A Departing Witness

Dear everyone,
Exactly a month ago today I returned from my journey in the Texas San Antonio Mission. Many friends and family members asked me, "How was it?" Putting any two years into a few sentences doesn't come easily. However, I will try to convey some of the feelings that made these years so critical for my developement as a son of God.
When I entered the mission field, which is to say, when I entered Texas, I believed that because I owed a debt to God, that was why I needed to serve. Motivated by honor towards God, I pushed through numerous burdans that laid upon me. That was not the way God wanted me to serve. Instead he helped me find people who changed my life. The Rubio family, the Wozniaks, Bruno, and the Villanueva family. The McCloud Family, the Aldridge family, the Hernandez and the Fernandez. Omar, the Peña family, Aracely and her family. Jerry, Tony, Tyler, and Ken. Sister Smith, Brother Rojas, Nicole and all her family. Countless other names belong with these. And in every area that these families lived in were fellow followers of Christ who supported me and taught me more about Him. In time the Lord showed me that a love for Him would motivate me more than honor and fulfill me more than success.
During this time the Lord was mindful of my personal needs for growth. He gave me nine wonderful areas to serve in, and nineteen companions; I needed each of those companions when the Lord sent them to me. And like Moroni, I wish to speak the thoughts of my heart with clarity, to witness to God and all others that Jesus Christ is the Savior and redeemer of the world. God's ultimate act of love was to send his son to the earth (John 3:16). As the example, and as the way, the truth and the life, Jesus reclaims us from our fallen state.
 The Lord deserves all our gratitude. Because of Him, there is hope. Without Him, there is none. I testify to you that God lives. I stand as a witness of Jesus Christ. His power to heal leaves a permanent mark on my soul. Without Him, I am nothing. With Him, years of miracles have passed before my eyes.

We are those who were said who are to bring the gospel to the world. This calling given of our God, our glorious God, will be reckoned one day. Jesus Christ is the one who was said to "suffer tempation of every kind" (Alma 7:11). We can do all things through Him as He strengthens us. Without Him, we are less than the dust of the earth.
Joseph Smith is Christ's first prophet of our modern day. Through him the Book of Mormon was brought into the hands of God's children on earth. By following the teachings of the Book of Mormon, we will draw closer to God than through any other Book. I promise as Mormon did that "if [you] will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ" Moroni 7:19). Glory and gratitude to Him. In the most sacred name, Jesus Christ, amen.

-Christian Hall

Loving greetings to you all,

I must say that packing all of my things is stressful. With the help of Elder Anderson I've managed to keep myself aloft emotionally. Add sickness, reduce time, and by the end it is apparent that the Lord trust me to do hard things. I surely will.

Yesterday during sacrament meeting one of the counselors announced that it would be my last Sunday in the mission field. I hardly expected that to happen. Walking through the halls there were friendly faces that said goodbye. The hardest part of the goodbyes is right now.

And even more astonishing, we learned that we are getting doubled out, and that a pair of sisters will take our place. Wow, I may be the only Elder to finish his missionary time in the Lake Travis area, especially if the ward begins to grow. I know that Sister McCarty will likely be in the area with a trainee that is coming this week into the mission. Don't worry -- I hadn't talked about Sister McCarty before. She made a good impression on me during the zone conference this past week. I know that she will take good care of the area.

--------------- An update from Elder Anderson that I thought you might like to read ---------------

Sorry, I am a little short on time, we are getting doubled out of Lake Travis, so I need to start packing and cleaning. (We will be replaced by sisters. The apartment must be spotless.)

We had a second Zone conference on Thursday, the last with President Slaughter. It was very edifying and I can see the power of righteous living. It really opens people's minds up to the spirit. How can anyone think this church is not correct when they see all the fruits of it? It is like denying the fact that  water turns to steam when boiled, despite the undeniable evidence of millions who have put it to the test. It is logical, and those who feel it know, the church is true.

On Saturday and Sunday we found two Filipinos in some condos who have a lot of interest and a lot of potential. It was a testimony to me of member missionary work. These Filipinos have a roommate who is a member, Sis. Viceral, who often attends a different ward and studies the scriptures with Goldie (one Filipino we found with epic readiness to hear the message) every evening. When we gave Goldie a Book of Mormon, she accepted it very gratefully, and wants to talk with us later. Well, I think the sister missionaries will be good for this area, and especially for Goldie and her friends. They will actually be
able to enter the house without a member. Although it is not a commandment for Sisters to come on a mission, their work is very appreciated and highly necessary. They can go places and open hearts
that we as elders cannot, despite our skill and calling. They who have a desire are called to the work, and will become much better people for and by it!

The church is true. I know it for I have seen the fruits of living it and they are unique to this organization. As Bro. Polakowski, a ward missionary, said the other day, "After the many witnesses I have had about the truthfulness of the church, all doubts are illogical now."

--------------------------------- End of Elder Anderson’s Update -------------------------------------

Questions and Answers

What can we do for you that you may not have mentioned?  

I need prayer from anyone who can offer it. If I don't mention it earlier in my email, I did catch a cold mixed with allergies a few days ago. Home represents the love of my family and friends, and I've anticipated it intensely for the last couple days. Please, feel free to plan out a few slow paced activities for when I get home. When I know that my family is on my side, it helps me reduce in stress.

 How has your final week been, Darlin' Elder with your good Elder Anderson?

This past week was full of miracles. We had another Zone Conference focused on where to find the prepared. I took sufficient notes, and participated by raising my hand from time to time. I knew nearly every face that attended that Zone Conference (it involved missionaries serving in Austin and such), and I talked to many others. There was and Elder Davis who originally served in Guadalajara, but was re-assigned here. He talked quite slow, and he had a peaceful demeanor.

This ward treats us so well. I love the members here, and will do my best to keep in touch. Though it is difficult to say this, I must remind myself to take things one task at a time.

How are N and D?  

D has been battling with some health concerns, and we haven't talked to her this last week. We received a text this past week from her, telling us that she wasn't interested anymore. However, Elder Anderson and I agreed that she couldn't have texted it. We also met and talked with N and her husband B, when they were on their way out of the house. This was a mini miracle. I know that their family will receive missionaries well in the future.

And S? 

She has been reading from the Book of Mormon a little bit. She still has questions, though we only talked to her for a little bit when we saw her last week. I'm excited to see how her family progress.

And H, P and F? 

H continues to work hard. We went to his house this week with a member, and invited him to church. Up to this point, I hadn't recognized that he didn't know he could come to our ward if he wanted. In my emotionally broken Spanish, I expressed to him what his blessing would be as he exercised faith, and came to church. He said he would make an effort to come. He didn't arrive, but I know that my effort was never wasted on that good, kind father. We didn't see P or F this past week.

