26May2015

Hi :)

1) I am not sick anymore :)

2) We woke up to run at 5:30 today and we walked outside and there were two raccoons in the tree. Terrifying because I hear those things are mean. I ran away while my companion exclaimed how cute they were.

3) Our mission president called us into the office this week and gave us the keys to a BRAND new car... Like we drove it off the lot new. I have never driven a new car. It even has a backing camera so now when we stand behind the car and back we can dance for our companion's pleasure.

4) Now onto things that actually matter... Arionna got baptized!!!! It was a very powerful experience. When she got up to bear her testimony and told her dream experience, the whole room got totally still and warm. When her friend Eric baptized her, he is waiting on his mission call btw, I felt chills go down my spine. I just knew that the power of God was being manifest by a 18 year-old boy who was trying his best to be good and clean. The power of God is manifest in covenants and without actual physical manifestations of our commitment the gospel is hollow and empty for us. Covenants change our very nature. I am so proud of Arionna and her strength to the hard thing that was right. Now we are working on getting her into BYUI!

5) Insight from J. (ok the insight is now wayyyy down there...sorry)  Update: J. is the man we tracked into at the beginning of my stay here. He was in prison for 22 years and got out 2.5 years ago. He is one of the most insightful and intelligent people I have ever known. Teaching him is a dream for me. He accepted my challenge to read 9 chapters in the Book of Mormon a day. NINE. I have never been so grateful for my countless readings and studies of that book. I have needed every insight and piece of information that I have ever acquired to teach him. I truly have felt the Holy Ghost bring to my memory facts and insight that I can barely remember where I learned it from. I have been able to tell him the lineage of Lehi, diagram the 12 tribes and all the promises and specific prophecy that each event in the Book of Mormon fulfills. I have never loved the Book of Mormon so much. I feel so alive when I get in one of these conversations with him. Things just flow into my mind and I make connections that I never realized I had made before. It is awesome. Anyway, insight, he said "A God fearing man is one who is totally obedient to God and wants to be". Then he said how all he wants is to be a God fearing man but how far from that he is. I think we are all far from truly being willingly obedient.

6) So our investigator D. is trying to stop smoking among other things. We try and set up appointments but have found that showing up is way better with her. It seems as if every single time we show up it is right as she has walked outside to smoke. We find her on the porch about to lite up. The other day she goes, "You keep coming as I go to smoke! Heavenly Father I get the message!" She then said how profound it was to her that we always seem to show up right when she needs us most. I believe strongly that we are sent to those that need us and will accept us. I also believe that God's hand is in every day to day moment if we allow it to be.

7) Our family of 7 is doing good!! Half were at church and the bishop sat down and talked with the whole family and parents. It was so awesome.  Pray for the family please!

8) We picked up a new investigator who is just so amazing. His name is W. and he is an African American man who was a marine for many years. He is the most humble soul I have met. I can not wait to teach him more.

9) D. is great as ever. We showed up for a lesson and he goes, "you are just coming to check on your sheep and make sure I am still eating the right kind of grass." "Don't worry, I am still eating the right kind of grass." haha it was great. The ward has been more then wonderful to him. I am so grateful for all of them.

I am out of time but I have more to share! Next week I guess. Enjoy the ending of May!

Love Sis Huber

Why Hello 18May2015

Why hello!

 "If you understand the Plan of Happiness, what goes on in life won't determine your happiness." Elder Scott. I loved that quote this week. We had some ups and downs and rough patches but after all is said and done, it doesn't seem to matter. I am happy and life is good.

Moments from the week:

 We helped at a funeral and at a baptism. It really put life into a new perspective because of the peace and calm that was at both events. I felt God in both activities and I know death is not the end. Happiness and joy are waiting for us at the end of all of this.

- They decided to teach 20 mins of our gospel principles class on why people should feed the sister missionaries and how to overcome the HUGE obstacle of gluten free... I was dying. I just wanted to talk doctrine and they are talking us! This one lady got it in her mind that gluten free was impossible so the whole room had a discussion on possible meal options I could eat. It was just bad. I am grateful for a ward that is so supportive and kind to us though, they treat us so well.

- Arionna is getting baptized on Wednesday!!!! YAY!!!! We had a huge up and down with her this last week. She almost got kicked out of her house by her aunt for the church and different things so we were scrambling to find her somewhere to stay. After lots of talking and praying her aunt and her came to terms and all is well for now. Whew. Ari is so very prepared and can't wait to be baptized!

It RAINED! All week. I think my companion, who is from Washington, brought the rain. We had some major water and lots of puddle jumping in the dark when no one was watching. We have an image to uphold so we had to be careful :)

- We picked up a family of 7! I am so stoked about teaching them and see a lot of potential in them. They have Mormon family and want to get into church. The big obstacles are smoking and some family issues that are hard to overcome. Dad is not to thrilled about this all. So pray for them! Natasha and family.  

- James, someone we have been teaching, got the answer that he should get baptized! In December..... but it turns out he couldn't get baptized until then anyway. So I thought it was pretty cool that his answer was the first possible date he could get baptized. God doesn't want us waiting. I told him I would be back in Dec anyway so it was on! Meanwhile he needs to start attending church.....baby steps I guess.

- Dennis is doing so so well. I will quote a text from him to try and show you how awesome and kind he is to us. “Sisters you're awesome. I thank the Almighty God for bringing you into my life at the 11th hour, that I truly needed help. Now I can only count the many blessings and happiness I experience in my day to day life being sober. I now relate with people better and I'm leading a meaningful life here on earth. You're simply amazing people and keep up the good work you're doing. God bless you sisters!" He took us to a buffet to eat because he simply insisted on taking a turn at feeding the wonderful sisters. He is thrilled about home teaching and can't wait to take his father's name to the temple soon.

 - I was able to take the time and sit down to write some goals out this week. My mission president invited me to do it to finish strong. It was an awesome experience and I was able to feel the spirit very strongly as I really determined what I had left to do out here. Two of the goals, to pray for a minimum of 10 mins each night before bed and to read a minimum of one chapter from the Book of Mormon before bed, have been so helpful! Some days we get home and I am so spent and worn out but being committed to doing those two things has changed my attitude getting into bed and therefore changed my whole day. I know He listens to us when we pray and I know he is waiting to answer us through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit. I plan on never stopping these goals. Life long commitment.   

I love you all!!! I love being a missionary!

-Sis Huber

11May2015

Hello!!

My last and final companion is wonderful. She is a convert of 2.5 years and we get along really well. I can't wait to train her and to see all the miracles. I feel so lucky to get to be the one.

Dennis passed the sacrament and that was wonderful to see. He called us up one morning just to tell us how proud he was of the good work we were doing. It was the greatest motivational booster ever. He is being so strong even though many around him are mocking his choices.

Arionna is also doing really really well. She came to church and loved it. She also had an incredible dream that further pushed her towards baptism. It should be in the next couple of weeks. She said our lesson this week was a direct answer to her prayer and that was a confirmation to me of the preparation and spirit that goes behind everything we do.

We had a really really good lesson with Jen and Chris this week. They are ready to get baptized as soon as their parents jump on board. They both have really strong testimonies of the church and a desire to have a family in the gospel one day in the future. They are 15 and 11 years old and were met while contacting.

 Dawn is a single mom and has a 2 year old daughter. She is facing some serious negative feedback from her family about the church. It is really sad to see and hear some of the things that people are telling her. She read the Book of Mormon everyday though and we are slowly getting her ready to feel strong enough to come to church and move forward.

 We had a miracle lesson with a new investigator named Randy. He texted us right as we were waiting for another appointment with a member to teach. The one lesson canceled and we took the member and went to teach Randy. It was a very powerful lesson and he is now preparing to get baptized. He is someone that I contacted about two weeks ago.

 

Life is good and Vista is doing well. Have a great week!!!

 

Love S Huber

 

 

What a Week!!! 20April2015

WHAT A WEEK!!!

 Dennis got baptized on Saturday. It was such an incredible journey we have taken the last three weeks with him.  The day of his baptism we went over to his house before hand and he came running in a little late. The night before we had gone over the priesthood and how he would be given that soon. He ran in a said, "sisters I am so sorry I was late! I was getting my hair cut. I am going to be getting ordained and I have to look good before my God". It was adorable. Then after his baptism he was just so happy. On Sunday he was asking about who made sure we kept the rules as missionaries. We informed him that we were accountable for ourselves a lot of the time. He said that he was tempted to drink coffee and then he said, "But I have made a covenant with my God and nothing is worth breaking that over". What a powerful moment to realize that you want to do something out of a desire to keep covenants. After his baptism on Saturday night I asked him what he would be doing. He said he was going to go home and read the Book of Mormon for an hour, write down his feelings and sleep like a baby because he felt so clean and free. He scanned his program and sent it to his family in Kenya so they could know he was a changed person. As he puts it, no more living like an animal for him! He found his purpose.

 We were walking down the street one day and this big giant tire comes rolling down the road…. Some man up the street is loading a dune buggy type thing into is truck and does not notice his tire leaving him. I call out and said, “Is that your tire?” He jumped up and we begin to chase this thing down. It was really quite funny. Maybe you had to be there.

 James is doing pretty well. He got into some anti-stuff but then again, who doesn’t? I can take on any question at this point, I’ve heard them all. I almost like it….I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help but enjoy myself sometimes. He is intent on reading which is key and he actually came to church!!! And brought a friend!!!! It was awesome. I was telling the member who came to the lesson that he is my best student because he always reads. I said he got an A+ and he goes, “well maybe an A- because I’m not baptized.” True that James, true that. At least he knows what we are there for, right? I am at a point in my mission where I have no time to mess around or beat around the bush. Not that I ever really did that anyway. The gospel is just too important for anyone to take it lightly.

