June 13, 2012

Mom and Dad,


First off :) I love you both so much! Thanks for all the letters and pictures, thanks Dad. :) So this is because I didn't have enough time to write you when I emailed you guys.  Its crazy how fast 30 minutes goes.

So I think I was telling you I went to go get a FBI Background check, you can tell Simeon and Isaac that, they may get a kick out of it. :), But I had to be cause apparently they Police background check was going to be expired in 2 months. So I got to take a field trip from the MTC so that was fun!

So I kind of don't know what else to say other than I am doing great and loving the work even though it is hard, there is nothing I would want to be doing more. Ha, I had a Branch President Interview and he just wanted to know how I was doing, if I was missing home or if I left a boyfriend and as he asked me it almost scared me how much I have not been thinking about home or the world in general. You feel so secluded here in a good way. But don't take this the wrong way, I still miss you all and think of you lots but its amazing how you can lose yourself in the work and have that be your focus. Its great.

Well times up again, have to go do laundry :( Hah, Love you both.

Love,

Hermana Hale

June 8, 2012

Hey Family it is P-day!!! Im so exited!

First off i want to thank you guys for my letters I get from you. I dont think I realized how much missionaries love letters till I became one. It is what everyone looks forward to each night at 9 for when our district leader gives out letters and you're just hoping that you get one. So thanks so much!

Ok and tell Sara and Cory Congratulations!!! They're going to get a Boy !!! I bet Cory is super exited!! Tell them thanks for the package!! Oh man! and tell Sister Palmer, I think, thank you for her package. There was a note in it but it was in cursive and I cant read cersive well she works down at BYU campus and she gave me this huge package of candy and snacks its what I have been living off so plase tell her thanks.

Tania and Maren and Caleb thank you all for your letters. Caleb thanks for sharing your experience with me, you wont ever know how much that meant to me. Well I am praying for you all... in very broken Spanish but dont worry, God speaks all languages so I think you're covered ha.

Daddy thank you for your letter, it made my day when I got it I am so blessed to have a loving family that is supporting me. Many of the girls in my district are the only active members in there families so I feel very blessed. Thank you Mom and Dad for your support and love.

Ok so time to tell you all about the CCM it is crazy they have everything down to a "T" here, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner all at the same time everyday, classroom and work out time, I get so much done in a day is crazy. I am loving the experience though, the spirit is in such abundance here, its great. We have had some conferences and devotionals here and they are all so good, I am learning so much. I just got put into a threesum with Hermana Hanson and Hermana Ellsworth, they are so great, I love them both. 

For the first week we have been here we have been teaching an investigator whose name is Edwin (in spanish ) it has been such an amazing experience. I remeber the second time we taught him I was so suprised to see how much I could explain in Spanish and how the spirit is the same no matter what language you speak. I remember I began to testify to him about if you read the Book of Mormon and pray about it you will get an answer, I got half-way through and the spirit in the room was the same spirit that I always feel but it was different because it was coming because I was testifying. It was an amazing experience. I wish I could finish my sentences, I was crying so bad I just looked at my companion and she took over, she was great but I will never forget that feeling. I knew that Edwin was feeling the spirit because I felt it. MAN IT WAS THE COOLEST FEELING EVER! 

I am learning so much about how I need to be coming closer to God in order to bring others to him. I love this work already. I lay down at night and even though I am really tired from all I have done that day my heart is full and I am filled with the spirit and I know that the things I am doing now is what I am suppose to be doing. 

So many people have asked me alot of questions about the MTC so here are the answers. I have the bottom bunk in our room!!! Yeah it is so nice and the food here is... not good. I am getting so sick of it! Ha! But I have heard the food at the MTC in Guatamala is so good, only two more weeks!! Oh Yesterday I took a field trip to the Police Station in Provo, I had to get a FBI Clearance thing in order to go to El Salvador. It was fun to meet all the other missionaries going to that mission.

Sorry I am running out of time, I hate time so much. I have so much more to say. I'll write some other experiences down and send them. Thanks for your prayers and love it is felt!!  

Love you guys so much . Know that I know this gosple is true. Through our Savior we can be saved I am so greatful to him for all he has done for me.

Love Hermana Hale

First Contact!

June 1

Dear Family,

Well I made it, I am alive and well. Ha! Unpacked and ready to go. The first Day went by so fast but we got so much done!

