Elder Bridger Hall: DOGS AND TEMPLES AND FOOTBALL, OH MY!

My lost name tag finally returned!

Hey from Oregon!

It's been a great week, I'm excited to tell you about it!

The downside is that Laura has started to avoid us this week. We
aren't sure why, but we might be losing her. It's so frustrating
because she was so close! We aren't giving up though, and hopefully
she can keep feeling what's true.

Thursday we went to see a less active member and it turned out they
moved. The lady that answered the door wasn't interested until she saw
Elder Chen's Chinese name tag. She happened to be Chinese as well.
Elder Chen taught her the whole first lesson at the door in Mandarin!
She was very interested, and we are excited to go back and teach.
Well, Elder Chen will teach and I will smile and nod as if I know what
the heck they are saying.

Friday we went to the Sherwood Bowmen game! It was round one of the
playoffs, and they won 47-26! What an experience! I loved every
second! It made me miss football so much. They played a great game!
Going as a missionary was like being a celebrity. Everyone wanted to
say hi and take pictures. The marching band played and they were
incredible! I had chills the whole time. They blew me away! But man,
what I wouldn't give to play just one more football game!! I miss it
so much! I did have to get a sweet Sherwood hoodie though.

Saturday we had dinner with Betty, a 97-year-old ward member,
living at the local rest home. She doesn't quite have her memory
anymore, but she was a hoot and had 4 referrals for us, though we
think they are all members... Either way, it was so fun and brought
back sweet memories of Grandma Beth. I really miss her!

So about a month ago, I lost my magnetic missionary name tag. I prayed
and prayed. I thought, "I'm a missionary, I have faith, it will just
be on my desk one morning." It never showed up. On Saturday we went
and visited an investigator, Dan. When he opened the door he said,
"hey I have something of yours." He then gave me my missionary tag! He
said he was walking their dog Paisley (who is my pal, I love that dog)
and she picked something up. She always did that and he didn't think
anything of it. She held onto it all the way home. When Paisley laid
down to chew on her new find, Dan noticed it was my tag! He grabbed it
from her and later that day we stopped by. Though it was a month
later, God answered my prayer through that black lab puppy. I am so
thankful, and I will never forget that dog! My tag has a few bite
marks now, but all the more reason to love it.

We had a lesson with Matt about temples and it was awesome! I got to
remember how much I love the temple. We invited him to see the visitor
center and he accepted! Yesterday we went to the VC (visitor center)
and had an amazing lesson with him and his two younger boys, one of
them being 9 and eligible for baptism as well. We first asked Matt if
he would be baptized, and he said yes! He said he doesn't know how
soon it will happen, but he wants it to happen. We are so pumped! Then
we asked his son Jacob if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes! We
are so excited! Though I don't think they will be baptized while I'm
serving in this area, I know they will be someday, and that's what
matters.

That leads me to my testimony. I know this gospel is true. I know our
families can be together forever! I am so grateful I get to be with my
siblings for eternity. They are my best friends! I know it's through
the Book of Mormon that we find the Truth of all things. I love that
book more than I can express. It has changed my life! Let it change
yours.

I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Hall

I love this temple!!