Week 43: New Area......AND MEXICAN FOOD!

Hey Everyone!!!

I don't have much time right now but I got transferred on Tuesday! I am now in Bayover, San Juan de Lurigancho. My new comp is Elder Medina, and he is a champ. He is super new, he's finishing up his training now. He is from Guatemala. ANDDDD...he is obedient! I have had some pretty tough luck with comps till now but from the looks of it, I lucked out this transfer. :) We are having some good success here in Bayover. We have 3 baptisms for the upcoming weeks! Cosmet, should be baptized this Saturday!! We are praying that all goes well! I love the mission and love my new area. I would talk about some miracles that we had this week but I gotta go. 

BTW...to explain the tittle, there is MEXICAN FOOD IN MY AREA. I have missed good food. And, it is DELICIOUS. Definitely an unexpected blessing, haha. 

Well, till next week! 

-Elder Hale

My little chubby pal, Jeremy.

New compy! 

My first time eating Mex food in 10 months. I almost shed tears of joy!

Last Monday, we took two of our fav converts Brayan and Eliu out to lunch.
I'm gonna miss these guys! They are going to be future Bishops
and Stake Presidents some day.

 

Week 42: Tender Mercies

Hey Everyone! 

We had a good week! Another week down here in Lima with an abundance of chicken, rice, potatoes, running away from dogs, avoiding crazy drunk people in the streets and much much more! Very tired and very happy! :)

This week was good because we have been starting to pick up on the progress that was lost the past week or two. It was frustrating because last week we had 5 baptismal dates but right now we only have 1. There is SOOO much potential here in this area and it seems like Satan knows it and he's been working overtime against us! But light is stronger than darkness and we have been fighting through and been seeing some little miracles this week. 

One mini miracle we had was a great turn out to our activity on Tuesday! We have been trying hard to get this ward excited about missionary work and we've been doing lots of activities with verrryyy little outcome. But this week we planned a reallly extensive and fun game night and had relays and games and it all had cool ties with scriptures and gospel topics and we were really excited about it. ANDD it worked out great!! Like 60 members and investigators came and had a great time!

Another mini miracle this week was when all of our appts fell through on Wednesday and we got rejection after rejection. We really needed new people to teach and so I said a little silent prayer for God's help, and we were immediately answered!! The next two contacts we did both accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and BOTH let us go to their houses to teach them right then and there! It was so cool to see such a specific and perfect answer to my prayer. 

Another mini miracle was last night with the Tello family. (Family of 6 but only Juan Carlos is baptized). We showed them a great video about agency and it really touched the dad's (Leoncio) heart and at the end he said he knew that he needed to read the Book of Mormon and that he knew he needed to be baptized. We all had a really tender, spiritual moment and Juan Carlos claimed that he will baptize every member in his family. It was an awesome lesson and I hope they get baptized this next month!

Well, thats not even all the miracles we saw this week but I'm out of time, haha. I am so grateful for the grace and mercy of God. He loves us so much and just wants us to be happy. I have been able to feel this truth personally in my life lately. Each day is a new opportunity to show Him how much we love Him by trying to do better and keep His commandments.  The way we use His gift of agency is really how we show Him how much we love Him. I have realized that the more that I understand this, the easier it is to keep His commandments. Reminds me of Elder Christofferson's talk called "Abide in my Love." I encourage y'all do give it a good listen. :) 

Have a great week!

-Elder Hale

My fav fam! The Tello family.

Me tryna bring Jdawgs here to Lima.

Since when do chickens hang out in trees? Lol, had to take a pic.

Week 41: 1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back

Hey Everyone!!! 

We had ourselves an interesting week! Like just about every other week in the mission, lots of ups and lots of downs! But sadly, this week there were a few killer disappointments. But first we'll talk about the highlights of the week:

-Monday we hiked to the top of the mountain with the whole zone! (Half only made it half way though). It was supper fun and kind of harder than we thought! But the views were AWESOME—we could see the whole mission and even more! 

-Thursday we had a Mother's Day activity with the ward! Every quorum/organization had to do a number or event. We (us 4 missionaries and the mission leader) did a skit about missionaries in the 80's and the "Dear John" letter came for one of the poor Elders and we acted it out and stuff. Haha, it was hilarious and a big hit. We had like 8 investigators come too!

-Friday we had a work visit and Elder Marcum and I stayed in my area, he is a cool guy from Idaho and is a pilot! Super cool! 

