4-14-2014

Hey there family and friends!

21 year old Sister Hale here. Well, 21 and one week, but who's counting? ;P It's been kind of a crazy week, some ups and downs...but here goes with the update:

UPDATE

So, some things went well this week, and some things were kind of hard. I realized again that it's tricky training a new missionary, even if she's very able and willing, that I still am the one that will break her into the fact that sometimes missionary work is hard and people are mean to you, and that every day's not going to be a successful day. I remember when my trainer did that for me. We were knocking on a particular complex and hadn't had any success, hadn't found the people we were looking for...and I was grumbly about it and kind of unhappy, and she sat me down in the car and told me that lots of missionary days were like this and I'd better buck up. (In slightly nicer terms I think, but only slightly. :P) She also told me that my disappointment with the day translated in her mind to disappointment in her, which I didn't understand at the time, but now (with a similarly young sweet wonderful and occasionally idealistic missionary) I certainly do. Sister Steinacker and I are going through that transition a little bit as we've faced some opposition this week (disenchanted former members, Bible bashers and the like), but we're okay. Reading the scriptures this morning was a great help, as was the reminder from General Conference that's it's in the name of the game to face persecution sometimes, and the best we can do is be courteous and do what we can to defend our faith. But! Enough about that. 

PROFILE

We did actually have some success this week also! And here's a profile of one of those:

Name: Nellie

Approximate age: Mmmm....mid 30's

Surprising feature of the contact: She invited us right in!

Impressive fact: Nellie has given up smoking and drinking on her own in the last few months, and couldn't be happier.

Big blessing: The spirit was present to help her really understand the first lesson, and she accepted a soft invite to be baptized!

What pumped her up: a free Book of Mormon! When we told her that she could read and pray about it to know for herself if it was true, she said "Sounds like I need to get me one of those books," and we were more than pleased to tell her that we gave them to people for free. :D

Why we're excited: It was a great lesson, and a pretty durn golden contact. MISSIONARY SUCCESS IS REAL!

Her perfect fellowshipper: Beth Sherwood, who was recently baptized, is of a similar age and circumstance and is going to hit it off with her wonderfully when she meets her tomorrow. :)

This is Sister Steinacker and our investigator Sheila. And that monster thing is a purse (you reach into it's mouth to get stuff out and things. PRETTY WICKED. Show Manon!)

THOUGHT

I'm chuggin through the Book of Mormon for the second time on the mish, and I'm lucky enough to be in Mormon right now. As you may know or remember, there's a lot of war and destruction in Mormon, specifically of the Nephites, a people who used to be favored of the Lord, but who have fallen into pride and disbelief. In Mormon Chapters 2-3 they have a few victories against the Lamanites, and "boast in their own strength," perceiving that their victories have come through their own efforts (not having made an effort to call on the Lord for help previous to battle). When the Lord's had enough of this, his voice comes to Mormon and says "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth" (Mormon 3:13).

Pretty cheery stuff. But, what stood out to me this week is that even when we don't ask for help, even when we're not relying on the Lord, he is in charge and all victories come from him. Sometimes we are asking for help, and still don't perceive the Lord's hand in things; we think we're alone, and not seeing the difference, we chalk any success we have up to our own strength. I'm grateful for this example in the scriptures that tells us that no matter what we're doing, the Lord has his hand in it, perceptibly or imperceptibly. And he delivers us from tricky situations so that we have an opportunity to repent. 

PICTURE

This is what happens when there is no woman at home when you go to your Ward Mission Leader's house for missionary correlation. OBEDIENCE!! :D ;P

Love you guys. Stay strong, and write me when you can!

XOXO

Sister Hale