Thanksgiving Success!!

November 28, 2016

Hey Family and Friends!!!

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving. From the looks of your emails, it sounds like you did! I had a great Thanksgiving, too. :) For lunch, we went over the the Doctor's house that we do service for every week, Dr. Fischer. It was a lot of fun :) And the food was so good! After that, we went and had a big dinner at the Trail Center. Since all of the Senior Couples had to be away from their families too, they all made a big dinner for all of us that serve at the Trail Center. It was so good!!! They did an old fashion country style Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn't want to stop eating it. THEN, we were all able to watch The Best Two Years, like we did last year. :) I never liked that movie before my mission, but it is a heck of a lot funnier as a missionary.

KALE IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!! We are so excited. His interview is today, and he is so ready. Kale actually had a seizure this week which led him to the hospital. He has been there for most of the week. He messed up his shoulder pretty badly, and we were a little worried that this would affect his baptism. But, yesterday we were able to go see him, which was awesome. As soon as we walked in the door, he immediately asked if he can still get baptized this week. We told him YES and got everything figured out. We are so excited for this baptism :) The members of the ward absolutely adore Kale. So many of them had gone to see him in the hospital, and it was so nice. Kale tells us all of the time that he has never had this many friends in his life. He loves the ward family so much and is excited to be apart of it. Since his shoulder is messed up, there will probably be like 3 men in the baptismal font to help him get immersed correctly without hurting him. It will be interesting, but it will be so great :)

I took a really cool tour at the Trail Center yesterday. This older couple from Iowa came in because they were curious as to what the Trail Center was, and they heard it was an awesome place! I showed them the pioneer video to start off the tour, and they LOVED it. After the video, I asked them if they had any questions (assuming it would be about the video). They said yes, and asked so many questions about the church, and what we believe. We were probably in the theater for 15 extra minutes just talking about the church. The amazing thing was, I knew how to answer every single one of their questions. Even though I didn't get sent to a mission that speaks a different language, the gift of tongues for me is the gift of the spirit, and understanding the gospel. Some of the questions they asked, I didn't even know that I knew the answer, but I did. It was so cool. I was able to teach them the whole entire restoration and the spirit was strong. They excitedly took a copy of The Book of Mormon, and were amazed as I read them Moroni's promise. They don't want local missionaries, but asked that I could continue teaching them online. I am excited for this :)

So... Transfers are on Wednesday!! I know Sister Orton is leaving me (SO SAD), and I know who my next companion is but.... President Gardner asked us not to tell anyone, because no one else in the mission knows. SO.... I will update you next week!

Thanks for all of the support you give me!! I love you all so much.

ps. Sorry for the picture overload

Love,
Sister Missy Hutchison

Members took us to the Zoo last week, and it was so fun!!

Zoo!

This one is for you, Dad. 

Still got it (just kidding, that actually hurt really bad haha)

Thanksgiving!

Helping make Dinner! 

All the TC sisters on Thanksgiving :) Love them! 

Sister Orton and I enjoying our Taco Bell at the Kville Tab

Not the best picture, but 13 months!

I forgot to include this important picture from the Zoo

I almost forgot this very important picture. In honor of the new Harry Potter Movie.................. 

"Wake up, Cousin! We're Going to the ZOO!"

November 22, 2016

Hello again!!

I feel like I start each weekly email the same.. But, each week is awesome so I wouldn't be lying if I always said "Another great week" everytime! So.. It was another great week here in Nebraska :)

