Loving Life and the Mission

It finally hit me this week, that at some point my mission will end. It was a rather painful moment to actually grasp that this incredible opportunity to serve my Savior with every bit of my day....doesn't last forever. And that somehow, I am actually one of the "seasoned missionaries" now. But I think this realization was actually a blessing because a renewed passion for this work followed immediately after it. Now I see that I have got to kick it into gear and utilize every second I have left. This mission has been one of the most precious gifts I have been given-18 months to fully dedicate all of my time to my Savior. I remember my Stake President mentioning that as I sat in the art gallery of the Jerusalem Center on of the only phones during an interview. I didn't quite understand it then, but now I do. Hallelujah for the next 2 and half transfers.

I love everything about a mission. I love the INCREDIBLE members who go above and beyond to make you feel loved by surprising you with a homemade meal (especially when Shay hasn't cooked a meal in two years!! Goodness-I'm obsessed with her and her family). I love when a less active 20 year old agrees to sing in a musical number...so he comes to church to practice in his earrings, tattoos, and slightly inappropriate t-shirt. I love when I can end the day feeling like I did my absolute best to talk with everyone I saw that day, regardless of the crazy things people tell me (Example A: "I am the Lord, sweetheart." WHAT do you say to that?). I love walking into church on Sunday, and knowing the names and life-stories of all the ward members sitting in the pews and LOVING them to death. I love conversations late into the night with my companion about how we are going to reach our baptism goals. I love those nights that I somehow have the energy to stay awake and really pray/receive answers from my Father in Heaven. I love posting things on the I Follow Him page and seeing hundreds of people spend their time liking and commenting on GOSPEL-centered media. I love carrying cute notecards in my purse (thanks madre) everywhere I go for those perfect moments when someone needs a few words written down for them to feel loved. I love testifying of the many promised blessings that come from living the commandments and feeling the person across the room start to understand how true that is through the Spirit.

I JUST LOVE THIS LIFE. SO SO SO MUCH. When I say I feel like I am the most blessed missionary around, I truly feel that way. Life is oh so good. If you haven't had a chance, watch Elder Bednar's Social Media #sharinggoodness devotional. We're giving a training on it this week at Mission Leadership Council. CAN'T WAIT.

Love,
Sister Hutchins

 Shay's scrumptious dinner

 Mandarin Zone!!

 #ifollowhim

 10,000 participated!!

Darling Sister Bowers birthday P-day!

Oh, happy day! (w/ really cute pictures!)

OH HAPPY DAY.

 

I know this is probably my 3000th time saying this, but I love being a missionary. This time is going by so quickly, I really do consider each and every day the biggest blessing in the world. It makes me laugh to think I use to consider it a sacrifice to serve a mission. Little did I realize the incredible blessing it is to dedicate every ounce of my time to the Lord. I'm forever grateful for the mission age change at the perfect time in my life. God has a plan for each and every one of us. It is individual and it is perfect for who He needs us to become. I know that is true.

 

MIRACLES ARE ABOUNDING IN MANDARIN. Sister Petramalo and I are finding people like crazy, teaching more lessons than I have in quite some time, and working our tails off. And yet, it's the best feeling. I seriously love this sister-she has incredible faith, a love for the gospel, and a powerful focus. The last 10 days as her companion have been a tender mercy from the Lord. He knows exactly what we need when we get close to that breaking point. Can I tell y'all about a miracle family we've found this week?

 

Part 1. We started the week on trade-offs. On this trade-off, a visiting sister and I had 20 minutes to find a new investigator before racing to a family home evening lesson. She was working on following the promptings of the Spirit, so everything was working out well with our plans. For a weeks now a certain street had been standing out, but we somehow never got there. We went directly to that street and I simply asked this sister where she felt good about. It threw her off her groove a bit, but she picked a place and led the way to which houses she liked. No Answer. No Answer. Drum roll please....On the third door, one of my soon-to-be favorite people in the world, stepped out onto her porch. Within a matter of minutes, she was crying, we were setting a return appointment, and my companion and I raced off to get to our FHE. Her name is Carrie, by the way. I love that God can work so quickly and powerfully through our limited time. We only had to talk to one person to find who God had prepared.

 

Part 2. A few days later, Sister Petramalo and I come back to Carrie's for our return appointment. Her 16 year old daughter, Victoria, joined us, as well as her 21 year old handicapped daughter, Courtnie. That hour in their home was incredible. We got to know them, their struggles, and teach the first lesson. Both Carrie and Victoria have agreed to be baptized in September. We are going to start teaching the husband this week too. I love teaching families. I love it. I love it. I love it. I don't have the more sensitive spirit of discernment, but there is something different about this family. They are ready for the gospel in a way I have only felt a few times on my mission and it makes my heart so happy.

 

Here's a few random tidbits:

1. There are people surrounding us that are ready for the gospel.

2. #IFOLLOWHIM Event is going to be INCREDIBLE this Saturday. Have you joined it?
3. I am beginning to pick up TERRIBLE SOUTHERN ENGLISH. "Get out the car." "And I be like..."

4. Scribbling my favorite quotes and ideas and inspirations into my scriptures is one of my favorite things. I love it.

5. I cracked my iPad screen..."You win some and you lose some."
6. If you are feeding the missionaries - I promise all they want is fresh fruit.

7. There is nothing prettier than a planner full of teaching appointments.

8. Getting in contact with the leadership of all the facebook missions all across the country to combine our efforts through a specific mission leadership group-TAKES FOREVER.

