Sunday, April 19, 2009

Zone Conference and General Conference

DEAR FAMILY,
Elder Winder is such a good missionary! I love that he gets rebuked for not doing anything wrong. I see that happen a lot here. Missionaries just feel bad that they aren't 100 percent obedient so they make fun. Misery loves company.
Wow- Elder Porter Ellet serves in LA?! I think I remember reading about him in a New Era one time. Sounds like a Stud.
Well this week was Great! We had Zone Conference and General Conference! It was so amazing.
On Saturday we had to skip the Saturday sessions of conference because President Richards had to do Zone conf. Sister Richards gave a lesson on Repentance and we got some amazing ideas for Darren. Then President Richards focused his training on finding people to teach. It was so good! He let us know what a Ward (or branch in my case) is supposed to do in missionary work. Of course it never happens. But he told us the story how if a ward puts missionary work number 1 or 2 priority that everything else in the ward improves. He told us what the Ward Missionary Leader should do. That just made me want to be the Ward Mission Leader for the rest of my life. I love missionary work. And I have a testimony of Home Teaching. It's sad how little Home Teaching people do. I need to repent for thinking about it in the wrong way before my mission. We had interviews and then worked for a couple of hours before Priesthood session. That session was SO GOOD! I took a lot of notes. General Conference is so different as a missionary.
Then Sunday morning- Elder Holland's talk was phenomenal! Absolutely amazing. I've never heard anything like it before. I didn't know a mortal could speak like that. On LDS.org is a clip of his talk. President had us watch it for Z.C. Mine and Elder Teitjen's eyes were sweating through it. :-)
Darren came to the second session. I was so glad cause I really wanted him to listen to our Prophet. He is coming along alright. Elder Tietjen and I were going to try to get him interviewed by President when he came up this week but he wasn't ready. He has already changed his life so much!!! I love this guy. He has come to church 5 times now! I talked to President Richards about Darren and President said to continue with him because he is progressing. I want to see his salvation so bad. I guess that's selfish. :)
Another great story: My companion and I were biking back to the flat one night and we stopped to talk to a Thursday Island man on a bridge. He asked if we were men of God. We said yes. :) And he said, "come to my home." His best friend and neighbor had committed suicide. He asked a blessing on his apartment and the one where the death happened. We taught the Plan of Salvation and blessed the homes and set up a time to return. Too bad he is an alcoholic and we can never catch him sober. But we know that we met him to be led to his new friend Gregory. Gregory is an Aboriginal. His brother was the one that died. We got his address and will teach him this Wed. He lives about 30k's away so its going to be hard on our 80 k's a day. But he is worth it.
Anyone who reads this I encourage you to come to a sense of your duty as home and visiting teachers. If you don't like it- you don't get it. I made that mistake. Nothing -- nothing is more important than bringing others unto Christ. Be Brave and Bold! Encourage your friends to listen to the Easter message by Elder Holland on LDS.Org
Aww, I love General Conference.

To Blog Viewers: Sorry- President Richards told us this week that we can only email parents and we can only receive email from parents. So no more writing me unless you want to send it to my mom. I doubt you want to do that. :) (*Hey!!)

Love you all!
God Speed!
-Elder Hales

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