Oi!

FATU AND GRACE ARE SET FOR BAPTISMMMM YO. K, you're probably wondering who those girls are, because I haven't mentioned them before. Yeah, it's because we met them less than a week ago. These people are so prepared it's INSANE. K so remember Lovert, the guy from Africa we contacted on the street? Yeah, well MIRACLE, because literally every single time we go to his house there's more people there! So we met Fatu earlier in the week and she and Lovert came to church yesterday and loved it! Fatu is 18, graduating high school this weekend and she's soo sweet! When we went over to their house last night after church, another girl we hadn't met before, Grace, same situation as Fatu, and they're both from Liberia. Well, after the lesson we committed everyone in the house to baptism on the 21st and Grace and Fatu accepted. Everyone else said they wanted a little bit more time to think about it. Which is totttttally fine! We're just so excited for them! Seriously this family is sooo cool! I love teaching people from Africaaaaaaa.

Well that was pretty much the highlight of our week. I know other stuff happen, I just can't think of anything. I will keep everyone posted though!

Keep reading the Book of Mormon, it brings BLESSINGS. Trust me! And if you follow it's teachings and have faith you will see MIRACLES. We've seen so many this week! The Lord loves us all so much!

Tchau tchau,

Sister Hallmark

Line of the week:

K just by the way this was probably one of the most embarrassing things I've said on my mission. With that being said here ya go..

Kristin (a less active we're working with) and I were talking about long distance relationships and of course what's the one phrase you think of when that subject comes up? Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right? yeah. k so Kristin and I both started saying it at the same time except I'm retarded and I accidentally said "distance makes the fart go" then I stopped. Obviously I meant to say it the other way around. I really wish I could blame it on my Portuguese and just be like ohh I'm just not used to speaking English, you know, when RM's do that to make it look like they didn't mess up. Yeah, except I'm still in America. i don't speak portugueseeeeeee.. yet. hehe Anyway it was embarrassing and reallllly funny we were all like crying.

SISTER WILSON AND I

This week has been GREAT

Sister Wilson is my new companion and honestly I don't remember if I told y'all that but if I did, whoops. :) Anyway, she's GREAT. We seriously get along so well, a little too well sometimes. Hehe. I have been so blessed to be with companions who I get long so well with! 

So this week was graduation so it was madness everywhere. CRAZY. We pretty much worked with a lot of the less actives in our ward which I ALWAYS love doing! I just love teaching and serving and helping and really being a missionary. But we've also taught some bomb lessons to sweeeet people, the only bad thing is that they're all like in they're 40's or married, so we have to pass them off to the elders! :( I love being in a YSA but I just wanna teach everyoneeeeee. #missionaryprobs I was like you're welcome elders you have the best investigators in the world because of us. You owe us! They laughed. I was serious. They owe us.! Haha jk. Well, maybe not. ;)

Actually I lied. We did have the best lesson in the entire world with this suuuuper chill guy named Lovert, he's from Cameroon and his friends/family/we don't really know just the other people in his house are from Liberia. We just contacted him on the street on our way to an appointment. When we went back the next day for a lesson the spirit was SO strong! He was soo receptive to everything! And when we extended a baptismal invitation, he was like well, yeah? Like duh? I wanted to cry. Also all of the sudden we're blowin up and teaching all these people from Africa. And by blowin up I mean we really only have like 3 people from Africa we're teaching, but STILL! They're SOOO COOOL. I just wanna be bffs with them all. I'm on a secret mission. hehe

Lastly, we lost our car... So there was literally no where to park and we were in this random part of town so we parked at a laundry mat, yeah probably not the best idea.. Anyway, so we start tracting, and contacting people but as it got closer to our next appointment we tried to leave, except we couldn't find our car... We walked around for probably like 30 minutes and we could not for the LIFE of us find that dang laundry mat where we parked our beloved car. Finally we stopped and talk to, wait for it, yes, an AFRICAN :) And he gave us directions, man they're just so friendly! 45 minutes later we finally find it. It was so retarded. We felt sooo dumb. Hahaha

I'm sooo happy to be on a mission today! The work is really moving forward! Our area is poppin. I love our ward and everyone we work with! I have been so blessed! I know our Heavenly Father is so mindful of everything we're going through! I have such a testimony of that! He loves us and wants us to come back! I love you all so much and the support you give me!

Tchau tchau,

Sister Hallmark

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

 1 day until Bednar!

They finally have watermelons! We literally at the entire thing in one day. Literally.

Beth, me, Sister Chipman and Kristin. They're so fun! Haha

I love it here! :)

THIS WEEK WAS BOMB. We taught this guy Bruno, which came to us as a referral from the Spanish Elders. And guess what? HE'S FROM BRAZIL. Wahoooooooo! The only sad part is that he knows English like perfect. I mean, good for him but I NEED TO PRACTICE MY PORTUGUESE. Haha. So we taught him in English, but I bore my testimony in Portuguese and he said the closing prayer in Portuguese. It was one of the coolest experiences ever! 

Well, we met with this guy Talon this week. We tracted into him surprisingly. and he was super interested. He was baptized Catholic, but considers himself non practicing. He just kept saying he's been searching for a religion that's right for him. We were like ahhhhhh, you're golden! He's seriously so awesome. However, he was supposed to come to church on Sunday, but the member who went to pick him up said that he came outside and was like, yeah sorry I had a huge party last night and got super drunk and now I have a super bad hangover. Well, at least he was honest, right?! Haha. Needless to say, we have not taught him the Word of Wisdom yet... He'll do great though! 

