Pictures from Fairfield, CA - compliments of Sister Toolson

Hermana Andrews and Merkley in Fairfield CA

With the Toolson's in Fairfield. They are the greatest!

Uncle Gregg's cousin.

A trip to see the temple lights for Christmas with the Branch.

Teaching in Spanish - Fairfield, CA

Year 1 - Letter 22 - Novato, CA

Loco!!!!!!

Hola! Como esta? Wow! This week has been so CRAZY! Muy LOCO! I don't even know where to begin. First of all last Sunday all of the missionaries that serve in the San Rafael Stake (which is our whole zone) had a meeting with one of the members of the Stake Presidency his name is President Kurtz he is younger and used to be the President of our Spanish Branch. He has an amazing fire and spirit about him. He gave us wonderful council on how we can better help the members of the stake. His wife was also there and she is the sweetest thing ever. We were really impressed with them and they live in Novato and we needed a place to do our laundry so we decided to ask them. They were more than willing to let us come and do our laundry their. So we have done our laundry their the last two weeks. I love meeting so many wonderful members that will do anything to help us missionaries.

This week we had Zone Conference! It was incredible! President Alba is really wanting us to step things up. Our mission is not doing very well as statistics go so he has really been seeking to find ways to help us to be better. He taught us using 1 Peter 1 and 2 and I was really impressed with 1 Peter 1:7. I loved that is says that our trials of faith are more precious than gold. I know that this is true we can learn a lot from our trials that is honestly why we struggle because there is always something that we need to learn. Also a new program that President is implementing is that everyday we need to do 10-3-1. We should contact 10 people each day, have 3 lessons and invite 1 person to be baptized. This seemed a little overwhelming to me at first but I know that as Hna. McKay and I do these things we will see miracles. I know that doing these three things is another part of the sacrifices that we must make.

Also I can't believe that I haven't told you this but I Hermana McKay and I are Exchange Sisters for our zone. This means that we are in charge of two companionships of sisters. Since sisters can't exchange with elders we are their to exchange with them and help them with anything else they might feel more comfortable talking to us about. So this week we exchanged with another set of Spanish sisters so I went with Hermana Ellsworth to Rohnert Park. Hermana Ellsworth came out the transfer after me. So I had the opportunity to be the one who knew a little more Spanish. It was hard but really fun. I was able to tell her my funny stories and about how I gained my confidence. I truly saw how the Spirit guided me during the lessons that I taught because I had never spoken that well in my life. We honestly had some really awesome lessons that were a little challenging at first because the people had a hard time understadning us but then as I plead for direction the lessons got better and they were able to understand us. I really helped Hermana Ellsworth realize that we have to ask for the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues. We both really enjoyed our exchange and hope to serve together soon. It really was great because I enjoy leading by example and being there to help these great sisters.

We have had really great lessons this week. We are having a hard time seeing our investigators regularly but we have had neat experiences teaching less actives. We are working with a less active couple George and Franca. They are not active at all and are not really ready to come back but we are just trying to love them and help them remember that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them. It is amazing how lost people can get but it is even more amazing to find them and to help them come back.

Now time for a funny story of the week. So after our lesson with George and Franca Saturday night we went home and could not find our phone anywhere. We searched everywhere but could not find it. We went to church and could still not find it so we took one of the Elders phones because they have two and tried to call our phone but no one answered. One of the Elders called us later and said someone had called them on our phone! A man found our phone on the side of the road!! It was incredible and a straight up miracle! I still can't believe it! Miracles are happening in everyday in all of our lives we just have to look for them!

Love you all!

Thanks for everything!

Love,

Hermana Andrews

Year 1 - Letter 21 - Novato, CA

Down by the bay where testimonies grow....

Hola Familia y amigos! Que pasa? 

So.... if you have not already learned this from google Novato is about 15 mins away from San Rafael which is about 15 or 20 minutes away from the San Francisco Bay. So I am down by the bay where testimonies grow and miracles happen.

A lot of changes are also happening. About 2 weeks President Alba sent out an e-mail saying that many changes would be happening and that he invited the entire mission to repent and start over. Then in Zone Meeting we went over many new rules and other changes. One of the biggest changes is that we can only listen to Mormon Tabernacle Choir and General Conference talks. So next week I will be sending home a package with all of the cd's I can no longer listen to. Another rule is that we can longer chat with family members if they are online. Also we are no longer aloud to text or call any other missionaries out of our Zone. The other rules are straight from the handbook and nothing that really affects much. Even though some of these changes are harder to adjust to I know that they are all from God and I am so thankful for a mission president who is sensitive to the Spirit and is trying to prepare to us be the best missionaries we can be as the work is hastening. 

Then the other more obvious change is that I am now serving in Novato. Yes, Mom and Dad I got all of my stuff packed up it was challenging to fit everything but I did it! My first night in Novato was interesting to say the least on our way out of the apartment that night we locked our keys in the apartment. The apartment key is attached to the car key so we could not go anywhere but luckily we had the phone. We called all of the Elders who serve around us seeing if any of them were available to help but they were all in lessons or going into lessons. So we ended up hanging out in the apartment of one of the English members as we tried to figure things out. The apartment manager would not do anything to help us since it was after hours so we either had to call a lock smith or have elders climb up through the window. The senior missionary couple in charge of housing told us that they would rather have us try to get into the apartment through the window first and then if it wasn't safe we could call a lock smith and get reimbursed. So our wonderful zone leaders came to the rescue and Elder Camper climbed up to our balcony on the second floor and then onto the roof and then through a little side window. It sounds crazy and it truly was but we got into our apartment and it was even before 9:30. The beginning of a transfer is always very very exciting. 

