RESERVATION HERE I COME! January 27, 2016

I made it! I have just barely made it back to our mobile home and I wanted you all to know that I am safe! My new companion is Sister Westover and she is amazing! We are the only sisters in the whole mission serving on a reservation. I love it here! We were able to go and teach a few lessons tonight and even though I didn't say much, I really enjoyed it. I can't be on long, but I just wanted you to know that I am in good hands! Don't worry about me! I am loving St. Michaels!

My new mailing address is, PO Box 203 St. Michaels, Arizona 86511! Please send letters and/or packages to this address and not the mission home!

I love you all soooo much!!!

Sister Madalyn Hillam

Sister Madly Hillam Provo MTC

Week 1: MTC January 21, 2016

7:27 am:
I'm only on for a minute this morning, but I will be on later today at 3:30! I hope I can talk to you later mom! I love you!
Sister Madalyn Hillam

3:33 pm
MOM! MOM! MOM!

....Remember that ugly cry face I spoke of previously? Yup, its back! All I could say was,"I'm here"... we chatted back and fourth for and hour before we had to say goodbye. It was so great to hear from her and such a blessing to enjoy the blessing of modern technology.



Hello wonderful family! 

I would just like to start by saying that I love you all! I truly appreciate all of the support and shower of emails! It was so nice to hear from everyone :)

This past week has been amazing! I have learned so much and I am really enjoying myself. This past Sunday we were able to attend Sunday Devotional with speaker Janice Kapp Perry. It was amazing! She and her husband are real life relationship goals! Anyway, Sister Perry was all about family and the skill of listening. She shared some great instruction on both. She said this of listening:

"Just listen. Learn to appreciate what others have to say. Missions are all about service and when you get home it will continue to be about service."

This simple concept has been a large blessing to me throughout the week. I have learned that when an investigator, or even my companion(s), are speaking, I shouldn't be thinking of what to say next or even looking up scriptures or anything. My responsibility is to simply listen. That way the spirit is able to speak through me if I am willing to LISTEN. 

The Holy Ghost is the teacher, and I am the tool. So many times I get that backwards. Yesterday (Wednesday) we attended a worldwide missionary conference -the first in a decade- and it was spectacular! I just want to share a small quote that touched me from each speaker, then I hope that everyone reading this can decide understand each for themselves.

Elder Neal L. Andersen: "We teach repentance and baptize converts."

Elder David A. Bednar: "Be good, be worthy, open your mouth, and do not wait for a sign. If it is good, it is of God."

W. Christopher Wadell: Commitment means nothing if we do not follow up."

Bonnie L. Oscarson: "We cannot expect to just know. we must 'Obtain the word' "

L Whitney Clayton: "We need member missionaries!"

Brent H. Neilsen: "Teach when we find, find when we teach."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks: (3 of my favorites because I couldn't pick one) "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for the interest of the entire world, not just the individual." "With repentance we gain strength." "We are redeemed FROM sins, not OF sins."

The past week has flown by. Here at the MTC they keep us so busy during the day and it seems so long, but the week has felt short. I like everything here. I have two wonderful teachers and 2 amazing companions. Sister Lusk and Sister Christopherson are sooo different. Haha Sister Christopherson is kind of the mom of the group - super focused and serious all the time. Sister Lusk and I are really good at getting all of our things done and staying on task, but we joke around a lot and I'm not sure that Sister Christoherson appreciaes it. We are trying to be better. 

All in all, life is good! 

I love you all and I hope you enjoy my P-day selfie and random doodle. ;)

P.S. Those crazy people are part of my district minus 2!

Sister Madalyn Hillam

Answer to Moms Prayer...First Email! January 14, 2016

I held my phone for the past 48 hours checking it every few minutes for new emails to see if I had received anything from Sister Hillam. My mom heart was aching and I was beginning to doubt this MTC process, wondering why she couldn't send her mama a little something to let me know that she was okay...then it happened. Todd in his excited voice at 10 pm says "look, an email from Sister Hillam"... just as I was ready to give up hope and cry myself to sleep my prayers were answered.

Hi Family!

I am doing well. I am really enjoying the MTC. I was thrown into a class the second I got here and have been super busy. I love the classes and all of my teachers. 

My district is made up of 9 missionaries, Myself and two companions are leaving for the Farmington mission on the 25th. I am in a tripanionship with Sister Christopherson from Gillette, Wyoming, and Sister Lusk from Rexburg.They are both amazing. 

