Hard Things Make You Better

HOLLAAAAAA FAMMMIILLLLIIIAAAA WHAT IS UPPPPPPP! I CAN'T EVEN CONTAIN JUST THE GOOD VIBES RIGHT NOW. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I'M JUST A HAPPY CAMPER THIS DAY.

Okay so I just want to say right now that when things get tough, they will get better. I can testify of that statement because the beginning of this week had to be the hardest of my whole mission. I've been in this area Talca my whole mission and we have not had a single baptism. We've had 1 fecha and it fell and hardly any investigators. We have been working so hard for so long to find absolutely no fruits to our labors and it really got to me this week. We had 10 citas at the beginning of this week, 7 of them fell, one of the people Cecilia called us to basically "break up" with us and say she didn't want any more of the gospel, we haven't been able to find Andrea for almost a week and a half now and it has been so cold. We had to say goodbye to our mission president and Friday I got super sick and couldn't work. We were just feeling sooo sorry for ourselves and really just lost all that was important to us this week as we were only focusing on the bad and none of the good. I could see where we were going so I told Hermana Blake we should probably fast. So as we started our fast on Saturday... the week started to turn around in a way a little unexpected...

So Saturday we had a service opportunity with Yolli and her mom finishing paining her house. As we were leaving, a thought came into my mind to ask Hermana Blake if she had the keys, but being stupid I didn't say anything until I heard the door slam and lock. She didn't have the keys and as I was looking for the phone in my purse, I didn't have the phone. So we were a lil stranded but decided to head to our service activity and call the elders from Hermana Yollis phone. So we were on our way to the service and a man literally jumped out of his car to talk to us and asked us if we could give his son a blessing. We took his name and number and headed to the service. We called the elders... and them being elders..... ugh didn't answer. So we were just like alright we are going to pray and hope for something cool to happen. As we were riding to lunch LOW AND BEHOLD THE ELDERS ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET IN OUR SECTOR. Me being the pshycho human I am screamed ELDERS ELDERS STOPPPP. They were able to contact the other Hermana's who live with us and told them to get back to the house after lunch to let us in so we could change and go back out ot work. So after we were done with lunch we waited outside our house for our roomies for about and hour and a half.  I had to go potty so bad but we were just waiting and talking and planning for our day. When the Hermana's got there Hermana Goodman thought at first that she didn't have the keys and I started laughing so hard I peed my pants. Literally. So you all know I am still the same old Kristen. We later continued working and searching for new poeple and just put our all in. We found some awesome poeple and we are so excited to work with them and see where they go!!!!

So this week was just a li'l crazy. We hit some lows but we also were happy to be working and serving the Lord. I think the Lord is stretching me right now. He's teaching me and it's hard and sometimes I want to cry and give up but after the trials I know it is always for the better. This whole mission thing has just been a crazy world of hard. It is so hard when investigators don't want to progess or go to church. It is so hard to watch people in pain from illness. It is so hard to get the door slammed in your face. It is so hard talking in a foreign language. It's hard to be out in the cold all day working for people who sometimes dont' want you there. but you know what I keep thinking. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HARD! 

This life is hard. We all go through hard things but the hard things are what make us better. If I had all investigators who were just like, BAPTIZE ME NOW, I wouldn't need to fast, pray and recieve revelation for them because they would know what to do.

The hardness is the plan we chose when we were in heaven. We didn't take the easy way out we chose to learn and to grow through difficulties. We chose to be in a little pain so we could have an eternity of glory AND HOW COOL IS THAT.

The best part is that Heavenly Father knew how hard it was going to be for each one of us so he sent us a way we could get through the hard times and be triumphant and that's through his loving son Jesus Christ and the gospel he established for us and the spirit of comfort and peace we recieve through that divine gospel.

I just want you to all know how grateful I am for that gift that I reviewed when I was 8 years old. I feel like it's taken me 10 years to see how amazing this gift is. But now I am starting to realize the peace that comes through the holy ghost. " y por el poder del espiritu santo podreis conocer la verdad de todas las cosas¨¨and through that gift I know my Savior lives and that my Father in Heaven loves me so dang much.

