Happy New Year! (December 28th, 2015)

Hiya everyone!

Hope you all had the merriest of Christmases! If this year has shown
me one thing, it is the  sweet service from others and the love that
they have for me! Me being a stranger in a fairly strange land,
everyone here has taken such good care of us! I have personally been
able to see charity at its best!

My love for all of Gods children is steadily increasing! Sometimes I
just wish I could take my testimony and knowledge of the gospel and
the happiness it gives me and just implant it in their hearts! I want
to help everyone I see! My trainer would famously say "people kill
me!" And it really does when we have this gift that has changed our
lives and we want to share it with everyone! I never thought that some
stranger saying no to me would make me feel bad. And not for myself
but for them, because I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could
help them, and everyone!

Thank you family for coming together to give me the best Christmas
gift ever! Skyping you was really nice! Missed you Joseph and Jon :/

I hope you all have a wonderful New Years as well!

Love you all!

Love,

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Pretty Much, Merry Christmas! (December 14th, 2015)

I hope you all have been having a great week! I know I have! This time
of year is so wonderful! Something has changed about me this time
though. As I walk around and see all the Christmas decorations I am
noticing the lack of the nativity. I never used to mind all of the
Santa clause junk, but this year it has almost gotten on my nerves how
little you see a nativity. Mom, thank you for having a bajillion
nativity sets around the house during Christmas time. Even though at
times we may have been focused on the worldly celebrations, there was
always a nativity nearby that would remind us of what Christmas is all
about!

So many things are going on this last few weeks I could write a book,
but I will tell just a couple of stories.

First the weird one.
So this last week sister Mathews and I went on exchange with the
sister training leaders from Illford. (Exchanges are when missionaries
switch companions for a day) And guess who I got as my companion for
the day... again? Sister Ranck! My trainer! This transfer just keeps
getting weirder and weirder! Not only am I back in my first area, but
for 24 hours, I was with my trainer. Again. In our area where she
trained me. Can anyone say time lapse? It is like the last 4 months
didn't even happen. It was really cool, but the whole day was weird.

Second story.
Christmas choir! Last night we had our first performance for the
missionary Christmas choir! I wish I had pictures, but it was just so
awesome! About 400 people were in attendance. People off the street,
non members and members alike! Oh and I knew that president Stevens
could sing since he was in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but he did a
solo last night, and HE CAN SING! He is so good! Any ways, since we
live in Kent, president had us stay the night in London with some of
the visitors centre sisters. No big deal. We just spent the night in
central London!

Here is another challenge. Remember the website I sent you last week
to watch the church video, "A Savior is Born"? Well on that same
website ( Christmas.mormon.org) there is a follow up video that is so
good called, "Why we need a Savior." I challenge you to go watch this
video and then share it!

Love you all, and have the most merriest of Christmases with the
Savior as the centre!
Happy birthday Jesus!

Love,


Sister Lisa Haynie!

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Your Challenge Should You Choose To Accept It... (December 7th, 2015)

Not much time this week! Just know that I love you all and am happy and well.

However, I have a challenge for you all! During this beautiful Christmas season, it is so easy to bring up the Gospel and our beliefs. So easy to give this gift that we have been given! And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has made it even easier! They have created a beautiful video for this time of year. So my challenge to everyone is to share this video. It can be on facebook or in person. I am sure that your local missionaries have the special pass-along cards that have the website on it. However you do it, share it! Watch miracles happen!

The website is christmas.mormon.org. Ask them what they think or bear your testimony about what a gift it is that "A Savior Is Born"

I love you all! Have a blessed week! Merry Christmas!

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

A New Feel! (November 30th, 2015)

I have only been back in Sittingbourne for five days and so many amazing things are happening.

Let me be really honest right now. The first time I was here, I really struggled. I straight up hated this place. There were a few things that contributed to that. I was in a foreign country and felt like I was alone, the flat we lived in was miserable, I had no idea what I was doing out here on a mission, I was so inexperienced, and
physically, I was beat! New blisters everyday and just dead tired every night from walking everywhere. Not to mention how much I realised I fought God in being obedient and diligent. There was a point when someone asked me what something was that made me happy during the days
and I honestly felt like there was not a single thing.
Eventually by the end of the transfer, it was bearable. I even began to love bits and pieces. But I sill sang praises when we got the call that I was leaving.

Now give me two months, two different companions, a posh life living in London and send me back and something has just changed! I hope it has a bit to do with me growing up and realising there is so much more to it than where I live and how much I have to walk, but I love it here!
It also helps that sister Ranck and Sister Mathews got this area rolling with hard work and unity. But coming back here and knowing the streets, knowing the people (I absolutely love the members here!), and
just having given it some time has transformed the feel of this place.
And it doesn't hurt that this is the Christmas season!

I also am fortunate to have this opportunity to return to a previous area so soon after leaving it, I really do get to see how much I have changed. I am happy to report that I have changed loads! I am not the greenie baby I once was. Instead of fighting my trainer to talk to people, stopping people is my favourite thing! One of the other changes is also the realisation that there is soooooo much I need to work on. And boy do I ever need to change. But now I feel like there is a brightness of hope to be ABLE to change me! For the better!

Stay posted. This area is going to be set on fire with the spirit of God and flooded by the waters of baptism!

God is great! Even when I doubted him, he was busy sending blessings to me right around the corner. I love this gospel!
I love my saviour!
I love my God!

I love you all and I hope you all are well! Let me know in an email! I would love to hear from you all this time of year.

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

I'm Back! (November 24th, 2015)

I'm back... Or will be tomorrow!

Last night we got transfer calls and Sister Fillmore and I were both sure that we were going to stay here, but that honestly is the last time I am ever going to say anything about what will happen at transfers. As soon as I ever start thinking what will happen, the exact opposite or unthinkable will happen.