All of the elders in my district except 1 are leaving for North Carolina. The one elder who will be going to Trinidad Port of Spain was actually someone I needed really needed to see. Elder Josh Vance. it was so nice to know that Heavenly Father knew that I needed to be around people I knew and I know that is why Elder Vance is in my district. 

So, a little bit about my companions. Sister Christopherson and I are a lot alike- very outspoken. Sister Lusk is really quiet, but every time she speaks she brings the spirit.

Yesterday we were able to sit in on an investigator lesson and also participate. I learned a lot about how I can be a successful teacher and how I can learn to love the people. The number one thing that has really stuck me in the past couple of days is that I am here to Teach People, Not Lessons. People really feel the need for love and attention, not only from others, but from God. 

Sadly I cant be on for long tonight, but I have letters arriving for you in the mail. 

Here's my thought of the week. One of the elders in my district shared this quote about work and missionaries, he said, "Want has nothing to do it." We are here because we need to be. We may not always WANT to be, but that isn't what matters. 

I'm so thankful for all of you and the wonderful blessings you are to me. Please remember that I love you and am always praying for you. I will talk to you soon!

I LOVE YOU THE MOSTEST!

Sister Hillam

Departure Day: MTC Here She Comes...Wednesday January 13, 2016

I have dreaded this day since she opened her call! I envisioned how it would play out in my mind over and over and ended the same every time...ugly cry face with uncontrollable sobs. I was not disappointed, thats exactly what happened. We woke up early, Noah offered family prayer, Todd gave Madalyn, Sister Hillam, a fathers blessing, grandma McBride called (the tears began) and we were off to the Idaho Falls Airport. We got her luggage checked in and stood around and looked at each other for what felt like eternity. It was time to say goodbye...anyone who has ever had to do this can feel their heart start to ache like it has never ached before. I can not find the words to express the feelings I felt as I watched her hug us one by one then turn and walk away knowing that she would not be home today, tomorrow, next week, next month. No " Hi Mom" at lunch, no drop in's at work, no late night giggle sessions. But also knowing that she was serving her Heavenly Father, that she was doing something far greater. That she was ready to fly! No looking back! Oh how I love Her!

Sloan Schmitt, Noah, Madalyn, Olivia

Noah, Madalyn,Olivia,Keegan

                                                        

Dad & Madalyn

Mom & Madalyn

Keegan & Madalyn

Noah & Madalyn

Olivia & Madalyn

She is off...

Setting Apart Sister Madalyn Hillam, January 12, 2016

Madalyn was set apart as a missionary by President John Strobel of the Idaho Falls South Stake tonight. He is a counselor in the Stake Presidency. Madalyn has a deep love for President Strobel and his wife Jan. They have been instrumental in her decision to serve a mission. We have an amazing Stake Presidency and have such respect for each member.
President Strobel came over after Noah's basketball game to do the setting apart in our home. He asked each member of our family to make a comment/advice and share our testimony with Madalyn before the setting apart. Are you kidding me?? It sounds so easy, certainly we all have a testimony and adore Mady, this should be easy. No way! We were crying so hard it was nearly impossible to speak, in fact Noah did just that, didn't speak. He just stood up with tear fill eyes and hugged his sister and best friend for what felt like eternity. There was no need for words. There is something very special that happens to a moms heart to see and hear her children talk about each other in such a tender way. I am so blessed.
After she became officially Sister Madalyn Hillam we went to Perkins! Madalyn and Todd had been fasting, we all had crying headaches so off we went...at 9:30 pm! No more tears, just lots of food, laughter and memories! Blessed!

   Noah, Sister Madaly Hillam, Keegan, Sloan Schmitt, Olivia

Mission Farewell January 10, 2016

Today was Madalyn's Mission Farewell. She did amazing, held her composure giving a talk that was full of solid doctrine and testifying of gospel truths. Her family on the other hand did not do so good at keeping their composure! Oh how we will miss her!
This has been a wonderful day filled with love and surrounded by family and friends who love Madalyn. Aunt Mikkel wrote and sang a song for Mady, your welcome!

The House of the Lord...

December 23, 2015

Received Endowments in the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple. The roads were horrible and prevented both sets of grandparents from attending. It was a wonderful day filled with friends,family & Crown Burger! 

Kymm Shaw, Noah, Dad, Mom, Tori Anderson,

Sadie Linchenko, Olivia, Me, Sloan Schmitt, Keegan

(Not Pictured Aunt Coya Gerber)

Salt Lake City, Utah Temple

Called to Serve

November 27, 2015

Dear Sister Hillam:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the New Mexico Farmington Mission...You will report to the MTC Wednesday, January 13, 2016.