Novato is very different than Farifeld but I love it. We do not serve as close to the Elders and it is a smaller town but the branch is bigger and stronger and more supportive. The church is in San Rafael and that is where most of the members live but there are still many wonderful people to teach in Novato. 

I have enjoyed getting to know the members and our investigators and I love that nobody knows that I have only been speaking Spanish for 5 months. I feel a lot more confident with my Spanish and I just have a lot more courage to just open my mouth and speak.

Oh really quick funny story. So we were at dinner at the home of one of the branch presidency members and the mom asked about my family and I said I had two brothers and 1 sister and that I was the mejor (the best). Everyone started laughing and I realized that I meant to say I was the mayor (the oldest). Earlier in my mission this experience would have made me cry but instead I just laughed and knew that I can learn from my mistakes and I actualy love making mistakes because it is just a way to practice.

We are just trying to find new investigators and help the branch members be better member missionaries. I am loving this new adventure! Also it is only a 5 week transfer so that we can get on track with the MTC's new schedule. So it is crazy because time is flying but I am doing all that I can to make this the best transfer ever!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! I love you all so much and pray for you too!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Hillary

Year 1 - Letter 20 - Novato, CA

Journey #2: Novato, California

Hola! I am so sorry to keep you waiting on pins and needles for this e-mail. So as the title states. I did not escape transfers. I have been transfered to Novato California. I will be serving with Hermana McKay (I took her place in Fairfield). It has been sad to say goodbye to all of the wonderful people in Fairfield and the amazing missionaries that I served with but I am ready for a new journey. I had felt like I was leaving and I know that it was Heavenly Father preparing me. I know that the Lord needs me to serve here in Novato. It has been a crazy day filled with packing up but I just got here Novato and I am excited to get to work.

 

I know that I fulfilled my purpose in Fairfield because on Tuesday we set a baptisimal date with Andres (the investigator who came to church last week). The date we set is Februrary 2 and I know that he is going to be ready to be baptized on that day. It seems soon but the spirit was so so strong. Miracles happened in Fairfield and I know they will happen here too. I am doing great. I am sorry that this is short but I have not even gone to our appartment yet!

 

I have not read your e-mails yet but I printed them off and I am excited to see how you are all doing. Thank you for your prayers! I feel your support!

 

Hope all is well and I pray for you too!

 

Love,

Hermana Hillary

 

My new address is 1514 Hill Rd #49 Novato CA 94947 :)

Year 1 - Letter 19 - Fairfield, CA

Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

Bueno! (That is how Mexicans answer the phone and I love it!) Como estado? Espero que todo esta muy muy bien con ustedes! Translation: I hope that everything is very very good with all of you!

 

Well this week I am defiently in better spirits and it is kind of weird but this quote from one of my favorite movies A Cinderella Story has been in my head all week. "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game". It is weird that a quote from a wordly source would give me strength but I think Heavenly Father knew that he had to find something that would really hit me and this quote was it. I have always known that everything would be ok but it is hard to fully believe it and to stop fearing. As I have thought of this quote I have thought about how my fear for Spanish is really keeping me from playing the game or being the best missionary that I can truly be. I have been called to do this work and I must believe in this power that I hold and know that everything will work out! I am ready to play the game by just opening by mouth and following the promptings that I recieve.

 

I am so excited for this new year! I realized that I have the amazing privilige to dedicate this entire year to preaching the gosple and being a servant of our Heavenly Father. Wow! It is going to be the best year ever!

 

President Alba has invited us to break our fasts with an hour of prayer between 4 and 5. It is amazing to think that their are almost 200 people praying for an hour for our mission and for the people that we are teaching and for the deisres of our hearts to be fulfilled. As I prayed I felt like was taken to a different place. I truly felt like I was in the presence of the Lord. I felt his love so strongly as I simply and humbly expressed my feelings to Him. An hour is kind of long and my back killed but it was so worth it. It was a wonderful privilgie to express my grrattitude and the true desires of my heart to the Lord. I recieved the strength that I need to conquer the challenge of learning Spanish and just to do this work! It was wonderful!

 

We have over 20 less actives in our area and this week we met four of them that no one has seen in a long time. It is amazing to see how they still rememeber a lot about the church it is just not their biggest priority but it is a privilge to help them get their priorites straight. One of these less actives, Luis, came to church yesterday. He was so happy to be back in church and to see his brothers and sisters. It was wonderful to see people coming back on to the straight and narrow path. We also had an investigator, Andres, come to church yesterday!!!!! We were not expecting him to come to church but we were obviously so excited that he came. It was so neat to see how much he truly loved church and that he felt the Spirit so strongly. He loved sacrament meeting and he was a little nervous at first because he thought that the sacrament was something too holy for him to participate in but I know that he was happy that he stayed and that he was able to feel the Spirit.

 

The sacrament is truly my favorite part of the week because it is such a privilige that we have to renew our baptismal covenants and to be clean again. It is neat to see people realize that after they are baptized they will be able to feel the Spirit even stronger as they partake of the sacramament.

 

This week attened two baptisms. one was for the son of our branch president (he turned 8 that day which was cool) and Sister Toolson gave an awesome talk on baptism. She taught that a Kit-Kat bar is a great baptismal covenat reminder because the Kat reminds us of our covenants.

K-Keep his commandments

A-Always remember him

T-Take his name upon you

 

I love this because it is often easy to forget the covenants that we have made but this is an easy way to remember. Our baptismal covenants are sacred promises that we made with our Heavenly Father and we must remember them. I would encourage you all to remember the covenants that you have made. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to help people enter into these covenants. I love this work so much and I am truly so happy!

 

Thak you for your thoughts and prayers!

 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Hillary