November 8, 2017 P-Day #80 She's Comin' HOME!!!

I'm comin' home🎶I'm comin' home🎶 Tell the world I'm comin' homeee🎶

Well friends, this is it! I am headed back to my lovely Utah in just two days! 

This week has been surreal! It still doesn't really feel real that in 2 days I am getting on a plane and  will be seeing all you at the end of an escalator! This year and a half has been magical. I have laughed, I have cried, and I have laughed until I cried. I have made friends that will last more than a lifetime.  I have been at ultimate highs and ultimate lows. But I would NEVER trade a single moment. I have come so deeply to understand the healing and changing power of the Atonement. Change. Change. Change. THIS is what I have learned the most of over the course of my whole mission. Change is ALWAYS possible!  I struggled so hard at the beginning of my mission to forgive. I felt I could pick and choose who got the enabling power of the Atonement. But I was SO wrong! Christ isn't just there for some...He is there for EVERYONE. Every single person who has ever lived, Christ came to save. But, it wasn't just that single moment, He saves us everyday. I have been forever blessed and changed to see this first hand happen time and time again here in the Canada Halifax Mission. 

I saw this story this week and it really touched me:

"I had a Church assignment for three years and I taught religion at the county jail. Elder Holland came to talk to us, and I’ll never forget what he said. He said, “If Christ were to come tomorrow, we know the first place He would be is the temple, but we also know the next place He would be is in a place like this.” There is hope and there is opportunity for us. The Savior will literally save us. But we can help be His hands. I think we need to do more like what Elder Holland talks about. Be kinder, more sensitive to people’s needs, be more willing to accept them, be more willing to help them. I think that’s what we need to do. While it takes an entire village to raise a child, we believe it takes an entire community to save one. And I think that’s the challenge to all of us—to be that one, to be that person to reach out."

I think this is SO important! I may be ending my missionary service, but I am NOT ending my church service.  I am going to change the world when I get back. one person at a time ...so be ready (;

I cannot wait to just squeeze the heck outta every single one of you!!! Thank you so much for going on this journey with me. I have truly felt every prayer. I could not have done any of this without you. 

-Sister Hird (for the time whaaaa) 

Here are some pictures of my last week!

p.s I died my hair and was going to not send any pic so it was a surprise...but I want you to know who I am at the airport (; Plus my funeral service was too good not to share

  

Goodbye to the Morphy's :,(

 

We volunteer at the food bank and sister S made me jewelry out of some sweet potato roots...
#realtionshipgoals hahah I am going to miss her!! 

October 31, 2017 P-Day #79 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

This is the end...hold your breath and count to ten🎶 (yup 10 days left)

Ahhhh I am in my last full week as a missionary and it still just doesn't feel quite real!! I don't think it will hit me until I am home and badge-less..and maybe not even then!! It really is true that on your mission home feels like a dream that you remember but didn't really happen and I can't imagine it being a reality again!

This week was crazy (as always) God really gets me and knows the busy life, especially here at the end is sooo good for me!!

We traveled to Kentville where I did my training again for another group of missionaries (: 

I conducted an exchange this week and we also moved apartments! Seriously guys, best for lasst! We are living in the Hilton I swear!! Its dreamy....😍

We were able to meet with Heidi twice and she is so so good!! We are having a movie night with her on Friday and watching 17 miracles as a last shabang!

It is getting sad as I am saying goodbye to people for the last time :( So many amazing friends I have to leave! But, I know that i would have met them no other way and that we will always be friends!

Sister S fits in my suitcase, so I've decided to bring her home with me (: 

Love love you all!! I can't believe that next week I get to SEE you!!

I have loved every minute of being a missionary and am so glad I still have a week and a half to preach the gospel to everyone!! My mission was the best thing I ever could have done for my life. Losing my life in the service of others has been how I found life so full of joy and I will never be the same!

Sista Hird 

She's bringing Sister S. home with her :)  We're fine with it!  Lol!

October 24, 2017 P-Day #78

If I had to describe this week in one word it would be nutso!

We were in Bridge water for District meeting Wednesday morning then we had to drive to Amherst that night for a mission leadership meeting the next morning in Moncton! 

The meeting went really well! I love getting to see missionaries from all over!! AND I got to see my 1st baby, Sister Goodsell!! I am so so glad! I was worried I wouldn't get to see her again before I headed home, but God provided!! She was also reunited with the missionary she trained, Sister Cartwright (my granddaughter) so we took a family photo (: Sadly the sister Sister C. trained wasn't there! I am a great grandma...OLD OLD OLD! 

