Week 75 - Sahuarita Youth Conference

Companion #9
Transfer #13 

Begin.

There's been a ton of things that have been happening. Those times when there's things that keep you busy most hours of the day, and then you do proselyting work whenever you have spare time..it's crazy. But awesome :D

RECAP:

The first thing I have written on my list of things to write home about, it says:

"No time to breathe! Never stopping." haha I guess that sums it up. But seriously.

My new companion and I are doing great! Elder Hughes is from near Sacramento and is a Spanish missionary, so I get to brush off the dust on my already dusted un pocito habla espanolo. Word. He's great and we've been busy! He's one of the most humble missionaries I've met so far no doubt. I also think he's one of the first companions that's shorter than I am. haha. 

Like I said, there were quite a few things that happened that besides your usual 'proselyting' missionary work. On Wednesday, we started off the transfer by being commodities for a couple hours before district meetings. Thursday, we were involved with the Sahuarita Youth Conference! Holy awesome. Our entire zone was involved. 8 of us (including 2 missionaries that had been out for 2 days) taught 2 classes on 1)OYM and 2)Gospel Basics. It was awesome. I love to train. Our class on OYM (Open Your Mouth) went great and it was fun training the youth how to bring up the gospel in such random times. After the classes, we held a 'Mini MTC Experience' where they had a TRC which in the MTC, was when you would knock on a door, and treat the whole experience like knocking on a house door. We had people inside the classrooms that acted like investigators (there was actually an investigator there too!) It was fun and brought back a lot of memories from the MTC. We helped the youth not be nervous and how they could approach it. Four missionaries from our zone acted like investigators for them. The feedback was great, and we're glad it went well for them!

Waiting for the 'investigators' to answer their door so they can go in and teach. #TRC

Undercover missionaries acting like investigators in the TRC - Elder Harris and Gilson

Oh look! Undercover Sisters!

Friday we had our first MLC with President Passey which took up most of the day. Zone Meeting is tomorrow and we're STOKED to train on the things we went over.

Nonetheless, we had about 1 full day of normal proselyting in the past week. So the people we were still able to work with was "The Family" which are coming along, but weren't able to make it to church :[ gah! So close! They are awesome, we know that they will progress within the gospel here soon.

We're also working with a member named Austin who's a stud. Star pitcher, football receiver, and champion wrestler. He has gone through some crazy times in High School (surprise) and is headed back to the point where he would like to serve a mission. He's awesome and will hopefully be able to get a picture with him soon.

Prepping to train the youth!

The finding continue!!....for other areas! haha. This past week we were led to 2 investigators we referred over to Elders Lowe/Curtis. One of them we found last Monday while he was working. He expressed interest and has a family and kids and some of the best morals I've seen for a non-member. Excited to see what happens with him after we've taught him most of the Restoration.

Another referral was a guy named Troy! We found him yard-saling where you go to yard sales, look at the stuff, and talk to the people there and try to make trades with a Book of Mormon. He also expressed interest! He wasn't able to make it to church, but hopefully something comes of it!

We learned a few things at MLC! President Passey will be spending the night in our apartment with us tomorrow night! WOO! I've never heard of a mission President doing that before, but since he's doing interviews this week, he decided to stay with us! Having talked with President Passey, we are suuper stoked to get to know him more - he's inspired, as all mission presidents are.

Quinntana! A recent convert who is awesome

He also let us know we'll be getting ipads before the end of the year, but we'll have to pay for them...and apparently the Tucson Temple should have a ground break next spring!

"Some people never end up in this life where other people start." - President Passey

Tomorrow for our zone meeting, part of our training is on 'Teach to Understand' and to start off that part of the training, we're doing a role play...where I'm going to load Elder Hughes with lots of information about BMW's trying to sell him one while using the same methods we use in teaching, and then talk about how to teach according to where they are at haha. Hopefully I can video it.

Ether 12:28 I read while in church, and it made me think that God doesn't just show us our weaknesses:
"28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness."

Charity has been brought up multiple times in our mission lately, and I've learned much about. It's one of my new year's resolution to develop more charity by acting on promptings to help people and to continually pray for it. I know that this gospel is Christ's and not man's. I know that the Lord blesses us in all good that we do. The church is true and God is good and families are ordained of God - not randomly either.

Love you all! Everyone is getting married. In the YSA down here, and back home haha.

I love hearing from all of you!

-Elder Hales