Elder Bridger Hall: THE BEST!

Me and Elder Hone

Hey everyone!! Aahhh this week was so good! I'm so excited to tell you about it! First off, it was sunny every day this week! I even started to get a little tan going on! I'm pumped! This week was the best one of my mission. It all started on Monday at transfers!

It was kind of bitter sweet on Monday because my dad, Elder Bang, finished his mission! I was so proud of him. He was a great missionary and I feel so blessed that I got to work alongside him. It's always fun to see Elder Wilcock at transfers! He only has a few months left, and we are currently on opposite sides of the mission. So, it looks like we won't serve together after all. At least we will get to share some awesome memories for our whole lives!

My new companion is Elder Hone from Lehi, Utah! He is awesome! He goes home with Elder Wilcock, so he only has 3 months left. He played outside linebacker for Lehi and we figured out we totally played against each other! That's kinda fun! He is so freaking amazing. We've laughed our heads off all week! And the best part? His family is from Pleasant Grove. He loves Strawberry Days almost as much as me. We are going to make some strawberries and cream in the next few weeks! I'm so excited!

We whitewashed into the Oregon City 3rd and 5th wards. The greatest part is that Elder Hone started his mission in the OC 5th ward so he already knows a lot of the people and can get us around without being lost all the time. It's a huge blessing!

Monday night we OYMed this guy named Thomas in the parking lot of our apartment complex and he wanted to learn more! We set up an appointment and went the next day. He wasn't there, but his roommate Steven answered and after teaching him, he wanted to learn more! We went back later that night and taught them both the Restoration. Thomas started to cry after I shared the First Vision. We asked how he felt, and he said, "it sounds like I need to be baptized." Steven agreed! So we set a baptismal date of June 17th for the both of them! We are so pumped! They are YSA so we will have to pass them off, but hey we're all the same team right? When we went by last night, we met another roommate, Jeremiah, who also wants to learn more! We are excited to teach him too! It was a miracle!

We were blessed with so many gifts this week! We came home for lunch on Tuesday to find a cantaloupe with a note pushpinned to it. It was from our neighbors and they were excited to have us there! It was so nice. Elder Baugh from the mission office showed up at our house Tuesday night with two brand new mattresses for us! It's been so great!

Wednesday I had a leadership meeting in Lake Oswego. It was for all the new district leaders in the mission. We had a great time! President Ballard, Sister Ballard, and President Newsom are my heroes. I love them so much! I can't believe we have to say goodbye at the end of June!

On Thursday I held my first district meeting as a district leader. It was so fun! I made everyone stand up and do the Hokey Pokey. Everyone thought I was joking, but then I started the music and put my right foot in. They all thought I was nuts! But by the end, everyone was dancing right along with me. There were two lessons in the Hokey Pokey. 1st: if you can't do the Hokey Pokey in front of your district, how can you talk to strangers about the gospel? 2nd: it's time to put our whole selves into the work! Well, the fame of the Hokey Pokey has already spread across the mission. President Ballard loved it though, so that's what counts!

Saturday morning we helped out at the OC Farmers Market! It was so fun! Jackie, the chairwoman, is a beekeeper and florist from England. She was killing me! The whole morning she kept calling me Love and Sweetheart and I couldn't handle it. You better believe by the end of the morning I sounded just as British as her. Freak, it's a curse! It's good I didn't go to Australia or something, I would never be able to speak like a normal American again.

We went on exchanges Saturday as well! I went to Canby with Elder Blocker. We met a white supremacist who threatened to kill us along with all the other Latter Day Saints in Canby. It was actually pretty scary. He seemed quite unstable and capable of really hurting someone, so we made a phone call to the police... We didn't stay long enough to find out how that went down.

Sunday was fun-ish! We were at the church at 7:30 am and didn't get home until 4:30 pm. The two ward life baby! It was a long day, but full of the spirit and good people. I'm so excited to serve here. This week has been the best of my mission. We found 7 new investigators, we set 2 dates, we had multiple investigators and less actives at church, and I have an amazing companion and a killer district. I'm so happy! I know this is the Lord's work.

I know the Savior loves each one of us. Take some time to ponder how you know the Savior loves YOU. His love is real. It's a tangible force conveyed through everything around us. I know He is always with us. I know Him because I serve Him.

I love you all! Happy Memorial Day!

And Happy Birthday Dad! You're so old now! Love you!

With love,