2-3-2014

Hey y'all!

So 8 months out. Whew! That's pretty good. :) Almost at the half way point, and it still feels like I just got here! Pretty crazy. People say that a mission becomes just life after a while, and I can see what they're saying. Starting to understand the weirdness of adjusting out...

AN UPDATE:

We're doing pretty well down here in Clearview. :) Transfers are coming up next week, so we will know THEN whether the 4 months of same area/same companion will continue or be at an end. I really do feel like I live here now, and so the idea of moving is scary...but part of that is that I've grown to love the people and love my companion, and so have sort of forgotten about life elsewhere, outside this ward. But I guess that's how it's supposed to be. :) Some great things: Got our eternigator closer to a date for baptism this week, and have gotten some wonderful new investigators (Rachel, Lindsay) as well as some old ones going strong (Lance), SO...we're enjoying ourselves and doing our best to work hard every day. 

A PROFILE:

Name: Lance Gibson

Age: 50's ish

Accessory of choice: padded plaid jacket

Interesting Religious Belief: He's a Messianic Jew, which I didn't even quite know existed!

Preferred decor: Ranch theme, complete with wagon wheel lamp and buffalo skulls

Reason we love him: He actually listens to us, and recognizes that if the things we tell him are true, that it's a really big deal. And he's accepted a soft invite to be baptized!

A THOUGHT:

This is going to be quickish--and I apologize in advance! Buuutt...Helaman does a really good job of withholding judgement and doing all things that stand within his power, even when he doesn't have the full picture and could very well freak out and concoct a wild crazy story about why everything's gone wrong and blame the government and stop doing his awesome job of leading Nephite armies and such. He does not do this thing, and instead, "pours out [his] soul in prayer unto God" when he doesn't have a full understanding, and is then "visited with assurances" that they will be delivered (Alma 58:10-11). It's pretty rad. I obviously have a lot to learn from him, and make a blanket apology now to all that I've freaked out on and passed rapid judgement about. I could certainly do better at relying on the Lord for peace and guidance.

A PICTURE:

This is me with Jean and Sarah. Jean is an investigator, has MS and can use help and company. Sarah is incredibly energetic and bright, the one I wrote the profile on last week.

Alright, I love you all! Never fear to just toss a letter in the mail for me. ;) Loving the work though, and doing fine. Loving you too!

Sister Hale

1-27-2014

Whew!

How time flies. 8 months out! Pretty crazy. I'm starting to get to that phase where I'm considered old and experienced like I've been at this for a long time. Ha. I still feel like a newbie, and recognize that there's a lot that I need to learn and do to become an effective missionary. But! I'm working on it. And doing what I can in the process. So, first...

AN UPDATE:

Pretty good week this week! I've been in Clearview almost 4 months now, with the same companion, and it's starting to feel like I've never lived anything else. Transfers is 2 weeks away, and I'm not sure if I'm going to stay for a grand total of 6 months or get booted...but whatever happens with the area, I feel a fresh pair of eyes will be helpful. We've been working very hard here, and have had some success and some dead ends...but nothing like some new blood to get things pumping again.

BUT! One thing we did do to help get things pumping again is this 'Mormonism 101' activity at the library. It went pretty well! It was slated to be an educational look at the Mormon church, and that's what we tried to make it. We did a video at the beginning and end ( see http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-introduction-videos ), then did a powerpoint presentation on some facts and figures about the church, then a panel/Q&A type thing at the end. The Panel was my favorite part; we got 4 members of the ward and President Bonham to sit on it, introduce themselves, and then take questions (everything from what the church's view on homosexuality was to what happened to youth who made bad choices). Then afterwards people got to mingle and snack on some cookies we brought in. It was good! A new finding approach, and something that I think works well in a community concerned about education/being knowledgeable. We do wish we'd gotten a few more walk ins, etc...but we got some part member families in, and the whole thing was worth it just for them. (See picture of me and the poster below)

A PROFILE:

Name: Sarah Mardorf

Age: 4

Accessory of Choice: Rumpled Tiger t-shirt she got from her grandma.