 And, of course, Sister Smith? 

I didn't actually see her this past week. She didn't make it to church, but she was visiting family. With Sister missionaries taking our place, they will be able to serve her in many ways that we couldn't. I am whole-heartedly blessed to have met her.

How have the tender mercies of the Savior's atonement helped you this important week?

The Lord continues to heal my wounds. Sometimes when I was having a hard time this past week, I remembered a hardship in my life. But when that happened, and I was willing, the Lord was able to heal that experience, and leave it feeling unwounded.

I wrote a considerable amount in my journal for this past week. I didn't write everything, but I will share those things in my journal when I return. For now, I need to have confidence in the future.

With all the love I have, given of Christ,

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

Pictures!

The following pictures will not contain lengthy captions. These were taken at the zone conference.

Elder Stanley (to the right) served in Uvalde and knew Elder Bertelsen well.

Zone Conference Group Photo

All Land is the Lord's

Dear everyone, essentially,

"This is my Father's world," and while it doesn't always seem like it, God gave us the world to learn and grow it. Doubtless many people don't keep it spiritually clean. Anyways, I am still loving missionary service down here. I know I will come home soon. That is important, but so is this lemon that I like to call Texas. It has endless good if we make lemonade. I feel like writing deep complicated words right now.

That is not the Lord's way! He speaks to us in the language we can understand, even when that language is Texan. Ja ja. Last Monday after emailing I had a load of stress fall on me. The other elders gave me a blessing and I still feel the effect of the blessing work. From then to the zone conference, we were stressed. Quite simply, stress hangs heavy. Elder Anderson astounds me every day with his willingness to work. That makes me happy too.

After the zone conference, which was quite sentimental, we felt a boost. Then we crashed emotionally again, but we picked things up from there. When church came along I sorely needed it. The Sacrament is a vital ordinance for us. And since then, I've felt powered up.

Actually this morning we went to a Memorial Day breakfast held at the ward level. I knew nearly everyone there. That astounded me. We got to enjoy the food, and there were leftover pan cakes, toppings, and everything, really. We're going to a member's home later to pick the food up. Leftovers really do boost a missionary's weekly budget. This has been an exciting p-day already.

And it is regrettable, or whatever, but I need to out of necessity plan how I'm getting back home. Packing this round will be a bit tougher. Not too tough, as Elder Anderson is a moving expert. He'll likely give me practical advice of how to pack 2 years of my left to send home. I'm not going to cry, I hope!

Questions and Answers

How was the zone conference? 

It went fantastic! All of the people that I saw made it heartwarming to attend. A leader in the mission asked me to take down a paragraph or so of the experience to save for "mission history." Because that is something important to do, I'm going to make sure I write that first. Hopefully I will have described the conference before this email is done.

What are your thoughts on pressing forward?  

Awesome. My thoughts are awesome. Just kidding. Pressing forward seems to be a principle of enduring to the end. I bet we all at times hit a point in our life where we think, "now what?" I'm going to do my best to keep busy when I get home. A "charitable busy" will be very therapeutic to engage in. Pressing forward "with steadfast faith in Christ" is the essence. We feel and understand that essence during the sacrament, scripture study, and untold many other ways we worship God.
How often do you have 'Ammon days'?  

We've been thinking of doing those once a week. We ourselves schedule Ammon days, so the day can and probably will vary. We've gone out two Fridays thus far.

Are the Texas lizards and frogs coming out in great numbers?  

The reason why animals are bigger in Texas is likely because of how green it gets out here. Growth of trees and things is fantastic. We've seen lizards, frogs, snails, mice, a fox, several dogs and cats, and a faun that made it into someone's house. Animals are hilarious.

How are your people doing (including Sister Smith)? How has the Lord blessed you with his loving Spirit this week?

Sister Smith is doing quite well.  She went to a wedding of her family this past weekend, and so she was not able to come yesterday. I do not worry for her however.

We've discovered that our teaching pool may be smaller than we wanted to suppose. Finding H at home can be tough, and we've needed to move on with others. The ward has so much sincere growth. Even when people have been baptized already, we love to see people familiar and not attend with us. Brother R was an example of that, as he has been working enough that it was fantastic to see him again. Elder Anderson hadn't met him yet. Plenty of people came to visit as well, and the B family made it to church as well.

Pictures!

We parked near a familiar member's home and saw the fox prowling his grounds. When it left, Elder Anderson took a picture.

Do you remember how we said we did service a while ago? We helped build a tree house. Our help was little in comparison to the actual project, but I loved being a part of it.

We took this picture when Bro T. gave us a tour of the service project tree house.

The Tree House service project crew

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

Making The Most

Dearest all of y'all,

This week is great. I'm going to let you know beforehand:

I blame Elder Smith for distracting me. Kidding, of course. This week was full of miracles. We were able to lend ourselves to serving others this week. We had the opportunity to walk around a few neighborhoods and offer service to people. The other Elders call this "Ammon Day." Please ask me how our next Ammon Day goes. As Ammon in the scriptures served before he taught, we can make an impact without the need to sit down and teach.

Sister Smith was unable to make it to church yesterday because the power went out for them. However, we had a few good visits with her to help her begin her family history. I could help but think of my own family, what my parents taught me, and to recognize the Spirit in greater abundance. The work of salvation is our work. We don't simply knock doors. There are many things that we can do to help others.

This coming week we will be having a zone conference. Our leaders have called it the "Press Forward" zone conference. It makes sense. With the change of mission presidents, and all the other change that comes with it, pressing forward is key. Especially when things are going smoothly we need to heed the scriptures, pray to our father in heaven, and serve.

I've noticed a change in my letters since the beginning. At the beginning I was very concerned with how I wrote home. For those of you reading on the blog, I thought of those of you whom I cared about, and I got anxious many times as I wrote. What y'all think of me isn't quite as important as what the Lord thinks of me. Therefore His work will have a far greater lasting effect on us when we choose to engaged in it. No work is more satisfying. No other job would quench spiritual thirst. There never was a better way know the Lord than by serving him.

In Nephi taught me of the lasting affect that records have, especially spiritual records (2 Nephi 33: 1-2). Thank you for all of your prayers on my behalf. Thank you, my family, for allowing me to leave for a time. I truly needed it.

Questions and Answers

How has your week with Elder Anderson and the work been?    

