Week 82 - Heavenly Father has prepared opportunities...

This past week started off pretty intense. Elder Malm of the 2nd quorum of the 70 held a half mission conference and a couple other things that day for us. After the conference he interviewed the senior comp. of every zone leader companionship....so he interviewed me! He definitely has the power of God and discernment with him...wow. It was intense. But he gave me some great counsel about some things. Oh man. Anyways, along with the interview and great things Elder Malm, we received referrals this past week! More than any other week of my mission! One of them was Ron and Amy that we taught this past week who were found by Sisters. Amy was raised Catholic and Ron wasn't raised religious. They had some really awesome questions and the spirit has been felt in both lessons with them. Amy almost accepted a date for baptism, but wasn't quite there. Ron would have, but Amy is almost there. They committed to pray and read about it. The members are fellowshipping them great, to answer their questions is a huuuuuuge help.

Blitzing Elders Jewel and Whittle's area! We found a few potentials for them!

Alma 29:9
Jacob 2: 17-19

Yesterday we had 4 investigators come to church! Gah. It was so grreat. Oh man. Kelly was one of them which she brought her 3 grand kids too! #dedication Our lessons with her have been awesome. She won't quite accept a date either, but is almost there! She told us that the times she feels the spirit is when we are over there, when she reads, prays, or is at church.....so, she feels the spirit! Her life is chaos right now, so we're trying hard to help her with the Gospel. She is suuper nice and we won't to go over her feelings about the spirit more with her tonight at a dinner lesson with some members. Fingers crossed!

On the way to church with Kelly's grand kids! 

Along with Amy and Ron, Camela was another one that came to church! We are meeting with her after lunch today to try and help her understood what the spirit means. She prayed about the BOM a few months back, but then got sick with cancer, but told us that something happened when she prayed.

".....Elders....do you have a spare key?" Yup. It's called a crowbar. They ended up calling the Landlord for a key haha.

On Saturday there was a sweet experience with a baptism in our zone named Kenyon! He's in his 20's and the baptism went great. There was non-members there and we were asked to give the '5MTM' - the 5 minute teaching time right after the baptism to fill in the space. We felt to teach the Restoration! Wow. The spirit was there. Right when you start to recite the first vision while not rushing it at all, it brings the spirit every time. I was asked to share an experience of the holy ghost in a talk there as well. The spirit was strong, and the baptism was great. Other missionaries had a lesson with their investigator right after the baptism and set a date with her! So awesome!!

Eating out at a food stand right before a baptism. So. good.

Finding has been something to focus on a lot more in our zone as there's been some companionships struggling to find. That's okay since that happens to every area generally at some point. Today after Camela's lesson we're blitzing a sisters area to try and find some people for them. Yesterday our zone had awesome sports! You can see everyone come more and more together. I'm a firm believer of when a zone has unity, the Lord blesses us with more opportunities to help one another with the work.


As a missionary, church can either be very happy, or sad, depending on who will come to church! Church is at 8:30am for us, and if we don't have ward council before, we're out by7am sometimes trying to get people to come to church! One girl told us to come over at 7 to get her to come, but she told us she drank all night and was still drunk and hadn't even been to bed yet....hahah. Oops. She felt bad though and promised us this next Sunday she'll come. You do everything you can to get people to come feel the spirit!


I don't think I've seen so many things come together so nicely in a short amount of time in an area. People are asking to meet with us, people are prepared for the discussions, it's such a testimony builder. Last night while appointments fell threw of where we were about to teach someone that was Jewish, we decided to check on a member family. Her brother was there and asked us if he could sit in on a lesson next time! Uhhmmm....YES!!! We've invited him before, but he's been hesitant. Some things have happened in his life recently that have helped him feel ready. We intro'd the BOM and got an RA with him.

On Sunday we ate with a member family that were all decked out in Utah Stake stuff....they also knew my Grandma and Grandpa Hales! It was a tender mercy to be able to remember my grandparents who helped so many people. I'm sure they're still USU and Bronco's fans up in heaven :]


Well, time is almost out. Glad we were able to email today with President's permission. This week we have MLC where we'll be discussing a lot of sweet things.


My testimony has grown ladies and gentleman!! I love this work with my whole heart. It blows my mind that I'm only a couple hours from family, and yet the Lord has prepared a mission for me down here in Tucson. I've learned that it truly does not matter where you are in life, but that Heavenly Father has prepared opportunities for you there. This week I will only have 5 months left. I cannot believe it. I'm grateful for God's arm in this work. I continue to have a desire to work and have the urge to never slow down. There's always too much work to do! I know this Gospel's real and that God loves all of us equally.


Love you all!! :D


-Elder Hales