November 4th, 2013

Great week here!!!  It was actually really great! We are teaching a 13 year old girl named ---. Not ---. ---. yeah. She is like so golden. oh my goodness. k. the girl goes to early morning seminary every single morning because she wants to. She isnt even in high school yet. She just goes! She is basically ready to be baptized. But we have been working with the family a little bit and we want to try and get them as well so that it doesnt really break up the family. And so that she has the support of them and all of that. But they all came to a ward activity the other night and really liked it! 

--- got the priesthood!!!! And --- also blessed the sacrament yesterday for the first time and that was really cool. They both are getting family names ready to go and take to the temple next week to do baptisms! They are so excited about it. 

We taught --- the first lesson and it was sooooo cool. After the closing prayer we were like still on our knees and she started saying how she got this feeling that she needed to go home and talk to her husband about all what she learned and teach him the restoration. He isn't exactly interested in the church, but he isnt against it at all. He is really supportive of her and is glad that she is doing this. She said that she thinks he will end up joining one day too! But it was so cool how excited she was and wanting to go home and teach him about it. Who knows maybe we will just teach the both of them and they can get baptized the same day haha miracles happen! 

We went on splits with some of the laurels in the ward which was fun! Its something I wish I could have done before my mission. I took this girl out who is putting her papers in pretty soon actually. Her name is Alexis and she is probably the funniest girl alive. She is going to be a way great missionary. But we went to go visit --- and --- and I think I got booted down to being --- second favorite because of alexis! hahaha I secretly think its cause shes black and --- loves anyone who is black besides himself. I told her everytime we go to teach him now that shes gonna have to come with us! Im convinced that he will get baptized once they get a black missionary in here! --- though is so amazing! She went from being completely inactive, to getting reactivated and getting her temple reccommend and her patriarchal blessing and now she is speaking in stake conference this month! I cant even believe it. She has changed so much it is crazy. 

We got a new ward mission leader yesterday that we are SOOOO excited about. He is so great and is a freak about missionary work. He actually served in McAllen! He is gonna be really good. 

Other than that nothing else is really new! We have a ward missionary who is a massage therapist and she had us over for massages this morning and I was like holy cow Im living the missionary high life haha. I cant complain! There is a reason why I am in texas! 

Hope you all had a great week! Miss and love each one of you!! 

xoxo sister huber 

Wild Boar that we actually ate... sick!

Yes, Christmas is up!!

October 28th, 2013

Just enjoying another beautiful day in H town! I have never been so ready to start a new week. haha. missionaries definitely have their weeks. but it just brings so much more determination to push through even harder the next! This sounds kinda pathetic. But I feel like ever since I have gotten here things have been so great and we always had great investigators and tons of success and as we work hard day after day we see the blessings almost instantly. But I think Heavenly Father is wanting to test me a whole lot more right now! hahaha. I just say bring it. Its discouraging when you are working your hardest and you don't see anything great coming out of it. But its helped me to learn to rely on Him more and align my will with His and let things happen on His timing! He lets us struggle sometimes. And I have realized its a blessing when He does. I don't think I have ever said I am grateful for the struggles in my life until now. 

We had zone conferences this week with president! I know I say this almost every week. But President Pingree is hands down the best mission president in the world. Everyone in the mission is convinced that we were all sent here because we needed him as our mission president! He and sister pingree are absolutely perfect. 

We had a whole lesson on being missionaries in the bible belt and comparing the godhead and the trinity and how that is the biggest difference in their beliefs vs ours. 86% of converts come from either the protestant faith (lutheran, methodist, baptist) or Catholicism. So we were told to start looking in the pews of other faiths and start preaching! We actually are teaching --- and ---, a couple who is methodist. --- used to be baptist but then started going to the methodist church with renee. We taught them the first lesson and they were all over it and they are coming to church with us this week. She has already read the whole book of mormon and loves it! We tracted into them one day, and we know the Lord led us to them because they are so prepared. --- is also starting the lessons this week! She is the excommunicated member who like when I got here was like you better not even mention the discussions when you visit me! hahaha. She has had such a change of heart and a huge desire to be baptized again and get back on the right path. I have grown to love her a ton over the past few months. 