Diligent and satisfying. We've met some new people and had dinner with a different family. This family in particular has proficiency in both Spanish and English. They took us to a restaurant where we ate good Mexican food. Real stuff. Sorry Utah, but Cafe Rio isn't as authentic as this food was. I had a torta al pastor, which is basically a grilled sandwich with marinated pork meet, pineapple, guacamole, and a couple of other things.

How have you searched for good with the help of God this week?  
 
In a number of ways. One eternal truth I've seen this week is a principle of trials. Life is meant to allow us to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and improve. When we are doing what we should, keeping the commandments and growing, the Lord in a sense allows trials to occur. These are not punishments. The Lord knows what ultimately will bring us the most peace.

How is B doing, has she met any sisters to help support her? 

A euphemism is not required.

We saw Á when we went by and he explained that he had a different religion. When we asked when would be a better time, he used the phrase, "ya no." He doesn't want us to return, and so we offered to have missionaries return in a half year or so. If we were to continue to push, it would have worsened the condition. They are in the Lord's hands, and he will take care of them. He can prepare them through their personal circumstances.

 And how are J and E and family?  

We haven't gone by this week. We'll need to follow up.

In what ways have you felt Father's love for you this week?

In many subtle ways that the Lord has reminded me about his love. He is Diligent where we are not, and so his love was consistent. This work is amazing. I'm praying for all of you. Whoever reads should know that God loves them. He never fails.

Pictures

I saw this photo and remembered instantly something that happened. Elder Brough now is in the district!

Greg was baptized!

And so was Esmerelda, someone that Elder Black and I found!

Keep your faith burning bright. The Lord leads the way.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

A Familiar Spirit

Greetings y'all,

The southern Texan drawl is quite familiar to me now. I'm not afraid of bringing it with me into the future.

This past week was full of plenty of ups and downs; bitter and sweet. I'm getting better at writing what happens every day in my journal, but it would seem that I still have some improving to do. It'll take some pretty consistent goal setting with incentives placed with it. What I'm trying to relate is my very natural tendency to struggle to write in my journal. I want to change, and that helps. Don't ever get discouraged as you strive to change.

I suppose I'll begin with exchanges with Elder Smith. This past week he told me that I was one of the first people to greet him when the new trainee's arrived in Austin. When he described other struggles since coming into the mission, it helped me feel a little bit of peace for trying to love someone. And the resulting friendship has been great. Elder Smith had mentioned how excited he was to go on an exchange with me. I would feel flattered if I thought he didn't mean it. He truly did.

That afternoon we spent mostly in the area of Herminio. Elder Smith's energy rubbed off on me and we had three lessons with Spanish people I had never met before. I don't remember teaching an entire lesson by myself before. Without Elder Anderson's help that day, there were times that I missed him. A ton. We met three ladies by the name of Maria, and I was only able to catch the last name of one of them. The last Maria we met was sitting at a rock, waiting for her grandchildren to arrive. We sat there with her. I had a one sided conversation with her. I lost track of time and before I knew it, the bus pulled up. I frantically chased after her to give her a copy of the Book of Mormon with our number. If God wills it so, we're going to find her. After the Spanish events of the afternoon, I understood why God taught that it isn't meet that we should be alone.

We had dinner that night with a familiar family in the Ward. Brother Smith felt at home, and, well, I did too. When we sat down to share a spiritual thought, and towards the end of that, Elder Smith noticed something and wanted to take a picture:

This hand crafted duck is made out of wood. You might not guess.

Not the best lighting. You can fix that with your monitor I'd guess.

We set off for the evening. We found J at home again. Because he had time, we shared the Easter video and talked about the Book of Mormon. J has remarkable English and is very kind to us when we speak Spanish. Elder Smith supported me as we introduced him it. I'm afraid I might have fire hosed him with information, as I was extremely excited. He did seem to recognize something different. And so we've kept a good eye on J. He's not the only new person that we've met. It's kind of hard to tell who I should talk about. Many of these people are great.

Then after that we decided to visit Daniel and Julie. They are great members and Daniel was baptized within a year ago. He came out with us. Though we had some lessons planned with people, none of those planned went through. It was yet another opportunity to practice stress management "one the road." Eddie was not home that evening and we didn't get a welcome from his family, though we learned later that he still had interest. We're waiting for about a week until he becomes available again.

It was a great evening. I learned a fair amount from Elder Smith. He's a committed missionary. Do not believe for a second you need to have the scriptures mastered to qualify for service. Anyone who remembers me from before missionary service might believe that I knew the scriptures well. Let's conclude that the Lord knows his own scriptures better. Haha, I love learning from the scriptures.

Questions and Answers

How is E doing?   

We saw her again this week. We still haven't sat down with the family. To review, E belongs to the same family that J does. They are progressing. I pray every day that I'll know what they need to hear from God, not just what seems will help them.

And how is Ee and H and his family?     

Ee seems to continue with interest. We're sending him and others scripture references that can be searched. Kind of like: Moroni 7:19 - How can I search for good with the help of God?"

It's blessed many people. Diligence really does bring blessings. And so our communication will be limited until we can meet with him after he's available.

H is still working hard. In many ways he is personably responsible for providing for family here and family elsewhere. We had a miracle where we met F, his friend and partner, and taught him about prophets. F has a little family too. He pulled up as we were writing a note to H. We talked to him (F) the entire time through his car window in that front yard. H wants to be baptized, and so the opposition continues.

I forgot to say that we taught H's son Diego for the first time. He is a younger kid old enough to be baptized, and his interest seemed high as we taught him. H helped out as well. Tony, a member of the ward who speaks Spanish, was able to be there that night when we taught H.

And how is the most wonderful, sweet Sister Smith and her family?  

She beamed all throughout church yesterday. She fights allergies but is doing quite well. Ashtyn her granddaughter came to church as well. She is the most socially sunbeam I know. Thank you for your marvelous prayers on her behalf and on ours.

And how are B and A?

This weekend was a slight let down. When we caught B we learned from her that she wasn't feeling support from her family. Her mother wants her to go to a different church, and A doesn't support her. We realized that in all our time visiting her, we had neglected to bring with us Sisters that would relate to her and give her support. We thought at first B didn't want to meet with us anymore, but we've grown to realize we simply needed a call to action. Keep them in your prayers. These wonderful Spanish speakers in many ways remind me of the R family. They need the same patience God grants to us. A probation to change.

And how has the Lord blessed you as you've worked with your good companion Elder Anderson this week?

