One in a Million Sister Brazilian: I'm staying in Charlottesvilleeeeeee! :)

So transfer calls were this weekend. Clearly, I'm staying in Charlottesville, President made the right choice. :) Sadly, Sister Chipman is getting transferred! We got the call as we were planning for the night and I threw the phone across the room screaming NOOOOO. She'll do great wherever she goes. :) I'm just nervous to see who my new compy will beeeeee!

Okay, now for the good stuff. BEDNAR. Holy cow. First off, he is HILARIOUS. We were all cracking up the whole time! He's just sooo awesome! It really strengthened my testimony of prophets and seers when I saw him. The minute he walked in, I was like shut up, then started crying. Still to this day I can't believe we saw Elder Bednar. So the meeting started at 9:00, but we had to be there by 8:00. Now it only takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Charlottesville to get to Richmond, where the meeting was. Well we left at 6:00, and got there at 7:15. FRONT ROW. Literally. There were only a few missionaries there that early. It was a combined mission conference with Richmond and Chesapeake Mission, plus some members who drove. So needless to say, there were a ton of people there, I felt so privileged to be there first off, but then to be sitting feet away from him, literally. It was incredible. Kind of the overwhelming theme I got was about prayer and making sure we're agents using our agency and not objects waiting to be acted upon. He said when you pray, you need to do so expecting to act, not to gain knowledge. That really hit me hard. I felt like after I left that conference I became a new missionary. I better missionary. Also another thing he said was "you need to become a missionary, not go on a mission!" Which I thought was super cool too! Ahh the whole thing was just so cool! I LOVE BEDNAR!

I have truly been blessed this week! It's been a good one! Next Sunday will be fantastic! I get to Skype my family!! I am so excited for that! I love love love this calling. I never want to leave. I'm coming up on my halfway mark pretty soon and it makes me sooooo sad! Becoming a missionary has been the best thing in the whole world for me! I wouldn't change the things I've learned here and the friendships I've made for anything in the whole world. I love Jesus Christ. I love the sacrifice that He made for me and for the spectacular opportunity I have to share that with everyone I come it contact with. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. We've seen so many miracles this week and it makes me so happy!

I love you all! :)

Tchau,

Sister Hallmark