Angels Among Us

This email is going to have a pretty serious tone, I feel prompted to share about one of the most guided and incredible miracles I have witnessed in my mission and in my life. I pray that all who read it feel the spirit testify that they too are so very aware of and that there truly are as the song says and the verse testifies there are "angels among us," (Alabama) and who are "round about us to bear us up." (D&C 84:88).

I found it interesting that, that was something that was referenced at the funeral of President Monson. He loved and appreciated the verse in D&C 84:88 about guiding angels. He knew it to be true and President Uchtdorf explained that it guided him in all that he did and made him optimistic and gave him confidence. With that in mind I went about my day as a missionary leading up to a long conversation with my companion who is struggling with the thought of going home in 6 short weeks. The result of our conversation was a prompting for us to both receive priesthood blessings the following day.

Which we asked for, and we received. I am so grateful to be serving near worthy and willing elders who answered the call and provided the desired and needed blessings. I went into the experience hoping and praying that my companion's prayers would be answered, which they were. However, I was not anticipating the reminder and guidance that I received.

 The elder who gave me the blessing said that I should remember that I have angels around me, some are even past family members, and they are guiding me. . . Wow.

A specific person instantly came to mind as he said those words. Someone who has passed away since I've been on my mission. Someone I was very close to, someone I still am very close to. This week marks the year mark of her passing and I have had her on my mind for quite some time, I just didn't realize that I was on her mind as well.

Because as we left the Church that day and went out to work, we had a good lesson with a member family who lived in a part of our area we don't go to very often. It was cold, it was windy, it was gloomy. And after that lesson we had 4 hours until the next one and we didn't know what we should be doing or where we should be going. We were pulled over on the side of the road, in the boonies, growing in frustration by the minute. Not wanting to just fill time, but to use it effectively. But we didn't know how. As we prayed both vocally and silently. I remember asking Heavenly Father, "Am I really guided? I don't feel so now." Soon after, my companion grabbed the GPS typed something in and said, "Ok I picked this road let's go." Off we went, to a road that had three trailers and a house on it. The first one, the very first one, yelled at us and told us to leave. The next one was busy, the third one was abandoned, and the last house we were able to talk to the guy who had never seen missionaries out that way, but was kind enough to chat with us in the bitter cold for about 15 minutes but still turned us away after explaining to us that he was always forcefed religion but that he appreciated we weren't there recruiting just inviting and if he was ever interested he would call.

We walked back to the car and pulled away and Sister Beare turned to me with a smile and said "Alright, your turn, pick a street." I pulled up my map, zoomed into where our next appointment was going to be, and found a street that stuck out to me above the rest: Swecker Rd... Problem was I had no idea where that was in relationship to us, I had no idea where we were in the boonies, we were just following the spirit. And our GPS didn't like Swecker Rd, it wouldn't pull it up. So I tried another but still felt like we needed to go to Swecker. I asked Sister Beare if she could pull up where we currently were to see if we could wing it and go based off of the map not our GPS. She did and non-coincidentally (because there is no such thing as a coincidence) we saw that we were going to pass right by Swecker Rd. on our way out to the main road...

So we headed that way, turned up the street, I scanned and prayed and chose a house, who had the cutest big black jumping dog that we played fetch with. Unfortunately his owner was not jumping up and down with excitement to see us and turned us away. As we walked back to the car I looked across the property and saw a cozy looking house tucked away next door. I knew we needed to go there next. There was no questioning, it was: we are going there, right now.

So we did. An elderly couple answered the door and thought we were representing a different church and quickly threw out three excuses as to why they couldn't talk to us long. But we clarified we were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and to our surprise they said "Oh! Well step inside!" I was completely shocked. And even more shocked when the woman explained that she had a son that was a member, and a grandson on a mission in California. I will openly admit that sometimes I get skeptical about people when they talk about how they have family members out on missions as well because a lot of the time their "mission trips" aren't LDS missions so they aren't really that familiar with the Church or missionaries. But this lady was... as we continued to talk to her it was evident that her son really was a member of our church and that her grandson really was a missionary for the Church in California. This woman was really familiar with our beliefs and even knew a lot of the local ward members, and asked for us to tell them hello. It finally occurred to me to ask her, as she was speaking... how she knew these people.

Her response was almost amusing as she said, "Oh I used to go to that church a little bit about 21 years ago..." Again we were shocked, she said that she wasn't sure of her schedule but wanted to give us a call and have us come back and share a message and a meal with her and her husband. She then gave us her name which had changed since she was coming to our church because she had been remarried in those 21 years. We took down her information and she asked if we would say a prayer with her, which we did, and we headed out back into the cold. We knew we had been guided there, there was no denying it. Yet as I was plugging her information into my tablet as we sat in their driveway I turned to my companion and asked her if I had the right last name, she said it was and asked why I was questioning it.

Her name was the exact name, first and last, of my angel.

I said a heartfelt and tearfilled prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father for showing me, in my frustrated and doubtful state, that He is aware. That He meant what He said when He shared with me in that blessing that I really do have angels guiding me. He knows us, He cares about us. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to feel loved. He wants us to help each other. And He gives us every opportunity to do so. He answers prayers, He is patient when we doubt, patient when we lack. He blesses us when we don't deserve it.

A scripture a missionary once shared with me sums my feelings up perfectly

Mosiah 4: 5-6       

5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—
6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body

7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.


