Wow, what a crazy week. I will never forget this last changes meeting. I knew that I would be going to a new area, new comp, new everything. I was waiting for the meeting to start when one of the Assistants came up to me and said, “Hermana Hipol, President would like to see you in his office.” My stomach dropped. Instantly all of the missionaries with whom I was talking began to gossip about how they thought I would be a sister training leader. Well…. I am not Sister Training Leader. I walked into Presidents office, he shook my hand and I took a seat. I will never forget what he said. “Hermana Hipol,” he said, “the Lord has a lot of trust in you, and I do too. I have a very specific assignment for you, and I just need you to hear me out.”

Well…. long story short. I am finishing the training of a new sister….. And I am training a mini missionary. Yep, I am training two new missionaries at the same time, I think that is a first in the history of our mission, Mother of Twins, as they call me now…. and I am reopening the area where I am.  They have been struggling a lot these past few changes, and I am not sure why I was sent here, seeing as I haven’t had a lot of success recently either, but I know that there is a reason. I think I was the only missionary going into changes meeting who knew their companions and area beforehand. It is all out madness…. but I love it!

I love this new area, and I feel that there will be a lot to learn here. I am in Orquideas Juayua, up in the mountains of El Salvador, one of the coolest areas in the mission. IT is such a tender mercy seeing as we are entering the warmest parts of the year, but the first few nights I totally froze! My companions, Hermana Little and Hermana Gonzalez are both such hard workers and have no fear of teaching or contacting. In the past two days alone, we have had 92 street contacts, and all thanks to their desires to talk with everyone. Since we are basically starting from scratch, there are times when it is frustrating because we don’t have a lot of lessons, and my comps are recognizing that the work isn’t all rainbows, but they are doing well now. We are just trying to work our hardest. Hermana Little speaks very little English, having studied French for five years but Hermana Gonzalez has been the perfect help, especially with the language, and Hermana Little takes all correction with such humility and grace. We really make quite the team.

With that… I know that the Lord will bless us for our efforts. These first few days have been a bit of a struggle. Not a lot of people have let us in, and we haven’t found a lot of new people to teach. We are going into elections week so it has been super crazy!  But we are trying to be obedient with exactness in our “Familia vista, Familia Contactada” and so I know that the Lord will bless us. I am not used to having such a small area. Really it is kind of shocking to see the different dynamic here.  And yet I am so happy. I am not discouraged at all, and I know that there is a work to do here. With the Lords help and obedience, he will guide and bless us with success. I feel so much heavenly assurance.

So yah that is all of the updates for now. Stay happy, stay awesome! I love and miss you all!

Yep, that is right…

I HAVE CHANGES! And not just me but, my companion as well… so they are closing our area… I know that there are a lot of factors involved with transfers but I cannot help but feel a little crushed, that someone somewhere lost faith in our area. The biggest blow is that we have to leave a baptism that we had this upcoming Saturday. It is rough, but I am excited to be able to go to a new area and work in another part of the Lords vineyard.

Speaking of work, this week I was studying the Christ like attribute of obedience. I found a quote that I loved;

“Men will work hard for money, they will work harder for other men. But men will work hardest of will when they are dedicated to a cause. Until willingness overflows obligation, men fight as conscripts rather than following the flag as patriots. Duty is never worthily performed until it is performed by one who would gladly do more if only he could” Thomas S. Monson

So…. don’t be just obedient… be consecrated… Be patriots.