Memorable Quote: Asking the missionaries "Will you be my church girls?" Also, when her mother was getting upset about not being able to come to church with us yesterday due to a planned visit to grandma's, she said "Mom. It's going to be alright. We are not going to Grandma's today. We are going to church, we're going to sit on the chairs, and it's going to be fine." Too bad a 4 year old didn't have much sway in the matter. :P

Personality trait of mention: No fear in introducing herself to new friends at church; when she and her mom came last week, Sarah spent all of sacrament meeting sitting two pews ahead with another family she'd befriended.

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

Hrrmm...in the middle of the war chapters right now, so it's hard to pull out a definite one. But! This one will suit for now:

Alma 50:22

"And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites."

At closer examination, I really like this verse. Firstly because it says that those who 'kept the commandments of God' were delivered at all times. That basically means that if you're living a certain way--for members the way you committed to live when you were baptized--you will be protected and 'delivered' at all times. You have security; a guarantee, basically, that whatever happens to you, you're going to be alright. You will avoid being 'consigned to bondage' (which in the modern day can be physical, spiritual or intellectual), and you will be protected in both body and spirit. We recently heard a talk about a family in our ward who was the victims of armed robbery (years ago). They were tied and gagged, and at the mercy of these men who certainly didn't mean them well. However, both the Mom and Dad described feeling a great deal of peace, the feeling that 'everything will be alright,' rather than the panic that is typical to these kinds of circumstances. I know that keeping the commandments affords us that sense of security, that feeling that as long as we are keeping our promises to God, he will keep his promises to us (including that we will be blessed, prospered, and watched after). 

A PICTURE:

That's me with our Mormonism 101 Poster. :) Sorry I can't flip it. ALRIGHT! I love you guys! Hope you have a splendid week, and don't forget to throw a prayer up there for your missionaries in the field!

Sister Hale

1-13-2014

Hey all!

Alright, this is going to be a little brief, because I didn't plan much to say...but! I'mma gonna give you the update, so sit tight and get ready for it. Happy New Year by the way!

AN UPDATE:

So! Good week. I'm getting so used to missionary life now that it's P-day that feels out of the norm rather than the only day of 'real life'. That's probably a good thing. There's been a new focus in our mission on obedience (exact obedience if not 'strict-gonna-kill-yourself' obedience), and that's been helping us be a little more focused, making sure we're using all our time wisely, etc.

AN EXPERIENCE:

We had a bit of a roller coaster week with one of my favorite investigators, Molly Mendenhall. Here's the experience as written to my president (trying to conserve on time)

Molly is amazing (a real estate agent and a friend of a great woman in our ward) and we had a wonderful miracle lesson with her this Monday. We saw her once before in late December, had left her with the Restoration Pamphlet and an invitation to read the title page of the Book of Mormon, and came back this week to follow up on how that had gone for her. Well, it went really well. She understood the Restoration pamphlet, but was really carried away by the introduction page of the Book of Mormon. She kept saying 'of course' and 'it makes sense that there would be more'. In addition to that great experience, she also had a dream where she felt God speaking to her, explaining about who Jesus Christ was and why he was important. Before our meeting with her, Molly had a belief in God, but didn't quite believe in Christ, didn't ascribe to Christianity exactly. But as of our second meeting with her, she did! And she also was open and excited about the concept of more scripture and modern prophets. We actually had the Ensign from last conference with us, so we left that with her as well as the invitation to read a few talks, Alma 32 and the Plan of Salvation Pamphlet. It was wonderful and so exciting. While we were talking to her she did say something along the lines of 'well, I'm not in a position to become a Mormon'...but we didn't delve into that as perhaps we should have.

