THE BEST WEEK

BEST WEEK OF THE MISSION SO FAR!!!! 

the highlights:

-Christmas Conference with the entire texas houston south mission! (200+ missionaries) saw PARKER!!! (or should i say Elder Lund..) so good to see that guy after over a year!! the food and talent show and everything was amazing! missionaries are so awkward...but its the happiest kind! 

-went caroling as a district in a big office building of one of our members! this guy from Lebanon invited us in to sing for him...his english was a little shaky, but the spirit was strong! he ended up taking a picture of us for his magazine and recorded us singing for their facebook page!!! the sweet old man told us we were always welcome, "God bless you" and kissed the top of my head...i think its a cultural thing so i let it slide this time.

-christmas morning hna endicott and i woke up extra early to open christmas presents!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UKELELE I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  then we went to the church for our zone breakfast! we made green waffles (tradition of Elder Hudson's family) and Elder Andersen made Red Velvet cookies in a mug for us! 

-GOT TO SKYPE THE FAM BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LITERALLY THE BEST PRESENT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!!!!! even though the ipad i was borrowing was rockin 2% and dying every 5-10minutes...nothing could top the time we had chattin face to face!!! i couldnt help tearing up at the sight of my cute family all in matching pjs singing feliz navidad with homemade marracas!! yall are the best!!!! 

-made rice krispy treats and went caroling with Rosaurio and Wilson! saw miracle after miracle as investigators that havent been answering us opened their doors and invited us in!! 

-KIKO took two buses to come out with us for the day!! the gem rode around with us all day in the rain AND  helped us fix our bikes! with Wilson of course..those guys are always saving us! i dont know how we got so lucky...literally our members are the best! they drive us places, feed us, come teaching with us, buy us groceries, fix our bikes, buy us presents, etc etc etc i honestly feel so spoiled! 

 hermana heckel!! (trainer)

 hermana kaiser!! (mtc comp)

 PARKER LUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (the best) 

 only akward becasue we are missionaries....

 elder andersen

 elder hudson

 honestly dont know who half of these elders are..but its fine

 elder jarvis

 elder ayala

 LEBANON GUY NAMED BILL!!! the best.

  my zone (three hermanas are missing) 

 rockin the backpack/ukelele/helmet look on christmas day...you do what you can

 KIKO IS THE BEST! I MEAN JUST LOOK AT THAT SMILE

DJ LARRY and merry CHRISTmas!!

Ward Christmas Party! 

our mission president has really been encouraging us to talk to EVERYONE as of late and while i felt like i did a pretty good job at that, i realized i wasnt talking with EVERYONE...i was just talking to hispanics..or at least going out of my way to.. i just happen to be a spanish speaking missionary so I didn't really talk to anyone else....

well i got taught a lesson this week!

monday night we rolled up at a bus stop and there was this african american guy--arms crossed, headphones in, cigarette hanging from his mouth, pretty intimidating--and so i questioned for a minute whether we should even wait at the bus stop or keep chuggin until the next one....but i got a feeling we were safe, and then seconds later got the feeling we should go talk to him. in my head im thinking, "president did say talk to EVERYONE...but he looks like he would shoot me..." i kinda brushed it off, or at least tried too..when my cute comp goes "hey, i feel like we should go talk to him, but im kinda scared..come with me?" so we did! 

had a casual conversation...his name is Larry from Detroit..here in texas for work...i had a total "oh my gosh you are such a missionary moment" when he told us he was a carpenter and i automatically go "no way! just like Jesus! look at you following in his footsteps" ;) hahaha but it did end up being a nice segway into some religious chattin...i asked Larry if he considered himself religious..and this is how the convo followed...

"well id say i know enough to get me to the next life, maybe"

"oh yeah? what do you know? what are your beliefs?"

"actually uh..i got a rap about it.." 

"wait, are you serious? can we film you?"

"yeah"

"do you want me to drop a beat?"

"yeah sure"

"what kinda beat we talkin?"

"dont matter girl--just drop one!" 

and then he proceeded to rap the story of how he was in jail/homeless etc but Jesus gave him another chance and how he just wants to be the best man he can and touch other peoples lives etc etc etc..it was the most legit thing in my life. like 2 and a half minutes long!! had a chorus and everything!! wasn't anticipating that so i went a little too ham in the beginning and ran outta steam a little towards the end...but it was still the coolest ever. people started gathering around and stuff!! i cant only imagine what people thought was going on haha 

you best believe i showed my mission president the video and thanked him for encouraging us to talk to EVERYONE!!! you really never know what youre going to get ;) 

so i extend my mission president's advice to all of you..talk to everyone! especially this time of year! yall should be telling everyone about Christ's birth and what His life means to you! we are so blessed. 

