Can you believe it's been almost 5 months!

Hello there!

I hate it when I get emails that make me cry! Stop doing that! : P it’s not fun to cry and laugh at a computer screen in public! 

Oh well... I love you guys anyways...

So this week was pretty good. We had TRANSFER MEETING!!! Sister Hendrick and I are staying together in our area! We also both feel strongly that we will be here for a while longer till we get things all fixed up. We are here to do a marvelous work and a wonder. We are here to find the Elect. The ones who are prepared and ready to receive the gospel. And it’s not going to be easy, we may not see the fruits of our labors... but that's okay. Because we are still trying our hardest to do our best and the lord knows that. I know that God is a God of miracles. We saw so many miracles this past week. We got to be in the right place in the right time by following the promptings of the spirit and it’s incredible. The spirit is so real!

So quite a few things happened this week that are noteworthy. I’ll start with Wednesday, transfer day. After transfers and coming back to our area, having dinner and rushing to a FHE with a fun cute little family, we got to go to the town hall and the mayor wanted all the missionaries in the Queen Creek area to come and be recognized for our community service.  They took a picture. It should be posted on some Queen Creek Arizona news site or something... so that's cool.

Thursday, the day after we started our sugar fast/sacrifice we were able to see so many miracles just like I mentioned above. We overall taught 10 lessons that day and talked to 16 random strangers. It was solid. 

Saturday was pretty sick. we got to go do service up closer by my old area in San Tan and we were helping this lady who has big Clydesdale horses clean her little farm and shovel dirt and stuff... we got to watch the elders try to get a stump and a wooden cemented in beam out of the ground and it was quite entertaining but there were some moments where my mom instincts would kick in and I would want to tell them that that was probably not the smartest idea... but it all worked out.! The horses were absolutely beautiful. There was a 13 month old mare and she was probably 7 foot tall... that's a big baby!!! Then there was an old black horse and he was just massive... I mean the ground shook when he walked by... but super beautiful! I got to pet them so I bet you can all guess how happy that made me.

Then our Sunday was pretty good! We had a LA guy and his kids show up! His wife is a RC (recent convert) and she wasn't there and we don't know why but that was the first time I had seen him at church so it was awesome! We also had a new member fireside that RC's speak at for our mission/anyone who wants to come. They do like musical numbers and stuff too but Jennifer was asked to speak and share her testimony and her conversion and it was so incredible to see her and to listen to her story again. She has a beautiful one. But Jennifer and Clint are doing well! THEY ARE EXPECTING ANOTHER BABY! Woo hoo!!!!!!!! So much happiness!!!!

I love you guys so so much! You mean the world to me and you brighten my day whenever I think of you... keep being awesome okay??

Scriptural chapter for this week comes from Alma. Chapter 26. This really spoke to me this morning in studies. I hope you enjoy!

Also, you know you’re an Arizona missionary when everyone is freaking out because it’s supposed to rain!!! Woo hoo!!!!

 

-- 

-Sister Anna Haymond:)    

She admits she needs to work on her selfies a little!

Arizona Gilbert Temple at night.

Sept 14th: What a week...

Okay. Hello. :) I am finally emailing you :) ha-ha! Well this week feels like a lot has been happening but actually not too much. Just the fact that we talked to over 70 people this week. And asked them if we could teach them/talk to them about Jesus. But a lot of people in this area have talked to missionaries at least once before and so a lot of people are not interested! But... that’s okay :) because the lord has a plan and if that plan is for us to not teach anyone right now then that’s okay! And to answer dads question that I just remembered, yes we do do a lot of reactivation. Also! How cool is that that you guys invited the new neighbors to the snack and stroll thing! That’s so fun! And that really is missionary work! "BY SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS ARE GREAT THINGS BROUGHT TO PASS". I know that for a fact. Baby steps! We also talked to two gay people this week and that was really cool. Sorry that this email is all over but I just have so many thoughts and not enough time in the day to write them all to you... but as a missionary you are very aware of your imperfections and I have a lot of weaknesses I have discovered. But I also have found that I have a lot of talents that I didn’t have before. I am also learning so much for my future. I am learning work and personal responsibility and I am learning to work with all kinds of different people... it’s crazy the things you learn on a mission. I remember that Alexis one time said that she couldn’t imagine being a mother or wife without the skills she learned on her mission. I also remember some advice that Trent Whiting gave me and he said to not compare myself to other missionaries and to not worry about swimming, but just to keep my chin up enough to breathe. Because everything is overwhelming and we just kind of jump in feet first and get right at it and no we are not just going to be able to know how to swim, so we have to start small. And most of the time I even struggle with keeping my head above water... but, it is getting to a point where I am starting to get the swing of things and I am finally starting to learn what a mission is all about. It’s not about the "stats" it’s not about us... it’s about the people and it’s about the lord. This is his mission. This is his work and I am just the instrument an sometimes it’s hard to be an instrument because I am so human and so weak. But as we trust in the lord and rely upon him for everything, I know that that is when we will see success. It’s hard. But, with the lord’s help and with his strength, I CAN DO ALL THINGS. WE CAN DO ALL THINGS. YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS. Through our lord and savior and redeemer. I love my savior. I couldn't have even imagined what a mission would have done for me even a year ago. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I am so so grateful that I did it anyways. I have relied upon the Savior for almost everything. When I am homesick, he is there. When I don’t know what to do with my area and I feel like I am killing it, he is there. He is always there for you and for me. Because he loves us and he knows how to succor or run to us. So that’s my thought for you on this Monday. I love you guys and miss you every day. You are so amazing to me. Keep being awesome! 

~.S M I L E. ~

Second letter that she sent to her dad:

It sounds like you guys had a pretty awesome week! Also, just a comment but your emails always make me laugh out loud and people, including my companion, look at me like I am crazy! Ha-ha! :) But yes I have been having a pretty good week. It has been hard not to teach people. But it’s also all I know. and usually we only have 1 or 2 set lessons for the week, but also we end up teaching people on their porch or someone will invite us in. so it works out :) we tract a lot and we talk to everybody we see that’s out and most of the people here in our area, since it’s so small have talked to missionaries before, and are not interested. I am surprised that rejection isn't hard for me! It’s actually nicer cause then they are not wasting our time by beating around the bush to tell us they aren't interested. So it works out. we are just struggling to know what we can do better to qualify to find people to teach and to do what is needed to find those new investigators and to find those people that are ready. But a while back I got a blessing from my DL and he mentioned that I was here to plant seeds. And that was hard for me to accept at first, because we read in D&C 4 that the field is WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST not a seed ready to be planted... But you know what?? If it’s the Lords will for me, then I will go and do the things He commands. Because I know that he will provide a way for me to be a planter. I know that if that is my reason and my purpose here, then so be it. I really need to work on not letting Satan get me down. he really works hard on my sometimes and sometimes I feel as if he is right there in my ear whispering at me to be rude or sarcastic to my companion, or that I am not good enough or that I am breaking/killing the area. And it’s really hard to tune him out sometimes. And I used to think that the missionaries just had this little bubble of perfectness around them, well I thought wrong. I am so imperfect and I am constantly shown my weaknesses. Some of them I have seen turn into strengths... but others I still struggle with. I also realize how much my mission is preparing me for my future. It’s weird the things you learn. About yourself and about life. Well... that’s enough venting for the day... :) I love you daddy. You are so awesome. Also I have caught a scorpion in a jar and it’s on my study desk WOO HOO!!! 

Have a wonderful week! 

Be happy! 

Keep doing missionary work!!!!!!

You are awesome!!!!!

-- MUCH LOVE!

-Sister Anna Haymond :)

Pasture Tracting

Activity with the Young Women

The girls did the Sister's hair

Lunch at Kneaders after going to the temple

Holding the ward mission leaders parrot

Sept 7th: Hello from the Gallup's house!

Hola Mi Familia! 

Como Estas??

(I’ve been working on my Spanish! ;)

It sounds like it has been a crazy week! This week was really crazy for us too!

Okay :) my week was good we had a lot of funny moments and also a lot of stressful ones. but the good outweighs the bad so it all works out :) so basically everybody and their dog feeds us Mexican food and potatoes down here and most of you knew, but before my mission, I didn’t care for those things... well, I kid you not, but I actually love Mexican food now. Spicy is still off limits but I can actually eat potatoes without my gag reflux going off! XD ha-ha it’s awesome. They aren’t so bad ;) 

Anyways... a couple funny stories for you...: 

Numero Uno: last Monday, we were digging through one of our closets to find treasures. We found window stickers and magnets. All of them were heart and like teddy bears and stuff. So, because the zone leaders pranked our car, we decided to prank them and make it look like other elders did it. So we did a super-fast, drive by, one side of the car prank so they wouldn’t see it and they still think it is our district leader Elder Balzer!!! But we swore to tell no one... so shhh.  Ha-ha!

2: we had the best door approach ever! On Tuesday, we were at dinner in the pastures (farm land) and it was super good. (Taco salad) and then afterwards we decided to bike down the street the way we wouldn’t normally go to the church, and I remembered that their neighbors (nonmembers) had those huge turtles out in their yard and so we decided that we would umm knock and ask if we could take pictures of them, so it wasn’t creepy, ya know? And so they people were really cool about it and we even got to go in and pet them and see the tinny little babies! and I really wish I could send you pictures but I don’t want to mess up the Gallup’s computer... the library is closed so we are using our ward mission leaders computer :) but it was basically the best door approach ever and basically that is what they think of missionaries now...solid.