I have been awakened to my own sense of nothingness in relation to God. I have come to a knowledge of His goodness, His matchless power, His wisdom, His patience, and His long-suffering towards each of us, but especially towards me. I also have learned about the Atonement, through which grace is provided that if I put my trust in the Lord, be obedient and have faith in His promises and the promptings of His Spirit, this is the way to salvation. And not just salvation in the next life. But this is how I'm saved on a daily basis, from doubt, from despair, from concern, worry, regret, hate, and temptation.

He guides us through all of the elements of a fallen world, and He shows us that we are not alone.

I've always loved the quote by Spencer W. Kimball:
"God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs."

This week I have come to a faith and a knowledge that those people that "meet our needs" and answers our prayers are on both sides of the veil. There are so many around us, there are so many who love us, who want to help us. We shouldn't ever feel alone, humbled yes. Alone, never.

I know this is true, there are angels among us, they go forth paving the way of happiness before us, showing us how we can more fully follow the Savior, follow Him home to live with Him, with Heavenly Father, and with them.

I'm so grateful for the Plan of Salvation, for the miracles I witness on a daily basis and for the ones I don't even recognize because I know they are there. I know He is there, I know They are there.

I love and pray for y'all and thank you for your prayers. I'm sure many of the experiences I have are an answer to your prayers in my behalf. My heart is full and I know I am loved.

Thank you.

I hope you each can have experiences this week and into the future which leave you unable to deny that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and your own army of angels know you and help you,  guide you and bear you up.

Alma 26:37 He is oh so very mindful.

Have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Hall

Demo Day

 Wowwwwww. It has been quite a week. Quite a: bitter-cold-work-our-tails-off-see-loads-of-people-clean-up-lots-of-records-and-count-your-many-blessings-week. It has been wonderful, and tiring, and so bitter cold. It was 8 degrees one day... 8, with humidity and wind chill it felt like 8 below. My hands went numb whenever I took off my gloves, ay ay ay hace mucho frío aquí!!!!

Oh and that's another thing, I've been able to practice my Spanish more this week which has been AMAZING, we have given time to studies and received some Spanish referrals from the nearby elders, most of them haven't been home... love that... ugh. BUT there was one guy that nearby Sisters had referred us and Hermana See and I had tried to go see and were never able to meet him but struggled HARD CORE through a conversation with his mom who knew absolutely no English. She did accept a pamphlet though, but then told us she couldn't read small print. Darn. But we went back this past week I was u-turning to park and caught a glimpse of a guy getting in His truck, which is when you pray a quick prayer with your eyes open, and jump out of the car to try to get him before he leaves. Which is exactly what happened. We were able to talk to him, actually both of us were because he spoke really good English so Sister Beare isn't a Spanish missioanry but she was still able to teach and testify as well, and I was able to use a nice mix of Spanish and English and talk to him too. He preached to us for a while about the Bible and Paul and dropped the word Gentiles which is basically like kicking the door open for us to be able to take hold of the reins and steer the conversation straight into the Book of Mormon, El Libro de Mormón. Which we did, and we gave him a copy, and he said that he would like to read it. We so hope and pray he does! It was great, and even though I lost my brand new gloves in the hopping out of the car excitement, it was worth it. So worth it. And I have reason to believe more Spanish opportunities are headed my way, so that's scary exciting. Scary because I feel like my Spanish is still MTC level, because it is, I lack faith that I'll ever understand conjugation anything. But the Lord has a plan and He'll help me even if He humbles me to the dust first.

BUT anyway, back to our week here. I titled this thing "demo day" in honor of one of my all time favorite and dearly missed home remodeling tv shows on HGTV: "FIXER UPPER" oh if I could be a missionary in Waco Texas I would march straight to Chip and Joanna Gaines' house and share the gospel, and then I'd go to all the their cute houses they have built and share it with the cute families that live in them, and anyone else who would listen. Oh boy, I must be a missionary... rereading that... hahaha oh well I'm leaving it, because it's so true, I think they would be the greatest little LDS family. And I heard that she is pregnant!!!! Yayyyy!!!! Ok I'm getting off track again, soooo on this fixer upper show, they have during their remodels and reconstructing what is called "demo day" when they go to town tearing apart, tearing down, and otherwise demolishing and gutting rooms and areas that need to be cleaned up and rebuilt. And that accurately and perfectly describes what Sister Beare and I have been doing in Greeneville. You see we have our area book, it's on our devices and contains the record and history (I sound like a writer in the Book of Mormon right now ;) of people that missionaries have contacted in the past but often haven't made it back to, for anywhere from 3-300 days! Actually scratch that, there was one lady that hadn't been seen for 1,200 days. That is over 3 years. Goodness. So we demolished our records. We went and tried to see sooo many of these people, got a feel for who they were and how much they knew and remembered about missionaries and the message we share, and if they wanted to learn more. A lot of the time the answer was not right now, a lot of the time they didn't even live there any more, so we were able to talk to the new people that lived there and see if they were interested.

