Nenana Nana Bo Bana"

Hello friends! This week has been awesome. We had the incredible opportunity of going to a little tiny town/village of about 500 people called Nenana. We stayed there Saturday and Sunday. They don't have missionaries assigned there. They have had elders in the past go visit, but it's been a long time since they've had anyone. This was the first time they have had sisters come! The members were all so excited. The branch pretty much consists of 5 little families who all come from one one big family, they've just all gotten married and have their own kiddos.They are so great. Nenana was a really cool experience. We got to stay the night with one of the families in their GIANT log cabin, so fun. The town is seriously the cutest. So small and quaint.

It was kind of difficult the first day though, we could barely find people to see. That night I prayed so hard that we could be able to find just one person on Sunday who needed us. On Sunday we went to church, and everyone there was approaching us with all these different nonmembers and less actives they've been working with that they would love for us to see. We were so excited! After church we were visiting with a member, and we got a phone call from another member that they had some one for us to teach and they would come with us. We immediately drove to the members home and they explained who we were going to see. They said a couple of the men had stayed after at church and were talking and a woman approached them. She said she was a member but hasn't been to church in a really long time and asked if she could have missionaries come by and see her that day. They were completely shocked and said YES, we DO have missionaries here and they can come see you! So we went over to this ladies house, and she completely opened up to us. She told us all about her life, she's been fighting drinking, she just went through a divorce and she recently had her son taken. She just had such a desire to overcome everything and expressed that she wants badly to go to the temple, but she feels that it is out of reach. I was completely awed. We were able to share some words of comfort and scriptures with her. We explained that the temple is NEVER out of reach, and that she can and will get there if she puts her trust in the Lord. The COOLEST part was that the whole time, her nonmember friend was there listening. They live together. We asked her friend what she knew about the gospel and she told us her LDS friend from Utah has been chatting with her and recently sent her a Book of Mormon and she'd been reading it. When we asked her if she'd like to learn more she said yes without hesitation. As we were chatting with them, we came to see that the nonmember friend was the strengthening source to the less active member and had helped her stop drinking. How cool!!!

What I realized from this whole experience was that Heavenly Father knew not only that this less active woman needed strengthening, but that this nonmember friend was being prepared to receive the gospel. They felt prompted to come into the church and talk to those men to ask for missionaries on the VERY day that we were there. THAT is a miracle. Heavenly Father is so aware of the details. :)

We have about two weeks left of the transfer and I know I need to work harder than ever because my time in Fairbanks may be coming to an end. I've spent almost 6 months here! I love it and I don't want to leave! We will see!

I have learned so much this week. I have been focusing on the pride cycle in the Book of Mormon and I see how so many of the Nephites fell into pride because they received all these different riches of the world. It's obvious we face the exact same pride today. It's so easy for us to want want want, but I've realized that sometimes those monetary blessings we all crave for can essentially hinder us spiritually. The adversary makes us wholeheartedly believe we need material acceptance from the world to truly be happy. So not true! When we can take a step back and view the abundance of blessings we receive on a daily basis, THAT'S when we can truly access the happiness the Savior promises. We are a blessed people! :)

I love you all so much!!!! I love this gospel! I love the Book of Mormon! I love my Savior! 

The church is true!!!

Love, Sister Hallmark 

A panoramic of the amazing sunset :)

Got a private tour of an old car museum last Pday, (the biggest in the world apparently) and we tried on some big feathery hats. It was fun :)

The Nenana Branch Chaplet.  So Tiny!

One of the members seriously prepared a Mexican feast and had these cute little chalkboards with our names!

The Fairbanks & North Pole Sistas! Just hangin on a Pday :)

Still working on the snow to melt..

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Amazing sunset on our way back from Nenana!

"Because of Him!"

