Hey Yall!
Golly! Yall would not believe what happened this week! Im fixin to share with yall one of the coolest stories ive had on my mission! But before I do that I just wanted to talk about a couple other things. One thing ive learned while down south is that ya don't put sugar on your grits. Haha I still do it anyway because that makes it super good. But everyone down here freaks out if ya do that!
Worlds largest peanut boil.... remember down south its peanut (bowl) :)
Haha and I think that yall in Utah are getting delayed reaction weather from Alabama. Cuz it sounds like yall started to heat up right after it was heating up here, and now that we are done with the down pour of rain yall are getting it now haha kinda strange...
But this week has been so good! It all started off on Tuesday we had biked to a ladies house. Well as we were starting to leave the clouds looked big and black. She asked if we wanted to try and fit both our bikes into her car and she with her guy friend could take us to our car. Well one I didn't wanna mess up the inside of her car by trying to slam 2 bikes into it and 2 I knew it was gonna rain and wanted an epic missionary moment. Well we got it haha about 2-3 miles before we got to our car, the clouds broke and down it came! We were now biking into a thunder storm! Haha it was a down pour and we kept biking harder and faster until we got to our car. Then we had planned on having dinner with a member. Well we got to there house and they were so kind as to give us clothes to so they could dry our soaking wet ones haha. Well in the middle of drying the power went out! Haha and we were planning to go to our bible study right after the dinner. So we put on our mostly dry clothes and headed to the bible study. It was great though! I felt like a real missionary biking through the rain! Haha
Ok now im ready to tell yall the amazing story that happened this week. So last week I told yall about John and his 3 daughters Kimberly,13, Jennifer,11, and Brandi,7. So his baptism date was Saturday the 7th. We had planned on meeting about an hour and a half early with the missionaries and John and Jennifer who was the only daughter that was able to make it to his baptism. We were going to teach both of them just a couple of things like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, more about Baptism and things like that. Well as we taught them and time got closer to the baptism, something interesting happened. Sister Lewis was talking with Jennifer and she told her, " After your dad gets baptized he can hold the priesthood and then could baptize you. Wouldn't that be cool? Would you want to do that?" Jennifer replied, "Yes. I want to do that!" So Sister Lewis then tells Jennifer to go tell her dad the good news. As we are all standing around we are watching them and she goes up to her dad, and this is 15 minutes before his baptism was planned to schedule. She says, " I wanna be baptized today with you daddy!" Holy cow!!! I couldn't believe it!!! And everything was setting up perfect because one of the Zone Leaders was coming down so he could interview her. She had been taught most the lessons and had been to church. The other amazing thing is that her mom, Johns ex wife, was ok and fine with the whole thing to happen. That never happens! Usually they put up a big fuss about it and all that! But nope she said that it was Jennifer's decision! Wow so we were able to find clothes for her, interview her and make sure she knew what was gonna happen. The baptism was delayed a little but we were able to get everything organized and both of them got baptized by Elder Hodge! It was such a good meeting! You could see the change in them!
Then on Sunday I got to confirm them. It was such a special moment! Everything worked out perfectly! And after they had received the Gift of the Holy Ghost you could see the change in there eyes, in there countenance! I love how this gospel can do that! It helps people change! Its so amazing to see the Atonement work!:) John has told time after time and keeps telling us, he is so happy, he knows that this is true, and he feels so good! It so great to see people that embrace the gospel like that!
So that was defiantly the highlight of the week! But we have been working hard with others as well. We had another bible study and 6 people came which was still really good considering the power was out so a lot of people couldn't come cuz of that and the rain. But we are starting to figure out how to best run it. We are teaching people about Christ's life and parables He taught, and as we do that are throwing in Book of Mormon scriptures that talk about the same principle and we are adding principles out of the lessons from Preach My Gospel. So its been working out really well! Its a mormonfied bible study:) Haha. Tonight we are starting our first family home evening. Im hoping a lot of families show up! I think this will be big and hopefully help as well. We have a game plan of what we are gonna do but that could change so ill have to tell yall about it next week! But we are still teaching a lot of part member families. We are starting to see less actives come back to church! I love to see it when someone who hasn't been in a long time comes back! Its just as good a feeling as getting a baptism!! So things here are progressing. We are going to the temple this Friday! Which im so stoaked about!!!! I love going to the temple!! I cant wait! And this time ill remember to bring my camera so I can finally get pictures of it! Haha O and we had district meeting this past week which I feel like im getting better at knowing how to teach and help my district each and every time we have district meeting. They defiantly help me out way more though!
One last thought. So the past couple of weeks I have been listening to a lot of testimonies. And with everyone including me we all say things like, I know this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. Joseph smith was a true prophet..... And many things such as those. Well I thought to myself what does that mean, the word TRUE? Why do we keep saying the church is true? Those are a couple of questions I had and wanted yall to think about. I want to tell yall the answer that I have come up with. Now all yall now that im not into big words and reading and things like that. I don't know the definition of the word true. But to me if our church is true, then its Christ Chruch. If our church is Christ church then our gospel is his gospel. So therefore our church is the Church of Jesus Christ... of Latter Day Saints. That's what makes it true. We have the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is another reason why its true. Why is the Book of Mormon a true book? Because its another Testament of Jesus Christ. Its Gods word given to us today. Why is Joseph Smith a true prophet? Because he was given the calling in the existence before this life. He was called of God to be his mouth piece. Now I want to invite yall to do something. Any time you go to bear your testimony or to say something about the church, don't take the easy way out and just say its true. Look at the deeper meaning. See what it is all about. And not only will that help others understand more about our church but it will help you learn things you never knew or didn't recognize! Because Heavenly Father has helped me realize this I want to share just a little testimony of mine now.
I know that Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits. He lives just as his Son Jesus Christ lives! Christ is our Savior and Redeemer from all of our sins, afflictions, sadness and sorrow. He has established his church and gospel once again on the earth. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He restored his church through Joseph Smith whom God chose to be his prophet. Joseph Smith through the help and power of Heavenly Father translated The Book of Mormon. Another Testament of Jesus Christ. That is Gods word that he has given to us for our day! He loves us so much and cares about us that He has provided modern living apostles and Prophets. Thomas S. Monson is his prophet on earth today. He can tell us what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to know. Through him and the apostles they can stand as modern witnesses of Jesus Christ. Let us all stand as his special witnesses in this time today, let us stand by him and spread this message of Happiness!! "And as surely as Christ liveth.... bear testimony of him. Moroni 7: 26&31. One last quote I wanna tell yall. "Dare to be a Mormon. Dare to stand alone. Dare to have a purpose firm. Dare to make it known." - President Monson.
I hope that everyone of yall can realize how close times are until Christ come! Let us all be warriors of Christ and spread this glorious gospel! I hope that yall have a wonderful week! Life is so great right now! I would not wanna live an any other time than now! We are the "Youth of the Noble Birthright" as Elder Nelson talked about yesterday in the CES Fireside! Remember to Be Happy:) I love yall!!
Love Elder Hall!:)
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