September 22, 2014

This was a great week! We went on exchanges with the English sisters in Worcester. That was fun. We also have a baptismal date! Her name is M. She's been investigating for awhile now, but it's only been recently that she's been ready to take the step to be baptized! It's exciting! She's going to be baptized on October 5, during conference sessions. We're really exciting! We're hoping her dad, G will be baptized too, but we'll see about that.

This transfer we're doing a cool Book of Mormon challenge. We're supposed to read the Book of Mormon all the way through and mark all of the tender mercies of the lord. I've already started and it's been a great experience!

On an exciting note, last night there was a community event in the chapel with Danny Ainge. He was interviewed by Mike Dowling, a retired sports newscaster in Boston, who apparently is pretty famous himself. (He sat next to me at transfer meeting and we talked. I had NO idea who he was) It was a really cool event and a lot of non members came. I made sure to get a picture with Danny Ainge, even though it was kinda blurry(the lighting in the church is horrid) And he signed my planner. Not being a huge sports fan, I don't really know who he is, but I know he's a big deal so I made sure to snag a pic.

 

The really exciting part for me is that Brother Bayles was there. As in, Dallyn Vail Bayles, the singer I've become obsessed with who lives in Boston and resides in my stake. He sang one of my favorite songs, Better Than I. It was amazing, of course. And I got a picture with him too! He's a really cool guy. We talked with him a bit about his mission in Melbourne, Australia. He was telling us about the giant spiders there. Gross. But he's really nice. 

Sorry this wasn't a very spiritual email. I'm doing great though! I love worcester and being an STL. 

Have a great week!

love you all!

Hermana Hutchinson

September 15, 2014

Greetings from Worcester, Massachusetts! 

I've only been here a few days, but the drivers are already driving me crazy. The roads are narrow and there are way too few stop signs. I also usually have no idea where I'm going haha but I'm making it. No accidents so far :)

Of course, coming to a new area is always stressful. You have to meet and get to know a whole new set of people. And it's always hard coming from an area that you were in love with. But everyone here is really nice and I already like it, so no worries there.

My adventures as STL have been uneventful so far. I feel really under qualified to by STL, but obviously the Lord has other ideas. So I've been in the process of setting up exchanges with the other sisters, without success. Last night I tried to call them all, but no one answered....and then they never called back. I'll try again tonight! haha I did get a hold of the zone leaders though and asked them a few questions so we're all on the same page. I feel slightly less lost haha This will be a fun 2 transfers.

I would tell you about our investigators, but I'm still meeting them too. haha But there is a new convert in our group named Isaac. It's pretty easy to remember his name.

Sister B is awesome though! President Packard keeps putting me with really awesome companions. She has only been in the field for 1 transfer, but she's already rocking it. Her spanish is already good and she knows the area really well. I also found out she's been a member for less than 2 years! I was blown away when I found out. You wouldn't even guess, her testimony is so strong. We've been getting along really well though, which I'm happy about because she'll probably be my last companion..............

H got his mission call!! He's going to Provo, Utah Spanish speaking and reports to the MTC Dec 3rd. Hooray!

This week has been pretty chill, not a lot to report at the moment.

Hope you all have a great week! I miss you all!

Hermana Hutchinson

September 8, 2014

First and foremost: transfers. 

As much as I don't want to, I am getting transferred. I'm going to Worcester, MA (pronounced Wooster. the "oo" as in "good". or if you want to say it as they do in New England, Woostah) I'm going to be a Sister Training Leader and I'm finishing a training again. So a STL is a leadership position. I'm in charge of going on exchanges with the Sisters, doing training in our zone training meeting, going to Missionary Leadership Council. I'm basically a sister zone leader, but I don't have to do as much busywork. My new companion's name is Sister Butts.

That's not the crazy part though. Sister B is ALSO getting transferred. She's going to Nashua, New Hampshire. This means they're shotgunning (aka whitewashing) our area and they're bringing Elders in.

