The LAST One

I really cannot fathom that this is the end. I had another one of those perfect moments, and this was definitely one of the most perfect of all perfect moments. Yes, those exist. =)

Last night someone I taught from my last area in Mandarin took us out to dinner. Nate, Kylee, Sister Hendricks, and I had the most delicious subs and the best conversation/lesson over dinner. About halfway through, Nate shared that he finally had decided to be baptized. My heart just about died with happiness, but WAIT...it gets better. Nate explained that he is being baptized in Utah....in the beginning of January. Meaning by the grace of God, I'll be able to go. As he shared his stories and experiences of the past year, tears came to Nate's eyes. I found myself opening up Alma 32 thanking Nate for the incredible faith he has had for quite some time. 

And it wasn't until later when I got into the car with my darling companion that it all hit me. I've been feeling anxious about not completing all that God had asked me to do on my mission. I've been praying about it for weeks now, and over dinner with Nate, the sweetest Spirit seemed to fill out corner of the sandwich shop. I felt as if Heavenly Father had put His hand on my shoulder and told me, "See? Do you finally see? You've done exactly what I needed you to do." Perfectly enough, the goals I had set for my mission...they've been met. But that's not what really matters. What matters, is that we try, try some more, and then continue to try our very best. Though I didn't have a whole lot to give, I did give my all. And with the two mites that I put in, Heavenly Father was able to perform miracles. I couldn't be more grateful for the past 18 months. They've been the hardest, happiest, most exhausting, motivating, blessed months of my life. 

I hope y'all know how grateful I have been for each of you and your support and prayers. They mean more than you will ever know. I know with all my heart that the fullness of the gospel has been restored to the earth. Jesus Christ lives and loves us. The Book of Mormon has provided the answer to hundreds of my prayers. And Heavenly Father really does have a unique and detailed plan for each of us and our families-a plan for our personal happiness. Oh I love it so much.

I'll be SEEING y'all soon. LOVE YOU FOREVER.

Sister Hutchins

P.S. I would LOVE nothing more than to see you on Sunday, December 28th, at 9:00 at my homecoming. The address is 655 Old Orchard Drive Danville, CA.

P.P.S. Jaclyn, your 12 days of christmas letters really are the cutest thing in the entire world. I had to take the stereotypical missionary mailbox photo...even if our mailbox is hideous.

P.P.P.S. This is an old photo, but Nate and Kylee are the cute couple on the right! They get married in March =)

A Scrapbook of Moments

This week's email is going to be a bit more of a scrapbook of moments are pieced together. I must be getting sentimental or something. I've begun taking photos nearly everyday.

After nightly planning on Tuesday, I ripped open my letter not really paying attention, only to realize it was from the mission office and they were giving me information about going home next week. I burst into tears and my sweet companion couldn't stop giggling at how quickly I went from happy about mail, to throwing the letter across the room.  Don't worry though, the next day my district had Mission president interviews and President Craig very sincerely told me that somehow Heavenly Father would help me to begin to let go of my mission in the coming weeks. And true to his word, that letting go process began a few days later at the temple. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. On this lovely holiday, we ate one meal at 3:00 and another dinner at 5:00. It was painful to say the least, but it was also all sorts of fun. The Elders in our ward came with us to both meals and it felt like quite the party. Sister Bridegan went to culinary school. I don't know if I've ever tasted better rolls and fruit tarts in my life. Happy Thanksgiving to us indeed =)

I LOVE THE TEMPLE. I was able to go to the temple for my last transfer on Friday and it was, quite possibly, a perfect day. Not only was I surrounded by some of my favorite people, but SO many answers to prayer came as well in that gorgeous temple. I've been really pondering this biggest mission lesson learned lately....I had decided last week that it really all came back to Heavenly Father's incredible love for us. The last question asked that day in a sealing room of the temple of President Tilton was, "What is the biggest lesson you've learned as a temple president?" He replied, "I have come to understand SO much more the love that Heavenly Father has for each and every one of us." There was an incredible Spirit in that room. It's like everything I'm learning is coming together perfectly as my mission wraps up.

