LUCY I'M HOOOOMMMMEEEEE

Well, not really home, but...kind of. I'm back in Anchorage! We had a ton of fun on short little road trip to Fairbanks. It was so great. We spent a whole week there. We got to go on some exchanges with the sisters out there and of course got to go on our third trek! It doesn't get easier...although something told me it would. Haha this location we had the trek at was HARD. I mean...the hills are ALIVE in the sound of Fairbanks. My legs had an unquenchable BURN as we hiked up and down with our cart. Luckily, the elders took most of the cart pushing. That was nice. :) Also, minor detail...I sprained my ankle. BUT I'M FINE. :) The elders were so concerned, they kept asking me if I wanted to ride in the cart, but there was no way I was about to let them push me up and down those hills. Hahaha I walked the rest of the way and still survived. I just have a little brace thingy on the ankle...it's healing nicely. :)

 

Well we weren't able to meet with a ton of people this week because we were out of town, but yesterday we were able to have a lesson with a girl named Annie, a sister of a recent convert. It was our first lesson with her and she was SO receptive to everything we had to say. The spirit was seriously so strong I could barely breathe. I knew the spirit was speaking to her to because...SHE COMMITED TO BAPTISM! Ahhhh! How exciting! She is so amazing. I can't wait to see her progress. :) I know I say this every week but I just love being a missionary. It's so rewarding. I come closer to my Savior every day.

 

Sooo transfers are next week and I am STRESSIN out. I don't know what on earth to expect. I want to stay so bad, I love the people here! But I know wherever I get called will be inspired of the Lord. I just need to relaaaaax. Someone tell me to relax.

 

I hope all is well (and not too hot) in Texas! Or wherever those of you are that are reading this. :)

I love this work with all my heart! Have a blessed week everyone!

 

Love, Sister Hallmark

 

 

Fffffreezing at the trek!

 

 Oh you know...just picking blueberries on our way to zion. ;)

Our drive to fairbanks was BEAUTIFUL!

HELLO TEXAS

It's been a nuts week.... we had trek #2 which was AWESOME, I was able to go to the temple with my zone which was such an amazing experience, and I MET AND SANG FOR ELDER BEDNAR OMG.

I don't have alot of time to write, I'm actually emailing Sunday night because we leave tomorrow morning for Fairbanks and will be traveling all day.

I just want everyone to know this week has been probably the most incredible week of my life! I love my mission! Life is great!

I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Forward, Pressing Forward

This week has been....interesting. We are no longer with Sister Livingston, she unfortunately had to go home to take care of some things. She left last Monday, it was so sad to say goodbye. The week has been kind of difficult readjusting to just the two of us again. Then SUDDENLY yesterday morning President Beesley asked us to come to the mission home to talk to him. When we arrived, he asked to talk to us separately. Sister Grayson went first, I assume he was only being fair because she's the oldest. I patiently waited in the front room. When she came out of his office and down the stairs, I anxiously looked at her face. She smiled at me. But I know my companion and it was NOT happy smile. It was a "brace yourself...It's gonna get ugly" kind of smile. When I entered the office terrified, he looked at me warmly and said,

"Well....we haven't done anything crazy with you sisters in about a week or so, how about we put you in another trio?"

ANOTHER TRIO?! Three trio's in two transfers has got to be a record. Our ward must think we're crazy, bringing new sisters in every week.

I think President is trying to kill us.

It's okay though, I'll grin and bear it. We're now with Sister Morey. We really love her, she's great. She has been out for over a year so she's got lots of experience. It will be a good rest of the transfer...I'm sure of it. :)


Okay, next item of business! The trek! We had the first one last and and It was SO incredible. I really could feel the spirit. It was the most beautiful, breath taking place I've ever seen. It was called Jim Creek. I was just in awe the whole time. I forgot my camera so I didn't get any pictures!! But it's okay, this week we are going again with our own zone and it will be at the same location! I'll take lots of pictures!  It's so fun that we get to to to Jim creek twice and then to Fairbanks!! Benefits of "being with the band" hahaha...


Well we have lots of people we are meeting with the for first time this week...it will be great! I love teaching! Being a missionary is awesome!!

I've got to run, love you all so soooo much! Have a fantastic week!

Sister Hallmark 

We were trying to find a less active and we randomly stumbled onto this amazing view of the beach!

YOU get off my lawn!

Hello everyone! Everything in Alaska is great. We had some super exciting tracting experiences...hahaha. I don't know if it's just the people in Alaska, if it's just peoples reaction the Mormon missionaries, but NO ONE likes to answer their door. Instead they open a window or step out on the upper porch to yell at us....It's quite entertaining. You just knock and wait to get yelled at from any direction, it keeps us on our toes for sure. :) We've learned to laugh at rejections. When someone says something like "Get off my lawn!" we say have a nice day, of course. But when we're down the street and they can no longer hear us, we yell "YOU get off my lawn"....it makes tracting a way funnier experience. :)   So this week has been pretty okay. We met with lots of less actives. We haven't been able to get a hold of any of our investigators. :( But we've been working on searching for those who have fallen away from the church. In a YSA...there are lots. We are starting to see slowly but surely, people are coming back. It's so exciting! There have been lots of small miracles this week.   Something we've been working on a lot lately is the program for the zone conference trek. I am soooo excited. We've been having practices every day and  it's just been amazing. I am really connecting with the character I'm playing, her name is Eliza Snow, an actual ancestor of mine. The script has been written out so beautifully. It really helps me to identify with the pioneers and the struggles they faced. This weekend is our first performance for the conference in Wasilla, then the following weekend id Anchorage, THEN we get to take a fun little 7 hour road trip to Fairbanks and do it there. I'm SOOO excited. I can't wait to actually perform it.   Also, last Monday we hiked the MOST HUGE mountain I've ever seen in my life. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it was large. And it was way hard to hike. The elders like SPRINTED up the mountain...we were like "K meet you at the top in a couple hours..." It was SUCH a beautiful hike though! Like...holy cow. I can't believe I live here. Getting to the top was so amazing.   I am so incredibly blessed to live here and to be a missionary. I just love this work. I love this gospel. I have such a profound love for the pioneers and everything they endured so that we can have this restored gospel in our lives today. Their hard work and sacrifices were not in vain. I just love them SO crazy much. This church is so true. I know it with every fiber in my being. I KNOW that the lord lives and loves us so much we can't even comprehend it.   I love you all! Have a fantastic week! Sister Hallmark    Flat top! Hiked that!   Made it to the top! Cool Book of Mormon shot. :) Just another practice with the traveling trek group. I love them all!