Lord I Believe, Help Thou Mine Disbelief (November 7th, 2016)

Man this wek has been good! So much fun and many cool miracles!!

So this week had been going really slow. And I mean really slow. We work so hard and it seams like nothing is happening!

Anyway, Friday we went on exchange with our Sister Training Leaders, Sister Smiddy and Sister Wright (holla at my former companion!!) I got to be companions with Sister Wright again for a day!! It was so much fun!!

I learned so much! I will try to put it as simply as I can because this weekend has been blowing my mind!

Things I have been learning:

- A lot of us tend to believe in Christ, but we dont really believe Him. We think that His miracles and his power are real and we have heard of so many other people's experiences and we believe that it is true... for other people. But not for us. Guilty. Almost my whole mission, I have been feeling like this. (For more on this please read Elder Bednar's address from October 2016 General Conference, "If Ye Had Known Me" and Stephen E. Robinson's BYU Devotional on 29 May 1990, "Believing Christ: A practical Approach to the Atonement.)

- It is really easy for anyone to forget the experiences they have had. Blessings that they know are from God, tender moments when a prayer was answered, etc. So easy. Remeber that cool experience I had a few weeks ago about feeling the atonement? I totally forgot about that, and it was so profound to me! I mean just look at Laman and Lemuel. They saw angels and even heard the voice of the Lord and they were so quick to forget!

These are just a few things that I have been finally learning! It is not enough to just recieve answers through faith and beliving what Christ says, but we must remember! It is so impoirtant!

On exchange, Sister Wright shared her recent mantra with a family that we visited together. She has been studying Mark 9 a lot. It is about the father who asks Christ to heal his son and Christ asks if the father believes. The father cries out in response "Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief."

I dont want to just belive in Christ, but I really want to believe Him, what he says and what he promises!! And then we must remember the answers we receive and the miracles we see, otherwise we will take them for granted or feel like we never feel God's presence. So I am adopting her mantra and adding to it, "Believe Him and Remember!"

So, yesterday I took this new "miracles can happen for me too," attitude out while we went finding. And nothing for a while. Time was running out and just rejection after rejection after rejection. And it was cold and raining. Then I wanted to try to single out the one, so there was a guy walking behind a group of teenagers and I turned to Sister Vizaco and said, "He's our miracle!" And man was I right! More than I would have thought! The guy that sister Vizaco and I met is from no other place than... East Timor! That is where my last recent convert is from! Man that was such a personal miracle! I was able to say the two things I know in Indonesian and it was so cool! He is coming to church with us on Sunday!! "There can be miracles when you believe" Him!

I feel like my whole mission I have been doing things with my head, because it was right, because it logically made sense, but while I was on exchange, I realized that I need to start doing things with my heart more. Brains are great, but hearts are better, because that is where the Spirit comes easily. Now get the right combination of both...👍🏼 but I'm still working on that!

Also just for kicks, Sister Wright and I stopped this guy and it turns out he raps, so Sister Wright asked him to do some free style, and he did! And he turns and asks us to do something. Sister Wright immediately says, "I don't rap, but she sings really well!" ... So I sang the first line of BYU Vocal Point "Savior Redeemer of My Soul" to our new friend Levi. Who would have thought I would sing on the street to strangers to bring them closer to Christ?

I know that my Savior lives and He loves me! And I know all too well that I am imperfect, but that is okay! That is why we need a Savior! And I know that I am learning to believe him, and all it takes is trying and the basic 3. 1. Study your scripture, the word of God. 2. Say real, sincere prayers, asking God questions and for help coming closer to him. 3. GO TO CHURCH! Give yourself the opportunities to feel the spirit! Where else will you go?

I also know that this is a novel, so I will end it here:)

I love you all! Until next week!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!

Halloween 👻🎃🕷! With Christmas 🎄⛄️❄️ Just Around the Corner (October 31st, 2016)

Hello! Happy Halloween 👻🎃🕷 in England they have the Halloween
decorations out the same time as Christmas! Not even a bit of
consideration for Thanksgiving 🦃. I guess it's understandable.

This week has been full of adventures and fun! Every day is new and I
love it! I am coming to know my Savior more and more each week! He and
Heavenly Father always have something new to teach me. And I love that
I am forever growing and changing!

So my Brazilian companion, Sister Vizaco is the best finder ever!

Confession time. I have probably said it before, but I absolutely hate
talking to people on high street or in town centre. I feel like I get
people claustrophobic. My heart starts beating and I feel like I can't
breathe very and every fibre of my being is wanting to turn around and
find a quiet dark corner to hide in.

But Sister Vizaco is teaching me! All the ropes, ins, and outs of
stopping people on the street! Man and we find so many new friends!!
More than I have ever before! We meet the coolest people ever!

Which brings me to my miracle of the week. She is from Romania and she
is so cool! She is working as a nurse and specialises in orthopaedics
(and helped me out with tips for my poor aching missionary feet 😉)

She also is really struggling with her faith in God. She has had some
tough trials in her past. We saw her on Friday and I could see clearer
than I ever have before a soul's cry for help! She is on the verge of
either being atheist or believing that she has done something wrong
and God hates her for it so he is punishing her. Neither is true!

I am so thankful to have met her! She reminded me the true reason why
I am here in England. And why I stay here even though I am tired and
people are not nice and I could be home in the hot, sunny weather
rather than the cold dark rainy-ness that is England. Because there
are people who truly desire to have that relief that comes from
knowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ! They are in pain and depressed
with no hope of relief from the pains of life. But there is light to
be had! There is hope for burdens to be lifted! For fresh starts to be
made!! The goodness of the Gospel is so real!! And I have it! It
really does exist! I have felt the joy of forgiveness and the power of
the atonement of Jesus Christ righting wrongs and overcoming my
weaknesses!

Oh it is so wonderful! There are times when I just want to shout it
from the roof tops! I am so thankful for this opportunity in my life
to serve the people of this land. To have the chance to serve God's
children! To share what I have known practically since birth!

And I am so thankful for parents who taught me the gospel of Jesus
Christ because there is truly no other way to get through this life
and still have true happiness and purpose!

I know that Christ lives! He is waiting for us to open the door to
him, and let him in. He will not force his way in. He waits patiently.
Arms wide open!!

Turn to him, please! I know it will get better as you centre your life on him!

I love you all and am so thankful for the support you have given me!

Until next week!

Sister Lisa Haynie!

🇺🇸+🇧🇷+🙏🏻⛪️= So Much Fun in 🇬🇧 (October 24th, 2016)

Tudo ben! That is Portuguese for how are you!

This week has been so much fun! Sister Vizaco is the best and we are
so similar it is crazy 😜! Like even down to birthdays and favourite
colour! She is such a great missionary! She is really great at talking
to people in the street and really getting me out of my comfort zone.
I thought that I had gotten pretty good at talking to people in the
street, but man I have a lot to learn from her!

And Stevenage! It is good here! I already love it! The people actually
talk to you and if they don't they at least smile (accept for this
morning, but we can give them a break, it was a cold Monday morning.)

So Sunday was so much fun! I got to meet the Stevenage ward and then
after Sister Vizaco and I, along with the other sister here in
Stevenage (Sister Spear who is a not-so-greenie greenie and Sister
Swann who came out with me and we were in the MTC together) we did a
missionary workshop for the 16-18 year old girls and boys in the stake
and at first we thought they could care less that we were teaching,
because they were really quiet and didn't participate much (but what
can you say, they are teens) but at the end of one of our classes, one
of the boys came back and asked us if we could show him where we found
one of the quotes that we shared in the workshop! Such a miracle! And
later that evening, he got up in front of a big group and did a role
play as a missionary and he did so well! It was so cool 😎!

Now this may seem really small and insignificant to some, but for me,
as a missionary, these little moments are what we work and die for! We
may not ever be able to bring someone to that wonderful choice of
baptism, but hey! At least we change somebody's day! To know that I
make a difference is so rewarding! Not gonna lie! Being a missionary
is hard and can be down right depressing, but then with a little
miracle like the one we had on Sunday makes it all go away! Honestly!
You for get all the unpleasant, like hurting feet and people saying
"no" to you and you are on the top of the world!