So just think for a second. Go ahead and think of what could possibly happen. The craziest thing that could happen. And will not be crazier than what is going to happen.

Sister Fillmore will be staying. That is not crazy or new. But I... (Drum roll please) will be leaving. Where to? Back to the blessed land of Sittingbourne! Where I was born as a brand new missionary baby!

"Wow!" You may say, but it doesn't stop there. Remember how when I came to Enfield I swapped companions. So I got sister Mathews' (who was born here in Enfield and then went to Sittingbourne and was in the MTC with me) companion and she got mine. Well we will now be
companions in Sittingbourne! If this isn't crazy, I don't know what is!

So I have no idea what is in store for us, other than awesomeness, but from the very beginning, I have learned that I trust God and he can do whatever he wants because I know he knows way better what he is doing than I do. So "Come What May and Love It!" right?!

This is really cool because I know both my new companion and the area in which I will be spending Christmas!

More next week!

I love you all!

Also make sure you all have wonderful thanksgivings since it doesn't
exist here! Understandably so, but still!

Love you!


-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Hello My Fellow Children of God! (November 16th, 2015)

Yes, that is all of you! Every last one of you who read this and then also everyone else!

If I have learned one thing in my young age of being a four-month-old missionary (is it really four whole months?) it is that every single person on this planet is a child of the loving Heavenly Father! And because of that we all NEED and will benefit from the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!

And especially during this Christmas time, it is so important to remember the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to every last person on this earth! It is the celebration of the gift that God gave us, the saviour was born and that means that today, and every day onward we can have a perfect brightness of hope for this life and in the next! Because He Lives! No matter who we are, no matter what we are going through, the fact that all can and will be made right is such a strength to me and should be to all! And not just it being made right, but be alright. He is a strength, a comfort, a guide in the darkest, lowest times and in the highest happiest moments!

I invite you all to really think about what you mean to Heavenly Father, and after you have done this pray to know how he really feels about you! He will let you know! And then share! With the world!

Sorry to be so short, but seriously consider my invitation! My companion, sister Fillmore had me do it this last week. And this message is what I want to share with you all!

Love you and thank you!

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

P. S. Just one more thing, we had zone meeting a few days after we had a mission wide fast/blitz and the Stevens are amazing. They went right along with us full time missionaries fasting and going out and talking to people for an hour and a half! They do all that they expect us to do. They are truly inspired and inspirational leaders!

Patience is a Virtue! Always! (November 10th, 2015)

Hello everyone! I just have to say that God is great!

But...

You have to have patience in order to be able to witness his greatness. Sister Fillmore always says that patience is one of the lessons you will always continue to learn over and over... And over again.

So for the last little bit, I have been struggling talking to people on the street, on the bus, on the tube, etc and I am sure you have all heard enough of it. I should be able to talk to strangers about the Gospel like a pro by now. For whatever reason I have not gotten it. BUT...  this week a lot of things happened. Thursday morning we had a powerful Zone meeting. It wasn't the run of the mill zone meeting where you feel the happy spirit because you are with other missionaries, but it was an intense and serious spirit. We talked a lot about picking things up and working harder and being accountable to the Lord. And it really sparked a fire in me. I want so badly to be a great servant for God and his children but I just don't have the hang of it yet. ( A lot of it has to do with exact obedience, in the smallest things. More on that another time.)

Then directly after Zone Meeting, I went on exchanges with one of my Sister Training Leaders, Sister Pan Scorciello ( born in Argentina, raised in Spain. She is really wonderful!) in Watford. We sang to old folk and it was so fun! Just like back home, I almost forgot that I was a missionary! But then the interesting stuff start happening!

The sisters area in Watford is a biking area, and I have never biked on my mission, so I was nervous at first. I am in a skirt for crying out loud! Any ways, riding wasn't too bad but the best part was that it was POURING RAIN! I am not even joking about how it was the best. I felt like a proper missionary! Biking in the rain and dark and everything! We were soaked but miracles happened anyway. We stopped by a potential investigator that the Watford Sisters had tried to stop by so many times, and this time she let us in and the lesson was so amazing. And then we went to see a ton of other people but they all fell through and we ran out of back-up plans. So we had about an hour and a half before our next appointment. Uhhhhm? Was my first reaction. But sister Pan decides to just find/oym (open your mouth) until then. So pretty much talking to people. Now just picture this. It is about 5:30 in England which means that it is already very dark and it is also raining and fairly cold. And we are going to stop strangers and talk to them? Now if it had been up to me, I would have just given up and gone back to the flat but sister Pan just started stoping people. And people stopped and talked to us! I know! Surprising! Not everyone but way more than I would have ever thought would. So this was something else that added to my amazing week. I no longer fear the early darkness here in England. People will still talk to you! Huge obstacle removed in one evening!

Then the next day was just as amazing. Plans went wrong but miracles were abundant! It was really cool to be a witness of them!

And then, the next day (Saturday if you are lost) we had a mission wide fast and blitz (see previous email for definition of blitz) and I actually went and talked to people by myself! I know Heavenly Father was preparing me for that!

Moral of this whole email is have patience with Heavenly Father and his blessings, they are always on the way if you know you are doing what you need to. Heaven knows he is patient with us and our imperfections!

Just quickly, I must say that Sunday is always such a relief out here! No matter how stressed out I get in the week, whenever I go to church, all my cares and worries just seem to melt away... At least for three hours. I love it!


I also love you all! Thank you for the prays and I hope you are all doing splendid!

Last second challenge! Talk to someone you don't know this week. It can be as simple as complimenting them or as intense as a full blown conversation. Just try it. The feeling is amazing! Just try to uplift them!

