Happy New Year!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Ahhh I do believe I'm a tad dorkier than your average missionary, but please love me through it. I love New Year goals! Sadly, my goals from last year were a bit of a stretch with deciding to go on a mission. BUT my theme that I had picked for the year matched beautifully with my 2013 experience. My theme had been:

"I want my life to radiate what happens when God has a person's heart at His full control, when every event or circumstance is simply another avenue to know Him better and show forth His glory."-Elbie Harris

From Jerusalem to coming on a mission, I have truly learned how to give Heavenly Father more of my heart. I've got a long way to go, but this year really did help me become closer to who I want to be. I love it. Have you set some lovely new goals for 2014? You really really should. Think about it, you have a limited amount of New Years left-make it worth it =)

GUESS WHAT? Last week we decided that we were going to find a family of four that wanted to go to the temple. WE FOUND 'EM. Oh the joy the gospel brings. The father is Italian and very family oriented, and the mother is Filipino and darling. With faith and specific prayers, I have been learning how much Heavenly Father really does answer us. It just brings me so much happiness. This week we are praying to find someone who we can find, teach, and baptize in three weeks. How incredible would it be to watch someone transform so quickly with the gospel!? 

CHRISTMAS WAS LOVELY. We went to breakfast with an investigator. Dropped off Peppermint kisses to a less active sister in the hospital. Gave a gift to a less active sister who told us she finally believes the Book of Mormon is true! Ate Christmas lunch with darling Robin and her family who is getting baptized in January. Raced to eat Christmas dinner with a Muslim family (that sentence cracks me up). And ended the evening at a member's home to Skype our families. It was truly a wonderful day. (So sorry for the fragment sentences!)

I love you all. I love this gospel. Enjoy the random pictures =)

Sister Hutchins

Happy (almost) Christmas [w/ pictures!!]

Happy Christmas darling family and friends!

Do y'all wanna hear the cutest Christmas story in the world? Of course you do! So our apartments have been under construction recently. The past two weeks they've been painting like crazy and one of these painters is our good buddy. I don't quite recall how we all became such good friends, but we absolutely adore Ron. After a week or two of just talking as we walked in and out of our apartment, he told us he felt God was telling him he should talk to us. (Good sign right?) The next day we left Christmas sugar cookies on his car with a note. The next day, he left a poinsettia on our doorstep (NEVER have flowers made my heart melt more than at that moment). And then the day following that we asked him if he wanted to hear our message about Jesus Christ. His response was my favorite. "Well, thank you. I've been waiting for that invitation." Now isn't that the best kind of missionary work? Friendship established first, a dash of service, bring in a dose of Christmas cheer, and then BAM start teaching! I LOVE IT. And I love Ron. And I love how happy everyone is at Christmas time. 

Here's my short and sweet Christmas message for you! Never have I felt so privileged to be out serving a mission as I have during this lovely season. As everyone is turning to our Savior as we celebrate His birth, I have felt such gratitude to be serving Him this Christmas. There really is nothing better I could be doing. I hope you each have a magical Christmas. And I pray you'll ponder what you are giving back to your Savior this wonderful time of year. I love you all and am praying like crazy for you. Happy Christmas!

Sister Hutchins

p.s. This week my companion and I are determined to find a family of four that want to go to the temple. We're excited. Throw in a few extra prayers for us. We know that lovely family is out there - and we are going to be led to their door. 

 My lovely MTC district....6 months later at your mission-wide Christmas =) Love them. Can't believe it's been so long!

 The darling and incredible Sister Craig. I love our mission mom! And of course the lovely Sister Hibpshman =)

I LOVE MY NEW SKIRTS. I mean, don't you want to read the Book of Mormon now? And thanks for the decorations!!! Our apartment is oh so homey!

200+ Days of Craziness

Oh my word, where to begin? That is always the question. Well, hey, guess what? I've hit 200 days on the mission. CRAZY.

Let me start by telling a little story. One day, I got called to play the piano for the mission-wide Christmas devotional. I happily agreed, glad to have an excuse to spend time on the piano. But then came the day of the performance...and the elder I was accompanying walked into the room I was practicing and asked what song I was playing. I laughed and told him he was funny. Sadly, it wasn't funny at all. Long story short, I had learned the wrong song. I had one hour to practice the new one...it was 8 pages and had 3 key changes, and 5 sharps. I was not excited to say the least haha. But strangely enough, I learned one of the biggest lessons of my life through this experience. Hopefully, I can make this make sense. 

