Catch-Up Email :-)

Dear friends and family,

I'm SO sorry for slacking on my emails. The fact that I haven't written in a while, however, does not mean I haven't seen miracles. It means the exact opposite! There are so many miracles that I get overwhelmed and run out of time thinking about them all. hahahha.

We got to participate in the Salvation Army Thanksgiving service project to feed the poor and homeless. It was a wonderful experience. I truly felt like I was serving the Savior! "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, Ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). One cute comment was by this old southern man that said, "my goodness, you people are the best!!" 

Another major highlight was that we all had the privilege of meeting Elder Holland. He came to the Visitors' Center for the annual lighting ceremony of the Festival of Lights. Although he is a spiritual giant, he was a little shorter than I expected! Haha. It was incredible meeting him.

We also started talking with the cutest lady from Bolivia at the Festival of Lights and she said she actually met with missionaries for about 8 months back in her country. She asked if there was any way that she could get in contact with Spanish missionaries again, and we were like OF COURSE! So we got her information and it turns out she is in our ward boundaries! She was in the Elders area but requested to be taught by sisters and our President gave us permission to teach her. She has so much faith and was able to make it church yesterday as well. Such a MIRACLE!!!

Also, I attached a little positive thinking activity that is found in Adjusting to Missionary Life and I think it applies to everyone. :) I love that book so much. "Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom" (D&C 109:7). I highly encourage everyone to use it during any adjusting period in their life! 

I promise I have had the best few weeks. I can't tell it all, but I love it and I love all of you! 

Hermana Hayes 

9,000 Words

Dear Everyone, 

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Please enjoy this 9,000-word email. 

1. I'm obsessed with fall. 

2, 3. We just got a new exhibit at the Visitors' Center called the "prayer wall" and it is SO cute!!! Before there was a "Special Witness Wall" with the modern-day prophet and apostles but after a long survey was done throughout all the Visitors' Centers throughout the world, the greatest need for those walking in was a connection with God. Thus the prayer wall was born! :) 

4. My shoes lasted just long enough to last the summer. Winter is coming 

5, 7, 8. This wonderful woman was baptized in Indiana!!! ♥️♥️ She. Was. SO HAPPY! She ordered a Book of Mormon online in September. Despite her health challenges, (she was the one that popped her hip out over the phone a month or so ago hahaha) she was determined to make it to church and be baptized. I was able to watch her baptism via Skype and then call her afterward to congratulate her. When I asked her how she felt, she just cried and said, "I just feel SO good." Definitely the highlight of the week. 

6. Sweet members that visited us at the Visitors' Center  

9. We just found out today that I will be going back to the Spanish program this week. So here is our last picture together! Another English transfer short-lived.  But I wouldn't have traded it for the world. 

I can't complain, Brothers and Sisters. I love this great work no matter where I am. 

Here is one of my favorite scriptures from the testimony that Alma gives of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon that I read this week:

"[H]e cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round."

Jesus Christ can't be wrong. It's impossible! When we trust in Him, we can't go wrong either. He is perfect, and I love Him for it. 

Have a wonderful week!! ♥️

Hermana Hayes 

WONDERFUL WEEK!

Hello Everyone!!!

HAPPY NOVEMBER! This is one of my favorite times of the year. The Christmas trees at the Visitors' Center are up and we are so excited. We'll be getting another 14 sisters soon. 

This week was FULL of tender mercies and exciting things!!! A man we have been teaching online since JUNE was baptized this last weekend with his dear wife in Connecticut! ♥️ This is a MIRACLE because they were originally going to wait for their adopted son to get back from his military mission in March of 2019 so that he could baptize them (he's a member), but they just couldn't wait anymore. They didn't care who baptized them--they just wanted to be baptized. 

We also just had so many times where either I or Sister Friel would say that we should go to a certain street and the other would say, "I was JUST thinking that!!" It happened about 4 times this week but I'll share two experiences that were the highlights of my week. 

