10-4 Good Buddy

Alright so this week has been uppity up and downity down... but last time I checked I'm still wearing my tag, I'm still a missionary, and I'm still alive so that must be why. Long story short I left dear sweet Poplar Creek and dear sweet Sister Allen and journeyed to the land of Greeneville Tennessee with my new companion Hermana See. She came out at the same time as my trainer Hermana Yauney, she has been out almost 14 months and is from Portland Oregon. She is am extremely hard worker and I have learned an insane amount from her in just a few short days. This area is amazing, it's been quite the experience coming into an area that already has people to teach, a clean place to live, and someone who knows the area. Because whitewashing has been all I've ever known. I've served in two previous areas where neither companion knew anything about the area, the people, or the apartment...  however this has been different. And my response to the change has been different. Not going to lie the first couple of days were ROUGH. My inward struggles were so real. For starters there isn't that common bond between companions like there is while whitewashing when both of you are thrown into the unknown together. I feel like a new missionary all over again and have to keep reminding myself I actually do know what I'm doing. With all that being said I really have been blessed with some incredible experiences this past week. This area really is on fire, they have been pulling double digit numbers of investigators each week which is incredible for the South. However I am beginning to understand and starting to believe that it can happen in any area. And the reason and way is actually super obvious but it is also something that I've never witnessed or maybe I have but it never clicked.

The way to get new investigators is this:
Be yourself right off the bat.
Get to testifying right away
Talk about the restoration
 and drumroll please...
 YOU DON'T GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO SAY YES OR NO.
 Gone are my days of saying: "We are sharing a message about Jesus Christ that we can promise will bless your life, would you be interested in us coming back?" Ahhh I'm cringing!!!! It's so obvious no one will buy into that... well I mean some do but the majority around here say something like "No, I already go to church" "I already know Jesus" and/or the classic: "I'm Baptist!" But thosr responses can't be said to something like: "We know that our message is true and we go around sharing it all day everyday... we will be back in this area next Wednesday and would love to come back and share more with you around 2:00 does that work" if answer is yes: "Great! What is your number?" If no: "What day would be better"  Y'all.... with this approach, we got 10 investigators in four days.... FOUR DAYS!!!! Hence My title this week: 10-4 good buddy. 10 investigators 4 days.... My land, where the heck am I?!?!?!?! Oh yeah... right where I am supposed to be! God is so good! He knows what we need even if we don't want to change.

At Zone Conference this past week Elder Legrand Curtis from the seventy came and his wife asked us all what the biggest blessing of our mission has been... Of the many things that were shared that I agree with I contributed the following: "I understand repentance. It is change. I am happiest when I'm changing, and I can't imagine going through the rest of my life without knowing that." I meant it then and I mean it now. I'm definitely being stretched in this new area, it's a lot of newness, and more responsibility. But as one of my favorite returned missionaries Annie Gardner once told me:


 "Be where your feet are and love where your feet are."  My feet are currently in a cute little Tennessean town called Greeneville and when I'm on them and moving and working drama decreases, pity diminishes, and I feel so much better about life. Work is the cure for so many things. So let me give you a run down of my life this past week, and give you an update about where my feet and I have been, and how I'm growing to love it.

- My feet kept moving even though my legs were complete jello after doing cross fit with a ward member at a different church. Those people at Church of Christ are beasty. I could barely walk for the next four days. But I loved it.

-My feet walked away from my home and comp in Poplar Creek, my heart was ripping to shreds, but I'm working on loving it here.




- My feet jumped into a tiny little car crammed full of shtuff that was mine to journey the hour and a half to my new area, and I tried to love being there.



- My feet forced me to walk into a bunch of administrative meetings I felt completely inadequate at, especially when I was supposed to give a spiritual thought and no one told me until they announced it as part of the program. So off the cuff I shared my 2 Timothy "sermon" and prayed it didn't sound flustered. And I worked to love being there out of my comfort zone, new, nervous, trying to take everything in.

- My feet walked between aisles at the local food bank as we served the people and assisted them in having meals on their tables for the next month. And I loved being there with the sweet elderly people who took me right under their wings and talked to me and quoted scripture and laughed with one another.

- My feet allowed me to stand and greet many of the sweet ward members that are making this huge change bearable, I already have such a love for them especially the guy who showed up in a full purple suit, socks, fedora, and Prince lapel pin. What a guy. He's my current fav. And I loved being there meeting so many people, it's the biggest ward I've been in so far, and the people are amazing.

- My feet kept up with my companion as we tracted and found people, one night 3 new people in 30 minutes. One of them was even Spanish! Wow!!!! I loved being there and am excited to return back and teach!

- My feet held me upright when I gave a talk in sacrament meeting without any notes or really even an outline on what I wanted to say, I prayed that I could open my mouth and it would be filled, and it was. I loved being there.

- My feet bounced up and down when I was so nervous during a lesson where we both felt prompted to promise a woman if she came to church her prayers would be answered. And we did. And they were. And I loved being there.

- My feet danced as I jumped up when a huge cricket crawled up one sister's neck and then jumped onto the table, into an elders lap, then down on the floor, and up anothet elders pants. It was so funny I love this new zone I am in.

- My feet sat still as an Elder gave me a blessing after the request of my new companion that we start the transfer off right. I am so grateful and loved being in that room with that sweet spirit.

- My feet have tucked underneath me as I kneel and pray and pray and pray and I love being there speaking with my Heavenly Father who listens, hears, and answers my every prayer.

My feet have gotten me here and I am so grateful. I love being here on a mission. I'm so grateful for the trust the Lord has in me, the strength I receive from Him, the things He allows me to learn, and growth He encourages me to experience.

Every day we take steps closer to or away from Him.

May it be closer, and when it's away, let us repent and take those steps to be better.

Love Y'all

Take care,

Love,
Hermana Hall

10-4 Good Buddy