Funny moment #3: we were in a bike wreck. Let me explain. For one, it was not on a busy road and no one was around really. So now that we got that out of the way... umm we were planning to go to Rogers, the old man’s house. and apparently sister Hendrik knew the way better than I did because I thought we had to turn when later I realized that we had to go straight so I am on her left side, trying to turn right, and so we bump into each other a bit, just enough to the point where we couldn’t rebound and then our bikes meshed into one and we just kind of skidded across the street... no broken bones. No real bruises or scrapes, just pretty shaken up. then the funny part is that once we got ourselves out and situated, I had lost a shoe and we were all over the place... but we realized that our bikes were stuck together... my pedal was stuck in her spokes and we could not get it out of the life of us. then this nice woman pulled over, asked if we were okay, and she tried to help us for a bit, but she had kids in the car and was in a hurry so we sent her off and then we called the ZL's and I am just sitting on the curb waiting for a miracle... when this guy drives by, and I wave at him (cause I just wave at everybody) and he u turns and comes to help us! Turns out he was a relator and was super nice but the crazy part was that he basically looks at our bikes, touches mine to pick it up, and the bikes MAGICALLY UNTANGLE THEMSELVES. What the heck?? Right?? so that was super awesome and we thanked him a lot and then we saw him later and he was wanting to know if we were okay and everything so ... that was awesome... we never went to see roger... ha-ha :) 

Now I also did see a bunch of miracles, but for the sake of time, (the Gallup’s have to leave soon) I will just bear you my testimony that I know that my savior and redeemer lives and that he loves me and that he loves you and all of us perfectly. Charity is the PURE love of Christ. And it endureth forever. Pure is also comparable to perfect. I love Moroni 7:47 and its one that I share with a lot of people. As a zone we are striving to develop charity and to pray for charity. Like in the verse after that. So I challenge all of you to pray for charity in your personal prayers and to pray to be filled with that love. It is amazing. I can promise you that if you pray for this charity and have a pure heart and real intentions, you will be filled with that love and it will change you and your attitude towards others. It’s an amazing blessings denied too many simple because they don’t think to ask for it. So will you guys do that? Will you pray to be filled with charity? I love you all! And I love you so much! But not as much as he loves you! I cannot even fathom that much love! You guys are amazing and are doing awesome things! Keep it up! Keep smiling, be believing! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

-- 

-Sister Anna Haymond    

Some weeks we don't get any pictures sent to us from the members of the ward, but this week we got quite a few!  I'm so grateful to the members who take the time to send us text messages with pictures!

Aug 31st: Interviews and Blessings

Hello my dear sweet family! 

How is everyone doing? It sounded like stake conference was awesome! I don’t know when we have ours but I am really looking forward to general conference in about a month and a half... That will be cool! That is such a bummer about Josh! I totally knew him and I cannot believe that he might not be able to walk! :( But I know that the lord has a plan... and some people can handle those big challenges better than some of us other people. I am for sure going to be praying for him! So you guys asked for more pictures of the people we are teaching... one of them is Torrence and we got a picture with him this Sunday because he finally was found worthy to receive the Aaronic priesthood!!!!!

 ​

My week was good. Just a normal week in the life of a missionary... except it actually rained and I was out playing in it... just because it was awesome. Then it rained last night too and that was awesome! Oh my goodness... but it has been very hot and it doesn’t cool down until end of October... so pray for us that we may be able to acclimate to it! Ha-ha! 

Well, I think the only thing noteworthy from this week was interviews and that we had a choir performance (the annual one) and also we taught part of a seminary class so that was really fun! 

But interviews was really good! I think I really needed it. I was starting to feel burdened down and stressed, and President Nattress reminded me that I was of worth and that I was here for a reason and that I was pure. It meant a lot to me. I love our mission president! He is definitely inspired and I know he was called here for me and for all the other missionaries here.

We were challenged by our DL (District leader) to read our Patriarchal Blessing every morning in studies for the next week and it was an amazing experience. The more I read it the more I understand and learn. The more that I am able to receive revelation for myself.  If I (we) am (are) faithful then we will receive of the blessings that he has promised us. It’s pretty cool.

You know you are a missionary in the Arizona Gilbert mission when... you worry about members driving you out of the mission boundaries because it’s so small...

Also I have a scripture for the week, which I hope you guys are still reading ever day! But it’s in the BOM in Alma 5:7 -- Let him change your hearts! 

Pictures of Beautiful Arizona!

Much love! Hugs and Kisses!!!! --Sister Anna Haymond!