Love,

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Christmas is Coming! (November 2nd, 2015)

Hello all!

It is really different out here in England because everyone goes straight from the little bit of Halloween they do have, to Christmas! I feel like something is missing and then I think, "oh yeah,  they don't celebrate thanksgiving, duh! That is purely American." But it is nice to see how a lot of shops and stores go all out on decorations! I can't believe Christmas is so close! I remember when September seemed light years away!

This week, once again has been all over the place. Sister Fillmore and I were invited to join the missionary Christmas choir because we live so close to London. We went to our first practice last Wednesday and it was crazy. The choir conductor is Sister Ashby (who is from Arizona and one of her kids lives in Vail!) works so fast! I can sing and read music alright but this is something different. We will see if we can keep up.

On Halloween, we went on what we call a blitz. It is where you and your companion split up (staying in sight and sound of each other of course) and you talk to as many people and cover as much area as you can. We did that for an hour and it was really interesting. We were able to find two people who seem really solid, but that isn't the best part. The best part is that my confidence was restored! For the past couple of transfers, I have gotten scared of talking to people. I had over thought the reactions people might give me or what they might to say, pretty much, psyching myself out. But then we went and talked to lots of people and even though some said no, everything was fine! And I realised, I can do this! It helps to feel confident about what you do. And don't get me wrong, it wasn't just me. I had to lean on Christ for it all, and man does it help!

We also had a lesson with one of our "eternal investigators" (which just means that we have been teaching them for forever) Danny, and it was amazing. So he speaks French more than English so things get lost in between. But this time we had a member who is actually Portuguese but speaks like 4 languages and one happens to be French. OH MAN IT WAS SOOO GOOD! However, at one point Danny tried the " you-only-say-these-things-are-true-and-this-is-the-only-true-church-because-you-were-born-in-it-and-have-never-tried-anything-else" card. I hate it when people say that to me and as my mind was racing to give him the I-have-asked-for-myself spiel, sister Fillmore was taken over by the spirit. It was a sight to behold. She straightened up to her full sitting height (and she is tall so it really added to the feeling) looked Danny in the eyes, and bore a powerful, undeniable testimony of our call from THE prophet of God as representatives of Christ and the authority we have as missionaries set apart by the priesthood to testify of these truths! All was quiet for a few moments. For a second I thought that Danny would be upset and it would that awkward moment after someone is rebuked, but Danny quietly and reverently said thank you.

That room was filled with the spirit so strongly! I have never seen anything like that before but am excited to see more as I come to know the spirit better in this work!

I love this work! It is the lords work and I invite you all to be a part of it! And if you think that you can't or it is too hard or takes too much time, email me about it! I can give you a hundred and one ways to simply do missionary work. It really doesn't take turning in your papers and 2 years of you life to do it!

Thank you all for you payers and support! I really do love you all!

Love,

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Talking and Walking and Learning, Oh My! (October 26th, 2015)

So, very slowly I am learning how similar sister Fillmore and I am.
Which is weird because at the same time we are so different.  And I am not just talking about looks. She just gets me and I seem to get her. It might be an American thing. We just like a lot of the same things
and come from similar backgrounds and she just gets me missionary-wise as well.

This week, we had a little more time in a certain part of our area than we were expecting, but we had to stay there until another appointment later in the afternoon, so we had to do all of the back up plans that we could think of and then some, part of that included our lunch which included an interesting walk through a ginormous church graveyard. It was a very overcast and gloomy day, so you can imagine our feelings about that...  But we had a good long talk about how to be better missionaries and having back-up plans under a big tree in the rain, ... But outside the cemetery.

This week I am starting to learn that some times... No, pretty much all the time, you need to just do things. You cannot always wait for a ray of sunshine to start being positive or believing there is such a thing
as the sun, especially this time of year in England. Sometimes you just need to get over yourself. So that is my mission for now... I will get back to you on how that works out.

But I love you all and am learning and growing here loads in the UK even though it hurts sometimes. But all for my benefit :) oh man, things are at a whole new level when you are out in the mission field.
As sister Ranck, my trainer would say, you gotten love it!

-- 

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Enabling Power of Christ (October 19th, 2016)

Hello my friends and family! I hope you all know that I love you and
am always so thankful for the prayers and beautiful words of wisdom that you send me!

This week, as you already know was transfers and my new companion is Sister Fillmore. Sister Fillmore is crazy but in the best of ways. She has been serving here in the England London Mission for 13 months on the 25 of this month! She knows what she is doing! I have learned so much from her already! Oh and she really loves cows! Like really loves them. Right before she came out to serve her mission, she worked a year on a farm and basically fell in love with the large if rather dumb animals. It is just her thing and I love it.

So last Monday, we received a referral  from the mission office. And we got to see him this week. His name is Svetoslov and he is from Bulgaria and he is so prepared. We taught him the first lesson which is the restoration and we also taught him about baptism. We were really excited to teach him, so much that we challenged him to be baptized on the 8th of November. And he accepted! He also promised that he would begin reading the Book of Mormon and and come to church this coming week! He accepted everything we taught him as well! I just feel that he is so prepared for this gospel. At the very end we were able to meet his wife and she is just so lovely!

Oh! And guys! Yesterday was the best Sunday ever! Sunday's have always been great but yesterday sacrament was (as one member, Elijah, would say) fantabulous! More on that later, but then right after church we witnessed three boys getting baptised! It was so sweet!