We actually did really good on lessons this week. Taught a good amount of people! We are working really closely with the members which has been so much fun. This ward really is so great! Never a dull moment though. This one lady faked an entire pregnancy which was crazy. Talk about drama hahaha. Thats a whole other story. anyways, everything here is great! loving every single moment! apparently halloween here is sketch so we have to be locked up in our apartments by 6 haha. safety first I guess! haha hope you all have a great week! love you!!!!
sister huber 

Zone Conference

October 21st, 2013

well I wish I had lots of exciting things to say this week! But unfortunately it wasnt too eventful haha. It happens. Our zone got split which is crazzyyy! We went from having 12 sisters in the zone, to 4 now haha. And like 8 elders I think? its actually pretty small now. I also got out of being the designated driver finally. which means I'm probably out next transfer haha. It was way funny actually cause there is a sister in our zone who came out when I did, and she was in this zone, got transferred out, and then got transferred back in the zone and is now in her 3rd area and I'm still living it up in the same place I was 5 months ago! hahaha. I love it though. We had temple this week which was soooo needed. We finally got to see the new video and it is unreal. oh man I loved it. Also- here's a good story. so yesterday at church a member of the bishopric comes up to me and is like, so we had a speaker cancel last minute and so we figured a sister missionary can throw a talk together real quick! So lucky sister huber got to go up and speak with like no heads up really and just wing a talk on charity. hahaha. and to make it even better, I had to speak with a man who is probably more intimidating than the prophet. I about died. But i'm alive so theres a miracle for the week right there!

We reactivated an inactive member which is exciting! We are working on her husband but that might take a little while. We also got like 2 new investigators this week but neither are really progressing yet. Its all on the Lord's way and on His time! We were challenged to pray and not ask for one thing, only thanking for things and it really made me closer with my heavenly father. I didn't think it would have as big of an impact on me as it really did! We weren't supposed to pray asking for Him to help anyone, or anything. Which seemed kinda weird but it really is so amazing how much I asked for and didnt realize how much I really was getting from the Lord! It definitely made me so much more grateful and I feel like it made me have a much stronger relationship with Him.

Christ truly has become my best friend. He is there when you feel like no one else is. He wants you to be happy and to succeed. Rely on Him for everything!!!

xoxo sister huber

October 14th, 2013

HEY!!!!

 

not a lot of time to write today. but I wanted yall to know everythings great! :) got a few new investigators this week so that is exciting. a couple seem pretty promising so we are praying they start progressing here! one of them like loves mormons and cant stop talking about the book of Mormon so she's definitely prepared. We had a huge missionary fireside last night with all of the ward leaders and are working on our end of the year ward mission plan! we are focusing a lot on reactivations now too which is really cool. my comp is great and the work is goin!! I send my love to Utah!!!

xoxo sister huber

In front of an investigator's car that he paid cash for.... Sister Huber is impressed!

October 7th, 2013

another week of transfers and I am staying once again!!! I've decided I would be pretty content staying here the rest of my mish. Its amazing how much you love the people and they become your family. I honestly don't know how I am gonna take it when I do get transferred. Especially cause next transfer is thanksgiving AND Christmas and I better not be sent to a new area!!!!! jk. but kinda not haha. Mamma sevy already said that she is having us over to spend the night on Christmas eve! But whatever happens, happens :) I love it here though. The work was a little slower this week. I was kinda expecting it though since we just had a way good and successful couple months. So we hit our downhill but its okay! We are gonna go right back up here pretty soon! We have quite a few potential investigators that we are going to work with this week. We went from having like 7 way good progressing investigators down to like 2. Its definitely been one of the Lord's tests though! I know that times like these are the only way that we can grow and become even better and stronger missionaries. Conference was SOOO great and helped me both personally, and as a missionary. Elder Scott's talk was probably my favorite. His or the black guy who spoke Saturday morning. His was wayyyyy good. I forgot his name haha. I felt like a lot of the talks were on the Atonement and using it more in our lives. Or at least thats what the Lord was trying to get me to hear! I think that a lot of times, we think that the atonement is just for our sins and we only use it when we do something wrong. But really, the Atonement is way more than that. It has an enduring power that I have had to call upon a lot since being a missionary. Yes, we are supposed to use the atonement when we need to be cleansed of something, but He suffered for much more than just our sins. It makes it possible for us all to become one with him. Whenever we are burdened with something, or hurt by someone, or struggling with personal weaknesses, or even simply just want to feel of His love, the Atonement is there for all of that. He has personally experienced all of that. He wants us to call upon Him and let Him walk with us every step of the way.