First of all, our investigator, Kale, is progressing SO WELL. He is seriously so prepared; it is incredible. This week we had a lesson with him in our bishop's home. We taught him about tithing and fasting. He LOVES the idea of both of them, and is excited to apply it in his life. He mentioned that it might be difficult for him to pay tithing, but he also mentioned that he is going to be faithful and do it for the Lord. Bishop Bendorf was able to testify about the blessings he has seen from tithing. It was a powerful lesson! We had another lesson with Kale this week at another member of our ward's house, The Astles. They live in a house literally right across the street from the temple. They have a beautiful view of the temple right outside their front window. So, we taught the ten commandments, and we also taught about the temple. Sister Astle recently had a brother return home from his mission, and so he joined us for the lesson. It was great! Kale is super excited to go to the temple and be baptized for his dad. We had one last lesson with Kale this week, and it was right before Brad Harland's baptism (he is someone I taught while I was in the Rockbrook ward. It was so happy to see). Brother Matthews, another member, attended that with us, and we taught Kale more about the Priesthood. He knows it is a big responsibility, but is so excited to serve the Lord to the best of his abilities. He enjoyed the baptism a lot, and couldn't stop telling everyone he saw how excited he was for HIS baptism. It was sweet. Then, he LOVED church on Sunday. He showed up feeling a little overwhelmed about everything. He has been stressed because he feels like he has to learn everything at once, but the members of the ward reached out to him and assured him that it takes time, and how he shouldn't be overwhelmed. This helped him a lot, seeing the support of the ward, and he enjoyed all of church. Apparently they announced his baptism in Priesthood, and so that made him even more excited seeing how excited everyone is for him. His testimony is strengthening. He bears it to us all of the time, without even realizing it. It is amazing how prepared he is by the Lord. I feel so blessed to be teaching him.

Speaking of Brad's baptism.. That was so amazing. It is amazing to see the change in him from when I left Rockbrook to now. I went up to Brad and asked him what had changed, and he said it just hit him. Then, I jokingly said "I knew you were listening to all the lessons with Kerry!!" Then, to my surprise, he said "I really was listening". It brought tears to my eyes. That was a neat experience.

Something exciting that happened this week is SISTERS' SLATER, MURPHY, HYDE AND FRONK CAME TO VISIT. It was such a fun surprise!!! I love those sisters soooooo dang much. I got to see them quite a bit, and CRIED quite a bit when I had to say goodbye.. But that is okay. :) I love that I have made best friends here, that I know will last a lifetime.

Directly after I email today, I am heading the the Omaha Zoo!! (if that makes my subject line make more sense.. Also , it's a Harry Potter reference). I haven't been yet, and some members are getting us in with their passes! Apparently it is the #1 Zoo in the nation! So stoked!

It was an awesome week. The Gingerbread festival started again so the Trail Center is getting BUSY!! I am so grateful for this work. I am having the time of my life, and I am so thankful for the knowledge I have of my Savior.

For old times sake, Here is my favorite scripture. Alma 36:3. : "3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."

Love,
Sister Hutchison

We always back (me and Slater)

When my bff's came to visit <3

Katie serves at the Clinic with us, but it was her last week :(

Sister Orton has an artistic mind

We got a new car. Its a 2017 Chevy Malibu and probably the nicest car I'll ever drive in my life.

BRAD'S BAPTISM

The Weekly Email :)

November 14, 2016

Hello, Fam and Friends!!

Wow. Another week has come and gone! I cannot believe we are halfway through November now.. Where is time going? It needs to stop!! I had an awesome week, though! Definitely full of miracles!! Also, I went to the dentist today for the first time in over a year. NO CAVITIES :D

I will start off talking about Kale, our investigator. He is doing fantastic and is progressing so well. :) This week we were able to read some of the Book of Mormon with him, and talk to him about the Prophet. He did give in and smoke 1 cigarette, so we moved his baptism date to December 3rd. :( But, that is okay! As soon as we told him that we were going to have to move his date back he was shocked! He told us he didn't realize it would effect his date, and so he threw out his lighter right then in front of us. He recommitted to never smoke again. It was a cool experience! He also was able to go to church yesterday, and he really enjoyed it! I don't think he felt left out, because he was already acquainted with quite a few members of the ward. We are excited to see him again tonight! The Bishop is picking him up and bringing him to his house for Family Home Evening, where we are going to teach tithing. We know it will be a great lesson. :) He is so prepared for the gospel. He tells us that he is so much happier in his life now. We definitely know why. :)

We found a couple more investigators this week. Their names are Billy and Sherrie! Their level of interest is debatable, but by the end of the restoration, their hearts were softened! We are excited to go back this week and to teach them more :)

I took a cool tour at the Trail Center yesterday! It was a woman who was newer to the area. She was a member of the church, but she was having a super bad day. She said she needed to be uplifted, and knew that she could be at the Trail Center. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming feeling from Heavenly Father. It really hit me how much he trusts me with His children. He trusts me enough to take them on tour and talk to them when they need to be uplifted. We had a great tour together and a great discussion. I think I needed the tour just as much as she did. We watched a video about Christ and felt so good afterwards. This really is what true happiness is.

