Can you believe it!! 31 more day until
Sister Hayes gets home!!
Yes I am counting down the days til my amazing little sis gets home. In fact, Megan and I made a paper chain the other day to help us keep track. Megan is getting really excited and talks about picking up Aunt Chrisy at the airport all the time. From Christine's emails it looks like she is really excited too. She has loved being a missionary and serving the people of Arizona but she is so excited to get back to her family that she loves so much. Sister Hayes will be arriving home bright and early at 10am on Nov. 23 (the day after her dad's 50th birthday and the day before Thanksgiving). Some of the things she can't wait for are seeing her family (of course), Cafe Rio salads, wearing jeans, going to a movie with her dad, holding the twins, playing with Megan, shopping, seeing her grandma Bibby (who is flying in from Alabama) and sleeping.
Well now that we got that out of the way you are probably wondering how she is doing. Sorry it has been so so so long since an update. Well it is way to hard to go back and update you on all that she has done so we will stick to what she is doing now. Sister Hayes is currently serving in the Gila Valley which is where the temple is. The mission president wanted her to learn Spanish in her last couple months on the mission so her last two transfers have been with Spanish speaking companions. It has been hard but it sounds like she is working really hard at it. "At first when I heard that we would be covering all of the Spanish Branch I thought. What? I can't do that, I really don't know Spanish! (which is the truth) But I then remembered something that was said in my patriarchal blessing, it says something along the lines of dismiss doubt from your mind. I know that I am supposed to learn this language because during some point in the future I will need it. I plan on really hitting my knees and pleading with the Lord to help me. I hope that the spirit will help me get across the message that I so badly want to share with these people.....Now about my Spanish again. It is slowly getting better, not that I can speak it at all but I can understand alot more then I ever could before :) We'll keep working on it and praying my heart out."
Her current companion is Hermana Harris from South Carolina. They are serving in the Young Single Adults(YSA) Branch and the Spanish Branch. The work is pretty slow but they are trying hard to find people to teach. Please keep them and those they met in your prayers. "Oh, I've also decided that when I go home, I'm staying in a family ward for a while. I hate singles ward, it is so awkward.UGH! People are very immature and worldly, but at the same time we are all learning. So, just to let you know don't sign me up for Singles Ward anytime soon"
Sister (Hermana) Hayes had an amazing experience this week that I though I would share with you. "Also this week I met a wonderful member of the Spanish Branch. Her name is Sister Barney and let me tell you this world is a small world. So, I was on splits in the Spanish branch with Sis. Barney while Sister Harris was in the YSA Branch. Once sacrament was over in the Spanish branch, Sister Barney took me to go pick up a young lady to bring to the YSA branch. She started asking me the usual missionary questions,
"So Sister where are you from?"
West Jordan, Utah
"Oh, really I have a daughter down there and another relative in South Jordan"
Who's your daughter?
"Her name is Kristen Miles"
Seriously? Oh, my goodness, does she have twins?
"Yes, Grant and Jenny and Anna..."
She's in my homeward, I helped her bathe and dress the twins when they were young, oh my goodness.
During the whole conversation, I was just beaming with excitement. It's like the spirit filled my whole body and I was filled with joy. I was so thankful for this experience because the past few days have been a little rough in this new area with my new companion. Again this was a testimony to me that God is aware of each one of us. This small tender mercy from the Lord brought me so much joy, my whole day was turned around and I had a better attitude." What a simple blessing.
Everything else is going great with Sister Hayes. Like I said before they are just struggling to find people to teach and with their current few investigators. Please remember Sister Hayes in your prayers and if you have time send her a little note. After all, time is running out.
A picture she sent us...
The field is white already to harvest!!!
(cotton fields where she is currently serving)
