"For Ye Cannot Go Amiss"

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Transfers were this week and guess who got called to the English program? Yep. I am SISTER Hayes from now on!! Just when I got comfortable teaching in Spanish, God decided I needed a change. I feel very humbled and blessed to be in the English program.

Do you remember a few weeks back to when I was frustrated because I couldn't speak with every person we came in contact with due to the language barriers?? I have been praying for the gift of tongues to know what to do in those situations, and God is SO perfect, SO loving, and SO intelligent that He answered my prayers in the form of a MANDARIN SPEAKING companion--Sister Chao!!! :) She spent most of her life in California, but her parents are from Taiwan. She is wonderful. 

We are now called "The Trilingual Powerhouse Companionship." Hahaha! I don't know about a "powerhouse", but there really is just nothing like being able to talk with so many of God's children. Slowly but surely she is teaching me little phrases that I can say in Mandarin to testify of the restored gospel with her. :)

When I got to the area on Wednesday, there was literally no one being taught. Not a single person. So we went FINDING! We got to work and talked with people ALL day. We were determined to find someone to teach. Ammon's words became our own:

"And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; . . . and we have been cast out, and mocked. . .

"And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul."

After 3 days of finding and countless crazy experiences, God placed in our path 5 precious souls prepared to hear the restored gospel. FIVE!!!!! 

We got to the last door of a neighborhood that had a pretty large gate. I was scared to open it...thinking the owners would be angry at as for passing. As SOON as I turned my back toward the door the spirit said, "You know those thoughts didn't come from me." We turned right back around, opened the gate, knocked on the door, and the first thing the man who opened it said was, "Please, come in!" 

My heart was bursting. SO full of gratitude I could barely CONTAIN IT!!! Oh how WONDERFUL our Heavenly Father is!!!! His family of four all sat down in the living room and accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and committed to read it together. 

"Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever."

I have to admit I was a little nervous at the start of this transfer. I had no idea what it would be like. But the words that just kept repeating themselves over and over in my head were, "Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss." 

We CANNOT go amiss when we are doing the Lord's work in His way. 

If we are obedient, if we are patient, if we are doing everything in our power to be the BEST disciple of Jesus Christ we can be, we cannot go amiss. I know this is true! I know God's ways are ever higher than our own. He sees the big picture. 

Maybe you wanted to go north and God sent you south. Maybe you thought you were going east, but you went west. No matter the detours or changes that may occur in our lives, we cannot go amiss in the hands of the Lord. :) 

I bear witness of these things humbly in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

-Hermana Hayes 

I'm in LOVE with EVERYTHING!

Dear All,

I'M IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING!!! I literally. love. everything. <3 <3 <3 I am SO grateful, SO blessed, SO joyful it's overflowing my heart so much it's going to explode. We had multiple mini miracles this week. 

On our way back from dinner, by (typo?--guy's name) pulled into the Visitors' Center parking lot at the SAME exact time as someone I was teaching in my old area! He stepped out of his car and I could hardly recognize him. He has been working out and so he had lost a bunch of weight, and he was just beaming from ear to ear. I asked him how his past lessons had been going with the new sisters and told him he looked so happy. He responded, "Well...yes. To be honest, I am MUCH happier ever since you found me."

When Sister Martell and I found him, he was walking his dog down the street and we never saw his teeth because he never smiled. Haha. He was just quiet, shy, and you could tell he had been through a lot. When he went to church for the first time (about 4 months ago), he didn't look at anyone in the eye and hardly said a word to anyone. 

So when I saw him at the Visitors' Center I was just shocked. He was waving and saying hi to everyone on his way in and just walked a little taller. 

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives and helps us become better and HAPPIER than we ever thought we could be.

Another tender mercy was when we met a sweet middle-aged African man sitting on the sidewalk. He was looking up at the sky and had his headphones in. We got talking with him and told us he hasn't prayed to God in years and that he didn't know how. When we offered to show him, he stood RIGHT up and said, "Really? Wow! Yes! What do I do?" 

We explained the process of prayer and I don't think I have ever heard a more sincere prayer. The spirit just kept whispering to me, "This is what it means to fulfill your missionary purpose." HELPING people to repent and create habits in their lives that will bring them closer to God. THAT is crying repentance! I just remember feeling so happy and saying in my head, "Wow. This man would have probably never prayed if we hadn't crossed this street. Because we were in the right spot at the right time, he came closer to God."

I know that every person that crosses our path does so for a reason. I know that EACH OF YOU are who you are because only YOU can help those around you. I am grateful there is only one of each person on the earth :) That is what makes us so unique and able to help and uplift one another.

I know the church is true. I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a humble servant of God. I know this is HIS WORK!

LOVE YOU!!!!!

Hermana Hayes