Monday, June 30, 2014

HaPpY 4TH Of JuLY! 6/30/14

Hello Yall!
So i know its not just me, but this week went by incredibly fast. And this next week is going to be pretty busy too, gotta lot of good work and fun stuff happening! I'm super excited for the big fourth here. Our ward along with a few others are having a big celebration and some good food:) So we're hoping to get most of our investigators there.
So we had just a wonderful weekend! Taz entered the waters of mormon and it was glorious. Oh so glorious! i think i'm still in shock that it all happened. There was a good turn out even though most of the ward has been gone for vacay, including our bishop and ward mission leader. But she was just so pleased and happy to see everyone who did come! And surprisingly our new mission president came to our baptism too! Oh,.. ya we got a new mission president this week. It was very hard for us to say good bye to the wolferts. My companion and I had to shed a few tears the morning they left. They called us and left us a voicemail to all the missionaries, thanking us for our hard work and the time they had to serve with us. But back to the story of the baptism.. President and sister Bennion decided to come to our baptism! Even though there were 12 others that weekend. But we were happy to have them there. I was nervous and scared.. but I think he was more than we.. He seemed like a deer in the headlights.. BUt he and his wife are very sweet and we are meeting them again tomorrow. I'm excited to see what changes he'll make to the mission. It will be hard to adjust , but i know he'll be great. 
So I'm thanking my Heavenly Father that everything went smoothly at the baptsim! Taz (Fatimah), has a very different background then most members in our church. To be honest, I'm still shocked that she was really baptized! We've been through alot with her. I've been through so much stress and tears because of that woman! But because of the power of the atonement, we made it to this point today. Oh how grateful I am for the atonement! It is real and it heals everything. And seeing her come into this church, tells me that the church is for everyone! We're all children of God. And teaching her has taught me how much love Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father has for each of us. I really had to work for that love. But through our hardest times, I realized what it was like to be in the Savior's position, what it was like for Him to be heartbroken, but more importantly how sincere and real His love is for us, and for Taz. I do worry about how she's going to do now, and if she'll really stick to the church. But I know she'll never forget this moment in her life, and how much love was shown for her through us and the members. This experience is something I'll forever remember and has impacted me in so many ways.
We also had another great lesson with Pin and we brought a member with us who was very helpful!! my companion felt prompted to read with him Alma 32.. because he talks alot about nature and how he sees God in everything and there is one truth in everthing. He compares it alot to the growth of a tree.. So alma 32 was perfect for him. He really loved it and he lit up while we were reading it. AT the and he was smiling and said he feels like he's getting closer to his answer. Little does he know that its right in front of him! but i can't wait for the day that it all just clicks in his head and it makes sense. Because it does! It all makes perfect sense! 
I hope everyone has a wonderful, fabulous fourth of july! I am so grateful for he freedom we have today. I know that God prepared this promised land and ensured our freedom here, so that we can have the restoration and the fulness of the gospel. Im super excited for Sister motuliki to experience the fourth here! she's stoked too:) I read with her 1 nephi 13 and 2 nephi 10 and she thought it was the coolest thing. Yep,, america is the coolest:) 
Well love ya'll! take care and god  bless america
Love sister Hulme:) xoxox



The necklaces mom sent for 4th of July.