I gave an hour long training on how the mission will now work with members. President decided that he wants us to work with members more and he also decided that I was the one who decided how...no pressure (: But I think it went well, and now its over....except I have to train the District leaders on it now woo woo (: So that was all day Thursday. 

Then we spent Friday running around getting supplies for a tailgate...yes president approved us doing a tailgate for the Acadia football game in Kentville with the elders! We got all the fixings for 200 hot dogs and then all day Saturday we gave them away free with mormon.org cards, pamphlets and Book of Mormons! It was a blast! President even let us go and watch the game after!! #blessed

Around all these events we also met with Heidi, Glenna and Aiden, Sarah and Marilyn and Peter!! 

Sarah is SO cool! She knows everything about everything! Her questions are so deep! I am pretty sure she lives on Mormon.org!! She is reading the Tattooed Mormon Book (thanks for sending that mama) and LOVING it! Her big hold up is the commitment of baptism! But I know she'll get there! God gives her SO MANY signs!! Every time she tells us about them I hum the twilight zone theme song to her, I think she's getting it haha

ALSO! This past Friday I hit my 18 month mark..whaaaa! Its so crazy! I thought my whole mission went fast...but nothing could be faster than this transfer! I have 2 p-days after this....😯 

Being a sister missionary is my favorite and I am so glad I have 2 more weeks to be one!! Then I get to come and squeeze all of you! ❤

-Sista McKell Hird

           xoxo

October 17, 2017 P-Day #77

This past week was surreal!! 

I had my last zone conference and had to give my departing testimony!! 

I have felt different since, I think it made it all real 😬 I am at this weird stage where I know it is ending I am feeling lot of excitement about getting to be in Utah again, but I have had to say goodbye to anyone yet so the sadness and finality of it had just not hit...but I know it will...and when it does it will be hard!! I hit my 18 months this Friday..HOW??? Good thing I still have 3 weeks to keep doing my sister thing! We have so many things ahead that I feel like time is going to fly by even fast than it already is.... ahhhhh 

This week was so fun!! Heidi our wonderful investigator is teaching us how to play let it go on the piano 10 min before all our lessons starting last week (: After our first piano lesson I was like, "dang! I wish we had a way to practice" and then the senior sister missionary with us told us the elders had a keyboard they don't used, so we called them up and had a keyboard 10 minutes later #blessed I'll be playing like a pro by the time I am home! 

We also got to go apple picking with the ward!! Our investigator Marilyn came! LOVE HER! She is Louises sister in law (: 

Sister S and I had to run to costco to buy some candy for a youth event we are hosting....we pasted a big bin of teddy bears and just couldn't resist...(: Sister S named hers costco and I died!! ahhh I am going to miss my little finnish friend! 

This morning we went to the titanic grave yard! It was cool! I found my boy Jack!! 

LOVE YOU ALL!! 

-Sista McKell Hird 

October 9, 2017 P-Day #76

Oh whattttaaa weeek!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA CANUCKS 

Oh fam life is gooood!! We just competed in a CHM Turkey Bowl!!! Woo woo (I've decided we're doing one in Utah too, so be prepared) 

I have ONE MONTH from tomorrow...whaaaa?!?!?! How does that even happen??? 

First things first, we went to the zoo after emailing last week...it was THE BEST!! It was just like, "we bought a zoo" it was a cute little farm zoo with a big white houes of the family who lives there!! They had farm animals like goats and llamas that you could pet, but they also had lions and tigers and bears (oh my) and much much more!! I didn't even know of my love for llamas until this day!! They are THE BEST! One was like my bff, he followed me around the whole time! We got very close..as you can tell from the pictures...(: I got the princess and the frog and emperors new groove mixed up..honest mistake 

Yet another wonderful adventure this week....We didn't have a chance to do laundry on p-day because we were running around like crazy, so we decided to just do it asap the next morning so it was done before we had to leave the apartment....We go down to the first floor to put some $$ on our laundry card PJ's and all.  We didn't even turn the light on in the laundry room because it was like 6:30am and we hear this weird noise...and I say, "oh its just the drier or something" But I decided to check behind the door just incase....and there HE was!! I homeless man had somehow gotten into our apartment and was sleeping on the floor of our laundry room!! My head almost hit the ceiling I jumped so high! ....so many adventures, such a short amount of time!

This week was just FULL of tender mercies! God is sure giving me much to be grateful for!! 

We had  a meal with Peter (Louis's brother and recent convert) and his wife Marilyn and this engraved bookmark was waiting for us in our spots (: We had talked to them about the whole first name thing I mentioned a few weeks back and so they did this for us! Soooo sweeeeet!! They said, "you've just done so much for us its the least we could do!!" Sister S and I were so touched!! 