With the song I originally practiced, I had been able to control how well I knew it and have it go my way in a sense. In other words, I could make sure it went well relying upon myself. When the songs switched, my plans were ruined and all I could do was pray that God would help me through it. As I sat at that piano with shaking hands and a mountain of a piece to play in front of me, I played relying upon my Savior. It was NO longer according to my plan, but Heavenly Father's plan. So often, I try with all my might to make plans and be in control, but God has a plan and sometimes I get in the way of it. God has a plan, and if I rely upon Him and let Him take the lead in my life, things may not turn out perfectly (just like the actual performance haha), but He will be able to use me as a tool in His hands to bring the Spirit and touch other people's lives. And really that is entirely what I want...to be able to let God touch the lives of all those I meet and love and serve. (And as a side bonus, we actually managed to pull that piece off and the Spirit didn't leave the room...no matter how many wrong notes I plunked out haha) Anyway, thank goodness for epiphanies right when you need them. I am so grateful to me serving and working my hardest to let God take the lead. It really is an incredible thing when you can feel that you are following His path for you.

And let the side notes begin!

1. One of our investigators who is getting baptized this week, quit smoking...but here's the catch...Somehow as I was throwing out her cigarettes, I found myself offering to do this with her. I told her I would stop drinking caffeinated sodas and we'd push through together. So ladies and gents, she has smoked her last cigarette and I drank my last Diet Pepsi. They say you come home from your mission a little bit different right? Haha I am so grateful to be able to do this with darling Sister Lemon. She's a gem.

2. We're currently teaching the most golden investigator I have ever met. He's incredible. And to give you an even better picture of it all-he's 47, black, has gold teeth, and has quite the history in prison. And yet I can honestly say he is the most pure-hearted man I have ever met. It makes my heart so happy. I love that change is so possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

3. The Muslim man we are (kind of) teaching, woke up late and shaved so fast he cut his face twice so he could get to church. Don't ask me why this little tid bit makes me nearly die with happiness.

4. The word's "Always remember Him" in the Sacrament prayers...are my absolute favorite. I'm trying best to let Christ be apart of each bit of my day and I have seriously never been so happy in my life. You should try it. There really is nothing more divine than letting your Savior in.

Over and Out,
Sister Hutchins

Busy as Ever and LOVING IT

Hello Dear World, 

Every week you learn a lot on the mission. Sometimes, I selfishly was a bit of a reprieve, and it seems that God then teaches me EVEN more. Let me tell you all about what I've learned this week.

1. Studying diligence and then truly becoming diligent is amazing and exhausting and lovely. My mind is constantly running. I honestly can't stop. I'm writing thank you's while we're eating lunch, getting out of bed to write down to do's and people's names that I can't get out of my head, and praying with any free moment I have. I went to take a 20 minute nap last week on P-day...I ended up laying there praying for the people we were seeing that night and finally receiving an answer to what we could teach one of our investigators. So the lesson here...JUST DON'T STOP. There's no time to waste. And I can nap in a year anyway haha.


2. I no longer remember famous people's names,  bands, movies, TV shows. People are now constantly saying, "You've been out too long, but Vine is..." Strangely enough, it makes me heart happy to know I'm out of the loop. I'm officially a missionary.


3. There's a HUGE difference between praying, and praying with real faith and desire and SHOOT. My companion doesn't spend as much time emailing as I do....so I have to run. BUT I LOVE YOU ALL. But side note: HAROON CAME TO CHURCH (that Muslim man I told you about). I've never been so shocked in my whole life. I want to cry and dance and run all at once. God's work is pushing forward.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SEASON =)

P.S. If you could share my miracle blog on your Facebook walls that would be greatly appreciated! That's the only way it's going to be seen by the world =) LOVE YOU ALL.

Hello "Real" World!!

Hello Dear World!

Have I told you that when I talk about my life back home I refer to it as the "real world?" My companion just rolls her eyes and keeps asking me when I'm going to realize I'm in the real world haha. But I swear, this style of life is not quite real. It's divine.

I've got a random list of things to share today. Hope it's not too scattered.

1. We're kind of teaching a Muslim family. But only kind of. The family isn't too interested, but the father is. After literally FORCE FEEDING us more delicious food than I have ever consumed at one time (it's been a week and I'm still full) the husband/father walked us out to our car in the rain and said, "I love Jesus Christ. Please keep coming back and trying. We'll soften their hearts over time." My jaw almost hit the pavement. This man kept referring to us as angels. I'm still so grateful we chose to knock doors in his neighborhood. Even if it takes years for his family to open up to the gospel.

2. I've decided that the scriptures are like journals written by men of God. If we truly are recording our spiritual experiences in our personal journals...those entries become personal scriptures for us. I've found so much guidance in reading back over my journals and in writing in them each night. Please please please tell me you all have journals. I love them.

3. I have had SO many experiences on my mission that always stun me. I've probably said, "Whelp, I never saw that happening on my mission" 12 million times. But here's the strangest one yet. Yesterday, I carried an investigator's Hispanic, hemmoraging grandmother to our car and raced her to the hospital. Yes, I know that broke mission rules. No, I do not care. And yes, I'm definitely grateful that part of mission routine is working out in the morning. Usually we're saving souls. Occasionally, we're saving lives. Thank goodness God places us in specific places for a reason.