This week really was a great week, but the rest of it is kind of a blurr! So, I will just tell you some awkward things that happened to me:

• I read a laffy-taffy joke at a dinner appointment and I started crying so hard because it was so funny. The members were super confused but they just don't understand that you don't hear a lot of funny jokes as a missionary. "What do you call a bear in the rain?" "A DRIZZLY BEAR" 😂
• This was a couple weeks ago, but I got hugged on the street by a homeless guy on crack. That was scary. I was figuring out ways in my head as to how I was going to beat the heck out of him if he kidnapped me. 
• Sister Orton and I were driving today, and there was a lost dog running up and down the street. It kept trying to get in someones car, but the people wouldn't let it get in. Long story short, I started bawling because I felt so bad for the little dog while Sister Orton was laughing hysterically at me. It's okay.. I am recovered now. 

On a more spiritual note, I am so grateful for my mission! This week I hit my "1 Year Since I Landed In Omaha"! I remember the moment that I stepped off of the plane. I instantly felt so much peace, and knew this is where God needed me to be. Now, I feel that way every day. :) I am so grateful for my mission and for the way that it is changing my heart. I am so happy that I have 6 more months left for changing :)

Have a great week!! I love you all :)

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31: 20

Love,
Sister Missy Hutchison

Sister Beck and I on exchanges, gazing in each others eyes!

Our mission moms (our trainers) all send us a cute package since we hit our 1 year mark in the field :) THANKS SISTER BROWER, SLATER, HYDE AND STRONG!!!

We obviously arrived to the wrong address for our dentist appointment today!

ALSO BEFORE I FORGET: Since it is Christmas time, the Gingerbread Festival is starting up again at the Trail Center. WHICH MEANS it is going to get pretty busy. Our TC Directors have asked that some sisters be on shift on a Mondays for the season. So, next week my PREPARATION DAY WILL BE ON TUESDAY :) So don't freak out when I don't email on Monday! 

Something random haha :) Sorry for all of the emails! Hopefully you get them all! 

Miracles and Miracles :)

November 7, 2016

Hello again!!

It feels like I just emailed all of you yesterday, but here we are again! It was a really good week this week. :)

Halloween was a success last Monday. We had a fun party at the Trail Center. Like you kind of saw last week, Sister Orton and I dressed up as each other. The pictures this week will be a lot better than the one we sent last week.

But yes, Halloween has come and gone!! Literally the day after Halloween, people started coming to the Trail Center to decorate for Christmas! So crazy!

This week was pretty busy! A lot of it was spent giving trainings at different Zone Trainings! We were able to train for the Omaha Zone, and the Council Bluff's Zone. It was a lot of fun :)

Sister Orton and I have seen a lot of miracles this week. But, the biggest one was probably our newest investigator, Kale! Another sister missionary was picking up a prescription at Walgreens and started talking to Kale in line! She found out that he just moved here, and was really looking for a church. So, she was able to get his name and number and she found out that he was in our area!! Sister Orton and I called him the very next day, and we were able to set up an appointment with him. Our appointment was awesome! The Bishop and his Wife came with us, and they were perfect fellowshippers for him. Kale is mid-50s and is super funny. Long story short- we have seen him twice already and are seeing him again tomorrow. He has been reading The Book of Mormon and praying, AND.. he is getting baptized on November 26th. :) We are SO EXCITED!!!!

We have seen miracles with those we are teaching online. Two people that Sister Orton and I have taught online are currently meeting with local missionaries and have a baptism date soon. I wish it was allowed for us to skype in! I love the resources that are available to us at the Trail Center.

