Week 11

I am doing well and I was sooooo excited for Zoe's baptism on Saturday it was great! The water was colder than the snow outside hahaha. 

Mom, this Christmas focus on the celebration of Christ's life and that he gave His life for us so that we can give our lives in the service of Him. Don't get caught up in the anxiety of giving, just love the feeling of knowing you are being an angel for your Savior. I love you so much! 

I am not sure about the whole phone call thing, btw we are able to use facebook now and so people might say something about that... I don't know how I feel about it yet. Transfers are next week.😬

Momma I love you! Don't forget it! Give Sunny a good love from me. 

Your daughter with love, 

Sister Hillner

Week 11

Daddy! I love you :) yeah, Thanksgiving was weird for me too... but it was good. I was just as thankful as ever, maybe more so because I am starting to get a tiny glimpse of how much of my life was truly given to me. 

Dad, I want you to know you are a great man. I have really tried to hold firm to the saying "good better best, never let it rest, 'til your good is your better and your better is your best." I just began in Helaman and I am just blown away by the things I am learning in the Book of Mormon! Captain Moroni was awesome!!! He fought for liberty and agency and truth and righteousness. He reminds me of you actually :) What is your favorite story in the Book of Mormon right now? 

Just know that I love you dearly and I am sorry that I didn't tell you that more every time I saw you. You mean the world to me and every day I think of you telling me to always do my best and I try to be the kind of missionary that you would be proud to show Heavenly Father you had raised me to be. YOU'RE THE BEST! <3 I love you Dad, 

Sister Hillner

Week 10

HEY MOM!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! So I opened the letter on thanksgiving and it made it a lot easier, I really did miss everyone. I tried to be tough and pretend I didn't but I did. It was really delicious though! 

Okay so seriously, this week was FULL of miracles. also, before I get to far in, you asked what I would like for Christmas, honestly if you could just send some lotion off of my dresser that would be great. Please don't buy anything. I really don't need or want anything, but I would really like to hear each day for the month of December what you gave to Christ that day :) 

okay so we had this cool experience where we learned about offering prayers at the door and it weirded me out but we decided to try it while teaching (tracting) and it was amazing!!!!!!!!! We have 5 potential investigators from it and 3 of them we set up appointments with! Please pray for them! Quyhn, Q, Shawn, Lucero, and Madalin, also, pray for Rayne. 

This coming week is going to be so great! So also, what would be a good thing to send Lexie for her birthday? is she expecting something big because I really have no idea what to do...

Anyway, I think about you every day and love you so much! Please give dad a kiss... 

Sister Hillner

Week 9

Hey Momma! 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I love you and Dad! Please give him a big hug from me! It is cold here. Really cold. Like, my bones are frozen cold. Luckily it hasn't been rainy though so that is really nice... Heavenly Father just knows I can't handle it yet I guess. 

Thanksgiving is going to be really good I think, I have an extreme love of food (specifically dessert lately) so it should be enjoyable even though I will miss sitting around the table and talking about what we are thankful for. 

How are KW and Shannon? When are they due? Tell Grandma and Grandpa I love them! Tell JD to work hard and he can accomplish anything. I have so much faith in him! Give Kole a hug and a kiss from me! 

Please think warm thoughts for me. Everything is super frosty and icy but my heart is warm and full of the gospel! This week we went on exchanges and it was so cool to see Sister Jenkins again and then........ I RODE A BIKE IN A DRESS!!!! It was hysterical. Sister Hancock was dying and so were my thighs. It was pretty intense. Glad that was just a quick experience because I will need to be better wardrobe prepared next time I try it. 

I took pictures but you will have to wait until next week my camera died.  Ali is great, please pray for Zoe, Ulises, Kaytee, and Lily and Jason. And that hearts will be softened. I love you! SOOOOOOOOO much!!!

