My first week in Quisqueya - April 27th 2015

Well its weird to be in the capital again. Its hotter too. So im getting a little more dark ha.

 

I love my new comp. hermana Alas is from El Salvador and is a sweetheart.

 

I am in a ward again so thats weird ha but I am excited. Where we live we are surround my members. Its like the mormon block. Its cool though. 

 

We work a lot in callejones which are like houses on top of other houses... more poorer. We have some solid people though and its cool. We had 3 investigators come to church. Church was relaxing didnt have to worry about teaching everything. One of my old MTC teachers is in my ward and she remembered me. I was her last group. Crazy.

 

Anyway, Im sorry my letter is all scattered but I had a good week. We are working hard and giving all our all. I live in house of 6 again and we all get along. what a blessing!

 

I kind of feel like im in america. I have a taco bell, burger king, wendys, krispy kreme, etc... all in walking distance. and i see a lot more cars and white people. I dont know if its preparation for going home... but its making me more sad as the weeks are getting closer to ending.

 

i truly love the DR and to be part of the marvilous work. I miss all of you but I know will miss all of this too. I will miss all the fresh fruit, the crazy loud music, colmados, sun, tranquility, the spirit from testifying, seeing peoples lives change...

 

I will really truly miss being a missionary. It has been such a wonderful pleasure to serve the Lord. I can testify that He lives and that truly this is His work. I have felt the Spirit testify through and to me. I know God loves us and despite all the hardships and loneliness we often feel... He is right there through it all. He cares so much for us and wants all the best for us. 

 

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

 

con amor, 

hermana hildman 

Well I´m off to a new adventure April 20th 2015

So we received transfer calls and just as we suspected I am leaving dear San Juan. I am off to the capital, an area called Quisqueya. It´s a richer area than where i was before in the capital. Different work for sure. We will see how it wil be. My new companion is Hermana Alas and she just finished training. Shes from El Salvador I believe. I will let you all know next week. 

Saying goodbye to the Ramirez Sanchez family was tough. But it was a great sunday. They all attended church yesterday. Loriel in a white shirt and tie and has a calling now! Lorenzo is getting the priesthood! and Lorenny came. She will get baptized soon i know it. She knows its true. Yesterday we had exchanged gifts and they gave me and Hermana Kantoa gifts. I gave them some gifts as well and Lorenzo (the dad) said he wasnt going to open it. He said whenever he looks at it he´ll think of me. 

 

 I really love this family and its hard to say ¨see you later¨s . But change is part of the mission and I have learned to really appreciate them because without them i would never have gotten to know the people i have.

This last week of the transfer was a hard one but a refining one. I know Christ lives and that He suffered for us. We are never alone through our trails. Never ever. 

 I love you all and testify that this Christ´s church. Keep praying, keep working hard, and keep the commandments.

I love you all.

 

Have a great week!

 

con mucho amor,

Hermana Hildman

 

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and enviethnot, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easilyprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.    (Moroni 7:45)

 

New Beginnings April 13 2015

Alright so this highlight of the week for me was the baptism or Loriel and Lorenzo.. aka the familia Ramirez Sanchez.

They are so so so great. I love them so much. Rosa bought my comp and I  plaid shoes. She later asked the other hermanas for their shoe size and bought them some too. 

She said you guys are far away from your family so were your family here. 

I just about cried. I love her. We now refer to her as Mama Rosa. 

 

The baptism was awesome. Rosa shared a message and Lorenzo started crying. She talked about how now theyre preparing for the temple to be an eternal family.

Lorenzo and Loriel shared their testimonies and it was so cool.

Loriel said he didnt like the mormon church before but that when we came to visit there was something different about us. He felt good and when he came to church he was filled with a positive energy.

Lorenzo shared about how we first met him in the corner with a friend of his and he was telling us to visit his wife and daughter because they liked the mormon church. He never thought he would be the one joining. He said there is no such thing as coincidences. I second that.

I unfortunately was not able to attend the baptism of Carmen but I am thankful I was able to be there during the process. This work is true. It is the work of salvation... the most important work out there. I am no perfect servent but I really want to do God´s will and help everyone. We truly are brothers and sisters. I know that God lives. I know.  

Life brings so many changes and change is not easy... but I know as we rely on Heavenly Father and His plan... everything will be alright.

Transfers are coming up this next week and I dont know what will happen if I am going or staying... but most likely will not be with hermana Larson anymore. It makes me sad to think about it because she has become one of my best friends and a sister. I love her. She has helped me become a better person and we have seen a lot of miracles happen here in San Juan.

I love this church and I am so thankful for it in my life.

¨Time brings change and change takes time¨- mindy gledhill

no matter what happens, God´s in it.

I love you all and know God loves you too.

Have a great week and talk to you all next week Monday!

with much love... muchísimo amor 

 

Hermana Hildman 

Well I hope you all had a wonderful easter! April 6th 2015

Well I hope you all had a wonderful easter!

 

Our week was a little strange. I kind of fell ill one morning but received a blessing and felt fine going out in the afternoon. So it was a strange thing but all is well now.

A lot of people celebrated easter here. They celebrate a lot by chilling in kiddie pools, drinking, eating sweet beans, and with lots of family. I was explaining to Rosa about some of the traditions we do in the states... and hiding and coloring eggs seems like such a strange concept to me now. 

