MERRY CHRISTMAS BEDFORD FALLS!!

Downtown trip!

Hey everyone I hope you had an amazing Christmas!!! It was a lovely
day for us. We had a really fun week this week despite some trials and
hardships.

Last Monday we went downtown again! I love my city! There are so many
amazing things to see and do. It was so fun! When we got back to the
train station, we discovered our bikes had been stolen. Totally our
fault. We forgot our locks so we stuffed them into dumpsters. Turns
out that doesn't work. Don't do that. Just lock up your bikes. I
strangely felt peace about it, but Elder Hewitt was so mad. When we
finally got back to our apartment, I felt like we should pray so we
knelt down and I offered a prayer. Peace immediately came over us, and
diffused the whole situation. Heavenly Father made sure to let us know
it was going to be ok, and it is. We are getting new bikes today!

As for the whole week, we walked A LOT. It felt like Disneyland but
worse because there was no popcorn and rides with fun music to skip
along to. Just some mud and rain with the usual "not interested" reply
from everyone. Go missionary work!

Wednesday, I went to the sunset hills Ward for exchanges. They have a
trio there, so I was with two other missionaries. It was great! We had
dinner with a sweet old couple and the husband has Alzheimer's. He
asked the same 4 questions all night, but would only talk to me
though. We hit it off though! He was so sweet. The second we shared a
thought, it was like the Alzheimer's went away. He said something
rather profound that stuck with me. He said, "Jesus said to love your
neighbor as yourself, so you have to see the good in yourself. There's
good if you look for it." I was reminded of the quote from Pollyanna
that says, "if you look for the bad, you'll surely find it." Thank you
for making me watch that movie mom. It's got to be one of my favorites
to this day!

The rest of the week Elder Hewitt was sick so we stayed in the
apartment. I went a little stir crazy. I decided I need to take up
knitting or something to keep myself occupied when we can't go out!

On Christmas Eve we spent all morning giving homeless people hot
chocolate. The most amazing Christmas miracle happened though. Every
time we went into a gas station to buy the hot chocolate, a stranger
would either pay for the drinks or the clerk would say, "it's on me.
Merry Christmas!" It was so incredible to see how much Heavenly Father
wanted us to pay our good fortune forward to those less fortunate. It
was the best feeling to see someone's eyes widen and their sad
demeanor change to a happy one when we handed them that hot chocolate.
That is Christmas!

We tried caroling at the local mall but only made it a whole 10
minutes until we got kicked out. The ward here has a Christmas Eve
musical devotional every year so we went and enjoyed that! It was
pretty neat. Our dinner appointment for Christmas Eve canceled on us,
but the bishop invited us over to his house so all was well. We had a
fun time!

Christmas Day was great! I LOVED skyping with everyone! The kids are
so big now! I miss everyone so much. We sang in two ward choirs in two
sacrament meetings, then we got to go to our ward mission leader's
house and skype! That was fun! We came home and built a gingerbread
house a member gave us, then went to dinner. It was a very nice day.
I'm so thankful for my Heavenly Father and His mindfulness of me. I
love my family, I miss you all, and I hope you have a good week. MERRY
CHRISTMAS BEDFORD FALLS!

Elder Hall

      
   Temple VC trip.                                          Me picking the baby's nose... #keepportlandweird



Giant baby face downtown.#Portland is so weird.
    

  The Portland first Presbyterian church. So pretty!


         
Sleeping underneath our tree on Christmas.     A green moss sidewalk. Very very common in Oregon.


      
Our missionary-esque gingerbread house!        I was very excited for Christmas while my companion wasn't...

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME

Oregon Portland Mission Party!  

Merry Christmas everybody! 

I don't know if I'm in Oregon or not anymore, it just keeps snowing!! It's pretty funny though because Oregonians treat it like they live in a post apocalyptic world or something. 

Last Monday we went to downtown Portland! Man that is my city. I loved it so much! If you don't know, Portland is the homeless capital of the nation. There are homeless people everywhere. The funny thing is, they all know the missionaries and love talking to us, especially me! It took me back to New York City when everyone talked to me. Why do people pick me out every time? I just felt so connected to that city. It is home! We are going back today for P-day I'm so excited! 

Tuesday was so good too. We taught our investigator Des and she is amazing! Our lesson was so filled with the spirit. She said the closing prayer and there was not a dry eye in the room when she finished. It was incredible. 

Wednesday it snowed like crazy! (By crazy I mean 3 inches) The city went into mayhem. Cars were crashing, people were putting chains on cars, school buses were stuck, and all major roads shut down. It was very entertaining to say the least. 

Friday was the OPM Christmas party!! It was so much fun! What's even better is I got to spend most of the day with Elder Wilcock! We had tons of fun catching up and telling all our inside jokes again. Later that night we were walking down the road when we ran into a ward member. She was almost in tears because her daughter had lost her phone and while she was praying for help we walked by. Many prayers, a few flashlights, and some scarves later we found the phone! In return for our help, she gave us some awesome Portland timbers soccer scarves!! They are SWEET. 