Sincerely and lovingly,

Sister Hillner

Week 8

Week 8

ALI WAS BAPTIZED!!! It was sooooo amazing and spiritual for me! And everyone in the room apparently hahaha we give the restoration lesson from the investigators point of view and how they learned and what was important to them as they get dried and dressed; we were told by our bishop that we shone like in Helaman chapter 5:36 when Nephi and Lehi shone out of the darkness even as the faces of angels as we bore testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost in the conversion of God's precious children. I wept as we sang I Stand All Amazed (the second time I sang that song yesterday, the first being in Priesthood session of stake conference). It truly touched me to the core that Ali was setting the example not only for her current family who do not agree with her decision, not only for her future family, but also for all of her ancestors. Amanda was able to come to the baptism and she said the spirit was so strong and something she had never experienced like that before! Please pray for her she is truly seeking to find the truth! 

This weekend was stake conference and soooo many people were able to come! Jason, Zoe, Amanda, and Elyse all came to Adult session and then Amanda and Ali came to general session! Which was great because the whole conference was directed to Missionary work so they got to hear sooo many conversion stories! 

Side notes of the day: MOON APPRECIATION!, Fuzzy PJs are basically the best thing ever, Pasole is delicious, I made dump cake the other week with Sis Hancock!, we lost our mailbox key (it fell off the ring) and it is $50 to replace it sooooo... please pray we find it. Our mail is being held at the mission office until we find it but I'm not sure how often we will get to check there for mail. I'm out of nutella if anyone feels like sending me some, our favorite meal is grilled peanut butter banana nutella sandwiches! They are seriously the best thing ever. 

I also think Ammon is super awesome. Alma has never been my favorite book because it is so long but seriously, He loved King Lamoni so much he almost killed his Dad for threatening him. That was such an example to me of Christlike love because the thing that rang true in the Kings heart was the love that Ammon had for Lamoni. 

Anyway, Thanksgiving we will be eating at the institute building with the relief society sisters who are putting on a dinner for everyone staying home. Other people that I would love for you to pray for: Kaytee, Lauren, and Lily. Sister Adair got her new companions :( we will miss her.

Sister Hillner

Week 7 HAPPY FALL!!

Week 7

Momma! I was so excited to get your package and then I realized there were no letters in it and my heart broke. I really don't want you to send me anything but letters. I really appreciate everything you sent but I care more about you and hearing how you are doing and would rather get a letter I can read over then write you a quick email then try and read a long email... it is a lot of wasted time to try and print them out. 

YOU are such a blessing to ME and I really want to hear from you as often as possible. We have another companion!! Her name is Sister Adair and she is AWESOME me and Sister Hancock love her soooo much. We aren't sure how long she will be with us. ALI IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!! I am sooooo excited! I went on transfers the other day with Sister Peterson and it was so funny the two of us newbies trying to figure everything out! hahaha we got lost... I might look into getting a GPS. It seems like a necessity here. 

Thank you sooooo much for the warm stuff! I think that will help me sleep better. Every day is a great day to be a missionary!!! We were able to sing to the new missionaries that arrived last week... that was weird. I feel like I have been here forever and no time at all!!! I love you sooo incredibly much and am serving the best I can. 

Love always, Sister 

Week Six

Hey Mom! 

I love you<3 So the marks of a missionary: chapped knees from kneeling so much, a sore neck from bowed head, and drool all over my pillow. I pretty much crash every night. Daylight Savings was weird to adjust to. I don't like it. 

Anyway, The work is progressing! Sam is no longer meeting with us. We are hoping to figure out what happened. Pray for Ali and Zoe (there dates are november 17th and december 1) and also Kaytee, Ulises, April, Samantha, Lily, Andrea, and Amanda. We are so happy to be here working away! 

I got a jacket and boots so I am no longer freezing terribly. Sister Hancock and I have survived Transfers!!! We literally jumped up and down screaming for 5 minutes when we got the news lol. I LOVE the scriptures! Just think about how many prophets sacrificed their lives to help the words of God come forth. Those were the most imortant things they could think to write for the generations of Disciples of Christ. I am so grateful to them. 

Watch all the Mormon Messages, I can't believe how inspiring they are! Maybe they would be really good Family Home evening lessons!? I love you dearly and my letter this week will have a couple experiences in it. 

I fasted for financial opportunities for our family and several other people. I know that Heavenly Father is waiting to pour out blessings according to our obedience. 