But wait, there is more. Last night, our district (two sets of elders
and us sisters) taught trainings at a member missionary fireside for
our ward ... And the Stevens were there! Our mission president and his wife were so gracious to come to our ward and support us! And from what we heard from the members, it was really good! I feel so united with the ward now! Right after the meeting ended, we even had some members come to us and say the days that they were free to come out teaching with us! God is so great! I think what made it so great was the fact that we missionaries were able to get across our love for them and our desire to help them bring their friends and family to this gospel that means so much to them! That we are at their disposal.
And that it really is not so hard. It isn't turning your papers in,
slapping on a name badge, and giving a year and a half of your life
away. It really is as simple as explaining simply a part of the gospel that has blessed your life and then inviting them to do something, anything that will help them come closer to Christ. Oh, I just loved it!

So back to sacrament meeting. The passed month and a half I have been feeling like something has been missing in my life, not just as a missionary, but for me as a person. And I have been struggling with it. My testimony was really shaking and I could not pinpoint the problem. I was praying and asking God to help me figure this out. God answered my prayer on Sunday. The entire message of the meeting was on the Saviour! That was it. That was my issue! Let me explain. Ever since preparing for my mission until now, I have been trying to build my faith in the things that people would challenge, the word of wisdom, the history of he church, the restoration, family, etc. I have been missing what they are all centred on, Christ!! The fact that
there is someone who knows every little thing we are going/have gone
through. Someone who has made it possible that we can feel peace in
times of struggle and confusion. Someone, when we have done all we can do and have fought as hard and as long as we could, will take up the fight for us, on right beside us. Never letting us go, never letting us give up even when we want to. There is someone who loves us unconditionally, but perfectly, meaning he will love you no matter what, but still expects you to do right, to continually come closer to him. To purposely become a better person.

I hope you all can come to realise that for yourself. And if you don't
already have this understanding, search for it, because there is
nothing like it. My faith is so very far from perfect. Every day I am
fighting doubts and concerns and trying to overcome them, but this
hope is what I hold onto and it gets me through every single day!

I love you all and hope that you know that EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU WHO READS THIS is a CHILD OF GOD! You are great in the sight of God.

Love,

- Sister Lisa Haynie

Transfers: Second Edition (October 13th, 2016)

Hello everyone! And thank you for all you have done, whether it be
sending me an email or praying for missionaries in general! It is
greatly appreciated! I love you all!

No time to beat around the bush. Transfers are here and they are
bitter sweet. This time around I will be staying (yay! No packing) but
at long last sister Fuimaono will be leaving her beloved area of
Enfield! She has been here for over 6 months and needs a fresh start,
as hard as it will be to say goodbye. I am sad because I will miss Sister Fuimaono but also because I am taking over the area and because
once again I will be getting to know another complete stranger. The
last two complete strangers turned out pretty good so hopefully this
one will as well. Stranger number three actually has a name and it is
Sister Fillmore and I have never actually met her but we are friends
on Facebook so... But I am excited to see what God has in store for us
in the next 6 weeks here in Enfield! Our district leader, Elder Paul
will also be moving to a new area and Elder Speitzer will be our new
district leader. I will miss Elder Paul! He has been a great leader to
serve alongside.

Things have not been smooth riding in the last few weeks, but I have been learning and growing the whole time.

If I can leave you all with one thing, other than the fact that I love
you and it is starting to get really cold here (and this isn't even
the worst, I am in so much trouble) it is that when you have nothing
else to hold onto, you have to hold onto your hope that God has a
purpose for you and that these hard times are just the refiners fire,
preparing you for so much more. Think of the times and feelings you
have known without a doubt that God loves you and that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's restored church on this
earth. Never let those go and push forward in faith! I know it sounds
really cliche but it really is all you can do at times. Know that the
saviour has gone through it and more with you! You are not alone!

I love you all and am so so so so so so so soooooo grateful for the
gospel in my life!

Love,

- Sister Lisa Haynie

I Love the Little Things (October 7th, 2015)

So the work has been really slow this week. Our teaching pool is
really small. Most of those we see on a weekly basis are less actives
and recent converts with members sprinkled in here and there. So for a
while I was feeling pretty down about what we were accomplishing. And when we would call in during the evenings to report our progress I would feel really unhappy about how "unsuccessful" we were in finding
and teaching investigators.

But this week, I have been able to find the sunshine in the gloomy
time. ( that is not just a metaphor folks. It has been overcast for
pretty much this entire last week.)

So first off, THIS WEEK WAS GENERAL CONFERENCE! And oh man was it different listening to it as a missionary! I loved every single talk, even though it was really strange with the major time difference.
That's right, when the rest of you were beginning the afternoon
sessions, I was preparing for bed because it was 10 pm here in
England. So I still need to watch the Sunday afternoon session and he
women's general session, but I'm sure every last message will be as boss as every message I heard so far!

The other cool part about this is that we were able to watch it in a
members home, where there is a member of the family who is less active and he watched it with us! And when the member of the family was giving us a lift home, she said that we sometimes may feel like we are not doing well, but just the fact that we were around him, he was able to feel the spirit. At the end of the session this less active member said that he really enjoyed it!

Just yesterday we had a lesson with a less active recent convert and the spirit was so strong. We really pondered on what we should teach him, and the lesson was so wonderful!

Last but not least, we are seeing Wicked! That is why I have not
written until today.

Just saw it and it was AWESOME! Oh man! Now I understand what everyone is on about!

As to the title of my email, there is an EFY song entitled this, and I
encourage all of you to look it up!

I love you and am thankful for all you do! Shout out to Brette, got
your card today! Thank you!

God is good and his hand can always be seen! You just have to be looking for it!


-- 

- Sister Haynie

Healing Physically and Spiritually (September 28th, 2016)

Kia ora!

This means 'Hello!" in Samoan.

