Alfredo's getting baptized.

We had transfers...........

I'm staying in Bella Vista and still training.  I love it here though. 

The most amazing thing happened this week! So we went to Goya last week for pday.. and then we woke up at 5 to be able to take a bus home so we could visit Alfredo in the morning. I had been praying so hard for him. And when we went to his house he said that he had been thinking and praying a lot. and he read Alma 42, that we assigned him to read and he said it just totally opened his mind about the atonement - and he just knows the Book of Mormon is the word of God. So he left for Resistencia 3 days ago to go to his Catholic seminary. But he said he went there to QUIT. Hes going to stop studying to be a priest and and get baptized!!! I had never been so happy in my life. he said he had just been living in turmoil, but he feels such a peace now. He has already told all his family and friends, and even though some are angry... he trusts completely in God! We are so happy.  Thank you for your prayers. 

This week a storm hit us. We were teaching some people, and then the rain came down, and lightening hit. We tried to book it home but the lightening was insane, so we rescheduled. That night the thunder was so loud that it kept us up forever. and through the window the lightening was super bright! It was the biggest storm I'd seen in my life. and it was cool, but all I could think about was the poor people and families that live in the little houses in the pueblitos. We have an investigator who lives in a super humble house, with 5 small children. and I couldn't sleep thinking of how their house probably flooded. 

So this transfer our zone leaders did a championship program for obedience. So you can get up to 6 points everyday tracking your obedience to mission rules.  if you wake up on time, do all your studies, get at least 3 charlas, find a new person everyday, and if investigators come to church, etc. And the winner got a free nice dinner. and Ii didn't care abvout the dinner.. but really I just wanted to win haha. and we did! out of 7 companionships! So yesterday our leaders bought us dinner :) and we`re doing it again this transfer so hopefully we can win again. Basically the competition motivates me to reach all our goals everyday! I love it. 

Keep the Faith....

Love Hermana Hall 

(camera still broken!) 

Alfredo has a testimony!

So we've had a few lessons with Alfredo the priest this week and he said he recieved an answer that the Book of Mormon is true!  He believes it, he reads it, he reads conference talks.... AND.. he knows that infant baptisms are wrong. He said that what we´ve taught about the fall of adam, and about the plan of salvation (kingdoms of glory) all make sense. His mind has been illuminated. he came to church again on Sunday and was taking notes the whole time and participating. In our last charla, he told us that in 5 days he leaves for Resistencia to start up the last year of his school. (it takes 8 years to be a priest and hes already on his last year ) and I felt the need to be bold and I asked how he would feel standing before God, if he knows the BOM is true, and that he knows infant baptisms are wrong, etc... and he is preaching false doctrine and performing hundreds of baptisms... how would he feel at judgement day? He was speechless. He said its a huge decision, and he knows its important.. so he's going to be praying about it. We have 1 last charla with him before he goes to Resistencia.. its tomorrow.. and some members are coming with us.I really want him to have the courage to do what he knows is right. Please pray for him!!! 

This week I have felt God leading us to people. Its been evidence to me that God will use us as instruments if we´ll follow the super small nudges of the spirit. We were walking on the street, our plans had fell through, and we walked past a little passageway, and I suggested we turn back and check it out. So we did and got rejected by 2 people... then this little kid saw us and said "Hi Hermana, I'ill go get my sister".. and his sister came out, and we found out that her and her mom talked to missionaries 2 years ago.. they used to go to church and everything. So we taught the girl (sofia, 14 years old). Then I went home and searched for their investigator sheet and finally found it.. and it was missing the address. So there's literally no way we could have found them, if we hadn't of listened to the spirit that morning. I was so exited and I'm hoping they can progress! 