Sorry, super short this week. I love you all keep up the good work of the Lord. Be epic!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Hermana Hipol

What an amazing week… I learned so much… I guess I will start with something profound I learned in my personal study. I was studying Jacob 5, the parable of the vineyard. I was really struck by the last bit that talks about our days and the missionary work in the last days. It really struck me that when the master of the vineyard talks about how this is the last time he will work in his vineyard. The coming of our savior is so close, I feel that something big is coming. The God of Israel is hastening his work and we get to be a part of it. But I also learned something that really hit me hard. The Spirit reminded me of Moses 1:39, and how our Heavenly Father obtains his glory, through the exaltation of man. So, when someone uses their agency to reject the message of the gospel, they are literally robbing the Almighty of his own glory. When we as missionaries and members do not work our hardest, talk with all that we see, we are literally robbing our Heavenly Father of glory that he could obtain. It really struck me that the glory that He can obtain, depends on how mortals use their agency… He has so much trust in us. I don’t know if I am spitting out spiritual conjectures but I invite you all to join in hastening the work of salvation. We have to do our part, if not for our fellow men, for the glory of our God. How epic our cause!

The success in our area is coming… slowly but surely. This week was so crazy…

Zone Leaders called us an on Thursday we left and they worked with us. We had some amazing lessons and I felt the spirit so strong! On Friday, the Sister Training leaders also came to certify us and they gave us a lot of positive feedback. To certify, you just teach the lessons, trying to apply all the things that you have learned, basically teach a perfect lesson. Usually we certify with a leader pretending to be an investigator, but this time, they left with us and we certified in real lessons. They were with us from ninety-thirty to about four thirty. It was so crazy but I learned so much!

The best part of this week was when I had an interview with my mission President. I love him so much, and he is such an amazing example of humility and consecration. I have been struggling with a couple things and have really compared myself with the success of others. I know that I shouldn’t but, I am human. I told him how I was feeling, and that I compare myself way too much to my trainer (shout out to Hermana Judd, I love you so much!). He got really quiet and then said, how he often feels very inadequate, especially when he thinks about President Cordon, the mission president before him. But then he told me the story of David and Goliath that he first went to the King. The King gave him all of his own armor to go and fight, but it didn’t fit. David went to face Goliath with just a sling and some stones. He couldn’t do it with the armor of the King, but at the end he came away victorious.  Then with tears in his eyes President said, “If you offer your work with a broken heart every night on your knees, begging the lord to accept your offering, the Lord will accept it.” I am trying to focus on what I can do, but without being too hard on myself, trying to be accepted of the Lord. The world is filled with our own Goliaths, but the God of Israel is at our back to support us. Never forget the love and power of our Heavenly Father.

I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and support!

Hurrah for Israel

Love, Hermana Hipol

I cannot believe that it is already Monday again…. The time has gone by so fast this week.

In my personal study of the Book of Mormon I received some amazing personal revelation. I recognized that I need to be a lot more humble… that a lot of the trials that are passing right now are partially thanks to my pride. We work our hardest every day and we can feel the spirit but I feel that we are kinda “wandering in the wilderness” a little bit. I was studying the story of Nefi and his family and I recognized a pattern. Moses never entered the Promised Land, and because of the pride of the Israelites, they waited 40 years in the wilderness. Nephi and his family waited 8 years before they crossed the sea and entered the Promised Land and during this time were tried, and humbled through a lot of experiences. The Jaredites also waited many years before they could cross the ocean and come to the Promised Land. Joseph Smith never saw the Salt Lake Valley. Jesus Christ did not baptize a single person in his 3 year mission (Juan 4:1-2).  But this time, I have recognized is just the Lord, humbling and refining me all with the purpose that I can one day enter into the “promised land.” We might go months or years without seeing the fruits of our labors, but I am coming to see that our “fruits” come through the success of others.

So whenever you feel like you are wandering, recognize that the Lord is preparing and refining you into the person that he wants you to be.

1 Nephi 17:13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the Promised Land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

It was a week filled with so many tender mercies… I love my Savior so much.

On a funny side note, we went to visit a sister and her slightly alcoholic nephew was there… we invited them to be baptized. She said no, because she was catholic. He waited a moment, and then said, “I was baptized in the Evangelical church.” This little lady looked like she had drunk lemon juice and been slapped in the face. “YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE CATHOLIC!” She said… He just shook his head and laughed… I had nothing to do but join along…  It was so funny! I love the people here…

Thank you so much for all of you love and all of your support.

I love you all! Keep the faith!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Hermana Hipol