A Pickle Over Your Shoulder

Me and Elder DeMille!

Hello from my birth town of Sherwood!! It’s a little surreal that I’m back in the town I started my mission in! I’ve already seen so many people that I love and have missed so much (Shoutout to my girl Amy!). It was a fun week filled with lots of new adventures.

My new companion is named Elder DeMille! He’s from Layton, Utah (man, two Layton-ites right in a row) and he’s been out for 5 months now. He’s a little on the quieter side, but a ton of fun. We get along really well already and I’m excited for this new transfer!

The first night I was here we went straight to my dear friend Amy Livingston’s house. I didn’t tell her I was coming, and it was a glorious reunion!! We haven’t skipped a beat. 

I met my newest set of grandparents on Thursday! BJ and Barb Slepski are an older couple that got baptized about two years ago. They are AWESOME. BJ and I talked fishing the whole night! It was so fun and I’m looking forward to spending more time with them.

We’ve been helping out at an elderly lady’s farm this week and it’s been quite the adventure! We feed her 8 horses: Isabella, Duke, Cherry, Lawny, Spirit, Tapestry, Sandy, and Lady. Then we rough up her 4 dogs a little bit: Rocky, Zina, Patch, and Cody. We also are working with her 6 goats: Lightning, Espresso, Cocoa, Mocha, Mary, and Serenity. Cocoa and Mocha are only two weeks old, so we spend time with them helping them to get accustomed to humans. Cocoa is very skittish, but has warmed up to me well. He’s a fun little goat!

I’m the district leader down here for the Sherwood district and we had a pretty successful district meeting on Friday! I think this will be a really fun transfer. We went as a district this morning and did Zumba with all of the moms at the church and it was hysterical!! Mom, I’ll have you know I’ve found my passion and calling in life. I’m a natural at this Zumba thing! Hahahaha jk not even close. It confirmed that I left my dancing skills in my 4th grade ballroom class. 

Now for the subject line. We were at dinner on Friday night with the Bushman family! It was so fun! Their little 10 year old boy Bashi was giving us a comedy night and we laughed our heads off! I don’t even know how it came up, but by the end of dinner, Bashi had created a new tradition to do with us. You had to spill a little soda, and then throw a pickle over your shoulder for good luck. It was hilarious!! So, now when you’re in need of a little luck, just spill a little soda and throw a pickle over your shoulder. 

I met the future president of Venezuela this week as well! Abraham Benitez is one amazing man! We spent some time the other night getting to know him and his family. He is legitimately running for President in Venezuela next year. He showed us his website, his official signs and logos, and his debate notes for a debate coming up in August. He is a very good man centered in the gospel and already a good friend!

We ended this week with dinner at the Pierce home. Man, we laughed pretty good there too! Brother Pierce was a huge Kenneth Cope fan back in the day and we had a blast trying to imitate good old Kenneth and some of his greatest hits. The next time I hear His Hands I don’t know if I will be able to keep it together! Hahaha what a fun evening. 

You know, even with all of these fun experiences, this week still held its challenges. I’m so grateful for the Book of Mormon and loving family members that follow promptings. I know the gospel is true, and I’m so grateful to be a missionary in Oregon! This is the Lord’s work! I love you all, have an awesome week!

With Love,

Elder Hall

We saw wild turtles! It was amazing!!

My last pday with my Beav West peeps

A Super Neat Experience

I'm always loyal to our "G"!

Hey everyone! What a week it has been here in the Beav West zone. Ah,
I’m gonna miss it. You heard that right. My time as a zone leader has
come to a close, and I’m being transferred somewhere across the
mission. I’m not sure where yet, but I’m sure it will be an adventure!

Let’s just start with the best part of this whole week. Was it the
gorgeous weather? Was it seeing my good pal Elder Blunck again? Nope.
It was when we went to Taco Bell for lunch Wednesday and we got
selected as taste testers. One experimental burrito and a 20 page
confidential survey later, they bought us lunch to say thank you. It
was freaking awesome.

Now to the other good parts, the weather was gorgeous and Elder Blunck
was awesome as always! We had a great MLC, despite it going a little
long. Elder Blunck always just teaches so strongly and powerfully from
the scriptures, it blows me away!

Well, Friday came around and we were so sick of tracting. We decided
we wouldn’t say anything about the Book of Mormon when we knocked a
door, and we would just invite people to check out familysearch.org
and give them a card with family history center info on it. It was so
fun! People were surprised when we talked about family history, and we
actually got a few people super interested in it. One lady said, “Dang
it, we just paid someone to do our family history! I should have known
the Mormons would do it for free!” Hahahaha it was so fun!

Saturday was the day from heaven. We spent the day at Dan’s chopping
wood, building a fence, mowing the lawn, and making a very impressive
bonfire. We had just the best time out there. Gosh, I’m going to miss
that place like crazy!

