Wow. I cannot believe that this is the last time I will be emailing all of you before I am home. It has been such a quick 18 (19.. haha) months. As hard as it will be to leave, I am looking forward to being reunited with all of you again. It was very fun to Facetime with my family yesterday. :)
It was such a wonderful last week of my mission. I was able to see such an amazing miracle. For the past 12 weeks, every single day, Sister Willmore and I have been praying to find a woman named Shannon. These past 12 weeks have probably been the hardest weeks of my mission! I have never faced so much rejection in my life. It seemed like door after door would be slammed in our faces, and it was pretty discouraging. But, Sister Willmore and I never lost hope. We continued to fast and pray for Shannon. We met a couple of Shannon's along the way who weren't interested.. So, we knew it wasn't the right one and we continued to pray! Last Monday, Sister Willmore and I went out into our area. WE FOUND 3 SHANNONS IN ONE NIGHT. All of them said we could come back. It was SUCH a miracle!!!!! Later this week, we had a return appointment with one of them. We were trying very hard to find a team-up, but everyone we had asked said no. So, we were sitting at our dinner appointment, and the woman who cooked us dinner offered to come out with us! It was so great!! The lesson went so well. Shannon had a lot of great questions, and connected really well with the member. The lesson started out with her saying that she wasn't really looking for her and her family to come closer to Christ. But, the lesson ended with her saying a vocal prayer FOR HER FIRST TIME, praying that her 15 month old son would come to know Jesus. It was incredible, and such a miracle. It just shows the power of prayer, and the power of faith. We could have given up SOO many times. But, we didn't. Because we kept being diligent in or efforts, we were blessed. Shannon is now our investigator. :) So exciting!!! It seems surreal as we plan lessons with for her and have her name written in our planners, haha.
Other than our Shannon miracle, it was a week of "lasts". My last District meeting, my last Sacrament meeting here, etc. Goodbyes are the WORST. I also had my departing interview with President Gardner this week. As soon as I said the opening prayer, both of us were crying. It was emotional! I am so grateful for that man. He is the greatest Mission President I could have asked for. I am so blessed.
I am so sad to be leaving Nebraska. My heart is so broken because of the fact that it is my time to go home, but at the same time, my heart has NEVER been so WHOLE. My heart is whole because I know what is important. The only thing that matters in life is this Gospel or Jesus Christ, and I have truly come to realize that. This Gospel changes life; I have seen it happen in front of my eyes. I have been a witness of God's miracles. These past 18 months have been the hardest months of my life, but they have been the most rewarding, and I have been the most happy. This is because I had the opportunity to serve the Lord 24/7. I know that Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration. God and Jesus Christ DID appear to him, and DID restore Christ's original church back on the earth. I know this church will never be lost again, and I know God still speaks to us today. We truly DO have a living prophet, and his name is Thomas S. Monson. He is called of God, and holds all of the keys of the Priesthood. I know that The Book of Mormon is true. The feelings I feel in my heart when I read it are undeniable. That book truly DOES contain the powers from Heaven. In my setting-apart blessing, I was told that the scriptures would become my best friends, and that is most certainly true. That is how God speaks to me, and the words written by ancient prophets has given me so much comfort. I know that through the Priesthood power which has been restored on the earth, that families are ETERNAL. This is the ONLY way our families can be sealed. This earthly life is so short, but it is just a step in our eternal progression. There is so much more after this life. I am so blessed to have a family so strong in the gospel, and I am so excited to apply everything I have learned to my future family. Before my mission, Jesus Christ was just someone that I heard about in church. I never REALLY knew Him. But, now I know with all of my heart that He is my Savior. When He suffered for us, He didn't just suffer for our sins... It was so much more than that. He suffered for every single time we are frustrated, upset, sad, hurt, etc. Every time I had a hard day out here, and was wondering how in the world I got through it, it's because the Savior went through it first. He carried me through everything, and will continue to carry me throughout my life. I know who I am, and I know what God expects me to be. My life is changed, and I know it will never be the same; I don't WANT it to be the same. Even though in a few days I wont be a set-apart "representative" of Jesus Christ anymore, I will still stand as a witness of Him. I know He lives, and will live forever. I AM a witness of Jesus Christ, and will be til the day I fall at His feet. I love Him.
Thank you again for all of the support that has been given to me throughout my mission. I can honestly say I am leaving my mission with no regrets, and that is a wonderful feeling. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve. I don't know who I would be without all the memories, people I have met, and the Spirit I have received from my mission. It is so apparent that God needed me in Nebraska at this time.
"12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Helaman 5:12
Love,
Sister Hutchison
THOSE WHO WANT TO COME TO MY HOMECOMING: It will be at 11:00am on May 21st, and it will be at 932 W. Greenoaks Dr. Murray UT, 84123
What Sis. Willmore and I do on Preparation Days..
Same
Said "bye" to Courtney </3
Last District Meeting!
My comp <33
My POSTERITY (I trained Sister Hall- daughter, she trained Sister Gurr-granddaughter, she trained Sister Neuberger- great-granddaughter) I love mission terms.
I WILL MISS THE TREMAYNES.
Sister Church is a fav, too.
same ^
We literally took this picture 30 seconds ago. Had to take one last pic with all of us who are emailing right now :)