It's so interesting to see how different missionaries work, being with different companions you see how many different perspectives and ways of doing missionary work there are. And the best part is there isn't one perfect way. There isn't one right way or one wrong way, the key is finding a good balance of what works for both of you and then going out and doing it. And that's what we have done. Sister Beare has taught me that there is value and importance in "dropping people" Which means we change the status of their records so it shows we aren't actively teaching them at this time but their records are still there for future missionaries to see and go follow up when prompted. She also has taught me there is value in deleting people's records. This one was shocking to me. If people haven't been taught very much or really aren't interested she has taught me that we can delete there records so 1: they don't clutter up our area book, 2: don't get pounded by missionaries who keep going back when they really aren't ready and 3: (this is my favorite one) it puts them back in the Lord's hands trusting that He will lead missionaries back when they are ready. I love that one. There have definitely been times I have gone to a house and talked to the person knowing a lot about them and they have been pretty rude, sometimes I wish that I could have gone into it not ever knowing that they had met missionaries before, not playing dumb but really just not even knowing anything about them... but trusting that the Spirit knows where they are and will lead us there. So this way allows for that. There have been some amazing miracles as a result two people that haven't been seen in months all of the sudden when we dropped them either called us, or a few days later we ran into them and reschedule an appointment. One guy literally 10 minutes after dropping someone, texted us and we have an appt with him tonight.

The culmination of this week, and miracle of miracles was on Sunday, of course. It seems that tender mercies always abound on Sundays. This one, wow this one goes down in the books. This guy we met last week at church came with a member family. He has had a rough upbringing but this family always took him in and helped him out. He knows a LOT about the church and made some really good comments in the gospel principles lesson we gave on the sacrament. We asked everyone in the class to ponder something they could sacrifice and bring it to the sacrament table the next week and offer it up. They said they would but honestly we weren't sure if anyone remembered, but this guy did. In fast and testimony meeting he got up and bore a sweet and sincere testimony of his experiences learning about the church and being in the member family's home. He then came up to us after gospel principles and said that he had thought a lot about what we asked the class to do last week, that he offered up his cigarettes this week, he is going to quit smoking. And then he said, "I've decided I'm committed and I've been thinking about baptism and going to the temple and I want to get there." Ummmm yeah, so we have never even taught this guy before! He is so amazing! And let me also say through all of our cleaning out we have been doing in our area book we found his information and have been able to update it and hopefully start teaching him! We are so excited!!!!

Overall it has been such an incredible week, I've learned a lot, worked a lot, laughed a lot, and come home so tired every day. It's great. That's what I want to do every day is come home tired, and at the end of my mission come home tired, and at the end of my life: come home tired.

I had a random song pop into my mind as I was doing laundry this morning... It's by the Mowgli's and it's called "I'm Good" the chorus says something like: "I'm good, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good, living life just like I should, wouldn't change it if I could I'm good I'm good I'm good!"

I'm so good, and hope y'all are too! Keep sharing the gospel by living the gospel, work hard, play hard, demo what needs to be cleared and cleaned away and come home tired!

Love y'all

Love,
Hermana Hall

P.S.
This is a random funny story that I wanted to include... we were over at a member's house and they were talking about how they tried to space having their kids apart by 2 or 3 years and the mom turned to their daughter and said "We wanted you to come sooner but you must have gotten lost somewhere and taken a detour or something" without missing a beat the little girl goes "I took the stairs!" Hahaha! Oh how I love little kids!!!!! The youngest boy in this same family threw something at Sister Beare giggled and yelled "LEGENDARY!!!!" Hahahahahaha again, so funny!!!!

Dropping Burdens

Once upon a time last week I mentioned that we traveled to Bristol Virginia for a meeting with our Stake President. I shared a couple of experiences about that meeting but I didn't share about an adventure we had on the way up there. For months Sister See and I had wanted to take a picture by the "Welcome to Virginia" sign when we went there for meetings. But we always, without fail missed the exit. However this time, this time... we were going to make it. We watched for it the entire time, were in the right lane and successfully made the exit and parked at the rest stop. We were able to take a picture for a family in front of a sign that spelled out L-O-V-E, because apparently Virginia "is for lovers" whatever that means... Anyway then we walked along this muddy field to get to the "Welcome to Virginia" sign. As we did so a man jumped out of his van with his family and volunteered to take our picture if we took one of him. He was traveling to New York to be with extended family for Christmas. He and his family live in Dallas but originate from somewhere in Asia, I'm not sure where. He was so friendly though, and wanted to take a picture with us, so we agreed. Always great when you can pretend to be a celebrity. Anyway we took pictures with him and he was just the funniest guy, had a Christian background and accepted a light the world card from us. Which had our number on it, but we didn't think that would matter because no one actually ever calls us.

Fast forward to this past Sunday a week later. Sister Beare, my new companion (more to come on her later) and I are traveling back from trying to find a new move in that Bishop asked us to find. Side note, recent move in my foot, the grumpy old guy that answered the door said that he has lived there for 35 years, knows no one with that name, but that people from our church have been coming by randomly for a couple years looking for that family and that we need to get a new approach and he isn't interested in oír religion. Whoa... note taken... sorry to bother you Sir. Maybe in the next life you'll know who we are talking about and we can all sit down together and have a discussion about the gospel. But back to the story at hand... Sister Beare and I are just about to get out of the car, when the phone rings. We answer it on speaker phone and not going to lie I thought it was a brother in the ward who is from Mexico, he has a thick accent and was asking if he was talking to Hermana See or Hermana Hall. I said it was Hermana Hall and after about a minute and a half of talking to him and asking about his vacation (because the ward member was traveling back from vacation that day) it finally occurs to me this isn't who I think it is and I ask who it is we are talking to. I was floored when he said his name and says "we met at the rest stop in Virginia and you gave me your card, I wanted to call and wish you and Hermana See a Happy New Year!" HAHAHAHAHAHA! Someone actually called our number YAYYYYY!!!! As funny and shocking as it was he said a few things that I found profound and I want to share.