Elder Zwick, Sister Platero, Me, Sister Dill, Sister Grayson, President Duval (stake pres)

 Hello everyone! How was Easter? Mine was so good! I love Easter because everyone focuses on the Savior all day! We had a real treat, Elder Zwick from the Seventy came up to Fairbanks and spoke both at our Stake conference on Sunday and also at the Saturday night adult conference. If anyone remembers the story at General Conference where he mother jumped from the truck, that was him that told it!  It was really awesome because he is the head of the missionary board or something, so all he talked about was missionary work Saturday night and it really got everyone revved up! And his teeth are really really white!!! Like whoa! We got to see him a lot as missionaries and by the end he said to my companion and I "These sisters have been great all weekend" Pretty awesome :)

I didn't mention last week, but there was a lady we were working with and that we loved a lot who passed away and her funeral was this week. I was able to sing at that and it was a very moving experience. I feel so honored to have had the opportunity :)

The beelseys were up this week as well and it was just so good to have them here in Fairbanks. Anytime I get to see them, I am just overwhelmed with happiness! It's probably the closest I feel to home and comfort when I have them with me. :) I will be SO sad when they leave next transfer! I'm sure I will love the new mission president and his wife, though. :)

I am so grateful for all the love, support, and prayers from everyone. :) My testimony of the Savior is increasing day by day. It's become very personal and real. I love my Savior so much. I know he loves us...and I know he knows us. :)

Love you all! Have a greeeeeeat week!

Love, Sister Hallmark

 

For a while there was seriously a lake a the bottom of the driveway....all the snow is melting! And this, my friends, is what they call "break up season" :)

We found a little mouse outside our window...we named him Jack. He keeps us entertained. I feed him trail mix. :)

Opening my package Easter morning :)

Enjoying the sun!

Count your blessings!"

 I don't have much to say this week.

The sun is out and it's wonderful and warm today! 

Also, a nice man just gave us a quarter in the gas station so we could have enough for the parking meters on campus to get on the computers. I'm trying to count all my little blessings! I loved President Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude! We have so many things to be grateful for!

Another blessing was that Darci was online today at the same time as me so we were able to talk for a bit. That was an answered prayer! :) I love tender mercies. Heavenly Father is always aware.

No huge incredible happenings this week, just tender mercies. :)

I love my Savior. He completely fills me. I grateful to know I can turn to him and he is always there. He comforts me and gently guides me. He knows my name and my circumstance. When I pray, I feel His presence so strongly that I cannot deny. He hears me. I can't wait to see my Savior again and hug Him.

I love you all so much!!! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Hallmark

ATRINA WAS BAPTIZED!

So exciting. We've been working with them for so long, it makes me SO happy to see them on the right path. Right after when we asked her how she felt she said "I just feel refreshed" :) I love her SO MUCH! There are people here in Fairbanks that will always have my heart. 

We had a HUGE miracle thing week. There's a lady we've been working with named Paula. She is an investigator, knows everything is true, has been taking the discussions for a really long time, but just lives with her member boyfriend. That's been the only thing holding her back. Well directly after planning and talking in depth about her during weekly planning, we got a text. She said "I want to be baptized May 13th" we were so shocked. We asked her how we could help and she told us that she just needs to get interviewed and plan her baptism. She said she asked her boyfriend to move out at the end of the month so that she can get baptized. I am SO proud of her!!! I can't wait for her to finally get baptized. She's been waiting to so long. 

Man I love it here in Fairbanks, things are going great. Except it's just snowing and snowing and snowing and snowing and all I can see is white. Will it end? Who knows. Rumor is there's been snow storms in July. I might be seeing white the next 8 months. 

Alaskans are seriously hilarious. Yesterday, we saw a man shoveling snow from his driveway in basketball shorts. The day before that, we saw a man going for a jog shirtless...it was 40 degrees outside. THAT IS NOT OKAY. Everyone here is cracking me up...they are so ready for spring. 

Well love to all!!!! I hope everyone enjoyed conference! I sure did!

Love, Sister Hallmark

Queen of the ice castle :)

 

Got to volunteer at the world’s largest ice sculpting contest, Kind of a big deal :)

"No, no, no, elder!" Saying our goodbyes to the departing elders. :)

Me: "Ohymygosh you're going to SITKA!" 

Sis Harrison: "I know I'm freaking out!"

I'm gonna miss her!