[Transfers] Week 50 - Another transfer in Sierra Vista? Heck yeah.

Well, another transfer in Sierra Vista? Heck yeah.

Text from Elder Simpson an hour before Elder Smith and I got transfer calls...but right after Elder Simpson got transfer calls....WHAT UP!

BUT FIRST, last week:

It started out by doing an exchange for a 'mission-wide' focus on extending as many invitations as possible. I went out with Elder Tayler to Douglas, AZ! From their back porch you can see the Mexico border fence haha. It's pretty awesome. About half of the people talked in only Spanish, so I could understand....nada mucho, but enough to know what the convo was based on. We had a good day with 1 new invest. a few potentials, along with setting a baptism date with one of their investigators! Her name was Mary and she is Catholic - not too unusual for near the border. The lesson went well and we extended a date, and she accepted! Since then we think her husband has talked her out of it or something...but high hopes for her.

Turning onto a street, Elder Tayler said, "AAaaand on your right, you have Mexico." Sure enough. It was literally right there haha. Fun exchange.

Visiting Bisbee...where it smells like weed most of the time and there's alot of crazy people.

While on that exchange, a dude next door came up and talked to us. He was tight. He had an eye drop tattooed next to his eye...and he asked me if I had an accent. I said, "Nah, I'm just from Layton (Lay-in) Utah." He said. "Oh." haha. Hopefully I don't come home sounding like a hick haha.

Elders Mariluch and Tolman on an exchange. Studs.

Testing out the camera. I miss Rykar.

Last week was our Zone Meeting which was my first getting to train. It went well! Wow we covered a lot of stuff. (wow our phone is EXPLODING right now). It was chaos at first because of people had lots of things to say, but the 2nd half was spirit-driven, which I'm grateful for. Training ended up being over 2ish hours. Soowoo

These guys are studs

On Thursday we held an activity for seminary students to bring non-member friends (or anyone) to an after school thing where we would teach a brief lesson and answer any questions they may have. It went well! The classroom was full and there was a few non-members. We'll be doing this monthly so hopefully we'll get more contact from the non-members. Teaching seminary is pretty awesome.

The Whitney family! One of thee coolest members out there. Brooke (girl on right) is our only Ward Missionary but is a real hard worker. We're in the process of getting a YSA branch together and she's helping a ton. 

A member in my last area passed away a couple weeks ago...Elder Hall (my son!) let me know...it's sad to see people die that you work with weekly. Man. At least they're in a better place. RIP Sister Dunbar.

We have an investigator named Loretta! She's solid as. She's also progressing and we have an appointment with her tonight. Loretta comes to member's homes so we can teach her due to her living conditions with her husband, but she's awesome. Elder Smith said,"Probably the most solid investigator I've taught." Pretty awesome!

FUP (follow-up) with Lanney (member) and Aaron (invest.). While teaching them last week, I had a prompting to tell them that if they both read from the Book of Mormon every night together, and simply asked God to help them afterwards, that things would start falling into place. Every time we've been over there since, the prompting keeps coming back. They just had their car repo'd, no job nor unemployment pay, and a crappy living situation at the moment along with 5 sweet kids. Last night introducing Elder Simpson to everyone, we stopped by their place. They said they read and have been praying and said a miracle from the 'power of prayer' happened. We looked at they now have a van! Lanney told us that both of them had been reading and praying, early in the morning or really late at night since that's the only times available to read. She said her dad bought her a van. Wow. She sounded shocked about it. SO COOL. Gosh this Gospel is true.

Jason Cox! He's a member who became reactivated and is awesome. He never quits.

Another cool moment was with a member named Laeke. He's had some rough paths and is trying to get things straightened out for a mission being 21. We randomly went over one afternoon and talked with him about a mission and all that good stuff. I asked if he would like a blessing (post prompting) and he said yes, and that his dad usually gives him one, but hasn't for a while. He asked me to give him the blessing. Wow it was a very spirit-driven blessing. Many things were in that blessing. So cool. He had tears coming down his face afterwards, so did I. It was really cool to see a big ol smile on his face afterwards. He's coming out with us 2 days straight as part of a 'mini-mission' to help prepare him. 

Sooooo...yesterday being transfers, every companionship in our zone (10) was effected, except ONE. I've never seen so much change! It was crazy. Basically a new zone. My new comp. is ELDER SIMPSON!! He was my Zone Leader the entire time I was in East Tucson for 4.5 months! He's a really hard worker and has been out one more than me and we get along awesome and really are a lot alike haha. He's from Spanish Fork, Utah. We'll be focusing the couple weeks to do a lot of blitzing in the areas out here in hopes to get some work going. Lots of praying and fasting (and sleepless hours) have gone into this zone, and I have lots of good feelings about it. We have some high goals and hopes, but it's possible! Elder Smith will die (finish mission....not get shot) up in North Tucson in a YSA ward. Hopefully one day I'll get to serve YSA, but man, there's work to do here first! Last transfer I sure learned a lot of life lessons, and now it's time to put forth what I've learned.

Saying bye to members for Elder Smith! 

I'm grateful to be serving out here. Can't believe this is my 9th transfer out, and that there's only 8 left! I've learned how much our Father in Heaven truly wants us to turn to him in all that we do. The Lord truly calls us for who we are, and that's who He WANTS us to be. He knows our potential, that's why we must be ourself!

D&C121:41-43

John12:35-36

John13:16-17 

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

Our zone motto:

#SaveASoulToday

SIERRA VISTA BABAY.

Love you all. Should get mail tomorrow or Friday.

Your prayers are felt and the support is heard!

-Elder Dallin Hales

Word up.