After realizing who we were now talking to I remembered that he had been on his way to NY so I asked him how it was and asked if he was going to see the ball drop in Times Square. He said yes he and his family were planning on it and that he was pondering on the concept of the ball dropping and came up with a spiritual application. He said that "I was thinking about a good symbolism about the dropping of the ball, I thought about how the ball is slowly dropping, not going up, but down, and it signals the end of 2017, and the beginning of 2018 and for me that means that we have to drop, applying it to our lives, we have to drop our baggages, the loads, the heavy burdens that we had in 2017 so when we move on to a new year we will be lighter. And it reminded me of the biblical passage, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11: 28"

Don't you just LOVE that?! Isn't that what a new year is all about? A fresh start. And opportunity to drop baggage and move forward with faith.   As I've contemplated my previous year and all that lies ahead I am excited for what the future holds and the hope that awaits each one of us. Too often we tend to get caught up in the past. Whether it be past mistakes, past memories, or past regrets. It is easy to look back with longing or remorse when really we should be looking forward to the future, knowing that it really is "as bright as our faith" (Thomas S. Monson).

Because of our Savior Jesus Christ we have a future of new beginnings and possibilities, we have the ability to repent, to change.

I think I can safely say that in the year 2017 I have done more repenting and changing than any other year before, and it is all because I am drawing closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and helping others to do the same. That is where true joy comes from, and there's a whole lot more of it to be had, in the FUTURE! There are opportunites all around us in right now, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day. FOREVER, so just like my Virginia buddy said, we need to drop our baggages, drop our regrets and just move forward. Don't look back. A favorite Mormon Message of mine uses the experience of Lot's Wife to illustrate this point. Imagine this woman, they lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, a wicked place, they were surrounded by temptations and lusts of the world and they were commanded to leave. They probably left a lot of baggage there, they left their home, their lifestyle, their friends, their social life, their extended family, their habits, their routines, their normal. And they followed the Lord. Trusting that His will for them was to leave and to journey to a new land, a protected land, a holy land, a holy and protected life. And He asked them to not look back at what they had left. And for the most part they didn't.

All except, Lot's wife. Now we don't know in full what the situation was, what she was like. She could have been longing for home for family and for her normal, we have all felt  that way before. But when following the Lord we need to trust Him and to look to Him and none else. And that is exactly what she didn't do, she looked back. And it halted her progression, it turned her into something different, salt. If only she hadn't looked back she could have kept moving forward with her family and been able to receive all that the Lord had in store for her.

So how does that apply to us? I'll apply it to myself and then let each of you apply it to yourselves. The Lord asked me to leave, to leave my life, my home, my lifestyle, my friends, my social life, my extended family, my habits, my routines, and my normal. And to follow Him. Trusting in His will for me was to leave and journey to a new land and receive protection and become more holy. And He has asked me to not look back. For the most part I don't. But sometimes I do, sometimes I worry, sometimes I wonder, sometimes I miss my past memories, sometimes I worry about past mistakes, or missed opportunities. And each time I get caught up in looking back... I, like Lot's wife am stunted in my growth and my perspective. I become something that I'm not intended to be. I become sad, worried, and lack confidence. None of those things are what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want me to be and feel. That's what Satan wants me to be.
That's how he wants me to feel. And that isn't ok.

So guess what the beautiful part of this is? Is every 24 hours we get a new chance to have a new day and be better. A woman in that video I mentioned says it best, "Each day is the beginning of a new year, and it's the first day, literally the first day of the rest of your life." A man concludes the video by saying, "Just live for it. Live for the future."

I can testify that living for the future, looking ahead is so much better than looking behind. Sure it is scary, trust me when I can say I relate to having a fear of the unknown. But that has changed a lot in the past year as I have been on my mission. I was talking to Sister Beare about this, which by the way I remember I said I would tell y'all more about her so let me take a sec and do that right now... She is from Sacramento California, she has been on her mission for 16 months, she is an incredible missionary, we get along great, I have been so blessed by amazing companions who have all taught me so much and influenced my life for the better. Ok but I was talking with her about this, about how so many things that we encounter on a daily basis would have stressed me right out, back at home. Miscommunications, ridicule, failure to plan, failed plans, etc. Those things would have weighed me down back home, back in 2016... but in 2017 I got over that. I learned how to trust the Lord. I learned how to find His will. I learned how to pray like I hav never prayed, to trust like I have never trusted, and to live like I have never lived before. And you know what? I am excited for the future. It is full of possibilites both for me, for the people I meet on a daily basis, and for each of you.

So let's all live for it. Let's ring in this New Year with hope!

Oh and one more thing, before I left on my mission my sweet sweet younger brother brought to my attention: "You won't ever set foot in our house in the year 2017." Ouch. Well that may have been true but we can't say that about 2018!!!! Woooooo!!!!

BUT. There's more to do before then, so much to look forward to.

I am so grateful!

Love y'all, Happy and Blessed New Year!
Love, Hermana Hall


Saying "See you later" To Sister See! Best Wishes at BYUI!!!!


Also "See you Later" To Sister Yauney-Trainer Best wishes at USU!!!


Coordinated and Matching tights!  Sister Yauney trained her well!!!


Oops... The vehicle coordinator told them they were going out with a BANG! literally! (neither of them were at fault...)