I know he has such great things in store for me and I might not be lucky enough to see the fruits of my labors right now but with how many seeds I've been planting, I know in the celestial kingdom, if I am just so lucky I will be able to see them then.

I love you all so much and I love this gospel with all my heart. I know with every part of me this is the same church Jesus Christ established when he was on the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was the worthy and honorable man we needed to restore it. I know that we are lucky enough now to have that gospel in our lives if we choose to have it. I know that the gift of the espiritu is the greatest gift we can recieve and thats why I'm here; to give that gift to others.

I hope you all have a great week and realize the gift you all have. 

Love

Hermana Hilburn

The Other Hermana's that live in our crib:)

It was so sad to say goodbye to this amazing woman. Sister Warne(Mission Presidents Wife)

 Going to Zone Conference!

Love this Comp. She is the best!

Who doesn't love a Teeter Totter!

mission life is good

New Mission news: Hermana's In Pants!

Wow another week flying by!!!!

This week really wasn't anything crazy at all. Just a lot of searching for new investigators, finding some, painting, freezing our buns off, basically being David and Goliath while teaching peeps and new mission news like wearing pants and all that jazz!!

Wow now that I list it out I guess it was a pretty crazy week but all the days are starting to blend together because of how fast time is starting to go now.

But yeah!!! This week we did a lot of contacting and trying to find new investigators and we found one sweet soul named Marlene!!!!! AND GUESS WHAT SHE HATES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, LITERALLY THE FIRST PERSON I'VE MEET IN CHILE.  No, but she was a very strong Catholic for a very long time but something went down in her church so she changed her faith to Jesus not Catholicism, which is so awesome. We taught her with one of the MOST AWESOME MEMEBER'S and she was just so prepared and awesome sauce and ya. She promised she would come to church but she didn't so we are going to see what happened this week!!

Then we finally found Andrea. I think Satan got a hold of her. She was telling us how she didn't want to take lessons anymore from us and how she thinks this isn't for her. Man, my heart broke and the tears almost started coming. But my compi and I just took a deep breath said little prayers in our hearts and had one of the coolest lessons I've ever had on the mish. The spirit was just so strong and by the end she said she wanted to give it one last try. So she said she would come to church and keep taking lessons. But she didn't come to church so please keep her in your prayers!!!!

We did a lot of painting this week for Yolli and her family because Yolli is doing really bad right now. Her cancer is starting to take over her legs so she can't walk right now so we've been over singing hymns and doing service for her family. Her mom is so sweet and really understands the plan of salvation because she knows she probably won't have too much time with her daughter, but she's enjoying every single day. ahhhhh it's so sad how much pain she's in but we are just doing all we can to help her not think about the pain by singing and reading the scriptures with her.

Also this week we got more information about the pant situation!!! We need to wear them because there is an outbreak disease in Argentina or somewhere close that prevents women form being able to get pregnant, so the prophet is making sure we don't get that. So starting with the new president(who arrives soon) we'll get money to buy really ugly pants!!! But hey it will be a lot better for biking!!!! We can also wear long skirts with tights and we have to wear long sleeves at all times!  And that means in the summer as well!! So we might die of heat stroke but no worries we are protected and I think the prophet knows what he's talking about so I'm not too worried.

So that was my week!!!!! Time is starting to really fly by. I've been out for almost 5 months now what the heck!!!!! I still feel like fresh out of the MTC but can now talk a little better Spanish. I am still learning and growing every singe day!!! Love you guys and the church is true. Be awesome member's that help the missionaries find people because you guys ARE the real missionaries. THE GOSPEL IS GOOD SO SHARE IT!!!!!

Love

Hermana Hilburn

 Doing a little painting and paint brush singing

 It's so cold She needs two coats!

New Companion!

Hola familia commmoooo estannnn!!!!!!

This week just flew by and also was really slow because it was a lil strange but all is well!!!!