Sunday was a pretty neat day too! Church was so good, and I felt so
enlightened. Remember my story last week about the almost super neat
experience? Let me refresh your memory: “In such a small area as ours,
you can’t do much when it’s pouring rain outside. So, to the doors we
went. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate tracting with a burning
fiery passion. But my comp was eager to do it, so I gave in. And what
happens? The freaking last door we knock is a lady named Grace who was
holding a bible study when we knocked on her door. She took a Book of
Mormon and invited us back Sunday. Unfortunately this didn’t turn
out like a President Uchtdorf “fourth floor last door” story. She told
us to not come back when we went over Sunday. But hey, it was
almost a super neat experience.”

Well, it WAS A SUPER NEAT EXPERIENCE! We just felt so sad, so we went
over again Monday night. She opened up and was so happy to see us.
She said she thought we were Jehovah’s Witness last time so she turned
us away, not realizing it was really us. She had already read 3 Nephi
11 and loved it. We set up a time to go over Sunday and teach her
more!

Fast forward to yesterday (haha that’s like an oxymoron) and we go
over with some members of the ward. We had an incredible restoration
lesson with Grace! She felt the spirit and was eager to read more from
the Book of Mormon. I’m so sad I have to leave now! I know I will be
back here for her baptism soon enough. She is an incredible woman and
so prepared to hear the restored gospel!

That’s it for this week, I hope you all have a wonderful sunshiney
week! Stay tuned to find out where I’m going and who my new companion
is! I love you all, this gospel is true!

With love,
Elder Hall

Almost a Super Neat Experience

Doing work in the pouring rain!

Hello friends and fam! What a week it was here in Oregon. Lots of cold and rainy days this week. You know the saying, April showers bring May flowers? Well here in Oregon it doesn’t really stop raining. It’s just one big storm. The saying out here goes, the April shower brings the May shower. Haha! Anyway, I don’t have a whole ton to write home about this week. Hopefully I don’t disappoint. 

We went over to see Dana this week and she’s doing great! We are excited to go to the temple with her for baptisms at the end of this month! She is such an amazing lady that I am so honored and blessed to know.

Man, Wednesday was a LONG day. It rained and it rained. I really was not a happy camper. In such a small area as ours, you can’t do much when it’s pouring rain outside. So, to the doors we went. Anyone that knows me knows that I hate tracting with a burning fiery passion. But my comp was eager to do it, so I gave in. And what happens? The freaking last door we knock is a lady named Grace who was holding a bible study when we knocked on her door. She took a Book of Mormon and invited us back on Sunday. Unfortunately this didn’t turn out like a President Uchtdorf “fourth floor last door” story. She told us to not come back when we went over on Sunday. But hey, it was almost a super neat experience.

Thursday was a great day! We were on exchanges with the assistants. I was in Market St with my boy Elder Coombs and Elder Beck went to Murrayhill with Elder Hadfield. Coombs and I go waaay back! I love this kid so much! We spent the day in downtown Portland talking to crazy people. We met the sweetest yet CRAZIEST lady I’ve ever met in my life. Her name was Koy. She was unforgettable! We ate oranges and read the Book of Mormon with another unique woman. We taught a very large man about the law of chastity. Long story short, downtown Portland is freaking nuts.

On Friday I hit my 21 month mark! HOLY COW! I was pondering and looking back through the last 21 months and all that I’ve learned. YOW. God took a stupid kid and just loved and nurtured the heck out of me. And now I feel like I’m understanding more about His Son, the Atonement, and what faith really is. 

We were at dinner with the Luman’s and they are crazy. And I have permission from them to write that. Haha they are great! Sister Luman heard I had a beautiful voice so she made me sing her songs all through dinner. All I can remember at this point are hymns, so she had to settle for some Old Green Book instead of Old Blue Eyes. 

On Saturday we finally made it back to the Woodside’s again! It was like coming back home. We made a massive bonfire and played with the dogs and goats! I’ll tell you, that place is pretty dang close to heaven for me. Now all they need is a fishing hole and my Buster Bluth!

Well, that’s all I have for the week. I want you  all to know how much you truly mean to me. I feel your love and support bear me up when I need it most. Thank you in advance for all of the love, support, and prayers you have given in behalf of me and my family. I know this gospel is true. I know that the boy Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love that knowledge so much, and I love all of you. I hope you have the best week this week!

With Love,

Elder Hall 

 

Me and my mission dog, Starlord.

Me and my favorite goat, Lucy

 

Trying to throw gang signs like the cool kids do

When you go to Safeway just to pee but you find a loaf of cheesy jalapeño bread for 99 cents. 

Batty Blood

Ridin' a pony! Declarin' the word!

Hey there everyone! It has been a beautiful spring week here in the good ol’ 503. Some beautiful sunshine, some terrific rain, and everything in between. Even though we have had an average week, I feel like I’ve been learning a lot. Missions are amazing that way!  

Wednesday was a beautiful spring day! We were on exchanges and Elder Gard was here with me in Murrayhill. I love that kid so much! We walked by a park with a little family playing on the playground. This little boy saw us and just took off running towards us. He was the CUTEST little boy with big buck teeth. “Hi! My name’s Kalayo. You guys wanna play?” Well, the rest is history. Haha that little boy. We would take turns, one of us teaching his mom Lo, the other playing with Kalayo and his sister Kianna. While they weren’t interested in our message, they were interested in being friends. After half an hour or so, Elder Gard and I learned that we don’t fit down slides too well anymore, and keeping up with a 4 and 6 year old is no easy task. (Bless you, Libby and Sophie). 