Its A Small World.... Elder Anderson's mom and Sister Hall's mom were mission companions (LAVC AQUI)






Love,
Hermana Hall

No Better Way to Celebrate Christmas

Yesterday we attended a meeting with our stake President in Brisol Virginia. Sister See, and I, as well as our Zone Leaders: Elder Macdonald and Elder Frederick were able to share and talk about the needs of our zone here in the Kingsport Stake and correlate our efforts with those of the leaders of the stake. After talking about the problems and concerns of dozens of people we wrapped the meeting up and President asked us if there was anything else we wanted to talk to him about. We told him there wasn't but thanked him for being willing to meet with us on Christmas Eve. His response floored me: "I can't think of a better way to celebrate the Christmas season than by being on the Lord's errand." Ummm okay! I want to be a disciple like President Bauserman, he is the man! And I completely agree with what he said! There is no better way to be celebrating Christmas this year than by being on the Lord's errand, by being a missionary in the great TKM! I am so grateful!!!!!! 

Yesterday at Christmas Eve Church our Bishop and his wife spoke and did a wonderful job reminding us about the reason for the season and the reason for life: Jesus Christ. Our Bishop's wife referenced a talk by Elder Causse (who also is the man!) called, "Preparing a Place for the Lord." In it he talks about how our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born and raised in simple circumstances but that will not be the case when He returns. He then asks us to reflect on how we can prepare "welcoming places for Him for the day He returns." And he offers us four suggestions of how we can best prepare. I want to outline these four suggestions and share stories along with them.

1. Go to the Temple.
I briefly mentioned last week that we had plans to go to the temple this week. Well 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning that is exactly what we got up and did! We slept in a sweet member couple's car for four hours down twisty turny roads all the way to Columbia South Carolina. A recent convert, the half-footed vet, was there as well and he said that he didn't fall asleep until 1:00 a.m. because he was so excited! We were able to do 20 of his family names. 2 of which were his parents. His remark after being baptized and confirmed for his father was: "There is no word in the English language to describe the way that I feel right now, I am so warm and tingley, and I know that he and the Holy Spirit were right there with me." He also said that walking into the temple was like "walking into heaven." It was incredible to be a part of this lifechanging experience for him. Sister See and I were able to take his mom, and a female relative from 1859 whose name was Nancy and do their initiatory and endowment. It was such a privilege, and such a sweet experience to be proxy for a woman who shares the same name as my sweet mama. No coincidences on that one! It was also really important for me to be able to go and add names to the prayer roll. Both people I have met out here as well as people that have reached out to me and told me that they write my name on there each time they go. Thank you! What a great way to prepare for Christmas and prepare for Christ! Elder Causse says it best when he says: "One of the best ways we, as His disciples can prepare for His Second Coming is to go regularly to His holy house and bind ourselves to Him through sacred covenants." 

2. Prepare Your Home
My family, oh my sweet family. Talking to them today was such a long-awaited and counted-down to time! Ugh I just love them, I cannot even adequately express how much I love them. I am so grateful for the way that they have prepared our home so that the Spirit could be there and that I could learn all that I did so that I could use those experiences to prepare for my time as a missionary here in Tennessee. I am grateful for my companion Sister See and our sweet little apartment here on Fairgrounds Rd. that we have made our temporary home. I am grateful for the Spirit that resides here and the many things that we have learned together, and experiences we have shared. Saying see you later to her this upcoming Wednesday is something I am partially dreading because I am so grateful for her example and friendship. However I am also very excited to hear all about the adventures that await her as she heads home and heads to BYUI (we have a running bet that she will be married by November 18, why that date, I don't even remember but a trip to Hawaii is on the line and the way I see it it is a win-win either way!). But I also want to mention my gratitude for the many homes that have been prepared to welcome us into as missionaries, both by members and non-members alike. Southern hospitality is so real as is the Christmas Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. People have been so kind in reaching out to us and inviting us into their homes. I am so grateful for my Greeneville family, and my Greeneville home. Elder Causse said that "Our homes need not be spacious or luxurious. A humble dwelling, centered on the gospel and filled with caring family and friends, would make Him happy." I know that the homes that I have been in make Him happy and they make me happy, and they make my family happy knowing I am taken care of and looked after.

3. Gather the Elect
Oh boy, where to even begin? We are currently working with some amazing people right now that I love and care about and truly think they are elect. There is an almost 9 year old girl in the ward that comes weekly, but was never given a name and a blessing, or baptized but is ready to be. She reads her scriptures each night and is able to tell us about what she has read. She prays nightly and helps her siblings pray as well. We love her, she is such an example to us!
We also are working with the above mentioned recent convert that went to the temple with, his nephew. Who has been reading the Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized, when that time comes hopefully in February his sweet uncle will be able to perform that ordinance which is just so amazing to think about!!!!! I could ramble on and on about this one, but I think it will suffice to say that as I think of the past year from the time that I was sitting in Mexico getting ready to head to Tennessee, to sitting in Tennessee now, I reflect on the hundreds of people I have met and how many of them are an inspiration to me. There are elect all around us and we are the Lord's instruments in bringing them closer to Him, through membership in His Church. Elder Causse describes how apostles and disciples of Christ have: "relentlessly spread the gospel." We all can do that, with or without the tag we can live what we know and share what we believe by our examples and our choices.

