Provo MTC District

My Spanish Speaking MTC District

First Week in San Antonio

My, my, the air here is muggy, but the field is white already to harvest. Hello everyone!

First off, questions I got from Matthew W.:

1. So how do you like your music?
Pretty good. I haven't really heard any of the songs that he gave me yet, as I don't listen to it every day, or for too long. Music can uplift me, and everyone else, alot.
2. Do you listen to it much?
Usually only in the evening past 9:30 and before 10:30, or in the morning as I eat breakfast. So far, maybe about 20 more or less on any given day.
3. Has your speaker exploded yet?
Nope
4. What's your companions name? (Is he smelly?)
Elder Kroggs. Nope.
5. What's the coolest thing you've experienced so far in Texas? (that's me stupidly assuming that I remember that you're in Texas)

Probably the time I ignored the Spirit's prompting to talk to a fellow who passed us on our bikes and parked his car in his driveway. I ended up biffing pretty bad without hurting myself too much, and then I understood we should turn around and go talk to him. Didn't get to teach him much, but we did however give him a pass along card. I'm glad we turned back.

To begin, my new companion elder Scroggs will also be my trainer for the first transfer (6 weeks) that I am here. He and I get along very well, but he likes silence even more than I enjoy it. I think I can learn many things from him. Plus he cooks really well. And he's faithful, obedient, and kind to me even when I'm not too kind to myself. I don't have a picture with him yet, so maybe I'll get one with him here in the Family History Lab after I've uploaded the others.

My first area here I will serve in an area that only covers a ward. The ward is much bigger than the boundaries of wards back at home, but it it's a ward. In this area I will be primarily an english speaking missionary. In the past Elder Scroggs had an english companion (he's called spanish speaking, and he's from oregon.) who would only occassionally help during his lessons with spanish investigators and members. But so far I have had the chance to teach a fair amount in spanish anyways. We share a vehicle with english hermanas in our ward/district hermana Woodward and Pyper, so we use our bikes to get anywhere that the sister's wouldn't go to. That probably doesn't make too much sense.

Right now Elder S and I are focusing on finding new people to teach as investigators, and strengthening part member families. We do a fair amount of street contacting as we travel to appointments, and we knock doors to fill in the best hours of the day: 6:00 to 9:00. I've had the chance to teach in english as well as spanish to people we meet, as well as the occasional Tex-mex, Mexican spanish mixed with Texan english.

Yesterday I was able to give my first priesthood blessing to a fellow named Keith Mole(h). I know that the words I spoke were my own, but the ideas came from the Spirit. I think the more I tried to pick the right words, the more i stuttered. When I finally decided to just speak what came to me, it came out clearer, and I knew they where the things that Hermano Mole needed to hear.

 Also, I am in a different time zone than utah has, just an hour ahead. This kind of surprised me on the plane ride here, when a plane attendant announced the time change. Not too bad, though, right Dad?

This is a picture of me and my first companion (MTC) Elder Zelaya in front of the Provo Temple on our first pday. I'll send another email with more pictures.

The weather in San Antonio is muggy, but I kinda like it. The moisture is like a soft blanket. Can't really take the blanket off, however X D.

​-Elder Hall

Pres. & Sis. Slaughter with new missionaires

TSAM June 25 Incoming Missionaries

Second Week of MTC, and into the field

Hello everyone,

So I tried in vain to upload the pictures from my camera to you all. I'll send those photos from a computer outside of the MTC, or maybe by the end of this email I will figure out what in the world I'm supposed to do to get the pictures loaded. 

This week I'd like to thank my parents, Wesley S., and Brother and Sister Johnson for mail. I'll admit, the letters mean more than the food right now since the MTC feed us so well, but I won't take it for granted. Mail is always appreciated. Your letters mean so very much. I can't promise individual messages, but all mail is appreciated.

Last Tuesday we had a combined devotional that included the main campus as well as us Spanish missionaries on west. Little did I know until I saw, plastered on a info screen, that Elder Ballard would be speaking to us for the devotional. Sure, I'm still in the MTC, but it surprised me how often the Quorum of the Twelve is coming to speak to us in the MTC. I think another member will speak tonight as well. 

As well as Elder Ballard last week, on Sunday, the recent one, we had Sis. Perry, the one who wrote a few primary songs as well as hymns, spoke in a devotional. She had us sing in a few medleys of songs to help bring the spirit, and I felt that I learned a bunch. She also incouraged us to create family songs when we get back from ours, and afterwards sang to her family song, with recordings of her sons, daughters in law, and grand kinds singing in the background. I can still remember the line her sons sang: "We're momma's boys we're the backup singers, We're momma's boys, we're the backup band." 

Tomorrow morning I leave the MTC for the airport, and then to San Antonio. I can tell you how excited I truly am. It'll be difficult because Elder Zelaya and I will need to have ourselves as well as our things ready to leave by some time before 5:00 AM. While the flight itself will be difficult, I cannot wait to finally meet my Mission President, his wife, and whatever missionaries that are already staffed in Texas.

When most of our district and zone left this morning and yesterday morning, the dining hall in west campus got surprisingly empty to my companion and I. I've made a bunch of friends with the other sister missionaries and elders here at the MTC. I also saw Hermana Pace, Elder Peterson, Elder Sampson, Elder Weber, Hermana Evans: all missionaries I recognize from school/ our ward. 

Last P Day as well as today's, Elder Zelaya and I had the chance to attend the temple in Provo. Both experiences were grand. And as a missionary, you can feel it especially. With all of the crazy feelings in the MTC we feel, mixed with just as many great ones and visitations of the spirit in our hearts, the temple gives me the chance to ask Heavenly Father what it is I can do to be better, and be comforted. On a different note, I testify that the hastening of the work is now in force. More worthy missionaries that ever are heeding the call to serve, and making noble sacrifices. I miss my family, my friends, and my home town, ward, etc., but I feel glad to be here. 

-Elder Hall

p.s. I think I will get better at writing home to the point that these messages will make more sense and I will be able to tell you more about my experiences.

Checking in from the MTC

Hello family and friends!

My audience is both my parents, family, friends, and those who know me enough to be on my blog. 

The MTC has been a roller coaster of spiritual highs and stress. Both have taught me to be a better missionary. I don't have all the words that I need to explain the experience, nor the time to do so since I only have an hour to write and read email, but here are a few key things:

Because I am a Spanish missionary, I got sent to West Campus where my companion and I interact with only Spanish missionaries. We live in dorm/apartment/residences instead of what the main part of the MTC is, so I have no need of the shower sandals I got. We eat food in a school cafeteria slash hotel breakfast area that is in a trailer. The shear amount of food options astonished me. I could talk more about the food, but I won't. : ) Rest assured I'm eating well Mom.

I leave for San Antonio early Wednesday. the 25th. If I get the chance to write back to you again, I will do it next week on Tuesday. I can only read mail on my PD's (Tuesdays), but the PD will likely change once I enter the field, on the 25th. 

My companion is named Elder Zelaya. If he were as tall as Elder Boggess (friend from my ward who will leave soon), he would remind me even more of Elder Boggess. He's a guy who was born in El Salvador, but lived a great amount of time in North Carolina. He's also going to San Antonio, and we leave together. Odds are though that we won't meet again after we separate in San Antonio, I'll treasure the time that I have with him.

Our district has two pairs of elders including my companionship and I, and another pair of sister missionaries. Elder Dean is a missionary from close to Provo, who spent approximately a year  in San Diego, but was sent home after dealing with a sickness. After the doctors figured out what was wrong, he was able to return, but it had been a while so he had to come the MTC again. I don't mind because he has taught me many things and helped me along, as I am one of three gringos in our missionary branch of 60. Everyone speaks excellent Spanish. 

Elder Dean's companion, Elder Cooper is from Brazil. This Elder just amazes me. He knows a passable amount of English, and his Spanish improves every day. He's bound for Arizona. What's more, when he can't find a way to say in Spanish what he means, he uses gestures. His gestures often defuse the tension in our classroom with humor.

The sister missionaries are Hermana Martinez and Hermana Garcia. Both are very kind, and I get a lot of helpful spanish advice from Hermana Martinez. And out of my district I am the very youngest. The baby, as it were, of it. So yes, even here in the MTC, I feel largely younger than everyone, even when I felt too old to wait to enter the MTC after a year of college.

My branch president for the mission is President Call. He knows the Filmores back in my ward, so it was comforting to know where I come from.

Oh, and thank you Mom for the package. I still have a ton of almonds too, so I guess with all the cashews I'm just nuts. I shared the cookies with my companion, and the other elder pair in my district.

Also, I'd like to alert you all of a service called Dearelder.com. This website allows you to send emails in letter form to missionaries. I prefer this to email because I can read physical letters any time I want after I've received them. I like to have as much time as possible to write back you y'all, but I also don't want to completely ignore your emails to do so. My dad will likely post the information on the blog. This doesn't mean you shouldn't send me email. You should, I love it. But dearelder will certainly help with the whole I-have-so-little-time thing.

In even additional addition: Mom, Dad, feel free to ask questions. I can copy them over and leave my responses below each in a question answer format in the emails I send back.

The MTC isn't perfect, but it is teaching me to speak the language of the spirit, not simply the language of Spanish. Heavenly Father loves me, and I know he loves everyone on the earth too. We usually don't notice it constantly, however.

-Elder Hall

Home of My Emails

Hello family, friends, and acquaintances!

This blog will serve as the site for most of my communication while I serve my two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Texas, San Antonio. My parents will post the emails I write home here, as well as some pictures I send. If you're interested in receiving copies of these emails, submit your email address on the sidebar. Let the journey commence!

17 June 2014

Hello family and friends!

My audience is both my parents, family, friends, and those who know me enough to be on my blog. 

The MTC has been a roller coaster of spiritual highs and stress. Both have taught me to be a better missionary. I don't have all the words that I need to explain the experience, nor the time to do so since I only have an hour to write and read email, but here are a few key things:

Because I am a Spanish missionary, I got sent to West Campus where my companion and I interact with only Spanish missionaries. We live in dorm/apartment/residences instead of what the main part of the MTC is, so I have no need of the shower sandals I got. We eat food in a school cafeteria slash hotel breakfast area that is in a trailer. The shear amount of food options astonished me. I could talk more about the food, but I won't. : ) Rest assured I'm eating well Mom.

I leave for San Antonio early Wednesday. the 25th. If I get the chance to write back to you again, I will do it next week on Tuesday. I can only read mail on my PD's (Tuesdays), but the PD will likely change once I enter the field, on the 25th. 

My companion is named Elder Zelaya. If he were as tall as Elder Boggess (friend from my ward who will leave soon), he would remind me even more of Elder Boggess. He's a guy who was born in El Salvador, but lived a great amount of time in North Carolina. He's also going to San Antonio, and we leave together. Odds are though that we won't meet again after we separate in San Antonio, I'll treasure the time that I have with him.

Our district has two pairs of elders including my companionship and I, and another pair of sister missionaries. Elder Dean is a missionary from close to Provo, who spent approximately a year  in San Diego, but was sent home after dealing with a sickness. After the doctors figured out what was wrong, he was able to return, but it had been a while so he had to come the MTC again. I don't mind because he has taught me many things and helped me along, as I am one of three gringos in our missionary branch of 60. Everyone speaks excellent Spanish. 

Elder Dean's companion, Elder Cooper is from Brazil. This Elder just amazes me. He knows a passable amount of English, and his Spanish improves every day. He's bound for Arizona. What's more, when he can't find a way to say in Spanish what he means, he uses gestures. His gestures often defuse the tension in our classroom with humor.

The sister missionaries are Hermana Martinez and Hermana Garcia. Both are very kind, and I get a lot of helpful spanish advice from Hermana Martinez. And out of my district I am the very youngest. The baby, as it were, of it. So yes, even here in the MTC, I feel largely younger than everyone, even when I felt too old to wait to enter the MTC after a year of college.

My branch president for the mission is President Call. He knows the Filmores back in my ward, so it was comforting to know where I come from.

Oh, and thank you Mom for the package. I still have a ton of almonds too, so I guess with all the cashews I'm just nuts. I shared the cookies with my companion, and the other elder pair in my district.

Also, I'd like to alert you all of a service called Dearelder.com. This website allows you to send emails in letter form to missionaries. I prefer this to email because I can read physical letters any time I want after I've received them. I like to have as much time as possible to write back you y'all, but I also don't want to completely ignore your emails to do so. My dad will likely post the information on the blog. This doesn't mean you shouldn't send me email. You should, I love it. But dearelder will certainly help with the whole I-have-so-little-time thing.

In even additional addition: Mom, Dad, feel free to ask questions. I can copy them over and leave my responses below each in a question answer format in the emails I send back.

The MTC isn't perfect, but it is teaching me to speak the language of the spirit, not simply the language of Spanish. Heavenly Father loves me, and I know he loves everyone on the earth too. We usually don't notice it constantly, however.

-Elder Hall