We should always lock our keys in the car. . . .

This week we saw an incredible miracle. Last Sunday night, that dark, cold and rainy evening, in a great show of companionship unity, we locked the keys in the car, and while waiting for help, we began to knock on the neighboring doors. We met a woman, "Maria," who was very friendly, but when she finally invited us in to sit in her living room she began, "You're not going to try to convert me, are you?"
"Hahaha" I thought, "Convert you? why on earth would you think that? (-: "
We explained our purpose, sort of glossing over the role of baptism, and invited to her to learn more. To our surprise she set a return appointment.
I am ashamed to say we had little faith in her. We planned to teach a "drop lesson"-- inviting her to come to Christ and then explaining that we would not be able to come over if she wasn't' willing to make commitments and follow the Savior.

I thought, "I've to women like her before- they're too nice to say no, but they're hardly jumping at the bit to find out what the Mormons believe."

Again she surprised us when we returned a few days later. She was waiting for us, invited us in, and introduced her son, who she wanted to sit with us and listen too. She hadn't read all of the pamphlet that we left, but she explained it was because she was too busy reading on Mormon.org about the Articles of Faith and the importance of Families. She wanted to learn more.

We taught her about the gospel of Christ, the apostasy and the restoration. We shared the beautiful story of Joseph Smith, and opened up the Book of Mormon to 2 Nephi 25:26. "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ and we write according to our prophesies that our children may know for what source they must look for a remission of their sins."

We testified of the power of the Holy Ghost in conversion and then Sister Molina invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by one holding the priesthood authority of God.

"As long as I receive that witness that it is true, yes, I will be baptized."

I couldn't believe it.
We invited her to be baptized in January and again testified of the great blessings that come as we seek the confirmation of the spirit in our lives.

We stopped by a few days later, and she invited us in, "I thought you would come today, I could just feel it. You know," She said, "I never invite missionaries in, I don't even listen, but something told me to invite you in when you were standing on my porch that night. The spirit inside me told me that you had what I was looking for."

My Testimony

please turn down the radio, or turn off the TV, sit down and read this somewhere reverently, for this is my Testimony of the Savior of the World.

This week President Baker gave a challenge to all the missionaries to commit one more investigator to baptism by November 7th. In the past several weeks I have been blessed with a great testimony of the sacred and true calling of President Baker. I know he is called by God to lead us here in this mission, and so his challenge was not a suggestion from Mr. Baker, but an invitation from the Lord.

I spent several days thinking about this challenge--Could we really find another investigator, or change the hearts of one of our former investigators? I could feel in my heart that I did not yet believe-- I was not yet committed to this challenge, so I began to pray to gain a greater testimony of my mission president, and to gain a testimony that this challenge was really from the Lord.

God answers prayers in a way to intricate to describe. Maybe it could be captured in a sacred song, I think. So perfectly, so beautifully, God understand the deepest parts of my doubt, and His spirit can penetrate even my deepest fear. Tuesday afternoon, I sat in Zone training, focused again on applying the spirit in the conversion of our investigators, and I pondered on the hardness of my heart. Why couldn't I just believe?!

One of the zone leaders, Elder Amundsen shared a story about how they had set a baptismal date in a lesson just a few days before. He described the power of the spirit that worked on their investigator as they read together from the Book of Mormon.

And then, like warm rain, the Spirit poured over me. I knew that we could find someone. I knew the Lord would guide us, and I knew that our president was only asking us to rise to the Lord's challenge: "And speak freely to all; yeah, preach, exhort, declare the truth, even with a loud voice, with a sound of rejoicing, crying-- Hosanna, hosanna, blessed be the name of the Lord God!" (D&C 19:37).

That afternoon, we had an appointment with "April." She recently married a less-active in our ward, and though she had shown some interested in learning about the Gospel several months ago, we had never been able to really sit down and teach her. Sister Clark and I talk about it, and we felt that "April" might be prepared to be baptized, but only if we could apply all that we had learned about teaching with the spirit and listening and asking questions.

That incredible spirit I had felt in the meeting seemed to hover around me for the rest of the day, and as we sat down to begin teaching "April," I felt calm and confident that everything would be fine. We introduced our purpose, to teach her about the restoration of Christ's church, and we began to teach her the first lesson.

I have taught this lesson so many times, but each time the spirit guides us to say it little differently, to use different scriptures, to focus a little more on this principle of that, so I tried to tune out the 7 year old who was running around yelling, and I tried to tune out the fans that were trying to cool down her little house, and I tried to teach her the way the Savior would teach her.

And here is where I ran into a little trouble. I didn't really feel like I knew any of the right things to say. I asked questions, and shared scriptures, but this was supposed to be OUR MIRACLE Lesson! There were no amazing insights, no incredible moments of aha! for our investigator. Sister Clark and I did our best to follow the little nudging of the Spirit, but this lesson didn't seem any different from any of the hundreds of lesson 1s I'd taught in the months and months behind me.