Sunday and our scheduled return appointment roll around, and she calls us because she's sick and has work...but in the message she left, she also expressed that she wouldn't be able to meet with us anymore. Though she wants to see us one more time, she's 'not going to do anything' and didn't want to waste our time. We're worried that this perhaps is a result of our over-excitement from our Monday lesson, or perhaps our calling her Saturday to ask if we could bring a member along...not sure what it was, but it was a definite bummer. She was so close, and you could really feel the spirit working with her towards real conversion. We are going back Tuesday to see what pieces we can pick up, and how we can continue to invite her to learn more...but man, I was surprised by how painful it was to hear that. I analyzed her voice message like a little boy who's girlfriend has just broken up with him; pretty pathetic. But! We'll do the best we can with Tuesday, and try to listen better to the spirit when it's warning us about certain things (we didn't feel so great about inviting a member along, but chose to do it anyway, etc.). And...that's that. Studied 'patience' in PMG this morning, and felt a lot of comfort in the line "Patience is related to hope and faith--you must wait for the Lord's promised blessings to be fulfilled." So we will move on with faith, patience and dilligence, watching for miracles and the Lord's hand in this area. 

So! That's been that. A little tough, but livable. Still, my heart was hurting yesterday. 

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

I've gotta say, Alma 36-42? Probably my favorite section in the Book of Mormon. Maybe because it's the advice a really great prophet gives to his missionary sons, and I always feel in need of really great advice from really great prophets. Here's an excerpt of something I particularly loved:

Alma 38:4

"For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee."

I know, I know. Not trying to sound like a bummer missionary...I am not in bonds! Nor have I yet been stoned for the word's sake! But I do like how this verse encourages us to bear all things with patience, or rather tells us that we can bear things with patience as we rely on the Lord and recognize that he's with us. I know that's true for all of us, that we can be patient in affliction, trusting that the Lord, in time, will fulfill his promises to us. 

A PICTURE:

This is the picture on the back of my planner this transfer. The three's represent 3 transfers with the same companion and in the same area. ;) Half my mission so far baby!! 

Love you all so much. Keep letters and emails coming!

XOXO

Sister Hale

1-6-2014

Hey y'all!

ALLLLright. It's lookin like I'm not going have time this week to do a FULL blown letter (because I want to write back to everyone that emailed me! :D) BUTTT...I will give you a bit of an update on my crazy missionary life. But FIRST: an observation.

I will be 21 3 months from today. WHAT?! Legal drinking age and...on a mission. That was pretty much the plan from the get-go though I guess. ;P

AND as a 3-month-till-my-birthday gift to myself, my companion and I got free haircuts from a woman in the ward. And she ratted my hair and poofed it like a Utah girl. Pictures may be forthcoming. ;P

Alright, more serious matters!

AN UPDATE

We are doing well, though it's getting increasingly obvious that Sister Ah-Chong and I have been together for more than 3 months. For example I...get mad at her that she's not wearing tights outside on a chilly day. Or I take it personally that she chooses to have cereal for dinner instead of letting me make her a sandwich. You know, those kind of things. Also, with the increased familiarity, she is being less obedient to my every demand! But I think that's generally how a mother and daughter relationship grows over time. AmIright? Okay, feeling a little silly today obviously...

IN OTHER update-ey type news...we got (no joke) 6 new investigators this week! BAH! First time in my whole mission, pretty ridonkulous. Quite a few of them are pretty solid too...though maybe we should be more careful about how we count investigators. But moving on! (profile/miracle about some of these newbies to follow)

A PROFILE

Name: Vanessa Dunnels

Approximate age: Erm...probably 30ish.

Accessory of choice: Smart plastic frames, elastic to hold a low ponytail in the back

Scary philosophy that tempts me but is of the devil: "No religion's got it right. They're all hitting at the same truth, but at different angles...so me and my family just take some of the truths common to all religions (God is all powerful, love your neighbor, etc.) and apply those to our life."