4. Help Those in Need 
Here it comes, my weekly schpill on Light the World. Oh my goodness what a perfect way to help those in need! The 25 ways over 25 days campaign has been incredible to be a part of. Hearing about the outreach of those who have participated has been incredible. I want to share one such story that struck me nice and deep this week. Our ward has set up in the foyer what they call an "angel tree" where they hang paper angels, labeled with items needed to provide Christmas for local children. Normally they reach out to families in the ward, but this year those that were asked to be recipients declined. So the Bishopbric thought, maybe we won't do it this year. But they continued to think and received the prompting to reach out to the community. They went to local schools and were able to work with them to provide Christmas for 8 local children that otherwise would have had no Christmas. This story is touching already but the stipulations for the gifts is what tore at my heartstrings. Ward members were told that absolutely no receipts could be attached to the gifts and if at all possible there should be no indication as to where the gifts had been purchased because "the parents will try to go exchange the gifts to get drug money" oh. my. goodness. My heart shattered to bits when I heard that. There are so many in need, I am humbled to say I had no idea how needy some people even inside the United States, I know it isn't unique to Tennessee, there is darkness, drugs, grunge, hoplessness, and despair in each and every state, community, and city. Christmas is a time when we can do our part to help alleviate some of those burdens, yet how much better would it be if we could continue to reach out year round. That's why I am grateful for tithes and offerings, because that is how we as a Church reach out year round. I also really appreciate the way that the Light the World campaign emphasizes that there are spiritual needs as well as temporal. I am sure we all know someone who could use a spiritual boost, both today and tomorrow, and in the future I know that there will be people placed in our paths that we need to impact for the better. I know from personal experience that the Lord needs us to be ready to minister to His struggling children "at all times, in all things and in all places." (Mosiah 18:9).

As we do so we will find that in helping our brothers and sisters around us we will really be helping and serving our Brother Jesus Christ. The hymn "Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" puts it best:

’Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
A winter hurricane aloof.
I heard his voice abroad and flew
To bid him welcome to my roof.
I warmed and clothed and cheered my guest
And laid him on my couch to rest;
Then made the earth my bed, and seemed
In Eden’s garden while I dreamed. …
Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named,
“Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto me."

I know that our Savior lives, we can prepare our lives and ourselves to welcome Him and we will find that as we do so light will enter our lives and a happiness and true joy unlike any other will be ours as we are "on His errand."

I am so grateful for my life and they way I am living.

I am grateful for each of you and wish you the Merriest of Christmases.

Merry Christmas, and Feliz Navidad Y'all!


Love,
Hermana Hall

Spanish or Hair Dye

Ah man this letter is going to start out with a funny story. So we were in Walmart handing out Light the World cards, and we have had a goal to hand out 50 Spanish cards, because we have 500 and y'all I'm not even sure that there are 500 spanish people in this town. But we are bound and determined to hand 50 out. So we are always on the lookout, and so we were at Walmart talking to these girls and they were really sweet, and both accepted cards. Immediately after we talked to them Sister See said "I saw a Spanish guy walk by and so we take our cart and go hauling around the corner and she says "He's right over there!" and I stop in my tracks and squint and turn at her and say, that's not Spanish that is just bad hair dye. It was a guy who had a major spray tan and really bad black hair dye, he was definitely not Spanish but we really tried to make him be! We are trying our hardest to find them. 50 cards or bust by Christmas.

Other than that this week was a really solid week. I want to share three highlights.

ALLEN: I was able to see her at Zone Conference and it was sooooo great! Honestly the best Christmas gift ever. It was like reliving the time she came into the mission and President Griffin announced we are going to be companions and I went and nearly tackled her wirh excitement. The moment that I peeked around the corner and saw her standing there I jumped and ran and nearly tackled her again. Oh it was so exciting. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have had some incredible companions that I am so happy to have known and learned from and that when we see each other it really is like seeing an old friend because that's what they are such good friends forever!!!



LIGHT THE WORLD: I heard from my family that they are participating in light the world initiative, and that made my entire week! My mom handed out some cards from the local sister missionaries, they have a banner countdown and talk about it every day: what the daily service challenge is and how they are going to do it. My grandma also is participating which I am so happy about I love hearing the ways that y'all back home are serving the Lord and lighting the world. So keep it up!!!! It makes my day each time I hear about the amaxing things that you do on a daily basis. It helps me realize that my mission won't end because I can still do the same things that I love doing out here, reading my scriptures, sharing my testimony, praying for others, serving people, talking to people and doing what Christ did. That is something that Sister See has taught me. She goes home three days after Christmas but I know that she is going to continue being a missionary, continue those habits, and it isn't going to be an adjustment, it is going to be a transition, a new her in an old world.

TEMPLE TRIP: we are planning on going to the temple with a recent convert this week and we are so excited!!!! We get to go to the Columbia South Carolina temple. Helping him find 20 family names and hearing him say "I'm so excited to be baptized for my father he was my best friend." It was one of those experiences I will never forget and definitely tell my kids about in the future. This guy is a veteran who has half a foot, no knee cap, is missing some fingers and is such a stud! He began investigating the church because of a friend had in the navy he said that he was always so happy and didn't ever take part in any of the other normal weekend activities that they all would go to. When they were all hung over and hating life this guy was so happy and took care of them. It was his example over 40 years ago that lead to his conversion. So never ever EVER underestimate the power of your influence it might take 40 years but you will change lives.

It was a great week and I am so grateful for the chance to be here at this stage of life. I want to apologize that this is probably the worst group email so far in my mission. We have been running and gunning today and I haven't had any time to write. But I hope you all have a great week and a very Merry Christmas I'll talk to y'all (and see my fam next week!!!!)

