Let It Snow!

Dear All, 

We had a GREAT week! There was a miracle to every snowflake, but I'll just share one. ️

Arnold came to church this week for the first time. He said it was different from any church he had ever gone to before and that he couldn't quite describe what he felt. I know that the spirit is a feeling that is personal to everyone and that God truly knows how to touch us! 

I want to bear testimony of third member of the Godhead. The holy ghost is real! He touches our heart and helps us recieve answers to our prayers. I'm grateful for subtle promptings and warm hands that guide us every day. 

We can invite the spirit more into our lives as we study the scriptures and feast upon the words of Christ! 

"10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good."

As we listen to the spirit and invite Him more into our lived through personal scripture study, we will be guided exactly to where we need to be. In our case, it was the front door of Arnold's house. 

Love you all!! 

Hermana Hayes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🎉2019🎉

Dear ALL!

I hope you had the happiest holidays celebrating the most wonderful time of the year. I can't believe 2018 has come to a close. 

I got thinking that anytime anyone mentions anything that happened in 2018, I'll only have memories from my mission. What a sacred, exciting, glorious year it has been. I've never felt more emotions in my entire life than in the last year. It was without a doubt the best year of my life so far. 

I'm looking forward to 2019 and how many more blessings the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will bring to my life and the lives of those around me. I am SO EXCITED to do "Come, Follow Me" because I know it is a manual inspired (and basically written) by God. I'm so grateful for modern-day revelation! 

And most of all I am eternally grateful for my older brother Jesus Christ who was with me in 2018 and in years past and who will be with me in 2019 and every year after that! 

In 3 Nephi 18:35 He says, "And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see..." 

It is a commandment to feel and to see the Atonement of Jesus Christ work in our lives! My hope and prayer is that despite all the emotions and feelings we may have, that we may make the time to feel the prints of the wounds in the Savior's hands and feet. He loves us!

That's my simple testimony, everyone!  I'm honored to be a missionary and carry His name everywhere I go. 

I also am SO SAD that I didn't even get a picture of my favorite tree ever at the Visitors' Center. It was covered in pure red lights and it was brighter than any of the rest. All of the lights on the tree made me think of Jesus Christ of course, but I liked to call the red one "The Atonement Tree." I didn't just think of Christ's life when I saw it, but I thought of what He did for me in the garden of Gethsemane. I know it's only because of Him that I can return to live with God and my familia forever! And I share it in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Hermana Hayes

1. Connie and Kevin work at the Visitors' Center and they are two of my favorite people in the world. 

2. I was SO happy to see Hermana Alvarado and her family from the Glenmont ward!

3. Blanca wanted us to have a cute door for Christmas. Hahaha.

4 and 5. Celebrating Hermana Martell's birthday with empanadas and tres leches from the yummiest panadería by where we live. 

6. Sister Rosas and Sister Blandon with cute Fibi. 

7. Francisco, one of the people Sister Martell and I taught in Glenmont came to the Visitors' Center and brought us both king-sized blankets. Haha! 

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