that's the highlight of the week for sure..oh! please add "Flor" to your prayers. she wants to get baptized but told us that her husband told her that if she got baptized they would get divorced.....so maybe pray for her husband too? I don't know his name but a miraculous change of heart would be awesome. 

merry CHRISTmas!! FELIZ NAVIDAD!
i love yall!

hermana hull

P.S. - Christmas plans! 

 most hispanics actually celebrate christmas the 24 so we will be having a big christmas dinner with the cabezas (same family from thanksgiving) and caroling, and lunch with a diffferent family, and making cookies with a single lady and going to deliver them..christmas breakfast with the zone etc! AND SKYPING YALL!! That'lll be the best part fo shawty (as clark would say) 

saw hermana heckel at a new missionary training and it was the happiest day of my life!

oh! wilson got to go through the temple again!! such a happy experience!

the rap video itself (turns out it was 3 mins..) is too large of a file to send, but here are a few screenshots!!

 white girl beatboxing... I tried. 

DJ LARRY! 

5 Month Mark!

5 Month Mark!!!!

okay runnin short on time again so ill just get down to business:

THE STORY OF CARL

so we had just left an appointment and were getting ready to leave the apartment complex when these two old ladies flag us down and ask us if we have a phone this old man can use to call his wife..what? sure. so we go over and the old man goes "my name is carl. i took a pretty bad spill back there and i dont know where i am. i need to call my wife. 558-....... my name is carl. i'm feeling a little dizzy. i dont know where i am..etc" so we called the number he said..wasnt real. didnt exist. so we got him to sit down so he wouldnt fall over again...(little bit of a struggle when he tried to break into a car he thought was his..carl. thats not your car. please come sit down.) but we got him to sit while we called the police. the police were all "carl?! we've been looking all over for that guy! his poor wifes been worried sick! thank yall so much!" sweet. so we are waiting for the police to come get carl when he stands up and starts to walk away.."carl? where are you goig? the police are on there way, can you please come sit down? we dont want you falling again." "well, thats part of the problem..i reaalllyy have to go..." "you have to go to the bathroom?" "something FIERCE! but its alright, ill just go around the corner..." "no carl. just a sec.." i then proceeded to knock a few doors...no answer...until finally this lady from Cuba answered the door! at first she wouldnt let him in because she explained she was home alone and didnt want a man in her house..but as soon as i explained the situation she let him in. while carl was using the bathroom, i took advantage of the opportunity to get to know her and teach her a brief lesson about jesus christ ;) she was a doll! doesnt speak a lick of english though so got a little freaked out when carl kept trying to talk to her in his husky new yorker english haha anyway...the police finally showed up and we got carl safe and sound in the car...just as we were about to leave, carl taps on the glass, and motions for us to come over..."i just want to thank you two girls for saving my butt tonight!! God bless you both!" 

other than that whole incident...the most exciting thing that happened was that Carmen and Antonio came to church!! the night before we went over and read in the Book of Mormon with them and sang for them..they cried when we sang and committed to come to church..and they totally LOVED IT!!!!! such a huge answer to prayer!! 

okay..tis the season right? so to share a little christmas thought, i was reading in the liahona (ensign spanish edition) and i happen to have a favorite part! i know they have it in english too...but i like it in spanish better! (weird how it doesnt translate over the same haha) anyway, here it is!

(SPANISH)
El presidente Howard W. Hunter (1907–1995) dio unos consejos prácticos que nos sirven para lograr ese propósito:

“Esta Navidad, resuelvan una discrepancia. Busquen a un amigo olvidado; desechen una sospecha y remplácenla con la confianza; escriban una carta; den una respuesta amable; alienten a la juventud; manifiesten su lealtad de palabra y obra. Guarden una promesa; olviden una ofensa; perdonen a un enemigo; pidan disculpas; traten de comprender; examinen lo que exigen de los demás; piensen primero en alguien más. Sean bondadosos, amables; rían un poco más; expresen gratitud; den la bienvenida a un desconocido. Hagan feliz a un niño; regocíjense en la belleza y en la maravilla de la tierra. Expresen su amor con palabras y vuelvan a hacerlo”3.

Sin Cristo, no habría Navidad; sin Cristo, no habría plenitud de gozo; sin Su nacimiento y Su expiación, no tendríamos Intercesor, ni Abogado ante el Padre, ni Mediador que hiciese posible que volviésemos a la presencia de nuestro amado Padre Celestial y viviésemos juntos como familias eternas.

 

(ENGLISH)

President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) gave some practical advice that helps us do that:
 

“This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.”3

 

Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Without Christ, there can be no fulness of joy. Without His birth and His Atonement, we would have no Intercessor, no Advocate with the Father, and no Mediator who makes it possible for us to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and live together as eternal families.

paz y bendiciones!!

hermana hull

last week we went to the HUGE MALL downtown and the christmas tree was UNREAL!!! okay literally yes it was artificial..but it was GORGEOUS AND HUGE AND HAPPY 

 

 

 

the sweet thing sent me a batch

and everyone is dying for the recipe!!!

THANK YOU GRANDMA GORGEOUS for the 7 LAYER COOKIES!!

 

 

 do we have a christmas tree? we have like a foot tall little tike and a paper one on our wall! you get creative ;) 

what just happened?

honestly i think the theme for the week is best summed up in the phrase "wait..what just happened?" mind if i give some examples?

-lady invited us into her house, taught her a quick lesson, said a prayer..normal right? wait..she was definitely in a bathrobe, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

-went over a training video on family history work online and decided to turn to the guy sitting at the computer next to us to try it out..asked him about christmas traditions..ended up talking about his mom and how much she loves christmas and it was her favorite holiday etc etc and then he goes "but its not like that anymore...shes dead.." "oh my gosh im so sorry!" "its alright that was 20 years ago" (and then this is when i made a mistake...) "how did she pass away?" "look her up on the internet..she is all over..heard of the infamous butcher massacre of 199something? thats her. she got butched up" ope! there it is! my bad! probably never going to ask anyone about christmas traditions ever again. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

-decided to knock on a member's neighbor's door while we were waiting, introduced himself as Tupac (a rapper) and was super intense initially..but once we got talking asked "were yall casted for this? cuz yall are perfect!" then later in the convo "okay..what yall selling? cuz whatever it is-ILL BUY IT!!" ended up watching the HE IS THE GIFT video with him (if you havent seen it go to christmas.mormon.org) and giving him a Book of Mormon which he accepted happily! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

-a lady i randomly talked to at subway one time because hermana heckel needed to use the bathroom ended up coming to church because turns out one of her good friends is a member! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

-went to go pick up a new investigator for church, his great grandma answered the door...said "Mario" didnt live there..after describing him she realized she knew who he was and said he was asleep...i asked if she wouldnt mind knocking on his door and letting him know we were here to take him to church..(a little too bold? your call) but she did it! said he didnt want to get up...so i invited her to come to church! (little too bold? your call) and she said yes! so she went and brushed her gray hair and we inched our way to the car...no joke the whole process took about 10 minutes...and when we finally got her to the car...all of a sudden "Mario" comes sprinting around the corner full speed without shoes, shirtless yelling "GRANDMA!!! GRANDMA!! DONT GO! THEY'RE COMING SOON TO TAKE US TO THE RANCH!!" (what?) to which she responds "WHAT? SEE? I CANT EVER DO ANYTHING I WANT! WHY DID YOU TELL THEM YOUR NAME WAS MARIO! YOUR NAME IS FRANSISCO!(then she turns to me) sorry mami, maybe next week." WHAT JUST HAPPENED

-LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!!

a recent convert named kimberly called us up an hour before the scheduled temple trip for the youth and told us she found a family name (as missionaries we are only allowed to go if a recent convert has a family name to take to the temple) so we were STOKED!!! so we ran to the bus stop, grabbed a bus, ran the two blocks to the chapel, jumped on a computer, made her an LDS account, put in all the info, print of the name, zooooooooooooomed to the temple, got the bishop, gave her an interview in the waiting room of the temple, AND DID SOME BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATIONS!!!!!!!!! she kept telling us how amazing it felt to be in the temple and that when she was baptized for her aunt she could feel her there with her...so precious!! it was so last minute and crazy to coordinate but we did it!! you best believe when we finally made it home and took a breath the first words that escaped our mouths??? you guessed it...WHAT JUST HAPPENDED??????

this work is wild sometimes, but i love it so much! sharing the gospel is ALWAYS  a good idea!! no matter how crazy it might seem. do it! you wont regret it. i promise! the church is so true! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!! 

paz y bendiciones

hermana hull

 holler at your turkey legs!! yay for leftovers!!

 thank you Greg&Traci SMYTH cousins for the sweet christmas package!!!! IM LOVIN IT! 

 HOUSTON TEMPLE!!