I also got to host an exchange with the Halifax sisters..sooo I got to see my people the Morphy's!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh I just love them with my whole entire soul! I am going to miss them sooo much! But, I know that wasn't the last time I will see them before I got home! They said, "ohhh no! We are not saying goodbye now! We'll come to Sackville if we have to!" But I think on my last few days I'll get to visit some people, including them (: ( I forgot to take a picture with them until we were in the car...so I hurried and jumped out and got this awkward porch pic haha) 

Oh life is just peachy...except my last zone conference is this week and I am really sad about it!! I have to give my farewell testimony 😬

I love love love youuuu! 

I am so grateful for all of you and your support💛❤

   

  -xoxo Nova Scotia Girl 💋

(that is how I sign all the messages I send to my zone bahaha) 

Sister Hird

Canada Halifax Mission

October 3, 2017 P-Day #75

Oh what a weeeek! 

Its official! I am in my last transfer!! I am sooo old...and EVERYONE feels it’s their duty to remind me all the time haha! Speakin of...that reminds me of a funny story of the week. I was in a zone leadership skype and I am the only sister in it because I'm the only Stl in the zone so it's me and 8 elders. At the beginning I was giving this elder a referral of someone we met, but lived in Halifax, then this other elder goes,"ohhh Sister Hird, I have a referral for you!!" So I was like sweeeet and pulled out my planner to start writing it down. He tells me this guys name and address...in utah and then tells me all the things he enjoys doing and I was just sitting there SO confused and all the other Elders are just laughing so hard and one of them clues me in that I was receiving a marriage referral.... 😐 Life in the last transfer is interesting to say the least haha 

This week was amazing! 

We let with Louise for the 2nd and last time :( She is now home! But I am so confident that she will meet with missionaries in Ontario!! We taught her the plan of salvation and it was just as spiritual as the first lesson if not more! She cared for her husband with a terminal illness until he passed away a few years ago and as we taught the plan of salvation she was just crying and told us,          "when my husband was dying he told me this! He didn't have religious background! He told me about the paradise, the prison, the three kingdoms and I didn't know where it came from and the religious leaders from other faiths told him he was crazy! But, THIS, THIS is what he was talking about! It makes so much sense now!!!"

It was amazing!!! We testified to her that she could be with her husband forever, she just needed to be baptized and sealed and she just nodded her head as the tears spilled out. What a blessing it was to teach and meet her! She said as we were leaving, "I KNOW there is a reason I met you two girls specifically. God has a plan and you were part of mine" 

Ahhh moments like that are what us missionaries live for!

Conference was AMAZING! I just loved it all! How blessed we are to have such devoted and loving men and women who talk to God and then pass on the info!! One of my favorite thoughts was from Joy D. Jones:

"Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness. They are not the same. Spiritual worthmeans to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. “God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever.”3

On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. As President Brigham Young taught: “The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth … is worth worlds.”4 No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father."

We will ALWAYS have worth to our Father in Heaven, Always! It's not about what you did or didn't do. It’s about WHO you are and who God is. He is your Father and He loves you. 

Oh life is just dreamy here in Sackville!!  

We have so many fun things this transfer! Next Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving so my p-day will be then instead of Tuesday (: I am just so blessed! Thanksgiving here and then at home!! #winning

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!! 

-Sister Hird 

September 27, 2017 P-Day #74

Well friends...I am going to be spending my last 6 weeks here in Sackville with Sister Silvennionen as an STL!!! Wooo no changes for three transfers now...I'm starting to feel spoiled!! I am really really happy!! I LOVE Sackville and am so glad it’s where I get to be twinkled....everyone says you die as a mission but let’s be real it’s just like death in the millennium...I'll just change in the twinkling of an eye once I've reached a ripe old mission age (: 

Peter, our recent convert (he was baptized by my mission mama Sister Anderson, this past December) has his sister, Louise, in town from Ottawa and while she is here she wants to meet with us!! We taught her the restoration and it was probably the most spiritual lesson I've had my whole mission!! She just absorbed it all up and cried through a lot of it! When I recited the first vision to her the first thing she said when I finished was, "I HAVE CHILLS ALL OVER" It was amazing! The power of the Holy Ghost was so unrestrained because she was so open to feel it!! 

We are teaching her the plan of salvation tonight!! Woooo  

We also got to teach a sweet little old lady in our building, Marian! She is 84 and SO cute!! She is having us over for "squares" once a week and we get to teach her (: 

I love Sackvile and Sister S. so this transfer will be a dream! A very quick dream if it goes by as fast as this one did!! 

