May 29th, 2013 Jacob

Dear Family

 

Im sorry that my letter is coming late. We had a bank holiday on monday, so again all the libraries were closed, and we also had transfers so our P- day is on wednesday this week. Im still in weston-super-mare Luckily. I still have so much to learn from this area as well as my trainer. He litterally has taught me so much and made me realize so much as well. It is way to soon to be going somewhere else.

 

So this last week has been good. Im trying to think of anygood stories to share with you guys. This last week we had a dissapointment. We had an investigator who we finally invited and she accepted to come to a chapel tour. We were super stoked about this, because we have been trying to get her to come to church for ages and the chapel tour is usually a good first step to try and get someone there. Well she accepted and while my trainer was having his driving lesson we got a text from Jo, Her next door neighbor, that Donn ( our investigator) Was not feeling well and wont be able to come to the chapel tour. Bummer. We still have not been able to see her again. Its really kind of sad. But we press onward and we plan on moving forward. Last week I went on an exchange with someone from my MTC group. Ya i went to portishead and for 24 hours, me and this kid who are the same age, mission wise, had to lead an area. I did not realize how much self control that would take. But we went out and we did do a lot of stuff. Knocked more doors then I've knocked with my trainer and visited an old guy with a crazy mustache. Haha it just made me realize that in 6 weeks, I could be training...... I can train somebody!!!! That poor missionary would be scared for the rest of his life.... No not really but it is a super scary thought. Its making me study more and suck up everything I can from my trainer. Boys, I have not read preach my gospel all the way through and thats what I need most right now. All im studying is PMG and im realizing that if I study it, and truly try to apply what I read. Then not only can i teach my investigators better, but I'm also getting taught myself. That book is amazing. You can learn so much from it.

 

So this week we have visited a lot with the Jones family. The mom is crazy and has a glass eye and she loves popping it out to scare the missionaries.... I have not been targeted though for some reason. She also makes really good food and has been teaching me how to cook. Im thinking between her and my companion that I will be a pretty decent one after I leave Weston. Anyways, her husband in not a member and our main goal is to try and teach him. Hes getting use to the Idea of missionaries being around more and more and hes even starting to participate in family prayers with Louisa Jones and the kids. The best part about this family is the kids. They have two of them and they are both autistic. They also have IQs higher or equal to that of Albert Einstein. Louisa was telling us a story about how the youngest (Thayne) at five year old had thought up a way to end world hunger. It involves cross breading a cactus and corn. I wont go into more details but its so cool. She was also telling us a story how when Thayne was in the hospital, the missionaries came to give him a blessing. When they were blessing him they said that the lord had a great work for thayne to do among his children and that he would be able to get past all of his health problems. She said that it was a great comfort to know that he was going to get past the health problems but also she felt a huge pressure for now raising this child who she knew had a great work that he needed to do. Haha she said that she tried to get the missionarie to get more info about the work, but she said that the missionary could hardly remember what he said. Boys use your Preisthood. It has been divinly given to you and because you have it, you have the responsibilty to use it righteously.

 

I dont know what else to write to you guys. I have so much more I could share, but I feel impressed to share that one with you. Im doing well though and we just cleaned up the entire flat. OHHHH Dad!!! So my companion made a dish and decided it was horrible so he threw it down the sink. Well it included rice and rice gets bigger the more water you add. Well thats what happened. Our sink got clogged. But fear not because my father taught me well and I was able to take apart the sink down below, Rinse out the parts, and throw it back together. Haha we also had a power surge that flickerd the lights at a store we were at and flipped a breaker at out flat. I was able to find the fuse box and fix the problem. DAD thank you so much for teaching me how to do stuff like that!

 

This week we also made a bout a ton of Ice cream. Thats right... make. But it is the best ice cream i have ever tasted. We made it for a Recent convert who passed her one year mark and we threw her a kind of party. We were able to see a potentials kids there also and got super close where them. We played for so long and I've never been so tired. They really ran me ragged. But they love missionarys and we are hoping that through them, we will be able to see the parents more and get to teaching them. Pray!!!

 

Well I love you guys. I really miss you. I realized today though why missionarys letters sometimes get shorter and shorter. They dont like getting taken away from the work. I love you guys but like my sisters said. We have to forget our stuff at home and just give everything out here. Thats how important it is. Really quickly I want to share what I learned in preach my gospel today. It talked about baptism and confermation. But to my surprise they talked more about the confermation and the gift of the holy ghost over the baptism. I studied and realized that the Holy Ghost is awesome. He teaches, he comforts, he allows angels to talk through him, he converts, he tells us what god wants us to do, and so much more. We have the gift of the holy ghost. But we can loose his companionship if we dont keep the commandments. So keep gods commandments and keep the holy ghost. We need him. Theoretically, with the gift of the holy ghost, we can make every choice, a right one.

 

 

Love ya guys. Til next week

 

Elder Hale

May 27th, 2013 Stephanie

                                                                                    May 27^th, 2013

Hey Family!!!

   First off, thank you so much for you all writing. I love hearing about the news from home. NATE get out!! That is so awesome. I totally wanted to brag to all the other missionaries about my amazing brother but I don't have the vocab yet to do it. So I just said my brother is well..... PUCHIKA incredible. Congrats kid that is so cool.

    Tania I am glad you had a good trip. I hope you took lots of pictures. Sharlee is married that's sweet. How was the wedding? Mom and Dad congratulations on your anniversary. It sounds like you have a great day. Thank you for being the greatest parents in the world!!  Maren, I feel really bad that I didn't tell you happy birthday sooo..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY really really late. I hope you still know that I love you and am thinking and praying for you.  Wow Nate, Caleb, Isaac and Simeon school is almost out. What are you all going to do for the summer? Any fun plans? What is the family trip going to be? I hope you all know how much I miss and love you.

   Ok, so to answer a couple of questions. I am in the area America it is in San Salvador and it sounds like I will still be in the mission with President Glazier. So I am happy about that. They are great. But no Belize ha-ha. Oh well. I really love my area. It is so great there are so many people waiting to hear the gospel. We are teaching lots but we are having a hard time having these people progress and come to church and accept fechas. Something in Dad’s letter surprised me.  He was telling Maren and Jake not to compare their missions to mine and not to feel bad for the numbers..... Maren and Jake ...please do not think that it’s all rosy and great down here in Central America. I don't like to admit this but I haven't baptized for a long time. And I do know the discouragement and heartache when things fall through. I finally got a copy of the fourth missionary and I feel so ashamed because I am realizing that for many months on my mission and even now I have too many times been the third missionary. One thing I am learning after a year out is that the work is easier when your whole heart is in it. ....you begin to want to work more than you have to. You hate p days because they take time away from the work. I am not perfect and my area is not perfect. Happiness and success do not come from circumstances of areas, of golden investigators. It comes from who you truly become. True happiness comes from within when you are at peace with yourself because your body and soul are working together and not in opposite directions ...I am nowhere near this point yet but I do have a companion that is there and I am learning so much from her. Trust in God and he will bless you ... you were sent where you are for a purpose. There are things you must learn that you can only learn there but it is our choice to learn the lesson or not. 

      This week, well was crazy, we had a multi Zone Conference and me and my companion needed to give a 20 min lesson in the multi Zone. It was the first time that sisters have been a part of the multi Zone ... I was so scared. We talked on conversion. I realized I have so much to change and I still need to become so much more converted to the Lord. We had our little lesson twice and they both went well. I still say stupid things in Spanish that are wrong but everyone does ( oh ... not that I am excusing myself because of other men ...ha) but I realized that I still need to work on my Spanish and perfect that with so many other things as well. My companion is Hermana Messina. She was my companion in the CCM in Guatemala. She and Hermana Perry and I were a trio. She is amazing and has so much faith she pushes herself to the max and it’s something I need to learn to do as well so I am learning to become better. Truly the Lord knew I needed her. 

    So we start our interchanges this week with all the sisters. We are going to Jucuapa and anther zone in our area. I am excited to get to work with lots of different missionaries but I am also feeling like I have nothing to teach them that I am still learning so much. Just keep me in your prayers please and know that I feel them. ...oh and I get to go to the temple!!!! This next week I am so excited.... I love the temple. I am jealous that Mom and Dad got to go to a sealing and see Chandler go through the temple.