Monday, June 23, 2014

It's heating up in Atlanta 6/23/14

Hey family and friends!
I feel like i just emailed ya'll yesterday! Hope everyone had a wonderful week! Our's was full of alot of hard work. And this heat doesn't make it any better. its amazing to see how the Lord helps us endure and gives us the strength and power to do his work everyday! I really wouldn't be able to do this without his spirit bearing me up. It pushes me forward everyday. I am constantly motivated by the love he has for me and shows me, and I act by the inspiration he gives me from his spirit every day. 
So this upcoming week is full of events. We get a new mission president, President Bennion, and from this point on there's just a wave of missionaries going home! I'm sad to see the Wolferts go. They are truly incredible and I have loved serving with them every second. I wish i had more time with them. its going to be hard to adjust and switch to a new president. But i know we'll love him and he'll be amazing. From what i've heard he sounds like it. Ha so this last weekend we had to contact president Wolfert to schedule an interview for one our investigators, Taz, and he txted us to see if we got everything arranged ok. We told him yes and thank you, and he replied with the best words i could hear from my mission president, just before he leaves! "Wonderful sisters! I'm happy its working out. Congratulations on an upcoming baptism. I'm so pleased with you!" ha we texted back thank you, and he texts us" :) " haha i'm gonna miss his humor. He's pretty cool guy. 
So yes, we have an upcoming baptism this week. Hopefully! We're keeping a prayer within our hearts. Taz is scheduled for this saturday, but she has an interview with the mission presidency this thursday. We had to arrange this because she admitted to us that she's gay. She hasn't been in a homosexual relationship since november and she's commited to live the law of chastity. But she told us she can't change over night, its going to be hard. So please pray for her. She really does want to be baptized, and she come such a long ways. so we're planning on the baptism, yet we're planning to push it back, just in case. If she gets baptized though, there is hope for everyone! and it shows that the church is for everyone! We're just putting a little color into the ward:) 
This week we've found alot of new investigators! We finally were able to schedule alot of followup lessons with people we tracted into. So im excited to see where the spirit will lead us with these people. There is just so much work to do! 
 Yesterday Our ward mission leader asked us during correlation, with each person we talked about, how we found them, and everyone of them was basically through tracting. So he gave a great talk on how he really wants to change that and have the finding effort be more through the members. That way the investigators will be more promising and they automatically have that fellowship. People will be more open to listening to us when they know a member of our church personally. so we;re going to try to enforce that more with the members this week and here on. Cause really we are all called to the work.. ha every member a missionary! and if we have desires to serve god, then we are called. The lord qualifies the called and he will help those who want to share the gospel. 
WE also had a great lesson this weekend with our investigator Pin. He's the one with no christianity background. This time, we sat and listened to his story and what he's been thinking. The guy is very smart and just by looking at nature and science he has come to know and believe there is a god and there is a truth. He's just still trying to find what is the truth. He is confused by the trinity though, one of his friends tried to explain it to him.. dang satan.. therefore he is confused about God and Christ. He believes in God but not Christ who is the son of God, who came here to earth to atone for us. ANd just listening to him, my heart just reached out to him. My heart was more of broken, because he is a son of god himself, yet he does not understand the love his brother Christ has for him. AT that moment i wished i could give all that i had, everything of me for him to know and believe fully in Jesus Christ. I think of how i was raised my whole life knowing of what my savior has done for me, and here is a man who knows nothing about him. He expressed though that he knows there is truth and he will be able to find it through feelings. I just kept nodding my head saying yes! And we keep testifying to him that the truth is right before him, He's searching in the right place.. God is just waiting for him to open his eyes and heart to the answer. So I'm praying that he'll recognize the answer. In order to do that, like he said, its through the feelings he has. And that comes by exercising our faith. He's struggling with this part. he reads, but he hasn't been praying and he hasn't come to church yet. But he's committed to now pray, and said someday he'll come to church. Having patience with all of this is hte hardest! Right now i am planting a HUGE seed. I can't wait for him to find the truth. I think of how much patience god is having with all of this, i don't know how he does it! But i know that he and his family will someday.. someday! go to the temple. 

Well.. I'm unfortunately ran out of time.. So much to say! I love you all, i hope you are enjoying your summer. Take care
Love sister hulme