Let me first just tell you about my cute new compi!!! Her name is Hermana Blake and she's just this cute little blonde gal whos from Spokane, Washington!!!! She is super awesome and so excited to do the work and it's already been just a great 4 days together!!!! I love her so much already and I can't wait for the great things this cambio will have to offer!!!!

But this week was just a bit strange because it was a lot of traveling and not a lot of like work. My compi's bus was late then got lost on Tuesday so me and Hermana Owen (a sweet gal in the other zone) were waiting in the terminal for like 7 hours, no joke for our new companions. But it was a great time just to talk. She is really struggling with Spanish so I was mostly there just to help her realize we are all struggling but it was such a good time just to let all the jitters out while waiting. I just love that gal so dang much!!!

Then I got my new compi!! Then the 1st lesson we taught, we invited her to be baptized and she said YES! It was such an amazing day!! Change is real hard sometimes but it's also incredibly awesome!! New insights and new opinions which is always needed. And Hermana Blake has some great ones. She has 9 months in the mish so she's like the perfect balance of experienced and teachable. We have set some really high goals for our sector and we are working so hard to meet all them!! But then my compi had to head to Rancagua for a meeting because she's a sister training leader and I was put with the sweetest most awesome Hermana. Hermana Sarmiento. She is this adorable Columbian that is 33 years old and has problems with her hearing and can't communicate very well! But she has the strongest spirit I've ever felt from anyone. She also has the best attitude and we just worked our butts off in the freezing cold contacting everyone in sight and finding new people to listen to the good news of the gospel!!!

Then Sunday came along and our investigator Jennifer didn't come to church when she promised she would and neither did Andrea and it really broke my heart just a lil bit. It's realllyyyy hard because we know how important it is for them but they don't understand. But I feel like that's how the Savior feels about us when we break the commandments. He knows it's so important but we don't quite understand. But he still loves us so much anyway and how awesome is that!!!!

I just love my Savior and I just always try to focus on Him when we have bad days because he already suffered so why do I need to? OH YEAH THATS RIGHT WE DONT!! I'm so grateful for Him and the knowledge of His love for me!!!! This week I just ask that you guys put our sector, Independencia B in your prayers because we need a lil help. It's a lil stressful because there's so much pressure on me knowing that I'm leading the sector and I'm struggling just a lil. But DON'T WORRY BECAUSE THIS TRANSFER WE ARE GOING TO KILL IT HERMANA BLAKE AND I!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Hermana Hilburn

 Saying goodbye to Hermana Peralta.. She will be missed

 New Companion....Hermana Blake

 Winter in Chile

A week of goodbyes to Hermana Peralta

Ahhhhh what a sad week!!!

This week was a lot of saying goodbyes for Hermana Peralta and wow the ward seriously loves her so so much. She truly was just such an amazing missionary and I'm going to miss her so much!

But I'm staying in Talca, in my same ward and I'm not going to lie I'm a little nervous. It's a little weird being the leader and being out of my training but don't worry it will all be just fine!!

I meet my new companion tomorrow. Her name is.... Hermana.... Blake?  I think, I don't remember but she's a greeenga from Utah and has been in the mission for 9 months, so it should be fun!!! I'm excited to be with someone new!! But I'm going to miss my companion so much, she's such an awesome one ahhhhh. It's hard because after 3 months of being with someone 24/7 it's a little weird when they leave. But all is well!!! Last night we said goodbye and dropped her off at the airport and the heart strings were being plucked that's for sure!!!

I can't believe it's already been 4 MONTHS, WHAT THE HECK WHERE DID THE TIME GO????? I remember after one month in the MTC I was like, this is going to go by so slow, but here we are at month 4???? ahhhhhhhhhhhh but it's pretty awesome. I'm done with my training and I'm a real missionary now. ahhh it's pretty insane!!! But I'm ready and I have my Father in Heaven on my side.  I just feel Him so close everyday and especially with our investigators!!