     I have done a lot of, well I guess you could call it, soul searching this week.... I have been thinking a lot about the person I want to be and the person God has planned for me if I let him mold me into what he wants. I pray that I will be able to make the changes that are needed and give everything to him. Family I know that the Lord lives that he loves us and that this gospel is true. Nothing will bring us closer to the Lord more than prayer and scripture study, using the atonement and trusting the lord.

May 28th, 2013 Maren

 Well family I am way out of time... I wrote a long President's letter today so I will just have to copy and paste a lot of it.

President Calderwood,

This week has been very up and down and it seems like we've finally hit the bottom. What a great place to begin, right?

To start with this week I dedicated a good portion of my study time to Faith, I learned a lot. I have always loved the concept of faith and thought I understood it fairly well... I was so wrong. As I studied this week I learned that Faith more than anything is trust and confidence in our Lord and Savior. The best way I can think to describe it is this. When we are little our parents guide us and teach us and set rules for us. We don't always understand those rules or why they are in place we just kinda obey, why? well (besides the fact that they can ground us) it was because we trust them. We maybe can't understand when we're 4 why we aren't allowed to play in the front yard next to the busy street but as we get older and we start to understand that those cars are dangerous and we are grateful we listened so we didn't get squished flat. Faith is like that. Its believing (or having faith) in Jesus the Christ, the son of God and because of his divinity and his calling we can then have faith (or confidence) that whatever he has asked us to do is for the best, therefore we obey, even and especially when we don't understand why we just obey and when we obey we receive blessings and only then do we really start to understand why. Faith is 100% an action word. 

Well that was probably the high of the week was coming to understand faith a little better. I am sure there is still so much to learn but something clicked for me this week.

We had to face some pretty hard truths this week as we realized that we needed to re-evaluate whether or not we were going to continue teaching our one and only progressing Investigator. Elizabeth is a Polish woman. We found her knocking doors and have been able to teach her many many times since. We got her a Polish Book of Mormon as well as an English one and she always does the reading in both. Its amazing. She came to church too. The problem is that she is married to a muslim. We have sought a lot of guidance from our District and Zone Leaders on the matter and they really encouraged us to focus on trying to teach the family so that Elizabeth could become Real Growth. We had small miracles that opened the door for us to ask if we could meet with her husband but so far it hasn't worked, and we are scared to teach her any more for fear of dividing the family (more than it already is). We have left the ball in her court and told her to call us to set up a time we can meet with all of them. I really hope she calls. It broke my heart realizing that we were going to have to walk away. Its so hard.

I am also a little concerned about the branch. Trying to balance english and spanish is a challenge and concerns have been expressed on both sides. Honestly it seems like everyone wants to find a way to make it work they're just not willing to bend or allow for the two different cultures. I know we will find a way to make it work though. That then brings me to the next thing. We have been trying to figure out how to continue to best work with the members and develop and new branch mission plan. As we were talking through ideas Elder Baker said something that really, well it struck me the same way my study on faith did this week. He compared the mission plan and working with the members to the parable of the fisherman. "If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime." He said "We need to teach them how to fish." Its an appropriate metaphor for what we are trying to do, be fishers of men. Its somthing I will continue to ponder on as we try to strengthen and empower this branch (hopefully so that they can rely on the missionaries a little less.)

Finally, one night while I was praying this week to figure out what we need to do next to find new investigators and work better with the members this phrase came to my mind, "Do you have the faith Not to find?" It is a scary question because I know what it means. It means do I have the faith to knock doors all day every day and try to talk with EVERYONE I see and possibly still not find anyone who is ready to hear the Gospel and yet keep going. I don't know if I can answer that question yet, but I know I want to have that kind of faith. I am certainly going to do all I can to be obedient, if knocking doors all day is what He wants me to do then I will do it. I will plant the seeds so that someone else might one day reap.

-Sister Hale

Well that is pretty much my week in a nut shell. It was a good thing that my P-day was on Tuesday this week (because of memorial day and other things) because I really needed to read ALL your letters. There were so many good things in them. I especially learned a lot from reading Stephanie's.  Dad, it is a little hard not to be envious of her situation but at the same time its like you always said, "this is your story," (quoting Aslan I guess). I am happy where I am and even though it is hard (HARD) its still worth it. I guess missions could be described by one of our favorite quotes. "Life isn't about the number of breaths you take but the moments that take your breath away." but substitute life for missions and breaths for baptisms. I really like where that could go but I don't have time to fully think it through right now.

