Transfer #13. Last Stop! (January 2nd, 2017)

So I know that it hasn't been very long since I last emailed, but I
feel Like so much and absolutely nothing has happened in the last few
days.

First off, Happy New Year!!! How did I see the new year in? The old
fashioned, boring, missionary way. I slept through it! It was great!
We even had an earlier curfew which was great because it was cold and
wet and rainy. But the next day was really cool! We got to go to
church on New Years!

All four of us Sister missionaries gave talks on Jesus Christ and
missionary work, so we all coordinated and each had a different part
of his life. Birth, Earthly Ministry, Atonement, and After death. It
was way cool! I will never forget it!

I just have to give a shout out to my way awesome mission-daughter!
She is way awesome!

We were out last night street contacting. Was it sunny? Or warm? Or
dry? Or still? NO! It was cold, dark, windy, and rainy! Quadruple
threat. Not the best circumstances for trying to talk to people about
Jesus Christ. Oh, and not to mention, but I will, it was also a
holiday. So yeah, it was a bit rough, but Sister Pail is awesome.
In my exchange that I went on last Tuesday, I made a goal to do crazy
things in finding to mix things up. So far I have stopped people by
asking them if they wanted to be baptized, I have offered blessings on
homes when we went tracting, and I have carried around a sleeve of
caramel digestive (addictively good) biscuits and offered them to
random stranger (and strange enough, no one accepted them.)

But that night, Sister Pail was the one who was being crazy. We were
stepping up onto the sidewalk and we passed a guy as he was getting
into his car. We smiled and said hello, as you do, and he actually
smiled back and returned the hello. So Sister Pail turned to me and
said, "Do you want to do something crazy?" and before I could respond,
she turned back to the man and knocked on his window! And he rolled it
down! And we talked to him for about 15 minutes! and we set a return
appointment! MIR-UH-CLE! It is fun being crazy (within the rules of
course.)

I have loved serving My Savior! It has been a mighty roller coaster
ride with lots of ups and tons of downs, but i will forever be
grateful that I was privileged to wear His name over my heart for 18
months!

I love the book of Mormon! It is truly the word of God and I will
never deny that it is! I will forever be a witness of Jesus Christ! He
lives! And he loves us! and there is no other message so sweet!

As much as I have loved meeting more and more of Gods children, as
much as I have loved walking day and night, as much as I have love
studying the words of God each and every morning, as much as I have
loved watching miracles happen before my own two eyes, I have
absolutely loved how little by little, blessing by blessing, and trial
by trial, God has melded and formed me into the person I am today! I
am far from perfect, but I am leagues beyond where I once was. In the
immortal word of a country singer, "Touchdown Jesus!" I will forever
sing his name for what he has done for me and those I love!

My back may be broken and my feet may ache. But my soul is joyful and
honored for the price paid to come closer to Christ.

"Its worth it brothers
Its worth it friends.
To know your maker
To lose your sins.

Do you know that you are
dearly loved?"

I hope to always keep his name on my lips and in my heart.

The book is blue, the church is true, we go by two, He makes all new!

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!!

CHRISTMAS! (December 29th, 2016)

So sorry that I haven't emailed this last Monday, our P-day has been
moved to today because three of us got to go to the temple! It was so
great! I love the London Temple! It was amazing! So much peace and and
calm.

And then afterward we went to take pictures around the temple as you
do! And on the way there, the member who drove us said that he noticed
that all the pictures that missionaries take are usually really bad
quality, so he brought his fancy camera and took loads of wacky wild
pictures and some really great ones, but I don't have them yet so you
will have to settle for my low quality ones I took :/ but it was loads
of fun!

Also this week sister Pail and I went on exchange with Sister Matthews
and Sister Searle! It was so much fun! I was with sister Matthews and
I just love her! She is from South Africa and she is just the best! I
am super bummed that I never got the opportunity to be companions with
her. But that is okay, I got to be for at least a day!

In our teacher training, she seriously changed my life. Guys
Repentance is for everyone! Every single one of us. Forgiveness is for
anyone who really wants it! I thought I knew that but, I forgot that.

Christmas on sunday was sweet, simple, and beautiful. Almost too good!
We went to a family's home and spent the whole day there! All four of
us sisters! Such kindness! So much fun. I apologize, we did not have
any photos because we were just having such a good time!

Well so much more happened, but I gotta run!

I love this gospel! I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus
Christ all he has done for me! The Book of Mormon is so wonderful!
People are absolutely surprisingly wonderful!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!