That is really all I have for you this week! I am still loving my mission so much. It is the best thing I have ever done. :) Thank you for all of the support! I love you!

Love,

Sister Missy Hutchison

Halloween (we didn't want this treadmill, so we put it in front of our house with a "free" sign. It literally got taken! 

Halloween

Halloween again

Obviously we had a fun Halloween.. We carved our house in the pumpkin. It got the "most humble" award. 

The good ol' Omaha Zone!

Why am I getting chubby? Cause people buy us pounds and pounds of pizza. 

Happy Halloween!!

October 31, 2016

Hello everyone!!

It was another great week :) It was kind of slow, but not in any bad way! Just didn't go as quick as usual!

It is getting chillier here in Nebraska!! It is turning into the phase where the only thing members feed you is Chili and baked potatoes. Sister Orton didn't even have to buy food from the grocery store today because our fridge is so stocked up with leftover chili and taco soup from various members.

We went on a couple of exchanges this week!! On our first exchange, I was with a sister who has only been out 2 transfers. She has been struggling a lot with being here on her mission! She did NOT want to get called to a visitor center, and she was pretty bitter about it for a while! But, as we were talking, there was something different about her! She said that she received a letter from her mom that totally changed her outlook on her mission, and ever since then, she has LOVED the Trail Center!! The spirit is so cool :) It truly does change hearts!!

We went on another exchange this week! I was with Sister Ibanez! She has only been out 2 transfers as well, and she is from the Philippines! We had a fun time. I loved getting to know her and learning some Tagolic :) (unsure on the spelling)

Our investigators are doing well!! We have Chris set for a date for baptism, so hopefully he will continue to keep commitments to work towards that day! :) I have faith that he will! He is progressing so well!

We found another investigator this week! Her name is Alicia. She was a former investigator, so we decided to stop by. She let us right in! We were able to have a lesson with her, and we taught her the restoration. It made so much sense to her. She wants more than anything in the world to know she can be with her daughters forever! The message of the Restoration gave great comfort to her! We have a couple of appointments set up for this week already, and she agreed to baptism! We are excited to continue to keep working with her. Heavenly Father is blessing us greatly.

We had our Missionary Leadership Council this week! It was great :) I love being trained by President Gardner and the assistants. Finding out more ways to improve is such a great feeling. This week is the busy week when Sister Orton and I get to go train in a couple different Zone Trainings about everything we learned to other missionaries. I love these weeks! :)

Tonight we are having a big Halloween party at the Trail Center!! Sister Orton and I are dressing up like each other. I put a sneak peak in this email, but you'll get better pictures of it next week :)

I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. It is truly such a blessing. I am so happy to share it :)

I hope you all have a fantastic week!! I miss you, but know this is where God needs me to be!

"17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the bservice of your cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17

Love,
Sister Missy Hutchison

Me and my little Filipino <3

Halloween sneak peak.. Be ready!! 

Sister Orton and I are totes adorbz

"For the First Time in Forever.... Transfers Didn't Effect Me"

October 24, 2016

Hi Family and Friends!!!

Another great week has flown by here in Nebraska! I hope you all appreciated my "Frozen" referenced subject line. It was transfer week and literally for the first time since the beginning of May, transfers didn't do anything to me! Woot woot!! I am staying in the Winter Quarters Ward with Sister Orton :)

A lot of my week was dedicated to making the Trail Center Schedule for all of the Sisters, and helping the sisters get adjusted in their new areas. I love being able to help all of the sisters here as much as I do :) It is so rewarding!!