Habits she's jacked from Mormon Culture: Food storage, modesty standards for her little girls

Why we're going back tomorrow: Has questions: "God to me is all powerful, and all knowing. Why do you divide him into three parts that then have to communicate with each other? (Father, Son and HG)" and "Isn't sustaining the prophet trusting a lot of your life and decisions to one guy?" We've been researching, and we'll see what we can do in our discussion tomorrow night.

A MIRACLE

There's a super hip couple that lives up the street from one of my favorite families in the ward, went over with mom of said favorite family, and super hip couple COMMITTED TO COME TO CHURCH AND HAVE DINNER AT THEIR HOUSE WITH US THERE!! :D :D Crazy crazy miracle. He's got tattoos up his arm. I think this is a dream come true.

A THOUGHT

Man, all my thoughts are spiritual these days. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. How'bout...with this one:

...actually, you know? I'm sending this book of to Benjamin this week, so I'll give you one last quote from it while I have it. This helped me this week. HERE GOES:

"Some people are basically saying, "Well, today I think the Church is true, but ask me again tomorrow." But there must come some point at which our commitment to the gospel and our conviction of its truth settles such questions in advance and predetermines our response to whatever challenge we may encounter to our faith, to whatever commandments we may receive, or to whatever sacrifice we are called upon to make. That isn't blind faith; rather it's a vague suspicion that has finally managed to become true faith. ...Until our faith has a life and strength of its own apart from intellectual argument or even physical evidence, it is not yet faith. In such cases what we thought was faith was merely the strongest human argument we had considered at the time. A testimony isn't like a hypothesis in science, which may be supported by the evidence one day and destroyed by it the next. It is a conviction beyond the available intellectual proof that some things are eternally true."

Whew! Good one. I think a lot of times even as a missionary I attempt to convert people by intellectual argument. That...doesn't actually work that well, and that isn't actually my full relationship with my faith...it's just one avenue of my belief I particularly like and can sometimes over-rely on. But what stands out to me from that is "Until our faith has a life and strength of its own apart from intellectual argument...it is not yet faith." It's okay to depend on that spiritual knowledge sometimes when human knowledge is lacking. And you may not get ultimate respect for it when that's the avenue you choose to take, but you will remain faithful to the spirit you've felt bear witness to you that these things are true. And ultimately I think integrity and loyalty to that spiritual knowledge is more honorable than looking good to the world.

Okay! And I said this wouldn't be long. *sigh*

A PICTURE

Thur's the new hurr. It won't look like that normally, and it's not a huge change...but there it is! And doesn't Sister Ah-Chong look cute?

Alright, that's it for now. Love you all, and stay strong in the faith!

Sister Hale

12-30-2013

Almost the last day in 2013! WOOT! Bout time; 2014 sounds like a much more lucky year than 2013, don'tcha think?

Anyways, I'll start with the big news. The transfer text just came, and...BOTH SISTER AH-CHONG AND I ARE STAYING HERE THIS TRANSFER! BAH!! So not only is she the first companion I've had for more than 1 transfer, she'll be the companion I've had the longest EVER. And this will be the longest I've ever been in an area. Woo! At this rate, I think I'll probably be here for 6 months, cause I don't think they're going to white-wash the area again. And...THAT MEANS President is going to make us desperate enough that SOMEONE is going to get baptized while we're here. It's gonna happen. So crazy, but it's for real! Alright, sorry, you're the first people I've told, so you're getting the missionary fallout. Crazy crazy though, did not think that would happen. Alright. MOVING ON.

And, just to letcha know, I'm sorry for not writing for the last 3 weeks. Nothing wrong, just Christmas and everything getting in the way.

AN UPDATE:

Things are good! It was a little bit of a crazy week with Christmas and all. Delivered cookies and skyped the fam (very good, but more emotional than I expected/would've liked :P) Not super eventful week though, besides the great presents and well-wishes I received from all around. 

A PROFILE:

Name: Lorelei

Accessory of choice: Cloth beret, with bird embroidered on the back; work boots and work clothes, which she wears most of the time, readying herself for the odd jobs she does all over the neighborhood.

