Being Transferred

Jenna was able to be online on WEDNESDAY instead of Thursday because she is getting TRANSFERRED! She didn't even have time to write an actual Email......so All we get are these two Pictures. We will here from her again on MONDAY June 3rd.

Love my sisters at the visitors' center! my Samoan companion is leaving so I wore the flower she gave me in her honor :D

Me and the other Sister Call

What's the Fathers Story?

Every time I sit down at the computer to type up my email, I just can't believe it's been another week...I think to myself, "maybe next week won't speed by so fast and I'll actually have time to stop and think what to write..." but lo and behold, I'm here again, time seeming to fly faster than ever! :)

This morning we had some training from a member of the missionary department in Provo. It was so great and I learned some amazing things! The focus was on the Visitors' center and how we could improve it and address some of our concerns. We do the training with the sisters from liberty jail, and since both places focus on the history of the early saints, we were asking him how we can best connect the history with helping our guests still have a spiritual experience. He told us of an experience he had with his 6 year old daughter, Lizzy. He was tucking her in bed one night and for her bedtime song they sang 'Called to Serve.' As they sang the line 'far and wide we tell the Father's story,' she looked up at him and said: "Daddy, what's the Father's story?" He then told us how ever since then he's tried to focus on what His story is... it's the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then he brought something to our attention. He wrote on the board. History = His Story. He then went on to say that the history of the saints is part of Heavenly Father's story...and that as we share that with others, we will be able to help them understand the big picture....the ENTIRE story....HIS STORY!

We also talked a lot about how we can fulfill our purpose as missionaries in the Visitors' Center. In 'Preach My Gospel' it states that: "Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith is Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." He said: "We must teach our purpose, with purpose, on purpose." :)

We ended by talking about power statements. He asked us to write a statement about the gospel in 32 words...then 16...then 8...4... 2...then he asked us to do it in one word! We were amazed to see that each statement was equally as powerful as the first. It helped us understand that simple can be powerful and that we don't always need to be elaborate and eloquent. President Uchtdorf put it perfectly when he said: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

Well I hope life finds each of you happier than ever and that you will always be grateful for the blessings you have. I love you all! Oh so much! Never forget it!

Love, Sister Hyer

We Went to the ZOO!!

One of my favorite singers and the lady that plays Emma in the Joseph Smith movie, Katherine Nelson, came into the Visitors' center this week!

Didn't think I'd be visiting Kenya while serving in Missouri! ;)

KC Zoo!!

Elephants!!

Just chillin in a hut in africa :)

This zoo was AMAZING! I really felt like I was in the Amazon or something when I crossed the bridge over this river!

Email from May 17th 2013 and Adam-Ondi-Ahman

Jenna was able to go on a little Field Trip on her actual Thursday P-Day, so we didn't get an Email till Friday. Then I was slow to post it....Sorry for the delay! Here's her letter and Pictures from her Historical Outing.

Heeeeyyy! Summer has arrived in Independence! :) The days are getting hotter...last week was up past 95 degrees and we were melting on our bikes! But I'm glad the sun is shining :) I'm expecting to just sweat the next 3-4 months away haha

A group of the sisters from the visitors' center went up to Adam-Ondi-Ahman yesterday. It was so great to be able to be there. We learned all about the history and got to spend some time there. What a special place! We went to Far West too...they were both so beautiful...it was so great to learn more about the history of the saints!

This is probably the shortest letter I've written so far....but I'm outta time and things to say! haha. I sent lots of pictures so make sure to check 'em out...and I promise next week's letter will be better! :) Love you ALL!

Sister Hyer

Kansas City Temple!

Adam-Ondi-Ahman 

Lunch with the Sisters

 

Jumping Picture with Sister Zito.....We seriously couldn't stop Laughing at this Picture....

Then of course everyone else wanted to try! Haha

Pictures From Last Week

Sorry I wasn't able to get these Pictures up for Jenna Last week. Enjoy!

Sisters Call, Ogletree, Zito and I bein weirdos as always :)

we played volleyball one Pday...it was FREEZING but oh so fun!

Me and sister Rogers...it was a gorgeous day, so we spent every minute we could soakin up the sun!

Miracle May!

Hey all! Hope this letter finds each of you well!

Happy May...or in the terms of the M.I.M... 'Miracle May!' As a stake here in Independence we have been asked to devote May to making and recognizing miracles. We focus on having faith and being in tune with the spirit so that we can make miracles happen! We were asked to participate in a mission wide fast for the specific purpose of asking for miracles. We have set a goal as a stake to have 20 baptisms in May. Our stake presidency planned a fireside to kick things off. Each of them spoke and shared their testimonies. All 3 of them are converts to the church, so they all shared their conversion story. It was so powerful! Each of them know the importance of missionary work. Can't wait to see the things that are about to happen during this month of miracles!