Immensely. It seems forever ago, but last week we had a slight argument as an apartment. I wasn't fully in control, but afterwards Elder Anderson helped me to recognize the Lord's hand in healing me, and then I apologized for the way I communicated things to the others. Since then, we've been able to build up our companionship and work hard. We've been able to teach many people. This area is growing. And best of all, we have a front seat to watch people change. That is greater than any movie (sorry Star Wars fans).

He's one of my best friends. His calmness has taught me, and I've been able to help him too. It feels like a very healthy relationship. No matter how much we disagree, we recognize that God knows his people best. We can then seek the will of the Lord.

Selfishness is a bit exhausting. I'm learning even better to focus on the positive.

Our local tradition in the mornings is to have an abbreviated study together in the apartment. We always do the first two together, and we do the other two at least once a week together.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

The Divine Role of Mothers

Happy Mother's day to all mothers,

And I should add to all those who have mothers. That includes ALL Y'ALL.  At any rate, mothers have taken a different role for me in these days of my mission than they have thus far. We are children of heavenly parents, and of parents on earth. We can live with our families we have on earth as we follow Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus Christ, any family that at this time is imperfect (all for them) can be healed and enabled through His Atonement. If I were to forget those truths, it would change me, and not in a way I would like.

Mother's day is a great opportunity to recognize our Mother's for their divine role. If you haven't had the chance recently, you should take some time out of your day and communicate that. The way that you do that will depend on you.

I've thought of my family much this past week, and I've loved serving families that we meet with here. Venita had another family emergency. For her privacy I won't mention what happened except that she herself is not injured. Because she has earned Elder Anderson and my trust so well, we did not even panic one bit at the news. She didn't make it to church, but we knew that it was not of her own accord. Keep her and her family in y'alls prayers. She'll be in ours.

We decide to give some people extra time. Scott has been busy, and may not be ready for us to visit more, so we've moved on with faith in him, and especially in the Savior. Feel free to send questions if you wonder about someone else.

Another great family/individual is H and his family. For reference, he and his wife have two sons, and he is one of the most righteous souls I have met. If the Lord prepares the way for him and others in his family to be baptized, it will be because the timing is right, and we have qualified through our efforts, to a degree of course. He wants to come to church and wants to do many good things. He works like crazy. We have felt in planning for him that he needs to move forward with his family. He wants to be baptized, with his family. He wants to go to church, with his family. Indeed all of his wants are righteous, and we can do our part.

Yesterday we visited him after the church block and the famed Mother's day calls. He was on the phone, but we talked for a little bit. It is clear that the Lord wants him to come closer to Him. The biggest evidence of that was Saturday night.

For the first time in a while, we sat down in his home and talked about the Restoration. I'm not sure if any missionary has sat down with him talking about it in reasonable detail before. That is why we thought it was important. I could not believe the language barrier that existed then. No TV was on. His boys weren't crazy. Even then, for some reason I couldn't focus on his words, and my tongue felt tight. At times I had to say "¿mande?" A number of times. I think the Lord was trying to humble me. It worked. We testified that if he came to church, the Lord could and would provide for what might have been lost. I wanted to be careful that passion did not replace the Spirit. He felt affected and he committed. It was in this same visit he talked about how important his family was to him. His plea was heard.

Questions and Answers

What are some of the most important things that you would like to experience in you last 5 weeks on your mission?      

My-oh-my is that an open ended question!  Lake Travis is an area that like the previous 7+ have touched my heart and will stay there. It's not really the weather, or even the nature that stays there. Those can be bonuses. It is the people, not the things that I remember. I have collected some random trinkets along the way that will help in the remembering process.

That was a tangent. I want to find a family that can learn about the gospel together. We may have already found that family, and we can boldly invite them to learn together. Or it might be someone we found. This is a great motivation for me to keep working hard to the end.

How are B and A and H?   

B reads regularly and A works a fair amount. That being said we want to invite A directly to read and pray about the message. They have a bunch of family.

I think it was a weekend some time ago that we found B, A, and B's father J together for a family gathering. They invited us to grab a plate, and we ate and talked with them. J has lived in many places around the world, and he knows many languages, including English and Spanish, of course. He seems to approve of us meeting with B and A, and he may take interest too. I mean to imply that there is more to their family than B and A. We can share more to the rest of their family.

H is a hard worker. We've began to work closer with him. See story above.

 Who else are you teaching in Espanol? 

We found a young man (about our age I suppose) on Sunday. E is his name, and openness is his game. Unfortunately, we didn't speak to him in Spanish. He might still speak it. He was receptive, and continues to be so. It was a miracle that we were able to meet him:

Saturday was the day of a baptism of someone Elder Smith and Elder Águila had been meeting with. That story was a miracle, and we were glad to hear of the process as it went on. The temptation was to go to the baptism, when we knew there would likely be people to find. We did find some people. We were blessed. But in the same vein, we recognized a need to build courage. This week was stressful, so I wasn't as bold as I could have been with people we met. This stirred us up to action, and Sunday was a powerful result of it.

That Sunday we met E. Remember J? They're related. Longish story. Anyway, looking for him, we saw him pull out of his parking spot. He left us in the dust. Even so, we decided to knock on his door, and met E, his Mom. I take what I said back, it isn't a long story. We testified of prophets being on the earth, and she took interest. We're going by again share the Book of Mormon. Bold preaching power!

Then when we passed by E, we saw him and his friend working on a truck, and struck up a conversation. Turns out his friend is a member, and she has done a great job of teaching him. We're extremely excited for E.

There are others that we have found, and people like C that make take interest in the future. I am filled with energy.

What are some things that the members in your ward are doing that are assisting you and Elder Anderson? 

The members around here are quite flexible. Doug, one of the members here (last name withheld [I'm grinning as I type this]) is a ward missionary. He enjoys coming out with us, and he is as flexible as he can be. I could count on many other members to do the same.

I think a great quality of the ward here is how friendly everyone is to everyone. We never worry about visitors feeling lonely. That releases stress big time.

How hot is it?

Heat is quite subjective sometimes. Because of the time I've spent in the area, it isn't really all that hot to me. When it rains, things get cool. When it doesn't, the air cooks like an oven set to, say, 100 degrees?

Pictures

Spring cleaning. Some pants were retired for honorable service.

Here's another picture of Venita's baptism.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

Taste the Bitter, Appreciate the Sweet

Hello y'all,

My witness of hope this week is this: Jesus Christ can heal us all. There is a reason he is call the "Great Physician." His attributes far outstretch our effort alone. Rather than letting y'all wait and see, I'll tell you some of the ways I saw his hand this week. Other trials that brought smiles to my face might bring some trials to yours.

