April 29th, 2013 Maren

Hey Family!

Hey Everyone! How are you all doing? I love Monday's and getting to read all your letters, updates on everyone's lives are much appreciated... Although someone is in trouble because I feel like I had no idea that Sharlee was engaged... am I crazy and just forgot or did someone forget to tell me? Haha. In any case tell her Congratulations!

It sounds like everyone is super busy doing crazy awesome things. I hope that is a good thing.

To answer some questions. Yes mom, we are still a threesome. Sister Madsen is still here for 2 weeks. I am going to be so sad when she leaves to go home. We've gotten pretty close. I was lucky to get her for her last 2 transfers here... and I can't believe all that time has already flown by! Don't blink! We will all be home before you know it.

So.. as for mother's day calls. We will be calling on Saturday to set up the exact time that you would like us to call. I am not sure if we will have access to a computer with Skype, it all depends on if the Senior couple that is coming brings their computer and it has a webcam... pray that it does. They should get here sometime this week... we think. I wish I could talk to Steph and Jake too... :( I miss them as much as the rest of you. But I am way super excited to talk to you guys. Its so soon!

As for my birthday... Its kinda surreal. Its hard to believe that things like Birthday's happen out here. But if you are going to send a package would you send my poi balls along in it? They don't hardly weigh anything... and Mom, I am almost out of my lotion... will you mail me another bottle? Other than that... hmm.... my camera? Haha I wish! I miss it so much. If you come to pick me up someone will have to make that their carry on item because I need to photograph new york! Okay, seriously... I think the only thing I really want is a cook book... Not sure which one... maybe the World Wide Ward Cookbook... or something. We cook a lot more than I thought we good so cheap, fast, easy recipes are great... Yeah... this whole birthday thing is hard... surprise me?

Man, sounds like some fun things are happening at home. The bishop is a genius to have everyone do that. Mom, you are the cookie master... maybe that is what I want for my birthday... Mom's cookies. :D yeah that would be good. :D Haha.

I did get a chance to print off "The Fourth Missionary" and I've read it and I love it. The week or so afterward I found countless references in my scripture study about how are desires are just as important as our works. I had never read it like that before, I just assumed that works = desires but its always quite clear that they are two separate things. You have to do the works AND have the desire. Its certainly something to work towards. I know I still have a long way to go.

On that note, we had Sister exchanges this week. I love exchanges, I always always always learn so much. Me and Sister Peacock stayed in Riverhead and Sister Nichols came with us while Sister Madsen went to Patchogue to be with Sister Nichols Companion. Sister Madsen actually trained Sister Nichols so that was kinda funny. Anyways... it was a really humbling experience and I learned a lot. Sister Nichols puts every effort into being 100% obedient. I thought I was pretty obedient but not compared to Sister Nichols. The night she was with us we knocked doors and set daily goals, two things that I haven't done a whole lot up to this point. As I talked to her that night I asked her a little bit about her progression as a missionary and she said something that has really stuck with me. She said (about knocking doors) "At first I did it to be obedient, and then I did it because I loved God, and then because I loved the people, and now I do it because I have Faith." It struck me so hard. There are a lot of things that are hard for me, knocking doors is one of them, talking to people is one of them, but up to this point I hadn't really looked at it as a matter of being obedient... that may be really stupid on my part but seriously. Ever since that Exchange we have been focusing on being obedient in the little things, the things that aren't "and thus saith the lord," but the counsel given in Preach My Gospel... I think missionaries sometimes fall into a trap where they think "yeah, that is good in theory but not in my area... my area is different." I have news for you, NO ITS NOT! We are never the one instance that the counsel from the Lord through Prophets doesn't apply. Trust what they say because it really does apply to you, just like all the mission rules and counsel apply to me. As we tried to be more obedient we have seen miracles in our work. This week we got 3 new Investigators! 3! That is pretty crazy in case you didn't pick up on that. I really think that is part of why Sister Peacock was sent out here, because we needed her to help us get better and further the work.

Well family.

I am so grateful to be here and for all the things that I am learning. I still have moments sometimes where I stop and think and really can't believe that I am a missionary! I AM A MISSIONARY! I wear a name tag and skirt all day. I spend 4 hours studying every morning and I preach the gospel all day every day. I never ever thought that I would be one and sometimes its still really hard to believe. But I am so happy to be here. I know that there is nothing else in my life that I would rather be doing right now. I have a lot to learn and I am doing my best to learn it. Sometimes improvement seems slow and realizing you need to change hurts but slowly, day by day Christ shapes us into the tool he needs to do his work.

I love you all so much!

Love,

Hermana Maren Hale