Mom, I am so happy that you still love me even though I now have holes in my ears. I have to say I love it! A whole new world of cheap earrings have just been opened up to me. Tania... I highly recommend it. Haha. 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. 28 years is pretty impressive. Thanks for being an example for all of us to look to. 

In other news... the last 24 hours have been.... interesting... you see... we are pretty sure we have bed bugs. YIKES! Its not been fun. We only think that because one of the mattresses they gave us was super old. Sister madsen slept on it and asked us one morning if we thought these bumps on her arm her from bedbugs or just a rash... we didn't think too much of it until Sister Sandberg got here and she is now getting the same bumps... We expressed the concern to our branch leaders and they freaked! So we have been trying to figure out how we're going to get rid of the critters before it becomes unbearable. The senior couple over housing is coming today to help us so hopefully we'll be good... Everyone has been telling us "Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't let the bedbugs bite!" that phrase has whole new meaning.

I love you family! I am so proud of you and love hearing about what is going on at home but Stephanie's letter taught me a lot this week so I am afraid I will be joining her in her effort to "forget about you." Sorry that does sound harsh. But Like I said we've pretty much hit bottom and so we've got to give it all if its going to change. Pray for us. 

I love you!

Love,

Sister Maren Hale

May 20th, 2013 Stephanie

                                                                  May 20^th,  2013                                                              

Dear family,

   So a lot has changed.............. I am in a new area, I am with a new companion, I have a new calling and well I am not going to lie I need you prayers so much right now. To answer your questions, I am in the area la America and I am with Hermana Messina!!!! That is the totally sick part. I am so excited and well..... God knew I needed her she is amazing. I am learning so much. We are working so hard. I have never had more lessons or more investigators on the mission. So the new calling is I am one of 4 Sister training leaders in the mission. This is a new calling in the church and we are kind of pioneering ... we have no idea what we are suppose to do...... ok that’s not true. We know what we need to do but to figure out how to do it is what we are trying to do. We are called to do interchanges with all the Sisters in the mission to train and help them reach their potential. There are four sisters right now because they are splitting the mission. But after the mission split we will be over all the new sisters that will be coming in. I am, well, scared to death to tell you all the truth. We are needed to train all the Sisters and well I haven't trained even one. I need your prayers for Wednesday and Thursday because we will be speaking in the multi zone conferences this week. We have a lot of expectations. The President told us he wants our area to be the example for the mission. He wants us to do something that has never been done before and we are going to do it. He wants us to baptize 10 people a week, woo...... we are going to do it but I need your prayers. I feel like I was just thrown in with the best of the best and I am playing catch up. We are teaching 6 to 8 lesson a day. We walk so fast I hit the pillow at night and I am so tired. But soooooo happy!!! I love my companion. She is teaching me so much. This is my letter to president this week.

Dear President,

   I love my area and my companion. I am learning so so so much.  We have an area that is full of recent converts and investigators and it is amazing to go and work there. We literally sat in a recent convert’s house and the investigators came to us. We sat on a couch and we gave lesson after lesson with this member. The spirit was so strong.  The colonial is on fire with missionary work. The members are grabbing people off the street and inviting them to listen to us. We have lessons in the street and people stop to hear what we are doing. I love going to that colonial. When we leave everyone is asking us when or if we are coming back and if it is too far off they insist that we come back sooner.
    My eyes were opened to how the work of the Lord should be that if we truly work with the members the work will go so much more faster and more effective. We are going to baptize every week. We are committed to do so and we will achieve it with the help of the Lord.
    I am learning so much because we are teaching so much. I really want to learn the language of the spirit and learn to follow it faster in my life and I feel like this calling will stretch me in so many ways and help me to depend upon the Lord even more. Thank you for this opportunity and I pray I will be able to be all you need me to be. I will give my all to the Lord in order to serve in the way he and you need me to. Thank you for all you do and the time you give to serve and help us individually.  You are helping me become the best person I can be and for that I am truly grateful.
 

