So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish

Malo Soifua!!!

Today on the season finale of the Elder Hill Show:

 ** Had a cool finding miracle on Tuesday (exhausting, but good)

 ** Couple quick snippets (American man, parking lot, fire alarm x2, Inwood)

 ** Had my departing interview with Pres 😭

 ** That's all folks.... (See bottom for info on my homecoming talk)

On Tuesday we had set a finding goal of 10, and we had about five or six hours of finding time, so we felt confident we could hit it. But like last week on Saturday, we started slow and couldn't find almost anyone. We had made the promise that we wouldn't go home until we found ten new people, and so we stayed on the streets for hours. We changed finding places a couple hours in, and then we contacted in the second place for hours. All in all almost 8 hours (we had no other appointments that day). When light finally faded and we had to go home for the night, we were frustrated because we only had found 9 people. We got home and started calling some of our friends who previously expressed interest, and the VERY FIRST guy that we called answered his phone, and we ended up teaching him a little over the phone. Cool miracle. And THEN, in reporting and doing a final count of all of our finds, we realized we actually HAD found ten on the street, and the phone find was number 11. Miracles and tender mercies to be sure.

Also we saw this guy in a big ol' jeep with a big American flag on it blasting "God's Country" and I thought it was awesome haha. Definitely made my day.

On Wednesday we went to this really big mall parking lot to go contacting there. We used to go there all the time before they kicked us out. Elder Jensen had never been there before, and it had been a few months, so we gave it another shot. We had some success....right up until we got kicked out again haha. The security guys are chill so there wasn't a problem. We'll just have to find somewhere else to find.

On Thursday very early in the morning our apartment building's fire alarm went off again. That's the third time this transfer. Fun times...

The fire alarm went off AGAIN Thurs night. It was the second time that day, and it was right in the middle of a meeting I had haha.

On Friday we went to Inwood for my interview with Pres (read more below) and we got some epic pizza from a spot a few blocks over. There were tons of Latinos everywhere, loud music, busy streets, fire hydrants spraying water into the street (we counted three), the works. It was a nice little touch of the city for me haha.

Mafaufauga faaleagaga: I had my departing interview with Pres Holmes on Friday, and it was such a powerful experience. He said a prayer to begin the meeting, and the Spirit just poured into the room. Not gonna lie, I almost burst into tears at how much love I felt from Pres Holmes and from my Heavenly Father. Pres Holmes share some wise council, and we talked for a little bit. The most touching thing for me was him telling me that he was proud of me, and that the Lord accepted my labor. That may sound self serving or conceited (OK, maybe it is), but it was something I had worried about and really needed to hear. It was an incredible experience that I can't and shouldn't try to put all to words, but it was something I hope I never forget.

Well,  folks, we finally made it. After months and transfers and miracles everyday, this is my last time writing as a full-time missionary.

Alofa tele lava atu ia outou uma mo taimi uma [Much love to you all forever],

Elder Hill

P.S. I'll be reporting on my experiences on Sunday, Aug 28th at 12pm (noon), and I'd love to see you all there!

2740 S Lindsay Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296

[Zoom link for meeting -- join around 12:20 PM Arizona time] https://zoom.us/j/96024666430

Ata:

 - Week 6 Zone Leadership Call pic

 - Cool pics from around White Plains (2 of cool buildings etc, 2 of cool paintings in the works)

 - Cool wall art of the Cross County Center, a big mall we found at a lot until they kicked us out (politely) a couple times 😬😂 

 - Wall of Pres Holmes' office with some really cool art (the big middle one of Christ looking at Manhattan was made by a returned missionary, a few years ago)

 - Pretty forest drive from Inwood back to Westchester 

 - Departing pic with Ronnie (middle), a great member, and Bossman (right), a friend we're teaching