I am picking up some fun words from my amazing companion! I am so blessed here in the Enfield area! Our ward is incredible diverse, but to sum
it up it is made up of Africans, Portuguese, Latin, and a sprinkle of
English. I love it because I am being exposed to all sorts of cultures. And it goes to show that no matter where we are from we can so easily be united through Christ and his gospel! I would have never thought that I would have so many life-long friends in such a short time from so many different places. A few times, the little Spanish I know has come in handy.

However, this week has been rough. Tuesday, we stayed in because Sister
Fuimaono got sick and then later in the week I got an ugly cold and am
only just getting over it. That seemed to set the tone for our week.
Negative and down. As unfortunate as that is, I have learned so much
from this week! For a while now, I have been feeling a lot of pressure
from myself as well as others to be much better than I am. I knew that
I could do better, but was just really struggling to reach that. I felt weighed down with having to do everything, by myself, perfectly and I thought I was going to break. But we had interviews with our mission president, President Stevens. I was so excited for this because the last time I had one was when I first came to the
mission and our interview was cut short. I was not disappointed this
time around. I could feel the power and spirit of his calling through
his eyes and he said all that I needed to get back up on my feet. What
is funny is that it wasn't even long, but it was a powerful 5 minutes.

I will never forget what he said. He said that you cannot do this on
your own. Plain and simple. But... That is what Christ is there for.
Lean on him and ask for his strength and you will be able to support
you.

Now this is something I had heard all my life. But this time it meant
something totally different. I always had the idea that Christ took on
the burden of our sins and sicknesses, but he really does take on the burden of our struggles even with things that we are trying to do that are good. I was trying so hard to do so much, but I can't do anything
with out Him.

Reading over this, I am realising I cannot put it into words how huge
this is for me. So just remember that if any of you who are reading
this are struggling with ANYTHING continue to do your best, but PLEASE lean on Christ! LET him help you, because we are all going to fall
short without him.

I love you all and invite you to come closer to Christ!

I love this gospel! I know it is true and I have been able to feel the
peace and relief from the Atonement of Jesus Christ! God is great and
Christ lives!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

We Are Family! All The Elders, Sisters, and Me! (September 21st, 2015)

God is great! At this time in my life, away from my family and

friends, God has given me a family away from home! In the Endfield
area, we have three sets of missionaries in the same ward and we are able to see each other and help each other all the time. In my las area, we only saw the other missionaries every once in a while, but here we don't go a day without seeing each other. We all are like a
family! Sister Fuimaona is the mom (literally, Elder Abreu always call
her mom, and she calls him son.)

And also there is a member family who at times reminds me so much of
my family. And they are so good to the missionaries.

But also this week I have realised how much everyone truly is our
family. We are all children of God! Sometimes when I talk to random
strangers, I get really strong feelings of love for them and just wish
I could give them my testimony for a second so that they could see
what a blessing the Gospel is.

Sorry for the short email this week (we went into London today,
#britishmuseum #camdentown)
But I love you all! Thank you so much for all the support that you all
have given!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

Highs and Lows!

This week has definitely been a week of hills and valleys! At the start of the week we had that mission wide conference and it was incredible and both my companion and I were pumped to implement the things that we learned but as the week went on we went a little off track. But the most wonderful thing about the atonement is that when we fall we can get back up again. I have heard many times that failure is not falling, but not getting up. And even though we may not be as tall as we were before we fell, each step up is progress and eventually we can be higher than ever. Not only higher but stronger and less likely to fall again.

And that is what we did. We evaluated ourselves and had a long conversation about what went wrong and what thing that we are going to change so that it doesn't happen again. We were re-psyched and we were able to visit an investigator on date! We are so excited!

Another thing that I learned this week was that planning is so important! Preach My Gospel, the book we teach from, says, "a failure to plan is a plan to fail!" This is so true. And more importantly, not sticking to your plans and your back-ups will yank you off track. I know this next week will be all highs because this week we planned our week all the way out and we are determined to stick to it!

The last thing I want to share from what I learned this week, is that, when all is said and done, it is not how we compare to others, it is how we stand with God. We may not know where exactly we stand, but we know whether it is in the right or not, and if we are doing our best then we can have that confidence with God.

I love this! I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It is the only true church on this earth and it is the only way to achieve true happiness!

I love you all and I love to hear from you!

Thank you for your prayers and love!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

Oh My Days and Everything In Between!

Hello everyone! Sorry to have had such a short email last week, but as I said before, it was MY FIRST TRANSFER!

I am now serving in Enfield! My oh my! This area is so different from my last area. My last area we walked everywhere and there were not many people to talk to but here, we take buses everywhere and SO MANY PEOPLE!

I am now being follow-up trained (for missionaries, the first 12 weeks are the training period, aka I am still a Greenie) by Sister Fuimaono! She is from Australia, was born in New Zealand, and her parents are Samoan! Simply she is polynesian and so much fun! We laugh so much together!

It is really interesting being in a new area so soon! I was just getting to know the area and the people back in Kent, and then they moved me. Now I am new all over again, learning names and which bus routes to take. It has nearly done my head in!

But I love it! I can easily see why the Lord has sent me here to Enfield, it is so apparent, it is almost like a slap on the face! God knows what I need and what to give me to aid me in my growth as a missionary.

The reason why my email is so late is because yesterday, we had a mission wide conference. There was a speaker who came to talk about a case study he wrote especially for missionaries. His name is Clayton Christensen!

Dad! He served his mission in Korea as well, but I think he is much older than you so, I don't think you served at the same time, but still cool!

But it was so incredible to see all of the missionaries in the England London Mission get together! We are such a force to reckon with! And just think of all the missions with all the missionaries! What other church has that kind of force of young men and women who give up  so much time in their prime, to spread what they believe in? NONE! That is just another testament to me that this is the one and only true church on this earth with all of Christ's teachings.

