Last Christmas in the Mission Field

Merry Christmas!! My Christmas was great!!


Christmas eve we ate a German feast called ruladden (I'm pretty sure that's NOT how you spell it, but that's how it sounds) at the Streuling's house. It was delicious! Elder Barney got permission to come down from Richmond with his companion to spend the night. Elder Barney was a surprise for Zac Hill (the cool kid we live with) because Barney was his very most favoritest missionary to live at their house. The tradition at the Hill's house is that they open their Chrismas presents Christmas eve, so that's what we did. It was lots of fun. In the morning we went over to the Hill's best friends, the Brookes, where I skypified my family!! It was super fun to see everyone! We then went to the Shaw's house in South Ogden where the Shaw's invited all the missionaries that had served in that area or around it in the last 8 months. We were supposed to go sledding at Snow Basin but it was closed because there wasn't any snow! I really wanted to sled! Oh well, we did lots of other fun stuff like pool and ping pong tournaments and just hangin' out with all the everybody that was there.

Cool story! Last Tuesday we were at the mission office when they got a call from a guy that said "I want to talk to some missionaries, do you know how I could find some?" Well we were the only young missionaries at the the office, so we got to talk to him. The first thing he said is that missionaries remind him of Knights, how we are on a specific quest serving our King. He related everything in the gospel to knights. But he asked us to help him understand what the reason for Christmas was because he was feeling like it was lost. Long story shorter, we invited him to be baptized and he said he was already a member, so we asked how old he was and asked him to go on a mission and join the knighthood, so to speak, and he said he would think about it. It was pretty cool.

Anyway, have a great new year. Thanks for your support and Christmas cards!

Love Ya,
Elder Hale=)

Christmas stockings at the Streuling's on Christmas Eve

Pre-Christmas Missionary Message

Hey yall!


So pretty much all the snow melted and the sun was shiny but it was still cold. But it's nice because we get rides from members a lot.

We had mission conference this last week which was way fun to see all my mission friends and give out my cool business cards that sister Shaw in South Ogden made for me. There is a new Sister who just came into the mission this transfer whose name is Sister Hale. So I hunted her down and turns out we're related at least to Alma H. Hale. She's pretty cool (which goes without saying with that last name), so we got a picture together.

There's a guy that we're trying to get back to church that is just an old cowboy. I commented on his boots and told him the sad tale of how I had to leave my boots at home and he said what size shoe you wear? Then he told me how he had some boots that he never wore that were my size and that I could have them!! yay, early birthday present! They are nice too.

Miracle this week!
There was a 9 or 10 year old girl who came up to us and said I have a friend who wants to be baptized! Then she went and grabbed her friend's arm and brought her over to us and said "this is my friend who wants to be baptized!! Her name is Zoe! She lives.... and her phone number is.... and she needs to be taught by you guys so she can be baptized! When can you teach her?" The most amazing member missionary I've met in this area! I wanted to know that it was Zoe's choice and not being pushed so I turned to Zoe and asked why she wanted to be baptized and she got this big smile on her face and said because me and my dad will be happier and because Jesus gave me an example to follow! So I asked if she wanted to be baptized on Christmas and she said she was hoping she could; she still has to ask her dad but hopefully it will work out. I'm so excited!! All I want for Christmas is someone to come closer to Christ through baptism!! What better day to follow His example?! Then it would truly be a white Christmas!

I've been trying really hard to think of things that I want for Christmas. I just don't know! I have no ideas! I'm very sorry to make it hard but I just really don't know. I just want everybody to focus on Jesus Christ for CHRISTmas and help people get closer to Him thru stronger faith in him helping people repent and be baptized or take the sacrament again and feel the Holy Ghost more in their lives to help lead them through the hard times. I want people to Look for the tender mercies that He gives us, and to make other people smile. That is a true disciple of Jesus Christ. That is what I want. I probably won't see it myself but it will be recorded in heaven and I can watch it later. This gospel is toooo important to not give everybody the agency to accept it, and they won't get to choose until the choice is presented to them through an invitation to repent or be baptized.

I love you all so much. Now is the most important time to study the scriptures and build your faith in Christ.

love ya!!
Elder Hale =)

Thanksgiving 2010 Follow-up

Hey y'all! I hope your thanksgiving was amazingly delicious!


We had four dinnners but two of them had to cancel. One had really sick kids, and the other the dad got called in to work so they had thanksgiving the day after. But we still went to three places, two for food and dessert and one for just dessert and talking. It was really fun. Kinda felt bad because Elder Bohanan didn't know anybody, but I guess that's what happens when transfers are two days before.

It was really fun to see my awesome cousins!! I wanted them to come before transfers because Elder Barney was awesome and I knew he wouldn't get distracted at all. He's very focused, and I wasn't sure if I was going to get a companion that was easily distracted, so it worked out perfectly. And, I don't think that Elder Bohanan would get distracted either.

