Week 77 - God has the best sense of humor.

God has the best sense of humor. I shouldn't expect any week to be normal haha. Lots of things happened this past week, it wasn't a 'normal proselyting' week for us. BUT, it was a good one overall! :D

Anyways, the first day last week we had to do an emergency exchange with some missionaries due to some events that happened. In the end, one of the missionaries was sent home we believe for medical reasons, so after the 24 hour sudden exchange and much interaction with our Mission President, things are good now!

There's bound to be a lot of change happening in 3 weeks for the next transfer, but the work continues!

Gabriel was a guy Elder Netane and I contacted a few weeks ago while he was working construction. The missionaries are teaching him and he and his wife went to church yesterday! #talkwitheveryone SO AWESEOME!

Some Elders asked us to cover for them and go to one of their appointments. So of course, we did! His name is Leon and turns out he is a YSA! SAWEET! He's a native, which we're a little more used to teaching since our YSA has 2 recent convert natives. Leon is down to earth and super rad. It started to monsoon like no bodies business, so we taught him on his porch! We taught about the BOM and compared it to his heritage and some analogies that he came up with. At the end, Leon said he liked it! He wasn't able to come to church yesterday, but he's coming to FHE tonight!

Right before teaching Leon!

There's a YSA named Max we've been working with who's a member and has a desire to serve, but has had some crazy things happen in the mean time. He told us he's moving back to Mexico to continue his life. Gah! We'll miss him like a brother.

Elder Hughes and I received a text yesterday from a priest in our family ward asking us to come over so he can tell us something...of course, your mind starts racing when someone says that....he sat us down, and said...."I'm decided...I'm going on a mission." YESSS!! We have been working with him for a few weeks now. He's had a pretty crazy childhood and I commend him for pushing through it all. Ah man, there's nothing a whole lot better to hear than someone saying that they are going to serve a mission :D

The Family that is in our family ward has been doing pretty good. We've been praying hard for them. Wesley the 13 year old had a dream he went to church with us and was all dressed up in a "pink bow tie" haha. We know that this family will enter the gospel, it's only a matter of when.

We've received a couple YSA referrals from missionaries this past week! YES!! The Lord is rewarding us no doubt. One of them, his name is Jesus and just got out of jail, but the Elders were able to set a BD with him! We haven't been able to make contact with him, but we went over to his house and knocked on his door and this is the conversation we had:

*knock knock knock*

"Hey! Is Jesus here?" - us

"....has anyone told you that you look like Eminem?" - Jesus' little brother

hahaha. Uhhhh...so Jesus was not there. I got the Eminem comment 4 or 5 times this past week by random people. haha.

Yesterday while at dinner with Daniel, we had a cool message talking about our Privileges and Potential, based on a talk by President Ucktdorf. It always opens my eyes to think how each of us are given privileges that help us reach and even exceed our potential. At the end of the lesson he asked me to say the closing prayer, and in the prayer when asking for the spirit to be present in the room, we felt something literally come into the room, a sense of peace. It was eye-opening. There's no doubt that angels are around all of us!

Here's a sweet mormon message about where we are serving right now.
https://www.lds.org/youth/video/same-jersey?lang=eng

Go Thatcher!

ZECH 13:6
"And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends."

Congratulations to my sister Jolie and (now) BIL Spencer on getting married!!!! It's crazy how when you're focused on the work, you often forget about what's going on back home. I'm grateful to be able to serve and I'll NEVER forget the time when we had the chance to go to the Provo temple while in the MTC. I remember being with my MTC district, and receiving an answer that my family would experience a lot of change by the time I would finish my mission. At first, while serving in Deming (Demnation), it was hard to realize what kind of help this mission could offer to my family and I thought by being home, I could help more....but now I know with a full surety that serving this mission will bless my family more than anything my 'tard' self could do back home. It feels like the Lord has been planning on all of this change to happen, while serving Him on His mission. 

D&C31:
" 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation."

5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.
 6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
 7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;
8 And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered."

I know this church is true!

Next transfer will be interesting...a bomb is about to go off, with missionary work. YES!

Love y'all!

Elder Hales