Baptism Photo

FREEDOM!!!

Dearest Family!

No wonder there are over 60,000 missionaries!! This work is amazing! I don't even know where to begin.

Yesterday at church it was branch conference (yes, apparently they exist). The Stake President served his mission in Bolivia an eternity ago, so he gave his message in Spanish. In Sunday School I sat in the back with my companion and our row of investigators and one of the Stake Leaders had a translator as he was teaching. The spirit was strong and the teacher asked a question. He then motioned to the back of the class and asked for participation from the back. My investigators looked fairly frightened and looked at me and Herma Jarvis. I rose my hand hoping to save them from having to comment in front of the whole branch (I know I should have more faith). He said he would let me talk after another spoke. He pointed directly at a Father of a family who is coming to church and he hesitantly pointed to himself questioning why someone would ask him to comment. He slowly got up, but bore the sweetest testimony of the church. He started with "I don't know how to read, and I am not very smart but I feel this church in my heart and it makes my mind come alive." He mentioned the
light we brought him as we tracted into him. I was so touched and held back tears of the sincerity and truthfulness of his simple and powerful testimony. The Stake Member was taken aback by his comment and then asked his wife to stand up and share. It was beautiful. At every homecoming I always hear that missionaries time on a mission was the most worthwhile and best time of their life. This was one of those
experiences that I will never forget. Actually I had a lot of them this week. Oh accepted to be married in 2 weeks!! YAY!!!

Another experience we had that blew my mind was with a brand new investigator. She is a mother of 4 and lives with her mother. She was a referal from a member of the ward. Normally people don't follow through with commitments. Clearly I need to emphisize the importance of commitments, but the 2nd time we came into her small home she gently held the Book of Mormon we had given her and as soon as we sat down she asked if she could tell us all about what she had read! It was so fun! In the same lesson she asked what she needed to do to be baptized. A dream come true. But yesterday she didn't come to church.

Perhaps I am niave to the whole mission, but it broke my heart. I played the piano in church and just prayed she would walk through the doors. Lots of the people we are teaching I didn't find which is fine but the few investigators where I felt I was guided by the spirit to teach are very special to my heart. This investigator and her family is just one example. I am excited to teach her tomorrow though.

My companion is great. She is very willing to do what ever I want to. She is a little surprised at how willing I am to knock doors and do work. This is her 3rd month in the mission. She is great. Our biggest struggle is the language. I can speak the language better which is not the best because I feel like I can't speak spanish. But at how much I am talking I should be fluent in no time. And the people are so patient with me.

I love the people here. And according to how many kisses I recieved at church I would say the people love me back. HA! I think I met every active member of the ward before church on Sunday. There are only 3 2nd generation members of the church in our branch. Everyone else are converts to the church. Because of that there is loads of inactivity. But that will change! So because my companion is new to the mission and in fact was finished being trained the same day she recieved me to train (poor girl), there are lots of things we are learning together.

Like the fact that neither of us had planned a baptism until Saturday. And the service was nice and basically the whole branch was there. Granted in started 40 minutes late but that is pretty standard for the culture I guess. At 3:15 we realized we had forgotten towels and ran back to our house, but other that and the fact that the person she wanted to baptize her didn't show up until 3:38, it ran smoothly.

There was a BBQ afterward and I would be happy with Carne Asada for the rest of my life! It was pretty funny though. I asked if I could help and they politely said they were fine. I then said, "I know I am a Gringa but I do know how to cook tortillas" They laughed and spent the rest of the afternoon cooking tortilla's and talking with everyone standing in line for meat. Best place for referrals ever!! It was so much fun!  At one point I turned to my companion and said "This is Heaven!!" She responded, "No, this is Mexico." Same thing!

I feel like I always right a novel but enjoy. Oh, no word on my VISA they told me to expect to be here for the next 3 months. I am fine with that! I love it here. Missionary work is the best.

P.S. for friends serving missions, thank you for working hard and being obedient.

P.S. Mom remember when you asked if I needed anything and I said no.... Well I lied.. Would you or the whole family send some pictures? particularly of the newest neice!
 I also am teaching this little girl piano lessons and am hoping if I can play a duet with her at church her whole family will come. Can you send a duet kinda like "Love at Home" but slightly more simple.
Also, I need some good recepies. Particularly cookie recepies. I love you all!!

 Oh... I forgot to give you my address.

 Hermana Amanda Ray Hill
 1250 Main St.
 Broomfield CO, 80020

Catch the Wave of Missionary Work!!! (even if we can't swim)

Dearest Family,

I don't even know where to begin!! Conference was splendid! Upon waking up on Monday I found that my hand was sore from furiously writing down notes. I think the focus of the conference was obedience and families. The spirit was so strong and all of my questions were answered by inspired men and women of God. We are so blessed. It was an incredible feeling looking from the screen to seeing 3,000 missionaries all trying to do there best and will cover almost every country in the world. I left conference with a firm resolve toward progression. We are promised blessings in return for obedience and we are promised miracles for exact obedience. This week has been fairly crazy but repeatedly I found miracles.

