New Everything!

Hey Yall!

So this week has been crazy, fun, exciting, sad and all the other emotions that missionaries feel each and every day haha. Its been hotter then Hattie! haha My new companion is Elder Smith. He is from good old Provo, the motherboard of the ship of Mormons, and he has been out over a year. He is really nice and we are getting along quite well. It sad to see Elder Johnson go but we just keep moving forward.

This week we have had a few cool experiences. The first one was with Armando, the Texas fan. We were able to go over to his house for dinner and eat with him and his wife. We had regular conversation, but they asked a lot about what missionaries do and how we get called to Alabama. We talked alot about some of his Mormon friends that served missions and we shared a short message with them. They told us that they want to feed us again so we will be going back hopefully this week! What a cool family:)

There have been some weird, out of the usual things that have happened. Usually when we go to Wal-Mart, no one talks to us, when we try to talk with others they wont really talk back. Well the night of transfers I took Elder Smith to get some groceries. One guy was looking at food. Well we joked around with him and got a conversation started. Then we talked for a while, he had said he talked with Mormons and heard it all. He told us how we was a preacher, well we asked if he had a Book of Mormon. We briefly explained about how it was just other people in another part of the world that testify of Christ. He seemed interested and wanted to read it. He also told us that he was gonna start using that when he preached! Kinda cool. Then there was another man that right after we walked down the isle asked us if we were Mormons. We said yes. Then he went on to explain how his father in law was Mormon and how 2 guys would come by the hospital and sing and pray with his father in law cuz he was very sick. He then went on to thank us for all we do, we asked if we could come by and teach him, he said no, but just kept thanking us! Then on Saturday night we went back to Wal-Mart to pick up somethings and a Chinese dude stopped us and asked if we were Mormon. We told him yes and he went on to tell us how he told us stories about how he would always see missionaries in Hong Kong when he would be going to work and they would ride there bikes. And how he worked with a Mormon that served his mission in Japan, but he was flying some plane and the US military's computers thought it was a missile and shot it down. That was back in 2003 I think, but he went on to say how good the church was and how he loved Mormons! Like I said last time I know that members make a difference! Especially now days, when yall can “Sweep the earth as with a Flood” with technology! Yall are a huge effort, the biggest effort in hastening of the work!

This week we have done a lot of tracting, store contacting, and finding. We have been able to follow up with some potential investigators, but this week has been a mix of 2 things, 1. Finding 2. Planning for our area and for the Zone. As zone leaders we do a lot of planning for every area in our zone and make sure they are doing good for this next transfer. Probably the biggest Emmaus Experience Ive had this week came on Saturday. We spent the day helping some missionaries, then we went and contacted at Wal Mart, then we tried following up with potential investigators. We were able to teach a normal restoration lesson to a lady named Rachael. Then we had dinner with some members. The entire time I was thinking about a less active member that Elder Johnson and I had found, Manny. Well we had forgotten to stop by his house earlier so I decided after our dinner with the members that we would go strait there. Side story: There was an investigator that Elder Johnson and I had found, her name is Tiffany, and she was going strong, we had taught her the Restoration, the BOM, P of S and had done a church tour with her, then outta no where just stopped answering our phone calls and texts and was never home or never answered the door. So Elder Johnson and I decided to drop her. Well we go over to Mannys house and he is a cop, so if he is home, his cops car is there along with his regular car. Well I didn't see either of them. I thought to myself, I know he isn't here so we shouldn't even bother knocking on his door, but I decided we would anyways. So we knocked and no one answered. I thought I was right. Well as we were leaving I looked at Tiffanys door. Again I thought, there is no way she is home, we should just keep going and not waste our time. But I figured we were 2 feet from the door, lets just knock on it. So we did and after a few long secs of silence, the door answered and she opened it up! Wow! I was shocked. She was also doing something she knows she shouldn't that we talked to her about to stop doing it. She was shocked to see us, but we were able to read some scriptures with her and and help her in her problems. It was such an amazing experience! I felt the Spirit there so strongly. Turns out that she has been working 5-6 days a week, for almost 12 hours a day and has been super busy. She is going to come to church with us this next weekend! God is a God of miracles, they have not ceased! (Mormon 9:19)

That has been our week. We are going to conintue to find the elect. Yesterday we were tracting and saw some little black kids playing football, so we went over for 30 mins and played with them haha they were all shocked that I was so good haha. They thought I was a quarter back ;) haha but Im doing so well and am happy, because Im loosing myself in the work. I know as we try, act, do that we will see blessing and be happy. We can talk all day but talk doesnt do anything. When we act, that brings happiness:) We need to be comfortable with uncomfortable things!

Well I love yall and hope you have a great week. Today has been cooler and feeling like a nice fall day. All the cotton fields all are “white already to harvest”. You know what that means? The world is ready to harvest now!! (John 4:35) Keep being the great Sons and Daughters of God that yall are! I tell everyone how amazing my family and friends are back home! Yall are exmaples even to Mormons out side of Utah.

Remember to be happy while you work:)

Love Elder Hall:)