Pictures

                                                 Our crazy district!                                          

                                                    My new companion Hermana Ortin

                                                      Youth Temple Trip!! Yea

                                          This moth flew into our house and it is the size of a bird!

Happy Memorial Day!!

First off.....

Thank you mom for the fridge (from all 6 of us hermanas)

The assistants dropped it off this last week... wooo!!!

Well this week has been an interesting one. and a hard one. I have a new companion. Her name is Hna Olsen. Shes from.... like all over the states and England but she was going to Utah State before the mission. She is almost exactly a year older than me... only off by a day. Shes been out 11 months and knows a LOT of spanish so thats really good. However she doesnt know the area or the people... and well i know a little bit more about those two things but i have had to step up a lot more and make decisions on who we should visit and what area. and We also had our area split some because we now have two hermanas in our house...

Man lots of changes... and it hasnt even been exactly a week yet and i have like its been forever.

Funny how i talked about change last week having no idea how much my life was gonna be changed. change is good but its hard because its not what were used to doing. i always try to be more postive in my emails bit its been a rougher week this week. Good things did happen though and i know it will smooth over some, its only the beginning of the transfer. Ive had to step up more which is actually a good thing. for example i have had to make phone calls. and I honestly do not like talking on the phone let alone in english and spanish makes it a little more stressful because i dont entirely understand wahts being said but if we're never thrown into these situations we cant grown and i surprised myself by how much I actually did understand. 

Learning a language is hard but learning the language of The Spirit is another language im working on too. Say for example i knew spanish as well as english, whatever i said wouldnt make a huge difference if it wasnt intune with the Spirit. There just words. However words accompanied with the Spirit make the difference. 

Heavenly Father knows the needs of His children. I dont, unless its revealed to me by the Spirit. The Spirit is so kay in this  work but its not loud and it doesnt constantly lead us necessarily. WE have to make decisions too. The Spirit will let us know if the decision is wrong but sometimes we have to make our own decisions and walk by faith. 

shoot... i dont feel this is making a lot of sense.. but i hope it does. I think thats another reason why Heavenly Father called me to a spanish speaking mission... so i speak simply lol.

Anyway, I love you. I know this is the only true church or I would NOT still be out here. I know if any of use really want to know if this is the true church we CAN know. I know that faith is not just believing but doing. I really know "Faith without works is dead".. I know God loves us and that prayers is a constant help line. I know Christ lives and this is His restored church back on the earth... 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

con amor, Hermana Hildman

Change

 

Monday, May 19, 2014 3:07 PM

Familia! as i was reviewing my week in my agenda i looked back on last p-day and remembered its been a week since we skyped. crazy.

logan you graduate this week! how exciting!

this coming week is the new transfer for us. my comp hna preisler is leaving for another great area and i will be receiving a new comp and im not training (which i feared).

This last week was kinda a rough one because it was the last week of transers and my comp and i were pretty sure she was leaving, but still not knowing for sure. uncertainity... unkown.. scary things... however we pushed forward with the work. we celebrated our dl's birthday a daty late (unintentionally) but it worked out because when we through him the surprise lunch it really was a surprise.. ha.

I hit 4 months this last week.

we had a relief society activity in Parra. we had put together little bags with pieces of candies and little heart notes and then delivered them to those sisters who werent there which was a ton but it went well. my comp and i got permission to go on splits wiith the sisters. we visted shortly and shared a short message. the activity went well but it was hard for me, i rely a lot ion my comp but it was good to have Angela (a member from Las flores, a member of the relief society in the pueblo) there and help lead. i wanted to share what scriptures and thoughts they needed but its hard because i dont know what they need not can i speak spanish weell. however, i did my best and really... thats all i could do. Thats all we can ever do.

