Buns, the hot dog kind

We are already in the last week of this transfer. It has flown by. My last two transfers are going to be lightning speed. Cyn just reminded me that I'm going to be home 3 months from today. Holy guacamole! Man, I wish we had guacamole here, but they don't really do that. And if they do smash up avocados they put it with haberno peppers and you just start sweating out your eyeballs.

 

This past week we had to do more outdoor service. This is going to be the death of me. Let's put a 30 something yr old pale face redhead out in the sun for 3 hours and just watch what happens. It's not pretty people! We were cutting off dead flowers from a mile long row off plants. I thought I was going to die, I think I even passed out at one point. The 19 yr old missionaries don't quite get that your body literally shuts down at some point. They get super confused when I complain about my back and feet hurting. Back pain? What's that. Ugh. Kids these days!

 

We had a really interesting week. I sure know how to find the crazies or they sure know how to find me so we had some really draining encounters. My companion and I have spent a lot of time laughing about all the craziness and just keep ourselves really positive about, honestly, some pretty scary stuff. The topic that keeps coming up is fear. Recently, we were teaching a lesson about fear and faith and how faith can not exist where there is fear but faith can cast out fear. It's interesting how opposite and yet closely connected these two things are. It's so very hard to have enough faith to cast out fear and yet we know from everything the scriptures and prophets teach us that faith is so much more powerful than fear. When it comes to ourselves, we've been working on being warriors of faith. Everyday we remind ourselves that we are better than fear. We will have no fear opening our mouths, we will have no fear speaking the language, we will have no fear to share our testimonies. As we've put more focus on doing the things we've been asked to do, fearlessly, as missionaries...we are finding greater faith which in turn kills our fear. It's a never ending battle, but it's a battle we've been promised from on high that we can win. Never settle, never back down, never surrender to fear. Let our faith shield and protect us through the battles of every day life.

 

xoxo,

Hna Hall

 

Quincenera

We went to Santa Cruz yesterday. This time we buried a Hermana in the sand. I felt 12 for doing it but I'm not going to lie, it felt fantastic! The beach is the best medicine for a long missionary week. I wish it was closer, but a 45 min bus ride really isn't bad. I'm so glad our President let's us go...now only if he'd let us ride the roller coasters on the Boardwalk! Our district had a blast yesterday. We were all laughing and smiling and just having a grand time. I don't think this zone has seen so much happiness in awhile and it was nice to be a part of that cheer. I think it's kind of hard to be unhappy around me. I'll take the bullet for that responsibility of providing joy unto all who will partake. Humility first.

 

This past week was my 15 month mark on the mission so my precious Spanish district threw a Quincenera for me. It was THE BEST! They got me 15 Dt Cokes, 15 bags of chips, 15 hand written priceless coupons for things that only missionaries can give to other missionaries and a bunch of other adorable memories. It  was so sweet I almost cried. The only thing missing was a big, huge, poofy dress and 15 men dressed up the same lined up by my side all night. So presh.

 

Just the normal missionary business the rest of the week. I went on exchanges up north and got to sit in a massage chair. I'm now considering telling President this is a must have for the well being of the missionaries. I didn't realize how busted up my back was. If anyone is planning on my Christmas present already...massages is a good start. Just saying. Oh, also I'm looking for a husband. No big.

 

Contacted a nun the other day. She sure looked uncomfortable when I talked about the power of God we have as a result of Joseph Smith and then I could see her getting a little jealous when I told her that I get to date when I get home. Ah poor nun. Come join us - life is better!

 

The other day in Zone Training I was in charge of a 20 min presentation on how to work well with others. I got up and told them we had to get the wiggles out like we do in primary so I made all 16 Elders stand up and learn all 8 verses of Book of Mormon Stories with the matching hand motions. It was the BEST. They loved it so much. Each pair ended up learning one verse and then performing their own each in order. It was fantastic. It should have been on television. I'm also glad they were good sports about it and didn't boo me off the stage. That would have been super embarrassing. Talk about backfire.

 

Well that's all for now folks. Until next week...say your prayers.

 

xoxo,

Hna Hall

Mt Everest

The service projects in this area are really intense. I've been spoiled my whole mission with calling BINGO to old people and reading English books to 7 yr olds. In the Los Altos zone they work outside in the heat...with their hands! On Wednesday we had to rake, I swear, an entire acre of these tiny, pokey ball things that had been falling from the trees. There were millions. I was sweaty and blistery by the time we left. These hands are not made for that kind of work.

