7-21-2014

Hey sweet family and friends!

This one is going to be quick...A) Because it was a great, but not overwhelmingly eventful week, and B) ...because I am low on time, and a lot of wonderful people wrote me this week who I'd like to respond to. So, without further ado...

UPDATE:

Pretty solid week! Brittany is still clipping along nicely towards her baptism, and attended the Ward Campout this week (enjoying canoes, a ropes course, and some great testimonies). Sadly the camp out was way out of our mission (and probably not the best use of missionary time) so Sister Van Leuven and I were ward orphans for a Sunday. But it's alright. We found a nice surrogate ward to take care of us (and milk referrals from 0:) ). We also found a fabulous new investigator, detailed below!

PROFILE:

Name: Demi 

Age: 18

Accessory of choice: Thick glasses and emo tee's

How she started learning about the Gospel: Her best friend started sharing it with her in October of last year :) Annddd...she wants to be baptized in December.

Sweet experience she's ALREADY had: Reading the Book of Mormon over the phone with her friend, and crying because she knew it was true. Yeah, I never want to work with unprepared people again. :P

Why we can't call her: She's grounded from her phone! And everything else! Because she didn't graduate high school when she was supposed to! But she will...in a week. So that's good.

Only confusing part: ...see a few lines above. She wants to get baptized in December...in Utah, so her friend can be there. Do we teacher her everything and then ship her down there? I'm asking the MP, but that's the plan for now.

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

In my third trek through the Book of Mormon (in my mission that is), I have finally reached the land of Mosiah! And as I was reading Chapter 2 this morning, these verse stuck out to me.

vs 3-4) "And then also took the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses. And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king...and who had taught them to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men."

First reason I like this is that I love it when it talks about the Nephites keeping the Law of Moses. It's one more thing of the many things that Joseph Smith probably wouldn't have anticipated if he was writing a book of scripture for his own gain...and besides that, is evidence of a God who is very consistent throughout time to his people (even though they were in a different place, they still lived before Christ came and thus practiced the law of that time. Very cool.)

SECOND reason I like this is that last part--that they had been taught to keep the commandments of God "that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men". So cool to think that living the commandments of God can lead us to have joy in our day to day lives, and be filled with love towards God and everybody else. I know that that has been my experience, as I've increasingly humbled myself and willingly obeyed the commandments and mission rules. I feel much more at peace, and much more loving (and less inclined to anger and judgement) towards others. And if it's true for me, it can be true for you too. ;)

PICTURE:

I affectionately call this picture '3 whites and a red'. For those of you to whom I've explained the color code, you will understand. (PLUS for those of who are observant, all three of those are former (or present) companions. Sweet.)

Annnddd...that's just about it! If all goes well, I'll see Dustin get baptized this week (one of those we were teaching in my last area) and Brittany baptized the week after that. Pretty awesome miracles. :)

Love you all! XOXOXO

Sister Hale