Andreas fecha(teaching appointment) fell because she expressed to us how she isn't sure that there's a God and that he loves her and that lesson was a little heartbreaking. She has a lot of problems in her family that has led her to believe that and it just breaks my heart thinking that. But I told her that there's no need to worrry because right now she can lean on my testimony. I told her that the more she wants to know her Father in Heaven the more He will show himself to her. It just was so sad that she didn't know how much her Father in Heaven loves her. Then I was so grateful for the knowledge I've had since a youngin' that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me. 

So don't forget that friends and family!!  When we are faced with hard things this is when we really have to remember the things we know with all of our heart and not lose faith. When we realize the greatness of our Father in Heaven it is so much easier to do all the other small things in the world!! I feel like I had to tell myself this very good advice I gave my investigator. I'm a bit nervous to be leading the sector and to get to know all the investigators without someone to fall back on. But I know that I have a Father in Heaven who will help me so why do I need to be worrried??? I don't right¿?¿ right!!!

Well I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week. Alway's remember He lives and He loves you!!

Hermana Hilburn

It's Raining Blessings

Thank you all for your prayers for my sweet compy we really felt them!!! For those fo you who don't know my companions bag was stolen last p-day with her scriptures, all her photos, all her memories of the mission and her money. So it was real rough as the week started off. Oh and it rained every single day.. BUT DON'T YOU WORRY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES HIS MISSIONARIES.

It was really hard for both my compy and I to understand why this horrible thing happened to her just 10 days before she left for her home. She and I were both really sad, frustrated and a little angry about what had happened. Monday and Tuesday my companion was so sad mostly because the loss of her scriptures becasue she was so proud of the work she put into those beautiful things and she was devastated to not have them anymore. She also wouldn't have any of the pictures talks, or music from her whole mission. And to make life a little more dreary it rained so hard for 5 days in a row and it was just really rough. These past couple days have been spent on our knees praying for comfort and peace and help with the work.

AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW THE LORD HELPS US. No he didn't give Hermana Peralta's bag back to her with everything in it but he helped strengthen her. He also gave me the words to say to help her and also the people we needed to teach to help her and man it was just so awesome to see the Lords hand in our week!!!

Tuesday we found this really cute couple to teach and it was pouring rain all day and we couldn't find anyone. And when I say pouring I really mean it because here in Talca, it is known as the city of thunder. There was lightening and thunder and so much rain we could barely walk. But we both wanted to focus on other things and help others and the Lord put THESE AWESOME PEOPLE IN OUR PATH! We both cried a little after the lesson because of how amazing it was and the spirit that was there and I knew it was help for Hermana Peralta to focus on other things and it helped.

But I feel like I learned something real cool this week. That the Lord doesn't always answer our prayers like we hope. Both Hermana Peralta and I wanted her purse to show up on our door step and it never did. But he sent people in the ward and companions to help us through trials. We don't understand why things are hapeening but we don't need to. All we need to know is that we don't need to worry that he will help us and he loves us so much to do that. He also has such a greater plan for us and we just gotta trust in Him.

I'm seriously so sad my compy is going to be leaving me next week. It's so crazy how in a mission we can literally love and be friends with anyone. She has taught me so much and has touched so many lives in the mission.

Don't forget Gods plan for us family and friends. Put your trust in Him. He loves you all and he sure does love my comp. Look for the little blessings becasue when we do we can have a little bit of happiness!!!!!!

Love you all and keep my comp in your prayers. Oh and I guess throw me in there too. I'm not perfect and I need all the help I can get hahah but I know that with my saviors help I can do it!!!!!!!!

Love you all

Hermana Hilburn

 Party for Hermana Peralta

 Gotta Keep Warm

Mirror Selfies

Amazing Blessings this Week!

Hola fam bam!!!!!

This week was a whirlwind of goodness!!!!!!! Both my comp and I were so nervous to start the week because we only had 3 citas for the whole week and we just were a little bugged that we would have to contact all week and find new investigators. But on Monday when we started work, we both decided that we were so ready and pumped to find those people and LET ME TELL YOU WE SEARCHED; THE LORD HELPED US AND WE FOUND. I really saw the hand of the Lord in our work and he be liften us higher and higher!!!!!