On Saturday I taught Elder Hewitt how to clean a stove and iron a shirt. I felt a lot like my mother, but then I realized just how grateful I really am for her and her example to me. She has taught me so much, where would I be without that incredible woman?

I love being a missionary so much. I love sharing the gospel. I know it's true! I love seeing people change their lives to come closer to their savior. I know Jesus Christ loves us! There is nothing better than serving the Lord! 

Have a very Merry Christmas! #6daystillwecanskype 

Elder Hall

  

  

     

LET IT SNOW (MOSTLY RAIN THOUGH)

       
                   Me and Elder Hewitt

Hey there everyone! I hope everyone is having an incredible Christmas season!

So I'm here in Westview now… I love it! It is an incredible area, and
I already love my companion. Elder Hewitt and I had previously served
together in Sherwood, so we already had a great relationship. Now that
we get to be companions, it's pretty fun! He was comps with Elder
Wilcock when I got my call to this mission earlier this year too! We
will have a lot of fun this transfer!

On Wednesday my bike broke. It wasn't anything I could fix, the frame
broke! Thankfully I have a warranty on it and in the meantime a member
let me borrow a bike until I can get back to the bike shop to get mine
replaced. The bike they gave me is purple, just like my very first
bike on the mission! Haha I'll include a picture.

It's been bitter cold since Wednesday, we thought we might freeze on
our bikes, and end up looking like that statue that's at the MTC! (If
you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up that was a pretty
funny joke)

On Thursday the world shut down. It snowed 3 inches, and all the
missionaries got grounded in their apartments because of it. All of us
missionaries are pretty much from Utah and know how to drive in the
snow, it's the rest of Oregon that President Ballard worries about crashing
into us! So, we sat in our apartment. We didn't have any games or
anything, but we had a bubble blower and a view of a busy
intersection, so we watched bubbles freeze and people get stuck or
almost crash on the road for most of the day. We were bored out of our
minds!

Saturday and Sunday we had rain. Like, RAIN. We were practically
swimming! It was a lot of fun though, despite it being only 35 degrees
and being soaking wet.

Yesterday, there was 10 minutes of sacrament meeting left after the
speakers, so the bishop got up and called the new missionary Elder
Hall up to give us some remarks and finish the meeting. I was totally
not prepared and felt like a goober up there, but people said they
enjoyed it, so I'll roll with it!

I already love this ward. I'm so grateful I have a good companion that
I get along with. I know I'm right where Heavenly Father needs me to
be, and I can't wait to see what He has in store for me here. I might
die on my bike riding up one of these hills, but hey! Celestial glory,
right? Thank you everyone for your prayers and support! Have a Merry
Christmas season!

With love,

Elder Hall

   

Spot the Beaver!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

They are seriously bored!

THE BEST GIFTS

Matt and his family!

Happy Christmas Time from Oregon! It actually snowed for a few minutes today!!

I'm getting transferred from the Woodhaven Ward to the Westview Ward!
Still no car, but that's ok. Biking is good for me!

We got to borrow the car for a day this week! It was so awesome!!! I
was in bliss!! Saturday was one of my favorite singer's birthday. Andy
Williams would have been 89! I was so mad because some other
missionaries stole my Christmas Andy Williams CD so I couldn't listen
to him on his birthday! Well we got in the car and while trying to
turn on a CD, the radio came on and what song just started? Andy
Williams's It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!! It wasn't an
approved song, but I didn't even care. It was a tender mercy!

What a week it's been. Our investigator Matt got baptized!! It was an
amazing day filled with the spirit and love. Elder Bang was able to
come back for the baptism and it was so good to see my old friend
again! I've missed him!

Matt's wife is a member and came up to me after the baptism to talk to
me. She said, "I never thought I would ever be able to have an eternal
family, and now it's possible. Thank you." We cried together, thankful
for the spirit that touched her husband's heart.

Yesterday, as Ward Members learned I was leaving, I got countless
texts, calls, and people coming up to me at church. This ward has
become my family! A piece of me will always be in the Woodhaven ward.
I'm going to miss this place!

While I received many gifts this week from members, friends, and
family, the best gifts have not been material.
Seeing Matt get baptized and confirmed.
Being able to be a vessel of the spirit for Matt and his family.
Seeing how happy Matt and his family are now with the restored gospel.
Feeling the love from this ward.
Knowing I will always have friends and family here in Sherwood.
Knowing the Lord is listening to my prayers.
Feeling the spirit and knowing what I'm doing is right and true.
This Christmas season.

My list could keep going, but these are some of my gifts I've already
been given, and I won't ever let them go. These are my most cherished
gifts this year. Heavenly Father really is always mindful of us and
what we need. I'm so grateful!

I hope everyone has a fantastic week and Christmas season! Happy
birthday to my mom this Saturday!  Love you!

Remember to check out Mormon.org and #LIGHTtheWORLD this Christmas!

With love,
Elder Hall



The baptism!



Elder Bang and I catching up.

We have a car!!!

It's snowing in Oregon!

This is my new sticker on my iPad case I made with helpfrom the Werles!