 

Dear family and friends, I feel... well many things ha, missionas are like emotiuonal roller coasters... but i feel greatful to be on a mission. i have so much still to learn but i too have learned so much already. i have seen peoples lives change, inclduing my own. i am learning that change is forever constant like time. i feel like society tries to convince us that people dont change but the thing is, is we're actually changing all the time. and depending on what we surround ourselves with (people included) depends on who/what we are to become.

I was reading this morning in Alma 5 when Alma the younger is speaking about their brethern and how God had CHANGED their hearts (v6). That his father, Alma the senior, heart was changed "according to his faith there was a mighty change in his heart" (v11) and he taught his brethern and "a mighty change was alsto wrought in the their heart, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. and behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved" (v13)

Family i know that we need to surround ourselves with good things. However if we want to become truly better we need to do more than that. God can change our hearts but we need to allow Him. He may give us experiences that soften our hearts but really it is us that allows our hearts to soften or harden in those situations,.

There can be a mighty change in our hearts according to OUR faith, to OUR trust and allowing OURselves to be humble and to humbles ourselves before our Father in Heaven and trust Him. Trust He will lead you, He will guide you. And, as promised, if we are faithful to the end we'll be saved.

Change like i mentioned is constant so we need to be constantly walking in the right direction. Doing those things we need to be doing. Surrounding ourselves with good things, good people. It wont always be easy to do that because other changes such as death, divorce, losing a friend, etc.. will come but as we remain faithful.. put our trust in God. Lean on Him.  Call on Him. He will help us. We will be changed, little by little into something greater and then when our leife here is through, having remained faithful to our last breath, we'll be saved.

I know these things to be true, and say them humbly in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana HIldman

Baptisms!

Maria, Luis Mario and Marisol got baptized!! 

 

This last week we have spent everyday with this family. Maria is 12 Luis Mario is 11 and Marisol is 8.

There mom isnt 'techically'a member yet but she basically is. She is so so so awesome. 

I really love the mission. It was fun to see and talk to you guys today for a little bit.

I am sorry that the time is going slower for you guys... i am thankful that the mission keeps us busy because if it didnt i would miss you guys a whole lot more. but really our time is short and i will see you guys soon. 

I want to share a scripture with you guys... i dont know exactly how it goes in english but i will do my best to translate it. (Words of Mormon 1:8)

It says (in my translated version) 'my prayer is to God concerning my brethern, that they can return again to the knowledge of God, and redemption of Christ so that they can be a new and delightsome people'

I would recommend reading the verse in english but i like this verse because it says "once again"... The Gospel isnt new... we just dont remember the plan before we came to earth because we are to live by faith. We are not teaching something new. When we hear about the Gospel and learn more about God it feels good, sounds familiar or feels like 'home', because it is... we have heard it before. 

I love the Holy Ghost. It testifies of truth and helps guide us in our lives. Through the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:5)

I am still pretty joven.. (young) and dont know a lot but i cannot deny the Holy Ghost. I have felt the Holy Ghost while i have been at church, in lessons, at the temple... when reading the scriptures... i know because of the Holy Ghost that God lives and loves us.

I miss you guys a ton!

But i know this work is not just missionary work... its work of Salvation... Everyone has their agency and can live how they want but I want to help others come unto Christ and experience much more joy through living the Gospel... The Gospel truly makes life that much more meaningful... i love you guys!

keep praying! I pray for you!

con amor,

Hermana Hildman

rainy season has begun

i am sorry about my weekly email last week. i just had the hardest time with what to write and share. it really doesn't help when i don't write in my journal every day too. but i do love hearing from you all and will always try to respond back. email time is so short so you're all welcome to send me letters and ill always respond. 

anyway in week 5 of 6 weeks of this transfer. wow. one of our zone leaders is freaking me out with transfers but liked i said last week whatever happens that's how Heavenly Father wants it and I trust and love Him.

Okay okay i am excited to tell you about this week. FIRST OFF THOUGH: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DAD!!! Hope you had a great birthday on Friday!

Saturday Esmelin got baptized! it was really cool his brother and sister in law came too! I ended up speaking on baptism.

This week we visited our newish area and we had planned on teaching some other people but we ended up completely on the other side of where we meant to be. but i think we were gently led there. we at first were like how the heck did we end up here then we were like oh okay well Cerina lives over there so lets go visit her and as we headed to her house we asked her neighbor if she was home and then she just happened to walk up (ceserina) and so we ended up having a short sweet message with her, her family and the neighbor.

We went to Las Flores this last week and we haven't been there this whole transfer because of this new area we have. We ended up staying in Las Flores longer than planned because it poured on us... we tried leaving and then it began to pour harder so we to the porch of a less active family and she invited us in and we sang and shared a scripture with her but we kinda had to yell it because she had a tin roof and the rain was really falling hard but it was good. the rain picked up and we headed back. OH! before we left though we visited Pacheco and he is really sick but we shared a short message with him and invited him to church and he said he was really going to try but he is really like... sick... like if he doesn't do something every 4 hours he will die sick. but miracles do happen... come sunday he came riding on the back of a motor scooter upon seeing him i couldn't help but cry. This man is so awesome. Every time we have visited him i have learned so much. he has such a strong testimony but his health has permitted him from going to church since I've been here but he was able to come this last sunday. he shared his testimony in sacrament meeting and it was sweet and sincere.

So i mentioned Esmelin got baptized this Saturday.. but it almost didnt happen. Oh man... We havent had water all week in the church and Saturday was no different. WE have water storage tanks down the hill from the church so we drew some water out of it to clean the church and baptismal font. and waited for the 1st counsler to come with a pump so we could draw water out. however we hadnt heard from him and were beginning to worry so we began filling the font by hand by taking trash cans and carry them up the hill, up the stairs into the church. it was my comp and i and Emilkin doing this... it was unreal lol. but we kept working. we took a break and i got emilkin to take a 2 min break and then the 1st counsler showed up with the pump and was messing with it but it wasny working and we felt helpless and we were waiting to see if it would work because if it wasnt we were going to have to get permission to do it somewhere elese.... there was talk of doing it in someones pool and we kept praying and praying and  it was terrible. we were physically tired and hungry and spiritually doing what we could with our prayers. but it began to fill up and we ended up having a baptism! oh man... miracles.....

Then yesterday we went up to Parra and it poured rain on us again... but rain or shine we still have church. However the building we usually had church was full of people because they were dedicating the basketball court behind it so we ended up  rounding up who we could and had sacrament meeting in a members house. 

Today i am late with this email because we headed to the river with the branch and it was really fun. We played some baseball and about an hour before we were gonna leave it began pouring. 

OH man... life truly is an adventure haha... i love it though. I sometimes forget that these people here are speaking a different language because i love them so much and love... well its the same in all languages. when they start talking to me im like oh wait... spanish.. okay... what did you say? haha...

Oh man I love these people so much. And Heavenly Father loves them infinity times over..

I know this Gospel is true. We dont always know why things happen the way they do but we can always learn from the situations. Easier said than done i know...

Anyway, I LOVE ALL OF YOU! and pray for you. I know life is still hard but i promise its easier when you turns TOWARD God instead of away.... He is over all. He loves All. He wants the best for us. I know He lives and He is waiting to help... we just need to ask.

I love you!!

Hermana Hildman

alright so this gonna be short.. im sorry!

so my time is super super short! 

But this week was really good.

highlights:

1. we threw a suprise bday party for Fernando and it turned into a huge water fight and it was really fun.

2. Went to Zone conference and said goodbye to the mission pres because he is moving to Canada and is leaving a month early from the mission. so transfers will be interesting.

3. Parra is forever progressing!! oh man.. i love it up there even though it really is such a trek to get up there.

4. my spanish is improving... i understand more than i can speak. so im learning to be a good listener ha

5. its getting  hotter... so im glad to be in Ocoa where its cooler.