Last week, me and the Nebrasquad hit our 1 year as missionaries!!! It seriously feels like yesterday that I was laying in bed on the first night at the MTC, staring at the ceiling, thinking "what in the heck did I get myself into?" But let me tell you.. This mission that I have gotten myself into has been the best decision of my life. This past year has been so hard, but it has been so rewarding. I have never had this happiness before, and I know it is because the materialistic things do not matter anymore! All that matters is serving the Lord, and that is was true happiness is. Happiness is being able to see the gospel change another persons life. Happiness is coming to know that The Book of Mormon is true. Happiness is the knowing that we truly CAN have an eternal family. We are so blessed to have all of this knowledge!!! If you ever feel like you aren't truly happy, take a second and think about what you are doing with this beautiful knowledge of the gospel. Are you sharing it? Are you applying it? I can promise you that as you understand the importance and the seriousness of the gospel, you will feel that TRUE joy that Russell M. Nelson talked about in his recent conference talk.

Sister Orton and I were able to skype with some people from the Visitors Center department in Salt Lake last week! It was so cool! They were able to train us on some new things about Teaching Center, and then we were able to train the Sisters at the Trail Center about those things on Saturday! I love being able to learn new ways to improve. :)

Anyways, not too much to update you on this week! Since transfer week was wild, we didn't have much time to do a lot in our area! There was a ward Halloween party last week, and it was great! Sister Orton and I were able to meet more members of the ward. A less-active woman in our ward brought two of her non-member friends, and it was awesome! Sister Orton and I got to know them and we taught them the restoration. They asked a lot of great questions! By the end of our conversation, they both wanted copies of The Book of Mormon and wanted to meet with missionaries! They both aren't in our area, but it was still so amazing to teach them and to see their desire for truth. I love being a missionary!

Anyways, I hope you all have a good week! You are in my prayers. Thanks for all of the support :)

Love,
Sister Missy Hutchison

Fall is coming and going!!

Same ^

ONE YEAR

We had to get the finger one too, of course!

we get sick of taking smiling ones!

Dinner with Sister Cope

Running with the Dinosaur

This picture was an accident but it ended up pretty hipster so it's fine

Music and Authorities!

October 17, 2016

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a good week last week :) I had a good week, as well! Pretty busy, as usual, but the best, as usual :)

Sister Orton and I went on a couple of exchanges this week! I was able to be with Sister Irwin for one of them, so that was super fun! It was fun seeing how we have both grown since the MTC (which was almost a year ago, sooo weird). But, we had a lot of fun and saw a lot of success on exchanges!!

On my second exchange this week, I was with a newer sister named Sister Willmore. She is a sweet heart and has been out a little over a month. We saw a lot of success, too! We actually met this girl named Mallory. She was a referral from the Spanish Elders. When we stopped by she seemed kind of reserved, but as we testified to her of the truthfulness of this gospel, she opened up. She said when the Elders first met her, they "blessed her". A couple days later she got in a huge car accident with a semi truck. Although she is bruised from head to toe, she was able to walk away from the accident! She knew it wasn't a coincidence that she was saved after the Elders stopped by. So, she agreed to be baptized on the doorstep and we are meeting with her on Wednesday :)

Our investigator, Chris, is doing really well! We had an awesome lesson with him last week, and he came to church yesterday! He is definitely progressing :)

This week I was able to take a member of the 70 on tour of the Trail Center! His name is Elder Daniel L. Johnson! It was a super cool experience! There is such a strong spirit that general authorities hold. I felt so blessed to have that experience!

Sister Gardner asked me, Sister Orton and another companionship to do musical numbers at a Stake High Priest Activity! It was a lot of fun. I was able to sing a few songs, and then I played the piano! I was able to figure out the piano chords to a song, and so I played and then another sister played the Violin. It was neat!

I feel like this email is kind of boring! Not too many things to explain this week. But I am still loving it here, and having the time of my life. :)  I love you all! My prayers are with you!

Love,
Sister Hutchison

Our "awkward family (district) photo" 

exchanges with Sister Irwin

Sister Orton let me pluck her eyebrows... hahaha

face masks are life

the "Hutchison" ward from Kansas came into the TC. I happened to have my hat! How fitting!! (Thanks for the hat, Scotty)

PS. I thought you would all enjoy this rap I wrote back in April about the Trail Center. I think you'll learn a lot of history. Sister Orton helped me with the "what" s. One day I'll be rapping on stage with Beyonce.