[Transfers] Week 68 - FAMILY!!

TRANSFERS!! Elder Netane and I are the only ones that didn't' get changed up in our zone. So we'll be here until at LEAST July. Woohoo! Time to set this place on fire.....with work!!

Crossfit this morning! Crazy awesome workout. 

Quick update, Elder Hickenlooper (one of the assistants now! He went to Davis High whaa?) called us and told us what's going down with transfers. 2 sets of Elders are getting "pink washed" (replaced by Sisters) and then 3 other companionships are getting switched up. CRAZY! President threw us a curveball. We went from a strictly Elders zone, to 1/3 of it getting pink washed. NUTS! We will miss the last zone a ton, we got along so well. The new zone we have now is going to be awesome and we're excited to see what miracles will happen this transfer!

At our zone lunch/pictures yesterday. We brought a bunch of delicious food for everyone :D

Elder Chu-Shing!!

Interviews with President Killpack were this past week where he simply asked us what he can do to help us. President and Sister Killpack will be missed SO MUCH, but President Pasey and his wife will very much welcomed of course. The interviews were incredible as the last ones with this mission President, and very motivating for what is to come..

District Meeting's were on using the right language. Guess which ones I said? hahah

Last Tuesday on the mission-wide "The Day" our zone met together, had a chant and prayer along with what the focus was one, and we all went on exchanges! I went with Elder Lowe, so we did one of our favorite things.....appointment with the Lord. We prayed about an area we just tracted/contacted a few days earlier, but felt it was the one...on our way out there right on time...we decided to drive through the area first, and there it was....a UHAUL MOVING TRUCK...empty :D YES! Wow. God answers prayers very plainly at times. We instantly stopped and went over to them. The lady was crying because she was overwhelmed with what needed to be done, and the dad couldn't get the trailer to work. We simply told them that our prayers led us to them after looking at a map...Chris (lady crying) told us that she had been in her living room that day, praying for someone to come help move. And man, good thing too, they had a ton of stuff. We basically filled up both the truck and Uhaul with their kids running around. They were not members, but have seen missionaries before. They were moving to my old ward in East Tucson, so we gave the ZL's a call over their to arrange a move the next day because they had to have the truck in the afternoon. Man. Prayers were answered. We placed a BOM before they headed out and got all their info. Time to follow up :D

Our appointment with the Lord one exchanges that led us right to this house. MIRACLE.

Elder Hearn and I. wootwoot!

Over half of our zone was transferred today. Studs.

Our zone had a rough week, but everyone seemed to pull through. The focus on transfers coming up sometimes drains missionaries. It sucks.

Elder Merrel, he was put in as zone leader!...in Safford 

Anthony was in town for a little while until he bopped over to Vegas for the weekend. Uh oh O_o haha Anthony is a STUD. I have never had someone ask so many sincere questions about our purpose. It was hard for him to understand why we left everything to come on a mission. It does make you think, but the answer that comes, is clear.

"We don't burn bridges, but we do cross mountains." - Anthony

Making some Otai for FHE and our zone at Bishop's house last pday!

My mind has been a racing lately (surprise) and I've thought a lot about you can see if someone is listening or not. My patriarchal blessing talks about me knowing those who 'listen' and you can tell by what questions people have. Sometimes people ONLY look for questions, instead of answers for their questions. Life goes no where without proposing a question, but without finding answers, we often become lost. The spirit gives the answers! That's why we must teach by the spirit and not ourselves, so the spirit can answer questions that us very imperfect humans can't :] IDK..hmmm.. I might use that in a training...

Out here we have the 'Beach House', 'Cript House', and the 'Hottie Hut' haha all pre-named. The joys of living in the YSA.

One night, while comp. was in the bano, two names came to mind randomly that Bishop Bluth has wanted us to try and get ahold of. So before our appointment, we headed over to Mani's place where both Hannah and Brooke were there! They were cleaning and didn't even live their anymore. What a coincidence. They are doing great!

If stress comes with no results, your hope may be lacking. RT - Random. Thought.

This past weekend.... I decided to talk to President Killpack about what he thought if my Sister and Bro-in-law visited....hmmm...juuuuuust in case they came down and 'ran into me.' Well, he said very plainly that he thought it would be okay. Our mission President is seriously awesome. Very inspired. Soo...we were over to my sister's in laws house who live in our stake and very close to our apt....and as we were walking up....I couldn't believe....I recognized a Honda Accord....a dude in a green shirt....and prego lady....and a little skinny dog. FAMILY!! Oh man, it was so awesome to see CB and awesome tard dog. I miss them and my family so much. They were very respectful in being around us, although, Ben, I'm going to pound you when I get home. I'm on reserve mode. Dinner was great with the Buhr's. SO AWESOME! I love those guys and it was great to see them. Some missionaries may get trunky, but it simply motivated me to work even harder! (no not to get you a car or boat - Ben) hehe.

Recognize these peeps? Oh man. What a relief to see them doing great.

The message we shared with them has been one that we've shared with a few families - the rare occasion we eat them families in the YSA. Elder Netane and I have been talking a lot about it, and families has come up more lately than ever in a period of time. Lessons we teach focus on families. Dinner apts. focus on families. It's crazy. Nephi went through crap and back with his family. And 30 years later after leaving Jerusalem, the first thing we have to read about his life was, "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents..." it shows how valued families are in God's eyes. Man, I love my family. My comp. and I have both agreed that we have never felt so close to our families before in our lives, and yet we're far away. Only the gospel can do that. Pretty rad.

One investigator we found contacting on the street doing and appointment with the Lord. She believes in science and feels a lot of pressure trying to lead her family. She is gone until Saturday, but we're really excited to teach her and hopefully her family for our family ward. TBA

It's fun to take over a ward as it brings up new challenges and stuff to do! We've eaten with a few families and are stoked to do work over there. We taught Gospel Principles randomly on Sunday, but it's great to be involved.

1Nephi18:22 - "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land."

Well it's time to go, because there's still a crazy amount of stuff to do/help for the missionaries coming to our zone. Cars cleaned and fixed, missionaries to be picked up, people to talk to, satan's trash to be kicked. We are so excited and BLESSED to have this transfer ahead of us. The last transfer until a new mission President arrives. Pretty nuts. I love this gospel with my whole heart!! It rocks my face off! I know Christ lives. I know God loves all of us the same.

It's nice when this isn't your stuff :D

Thank you for everything all of you do! :D

-Elder Hales