6. We have had a lot of funny experiences this week... wish i had more time to share them

7. Esmelin is getting baptized this saturday! 

8. And Maria, Luis Mario and Marisol (Carmens kids) are getting baptized the week after!

I am so excited for all of them.

I wish i had moer time.

God really is a huge part of our lives... i am learning each day.and seeing miracles..

oh man i miss you guys a ton.

but i want to be here. I really love these people so much. and just seeing the little changes really make big changes in their lives... saying prayers together as a family... which is a small act is helping Carmen and her family and they are happier...

oh man... i wish i could just take my brain out and send it to you guys because i dont have time to write...

but know that God love you so so much.

You are never alone. Prayer is powerful. oh man... i am sending my love and one HUGE hug to all of you!!!

Locals

I think they like McKenzie a little. :)

More Pictures

Zone conferences

Pictures

Hellllooooo

Alright so i dont know where to begin exactly but maybe ill start withhighlights and elaborate. 

we have a baptism coming up. we have just met him but he wants to get baptized. his name is esmeldin and he has been to church twice already and we found out he was in our area. his batptism is the 3rd of may. he lives in that "new area"we just discovered we have.

we also have another investigator named Esterlin. In our companionship we get his name confused with Esmeldin cause theyre so close. Anyway Esterlin has been to church twice now and really likes it and says he learns a lot. We havent set a baptismal date with him yet but were going to this week. he knows a lot of english so my comp and i try to talk a little in english with him but were really awkward... espeically my comp haha... i mean we speak english in our house but when were in a lesson setting.. our brains turn to spanish.

anyway update on Parra... prgoresssing!!!

We had a book of mormon class up there this week and 13 people showed up! and it was really good. our first few classes had like 1-3 peopled so 13 is crazy! church up there yesterday was... an adventure lol. so parra... to get up there you have to go down this slippery hill, cross this river and trek up this mountain. AND YESTERDAY it rained and rained and rained... my comp and i got drenched (except for my top half cause ofmy nice jacket from aunt nanc!)

Anyway we trekked up there and no one was at church... NO ONE... so we rounded up people and we ended up having a really really great meeting.

and Enrique was there!! i know i havent mentioned him.. or maybe i have. but anyway he has been struggling lateley with his faith and everythime we'd see him he was just so low and not the happy enrique i had first met. but yesterday we saw the real enrique smile! I hardly know him but i could have died having seen him there. the love i have for these people grows. i am thankful that Heavenlth Father gives me some of His love to share with His children here. and I hope they can feel it.

Missions are really hard but i am beginning to more and more fall in love with the work because i am helping bring people to Christ wehre TRUE happiness lies and never dies... 

I cannot begin to express the amazing miracle it is to learn a language. God really does help. He LOVES US! He really is our Father and wants the very best for us. This week my comp and I were taught a really neat analogy id like to share.

this man (who is a father) held his squirmy 5 year old daughter while he shared it.

He said that God is our Heavenly Father and wants the best for us and knows whats best for us. When we, His children, want chocolate He wants to gives us chocolate but He knows we also need bread, milk, vegetables, etc... He wants to make us happy just like any other father but He wants to take care of us too and knows our need of those healty things. We sometimes dont understand why we dont get things our way.. why we dont have chocolate when we want it but we need to remember our Heavenly Father is over all and He wants nothing but the best for us and he KNOWS what those things are.

Trusting in God is hard because we cant see Him but we can feel His love for us and see the blessings we have received through trusting in Him and following His council and commandments... through eating our veggies""... and listening to Him."

I testify that God lives, He is our Father in Heaven and He loves YOU.

He loves you so much and wants the very best for you. Trust in Him. Pray to Him. Thank Him. Talk with Him... He is our Father...

I know it. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Hermana Hildman

ps. I havent gotten mail yet but should this thursday.

pps. If YOU want mail... give me your address.

ppps i love all of you!