You are in my heart and thoughts always, Love Sister Hillner

Week 5

The mission is great! The trees change colors here and it gets all foggy in the mornings and the evenings sometimes... sorta spooky like scooby doo style. I got sick this past week but I'm pretty much better so thats good. the trees are throwen down the leaves. Several weird things have happened... Oregon is like an alien planet. I had a dream the other night that Sister Hancock (my companion) and I were in an elevator that caught fire and fell... it was really scary. Every day something funny happens! The second day I was here sister hancock accidentally got the phone stuck in the console of the car! it was in there for like 5 hours lol. The mission is great!

Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 1:13 PM, 

I bought some fleece lined hosiery they look great and a few other things I'll try to get in the mail this week.     Mom

Thank you! I caught a cold this week so I'm sure that will help.   Sis Hillner

How are you doing on money? I am doing fine on money, no problems to report. 

Do you guys live in an apartment or house? apartment, it is kinda cool, Jesus is in our window and he greets us when we pull up every night! 

Did you find a coat?no but I'm doing alright with what I have. 

Have you got rain shoes? no, not yet. Im still trying to figure it out, let you know if I need help. 

Is there anything special that I can send you?  If you could send me razors that would be nice... and my eyeliner sharpener. Treats are always nice! I seriously loved the bags of peanut butter M&Ms they are my favorite. Oreos are good too :) Please don't send any more apple cider... im trying to grow a taste for it. Hot chocolate...yes. 

PLEASE pray for Ali and Sam. And Kaytee. she is our new investigator. and Kassie, she is a new investigator I found. There are so many girls I wish I could give them your number. I love you so much. I'm trying to keep up with my journal so you can be filled in on everything im leaving out.  I love you I love you I love you!!! 

Mom, I want you to get a fresh copy of the Book of Mormon and highlight every time Christ is referenced. I'm doing it too and amazing things are happening because of it! Just start from the beginning! It is so helpful in getting through Isaiah. I feel like I should just tell you I love you over and over! I have to go now though, please hug and kiss everyone from me.   

Sister Hillner

PS Its okay if you dont send the things right now, I can wait.

Week 4 Dad's Letter

Daddy! I miss you so much! I've been thinking about you skiing a lot lately, I actually had a dream you and I were skiing in Utah and it made me really happy. I wished it was longer... good dreams are short and far in between. The leaves change color here and it is weird to think winter is coming. 

I am nervous about transfers because Sister Hancock seems to think I will be training someone. The thought freaks me out. Everyone is great here but Oregon seems to be in a weird time warp. I always forget what day it is and it feels like forever and no time at all.

My mottos are: Good,better, best, never let it rest, till your good is your better and your better is your best; When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago because by now it would be huge and producing fruit (dont put off till tomorrow what you will do better to have done today); and I want to put my yesterday's self to shame every day of my mission.  

I love you Dad. Hey do you ever read to Lexie? I was remembering reading the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe with you the other day and I think she would really like that too. It is one of my favorite memories from childhood. I miss you tons. 

Your loving daughter, 

Sister Hillner

Week 4

Sister Hillner 5:29 PM,

Hey Mom! I have half an hour to write emails so if you get this send me a message real quick!

MOM 5:31 PM,

I'm here

Sister Hillner 5:34 PM

MOM!!! The packages were basically the best thing ever!!! Sis Hancock and I were both craving Nutella earlier that day and everything made me so happy you have noooo idea! Thank you sooooo much!

MOM 5:45 PM,

Why do you have such a short time to email? I have been trying to check every-so-often all day!  I know it’s because you are busy with life and work.  Did order new scriptures?

Sister Hillner 5:50 PM 

No I didn't order scriptures. I just will use the ones I have, they work great and I don’t want to have to carry 2 sets.

MOM 5:53 PM,

Are you going to have enough time to email everyone while talking to me?

Sister Hillner 5:58 PM
I'm going to have to go :( I'm sorry, the computer shut down on me but I emailed Dad, Tucker, and Logan. Mom, you need to know that I think about you often. You are always in my heart.

TTFATDAT

MOM 5:59 PM,
I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!! :P

 

 

 

I'M SO LUCKY!

Week 3

October 14 @ 1:40pm

Okay Mom Here is the long email you asked for, you will have to apologize to Dad and Tucker and Logan and Gramma Ryssman because you are the only one I will have time to respond to. If you could forward this to them that would be great.