Love,
Hermana Hall 

Running and Gunning

Before I address the title of this letter. I want to talk about the Light the World service challenge for the day. "I was a stranger, and ye took me in." -Matthew 25:35. I like the suggestion that says "Has a stranger ever done something nice for you? Determine a way to pay the kind act forward." I don't believe I ever shared the following experience that happened to Sister Jacobson and I when we were in Rockwood. It was at the end of a pday and we were pulling back into the driveway after a Walmart run when we get out and here this pssssssssssh sound and see the rapidly deflating... great... much to my own discredit I had never changed a tire before so I didn't have a clue what to do... Jacobson, didn't either. Ugh. We hurried and took our groceries into the house and then looked at each other and asked "what are we going to do?" Jacobson looked at me and said, we are going to pray and then try to figure it out. So that is what we did. Luckily we weren't stranded out in some country road in the middle of no where, we were right outside of our house. And a ward member and his family were coming to pick us up for dinner and a lesson. But we were still feeling a little desperate especially after calling the priesthood leader of the family and letting him know what was going on and he seemed a little frazzled on the phone and we weren't sure if he even heard us explaint the predicament we were in. So we decided to try it on our own. We took all of the stuff out of our trunk and go the spare out and the jack, and took it around to the side and were crouched down trying to put the jack in the right place when down the street walks this guy. As he gets closer we see that he has ripped baggy jeans, shaved head, tattoo sleeves, gauges in his ears and is otherwise kind of scary. In my former life I would've thought he was creepy, but I've repented and changed the way I see people and so had my companion so as he walks by we both smile and wave and yell "Hi how are you?" and he nods and says fine thanks. Now in my mind I was pray pray prayingggg that he would come help us, I'm sure Jacobson was as well. But he didn't he walked right past us. Two girls, in dresses, trying to change a tire, faking their way through it. In my mind I was like "ah dang it, we really are on our own in this."

But then came the miracle.

The guy walked two driveways down from us and then turned around adnd sauntered up to us and said, "Y'all need any help?" We look at each other and at him and nod and say "....Yeah... we have NO idea what we are doing!" He proceeds to help us, and talk to us. He explained how to replace it, why you need to loosen and tighten the lugnuts diagonally, and that we couldn't drive on the spare for too long or at high speeds... He not only helped us, he taught us. And of course we taught him a little too, we talked to him about missionary work, he wasn't really religious but we were able to bear a simple testimony to him about Christ and he accepted a card with our info on it. He turned to us as he was finishing up and said "You know I had a feeling I needed to come back... and it's been a while since I have done something nice for someone..." That warmed our hearts. And even though when he stood up, drugs dropped out of his pockets and he snatched them up and we pretended like we didn't notice, it didn't matter. You know why? Because he added some light into our day and we added some to his. And it wouldn't have otherwise been there. You can't change people like you can change tires. No it's not possible to change people. People have to choose to change themselves. However service is the best way to inspire change. Because service makes you feel good, and it is a pure kind of good. I would bet you big bucks that the feeling of doing a good deed that our tattooed friend felt was stronger and purer than any drug that he took later that day or week. You know why? Because lasting happiness comes from service. The world offers fake man made and evil inspired happiness that doesn't last. It might make people feel "good" but it is fake good. The good that was felt on that day that he turned around and helped two sisters out, still feels good months later. Everytime I reflect on that experience it warms my heart. He was a perfect stranger, we were perfect strangers, but he stopped to help. And it was a modern day good Samaritan. The tattooed Samaritan.

I don't know if I'm going to be able to pay that exact deed forward, but I hope that I can somehow some way today, tomorrow and forever be able to stop and help a brother and sister in need, even if I seem unqualified or uninterested that I can prove them wrong and help a stranger. Because are we really all strangers anyway???

Ok real fast to wrap up... This past week is summed up in "running and gunning" it was one of those weeks where all our plans fell through. But something I have learned is that the reason we make plans is to give the Lord something to work with. Sometimes He makes it seem like all those plans get swept away but really it is Him cleaning up the slate a little so that the real plan can be seen. The way I see it is a canceled plan is the Lord saying "I have something better in mind" and He then takes the pieces of our broken plans and builds it into something better, only if we let Him. Because if you sit there in bitterness thinking "You broke my plans, that was a masterpiece of a day." Then you miss out on the real masterpiece The Master piecing together your day, your life, the way He knows best.

And that is what happened for us. We trusted Him, alllll week long. And come Sunday we had 5 investigators at church. Five. After the trial of your faith comes the miracle. It was pure chaos running around making sure one of them had a ride, one of them had a glass of water when she almost hacked up a lung coughing during sacrament meeting, guiding them to their classes, making sure they met members, making sure they didn't get lost. We were running and gunning, that's for darn sure. But even amidst the running around and craziness we were able to pause and take in the masterpiece of Christ, who all along knew this was going to be the end result of the week. Just like how he orchestrated the details of that pday months ago, He made it so we got a flat tire outside our house, and that the tatooed Samaritan walked by at that precise time, that was all Him, we did not and could not have planned it. And it really was a masterpiece. That I wish I could frame and look at always.

In all the running and gunning we do in day to day life I hope we can pause to see the needs around us and reach out and help those we know and those we don't and promise that as we do so we will see the way the Lord has prepared a work of art out of us and our lives, much more beautiful than anything we could ever make on our own.

Love y'all!

Tengan un buen semana!

Love,
Hermana Hall


Continue to LIGHT THE WORLD!!!




More Snow than we have at home!

Don't You Dare Change Your Jersey

This week has been a good one! Did it go anything like we planned it to go? That would be a big fat NO so it seems that I am still a missionary or still a human being alive and well trusting that Heavenly Father's plan is better than anything we can come up with. Both are accurate.

