Hey Family,
So first I have to ask and answer some questions. Caleb. A week before a show we felt completely unprepared. We realized that we could have been working harder the entire time and we never felt ready. But also take courage. The one week became hell week. Thats actually a good thing. Everyone realizes that they need to get down and put some real work into things. The tech, gets everything done. Most of the kinks worked out on the lighting as well as the sound systems. The director usually gets a final image of what she or he wants the show to be like. and you yourself put a lot more work in a get prepared. Do your best, be the best you can be, and you will have the best experience ever. If the rest of the show sucks, then be the best part of the show. ;) Haha!
Mom, Sister Pelham in my ward sent you an email. She has been wondering for the past 2 weeks if you have gotten it. Have you? You might want to check your junk folder of just really clean out your email. ;) I also heard of this great website called globalmissionshipping.com which is supposed to ship missionaries packages cheaply and swiftly. Guaranteeing it in 2 days. Its kinda of like costco but for shipping. :)
And do you guys think it is wise for me to send a package home? I really want to, but its about 20 quid to send. Let me know what you guys think so I can start preparing..... the chocolate here is 5x's better then anything america has... just saying. ;)
Oh ya.... would you guys get mad at me if I came home with a swearing problem? The D word and H word here are not swear words and they kinda get ingrained in your vocabulary when the ward mission leader says "lets get that D*** baptism!" Seriously. Its super funny sometimes. I've fought for 6 months but I'm finding it getting harder and harder now. I may have shocked my trainee once or twice.....IM RIGHTEOUS!! I promise.
So this week has been a good one. We have had really good days... and really sucky days. But, good days first. We have had amazing miricles. Sunday was probably the best day ever. On saturday we got a member to come with us on a teach to a former investigator named Natalie. She has three little kids and a really sad back story. She is from france, and is one of the nicest people you have ever met. But she used to be involved in Scientology and that really sucked life out of her spritual side. We invited her to church.... and she said yes! Thats my first investigator ever to come to church. Mine! Found, taught, Invited! WOOHOO! Ok, ok. Lets be real hear. God, did all of it. Everything just fell into place. Not only that, but when we got her to church she was having a great time in sacrement meeting and then thats when things got a little bit sticky. Her oldest son wanted to go home and was really sad. I had to teach gospel principles as we ANOTHER investigator as well. Ill tell you that later. So i left my Companion and Elder Linden my ex companion to go out and talk to her and just invite her in, if she wants or maybe even give a thought out there. I didnt know. But they went out and they had her fellowshipper come out as well and she just let loose. Her husband just got up and left the family one day. The kids have really been missing him and they tried to get in contact with him, just so the kids could talk to him. But it was 3 days later, after they left a voicemail, that he called and it wasnt a very long or good call. The oldest son is really missing his dad and wants to be with him. Natalie is having a hard time to try and deal with him. She doesnt know if she wants to move back to East Grinstead or not and is just at a loss as for what to do. The fellowshipper, Kursteen Graabek, was amazing. She told her that she was her friend now. That this ward is just a big family and they just talked. She really needed it. Elder M ( my companion) and Elder Linden went out and talked to the oldest son Ewin. They had a good talk and eventually he went to primary and she went to releif society. We set up a return apointment and are going to be seeing them again. I think we broke the ice with Ewin as well. The kids are 10, 7, and 3. Sweetest family ever. Can you guys pray for them that she will receive guidence as what to do, as well as realize that this is the church that she needs. That this gospel can help her.