"Heavenly Father! Where is the Miracle?! I don't feel like this lesson is anything special, I haven't taught well, I haven't felt inspired with insight! How will she ever want to get baptized?"

And then, so lovingly, the Lord instructed me, "Who's lesson are you teaching?"

I felt the Spirit pour over me again and just as Sister Clark finished relating the Joseph Smith story, I turned to April and asked, "How do you feel about that?"

"Well, I feel good. That feels good." She smiled, "I know it's true."

The Spirit filled the room, (had He ever really left?) and we invited April to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized.

We explained our purpose to help guide her to prepare, and the importance of growing her own testimony, and we talked about helping her husband come back to church so he could baptize her, and she accepted a baptismal date for the first of the new year.

I am humbled to think that Christ suffered for my sins of pride and selfishness so He could know perfectly how to teach me to overcome. I am humbled by the inspired questions he asks me to help me to better serve His children.

I am so grateful to be serving Him here. This is His work. This is His gospel, and His children, and how great are His blessings

Those who know not where to find it

Sunday afternoon Sister Clark and I parked in the north of our area and began walking to an appointment. It had been a long day (long day of music-- we seen to average 3 musical numbers a week in this area (-: ) and we were late for our appointment. As we walked down Aime, I said hello to an Indian man walking by. We say hello to many people every day-- hundreds in a week probably, but for some reason, just then I remembered my recent resolve to REALLY talk to the people we meet on the street. It is one thing to say a cheery hello to everyone you meet, but an entirely different thing to invite every person you meet to come unto Christ through His restored Gospel.

So I stopped, turned around, and stuck my hand out to this gentleman, "Hi, I'm Sister Hales"
My companion is now rather used to my stopping randomly mid-stride to talk with anyone (human or animal--- did I tell you about contacting the parrot accidentally(?) and she too introduced herself.
The man just looked at my hand for a minute, and said, "I'm not your religion"

"Oh that's ok! We talk to everyone!" (yes, all my sentences as a missionary end with an exclamation point)

What he said next surprised me, "How did you know I was thinking about religion?"

I smiled. "We are representatives of Jesus Christ, and as such, His Holy Spirit guides us to those who want to learn more about him."

"You know, he said, I was just talking with God, and asking him to show me a sign, to show me more about him, because you know I practice my religion and I try to be good, but I just feel like I am missing something, and I was just asking God to show me what it is. Do you know of a quite place around here where I could pray?"

Sister Clark and I looked at each other and smiled-- does one ever stop being amazed my the miracles of God?

"We'll we are here to teach you how you can fill that missing part with a greater understanding of God. Have you ever heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?"

"Michael" is moving back to India on Tuesday, but we talked for some time about revelation and the truths restored through Joseph Smith. We showed him how to get a hold of the missionaries in India, and he promised to find out more.

There are people in every city, in every neighborhood who are looking for the truth of God. Some of them know it, some of them don't but, "mine elect hear my voice, and they harden not their hearts." It is our job, (yes you!) to find them, to let them hear the Shepherd's voice through the scriptures, through the missionary discussions, through church, general conference, through your testimony.>>

Tengo Gozo En Mi Alma Hoy!

This week (or was it last week? I can't remember, sorry if I've related this story already) , as Sister Clark and I walked to an appointment with "Manuel" (he's been to church two weeks in a row now!), I saw a woman sitting on a small garden wall by the side of the road. She looked professional, with her blue-tooth in her ear, her cellphone out, but she seemed so happy and serene, enjoying the sunshine there in the middle of a row of apartment complexes.

I just had to talk to her.

"Enjoying the Sunshine?"

"Why yes! Just takin' a break from work, and how 'bout you ladies? Goin' about your ministry?"

"Well yes, we are."

"Good for you-- showin' your faith with your works!"

As we continued talking, discussing James 2 and the purpose of life on earth, she explained that her father is a minister and her mother a missionary, and she loves the Lord and his Word. Sister Clark and I shared our testimonies of our work as missionaries, and the importance of the Holy Ghost in teaching us what is truth.

"Where is your church?" She asked, "It sounds a whole lot like my church, and I want to come and bring my kids!"

We got her information to pass onto the missionaries in her neighborhood, "Thank you," She said, "I feel a resolve to be better and to do better- thank you for stopping and talking with me!"

My companion and left feeling uplifted and joyful, and as we began to walk away, we noticed a man who had been standing close by listening,

"Hey!" he stopped us, "What are you so cheerful about?"

"The Gospel!" I think that's what I said, that or something about the good news of Jesus Christ! We explained that we were missionaries, and we taught people about the joy that a knowledge of God brings.

"Oh, I don't need religion," he assured us, "religion is just an excuse not to be converted in here" he tapped his heart.

We began to discuss the importance of personal conversion and the foundation that gives religion to build upon.

"We're actually on our way to teach a man who doesn't have a testimony yet. What do you think we should teach him to help him be converted in his heart?"

The man stood and thought for a minute.

"Teach him about Jesus. Teach him how much we need Him, 'cause if you know how much we need Jesus, you've just gotta have faith in God."