I love you all so much and I hope you are all well and happy. If you are not, then I only have one answer for you. God. Turn to him in all things. It is as simple as that!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

Just got here, but they didn't like me, so... I'm leaving! 1st Transfer! (September 1st, 2015)

Just kidding, but yes ... transfers are here and I have been called to
work in Enfield! It is actually really interesting because my trainer
is staying here and follow-up training a sister that came out with me,
but was serving in Enfield, and I am taking her place! So we are
companion/area swapping! Too cool.

I am so amazed at how much I have come to love this place, the people,
the ward, and even the quaint little towns! I will miss them
immensely! But I know that the Lord knows what he is doing! It is
going to be hard to get to know a new place with new people and a new companion, especially since I was feeling like I was just getting to
know Sittingbourne and the Gillingham 2nd ward. But recently I have been learning that the Lord knows what is needed and thank goodness he has control over that!

I love the Lord, I know this gospel is true, and that is really all one needs!

Short on time but I love you all!


-- 

- Sister Haynie

PICTURES:)

*sorry the posts seem to hate me posting pictures. I appreciate you patience*

Here is a picture of my very first Zone. Canterbury Zone!!

This is my district. In order, Elder Nakomaha, Elder Castillion, Me, Sister Ranck, Elder Bastien (my district leader/ mission dad), and Elder Haynman. Elder Haysman is from Australia and is of course hilarious.





Blackberries! We can eat them off the side of the road and they are so good!



This weather is so bipolar! It will rain really hard one day, and the next day it will be so hot, this happens. Who would have thought that you get a tan line in Britain?! The other day it was rivalling Arizona heat.





That's all for now! But keep a look out for more pictures soon!

This Is Not A Cheap Experience! (August 24th, 2015)

Hello everyone! I hope you all know that I love you so much! I really
appreciate the emails that are being sent! I can't get enough of them!

This week has been crazy! Last week our schedule was so booked and we
got to meet with a lot of people. This week was also booked but pretty
much everyone canceled! But it has built my testimony of the need to
back up plan! And even though pretty much our whole week was canceled,
it felt like it was productive and filled! Even though it may have
looked bad, I was able to see that God still blessed us for our
diligence in working even though we could have slacked off. But that
actually never would happen because Sister Ranck is too ready for that
kind of stuff. She always knows what to do! Hopefully one day I will
be able to do that as well.

This week I want to try to make up for the lack of pictures, hopefully
they go through this time.

(Because of issues placing pictures within the posts, for whatever reason, see the Mission Pictures posts for pictures from Lisa. Thank you!)
This week I have been able to feel a bit of the love that Christ has for random strangers. I want to cry for the people who say, "No, thank you" not because I feel like I get rejected all the time, but because I have something that is so wonderful, such a gift, an incredible support through this hard life, and something that I know they need!

For the whole of my mission until this last Thursday, I questioned God, why is it so hard for us to find those God has prepared? I know there are those who are prepared, but why is it so very hard to find them? But last Thursday, during our district meeting, we listened to a musical/talk compilation called something along the lines of missionary work and the power of the atonement. Elder Holland said that this work is so hard because SALVATION IS NOT A CHEAP EXPERIENCE. If the saviour had to experience what he had to for us, is it so hard of a suggestion that we have to have some hard trials in this life? That definitely answered my question.

If anyone is struggling at this time, I would suggest that they go watch the Mormon message, Mountains to Climb. It beautifully explains what we are to do when we face any trial.

Random things
- it is true that swear words in America are not swear words here. I cannot count the number of times I have visited sweet elderly sisters from the church and have snapped my head up in surprise when I hear the word hell or damn come out of their mouths! Or from the mouths of other missionaries! So strange!
- the power of Donnie and Marie Osmand. I have actually come across a couple members who said that they were initially converted because they loved Donnie Osmond!

I love you all! I love my Savior Jesus Christ! I know this is God's one and only true church on the earth that has the truth in its entirety!



-- 

- Sister Haynie

The Sister Missionaries and the Curse of the English Double Doors Continues with Miracles (August 17th, 2015)

Hello everyone! How are you all? I want to know! 

Okay Kay, I know you have all been wondering about the title of the last email, and realising that never once did I mention anything about English double doors. Sorry, I got caught up in the rest of my email last week. Well, without further ado, here it is.

Once upon a time, there were two sister missionaries who were serving their missions in England. As with all missionaries, they had to knock on doors every once in a while. Little did they know before coming out on their missions, that many English homes have walled front porches. Typically the walls are made mostly of some sort of glass where they can see you outside their door but you can only sort of see them moving about. So when the doorbell rang, the people who lived there would have to open the inside door and then the glass door to talk to who was outside. Oh the joy these sisters had to experience ringing the door bells or tapping the door knockers and waiting while people came and opened the inside door ... And then seeing that you were missionaries, not even be bothered to open the second door and say "no, thank you!" But just go back inside. Oh the life of missionaries of the Lord! As sister Ranck would say, "Gotta love it!" And that is the story of the Sister Missionaries and the Curse of the English Double Doors.

Despite having to knock on double doors, we have been seeing miracles here in Sittingbourne and Rainham! Yesterday, at church a member said that she invited a family that just moved here and she wasn't sure if they were going to show up, but they did! The mother's name is Faith and she came with us to the Gospel Principles class and we taught her about prophets and the Book of Mormon and asked if she would read the Book of Mormon and pray to know its truth. Faith said, "I will, but I don't need to because I already know that it is true. It is the word of God." I am sure sister Rank and I sat there just a bit too long thinking, "Whaaaaaaaaaat?" And then ... Sister Ranck challenged her to prepare for baptism on September 12. And she said yes! She had even been taking notes in class! If that isn't a miracle and a golden investigator wrapped in one, then I don't what would be! I think I am finally feeling like I am a missionary and I know what to do and what this work is that I am doing! I know that it has taken me about a month, but hey, I have it now.

