02 August 2010

Learning Patience in Mentor, Ohio

Catching Fireflies in Ohio -flashlight substitute?

Howdy from Mentor, OH. If anyone ever needs to use a computer while in the Kirtland, OH area, I would NOT recommend going to the Mentor library. I had to wait 70 minutes for a computer. Obviously Heavenly Father is still trying to get me to learn patience. I better just give in someday.


Christy at her baptism

Anyways, had some solid lessons this week. Taught our 16 year old recent convert, Christy, this week. We asked her how she gets the most out of her scripture study and she said, "It just really helps to apply the scriptures back to my life, what's going on in my life right now." Good grief, I've been out on my mission longer than she's been a member and I still struggle with doing that. She's so wonderful. Great miracle in following promptings from the spirit. Last week, Sister Carter and I felt impressed to teach her about keeping the Sabbath day holy. This week, her work scheduled her to work on Sunday. She had the courage and faith to talk to her boss about why she can't work on Sunday's. Seriously, I love that girl. I was sick a few days later when we had an appointment with our investigator, Laura, who we met tracting last week. So Sister Carter had a lesson with her over the phone. She really wants to read the Book of Mormon so we dropped off a copy on Sunday. She wants to read it and pray about it. I told her that's exactly what we would ask her to do. She shouldn't take our word for it, she needs to take Heavenly Father's word that this book is true. We meet again with her on Friday so I'm excited.

On Tuesday, we met with the former investigator, Jan, that we met last week. She doesn't see the need for the Book of Mormon because she loves the Bible so much. We had her read 2 Nephi 29. She started laughing and said, "That's what I say!" So we explained to her that the Book of Mormon and Bible go beautifully together. The Book of Mormon clarifies things in the Bible. Who wouldn't want to learn more about Jesus Christ?

How did she do that? According to Sister Hill this is the result of tracting. Is she scooting along the ground?

We have a less-active from the Philippines whose husband and 11 year old daughter aren't members. Sister Carter and I stop by her house almost every week, she never answers the door, so we leave a note. She has REALLY bad social anxiety and hasn't been to church in 2+ years. We walk into Sacrament Meeting yesterday and who do we see? This woman WITH her husband and daughter!! She gave us a souvenir from the Philippines. Precious family. I gave my souvenir to another sister who was serving her mission in the Philippines, got really sick, went home, and got reassigned to Kirtland (the complete opposite mission). Anyways, don't ever give up on people! That's the moral of that story.

Chocolate - the perfect cure when tracting doesn't go so well!

I talked to a woman on the phone yesterday when I was making referral calls, and I fell in love with her! She was in her 70's, had four strokes, was just diagnosed with breast cancer, and skin cancer on her scalp. She has her husband drive her down to the local elementary school every day where she volunteers with special needs children in science. She wouldn't accept missionaries though because her husband is a staunch Catholic and wants nothing to do with the Mormons unless they will "play cards with him". C'mooooon. She deserves the Gospel so greatly. Everyone deserves the Gospel. Everyone deserves all the peace, joy, and happiness it brings. We have an investigator, Tina, who I love dearly, who doesn't understand why people fall away from the church. She's so funny. She can't comprehend why you wouldn't want this in your life.

Phone Training with the Butterfields :)

Well, keep the good news coming. Life is so much happier when there are letters in the mailbox. Ha. Just kidding? Missions aren't about getting letters. They just help a lot. The Church is STILL true. It was true last week and it'll be true next week. But seriously, I love seeing the joy that comes into people's lives as they come closer to their Savior.

Be happy!!

Love,
Sister Nicole Hill

Are we there yet?  Sister Schumann & Sister Hill enjoying P-Day

Little Extra’s:
Email to her dad:
Dad!!!

Seriously, tell David Dransfield that this is the most blessed mission on earth. Tell him to read D&C 38:32, "GO TO THE OHIO." Anyways, seriously. This is sacred land. And he gets to start out his mission in the most special way that no other missionary in the world can. Getting your call to Cleveland is a big bummer. Until you get here and realize how lucky you are. And then you start to question how you, of all people, were so blessed to receive your call here. So thanks for talking to him! I'm so excited for him.

Also, thanks for sharing what Brother Barnett said. That means a lot.

Good luck on your talk on Sunday! The Kirtland saints were definitely blessed for keeping the commandments sooo you can talk about that. Haha. But seriously. Such wonderful people that lived here.

I love you, dad! I wish so badly sometimes that you could be here to talk to people about your conversion. I know KNOW KNOW KNOW that you and mom need to serve a mission. You both have such amazing personalities that could bless lives so immensely. I share your conversion story with just about every investigator we meet with. It would be better if you were here to do it yourself. But it's okay. Maybe you and mom will serve in Kirtland. HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE! Really cool.

I love you!!!


Sister Carter and Sister Hill ready to start their day

A side note to Mom:
Those shoes are SO cute, mom!! I love them. And I do need black shoes, my MeToo's are holy, like I said. Thank you so much. I'm glad I have a mother with such incredible taste.

That's funny about Sister Pickett's niece and friend. It was a whole YSA tour from Washington D.C. that she was with. And I was basically on a roll that day. Somedays I'm able to give spiritual tours. Somedays I have to crack jokes the whole time. It's bad, I know. But you get bored doing the same thing every day. Whenever I would take tours with this sister who has gone home now, everyone would be dying with laughter. We couldn't breathe half the time. She was my personality soulmate.

I'm seeing an OB today! In two hours, actually. There's a bishop here is an OBGYN and he recommended to Sis. Sorensen that I see this one closer to me. You probably talked to her about it, though. Poor Sis. Sorensen is going to be so tired of me. But hopefully all goes well today and we figure out what the heck is going on.

Also, Elder Smith is my District Leader. That's so funny that you found his blog. He had the district fast for me yesterday.

Does dad know a Doug Wilks from Los Altos? And can you send your chocolate chip cookie recipe to Sister Carter?

Oh! The hippie party was so brilliant!! I loved all the pictures! And thanks for making everyone write me! haha. I loved getting all those letters. Really brightened my day. And thanks for the skirts!!! Woooo. You're the best momma ever.

I have to go now, but I love you so much. I'll write you tonight and let you know how the OB goes. Thank you for your prayers, momma. It means the world. I'm so grateful for you. Really, I can't explain it. I just don't know what I did to receive so many blessings. Especially have you and pops for parents. I sent you two a temple anniversary present today. Look for it on Wednesday, I believe. You're so special to me.

I love you!!

Love,
Sister Daughter Nicole

Seems like only yesterday Sisters Anderson, Houston and Hill were together in the MTC - look at them now!!

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