Happy, Blessed, Serving the Lord! (December 19th, 2016)

So this week has had some ups and some downs. And I am happy to say that the ups have out numbered the downs!

We found a new friend at the beginning of this last week. Her name is Melissa and she is so sweet! We knew that she was a blessing sent to us! We got to see her again and she is just the sweetest! Unfortunately, due to family concerns, she has decided that the gospel is not for her, but she is still lovely and a wonderful person!

But I have been thinking a lot about this. Why does god send us miracles to just have them putter out and die when we literally jumped up and down we were so excited, and then within a few days, or within a few weeks the miracles die out or they never turn into what we envisioned?

For a while it bothered me, but I came to realise something... I'm human! If God only ever sent me those who were prepared and were the ones I was meant to teach, it would be a long, lonely, miserable road until I got to them, until the time was right. I would probably lose the faith to press on and keep trying to find them. I would give up. But these miracles, these tender mercies, though they may not last as long as we want them to, that they actually blessing of encouragement! They are actually reminders that god really IS there and that he is more than aware of our wants and desires and that he is right beside us.

And that is what I believe he has done once again. Though we were sad about Melissa, God was helping us to keep the faith so we could find our wonderful friend, Toni!! 

She really is a miracle and we almost missed her completely! The first time we ever saw her, we only said hi, and she actually said a jolly hi back. But she really needed the gospel, because that's same day, only hours later, we saw her again! We stopped and talked to and she said that she had been looking for a church since she has moved here! Ahh! Music to our ears. So we invited her to church, but we asked if she wanted a chapel tour before so she knew where she would go for classes and things on Sunday. So we had it this last Saturday morning and I was nervous, because I had never given a chapel tour before. BUT IT WAS THE MOST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME! When we went into the Sacrament room, the spirit was so strong, it was undeniable!

I am so thankful for the miracles that gods sends us, and I am also thankful for the struggles that help me to be more grateful for the little tender mercies. 

Before I go, I just want to share one more thought. This whole #LightTheWorld Christmas initiative has really got me thinking. What a blessing technology is. We get a lot of trainings on how to use our iPads or Facebook to spread the gospel. And this epiphany has hit me and I just want to pose it to you all. Did you know that the only reason you are all blessed to have the internet, a smart phone, Facebook is because God created these inventions to better spread his gospel? Well it is true. Sure people use it unwisely, but you get that with anything good. But isn't that an incredible thought?

I'll let you ponder on that one.

But just know that I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a missionary! To wear my Savior's name over my heart every single day! And to learn to be happy always no matter what happens, rain or shine (rain more often than shine) because I have the greatest gospel anyone could ever have! And all I do all day is share it!

I hope you all continue to catch the spirit of this very special time of the year!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!

How Come It Took So Long? (December 5th, 2016)

Hello!!

Man this week has flown by so fast! I cannot even believe it! But I
guess I have to! Let me see if I can remember everything that has
happened.

Monday we got the call that Sister Vizaco would move and I would be training!😱

Tuesday Sister Vizaco said good-bye to people and we went and had some
retail therapy, buT we didn't buy much, but it was still nice!💷

Wednesday we went to London to send sister Vizaco to her new area, and
then I was at the mission home the rest of the day, preparing to meet
my new companion, straight out of the MTC! Ahhh! I was so nervous, I
thought I was going to be sick. But I didn't, I kept my cool 😎
Finally, after waiting forever, they arrived!

My new companion is Sister Pail (pronounced pile) and she is from
Austria 🇦🇹! I was really hoping to get a companion that spoke
German! Yes now I have had companions from basically all over the
world! And Sister Pail is amazing! She is all I would wish for in a
trainee! I am proud to call her my daughter!

Something interesting, right before we met our trainees, one of the
APs (assistants to President Stevens) said that we had a great
responsibility for these missionaries and we probably met them before
this life. I thought that was interesting... and I moved on being
nervous. But having spent a half a week with Sister Pail, I think it
is true. She reminds me of someone I know but I just cannot put my
finger on it. So who knows! Anyways...

Thursday was District Meeting. I love District Meeting. Now we have
Zone Leaders AND Sister Training Leaders in our
five-companionship-District of St. Albans. Super cool! So much spirit
and power in one room!

Friday we set our vision for this transfer and we set a goal to have a
white Christmas! We want to have a friend enter the waters of Baptism
on Christmas/Eve of. We know that it is totally possible but it is
going to take a lot of work. However it felt right and the Spirit was
there.