Oh what was really cool was when I was taken to drop off my luggage to my new room my hostess was Sister Paula Koeven, you guys don’t know her but she was in my ward up in Logan and we were friends. She has been here for two weeks and will leave on Wednesday. But she told me she was waiting for me and watching for me so she could be my hostess. I was so grateful to see a familiar face! The Lord is looking out of rme.

Anyway I feel like I am official now, I have already lost my name tag once and got lost multiple time, and started speaking Spanish (not very well… Ha!) So I am definitely a newbie but the spirit is so strong in the MTC. There are so many missionaries here its amazing to think of the army we will create throughout the world.

Last night, our first night, they started us straight into teaching, 3 investigators were here (some were members and some were not) and we were suppose to teach them what the spirit told us to. We were in a room with maybe 30 to 35 missionaries and if we had anything to add we raised our hands. It was a good experience, one that opened my eyes to see how much missionary work is based solely on the person, whats going on in their life, how we can apply that to the gospel, etc. I learned a lot that there is so much I need to learn, it was humbling…. Very much so.

My companion is Awesome! I don’t think I could think of a better match up. The Lord is truly looking out for me in all aspects. Her name is Hermana Milliron. She is form Portland, Oregon and she is going to Chicago on her mission.

Man so much to tell you but just ran out of time, have to go to class. I’ll write later tonight, and hopefully send this to you soon cause I cant email until next Friday, sorry.

Oh, just so you know they did put me into the Spanish Intermediate class :s Ha! Excited and scared all at the same time, I didn’t even find that out til halfway through the first day.

June 2

So today is my 3 day and I get a half P-day so I get to finish writing you J Hope everything is going well at home, I miss you all lots. But not too much, don’t worry. I just found out that I will be loosing my companion on Monday K. Hermana Milliron is going to the advanced Spanish class and leaving me in intermediate. I am going to miss her lots. She is just what I needed here… we taught our first lesson yesterday, it went really well we thought so I am really sad to see her go. I don’t know if I’ll get a new companion or if I’ll just become a threesome with Hermana Hanson and Hermana Ellsworth.

Oh, I found out I knew Hermana Hanson before the mission, she roomed with Rachel and Brittany in collage at BYU. I met her a couple of times, it was so cool to know that J It was bugging us where we had met before because we knew we had.

So I bet you’re wondering how life in the MTC is. Well its nuts! There is always something your suppose to be doing or going to. They keep you busy. But it is truly amazing how much you can learn in one day! The food is… well let’s just say I got really sick the first night here from the food, it was not fun. But the Hermanas are amazing; everyone is trying to do their best. The Elders are kind of crazy at times but they are trying to do what the Lord needs them to do. There is someone in my zone that is from Lindon. His name is Elder Stallings I think but he knows the Schades really well.

Spanish is coming okay I guess but I have forgotten all verb conjugations so its really broken Spanish.

I know this is what I need to be doing at this time this is such a great work the spirit is strong here. We pray ALL the time, its great.

Well I need to bear my testimony in Spanish for an assignment. Its so cool that I can right?!

Yo Querro Compartir mi testimonio que yo se este evanglio esta verdadera que Jesu Cristo es el Salvador. Que su expricacion es una fuertodece a todos. Estoy agradecido para esto. Inglesia da mas paz y gozo mas que todo! Yo se que este es la verdar. En el nombre de Jesu Cristo Amen.

I love you all, I’ll email you next week.

Con Mucho Amor

Hermana Hale

Maren & Tania!

Thank you both for writing me, I love you guys so much man I miss you. This place is amazing in so many different ways, we get so much done in one day its crazy. I am learning so much and getting so sore. We go do core workouts during out gym time and I am so sore from it all its crazy. But its so great to feel the spirit help you remember all you need to do.

They put me in the intermediate Spanish class and its just where I need to be. They talk all the time in Spanish we learn new words and we are going to learn all the verb tenses again, which is what I need. So I feel blessed in where I am and with who, I love my companion but I am sad she will leave me to go to the advanced class on Monday. I don’t know what will happen when she leaves, we will have to see.

Sorry I have to go, just ran out of time, sorry. I hope life is good and things are going well. Love you both so much

Con Amor

Hermana Hale




*Letters were transcribed from a handwritten letter, may not be 100% accurate*