I wake up every morning at 6:23 and roll right onto my knees, we exercise for 30 minutes, eat, shower, and get ready by 7. lately I have been eating oatmeal with bananas in it. We do personal study, companion study, and training for an hour each and then get straight to work. We meet people throughout the day and I love being on campus street-contacting people. My clothes work pretty well but I really need boots and a rain coat and a regular warm coat. the coat i have now is working for the moment. I really need more socks, like the ones to wear with flats... and regular ones. I loved the polka dot shirt you showed me! The ward is super great here!!! There is so much to do! we go to FHE every monday, tonight they are doing a Meet the Mormons activity and we have been inviting people like crazy!!! This week we taught someone who was reeeaaalllly high. like on drugs high. it was interesting hahaha. We met someone named Hakeem, it was so cool! we were running to the institute building to a lesson after passing out invites to the meet the morms and i saw a guy waking beind me and turned around to introduce us and give him an invite, we ran to the lesson but AFTER when we were tracting we knocked on his door and were able to teach him the gospel! we have a lesson with him tomorrow and i am really excited because sister hancock and i almost committed him to be baptised on his doorstep. he seems really cool. I committed Sam to be baptized Yesterday! November 3 :) I am so excited for him. We taught Ali the Chastity lesson and she said we told her everything she needed to hear which was really great because i had never taught it before and didnt know what i was doing. thank goodness im just being a mouthpiece for the spirit. We are teaching Jason who is a member baptized at 8 but never been to our church since. he is awesome as well. Today we played racketball... okay basically the best sport ever hahaha its like tennis but you can hit the ball as hard as you can at people. I was planning on sending pictures but we had to run and use the computers on campus so the other sisters in our area could use the institute computers. So there are elders in our ward. aparently they are trying to put sisters and elders in every ward. crazy how the work is progressing! I really wish I had gotten your package!!! Ill tell you about it next week i suppose. I have been thinking about Mema a lot lately too. she is here with me. I gave a talk inchurch Yesterday that was my first time on the mission and it went really well. told the story about lexie falling off the cliff and dad saving her, related it to missionary work... everyone cried lol. I love you! sorry i dont have time to write anything else. Write again soon! 

All my love, 

Sister Hillner

PS keep me updated on government stuff. i want to know if its getting shut down. 

Weather:

Week 2

This is part of what I said in my letter to Sister Hillner:

Okay last week you sent out the form letter. I know you are busy but I would love a little more detail than everyone else ha,ha I wish I could say I'm joking but I'm not!!! Give me more...I need more... Ok now I'm joking. No I really would love to hear more about how the flight went what it was like when you got there, how it's been getting adjusted, you know the everyday stuff.  Well I'm still passing on your letters to family and the blog so don't worry about emailing in that way.  I'll try to tell some more specific conference thoughts but if I don't get it to you I'll try to put it in my journal for some day in the future.

This is the response email from Sister Hillner:On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 12:38 PM

I love you Mom! I will write you a letter today with more info, but we really have absolutely no time for anything. you were in my thoughts the entire conference! Im so glad you all had such great missionary opportunities! I LOVE YOU

A FAT DAT (or however it goes :) 

This should be TTAFATDAT which stands for Today,Tomorrow, and Forever and The Day After That

Thankfully a little later I got this:On Oct 7, 2013, at 1:13 PM

So I was hoping you would be able to write me a quick note before we had to go, but alas, it was not meant to be. I forgot to tell you thank you for having that cute package there when i arrived!!! it really made my day. You asked for suggestions when you send me a package so here they are; you really can't go wrong with snacks and I would really appreciate the small hand sanitizers from Bath and Body works. and anything warm; like scarves, and tights, and socks,  and hot chocolate mix. Its pretty cold here. I am going to try Goodwill next week for a rain jacket with a hood and rain boots. If that doesn't work, they are getting a Nordstrom rack on the 10th so we will try there. I love you so much! Please pray for our investigators! Sam was the guy with the box, he is Chinese and we are afraid he wont be baptized because his parents live in China and don't want him to. Ali is SUPER strong and has been prepared to be baptized her whole life by her best friend. Jason was baptized at 8 but never went to church after that because his parents were divorced.  Then there is Jentel, Brendan, Pierre, Nick, Andrea, Amanda, Lauren, and our recent converts Mariah and Keelynn. I dont have time for specifics but everything is going well! My face looks like a pizza sometimes. Apparently my skin is not used to moisture. Good thing I'm not worried about flirting to convert! 

