Praise to the Man

Yes, no joke...That is Sister Petramalo's catch phrase of choice...and I'm stuck saying it now too. It's pretty catchy. If we are a little sacrilegious - don't tell President.

First order of business...(drum roll please)....I'M STAYING IN MANDARIN FIRST WARD WITH SISTER PETRAMALO. Hallelujah! I don't often pray about transfers, but oh my goodness, I was praying to be able to stay one more transfer here. I've never stayed anywhere for longer than 3 transfers, so I was afraid my time was up. But Sister P and I just kept saying we felt like our work wasn't done together. Thank goodness we were right. I can't wait. I don't think I've ever felt so excited about a transfer in my mission life. We were at President's house yesterday and I walked into his office with the transfer board and he just laughed watching my face as I frantically searched for my picture. He grabbed my should and said, "Don't worry-you get to stay." By the time the transfer calls came around later than night, I just got to sit back and listen happily knowing ahead of the other sisters around me. (There really are quite a few perks about my calling haha).

Anyway, this week was a week of epiphanies/revelatory moments/lessons learned. Y'all ready?

1. After a trade-off in Brunswick, we felt strongly about going on another little trade off with a set of sisters in Lake City (300 mile round trip). As I sat talking for over an hour with a sister I have grown to love more than I can really express, she asked me how I had come to love all these sisters, even the ones who may not seem like they are giving their 100%. I sat back for a second, and realized that as I've served alongside many of the sisters in the mission on trade offs, I've begun to understand them, their stories, their sacrifices, their struggles, their quirks. And as I've done so, I've become much less judgmental and much more amazed by their service (no matter how big or small). I'm finally learning how the Atonement works in everyone's lives and it feels oh so good to be at this point. None of us were meant to be perfect.

2. All growing up, my parents would sit our family down on Sunday afternoon and my dad would ask us when we felt the Spirit that day in church. I remember always being a little nervous for this question and quickly having to think back to church for a lesson I remembered. As the years went on, it wasn't as hard as it once was. This past Sunday, we sat a family down after our lovely lunch with them and did the same activity. As I bore my testimony of the Spirit, I realized how much this simple question everySunday had helped me learn to recognize the Spirit. I'm oh so grateful for my faithful parents. Can't wait to carry on the tradition. Well, pause-I can definitely wait for a bit.

3. A family we found on the best street in our area asked us how they could be baptized. It came at a moment where I was wondering if any of our work was going to yield results. I'm finding that faith is all about continuing to press forward in the hard times. It's these times on my mission that are helping me increase my faith the most. I'm still doing happy dances. It's currently just the mother and 16 year old daughter, but just you wait, the dad will come along too. We're determined =)

4. After some quality conversations with my darling companion (seriously I'm the most blessed sister in the mission to serve with her another transfer) and a powerful study this morning, I've been learning SO much about how important the people closest to us are. I keep getting distracted by facebook, trade offs, our members, finding the elect, memorizing scriptures, and on and on. But if we forget to focus in on our companion (family, spouse, whoever is closest in life who we tend to take for granted) we're doing it wrong. There are a lot of good things in the world to do, but the most important people we can serve and love and spend time with are the very people right beside us. I seriously love having companions. It's like God has been hand-delivering me my best friends for the rest of eternity. I heart our Hutchamalo jive.

5. King Benjamin might just be my favorite person in the entire Book of Mormon. He is the epitome of selfless. I aspire to be like him. I could read the Book of Mormon all day.

Nothing of great importance, so if you're bored out of your mind...go ahead and stop reading. I always did with other missionaries - haha. 

1.Funny story (nothing revelatory here haha): The mission office called me and asked if I was an American citizen. I sat there dumbfounded for a moment, when they explained that as they were purchasing my flight home, the airlines rejected their request because they researched me and declared me an Israeli. Lesson learned: don't go to Israel on a study abroad haha. No worries fam, they figured it out. I'm coming home.

2. Scary Story: I walked back into our bedroom after praying one night this week and went to pull back my covers, Sister Petramalo was laying in my bed, grabbed me, and scared me out of my mind. And to make it even funnier, she recorded the whole thing. We've been cracking up about it ever since. Don't worry-I already got her back.

3. After the Saturday session of stake conference, we went out to dinner with some of my favorite people in the world. The Matthews and the Matzkes. You know those completely perfect moments...we had one of them as we worked in a lesson all about how the gospel applies to the fish we were eating in the midst of quite a few hysterical laughing fits. I'm so grateful for faithful ward members that become our family out here. Florida really has become home.  

LONGEST EMAIL EVER. But really, can ya judge me? I'm a missionary (aka best calling in the world) and I only have so many left of these to write. I've got to appreciate them while I can! LOVE YOU ALL.

Sister Hutchins

P.S. We have a new facebook event called The Prophet Speaks!!! All about spreading the awareness to the world that there is a prophet on the earth today! OH HAPPY DAY. Post a selfie with your hand behind your ear, use the hashtag #theprophetspeaks, and invite others to listen to the prophet too! I seriously am a facebook junkie at this point. I'm in love with sharing the gospel over social media. Our bishop asked us to do a Youth social media fireside. CAN'T WAIT. 

https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/356942914468462/