Me and Hrma Tzorin sent our other companion off to Chile on Monday morning at 4. It is amazing how much I have grown to love my companions in just the space of two weeks. She is going to be an amazing missionary. Hrma Tzorin hadn't felt so good so I let her sleep as I studied. Tuesday most other missionaries left which left just 4 of us from our zone. I was placed again in a trio with Hrma Thomas. She is one of the most Christ-like people I have ever met. She broke her foot before coming and thought everything was healed but has been having nerve and ligament damage. She has been here 10 weeks and was supposed to leave today for Chile. The week progressed and my companion started feeling more sick. We took her to the clinic and they told us she was fine and just needed some rest. That night both of my companions  got priesthood blessings. It was awe inspiring  One of the Elders I knew in High School and he spoke with power and authority as he blessed them with comfort. I was reminded of the power of the priesthood and the authority they have. Seth, Cam, Ry, Jord, Jeff, Aaron, James, Josh, Ben, Dad I am proud that you have that priesthood and use it often and with power.

That night my companion broke out in a fever and started to moan. My heart went out to her and began to get worried. I was reminded of the time when we drove from Kentucky to Michigan and how Hannah stayed by my side from what I felt like was most of the night reading the scriptures to me. I decided to do the same. She didn't get to warm and finally started sleeping at about 3ish. I next day when she got up we took her back to the health clinic and after about 15 minutes they called me and my other companion back and started running tests. I am lucky I didn't have what ever my companion had. It was like a movie. We left the office in masks and packed my companion all up called security and they took her away. But I picked her up from isolation today and it is so nice to see her so happy.

While one companion was taken by security my other companion had over 15 Dr. appointments this week. I left the MTC!!! Nothing significant happened though. I talked to all 8 people in the waiting room but turns out all 8 of them were LDS... BLASTED UTAH!! I want to serve so bad. Which is good because I also got reassigned yesterday. I have been hereby called to serve in Denver Colorado North mission. I leave Monday which means I am supposed to call home. I will call on Sunday after 5 I believe. This was a miracle. I found out Thursday morning between appointments that determined if my companion would be sent home due to health problems or be able to serve in Chile. As we went to the 3rd Doctors appointment it was determined she would be sent home. It broke my heart. I wish I could let all missionaries see what I saw as this Hermana with a golden heart and the desire and capacity to serve and change the world was denied the opportunity to do so. She then was sent to talk to the District President or the person who okays people to be sent home.

I sat in this office for 3.5 hours as everything was being figured out and I saw over 16 Elders or Sisters come through. Some due to health concerns, or family concerns, some because they did not feel adequate or were not resilient. It broke my heart.  There was two Elders in particular that fueled my desire to go. One is on crutches it looks like he must have muscular dystrophy or something but can barely walk. I could here him pleading for him to just work at the referral center. How can I not study with all of my might when there are Elders like him. I sent my companion on the plane home this morning at 4:30. But it was a blessing I was called to Denver, her home town. My companion wasn't doing so good with the news and when people saw her weighing suitcases of course everyone asks where we are going and when. I was able to save some trouble and explain we were both going to Denver but they weren't letting me leave until Monday. It helped a lot.

My heart was heavy but my desire great. I must say that receiving that special hug in the temple today helped so much. I was so surprised to see you Mom. It was just what I needed and thank you for going to the temple every week. You are a great example to me and I love you! Which is clearly evident!! See I even spent some time attaching a picture of me and Ryan.

I feel like this letter is sad. I promise I am not sad! It is impossible with the flowers that are blooming anywhere!! I obsessed!!

During gym time we got a couple Polynesian districts and I have been playing Volleyball with all the Elders. It will be me and 5 Poly's. I find it hilarious as they yell, "SISTAH DIS ONE FA YU" I love the polynesian culture. Such big hearts!! And they are crazy awesome at Volleyball.

I also had a hilarious experience with the Consolate. We were not allowed to say anything regarding religion while meeting with him...... And I will finish the story when I get home cause I am out of time...

Love ya!!

