Happy St. Patrick's Day....and Good Bye Iola Kansas!

Hey there!

It's me. Sister Hyer.

So....The time has come. My stay here in iola is coming to an end. It's been an amazing 6 months (holy cow, 6 months?!) filled with many adventures and journeys that have helped me learn and grow. After a while, I was beginning to think I would end my mission here, and leaving only felt like something I'd face when I got on the plane to go home. But the Lord needs me somewhere else....where? I won't know until tomorrow...but I'll go where He needs me to go!

iola has become my home over the past 6 months. I knew I cared about this place and the people here, but saying goodbyes yesterday made me realize how much I truly love them and how wonderful my stay here really has been. I didn't think leaving the area would be this hard...but through many hugs, tears, and 'I love yous', my heart felt a little different than I thought it would.

Reflecting on my journey here in iola, Kansas, I thought I'd share a few things I've learned/experienced over the past 6 months.

while serving in iola, I have:

- met so many incredible people

- experienced Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, my birthday, and Valentine's Day all in one area
- learned to love the country

- met more dogs, horses, chickens, and cows than I thought even existed

- laughed, cried, and made memories that will last forever

- driven a total of 10,000+ miles

- seen oh so many miracles

- learned more about the Gospel than I have my entire life

- had the blessing of being a part of 3 baptisms

- come to understand the importance of member missionary work

- been shaped and refined by trials

- learned the importance of prayer

- realized that I truly "can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13)

And above all else, while serving in iola,

- My faith and testimony have been strengthened. I can truly say with more conviction than ever that I know this Gospel is true. Heavenly Father loves us and has a plan for all of His children. Our savior Lives! Through the power of His infinite Atonement, we can be strengthened and be enabled to do things we would not otherwise be able to do by ourselves. The Gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and we are lead by a living prophet and apostles in these latter days. The Book of Mormon is true and can help us come closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's all true!

Goodbyes are hard. But I'm truly grateful for the time I've been able to spend here. Iola Kansas will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Here's to the last stretch  of my journey. Onward to wherever the Lord needs me.

I love you all!

Sister Hyer

Happy Day of LOVE

 Hello once again! Is it just me, or is time flying?! I feel like I was just writing an email yesterday! So crazy.

So much to write about, so little time! Gotta try to squeeze it all in one short email. I'll do my best.

First of all, Happy late Valentine's day! We had such a fun day...we had slept over at the Stanley sisters' house, so my companion and I woke up early and surprised them with a pink pancake breakfast! Then we went to some of the members' houses and heart-attacked their door. We wrote scriptures on hearts and wrote a poem about how when we read the scriptures we can know that the Savior loves us. Service can be so much fun when you make it that way! And it always brings joy!

Then! We had a general authority come visit our mission last week. It was so amazing! Elder Martino is a member of the quorum of the Seventy and as part of his assignment, he does mission tours a few times a year and spends time with the missionaries and the mission president. He spoke about so many things...here are a few of my favorite lines he shared:

-We have so much that others don't have--SHARE IT!

-Having the spirit in our lives depends on us

-If we don't teach the Doctrines of the Gospel to the rising generation, we'll lose it

- If it is to be, it is up to me

-You'll motivate through love more than through criticism

-We have to work smarter, not just harder

-Revelation if often time sensitive. We have to be engaged in the gospel at all times and be ready to act.

-The Atonement brings comfort when there is no peace

-Repentance is more than paying the price for sin

-We do things to become, not to merit

-The gospel brings comfort to a world that doesn't understand

He then left us with an apostolic blessing and in it he blessed us to be able to go forward with the courage to act on the things we'd learned and that we would know that we are loved by our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. It was such an uplifting conference, and I left with courage and enthusiasm to do the Lord's work!

Also. We had another baptism! Wahoo. Iola is on Fire. Our friend Tina was baptized. We found Tina through a member...this member called us one day and said: "Hey. I have a friend here. She said she liked the picture of the Kansas City temple on my wall. Wanna come over and teach her about it?" haha. So we rushed over there right that second, Then 2 months later she was baptized! Perfect example of how successful missionary work can be when members are involved. Share the gospel, My friends...even if it's just by hanging a picture of the temple or the Savior in your home!

Phew! What a week. I have more to share, but it will have to wait. Pday time flies. Just know I love you all!

Love,

Sister Hyer

Zone Conference Day

Me and Sister Zito

So. we slept over with the sisters in Stanley the night before valentine's day. My companion and I surprised them and decorated and made breakfast. Here's what it looked like! :)

Complete with Pink Pancakes.

TINA GOT BAPTIZED

Happy Missionaries on Baptism Day.

Valentine's day calls for 'heart-attacking' all our members!

we wrote a poem and then put hearts with a daily scripture on them to help them know the love of the Savior

We LOVE heart Attacks

reunited with My Albany sisters