I start something called my plan Monday, it’s like a reverse missionary training...it trains you how to go home and get married hahahhaha...yes this transfer will be dreamy indeed 😂

My mission has changed me so much and I intend to stay changed and I am glad I have 6 more weeks to work and be even better (: 

Loves to my loves 

-Sister McKell Hird or as everyone here calls me...The Bird🐦 

             Xoxo

September 19, 2017 P-Day #73

Ohh my soul!! You'll never believe it....we went on exchanges this week and guess what we got????? LICE. Yup you read that right. Lice. And if you are thinking to yourself, "wait didn't she get fleas too?" The answer is also yes. "And she had a mouse??" Yup, that too! I'm not serving in a 3rd world country like some of you wished for me....but don't you worry, still getting the experiences 😊 

Thankfully after the fleas I've really mellowed out. I didn't even cry once...okay that’s a lie...I did cry because I was laughing so hard at Sister King wiggin' out hahah (pictured below) Which lead to Sister Gillett telling me I am a Psycho haha then I found this sweatshirt today...so obviously I had to take a picture with it!! 

So that basically sums up my week! We went down to Bridgewater so I could conduct an exchange and after being there a whole day and night one of the sisters came out of the bathroom crying and told us the news.   A member in their ward had them and passed them too...then they got passed to us! We didn't actually find any in our hair, but since we had been there with them for a night the chances there were eggs was high...so we got to do the 9 hour hair treatment too! We stayed inside all day studying deep doctrine and playing jenga #dreams

Like so much more happened this week but it's all a blur and nothing is more attention grabbing than lice....Sooo that's all I have for you this week!!!

Lots of love!

When you have a rough day this week just remember...McKell had Lice 😂

-Sister McKell Hird (lice girl...uh and right when people quit calling me flea girl...it was nice while it lasted)

I think she may be on to something~!

LICE!!!!  Ewwww!

September 12, 2017 P-Day #72

Hello fall!

It's getting quite chilly up here in Atlantic Canada! Good thing I got the light of Christ to keep me warm (getting cheesy is just a part of mission life..I accept it) 

This week was pure insanity! I think I was with Sister S. like 1 full day all week!! 

I had a leadership conference for two days this week...SO FUN! It was basically all the leaders in the mission getting together, being uplifted, singing campfire songs, and roasting marshmallows (: #blessed I learned so so much!! One of my favorite trainings was about being yourself and owning it! Be you, God doesn't want you to be anyone else...because if he did he would have made you them..but no! You are you, so be it (: 

Highlight of the week, I exchanged with the Halifax sisters on Sunday so I got to go to my old ward! It was a blast!!! I got to see all my old friends! Which was soooo fun!! They were all sooo confused why I was back haha! I got to be with Laur and Belle!!! Woooo! On a mission you just make friends that will last a life time!!! 

Like my dearest Sister Bair!! Who I got to exchange with yesterday (Monday). LOVE her!! We just have a party and a half together!! I am so so sad she leaves in 2 weeks 😢 BUT that's all good because we are both going to be at BYUI....oh yeah...I GOT IN💙💙!!!! 

Life is great!! SO many miracles here and at home! Missions are amazing! 

-Sister McKell Hird

            ^^^^^

We had training on our names at leadership conf. it was given by an Elder who just headed home! Something I love that he said was, "I want you all to think of your first names....now don't shudder because its not bad haha" (seriously it's the weirdest thing ever...as a missionary somehow your first name gets all weird and feels wrong) The lesson behind this and our names was that on a mission I've become better and  become, "Sister Hird" and somehow Sister Hird is not McKell.  Mckell has become who I was and Sister Hird is the new me....but the problem with this?? Well, in 2 months I am going to be McKell again...which means I am the old me....which is not good because new me is much cooler (; Sooo I am going to work on being McKell again so that it becomes who I am, not who I was☀

September 5, 2017 P-Day #71

Awesome week!!! 

I got some answers to some decisions I have to make for when I am home because its like a transfer and a half away 😶😬😅

I had a cool experience with it this week I thought I would share you with you friends(: 

I originally had decided on attending UVU in Provo but felt I just wasn’t receiving the answers I was asking for in prayer regarding school. I was asking and asking about my career choice (with UVU already picked) and was just receiving no answers.  Then I got an email from a sister I served with who is home now. In the email she was talking about BYUI and how she loves it there then, the spirit spoke so strongly to me that I needed to consider attending there. I started to pray about about it. I changed from asking  what, to where.  That’s when the answers started to come.  I felt that Heavenly Father was telling me I need to be in Idaho, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled about it! I want to be in Utah...my place with my people!!  But still I was getting BYU-I as my answer. Then while I was at a corn boil in Kentville (on exchanges) a non-member was asking me about my plans after my mission and specifically about school.  I told him I was undecided still and then internally was contemplating my options when I looked up and saw some random guy wearing  a BYU-Idaho sweatshirt....oh God, you get me...this blonde needs these kind of answers....so clear I cannot be confused! Haha sooo surprise! I am really excited about it now!!

