Hello Family and Friends!
> This week has been another week, but it ended with a bang! This last weekend was incredible! On saturday we had Elder Quentin l.Cook , Elder Parker and Elder piper of the Seventy come and speak to us.It felt like yesterday we were just listening to Elder Oaks, and that was 5 months ago! To be honest, as a mission we were so excited but a little nervous that we were going to recieve a throwdown, but it turned out to be exactly what we needed to hear as individual missionaries. They all spoke on the power of agency and having more faith in this work, in the people. AFter Elder Parker spoke, i felt like singing hallelujah! Ha He knew how to preach from the pulpit. But Elder Cook's talk was amazing of course. Everyone felt like it was meant just for them, and I felt like it was just for me!! He explained to us that we have to remember that our investigators and the people here have their agency. But we have our faith.Our faith can be so powerful, and when we have faith in the Lord and these people, miracles occur. At the end of his talk, he bore such a sincere testimony that brought such a strong spirit. I remember his words exactly saying "I've heard the Savior's voice, and i know He lives!" Of course we all know that the apostles and prophets are literal witnesses of CHrist, but to actually hear it in testimony is something else! He then stated that he knows and feels that many of us are dealing with trials at home (death, conflicts, divorce, parents, siblings, family..) but gave us words of comfort and assured us that we are blessing them with our service. Our families now and families in the future will be greatly blessed eternally because of us. Our father is aware of us and loves us sooo much. This struck me so much and i was in need of hearing that! The Lord is indeed aware of me and i know He loves me. I see little miracles from Him everyday and I am so grateful to know Him and feel His love for me!
> Sunday was another stake conference. We were expecting to hear from Elder Clayton but he had family matters. So elder piper spoke to us, along with our stake president, mission president and his wife, and they also had some youth from the stake get up and bear their testimonies. Of course, it was very focused on missionary work. Sometimes i worry that the members are getting tired of hearing about it, but everything revolves around missionary work. President Wolfert spoke on how missionaries can help the members more, because really everyone gets the idea that we need to work together, but some dont know exactly what to do. so the ideas he gave we really great. Our ward mission leader actually gave us a list of 101 ways to do member missionary work, and it has some great ideas. Alot on differnt topics, such as book of mormon, Church meetings, Family history work, etc. I've been impressed this week too from the members in our ward. I'm seeing new people step up and rise to the calling. This is what we need. When we first got to the area, i knew they had trouble with missionary work, but i didn't think it was that bad. But we've found that they want EVERYONE involved, Not just the usual people, they need the whole ward. So we're focusing on families that can be more involved and what they can do better. I know alot are scared, nervous, and just don't know how to go about it, so we'r trying to help them. yesterday actually we were at dinner and the wife just said, you know i have some neighbors who i have felt prompted to talk to but i dont' know how to. So we jumped up and said, We got 5 minutes, lets go say hi! she looked shocked but did so anyways and it turned out great! so i think they just need the little boost and help.
> So We started this thing called missionary night at the Torrez's.. Every other sunday now we are doing firesides with the youth at the Torrez's home, a family's home in our ward. They are so fun and awesome! We only had a handful of youth but we did have one bring a nonmember friend and we were really impressed with that. Our lesson for the night was focused on the Atonement of CHrist. We did an activity that i'm sure many of you have heard of.. We asked for a volunteer who was well built and really tough. A boy named Nathan stepped up and was our volunteer. We had a plate of cookies, and went to the first person and asked if they wanted a cookie, they said yes, so we told nathan to do 20 pushups because she wanted a cookie. We did this for every person in the room, and nathan had to to 20 pushups for each person whether they excepted the cookie or not. By the 6th person, he was shaking and really struggling. He was definitely feeling tried. And by the 10th person i wish i could have stopped him and do it for him! Many people had volunteered to do their own pushups but we said, nathan volunteered and only he can do them. He was exhausted and was pushing through every pushup with all his might. By the 13th person, the mom actually asked that he stop and not do anymore, she thought it was cruel! But we said he had to keep going, not everyone was offered a cookie yet. I was so pleased and impressed with Nathan's determination and effort! And by the last person.. number 16.. he did the last pushup with triumph! He was dead, and exhausted to the core! Many people thanked him for doing that for them and for being so wiling. My heart just reached out to him and i was grateful also for what he did. I then shared the scripture from Alma 7:11-13 about Christ's atonement for us. after witnessing Nathan's suffering for each of us, I pictured what it was like for our Savior. of course it was nothing compared to that, but it became so much more real to me! I thought of how we were also watching the savior as he suffered for us, after every pain and affliction we each thanked him, just as they thanked nathan. We must never forget what Christ did for us, Every time we feel so blessed from God, we need to remember the best gift from Him, the atonement of 'our Savior. some of us may reject it and not accept the gift, but we must show that we love our savior and accept this wonderful gift. And we can do this through God's loving commandments, and by following the Saviors example for us. He has shown us the way and we need to take those steps with faith. In the end , we will be eternally grateful. I know we will! My testimony has grown tremendously this past week on the atonement. I know it is real, and I know the book of Mormon testifies of His atonement. I'm grateful to read it everyday, and feel the Holy Ghost testify to me.
> I love y'all very much and and grateful for your prayers!
> Love, Sister Hulme
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