There was RAIN in ZION!
Good day!! I hope you all had an incredible week! I sure did! Let me start out with the biggest miracle! Yesterday we fasted for rain! At the Zone Conference we had this week Sister Alba told us to be prepared to see the miracles and to bring our umbrellas to church. So that is what the four of us Sisters here in Rio Vista did. We were prepared and sure enough after sacrament meeting it was raining. The funny thing is that here in the little town of Rio Vista when it rains the power goes out super easily so the power went out. In the middle of Sunday School our branch president came in and said that if the power did not come on after that class was over we would all go home. Sure enough like three minutes after he said that the power went back on. Heavenly Father wanted all of us to go to church. It was so awesome to feel the power of many people fasting together. It is not raining today but I know that our prayers will continue to be answered.
I am officially in love with Rio Vista. It is the cutest and most beautiful place ever but the people are also incredible! Monday night we did not have any set appointments and we did not really want to tract all night so we decided to ask members if we could practice teaching them. We went over and did a practice lesson with Brother and Sister Gomez (who are not Hispanic even with a last name like Gomez) and it was wonderful! Also one of the Sisters in the branch was just called as our dinner calendar coordinator and so we have been getting to know her this week. She is an incredible woman and she has already completely filled our February calendar which is unheard of. The branch President, President Chandler, is magnificent. He really loves us like his own children. On Tuesday it was Sister Chandler's birthday so they invited us over to have cake and ice cream. It was really great to be with them and to work with them in the work of Salvation.
On Wednesday we had a terrific Zone Conference. I love mission meetings. They are always a gigantic spiritual feast. We had a leadership meeting before and we talked about how to conduct successful meetings and we came to the conclusion that any meeting is successful if it is directed by the Spirit. Then Zone Conference was all about the Four Cornerstones of the church: 1)Jesus Christ 2)The Restoration 3)The Book of Mormon 4)The Priesthood. We talked about how we can teach these topics clearly and powerful. We did a liot of practices on The Restoration and we talked about how it is so important to give this the time that it needs because it is one of the greatest events that has happened in the history of the world. WE talked about how powerful it is to recite the first vision as you are looking in the eyes of an investigator or member. It really is so powerful. I cannot hear the first vision without having chills and being overcome by the Spirit. We also talked about how important it is to emphasize how important the restoration of the priesthood was as well. I know that these four things are truly what holds our church together. I am so thankful for my testimony of all of these things. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he died for me. I know that Joseph Smith was the first prophet of these latter-days. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that the Priesthood is truly the power of God. Isn't the restored gospel great?
We also talked about Family History and that is something that I am so excited to use in sharing the gospel but I am also excited to do it when I am home. After Zone Conference the four of us Rio Vista sisters went out to eat at Olive Garden and then we exchanged. I went on exchanges with Sister Buckner. We had so much fun and we had a lot great experiences as we taught one of their investigators. The exchange really brought our apartment closer together. We love each other so much and we enjoy doing things together. We keep saying that we live in Zion and it is true our apartment has become Zion like.
Hermana Ellsworth and I are doing good! We have worked so hard at getting 20 contacts this week and we got more than 10 about every day which is so good! WE are not teaching much but we are doing all that we can!
Oh one more thing! I had one of the sweetest experiences on Saturday. We went to a Stake Relief Society Activity in Fairfield and I was able to see many of the hermanas in the branch. I was not sure that they would remember be but they all remembered me and were so happy to see me. They were so cute to tell me that they were so happy that I could speak Spanish and that I was not scared anymore. It felt so good to see how far I have come! It was a tender mercy because all of the doubts of if I have done enough went away in that moment and I know that I have made a difference.
I hope you all have a great week! Thank you for believing in me!
Love,
Hermana Hillary
My new favorite song! Enjoy!
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