Birthday presents

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for the birthday money! I bought some expensive Mango Sorbet. When mango season is out, it's like torture. Then I got two meat pies at this really good bakery. (*who is this child??) I think I'll buy a cheap watch and give Elder Willie mine. He is so funny because he sees something that I completely wouldn't want and he treasures it. We found some shoes in our closet with a huge rip in the back but he wears them when another missionary gave him new 100 dollar Ecco shoes. He is so humble. For my birthday he did some of his culture dances. I'll send some videos.

It's our Zone Leader's last P-day so we're going to go play touch rugby in the rain. His name is Elder Fullmer. I have learned so much from him, especially about leadership. I have seen the biggest change in him to where he is one of the best leaders.

That lesson that we had with the family last week was tough. Anything that could've gone wrong did. The Restoration DVD stopped working right before the First Vision. But the Spirit was so strong and the family could feel it. So I asked, "As the Lord answers your prayers and you continue to feel this message is true, will you be baptized by one holding the proper authority?" He said yes. I told him we want to hold a baptism on the 28th of August and he said he would prepare for that date. It was only a week and a half from the lesson. Now some complications with some things have pushed the baptism back to after transfers, but as long as they're baptized its okay.

The Work is Awesome. Miracles are coming... FAST!!! We have a baptism in our District this week. They set that baptism last week too. :) I have her baptism interview this week but I met her at church already and I could see the light of Christ at full force.

I am proud of Kelly. He sounds like he is doing really well. I sent him a letter a while ago of pure encouragement! :) I was going to send him a picture of Jonah getting spit out of the whale and told to go back... but I thought that might be overbearing. :)

Better go, Love you all.
-Elder Hales

-And to anyone on my blog: I have lost a lot of addresses so that's why I haven't written to you. :)

Carly, please don't get the hick accent. The California accent is hard for Australians to pick up on. Everyone asks me if I am from Canada! Huh?
You're married!!! I'm the only single one in our family now... weird... not for long I guess! :) Joking of course.
What is Michael studying? Tell him I say Brother!!!
Get referrals for the missionaries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love you
-Elder Hales

ps- Michael is going to LOVE sleeping in the tent with us!!!!!!!!!!!! (*a Christmas Eve tradition that the kids did when they were younger, but obviously Adam hasn't outgrown.)

Brother:

Chandler looks like you and I when we were kids. He is going to be one good looking dude.
Tell Jessica happy birthday. Man it's hard for me to keep up with birthdays. I’ll bring gifts when I come home. We have a guy in our ward that has a factory of all the souvenir stuff and he lets missionaries go shopping through the huge thing and everything's for free! Some missionaries abuse it though which ticks me off so I feel bad going there.
You teach young men? I remember a lesson where my teacher read his mission journal to us. That really got me excited about my mission and writing in journals... you should take yours.

Love you Hales fam.

-Elder Hales