So cool story.... we went to the Bien a Vista the amazing colonial that is on fire with missionary work. We were looking for a contact and we past a recent convert on the street and he was with a lot of his friends just sitting outside enjoying the fresh air. A lot of people do that here. But, we passed and stopped to say hi. We had taught some of his friends before and we stopped and asked if his friends had read the pamphlet we gave them. One said he read a little and asked when we were going to visit him again. We were like sweet and pulling out our planners to see what day when the friend said, “well where are you going right now?” and we said, “our cite fell” and he said,  “Great, he is here. You are here. Teach him now”...... we were like “Right, what are we doing.” So, we pulled out our hymn books and we had a lesson in the street with 3 investigators and 2 recent converts and well it was amazing. We were teaching the lesson and a guy passed by selling bread and he stopped and asked what was going on. One of our investigators.... (Golden this one) he said, “We are hearing the good word of God.  It’s amazing. You should take a minute and listen. It’s worth your time.” Me and my companion looked at each other and wow no greater feeling. I love being a missionary. I don’t know what happened to the bread guy. He said he would listen the next time we are there so hopefully.....but I was just amazed at this area were the investigators are the ones feeling something so great, so new, so happy and they want to share it. I was humbled. I am having to learn how to hear the spirit so much more now. We teach so many lessons we don’t have enough time in the morning to prepare for all of them. So, we literally go into lessons unprepared and rely completely on the Lord and his spirit and it is amazing what happens.

  I love being a missionary it is the best job in the world. Jake and Maren give all to the Lord, all you heart, all your might, all your strength (until you drop at night on your bed) give all you mind.... don’t think about home. What you are going to do when you get back nothing........don’t fight against God give him all of you and he will mold you into what he has planned. He can’t do it if he only has part of you. He needs all. Let go of all your weapons of war. Don’t hold anything back from the Lord. I am just learning this and if you can learn it faster you will be so much happier and not look back and have regrets.....be better than your sister. I love you and pray for all of you family but I will have you know I am trying to well to put it nicely forget about you.....wow that sound horrible but I am trying to give all to the Lord and love him first and foremost. I have always said I want my husband to love the Lord more than me but I can’t expect that if I love my family more than God. I am trying to let God of everything to turn everything over to the Lord and I know when I do, my ability to love you will grow and my happiness will be greater. It’s just the part of letting go that is hard but we make the choice everyday ......we need to stop fighting against God. What are you holding on to...... what must change to give all of ourselves to the Lord?

    Oh family, I know this gospel is true. I love working for the Lord. There is no better feeling. I need your prayers and especially for my Spanish that I will be able to talk in front of everyone this week and that they can understand me. Pray that I may have the gift of tongues ...please I need it. hah 

This is the Lord’s time Jake and Maren. Be 24 hour missionaries

I love you all,

Hermana Hale

May 20th, 2013 Maren

Hey Family!

Sounds like everyone is as busy as always. Its good to hear about life back home. I can't believe Tania is in New York! That is so crazy. She is going to love it. Dad, yes New York can be a scary place, you just have to be smart about it like anywhere else. Plus... I am kinda protected by an all powerful being so don't sweat it too much. :D I talked to a member the other day about a day she spent in Manhattan and she said her favorite thing was called the Starlight Diner. You should tell Tania to check it out (she said it wasn't even that expensive).

As for my week.... I am 21! that is kinda crazy! right? haha. I had a great Birthday... and I have a confession to make... last Monday... we went and got my ears pierced... did you fall off your chair? It was my birthday present to me I guess you could say. I hope you are all okay with that.

On Tuesday we went to the mission office for Transfer meeting. Weird... that was less than a week ago. I think Sister Peacock was freaking out more than me about getting a new companion. But don't worry, she is awesome! Her name is Sister Sandberg and she is from San Jose, CA. She is 20 and is an amazing missionary. Here's one story about her. We had stopped by the Branch President's house to introduce her (and they were also having a BBQ for mutual so we grabbed a hot dog for dinner,) and one of the Members asked her "So where are you supposed to be?" without a second thought she said "Here!" And she really means that. I even asked her if she wanted us to pray that her Visa would come and she said no, she has fully accepted that she wouldn't be here unless there was a purpose and she is here to work hard and figure out what that is. We are so blessed to have her.