Presidente Patanía gave a talk to us this week... and we had to travel to Goya for it (an hour and a half away).  I am honestly at a point in my mission where I feel really happy.  I feel happy serving and working, and actually get stressed if we have to go to the store, or travel for Pday or something because it means we miss working time. My comps doing good.. we get along great.  As her trainer I"m trying to think of more ways to help her grow. I know we need to speak more Spanish to each other.. its just hard because we´re both pretty chatty, and so we´ll just be chatting forever, and forget about trying to speak Spanish. Its a comp goal for this week though :)

Love

Hermana Hall 

(camera still broken!) 

We met Alfredo the priest

So actually a tender mercy about shoes.. I really only have 1 pair that works, and they´re super crappy and dirty.. But another Hermana told me that she has a pair that are too big for her, but they fit me great, and so she gave them to me!! yay!

We had a crazy week.. so 2 of our best investigators, who had baptismal dates, fell through. Some felt pressure from family to stop meeting with us, another one moved.  We were so sad, it was like everything fell apart right after the special fast, and we thought that Satan was probably trying really hard to discourage us

ALFREDO
We continued talking to everyone and found a lady outside her house named Ssilvina.. and we taught her the restauración.. and then I was explaining the Book of Mormon.. and in walks her brother.. who lives across the street.  He has completed 7 of 8 year study to become a Catholic priest.  So the mood got slightly uncomfortable.. He just stood there with his arms crossed, listening. So I continued explaining the BOM, and then afterwards, he invited us to teach him the next day! We taught him the day after, and he accepted a BOM and said hewould read..So then when we returned a few days after, he came out with this notebook and the BOM all marked up and we thought he was gonna try to prove it wrong. But he said that he actually loved what he read. (all of Moroni).. and he said that Moroni 7 really spoke to his heart.. and he was surprised because it didn't contradict at all what the Bible says, and he had a bunch of preconceived ideas and beliefs about the BOM.. but he realized he was wrong.  Anyway...  his name is Alfredo and he came to church on Sunday, even with his little catholic clergy collar on.  He says he wont change.. but that hes gonna keep reading. I'm praying so much for him, because he´s recognizing the truth bit by bit! He seems to have a lot of curiosity about the Book of Mormon and he's very intelligent and has a lot of knowledge about scripture.  

We also had a charla with Noellia.. shes been an investigator for a couple months now. and we had such a spiritual charla. Seriously.. I just decided that instead of teaching I was going to ask more questions. She told us that her and her boyfriend (live together).. always fought or had a spirit of contention in their house.. but that ever since shes been talking to the missionaries, she feels a peace in her home..that´s never been there before. She feels the chills when we talk to her.. and gets emotional when we teach. And so I had her read out loud the last page of the pamphlets, where it talks about how the holy ghost answers us - and helped her recognize how the Holy Ghost was speaking to her and confirming the truth.  She cried because she couldn't deny that she had felt the spirit confirming the truth to her.  She said she knows that we aren't at her house by coincidence, but that we were sent there. The spirit was so strong, so I invited her to be baptized, but she said that she's doesn't intend on changing her religion, she is Catholic, but she feels that the gospel we've taught her is true. Anyway, that  meeting testified to me that the true gospel really makes a difference in the lives of people, and brings a peace and happiness like nothing else! Even though its sad for me that she didn't accept it enough right now to make a change,  I think she will eventually! 

This week I completed 1/2  my mission - 9 months down.. it's so crazy and seems like the fastest year of my life. And people keep telling me that time goes even faster after your 1/2 way mark.. so I'm trying to take advantage of everyday.  

The Gospel is True, the Book of Mormon is true!

Hermana Hall 

God led us to someone in need of His love

Hola...

This week was crazy, because we did a ton of traveling. So Tuesday night I picked up my new comp Hermana Baldree from the airport.She is super awesome!  Then the next day we traveled to Bella Vista, and right away left to teach. We had an awesome afternoon and found this guy Andreo. He understood the restauación really well, but his wife being Catholic wife didn't want him to accept a Book of Mormon. 

We´ve had a lot of teaching appointments this week.  We have been working hard, and talk to way more people than I did in my last companionship. We have an investigator, Lucia, shes 13 years old. and shes super awesome! She accepted baptism for Jan 20th! 

