Malo lava!

Hello!!!

I am still doing great!! haha I am learning and growing everyday and surely but slowly I can see my Samoan getting better too! The children are my favorite to talk with and practice my Samoan haha!!

So first off I want to talk about our two friends that both just recently got baptized!!
First, Pese!! He is my favorite! We have had some really amazing moments with this man! haha he has been through quite a few missionaries! But, we didn't give up! I was able to see how the gospel really helps to save and change lives. I saw as he fully accepted the gospel and prepared for baptism the glow and happiness that became his and you saw it all on his face! He took a week off of work the week of his baptism so we could visit him everyday and to make it really special! He thanked us with tears streaming down his face for not giving up on him and for the gospel that has helped him be a better man and a father to his children! (one of which is my favorite little girl! haha she loves me haha) He is such a genuine and hard working man! Aww
And then, Ruta! She is the sweetest lady ever of age 50. She really loves her Heavenly Father and was soooo excited to get baptized!! She was preparing her outfit days before haha! She lives with members and they were telling us how she murmurs to herself and they ask her what she is doing and she says talking to God! haha 💓 They were also telling us how ever since she got baptized Ruta has been helping them stay true to there covenants and reminding them to obey the Word of Wisdom! haha Two of the other ladies she lives with/near have been smoking, but we have also been able to help them stop and come back to church with Rutas help! She's awesome haha!

That's another thing that I have realized on this mission is there is a problem with too many in-actives so my companion and I have really been focusing on them as well!! It's awesome to see how as we visit them and help re-invite the Spirit back into there homes they start to come back to church with gratitude in there hearts.

My testimony has grown so much in how the Lord is helping us in this work. He truly does place people in our paths and is preparing their hearts to receive the message of the restored gospel!! We have seen so many cool little miracles and blessings!

This gospel is so true and amazing and it is for everyone!! I get so overwhelmed sometimes about how amazing our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are! it's incomprehensible! 

Also, we got a new area that is forever away from us! (because we had all our elders emergency transferred or something like that...) Anyways, so we have spent sometime getting familiar and trying to get that area up and running haha which is a fun challenge I guess haha! It's good!

Love Sister Hymas

Pics of first week in Samoa

Chloe didn't get have time to send a group email, but she did upload some pics and had this to say...

Pese got baptized this week he has been waiting along time for this wonderful day!! he was so grateful to us

and we have another baptism this week for our wonderful friend Ruta ahhh and love this work I get chills thinking about how amazing it is!

O a'u o le teine Samoa!

Malo lava!!!

Ahhh hello everybody! I am doing so so great!! And before coming on my mission everybody would ask me whether I will still be a mountain girl or an ocean girl...well it took a total of like 5 seconds of me being here to know that I am 100% an island girl!!

I knew Samoa was going to be beautiful, but it is even more so then I thought possible!! It's impossible to imagine haha you just have to see it in person! (that's why as soon as I get home. you are all coming back with me haha) Also, the culture here is so different and so amazing and fun!! I am absorbing every second of it!!! 

I am serving in the Falealili  , Upolu area haha straight to the backsides of Samoa!

 Also, I already had my first baptism! haha he got baptized this past sunday it was so cool! They missionaries before were working with haha but I was there for the last two lessons and the baptismal interview so yeah!! haha his name is Herman and he is 12 years old! And I have asked 2 other friends (we call our investigators friends) if they will be baptized!! and they both said yes!! It was amazing! I love being a missionary haha! One of those friends name is Pese and he is a father of two children the lesson we had with him when we asked for him to get baptized was one I will never forget (evne though I didn't understand most of anything that was being said) the spirit was so strong and both my companion and Pese started to cry!! I am so excited for him! He gets baptized this sunday! and Ruta is our other friend she is the sweetest old lady and is going through a really hard time with her family and she is so excited about the gospel! She cried to us about her problems and we were well the Spirit was able to comfort her and she is ready too! My soa the other day was like ever since the new transfer (she had been in this area for 6 weeks arleady with a different sister)  everyone has been crying in our lessons and unplanned miracles keep happening haha! I may not be ablt to speak the language at all right now, but I can sure try my absolute hardest to be worthy of the Holy Ghost and always have it with me to teach our friends! 

I have ran out of time and we have no way to upload any pictures!! I really wanted to share them!!  But, yes my legs and hips hurt every hour of everyday haha it's great! we sit criss cross for an hour or more and then when we go to the next destination I get a few minutes of relief and the right back to it!! haha it's not actually that bad...well you guys can try and see for yourselves if you want. haha It is serious like camping for life over here and yes everyones house is just the typical fale wooden floor with the few wood poles along the outside and the roof! haha and so there is no knock everyone is just so kind and generous! So if you know them you can just walk right up and visit haha!! 

The people have my heart!! they are so giving, kind, fun, funny, and the best!! I already deeply love them! they take very good care of us! and I am not going without food or laughter! 

My soa is named Sister Fe'a she is super sweet and funny! She is from American Samoan and is half Samoan. She is my trainer even though she has only been out in the field for 6 weeks and is still in training herself haha we are figuring it our togeher. But, it has  been great because this area we are in now was her first area so she already knows everyone and she can speak fluent samoan obviously! So we have the ins and can really connect with our friends! 

Well I have to go but I love you all so much!!!!!! Thank you for everything have an amazing week!

-Sister Hymas

Oh and I lovvveee the children!!!!

Sister Hymas has arrived in Samoa

Chloe has safely arrived in Samoa, We hope to hear from her soon. Here are a couple of pictures sent to us by the mission president and his wife.  She looks so happy. :)

News!

Talofa lava,

I am so excited to be traveling to Samoa on sunday!!  it is such a blessing to be able to go out and serve the Lord.

We had quite a lot of people going to Samoa get reassigned because they are visa waiting. In my district (besides the foreigners because they had to get there visas before coming here) I am the only one going straight to Samoa. Count your many blessings!! And in the other district it is like half did get there visas, but the other half is getting reassigned.

Out of the 8 people in my district only 3 of us will be going as planned. Crazy, huh?!  (i am not quite sure about the other Samoan district)

The reassignments have been to Fort Collins Colorado, North Dakota, Washington, and Washington DC. It has been kind of crazy around here the past few days, but everybody else has already gotten their new flight plans and the all leave on Wednesday with the rest of the people going in-state. 

So my companion form Australia, the elder from New Zealand, me, and some of the other ones from the other district will be going to Samoa on Sunday as planned. 

I know the Lord has a plan for all those being temporarily reassigned and even though it's not effecting what the Lord has planned for me. I just thought I would let you all know! 

-Sister Hymas

PS.

Talofa lava!!!

This is my last week in the MTC! I leave this Sunday!!!! I am so excited! Also, don't expect weekly emails anymore...I'm not sure how often I will be able to email from now on! Haha Don't forget about me! lol

My last week here has been great! We have had some super spiritual moments with our teacher Sista Peo (she's amazing)! My district sang in Sacrament Meeting this past Sunday in Samoan! We sang in the choir again this week. Our departure devotional was so amazing! The Spirit completely filled the entire room. It was the strongest Spirit I have ever felt her at the Mtc! Its main message was that:

He Lives!! 

The gospel is so true without a shadow of a doubt! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love for us is so much more than we could ever imagine.  

I love you allllll!!! And I am doing so great! I hope you all have an amazing week! 

-Sister Hymas