I am soooooo grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary! The
strength it has brought me! The humility it is teaching me! The
opportunity it has given me to lean on my Savior, to give it all to
him! And most of all, the PEACE! There is nothing like the peace that
comes from following the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Oh! And the Book of
Mormon! The love I have for the Book of Mormon is almost
indescribable! I just have to pick it up, open it, and start reading
and I feel peace and love.

I love my Heavenly Father! I know he is so aware of us! So aware that
he can see beyond our trails and the struggles we have and know that
we will become greater from them! I am eternally grateful to my Savior
Jesus Christ who gives me the strength when I feel I no longer have it
with in myself.

I really do love you all and am so thankful for the support you give
me even if it is just a small prayer. It is felt!

I hope you have a splendid week!

Love,

Sister Lisa Haynie!

And I'm Off! (October 18th, 2016)

And once again, another Transfers has arrived! It is not surprising as
I have had 6 months here in Huntingdon, but it doesn't make it any
less sad, I will be leaving the beloved Huntingdon area! ☹️️ I really
have come to feel like this is home away from home, but just like in
life, I feel it is time for a fresh start! A new area with new
adventures to have, lessons to learn, and friends to make! I will miss
the people here so much !!

But you know what, that is okay because the Plan of Salvation is so
real! I will see all of these people again! Whether it is in this life
or in the next, I know this is not the end!

Something I am learning from saying goodbye, is the fact that I have
come to know that I actually made a difference here! There were days
when I felt that I could be swallowed up by the earth and it wouldn't
matter, but when I said good-bye to members, and they were sad that I
was going to go, it made me feel like I actually helped!

I know that it is not mine, but the Lord's work that I am doing! I am
so thankful for the opportunity to serve and give the little I have to
others that may need it more!

Here I have come to know the Joy that comes from service, that the
atonement is real (and not just for our sins but also our weaknesses
and everything that is unfair or hard), that trials are to make us
stronger and better, and that God has a purpose for all of us, and
through His Son, we can have that tranquil peace that can withstand
all!

I am still learning and growing all the time, but now instead of it
being a trial, it now is an opportunity to rise and overcome!

I love my Savior! I trust God in his infinite wisdom! I know that the
book of Mormon can bring that peace that we all need in our life!

Oh and my new companion is from Brazil and her name is Sister Vizaco!
I am so excited! 😆

Love you all! Have a super splendid week!

Sister Lisa Haynie!

🎶I Will Sing His Redeeming Love🎶 (October 10th, 2016)

Hello all!

Hope you have had a great week because I have!

Well there have been downs but this week has still been amazing! Want
to know why?

Because the atonement is real!

The past few weeks I have been wanting to overcome a lot of trials and
I have just been praying and praying and reading the Book of Mormon
like it had all the answers to life, (spoiler alert, it does) and for
a long while it was just a painful plea. But last week as many of you
know, we were able to listen to General Conference and listen to a
prophets voice and that of apostles and church leaders give us council
for our lives. And I also had been reading through these talks. And
praying some more.

Friday I took a brief nap during lunch and when I woke up ... it was
like I was lighter. It wasn't just that I had more energy, I had the
strength to face everyday again! With joy and happiness! And I KNOW
that this was from something beyond me! Because even after I had this
experience, almost immediately the things that had been weighing me
down were thrown back at me, but this time, I didn't care! I was happy
and nothing had the power to bring me down.

And it has continued to be like that. My trials and problems have not
disappeared. But it is incredible how I have been unaffected. These
are things that have bothered me my whole life and boom 💥! I can
overcome!!

Oh and what's more is my discovery of the speed in which we can turn
things around! At the speed of light! It is truly amazing! 🌙🌞

Just wanted to share! Jesus Christ is my Savior and literally he can
help us take on ANYTHING!

