Dear mom and dad,
I leave the office soon. It's pretty weird knowing that I will be transferred and soon I might even find out where.
There is so much exciting news to tell. Right now I am doing e-mails in a city called Ipswich. Its pretty cool. We came out here to a guy that sells the kangaroo scripture cases and things. But anyway, we are about to go to a baptism. Dawn Talbot that I taught in Waterford is getting baptized today in the Park Ridge Ward. She moved to that area and now will be baptized!!!! I was able to get permission from President Richards to go. There are sister missionaries in this area that I am sure really helped Dawn progress. We are about to drive to the chapel over there where I was given the honor to baptize her! I am so excited. The spirit was so strong every time Elder Prina and I would teach her. I'll send a picture of the baptism as soon as possible. It will be the first time I get in the water!
We also had several great lessons this week.
Things have been great. I have been so blessed. Thank you for your prayers.
If we look, we can see miracles and tender mercies of the Lord in our lives. The angel told Nephi to Look so many times.
Love you all
-Elder Adam Hales
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Another Apostle visit
Dear Mum and Pa,
Things have been going great. I can't remember if I told you, but we actually are a very lucky mission. Probably the best in the world! We have Elder Christofferson coming the 26th of this month to address us! This will be my 3rd Apostle and 4th General Authority. I can't even explain how awesome it is to be in the Australia Brisbane Mission with President Richards!
This week has been so busy as always, but there was one experience I wanted to share this week. We have found a new investigator and her name is Sarah. She is a media referral and has some friends that are members. We were able to teach her the first lesson this week. She seems very keen but somehow we have not been able to teach her for 2 weeks until last Sunday, we drop by and catch her right before she is leaving with the members. We plan a time to meet on Tuesday. On Tuesday we could not get in touch with her and the last few days we could not get fellowship but we decide to stop by anyway. While we were driving up, a thought came to me and I asked my companions if we should teach no matter what -- even if it's in the front yard. I love thoughts that come. :) We walked away from teaching her in her garage with the huge door open sitting on little plastic boxes, but I knew she felt the spirit and that put a smile on all our faces.
I love this work. I love being a missionary. I know the gospel is true.
I am sending your packages THIS WEEK for sure. I commit myself to it. Sorry- we are so busy and can't mail anything on our P-day (Saturday) because the Post is closed.
God Speed the Right!
-Elder Hales
Things have been going great. I can't remember if I told you, but we actually are a very lucky mission. Probably the best in the world! We have Elder Christofferson coming the 26th of this month to address us! This will be my 3rd Apostle and 4th General Authority. I can't even explain how awesome it is to be in the Australia Brisbane Mission with President Richards!
This week has been so busy as always, but there was one experience I wanted to share this week. We have found a new investigator and her name is Sarah. She is a media referral and has some friends that are members. We were able to teach her the first lesson this week. She seems very keen but somehow we have not been able to teach her for 2 weeks until last Sunday, we drop by and catch her right before she is leaving with the members. We plan a time to meet on Tuesday. On Tuesday we could not get in touch with her and the last few days we could not get fellowship but we decide to stop by anyway. While we were driving up, a thought came to me and I asked my companions if we should teach no matter what -- even if it's in the front yard. I love thoughts that come. :) We walked away from teaching her in her garage with the huge door open sitting on little plastic boxes, but I knew she felt the spirit and that put a smile on all our faces.
I love this work. I love being a missionary. I know the gospel is true.
I am sending your packages THIS WEEK for sure. I commit myself to it. Sorry- we are so busy and can't mail anything on our P-day (Saturday) because the Post is closed.
God Speed the Right!
-Elder Hales
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Everything is amazing and exciting
Dear Mum and Dad,
Things have been so amazing and great I don't know where to start, like always.
Ha ha, yes I was able to play Santa Claus this year. That was fun. (* The office elders drove a van around and pulled a trailer to deliver all the gifts for the missionaries.)
Kelly Winder is such an awesome kid. I love him so much and am so excited to hear he got his call to Phili! Let him know that I am so excited for him, that he is going into the most important years of his life, and that I have a letter going his way.
I have been so excited lately. Things have been hard but still so smooth. Elder Lines, my new companion with Elder Mooney, is such a good missionary. I am able to learn so much from him.