For five beautiful hours of driving to and from Orlando, I sat beside one of my past companions. It was a tender mercy from the Lord to have her by my side all day. Sister Cline is one of those companions that was a rock for me right when I needed her. She always talks about how she never received a confirmation to serve a mission...she just kept waking up every night for two weeks thinking about a mission. I told her it was because I was praying for Heavenly Father to help me out on my mission during those months. And He gave me her. I prayed her to Jacksonville.  I'm so grateful for her. 

I always write about perfect moments in my journal...moments that aren't really picture moments because they are sacred, or spiritual, or whatever the word may be. But Sister Richardson (past companion in Kingsland) captured this perfect moment at the temple when I didn't realize it. While everyone was taking 5 million photos, I got to walk away from the world (still within sight ad sound-don't you worry), and have this quiet, simple confirmation that I'm still on the right path. Everything really is in God's perfect timing. Heavenly Father really has been answering all of my prayers. I'll be ready to come home next week. I no longer doubt that. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER HENDRICKS. She's an adult with me now. We had quite the party that day. 

I'm more than a little excited to be back in California NEXT WEEK. WOOT WOOT. Is it legal to take pictures with other people's license plates?

Alright, that's it for me. LOVE YOU ALL. And guess what?! Only one more of these blog emails home. Woot woot. 

Sister Hutchins

Heavenly Father's Love

There are SO many themes to my mission of lessons learned. But there is one that I am only now grasping. I'm learning that the very first principle in the first lesson - God is Our Loving Heavenly Father - is just about the most true thing that has ever been recorded. Heavenly Father has repeatedly taught me over and over again throughout the course of my mission that He loves me. This week there were three moments that were exactly that - moments I felt complete love from my Heavenly Father.

Thanksgiving service project! Love these incredibly talented singers.

1. To be honest, this concept of going home as been a hard one for me to handle for a whole myriad of reasons. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was and how much I kept pushing every single thought or fear of the future/leaving my mission out of my mind until I sat on the couch of this darling 29-year-old return missionary in my ward. (Sister Jefferies and her husband actually served as missionaries in the Jax Beach ward eight months apart. Talk about crazy.) Anyway, on that perfect Tuesday night, I felt like Heavenly Father hand-delivered me the older sister conversation I've been needing for months. Before that night, Sister Jefferies and I did not know each other, but after that incredible Spirit-led conversation, and the very answers I felt Heavenly Father was giving me through her...she became my adopted older sister. I'm not a crier, but as I hugged her that night and I felt an incredible amount of love from not only her, but my family back home, and my Heavenly Father, I was definitely crying. I'm so grateful for the divinely orchestrated tender mercies that have been filling my life, especially lately.

2. We are teaching another family of five. In the days leading up to our lesson I prayed and prayed that we would somehow get all the kids in on the lesson because they hadn't joined us the first time. The moment we walked into Tara's home, she called all the children into the room. The next hour was out of some perfect missionary dream. We taught using the pictures in the pamphlets, her three darling kids actually stayed relatively quiet and answered our questions. The member who came with us bore her sincere testimony and conversion story at the perfect moment in response to Tara's questions about why we need the Book of Mormon.  Allie, the 9-year-old daughter, even offered to say the closing prayer. (WHICH by the way, the dad walked in to join us for. Baby steps.) Before we walked out the door, Allie handed Sister Hendricks and I thank you notes for teaching her all about Jesus. I seriously could teach families forever and ever. I love watching the eyes of Tara as her kids explain how they know Jesus loves them. And LOVE how much the kids turn to listen to their mom as she explained why having a prophet on the earth today could bless her family. I love being a missionary.

#sharethegift begins November 25th. Be excited. I am!

3. Do y'all remember those facebook events - Discover the Book, Search the Book, Live the Book, and Share the Book? The Church is doing a big video and promotional hashtag social media event for Christmas. It's going to be all over Times Square in New York and cool things like that. Do you want to know what it's called? Discover the Gift, Embrace the Gift, Share the Gift. My mission president came to my district meeting, pulled me aside, and handed me the new pass along cards with those very words on it and waited for me to process the connection. He rolled his eyes when I just said, "Oh great. I'm excited for something new." He turned the card around and said, "HELLO-Discover the Book?? Look at this!!" Who knows where their inspiration came from, but it was this incredible moment of processing that the little things we each do have the capacity to have a ripple effect much bigger than we know.

Hey, you know what's fun to consider...."I'll be home for Christmas." I heard that song the other day and laughed at how perfect it is. LOVE YOU ALL. Happy Thanksgiving.