1. Two Tuesday's ago we had lunch with a member and we were planning our day last Tuesday (hopefully that makes sense, haha). As I was getting ready for the day, I thought, "We should go back and tract by that member." We said a prayer to begin planning and the FIRST thing Sister Friel said was, "I was thinking about the member we visited last week, we should go back there." I just jaw-dropped for about 10 seconds because I was just SO HAPPY the spirit was speaking to us!! 

We went to the street over from the members home, and the first woman we saw was walking her dog. We went up to talk to her and she was very kind but not interested. After testifying and trying our best to help her feel the Spirit, she said, "You can talk with my husband. He's over there." 

We went up to talk with him and he was actually in the middle of talking to a maintenance guy about the battery on his car which had apparently like exploded after one week of being used and he had a billion appointments and errands to run, etc. They were in a heated discussion, but as soon as we walked over, he calmed down. He said he was busy at the moment, but that us simply being there calmed him down and that he would love to talk with us later in the week. HE gave US his number and we will be teaching him soon :D YAY!! 

2. The next day we were in our area, we both felt like we had to be on a certain street. The first door we knocked on was of a woman who had great friends in the church and extra Halloween candy :) haha! She mentioned the road adjacent to her was full of cute families that we might have success with. We went down that road after our conversation and met a woman who had the BEST experiences in her childhood with the missionaries but moved away and was never in contact with them again. There are so many details to this story that Sister Friel and I made an 11-minute video right when we got home because it is FAR too elaborate to explain over email, but the point is God lives :) He truly does guide us as we seek Him!! 

I love this gospel. I love the spirit and I am so happy to be a missionary. No need to worry about me. Haha I hope you are all doing well! I love you! It's been a WONDERFUL WEEK! 

Hermana Hayes 

PS: We were twins for Halloween :) 

Closed Doors

Dear Everyone,

These last two weeks have been the BEST! So many things are happening. I went on exchanges with Sister Zamora and it was so fun to be companions with her again for a day. She is in the English program now as well! I LOVE ENGLISH! To be honest I would stay in the English program for the rest of my mission. I know I said I was obsessed with Spanish a few emails back, but they are both the same. 

Also, I am so excited to tell you this story!!! We were very cold, and we were tracting for a while with hardly anyone opening the door. All the lights on the houses were on, and I was confused and sad as to why no one was opening the door! Or if they did, they IMMEDIATELY closed the door. In my heart, I asked Heavenly Father to help us find someone to teach in the remaining houses of the neighborhood. 

As we continued along, still nothing. After 15 more minutes, we got to the LAST house of the night and a man opened the door who was soon accompanied by his 8-year-old son. They smiled and talked about how they had been to Temple Square last summer for a family vacation and that he had been to the Visitors' Center here in DC many times in the past. Amazingly, no missionaries had talked with him before! We shared the plan of salvation with them right on the doorstep and talked about the blessings of temples and eternal families. During our conversation, their other son had joined us at the door and mentioned that living with his brother forever would be waaaaay too long. Hahahha! 

I soon realized after getting their information and leaving that THAT was why no one was opening their door. Heavenly Father was making time for us to meet this adorable family! Had we taken even a minute more talking with someone else, we wouldn't have knocked on their door. 

I testify that the Lord's timing is perfect. He is in the details of our lives and sees the big picture even when we can't see it ourselves. I take great comfort in the quote: 

"You know what you want, but God knows what you need."

I WANTED every person to open their door. But what I NEEDED was to be patient enough to find this wonderful family that would allow us to come back and teach them again. In the end, what I needed was actually what I wanted. 

Whatever it is you are personally worried about or seeking, I can promise you the Lord knows about it. I promise He WILL give you something better than what you want because He just loves you so much. 

I love you all so much. Have an amazing week! 

-Sister Hayes 

Ps, I wish I had pictures with more than just my companion, but there is no time for pictures except on pday and when we get home. Hahaha 

Exciting Changes and General Conference

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This has been the best week--My NEW FAVORITE WEEK IN THE MISSION! The only down side is that the trilingual companionship was short-lived.  Sister Chao stayed in Chevy Chase, and I moved to Bethesda with Sister Friel! I am so blessed to be with her. She has been on her mission one transfer longer than I have. She is from Ohio  which easily gets confused with Idaho 🥔 and then everyone just ends up thinking we're from Iowa. HAHA.

We received 14 BRAND NEW SISTERS at the Visitors' Center and it has been the best thing ever. They are ALL from Utah minus one from Canada, one from Germany, and one from California.  Basically everyone is training a new sister and many new areas have opened up thanks to the increased number of sisters. We now have our own districts and zones made up of all sisters because there are too many of us to join surrounding zones of the mission!

And the best part is...next transfer we'll get 16 SISTERS MORE!! ALL AT THE VC!! By the time Christmas comes around, around 60 sisters will be serving at the Washington DC Visitor's Center. It. Will. Be. Amazing!!!! I'm so excited. I can smell the hot chocolate and gingerbread houses already.  I just know that the Lord is hastening His work, and it shows with how much the church is growing, even in little Washington DC, and especially through increased online teaching. I love it. 

I also had the most incredible conference weekend. I can't even express how thankful I am for modern day revelation. I testify of President Russell M. Nelson's divine calling! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not President Nelson's church. It is not Joseph Smith's church either. It is Christ's only true and living church upon the earth today. I know President Nelson is the only one with the proper authority and keys to recieve revelation for Christ's church. 

I was so impressed with how much taking upon the name of Christ was mentioned. Through there are many things I intended to change after revelation received this weekend, I think the overarching goal I have is to more fully fulfill my baptismal covenant each day. 

From the moment I came up out of the water on my baptism I covenants with God to stand as a witness of Christ "at all times and in all things and in allplaces." As did each of you who made the decision to be baptized! Whether it's in the store, at home, or at school, we promised to become like our Savior. 

I hope we all can more fully fulfill our commission to the Lord. 

"I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation, I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my master, and He has chosen me to represent Him--To stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me. My voice is His voice and my acts are His acts; my words are His words, and my doctrine is His doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what He wants said. To be a living, modern, witness, in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work. How great is my calling!"

I LOVE you all so much. I love the Lord!! I am so grateful for the beautiful calling and sacred responsibility it is to be numbered among the covenant people of the Lord. I testify that He lives! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister Hayes 

Things of Most Worth

Dear All,

I hope from the bottom of my heart that everyone has had the best week ever! I love you all so much. 

I invite you to ponder the following question: What things are of most worth to you?

Whether they be your family, friends, scriptures, prayer, sports, knowledge, school, journals, money, alone time, or anything else--think of why it is important to you. 

Most of what is important to us is a reflection of how much work we put into it. If we value our money, it's likely because we worked hard to earn it; If we value a sport, it's likely because we spent a lot of time practicing it; If we value our journal, it's likely because we worked hard to record special personal experiences. What we invest a lot of time and love in becomes valuable to us.

No wonder the Lord declared "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" (D&C 18:10).

WE are what God puts all of His time and love in, therefore WE are of greatest worth to Him. "For behold, this is [God's] work and . . . glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). 

Our individual worth is not determined by our physical appearance or marital status. It is not determined by how many "likes" we get or the amount of money we have. We are of infinite worth simply because we are children of God. Everything He has done, is doing, and will do is out of His unconditional love toward us. 

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them . . ." (Genesis 1:27-28).

". . . all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:24-25).

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

"Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption . . ." (Alma 12:32).

"And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7).

We ALL have the opportunity to recieve the greatest gift God could ever offer! I know that what will be of most worth to us after this life is how hard we worked to please God, love Him, and help others do the same. He loves us, and we are of infinite worth to Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

-Sister Hayes

Pictures:

1. Recent convert 

2. Exchanges with Hermana Martell!

3 & 4. What my companion's family sends her :) haha!