It was a good reminder that sometimes we don't get answers because we are not listening...to anything but what we want to hear! I am sure Nephi wasn't thrilled to head back to Jerusalem to get the plates, but he went and did because it was God's will (1 Nephi 3:7) God has so much more for us than we can even imagine! We just have to make our plans, His plans so we can accomplish it all!☀

We had a crazy week with exchanges and all that fun!

Tender mercy of the week...I was telling sister S how much I miss my fav broccoli salad from home... then the next day at zone conference WE HAD it! But, the miracle did not stop there...we went straight to a dinner appointment with a member right after...where WE HAD IT AGAIN (but even better, homemade)!!! Then, the next day at the corn boil (the revelatory one) THEY HAD IT AGAIN! I haven't had it in 16 months then I have it 3 times in 2 days...ask and ye shall receive friends 😂

Peace and blessin's, peace and blessin's

Lots of love!

-Sister Hird 🐧

Xoxo

Homecoming Date!!!

Favorite Broccoli Salad - Utah Style

August 29, 2017 P-Day #70

WHAT TEAM??? Wildcats!

Guys I am just high on life this week!!! What gooood times!!! 

Our investigators are doing wonderful, Sister S and I are doing good, and THE MORPHY'S GOT SEALED!! Whaaaa! As predicted... Best. Day. Ever. 

It was us, the two elders that were working them and Bro Mo's parents and when the sealer came in he scanned the room and said, "everyone here?" to Which Sis Mo replied, "everyone important" I feel so so blessed to have been a tiny party of their journey and had the chance to be there (: Shout out to Pres Pratt for being the real MVP!! 

This week we got to exchange with the Halifax sisters in Halifax! So I was back with my people (and I got to go teach the Morphy's...saw them twice in one week??? Blessed) I got to spend half day with my friend and former companion sister Kiser and with her new companion Sister Cahoon, who I now just adore! We also got to attend a RS conference with our Investigator Marilyn, and her friend in the ward Rosalita hung out with all of us the whole time too...oh Roselita says the darnedest things haha She said, "wanna know the trick to giving out Book of Mormons??? You say, 'do you want to live another day?? Then you better take this book...or I'll kill you" Good advice I'd say, I'll try it on door approaches (; 

The conference was really good! The opening speaker was Brother Cartier the seminary director of all of Atlantic Canada. He is amazing and he spoke on something that really touched me, so I wanted to share: 

One of his quotes was, "The gospel of Jesus Christ is NOT about YOU being good enough.  It is about Christ being good enough."

My thoughts on that:

Why as humans do we expect so so much from ourselves sometimes??? How many times have you felt broken, useless and like there wasn't a point because you were holding yourself to a standard you gave yourself, something that God isn't requiring of you just quite yet? Well, STOP NOW!!! Breathe. Give yourself some grace and turn to Jesus.  Your God does not want you to ever feel like you aren't enough, because you ARE!! You are enough because you are exactly who God made you. This life is a time for Happiness (2 nephi 2:25) Don't get caught up in the things you don't feel perfect at and don't expect to do it alone! That was never part of the plan! TRUST JESUS! Turn to Him, turn to your God and ask HIM what he wants you to work on and than work on that one thing! Do not let unnecessary burdens weigh you down, let Christ do His job and set you free. ☀

LOVE  YOU ALL!!! 

Be free 💛

-Sista Hird

This morning we went an exlpored Peggy's Cove, a really famous light house up here this morning with the Halifax and Cole Harbour Sisters (: Party party! And the mermaid pose was a must, as always (: 

Laur and I 

We acted out some bible stories for Aiden...so obvi I was the virgin Mary 

Laur and McKell

Mermaid Kilmer and Mermaid Hird

The Virgin Mary

August 22, 2017 P-Day #69

Hey fam! 

I hope your week has been a dream...because mine sure has 😇

This week we got to go to the temple as a mission AND Sister S and I get to go again tomorrow!!! FOR THE SEALING!!! My life is complete!! I could die of joy!! 

This week we taught and found and it was fun! 