Alright, that was the first one. Second Miricle. We were on our way to church, Natalie following behind us in her car. When Kursteen got a text from Joanna, A former, that she had helped fellowship. Joanna was asking if she could come to church. :) What?! Haha! So we got her a ride and she came. A lot of the youth got up and gave their testimony and she was so touched by the power and sincerity of it all. We have a great youth group in Haywards Heath Ward. She then went to Gospel Principles where for some reason the Ward Mission leader asked me to give a lesson on faith. Thats not what usually we would have given the lesson on. But we did it gladly. We had an amazing lesson about faith in the savior and acting upon that faith. Apparently I said something right, in reality i think the spirit used the gift of tongues to turn what I was saying into something good. HAHA! Because she got up in Releif society next hour and bore her testimony. I had so many people come up to me after wards saying how beautiful it was. She came up to me after church and told me how what was said in Gospel Principles really touched her and gave her the courage to bear her testimony..... I didnt know what to say. That was amazing. We have an apointment with her this wednesday and we are going to invite her to be taught again. :)
Missionary work is amazing. You can see so much good come out of it. Me and companion had a day this week where everything we had was canceled. We litterly turned 4 good hours of teaching into finding. Thats enough to melt anyones brain. Haha! It was misserable as well. But I look at that now, and it only makes moments like this get so much better. This week, for some reason, I completely destroyed Either 12:27. I read it, but I wanted to know everything about this scripture and HOW god makes us stronger. HOW, he turns our weekness into strength. I learned a lot but the one thing I really want to share is my new favorite bible story. Its a parrible that I have never hear of before in Luke chapter 18, verses 10 through 14.
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Maybe its the drama kid in me. But I can just see this publican. Standing behind this Pharisee and thinking about how he has so much to improve. He walks up, cant even lift his eyes to heaven, doesnt feel like he can look up to God. He hits his chest. A sign of his repentence and sorrow for the things that he has done, or for the weaknesses he has. He hits his chest. Tears streaming down his face. And says in basically 7 words this. God... be.. merciful to me.... a sinner. He humbled himself before God. He was humbled and because of that he became exalted. Its not the biggest parable or maybe one of the most powerful. But, when I read that it hit me so hard. I can see me and in that man. Sometimes standing as a missionary, not even looking up to god and saying. God! Please. Forgive me. Forgive my weekness. Forgive my sins. And help me. Help me become better. Mold me with your hands. Make me the son of God that I can become. Mom, I aboslutly love the scripture in Mosiah that you shared. King Benjamin was right. We are absolutly nothing to God. But.... we are also everything. We are his Children. We are litterally his offspring. He wants us to become like him. We are not even as the dust of the earth by ourselves. BUT! With GOD! We can become even as he is. Because of the Sacrifice of his Holy Son, we can become even as our father in heaven is. How amazing is that? That mans as fallen and weak and fragile as we are... can become like GOD? All because of love. But he cant force us to be like him. We have to choose! That is why we must be humble. Because that is admiting that the only way to exaultation is through the holy messiah. Jesus Christ. ACTS 4:12. Neither is there asalvation in any other: for there is none other bname under heaven given among men, whereby we must be csaved. WOW! And then we read in Alma chapter 7:11-13 all that christ did for us. Pains, suffering, afflictions, our sins. Everything. Christ has been through that... Why? We are as the dust of the earth. Why? Because we are God Children. You are special. That book is a childrens book that describes the one principle that if we never forget, can help us get through anything. Remeber God loves you more than anything. I love how we are all so week. Yet can be made so powerful through him and his love. Because thats what Christs atonement really is. The highest form of love that became an action. And that thought alone, humbles me. And makes me beleive that he CAN make me better. I love you all so much. This principle is one that I hope I can always remember and that I wish the world would know. I hope that, that actually made any sense. Haha! If not... well I apologize. ;)
Its getting cold here. Its as cold as utah is in winter and its autumn still. Haha! Its also really dark. Its getting dark here at 5. Thats to soon. Im out at 7 feeling apostate because I feel like its 9 and I should be home. Haha!
Halloween was great. We were going to go knocking in a small town and we met a man who was selling poppies, a war memorial thing, door to door. We asked how it was going and he said "Either people are out, or their hiding because they think Im a trick or treater!" Haha! Brits hate halloween..... wait... we cant go knocking. No one will open their door! The one time we decide knocking would be a good idea and we do it on the one day of the year the knocking is probably the least effective thing to do! Haha! But its ok because we went to the hospital and got my wrist checked out, and then went and taught a wonderful lesson to an investigator and LA family. WOOHOO! Haha! Halloween was good this year.
Well I got to go guys. I have a gas guy showing up at our flat for an inspectian. yay. Haha! ;) Love you guys all so much. Talk to you guys later. Bye!!!
Elder Hale
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