 

The very next day we went out to a ranch and summer camp for kids. They said we were going to hike up the hill over there carrying heavy things. I laughed because clearly they were kidding. Why on earth would we be doing that? Well, they weren't kidding. That's exactly what we did and it was a HIKE, like a Y Mount hike. There were about 10 times along the way where I really thought I better just lay down because I was going to die right there. The Elders were carrying these long pipes and we were just lagging behind them occasionally shouting out "is this poison oak?!". For the record, it was poison oak. We got to a really high point and I was done. Like, done, done. The Elders were still going straight up and my companion and I said we were just going to stay and wait here. A few of the Elders turned around and came back. They were so precious. No, Hna Hall, you can do this. We started this together and we are going to finish together! You can do this! Come on. They were so sweet to the old lady missionary that somehow ended up on this trek up Mt Everest. By the way, I'm still confused as to what kind of service this was because I for sure did nothing for nature except almost die in it. Finally, after A LOT of help and encouragement and probably just sheer miracles, I made it to the top to enjoy the beauty of the tiniest natural spring I have ever seen in my life. I didn't even care that the spring was so pathetic I could have made one myself about 300 feet below, I was overjoyed that I actually made it and shoved my face under that water and drank and drank and drank. It was the best water of my life!

 

Obviously on the way back down, us missionaries were joking about this being the metaphor of life. There were so many times where I really was going to give up, but thanks to the help, encouragement and love of others I made it to that spring and it was glorious! Totally worth it. In fact, after I made it up to the top I had forgotten all the pain, shortness of breath and negative/murmuring thoughts that had accompanied my journey all the way up. Indeed, that is life. The trials come, they are hard, and we may at times want to give up, but the end is always worth the effort. Thank heavens we have angels along the way to encourage and support us. I would have never made it without my companion and my Elder Angels and there are many times in my life when I have felt the same. This week I'm going to try to be an angel to someone else in return, hopefully not up another hike. See who you can be an angel to this week where you are. Help someone climb their Mt Everest today!

 

xoxo,

Hna Hall

Deadly Straws

The other day whilst enjoying dinner with some members in a local hamburger joint, we were all sharing funny animal stories. I'm not sure how we got on the topic, but our Guatemalan Elder (he's so much funnier now that I can understand him) shared about 6 stories involving him and some kind of tragic/hilarious animal death. I started laughing so hard my body was shaking and then I couldn't control my shoulders, then my head shot back and then forward right into my beverage...dead on the straw that was sticking out. That's right, I stabbed myself in the head with my own straw. My forehead started bleeding and everyone just laughed even harder. So now I have a tiny, circular wound right in the middle of my forehead. Classic.

 

In other news...a bird lady came to church. She was wearing about 500 different colors because she said the birds like it and they will follow (and sing) her all the way down the street. Sure enough when I looked outside the hall, I saw birds pounding on the window just to get closer to her. True story. Anyway, pretty sure the birds guided her to the church because she loved it. She even got up and did the hand motions to Popcorn Popping with us in primary. That's a solid baptism right there. We'll just have to get a drop cloth for the birds.

 

We were back at our apartment pretty early on the 4th of July for safety reasons. After dark, we started hearing tons and tons of fireworks so we all ran outside to the tot lot to see if we could see them if we stood on top of the plastic castle. We could not. But we listened and imaged for a bit. Then we walked back to our apartment and realized we'd brought the wrong keys. I then watched as the 3 sisters took turns hoisting each other up into the tiny window. After about 20 min they finally pushed one through...with a little too much force and she landed face first on the carpet inside. I bet we never forget our keys again...well at least the Sister that face planted, I might on purpose just to watch that again.

 

This past week I had a leadership meeting at the mission office with a special guest speaker who was some kind of organization coach for the coach of the BYU football team. He taught us some strategies for how to help missionaries...using football. No, seriously, he made us all get up and practice how to be an offensive lineman. Now I know that a successful blocker depends on 4 things: your stance, how low you can get, the power you can explode through your butt and your ability to keep moving your feet. So, the next day when I went on exchanges I obviously tried my newly learned talent on the sister I was with. I took her down hard on the ground. I think we both learned some good things that day. It really is all in the stance.

