Great Week!

Hey Yall!

So this week has been great! We have gotten tons of rain though!! It feels like there is going to be a 2nd flood on the earth haha:) There was a lot of things that have happened. It started out with Zone Training on Tuesday. I love those because it just gets me excited again about missionary work. It gets me wanting to go out and see everyone and help them the best I can! Later that night though we were able to teach Elaine. As we taught and asked things I felt like I was the bad guy. Everything that I would tell her she would be sad, or would get defensive. But as we taught she told us that she felt like she didn't need the Book of Mormon. That the bible was enough. Now one thing that she does is that she has us come over, she reads about different churches or has the Jehovah Witnesses come over and talk with her and listens to a lot of different churches. So what I told her is to not listen to anyone else anymore. That she needed to find out for herself which church was true! Then I held the Book of Mormon in my hand and said Elaine I can tell you all day that I know this book is true, but the question is, is it another testament of Jesus Christ. That is what you need to find out. Im not going to tell you what I think because all that matters is what you think. Then I told her to pray and ask if the Book of Mormon was another testament of Jesus Christ. That experience was kinda weird because I have never been that bold or asked questions like that. But afterward I felt really good and confident in what I said.

On Friday we were able to do exchanges with the Zone Leaders and the Assistants. Elder Jensen went with one of the Assistants and I went with one of the Zone Leaders. I love going on exchanges and learning from other missionaries. Elder Gale is one of the new zone leaders and he is doing a great job! An experience I want to share was a learning moment for me. Elder Gale had talked about making sure our apartment and car was clean. I had told him we have cleaned a little each week. Then he asked me if we would really clean it this Monday so that we could have the spirit more. My first reaction to his question was disappointing. I said, "What do you mean? I feel like its clean enough." Then once I spoke those words I felt horrible and without any reaction I said, "Elder Gale, Im sorry that was dumb of me to say. Yes we will clean our apartment and car." I had forgotten what leaders were all about. That experience strengthened my testimony to just say yes to whatever a leader asks you to do. If he is asking you to do it, trust in him and know that it will benefit you. So from that moment on I have made a commitment with myself and with Heavenly Father that I will never question anything a leader tells me to do, but just say yes sir and do it! And if you do that you will receive blessings because of it:) 

Yesterday was a great day for us! Not only did we have a lot of fun but we were able to help a ton of people out. To teach them and to serve them. I don't know if yall remember me talking about going to Olivia's Birthday party, but she had her cousin there, Houston. Well we played with him and I guess he loved us and wanted us to come to his birthday party which was yesterday. We were also invited to come to another birthday party for a little girl named Kailee. Her Dad is less active and mom isn't a member, but we love them and have been working hard with them. So right after church we saw a couple people with the high council man. Then we headed off to Kailee's birthday party. It was fun but we could only stay for a little because we had to head down to Houstons birthday. We had a blast there! Im hoping to get some pics from it that people took haha but we were able to be an example to that family. To show them that we just want to love everyone. The only member of that family is Dyana. She is the recent convert that is amazing! She is truly a pioneer for her family. After we saw some more people.  So I know we aren't supposed to ride horses, which I didn't, but the lady that had these horses saw me over just petting them and said hey I dare you to jump up on it haha so I waited tip we got my camera then I got up on one haha She even gave me a cowboy hat haha

Then we were able to see Jerry. He is a man that was referred to us by his mom. She is an older lady and doesn't come to church, but we visit her every week. Well before yesterday we had only seen Jerry twice. The first visit was to get to know him. Then the next one was teaching about the Restoration. Well yesterday we taught him about prayer, baptism and the holy ghost. Then we invited him to be baptized on Aug 17th. He said yes! It is so exciting! There are a few things that we need to work with him on, and we are trying to find a ride for him to come to church which is going to be a real pain, but I know that as we put our faith in Christ he will make everything work out just fine.

I want to share just one thing I learned in the Zone Training that Prez Hanks talked about. He told the story about the saints back in the 1800's. They had moved to Ohio and were asked to plant corn. The members of the church knew that they would only be there for a little while. They knew that they would leave and would not be able to harvest the corn. Sometimes in missionary work you are asked to go and labor and work as hard as you can. You go out and you plant seeds. Sometimes you leave before you can see the rewards that come from your hard labor. But as you leave new people come in. They work just as hard and maybe they get the baptism or get them coming back to church. Know that your efforts aren't a waste. You helped that person and prepared them until they were finally ready. Just as the saints planted the corn, others came behind them and were able to have food because of there efforts. The scripture he left with us from this story was D&C 51:16-17. Know that any efforts you have put into missionary work are all seen and you will be blessed because of it!

I hope yall have a great week! Keep staying busy! This is a marvelous time in the Lord's work and he has called all of us to help him with it! What a great time to be pioneers in this day to be examples for future generations!! I love yall!!

Love Elder Hall 

haha so I know we aren't supposed to ride horses, which I didn't, but the lady that had these horses saw me over just petting them and said hey I dare you to jump up on it haha so I waited tip we got my camara then I got up on one haha She even gave me a cowboy hat haha