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!