Also, on Wednesday I got to go to my first Zone conference! It was fan-flippin-tastic! I love getting together with other missionaries! At first, I thought that going to London for this meeting would be like a mini vacation, but so many good things were said, both sister Ranck and I were almost freaking out, because there are so many things we need to do in our area, we were like, we need to get back to get started! But it was also really cool because the spirit brought to mind so many things. And one of the things I learned was this:

There are a few things that are essential in life. They are going to happen with or without God.

- trials

- change 

- the mercy of God 

So many people that we stop on the street say that there cannot be a god because of all the bad things that happen on this earth. Well yes, bad things happen and are always going to happen. But if you had the chance to have an aid and support through these things, why wouldn't you take it? What do you have to lose? You are going to suffer through these anyway. Why not with God, who will not take them away but lighten the burden and comfort you so that you CAN make it through? Not only will he carry you through, but you will grow and become a stronger, better person. Who knows, maybe these trials will allow you to be that support for others who go through the exact same thing.

I know that God is there for us but he cannot help us unless we allow him to. He WILL NOT make us ask him for help. The one thing that is ours and ours alone, is agency, a gift from God.

All of it can be made easier and better with God.

They are going to happen/need to happen.

On a little weird note, the other day we were waiting for the train (yes, we train it everywhere. I take a train more times in two days than I ever did in my entire life) and there was this guy who took a double look at sister Ranck and I and asked if it would be possible if he could get our number. I immediately said, " Nope!" Tricia, you be so proud of me, you taught me well! 

I just have to say thank you to everyone who has ever fed missionaries! And ask that if it is at all possible, you feed them every once in a while, because not only are they being fed, but the time spent with a family, is like a mini vacation in the life of a missionary. I think we have some of the best families in our ward. I have learned quite a bit from these families.

Oh! Mom and dad and everyone else, you have to get this card game. It is a lot like the one you were trying to teach me right before I left but a German version, called Ligretto! And a party game called Pass the Parcel. Little candies or treats or prizes are layer-wrapped in a parcel, and with every one there is a task that must be performed and if done correctly, you get to keep the prize. It is fun especially with younger children!

Random facts:

- here, because the streets are so small, cars literally pull onto the sidewalks and park there.

-they also call sidewalks, pavement. I don't know what they call the road. Probably the road/street.

-I hear seagulls all day long. So strange for me, having lived in Arizona all my life. We live not 30 minutes train ride to the beach.

I love you all so much!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

The Sister Missionaries and the Curse of the British Double Doors (August 17th, 2015)

Hello everyone! This week has been so crazy! Monday I was able to get two pairs of Clarks! (which are a really good brand of shoes.) Yay! No more blisters!! Well I still get one or two small ones here or there, but otherwise my feet are great!

Now that we got the matter of my feet out of the way, we can talk about how I am now an aunt of two nieces and TWO nephews!! Ronan! I am your Aunt Lisa!! I love you and only ask that you do not grow too quickly so that there is a chance of me being able to experience some of your baby delights! I love you so much!

So I have to tell you guys, Zone leaders are too cool. Especially one of my Zone leaders right now. Elder Ramsey. He is so American it is quite refreshing out here in proper England. He says things like "Heck yeah" and "Boom shock-a-lock-a!" and "Abso-freaking-lutely!" and of course, my all time favorite, "Super Awesome!!"

Here is a picture of my very first Zone. Canterbury Zone!!

Elder Ramsey is the one right in the middle between Sister Ranck and Sister Keenard. (Sister Ranck is the blonde to the left of me. BEST TRAINOR EVER!" The blonde on my right is Sister MacFarland! She was in my MTC district! She is the cutest!)

I do apologize that you have never before seen pictures, I just never had time to figure out getting my camera pictures onto the computer but this week it might be an overload!

On Friday, August 7, 2015 I went on my first exchange with one of the sister training leaders! It was so great! I went to London with Sister Van Zyl and Sister Ranck stayed in Sittingbourne with Sister Grant. These two sisters are so amazing! London was really cool!

Here is a picture of me on a double decker bus, although you cannot really tell, but still.

(No picture yet, sorry. Check back!)

Oh! And it has been so warm and sunny over here that it could compare to early summer in Arizona! Not quite as hot, but enough to make me glisten (girls don't sweat.) And I have a beautiful sockie tan :)

(No picture yet, sorry. Check back!)

Who would have thought that anyone could get a tan in England? Not me.

One last thing to say. God works miracles!! This week a bunch of our appointments fell through, so we had to do a lot of on-the-spot- finding. This is where you knock on doors, talk to people on the street, or try to visit the houses of less active members or former investigators. Hard stuff. But every time, something would happen that I just know was not coincidence. God is placing people in our path, and leading us down others' paths!

And he works these miracles through the members as well! Our ward mission leader will do nearly anything to help us. He goes out of his way! And the members who feed us! Just yesterday we were eating lunch/dinner with a family and we mentioned that on a p-day, we wanted to go to Dover castle but it is far and travel is expensive, and they just offered to take us there! Mir-a-cles!

Random facts of the week

-The  guys' haircuts over here are interesting. It is a close shave on the bottom and long and styled(usually flipped and wavy)on the top.

-Cashiers sit at the check outs, and shoppers bag their own groceries. Sometimes you have to pay for plastic bags and the parking lot!

