"Something's Fishy"

Well this week was good! Thursday night our ward had a big pioneer day celebration BBQ and it was so fun! There were millions of pies (Okay, maybe not millions, but alot) and I just wanted to eat pie the whole night. I probably could have but the grilled salmon was calling my name. I'm not sure if the actual pioneers had salmon, but the Alaskan pioneers do. And it's good....real good. :)

Well this week we found a GOLDEN investigator. He was a referral, his girlfriend is a member of the church and he wanted to check it out. We taught him the first couple lessons and he agrees with everything! What an answer to our prayers! He is 19 so we had to do a little pass off to the YSA elders, but I'm sure they will take care of him. :) It was so nice to be able to really teach someone about the church, he had such good questions and he really listened. He came to church Sunday and everyone was great, I think he'll fit right in.

Okay so you guys want to know what made this week the most amazing week ever? I GOT TO GO TO A TEMPLE SEALING!!!! There is a girl from the YSA I served in when I was in Fairbanks and I become pretty close to her and she got married in the temple and I was able to go!!!!! I cried! It was seriously so good to see her and everyone else that came. Man what an awesome experience! Now I know what to expect when I get married!

Well it's officially salmon season and EVERYONE is out fishing and dip netting. It's a huge thing here. If you're a real Alaskan, you're out catching fish. Maybe some day when I come back I can actually catch some myself, but for now I will gladly participate in the consumption of the tasty fish.:) Don't mind if I do! My companion is actually allergic to seafood, but occasionally someone will cook up some fresh caught salmon on the side for me. :)

Well we taught high priests yesterday in church and it was a bit intimidating. None of them fell asleep so that was good. We talked about the importance of following up and we used Elder Ballards recent talk. The spirit was strong! I was so grateful it went well. We talked about the good Samaritan and how he took the wounded man and bound him up and took him to an inn. We talked about how that can represent us as members, we can take people and help heal them from their wounds through Christ and then follow them in their journey all the way to the inn, which can represent the temple. I love the parables Christ tells because they are so applicable to so many things. There's so much depth to everything He says. I have such a testimony of our Savior and his love for us. Being a missionary is the greatest work in the world because we are truly able to experience a glimpse of the happiness and joy our savior feels when someone is brought to Him. I love this gospel with all of my heart! The church is true!!!

Love you all so much!

Love, Sister Hallmark

Hi everyone!

 

Well this week was fun. It involved walking down lots of dark alleyways and talking to strangers on the street. Yep...we tracted. And we tracted. And we tracted some more. We probably tracted more this week than all of the tracting I've done in my mission combined. I have really come to love it! And I feel blessed that it's so beautiful here and I am not completely drenched in sweat at the end of knocking a street. But would you believe it's been in the high 60's/low 70s and I still feel like I'm roasting?! I'm really acclimating to the Alaskan weather. It's like I don't even remember I'm a Texan anymore! What's happening?!

Well we have seen a few miracles this week. We met a cute little aisan lady named "Alma" working at walmart and we were like okay we have to talk to her. We asked her if she had heard of the Book of Mormon and she said no and we were like "well you're named after someone in there!" And we showed her and she thought that was pretty cool. Haha she took a Book of Mormon and said she'd read it. :)

I also went on an exchange this week with one of the CUTEST new sisters named Sister Watts. I just love her. We laughed the entire day. We were able to get in with so many people, it was incredible. At the end of the night we went to visit a lady in our ward and help her get some things done in her house. And we got to install her new shower head. I felt pretty accomplished! Haha She was SO excited because she couldn't do it herself with her health right now. It made us so happy to help. :) It's amazing what small acts of service can do for you.

Yesterday in church the sacrament speakers both talked on the importance of service and it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. Even though we aren't teaching as much as I would want or hope to, I can still be a missionary by serving others in small and simple ways. That's where the true joy is found. :)

Well I have sad news. I don't know how long it will be before I can send pictures...I left my SD card at the library last week and by the time I realized and came back, it was stolen :( I just don't have the greatest luck with pictures, I tell ya! I'll save up some allotment money and get one in a few weeks. Sorry, everyone! Not taking pictures is killing me!