Anyway, Rosa shared with us sweet beans and i actually do like them. chaka though i dont like as much.. but not bad.

It rained a lot this last week which was kind of nice because its really starting to warm up down here. One day it just rained like ALL day... and we were stuck in one of areas which is just dirt roads and it was like mini rivers... and i totally fell and got so muddy. Luckily we were by Rosas and she gave me a skirt... but i felt like an old domincan woman because i was mixing patterns. I had a lined blouse with a flower skirt... oh it did not match at all haha... but it was nice to have a clean skirt and i only needed it for another hour.

 

We also had general conference and it was so wonderful to hear such wonderful council. They talked a lot about marriage and family and really they are such important topics. (plus when they mentioned the temple in Haiti i almost cried... i love haitian people so so much)

I truly love the gospel and know its the only thing that can help us in such a chaotic world we live in. 

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful upcoming week and know that Heavenly Father loves you!

 

con amor de la República Dominicana

Hermana Hildman 

 

 

Exhausted, but happy March 30 2015

Dear loved ones,

 I had a crazy week of activties and not sufficient time to share it all.

We went to the temple on Tuesday, we have a new branch president, we had interviews with Presdient, we had a noche de hogar (a family home evenin) with the Ramirez Sanchez family, we taught an english class and we completed a huge goal....

our goal this last week was to contact (talk and invited 1000 people to church)... well, we did it. 1026 contacts. I was so exhausted. We literally would walk like almost all day and my mouth and tongue were literally tired from talking... it was crazy. however, it was really cool because i was doubtful but my comp knew we could do it. it took a lot of planning and writing cards but we did it!!!   now i never want to contact again ha... but really its cool of how many people we met and the people Heavenly Father places in our paths.

 
The family home evening was really awesome. I really love this family. Rosa, Lorenzo, Lorenni and Loreal. We taught the Word of wisdom this last week and Lorenzo said the only thing he couldnt give up is his orange juice... we told him he can drink his orange juice ha.

 this family is so cute. Lorenzo is so excited for his baptism and Loreal was asking questions about missions. ahh its crazy. I love the work.

 I recently found out that Carmen from my first area... is getting baptized on the 11th! i just burst into tears when i read that. I dont think i can go though ebcause Lorenzo and Loreal are getting baptized the same day which is so bittersweet... but i wil lbe there in spirit. 

 I love these people.

The work is Gods work and I know its true.

 

I hope you all have a great week!

love you!

and happy easter!

remember to think of the Savior a little more this week... 

 
con amor,

hermana Hildman



Before heading out for the Day



After a long day out! But a great day!

Mountains to climb-March 23 2015

Alright I just want to start off with this video. I want you all to look it up. 

 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-003-mountains-to-climb?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HP_Homepage-2015_3-17-15_dPTH_L1-A_759

 

So I honestly bawled when i watched that video.

This week for some reason has been very emotional and hard for me. But just how the video illustrates as we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ it will help us endure and overcome even the hardest struggles...

The simple things such as prayer and scripture study really are so so so important. This week honestly went by so fast. I do have a small experience I want to share with you guys.

 

The other night my companion and I were just about to enter our house and go up the stairs when we saw an older lady walking with a sack. we hesitated and then asked her if she needed any help. She said no but we asked her if we could walk her home since it was late. She agreed and we walked with her. She was a sweet old lady. In the sack she had some leaves for some rabbits she has. We just visited and walked with her to her house. It was something really small but really was neat to be there and help her even though it was small. We havent seen her since, but we now know where she lives and always look for her as we pass.

 

I love missionary work even its small things like that. God works through small and simple means... and uses the weak and humble to bring to pass His work. 

 I love all of you and testify God is aware of you. Even when you feel so so low and dark He cares. I testify of the power of the priesthood. I testify that this is God´s church. I know we are never alone. God loves us and wants the very best for us. He stretches us and pushes us but He never abandons us during this ´training´.... 

 

Have a great week! Youre the best!

 

con muchísimo amor,

hermana hildman

Its true... it really is. doubt not, fear not... pray and ask God. March 16th 2015

This last Thursday we had the opportunity to see Elder Jeffery R Holland of the Quroum of the 12 Apostles. We were told we would not be able to shake his hand but when he came in they announced that he had requested it.

 It was really cool and super spiritual experience.I cried a lot.. He truly is a representive of Jesus Christ. 

I love Elder Hollands way in . He is bold but he loves so much that its never overbearing. He talked a lot about the second coming and the book of mormon. He mentioned things that just connected the dots to a lot of things. it was really cool. 

The book of mormon truly is a sign of the second coming. (Revelations 14:16). It has the plentitude of the gospel. 

Oh my goodness... I wish I could share with all of you all the wonder insights I learned. 

However, I can share my testimony that I know that the church of Christ was restored on the earth through Joseph Smith and that the church of jesus christ of the latter day saints is true. The book of mormon is evidence of that. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the word of God, just as the bible is. 

I know God loves us and that He still talks to man today. He wants the best for us. He has provided His Gospel. He sent His son for us. He loves us. We are Gods children.

I love all of you and hope you all have a great week.

 

con amor,

hermana hildman