Saying Goodbye to Sister Madsen was weird. She's been with me since I got here. And driving back to Riverhead without her was every weirder but I wasn't scared. I knew that God was going to guide us and help me know what to do. That day we knocked some doors and then prepped for and English class we were teaching. Even though I hate knocking doors I wanted to make sure that her first day was what she was expecting. That we would go out and work hard so that she really felt like a missionary. I think we succeeded there. :D

Wednesday... My birthday. Honestly when I woke up it was weird... you know that feeling you have on your birthday? like its your special day? Yeah.. that feeling doesn't really exist on a mission. It just felt like a normal day. Although we had a zone meeting that day and the senior couple brought a cookie cake to celebrate and everyone sang to me, that was fun. Then we went to a Latino restaurant to get papusas... YUM!!!! 

Later that night though something super sweet happened. The elders were at our pad to dedicate it and all of the sudden I could hear the voice of little children outside. Then there was a knock on the door. It was the Blom Family (the ones who's house we were at when I skyped you). They brought me doughnuts and ice cream. O man I love them! They make me feel at home, especially since they have like 7 kids. 

I am going to jump to Friday now. The night of our big game night. We spent the day prepping and making sure everything was going to work out. I wish more people had come but we had a decent turn out. It definitely wasn't as big as the culture night. But... something really cool happened. At about 8:00pm this young guy walked in the building. I thought he had to be a member from the other Branch but I found out later that he was someone the elders had fearless-ed and invited to come. His name is Matt. I didn't get to talk to him until the end of the night but then I sat down for a second to get to know him and invite him to church. He is really cool. After a while he started asking questions about the whole mission thing and about what we believed. He's seen the BOM musical so that is really all he knows about the church. Anyways. Long story short. He came to church the next day and the Elders are going to meet with him tonight and we are going to teach him at a members home on Saturday. He's already read a good portion of the Book of Mormon. He's pretty golden. We're all really excited.

Our mission President raised the standard of excellence this week. The part of it that will interest you the most is that he has asked to all baptize 1 "Real Growth" Baptism every transfer. My mind was blown when He announced that. That is asking a lot. But I know that if he is asking us to do it that we can. So we will. Pray for us that we will know who to focus on so that we can reach this goal and help the tent enlarge out here.

O family. I love you so much. I love being here and feel so blessed everyday to know what I know and for the opportunity to share it with the world. I want you to read D&C 4:3, study it out and see what you can do to liken it to yourself.

I have to run. bye!

Love,

Hermana Maren Hale

P.S. Mom I got the package! The cookies are delicious! Taste like home! :D Thank you Thank you Thank You! :D I also really love the cards.  Good choice to whoever picked those out. :D

May 20h, 2013 Jacob

Hey Family. Dont have much time left and I wanted to share a spiritual experience that I had this week. I wrote it to the president so im going to do the wise actions of stephanie and put it in both my letters.

This week has just been one big blessing. So much has happened to strenthen me, such as zone conference, several companionship studies, and experiences out in the field, that I feel like God is focusing on me this week. Its still been hard to do a lot of finding because Elder Harrison doesnt always feel the best, but we still find ways to be able to teach, and to talk to investigators, and to find ways to strengthen those around us. We had an amazing weekly planning session and we are determined to make everything work out this week. We are going to try and be obedient to every rule because we know that we could use the blessing to make our plan work. (D&C 130 20 - 21)