OH AND FAMILY---In regards to that video I am sending home, I know most of you aren't together this year for Thanksgiving, BUT watch it on Thursday and consider it my "Indian yarn" gratitude contribution. LOVE YOU. (I'm sending it to Ryan so he can splice it together.)

A Week in Quotes

We painted a nativity set. Happy P-day/early Christmas to us!

This week can be perfectly defined through quite a few quotes.

1. "If we fail, we fail with glory!"-Hymn theme of the Week

This week was a bit of a rough one. The darling Romanian family welcomed us into their home the other day, sat us down, and told us they talked to their pastor. All they would let us share was a simple verse and prayer...and then we were out the door. After feeling so spiritually guided to them, I felt like someone had slapped me in the face. This whole experience threw me a bit off my groove and I wasn't in the best of moods. Thank goodness missionary work is done in companionships. We were about to start knocking some doors the next night, and my companion called me out. (I seriously adore the ground Sister Hendricks walks on.) She told me to stop defining my success by reaching our baptismal goals, and to start defining it by giving our absolutely all...regardless of the results. And away we went singing that hymn and laughing. Her words were a definite answer to prayer. I'm so grateful for companions that pick you up when you're down. It's funny how the very advice I've given dozens of sisters before, came straight back at me when I needed it. So if you were wondering what the theme for the rest of my mission is....there it is:"If we fail, we fail with glory." 

 I love being a sister missionary. And I love this gorgeous area.

***On a much happier note...we're teaching another family of 5. The mom told us she's been feeling lost and that it's time she listens to us. OH HAPPY DAY. When we give our all, Heavenly Father really does shower in perfectly timed blessings.

2. "I mean, John Smith said...."-Me

So many people are always telling us that we believe in a man called John Smith. So much so that the other night, I called Joseph Smith....John Smith. I've never laughed so hard in my life. Thankfully, it was just in a conversation with my companion and not on a stranger's doorstep. 

3. "Sister Hutchins-you're becoming rebellious out there in Jax Beach."-My Zone Leaders

We're really not trying to be disobedient. but one night we decided to walk home (I'm embarrassed to share how many miles), instead of drive it to stay within our mile limits. We may have miscalculated how long that would take us...especially with bleeding feet hahaha. Not the smartest move. I think my zone leaders are still laughing. Moral of the story: Don't walk barefoot in Jacksonville.

They say to save the best for last....my last trade off of
missionary life....really was the best. I heart Sister Kloepfer.

4. "No wonder missionaries aren't allowed to date. Who one would date us?"

There's something about biking in dresses, name tags, running pants, and helmets that cracks me up every time. Throw in flashcards of the scriptures were memorizing in my hands....and it's just the funniest visual. I'm still not going to get over it by the time I'm done here. 

5. "Tell me everything"-Sister Hendricks

Every time I begin telling a story, this is Sister Hendricks instant reaction. It's conversations after planning at night with her that lead to those simple, yet powerful revelatory experiences about who we want to be and what's already changed. Love her with all my heart. 

6. "The best paths in life are rarely the easiest."-Elder Carlos A. Godoy

Our mission has a theme we say every morning in our companionship study after we recite 3 Nephi 5:13, D&C 4, and The Standard of Truth. "I love tough things. I am the first to do tough things. I do tough things first. I love being a missionary." It was only this week that I really processed how much I love tough things. If they were easy, we wouldn't become the best we can be. 

Someday I'll have to explain this more. But for now, I am going to
cherish the next three Sundays next to a darling companion.

I seriously am so happy. Heavenly Father is definitely making sure a learn a few more priceless lessons our here, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. These last 4 weeks are going to be the best ones yet. (By the way...rumor is I get to go to the Orlando temple the day after thanksgiving. WOOT WOOT.)

Moments of the Week

Depressing Moment of the Week: At Zone Conference they ask that all missionaries who will be home before the next zone conference to bear their testimonies. As it dawned on me that I was included in that group, my heart sunk. It was one of those moments you NEVER think you will reach when you are at the beginning of the mission, and suddenly I found myself standing with the others walking to the front of the chapel. I bore my testimony about Isaiah 53:3-5. It's one of my absolute FAVORITE scripture passages. What I said ended up being rather simple. I know that with Jesus Christ, we can be healed from all sin, all disappointment, all our weaknesses. Oh happy day!