Well I love you guys so much! I LOVED the package from my family this week! you guys are the BEST! 

Love, Sister Hallmark :)

Travelin sistas!

Hi everyone! I don't have much time, but we got to go to Soldotna this week to go on exchanges with the sisters there! I loved it so much..it's beautiful there! And the sisters were a blast.

We also had some really fun experiences tracting this week. I love tracing! Hopefully something comes from all the people we talked to! I just want to teach!!! :)

Well I'm so sorry this is so short! I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all the support I get. The gospel is true!

Love, Sister Hallmark 

Matching outfits!

Road trip to Soldotna! Definitely captures our personalities. :)

Sisters in Soldotna!

Oh hey there!

 

Rainy drive to Soldotna

Pit stop in Girdwood! Apparently it's the hippy town :) haha

Meet the Robinsons

Hi everyone! So this week we met our new mission president and his wife. Love them!!!!!!! Within in 5 minutes they had everyone dying laughing, they are so funny. Man, this will be good.

I can't think of anything crazy that happened this week. Just a regular week in A-town. It's been nice and warm here, which I love. 4th of July was beautiful! It's funny, Alaskans can't really celebrate the 4th the way most people would. Since It's light all night, you can't see any fireworks. Occasionally we'd hear an explosion somewhere but nothing would ever be seen. Kind of sad. At least they try! 

Sister Guerra and I are getting along so well. We laugh all the time. I'm so glad to be with a companion I can laugh and have fun with! I have learned so much from her. :)

Well I have to run, I love you all so much! The gospel is true!!!!! 

Love, Sister Hallmark

 

We broke out the bikes with this nice weather! :)

Turned my purse into a fanny pack. Works nicely.

got some massive snow cones on a warm July day :)

Shedding Tears and Conquering Fears"

Hello happy people! This week has been dramatically emotional for me. I add the word dramatic because I'm probably being the biggest baby in the universe, but I can't help it! WE ARE LOSING THE BEESLEYS! Transfer meeting was legitimately like a funeral. Everyone cried, and then a few like me that uncontrollably bawled. It's been so hard to accept that they're leaving. I am a teensy bit excited for the Robinsons coming in, but my heart is just aching for the Beesleys. Today the Robinsons have just flown in and I'm so nervous to meet them. Ahhhh! I'm conquering my fear of change. You'd think as a missionary I'd be okay with change, seeing as how I'm thrown in a new area with a new person virtually every 6 weeks. But this is a MASSIVE change. New mission president?! What's going to happen?! I've been praying a ton, I know I need to accept that President and Sister Robinson are here because the Lord called them and they will be exactly what we need. It's just going to take a bit of adjusting.

This week has basically tons of leadership meetings. Which I didn't mind too much because that means we got to be with the Beesleys for their last few days. And guess what I got to do? Go to the temple...TWICE! Yeah...kind of a big deal as a missionary. All the sisters got to go on Tuesday after transfer meeting, and then all of the missionaries at the leadership meeting got to go Thursday. I feel pretty blessed! Thursday night after meetings we all went to the mission home for a delicious dinner and we got cozy to watch "Labor of Love" it' a really cheesy old movie but it was so fun. The sisters got the couch and the elders got the floor. :) Haha!

Well this is my first week in this area and so far it's been great! We haven't worked much in it because of the meetings, but I met a lot of people at church on Sunday and I love them already. I am excited to be in this area!

My mission has transformed my view on life. My testimony has been impacted so deeply. I love my Savior so much! I love this gospel! I love you all!

Love, Sister Hallmark :)

Movie night with some of the sisters! :

My last picture with the Beesleys! I will forever love them! :)

Movie night with some of the sisters! :)