 

My sweet new companion who said she prayed me here (oh man, she had no idea what she was thinking) shared with me a quote from President Ezra T Benson I'd remembered for years but could never find. He talked about the power of the Book of Mormon. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to get up and bear testimony during sacrament meeting and I shared my testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon. That book and I have had an interesting relationship throughout my life, but one of the things I am most grateful for is the opportunity to really come to love it on my mission. There are very special and powerful promises included in the sacred words that were preserved especially for us. As I have watched this beautiful book change lives and mine, the words of President Benson are seared on my heart (in my own words because I have a terrible memory). There is great power in the Book of Mormon. It gives us greater power to resist temptation and to avoid deception. I can't think of anything we need more than these two things in today's world. It's like Vitamin C on steroids...uh, healthy kind. We need these words every day, even just a little, and with them comes the power to resist temptation and to avoid deception. Thank heavens because Satan is getting really sneaky.  

 

xoxo,

Hna Hall

El Camino

I'm in heaven, like Celestial kind of heaven! Transfers were last Tuesday and I'm now in a new area a bit northwest of San Jose and with an awesome new companion. We will probably only be together for one transfer so we are just going to light up the place. We started by getting a new baptism date today. Holla. That's how I roll. This is the first one for my precious companion so she was all smiles and giggles all day. It was the best. We are going to do epic things.

 

Last week we did some service at an old people museum. Well, I don't think it's exactly an old people museum, but I think of most museums that are not in France...cause like this one time I went there...as for only old people. Anyway...it was SO fun. First we were banned upstairs doing inventory in a creepy museum attic. Obviously, we were surrounded by ghosts and what not. I'm a firm believer in all those things now after being in the Spanish program for so long. Holy cow. Later we helped out in the little gift shop and old ladies followed me around telling me how well I did on the museum and how beautiful and how much they loved it. I just told them they were welcome and if they wanted to have this kind of joy all the time they should check out our church. Tehehe.

 

Anywho...that's about all the time I have this evening. Don't worry, I've already managed to make a fool of myself a billion times in this new area. So I'll have plenty of hilarious and endearing stories for everyone next week. Thank heavens I can get away with it otherwise President would have shipped me home by now.

 

Oh and I have a new car with a blue tooth phone connection so I get to yell Spanish at the console while I'm driving down the 101 - it's the best!

 

xoxo,

Hermana Hall

Cuidado

Well, I'm getting transferred to my final area tomorrow. I'm so sad to leave this area, it's been so awesome!  Yesterday was so crazy busy, but we had a baptism so I was on cloud 9er all day! I got up to say my goodbyes in sacrament meeting and when I sat down people were weeping. That's right, weeping. They said such nice things to me. They love me, they really do! We had a beautiful baptism right after church and even the screaming 3 yr old couldn't chase the spirit that filled that room. I got a million kisses from the sweet woman we baptized then I had to run and grab her three extra jumpsuits to dry off with because her towel disappeared. oopsy. It's always going to be something. Right after, we went to watch the special missionary broadcast. I really enjoyed all those videos, it made me feel like I was back in the MTC with the spirit punching me in the eye balls every 5 seconds. Right after the broadcast we had to head over to another chapel for the missionary outgoing fireside. I have been leading the music at the past 5 of them and nothing was different this time except that right after President announced the opening hymn and turned around to sit down, I stood up, only instead of my foot being on the ground it was actually stuck in a metal grate and then went ankles, my knees, hands and face. I jumped right back up with my hair all over the world and announced to everyone that "I'm OK!". The room burst into laughter. President's face in priceless shock - Are you ok?! Is there blood? Are there bones sticking out? Are you going to die? Nope, nope, all good. Then I had to stand up there and lead a spiritual song having that epic scene replay in my head over and over...to the beat, of course. After I sat down, I realized I indeed did have blood and 4 or 5 purple lines dug into my knees. When I hit, I'm gonna hit hard. No worries, thanks to Lizzy, I always have the most fashionable band aids on hand. So many people came up to me afterward to give me hugs of support, sympathy and perhaps just gratitude for a bit of hilarity. I was informed on multiple occasions that I handled it like a pro. Yes! So, there's that.

 

I got to do an English exchange this week. That was fun. We had a really great "companionship study" where they just asked me a bunch of life questions. haha. I'm so old to them! I haven't really taught the gospel in English and it was nice to give it a go. I don't think I get as many understanding eyes when I'm speaking in English - they expect me to make sense - dang it! I think I might have actually even helped a little. One of their investigators asked a really good, but tough question and the two Sisters went a little blank and then both stared right at me. Oh, right. I guess that means I'm answering it. Some how I managed to answer it pretty decently because it left him speechless. That's right spirit punch!