I am glad to hear that I am missing the Utah snow and enjoying the beautiful texas sunshine! :) couldn't be more perfect! I love you all and I AM SO EXCITED THAT MY SISTER BETTY IS JOINING ME IN THE MISSION FIELD!!!!! texas Houston mission maybe? :) I think yes :) its the best one in the world! miss you all tons!

xoxo

sister huber

September 30, 2013

hellooooo!!!!

---'s baptism on saturday was SO AMAZING. seriously like couldnt have been better. We had a lot happen starting a few days before his baptism that made it beyond stressful. Satan has a way of creating problems before someone gets baptized and something happens every time! This time was just wayyyyy worse than any of the others. I actually got sick a couple days ago and still am trying to get better, and a member said that it has to be because of all of the stress that we were under hahaha. It was bad. BUUUUT the truth always prevails and everything always works out when the Lord is on your side! :) 

We had training/president interviews this week. we easily have the best mission president in the entire world. not even kidding he and sister pingree are probably the most amazing people ever. We had some training on 'a powerful first lesson'. All on how to make the restoration lesson way super great. President said that if we do our first lesson using that outline, our baptisms will double. Its gonna happen!!! 

We taught --- with sister ---, the RS president on thursday. That went reallyyyy well! She is coming to conference this weekend as well! This lady seriously like blows me away. She read the BOM in 2 WEEKS. yeah. insane. She always says "oh I know its true. I know Joseph smith is a prophet." she has all of the lds apps on her phone and ipad and everything! its crazy! like why is she not baptized?! It was the first time we have had to try and explain to an investigator why their previous baptism doesnt exactly count and they need to be baptized again under the priesthood authority. I was so nervous that we were going to offend her or something but the spirit knows how to do things like that and it couldnt have gone better! she said that she feels good about it and that she was going to pray about getting baptized. We feel really good about it :) 

We had 3 non members come with us to the RS broadcast on saturday!!! Hopefully we will start teaching them soon. They are these crazy funny black girls. One of them is in HS, and one of them is in her first year of college. The other is like 28? Anyways they are the ---'s neighbors and she said she is going to invite them and the parents to take the discussions! 

We got with the ward council yesterday and created a whole new ward mission plan and we are SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!! It is going to be so amazing and things are going to just keep happening! So basically if I get transferred out of this ward I am going to cry. hahaha. I love it so much. 

anywayyysss i love you all! Never forget the lord in every thing that you do!!!!

xoxo sister huber

Here is another email she sent me today as well.... good insight that was forwarded on to her from her trainer.

I want y'all to know that this struggle is real!!!! when people ask what the hardest part about a mission is, I honestly say it is feeling ugly ALL the time hahahaha. so when you see the pics of us sisters and how unattractive we look, just remember this great explanation to it all :) 

The Sparkle

Congratulations Sister. You have reached the memorable time in the mission of every cute sister when she experiences "the change." It typically happens around your first transfer, which can be pretty quick in the life of a fluent speaking missionary. The change can be seen in a number of ways - most often in the form of weight gain - but also in an indistinctive way that most sisters cannot pinpoint.

"I remember getting the first set of pictures back from being developed at the store and noticing a major difference in my looks. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong with my face. I just looked different...."

"My companion described it as a loss of the feminine sparkle. That light in your eyes that attracts men to you. She said Heavenly Father took it away from me."