Elder Bohanan-man is pretty cool. He is from the complete opposite end of the US from Floridia. He's from fairbanks Alaska. Pines and palms, beaches and snow banks, grizzlies and gators....frozen and..melting.....anyway, hes been out for 6 months and was born (missionarily speaking) in my first area: Kaysville East! He is the youngest out of five in his family and he's "always prefered the color blue-green" and he likes vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

As far as Christmas goes, the Hill's that we live with already have our day planned. We are gonna wake up and at 5am and go over to the Brookes (they're friends that they eat dinner with every Sunday), and open presents, which should be fun. Then we'll have breakfast and the Brookes will probly talk to their missionary son. Sis Hill has a laptop with a camera that she said I could probly use. I would have to set up the skype account tho.

As far as warmness, I am doing pretty good. Better than the Alaskan it seems. He's always cold. The scarf that I have is a lifesaver and I love it, but it's getting a little beat up and its holey, I mean theres holes in it, cause it was crocheted ( <---weird word). So a missionary from canadia is giving me one of his six that he has, and also a fam that we ate turkey at is gonna get me one. I need to get some of those hot hands warmer things. Elder Barney took all of his with him =(

There is nothing specific that I can think of right now that I want for Christmas... I guess something that won't be hard to come home with.. please no Kenneth Cope or typical lds music. I am kind of sick of that, haha. But I will think of this stuff this week.

Thanks for all of your supprt and love, and have a great week!!



Elder Hale =)

Nov. 22, 2010...New Companion coming

SURPRISE! you didnt know i was going to email on monday did you? honestly i didnt either. but since thanksgiving is this week we have a half pday today.




So......this transfer has completely flown by so fast.. they say time flies when your having fun and ive had fun serving with elder Barney. i really wanted to serve with him for another transfer but hes been here for six months and he is kinda burned out with syracuse. he is going up to richmond in cache valley. hes gonna freeze to death. my new companion is elder Bohannon. i have no idea who he is ive never heard of him before but i guess hes pretty new. ill give ya more info next week.



A SUPER COOL thing happened this week, my fantastic cousins Chrissy and Kayley came and had dessert with me the other night. our landlord the Hills (who are super awesome) provided ice cream and we had lots of fun. mom and dad, Kayley is thinking about doing an internship in orlando somewhere but wants some more info about the area. anyway it was really cool to see them.



I have made a goal to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of my mission, if anyone wants to take this challenge with me say yes....in a different language... i am just starting 2nd nephi. so you will have to pass me up haha but you can do it!



I have to go but i want yall to know that this restored gospel is true and always will be. our Savior has given us the formula for success in life and its all in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets as long as we follow them we will be good.



love yall

Elder Hale =)

Winter's Coming! (Oct. 26, 2010)

Floridian+late October+bikes=really cold


Too bad it's gonna get colder. Apparently tho Syracuse doesn't get as much snow as everywhere else, but we get windy lake effect from the big salty pond next door. As far as trips to Antelope Island, they probly won't happen. Its a 7 mile bike ride out there and only three member families and a herd of buffalo live out there. But well get out there for a p-day or somsing. The three investigators with a date are all for November 13th. They are pretty excited the only thing that would stop them is if they didn't go to church the next couple weeks.

THanks Christiansens for the amazing cd!! Yes I did get it and was so excited to get a package, especially one with Amy's cd and a letter from you, thanks!! Does Amy have any more cool cds??

love yall!!



elder kendric hale =)

Baptisms in South Ogden

New Area, New Companion

Hello from Syracuse Utah!


After a week of being in Syracuse I have made some observations:

1. Syracuse is flat

2. Syracuse is just a giant neighborhood with a wal mart in the middle

3. Syracuse is right next to the Great Salt Lake, if you don't believe me take a big sniff. In fact Antelope Island is in our area.

4. We don't have a car =( ...and its getting cold, but I'll be nice and fit when I get home

5. Syracuse is full of crops and cows, if you dont believe me take another big sniff. The last dairy farm in Davis County is here.



Elder Barney is awesome! He is from So Cal by Death Valley close to Barstow. He's been out a YEAR on the 21st of Oct (next week) and he needs to be senior at the end of this transfer. He is 23 years old, his favorite ice cream is cookie dough and his favorite color is black, and dark red. He has been in the Syracuse Zone for his whole mission and this is only his second area. I remember way back when I was only a year out I had just gotten to my fourth area (Centerville). He is the first comp I've had that I've been taller than!!

This week we picked up three new investigators and all of them have baptism dates which adds up to.... three people with a baptism date! things are picking up. Its great!

That's about all the news I have for this week. Sorry its not much. I hope your fall colors are great wherever you are. There aren't many trees in SY, just dried up corn husks and lots of pumpkins.

love ya'll, have a great week!



Elder kendric Hale =)