April 8th 2013 Maren

Hey Family!

How are you all? First of all, I am so sorry to make you all so worried. I really am OKAY! I promise. I haven't been able to see a doctor yet, I had an appointment but when I got there they wouldn't take UnitedHealth care even though they're on the provider list for the missionary health insurance... very frustrating... I'll find a different doctor... their service was horrible anyways. 

As for what is wrong with me. Like I said before I just go into coughing fits. Nothing super bad just annoying enough to check out. I'll keep you updated.

This week was weird... it started out really cool with some awesome appointments. We taught two people on Monday night and had really good experiences with both. The first one was to a woman named Olga, she is a really awesome lady, she lives above a less active and so the missionaries talked to her a while back while they were trying to find the less active. I guess she got lost when transfers happened and no one ever came back... but we did :D and we had an awesome lesson. We used the pamphlets and were able to keep it relatively short. She committed to read and pray about everything and said something along the lines of "I just need time to get to where you are..." Like she could already see that the church is different in some way she would just need time to figure out exactly how. It was a "WOW" moment. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get a hold of her since then. :( We'll keep trying though. Next step is to try and just stop by right? Haha.

Later that night we taught Santos. I can't remember if I've ever mentioned Santos but we knocked into him one of my first weeks here. He seemed prepared from that first meeting... we didn't see him for a few weeks because he found work but we stopped by one night and were able to teach him and had an amazing lesson. It was interesting because as we had planned for him the week before we had felt an overwhelming feeling that he was more ready than we realized and God wanted to move things along with him. A few days later we went back and invited him to be baptized. He didn't say yes but he said he would pray about it. He missed our next appointment with him, he was at work again, so we'll be trying to stop by again soon. Things are going to get hard out here as soon as the work season starts, everyone is going to be busy all the time... getting Sunday's off is going to be even harder. But God prepares the way for people to keep his commandments, I have faith that the work will still move forward.

On Thursday me and my companion both woke up feeling just a little under the weather. I immediately took all the vitamin's mom sent with me but we weren't very effective all day, the next morning I woke up and felt perfect... my companion felt like she'd been hit by a truck though... so we didn't go anywhere. There is a part of me that wonders if that was God's way of telling her that she needed to rest physically and me that I needed to rest emotionally and spiritually... It was nice to have a day not stressing that our planners weren't 100% full all the time. I think I needed it. 

General Conference was AMAZING! Every talk was amazingly personal. I loved all the talks on families, it makes me love my major that much more. I love you guys. I think one of my favorite lines was when someone said something along the lines of "People blame their bad parenting on there being no "parenting school," I've got news for you... there is one... its called the HOME!" I love it! Its so true. When we have good examples of good parenting and of family values and unity we carry that with us when we start families of our own. I guess what I am trying to say is thanks Mom and Dad for being excellent teachers in our Parenting School.

Another part that I absolutely loved was President Eyring's talk. He said one line that was something like "As we leave our families to do the Lord's work and be on his errand and draw near unto him, he will draw near unto our families." It was just another witness to me that my family is being taken care of. 

There were so many strong themes this conference. It makes me a little worried for what is to come. Satan has already been attacking the family... what new tactic is he going to use? Its a war, its going to intensify... again. I am so grateful for our generals, our prophets who warn us and lead us and guide us to safety. In the end Satan will lose... that much is certain, We will be victories if we hold to what we have been taught and listen to the counsel of the prophets. 

Another theme was obedience. This is something me and my companion have been striving to improve on, not that we not obedient we've just been paying more attention so that we can be exactly obedient. We're getting a little better everyday. I would hate to hold one of our investigators back simply because I cannot be obedient. 

On Sunday we had someone show up to watch conference that we were not expecting. She is the friend of one of the members who recently had a baby, she wasn't quite ready with everything a new baby needs, clothes, bottles, etc. and many members of the branch stepped up and helped out, donating their baby girl clothes that their girls had outgrown. We have been visiting her ever since but still haven't taught her. We gave her an invitation to conference though... and she came! When she walked in I did a double take. I didn't recognize her at first because I honestly didn't think she would come! But I was so happy! She had brought her adorable two little boys with her too, one who is 7 and one who is 4 or 5. In between sessions the boys wanted to go home... they were bored but it sounded like Elisa wanted to stay... so... I took the boys to the nursery for some good play time to get their wiggle out (don't worry mom came too so it wasn't against the rules). The only problem was we couldn't get the cabinets with the toys in them open so all we had to play with were 2 basketballs. I started out playing rolly-polly with the younger boy, then the older boy joined in and then we played keep away with my companion. It was Sooo good to hear the laughter of little boys. It reminded me so much of my little brothers (I miss you guys). Then that turned into red light, green light, and then hide and seek, and then they ran a few races, and then we played Simon Says. We still had about 30 minutes left and I was out of games! But we had some major fun together and I think Elisa was grateful. I certainly had fun! Haha.

Then that night we went to one of our investigators houses to start a Family Home Evening with them. They are such an awesome family. We met the older daughter for the first time and she is so cool! Long story short we had a SHORT lesson and then played Pictionary and they had so much fun! Again, the laughter that filled that home made me think of you guys and all the family home evenings over the years. People ask me all the time what my favorite memory is and I always respond that any moment where we were all laughing as a family is my favorite, they are the sweetest. I think the whole family had a good time and are excited to do it again next week. It really is an inspired program, we may get to teach this whole family yet. :D

I am so grateful for my family. I have already talked you guys up quite a lot in this letter but I am going to do it again. On the mission you hear lots of stories about people and their backgrounds, all different kinds of families too. Everyday I am grateful for mine. I have two parents that love each other and honor the covenants they have made in the temple. I have two big sisters who have always set really good examples for me and walked a path that I can follow, not having to worry where its going to lead. I can follow in their footsteps with confidence and have my whole life. They are my heroes and my best friends. I have five younger brothers who teach me new things everyday. They keep me laughing and help me learn patience. They have given me good advice and help me want to be the best I can to set a good example for them. I love the love that I can feel at home and know that no matter what is happening in my life or how far away I am there is a place that I belong. 

I love you guys. 

Love, 

Hermana Maren Hale

P.S. Pictures!

 1. The adorable little girl we went to the aquarium with last week.

2. A beautiful butterfly that we saw at the aquarium  The whole room was just full of beautiful butterflies like this one.

3. Another awesome boy in the ward, his mom took us to lunch on Saturday afternoon. He is also very cute.

4. An amazing sunset we captured Saturday night at a DA. Really the picture doesn't do it justice at all... it was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen... so surreal.

... sorry I don't send pictures of me... I think its a side effect of being a photographer. 1 you don't really take pictures of yourself and 2... you don't really like pictures of yourself... that is why you are always the one holding the camera (you thought I just liked to take pictures, really its my evil plan so I'm never in them. haha.)