Maybe I'd rather begin with a little bit of bitter. In our efforts to branch out and find new people, we've been walking around a trailer park that missionaries have visited before. In the past, I've had bad experiences with the management yelling at us for being there, though they don't have a right to do that. To cut this shorter, while we were there this past week the management pulled up to us and began to curse us out as we were talking to someone at her door. They threatened some things at us and we made an unconscious decision together to submit and they took us on their golf cart to our car, and watched us drive off.

Elder Anderson and I were frustrated with what happened. Legally, they weren't allowed to do what they did. We voiced our thoughts to each other about the situation, both of us aware that the people in the area need what we have. This isn't a pride issue, it's a matter of being where the Lord wants us to be so that we can bless who he wants us to bless. It is his work.

That event made it more difficult for me to focus for the rest of the night. Contention is of the adversary. He wants us to fight with anyone verbally, knowing that any contention would drive the Spirit away. The management did not win however -- we eventually came away from the situation calm, a little bruised emotionally, but well. At one point while we were on the golf cart I thought to myself, "nothing left to do but enjoy the breeze." I did my best to do that. I pray that if I ever come into contact with them in the future, I don't lose my temper. That won't help me, my companion, or anyone else.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention: I will stay in Lake Travis for my final transfer of my mission. Well, that is anticipated I'm sure. If I stay longer, it isn't because I made that decision. Anyways, I'll enjoy the last transfer here.

B and A are doing great. B in particular seems to be changing little bit by little bit. It's as if she has more light in her eyes. That being said, there is opposition in her surroundings. She doesn't have any members as family, and A is learning alongside her. Our plan, cheers to it working well, is an FHE tonight that they are already invited to. If they can make it, things will go smoothly, if they can't, well, life will still go on. B is also getting pulled in different directions by family and neighbors. If nothing else, we can arm her with faith in God necessary to overcome these challenges. This family is wonderful.

Elder Oak's talk of good, better, best always seems to come up sometime each week. That topic also applies to the spiritual nourishment that we get as we meditate and partake of the sacrament. When I was young, sacrament meeting was something you went to. Like all gifts from God, they help us to the extent we use those blessings.

In relation to transfers, the borders of our districts are changing. Because of the recent change in Llano, our district will no longer include Marble Falls or Llano, and now Elder Aguila is the district leader. It's a bit of a tender mercy, actually. Leadership is opportunity to learn love, but it is also an added weight upon our shoulders. I'm glad to proselyte with my companion, Elder Anderson. Elder Smith is also staying where he is. I'm running out of blessings to say.

My heart has burned throughout this past transfer. How can I withstand such a powerful flame? I cannot help but share that flame, that excitement, or perish for holding onto it. I think there is a reference to this allegory in Ezekiel somewhere.

Questions and Answers

How are they (Venita, Dennis, and their granddaughter) doing?

Venita has recovered from her sickness, and she made it to church yesterday. Rather than focusing on the idea of church attendance by itself, she seemed to also enjoy the sacrament meeting, and the classes afterwards. We got nervous when she went out the front doors, but she came back in. I spoke too soon. Dennis comes out more each time we meet, and Venita's desire to bring him to the temple.

And how are B and A this week?  

They are progressing. At times it is hard to bring English speakers to a lesson with Spanish speakers, so we'll see what we can do to help them connect to the ward. We're hoping the stars align and we can bring someone that can teach alongside us.

And how is H doing?

He seems to be doing well. We weren't able to find him at church or at home. He's getting busier. It is evidence that he loves his family, but also evidence that we need to help them out.

What experiences have you had this week being led by the Spirit? 

Speaking of Brenda, we went by them yesterday and they weren't home. Without giving up, we decided to walk around the area to talk to those outside. And whadayah know, they drove by and we talked to them for a couple minutes. That was a tender mercy. I also felt I was lead to hold my tongue as we were abducted by the trailer management.

Picture time:

Elder Trent and I after an exchange for a doctor's visit

Before that, Elder Smith stole my ipad and took a picture.

We went to this house in our area, and found a little more than we had anticipated

The baptism (my face was not prepared for the photo)

.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

The Best Kind of "I'm So Tired."

Dear everyone,

I am really tired. This recent week in district meeting together we discussed our vision for our areas. The Zone is doing well, and the work is progressing. But especially in our district there is plenty of good going on. But we are being urged by our leaders to give more, sacrifice more in thanks of all that we have received and then work harder. Elder Anderson is a fantastic missionary. I've recently discovered that he gains and loses energy in a similar fashion to Elder Scroggs, my first companion. I'm glad to work with him.

In connection with this increase of vision, we are doing our best to accelerate the work within what we can do. We've seen plenty of miracles. While I won't be able to list all of them, I hope I can share some of the ones that touched me. One of them indeed relates to talking to everyone.

One of the funny times was leaving a visit with D. There was a man without a shirt that I definitely was not naturally inclined to talk to. But because of the lessons we learned, I gave a shot. We said hello and I introduced myself:

"Hello! Elder Hall here, and this is Elder Anderson"

We shook hands,

"Youth James."

We both stopped confused, and then we congratulated him for coming up with a unique joke. We haven't been successful in finding him again, but God can definitely send us prepared people if he thinks that we aren't going to pass by them. That would be a sad situation.

Together we are making it a point to talk to everyone that we see, and with it we've seen some great blessings come. I love it when the Spirit whispers to us that we've made the right choice. We can't always be successful when we approach someone, but we are simply qualifying for blessings in faith that they will come. Wednesday night was a little bit of a downer.

We went with a Brother who was recently sealed in the temple to his wife, who is a somewhat recent convert of the ward. They are both fantastic, and I related to him well because he grew up in the beloved ward boundaries of Uvalde. Earlier in the day, I think a few appointments fell through. Right before he met us in the Spicewood area, we talked to a lady who was weeding in the late afternoon with her kids. Taking from the example of Elder Black, I got on my knees without explicit permission from her, and started pulling weeds (thanks Mom for the great training.) It was cool. Elder Anderson commented later that it was the most civilized conversation we had with someone un-interested in a long time. We don't really have barbaric conversations, but he did have a point. S, the mother in that situation, thanked us for our help, and we seemed to have a pretty big impact on two young boys. One of them caught us when we were walking away and gave us some cookies.

This Brother had been with missionaries plenty of times when they went on splits in Uvalde. The rest of the night was hard. We struck out. Clay's father found us when we knocked and got mad at us, telling us to never return, and everyone else we tried by was either not home, or not answering the door. Elder Anderson and I were at least familiar with the scriptures enough to notice God wasn't punishing us, but rather it was preparation for even greater visits with the people that we are visiting with.

From Wednesday on, starting with weekly planning, we put our faith to the test. I've never had such a gratifying weekly planning session on my mission before. We're a good team, Elder Anderson and I, and we set our goals with the idea of doubling our average happenings in the past. We haven't met that yet, but the Lord is blessing us. It's interesting to see how liberating the rules are when we put our obedience and direct it at Him, instead of the rules. Then we begin to understand the application of them better, and they become springboards to higher blessings, rather than weights attached to our ankles. I'm really excited, but also so very tired.

We're walking. And walking. And walking. Our approach to work has changed from trying to be home before 9pm, to instead to getting home between 9pm and 9:30pm. I'm doing what I can to not give up before our time. It's easy to say at 8:30pm what we should go home, especially when most everyone doesn't welcome visits that late. At the same time, there is always work to do. If it isn't visits, there are calls and texts to be made. For those of you past, future and current missionaries out there, be sure to follow the direction of your leaders in specific plans, but work as hard as you can until the day is done. Then work a little more as you plan in the evening and write in you journal. I'm still working on the journal part.

Enough ranting.

B and A are doing great. B has been going through a bunch of experiences that are preparing her to receive the gospel, and I feel like we have been successful in giving Angel respect he deserves as the head of his couple. They have some concerns with the Law of Chastity that we'll address, but they seem to understand it basically. We taught them the Plan of Salvation twice: once when I was on splits with a former bishop. I like him a lot, he seems to be living the gospel. And then the second time when Elder Anderson was with me. The interesting thing is that A does not speak English. Because of that, we are using both languages as best as we can. We've even come to the conclusion that we might be inviting Spanish investigators to church with us. The Spanish building is so far away from them. It makes it difficult to make it.

That brings me to H. He is so fantastic. When we saw him last, he let us know that he would rather come to church with us, even though he doesn't really speak English. With that, I see this area becoming a little like Windcrest. There is a need, so we'll be pushing to get Spanish translation for those who attend. Whether they speak English or Spanish. We talked to our leaders, to the other Sister missionaries, and it looks like we aren't breaking any church policy. Apparently some wards will have split Sunday school and priesthood classes at times when language is a problem, but have combined primary and sacrament meetings. Sounds very similar to me.

Sunday was a spiritual feast. I got some news from home that was sad, but also a blessing for my family. The rest of church I felt energy enough to spare, and I enjoyed talking to tons of people at church as well. I'm learning better and better to have a spiritual feast at church. The evening was a little tough, but the late afternoon had great parts too.

Venita got sick at the beginning of the weekend, and was unable to make it to church. It was interesting when we were talking about her in Ward Council, especially what we could do to help her "hit the ground running" with family history and attending the temple, when we got the text from her explaining her condition. Naturally Elder Anderson and I were concerned, and we sent a couple texts throughout the day and eventually we came over. She had never received a priesthood blessing before. We brought one of her primary fellowships over, and testified of priesthood blessings. She sat patiently as I gave her a blessing. I felt extremely honored to give her the first blessing of healing she had received from a priesthood holder, while simultaneously feeling inadequate. I tried to get Elder Anderson to do it. He let me do it. The more I learn about priesthood blessing is the more I know its purpose. I need to be a clear conduit for the Spirit to say what is needed, and then the will of the Lord can be spoken. I strive to be humble and say only what I feel needs to be said, not what I want to say.

We also had a very spiritually edifying drive to and from a spiritual dinner with a family in the ward. They recently moved, but you probably wouldn't be able to tell. The father is a high councilman, and he loves serving. I could tell that he was a changed person. He allowed his missionary service to change him. It is ok if we consider our service as a way to pay back a debt to God. I'm sure he welcomes our service. But he wants us to be changed, not to simply serve. Then as we use all kinds of revelation as our guide, we can see miracles.

Being tired is a satisfying feeling when we are in the service of others.

Questions and Answers

Did you get any of the flooding type of weather that Houston got?

Well, the rain was bad and the thunder at times was freaky, but the weather got for the most part quite sunny. It was funny, some mornings we would rush to the gym in our complex to exercise, struggling in vain to stay dry, and then when we went out to work the weather would be a predictable Texas blue sky. Of course, it didn't feel to predictable.  

Are transfers this week?  

Not yet. I have not a clue if I'm going to stay or go. I feel like I have more work to do here, but I also feel like I could go. Elder Tews finished his mission in the De Zavala ward. Who knows?

How are Venita and her husband doing this week?  

Venita is such a great example to her husband. He corrects her at times when she reads the Book of Mormon outloud to their granddaughter, but she doesn't even mind. The Bishop challenged her to take family names to the temple for baptism in less than 30 days. We have the ward support and the leadership mandate that we help. She is a wonderful mother and grandmother. She's a great example to me.

How is your patient, kind heart doing this week? 

As I felt the Spirit warn me, with all the blessings there are equal temptations to get anxious, and there was a time or two that I exploded. But the explosions are much more contained, and have a shorter recovery time. I'm actually working on trying to sleep well. More stress is good if it can be managed. I'm getting better at telling my body to settle down, "and go to bed you disobedient vessel!" I am grateful for my body. We are meant to have them. At times I chastise it for not listening to me, though.

How have you and Elder Anderson worked together to follow the Spirit this week?

We had an amazing experience. On Saturday evening we were in a part of Lakeway after dinner in a few visits when I felt, very subtly of course, the need to go and visit a single sister that was on the other side of Lakeway. At first I thought "yah, maybe, we'll see." Eventually the though got more persistent. When I told my companion we should go, he supported me and we rushed there. *knock, knock, knock* We hear some loud dogs as I supposed, but no answer. But I got a further impression that we still had someone we needed to find in the area. "Ok, let's go walking." We tried to talk to some people who quickly evaded us. But the feeling kept going. So eventually, after getting the thought and help from Elder Anderson to make a definitive decision, we went to a part member family that is never home. The mother is always working. Guess what, when we entered the street, there was a big party going on. We found her house, not too far from the gathering, and we caught her. We learned more about her situation. This whole path was a confirmation to me that the Lord will lead us in simple steps. Sometimes it isn't as easy as "go to 342 Oak st and you'll find a man sitting on a curb." He's ready to be baptized." That would be cool. The Lord will lead us in simple ways. At times we can't see a few steps before us.

Last thing. I'm putting in a plug personally to y'all to avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners. Non-suger electrolyte drinks and sodas are so bad for you. Elder Anderson gets sick any time he drinks any of those. I'm learning that natural sugar is in many cases better than the fake stuff we get in plenty of sodas. I also learned some cool things about essential oils.

