Imbued with Testimony

Greetings to all,

Great week with changes. Elder Hovinghoff went elsewhere, and I stay here in Carriage Park. My new companion is the devilishly spiritual (albeit a really neat oxymoron here) Elder Brough. *grand applause*. Elder Brough was trained by Elder Hutchings (you don't know him) and Elder Hernandez (you do know him). I remember when Elder Brough and his companion stayed at our apartment in Windcrest for the night before we saw Elder Hamula. He's fairly quiet. He has a knack for cleaning things (the apartment is so clean you can see your reflection off of most surfaces), and he's patient with me. We'll have the opportunity to continue to learn Spanish together. I also took the Spanish tier test, and I'm hoping that I passed finally. I did forget how to say tire, and I was a little bit embarrassed because that was a word that I had found and learned on my own. Alas, it cannot be helped. Elder Hart left his area for the first time. He had been in Las Palmas for a long time. Elder Vergara became a zone leader, and I believe that Elder Bertelsen did as well.

Elder Brough and Me

I'm serving as the junior companion this time. Not really a worry. If anything, I can rest a little and drop some of the burden at my companion's feet. I'm hoping continually that one day I get to train another missionary and that I will serve in Spanish ward. For those missionaries that are currently serving Spanish Speaking and have been struggling with English areas, there is hope. It is heresy to believe that you cannot learn Spanish outside of a Spanish area. I am proof of that. If anything, the English area invites me to push myself to learn grammar that I usually wouldn't seek.

WE HAVE NEW APOSTLES. GOOD GRAVY COATS OF GLORY! Did anyone guess correctly who they would be? I had no idea. I loved the overall theme of faith and building faith during the sessions. Do any of you plan on ponderizing for the rest of this month?  Ponderizing is going to become the next new thing -- just watch. I'll have to do my best to follow with the trend and see if I can make it for a month, then the rest of the year, and then maybe the rest of my mission. If you haven't seen conference yet, I would greatly encourage, no, exhort you to watch it. There is a reason that the temple is closed on the Saturday of conference and that we don't have sacrament meeting on the Sunday of conference. It is because the even it so important.

I bought a "Bahama Buck's t-shirt. It was going to happen eventually. Discovering that I might get transferred was motivation enough to get me to do it. I really do like shaved ice and smoothies.

Elder Brough went to get a haircut today, and I saw an old lady with a Mohawk. I guess I can now die in peace knowing that I've finally seen an old lady with a Mohawk.

Things are going smoothly. I'm hoping to find that one family that is waiting for us in the area. That is my dream -- to find an entire family prepared for the gospel. Twenty kids in the family is preferable, but at least 2 is ok.

Questions and Answers

How did you watch General Conference sessions?

Most at the church, one at the ward mission leader's home. It was interesting taking notes on my tablet. It was very efficient, except for the time I accidently erased a good chunk of my notes. That was sad, and to replicate on pen and paper.

Were you able to have any investigators watch any sessions?

Four investigators made it. Leah, Tony, Cliff, and Eric. Eric is Leah's cousin. He watched a session, but we're hoping he progresses. He apparently listened to the Book of Mormon "cover to cover" and is listening to it again.

How have things progressed with Teagan ,Cliff and Katherine?

They made it to a session of conference. If they can continue to come each week and to read from the Book of Mormon, I have no worries for them.

How are Tony and Ken doing?   

Tony progresses gradually. Ken does as Ken does. Ken has met with missionaries for a long time. We need to help him change his expectations about things. We don't want him to go another ten years before baptism. We might have to stop going by him if he isn't willing to act on the smaller invitations we give him.

Are your prayers en Español more reverent because you have to think carefully about what you are saying?    

I'm getting to the point that I can pray in Spanish about as well as I do in English. It helps a little, I suppose. There is still more I can do to increase my vocabulary and such.

Are you staying where you are with Elder Hovinghoff or are you getting a change?    

He left. BYE ELDER.

Have you had any interesting food experiences this week?   

I'm too far away from the border to eat anything out of the ordinary.

How have you been blessed with tender mercies from the Lord's Spirit this week?

I'm glad to have a companion that is easy to get along with. I don't see too many bumps in the road planned with Elder Brough. A big tender mercy, though it may seem irrelevant is the good nights of sleep I've gotten in the last few weeks.

-Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission