February 15, 2009

FAMILY!
Chandler is a little STUD! He is awesome!
Also, I never got around to sending pictures. Sorry- I'll do it ASAP.
Wow- so this week was very, very hard. Very Hard. Where do I start? I know that I will always remember Valentines day on my mission. I don't know if they celebrate V-Day here, but that was a day that changed me.
I'll start from the beginning.
Elder Tietjen, my companion in the MTC, is serving in the Karowatha area. When he got there, the missionaries were teaching a family of 4. Mom and 3 kids. They got baptized in the morning- and Elder Tietjen got to baptize the mom and one of the little girls. It was so awesome to get to see him do that! President Richards came (he had to interview the mom before the baptism) and it was "the highest of highs!" After the baptism, Elder Nielsen and I tried to get out of there quick so we could go work. We worked really hard from 1-5 pm and my feet were killing me! (my Ecco's aren't as comfortable as my Born Concepts) We went to dinner and that was so good. Very traditional Polynesian family, the Pulu's. Their son is in the Bloods- but I swear he is a worthy priest! :)
After dinner we set up a time to meet Danika. She broke up with Stanley (who was living with her in her parents' house since his family moved to New South Wales) and Stanley wouldn't really leave. Finally he left 2 nights before Valentines Day and ripped up her Book of Mormon - blaming us for the break-up. We wanted to get her a new Book of Mormon and let her meet the new missionaries that would be teaching her (even though we taught her everything). We told Elder Power and Elder Reader to meet us there. I thought that Danika knew that the other missionaries were going to be there.. but she didn't. She didn't want to be passed on because she trusts Elder Nielsen and I.
Before we left, I took the Book of Mormon and marked some things and wrote my testimony in it.
When we got there and introduced Elder Power and Elder Reader- it was so awkward I thought we were going to lose her. It killed me. She looked like we were attacking her. (Elder Nielsen didn't go and one of the Zone leaders came with me) So 3 elders she didn't know and me...trying to lighten the mood.
Now I'll talk about Anthony.
Anthony seems to be forgetting how the spirit touched him. I think he knows it's true, but we never seem to get him to church. We keep contact almost daily but something is missing and we don't know what it is.
February 14- after night planning - I broke down.
I felt like something was missing... and like nothing was working out.
"the lowest of lows"
Elder Dark, who goes home in 2 weeks, is such a good missionary. Elder Johnson is bound to be an AP. And I know for a fact there is a reason Elder Nielsen and I were put together.
An hour later we get a call from Elder Power.
He said "We talked to Danika for about an hour and a half and went through the baptism questions with her. She wants her parents to be at her baptism."
And I start bawling again. The Lord reminded me that He is there and answers prayers. This is His work and he has called me to the work.
"Chosen by God to serve him below- to every land and people we'll go."
This is Jesus Christ's true Gospel. We have the fulness of the Gospel- but sometimes we don't always live it. I love being a missionary- to bring others unto Christ and see how it changes their lives. We have this wonderful gift of the Atonement. They say only 10% of the people in our church know how to use it. Only .2% of the people in this world are members of our church. 10% of .2% of the world. We have work to do.
Before bed, Elder Johnson said "It's the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows" so I added "sometimes at the same time."

I love you all so much. You too Chandler- and I'm looking forward to playing with you in your terrible 2's! :)

God Speed,
Elder Hales