Festival of Miracles

Dear children of God,

First off, transfers were this week! Hermana Webster went home to good ole Saint Anthony, Idaho, and I received a new trainer! Just like Hermana Webster, Sister Aguilar is amazing. She is SO obedient, SO dedicated to the work and to her Savior, and she's from MEXICO! Doesn't get much better.  The sad thing is that this is her last transfer also. Both of my companions will be gone after this transfer.  But I couldn't feel more blessed to serve with them.

                                                      Aqui esta mi nueva compañera ♥️ 

To me, this was probably one of the greatest miracles on my mission. A few weeks ago, I talked with a man and his two adorable daughters at the Visitors' Center. We had the best conversation about following the example of Jesus Christ and keeping the commandments. I thought he was a member just by the way he was. When I mentioned that our current investigators were working on quitting coffee he said, "Oh really, even coffee too?" Then I realized OH he must not be a member! So I explained the word of wisdom to him and asked if he was meeting with the missionaries. He said they had come over one time and invited him to the Festival of Lights. That's why he was there that day! 

Now zoom forward to last Wednesday. Sister Aguilar and I were at the Visitors' Center for our normal shift. Each companionship gets a rotation which they are supposed to follow for that day. Sister Aguilar and I spent about 45 minutes at the front when we realized we should have been in the back that whole time. As soon as we started walking towards the back of the Visitors' Center, guess who we ran into? The SAME MAN that had come with his two daughters just a few weeks ago. 

I was SO excited to see him again and asked how things were going with the missionaries. With the BIGGEST smile, he said, "I get baptized on the 23rd."

♥️♥️♥️♥️ (happy tears) AHHH!!! I could not believe it. I could NOT believe it. I don't know why Sister Aguilar and I finally decided to check our schedule after 45 minutes, but I know that if we hadn't, we would have never run into this man or known about his decision to be baptized. Everything was planned out perfectly so that I would be able to see him again at that EXACT moment. God is in the details of our lives. I feel like I say it every week, but it's so true. God KNEW how happy I would be to know about this man's baptism so He made it possible for me to find out. 

Another miracle I want to highlight happened two days ago at the Visitors' Center when Sister Aguilar and I started to teach a man about the temple. As we started to teach, a few other Hispanics started to listen in. One by one they all gathered around and after just five minutes we had a crowd of about 15 people wanting to know more! We got 5 referrals total--two of which were FAMILIES! We have taught people about the temple before, but never before have SO many people come to listen at once. It was incredible. 

Miracle number three happened that same day when we asked a man standing by the temple model if we could teach him a little bit about the temple. He agreed and told his wife and kids to come and listen. As we shared with them that families can be together forever, the father started to cry. As tears rolled down his cheeks, he explained that his brother passed away three months ago and that he never even thought of being able to see him again. He said, "Que cosa tan hermosa." 

We were able to show them the cutest video we have here at the Visitors' Center on the blessings of the temple and family. After the video, we taught them the entire Plan of Salvation and the best part is..... 

THEY LIVE IN OUR AREA! 

This RARELY happens. People come to the Visitors' Center from all over the world. If they want to know more, we take their information and refer it to the local missionaries. But this family LIVES. IN. OUR. AREA!!! WE are their local missionaries! We have an appointment with them tomorrow, and I am exploding with joy. 

I am convinced that the Festival of Lights here in Washington DC is actually just a Festival of Miracles. 

May you all have a happy Christmas and remember that giving is always better than receiving. Don't forget to #lighttheworld ♥️

Love,

Hermana Hayes

"A true friend is the greatest of all blessings... ☺️🙌🏼Thanks for everything: your guide, your advice, your laughs, everything" --Carlie Webster.☺️

A Little Bit of Everything

Hello everyone!!

This week has been one of the best. Last Monday we had our first district activity!! We wanted to go caroling by the Metro, but no one was really there because the Metro got shut down earlier that day. So we took a bus about 5 minutes north of our area and sang by a busy stoplight. We met so many cute people!!! Some joined in for a song or two, and others wished us a Merry Christmas as they walked by. 

On Thursday, we had a specialized training to see how the new missionaries were doing. Sister Johnson, our mission president's wife, talked about how Laman and Lemuel didn't really DO horrible things. They left Jerusalem with their family, they went back to get the plates, they got the daughters of Ishmael, etc. They did everything Nephi did. So what was the difference between them and Nephi? Laman and Lemuel MURMURED. They didn't obey with right intentions and they didn't inquire of the Lord, so they were miserable. Do we just go through the motions? Do we DO all the right things, but for the wrong reasons? My mom emailed me earlier in the week and this is what she said: (Hopefully she doesn't get embarrassed. :)

"In order for our hearts to be touched by the Spirit, we need to want to be touched by the Spirit. Whether I'm reading my scriptures, attending sacrament meeting, or in the temple, our mindset plays a big part on what we get out of the experience. Our spiritual growth will largely depend on what we put into it."

I know that's true! We will always get out what we put in. 

Last but not least, yesterday we had our first baptism.  Isabella got baptized!!!! I have never seen a girl with more faith. About a year ago, my companion (Hermana Webster) started to teach Isabella. She received all the lessons and wanted to be baptized, but she was 17 and her parents wouldn't let her. She lost contact with the missionaries and LAST SUNDAY we went looking for her. When she opened the door, her jaw dropped. When she let us in the door, the first thing she said was, "I can't believe you're here...I felt like I needed to go to church today. I still had the number of the lady that used to take me before and I was about to text her to pick me up. I CAN'T believe you're here!!!!" We had an amazing lesson, invited her to be baptized, and she said yes! She is now 18 and the newest member of our ward! She actually reminds me SO much of my sweet cousin, Aixa. She is just SO funny and soooo faithful!

I know that God really does put us where we need to be. Because we followed a simple prompting to visit Isabella ONE WEEK AGO she is now baptized. IT'S AMAZING! Don't forget to keep lighting the world this Christmas with warm smiles and helping hands. I love you all!

Have an amazing week!

Hermana Hayes 

(Ps, I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to respond to a lot of you, but please know how much I love you and SO appreciate the emails! I read them all! I'll try my best to get back to you as much as I can!!!)

Light the World and Baptism!

Dear friends and family, 

The annual festival of lights at the Washington DC Temple has officially started! That means that THOUSANDS of people come to the Visitors' Center to see the lights and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. That also means we are SO BUSY and I have found that P days are often busier than other days. But they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is my 6,000-word email. :) I wish I could write more!!!! Everything is truly amazing. 

Festival of Lights!

Familia Nossa

Oscar from Mexico.  He is a recent convert and always takes care of the missionaries. He feeds us and the Elders every week. 

Norberto's baptism last Friday!!!  He has been meeting with missionaries for over a year. He is the one in the black tie. His wife at the right has been a member for years and she was exploding with tears, she was so happy. Both are from Honduras :) First baptism!!!!

Love you all!

Hermana Hayes