I don't know why I am still so surprised when complete strangers testify of deep truths of the Gospel-- don't I know that "the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good"?

"Thank you," I said, "We will, we will teach him how much he needs- how much we all need Jesus Christ."

"Wow!" the man said as he left, "I should be a missionary!"

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

The work here is progressing-- boldly, nobly, and independently-- but no surprise there! I am learning that the work of the Lord does continue always, but we must chose whether we sit and watch as it marches swiftly past us, or if we will jump in and join the ranks of the Lords Army.

This week Hna. Clark and I decided to do things a little differently. Scared of the white people that live in our area, we had softened our door approach-- barely mentioning the name of the church, and mostly offering to sweep their driveway, if their hired help hadn't gotten around to it anyway. This, turns out, it hardly an effective way of spreading the light and knowledge of the gospel. So, after an inspiring chat with our wise and beloved sister trainers, some serious thought and a lot of prayer, Hna Clark and I decided on our approach.

Knock, Knock, Knock!

"Uh... Hi. Can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Sister Clark, and this is Sister Hales."

"We're the new Missionaries in the area, and we wanted to come meet you and your family."

"Can we come in and teach a message about Jesus Christ?"

And wouldn't you know it, some people actually say "Yes!"

Cleo is from Egypt, and though she feels firmly set in her Egyptian Orthodox Christianity (ask Dr. Griggs all about that!!) she invited us into her sitting room, and offered us something to drink.

While she was up turning off the TV, Sister Clark turned to me, "NOW what do we do?!"

Well, we did what Missionaries of Jesus Christ do-- we taught her about the Lord's Gospel.

And that was just the first day. Since then, we have seen a change in the way the Lord works with us.

When we stand up, boldly for what the Lord has taught us, He is there, just as he promised the prophets and missionaries before us. "There I will be also, for
Yesterday we found Iris. A few years ago she "converted" from Catholicism to Christianity, but recently, she has not been back to church. There was recently a death in her family, and some other trials, and she just didn't feel like her old church was centered on Christ. They just got together to say they went to church, but that's not what church is about.

I thought about the line in PMG that says the Elect are looking for the church, but sometimes they just don't realize it yet. Cleo doesn't know that she's looking for the one true church, but she will recognize it. We taught her parts of the first discussion and set a return appointment for next week.

And I wonder what she would have said if we'd knocked on her door "Hi, we're representatives of Jesus Christ, but we're too scared today to teach-- can we do your breakfast dishes?"

"I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you to bear you up."

This is the greatest work ever.

Baptism

On Sunday, I drove back to Downtown for "Samantha's" Baptism. I could write a book about the miracle of her baptism. Remember Samantha? She said she didn't even believe in God, but she wasn't afraid to try to find Him, and little by little, one sweet, honest prayer at a time, she found God where He had been waiting in every part of her life.

As missionaries, we fear to teach the Big Commandments, it's what separates the wheat from the tares, but so many "good" investigators suddenly become very busy when you ask them to give up smoking, give up parties, break up with whomever, and then pay the Church your money. But Samantha didn't hesitate, "Keep the Word of Wisdom? Of course. I deleted from my phone all my 'friends' that would try to get me to drink and smoke." "Keep the Law of Chastity? Yes, I will." "Tithing? Well, I didn't like giving to the collection basket, but of course I'll pay my tithing to our Church."

She told us last week that she had been explaining to all her friends how she was going to be baptized and be a Mormon. She has never missed a Sunday at church since we taught her the first lesson, and when I spoke for a few minutes at her baptism, I began to cry as I related her growth in her knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ.

This is why I serve a mission: Because Samantha loves God, and as much has she has changed her life to follow Him, He has already promised to change her for all Eternity.

P.S. Happy Birthday Sammy!! Thanks for the letter!

O, Creaciones del Senõr

June 28, 2010
The story of my mission could be told in short bios of the animals I have met. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, mice and rats and guinea pigs, but mostly dogs and cats. And pigeons. And bugs, of course. I have watched a dog chase a mailman across the yard, I was recently clawed by one Naboo, the cat, dive-bombed by pigeons (if I were driving, I would try to run them over!), followed by all the mangy neighborhood dogs, and scared half to death by the oddest things that live in the homes of the people we teach.

On Saturday, "Sra. Sanchez" invited us in and pulled up chairs as her daughter, a new investigator, put her little boy to bed. As we sat down, Sra. Sanchez tried to send the dogs outside, but Daisy decided she didn't want to go.

Daisy. Friendly family dog crossed with a walrus. And she probably weighs 200lbs. I have never seen such a fat boxer before.

Sra. Sanchez got behind the dog and, like a linebacker, she put her shoulder into the dog’s hindquarters, pushing it out the door--- Daisy flopped down on the laminate floor, and slowly slid across the kitchen. Sra. Sanchez pushed, shoved, pulled, and called, and Daisy slid slowly, little doggie nails eeeeeeerrrrrr-ing softly across the floor.

