Oh my, never enough time.

Hello! So...this will be a little more brief this week than last week. Still trying to juggle things during this two hours, and I think the simple truth is that it's not enough time to do everything I want (16 minutes anyone? *sigh*). But! Better stop whining and start summarizing.

This week was great! Really full of tender mercies and miracles at every turn. Yesterday was particularly amazing. Had a wonderful meeting with our investigator Heather, did some sweet service, and (miracle of miracles) found a new investigator! (Will) We found him playing his guitar in front of the co-op, with a sign in his case that said 'College Funds'. Honest kid. ;) We had a really cool discussion with him about how a belief in God did not have to be in conflict with an understanding of science. We believe in the truth we find in all sources, and it was really awesome to share that with him. We'll be meeting with him tomorrow :D

Had a great day in South Whidbey. I love my assignment to the YSA ward. SUPER blessing. I think Heavenly Father knew I would suffer couped up in a couple blocks in suburbia, so he's given me an assignment that covers 2 stakes and allows me to see EVERYTHING; the mountains, the ocean, the islands...Wow. I don't expect to be this spoiled my whole mission. The best part of the Island trip though was that we met some AWESOME members along the way who gave us bags of strawberries and info on a lot of the kids we were trying to find. We also met some volunteer firefighters (one a member and one not) and talked to them for like...an hour. Ended up giving the Catholic one a Book of Mormon, and felt like the missionary experience was really built on kinship and love rather than fulfilling some sort of assignment. That was awesome.

The ward we're working with is INCREDIBLE. I love them to death. These kids are so eager to help, to come with us to lessons, to include everyone who comes to meet with them. It's awesome. What I love is when the clock hits 8:30 and all the guys start playing basketball. It seems that almost half of them have tattoos or whatever, that they haven't been full members or fully faithful their whole lives perhaps...but they're here, and nobody (nobody) judges them for it. They're just glad they're here, which brings me so much joy, and is exactly as it should be. The spirit of fun, love and acceptance in this ward is palpable and inspiring. I'm humbled to be a part of them.

Scripture! Then a great picture, then I'mma gonna go nap. :)

Mosiah 2:36-37 (another slightly condemning one...but the description of how the spirit works is just so great)

"And now I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered and preserved--

I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge."

I know, not happy. But that description of the spirit--that it guides us in wisdom's paths that we may be blessed and preserved--is exactly how I feel it in my life. What a blessing. How we should all work to maximize that influence in each of our lives.

Alright family and friends, I love ya. Gotta go! Please write, I'm getting letters consistently now and would love to hear from you.

XOXO

Sister Hale

PS. And this is what Sister Chudleigh and I do when we're feeling spontaneous: