FRONT ROW, CENTER SEAT

  

A meme I made that has made it all around the mission now! It's funny because there's dogs everywhere. 

Holly growing out of ivy! Haha couldn't help but think of Natalie Cole's Christmas album. 

Hey everybody! What an awesome week!

I'll get to why this week's subject is what it is in a bit. First, I wanted to share some other things!

On Tuesday we went and saw sister June in our ward. She's an amazing lady. I love visiting her! She told us how we make her feel so special when we come and she can feel we are true servants of the Lord. It meant so much to me. Before we left, we said a prayer with her like always. When we said amen, she was weeping. She told us how much of a blessing we were in her life and how she knew that God had sent us to her. My heart was so full! I'm so grateful I get to be the Lord's hands for these two years! 

On Wednesday we taught Frank. He told us he didn't feel the church was true and asked us to not come back. I asked him if he had read the Book of Mormon and he said "parts." That usually means no. I told him he wouldn't know this was true if he didn't read the Book of Mormon! He promised me that he would read it cover to cover, and that he would get in touch with us if he felt something. It testified to me of the importance of this book! It is how we will know! We need to read the Book of Mormon every day. 

Thursday was my three month mark! Woo woo! Let me tell you, it RAINED. Holy moly it rained. And it didn't stop untilSaturday morning. Friday was fun at the senior center, like always. We had a gentleman tell us that we got a crappy USA mission because our parents didn't donate enough money to the church. He knows a rich guy that is a "gold member donator" of the church and his daughter got to go to Paris. People's ideas of the church are so skewed. It gave us a good laugh though! 

Saturday morning we had the incredible opportunity to meet as a mission and hear from Grandpa Ballard! (President's dad is Elder M Russell Ballard). We were some of the last missionaries to get there, and the only seat left was the FRONT ROW. It was a small chapel already, but here I was, sitting in the FRONT ROW CENTER literally square with the pulpit. It was the last seat because no one wants to be stared down by an apostle from 4 feet away. I was happy though, because I'm a front row sitter! (Mrs. Langford taught me in 4th grade if I sat on the front row with a smile on my face, I would get an A. I've taken that to heart and always sit on the front row any chance I get.) 

So here I am, literally face to face with an apostle, for two and a half hours. We locked eyes too many times to count, each time the spirit was so strong it was almost pushing me against my seat. What a privilege it was! Of all the things he spoke about, the thing that stood out to me most was his diligence in listening to the spirit. Contrary to popular belief, Apostles don't travel with a solid itinerary. Elder Ballard got up and said, "I don't know how long this meeting will go, what we will talk about, or who will speak. This is the Lord's work, so I'll let Him decide our meeting." Each time he shared something, he said, "I feel impressed to share this" or "I have an impression to let my son speak now." I'm sure as an Apostle, he hears the spirit loud and clear often, but it was so profound to me that his whole life is impressions and promptings. It made me think maybe we all get as much direction as the Apostles and Prophets do, we just don't have the faith or spiritual capacity to hear it as well as they do. After the meeting, we each got to shake his hand and say hello! It was amazing. They took photos of us shaking hands, but I haven't got them yet! I'll send them when I do. 

After an incredible morning, Saturday evening we had our open house at the church! Lots of members came, and we were worried that no non members would come. After a little while, we had two people come to learn more! They are both new investigators now, so we are pumped about that! 

Yesterday, we performed in church with one of our members Amy! It was a cool experience and everyone said they loved it, so hopefully that means it was good. I'll send our recording of it! 

I'm so thankful for this gospel and the true joy it brings me. In the whirlwinds of life, it is difficult to hold on, and as members of the church, we sometimes think we have the strength to do it ourselves because we have the gospel, but I testify that we need the Savior more than ever. We need the living waters found in the Book of Mormon daily. I hope each of us takes the beautiful advantage we have of being a member of the church and dive into the Book of Mormon. It will change your life! No matter who you are, what you're going through, or the things you've experienced, the Book of Mormon applies to you. READ IT! 

I love all of you! Have an incredible week. 

Love,

Elder Hall

      

The last of Fall before the rain came!

Musical number by Elder Hall and Amy Livingston with Elder Bang on guitar!