Last week in MTC!!!

Soooo.... I actually made a small list that I wanted to remember to tell you guys this week. What what?

 

One thing:

Dora the Explorer is Explora Dora and she teaches English... or so I am told haha. So that's cool.

 

2. My p-days will be changing to Mondays.. so my next P-day will be the first monday in March.

 

3. I can do the snap thing with my fingers now.. Its really big here and I guess in latin culture. It's not super loud yet but I can do it. soo yah. hopefully you understand what I am talking about.

 

4. Last friday we went to el campo. And my companions didn't know ANY english... so that was interesting haha. They knew how to say: "hello", "How are you?" and "kiss my hiney" haha... but I did understand a lot of what was being taught so that was good. They had me try to teach about repentance and about one of the ten commandments.. and they said I did good but it was super super basic.
But you got to start somewhere right?

Anyway, I miss you guys sooo much.

 

I go out in the field again tomorrow and then Saturday is my last like "school day" then sunday... is sunday and then Monday is our "disorientation day" haha... then I leave Tuesday for the mission field. Wish me luck!

 

I am so glad to see how the Lord blesses you. I still pray for you guys... every day.

 

One quote/thought I would like to leave with you guys is the quote I have been thinking about:

 

"Don't think less of yourself, think of yourself less"

 

You are worth it... and loved beyond belief.

 

Being a missionary is hard because you are away from home/family/comforts of home and you are being put under pressure that youre not used to.. like learning a language and with companions allll the time and its not easy. So it's easy to get in the rut of woe me and man no body likes me no one cares about me... etc etc.

 

But, thinking more of others ultimately makes you more happy.

 

I can't think of the scripture exactly.. I think it's in D&C 18... verse 15? Talking about those who bring but one soul unto God great is their joy... sorry I am paraphrasing. you should look it up. But really. When we are in the service of others (Mosiah 2:17)... we are in the Service of God and God wants to bless us and He DOES...

 

I see it everyday.

You can too.

Look for the little tender mercies and and think of yourself less and help other people.

 

The gospel is true. God loves you. Jesus Christ loves you.

 

I love you!

 

I pray for you!

 

 

Hermana Hildman

Count Down

Hola mi familia y amigos!

 

I only have one more P-day left here in the MTC... that is insane! but a blessing too.

 

I have definitely been blessed here in the CCM... but its been a struggle too. RM's always talk about how missions are hard and really truly deeply... they are. period. and I am not even in the field yet.

 

I have never been so spiritually and emotionally exerted as I have been here. oh and sleep... yah I try to get as much as I can ha...

 

anyway.

This week has gone good. Unfortunatly my days blur and I dont necesarily remember all that I have done this week on the top of my head but I'll list what I remember.

 

We went contacting on Thursday at the Univesrsity and I really enjoyed it. We three girls got hit on by a bunch of the boys but whatever... such is life. I shrugged it off. We talked with one girl for a little bit and walked by later and she was really reading the folleto (pamphlet) we gave her. and one guy just came up to us and started talking to us and telling us he loved talking to us missionaries and wanted us to come by when he had more time and teach and it was really neat.

the people here are sooo nice. I love it.

 

Umm... we went to the store this last week for the last time and I forgot my ID so that was a little stressful.. I am always stressed at the store. its so packed, so much spanish and not enough time to get all thats on our list... i hate it. but whatver. oh back to the ID thing so I had to go to the ATM and get pesos to pay for my items.

 

Umm the other districts left this last week. We got another group of Americans and some latinos. I am glad we got more latinos instead of more haitains so we can practice our spanish more.

 

Oh shoot my time is almost done... yikes.

 

Okay... well tomorrow we go on splits with the missionaries so that's gonna be an exciting experience.

Today like right after email we're gonna "tie dye"... but like in reverse. Tie dye is hard to find here... so we bought colored shirts and are gonna like tie dye them... but with bleach. so that should be fun. :)

 

Umm...

 

Spanish is coming along.

I have a lot of work to do but I am trying my best.

 

I love you guys and miss you bunches!

 

yo se que la iglesia is verdadera.

yo se que Jose smith fue un profeta.

se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero.

Yo no se muchas cosas pero yo se que nuestro Padre Celesial nos ama.

 

en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

 

 

Love you guys!

 

<3, Hermana Hildman

 

ps. sorry for the short email.

Half way through the MTC

Oh my holy cow,

 

haha....

 

I am halfway through with the CCM... like its crazy to think that but also like "about time".

 

I am sooooo glad to hear the Seahawks won. I heard they won a couple days ago but I didn't realize how much of a blow out it was until today... holy moly. that is ridiculous but so awsome.

 

The CCM is well nothing too exciting... ha my days blur together. I get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, personal study, companion study, then class, then lunch, then class, then service and excercise time, then dinner, then class, planning, prayer, bed time.

 

We currently have two investigators. Cleirra in the morning and Victor at night and we have taught the latinos a few times at night.

 

I teach with one of my companions and my other companion teaches with Elder York. My companion I teach with is Hermana Stanton and she is super smart when it comes to spanish. She gets frustrated easily and think she doesn't know anything but she knows soooo much and her pronunician is amazing. my sentences are pretty basic and super slow and sound like a white girl... oh wait. I am a white girl ha.

 

Entonces,

I do love spanish. It is pretty. I just wish I understood more but then again I have only been here 3 weeks... like what? I didn't know this much spanish in 3 weeks when I took it at school. I have only been here 3 weeks and I am talking/teaching people in spanish.

 

Tomorrow we're going to the univeresity again to do some contacting and talk to REAL people again and that should hopefully be better than it was last week. Last week went well but it still is imidating because we really don't know of what other people are saying. I think it was Sister Given who made the reference to the Madagascar movie that we're kinda like the penguins... we just smile and wave.. haha.. but we more like smile and nod. For all we know they could have said we were polyamists and what not and we wouldnt have known... however, we do have this amazing thing called the Spirit and I hope it would help us in knowing something was up.

 

The Spirit is the teacher for sure. When I think back for myself when I was taught by the sister missionaries I don't remember a whole bunche of what they taught. I remember they gave me some scriptures and what not but I mainly remembered how I FELT. The Holy Ghost testifies of truth. It makes you feel calm and at peace. I love the Holy Ghost.

 

When all else fails in our lessons we just try to testify in spanish the best way we know how.

 

 

here in the DR it has been raining a lot. I think they said we're in the rainy season now. As we were walking back from the temple it had just rained and the smell is weird. The best way to describe it is Corn nuts... so in other words.. not my favorite smell haha. but its all good. It is way pretty here. And I love being able to see the temple from my room. It seriously takes like 5 min to walk in the parking lot to get there. :)

 

 

Well I love you guys mucho!

 

I didn't mean to discourage you guys from asking me questions, you so can and plus we just got new computers so I should be to print them all.

 

 

I love you. I know this church is true and even though I am having a harder time adjusting to missionary life I am doing the best I can. "Life is hard and then we die" as one of my bisops used to say haha... but really what is so great about the gospel is we learn that there is so much more to look foward to after this life. I mean.. I am not discreting life, we are here for a reason I am just saying try not to focus so much on the unfair things and enjoy the time we have here and look forward to the future..

 

 

You're in my prayers, keep me in your prayers for the gift of tongues.

 

Love you!

 

Hermana Hildman

 

CORRECTION

Good Morning,
 I was reviewing the blog homepage and realized the email address posted was incorrect.  I have since fixed it and hopefully those of you who have been writing McKenzie on that other address will now hear something back.  I have let her know and that she should now be receiving more mail as well. :)  

2 week and a few 1st

¡Hola mi familia y amigos!

 

I love and miss you all!

 

CCM life is actually gone a lot faster this last week. On sunday, we were all talkling about fast it has gone and that it didnt feel like it had been a week aflready. entonces.... (sooooo)... thats good!

 

I have an enter button this time while typing, ANOTHER PLUS! haha

 

We went to the store for the first time yesterday so that was a fun experience. We finally got to leave these walls! woahhh. And we walked through the super awesome park that is across from the street. its really cool. they have a TON of excercise equipment and swings and all kinds of neat things over there and its super bright and pretty. The store felt kinda like a Walmart/mall... like it was really huge but not set up like any store I have EVER been to... and I mean, I worked in grocery so that through me for a loop ha.