The only thing really out of the norm this week is that they are doing a special counsel thing this transfer where the stl's meet with two elders (the mission trainers) and we go over stl things and  role play and stuff...hahah it was too funny! So I got to practice telling "sister" Ipson and "sister" Larson (the elders pretending to be sisters for the role play) that they needed to improve their contacting skills and not talk about how a cute and elder was or something HAHA talk about hysterical! Their critique for me was that I need to smile less when giving correction...I told them I think that will be easier when the sister I am correcting, is in fact a SISTER hahahah funny funny dayyy 

Also this week as pictured below ( I know quality face right there) I was eating some toffee like 3 min before a lesson that a lady gave us when...snap snap snap my permanent retainer fell out...half way! So I got to teach our investigator Glena and her 10 year old Recent convert grandson with a metal chain hanging out of my mouth....that went in and out as I breathed....party! But thankfully I found an awesome ortho who fixed it for free! Bless the kindness of the Canadians

We also got to see the eclipse up here! Talk about...cool..kind of! There was sooo much buzz about I was expecting it to be like the dead of night mid day....not so much haha but thankfully a wonderful member Sister Johnson gave us these cool glasses that we looked so cool in so we could see it without going blind (: 

This week we also got to attend a baptism in Halifax and I got to see my girl Abby!! (the one who thinks her doll has my face) She is too cute! She calls me princess and is just quite the character..love it! She is going to be a killer missionary one day! 

Life is good here in Sackville! One of our recent converts of about 6 months wife became an investigator this week!! Wooo! She is in the early stages of dementia so it is hard for her to learn, but after going to church for a year she is opened up a lot and is ready to be taught the lessons at her pace (: 

Love ya b'ys 

-Sista Hird

    xoxo 

Also Shout out to mama Bond!!! A faithful blog reader ever since she found out that her daughter was coming to this mission! The first time I met her daughter, Sister Bond and introduced myself as her STL, her jaw dropped and she said, "okay so I like know your whole mission because my mom is obsessed with you and would read your blog to me all the time" Woooo Mama Bond, I am YOUR #1 fan 

Broken Permanent Retainer

Sister Hird and Abby

The Eclipse August 21, 2017

August 16, 2017 P-Day #68 TRANSFER WEEK

Transfer weeks always fly by! (but then again I am pretty sure I start everyone of these saying how fast the week has gone..haha but really it does!)

Sister S and I get to stay in our crib in Sackville 😎 SO HAPPY!

This week was busy!! Woo woo busy is the best!! 

Sarah is doing so so good! I just love her! She is a wonderful human! We are like Bff's!! She seriously knows everything! Its crazy!!! She studies like cray cray! I LOVE it!!! If only everyone had her fire!!!

Glena is also doing really good! Her and Aiden are a really good support system to each other! Aiden doesn't eat so healthy and Glena needs to get off her last 5 cigarettes a day, so we made a cute little sticker chart for them! Every time Aiden tries a new food he gets to put a sticker in whatever category it falls in (ex. fruit, veggie, gran...ect.) And for every sticker he puts that is one less cigarette Glena can have a day! So, she'll be off in no time and Aiden will be healthier! 

Today to kick off our p-day we went and sauna-ed at a members house woo woo! Sister S. felt right at home and I have decided I need a sauna in my future home ☀

We also went blueberry picking with our investigator cheryl following a lesson with her...YUM!

This week has been a dream(: 

AND to top it all off the Morphy's are getting sealed ONE WEEK from today and President Pratt has given me permission to go!!!!!!!! I COULD DIE OF JOYYYYY

So when you hear from me next it will be the sealing eve...😇😇😇😇😇😇

Remember the pictures I told you about last week? Well...we got them all back (: So brace yourself for a million pictures!

LOVE YOU!!! 

-Sista Hird 

      xoxo 

A member's Sauna!!  She's found a new must have!

August 8, 2017 P-Day #67

Literally...the p-days seem closer and closer together! I am finding it really hard to believe that in 2 days the last 3 months of my mission start! The time FLIES!

This week was good! We had a new missionary conference that I got to train at! It was a blast!!! I trained on new member retention (: 

We learned a lot of really useful things that I am excited to implement! 

We were able to meet with Glena and Aiden this week, Cheryl and Sarah! Everyone is doing wonderful!! We are really blessed with our investigators! 

We exchanged with the Halifax sisters this week AND I got to go have a lesson with the Morphy girls!!! Oh oh oh I just LOVE that family!!!! They are getting SEALED on the 23rd of this month!!!!!!!💛☀ I CANNOT EVEN CONTAIN MY JOYYYYYY!!! It's amazing! This time last year the parents were less active and Laur wasn't baptized and now they are going to be together forever! Missions are just the best! But, Isabelle is still not baptized yet!! So we are going to try and get her baptized before then!! SO everyone pray extra hard for Belle!!!!! We can make miracles happen! She knows the church is true she is just scared...but I know we can get her there!