I tried to get up to help, but I was laughing so hard, I could barely speak, "Puedo ayudarle?"

"Oh no no no! I've (Grunt!) almost (Shove!) got it! (HUmmph!) "

Mommy can we get a dog when I get home?

A prayer unto me. . . .

June 14, 2010
Haha, the little girls next to me are reading aloud the words to T-Swift's "Love Story." So weird. I haven't thought about that song in so long. I just sing hymns all the time.

I've been lucky enough to have companions who LOVE to sing, and Sister Nef has a beautiful voice, so we just sing all the time-- pretty much at every lesson. When "Loretta's" husband called us on Sunday morning to tell us that "Loretta" wasn't sure she wanted to be confirmed... we knew what to do.

Well, really, what we knew was that none of our words could change her thoughts or her mind, but only the Spirit, so we drove over, as fast as we legally could, and sat on her couch and sang hymns. She wouldn't even come out to see us, she just stayed in her room "getting ready" but her husband sat in the living room with us, and we sang and sang and sang. All our favorites, and a few of his, after a half an hour, we had to go (they asked us that morning to teach Relief Society that day... I LOVE being a missionary!) but as we waiting for our investigators outside of sacrament meeting, we saw Loretta walk up!!

YAY!! I slipped into the seat beside her as the bishop began the meeting. "I guess Satan was really working hard on me this morning" she whispered. "Well you're in the right place" I told her and gave her a hug.

This week I have learned, more than ever before, that missionary work is about realizing you can't do it. Elder Eyring said that, "You can't do it. Not by yourself." But Christ never asked us to do it alone.

84. Dulce tu obra es, Señor

My dear friends -- there is nothing better than being a missionary. My first transfer ends on Tuesday -- and a new 6 week adventure will begin. No matter where it takes me though -- the Lord will be in it. This is His work! I am learning, so slowly, that no one is "ready" to serve a mission, but, just as He promised, the Lord qualifies those He calls. Thanks for prayers & letters!

-Hna. Hales

195. How Great the Wisdom and the Love

June 1, 2010
This work, este obra missional, of course, is all the Lord's-- His timing, His children, His message, His love.

Yesterday we stopped by Pablo's to follow up on his Word of Wisdom reading. We started to talk to him, but he wasn't really focused on our teachings so we invited his wife, "Juanita" to come in, and began talking with her. From our first visit she made it very clear that she wasn't interested in learning about another Christian religion, and as we began to discuss the Book of Mormon with her, she insisted that she had already been baptized by water and by the spirit at the age of 18, and there was no need to do all that over again!

"Juanita" loves to talk, and evades interruption like a lawyer. When she asked us a question, "Do you know what Baptism by the Spirit is?" and actually paused for a response, I tried to teach as many gospel principles with my answer as possible "Bueno, It's a priesthood ordinance, by the authority of God--after Baptism, (by immersion) which is also an ordinance done by the AUTHORITY of God (which was restored after the Apostasy to Joseph Smith, by an angel of God, by the laying on of hands)--"

"It's speaking in tongues." she insisted. “That’s the baptism of the Spirit. And I was baptized by the Spirit after my baptism of water!"

I had to smile, because the gift of tongues was exactly what I was praying for at that very minute. How on earth could we convey (in our super-limited vocabular-- she speaks NO English) that the presence of the Holy Ghost is not the same thing as the AUTHORITY of God, and that her pastor didn't actually have the priesthood, and that her dedication to God was great-- fantastic! but that there were MORE steps to be taken.... funny, as I type this I realize I know all those Spanish words, but my companion and I were completely at a loss as to how we could convey that message-- she just couldn't understand us!

Juanita was telling us the story of her study and baptism (for the 3rd time, I think she was getting frustrated by the language barrier too), and then all of the sudden-- I started crying. I looked into her face, earnestly working to explain to us her conversion to the Good News of God, and I knew that God loved her. I didn't know what to say, I was not suddenly given perfect Spanish words that she could understand, but I knew that she was a beloved daughter of God, and that someday, someday, she would understand.

Sitting in the car after the lesson, I told Hna. Gregersen my thoughts, and she said "I felt the same way. She has great faith."

My objective as a missionary is to "invite people to come unto Christ... through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end," and we always focus our teaching on that goal of baptism and confirmation. But sometimes I forget that my purpose simply is to invite others to come unto Christ. That is my objectivo because Christ invites all to come, on their own feet, in their own ways, He invites them to bend their path and follow His straight road. It is humbling to remember that I am His servant, and He asks me in my imperfect way to care for His beloved sheep

77. Deja que el Espíritu te enseñe

May 26 2010
On Thursday we started teaching "Pablo." After we contact/try to contact a HQ referral (people who call in asking for a book of Mormon or a DVD or something) we always tract around that house. We know that Heavenly Father, the Great Orchestrator, has put us in that neighborhood for some reason-- we just have to find out why! Pablo, in his early 40s, (very short) with a huge smile, and two little braided rat-tails in the back, was just hangin' out on his porch, so we started talking to him. As a missionary you have to learn how to judge which porch sitters are just there for kicks, and who really is interested in listening, but "Pablo" set a return appointment with us, and we gave him a pamphlet on the Restoration to read in the meantime.

