ROAD OF REST...yeah, NOPE!

Mary Poppins!

Jordan and friend in Funchal!

CONFERENCE WAS INCREDIBLE!

 I am proud to announce that I actually understood conference!! Such a miracle! I also got to watch all of the sessions too! Man I just feel so spiritually reborn right now! I actually only really watched 1 in Portuguese. We watched the first 2 at 5 and 9 on Saturday night and then they replayed the Saturday afternoon on Sunday. Laura came and it was amazing to write more notes about different things I learned. A testimony to all is that you can always learn something new from the same thing. But then Sunday morning session I watched it all in Portuguese and it was in Portugal Portuguese!! It was amazing! Just a few of my favorite quotes, thoughts, ideas, etc.:

`Exaltation is our goal and discipleship is our journey`

`Thou art the potter and I am the clay.`

I thought the first session they talk a lot about grace and over all about the simplicity of the gospel and the teachings. All of it was basically taken from Preach my Gospel.

Exaltation is our goal! -Lots of the talks talked about exaltation

Dating is the Marriage terrain...ha-ha super funny!

`You don’t marry perfection, but potential`

I loved the idea of having our own personal council and really taking the time to find what we lack. I loved that and that the Spirit gives specialized answers.

HIGHLIGHT- Elder Holland’s talk about Moms. MOM I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!! You are doing better than you think you are. 

Also that talk about women by Elder Nelson hit me really hard too. Lots of things about moms and women this conference. 

`Don’t be too critical of the barrier; it’s the only thing that’s keeping you from being devoured. Keep the commandments, especially today, if we do, we won’t be eaten up by the things of the world.

Ha-ha `Boys dig Holes` I died laughing at that one. 

Elder Clark- We need to be good at getting better.

`When you can’t do what you’ve always done, you only do what matters most.`

COM WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT!!

I could go on for days about conference! I took 14 pages of notes! It was incredible! 

Conference just made everything so much better! I got sick earlier this week with hot and cold flashes and then getting a really bad cold in which I started coughing up stuff. It was pretty nasty. I couldn’t keep the right temperature. Well Sister Miller got sick too towards the end of the week. It was so annoying. We actually left the house everyday for our set appointments and everything. Oh how annoying sickness is when there are things to get done! But it was all good. We went and saw that family and taught them, Didi didn’t end up leaving to Porto so he’s probably staying another week!!! Sofia received a blessing and it was so powerful! We had no idea what to do with them. Literally that blessing was an answer to our prayers. In the blessing she was promised that if they did all the things that we taught them (read the scriptures, pray constantly, and go to church) that they would receive their marriage paper and that they would be blessed with many blessings. She changed right then. It was incredible!! So powerful! I can testify that the Lord knows His children and that He knows what to do when we don’t. 

This week was filled with the Lord’s hands. I have a strong testimony that the Lord will work with what we have to give. This week I really didn’t know how we were going to do what we needed to do. Missionary work gets so much harder when you’re sick. But the Lord helped us teach and testify to these people. The Lord knows us so perfectly.

This week we read Alma 5 with Laura and the spirit was so strong! We were all crying. I love that scripture so much. She’s learning so fast. I can’t even believe how much she’s changed. You can see her countenance is different like Alma 5. She went to conference for 2 different sessions and she really liked them! Man I just love her so much!!! She stayed with the missionaries after conference till her bus came and it was hilarious! I can’t wait for the day that she is a member and can feel the spirit and the peace that comes from the gospel. I don’t think I’ve seen so much desire in a person to know if this is true. We dropped off cookies at her house while she was at school! I would do anything for that girl. 

I love the mission so much. I can’t believe it’s already October. We have zone conference tomorrow and interviews with President tomorrow. It should be super fun! I’m excited for what President is going to say. It’ll be super good! I love you all so much!! Thanks for your letters and support. It really helps. Love you!

Sister Hillam  

It wants to bite me!

Paradise!

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Love these kids!

Another week in PARADISE!

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!!! I hope its just a great day for you!!!!!!!!!