Monday, June 16, 2014

Hello, Hello! 6/16/14

Hey family and friends! 
This week just flew by for me! We were extra busy with meetings and had some awesome appointments. We had zone meeting this week and a one month follow up for all the new missionaries and the trainers. I have to say i'm one proud trainer. Sis motuliki shared her testimony story and the spirit was amazingly strong. I felt like her parent though, she asked me to come up with her, so you know my "daughter dragged me up there". But i was so happy to bear my testimony too. It was a much better follow up meeting than mine was clear back in november. 
Anyway, Dritan wasn't baptized this weekend. He has some word of wisdom issues also. So for now he just wants to come to church. Which we're still happy about, then he can feel the spirit. I believe that's his only reason for coming, for the spirit and the sacrament. But he has the best motives. The language barrier is just so hard though! But there is a sister missionary in our ward who's grandparents served as mission president in Albania, so i asked president wolfert for permission if we could call them and ask them to translate or talk to him. That's just not coincidence, but there's a reason for everything! 
our other investigator Taz is on date for the 28th. She has made a complete 180! I love to see the change in her! Just please keep her in your prayers, she's come a long ways, but still has a lot to go. I have so much hope for her adn we've worked so hard with her. I don't want to give up! 
Father's day was really great, we spent it with one of my favorite families, the Cobians. We watched a great mormon message video called Earthly father heavenly father. I really focused on my heavenly father's love for me this father's day, it was good to have that different perspective. But happy father's day shout out for all you dad's out there! Especially mine!
So saturday i had to sit down wiht sister motuliki and ask how she was really doing. She was shaking her head at me telling me no, but then immediately broke down crying. she misses her family sooo much. And it's killing me as her trainer that she hasn't heard from them yet, and they haven't heard from her. She emails her sister who is either in New Zealand or on the main island in Tonga so she has access to email. But she hasn't heard anything about or from her parents. So i'm determined today that we send her letters to the address that she has on her mission call and pray that they get there! I know they will if we have the faith.  But thank you to those of you who have written her and send her stuff! It means the world to her and me. She said its like she's hearing from her own family. She really is like a real sister to me! I told her that we were also meant to serve in this mission so we coudl meet each other. I love that girl to death. The day of transfers will be that hardest day for me! I'm dreading the day we have to say good bye to each other. She has become my closest and dearest friend. I thank god for her everyday:)
Well, Fam, i hope all is well with everyone! Take care and god bless
Love sister Hulme xoxox

Monday, June 9, 2014

Learning and growing… 6/9/14

Hey family!!
This week has been one of those "growing" weeks. It was a constant roller coaster, but it ended on the best note. 
So last pday evening, we went to visit Taz. When we showed up, she was completely drunk and had forgotten that we were coming over. It broke my heart to see her in that state. She was talking nonsense and yelling this and that and the third.. Well we went outside to talk things out. She began to tell me that if she was going to give up drinking  and smoking, then i needed to give up all unhealthy food, even fast food. She was forcing me to come to an agreement and shake hands on it. I just couldn't bring myself to agree. So as frustrated as she was, she said hold on, and went inside. During that time, I don't know what came over me, but i just bursted into tears! I was earnestly praying to God, asking for help becuase i had no idea what to do. When she came out she was holding a big huge bottle of vodka and explained that it was her special stuff. No one touched it. But she handed it over to me and said here you go. She saw that i was crying and started to cry herself. We were both like what is this?! We never cry! She said its about time she changes her life. It was silent for a little bit, then I decided to speak up and said words that were not my own. It was all the spirit. Basically i told her that I loved her and she was doing this for God, not for me, and she was a strong woman with a lot of faith and courage in God. She then grabbed the bottle from my hands and went out and poured it all out on the grass!! it wasn't enough for her obviously! But that night was the first time that i truly understood what it was like to be in the SAvior's place. I understood what it was like for him to be really heart broken, but still have so much love for a child of God. With his name on my badge, I am really in His place. My acts are his acts, My mission His mission. I am so grateful to know that no matter what our weaknesses are, He still has so much love for us. It's pure and infinite. Well we also found out that she is gay so we had to take her off date from the 21st of this month. but we're still working with her and hopefully can get her back on date. Im not giving up, especially after what happened! 

Yesterday all the sister missionaries had to speak in sacrament. There are two sets of sisters in our ward, Us and the car sister. Yes they have a car... but I was asked to speak on the woman at the well (John 4) and apply it to missionary work. I absolutlely loved studying it! It applies to missionary work so well. But i wanted to share about the best talk, by sister Motuliki. She was asked to just bear her testimony. But it was the most beautiful testimony i've ever heard. Sister Motuliki's testimony brought every person in that building to tears! She explained that it was only her and her father who lived at home. Everyone else in her family were in different parts of the world. So she and her father grew to be very close. Well when the day came when her call arrived, someone knocked on the door, and instead of answering it she ran away and to the shore! Her dad had to answer the door and got her call for her and came running after her waving the paper in the air. She noticed that he was crying, but had a huge smile on his face. He told her she was going to Georgia, and they were both so ecstatic! The next two weeks her dad made her study like crazy and talk to the people on the tours they gave in their boat around the island. She would get embarrased because of her english. After two weeks, someone came to her house and told her it was time for her to report and she needed to get her things ready. Well, she basically left her house with an empty suitcase, her scriptures in hand , and the clothes on her back. It was in the wee hours of the morning, so it was still dark outside. As she was leaving in the boat, she decided to turn back and look. What she saw is engraved in my head and probably in hers too! She saw a little lamp lit and her dad saying good bye. That was the moment when we all couldn't hold it in any longer! She went on to bear testimony that this is the biggest adventure of her life, and she is so excited to be serving a mission. She will never forget what her father kept telling her, she can do this! 
I only wish I could tell her dad right now how amazing his daughter is. She is absolutely incredible and has grown so much! Everyone complimented her on her great testimony and her english. I know she worries about speaking the language, but she needed that moment, she needed that confidence boost! I feel so blessed to be her companion and what she has taught me so far. She has already become one of my closest and best friends in life, she's impacted my life in so many ways! Love her to death.
Well we're planning on a baptism this next weekend! Its exciting stuff:) Its our investigator from Albania, Dritan. He is a very sweet guy and has such a light about him. He speaks very little english but we gave him a book of mormon in his language and he loves it! The other day he knocked on our door and gave us a chocolate cake and said "Thank you for everything! Enjoy!" and left! It just melted our hearts! Being a missionary and changing people's lives is the best experience ever! 
Time is sure flying by! Almost to the halfway point and then it's downhill from there! Can't believe it myself. But i'm not going to waste a second of my mission. Every bit of time is vital to His work. 
Thank you for your love and support! Take care and God bless ya'll and your loved ones:)
Love sister Hulme xoxo

