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