This is the best explanation I've heard yet. Sister, the Lord has taken from you your sparkle. That light in your eyers that attracts men to you. It's a very sad change. It causes depression in many sisters, because no amount of exercise, diet change or makeup can make it come back. But the sisters involved in developing this theory have thus far agreed that Heavenly Father must use this as a protection mechanism on your behalf. It keeps evil people from noticing you and normal people from being distracted.

"A seminary teacher once explained to me that feelings of love and feelings of the Spirit are very similar. They are often confused with one another. He taught us that the only way we can discern between them is to become proficient in understanding how the Spirit communicates to us individually. The more proficient we become, the less likely we are to confuse it with feeling of love."

Investigators are at the point in their spirituality where they are just beginning to understand how the Spirit speaks to them. They can confuse these warm fuzzy feelings with falling in love with an attractive sister. Talking away your feminine sparkle helps to eliminate this confusion.

As the change takes effect throughout your mission you may be alarmed to find yourself age. No, this is not the aging that is seen in visible wrinkles or sagging body parts, but again, the indistinctive way that you can just sense. It is a result of the months and months spent worrying an agonizing over those you have come to love through your service.

There is hope sisters!! Just as suddenly as the change develops, it disappears. Sometime, close to the end of your mission, with no conscious effort on our part, the sparkle is regained, the weight begins to drop and you feel like yourself again - only happier and wiser for the mission that you have chosen to fulfill. So, the choice is yours: fight it or forget it. Take it from those who've lived and learned. Fighting it is useless and ends up being more of a distraction than a help. Forget yourself and work. The Lord works in mysterious ways to bless us. Remember, "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children."

September 23rd, 2013

HEY! :)

we spent the afternoon in the woodlands today. way way fun! 

some great news for the week! it stopped feeling like a sauna outside and is FINALLY starting to cool down a bit. thank goodness! the weather has been so perfect. 

also. --- IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!! thats a miracle in itself right there hahaha. holy cow have we worked hard on this guy. I remember when we set the date with him like months ago, and its finally happening! He is living all of the commandments and is now at a place where he is ready. Its amazing though because I think it was back in July when we set the date with him, and for some weird reason september 28th felt right for everyone, and every little thing has come together right in time for that date. The Lord sure knows what He's doing! He wants sister lockhart and I to 'speak' at it. And I think by speaking he means giving the talks haha. It'll be a great day for sure :)

We had a missionary sacrament meeting yesterday in church. The bishop had sister walker and I talk, and had us teach the youth for the third hour all about missionary work. He said the past 2 years there haven't been any baptisms in the ward, and just in the past 7 months or so there have been 4. and they just keep coming! I like to say its because sister missionaries are the best, buuuut we all know its really because the Lord is blessing this area :) He knew the people here are ready! but sister missionaries really are the best ;) our mission is now 45% sisters. and I heard that it is 51% now like everywhere. how cool is that?! anywayssss

We taught --- this week. She fell at work and was in a lot of pain so we had some men in the ward come and give her a priesthood blessing. such a neat experience! the spirit was crazy strong, and after the blessing we were talking and everything and she just kept saying how much better she felt already!  I think it was a huge step in her progression. --- came along too with one of the members and he was sharing his testimony to her about the book of mormon and I was like dang! He is like a missionary himself! not even baptized yet! I thought that was super cool. We are going by her house again this week to visit with the relief society president. 

I got talked into teaching district meeting this week. Our district leader has been trying to get me to like since I got here. hahaha no one else has gotten roped into it so I guess I was the lucky one! It was on being worthy of the spirit learning to recognize it. It was the first time where I have been teaching and I can honestly say that the whole time was just speaking by the spirit. usually I have something in mind and notes to go off of and everything, but this time was totally just by the spirit and I know that what was coming out of my mouth wasnt me haha. It was all Him. It was good because I can see the improvement in myself. And I think I am getting less awkward so thats good too hahaha. We can hope I guess :) 

everyone else is doing great as well! we taught a ton of lessons this week and things were just happening. Livin the missionary life! got another great week ahead!

I LOVE YOU ALL :)

xoxo sister huber

Their baptism guy coming up wanted a lesson on the trampoline.