When we showed up for our next appointment, "Pablo" had read the entire pamphlet, looked up mormon.org, started reading some of the Book of Mormon and was asking us questions about the Plan of Salvation! We couldn't believe it! His face had changed-- it was so hard and dark when we first saw him, but slowly, as we started meeting more and more with him, he started to grow lighter and lighter. Neither his wife nor daughter wanted to learn more, but he loved to read the pamphlets we gave him, and he was so excited to show us what he had found online all about the church. We invited him to come to church on Sunday, and then came by before church to remind him.

"Voy a tratar..."

"No!" (this is Hna. Gregersen's pet peeve) "There's no trying on this one, are you coming are aren't you?"

"Hm.... pues...." --I think Hna. G. and I were praying a mile a minute-- "Ok, I'll go change"

We said we'd meet him at church, and drove back to our building.

The hour for church came and we waited out on the street corner for him. It came, and like all good Latin meetings-- the hour to begin stretched a little late, and then a little later, but "Pablo" was not there. Hna. Gregersen and I had been praying and praying-- we hadn't got a single investigator to church yet, (other than "Loretta", but she's been practically a member for months now)

We waited until we felt we could not be any later-- and slipped in during the opening song.

I finally understood what so many missionaries had talked about--- the eternal HOPE each Sunday morning, as you wait for each of your investigators... and the disappointment as they each fall through... once again.

As we sang the Sacrament hymn, the phone buzzed in my lap. We didn't' know the number, but they texted us a few moments later. "Call me"

"Pablo?!

We looked at each other, cringed, and slipped out of our seats at the front, scurrying out the back doors... and there was "Pablo"! standing in the lobby in a slick black suit, purple shirt and purple tie. He had changed the ties on his rat-tails to all back -- he was nicer dressed then most of the congregation.

Hna. Gregersen and I could not stop beaming! He stayed for all three hours, and then for an extra hour to attend the baptism of a young boy in the ward. As I explained the boys confirmation to him, "Pablo" said, "I've never seen anything like that." then he paused, and touched his heart, "But it feel right, It feels true."

We have set a baptismal date for "Pablo"-- June 6th!

139. Alma el Pastor las ovejas"

There’s not much difference between the Sr. and Jr. Comp. except one drives and the other holds the map. Since the APs got a GPS (Happy Birthday Elder Ellett), they gave us their Tommy guide and it is my job to look up all the addresses, consult the map, and advise Hna. Gregersen how to reach the appointment, skirting around construction, avoiding the freeway (You’d be out of the mission before the next exit) and saving on miles.
We were trying to find a through street, most dead end at the freeway – I was sure the map said Rosemont, so we started up that way. I’ve been confused by these streets before, so I double checked – yep, Rosemont. About 3 blocks in, we started recognizing the area.
“Hey, this is where "Joe" lives! Let’s stop by!”
We had run into "Joe" looking for an old referral, but in the chaos of the past week, we had completely forgotten him.
His wife had just recently passed away and "Joe", humble and very lonely, was trying to understand why He had let him stay around, and what purpose he had in this life.
We found him, sitting in his front room going through his wife’s things. We asked if he had read the pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation.
“Well, yeah, I just don’t understand – we lived before we came to earth?”
Hna. Gregersen and I smiled and began to teach the Joyful news of God’s Plan of Salvation.
“"Joe", we know you can see "Nancy" again, and there are things you can do now on the earth to help both of you for all eternity.”
We sang, “I am a Child of God” for him and promised to return to teach him more.
Maybe the hardest part of being a missionary is waiting, patiently, to teach these people about the Joy that has always been there and that is even now waiting for them.
As we walked down Joe’s front steps I checked the map again. Turns out RoseMONT isn’t a through street, but one block over, RoseLAKE, is. As we course
corrected, I thought of the Savior’s words, “Now I go to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.” What a joy to be part of His work!

¿Qué es lo que vieron en las alturas?

10 May 2010

I’m serving in downtown L.A.

That skyline that once looked so nondescript is now my skyline. I love driving down the palm-lined blvds, trying to share the gospel through apartment call boxes, and looking up at the reflection of the old cathedral in the mirrored windows of the next door high-rise.

We met "Mary" on our way from a referral on the other edge of town. Twenty or so, and very stylishly dressed, she was sitting outside a complex, balanced on the wall of the parking garage. She leaned way down to shake my hand as I extended it up and I started a conversation with her.

She was smiley & friendly and we talked about LA, her home in Singapore, her work and school, and then our work and the church. Hna Gregersen and I actually taught her the whole first lesson right there (the 1st and thus far only time I have taught a whole lesson to anyone). When I got to Joseph Smith’s first vision, I suddenly realized that I only knew his account in Spanish! I tried translating it back into English – praying that my fumbling Spanglish would not drive away the Spirit, “I saw a columna—er column of light above the brightness of the sun, exactly above my head. . . “

As I finished Joseph’s account, "Mary" leaned forward, her eyes wide, “What did He say?!”