4. I had another epiphany moment during our Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday. If I leave nothing else on this earth when I die, I want to leave my testimony of Jesus Christ. Thank goodness I have all this precious time to share with everyone I meet my witness and sure knowledge that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I really do have the best job in the world. 

5. NELL CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY. The most darling 35 year old blind, less active member came to church. I am still doing happy dances. We've been meeting with her for a while now. She said she'd come once, but ONLY once. By the end of Fast and Testimony meeting she was apologizing for having to leave before Sunday School and promising to stay longer NEXT TIME. I do believe EVERY single testimony shared that morning was shared specifically for her. Oh how grateful I am for the spirit witnessing to her that church is where she needs to be after 14 years of not going. I LOVE IT.

And I love you! Have an incredible week. And Smile! Someone sacrificed Himself for your happiness.

Sister Hutchins

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

So I do believe a gratitude list is in order! Today I am grateful for:

1. Cheesy, spiritual, lovely, supportive emails and friends that make me tear up. It's official...I'm becoming a crier. I don't care who knows it-I love you all.

2. Finding a family to teach this week! They are incredible. They are from Afghanistan, Muslim, and have incredible faith. We are going there tonight for a Family Home Evening. We're praying and fasting for them to see the truth and happiness we have to share!

3. New, clean, beautiful planners to decorate, scribble in, and eventually destroy...because without fail my planner always finds a puddle before the end of transfers.

4. Scarves I bought in Jerusalem. Thanks for inspiring me to buy them Hanny.

5. Panera. Sister Hibpshman and I had a companionship thanksgiving meal there yesterday. It was magical. Thanks for the gift card madre!

6. Music. How I've found so many answers to prayers through music lately is beyond me, but I am SO grateful for the power of it.

7. I AM STAYING IN TIMUQUANA FOR ANOTHER TRANSFER. Woot woot woot woot. I wasn't ready to leave these people. And there are quite a few that would be like starting a good book and then setting it down...if I were to have been transferred. Hallelujah for President Craig's start to having missionaries serving in an area for 6-9 months.

8. I'm strangely grateful for the excitement of new technology coming our way. Rumor is....we may be getting ours in JANUARY. What?!?

9. My Savior Jesus Christ. Words cannot express my appreciation, love, and awe at all He has done for me.

10. YOU. Yep, I said it. I love you. Thanks for being in my life darling friends and family. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

P.S. Funny quote for the week that we are still embarrassingly giggling over: "Oh my word, I haven't been this nervous since I had to tell a boy I liked him." Oh the joys of some pressure-filled phone calls with investigators. Thank goodness we're on missions.

Jesus Christ Lives

Dear world!

We had Zone Conference this week...I like to see it as spiritual missionary boot camp. In the space of 8 hours, 2323489 things are addressed and sometimes you feel a bit chastised. The spirit inspires you again and again with how you could be doing missionary work better in your area, and by the time you are walking out the door, you can't really handle how many notes you took and how ready you are to get to work again. Before we left though, we had time for 5 "one minute short and powerful testimonies" as President Craig calls them. I didn't even realize I was standing to speak, until I was doing just that. And this is about what I said with that quality minute:

 If there is one thing I have learned on my mission, it is this: Jesus Christ lives and nothing else matters. When you're overwhelmed, or sad, or happy, or in any stage of life...the only thing that really matters is that Jesus Christ lives. He loves me and I love Him. And with this sure knowledge, we can overcome and master anything that is places in our path. I know with all my heart that this gospel is true. Joseph Smith is a prophet. And the Book of Mormon is the Word of God. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

And here are a few fun side notes for you....

1. I FOUND CINNAMON PINECONES. And for those of you who know me well...that definitely inspired an ecstatic giggle in Walmart...which is saying a lot because I still detest Walmart.

2. I'm so excited for Thanksgiving!!! I thought it would be a bit sad not being home, but I'm strangely excited. We've got two meals planned, one with the darling recent convert Holliday and another with our mission mama's family...I have a feeling this is going to be like that scene in Gilmore Girls..."And eat and eat and eat and eat and eat." I may be transferred the day before Thanksgiving though. That would be a tiny bit sad. 

3. It's starting to get cold. So we may be venturing to the mall to find me a jacket. I'm a little afraid of stepping into a mall. It's been a while.

4. When we knock doors...we seem to not find new investigators...but instead, less active members that aren't on the roster and have been forgotten. This is the 3rd time. One of them is so darling, but every time we call her...her ringback tone is Hunter Hayes "I Want Crazy" and it nearly kills me to not sing along. Press Forward
Saints though as Jen would say.

LOVE YOU ALL. HAPPY ALMOST THANKSGIVING.