 

I mean its not super hectic but definiately interesting and in front by the check out stands there are like...  booths. They made me think of the booths for like car rentals but they were like vendors and one was a frozen yogurt shop. so that was interesting. and the store is PACKED... ridiculous and everythings is super cheap. I think 1 US dollar is like 43 pesos? or something... I don't entirely remember. It throughs me though because I'll pick something up and it will say like 225 and my american mind is like ahhh $200?!?! but that isn't all that much in American money... :)

 

the money is kinda weird. like 20 pesos is a bill made out of this pink plastic. hundreds and 200 hundreds are bills and then ten pesos down are coins. I have a few 1 pesos now and I don't really know what I can get from them... lol. a candy? who knows.

 

Food here is pretty fine. I am kinda tired of rice though... so thats not good. Not that it tastes bad or anything it justs gives me a balloon belly and it doesnt really have nutrients lol. so I am trying to wean myself off it.

 

I tried something new this last week... I don't remember what its called... I think Yaca? It was bascially like a play-do. Like, it literally tasted like that. but whatever.. I ate it. ha. I kinda like food... its a problem.

 

Umm... well my time is getting short! NOOOOO...

 

OH some of you were confused by my dearelder comment. I recommend using the dear elder if you have like a TON of questions for me... because the printer doesnt really work so I try to answer all of your questions in the 45 min- 1 hour I have to answer them.

 

but you dont have to use dearelder... its no biggie.. but if you do make sure its sent to the MTC.

 

 

Umm... my last thoughts?

 

The Dominican Republic is beautiful.

 

I love the people already. My companions are awesome. I have been so blessed thus far and the Lord seems to blessing all of you as well which blesses me with comfort and ahh... calms my heart. Missionary life is hard but its so worth it.

 

If you have any questions regarding faith... PRAY... for real.. and then "do your research"... read the scriptures..

 

Prayer is two way. Heavenly Father usually answers us through scriptures or other people but he answers us!

 

I know it! I love prayer.... I love el Evangelio.

Yo se que la iglesia de Jesuscristo de los santos de los ultimos dias is verdadera. yo se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es la palabra de Dios. yo se que con nuestro Padre Celesital podemos hacer todas cosas.

en el nombre de Jesuscristo, amen.

 

 

Keep the faith!

Haz lo justo!

I love you all! :))

 

Hermana Hildman

1st Week

We were not sure when her P day was going to be but thought it was Thursday so we anxiously waited with a great deal of excitement. With no real clear picture of how or what her week could entail we wanted to hear specific details. What she did, what activities and adjustments she was making.  So, here it is:

