Saturday, September 26, 2009

Advice for member missionaries

DEAR FAMILY!
Aw -- such a good-busy-stressful week! But things have been going great!
Marshall has been progressing well. He went to church down in New South Wales and his baptism will be coming up. It's such an honor to teach him! A blessing from our Father in Heaven. Marshall has been prepared for a long time. I don't know if I told you, but he quit smoking and drinking 3 months ago and LOVES reading the Book of Mormon. His comprehension is great too!

Our other investigator would be baptized by now but she isn't reading the Book of Mormon. I haven't really had an opportunity to dig into that situation because we are so stinkin' busy. Office work is great. It's a lot harder than proselyting- that's for sure. Only because the whole time I am thinking: "Aw, I wish I was tracting right now."

Transfers are this week already. This transfer flew by too fast. My companion, Elder Hurst, has been training me on how to be mission secretary and I'm not sure I got it all down. I'll probably be calling him a lot in his new area in a few days. Transfers are all figured out already. Its really exciting. There are 3 AP's right now and 2 are leaving to train greenies.

We went to the temple with President Richards on Friday. It was great. He is so knowledgeable. He would answer all of our questions.

You asked if I have any suggestions on getting missionary work rolling! BOY, DO I!!!! I LOVE THIS STUFF! Well, all the leaders must lead by example! That's the hard part. I bear my testimony that if you pray earnestly for missionary opportunities, that they WILL COME! We know that God answers our prayers. We must also pray that we will recognize these opportunities when they come.

This week my testimony of Sacrament meeting grew so much. I often thought of it as "church"- which it is church... but Sacrament meeting is so much more. It's not called "Members give talks meeting". It's the Sacrament. There is so much to learn about the Sacrament it gets me so EXCITED! When we take the sacrament- we make a covenant! A promise with God. And he holds us to that promise. Are we always remembering Him?
I love this gospel. I love being a missionary.
I love you mom and dad!
-Elder Adam Hales

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I'm a missionary! How cool is that!?!

G'Day FAMILY!!
Well to start off, things are still just as hectic. I really miss getting out and sweating. The office has been fun and we had our interview with President this week. He tells me he loves me everytime and I love him too. He is such an inspired man.
But wow- that's cool that Cheryl Yee's relative is one of our greenies. Last week we had the honor to take them to the temple after we gave them orientation and also take them street contacting. Sister Karren was awesome at talking to everyone. She is going to be a good missionary. She is now with her trainers --Sister Gamino and Sister Leauauna. ( I know every missionary in the mission and where they are serving now.)
Haven't got any letters yet but I did get the BYU shirt!! Thank you so much!!!
Our investigator Marshall is still solid as a rock! We had a lesson this week at our fellowship's home and it went awesome so Satan did his best afterwards. Our fellowship is the Curtis family. They are Yankies and went to BYU. Brother Curtis works at Boeing here. He is awesome. He just asks Marshall.. "So how is your Book of Mormon reading going?" and then finds out his understanding... which is really good! Anyway we leave the lesson and talk to Marshall outside for a minute and say bye and turn around and a car is driving down the street. With a guy hanging out of it with a raised hand and he just throws an egg at us so fast!!! It hit Elder Hoskins in the arm and left a welt. (don't worry mom) I got angry for a split second and then we had a great laugh and talked about how we love being disciples of Jesus Christ. It wasn't easy for him so it won't be easy for us. I know that Jesus Christ appeared in the Americas. I know that he loves all of us and that we can be saved through him. An insight I had this week was the fact that everytime we sin, we "lose the big picture" and are so focused on the here and now. If everytime someone threw an egg at me I remembered my badge... I wouldn't have gotten angry for those two minutes. So that's my testimony -- that we can always have the Spirit with us and remember the big picture.
I love you all. Thank you Mont and Alayna for the card. It meant a lot and the card was pretty funny too!
God Speed the right.
Elder Adam Hales

Carly!!!! How is the job? Working and all.
Love you Cheri and Spencer- Hope things are going well. I'm sure they are and pretty hot in Northern California. We have a missionary coming from San Jose soon.
Brother: You're a lawyer! I'm a missionary! How cool is this!?! Big lawyer with his new SUV and cool kids. You're the Man brother. I love you- you have always been a great example to me. That helped me a lot growing up.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Nieces and Nephews


I couldn't resist posting a picture of Elder Hales' nieces and nephews. L to R:
Emma, Jessica, Tyler, Chandler. (Are they too cute, or what?!)

Saturday, September 12, 2009

From the Mission Secretary

DEAR FAMILY!
I have been reading a lot of conference talks- especially ones from President Monson. He is SO a prophet of God! Anyway, it has really created a desire in my heart to be better. To sacrifice more. No matter how hard I work I can always be a little more like our Savior.
It was great to see that picture of all of you. All of you are tan. Dad looks buff, Michael- I like your tie. Chandler is a little stud muffin.

It is not permitted to check our emails at the office. Apparently they did in the past and President rebuked them. In a nice way 'cause President Richards is so great. We have had to do our emails at an internet cafe these last two weeks that charges 2 dollars for 20 min.

Before I forget, as soon as BYU won Oklahoma I knew about it. :) I'm not apostate! There are 3 families in our ward that are American and are total BYU fans, so last Sunday I walk into our dinner appointment and a brother in our ward offered me the information.
I just got back from the Australia Zoo. This zoo is Steve Erwin's zoo.

This past week has been great. Our office is being re-done so its been hectic but just so great to be in this ward. This is the ward that President Richards goes to if he doesn't have to go somewhere else, so 2 weeks ago he was there for my talk. I was so nervous but the Lord helped me so much. I really love speaking in church now. Really!

Well, we only get to work half the day, but the Lord blesses us as if we had worked the full day. Last week we had 6 new investigators and we committed all of them to baptism on the first lesson and they said yes. They will be coming to church tomorrow!!! We have perfect fellowship lined up too!!! The Lord completely placed them in our path.
Our progressing investigator, Marshall, is still doing fantastic. His baptism is the 4th of October and he is solid. His friend is coming up that week so that's why its so far away. We found him when he walked into church one Sunday and said he wants to go to church. We said "Okay". :-) He is basically friends with everyone in the ward. I love this guy so much. We had one lesson with him this week. We watched Finding Faith in Christ and then committed him to keep the Sabbath Day holy. He looks so much like a member already!!! White shirt, tie, even a vest some weeks.
I love you family. Time is flying and it makes me sad. I don't want to go home. Ever. :-) I love serving the Lord. Being a tool in his hands is the best feeling ever. It's as if I get a glimpse of eternal life.
I love this work so much. It's the best ever.
The church is true. Jesus is the Christ.
Love you all!
-Elder Adam Hales

Friday, September 4, 2009

Short and sweet

Dear Family! This week has gone by so fast! We have so much to do it's not even funny. But we make it funny!! Yesterday for lunch we got fish and chips and watched "On the Lord's Errand" in President Richards' office. That was cool. I'll be in the office for around 5-6 months. Hard, but whatever the Lord asks of me.This week was great. We have had several lessons with really keen investigators. One's name is Marshall. He is ready for baptism but just wants to wait until October when a friend is coming up from New South Wales to see his baptism. We taught the Law of Chastity, Word of Wisdom and Tithing and committed him to all and he said yes. He is ready -- I just want the baptism sooner.
Love you all !!! No time on computer. Sorry. Love you - Elder Hales