It just sounds like something that WOULD be really hairy. 

But... yes. A lot of that has been happening. 

So those good times are sure to continue. 

On a more spiritual note, our branch is getting stronger and stronger and more and more fabulous each week. This past Sunday, we had our first Branch Council via skype! It was so incredible. It was us, President Gogna, the first councilor, and the Relief Society President. 

Then, during sacrament meeting, we sustained a second councilor in the Relief Society and a Visiting Teaching coordinator. And after the block of meetings, President Gogna even called a temporary Branch Mission Leader! He just got back from his mission last week, he served in Utah! It is so cool! So he's super gung-ho about missionary work, and he totally knows his stuff! We met with him last night and he's gonna whoop us into shape! 

I just love being able to be a part of something so incredible... to watch this branch grow and develop. I get spirit bumps every Sundaybecause it's just something so different to watch something BE organized rather than to be a part of something that's already organized. It's a great blessing. 

Still feeling like an early saint. 

This week we were able to attend a Zone Conference in Harrisburg. The Assistants gave a super spiritual training on how to use social media. Hopefully that roll-out will be happening soon. We are finally starting to catch the vision of how effective these tools can be. 

It was also good to spend time with President and Sister Johnson. Just being around them makes me so happy. And I got to see the Clarksons! That was definitely a highlight for me! I miss those people!! :) 

Other exciting things that happened this week:

I helped some nice firemen back their firetruck into the station. 

The tornado warning alarm was tested like 3 times and I got way overly excited about that because I've always wanted to see a tornado. I may or may not have spend the better part of my lunch hour trying to summon one up. 

We saw a nun running around in Lancaster! Coolest thing ever! 

Some dumb stuff that happened:

Got a parking ticket. Pretty sure I'm being targeted because I'm a Mormon. 

We tried to find a less active family in our branch and got followed by a police officer who told us that it was getting dark and we needed to go home. 

The best thing that happened this week BY FAR was that our investigator - Salvador - had his baptismal interview yesterday and passed with flying colors! So we should be having a baptism on July 4th! Talk about letting freedom ring!! That man is going to be cleansed from his sins as he enters into the covenant of baptism and takes upon himself the name of Christ and becomes a member of his church! I can't even wait! 

Salvador is seriously one of the most incredible people in the whole world! He was one of the first people I met when I got to this area, and honestly I was a little nervous because in our lesson he expressed how he felt like he didn't think he was ready for baptism!! So that is always alarming when your investigator says that. But, I just said a silent prayer in my heart and asked the Lord to help me know if he was prepared, and this awesome spirit just swept over the entire room and I knew that he was! So when things get hard, I just hold onto that feeling and know that this is the Lord's will for Salvador at this time! The amazing thing is that our district leader AND President Gogna said the same things! So that was awesome! We just know that he is going to make such an incredible difference in the lives of people here in the Colombia Branch. He's such a good guy.  So we're going to continue working with him this week and helping him prepare for baptism! So that's really exciting!

I just want to bear you all my testimony that I know this gospel is true! I have been studying about prophets and the restoration and Joseph Smith lately and I just want you to all know that I KNOW Joseph Smith was called as a prophet! His story is true! I feel like I have a pretty strong testimony about a lot of things, but my testimony about Joseph Smith was definitely one of my weaker points when I first came out on a mission, and now I have this powerful testimony of the restoration story. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the sacred grove and they spoke to him! They knew his name! Isn't that incredible? To think that someone who literally created worlds knows your name PERSONALLY? 

Wow. 

I have so much respect for the Prophet Joseph Smith. Amid all of the persecution and trials that he faced, he stayed strong to what he knew! I hope to do the same all the days of my life. Whatever comes at me, I want to say that I follow the Lord and I put him first! At any given time he is the #1 man in my life. I will follow the words of his prophets and treat their guidance and direction the exact same as if it were spoken by the mouth of God himself. Because in reality, that's the way it works. 

I am so grateful to be a member of this church and a representative of Christ! I am constantly striving to do and be better! I know you all are! You are wonderful examples to me! 

I love you!! :) 

Love, 

Hermana Bills