I was taken aback for a moment – the story of Joseph Smith had never really struck me with such excitement as now glowed in her face. But then, I felt it too: God spoke to a real live boy on the earth – not just in a dream, or as a thought or feeling, but God, in glory and majesty. Yes! – we all want to know – What did He say?!

We know what he said and I showed "Mary" the number she could call for a book of Mormon to learn for herself. Not only did God speak then, but he continues to speak today!

What a marvelous work.

Placentero nos es trabajar

May 3, 2010
The Mission President met us at the airport, along with 3 smiling APs, one old, one new, one in-between. Sister Blackburn is everything you would expect from her picture-- cheerful, funny, kind and sweet. (She has short blond hair that is always worn spiked up all over her head (-: ). President Blackburn is kind and funny-- always teasing the missionaries, but also totally focused on the work.

We piled our luggage (exactly 100lb a piece) into the mission van and pick up truck, and drove to a local stake center to meet our trainers. There they were-- waiting around their cars-- all smiles and white shirts. These were two sisters waiting for me and Hna. Molena, a tall pretty sister with long dark hair, and... Sister Dickson! She nannied for Holly all last summer, while she was on bed rest-- and we have several mutual friends at the Y. I couldn't belive she was training-- she's only been out for 6 months! We were assigned to be companions for the day- and with a bag full of folletas and a couple granola bars, we each took our temporary companion and spread into the neighborhoods for a few hours of tracking.

I love being a missionary. The day was cool, still a mild LA spring, the flowers were beautiful, and the people in this top corner of the mission were so kind. We knocked a lot of doors, and talked about God, and his love for his children the importance of families, some in English, some in Spanish. I chuckled to myself, as I stuttered out my testimony in English. How many times have I shared my beliefs in my own language? And yet, everything seems so much more natural in Spanish now-- haha! even with my limited vocabulary.

With just a few minutes left, we tried one more complex. Loud music was playing as we climbed the stairs. No. 1, I knocked. The music stopped, and a big man in his 20s answers the door.

“Hey-- what can I do for you”

“Hi, we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I'm Sister Dickson”

“And I'm Sister Hales.”

“Ah, hey. 'Marco.'”

“Juan, so nice to meet you. Enjoying your Wednesday morning?”

We exchanged small talk for a little, and then (just like we practiced so many times in the MTC,) we moved the conversation to religion

“So do you believe in God?”

“Well, kinda. I don't know, I mean, I guess I'm kinda waiting for a sign or something. Maybe.”

I smiled. Someone in the MTC once taught us, always ask your investigators questions because, when they answer, they will speak truth.

“A sign?” I answered, “Well, here we are. "Marco," we are servants of Jesus Christ, sent here to talk to you about the Love that God has for you.”

“Yes,” Sister Dickson continued, “I don't think it’s coincidence that we ended up on your door step today. Is there a time that we can come by to talk to you more about this message of Jesus Christ?”

The look in Marco's eyes as we talked about our mission as servants of Christ, I will never forget. We passed on his name and the return appointment to the other missionaries in that area, so I don't know what happened with Marco, but I knew then that he felt something. I could see in his eyes how much he wanted to be found, and I knew that someday, his heart would be softened and he would seek after these things.

y el perserverar hasta el fin

April 22,2010

I asked the Lord to call me
to labor in his field.
I showed to him my faith in Christ,
obedience, and zeal;
I fortified the strengths I had
and buried what was weak,

'I promise to give all my good
to gather thy lost sheep.'

Then He, with perfect vision,
looked at my sacrifice
And took what I had hidden
and brought it to the light,

'I give to men their weakness
to make them more like me;
If they will but come humbly
then I will make them free.

I call you to be patient.
I call you to be wise.
I call you to ask pardon,
and to see through others' eyes.
I call you to be selfless.
I call you to stand strong.
I call you to feel charity,
and to quickly forgive wrong.

I call you to be perfect,
but I also beckon you
To let me lift you where you lack
and teach you what to do.

I call you to serve humbly
for your good is not yet best.
Come now and give me all you are,
and I will supply the rest.'

el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, la recepcion del don del Espíritu Santo

April 15,2010
I love being a missionary.

I remember sitting in Preach my Gospel class, staring out the window at the leaves spreading down the hill and wondering HOW I was supposed to teach my investigators. I could feel the burning of my own testimony and sometimes I knew how to share it, but teach the Doctrines of Salvation?

I love my teachers at the MTC, Hno. Frandsen and Hna. Keller. They knew just how to help us discover the words of our testimonies. Little by little, they patiently taught us how to simplify the doctrine, by teaching us the simple truths of God's Plan of Happiness. They taught us Spanish patiently, a few principles at a time, until suddenly now, (we still wonder that it is possible!) we are ready at a moments notice to teach and testify, for any length of time, in Spanish or English, on just about any precept of the Lord's restored Truth.