This week I want to share with you an experience that I had with Sabrine Wakefield, Jo Wakefields daughter. We went over for a DA and because of their unusual conversion story, they were never taught the lessons. So for practice and for their benfit we decided to teach them the lessons. So we taught them The Restoration, and it was amazing how fast the spirit came, Especially when I recited the First Vision.  Well after the lesson, Elder Harrison then said that if they were normal investigators that we would then challenge them to read a part of the Book of Mormon and to Pray about it to know its true. Jo then asked us to explain how we would teach someone to pray. We were teaching them and then when we decided to kneal down and have a prayer and ask to know its true again, just because its a good thing to do and is something we should all do once in a while. Well as soon as that was said, Sabrina got up and left the room. Me and Elder Harrison looked at Jo and she started telling us how Sabrina never prayed to know if the church was true or that she never got a real answer when she prayed to know it was true. She just KNEW it was true, and then she was baptized. She felt that because she never prayed or because she didnt get an answer that she was deffective in some way. Behind from everyone else. Or maybe that she felt like god didnt think she deserved one. When Jo shared this with me I looked up and told Jo that, that was exactly how I was/am. I told her that when I was growing up that I just knew it was true, but as I got older, everyone else had these big spiritual moments after praying where they knew that the gospel was true. I told her how I would go into testimony meeting that I would feel bad, or defective becuase everyone shared their testimony with awesome stories and I didnt have any. I told her how I even lied, making up stories to share with other people. Pulling a spiritual experience out of something that really wasnt. I told her how I felt that way even up in the MTC. But then I told her that somehow, out here in the field, I realized that I didnt need one. That I always knew it was true. I didnt need to get a big spiritual witness through prayer because I received a spiritual witness just by living it. That I just know its true. Its foreign to me to think that its not true. When I told Jo this, she asked if I could tell Sabrina the exact same thing. I agreed and she went up to try and get Sabrina to Come down. Well when she went up Sabrina was crying and refused to come back down. Jo came down and then asked me if I would go up and just sit outside her room and share her my testimony, and the story of what I just told Jo. So I did. I went up and sat down outside her door on the landing for the stairs, and I just sat there for a moment. My heart was beating. I didnt know where to start. I just prayed that heavenly father would help me say the right thing. In that moment I felt the spirit rush into my heart, and I found It difficult to speak. I felt the love of god for me and for Sabrina. I opened my mouth said " Sabrina." I waited for her to speak. And when she answered with "What?" I started talking. I dont even remember what I said but It was from god. Thats all I know. After I was done talking I just sat there. I felt the spirit go down to its original level and I just sat there. Waiting for something to happen. Wanting that awesome spirit back. My companion after a while beckoned me back down stairs and I went down. We then had a great conversation about how every missionary who has ever been through that area. Has brought something special to Jo and Sabrina, or how the missionarys learned something in that area to help them. In that moment I gained a testimony of where I am. That god himself told you, President, where I was supposed to be. I also realized why it is so important to have the spirit be with you while you are out here. That with out the spirit I couldnt have said the things I said. And I realized that Im going to do everything to keep that spirit.

Family this expereince was awesome and it was truly a blessing to have. I dont have to much time yet but I wanted to say One more thing.....

Dad.... You think the rain there is bad? ;) Haha no I have more to say. Oh ya, and who said HI? Names people. ;)

Issac way to go with the whole Michael Buble thing you have going on. My brothers got class.

Caleb Im proud of you for doing so many lawns and also for hearing that you did so well with your solo. I cant wait to hear you when I get back.

Nate : 18 points! Thats awesome. Did you pray? I knew that if you worked hard that you would get better. And i know your going to get lots better to. I hope I get to see your tournaments when I get back.

Mom : Thanks for the letter. It was awesome to get that from you. It almost made me cry. Haha i was trying to keep it together. I love you too, a lot.

Simeon. Keep on being awesome bud.

TANIA!!!!!!! I love ya sis. Thank  you for always being an awesome example.

Love ya Til Next Time - Elder Hale

May 13th, 2013 Stephanie

                                                                                May 13^th, 2013

Hey family,

This is wired. I talked to you yesterday about everything so this may be a little shorter letter.  We moved back into the house of the other two sisters. I was calling like 5 times to talk to the owner of the other house we found but he never answered. Then early this morning the ZL called and told us the assistance told him we didn’t need another house. Well that got me a little scared. I don’t know what is going to happen this Wednesday whether  I will have changes, if I will stay in a trio, or if I will get a new companion and stay in the house with the other sisters. Everything is up in the air. It’s the life of the mission but still crazy, hah.

Here is the letter I wrote to president this week.

      Well this week has been crazy I am not going to lie. I feel like the last three days have felt like a week with all the changes, moving houses, and talking to parents. But, the work is still progressing and I am looking forward to working in this area. We have really high goals to help this area have a new chapel by the end of the year and I am excited to get lost in the work and try to bring these goals into reality.
       I am realizing that all my mission I have had a hard time putting good ideas or good plans into action. I was reading in the Book of Mormon and I was reading in Moroni 7 and wow it’s a lot about faith and action.  I am understanding myself and what I need to do to become and not just know and understand. Knowledge is good and helps increase our faith but it’s when we put that knowledge into action when our testimonies really increase and we begin to become what the Lord wants. I have always had a hard time acting. I don’t know why. I think for fear of failure but that is silly and I am working on putting more principles into action. This is a gospel of action. We must live what we know and when we do our power to help others do the same becomes much greater.