Saturday we started our fast to "rededicate our areas".. (the whole mission is doing it). I know that this fast is how we are going to see miracles as a mission.. and that Satan is going to try to work against us even harder. So I made a special effort to keep positive and keep the faith. I know that if we prove faithful, the lord will bless us. 

So things have been super good with my comp. She is the sweetest person ever. She was in Formosa for 2 weeks, then went home in October.. and just barely came out again. So we knew who each other were and were hoping we would be comps. I've been making an effort to be excited and energetic about the work, and do well planning, so she could have a good experience in her training. We get along great and we laugh a lot together. The fact that she gives me positive feedback has made me put in an extra effort to serve her and try to be always positive!

We traveled on Thursday to Goya, then to a place called Esquina early the next morning (4 am),.... to help with a proselyting activity. We left to our area, and my comps feet hurt.. so we stopped at a corner, and I said a prayer that we could find someone who would let us in.. someone that really needed us. Then we met a sweet lady named Maria Teresa, who immediately let us in, and explained that she lives alone with her son, who just does drugs all day.-.. and feels like her life is an hell. She was bawling her eyes out. And so we just listened, and then I asked if I could hug her.. and she said "please"... then i did and she just fell apart.. it broke my heart. she said she feels like god has abandoned her sometimes. So I felt the need to share a scripture from the Book of Mormon in

1 Nefi 21:14-16 " 14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me... 

and then she said that she knows god sent us to her. Then we set up a day for the elders to give her a blessing of comfort. It was an amazing experience.  I knew that God answered our prayer and lead us to someone in need of His love. It was a beautiful moment. 

Anyway, I'm putting in a lot of work here in Bella Bista, and I'm really hoping to see results in this area because I love teaching the people, and testifying. Even when they don't accept the message, I know that its true, and that what we are doing is so important. I love my mission president! 

Love

Hermana Hall 

I Like Being in Charge

So we had to stay in our apartment on new years because everyone was drunk on the streets.. and so we watched 4 movies, and made tacos. It was great.. I was actually looking forward to styudying a lot.. but the hermanas from a different area traveled to stay with us.. so we ended up talking and hanging out the whole time.. but it was good. we made some memories. and then today we traveled to Resistencia, because tonight I'm going to the airport to pick up my new comp that I'm gonna train. Hermana How went home - we were only together two weeks.  Now I"m training again. I don't know the area well, and we don't have a map.. so this will be an adventure ha :) I'm actually excited to train.. I don't know why. I figured out that I kinda like being in charge more haha, and also being in charge makes me more dedicated, because i have to be 100% attentive all the time. it was good to have a break though.  

We had a super spiritual charla this week with a lady named Noellia. We watched the Restauration.. and she felt the spirit so strong. I think she knows that the church is true.. because shes always saying that when we talk she feels chills, so we´ll see. 

Cant believe Bells is home! She is seriously the best, and has amazing spiritual input, always. She is the best friend ever, seriously. She has emailed me throughout my whole mission, even when we didn't have a lot of time, she always sends something supportive.  I'm glad you went to her homecoming. She told me that she saw you guys and it meant so much to her! its so crazy that you guys are seeing all my old friends. Aww mom, it made me almost tear up that you said that seeing them made you miss me. I love you so much! It's weird because in the mission people just love their moms like 10x more. Every single missionary just cant wait to spend time with their mom when they get home. 

Okay ill buy some shoes.. and just wear them till they wear out. I get blisters alll the time.. yikes. I really need to start wearing my sombrero. It's so hot I'm always soaking wet, seriously. on the bright side, I don't ever have to do my hair anymore, because it's wet within 5 minutes haha. 

I loved seeing those photos from your mission :) and your cute little perm haha. and you're washing clothes by hand! I feel your pain haha. 

Have a good week.  Pray for success in Bella Vista!