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| Packed up this morning, headed out after 4-1/2 months. |
So, long story short. I am now serving in West Tucson! After a 4 hour transfer van ride, I finally arrived here around 4pm today. There's special reasons for serving here in this zone, but it just means things need to get done! Leaving the EAC YSA's was really hard.....and to be honest, I've never struggled or been so sad to leave an area before. Last night was a huge combined FHE for the YSA's where I was able to see many YSA's again. I sure miss them already. I can't lie, even as I type about serving up there right now, it does bring tears to my eyes, even just after 4 1/2 months. I miss all y'all!!
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| Our awesome zone! All of us got close, and they still are! I have learned so much from them. |
Anyways, besides the sadness yet awesome YSA, we had a great week last week!
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| We were asked to put this tv in the dumpster on PDAY...after failed attempts, we just took a hammer to it. |
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| An EAC classic: Christy. She bought us ice cream! |
Long story long:
Last Monday to Tuesday our mission did 'the day' where our zones do exchanges and where we focus on a certain missionary aspect, usually finding. I stayed in our area and went with Elder Harris! We went out and contacted a bunch of YSA's. In the afternoon, we did a classic 'appointment with the Lord' where we felt impressed to go to 2 certain spots on the map. Our first spot started out by talking to a guy by his truck, and then it started monsooning on us hard core! I looked over and saw the wave of rain coming near us, "Oh no." hahah so we ran under a tree and then decided to continue onward. The first area was alright where we got a potential and talked to some members about referrals. Then the 2nd area was just a tiny dirt street with 2 houses on it...lame...but a couple streets down there was a group of people outside. YES!! #bingo All of them were not interested, except one let us talk with him about the Book of Mormon and he said we could come back! Guess what? He happened to live in our family ward boundaries! YES!! I hope things go well with him. It was an awesome exchange and miracles happened in every area of our zone.
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| After helping some members move, Elder Harris' pants ripped. Awesome. |
They say a mission is the equivalent to a 4-year communications degree. Pff. Oh yeah.
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| 6am Zone sports! |
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| Let the goodbye's begin..:( |
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| Brother and Sister Orme, our family ward WML and his wife. Very awesome couple! |
Members gave us a referral this past week for a guy named "Angel" who only knows Spanish and French....2 strike outs for me. If anything, my English has gotten worse hahah. Luckily Elder Hughes is a spanish missionary and we invited the hermanas to help teach. They set a baptism date with him after teaching the restoration and then Angel decided that he wants to stay YSA! He is suuuper solid. So excited for him!
Zane was baptized!! Zane was a referral we gave over to the Safford YSA after we gave him a book of mormon a few weeks ago. He was baptized suuper quick! Ah man. He's a stud. Just another person I miss.
Because I was transferred, I wrote a list of some things I learned while serving in the Gila Valley:
1) When you can help someone, you can share the gospel.
2) If you have the spirit while teaching, you have charity.
3)"A strong person goes through the most. A nice person gets hurt the most." - Tracy Sanchez
4)I've never felt closer to my family in my life.
5)"It takes more guts to do something good, then bad." - Elder Netane
6)If stress comes with no results, you may need more hope.
7)We need to look for answers, not just questions.
8)When we show God our diligence, He blesses us with hope.
9)"If you don't make the small sacrifices, He won't ask you to make the the big ones." - president Killpack
10)If you doubt or question something, that means you have something to actually doubt or question. "doubt you doubts before you doubt your faith."
11)We must understand our privileges to reach our potential.
12)All that can be done is diligence and obedience if God needs an area prepared for miracles.
13) I have loved every single minute I served in the Gila Valley.
