Week 4: In Which I Attend a Rave and Mosh to Silent Night

Hey y'all! How was your week? Mine was awesome, though not nearly as eventful as last time. There were four of us in our room this week (Sister Miller, Sister Moulton, Sister Jones, and me) and we had a fun service battle. It started when Sister Miller and Sister Moulton went early to the temple and we changed the sheets on their beds. When they got back and saw what we had done, though, they decided to leave mint hearts on our beds. So naturally we had to retaliate with some pickup lines and affirmations of affection. It's so wonderful being here and I really love the people I've gotten to meet. Sister Miller and Sister Moulton left for Brazil and Portugal, respectively, and it's going to be really quiet without them. I'm really going to miss them, but I know they're going to do amazing things.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
(also, to the guy whose socks we stole: sorry...
 (we did give them back (eventually)))

Sister Jones' family sent her a package full of Christmas things, and we had a ton of fun decorating the room. When I was doing laundry, the person before me left a few socks in the dryer and I didn't notice they tagged along with my clothes until we were back at the residence, so we just kind of hung them up under the tree.... (they've since been returned to the laundry room, and hopefully the Elder will find them again). Anyway, the room looks super cute and we've enjoyed the Christmas spirit. Something else they sent, though, was a pack of glow sticks, so naturally we had to turn out the lights and dance a bit. Someone started singing Silent Night and you can bet your buttons we danced to it. It was a little rave party and it was ridiculously fun.

Here's us with our glow sticks! What a party

The language is coming along... decently well, at least. We've been practicing teaching about the restoration of Christ's gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith, and at this point I'm reasonably confident. There was one evening where Elder Shelley, Elder Uluiviti, and I were practicing teaching, and Elder Wright came into the room towards the end and just stopped and said, "I don't know what you all were talking about, but the Spirit is here." It was a really sweet experience and I know that the Holy Ghost was testifying of Joseph Smith's calling and of the truthfulness of the gospel. Even in broken Portuguese, with long pauses between each word, the lesson is true and the testimonies borne are confirmed by the Spirit, always.

More fun with glow sticks

Ooo, I don't know if I've told y'all this yet, but we have time to exercise most days, and it's actually really fun. I'm less athletic than a potato, but they have a space where we can play foursquare, and it's my favorite thing. Not to brag, but I've gotten pretty good. It's so fun seeing elders get so feisty over a ball hitting a line, whereas I'm proud if I can so much as hit it. I've improved a lot though and it's definitely a high point in my day.

So it snowed here the other day, and yesterday on the way to church Sister Jones formed a snowball, and then without thinking chucked it at the nearest elder. She claims it wasn't intentional, but she has a vendetta against gingers and she hit a redheaded elder squarely in the side of his head, hard. It was rough. She started apologizing while he tried to get all of the snow out of his ear, but I couldn't stop laughing. It was wild. (Also apparently it's illegal to throw snowballs in Provo so don't tell anyone or she'll go to jail or something and that would be sad)

For those considering serving a mission and for everyone else, I dare all of you to memorize a scripture or quote with special significance to you, and then find an opportunity to share it with others. Please try it out and tell me how it goes. I know that if you follow the Spirit and earnestly share your thoughts/testimony, you will be able to draw closer to Christ and help to brighten someone else's day as well.

I love all of you, and I miss you! I hope y'all are having an awesome December. If you haven't had a chance to watch the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, I definitely recommend it. I learned so much and was so inspired to serve others, and the music is just beautiful, as you can imagine. It's an awesome way to start the season.

Sister Hannah Hiatt 

This was the last night together before Sister Miller and Sister Moulton left... they're so amazing and the people in Brazil and Portugal are going to be so lucky to have them! (aside: Sister Moulton is probably the best missionary because she always has her tag on. She might actually sleep in it, you know, just in case she finds someone to teach in her dreams)

Can I just say how much I love having a temple right across the street? I love getting to go every week. Today we met with some of the elders in my district and went together, but we lost them afterwards so this picture is just of us (and the clouds. Aren't those nice clouds? It's like wispy whipped cream on the mountains).

P.S. Here's my mailing address for the next few weeks, in case you want to send me stuff....

Sister Hannah Hiatt
DEC17 BRA-SPS
2005 N 900 E Unit 240
Provo UT 84602