I am learning that the How of teaching is 'here and little and there a little.' To teach of God's children, I share just some small part of the glorious Fullness of the Gospel, and together we 'are both edified and rejoice together.' Yesterday I taught a one minute lesson on Keeping the Sabbath day and Baptism, a short lesson on the Book of Mormon and Baptism, a lesson on Diesmo and Baptism, and shared brief messages about The Gift of Tongues, Diligence and the Gifts of the Spirit, and Obedience and the Holy Ghost.

"Line upon line, precept on precept... Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause! Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren: and on to victory!" For we are the investigators of God; we are the students of the most High and here a little and there a little the Lord is teaching us the Fullness and the Mysteries of His Evangelio.

"Let your heats rejoice and be exceedingly glad!" (see D&C 128:20-24)

mediante la fe en Jesucristo y su expiación

Elder Kendricks, emeritus member of the 70, warned the missionaries on Tuesday not to get caught in the 'thick of thin things.'

At the MTC, I'm always in the thick of something. The thin things would be complaining about the chicken and worrying about cold showers. But in the work of God it's hard to think of the thin things for long. This week I'm in the thick of subunctivo, which I understand well enough in English, but which takes a great deal of thought to apply in a Spanish sentence. Suddenly, it takes me twice as long to say anything as I pause: '... para que... ... ...' to consider the possible verbs to conjugate and the possible forms to choose from. So now I'm in the thick of los arboles de verbos, grammar notes and studying.

I'm in the thick of teaching tambien. In the past couple weeks, we've just begun teaching in Español. And let me tell you, that's something thick to be in! On Tuesday we'll teach our TRC “investigators” about the Plan of Salvation y la Palabra de Sabiduria. I'm working on marking my Spanish scriptures with all my favorite references, and I'm thick to my neck in flashcards, more verb trees and of course more subunctivo: “Adán cayó para que los hombres existiesen; y existen los hombres para que tengan gozo.”

And I feel like I'm in the thick of the miracles of the Lord. This week I studied the miracles of Joshua, and Nephi and the Savior, and I tried to follow, their examples to bring about miracles in my life: the gifts of the Spirit: of tongues, of discernment, of Charity, the miracle of humility and an extra portion del Espiritu Santo in my work.

"Wherefore my beloved Brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven?... Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the Children of Men."

I love the thick of missionary work! I love the thick of God's love for us; I love the thick of the Restoration, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because I know as we come unto Jesus Christ, He will teach us all the thick things of most importance in this life, and Through Him, we will “bring about much righteousness.”

P.S. Sammy have you seen the flowers at the temple? I think of you every time I see that beautiful display of spring!

a fin de que reciban el Evangelio restaurado

This week in the TRC Hna. Gorham and I taught Meredith and her Husband Ricardo. In the TRC, volunteers come and be investigators for us. We meet them and find out what there needs are, and then we return and teach them a lesson. All our lessons have been in English thus far- but we're gonna be teaching in Enspanol en la proxima semana!

Meredith came from Mexico about 15 years ago, and her husband knows a little Spanish too; he was so excited to tell us all about his familia-- todos sus hijos y sus ocho nineto. We taught them a lesson about the Plan of Salvation, and the Word of Wisdom. Ricardo was worried about La Palabra de Sabaduria, because he smokes and drinks. We talked about Joseph Smith-- they believe that he is a prophet, so his words must be really the words of God. Then we talked about why we keep commandments-- to show our love and trust in God. We read the end of D&C 89, and discussed the blessings of keeping this commandment, but Hermano Ricardo was still a little dubious.

'I don't know' he said, 'I smoke a lot.'

My companion and I pulled out our scriptures (that's a figure of speech-- we ALWAYS have out nuestras escrituras!) and we began to testify of the importance of keeping the commandments. I felt to open what is quickly becoming one of my favorite scriptures-- Alma 7:11-12.

'Hermano Ricardo, will you read this scripture for us?'

He began to read about the sacrifice of the Savior, about the Atonement and the Saviors ability to understand us perfectly. After a few lines, he stopped-- his eyes began to moisten, and he was quiet for a long time.

'Hermano Ricardo, what do you think about that scripture?'

'Well, what do you think?' he brushed away the tears, 'I have already quit. I quit right now.'

Part of me knows this is all pretend-- this man (not even a volunteer-- he's actually a worker at the MTC) doesn't need to quit smoking or drinking, and he doesn't need us to convince him to come to church, but he does need to be invited to Christ-- just like everyone we meet.

The spirit was so strong in that TRC room as he bore his testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My companion and I added our witnesses that this church IS God's church on the earth-- This is his work, and we are all his children. I love to know that when we teach by the Spirit, when we teach through the scriptures, the Lord, who is always gathering his children, will gather us closer to him.

a venir a Cristo

March 18, 2010
Hna. Gorham was asked to say the closing prayer at the fireside on Tuesday so we went early and sat on the stand, watching 1200 elders fill the auditorium. As a group of elders bounded down the stairs with enthusiasm, Elder Hull leaned over to me and quoted "Walk swiftly and with purpose." Oh missionaries! How I love thee!

