The Sun always shines--Feb 23rd 2015

So I dont know whats happening but the weeks go by so so so fast. 

 This last week we went to Azua for a zones conference and learned a lot. One thing about being a missionary is youre never a perfect one... and always always can improve.

 
thats how it is in life though too. We´re here to improve and continually learn. Sometimes I dont feel the brightest but I strive to improve day by day and thats all we can ever really do.

 Anyway,

I just wanted to share a cool experience. So we have found this family. The mother was baptized in 1987 but moved away shortly after that and then moved back to San Juan and the church was really far away so she never went back. Well i had seen her several times before when i was with hermana Dibble and i always felt like we should talk to her but I never did other than a short hola with passing.

 

However a couple days ago we were sharing a message in the street when she passed by and mentioned shed like us to visit her. we said of coarse and set a day to go visit her. We showed up that day and found out she was a member and shared with her husband and son. Ironically we had also met the husband a day or so before and he had told us that down the street was a woman named Rosa that liked the Mormon church... However, he didnt mention it was his WIFE.... Anyway, Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways and we now know this family. 

 

We shared with them and invited them to church. They said sure and we offered to walk with them. So we told them 830 but we showed up early and they were all ready to go. (except the husband because he had to work)... However Rosa and her two kids were ready and excited to go. We showed up early to church and were able to show them around and explain a little bit about baptism and the sacrament. They all seemed very interested and entrigued. 

 

Anyway, church got started and we helped them to thier classes and what not. We left for a short while to pick up another investigator and to stop by a less active. The investigator Cheilin came with us and the young women just welcomed her in and became instant best friends which was so awesome. The less active (Teresa) came later and ended up setting next to Rosa and they seemed to be hitting it off too. Teresa wants to visit Rosa with us. 

 

Its so cool how missionary works. Usually Sundays are super stressfull but yesterday was a miracle day.

 

I love the Gospel truly and know its true. I know that it blesses lives. We are not perfect and can continually improve and the Gospel helps us grow and improve in the right direction. 
 

I know Heavenly Father lives and loves us. I know that Jesus Christ is His son and that His gospel has been restored to earth. 

I know it.

 

I love you all and hope you have a great week and try to look for the many blessings and tender mercies Heavenly Father will give you this week.

 

Despite the rain the sun is always there. Be happy. Be grateful. Be true.

 

Love you!

 

con mi amor,

Hermana Hildman

 

 (the pic is our zone here in San Juan with President and Sister Nuckols)

Hope you all had a happy valentines day--Feb 16th 2015

Hope you all had a happy day of love and friendship!

(o feliz dia del amor y la amistad)

yWe had a good week here. It went by super fast. I cant believe its P'day. However, thats good means we worked hard. 

On valentines day the other hermanas had a baptism and it was super awesome. Jorge and Alejandra got baptized. we ran into Jorge several times through out the day and he was just beaming and was just so so excited for his baptism. It was cute. It made me super excited for him.

 Baptism really is a great thing and great first step. Its the doorway to our path back home... but not the end. Baptism is where we are ´born again´... not where we accept him and are saved.. We are saved after all we have done... enduring to the end.

 Baptism is really a thing we pursue to invite our investigators to reach but ultimately those blessings of the temple are what we really want for them. The gospel brings so many blessings and baptism is just a step towards them.

 I love this gospel and know its true. I know its not easy to live it but its worth it. 

 
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 On another note, 

I just have an awkward-amusing story to share with you.

 Being a white woman in the DR:

 So yesterday my companion and I were helping shell beans or ´habichuelas´is what they call them in a poorer neighborhood. While we were there sharing and helping this older couple several people came up to us and tried offering their babies to us. i felt really awkward. they were like.. do you want it? i was like hes cute, but no. And then one guy was talking to my comp telling her she was going to be her visa... i told that man to leave and she was not going to be his visa...

 my life as a Sister missionary in the Dominican Repubolic

 ______________________________________________

 

Anyway hope you got a kick out of my life and that you have a fantastic week!

 

oh and happy Presidents day!

 

con amor, 

hermana hildman

Growing in the right direction...Feb 9th 2015

Start this email off a little different:

Mosiah 23: 20-22

·         Book of Mormon

20And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helam. 

21Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. 

22Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people. 

 
...enduring to the end is a hard principle. But, There is an end and that´s the beauty of it¨- (a quote from a friend of mine)

This week was just a really weird, hard week for my companion and I. We get along great which is such a beautiful blessing but we´ve had some interesting lessons... and truly a lot of no lessons... We had a lot of appointments fall this week for what it appeared to us, no reason. We were doing all we were supposed to be doing... but ¨cita¨or appointment after appointment... they wouldnt be there or didnt have time or were sick... or something. its normal to have a few fall but we had several days where they ALL fell. 

Sometimes appointments fall and sometimes things arent going the way they were planned. Doing everthing right... and its still tough.

WHY?

(see scripture again)

Heavenly Father tries us, our faith, our patience... so that we can always always trust in Him. He tries us. Its part of life here on earth: trials.

However, this is how we grow and we ultimately grow in the RIGHT direction when we trust in Heavenly Father. 

(see The Currant Bush - New Era Jan. 1973

http://www.lds.org/new-era/1973/01/the-currant-bush?lang=eng)

 

I know this is His work. I now He loves us and always will. There is nothing we coudl ever do that would take away that love. We are His children.