The "Hill" is alive with the sound of music

Querida Familia,

My Branch President told me I could email any friends and had an hour but the computer screen still  says I have 30 minutes so to be safe I will use my alloted 30 minutes. I don't even know where to begin. I thought I loved the MTC last week? Man alive, this place is amazing. Sunday was a dream. I got stuck in line to get into the auditorium for probably about an hour and after standing up I realized that just a couple feet away was good ol' Ry. So I was actually able to really talk to him. By really talk I mean a solid 15 minutes as  people pushed and shoved to inch there way to the front of the line. Mom, I like his Easter tie. You have excellent tastes!! I had twice as much trouble as Cam in finding it though!! I didn't find it until Tuesday ... (It is just hard for me to get to the post office at the times that it is actually open.) During the mission conference over 3,000 missionaries took the sacrament at one time. It was really unique and amazing. I was touched by Bishop Causse's words and have only appreciated Easter more one other time when it landed on April 21st. We had an amazing fireside by Sherri Dew, and then I sat through the "Character of Christ" and have never wanted to change more. Oh goodness, this place is amazing. If it is possible please send me a copy of Elder Bednars talk the Character of Christ. But it was from an MTC fireside so maybe it isn't available....

I was planning on writing Dad a letter this week and all but we don't have much time and this is my one day to complete all the "homework" I promised to do. I need to write a talk for tomorrow as well. So Dad, HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!! You don't look a day over 28! I hope you were able to meet all your goals. I love you with all my heart and if I were sitting at the table during your birthday dinner I would say, "Dad, I love you because of your ability to continually turn outward and focus on others. I admire your priorities and am sincerely touched of how much you sacrifice and your support to your family. It is weird not talking to you everyday all the time. I think I spent more time with you before my mission then anyone else. I love you with all my heart and will make you proud. Oh and thank you for doing the Vanguard stuff I signed the first paper and sent it off to PA.

In order to answer your question on how you should be praying for me. I am not sure. I think my biggest struggle right now is the language, and sleep. Sleep won't be an issue from now on. I just had 3 girls leave my room before 4 am for three days in a row. Consequently I got up around 3:33 three days in a row and wasn't able to sleep after that. And I had to stay up until at least 10:15. Couldn't have done that in high school...But it gave me lots of time to study. I feel that both my ability to speak spanish and english have dramatically decreased.

But to be completely honest I am not that worried. I was really worried about it at one point and started getting up too early to study the language, but I was outside and observed two elders teaching an investigators. Both were awful at spanish and as I watched them struggle my heart went out to them. But as they came to the first vision one young elder recited in very broken spanish the first vision the spirit was so strong and couldn't help but tear up. Even if no one understands me I know this message is true and that the spirit will manifest that to their hearts. After that experience I was reading the introduction of the Libro De Mormon and came across the famous quote about how a man will draw closer to God by abiding by its precepts then any other book. So now when I wake up early I read aloud El Libro de Mormon. I know that the spirit will take over, but I just need to do all I can.

Just like every principle in the gospel when you exercise faith a blessing follows. We were teaching Pedro who is 17 and not extremely interested in the church. As we taught him he seemed so uncaring. You could see it in his eyes. He didn't care about our message. It broke my heart because it means the world to me. There was a pause.... I asked him a question and I took my book of Mormon out of its cover with extreme care and handed it to him and bore powerful testimony that left both him and me crying. I was able to share in perfect spanish my love of the gospel and the feelings of my heart. The church is true!!

I love my zone. They are all great. There is one girl in particular who I just adore. She is trying so hard and can see her faith but is struggling. One day as we were walking her face just lit up as she saw a penny on the ground. She explained how much she loved pennies so later that night my room  gathered all the pennies we could from every other district and we made this awesome penny trail from her room to a random location. It was hilarious. You should have seen her face. Mom, you told me to send pictures but my camara is not working I have a picture of me and Hermana Hutchendorf and will make sure to send a picture of us. I really did try Mom!!! Sorry!!

One of the strongest lessons I learned so far is the importance of members in missionary work. I will definitely do my part when I get home. You better do your part while I am gone....:)

I have been delayed. I find out my reassignment on thursday of next week. Rumors have been flying some say I will leave for Argentina in 2 weeks others say 6 months all I know is that I want to serve. I need to run. Know that everyone here is amazing. JORDAN!! I had the most brilliant idea!! Come work here... You could find a wife in like 3 weeks flat. Just kidding! I will stop being as bad as Mom.. But I agree with Ry, you better be married when I get back!!

Love you all! The church is true!!!

Oh and Happy Birthday Andrew and Jeffrey!!!

Hermana Hill

P.S. WHAT IS THE NEWS WITH MY NIECE !?! Is Abby doing alright? I love you Abby!! I had a dream about you the other night. You were speaking spanish, it was awesome...

P.S.S My companion doesn't stop talking about twistable crayon things. Can you send me a package of the miniture kind. It would make her life. Her family lives really far away and she feels bad asking them
to send them to her.

p.S.s.s. I am at 34. I have seen 34 people that I know in the MTC. Crazy huh? Oh Josh, what room do you work in. Could you take some stuff back home for me?