Spiritual Highlight of the Week: Sunday was just a powerhouse of a day. So many prayers were answered. My darling companion becomes rather quiet in lessons and at church. And she has been feeling like she can't feel the Spirit lately. So we've been setting goals/role playing/studying/praying and talking about a whole lot of things all week long. She was especially nervous about teaching Young Women's on Sunday. After a whole lot of sincere prayer, it was one of the most incredible lessons I've ever been a part of. Sister Hendricks shared some incredible stories, taught up a storm, bore a sincere testimony where she FELT the Spirit, and walked out of church feeling on top of the world. It was a beautiful moment to say the least. I seriously adore my companion. She's a powerful missionary; we're just working on her realizing that.

"Peeing my Skirt" Laughing in Hysterics Moment of the Week: There are not very many moments in life as perfectly funny as this image. Just picture for a moment, one white girl in a dress/helmet, one black girl in a skirt/helmet, and one 61 year old black man in a green corduroy suit biking in the crazy wind (thank goodness for bike shorts let me tell you) through the streets of Jax Beach to church on Sunday. We were trying to teach Wendell (baptized two weeks ago) the principle of self-reliance. We decided now that he's a member, he needs to not rely on members for rides. So we had a biking party, and I cannot quite express the hilarity of that scene. I know at some point being a missionary should be normal, but come on...how dorky is this photo? I still can't stop giggling about this. Oh the things missionaries do. 

It doesn't get better than this. :)

Quote of the Week: Remember that incredible Romanian family? We taught them this week in a whole lot more detail ALL about the Book of Mormon. Near the end, they were asking WHY we needed another book of scripture. I began explaining all about how they were a family already close to Christ, and that this book could take them even closer to Christ. The grandmother stopped me and with tears in her eyes said, "I can see the countenance and light of Christ in you." They then agreed to read the Book of Mormon some more before we visit them again on Wednesday. Oh happy day! I love when scriptures like D&C 84:85 ring true in real missionary life.

LOVE YOU ALL. A whole lot. 

Sister Hutchins

p.s. Reading the Book of Mormon every free second I get has been the greatest thing in the world. Talk about a whole lot of peace, joy, and guidance 24/7. My companion thinks I'm a touch crazy when I'm opening my scriptures for the 5th time at 10:00 pm, but that's alright. You win some and you lose some =)

I LOVE Jax Beach!

Oh dear family of mine, 

 A member gave us more fresh fruit than we know how to deal with.
I've been craving fruit salad since I left home. Oh happy day.

I LOVE JAX BEACH. I love Sister Hendricks. And I sure do love being a regular missionary. After 10 months of serving as an Sister Training Leader and then a Sister Training Coordinator, it is HEAVEN to be back to the basics and to give my all to my area and my companion.

Last transfer, I went on a power trade off in Jax Beach with Sister Hendricks actually. We had an incredible experience, and ever since...I've felt like I would be coming back. And I have! Woot woot. My area is gorgeous and I get to see the ocean oh so often. It's exactly what I had stereotyped Florida to be when I got my call. Half of our area is WEALTHY and the other half is incredibly poor. Our ward is powerful, and I'm so excited to spend the rest of my mission here.

There was a perfect, quintessential missionary evening and I have to tell y'all all about it. Sister Hendricks and I have been setting goals of how many people we are talking to everyday. At this particular point in our day, we had 17 people left to talk to and about an hour to do so before a lesson. It was POURING RAIN (and I mean, POURING) and off Sister Hendricks and I went walking and knocking an apartment complex. In the midst the loudest thunder I've ever heard (we both screamed and grabbed onto each other on one doorstep and died laughing), having a man yell out his window to us that he hoped we drowned, quoting scriptures we've been memorizing between doorsteps, and meeting an ex-mormon, we had our goal in our mind, and kept pressing forward. I don't know what happened, but in the midst of that hour...Sister Hendricks and I became best friends. We were both incredibly happy though circumstances were less than perfect. And miraculously, Heavenly Father led us straight to a new investigator, Caitie. Opposition in all things is just about the truest statement I've learned to embrace out here in the mission.