 We have a new investigator named Michael who we taught and then he came to church. He is set for baptism on the 9^th of May. Include him in prayers please. I want to teach some females but it doesn't seem to happen for me.

 I learned this week even more of the why behind my current companion and area. I have these moments where so many things become crystal clear for me and I am grateful for those moments. They sustain me and keep me going. It’s like for an instant I can see without the world blinding my sight. I am so grateful for good people and good hearts. I love this gospel and I decided I was born to be a missionary.

In my whole mission I don’t know if I have ever faced so many hard challenges or had some many hard moments as I have this transfer- but I also know that I have seen more miracles and received more blessings in the last 4 weeks then I thought possible. God will always compensate our struggles if we turn to Him. Include Him in everything and you will come to know that He was already involved in everything.

Love you all

S Huber

6April2015 pictures

Another week! 13April2015

Vista is a great place to be a missionary. I am getting quite a tan out here and talking to 150+ people a week on the streets. Some days my mouth is so tired from moving when I get home…. I never thought I would say that :)

Last week we started teaching a man named Dennis. He is from Kenya and came here 5 years ago. The sisters talked to him outside of his house back in December but he was never taught. I saw his name in the phone and I felt like I should text it and ask if he would meet up with us. He agreed and we headed over one night with a member from the ward. Long story short, he is getting baptized on Saturday! Teaching him has been a privilege and blessing. He gave up drinking alcohol every day after coming to conference that first week and didn’t relapse once. He is reading the Book of Mormon in English and his native tongue every day and loves to meet. At church on Sunday he remarked that he felt like he had come home. The speaker was talking about the prodigal son and he leaned over and said to me, “Sister Huber, I was lost but now I am found!” I just smiled because he is right, anyone who makes in into the church building on Sunday is found. I asked him if he had prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true and he said, “This book is true. It teaches me about Christ so I know that it is true”. One other thing, Dennis is determined to be in the Mormon Tab Choir in 5 years from now....I told him to go for it! We were sitting in the building and he goes, "Sister Huber, I am the only black person here". At the very moment the screen scanned to a black member of the choir and I put my hand up and pointed. He started laughing and decided it didn't really matter what anyone looks like because we are all children of God.

Stacy’s baptism was wonderful and the spirit was felt so strongly. She started laughing as she got out of the water and just wanted to hug everyone she saw. She said she was deeply moved by her baptism. It was great to be a part of that and to help her understand the testimony she already had.

Another miracle is that Wilson and Carmen got baptized! I got to call Wilson on the phone because they were hesitant about going through with it. We talked for 40 mins and I was able to answer his questions and calm his fears. The next day I drove up to Temecula to see it happen! Afterwards they both were so happy and told me they felt clean and thanked me for all I did. I was so glad I got to go back and be there for them. What humble and faithful people they are.

We were trying to decide where to go one day and I felt strongly that I should read through the former investigators in the area book. There were 50 plus sheets and I knew we only had time for one or two. I prayed and then picked three names to stop by. The first name I had picked was a lone house on a busy street by some apartments in the rougher part of town. We knocked the door and a man covered in tattoos opened. We found out that the person had moved and before we left I asked him if we could share our message with him. He hesitated so I asked again. This time he said yes and gave us his info. The next day we taught him and he then came to conference! The reason I share this all though is because of what happened the next lesson. He didn’t want to meet at his house so we met at the public library. We brought a couple form our ward and reserved a room to meet in. It was perhaps the most powerful lesson I have ever been a part of. In that little room in the library we felt the spirit so strongly. When it came time for me to share the first vision I opened my mouth to speak and instantly the room and entire library went entirely silent.  I can’t really explain what happened but one second there was buzzing and beeping and noises from outside the room and the next it was 100% quite. It was like a blanket was put around the room. I shared the account and then the noise started back up. It was a powerful reminder to me of the importance of Joseph Smiths prayer and the answer he received.  James, the investigator, is faithfully reading 3+ chapters a day in the Book of Mormon and I can’t wait to continue to teach him.

This whole week was full of right place, right time moments. I am getting pushed and pulled in ways I haven’t my whole mission and I am grateful for the chance to grow and finish strong. I am grateful for the sacrament and the chance to repent. Trying to make it a practice to sincerely repent every day this week has helped me so much.

Love you all!

S Huber

30March2015 - New Area

I got transferred to the Vista 3rd ward! I have very little time today but I will try and fill you all in. 

We have a miracle baptism tonight! We went and taught her my first day here and she passed her interview last night. She had been previously taught.   She is epileptic and actually had a seizure in sacrament meeting......Kinda took me by surprise since I was not told before hand.....ya that was an adventure I will never forget.   

The ward is AWESOME! I feel so lucky. I am getting used to Vista since is it VERY different then the other places I have been.  I think I have a lot of lessons to learn here. 

I love being a missionary and I am doing well! My new companion is awesome and has been out only 4 months. I took her tracting for the 1st time this week. We will have lots of firsts together. 

HAPPY EASTER!

Love Sis Huber