This morning for p-day a member of the YSA who is a photographer took us and the Halifax sisters out for a photo shoot all morning! PARTY!! Especially since it was raining...we were soaked in about half of them! I am excited to get the pictures  (: 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

-Sister Hird

      xoxo 

Ps...next week is transfers week!! So I will be emailing on Wednesday! My 11th transfer is almost over 😯

August 1, 2017 P-Day #66

P-day again already?? Have you ever heard the toilet paper roll mission analogy?...Your mission is like a toilet paper roll and the closer you get to the end of your mission, just like the end of the roll the fast it seems to run out! Well folks, I testify...this is TRUE

This week has been a dream!! 

We were able to meet with Heidi, Sarah, Glena (three times) and Patty!

They are all doing sooo soo well! I don't know what we have done to deserve such wonderful humans to teach!! 

Our lesson with Glena was really cool! We did a Q&A about baptism and committed her to a date, September 25th! She is living common law (which has gotta change) and she said she really thinks she can have it all sorted out by then and be baptized! (: She knows that everything is true! We watched the full restoration video with her and she was very emotional about it! 

Watching that was also a very emotional experience for me, I hear so many things from people about Joseph Smith...most commonly that he was just in it for the money or the fame...HELLO!!!! He was persecuted the majority of his life, he endured more hardships in his life (so did all the other saints at that time) than I can even imagine!! 

For fame? He had none. For Money? He had none of that either. Not mention he was killed for this cause.  He was killed so WE could have the blessings of Jesus Christs restored church.  Because of Josephs bravery we are able to perform ordinances that are ESSENTIAL for our salvation. Therefore, we cannot be passive in our faith.  This is the truth!! 

Sometimes I wish we were allowed to soap box so I could scream this to the world haha (:

Also...I ate penguin this week...only in Canada (; (pictured below)

Sister Fin and I are doing very well! I think we'll be together another transfer! I hope so! Her English study is going well!! We are having lots of fun! 

We had a leadership conference in New Brunswick this past week and have a new missionary conference this week! (: And I get to give a training on the retention of new members, I am really excited for it because I am really passionate about it! Why baptized people to let them fall away?? Right!

Welll...I love you all with all my heart!! 

Have a magical week!

-Sister Hird

ps. miracle this week: A member made us full blown cafe rio and I straight cried in the dinner appointment I was so happy....never forget how lucky you are to have heaven so close all my Utah friends (; 

July 25, 2017 P-Day #65

Its been awhile! Sorry I ditch you last week, crazy p-day (: But that only means that this weeks letter will be even better because it has two weeks worth of miracles!! 

I'll kick it off with our investigators...We had three at church this week!! woo woo

Sarah is doing AMAZING!!! We had an amazing lesson with her at the temple! She text us and asked if she was allowed to walk around the grounds, so we told her of course she could and that we could even meet her there and show her around! Which we did! It was too good! (here the temple is only open certain limited hours because there aren't that many people to go to the temple....very different from Utah) So we couldn't take her in to the waiting room.  After walking around for about 40 min we were getting ready to leave and then the temple president and his wife pulled in and we introduced Sarah to them and they said, "well you can't come to the temple without coming inside!" So they unlocked the door and let us in! They even sat in with us and taught Sarah about the temple! It was too good to be true! 

Then Saturday night Sarah decided to put God to the test because she was feeling nervous about church...so she completely turned off her phone so she had no alarm and us calling wouldn't wake her up and she told God that if she needed to go to church he would get her up...and low and behold Sunday morning rolls around and Sarah (who is a big sleeper inner) Woke up with just enough time to get ready and come to church! So she did (: (: It was such a cool experience for her and us to see God encouraging her to do what she knows is right! 

Heidi is also amazing! She is still playing the organ for her church so we got to go to my old hood the Halifax Ysa with her (its the latest starting sacrament) and it was SUCH a good meeting! The talks were so perfect for her and the spirit was SO strong! She cried a few times during the meeting! Miracles! 

Glena is also doing really well! Along with her recent convert grandson Aiden (: 

We went to their house last night and Aiden had molded me a clay Fairy Penguin pictured below (my new favorite animal thanks to the cute video sister pratt showed us at zone conference) His cousins were also over and sure did love us missionaries (: 

Its been a fun, fast few weeks!! I also had to do an exchange with 4 sisters this week! Which I always love!! I love have tons of people around, I wonder why that is(; 

Sister Fin's English is improving! We are working hard to get her many opportunities to teach and speak with everyone! That will be the best training she can have (:

We have another busy week ahead of us full of conferences, exchanges and lots of fun! That is one thing I have enjoyed so so much about this transfer...being so busy! It sure makes the days fly by and I am just so so happy constantly doing! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!!