Let's just say the branch is sad that they're taking the sisters out, but I really think Elders will be good for this area. There were some people we just couldn't teach effectively because they need guys teaching them.

Yesterday, they threw us a surprise going away party. It was really sweet. Everyone went around and said a few nice things about us. We ate chips and took pictures. S was crying, H was crying and this sweet little 11-year-old who's class we've taught, D was also crying. Okay, actually H wasn't crying, but he almost did. It's really sweet to see the impact you have on people's lives, especially when you didn't think you were really doing anything. We got lots of pictures, and still have more to take in the next couple days. Although I'm devastated to be leaving Hartford, I'm excited to go on to my next new adventure in Worcester!

Our investigators are doing well, we're in the process of telling them all that Elders are coming. H's baptism has been rescheduled for the 20th. We are just worried about his retention. He doesn't really know anyone in the branch so he doesn't have a huge pull to come all the way to Hartford to come to church. Hopefully the elders will be able to help him be more integrated in the branch. I have faith in them. No word on O yet. We were supposed to have an appointment yesterday, but it got cancelled (which was a good thing, or else we wouldn't have been able to go to our surprise party) but we have an appointment with them tonight. And J is going on and off the map. We were supposed to have an appointment with him yesterday too, but he never answered his phone. 

H STILL hasn't gotten his mission call. He was supposed to get it on Friday or Saturday, but he didn't. He probably won't get it before we leave so I'll have to hear about it through the grapevine. 

Well, I'll let you all know how things are going as an STL in Worcester next week! I'm going to miss Hartford so much! Even though this is the most disgusting, ghetto city I've ever seen. It has a special place in my heart :) 

Hermana Hutchinson

September 1, 2014

Well we were supposed to go to Boston today. It's a long story, but the end is that we weren't able to go. It's okay, there will be other chances to go to Boston.

So this week was a bit on the crazy side. Thursday we had interviews. Usually interviews for me are pretty uneventful, so I wasn't expecting anything. One of the first things president told me when I walked in is that he's going to transfer me and make me Sister Training Leader. Then, as I found out the next day, he told the same thing to my zone leaders, my district leader and Sister Beatty. So my whole district knows that I'm getting transferred. To where, we don't know yet, but we all know it's going to happen. 

That kind of threw me off, because I LOVE Hartford and leaving is one of the last things I want to do. I'm also too keen on being Sister Training Leader, at least for my last 2 transfers. But I'll accept the call as I'm sure it will be fun. I was a little out of sorts for the rest of the day, though.

That evening was fun because there was a BYU football fireside. BYU played (and creamed) UConn on Friday. On Thursday they gave a fireside. If I liked football more, it would have been cooler, but alas, football just doesn't call my attention. However, it was still an awesome fireside! The coach was there with the whoooole team and the new BYU president was there so it was cool.

We had a great Sunday though! O and R came to church! And H went to church, but to a different ward. Then, this less active who I have never seen at church, just randomly showed up with his two daughters who are not members. It was miraculous! We were both really happy. H also went to church, but he went to a different ward. He's supposed to get baptized on Sunday, but I think we're going to change the date, because we feel like he needs a little bit more time to progress. He's not quite ready, but he's still doing great! And unfortunately, the less active who went to the fireside, did not come to church yesterday. But she'll be there soon.

We met with O and R that night and had a great lesson. We had a really good talk about them getting married. R is still really unsure about it, even though O is all for it. We realized that, even though they're together and they do things together all the time, they don't really have that close of a relationship. So we challenged them to read the Book of Mormon together every day this week to strengthen their relationship and build trust. We testified to them about how studying the gospel together builds relationships and as they seek revelation for their family, they will grow closer. I know that, if not next week, after a few weeks of studying together they'll be coming to US asking to be married. 

And H did not get his mission call. We were disappointed. He better get it before I leave!!!

I'm glad to hear everything is going well at home! Keep up the good work with the sister missionaries! We need the help :)

Have a great week!

Hermana Hutchinson