Last Sunday I had one of those amazing moments as a missionary. One of those that just make you so full of joy. It was just a regular day at church. I was talking to a member and then turned around when they sat down and saw Tim Fenner right in front of me. I totally did a double take but I just gave him a huge hug and told him how great it was to see him. We caught up for a minute and he said that he got the letter I sent and in reply he found out where I was serving and decided to make the 30 min. drive up to Chermside to visit me for the new year!
My companions and I sat next to him in church and he got up to bear his testimony. It was such a great experience to see that he is still way strong and firm on the Gospel. He also mentioned his New Year goal is to be like "living waters." It's about how something so soft can be so powerful to break down rocks. How fast it can move and how if it stops it can get stale and bad. He related that to how he always wants to be progressing and moving forward in the Gospel. I thought it was great since if we do cease to read the scriptures and pray, we will lose that zeal we have about the gospel.
I bore my testimony after he did about how much I love missionary work. How much joy it brings. I know I am involved in the most important work there is. How great is my calling?! I know that the Lord leads and guides our prophet.
It's true!
Love you all!
-Elder Adam Hales
Things have been so amazing and great I don't know where to start, like always.
Ha ha, yes I was able to play Santa Claus this year. That was fun. (* The office elders drove a van around and pulled a trailer to deliver all the gifts for the missionaries.)
Kelly Winder is such an awesome kid. I love him so much and am so excited to hear he got his call to Phili! Let him know that I am so excited for him, that he is going into the most important years of his life, and that I have a letter going his way.
I have been so excited lately. Things have been hard but still so smooth. Elder Lines, my new companion with Elder Mooney, is such a good missionary. I am able to learn so much from him.
Last Sunday I had one of those amazing moments as a missionary. One of those that just make you so full of joy. It was just a regular day at church. I was talking to a member and then turned around when they sat down and saw Tim Fenner right in front of me. I totally did a double take but I just gave him a huge hug and told him how great it was to see him. We caught up for a minute and he said that he got the letter I sent and in reply he found out where I was serving and decided to make the 30 min. drive up to Chermside to visit me for the new year!
My companions and I sat next to him in church and he got up to bear his testimony. It was such a great experience to see that he is still way strong and firm on the Gospel. He also mentioned his New Year goal is to be like "living waters." It's about how something so soft can be so powerful to break down rocks. How fast it can move and how if it stops it can get stale and bad. He related that to how he always wants to be progressing and moving forward in the Gospel. I thought it was great since if we do cease to read the scriptures and pray, we will lose that zeal we have about the gospel.
I bore my testimony after he did about how much I love missionary work. How much joy it brings. I know I am involved in the most important work there is. How great is my calling?! I know that the Lord leads and guides our prophet.
It's true!
Love you all!
-Elder Adam Hales
Monday, January 4, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year
G'Day!
Wow! It has been the best year of my life and I am going to make it an even better year this year.
We had zone conference this week and President Richards answered a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation. It was amazing! The spirit was so strong. One of the greatest things I learned was that there is only one kind of perfect. Only one. I want to be a perfect missionary and a lot of times in the past I have tried to be different to gain trust of members. Now that I think back, I want members to think that I am a perfect missionary. Elder Holland told us in the MTC that we should give members every right to think that we are perfect. Of course we are not but that really put things into perspective with me. Christ was perfect. To make it to the Celestial Kingdom we have to be perfect. Are we trying to be perfect when we try to be different? No. :-)
This week has been great. We contacted a referral which is gold. We really felt like she is ready to hear the message that will change her life. The message that makes us perfect.
Thank you for your prayers. I feel them and am strengthened by them. Things couldn't be better. I love you mom and dad!
God Speed the right,
-Elder Hales
Siblings:
It was great to talk to all of you. I pray for the best for you!
**Note from mom: On New Years Eve, Adam hit his one year mark. I am amazed that it has gone by so quickly. Hopefully this last year will too.
Wow! It has been the best year of my life and I am going to make it an even better year this year.