It was also raining this week which meant we were on our feet walking. But I think we were supposed to do that because I was able to help my comp with her worries about home. She goes home in 2 weeks and this sweet angel comp of mine has a difficult life. Like real tough! When she goes home she doesn't know where she's living and what she's going to do so we spent all day Wednesday talking about it and helping her figure out what she was going to do. So we talked about it for half of the day and then we said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help her forget her problems and focus on helping others. After the prayer it was like BOOOOMMMMMMMMMM HELP FROM HEAVENLY FATHER. We haven't found new investigators in a week and we found 4 in one day! It was possibly the coolest thing. The people were basically begging us to come into their house and let us teach them and we were just like, stop begging, we are here. It was just so awesome!

One couple that we found are so interesting. They are both like HARD CORE CATHOLICS. Like practicing and everything... hahah which makes them hardcore here because everyone else isn't practicing. But they invited us in and we just started talking about how they couldnt believe there were prophets on the earth today. I just got real nervous, especially because Jorge knows just about every verse in the bible by heart, because he is a professor of religion at a catholic university. So we were a little nervous as we entered the the house but right as we said the prayer the spirit came in like a rock through the window. They didn't want to fight anything we said. They were just like,e oh yeah that makes sense. So we left them with the Book of Mormon and 2 of the folletas because they love to read and made another cita with them. When we left their house hermann Peralta just looks at me and says, ¨that was the coolest lesson ever!  I remembered everything from the bible that I've studied before". I was just like, "same!" ahhhhhhhh it was so cool. I felt like David going up against Goliath and the coolest part was that I was talking and not carrying the lesson but almost. ahhh God rocks! He just helped us so much and it was just so great!!!!

It was really cool seeing the hand of the Lord in our work.

I love you all and I'm so grateful for all your emails. 

Hermana Hilburn

While Kristen was writing this email her companion's bag was stolen! Kristen felt so bad because she had asked kristen to watch it while she got up for a minute. Kristen was so busy writing this email and so happy about the great week she had, that she didn't even hear or see anyone take it. Please keep her and her companion in your prayers this week. Her companion already is going home to a lot of hard stuff and it would be a huge blessing for her to be able to find her bag. Thanks for all of your love and support.

Teri

Happy To Talk to the Fam

HELLO FAMILIA OF MINE WHOM I LOVE SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!

This week roooccckkkkeeedddd especially because I got to talk to my dearest family and it was so great to see their lovely faces. Shout out to the Hilburns, you really are the coolest fam out there. But I'm feeeeellinggg ALIVE AND READY TO WORK MY BUTT OFF AND SAVE SOME SOULS OUT HERE IN CHILLLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

This week was awesome sauce. We had a zone conference and interviews with president which was so nice. He's so awesome and just is such an inspired dude I'm so sad he's leaving next month but I know that our next president is going to be just as amazing!!!!

We've just been working so hard to help our investigators progress and just help them see how awesome the gospel is but some people just don't want to listen!! But don't worry we aren't giving up because as reps of Jesus Christ we can't, because our savior will never give up on any of us. ahhhhh He's so awesome and I love how much he has done for every single one of us!!!!!

This week we threw a little party for this cute lady in our ward that doesn't have any family living close by her for her birthday. We also sang in a funeral so you know MISSION LIFFEEEEE!!! Lots of crazy experiences every single week!!! Then we went to Conti for p-day this week which is a little beach town 2 hours away and becasue of this I don't have a ton of time to write today because we sitll have to do all our stuff for the week!! But know I love you and that I'm sending all my love from Chile!! Have a great week and do great things friends, because we will be happier if we help others.

I love you all!

Hermana Hilburn One of the favorites. Hermana Janzick

 Companion Hermana Peralta

 All the Hermana's in the Zone

 Gave this sweet sister a little Birthday Party this week

Home sweet home