 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS!!! Our ward LOVES SMASHING CAKES IN FACES...im down..happy birthday Elder Ayala and Elder Jarvis!

martha stewart and moving vans

 "estoy agradecida para.." (translation: I am grateful for...) hand turkeys with the cabeza girls!! 

missions are the best pitchers....always throwin me a curveball!!! definitely never expected to help a little old  man from Louisiana and his 4'9 wife move out and into a new apartment complex for 6 hours on a casual saturday on my mission...always figured that was elders quorum stuff! haha it was a looooong and tiring process, but after everything got figured out and settled in their new place, i had the opportunity of blessing their home. never done that before!! again..thought that was more elders quorum/priesthoodly..but turns out you dont have to be a priesthood holder to bless a home! you could really feel the spirit enter into their home as the prayer was being said and i know ive never given a priesthood blessing before, but i felt like words were being put into my mouth...i didnt feel like I was blessing the home, but actually Heavenly Father was blessing the home...so tight!

thanksgiving was a blast!!! we were given two thanksgiving feasts and ample leftovers...the first house tried their best to make an american thanksgiving..definitely got the turkey part down..but the salsa and spicy salad was something new ;) but then we went over to the cabezas' house where hermana cabezas had made a thanksgiving feast martha stewart would have been proud of!! literally a work of art and tasted DEEELICIOUS!!

now that it is december..we going fulll force with the "HE is the GIFT" initiative..if you haven't heard of it go to: christmas.mormon.org and watch the little video! it is the absolute best! i think i've watched it seven times already but i cant even get enough!! this Christmas season we are encouraging all of our members, investigators, random people at the bus stop etc to accept the gift aka Jesus Christ and think of a gift they could give to Him! this is such an awesome time of year to really reflect on all of the amazing things we are blessed with! 

sorry this week is kinda short and lame but im running short on time! but don't worry, i love y'all just as much and miss ya more! have a blessed week!

paz y bendiciones,

hermana hull

ps ya'll thought teaching primary was hard? try teachin it in spanish ;) hahaha mission accomplished!!

 hermana and hermano cabezas and her martha stewart magazine turkey!! literally the most beautiful foul i have ever seen

 the whole feast........

 ya'll should go there...

oh! forgot to mention! with the whole moving fiasco we had to borrow the other hermana's car...my comp accidentally left the lights on while we were unloading so good ole wilson came to the rescue!! he is the absolute best!! we are so lucky to have such stellar members!! #spoiled

"ELDERES! ELDERES!!"

hola hola como estan??

so this week was a bit of a whirlwind, saying bye to hermana heckel-getting her all moved out, wiping the tears, etc-and then saying hello to hermana endicott!!! fresh outta the mtc and rockin it! hermana endicott is from utah and its shows haha she is in shock constantly by how different houston is  her desires to serve the lord and the people of this area are soooo strong! i love her and her efforts ;) my baby is a cutie haha 

miracle for the week: we were riding our bikes back to the apartment when all of a sudden this lady across the street jumps out of her car and yells "ELDERES! ELDERES!" i stop for a second..and let her know that no we arent elders, but yes we are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! she went on to tell us how she was baptized in honduras, but has been inactive for about 10 years...but that she would love us to stop by and have us give her the lessons again! so naturally we said of course! when we stopped by a few days later, we had an awesome lesson with her and her 16 year old daughter who, come to find out, isnt a member! they both committed to reading the book of mormon daily and praying to know if joseph smith was a prophet..

when we went back over yesterday, the apartment was filled with about 7 other people...so naturally we asked if they could all gather around for a lesson! one of the ladies wanted to prove us wrong any way she could...but we were able to bear powerful testimony and distinguish the flame before it got out of control..they all agreed to give the book of mormon a chance and we are planning on visiting them all again tonight! we have been praying for new people to teach so this was a HUGE answer to prayer!! i'd get called an elder any day of the week if it had the same ripple effect!!! 

this week ive had a huge reassurance of how aware our loving Heavenly Father is of us-our individual needs, concerns, fears, doubts, weaknesses. the idea of being a trainer freaked me out at first, but i know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are helping me out BIG TIME! i feel 100% confident that i can do this. its not going to be easy, but im having so much fun! 

my motto for the week i found in isaiah 26:4...read it ;) 

LOVE LOVE LOVE YALL
hermana hull

 elder andersen from sactown..homies from home are the besttttt

 we love our little baby jashly!

 sometimes you have a cool recent convert that can do graffiti #blessed

 sometimes you find out your recent convert family is moving back to mexico #sadday

hermana ramos is the absolute best! i love her so much 

HULLSMITH street for ME! 

 eddy is the man..straight homie

 abandoned school bus? solid find

 sometimes you have to smash your face in a cake to please the crowd ya know? (bye to hermana heckel consolation with cake face smashing...) 

 final goodbye with my mission mom! love that girl...

generation pic..(hermana heckel's trainer, her, then me)

 family pic (great-grandma, mom-hermana heckel, two daughters-me and her new trainee, and my baby-hermana endicott) 

diggin the boots

teaching my baby well ;)