I am constantly talking about the History of the early saints while I'm at the Visitors' Center, so I have been studying a lot about Joseph Smith and reading from his book of 'The Teachings of the Presidents of the Church.' I have been amazed with how little I really know about him. It's been fascinating to really focus on his life and gain a stronger testimony of him and the restoration of the gospel. I wanted to share part of a passage in his history. This passage was written while he was in Liberty Jail and had received some letters from friends and family. He says:

"....We had been a long time without information; and when we read those letters they were to our souls as the gentle air is refreshing...And we need not say to you that the floodgates of our hearts were lifted and our eyes were a fountain of tears, but those you have not been enclosed in the walls of prison without cause or provocation, can have but little idea how sweet the voice of a friend is; one token of friendship from any source whatever awakens and calls unto action every sympathetic feeling; it brings up in an instant everything that is past; it seizes the present with the avidity [eagerness] of lighting; it grasps after the future with the fierceness of a tiger; it moves them mind backward and forward, from one thing to another, until finally all enmity, malice and hatred, and past differences, misunderstandings and mismanagement's are slain victorious at the feet of hope."

I thought that was so amazing! We can't imagine what he was going through while he served his time in Liberty. But look how powerful those letters he received were and how they made him feel. I want all of you to know that although I can't compare serving this mission to the life mission that Joseph Smith served, each of your letters you all send are just as treasured to me as his were to him...they bring me peace, comfort, and pure bliss! So Keep 'em comin! :)

Well I better save some stories for when I get to talk to the fam on Sunday! Wahooo! But just remember that I love you all and keep each of you in my prayers. Keep the Faith!

Love, Sister Hyer

Pictures from this week to follow

So Blessed...

Happy May to you all! Can you believe I've been out nearly 4 months?! Time flies when you're havin fun! ;)

Last week a majority of the missionaries in the mission had an experience of a lifetime! We had Elder Quentin L. Cook, Elder Halstrom of the seventy, and Bishop Davies from the presiding bishopric come speak to us. It was so amazing! The entire chapel and overflow were filled with missionaries...and that was only half of our mission! What a sight to see! At the beginning of the meeting, our mission president stood at the pulpit and said that before we began Elder Cook wanted so shake our hands. The sisters were all sitting on the front row, so we got to be first...and then we watched as each and every missionary in that chapel stood to shake his hand. Being in his presence was a testimony builder that these men are called of God. What an incredible experience! At the end of his talk, Elder Cook said: "As an apostle of Jesus Christ, and by my Priesthood authority, I would like to leave each of you with my blessing."  And then he went on to say that as we serve the Lord, the people we love will be blessed for eternity. What a special blessing given by an apostle!

That same night we also had a baptism! Two baptisms in two weeks....this area is on fire! :) Curtis was finally baptized! We found him about 4 days after I arrived in the mission as we tracked...I had said we should knock on his door because I liked the color of his house. :) Miracles happen! I've been amazed at the changes I've seen in him in just a matter of months. He quit smoking and drinking tea, read The Book of Mormon every day, and was praying to gain stronger faith. It was a great baptism. He was so happy....a theme that seems to be reoccurring at all these baptisms ;) The Gospel of Jesus Christ and His plan for us really is the plan of happiness!

One more neat experience. One of the local break-off branches of the church is called the Restoration branch. They recently held an annual conference here in Independence. One day there were 2 men from that branch that came into the Visitors' center to learn more about our church. After taking them through the presentations, I began to ask one of them more about his life. He spoke very good English, but had a very thick accent. He is from a country in East Africa called Rwanda. He told us about the trials he's faced and what life is like in his country. He told us about his family and that his wife had passed away about a year ago. He left us with his information so we could contact him and teach him more about our beliefs. It took him about 10 minutes to leave the visitors' center because he just kept telling us 'thank you' and how wonderful we were. He said he just felt so happy and made us promise we would write him to share more. He could recognize the difference from his church and ours...he had felt something inside his heart.

I am one blessed girl to be having such amazing experiences. What incredible opportunities I am able to have! I am grateful for this time to be serving, learning, loving, growing, and gaining a stronger testimony of my Savior!

Love you all!

Sister Hyer

Curtis' baptism! Does he look a little bit like Moses?

Don't ask why he's wearing a dress..it's a long story. haha

Curtis after his baptism!