We had zone conference this week and President Richards answered a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation. It was amazing! The spirit was so strong. One of the greatest things I learned was that there is only one kind of perfect. Only one. I want to be a perfect missionary and a lot of times in the past I have tried to be different to gain trust of members. Now that I think back, I want members to think that I am a perfect missionary. Elder Holland told us in the MTC that we should give members every right to think that we are perfect. Of course we are not but that really put things into perspective with me. Christ was perfect. To make it to the Celestial Kingdom we have to be perfect. Are we trying to be perfect when we try to be different? No. :-)
This week has been great. We contacted a referral which is gold. We really felt like she is ready to hear the message that will change her life. The message that makes us perfect.
Thank you for your prayers. I feel them and am strengthened by them. Things couldn't be better. I love you mom and dad!
God Speed the right,
-Elder Hales
Siblings:
It was great to talk to all of you. I pray for the best for you!
**Note from mom: On New Years Eve, Adam hit his one year mark. I am amazed that it has gone by so quickly. Hopefully this last year will too.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
We got the phone call today. Most of us were here and we got Michael's family on the webcam so that they could hear too. It was at 4:00 p.m. our time and we were anxiously waiting all day! Of course, it was the day after Christmas for him. He said that he went to members' homes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and was able to have a decent holiday meal both days.
He didn't sound "Aussie" like we thought he would -- not an accent to speak of. He is really dedicated to his mission and says in 5 weeks or so he would be transferred out of the office. He's given the opportunity to choose where he wants to go next, but says he really doesn't care and would let the President choose for him. As it stands now, he's so busy with office duties and then proselyting that he hardly has any time to mail letters or send pictures. But he PROMISES that there's a package coming to us with a thumb drive full of pictures.
He said he played cricket this morning. You know -- typical Christmas Day activity. (ha!) And then they had laundry to do. And all the flats there have washers and dryers. His brother and brother-in-law laughed at the "ease" of that.
He doesn't like us bringing up the fact that his mission is almost half over. That is so depressing to him! He is LOVIN' it and ended the call with: "The Church is true."
Thank you to all the blog readers and especially those of you who comment. We'll be having a give-a-way for commenters. (j/k) :-)
He didn't sound "Aussie" like we thought he would -- not an accent to speak of. He is really dedicated to his mission and says in 5 weeks or so he would be transferred out of the office. He's given the opportunity to choose where he wants to go next, but says he really doesn't care and would let the President choose for him. As it stands now, he's so busy with office duties and then proselyting that he hardly has any time to mail letters or send pictures. But he PROMISES that there's a package coming to us with a thumb drive full of pictures.
He said he played cricket this morning. You know -- typical Christmas Day activity. (ha!) And then they had laundry to do. And all the flats there have washers and dryers. His brother and brother-in-law laughed at the "ease" of that.
He doesn't like us bringing up the fact that his mission is almost half over. That is so depressing to him! He is LOVIN' it and ended the call with: "The Church is true."
Thank you to all the blog readers and especially those of you who comment. We'll be having a give-a-way for commenters. (j/k) :-)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Short and sweet
When our office was getting remodeled.Dear Family,
Thank you mom and dad for the card and money. Lifesaver.
Things are going great. We had interviews with President this week. I love that the most. President Richards is so loving and although there are so many missionaries, he cares about every single one. He really has been focusing on us making ourselves better so that we can be guided by the spirit to help others and the success is amazing. We have had more baptisms this year than any other year before.
This week we also found out about all of the transfers. I will be training a missionary to take my spot. And one of our AP's, Elder Olsen, is going home. He is the man. He has been in the office the whole time I have so it will be sad to see him go. I really have no idea when I'll call. President wants us to use members' phones 'cause it costs us too much and an American family in our ward gets free calls to America. I'll probably get permission to email to let you know when I'll call.
We only have 2-3 weeks to finish our Book of Mormon reading. It's amazing to look back on the pages I have read and see all the red that I have colored. There are some pages that are almost completely red. Thanks for everything. I'll talk to ya soon.
Love you all.
-Elder Adam Hales
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The meaning of "GQ-ing"
Dear family,
Things are going great here. Today we took the Executive Secretary, Elder Brown, with us on our P-Day. He is an 80 yr old pure Aussie so he knew a lot of cool things for us to see. Anyway he loves talking to us and telling stories so we knew he had an awesome time out with us too.