I can't believe I'm in my 5th area, and have only 4 transfers left. I wonder what God has in store, but I know it's something. I have a feeling I have another area after this one, so who knows. This zone has had some trouble previously, but the DL's are solid and good friends of mine, and there was a lot of changes. Our zone has 11 companionships, 6 sets of Elders, and 5 sets of Sisters, 2 missionaries are being trained. We were asked to go pick up some concluding missionaries tonight too. Gila Valley and Mount Graham Zones were combined this transfer. My prayers and fasts are with the Gila Valley and West Tucson zones. Elder Hughes and Elder Gosper, I know you'll tear it up!!
Well time to send pictures since there is lots! Man. So many people I'll miss. Sister Matlock and her grand kids made me a blanket!
I love you all, and I know this church is Christ's church. I know with time, we'll see everything God wants us too. I'm grateful for this transfer and the things ahead, whatever they may be. There's a lot of things to do here, but I can tell it's time to kick on the boosters and get things rolin'. I'm grateful for God's trust in us. I love Him with my whole heart.
....mail won't take as long any more.... *hint hint* ahem.
I love you all and am grateful for everything!!
Love,
Elder Hales
D&C64:
32 But all things must come to pass in their time.
33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying thefoundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth thatwhich is great.
Zane was baptized!! Zane was a referral we gave over to the Safford YSA after we gave him a book of mormon a few weeks ago. He was baptized suuper quick! Ah man. He's a stud. Just another person I miss.
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| Right after Zane's baptism! |
Because I was transferred, I wrote a list of some things I learned while serving in the Gila Valley:
1) When you can help someone, you can share the gospel.
2) If you have the spirit while teaching, you have charity.
3)"A strong person goes through the most. A nice person gets hurt the most." - Tracy Sanchez
4)I've never felt closer to my family in my life.
5)"It takes more guts to do something good, then bad." - Elder Netane
6)If stress comes with no results, you may need more hope.
7)We need to look for answers, not just questions.
8)When we show God our diligence, He blesses us with hope.
9)"If you don't make the small sacrifices, He won't ask you to make the the big ones." - president Killpack
10)If you doubt or question something, that means you have something to actually doubt or question. "doubt you doubts before you doubt your faith."
11)We must understand our privileges to reach our potential.
12)All that can be done is diligence and obedience if God needs an area prepared for miracles.
13) I have loved every single minute I served in the Gila Valley.
I can't believe I'm in my 5th area, and have only 4 transfers left. I wonder what God has in store, but I know it's something. I have a feeling I have another area after this one, so who knows. This zone has had some trouble previously, but the DL's are solid and good friends of mine, and there was a lot of changes. Our zone has 11 companionships, 6 sets of Elders, and 5 sets of Sisters, 2 missionaries are being trained. We were asked to go pick up some concluding missionaries tonight too. Gila Valley and Mount Graham Zones were combined this transfer. My prayers and fasts are with the Gila Valley and West Tucson zones. Elder Hughes and Elder Gosper, I know you'll tear it up!!
Well time to send pictures since there is lots! Man. So many people I'll miss. Sister Matlock and her grand kids made me a blanket!
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| Finishing off the transfer with some blueberry ice cream at the Bluth's! |
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| Travis! -Man I'll miss this guy. |
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| Sean! We were always joking around. What a stud. He'll probably be married and have a kid next time I see him. |
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| Studly YSA's |
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| Quintana! (right) |
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| Johnny! "Fosho!" He is the mg 1st ward EQP. One of the coolest guys ever. |
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| Corey! One of our WML's. He was trying to get me to go to EAC...........did someone say ASU??? |
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| Mani! We had lessons and dinner with her weekly! :D |
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| YSA FHE! |
I love you all, and I know this church is Christ's church. I know with time, we'll see everything God wants us too. I'm grateful for this transfer and the things ahead, whatever they may be. There's a lot of things to do here, but I can tell it's time to kick on the boosters and get things rolin'. I'm grateful for God's trust in us. I love Him with my whole heart.
....mail won't take as long any more.... *hint hint* ahem.
I love you all and am grateful for everything!!
Love,
Elder Hales
D&C64:
32 But all things must come to pass in their time.
33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying thefoundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth thatwhich is great.
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