Saturday. Ward Christmas Party!

Sunday. Church. I love church. I will always love church!

All week we have been trying to find those who are prepared to receive
the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we have been meeting a ton of really
cool people, but none of them are ready for the gospel right now. But
I trust in Heavenly Father. He knows who is ready and where we can
find them. And I can feel it! I can just feel that there is someone
right around the corner who wants this gift we have to give! This next
week, we will find out I guess!

I love you all! I hope that you have as great a week as I plan on
having this week! Jesus Christ is my Savior! He loves me despite my
imperfection. He loves you too! Don't forget it!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie

Transfer #12 And All Is Well (cuz Christmas is coming!!😉) (November 29th, 2016)

This is a monster of an email, so buckle down or save for when you
have some time to spare (sorry my missionary/busy friends)

Hello one and all! It is freezing here! But that's okay!

It is transfer once again here in the blessed land of England! I feel
like it was transfers just yesterday! But nope! It has been a whole
six weeks!!

Now I know that you are all anxiously waiting for the news of what is
going to happen, well here it is. (Brace yourselves:)

Unfortunately, my wild, crazy, fun, Brazilian companion, sister Vizaco
will be leaving (apparently she has a crazy habit of moving every two
transfers to a new area and always gets a new companion in between! )
She gets to go to the wonderful area of South End! Just across the
ocean from where I was born as a missionary in England😪FYI it has the
longest pier I. The world (or so I have been told.) I will really miss
her!! She taught me so much! Thanks Sis!

And for little old me, I will stay here in Stevenage for the rest of
my time here in England! I love it here! And for Christmas as well!
Even better!

As for my new companion, you all know as much as I do about her,
accept that I know she will be straight out of the MTC! Guys, I'm
getting a greenie! Yay greenie fire  💚🐲🔥 !! I have always wanted to
train but I am so nervous 😩 and on my last transfer! I never thought
it would happen! I am so excited but so nervous at the same time! I
couldn't sleep last night, and once I finally did get to sleep, I woke
up early and just laid in bed, being nervous to have a brand new
missionary under my wing.

It will be so much fun! I am so excited!!!😆

Now for the really important message of my email today. Christmas 🎄!

I am so blessed to be a missionary during the best time of year! And I
have never caught the Christmas spirit so intensely until this year!
In England they role out Christmas stuff almost before Halloween is
done, and at first I thought this was terrible. NO CHRISTMAS UNTIL
AFTER THANKSGIVING! But this year I almost forgot about thanksgiving
(no worries a member fed us a delicious feast of thanksgiving last
Thursday, so I remembered eventually ;) My companion started to sing
Christmas songs early too, which I used to hate hearing any time
accept for after the last Thursday in November to the 25 of December.
However I started singing along as well.

But the miracle was, that this transfer for many different reasons I
had a lot of time on my hands where I couldn't go out and do the
normal missionary things. So as any missionary does when they get
bored, they start to read church magazines. I had a ton of ensigns
downloaded on my iPad so I started with the brand new one for this
December. The one with all the Christmas stories. And I thought, hey!
That's a swell idea! I'll read all the December ensigns that I have
downloaded! So I did. And you want to know what I learned? Hope!

I learned that Christmas is not about the money 💰 , or the gifts 🎁,
or even the time of year. Christmas is basically hope. It is a time of
year where most people remember to be kind to one another and look
outside themselves, when miracles happen, and when people can look
around, see these and feel that there is still hope for this world.
That there are still good people who are trying to make there little
place on this earth a better place for those around them.

And of course, Christmas is a time when we remember why we celebrate.
Jesus Christ! We get to remember why we are here and the plan that God
has for us, that is possible because a baby was born! It is about the
people we love and care about and what we can do for them to show our
love.

From a ton of the Christmas stories I have read, there is a scripture
that kept being brought up. We all think that the Savior is such and
amazing person, and he is. And we think that the things he did were so
incredible, and they were. But a lot of the time we feel overwhelmed
by the need to repay or give back or to be like him. But this
Scripture settles it all.

Christ says,
"... Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew
25:40

Service. Our efforts are all that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
require of us. To try, try to be more like him!