Have a great week!

love you all!

con amor, Hermana Hildman 
 

This is an actual picture Kenzie took off their roof top

 

 

The first week being a mother... i mean trainer ha- Feb 2nd 2015

So this first week has been super exhausting but super great. 

 

My daughers name is Hermana Larson. She is from San Diego, California and is like the sweetest, coolest, nicest person ever! i love her! Shes super tall like me and very skinny unlike me ha. She already has so much love for these people and i so intune with the Spirit. Its so awesome to see really how much the Spirit works in missionary work. Shes so good at recognizing the Spirit and pointing it out to me that I really have kinda taken it for granted.. and thought of special things as normal. but really the Spirit works and helps us every single day of missionary work and im glad she has helped me really notice it.

 

She shared something with me that really stood out to me that id love to share:

 

I dont know how the other churches do missionary work. The spirit is the most important thing in missionary work and thats the only thing i got right now.¨

 

The spirit always testifies of truth and truly is so important in missionary work. I love this work and know that its God´s work. Im not just going about sharing about Jesus Christ but I am truly striving to be His representive and do as He would do. I know Christ lives. I know He is our Savior. This is His church. I know that the Spirit testifies of Christ and of Heavenly Father. I am not really doing, I am just trying to bring the Spirit with me so that it can testify to these people of the truths that I know.

 

God loves us, I know it and i know you can all know if you dont. 

 

I love you all!

have a great week!

 

con mucho amor,

 

Hermana Hildman

It's a Girl!! Jan 26th 2015

Yupp, I am having an hija...

i am training and Hermana Dibble is heading off to the capital and I am receiving a new hermana straight from the MTC.
 

i dont have much time because my comp ahs to pack and we have to leave today

i love you all!

the church is true!

 

hermana hildman

Small and simple things Jan 19 2015

So this week went by pretty fast.

Some things that happened this week:

1. ERICK GOT BAPTIZED!!!!

2. I got food poisoning.. and was out for a good whole day. That wasnt fun.

3. I hit year in the mission!

4. I mit Victor Payano who is a pitcher for the Texas Rangers.

Any way my dear loved ones, I dont have a lot of time but I just wanted to share a small experience I had this week.

We have a friend/investigator whos name is Juan Carlos. He is haitian but has lived here in the DR for over 14 years now. He speaks several languages and is taking our english class we offer every saturday. Hes come to church a few times but he works a lot. Anyway this saturday was his birthday and we forgot to wish happy birthday in class but we called him that night and he was so happy .He said he had even forgotten it was his birthday because no one had wished him a happy birthday. It was just a small act but it meant a lot to him, and it meant a lot to me that we could have Idone that for him.

He lives alone and works a lot. I dont know him a whole lot but he came to church on sunday and gave us hugs after church. Which was kind of awkward because we cant hug those of the opposite sex but he hugged us and was really touched by our small act of calling him the day before.

I truly know that God loves us, and that he uses others to help meet the needs of His children. I am here sharing the gospel and teaching about Jesus Christ. But really I am here as His representative doing as He would do. I know Christ lives and that He died for us.

We are loved. We are imperfect and we have dificulties but the Gospel of Jesus Christ helps strengthen all.

Never underestimate the small and simple acts you do. People remember the acts and how they felt.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

con amor,

Hermana Hildman

 

Decisions determine destiny-Jan 12th 2015

Wow i already have a month here in San Juan. I still feel fairly new in this area and theres a lot of ground we still haven't touched. theres a lot of missionaryAnd as President Monson has taught:

~~~Decisions determine destiny~~~

Really those things we choose whether they be as small as what to eat for breakfast or as big as deciding who to marry. They affect us, each and every one.

Having said that, I dont want everyone to worry about Every single little thing you do. However, be conscious of what youre choose and if those choices are ultimately helping lead you to your goals.

"Every journey begins with one step, so watch your step"

I am learning that others journeys are not always align or parallel with mine. some of us have different goals and desires because were all different. Therefore, different journeys leading to different destinations.

However it never hurts to invite others to take a stroll with us. we are a forever changing/evolving people. we are not cast in stone.

i will be forever thankful that i was invited to come back to church; that the members reached out to me... a 14 almost 15 year old girl who was walking down a journey that seemed good, she was happy.. but took a stroll back to church and never went back.

I adjusted/changed my journey . A better path. A happier one and sometimes a harder on but a path that leads to something greater.

I love Heavenly Fater and His plan of happiness, His plan of salvation. We are His children and have a purpose here. He knows us, He knows what we need and He knows when sometimes others need us.

I honestly dont know exactly how my life will be after th emission. I know ill be thrown curve balls and hardships. There will be times when ill be questioning "why?"... However, I know if i trust God, our loving Father in Heaven and do all I can to stay on this straight and narrow path it will ALL be worth it.

Life is hard and really the decisions we make determine our destiny but the best decison anyone of us could choose is reach out to our Heavenly Father. He can make much more out of our lives than we can alone.

I know He loves us, He wants the best for us. We are His children.

I love Him, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Con amor,

Hermana Hildman

Ps. ERICK IS GETTING BAPTIZED SATURDAY

PPS. We learned how to make "Chaka" this last week. Its really sweet and big here. its mainly corn with milk and sugar.. .but a process for sure.