So Sofia and Didi, that family that I had you all pray for, well I feel emotionally drained. We had an FHE with them after P-day and it was incredible! But then we went over on Thursday and he told us that he was leaving on Sunday to go back to Porto to work. I was so crushed. Literally they were so sad. So they invited us over the next day for lunch. We were all just a wreck. The whole `fake it till you make it` rule applies here. That day was so hard. But then we went over on Friday and while we were there he got a phone call and they said HE WASN`T GOING!!! He had a little more time to stay! The Lord answered prayers!! They were so happy!!!! They then invited us over again for dinner on Sunday and it was a blast! They had family there and they were so happy! The kids were so stinking cute and we played futbol, basketball, and a little bit of volleyball with the kiddos! The parents liked the break for a little bit! So keep them in your prayers! 

This week we also had divisions which are always fun!! That day was nuts! The day before, our phone broke and we thought we’d have to wait till tomorrow for a new phone. The screen was broken, everything else worked, we could call and text but we just couldn’t see to who. So we had to call the office and it was such a blessing that we’d be having divisions. But then we went to change the SIM card and all the numbers were saved to the old phone. It was so annoying. So we had no numbers. But then I was able to save all the numbers to the Sim card doing it all blind. MIRACLE!!! We saved our numbers so we didn’t have to start over!!! Blessings! So blessed everyday!!! Divisions were good! We contacted lots of people, ate garlic bread, and brisa and had Italian ice cream. (don’t be jealous of anything ;)) Let’s just say, it was incredible!! 

P.S. I play the piano at everything. We’ve had 2 baptisms in Funchal 2 and I’ve played and both of them, and at church. Also, I’ll be playing the songs for the primary program! It puts into perspective about my talents and taking every opportunity to develop them. I love the piano more and more every time. Someday I’ll be better! It’s super fun when you don’t know the songs too! ha-ha Love it!! 

We had lots of lunches and dinners with people. Literally, I’m in love with these people. I can’t get over it! I started crying the other day at the thought that some day I’m going to have to leave. We’re starting week 5 of this transfers and it’s gone by WAY too fast. I’m obsessed with these people. I can only imagine how much more the Savior and our Father in Heaven loves us. 

Now to the best part of the week...LAURA!! SHE`S INCREDIBLE!!!! I just love her to death. Literally she’s the best. She’s 16 and she honestly wants to know her purpose here. We’ve been teaching her for about 2 weeks now and everyday she just blows my mind. The spirit has been so strong when we teach her. We’ve had some of the most personal conversations, and I actually felt this week that I knew her before this life. That I already knew that we’d met and we were friends before this life. She really wants to know if God loves her and if He’s there. She’s been reading the Book of Mormon and praying. She’s the most spiritual person and has with real desire. I told stories of my life and we both just broke down in tears. She was sitting by herself while we were at the youth activity and I went and sat by her. She truly was pondering about who she is and what is life. That’s when I told her about my back and about those 3 months. It was so powerful and then we read the footprints in the sand story and then we all just felt the spirit. I want you all to meet her. I can’t even begin to describe her and this process. After the mission we’ll come back and you will all meet her! 

Family, the weeks just keep getting faster and faster! I love the mission. It’s always full of new surprises and miracles that I can’t even believe. LOVE IT!! Thank you all so much for your prayers and love. I love you all so much. I pray for you and the kiddos, and for all of your successes! Love you all so much!!!

Love,

Sister Hillam

Hi Everyone.  I Love  Brisa!

The Week Went By Way To Fast!

If there is something that is happening this week with the family, birthday, anniversary, etc. I’m so sorry I don’t remember anything that will happen but PARABEMS if I forgot!! 

THIS WEEK WENT BY WAY TO FAST!!!! They always say the last 9 months just fly by but I never thought that it would be this fast...YIKES!!! 

