Miracles abound!!

Hey Yall!

So yesterday we had a zone activity, and we had to set up. We have been super busy all week! So this is why the letter is kinda late... But this week has been so great! Here are some things that happened. This week we have gone to all of the different areas in our zone to help them with progressing investigators to get baptized and help others find investigators to teach. Ill mention that in a sec, but I want to tell yall about one of, if not the best day of my mission!  Me and my greenie/fist born son haha thats code for the 1st elder I trained back in Highland Home, Elder Hodge, we got matching breast cancer awareness ties:)

We were able to go on exchanges with the Madison 2 elders who are in a trio right now. It was a pretty awesome exchange! It started out kinda rough with Elder Barben's bike tire going flat right before we went out. So we tried to fix that but we needed a new tube. So then Elders Riding and Barben tried calling members to give us a ride and teach with us. We also needed to get Barben to the Library to email Prez Hanks, because of the Tornado warning the day before and we got kicked out of the library.The only problem was it was way across town. Well all the members either couldnt take us or was the wrong number. So time was getting late so we ended up going out anyway. We started out walking at 4:30. I told Elder Riding and Barben that we were taking a step of faith into the dark, and telling Heavenly Father to put rocks underneath our feet. We werent sure how we were gonna make it and get all we needed to done. Well we walked all the way to the library and made a couple contacts, nothing to solid. Well we got to the library around 7, and Barben emailed Prez Hanks. 

It was getting really dark outside, but we needed to go to a teaching apt. Well instead of walking to the teaching apt really quickly and not talking to anyone, we talked to everyone that came into our path. We talked to one lady and got a return apt, then I told Elder Barben to contact this gangster looking dude with headphones in. Well Elder Barben started talking to him and I picked up, by the end of the conversation, Elder Barben was talking to a 13 year old boy on his bike, and Elder Riding was talking to an older man. All 3 of us were talking to different people at once haha so cool:) The boy that Elder Barben was talking to ended up being the kid we needed to see and teach. Well none of his family was home and he told us to come back the next day to teach them all, one more apt added to tomorrow. Then we looked at our watches. They all said 8:30, and we still had about an hour and a half walk back to the apt. So we walk outta stake conference we had this weekend and the black guy in the middle is named Tiger. I was walking infront of the other 4 Elders, and I made a comment to him, o we are just the "Mormon Mafia" He said "O, i can see that." And without hesitation named us all, so we had to get a picture of it and put our titles up there;)

So we started to head back. As I realized that we had gotten 14 unplanned invites in 3 hours and got 3 return apts for tomorrow I was surprised. I thought to myself, "Wow! Heavenly Father really has blessed us and put rocks underneath us! What a blessing." I then remembered the scripture study I had earlier that morning in the BOM I read in the 24th and 25th chapters in Mosiah that talked about Christ 1st Strengthens them in afflictions then 2nd Helps them escape their afflictions then they immediately realize that God helped them and they 3rd gave thanks. I realized this is something Ive struggled with is 1st realizing the blessings, then giving thanks immediately not just at the end of the night. So we stepped onto a not so busy street and circled up to say a pray just of gratitude. You could feel the spirit so strongly. We looked at our clocks and it was still 8:30 somehow... 

Elder Riding really had to go to the bathroom, so we found a gas station. As he walked in Elder Barben and I just stood outside. This man made eye contact with me and walked all the way up to us. We could tell he was wasted. To make a long story short we talked with him for about 15 minutes and turns out he is a less active in the Madison 2nd ward. We got his info and planed to see him on the morrow. Turns out that the gas station didnt even have a bathroom anyways. Wow God knows we needed to see that man! Then we went up the street another 15 mins or so and got to another gas station. Here is the toast experience for the week. We all walked in single file line Elder Hall, then Elder Barben, then Elder Riding. As I walked in there was the worker of the gas station and a lady customer with purple hair and lots of ear rings. As I walked in I asked, "How yall doing?" Then I turned the corner to let the others in. Elder Barben came in then Elder Riding follows and says, "Im doing good. How are yall?" Haha he ran to the back of the store to the bathroom. I went to the back of the room and could not stop laughing but ended up talking to the both of them and they werent to interested. Funny moment though. I bought some drinks and chips for the 2 Elders on the walk home. We started walking back. It had to have been at least 45 mins to an hour after the last time we checked our watches. We looked again and to our complete suprise it was still 8:30! Yall, I swear that it was 8:30 3 different times that night and God turned back time so we could talk with all these people and also make it back home by 9:15! It was a complete miracle. This day is down in history as one of, well probably the best day of my mission with the most miracles that have happened in such a short period of time, in one of the hardest areas in the mission. Just like Prez Hanks says, "Its not about the area. There are a lot of hard areas, its all about your attitude!" 

We were able to take in our car this week to repair the side door that was dented. We had to leave it and so we were out on our bikes and on foot for some of the week! It was good hard work. We also had baptism in Cullman on Sunday. That went great. Thats 3 for the month. We still have 6 solid dates and 2 that could possibly happen. We as a zone each week pray specifically for those that are getting baptized at the end of the week in all our prayers. I know that is why all these are going through! So many miracles are happening in our zone right now! We, in reality, have the best zone with the best missionaries. Everyone is working so hard! I love it. I love the mission I love you! We are STEADFAST! Have a great week! Remember to be happy(Its all about your attitude!) :)

Love Elder Hall!