Sooo much love, 

Sister Hallie Hillner

P.S. I really miss hearing from JD, Kole, and Lexie. Please give them a hug and tell them I love them.

I WAS SOOOO HAPPY. I TRIED TO EMAIL BACK BUT IT WAS TO LATE. Oh well, it was good to hear more information. 

First P-day in the field.

This is my first P-day out of the MTC! I am in the YSA ward on campus at The University of Oregon. Go Ducks! We had a baptism yesterday it was so great! Her name is Mariah and she was really prepared. So Friday night we were tracting and ran into a Chinese guy carring a big pink box. We chased him down and took the box from him and carried it up the hill and he was grateful so we talked for a minute and he was interested in learning more about the church so we set up a lesson with him the next day and that next day was my first lesson on the restoration of the gospel and i recited joseph smiths first vision and we committed him to be baptised October 27th!!! The spirit is Awesome! at Mariah's baptism we taught the same lesson but according to Mariah and how she felt and her connection with Heavenly Father and it was incredible. I did Joseph Smiths first vision again and the spirit was thick in the air and it was dead silent in that crowded room and afterward a former general authority came up to my companion sister hancock and i and told us that we gave a perfect lesson (his last name was Shultz). I am doing the best I can and striving to fulfill my purpose! I love you Mom with all my heart! I think of you always! 

Love, Sister Hillner 

PS Mema is with me in the field <3 br="">

Sister Hillner with the mission president and his wife.

First pictures from the mission field.

Sister Hillner arrived in the mission field today!

We got a call today September 25, at 9:10am from Sister Hillner.  She was at the Salt Lake International Airport awaiting her flight to Eugene Oregon.  Her whole family got to talk with her briefly thanks to technology and three way calls.  She sounded great and ready to serve. She said it was very interesting getting to the airport.  I can just imagin the sight...six or so missionaries with at least three suitcases each walking from shuttle, to train, to bus, to airport. She was sooo happy to have received the luggage caddy from mom on Monday and said it really helped- make a note of that all you someday to be missionaries...Get A Luggage Hook/Caddy! 

Today we got the first P-day email.

Mom!!! I am having a great time! Thank you sooo much for the package, I was beginning to wonder if y'all had forgotten me ;) just kidding, but it really really REALLY made my day. However, you forgot the luggage clip thingy and I REALLY need it. Please?  And what does TTAFATDAT stand for? because I read it like, ta ta a fat dat and was really confused. I miss chatting with you too!!! the most frustrating thing about being here is we have NO time to write. They keep us really busy. But it is soooooo awesome! my district is great! There are 3 elders and 4 sisters. We get along perfectly actually, I was so concerned about getting along with my companion and it isnt even a problem. My time management skills have greatly improved, they have to be good because my companion is like me except 10 inches shorter. I LOVE her. I had a breakdown in class the other day, apparently it is a lot harder for me to ALWAYS be around people then I anticipated... I really enjoy showers for that reason. But she helped me through it. Apparently anxiety attacks are not uncommon in the MTC. I have been called as the Branch Music Organizer (or something like that) I was singing all day the first few days I was here because I missed music so much and so I guess they thought that would be a good calling for me. We have had problems with ants twice so far so thank you for not sending homemade goods. I love You! I am learning soooo much! Thank you for letting Tucker come over, I know he really really enjoyed and appreciated it. I will write again as soon as possible but our P-day is Wednesday and we leave next Wednesday morning so I am not sure when I will have time to write again but they said we are allowed to call our family in the airport while waiting for our flight so if I am able I will try to phone. Please just make sure you are around the phone Wednesday morning. I love You!

Missing you tons, Your Missionary,

Sister Hallie Hillner

It's official she's in the MTC.

Sister Hillner entered the MTC at 1:00 today.  It was great there were no tears and a lot of smiles, and she was EARLY!!!

Hallie is in Provo getting ready.

Set apart and ready to go share the message of Our Redeemer.

On the way to the airport headed to Utah.

 Getting a little sleep on the plane.