So on Tuesday we have district meeting and as usually always super good! This day was just a miracle in and of itself! After lunch Sister Miller turned to me and asked who ran this town and I said WE DO! But then I turned and said, `Actually, God runs this town. ` She turns to me with the weirdest look, so now, Goblins run this town...and we saw that that day! We left from lunch and at 3 in the afternoon our phone died. There was no way we could take an hour out of the day to charge it so we had to do without. The Goblins run this town! Luckily we had a member with us and we used his phone to call people but still! After he left we were left helpless. We had a dinner appointment and we couldn’t find their apartment (goblins) but then the first door we knocked on was there’s!! God runs this town! Such a miracle. 

So here on the Madeira we meet people from all over the world but this week was focused on Dutch people and Canadians. HOW COOL IS THAT??? We got into some good discussions and not only were they from Canada but they were from Edmonton!! So cool. I love talking to everyone. Not going to lie it is really hard to teach the gospel in English!! We meet people from all over the world; it’s incredible and they know who we are! The Gospel is rolling forth like the scriptures say and it will fill the whole earth till everyone knows! Incredible!

This week the Elders gave us an investigator named Laura. She lives in our area and they didn’t know but she is incredible. I think she’s 16 and she is trying to find her way in life. Her family is against the church but she asked in a prayer of hers to know if Jesus Christ is her Savior and if the church was true. We then started to teach her after that lesson she had with the Elders. One Elder started crying because he’s never seen an investigator like her. She truly is elect. She started reading the Book of Mormon by herself. The Zone Leaders had a baptism this weekend and her name is Vitoria and her and Laura are friends. We explained about baptism a little and the Holy Ghost and she almost cried. I almost started crying because she’s so ready to know. We read about faith and after our lesson she said she needed more faith and that she wanted to believe. She’s amazing. We had a branch activity and she stayed there for 6 hours!!!! She loves it! The next day she came to sacrament meeting and stayed another 4 hours to see the baptism and talk with the members! She’ll be baptized here soon!

I celebrated 9 months this week and just so you call know, in 9 months from today, I will be home...I’m crying right now because it’s gone by WAY too fast. I look back on the past 9 months and what I’ve done and I can’t believe it. I couldn’t have even imagined doing everything that I’m doing. I love every minute of it. To celebrate 9 months, my comp, the other sisters and the zone leaders threw me a party with brownies and chocolate! It was so fun and I’m really glad that I could spend it with them :) My family of Missionaries on the Island!! 

That family that I always talked about well...we marked them this week!!! They still are waiting for one paper to get married but we had the strongest impression to mark them this week. During weekly planning we were talking about out baptismal goal and they kept coming to mind. Well we decided on a date and felt that we need to take the baptismal clothes there and dress them in them. It was incredible. He came out and told us that seeing them in white was a dream. He wanted to make that dream a reality. I was SO happy!!! He said that we just knew it was time!! We talked about faith with them and the story about Peter on the water. The reason why he fell was because he took his eyes off Christ. IF he would have focused on Christ the whole time he could have walked the whole way. EYES OF FAITH! Literally they saw with their eyes the white clothing and they just have to keep focused on it! We can’t do anything for there paper but put out faith on the Lord. It was incredible. 

I love this island. I can’t even believe how much it’s already changed me! I LOVE THESE MEMBERS!!!!!!!!! They love us so much and I can’t even begin to describe how much they mean to me. Just thinking about one day leaving makes me cry. They’ve already gotten so close to my heart. Every person here is incredible. The members will do anything for us. They tell us everyday to call for ANYTHING, and more! They are already giving us things! Food, trinkets, etc! I’m really grateful for all of your examples. You’ve already seen the miracles of a mission and I wish we could do this all together someday. I wish I could stay here forever! I don’t think I’ve laughed or smiled so much in my life!! This is the best thing in the WORLD!!! I love you all so much! I read Alma 5 recently. ` Have you been spiritually been born of God? ` `Can you feel the song of His redeeming love? ` I can’t remember exactly the verses but family, the question is, Have we been? Can we feel His influence and see His hand in our lives everyday? I love that chapter. It really makes us look at our lives and evaluate what we can do to be better. LOVE THE MISSION!!!! I love you all so much. Thank you for the prayers and the letters. They really do help me more than you know. Love you!

Sister Hillam