GUESS WHAT?!?! Let me freak out a little bit more over here....GUESS WHAT?!?!?! I've been praying about a family of 5 for the last 5 months. No joke. And when I got to Jax Beach, Sister Hendricks and I both began praying for a family of 5 who would be open and social kingdom builders and car owners (yes, we get very specific). And we think we found them when we were least expecting it! This family of 5 is incredibly kind and LOVES Jesus Christ. They welcomed us right into their home and loved learning the real truths of the Mormon faith they had heard so many negative things about. Recently as I've been praying about this family, I've felt very clearly that they would be foreign and strangely enough, that their last name would start with a B. I don't know how Heavenly Father can be so general at some points, and so specific in others, but ladies and gents, He is in the details. This family is exactly that. The Romanian Bozsodi family is reading the Book of Mormon...maybe even as you read this. Hallelujah!! 

Heavenly finding hours with Sister Hendricks

Oh and did I tell you that my companion is from Haiti, but was adopted at the age of 10 to an LDS family in Utah? I love her. She's the most focused and driven sister I have ever had the privilege to serve beside. 

Love you, 

Sister Hutchins

p.s. Reading the Book of Mormon in a transfer is the best goal I have ever set. I'm loving it. Being a missionary is the greatest calling in the world. Every single day is priceless. I'm starting to get nostalgic about putting on my tag each morning.  

p.p.s. Can you believe there are only five blog emails after this one?!

p.p.p.s. By the way here's my new address:

110 Clifton Court #308
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

The Matzkes have been my home away from home every Wednesday night
for the last 6 months. I love them!

Laurent is the best member missionary I have ever met. It's a
privilege to learn from such incredible members. 

17 months ago I vowed to never be one of those sisters with
stereotypical over-packed suitcases.....good joke. Now I am embracing
that stereotype. Let's be real...stereotypes are for a reason.

Scattered Side Notes w/ Fantastic Pictures

This is going to be incredibly scattered. Hope you love me anyway =)

SIDE NOTES GALORE:

Side note #1: I was on a trade-off finding with a set of sisters in Jax West. As we were out tracting, we walked past a basketball court of probably 8 men playing a pretty intense game. They were covered in tattoos and looked a bit on the rougher side. I found myself walking up to them, and after they shot a basket, telling them who we were and leaving cards on the bleachers for them. They were surprisingly kind. As we walked away it hit me that a year ago, I would have walked right past that opportunity. I seriously love the power of my calling as a missionary. That sister next to me (who was rather shy) didn't say a word hahaha. 

Side note #2: While doing service this week, my cute companion sucked up my hair into a vacuum that was extra powerful. It was hysterical. And reason #233422 why I want to chop my hair off again.

Side note #3: Remember the family that dropped us, and then picked us up again after they saw Meet the Mormons? Well guess what? They waltzed in to our Fall Festival on Saturday. ALL FOUR OF THEM (yes, the handicapped 21 year old, the VERY Catholic father, the 16 year old daughter, and the incredible mother). And what did the darling Mandarin 1st ward do? Fellowship them beautifully. I have no doubt they'll be baptized in the next few months. How wonderful is that?! 

Side note #4: I seriously adore Nate. After an incredibly powerful lesson about the Atonement, he said the closing prayer asking about WHEN he should be baptized. There was such a powerful spirit during the prayer. He was crying, we were crying, his fiance was crying, heck...the member we took with us was crying. We had to race out of the lesson to help with the Fall Festival, but he called us 12 minutes later. Listen to this!! He said he had a question! And his question was, "Did y'all feel that? When I asked about when to be baptized...did you feel that fire in your heart or however you would describe it?!" Sister Petramalo started doing a little dance and had to hold back from screaming, "You mean, the SPIRIT?" It was incredible. He's taking us out to dinner tonight as a cute going away evening for me.

Side note #5: Did you know that the way members show their love is through food in Mandarin First? It's killing me. We have 4 "goodbye" meals over the next 2 days. And we already had to say no to 4 others. I'm sick to my stomach at the very thought. But anyway, I am NOT a fan of saying goodbye to the people I adore so much. During the closing hymn in Relief Society, I started bawling like a baby hahaha. Every single ward I've served in on my mission has become my home. I love it oh so much. And yes, that is exactly why a CRAZY amount of photos are coming your way =) 

LOVE Y'ALL. I'll have to let you know next week where I'm headed!!! PARTY. Adventure awaits =)

Sister Hutchins