And we met a miracle yesterday! His name is Brock. And he is atheist,
but the step in lesson we had on the street was so cool! The spirit
was so strong! And it all started when we brought out the Book of
Mormon! This book is literally so powerful! Because it is true! I am
so thankful for this book 📖!

Search, Ponder and Pray (October 3rd, 2016)

Good first week of October!

And it has become officially cold. The scarves and jackets are out
along with the layers of cardigans. ❄️☔️☹️ I will never get used to
the cold.

This week has been tough! Lots of ups and downs. But the ups make the
downs feel smaller. The ups of this week were Zone Meeting with lots
of other missionaries and GENERAL CONFERENCES! Oh. My. Days. So good,
but also intense!

I am so thankful for the opportunity we have twice a year to hear from
Gods prophet, apostles, and our general authorities who are only there
to help us in this crazy world. They volunteer only because they know
for themselves the truthfulness of the Gospel and of the blessings
that follow living it. That's it! And by the looks of the prophet,
they don't get much in return. He has dedicated his life to serving
others.

The counsel they gave was to return to the basics. Develop your
testimony of Jesus Christ. Gain a testimony of the Restoration and the
prophet Joseph Smith, especially the blessings that directly come from
the restoration. Make sure to have real, fervent prayers not just
repetitive reciting.

See these things we already know, but do we do them? Sometimes we get
so caught up in the deeper, not as well understood doctrine, that we
allow these basic principles to wither and die, and our foundation
becomes weak. No idea who said it, but they were on to something when
they asked, "Is it pertinent to your salvation?" Is it necessary to
understand for you to have faith in Jesus Christ and return to live
with God. If the answer is no, then maybe we should focus on what is
important to our salvation. Like getting a testimony of the Book of
Mormon and what it will mean in our every day lives.

What I am going to try and do is to be better at using the atonement
of Jesus Christ for everything. Not just sins but any unfairness or
trouble in life, because Christ died so that all things may be made
right. Big and small.

I hope that you all may have an empowered week knowing that there is
always a brightness in the future as we follow our Heavenly Father!

Love you!

Sister Lisa Haynie!

Half Stress + Half Miracles = Great Week 👏🏻👊🏻 (September 26th, 2016)

This week we tried for the first time to teach using Facebook
Messenger. We have been advised to see our friends at least three
times a week if they are preparing for baptism, but some people are
really busy, so a great tool is the Internet! It was really
interesting. We had the time set up to have the lesson over Facebook
at 2, but the library closed at 1:30 so we just sat on a bench outside
of the bank on high street, because the bank has free wifi ;) You
would not guess what happened while we tried to teach our friend over
Facebook.

The first thing that happened was that this guy Sister Laura and I met
the transfer walked by and we said hello, and he decided to sit down
right next to us and  have a heavy conversation about how Mormons are
all crazy simpletons who have no clue at all what we are doing and
that he read the whole Book of Mormon and never bothered to pray about
it. Not a very nice atmosphere. Eventually his mother pulled him away
and we tried to focus in again on Facebook, luckily we had a terrific
member who kept the conversation rolling!👏🏻👍🏼

So we finally ask a couple of good questions and invite our friend to
listen to General Conference ( an amazing opportunity to listen to a
living prophet and apostles!) and then this young man with a bike with
his groceries hanging off the handlebars hobbles up to us on our bench
and asks us if we can help him onto his bike because one of his legs
has an injury. Turns out he has been looking for a church and really
wants to come to ours in a couple of weeks! We set a return
appointment and said a prayer for him... All while we tried to split
our attention with a live lesson and our Facebook lesson...😳

Our lesson on Facebook actually ended up pretty well, but the whole
time I was honking, "What the heck is going on?!) Miracles!!

And that is a pretty good sum up of my week🤗 Half stress and half
miracles! All in a weeks work as missionary!

I am so excited for this upcoming week! General Conference! I love to
hear from our Heavenly Father and being able to receive inspiration
for my life and getting help with what to teach our friends who are
changing their lives around.

I also know that as we put God first, the rest of our lives will fall
into place and you would be surprised the things that will no longer
be as important as they once were. Life WILL NOT be perfect but it is
oh so much better!