So Saturday will be a good and bad day. Bednar is coming, then that night they're calling us to tell us if we're getting transferred or not! :( I don't wanna leaveeeeeee! I think I'm staying and Sister Chipman is leaving! Well at least, that's what we both think. We'll see how it plays out! I'll let y'all know next week! 

I LOVEEEE being a missionary. Seriously. I can't believe they didn't lower the age sooner. hehe. I'm just so proud to be a representative of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. We have seen sooo many miracles it's insane! I KNOW this church is truly the church that Christ established when he was on the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I'm in 3rd Nephi right now when Christ is healing everyone and I just love that because it shows how truly merciful and amazing He really is. I recommend everyone read 3rd Nephi. Christ is coming sooooon. What better way to prepare than to see what He said and did when he was on the earth. I love Him. I love this Gospel, it makes me strive every day to be a better person. I love you all! The church is true! haha

Tchau tchau,

Sista Hallmark

Line of the week: 

Jessica: (21) Yeah, no guys ever like me because I'm Autistic.

Kim: (her mom) Yeah, well I'm fat, deaf and have glasses. 

She didn't mean for it to be funny, but I was literally about to pee my pants I was laughing so hard! Sister Chipman didn't think it was that funny. She doesn't have a very good sense of humor obviously.. Hahaha

I Like to Look for Rainbows, Whenever There is Rain!

JOHN'S A BAPTIZED MAN NOW. He is officially the newest member of the Charlottesville Virginia Young Single Adult ward. AHH! His confirmation was SO powerful. We were SO happy for him to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost!

And our other investigators.... Yeah we have none. I mean we have some, but none who are progressing. And the end of the semester with finals are right around the corner. It just gives people an excuse not to meet with us. PEOPLE. THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. LET ME HELP YOU. I LOVEEEE YOU. Apparently strangers don't like being told I love you from another stranger.. Learned that the hard way. Hey love makes the world go round!

Anywhooo, I have a camera nowwwww!!! :) I am stoked! So I'll send some pictures from this past week!

Being in Spotsy last week was AMAZING! It was SO good to see Sister Nelson. I miss laughing everydayyyyyy. Ahhh! Haha. But seeing Roshelly get baptized and seeing everyone in the ward show up just brought me so much joy! I was like bawling my eyes out the whole closing hymn! Man, guys, the church is true! Also it was soooo good to see Sister Fitzgerald, aka my second mommy. I love her!

That's all for now! Stay strong everyone and keep smiling! :) This gospel brings happiness and joy!

Tchau com amor.

Sister Hallmark

DRUM ROLL PLEASEEEEEE

DAVID A. BEDNAR S COMING HERE ON MAY 3rd!! I KNOW!! So they told us during zone meetings last week but they didn't tell us who would be coming, President just said a member of the quorum of the 12 apostles is coming! In my head I was like holy cow, if it's either Holland or Bednar, I will pee my pants. WELL IT'S BEDNAR. When we found out I was screaming so loud! My companion was a little less enthused, but IT'S BEDNAR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 

Anyway. That's my exciting news for the week. :)

Jk there's more. JOHN'S GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!! I REALLLLY wish I could show you pictures of him, he's so funny! But my camera broke, and last night my companion accidentally deleted ALLLL of the pictures on my memory card.. So now I have nothing. Literally, nothing. :'( Anyway, his baptism is at 4:00 on Saturday, so keep him in your prayers! He's really working on the Word of Wisdom right now and Satan's working even harder! He can do it though! :) He's so awesome. Ahh I'm so happy! 

This gospel is soooo true! And it is such a privilege to be apart of this hastening the work of salvation! I was finishing up the book of Helaman the other day and I cam across a verse and tweaked it a little bit. Just disregard Alma 13:20 as I read you my version of Helaman 16:4. Here's what the normal scripture says.  "For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working amiracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must bshortly come—"

And here's my revision.. hehe "For behold, missionaries were baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working amiracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must bshortly come—"

I KNOW the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I am more sure of that than I am of anything in this whole world. I know with all the surety of my heart that Christ loves us and that Heavenly Father hears and answers each one of our prayers! I've never been so happy in my entire life! :)

Tchau com amor!

Sister Hallmark

This week has been GREAT! Conference was sooooo good!!! :)

Ahh, I don't have much time and I have sooo much to say! K, I'll just talk about Beth and Kristin. 

They're less actives who we've been working with for awhile who don't want to come back to church because of they're past and current sins. It's kinda complicated. Anyway they haven't been to church in over 2 years. They haven't opened up to anyone about their problems so it's kind of hard to help them when we don't know what the issue is. We just reallllly teach by the spirit. :) Anyway, THEY CAME TO THE CHURCH AND WATCHED CONFERENCE WITH US. I literally almost peed my pants I was so excited! We were all crying! Beth opened up to me about everything during conference! And with tears in her eyes she was like "I feel like you were sent here to change my life." I was bawling as I said, I was. It wasn't a coincidence that I didn't have my visa and that I was in Charlottesville Virginia and just happen to meet you. 

Everything happens for a reason. Ahh, it was SO awesome! I wish I had gotten pictures with them! I'll send some next week! But yeah, this week was AMAZING!

The church is true!

Tchau,
Sister Hallmark