New Year New Beginnings

Well it was a Merry Christmas! That day was full of service and began at 6 AM until like 10 then made a sweet American breakfast! Breakfast Burritos!! Big breakfast and enjoyed! I really enjoyed talking to my family.... They say family first always and I'm a firm believer on that. I love my family and If I were you. I would tell my family "I love them" every day, more than once... Were with them for eternity thanks to our loving savior making it possible to be sealed to Our families for time and all eternity. Live in such a way people will say " The Hill's (or whatever your last name may be) must be a powerful family."  You need to always be examples to all and a light and take pride in the name you wear. 

This week has been good. Missing home isn't easy but it’s the moment you get lost in the work and choose to make that choice that you can feel all will be ok. Our Heavenly Father has promised us so many blessings If we just follow him. The highest law in heaven is "Obedience", we can learn about this in D&C 130. It is so important to always follow the savior and never check our religion at the door! I can say I am proud to be a latter day saint and know where I'm going. I may be a missionary but being out here I have come to see how everyone is a missionary. I see It every day. Everyone here for the most part knows their savior and heavenly father but isn't 100% sure what way is the right way or what to believe... By my apartment I've been able to count over 50 manmade churches and "prophets"... To confusing and we know that the lord is not the "author of confusion". 

Thanks to our Heavenly Father for restoring his church back onto this earth today so we can know how to return back to him. This is the only church that holds his authority and his foundation. I can prove it to anyone who I come across... But as a missionary and Latter Day Saint I have come to see through experiences of my own and others that it’s not for us to "prove" to people that this is the only way...  It is up to us to "show" them... 1 Timothy 4:12 - it shows us how we need to Show them. Not one person in this church is perfect. Were all imperfect trying to become to perfection. I have heard this church is like a hospital it’s for the sick and we come to be healed. Only way to do that is through Christ... that's his way, there is no other way but through him... his way...  

"Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes Permanent" .... We will never be perfect to all that our savior has asked but we can come to the point where following him can become permanent.... We will know what to choose when it comes to hard situations of right and wrong when we are truly "practicing" following our savior... Read the scriptures, church, pray, serve, and so much more. All we can do is try. We are all saints but many others don't know where to find the way.... Well it’s time to hasten the lords work even more and for us to reach our full potential and receive all that your lord has to offer you!! 

As we come into a New Year set some goals that may force you to stretch yourself but as you do so I know that you can grow in such a way that may let your father touch your heart and help you to have a "change of heart”. As we go into a new year set goals... For myself I have set some goals that push me every day... maybe I will share a few with you.... 

-100 Pushups and 100 pull ups everyday but Sunday.

-Ponderize\memorize a different verse of scripture every week. 

-read Every morning and night.

-Write with my left hand once a night doing the alphabet 2 

I have many more but a few I felt like I could share. These aren't the easiest goals and they may not be for you but my path is different than yours. But set some goals that may help you to grow. Anything is possible and as we go into 2016 don't forget to smile!! 

Thank you all for everything, I felt like bearing my testimony small in this letter on what I know is true. And what I have come to learn being on mission. I can promise and testify as you follow your Savior he will bring you into his fold! I love all of you!! I Love my family, my friends! Thank you for all your prayers and emails and so much more making it possible for me to be here!!

Time is flying! Smile!!

LOVE YOU LOTS

Elder Jayson Hill

Giving at Christmas

APRIL LETTER

Dear Family,

I wanted to share something Jayson shared with me as many of you know after Jayson left myself and another mom started an organizations called Ghana Pay It Forward. We send clothes for missionaries and suitcases we have sent over 13,550 eye glasses to help give the gift of sight and we did Christmas in Ghana and sent over 850 hygiene kits with a tie and a few goodies to every missionary in all 4 missions we ended up sending 350 more kits to the MTC to help with future needs there. It was so much fun to be able to share a bit of joy we have seen many miracles from this. Today Jayson shared this with me and I wanted to share it with you all about what it was like on the other end.

"Mom so many times we do not get to see how our service affects others…. I saw it this week at Zone Conference as I sat and watched Ghanaians go up and get the gift they were so happy!!

It almost put me to tears ... The missionaries they were so so so happy for the gifts you sent!! like they just got a hundred dollars happy!! It was a cool experience especially when not a lot of them knew it was my mom who did it! 2 of those Ghanaians in our zone took suitcases because they have been carrying their clothes and stuff in plastic garbage bags on their mission the other 6 suitcases were given to other Ghanaians in the same situation you made their day!! Without a doubt they were happy!!   

So many told me to thank you!! for the gifts!! seriously I had many call me personally saying how it was so nice of your mom to do that so thank you!!"

