August 30, 2010

Hey Mother,
Transfers will be on September 9th. We will receive a call Saturday night, September 4th, if one of us will be leaving or not. But you have to remember next week's p-day is on Wednesday, September 8th, so I won't be writing to you until then.
To answer your question, some of the pictures that I sent you are from Elder Wilson's camera, so they are not on my memory card. The pictures that I did print out I wanted to write some stuff on the back of them. So that's kinda the system I've got going on.
The last week has been awesome. Saturday Elder Wilson and I got to go to the through the Nauvoo Temple with Bro. and Sis. Tingley. Bro. Tingley wanted to go to the Temple with us before I leave and President let us go so it was awesome. Since I've been here I've been blessed to go through that Temple 3 times. Its GREAT, once with all my companions. Since Elder Wilson has never been to Nauvoo before, we went to a number of bookstores, old town Nauvoo, the Bakery and the Blacksmith shop (dad I got some pictures don't worry) and of course the fudge shop. It was a awesome spiritual feast which ended in a feast. On the way home Bro. Tingley called ahead for reservations at a restaurant. We didn't know they were going to feed us or anything. So we get to Davenport and we ate at Texas Roadhouse! It was so good. Fresh Iowa beef is superior to all other.
On the other hand the work is pressing on. We were able to meet twice with M, the lady I told you about last time. At the first appointment we were on splits and so it was me and Bro. Clarke. When we started she had addressed her concern about prophets. She thought that it was the most unheard of thing to have a man on this earth today receiving revelation for the world. So we started talking about how there has always been a prophet on the earth shown in the bible up to the time of Christ. Then the whole conversation was turned to prayer how she could find out for herself. She felt like her prayers were empty when she said them. So Bro. Clarke bore a solemn testimony for like 15 minutes about prayer. Then I committed her to say a kneeling prayer every day that week and also asked her to say a kneeling closing prayer. It was great she was so moved by what the spirit had told her. Elder Wilson and I went back on Sunday to teach her more about prophets and why we need them today. We found out that her neighbor (who is a Jehovah Witness) came by and anti-ed her about us. I was a little worried about it but when she continued on about what she thought, she feels like what we teach and what she felt is what she is looking for in her life. The spirit is definitely such a blessing to have right next to the Book of Mormon, it truly is the most powerful tool we have for conversion.
LB's baptism was supposed to be this Saturday the 4th, but we found out that he is on probation until December. And the rule is that we cannot baptize until his is off probation. So when we found out, it just crushed Elder Wilson and I, and we weren't sure how to approach him about it. But at our last lesson this week with him we told him that we will have to move the date until he is off probation. He was a little upset that he had to wait, but he then said that he will have more time to prepare and read the Book of Mormon, and for us to come by and teach him. He is so willing and ready to be baptized, but we have to wait. But his 12 year old daughter all of a sudden is interested in listening to the lessons and wants to come to church. So if we can get his daughter baptized we think that this will give him added desire to look forward to his baptism.
I LOVE YOU ALL -Elder Hale
p.s. I got the packages you sent me and a couple of letters, Thanks.