9. My companion and I have way too much fun at night after planning.

10. Mandarin First is incredible. If it were God's will, I'd beg you all to pray I spend the rest of my mission here. HEAVEN IS HERE.

 

Love y'all forever!

Sister Hutchins

 Sister Petramalo is obsessed with watermelon. Not casually obsessed, but nearing crazy kind-of-obsessed. We seriously laugh more than is healthy.

 Taura makes the best Pico De Gallo on the planet. Don't worry I have the recipe...but I think it may be more of an art of Taura's than something that can be learned.

  I heart Sister Petramalo.

Darling Peruvian family fed us a scrumptious Sunday dinner. Yum yum.

Meeting an Apostle (w/ pictures!!)

There is always so much I want to share, but I decided that this week, instead of sharing a lot of good, brief points, I'll just tell y'all about one experience.

On Friday, we were talking with President Craig and he told us how Elder Christofferson, one of the 12 apostles, was visiting the Kingsland, GA Stake to set apart the new stake president. I let it go pretty quickly when President mentioned there was no way he could fit it into his schedule to meet with the missionaries of our mission. But then come Saturday, President Craig called us and asked if we'd been praying pretty hard. We didn't understand of course, and then he said that Elder Christofferson had worked through his schedule and he had a 2 hour window that he could meet with 4 zones of missionaries before his flight. HALLELUJAH. The very next day, the four Jacksonville Zones (our mission has 8), gathered in the Hendricks building and had the privilege of a life-time to sit and hear an apostle of the Lord speak to us.

For the first 20 minutes, Elder Christofferson shook every single missionary's hand. It was not only incredible to talk with him for a few brief moments, but really it was incredible to watch as he was able to help each of us feel of the Savior's love simply and powerfully through his own actions. He reminded me of when Christ visited the America's in 3 Nephi 11;15 and spent time "one by one" with everyone in the multitude. And it just got better from there.

Elder Christofferson spoke for a few brief minutes, then he opened up for questions. I've always heard about experiences where apostles have done this, but never actually been a part of them. As missionaries began asking questions, one I've been really pondering stood out in my mind. I asked him the following question: "How can we make every prayer powerful and sincere?" He made an initial joke about all the times he fell asleep on his knees with his companion during their night-time prayers. Then, he began explaining the importance of listening. We tend to go on and on in our prayers about what we need, what we're grateful for, what's on our minds. But, to ultimately have spirit-guided, powerful prayers, we have to give God the opportunity to GUIDE them. He invited us to pause during our prayers, to slow down in between the things we're praying for, and really listen. "That," he said, "is the key to powerful, sincere prayers. Then you can let the Spirit guide them." Prayer really is my favorite thing. As Sister Training Coordinators, we decided to create a transfer theme for all of our sisters. This transfer's theme is from 3 Nephi 19;26. PRAY ON. We are so excited about it. There's a lot more to it, but for now, that's my catch phrase of late. I love it.

And of course, Elder Christofferson saved the best for last. As he bore his testimony of the gospel, he paused, seemed to look every missionary in the eye and said something like, "My purpose in coming here today was to let you know one thing: The Lord accepts your offering. Your service is accepted by the Lord." The spirit filled the room in a deeply powerful way. If it hadn't been so spiritual, it almost would have been funny how quickly the sniffles around the room started all at the same time. I know countless sisters that needed to hear that. I needed to hear that. I LOVE how though God truly is a God of justice, and commands us to live a certain way and to do certain things, He also is a God of mercy and shows us incredible, unconditional love, even in the face of our many imperfections and weaknesses. That sacred moment in the chapel with an apostle of the Lord accepting my service on behalf of my Savior is one I will never forget.

He ended everything by saying, "I know, because I KNOW that Jesus Christ lives. You are hearing it now from the lips of an apostle. I hope you never forget it." My goodness, I love his boldness and power as he spoke. Elder Christofferson isn't an apostle I would have pegged as the most amazing speaker in the world, but I now know he is perhaps one of the most Christlike. I really am the most blessed missionary alive. I love this work. I could truly serve my Savior forever, and I will...just in different ways in the years to come.

Sister Hutchins

Singing "I Believe in Christ" in church

I keep meaning to send you a photo of what happens by the end of a humid day. This
was a tame straight hair day. But really, that was nice and straight in the morning. I need to capture the truly horrendous days soon before August ends!

Nice and Simple

To keep it nice and simple....

Transfers are here once again! I have a darling new companion starting tomorrow named Sister Petramalo! I really do love having companions. It's one of my favorite things about the mission. These incredible sisters teach me so much.

This week I got to go on a trade off in Lake Butler and do some service with the lovely Wades and hug Ganeene. I also got to finally eat ALLIGATOR and Kangaroo!! And we gave my favorite training of all time about developing a relationship with Christ at missionary leadership council. I'm not really a crier when I feel the spirit...at least since being in my mission. But as I bore my testimony of my Savior and how my mission
has brought me so much closer to Him, I got more than a tad choked up in front of the entire mission leadership council. I seriously love my mission. More than I will ever be able to convey. Helping others develop a relationship with Christ, and in turn developing that relationship for myself, is the best work in the world.

Love you, 
Sister Hutchins

p.s. I Follow Him, the event on Facebook already has 50k invited! Will you join us and then invite your friends to join with us as well?! We can't wait for August 16th! This really is the perfect event for the South and all these Christ-loving people. Here's the link! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/917012334981525/?ref_notif_type=like&source=1