GQing is street contacting. We look for the Golden Question when talking to people. I guess missionaries in Australia have been doing it for ages.
Elder Winder is such a powerful missionary! We have such an awesome family.
Well, things have seemed to be tough again. A recent convert that we have been working with and teaching has fallen. Elder Mooney and I got to Coordination meeting on Thursday night and our Ward Mission Leader asked us to go give him a blessing because he was going into the hospital the next day. We have been working with him at least once a week since I have been in this area. His health isn't very good. When we got to his apartment he was half asleep. He let us in and we found him drunk and he had been smoking. He knows it's true 100 percent but he fell. He had a glass of alcohol on the table but he was so embarrassed and lied saying that it was juice. We didn't confront him about it because it wasn't the time. It was interesting because in the blessing I felt inspired to tell him to rely and trust on his Priesthood leaders. He may not be able to remember that but I have faith. I know that he will make it. He is such a good guy. He is in his 60's but has the health of an 80 year old and acts like a teenager. We will never give up on him because I know the Lord never would.
The AP's have a baptism tonight for a lady from Papau New Guinea. She is filled with the spirit. Elder Olsen will be baptizing her which is exciting because he goes home in a week. Poor guy. But us four missionaries are doing a musical item. (* "item." ha ha)
By the way, do you remember Alana and Dalin Leneham? She was baptized in Waterford after I left. I found out they are married and now expecting a baby!
I have been so blessed here. I know that this is the most important work and I LOVE it. No where else I would rather be. Thank you for the example you are mom and dad.
Love you all.
God Speed the Right
-Elder Hales
Things are going great here. Today we took the Executive Secretary, Elder Brown, with us on our P-Day. He is an 80 yr old pure Aussie so he knew a lot of cool things for us to see. Anyway he loves talking to us and telling stories so we knew he had an awesome time out with us too.
GQing is street contacting. We look for the Golden Question when talking to people. I guess missionaries in Australia have been doing it for ages.
Elder Winder is such a powerful missionary! We have such an awesome family.
Well, things have seemed to be tough again. A recent convert that we have been working with and teaching has fallen. Elder Mooney and I got to Coordination meeting on Thursday night and our Ward Mission Leader asked us to go give him a blessing because he was going into the hospital the next day. We have been working with him at least once a week since I have been in this area. His health isn't very good. When we got to his apartment he was half asleep. He let us in and we found him drunk and he had been smoking. He knows it's true 100 percent but he fell. He had a glass of alcohol on the table but he was so embarrassed and lied saying that it was juice. We didn't confront him about it because it wasn't the time. It was interesting because in the blessing I felt inspired to tell him to rely and trust on his Priesthood leaders. He may not be able to remember that but I have faith. I know that he will make it. He is such a good guy. He is in his 60's but has the health of an 80 year old and acts like a teenager. We will never give up on him because I know the Lord never would.
The AP's have a baptism tonight for a lady from Papau New Guinea. She is filled with the spirit. Elder Olsen will be baptizing her which is exciting because he goes home in a week. Poor guy. But us four missionaries are doing a musical item. (* "item." ha ha)
By the way, do you remember Alana and Dalin Leneham? She was baptized in Waterford after I left. I found out they are married and now expecting a baby!
I have been so blessed here. I know that this is the most important work and I LOVE it. No where else I would rather be. Thank you for the example you are mom and dad.
Love you all.
God Speed the Right
-Elder Hales
Picture at last
Marshall's baptism. My companion, Elder Hurst, is next to me. Elder Hoskins and Elder Mooney on the right.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Missionary moments and GO COUGARS!
Dear Mum and Dad:
My companion is a very big Ute fan. Ugh. (*we had told him about the game.) There is this young man in our ward who went to BYU for EFY and loved it so now his dream is to go to BYU and of course he gets texts from friends there. Anyway, all through church he comes up to me and says "BYU is up!"
I LOVED your letter this week. The missionary moment and Dad's getting to speak to the missionaries are such good news!!! :) Elder Nielsen of the Seventy said that he was about to give a talk one time at a Stake Conference and Elder Ballard asked to see his notes. Then he took his notes, put them in his briefcase and told him to speak on something he has NEVER talked on before. There are so many important aspects of missionary work to speak on but every missionary will be strengthened and edified by your testimony and that is always the best part.