We also met an amazing woman named Diane that day! She is Jewish, and from New York. (All of you that know me know that Jewish New Yorker is like my favorite accent to imitate, so yes. I was in heaven.) She was so neat! She told us how impressed she was with the Mormon church, and had always wanted to learn more. She was thrilled when we gave her a Book of Mormon! Unfortunately, she was moving to Denver the very next day, so we weren’t able to come back and teach her. But we did get her phone number, and encouraged her to check out Temple Square when she drove through Salt Lake City. Her and her dog Johnny Depp were very kind. 

Thursday was also a success! From our plastic spoon tulips we made with the elderly, to the food pantry where we always get free milk. We ended up having dinner with the YSA missionaries, my pals Elder Boychuk (one of the  Canadians that I seriously love), Elder Moran, Sister Moore-Ferguson, and Sister Nielsen. It was a party! 

We taught James on Thursday as well. We invited him to be baptized and he said he would need to pray about it. He expressed how big of a commitment that really was, and how he was unsure. I think we might have to drop him soon, but I was so happy when he said that. Not because we would be losing our only investigator, but because he understands what we teach. Baptism is a big commitment, one that will bless you for the eternities. But it can also be a difficult thing for people to change the way they live to follow God’s commandments. I was grateful to know that even though we don’t have nations to teach, the times we do teach we teach well. 

Now this last story exhibits what is commonly referred to as the “Batty Blood”. For those of you that don’t know, my mom is a Batty, and the Batty family is known to sometimes be a little... passionate. It was Thursday evening and we were on a stroll through the park talking to everyone we saw. A nice old couple was walking down the trail so we stopped and told them we were sharing an important message about Jesus Christ and His church. Turns out they were very anti-Mormon. My favorite. Now, let me say this: I don’t care if you are against the Mormon church. I understand some people don’t believe what I believe. But that gives you no right to disrespect our beliefs, or the people that believe it. It certainly doesn’t give you any right to be a vilifying jerk. They started verbally assaulting us, telling us we were the vilest, most accursed, damned people to ever walk the earth. I told them they were very rude and that Christ and His followers never hated anybody. They began to slander the temple and the sacred things we do there. I told them they were being extremely offensive and disrespectful. We then told them we teach people the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to those that are ready to hear it. Boy, they didn’t like that. Then they crossed the line. They said that our prophet was a horrible man, the best of Satan’s servants, exemplifying the devil himself. I stood straight up. All 5 feet 9 inches of me. And I testified of the gospel and of our living prophet on the earth. They told me I was damned to hell, and I thanked them for the warning.

This gospel is true. This church is lead and governed by the Savior Jesus Christ and His chosen servants, the prophets. Russell M Nelson is a prophet of God on the earth today! There is no changing that fact. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and contains the vital doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ required for returning to live with God again. I know I speak truth! This is the light, the way back to our Heavenly Father. 

I love you all so much. I hope you all have an amazing week!

With Love,

Elder Hall

Beav West Zone Frisbee day!

Rise Up O Men of God

Springtime!

Heyo fam! Happy belated Easter! I hope you all enjoyed your conference weekend! Happy birthday yesterday to two of my favorite people in the world, Maddie and Josh! I love you both so much! Man, what an amazing conference we had! President Nelson is a stud. This week wasn’t much, but still a gem!

Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with boring finding and lots of people saying no to us. You know, the usual.

Thursday was a good day. Crafts with the elderly at Canfield wasn’t terrible. We made bunny Easter baskets out of paper plates and they actually turned out not bad! Elder Hadfield and I are refining our crafting skills! Hahaha! We had a great time at the food pantry too. Martha is such a sweetheart!

We had interviews with President Bullen on Friday! It was so good to see him and be able to sit and talk about the Beav West zone and all my little kids as I like to think of them. I love these missionaries so much and I’m so blessed that I get to serve them as their zone leader.

Friday night we went and took Elder White and his companion to dinner! It was so fun catching up and seeing each other again. It was like we picked up right where we left off. I’m so grateful for the friendship I’ve gained all because of my mission! What a blessing!

Saturday and Sunday were just awesome days! Most of our ward was out of town for spring break, so we just watched General Conference on a tablet in our apartment. Saturday morning we had the Reedville elders over and we made breakfast and watched the morning session. It was a ton of fun! 

My favorite part of conference was in priesthood session, when President Nelson stood and spoke with great power. At the end of his address, he invited all bearers of the priesthood to stand as he called their office. Deacons, Teachers, Priests, Bishops, High Priests, Elders, Patriarchs, Seventies, Apostles. Once all were standing, he invited us to join and sing “Rise Up O Men of God”. It was a moment I will never forget! What incredible feelings of empowerment and love of God filled each of our souls. I know this gospel is true!

I love you  all so much, have an amazing week!

With Love,

Elder Hall 

Elder Hadfield and I after Priesthood Session