    (Commentary on that thought I have been thinking a lot about how I am acting on the words of Christ. How I am acting to put the gospel into my life more? I will ask you all the same to act and to experiment. That is when growth comes and so if we want to come closer to the Lord and get to know him like Maren said we must have the faith to put in practice what we know to be true. I am thinking about what Maren’s mission president wrote about the doctrine of Christ and how that creates changes and how if we have these changes obedience is the outcome I love that. True doctrine understood brings changes and we live it!!! I understand this with my investigators more and more. I explain a principle and invite them to act. When we come back and they didn’t complete what we left them.....what does that tell you about how well they understood the doctrine. .....we need to go back and reteach them that point because if not they will not understand and act on what they know.)

    I don’t know if that made any sense to be honest but I hope so, amah.

           This is a letter I wrote to Jake I thought it could help some of the younger boys get ready for a mission.  Jake asked for advice of how to find new investigators and how to stay happy. Oh Jake, you are already way ahead of where I was at your time in the mission.  I read your letter and I realize I have to be better. You are such an example to me. Pointers.....woo well like you, we are in the process of finding investigators. Our plans ....1) talk to EVERYONE..... I am horrible at this and I am working on it. It’s hard for me to just start up a conversation on a whim but you could always do it ....use that talent and have faith that God will lead you and your words.  Don’t get discouraged if the first 2 days are well horrible and no one wants to talk to you. Stay consistent and God will place the people that are prepared in your path. I am realizing there are so many people ready to hear the gospel in every part of the world. Many times God is waiting for us to be ready in order to teach his children. Do everything you can to be ready and show God that he can trust you with his children. Be obedient number one key, fasting not a bad idea either.   2) We are planning on visiting all the inactive and many members and give a really good lesson and then ask for referrals. Have them pray, read, study and work to help you find people. They are the power house of the ward. We need them to contact and then we come in and teach. .....I don’t know if that will help but just something we are going to be trying in the next few weeks. Jake I love you bud and am so stinken proud of you. Don’t get discouraged. Faith I am learning is a decision and we make it every morning when the alarm goes off. What are we thinking? Oh man, I want to sleep or are we thinking sweet I can feel it a miracle is going to happen today.....I am nowhere near the last part. I am working on it, but I realize that our attitude reflects our desires and our faith.

Well I don’t have anything else today other than I love you all. It was soooooo but soooo much fun to hear from you guys. It’s amazing what memories come just from hearing voices. I told you all that I was thinking of you and our family this Sunday in Soc soc.... They were talking about family relations and I remembered a moment with our family that I will always remember. We were all down in Circleville and all of Mom’s family was there and Grandpa and Grandma gathered us all around and Grandpa talked to his posterity like King Benjamin talked to his people, like Alma talked to his children or Helaman to his children. I hold dear to me the words of my grandparents as much as I hold dear to me the words of the prophets. I remember the spirit that was there and the love I felt. My feelings were so great as I remembered this moment. I almost started to cry. I remember Grandpa and Grandma always saying.....no empty seats in heaven not one.... I hope they are reading cause this is my promise to them that I will be there, no matter the cost, no matter the trials or problems.  My faith is strong and I will be there with all my family. They have left a great legacy, both sets of grandparents, and their faith help me in the times when it’s hard to find my own.  I love them for all they have sacrificed to give me this opportunity to serve the Lord and grow in my testimony and help others and really, truly, become converted to the Lord. It is incredible what one good person can do in this life and the influence for good they can have on thousands of people. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma on both sides, Daltons and Hales. Thank you Mom and Dad. Thank you my brothers and sisters your faith and trust in the Lord has helped me so much in my life. I love you all so much and that love will last for eternity. Never forget it. And it’s all possible through our Savoir Jesus Christ. I know he lives and loves each and every one of us. His power to save, to heal, to comfort, to increase ability’s is real. This gospel is true I have felt it I know it.

Love you,

Hermana Stephanie Hale