Your missionary moment got me soooo excited! That is exactly what we ask members to look for. This man from South Central will feel the spirit in your home. Watch a few Christmas DVD's and pray for which one you feel you should give him. One of my favourites is Joy to the World. It teaches about Christmas and the Restoration. The missionaries probably have some extra. I probably have about a thousand in the office. We are having a campaign going on right now. Are there commercials going on in the USA? Our mission usually has about 40 baptisms because of referrals from the commercials.
I can't believe how fast time flies, especially in the office. I have been here for 3 transfers! Which is the longest I have been in an area! The ward here is great, my companion is a stud, and things are just awesome here. Things are getting pretty hectic now that it's almost transfer time again. What I do in the office is probably like Dad explaining what he does at work. My average day consists of picking up mail, booking flights and buses, small tasks, coordinating incoming and outgoing missionaries, ordering missionary supplies and answering the phone. Then we go out and work!!
The Assistants have the majority of the dinner appointments so we usually only have two a week. We both have a few families we work with.
Thank you so much for the packages! I got both in one day and my companion liked his stocking. They are hanging up in the office right now. :-) EVERYONE likes the EFY cd you sent! Thank you so much. I am excited to open the gifts.
Last Zone conference, President Richards talked about washing dishes and how he grew to love it. Not because he loves washing dishes but because he loves his wife and that he washes the dishes for her. He told us that we can grow to love things we don't like. I have grown to love tracting and GQing because I love God. We follow what He commands us because we love him.
This work is true, this work is real, this work is the Lord's.
If we pray for missionary opportunities they DO drop out of the sky. Our goal is to help others come unto Christ.
Love you mom and dad
-Elder Hales
My companion is a very big Ute fan. Ugh. (*we had told him about the game.) There is this young man in our ward who went to BYU for EFY and loved it so now his dream is to go to BYU and of course he gets texts from friends there. Anyway, all through church he comes up to me and says "BYU is up!"
I LOVED your letter this week. The missionary moment and Dad's getting to speak to the missionaries are such good news!!! :) Elder Nielsen of the Seventy said that he was about to give a talk one time at a Stake Conference and Elder Ballard asked to see his notes. Then he took his notes, put them in his briefcase and told him to speak on something he has NEVER talked on before. There are so many important aspects of missionary work to speak on but every missionary will be strengthened and edified by your testimony and that is always the best part.
Your missionary moment got me soooo excited! That is exactly what we ask members to look for. This man from South Central will feel the spirit in your home. Watch a few Christmas DVD's and pray for which one you feel you should give him. One of my favourites is Joy to the World. It teaches about Christmas and the Restoration. The missionaries probably have some extra. I probably have about a thousand in the office. We are having a campaign going on right now. Are there commercials going on in the USA? Our mission usually has about 40 baptisms because of referrals from the commercials.
I can't believe how fast time flies, especially in the office. I have been here for 3 transfers! Which is the longest I have been in an area! The ward here is great, my companion is a stud, and things are just awesome here. Things are getting pretty hectic now that it's almost transfer time again. What I do in the office is probably like Dad explaining what he does at work. My average day consists of picking up mail, booking flights and buses, small tasks, coordinating incoming and outgoing missionaries, ordering missionary supplies and answering the phone. Then we go out and work!!
The Assistants have the majority of the dinner appointments so we usually only have two a week. We both have a few families we work with.
Thank you so much for the packages! I got both in one day and my companion liked his stocking. They are hanging up in the office right now. :-) EVERYONE likes the EFY cd you sent! Thank you so much. I am excited to open the gifts.
Last Zone conference, President Richards talked about washing dishes and how he grew to love it. Not because he loves washing dishes but because he loves his wife and that he washes the dishes for her. He told us that we can grow to love things we don't like. I have grown to love tracting and GQing because I love God. We follow what He commands us because we love him.
This work is true, this work is real, this work is the Lord's.
If we pray for missionary opportunities they DO drop out of the sky. Our goal is to help others come unto Christ.
Love you mom and dad
-Elder Hales
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