Each meeting begins with a prelude of hymns that we all sing together. We sang some of my favorites this Tuesday night-- Come follow me, Count your many blessing. Then the chorister stepped to the mic and said "We do not stand to sing the hymns of Zion, but if an apostle were to walk into the room, we would stand to show our respect." The room erupted in whispers! An apostle!? We continued to sing prelude, and then the whole auditorium rose, and I looked to see walking up to the podium Elder cook and his wife. My companion and I exchanged grins. An apostle of the Lord was speaking to us, and here we were sitting just across the stand from him!

He gave a beautiful sermon on bringing God's sheep into the fold. His wife spoke on using the hymns to help us remember to develop Christlike attributes. And at the end of the meeting, Elder Cook blessed us all that we would see the blessing of our service in our lives, in the lives of those we teach, and in the lives of our families. He blessed us that we would not worry about feeling inadequate, "We all feel inadequate, welcome to your mission-- welcome to life!" The spirit that filled the room was certainly not unfamiliar-- it is the Holy Ghost that I spend every day teaching people about-- that warm feeling of gozo y paz is the witness of the Holy Ghost that Elder Cook is an Apostle of the Lord.

After the devotional our district met for a testimony meeting. I love to listen to the elders and sisters in my district because every one of them recognizes their responsibility to "invite others to come unto Christ" and the Spirit is so strong as we talk together of our own knowledge of God. Elder Watkins, always enthusiastic (as only a 19 year old can be) nearly jumped to his feet with excitement when it was his turn to share. "I just kept thinking how this was an Apostle, just like Peter and James and John in the Bible. Christ called apostles to the earth, and these men are just like that! They have the same priesthood, the same responsibility, it's just so cool!!"

We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, namely apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth. This is the work of God! It has always been His work and it always will be His work. Can we not then go on in so great a cause? (sorry can't pull up the scriptures to quote that right!

I love this work, I love the joy of this truth.

Invitar a las personas

The snow that started to fall last Thursday was still falling 6 inches later on Friday morning. It progressed from beautiful to dangerously slushy to nearly-gone throughout the day, and everyone laughed as it dropped from trees onto the Elders.

I love the MTC because I can allow my life to be simple. My daily goals range from "smile all day" to "serve someone" to "testify 3 times in Spanish today". I love the gospel and I love to learn how to teach it, so that's more like play anyway, and the Spanish we're learning is still mostly review for me, entonces puedo enfocar on relationships and my own growth.

With two weeks of experience under our belts, Hna. Gorham and I have learned a few important things:

1. Shower after gym; it's the only time between 5am and 10pm when you can shower with hot water and water pressure.

2. Gym is the perfect time to memorize scriptures.

3. Do NOT eat the Chicken.

I spent most of Saturday night with poor Hna. Williams, who was sick with food poisoning (future missionaries: be cautions of the left-overs line, especialmente the teriyaki chicken.) Certainly no one wants food poisoning, but I was grateful to be there to play mommy to this wonderful sister that I love so much.

The mission is all about serving! And I LOVE it! All days I look for ways to serve mi companera. My scripture study is spent searching for ways to serve my TRC investigators/teaching appointments/fellow missionaries. Everything I learn about Espanol and about the gospel, I need to serve the people of Los Angeles. And with all this I know that I am serving mi salvador, Jesucristo. I am serving him by being his hands and feet on the earth-- what a privilege!

Thanks so much for all the letters, e-mails and dear elders, It always gives me such a boost to hear from you guys that I love so much!!

P.S. Happy Birthday this week Nicky!

Mi objectivo como misionera es. . . .

They say every day here is like a week and every week here is like a day- never before have I been so busy in my life! But it's not the kind of busy like classes and homework and jobs, and things, it is the kind of busy which demands concentration and fills your thoughts and makes you sleep well at night. I love it.

If I could just send one snapshot that captured this week it would be my companion and I kneeling in an empty classroom praying in gratitude through streaming tears. It was yesterday; nuestras maestra, Hna. Keller asked my comp and I to teach her. We had spent the last few days preparing lessons for each of our teachers. It is a joy to study the gospel with the intent to bring someone else closer to Christ.

My comp and I had felt strongly to teach about the basic doctrines of the atonement, and I know that no matter what you teach, if you teach with the spirit, the Holy Ghost will be there to teach with you. At one point, I felt impressed to testify of God's work a specific instance in her life, and I was struck with the importance of my calling as a representative of Christ. It is MY humble opportunity to speak God's words to his children.

I am so grateful that mi companera also works so hard to always teach by the spirit, so we can truly be the greatest use to our Heavenly Father.

After the lesson my companion and I left, filled up with el Espiritu y le gozo de el evanjelio resorado.

We found an empty classroom and fell to our knees to thank God, in broken Spanish for allowing us to be such instruments in his hands. It is an awesome privilege to be called of God to this work!