Merry Christmas

Love April

afishyia pa-"Merry Christmas" in Twi

Well Tis the season to truly be "swallowed up in joy"(Alma31:5) We need to truly look for the savior during the holidays right now and remember the whole reason of Christmas... Its Christmas, not "X-mas”. X-Mas is for the people who take Christ out of Christmas. This last week has really touched my heart and helped me to truly see what we need to find not only this time of the year but throughout our life.... and that is love.

The other day We were with a member proselyting and went and saw a man named Bismarck. This man called us over one day because he has the desire to change but needs help finding the path. He has been taught everything but needs a hand. This man has done everything possible that is against the commandments.... He does fraud/scam, Smokes, Drinks, Porn, Chastity.... He has done it. I get a sick feeling around him but the moment I start teaching I know It is our job to help him and though in others eyes they would see this man as a wicked person but I have come to see him as a child of god.... As we sat down to teach him... I wasn't sure what to even share or say with him.... Where do you start? So much to fix .... As I sat there in silence just waiting for someone to talk and for something to come to mind... nothing was coming... the moment I opened the scriptures... it turned to one about love... I don’t remember the exact quotation... it was in the Book or Mormon... But I think it was in Mosiah? 4 possibly? but as I saw this scripture the words and thoughts just started flowing. This man needed to know for himself that his father in heaven loves him!! He needed to find that out for himself instead of just think he knows or take our word for it... It was a spiritual lesson but hit me with it being the season to be jolly.... We need to see and know with a surety that our father in heaven loves us.... He gave his only begotten son for us. -John 3:16.... He came and died for you... for me... for all of us... because he loves us.... but instead of take my word for it. look to find his love in your life.... SO many ways to do that but right now I think is the best time to do service.... When were in the service of our fellow men were in the service of our god" .... we are all brothers and sisters, children of our heavenly father... we are all human and all of us has our own challenges and struggles... it’s not for us to judge someone by their appearance, past, Or present.... 

Everyone has a mission on this earth and your and everyone’s should be to truly be swallowed up in joy... when we truly feel his love and see he does love you!! you will understand that phrase in Alma!! 

Merry Christmas to all! Be thankful for whatever lies under the tree because the most important gift of all isn't what you can see but what you feel.

Mission is great and I’m excited to spend the holidays in Ghana hot weather but its sweet! me and my companion are going to enjoy and thank you for everything each and every one of you have done for me!!!!

Love Elder Hill

This week went by so fast. 6 months down and now I have a sister’s mission left.  I love mission it truly is so rewarding in so many ways.  This week we had district conference, just before we went to the chapel we left early to go pic up two investigators/young men their names are "Goodwill and Evans." powerful guys they are progressing and well, we walked all the way to their house topic them up and well nothing. They weren't ready like they said they would and even said they will come and meet us there. Never came. Mission life for you right there... disappointment. but Showing up to the chapel there was 2 other investigators that walked 30 mins just to have a seat. Definitely rewarding. I would say this week was a blessing...... We now have running water for good and We were blessed enough to get some fans that work now! Finally, can sleep good when the power is on any way ha-ha. 

so we hope the next two weeks we should have 3-4 or more baptisms planning for. But I hope these guys will pull through and take it seriously. We have been having much greater success lately. 

We have had many interesting questions lately from all our investigators and people we meet. Not easy questions. But being on mission I feel comfortable with just about any question you give me. Every time I am usually not sure. As I listen to the Investigator and hear their question I have no idea sometimes what to say. The moment I begin talking every time, the words are there and the spirit is always there without fail. some of the questions we have been asked:

1. Isn't god a spirit? (very common)

2. It doesn't say anything about Joseph Smith or restoration in the bible? --It also never once says Jesus Christ name once in the old testament.... ha 

3. Why did he/Christ bring back his church?

4. Why do you worship on Sunday if the Sabbath is on the 7th day?

5. How do you know if they (the one who baptizes you) has the authority?

6. In what name was Jesus baptized?

7. Did Nephi have the authority to baptize and if so who gave it to him?

8. Who baptized john the Baptist?

You should be able to answer these if not its ok... I couldn't answer all of them before I came on mission. If you want the answer to these? They are all in the bible... Sadly people here don't read their own bible and instead test us. Even one girl was asking questions that don't have an answer like making it impossible to answer.... I gave her Titus 3:9 she just kind of looked at me and was confused and then laughed.

All things are possible because of the spirit!! without it I would not be able to answer these questions and many others every day. Even found out 2 investigators that we found in my last area have been baptized... So I feel my labors are paying off!

Today we were told to come back to this guy’s house and he wanted to hear our message. so we walked all the way there and as he saw us he quickly laid on the floor thinking we didn't see him. As we got to his shop he acted like he just woke up and I even heard him say in Twi " here they come again" he didn't know I can hear Twi and acted like he just woke up. ... I asked him why did you just lay down and say that? He just stared at us with no answer and wasn't sure what to say. We just left him there to think about what he did. People take our message for granted and sometimes will just tell us to go away.... I know without a doubt this is the lords work. I have come across scripture while looking for an answer to a question that I didn't even know existed. The lords work will never be stopped and will always succeed. (2 Nephi 26:23)

Love you all and thank you for all you do. As it gets closer to the Christmas season I hope you are all thinking about what our gift is to our savior? Don't forget the true love of Christ is the gift of giving. Seek to give and it will always come back. I saw a quote on a box today. "giver never lacks" love you and thank you all. I am praying for you wish I can do more when you have done so much for me! keep moving forward and know I love you all! Merry Christmas!!!!!

Love Elder Hill

Another week in Ghana

Hey everyone,

Well I can honestly say 6 months flew a time is going fast! I'm learning so much each day. Lately I come to really see the power of prayer like Any time I’m in need of a ride somewhere ether a tro(bus) or any car every time without fail I have always had a ride instantly. now I know prayer doesn't work that fast always but lately it has. I have seen it and truly come to see the progress in this area progress. This week we taught a lesson to two men Kofi and Emanuel which were referrals and they are really progressing but after the lesson was over there was 6 other people gathered around sitting that brought up chairs to just listen. 

This week we had MANY interesting deep doctrine questions asked to us by investigators and every time. I would turn and look at my companion Elder Powell (he’s in training) and see if he wanted to answer and give me a sec to see what comes to my head... EVERY-TIME without fail the moment I started talking the words came. Without a doubt the spirit played a big role in this week’s investigators and lessons and everything. No way I knew the answers to these before.... But I always had a scripture to back it up and a reason. One question was. What name was Jesus Christ baptized in....? ha-ha well there Isn’t much scripture for that one but I said it what came to my mind. Like for that question I said this since you probably aren’t sure ether... He was baptized as an example to fulfill all righteousness and as an example to us. Through him can we return to the father only through him. He is the truth, the way and the light. (john 14:6) that’s just a small piece and went deeper into it. But after one lesson we taught a well-educated man that asked us deep questions and every time I would look at my companion. Well I ended up answering them to the point he was speech less. and after this lesson we were walking and my companion looked at me and said. Wow training is not easy. How did you know all that...? ha-ha well training is not easy but I told him.... that wasn't me... that was the spirit that you just testified.

 I give it all to the lord .... The spirit is the true teacher and is so aware of us... I will say this again and again.... The Book or Mormon is the word of God and another Testament of God without a doubt. I asked my companion if you had 1 billion dollars on one side and in cash and on the other was the Book of Mormon and all you had to do was say the Book or Mormon isn't true and the money is yours. What would you do? 

Without a doubt I will never doubt the Book or Mormon... I know it is true and that is the most abominable sin we cannot be forgiven of...  says it in Mathew somewhere! forgot at the moment but the church is true and it is true because the Book or Mormon... and so much more... talks about it even in the bible. People just don't read ha-ha ... that's what movies are for right ha-ha.

This week was sweet.... went to another funeral and one of the weirdest things. you just sit there and listen to loud crappy music that will give you a head ache in seconds very strange but its culture so it’s cool ha-ha their funerals last 3 days long. not easy at all hah ... but I hope this next week we get to do some more service! the hands are healed and ready to roll!! Life is good here in Ghana. doesn't feel like Christmas cause its dry season and same ol same ol.

Be thankful for ALL that you have... I haven't had running water for a month now! until today! came on for now but we will see how long it lasts this time... Fetching water is not easy and even Our fan has been broken in our cement box room not easy to have no fan at night in Ghana. too hot ha but you just learn to accept it! like it is what it is!!  when life doesn't go the way you think it should or want it to you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and just keep moving forward. Time is flying!!

Love you all so much and thank you for your prayers!! they keep me going!  love all of you and pray for you all! Enjoy the winter Holiday! and don't forget why we truly celebrate Christmas!!

Love Elder Hill

Eating some FUFU

Elder Hill and Elder Annan

Nice to see he has put the bath towel to good use as a skirt!!

Obuasi walking to an appointment

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Enjoying some rice and BBQ sauce....

 Playing some Soccer on P-Day

Packages from Home!

 

Getting the Ensign was honestly the best gift you could send he told us.

 Riding in the Tro Tro ( No Leg Room)