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Tue 8/19/14 12:58 PM
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I'm not sure where to even begin. This past week and this week are insanely busy.
Last Monday we had Zone P-day where all the missionaries got together and played ultimate Frisbee! It was super fun but they probably could have picked a better time of day to play instead of at 1 in the afternoon in the humid Oregon heat! (I also jammed my thumb and it's still hurting. Sister Aguilar thinks I may have fractured it... I think I'll be just fine- it's probably just badly bruised). Don't freak out! Anyway, we also had dinner and a lesson with Sophia that same night! She was so excited for us to come over because she just got a brand new cook book and made dinner for us all by herself. It was super delish and quite fancy looking too! We played a gospel game that we made up and had a lot of fun with that! She is also an amazing piano player and she played a few songs that I was able to record. I can't wait to show you! She's pretty much professional. The piano is one thing I really want to start up when I get home. Right before we left to go to our next appointment, she ran and gave us each a little gift bag with a bracelet that she made and some divine chocolates from a well known factory here in Oregon. I just love that girl so stinkin' much! Tuesday I went on exchanges in Sutherlin and that was pretty great too. There is a return missionary that goes out with the sisters all the time and she spent the whole day with us. She asked if I had any questions about life after the mission and she was able to give me some good advice that I really appreciate. Wednesday we had a wonderful lesson with my all time favorite less active member about how we can relate all things to the gospel. She has been through so much in her life and even though we are the missionaries and have been teaching her, she, I feel, is the one teaching me. I believe the reason I was sent here to Roseburg is because of her and it's been the most amazing thing to be apart of her healing process. She has taught me so much about life just by sharing her experiences and in turn it has helped me to know more about who I am and the person that I want to become and who our Father in Heaven needs me to become. She is someone who will always be apart of my life and has changed me forever. We also saw the less active couple who are going through some really tough situations in their lives right now. The husbands health keeps getting worse and they don't know how much longer he will make it. It breaks my heart every time I see them, especially because they're not that old and he is just the sweetest man with such a tender spirit. Every time we teach them, they listen so intently and have great questions and comments. It's really nice being able to teach people who actually want to listen and have a desire to develop a deeper relationship with Christ. It seems that a lot of people that we run into are so comfortable with where their at in their lives or they feel that what they have is enough when in reality they just don't know that there is something missing. There are so many great and wonderful people out there that teach parts of the gospel and have really great values and that are striving to draw nearer to our Heavenly Father but what they don't understand is- that the fullness of the gospel, all of the truth, is only found within Christ's church, which has been restored to the earth today by priesthood authority. It's not until they listen to the message of the Restoration that they understand that. And it's sad how many members of the church have forgotten it or let their spouse control their beliefs. We met many of them while we went to find part member families but in while doing so found a couple with 47 bearded dragons IN THEIR HOME! It was pretty exciting yet nerve racking. We were nervous to turn our backs not knowing whether or not we'd have one crawling up the other side.
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The 47 Dragons |
We had a BBQ on Friday for all of our investigators and the investigators that the Elders are teaching! We actually had a pretty good turn out. We even had some entertainment! There was a HUGE Bull Mastif/English Bulldog that kept showing up and every time his owner would come back to get him he would go and sit in front of the grill and wouldn't budge. It was so funny! His name is Titan and has to weigh at least 200 pounds!
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| Titan the Bull Mastif/ English Bulldog |
We
were driving down the road and I saw a person with their head down in with
their hands in their face. The spirit told me to turn around and go back. We
were already on our way to an appointment and I knew that if we turned around
that we'd be late to the appointment so I didn't say anything. The Spirit told
me again to go back. I couldn't help but blurt out stop! Sister Wood slammed on
the brakes and said what?? I said we've got to go talk to that person. She
didn't even see anyone but we turned around and walked up to the house. There
was a women sitting there and as soon as we walked up she started crying. She
said that she's been really stressed out lately and that there have been some
hard things happening in her life that she just feels lost and confused. We
were able to pray with her, give her a Book of Mormon, and got a return
appointment. I've always known to follow the Spirit and I almost always do but
that experience made me gain an even greater testimony to never postpone a
prompting. The Heavenly Father knows His children better than I do and the
Spirit knows when and who they need to meet in order for them to receive the
gospel when their hearts are softened.
When I got back to Roseburg we had a lesson
with Walker. Still no change with his mom :( He is such an amazing kid and I
know that even if he doesn't get baptized now, he will someday. He knows it's
true and knows that it can bless his life. He is very intelligent for his age
and I am so impressed with how well he understands the principles of the
gospel, especially because he wasn't raised with much religion in the
home.
Sorry for not writing yesterday. Our P-day
was moved to today because we had a Conference with Elder Brent H. Nielson of
the Seventy yesterday in Central Point. It was a great meeting and I learned a
lot from the Spirit. Sister Haugen was there and I was able to talk to her
quite a bit! She seems like she is doing awesome in her new area but I really
miss serving with her. She really helped me to see things from a different
perspective and I'm grateful for the time I had to be her companion. It was
really hard after the meeting though when everyone was leaving because a lot of
the missionaries i've served with in the past were there and they all kept
asking me about going home...... Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to
see everyone, there's just going to be a lot of things about Oregon and the
mission that I will miss dearly. Today my P-day is being cut short because we
have a Missionary Leadership Council in Eugene and I have to leave in about 3
hours to get there by 430 (Hopefully I'll be able to see Trevor one last time
before I leave- he will be at the Conference with Elder Nielson today when I
get to Eugene). I will also be going to Eugene again Thursday with one of the
Primary classes in the ward. They are learning about missionary work and will
be given a tour of the mission home. Saturday we are going to Winston as a Zone
to do what's called a Blitz where all the missionaries go to one area and take
different parts of town to tract. It should be interesting! Pretty much I
haven't been in my area and won't be in my area at all this week.
You said that I have a 4 hour lay over in Salt Lake..... I have no idea what the itinerary is but that would be awesome if Sarah or MaKayla came to the airport while I was there!!!!!!!!! I would actually love that so so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!! I am out of time but know that I love you and am grateful for all that you do! I can't believe it's SO close. See you soon!
I love you!
Love,
Sister Hall :)
P.S. TELL
TREVOR I SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND THAT I LOVE HIM SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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