I leave you my witness that God loves each and every one of us. He knows exactly how to bless us the very most. Trust Him. If you have no more than a desire to trust Him, let that work in you. Alma the younger understands well the relationship between faith and us. I love my time here in Texas.

P.S. We served with Make-a-Wish on Friday. More on that later. Also, I still haven't gotten the pictures that I need from past companions and member and such. But here are some fun ones.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission

High on a Mountain Top

Dear all of my family and friends at home,

How have the events in your week transpired?

Well,.....

As you should be aware, we were scheduled to have a baptism last week. And guess what? We DID!! Venita was ecstatic for the opportunity, and she had great support from family and friends. I've mentioned this to those in the area often: Venita's baptism was the easiest to schedule, and the smoothest baptism I've participated in. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed all of the baptisms that I've been a part of. I suppose it helps to have a supportive ward, plenty of fellowship, and prior experience to make sure things go smooth as, well, possible. I loved it! I'll give a more detailed experience of it later.

No need to ask about the rain, it's been falling. This weekend it picked up the pace and we found ourselves dealing with it on and off. This week’s forecast is said to have plenty of rain to spare again, so pray that the rain doesn't make the roads too slick, our faces too cold, and that the rain fulfilled its purpose. I do believe it does. Something that made me smile is when a member approached us yesterday and said they saw us earlier that week. One day we decided to park near a golf driving range to avoid taking a spot in the shoulder of the road. We walked a good distance to get back to the house we wanted to visit, luckily someone answered the door, feeling a little sick herself. So that member likely saw us when we were on the shoulder of that busy two lane road here in town.

We are walking more because our leaders have reemphasized it. I love biking when we don't have a car, and when the area is conducive to biking directly from our house to somewhere. Unfortunately, Lake Travis is neither a prescribed bike area nor the bike friendliest place. Maybe if we lived more in the suburbs that would be possible. Instead, we have to hang our bikes on our car's bike rack anytime we want to bring the two wheelers. I'm not too patient for that -- oddly enough I love to just walk. And as we parked further from places we wanted to visit, and talked to people on the way, more miracles became apparent in the area.

One such example was the afternoon right after Zone Meeting. At the meeting we had interviews with President, I probably had one of my second to last ones, and some amazing trainings. It felt like a spiritual feast, and our leaders did a great job to direct the conversation. Only different to church services, there was no sacrament, there were roleplays, and the conversation was directed to us. I felt somewhat rebuked. Rebuked meaning that there were some things I could do better, and that made a sort of repentance much easier to do. It can be hard to change if we aren't invited to. Anyway, President Slaughter seemed to convey he was proud of my effort so far. He never said it, but his face did, and the "air" about him did. I walked out of the interview happy. And that is what I felt, "happy." This week has done so much to put me on a mountaintop, where I felt blessed by the Lord directly, and lead to help people a little more selflessly than before.

In a critical training, Sister Ali, a missionary I served around during my brief stint in Carrizo, talked about having no regrets. She relayed a parable of sorts that I am dead sure she learned from Elder Bertelsen. In it, she is walking in the spirit world, when someone that she only slightly recognizes walks up to her:

"Why didn't you talk to me? You had what I needed. When you walked by, I felt lost. I was carrying my groceries in, but I needed help. You could have shared it with me, but you passed me by. Why didn't you talk to me?"

She gave several examples of situations we find people in, that are only masks for the need and the openness they would have if we talked to them. I'm not perfect at talking to all I can, that is something I can still work on. Elder Anderson and I silently committed together to make sure circumstances didn't keep us from talking to anyone. That made it possible for the fated event that afternoon.

When we finished eating, waiting, calling, planning, and waiting some more, we eventually got out to visit a couple of people. On the way to a house, we turned the opposite direction. We found a crew of Hispanic men doing yard touch up and work there, and the closest one, probably the only one who we would be able to talk to, was on a loud lawn mower. I almost hesitated. I did not want to be the one to shy away. But just as it would have gotten too late to talk, he turned it off and we approached him. We spoke in Spanish to him and introduce the Book of Mormon to him. He loves God like we do. At the end, he expressed his need to keep working, but thanked us profusely for stopping to talk. That was a confirmation to me of what Sister Ali taught, and the direction given to walk more. After passing by, we realized we were going the wrong way to the person's house. Except we weren't going the wrong way at all.

This isn't even the end of all I feel like saying. For exchanges, Elder Mackay came down on Wednesday so he could interview Venita. A variety of canceled appointments really stressed me out, and I felt like an engineer building a plane as I fall off a cliff. A really big cliff, but a cliff that definitely makes the task time sensitive. We started out with a member with the both of us, and then we met up with ward mission leader, and Venita at the house of one of her member friends. The interview couldn't have hardly taken any time at all, because before I knew it, Elder Mackay and she were done. Later he said that she was quite sound in her understanding. She couldn't remember what the Word of Wisdom was, but Elder Mackay prompted her and it came directly to her mind. It make sense -- Word of Wisdom might not be a very easy name to memorize. Then we split off and I went with that original member. We got some work done, sadly a few lessons we set up fell through.

The baptism itself was fantastic. Because I write in my journal now, I'll include a portion of the description of it here. It's like I'm quoting myself:

"The baptism was quite clear. That's how I could describe it. . . .This was a true baptism. I knew that it was true. Maybe because I was kind of distracted by worries of any kind, I didn't feel it as clearly, but I noticed that idea more of the truth of baptism, not necessarily the Spirit. Not to worry though, I did feel the Spirit. If you are focusing, then you will. But the continual feeling that permeated the room and allowed the room to stay whole, and clean, was fantastic.
Afterwards, we talked to her family. They were respectful, but not too op I suppose. But they were nice. They likely didn't recognize what they saw as well."
Afterwards the member who baptized Venita reminded me not to be overbearingly humble:
"He said in effect, 'never underestimate your role in a baptism. You make a difference.' I wish I had his exact words, but not to worry. Though God is to glory, I can feel a little of that light, having been the opportunity to experience it all. I have been there for the whole thing. This is a wonderful feeling to have. I love my Father in Heaven. I love the Savior. Him only will I worship, and them only will I give all that I have. It is Theirs to begin with."

I kind of enjoy writing in my iPad. It allows me to focus less on handwriting and more on clarity of thought. I can't imagine how hard it was to engrave in the original plates of the Book of Mormon. We sometimes take for granted the advancements in technology of our day, as if we never knew they existed.

