Had another solid week here in the YSA Ward! For the Fourth of July, our Zone walked in a parade with Sister Ballard (mission presidents wife). It was pretty fun. We got to throw candy to people and when we ran out of candy we were throwing out Mormon.org cards hahaha. Then we went to one of our friend's houses in the Ward to light off fireworks and hangout! We were allowed to stay out until 11 so that was sweet. I forgot to mention previously that we share the Ward with Sister missionaries: Sisters Bagshaw and Abplanalp, and so they came with us to do fireworks! We are always with them at activities, dinners, and meetings. It's kinda weird sharing a Ward, but the sisters are awesome and hilarious!
We were able to go to the temple this week! It was the first time in over four
months, and it was awesome. I love going to the temple and being able
to feel the Spirit and receive inspiration and answers to questions.
The bishop in my last area said, "the temple is the only place on earth
that Satan cannot get into." I thought that was pretty cool knowing
that I was in the only place where Satan can't be. And I saw Brother Smith, my old Ward mission leader from my last area, at the temple!!!
It was so great being able to see him. We were able to catch up and
talk for a little bit. He's one of my favorite people I have met on my
mission.
So to explain the second half of the email title.... Sunday night we were
sitting in dinner and we get a call from a random number and I didn't
answer it. But then they call three more times and so I finally just
excuse myself and answer it. I answer it and there is this girl on
the other line and I start talking to her and she started telling me
the craziest story of how she got our number! Her name is Elaina.
So Elaina's family just moved to Oregon, but she was going to college
in Georgia and she was in a sorority and was living with a few girls.
She became best friends with them, and then a few months ago two of
them died in a car accident while they were up at school. That
completely devastated her. She dropped out of school and didn't know
what to do with her life. She started just traveling around and was
really into hiking. She made it to Utah at some point and while she
was hiking she ran into two return missionaries who started talking to
her and gave her a Book of Mormon. She didn't really think too much of
it and she just kept traveling around doing her thing. However, she said she
loved the BoM and read Alma 36 over and over.. She then went backpacking up to
Yellowstone. While she was up there
hiking she ran into a lady who was looking for service on her
cellphone. They started talking and Elaina reached into her backpack
to get something and her Book of Mormon fell out. The lady was like, "oh are you LDS?" And Elaina was just like, "no some people gave me this
book." And this lady says, "my husband is an LDS bishop! We would love
to talk to you!" So Elaina talks to this family about the church and
the BoM and the Bishop finds our number online and gives it to her.
She decides to come back to Oregon to live with her parents for a
while and that's when she called us. SO CRAZY!! LIKE THE GUY WAS A
BISHOP! That's insane. Talk about divine intervention!!.. I told her
on the phone that it is not a coincidence that all these things
happened to her. God has His hand in her life and He is watching over
her because He loves her. Now we are meeting with her again this
week!! So cool.
Everything is going great here in Oregon! Everyone is playing this new
Pokemon Go game and so there are lots of people out and about that we
can talk to! The Lord is hastening His work with Pokemon Go hahaha.
Thanks for all the emails and support!
Love and miss you all!!
Elder Hill
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