But I have learned a lot this week about teamwork in missionary work, namely working together with members. Because my goodness last week when we were planning out our week everything fell into place where we were with members every single day either teaching them or having them come to a lesson with us or both. And let me tell ya it was SOOOO great. Because you know what we are all on the same team trying to figure this life thing out and ultimately the goal is to help each other back home and get there clean and in families. That is the ultimate trophy, prize, gold medal. But it takes the team to get there.

I want to share about some experiences with the dream team up here in Greeneville (sidenote the local high school football team is the Green Devils, if that isn't ironic here in the south and Bible belt I don't know what is, I cringe when people say Goooo devils!!!) But anyway I'll share stories and then I'll share my fiery half-time pep talk that has been running through my mind all week. It's a good one, so gear up and check your eyebrows because I'm fixing to singe them a little just like Elder Holland "when the game is on the line and victory is everything"

Alright first off, we went and had a lesson Monday evening with this couple from North Carolina. He is a recruiter for the Marines and she is a fairly recent convert that works as a personal trainer at the YMCA so basically they are hard core and really cool people. We loved talking with them, and drawing parallels between what he does as a recruiter and what we do as missionaries: talking to everybody, making house visits, calling people, reaching out over social media, focusing on the younger generation in their prime when they are at a crossroads, etc etc. It had a lasting impact on him because he was able to invite one of the people he had met to our Christmas activity Night in Bethlehem where church members bring in their personal nativity scenes and they are put on display and the community comes to view them and have refreshments and enjoy live music from local bell choirs and song performances from ward members (and missonaries who found out about it two days before and didn't rehearse, also "O Come O Come Immanuel" is a gorgeous song but don't EVER attempt to wing it and sing it without practicing it,  I was hoping for silent night or Away in a Manger, oh well what's done is done I don't think anyone's ears bled so it must have been ok:)   but anyway this mom of a guy that is in the Marines came and really enjoyed it and had never been in an LDS church building and was happy for the invite. The next day at church this same tough Marine guy got up to bear his testimony and broke down over the pulpit about how service makes your days better and how much happier you are when you reach out to others. He encouraged us to be more Christlike and gospellike, I loved it, definite peach. GO TEAM!

We went to see a ward member's less active daughter whose son wants to be baptized. He just turned 8 so it wouldn't technically be a "convert baptism" but that doesn't matter a lick to us we just want to help anyone and everyone draw closer to our Savior and make covenants with our Heavenly Father no matter their age! But we had a really good lesson with the grandma, mom, and little boy. We got the chance to share light the world and they really enjoyed it, I absolutely LOOOOVE that video, it brings the spirit and connects people and it never ever ever ceases to amaze and inspire me when I watch people's faces as they watch it and the moment it turns from the man putting glasses on the little girl's face to the Savior healing a blind woman there is a light that comes into their eyes and a smile across their face that is priceless.  I just love it!!!!!! GO TEAM!

Alright y'all this might be my favorite so far. So I don't know if you remember that I share the same birthday as a girl in the ward... but regardless we were able to get to know her a lot better this week and take her with us to a lesson and my goodness her input she gave and the sincerity that she demonstrated as she bore her testimony was priceless. She is incredible I Iove her and plan on being friends long after my mission. She is AMAZING. She later posted on facebook: "After going out on a team-up with the sister missionaries in my area,I was told by one of the sisters that I would be a "companion's dream" and that is BY FAR...the best compliment I've ever received. I feel so much joy and peace when sharing the gospel with others and to hear that from a missionary,it makes me want to go on a mission that much more! I have an immense love for the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before you believe any rumours about the church that have been said by a non-member,ask a member or missionary yourself! I can ASSURE you that we will answer any question with kindness and respect."
I don't share this as a pat on my back because I was the one that told her that... actually
 I share it because once upon a time a return missionary said that same thing to me "you'll be a companion's dream!" and I have never forgotten that, as we were talking with this girl from the ward that phrase popped into my head and so I decided to share it with her and it seems to have made an impact, and I meant it! I meant what I said and said what  I meant! and I just think that she is the sweetest and is going to be an incredible missionary one day. Sister See and I speculate she'll go to Kobe, Japan so we'll just have to see!!!! GO TEAM!

Brace yourself, here comes my rant. So I was able to write a letter this week to someone from a past area where I gave him a pep talk about how in this game of life we know whose team wins but sometimes we have a hard time deciding whose jersey we are wearing. I talked to him about continuing to do the basics of prayer, scripture study and going to church, that is all what it boils down to because that is how we train for our own performance and that is how we help other people: by first helping ourselves and being as strong as possible so that we can lift others. I also wrote to him that the moment he stops doing one of those things is the moment that Satan gains a point. Now he isn't going to win in the end, we know that, but he might win in recruiting another team member if we sign over to his contracts. Which never amount to anything. I finished my letter by saying, "DON'T YOU DARE CHANGE YOUR JERSEY!" I firmly believe that, we cannot afford to change our jersey. The Lord needs us on His side, He needs us playing for His team. We know He wins, so why is there even a conflict of decision?

I hope y'all have a great week and go for gold and play your hearts out helping others along the way, because that's what teams do!!!!

"Who's on the Lord's (TEAM) who?"

DON'T YOU DARE CHANGE YOUR JERSEY!!!!

Love y'all

Love,
 Hermana Hall








"Neature"  "That's pretty neat"

Hi Rodney

# LIGHT THE WORLD

?   Nails ?  Hope we get a follow up explanation... stay tuned

Las Hermanas