Collapsing Boys and New Friends

Collapsing Boys and New Friends

Shout Outs!!!!!!!!!!

I got a letter from Tory asking me for some advice about going into Junior High and let me tell you Tory, you came to the right missionary! There is the best advice I can give you

1. Find a good group of guys who play football at lunch and be their best friend

2. If you need a break from class take a long walk to the water fountain 

3. You are going to find that a lot of your class mates are going to start acting REALLY weird... dont worry, its just their crazy hormones...

4. A real friend accepts you for who you are and doesnt try and change you. If your friends start pressuring you into doing things you dont want to do, ditch them! 

Kerry Roberts I got all the pictures you sent me and I keep them in my purse and show random people on the street haha! They are wonderful and I love them SO much! I've also found a few potential wives for Justin... you are welcome ;)

I got your package mom and oh my gosh you are THE greatest! It put such a smile on Sister Rogers and mine faces and we shared all the goodies with my district. The elders say THANK YOU! I also adored the theme to this package :) I told Sam about it and she just about died. Her and her daughters song is "you are my sunshine" so she thought your package idea was top notch!

My Sunshine package!!

So Dad... your ward has the best missionaries in the world eh?! Haha I can take that! The Lord has done a wonderful job of humbling me on my mission. Sister Rogers and I are actually trying to brainstorm some more effective ways to work with the ward council and our ward mission leader so PLEASE tell me what these missionaries are doing that is so effective! Ask them for some good advice fOR Sister Hall :)

Alright folks, let me fill you in on this weeks adventures!

First off, some of you may not know, but I really wanted to serve in Africa somewhere where it was really dangerous and where there were lots of gangs.... needless to say, my mom no doubt pleaded with Heavenly Father to send me anywhere but there. And here I am in Oakville, one of the richest areas in Ontario haha! But alas, after much searching, Sister Rogers and I have found the rougher part of town and now have an investigator named Steve! He is an alcoholic who has a hole in his heart that needs to be filled. The fiRst time we meet with Steve, him and his buddies were sitting outside and we asked if we could share a message with them. They welcomed us in and we started talking about how they could find greater happiness! We were happily chatting when Steve randomly jumped up and told me to stand up... I slowly got up and he proceeded to give me a hug.... BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sister Rogers almost died laughing at the expression on my face! After she told me my eyes were about as big as golf balls and I looked like I was about to vomit or something haha. 
Needless to say, it will take some work, but we have already seen him 3 times and have him with a date for september 22nd. We havent been able to see him sober yet, but we are hopeful! 

-->Side note: dont fret mother, I dont actually go looking for trouble ;) 

Steve is in the middle, Wayne is to the left and the other guy is from Newfoundland! 

As for our other investigators....
Sam never ceases to amazing me :) She came to church this week and LOVED it, she even cried during sacrament meeting
Sammy also came to church this sunday and got a priesthood blessing for his health. He enjoyed church and has got a few old men friends now which is really nice 

Mario we havent gotten to see for a little over a week now because he went away for the weekend :( 

FLASH BACK 

Does anyone remember me talking about the less active 21 year old named John???? He really made an impression on me even though we only got to see him twice before handing him over to the YSA elders. Anyways, I had been thinking about him lately and was wondering what had ever happened to him so Sister Rogers and I decided to give him a call. He was happy to hear from us and when we asked him if he had been seeing the missionaries we were unimpressed to hear that there hadnt been any contact except a phone call -___- Boys..... I decided to take matters into my own hands (this is so Sister Hall! -J) and set up a time that we could meet with John again. We got to see him a few days later and we asked how things had been going. We talk with him a little about where he sees his life going. He admitted to us that his life wasn't turning out the way he had envisioned it and it was due to the poor decisions he had made in his life. 

Sister Halls insights: While listening to John, it became so clear to me how much Heavenly Father is trying to help him.The spirit has helped him to realize
1. the worldly things arent bringing him happiness
2. the difference between the happiness that people in the church have compared to others
3. and in just a few minuets John went from not knowing if there is a God to looking me in the eye and telling me there is no way there isnt a God.... (literally, I asked him if he believed in God and he said he wasnt sure and a few minuets later after talking some more, he told me there was no way there wasnt one... he could just feel something)

In the end I told John that I was going to call his elders and we were going to make an appointment right then and there for them to see him. He paused for a few seconds and then said, "Man when you said that, I just got this really warm feeling like this is what I need to do." 

Before we left I got John to write down his email for me and I told him that when I got off my mission I was going to look him up and see how he's doing. He seemed to appreciate that :) 

This is John, he will do great things.

BIG NEWS: I had my first King Lamoni experience... let me explain

So on Sunday we had a dinner with the Tiemen family. They are awesome! Brother Tiemen has a sense of humor like Uncle James so I really enjoy watching him banter with his 4 little boys. Anyways, while having dinner I mentioned that one of my goals on my mission was to have someone so overcome by the spirit, that they pass out for a few days. They all had a good laugh over it and we continued to eat. About 30 minuets later we finish up dinner, I share a spiritual thought, and conclude in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.... Next thing I know their oldest son collapses! We are all confused and then realize that he was SO over come by the spirit that he passed out! Hahaha needless to say he is my new favourite.

Line of the week: So we are talking with Steve and some of his slightly intoxicated friends and out of no where we get this question.....

Wayne: "Here is the real question, where are Adam and Eves Belly buttons?! They came from God, right out of the air! They can't have belly buttons..."

Rogers & Hall: ".............."

Scripture of the week: Alma 13: 27-28

"And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance.

But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;...."

A Haiku for You: 

over come

No one left untouched

Gods knows all

You are all beautiful sons and daughters of God, go out and act like it :D 

Sister Hall