You gotta love meetings!

Hey Yall!

So this week has been great! Im just gonna get strait into it. O but first a couple things... We got transfer instructions and I will be staying in Madison and getting a new companion. Im sad to have Elder Johnson leave, but change is necessary and we get alot of it on the mission. And the 2nd thing is that I heard that a winter front came through Utah and cooled it down a ton! Well it hit Alabama a couple days later and boy can i tell you how amazing that felt! It finally felt like fall for just a couple days, with cool winds and temps! haha i enjoyed it while it lasted cuz today was probably around 200% humidity haha. 

• But the main and most exciting thing that happened this week was the arrival of Elder Zwick! On Tue we had an 8 hour meeting with just the missionaries, then we drove back some elders in our zone which they lived an hour away, one way, so when we got back 2 hours later we had a member missionary fireside with Elder Zwick that was also great. That was that day, then the next day we had another 8 hour meeting with him for just the leadership of the mission. That went great as well! A lot of spiritual edification went on in those 2 days. Just a couple things I learned. 
• He told us that he was in the temple with President Monson, and Prez Monson told him to tell our mission 2 things. 1. "To be safe." In everything we do. 2. "They are the strongest missionary force we have ever had." Wow what amazing things for our prophet to say that the missionaries now are the strongest force we have ever had. We have been prepared by "stripling warrior" parents, we have had fantastic examples of missionaries in the older generations that have showed us the way. Now we need to prove ourselves while we are here and live up to what President Monson has said! Its our time!:) 
• Sister Hanks: Other words for Bama, A word to put southerns down, used by yankees to degrade those who didnt fit in. Its the official state soil. We have in Alabama the humblest of people. We also need to realize how rich the soil is of the field we are in. There are people ready now! 
• Pres Hanks: We need to progress. Luke 2:52, "Jesus increased in wisdom and understanding, in his position with God and Fellow man." We need to follow the perfect example of the Savior and progress each and every day. We either progress or digress, no middle ground. To me, Elder Hall, another word for progression is consistency. Being consistent is one of the best ways to progress. 
• Sister Zwick talked alot about writing things on our hearts. Having a positive attitude, to recognize and follow the spirit, and to learn to be steadfast! 
• Elder Zwick talked about progression by faith. We need to become what Heavenly Father needs us to become. We only have the power to become by progression. The Savior made the command, "Be ye therefore perfect." We can only do that one step at a time. As we repent and progress forward thats when we become perfect! 
• There was a ton of other things that were said, but those things are the things that the spirit taught me personally! And boy did it after 18 hours of meetings haha you gotta love it:) 

Our Zone. This week we were able to see Carine and Roosevelt, the family we are teaching. We took them through a church tour and all went great. Carine wants living proof of everything so thats kinda hard but its all good haha one step at a time. The last thing I want to say before I gotta go is a cool experience we had. Well actually this past week I have met 2 or 3 people that lived in Salt Lake either right behind the conference center or a couple blocks away. Its been crazy, but one night after the meeting with Elder Zwick we went tracting. It was around dinner time and it was a Wed so everyone was going to church. But we went none the less. Not a whole lot of people answered and it was a regular day of tracting. We prayed with a few people. As we were walking up to one house, my companion being a Texas Longhorn fan pointed out to me that this man had a Texas sticker on his car and he may get offended as 2 Mormon missionaries knock on his door right after they got destroyed by BYU... haha but we did anyway. Turns out this man lived in Salt Lake and knew a ton of Mormons. Even out here in Alabama. He had worked with a ton and talked with many about the church and missionaries. Well he told us he didnt want to learn more but respected us for what we did. So off we went on our way. We got to the last house, and everyone has sweet, amazing stories about the last house, but not for us today, we got nothing. So we started to walk to our meal apt and as we started walking away we hear, "Hey Stop! Mormons come back!" We looked back and there was Armondo the Texas fan. He told us that he talked with his wife and wanted us to come over for dinner. Well we are going back right now, tonight to do that! It strengthened my testimony of the power of memebers and how non members will treat missionaries based on if they have a good relationship with members! Yall make a difference weather you know it or not! Keep going, keep helping the Lord hasten his work! You can work miracles:)

I love yall so much! Hope ya have a great week! Remember to be happy:)

Love Elder Hall!