Friday, February 28, 2014

I love these people!!



Hey Y'all! 

Well :) What do ya want to hear about this week?.. There seems like so much to share on one hand and then.. not a lot on the other.. I'll start by letting you all see me have another "cheesy missionary moment" I do say another because I'm pretty sure each of my emails scream CHEESY! But the fact of the matter is, I LOVE these people so much. I don't know if there will ever be another place on earth and group of people that I love as much as I do those in Georgia. And this week just proved that to me once again. 

You see.. I was really sad to be moved from the Allatoona congregation to the Woodstock congregation.. And it was a total double edged sword that they met in the same building.. On one hand it helped me feel like I really wasn't that far and could still see them Sunday, but on the other it made me feel even further from them because I couldn't see them during the week. Each Sunday I was in Woodstock I would see the Allatoona people and just be so happy because I LOVE those people! Well, now that I am back in Allatoona I now realize I came to love Woodstock just as much in those short 3 weeks.. Because yesterday as I saw members in the Woodstock congregation I couldn't help but get so excited! I gave people hugs, asked how they were doing, had little kids run to show me something they had drew, and for a second wished I was there..

Its like how we got out of a lesson with some new people we are teaching and my new companion says "Sister Hamilton.. I know this might sound strange because I've only met them once, but I love them." All I could do was smile and say, "Its not strange, because you do love them." You see missionaries are given the opposite problem of the Grinch.. our hearts seem to be a billion sizes large. :) I feel like Nephi when he answered a question and said "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." I KNOW that God loves all of His children, and sometimes I feel like well what the heck who cares what else I know.. I know God loves us, what else matters? 

So now with that fun tangent :) Let me tell you about my new companion. Mom you ready for this? Her new name is Sister Smith! Sister Smith and Sister Hamilton serving together.. HAHA sorry :) Anyways! She is from South Jordan Utah, no shocker there. All of my companions seem to be from Utah. But seriously.. 8 of 13 are from Utah. That's real! But its not a bad thing, I promise! She is the oldest of 4 girls. She graduated from High School in 2013 and attended one semester of BYU. (Is that a better bio for you Dad?) :)

Well.. Let me just list all the little miracles I saw this week and probably funny moments too:
  • We give basically everyone we see a mormon.org card.. Sometimes I wonder "WHY ON EARTH DO WE WASTE THESE?!" I've been in GA over a year and have never once had anyone call off of simply being given a mormon.org card. Well.. Mr J Biebs did teach us all to "never say never" and I guess I should have listened.. Tuesday while trying to plan Sister Smiths first day the phone started ringing and as I answer a sweet woman says "May I speak to Sister Blaylock and Sister Lindsey? I have your card and I decided it was time to call." Seriously my jaw hit the floor. Did that really just happen? YUP! Her friend (a member of the church who hasn't been in years) regifted a mormon.org card that those sisters gave her.. 6 months ago. She said she sat all day twirling the card with the words "if you ever want to make a better life for your family, call this number. They can help you" going around in her head.. So she called. I still have a hard time believing that happened.. We taught her and her husband Wednesday and will hopefully be seeing them tomorrow! So if y'all could pray for Wendy and John that would be great! :)
  • We have had a lot of sweet experiences tracting this week and have even found a few people that have agreed for us to come back! One sweet woman named Wendy (not the same as above) asked us if she could pray for us right then, we of course said yes. But truthfully sometimes I get a tad nervous because of the things that have been said in prayers before, if you know what I mean :) But hers was so genuine and SO kind! One thing she said right before she closed the prayer was "We thank Thee, we love Thee, and we need Thee." and that phrase just keeps ringing in my ears, it is so true. 
  • The weather has been a huge blessing. I don't ever realize how much of a California girl I am until I don't see the sun for awhile.. because then when it comes out I am automatically in the best mood ever literally BEST mood and all I want to do is be outside. :) It was high 60's and low 70's all week..  It was GLORIOUS!
  • I had to say bye to Sister PaePaeTaaTa this week. The Assistants made it possible for her and I to drive to the mission office together so I got sometime to chat with her before she went off to Tahiti, which was a huge blessing. I miss that girl already! So.. whose in for a trip to the Pacific?! 
  • The Dixons are doing great! The Elders are probably going to keep teaching them since they have taught them the past 3 weeks, but President did give me permission to go the baptism, so that's exciting! :)
  • We went to meet a members neighbor, and as we were walking the street we here "Sisters!" Turns out the Rogers were about to go plant flowers for that neighbor, so we had a nice impromptu service project, in skirts.. HAHA We planted some daffodils, my favorite flowers, a good sign? I think YES! 
  • My last couple days with Sister Porter were awesome we seriously had the best time! So many pictures, so many laughs!
  • The Book of Mormon is true, can I just tell you that?! There is a certain Elder in the mission who is a tiny bit of a punk.. In a funny way. I enjoy serving around him because he's hilarious and I've seen him grow so much these past months. On Tuesday he came up to me and said "Sister Hamilton! Look!" Opening the book of Mormon to Moroni Ch7. I was so excited because I knew this was his first time ever reading the whole thing. With tears in his eyes, this Elder, who has the reputation of being a total punk said "Sister Hamilton, I'm going to finish it tonight.. I'm going to get on my knees and I am going to ask God if its true.. Then I'll be able to say as surely as you do that I know its true. I'll be able to tell people I knoew its true because I've read the WHOLE thing and prayed about it." I wanted to give him a big hug and tell him that I was so proud of him! I saw him the next day and indeed he was happy to report that he had prayed and he knew it was true. The Book of Mormon changes lives.. Don't believe me? Try it. :)
So basically I am back to doing what I have done my entire mission.. Going into an area where neither my nor my companion know basically anything.. and doing our best to help the ward and find people to teach. It was fun having a companion know something about the area for like 3 weeks.. haha 

Its weird training again, its been so long since I was a trainer.. I've forgotten so much that goes into having a new missionary around all the time. Like all the questions.. Sister Smith asks me a lot of quesitons, and I'm surpised at how many I don't have an answer to.. Haha Seriously though she stumps me all the time! Even more so I'm thankful for the example of Nephi and that although I may not be able to tell her things about Georgia weather, why the culture is a certain way, I can at least respond and tell her "Well Sister Smith, I'm not sure.. But I can promise you that you are going to love this place." 

I sure love this place!! And these people :) and I love you!
Love,
Sister Hamilton

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