-Sister Hird 

      xoxo 

Aiden and his Clay Fairy Penguin

Aiden't Family

July 11, 2017 P-Day #63

Happy Tuesday!!!

Life is oh so good here!! I am so so happy!!! 

I am soooo busy...which I have found only makes me happier!! I love to constantly be doing things!!

I LOVE Sister Fin (her nickname because no one can say her real name right haha) She is so cute! I took her to Costco today...I think it scared her! Her english is okay, she just gets nervous talking to people! They start learning it in school when they are 9, but of course they don't learn any religious words, so we have an extra hour of studies a day to work on her english (: 

Our investigators are doing really really well!! We got a new investigator named Donna last night!! She is a sweet older woman! She let us right in and we were able to teach the restoration!!
Aiden and Glena also came to church this week!! Woo woo!! 

We also had THE BEST lesson with Sarah (20 yr old gator) Grace (a recent convert that I taught a few times) skyped into the lesson (she now lives in Edmonton). In our last lesson with Sarah I had a strong feeling she needed Grace so we got permission and did a lesson via skype last night! It was SO spiritual!! Oh my soul, so amazing!! They both have such similar experiences and Grace was able to give Sarah perspective on things we can't because we don't know what is like to not grow up in the church! Its was really good! Grace said it was also exactly what she needed too! (: 

I am just having so much fun! Sister Fin and I get along SO well! I also am having so much fun with the Zone Leaders I am working with! We had a skype meeting yesterday (their area is about an hour away from me) to plan our zone conference tomorrow that we are training at.  During that skype we cried 3 times because we were laughing so hard...(: Its a party over here! 

Also Sister Fin taught me how to gut a fish this week...and I only gagged twice #winning 

Love love love you wonderful humans! 

-Sista Hird

       xoxo 

Also! I don't think I told you my new address:

145 Walker Ave. Apt. 310

Lower Sackville, NS

B4C 0A3

July 5, 2017 P-Day #62

 Heyyyyy!!

Transfers are in.....I am staying in Sackville, but the high school reunion was short lived! Sister Osborn is leaving me :( but she gets to go open an area!  I am going to be training now! But, it is kind of crazy! I am training, but that doesn't relieve me of my STL duties, I will just be doing both now (: They are doing a new thing...solo STLs and I am one and a trainer! So I will be training and then in addition I am over 7 other sisters because they added a new area of sisters to my zone and then did a trio in another area! Sooo this is going to be a busy transfer and I am sooo pumped!! 

My little greenie is from Finnland!! Oh my soul, I am so excited! Her name is Sister Silvennoinen (no I don't know how to say it yet either) I haven't met her yet. I get to pick her up at the office at 6:30am tomorrow (: (: I have heard that she doesn't know much English, and that this is the first time she has been in North America so it is complete culture shock for her! I am really really excited to be training again!! 

Okay, okay, now I will jump back to this past week! 

It was wonderful!! We got 5 new investigators since I've last e-mailed!! One of them was a mom and her two kids! Things are really starting to pick up here! 

We got to celebrate Canada Day on Monday because the weather was too bad on Saturday the members BBQ got postponed! We met this really amazing lady street contacting and invited her to come to the BBQ...AND SHE CAME!! AND she brought her 3 daughters, sister and her sister’s boyfriend! It was AMAZING! The ward made them feel so included!! The oldest daughter is even coming to young women’s with us tonight and they are all coming to church on Sunday! 

BUT the weather sure didn't stop us from marching in the Sackville parade! We walked 3k's in the pouring rain...it was a blast!! 

Heidi is doing SO WELL!! She is so elect! She is searching, reading and praying EVERYDAY! We had a super solid lesson with her this week about following the prophet and obedience! Every lesson we start with answering her questions from the week before’s commitment and her questions are always SO GOOD! She really absorbs and ponders everything!

Life is goooood here in Sackville!! 

I am so so happy ☀☀☀

I also heard that lots of you got to meet Jackie and Steve 💕 The best recent (except not so recent since they just got sealed this past week) converts in Truro!! It was so weird that Sunday I was in their ward, while they were in mine! Missions are such a blessing because of all the amazing people (like Jackie and Steve) that we get to meet and make a part of our lives! AHHH i just love my mission! If anyone out there reading this is wondering if they should serve..JUST DO IT! I promise it is the best choice you will ever make! 

Okay, rant over (: 

I love you all so so much! I hope that you have a magical week! Everyone watch a Disney movie in my honor this week 💝👑

-Sista Hird 

     xoxo 

CANADA DAY PARADE!

Only In Canada!

The GIANT dog I met knocking!