Mi familia y mis amigos! I miss you guys so so so much. The CCM is
great and all but it is hardddd. (ps my enter button does not work so
i will apologize now) Oh and i would like to apologize in advance that
my english is now hard to understand as well. its crazy. I can now
pray and testify and hermano ramireraz is having us memorize 20 words
a day and we have our purpose in spanish memorized its insane. I kinda
do not like all the memorization but whatever. I love you all. on my
journey here i didnt see any missionaries until miami and i ran into
hermana given at the pay phone. she is from colorado and is one of mi
companions. she is 5'3'', blonde and barely hundred pounds. her and i
hung out for like 4 hours waiting for our flight. and then met up with
elder york from tampa and hermana stanton from utah. we are all in the
same district... and we are the only ones in our district lol. 4 of
us. thats right. so so small. but its all good. the other district is
about 14 and they are all going to puerto rico. and then the other
district are haitian missionaries. all the missionaries here are
pretty awesome. the haitians are so nice. we are all going to the
temple tomorrow because they havent received their endowments yet. any
way, spanish is coming along pretty well. as of lately our teachers
havent been speaking to us in as much spanish as i would like so i
feel like i am losing my spanish that I have learned. but i do know
how to pray and testify in spanish so thats cool. umm we get to
excercise every day for about like hour-ish. and thats so nice. my
companions and i ALWAYS go outside because it kinda feels like a jail
here... however it is pretty warm. like i got sunburnt... ouch. but
not too bad. just my face burned a little. oh and as much as i kinda
hate to admit it.... i like ultimate frisbee... there i said it. its
fun. i mean, i sweat like so so much because of how hot it is here in
compared to good ole idaho but its fun. it is a little hard because i
cant like touch the elders... i mean not like i would... but i mean
like my competive level is down a lot a lot because i dont want to
accidently run into them... the elders make the whole 'distance' thing
super awkward. gah... whatvever. oh and btw like allll the elders are
like 18. just little babies. there are two that are 20 but still... oh
and my companions are 19 and 21. the other two sisters from the other
district are 21. what else is going on here? umm... oh estoy cansada
siempre... like i am always always tired. its gotten a lot better ill
admit that and its good are schedules are so planned out because it
keeps are minds constantly going so we dont think about all we're
missing and who we're missing at home... so wisdom in that. but at
night it gets hard. i try to fall asleep as fast as i can but hermana
given has been having a hard time and so we try to stay up and talk
with her to help her out. umm la comida is good... umm today was the
first day we had the famous soup thing they make here with meat and
plantanes... and i liked it. it kinda tastes like a beef gravy/broth
and the plantanes taste like potatoes... the meat, i kind just ate
some here and there. i have eaten so so so many bananas its
ridiculous. good thing i like them... holy moly. oh and the jugo, the
juice, is really good. chinola is really yummy... its passion fruit i
believe? anyway, i miss you guys a ton. but i do know this is where i
am supposed to be. The Lord has set me apart and has blessed me
tremendously since I have been here.. even in small things... and big
things too. There is no way that i could know this much spanish on my
own nor be this diciplined on my own. goodness... but i like spanish a
lot. it makes a whole lot more sense than english. oh and i love
singing... sorry thats a random jump. but i sing like alllll the time.
kinda weird, kinda awesome. I just sing and i am comfortable and its
all good. i mean my one companion is beautiful singer though. the
blonde one she has some songs on itunes. you can look her up. Taya
Lynnete Given. My other companion is Rachelle Stanton. She is from
Payson Utah and shes like 5'7'' with brunette hair. umm... oh and I
have seen my setting a part blessing put in action already... crazy
how that works right? well i love you guys. Heavenly father (Padre
Celestial) loves you... Yo soy una misionera de la iglesia de dios de
Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias... yo voy a servir la
mision santo domingo oeste. yo se que la iglesia es verdadera. yo se
que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero. en el nombre de Jesuscristo,
amen. oh and ps.. guys..  you can use dearelder and i will get it on
thursday afternoons. oh and please pray for me to have the gift of
tongues (del don de lenguas)... I need it. You are in my prayers! I
love you. the church is true and you can know it is if you want to...
its all about your desire. pray to our Heavenly Father.. and read the
sciriptures... specifically the Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost will
manifest the truth of it unto you. I wish I could just give you all
hugs gahhh this first week has been so long and it will be (24x7
hours) until I can talk to you again. THURSDAYS... YOU MUST LOVE
THURSDAYS! okay? that's my P-day... Hope you feel my love and prayers
from the DR because I can feel yours! with all my love, Hermana
Hildman

She is such a blessing and it is very comforting to hear the excitement in her words even as she struggles through some homesickness and challenges.  Until next time.

Departure & Beginning

Wednesday January 15th left Boise at 6:50am which made for a very early morning.  Surprisingly enough all of us were up and very much awake.  A few tears were shed by all but McKenzie who was all smiles and trying not to appear to zealous to those of us shedding tears.

Logan received an email at a little after 9pm which is midnight in the Dominican.  She had met up with 3 other missionaries.  It went like this: "I love you all. I made it safely here. There are three of us hermanas and one elder. We have already bonded its awesome. It is warm but not bad but then again its currently dark time haha. This place is fulllll of palm trees its awesome.  Hermana Stanton is in my mission and hermana Given and elder York are in the east.  I love you all!!!"
I could hear her excitement through the letter it made me smile.  I was fortunate to receive and email today from what I believe to be a senior couple there and it brought happy tears to my eyes as there were 3 pictures of my new missionary!!

I look forward to getting our first correspondence about her first week in the Caribbean!