-The pubs around here still have medieval names like "The King's Head" or the "Dancing Boar" 

I love you all very much! and I love all the emails. Please email me! It brightens my day when I see the email notification!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

Shoes and Knock-Off's (August 3rd, 2015)

Hello everyone! So this past week has been interesting. It has had its ups and downs but over all, a week for the better!

So over this past week I have discovered that because we have iPads, any time we can connect with the wifi, we can download our emails and read them any day on our free time, like during meals or right before bed! So feel free to email me any time during the week. You never know when I might catch it! 

Also, if you want to make sure I get your email before Monday's when I email you back, I would say to email me by Saturday night so that I can get the email when at church, read it on my own time, and then reply to you on Monday (that is Monday here in England.) the time difference is about 7 or 8 hours difference. Also, this way I can have more time replying to emails rather than reading and trying to rush a reply.

This week here in Sittingbourne has been really wild as far as weather. It has been really hot. Well, not as hot as Arizona, not even close, but way warmer than I expected I would ever get. Last week it was on and off raining or just gloomy skies, but this week it has been pretty much all sunny with quite a bit of wind.

For any of you who don't know what "white washing" is, it is when both missionaries coming into an area at the time of transfers (moving locations) are both brand new. Usually one of the missionaries was there the transfer before so they know the way around and can introduce the other missionary to members, investigators, and the town. But sister Ranck and I are both both new to the area, so that is why I said we were "white washing." 

One of the downs this last week was that I got pretty bad blisters from walking around all day on Monday. I have also discovered that most of my shoes are rubbish and today we are going into Canterbury to find at least one nicer pair of shoes.

Last Thursday, I went to my first zone meeting! It was way fantastic. We are in the Cantebury zone which includes about 10 companionships. And one of the companionships of sisters included one of the sisters that was in in my district while at the MTC, sister MacFarland! One of the sweetest sisters I have ever met! It was really nice to see other missionaries who knew what I was going and I could talk to.

I have the hardest time starting a conversation with someone. I can talk pretty easy, it is just the starter. I never know what to say. If you are preparing for a mission, that is something I would say to practice before you go out. Also, read "The Fourth Missionary" by Lawrence E. Corbridge. This a fantastic talk that really breaks it down on how to be the best missionary ever.

On the train, Sister Ranck and I were able to talk to a Jehovah's Witness and it was actually a pretty good conversation. He knew his bible very well, but I think I held my own. And we also got to teach a guy who is writing a paper on the different religions and asked to learn a little more about the church. We had to have a bit of a different approach but I think it went quite well. I think he felt that there is something different about our religion from the other ones he had studied already. We were also able to teach it at a members home and the parents are both converts and had similar beliefs to this guy and I think it was the perfect setting and I know I felt the spirit there!

Random Facts:

There are so many Mini Coopers here! That's my car!!! And the fact that we don't drive a car anyway makes it worse! But at least I get to see all the different possible colours.

Knock off, as in knock off brand, does not just mean it isn't the name brand, it means it has been stolen and sold on the under the table. I was talking about how I usually get knock off brands and the member who was feeding us jumped and looked at me really startled. Haha! I quickly explained what knock off meant to us in the states.

Anyways, I love you all and love and feel your prayers! Thank you and keep them coming!

-- 

- Sister Haynie

Continued. . . Week 1 In The Field (July 27th, 2015)

Just kidding. So Sister Ranck had the brilliant (once agin) idea to type up our email before-hand on the iPad and then we can do our emails at the chapel since we are going to a members house nearby on Monday evenings anyway. So here is the rest of my letter, and hopefully this will answer all the questions you all had this week.

This week sister Ranck and I visited a sister who just got baptised, named Vicki! She is one of the most sincere people I have ever met and I can't wait to see more of her! It is people like her that makes all the hardships worth it!

On Sunday, we had talks in sacrament meeting! I know, right? First week there and let's slam the new missionaries with talks. But it was actually really great! This way most of the members will already know who we are, plus we can let them know that we are here, ready to work hard to build up their ward! The members are so sweet! Our first night here, we had no idea where we were going but as we were leaving London, where the mission office is, and heading out to our areas, luckily we had a set of elders headed out the same direction and they were able to help sister Ranck and I with our six bags (between us). And then a couple from the ward called us and asked if we needed any help and were able to give us a lift from the train station to our flat! It isn't too far of a walk, but with our bags, it would have been a nightmare! Any one who is wanting to go on a mission, unless you know you are in an all driving mission, pack really light! Half the stuff you don't really need anyways, it is just comfort stuff.

Anyways, the talks went great and we got to meet a lot of the members. The ward is so small though! It is pretty big for these parts, but compared to the wards back home, it is tiny. Our primary would probably be half the size this ward is. But everyone in attendance, you know is strong and faithful, because out here it is really easy to go inactive. There are so many listed in our area book as inactive or less active. The youth is tiny. There are probably 10 between the young men and young women's. But sister Ranck and I are going to change that. We are also going to get more people out there. I don't think I will ever complain again about an American ward again. Besides, this way it will be easier for us to get to know everyone!

The classes on Sunday were amazing as well! We were teaching the gospel principles class (only learned that we were, like two minutes before) and one of the members had brought a friend and she was very interested in learning although she said she didn't have religious beliefs. But while we taught/the friend and her mom taught, I could tell that the spirit was touching this woman's heart. It was something wonderful to witness. And really it was the whole class that taught her.

Oh man! The strength and testimony of the people in this ward is incredible!

The last thing I really want to say is that everyone needs to help the missionaries! The members really are the best way to find. Finding people on the street is almost, not totally, pointless. People already know the members and trust them. They have that relationship with them that can't be made with a 2 year or 18 month missionary. So help the missionaries! Please just invite a friend to church or to an activity! You would be amazed at how receptive people can be!

Love y'all!

- Sister Haynie