9/9/2013

Hey all!

Whew! Alright. So another crazy week, but luckily a little less crazy than weeks past. It's so strange; with the extra responsibility of being Senior companion and training a new missionary, I feel like I've been out on my mission forever, but in reality it's only been 3 and a half months...blows my mind. I know it will go both fast and slow. We had a really great Stake Conference yesterday (one of these new broadcast-general-authorities things the church is doing), and one of my impressions from that that the mission really is very quick--only a year and a half--and that I should live it up while I can. And that's what I'm trying to do. :)

AN UPDATE:

Alright! So I am adjusting to Oak Harbor, and starting to realize what a small town it really is. It makes sense for us to be on bikes, because no where's further than maybe a mile and a half away...good exercise and good opportunities to contact everywhere we go. We had some really great lessons this week, and Sister Mailau and I (wish I could get you a picture) are meshing better and better as companions (bonding over a love of Jello Pistachio pudding helps). We were blessed to find 4 new investigators this week, and now are just feeling the responsibility of helping these people progress in the gospel. 

AN EXPERIENCE:

Probably the best lesson of this week was taught to Connor and Rylee Burlington. Their Mom is a single mom, and didn't know very much about the church when she went a few years ago (and thus hasn't really been coming). She's open to the missionaries coming over though, and very sweet. Her kids have a LOT of energy. We taught them about the Restoration of the Gospel last Friday (complete with pictures to color and the Restoration movie), and I felt the Spirit testify to me as I was teaching them that the things we were telling them were right and good. When we left the kids were so excited about prayer, they wanted to go to bed SO THAT they could pray again, and Connor told us as we were leaving "Thank you! You've made me really believe in God now!" That was a really neat experience. 

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

I've finally gotten through the Isaiah chapters of 2nd Nephi, and found this gem of a verse in 2 Nephi 25:28:

"...Wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken unto you shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law."

The right way. That phrase just stuck out to me as I was reading this morning. The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not. It is only through Christ that we can be one day "reconciled with God", which means being brought to a fulness of peace and joy in this life and the life to come (vs 23). I know that that's true, and that the Book of Mormon is a powerful evidence of Christ's divinity and mission. I love sharing the Book of Mormon with people, telling them that there's more truth to be had. I encourage all of you to read it, or if you already are, to further engage in your study of it. It is powerful evidence that the work we are engaged with is real and right.

I love you all! Be safe, and don't be afraid to write.

XOXO

Sister Hale