Week 70 - "I like your shoes!"

Tons of work was done, and very little was for our area, but nonetheless, the work progresses.

Here's a brief overview of what our plans were last week. It's quite a packed schedule. Ohhh the life of a missionary.

Let's start off with a couple miracles :D Elder Netane and I have working as much as possible, taking short lunches, staying out until the minute we have to be home, in hopes of getting some work going.One morning at about 10:15am we went and checked out a couple less actives, none were home, but a couple pulled up to the trailer right next door, and after they went inside, Thomas came out and asked "Do you want some ice cream? My wife is an investigator." Yes please! Two for one. Apparently his wife was taught by missionaries a while back until things got too busy. After talking about where the newly weds are at now, we asked if she had a BOM...she said "Actually, I went and bought one this morning." No way. Not many people go to the store at 9am, to buy a Book of Mormon. Wow. She is very prepared. We were definitely directed towards them, even though your plans don't always happen, miracles do. We passed her off to the right Elders, she will get baptized :D

Elder Hickenlooper said he did a baptismal interview in this house.. haha it was an awesome exchange.

Another time, Elder Netane and I were out street contacting, while using the approach of "I like your shoes!" until we walked past a sign of a trailer park we hadn't recognized before...we both headed in and knocked all 5 trailers. All ignored, except 1. His name is Carlos and has a lot of pain and work going on in his life. He poured out his life to us about wanted to change and how he loves God, but his family seems to be suffering which makes him suffer. Elder Netane and I looked at each other and both said we need to give him a blessing. He invited us in his home where we gave him a blessing. Again, he's YSA so he's not ours to teach, but nonetheless, the work is progressing. Elder Hickenlooper and I were on exchanges Saturday so we went and did service for him for an hour an moved a bunch of (crazy) stuff and set a baptism date with him. We're really hoping it goes well for the Elders. We also found pot. Fun.

John, our native investigator right after a solid lesson.

There's been a few people we've been working with, John, Carlos, and Anothony. All YSA investigators. YSA's are really hard to get a hold of constantly during the summer, and yet they are solid. Whoever will be here next semester will have a ton of work going on. The Lord is preparing our area and zone for great things and it's a blessing to be a part of it.

We blitzed 3 different areas this past week, this is the Sister's. Oh look! Boonies.

In Zone Meeting this past Wednesday, we talked about Goliath's and our zone decided that the area 'mindset' is definitely one. TRUE THAT. We're all here to change it. It was a good Zone Meeting and lots of things were talked about. Our zone found new investigators in areas we have never seen happen yet. So cool. During zone meeting we asked who wanted to do a musical # for Zone Conference next week. "All in favor of Elder Hales doing it, raise your hand." ughhhh...well...I'll be singing next week along with Sister Halle, with Elder Netane on the Ukulele and Sister Fuller on the piano. Hopefully can find a good "Army of Helaman" cover.

Our LAST Mission Leader Conference with President and Sister Killpack.

When we show God our diligence, He gives us a sense of hope.

You find crazy things while doing service sometimes.

Yesterday there was a devotional. Apparently there is a movie that came out about missionaries getting kidnapped in Russia? Well, one of those missionaries came and spoke to us and told us the whole story...holy cow. Pictures and everything. I love how hesitant they were to hurting the kidnappers because they didn't feel it was right.

Our area is slightly slow at the moment, but it's about to pick up a lot. Elder Netane and I both know that God is preparing our area, something that needs to be done before work can progress at a higher pace. I'm grateful to serve here. I've been focusing on trying to help people more, and feel that helping out the work in other areas is one way God has led us to do. This zone and mission rocks. 

Our reaction to getting no mail...

Sister Allen the wife of just released Bishop Allen of the 2nd YSA ward, came up to me at church and said, "Nate told me to tell you: Supertard." hahahah the perks of people knowing your family.

Congrats to my friends who have come home from missions, have recieved their mission calls, or have gotten married!!! So many things are happening. The church is true and I love it with my whole heart. Our testimonies are tried at times, because that means there's something to actually be tried. We know that that will result in more strength. With God anything is possible. This mission has blessed my life eternally.

- Elder DJ Hales