 

Last Thursday was my last day at the Pulga. I had to make it the best Pulga day ever and it was. We took some time and walked around the whole thing looking for any last treasures. I'm going to miss being at that bizarre place! It was so fun crying repentance to all the passersby. Thank heavens I'm so cute or I might have been shot.

 

We had a great dinner this week with a strong member of the ward and she was sharing some of her very spiritual experiences with us. She's a dreamer, as I've learned a lot of the people I work with are. So we were talking about this being one of the gifts of the spirit. She went on to talk about a whole bunch of beautiful gifts of the spirit. As she was talking I was thinking about some of the gifts I've received by the spirit. I know I've got the gift of tongues...it's not perfect, but it's for sure there. I know I have a gift for taking to people, loving them and for just knowing the truth of this gospel. We then spent some time talking about how we can ask for the gifts of the spirit. I asked her why she thought God gives us these gifts and I loved her answer. She said, because He freely gives us everything. It's so true. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us everything! How amazing is that?! All we have to do is ask for them. All we have to do is desire them. Of course that comes with trying to do those things he has asked of us, but when we have that righteous desire, He will bless us with whatever we desire of Him. That gave me so much joy just thinking about and I wanted to share it. Our Heavenly Father is just waiting to give us everything! Let's go get it!

 

xoxo,

Hermana Hall

Spider killer

I'm now the official Sister Spider Killer. Seriously, that seems to be my #1 duty when I go out to visit other sisters in the mission. I've heard a lot of different types of screams and I've learned a variety of techniques for squishing and not making messes or causing further distress to the victims of these spider attacks. The other day I was in Gilroy (garlic land) and the Sisters walked right by a black widow, I thought they were going to pass out. I decided to not try and squish that one with a tissue so we just kept walking. Anyway, I'm putting this on my resume now.

 

For some reason, we have a lot of really young investigators. I love it because it keeps me on my toes and reminds me to always teach the gospel in really, really simple terms. Plus, it's like primary every day. We were teaching this 13 yr old boy about the Plan of Happiness and that we all get our bodies back again only they will be perfect, we won't be sick or anything. He yelled back to his grandma (who was sick) "Grandma, go to the spirit world to get better!" Then he stopped, thought and said, 'never mind, not right now...but like later". haha. The best. As we were ending the lesson, I asked who wanted to pray and they both shot their arms up in the air, hopped out of their chair saying "me, me, me!" I giggled. Then they decided the most fair way would be to paper, rock, scissors for it. Who does that?! PRS to get the chance TO pray?! I almost cried. Then they decided that wasn't enough so they just took turns during that actual prayer saying a line at the time. Probably not technically orthodox, but super presh so I didn't mind. Kids. I love their sweetness.

 

Speaking of kids, I'm still in charge of teaching music in the primary. I'm still confused on how that happened, but I'm enjoying it. With yesterday being Father's Day, I led all the kids up front to sing their daddy song. It was so sweet as I'm sure most of you were able to experience yesterday as well. Such a special spirit fills the room when children are singing so sweetly even when they have no idea what the words are. I've been teaching them a verse a week of the Book of Mormon Stories. Did you know there are 8? I didn't, but there are. We are on verse 4. I can now teach anyone all of the words plus coordinating hand motions. I'm putting that on my resume too.

 

This past weekend our ward had a taco sale to raise funds for the young women to go to girl's camp. Taco sale Saturday in a Spanish ward is my favorite thing ever. We asked if we could make it a little bigger and include a church tour and maybe have other games and things going on to encourage more ahem...non members...to stop by. It totally worked! We had so many people coming in and out of the church - it was fantastic! We set up a cute tour course throughout the building and strategically placed photos, pamphlets and videos for people to take. We had some music playing in the chapel that just lit up the place and the tour finished in the baptismal room with the font doors open (we wanted to just have that font filled and ready to go, but others frowned upon that). We had the Bible video of Jesus getting baptized just playing on repeat and anytime you walked into that room you couldn't help but be hit in the face with the spirit. It was perfect! I was reminded how powerful it can be to just be in a place of worship. There really is a difference, you can feel it, you can almost touch it. People might have come to get full on tacos, but I know they left both full in body and full in spirit. Now that is true happiness. Not to mention we also had a bouncy house...gotta finish off with that.

 

xoxo,

Hermana Hall