And that is why I love the Christmas initiative the church has put out
for this year. #LightTheWorld! Through our service, we can light the
world with the light of Christ that shines through us! And they even
have a simple advent calendar of service ideas you can choose from to
serve every day! In 25 Ways. Over 25 Days! I would invite you all to
go to Mormon.org and watch the video and download the advent calendar
and participate in this wonderful way to celebrate Christ's birth. It
will change your world!

I love you all and am so excited for this wonderful time of year and
this wonderful time to be serving God and his children!!

Until next week!! ;)

Sister Lisa Haynie!

🎶 There Can Be Miracles! When You Believe! 🎶 And Work Really Hard! (November 21st, 2016)

Hello all!

This week has been miraculous!

To start off, we got a referral from online requesting a Book of
Mormon! Miracle! We never get referrals! So we went to visit, but no
one was home, so we called the number we had and she picked up and
said to come back in a couple days!
We went back and taught the first lesson about the restoration! And
were able to to teach her about the importance of baptism being done
by those who hold the proper authority and she will be preparing for
baptism on the 18 of December! Ahhhh! She is such a miracle!

But wait that isn't it! Later that week we were knocking on some doors
and sharing a Christmas video about Jesus Christ. On one of the last
doors, a young mum and her two energetic boys opened and said they
would be happy to hear the message, but if we could come back the next
day, since they had just got home from a long trip and were having
dinner. So of course we come back the next day and share the video
with the mum and we get talking. She started asking us questions about
what our religion was. We told her that we are Christians from the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly known from the
nickname "Mormons" and she said that she has an auntie who is a
Mormon. And we were like, what is her name we might know her! Turns
out we do, really well!! And this mum is interested in hearing our
message and we will be seeing her this week! Miracle!

Also this Friday the church is coming out with this years Christmas
initiative and I cannot wait! It is called, 💡Light the World 🌎  And
its whole idea is about serving others all of December! I am so
excited 😆. This year I am really excited for Christmas 🎄! I have
never been this excited for Christmas this early, I usually have to
wait until after thanksgiving before i will even admit it is Christmas
time once again. And no I haven't forgotten thanksgiving 🦃. We have a
member who is rolling out a proper American feast for my companion and
I.

Oh oh! And shout out to my favorite little sister Carson and my
favorite father, HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎉 I hope you guys have a marvelous
feast on the 24th, all thanks to you being born!

I hope you all know I love you! I love the gospel of Jesus Christ
which seems to be the only thing to pick me up when I am down. My
Savior lives, choices is important, and trials are real but for our
benefit!

Until next week!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!

Patience and Humility. Lots of Humility (November 14th, 2016)

To start off, shout out to my November birthdays 🎉Grandma Vaterlaus
and Megan. Dad and Carson, I know yours are coming too! Hope you all
have/had a fabulous day and had a lot of really good cake 🎂 and
presents 🎁

This week has been okay. Sister Vizaco and I work hard all week and it
seems nothing is happening. Or at least from what we can see. I'm sure
there is loads going on in the background that we are oblivious to.
But the surface is really rough. It has really made me question the
type of missionary I am, if I work hard enough, am I obedient, do I
listen to the spirit enough?

I read this really great talk though, about waiting upon the Lord. And
it is pretty clear. God is trying to teach us to be humble and
patient. There is a scripture that I feel resounds with me so
perfectly. This is Nephi speaking,

    "Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in
showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O
wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh;
my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
    I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins
which do so easily beset me.
    And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my
sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted." 2 Nephi 4:17-19

A lot of this week I have wondered if this is happening because I did
something wrong. Or I don't do enough."

But then again, I watched this Mormon Message called "The Refiner's
Fire" and there are a couple of things that the lady says that really
helped.

" It's not always about us. We're not going through this because we
need to change, or we're not good enough. I became someone more
capable of helping others and having compassion..."

"To me its like Newton's law. For every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction. Equal and opposite. So I think the greater our
sorrow is, the greater our capacity is to feel joy."
- Kim Martin

God knows that we are imperfect. He knew long before we made the
mistakes that we have and will make. And it is okay. This life is not
a test to see what grade of righteousness we can get. It is to change
us to be more like the Savior. Not to decide whether or not we can
make it into heaven, but to make us heavenly people. And I know that I
am becoming more patient and humble through these challenges. I don't
like it but I am thankful for the opportunity to show God my trust in
him.

I am so thankful for the resource that we have. The scriptures and the
gospel library. Conference talks and hymns! And there is so much more!
We truly live in a blessed time!

Love you all and hope you have a good week! Remember, in whom you have trusted!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!