-And of course yesterday I gotta Skype the fam which was awesome. :)))

Well...this week we set another baptismal date for the 20th with our killer investigator, Saul, but...he couldn't come to church yesterday!! In fact...NO ONE DID! No investigators came yesterday, not even our 4 baptismal dates!! They all were out of town, at the cemetery, or doing stuff with their family. It was a little heartbreaking. We have been working really hard and begging to see the fruits of our labors...but then it all got frustrated/interrupted. Sooo...we will have to postpone more dates until the 27th. :( But!!! There is no reason to cry over milk that is already spilled amiright? Just gonna keep moving forward and looking at everything that comes as a blessing instead of a curse, and a way to gain experience and perspective!! Just like Peter says in 1 Peter 4:12-14:

12) "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."

Well, there are always trails, but the work goes on!!!!! I love the mission and I love this church! Have a good week everyone. :)

-Elder Hale

Mountain selfie with the Varn Dog. (Elder Varney)

I'm on top of the world!

Anotha one.

Nice!

Elder Cossio brought his Bolivian flag, lol!

Breaking boulders for service this week.

Blue ribbon quality watch tan line.

Week 40: Hi!

Hey Everyone!!

We had a good week! We had some super exciting ups, and a couple frustrating disappointing downs. We are short on time too so ill make it quick...

Jaime and Marisol are progressing great and reading in the Book of Mormon, but they didn't come to church yesterday!!! It was such a bummer because they were so set on coming but his boss called him in to work right when he was getting ready for church so they didn't come. We talked about the sabbath day, and he said he wouldn't work even if they called him in, but when his faith was put to the test, he gave in. So we will have to postpone their baptism till the 27th. :(

BUT!!! This week we were able to set a date for May 20th with our investigator Ricardina!! She used to always make excuses to not let us in, and to not come to church, but over the past few weeks she has changed sooo much! She has been reading, praying and coming to church! She said she asked God if the BoM was true and she woke up the next day feeling super happy and knowing that this is the true church! She was super excited to accept the baptismal date and things are going good with her.

Well, I love being a missionary and seeing the great change that God makes in our lives IF we let Him. He has the power to transform us and to make us become more like Him. He has the power to make us happy! He has the power to give us hope and peace in our hard times and He has the power to forgive us and remove guilt and sadness from us. He has the power to transform our weaknesses into strengths. I am grateful to be a missionary and to see His power everyday—both in my life and in the lives of them that I teach!

Have a good week everyone, this church is true!!

-Elder Hale

 A birthday pie that a sister in our ward made me!! It was blueberry.

The compy and I.

You know what it is.

Week 39: A Great Birthday :)

Hey Everyone!!

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!! It was a great b-day. We ordered pizza Saturday night and my ward mission leader bought me a cake!! And the member in whose house we live says that she's making a blueberry pie for me today so I'm SUPER stoked for that. 

We really have had a great week! It's been a busy, week and I'm tired, haha. It's also cold and cloudy now and I don't like it. It rained on Saturday night which caused lots of problems for our investigators to get to church the next morning (people freak out when it rains here because it basically never happens). 

We were able to set a baptismal date with a SUPER awesome couple we are teaching! Their names are Jaime and Marisol, they used to be super active members of an Evangelic church but they realized that it wasn't true so they haven't been going to any church for a few years and when I contacted them a few weeks ago, they were super excited and interested to learn more! They accepted the baptismal invitation and are even already talking about getting sealed in the temple! Haha, they call us their Spiritual Parents!! Haha, which is a little weird but they are super awesome. Definitely a little miracle that Heavenly Father has provided for us! 

D&C 33:2-3 says "...I say unto you that ye are called to lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump, to declare my gospel unto a crooked and perverse generation. For behold the field is white and ready to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour, and the last time that I shall call laborers into my vineyard." 

I have definitely been able to see the reality of this scripture. There are tons of things down here (and all over the world) that are accepted and encouraged by society but are very contrary to God's commandments. Most people will reject us and not believe but God is preparing His children to accept the Gospel in the middle of all this adversity and iniquity. Jaime and Marisol are a great example of this scripture to me and I'm super grateful that I'm called to be one of Gods "laborers in the eleventh hour." I LOVE being a missionary and I know this is Jesus Christ's Church!! Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Hale

One of my best pals, Diego!! Such a cute little rascal.

Thanks PJ for sending me the most delicious item for 7-11, I miss these things.

Enjoying my B-day pizza!!