The confirmation was a similar experience. Venita's mother-in-law Diane came to the baptism, but also came to her confirmation. She is a member of the church, and actually was home taught by the ward mission leader some time ago, before ward splits and such. That was really cool. As a result of carpooling with Diane, she was a little late, but not super late. A priest (for those of you who aren't members, priests are usually junior or seniors in high school) asked us to help him bless the sacrament. That is a rare treat: we like to let the priests do it. But we had the chance, and we did it. I liked the opportunity. Apart from that, Venita walked to the place to sit, preparing to receive the Holy Ghost, with a brilliant smile. She has changes so much since I first met her. It's the influence the things she is learning, and the changes she makes of necessity to qualify for baptism, and so much more.

The same priesthood holder who baptized her also confirmed her. She was blessed with strength to endure, and reminded of the role she will play for future generations, serving for much time in the church. Elder Smith told me that evening that we are allowed to record our blessings in the church. If that is true, I'm sure they don't play the same role as a patriarchal blessing. Still, that sounds like a rare opportunity. Maybe I'll do that in the future, where appropriate. Do not quote me on this, however. I am not a steady source for that idea.

I am grateful, ever so grateful, for y'all prayers and thought on behalf of myself and those I work around. Your prayers indeed make it to Heaven, and they indeed are felt. They at times only lack a return address. Well, except for family. I know they pray, and I am confident that others care too.

Questions and Answers

S seems to be doing good member missionary work. Have you been able to meet with L, P and B again?

Unfortunately not. L was unable to make it to church with S, though S said they would be there. I don't think the rain was in their favor this weekend. It cause a lot of trial last year! P loves to work. I think he may have retired, but he probably is no longer retired. As a result, it has made it difficult to meet with them. We've set a couple of appointments, but he cancels just before. In their time, I suppose. And in God's too.

Just how wonderful IS the Relief Society in your ward?   

Well, just as fantastic as all RF's are. Just a different size and with different quirks. I can't remember when I mentioned them last email, but I suppose I had to. At any rate, they have sucked Venita in and won't let her leave alone. It's great. They are organize, and focused. Best of all, this last Sunday a new ward missionary was called, the only Sister we have right now. She'll be of great help.

What tender mercies has the Lord shown you this week?

I want to maintain this kind of relationship with God that I felt I had last week. Of course there are ups and downs. What I mean to say is that I felt the still small voice guide me, and I felt it just a little better this week. I testify that when the prophets speak of a still small voice, that the Holy Spirit is that, they are true. It isn't a metaphorical way to say it's hard to notice when the Spirit communicates to you. If you aren't trying to listen, it probably won't try to communicate the message any louder the next time. Small guidance led me to have courage and talk to the yard worker with my companion. Small guidance has led me to reconsider my humor, and think if perhaps I can build just a little more than I fell with it. Great week. I probably wrote way too much, so don't expect the same amount in the future. This is a treat guess. Or maybe it's like a peep, with too much sweet stuff. Jaja, I'm kidding of course. I hope I could touch someone today.


Pictures!

Found a frog. Hi frog. It fell into the fog.

Another frog we found days before service. Not. My. Hand.

Elder Smith taking a picture before the baptism starts.

Hello!  A snake visits us during our service activity

Still waiting on more baptismal photos. We're going to get them, but this time I didn't take them. So I need to ask for them . . .

Elder Hall
Texas San Antonio Mission

A Letter to My Twin Niece and Nephew on their 13th Birthday

Dear Eliza and Davis,

Happy early birthday you too. I can't believe you entered beehives and the deacon's quorum a year ago, and I wasn't even there for it to happen. Stop growing so quick you silly people. Anyway, I think of you both often when I see the deacons and beehives of Lake Travis. Y'all are awesome. And a special shout out to Eliza, congratulations to you for your achievement. When you move on, don't forget Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When He suffered for us on the cross and in Gethsemane, he payed for the price of all of our sins. But he also enabled us to become better people than we are. That means through His atonement we can even perform better than we would by ourselves. He will help you to remember your practice and training, and above all, he will help you to be an example to others. No matter what the result is in the eastern nationals, know that God will allow you to be satisfied, wether you go on, or not.

Great job y'all. The things you do should be celebrated. But, that's not the main reason I'm writing this email. So a long time ago, in a state far away, Elder Hall was Christian Hall. He was thirteen too, and he got a Facebook account. You might disagree, but Facebook is not at all too different from Instagram. Maybe it's a little simple, easier to enjoy, but it still involves connecting to other people.

When I began to use Facebook, he really enjoyed it. He learned how his friends were doing, he could visit the pages of things he really liked, and there were games you could play with your friends. I stated out using it only once and a while. But then I started to use it more than I really talked to my friends at school. I felt more comfortable chatting to them through Facebook than talking to them face to face.
There are countless hours of time that I spent on that website, and if I had spent all of that time reading the scriptures instead of being on Facebook, woah, my life would have forever changed.

So Instagram is probably a bit different. It's probably simpler, and may not have games or quite the amount of things to spend your time on. If so, that's great. Even so, the Adversary, the one who wants us to be sad, to waste our time, and to feel like he does, will try to use anything he can to accomplish that goal. The Savior can help us to use those very same tools, like the Internet in general, and Facebook or Instagram or whatever, to do good. But the forces of darkness will work just as hard to do the opposite. When you use Instagram, please be careful that you don't use it more than you talk to your friends face to face. It can be a dangerous place too. Some of your friends may not be members of the church, and there is nothing wrong with that. They might have different standards. Sometimes they might share things with you that are not appropriate. Other times, they may tempt you to waste time. Always follow the Spirit, and you will be protected from making any horrible mistake.

Remember who you are. Remember that like our prophet and apostles, taught us, you are a son and daughter of God! You have such potential to do good and be an example. And while a smart person will learn from their mistake, you can be wise, and learn from the mistakes, or teachings, of others. You don't need to spend as much time on Instagram as I did on Facebook. You both will be better prepare to serve a mission, have a family, be a teenager, or any of those things by reading the scriptures even half as much as I used Facebook as a 13, 14, 15, 16, year old.

I may not be able to watch what you do online, but know that I pray for you both. If you wouldn't do something online with your mom or dad near, you probably shouldn't do it at all. Don't be afraid though. You can do good, avoid evil, and be happy. God has made that possible for all of us.

I love you both, little guys/girl. You're growing too fast. I can't believe it. Tell Roger and Reed that I love them too. I'm really grateful that you are my niece and nephews, and for the temple. We are sealed together, and we will be together forever, if we can all be strong and follow Christ, the one who loves us the most.

Your uncle forever,

Elder Hall
Texas San Antonio Mission