Foremost Personality Trait: Sharp Logic, reticence to trust anything that comes from her feelings

Unexpected skill: Calligraphy (she wrote out our favorite scripture as a Christmas present to Sister Ah-Chong and I)

Reason she first started meeting with the missionaries: They were willing to help with the yard work

Reason she's not in the church: She believes the Priesthood remained in the Catholic church, and thus she has no need to be baptized again. Still willing to read and pray about the Book of Mormon though, so we're working with her. :)

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

My parents sent me a great book for Christmas called 'Following Christ.' It's pretty short, and I've pretty much consumed it by now, but there's this one portion I really like. It talks about how Satan lies and that God tells the truth. It goes like this:

"In Satan's world, any philosophy can be true, any sin can be a virtue, any opinion can be right. The universe can be whatever we want it to be. Because Satan offers us a way of getting what we want, we mortals are vulnerable to his imitation worlds and plausible realities. Of course, the cost is truth, for truth is knowledge of things as they really are, not of things as we want them to be. Satan will create a universe to fit any desire, but only God can show us how to fit our desires to the universe--the real universe, the one that won't change to accommodate us. Satan offers a false "truth" to legitimize, or so it seems, our every desire; God would change our desires to fit a single legitimate truth."

I love this. I love the Gospel, because it presents things as they really are, and encourages us to change to conform to those truths. It invites us to question our assumptions, and conform them with real truth, like the fact that there is a right and a wrong, that there are consequences to that which we do, and that we can hope for an existence after this. I'm still looking for the way to best communicate this to people, but knowledge of it brings me great joy and peace. Without God, there are many answers, but those answers are ultimately colored by our assumptions and desires. With God, there is one answer that we are required to conform to, but in doing so we will bring to ourselves great peace, understanding and purpose.

A PICTURE:

And because we're sticking together, there's a cute picture of me and sister Ah-Chong. ;)

Love you guys! Have a great week!

Sister Hale

12-9-2013

Hello! 

How are y'all? Really weird to see that it's Christmas time, that it's come around again so quickly, and that by the end of this year, I'll have been on my mission for 7 months. Pretty incredible. But without further ado:

AN UPDATE:

Things have been a little bit frustrating this week, though we had some really good things happen too. Some good things include: finding a new investigator (Rich) who is big into researching religions and has a lot of questions. Also Kristie, who dated a Mormon in High School and now wants to learn more about the church. Otherwise we got a lot of referrals (which hopefully denotes the members' trust in us) and taught some good less active lessons. Had a lot of appointments fall through this week though, which could've partially been our fault. Gearing up and trying to be more diligent and responsible this week though. I have faith that as we work hard, and as we work to put more trust in the Lord and less trust in ourselves, that things will go better in the upcoming week. Like Sister Ah-Chong often says 'sometimes the Lord brings you low before he brings you high.' I think that will be the case for me.

A PROFILE:

Name: Tom

Reason the missionaries were scared of him: Several highly visible No Trespassing signs on his property

Profession: Runs a metal shop out of his back yard (brags about how he melts all his pop cans into aluminum discs which he can then sell)

Accessory of Choice: a grungy beanie shoved over a tangled mass of hair, and a series of plaid shirts filled with holes

Experience with Religion: Forced into a Christian school when he was young because he acted up in regular school. Has since lost interest in a lot of religion, and is favoring the Alien theory these days. Still, his girlfriend Jean is interested, and he's willing to take a Book of Mormon and read it on occasion.

Bad Habit: turning the conversation to the government and how everything is going to pot; breaking off mid-sentence to glare at the cars that drive past his house.

Point of Note: Rough dude, but incredibly good heart underneath all the grunge. Girlfriend's just about as gnarly, but somehow between the two of them they've produced this little angel-diva of a daughter. They have no idea where she's come from, but they both love her a lot.

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

A scripture that's really stood out to me this week is Alma 16:16-17. It reads:

"And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming--That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God."

This is my desire as a missionary, that people's hearts might be softened that they might not "go on to destruction." I love that image of being grafted into the true vine, which to me equates to coming home. There is a real peace of mind and heart to be found in the Gospel, and this is what I desire to bring to people the best I can (as enabled by the Lord). 

A PICTURE:

I know I don't look very happy in that picture. But I AM happy with our tree, and our other decorating. Here's one where I look happier!

Brother Chevara (a semi-active but SUPER AWESOME member of our ward) showed us his sword collection this past week. SWEET.

Alright, I love you all. Stay close to me and the Lord during this awesome Christmas season!

XOXO

Sister Hale

12-2-2013

Hey y'all. ;)

So guess what? 6 months down, a year to go. EXACTLY. Isn't that crazy? 1/3 of the way. That's pretty insane.

Then again, when people describe a mission that way, it sounds like a bit of an endurance activity. And it is...! A little bit. There's a lot of structure and discipline going on that's going to be more of an option post-mish...but...there are also a whole bunch of opportunities that I won't have once I'm home; like getting deeply involved in the lives of near strangers every day. And like learning to love a new place and a whole bunch of new people in the short period I get to work with them. And feeling the spirit more clearly than I have before in my life, guiding and directing my day to day activities (often to the minutia). There are lots and lots of blessings associated with being on a mission that I won't get to enjoy so readily a year from now. So I'll embrace it while I've got it. ;) Here goes!

AN UPDATE:

Things are going well :) we saw a lot of miracles this week. Running into random people (investigators we thought we'd dropped...less actives who were never home...), seeing investigators turn a corner as far as desire and intent to learn (always great to see). Sister Ah-Chong and I have been getting along well (as I'm learning to be more patient, and she's learning to submit to my every whim...JUST KIDDING. :P She only submits to some of my whims. ;P) Annnddd...I'm having fun and feeling a lot of joy in my service. Starting to get into the Christmas spirit too, which is the bomb.

A PROFILE:

We're doing two profiles today, because I realize that all my profiles up to this point have been crazy people and the reason they're NOT in the church. I'm going to do one of those, but also a crazy person who is in the church. And maybe another one or two of those next week, we'll see.

Name: Donna

Profession: Former Fed-Ex Employee

Accessory of choice: Ralph Laren Polo Shirts, and a gold band on her left ring finger

Belief of note: Strong belief in the afterlife, powerful commitment to her relationship with Heavenly Father

Reason why she's not in the church: She's gay, as she told us within our first quick exchange at the doorstep. After two rocky marriages and 3 kids, she just couldn't continue being disloyal to who she felt she was.

Kind invitation extended to the missionaries: to come back and get Thanksgiving leftovers

Blessing: she relayed to us how she'd had some friends really pressure her to tell them what went on in the temple, etc. She said she didn't tell them anything, because she'd made a promise not to. I really appreciated that, and found it very impressive (especially as estranged from the church as she had become).

Name: Brother White

Feature of note: Jet black hair, even verging on his 60's

Used to be: An Atheist Philosophy major

Has since been: a Bishop and member of the Stake Presidency

Notable accomplishment: Almost sent missionary home crying after bashing in his first appointment with them.

Reason why he's in the church: Because a woman at his work invited him to take lessons with the missionaries, and he decided he would in an effort to prove them wrong. Didn't work obviously. ;)

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

We're going to be simple today, and look at a gratitude quote from Elder Bednar in this last conference. 

He defines gratitude as: "a gift that enables appreciation for what we have to constrain desires for what we want."

 and then says " A grateful person is rich in contentment. An ungrateful person suffers in the poverty of endless discontentment"

That is certainly true, irregardless of belief system. Let's all try to be more grateful this week, and fill our lives with gratitude for what we have.

The deep fried turkey that we ate that day. :D

I love you all! KEEP WRITING MEEEE...! Love love love,

Sister Hale