Monday, June 2, 2014

8 months! 6/2/14

Hey family! 
Well today marks the day of 8 months! Can you believe it? FIrst i was thinking where did april go, now i'm thinking where did May go?? I know today is also Ethan's birthday! Happy birthday shout out to him:) Thank you everyone for sending me the wonderful videos and pics of all the grandkids. They are the light of my world, apple of my eye, everything to me! It always makes my day to see their smiling faces. We are so blessed with our wonderful family. I can only feel my savior's love when i think of my family. Ya'll are the best:) 
So Taz is on date for June 21st! She has some word of wisdom issues she needs to take care of so we are giving her some time. She is something else i must say! Sometimes i stress and worry if she will fit in with the ward. BUt i only think, hey i'm just adding some color into the ward:) She's very different from everyone else, different background, but we all have our story. So continue to pray for her, i have faith in her. She's taking some work, but i love to see the change in her life. Our next investigator, Dritan, is on date for June 14th! Im very excited for him. He's just another one of those that is just ready to belong to something. He wants that sense of belonging and he needs family here. He is from Albania and speaks very little english. I just always seem to find those. It's amazing to see how the spirit teaches, because of the language barrier. I worry if he's understanding us and what we teach him, he's very quiet in the lessons and doesn't really give any response. But whenever we meet and talk beforehand, he does pretty good in conversation. So i trust that he's learning and that the spirit is teaching him. Both he and taz attended a baptism on saturday that the other sisters in our ward were holding. I asked him if he was ready to be baptized and he just smiled at me and said "June 14th yes?" He's a pretty sweet guy. I'm so grateful that we were diligent, obedient, and exercising our faith, otherwise we woudln't have found him! 
We found some new investigators this week. A woman named Josita from Haiti, she's very sweet and promising! Another woman named CHarline. That was a cool lesson. We forgot to call her beforehand for our visit on Wednesday afternoon.And she almost told us no and come back another day, but we got to talking on her porch and she said, you know just come on in, you don't need to stand on my porch. And from there we started teaching her! I love to see the spirit work on people and change their hearts. She's divorced and has two daughters at home. So next time we come she wants them to sit down with us. 
This past week we had zone conference, last one with the Wolferts! Im going to miss them so much!!! They are truly amazing. I swear Sister wolfert is going to be the next Relief Society General President, and President Wolfert an apostle or a seventy. They have done so much for us, i'm going to have a hard time saying good bye to them. Sister Anderson, Debry, and I had to do the musical number. WE sang the olive tree. It applies so well to misssionary work! Try singing in front of a bunch of missionaries from 4 different zones though. Scary!!! Oh it was sooo good to see sister debry, anderson, and dunn. I missed them so much! 
Thank you everyone for your letters, i've gotten so many! Nat, thank you for writing sister motuliki, it made her day, and i've never seen her so happy. Your words were perfect! She got emotional by the end of the card, and gave me the biggest hug saying thanks. I can only thank my heavenly father for a wonderful sister who cares so much. 
Until next week! Take care, and god bless you and your loved ones:)
Love, 
Sister Hulme

The members are really good to us....

Our three generation picture.