March 28, 2011

FAMILY,
Ok, so I got a concerned letter from Roxanne the other day and I just need to clear something up. I had said last week that I was possibly going to get released, I should have been more clear. I might get released from zone leader, not the mission. President said that it was up to me to decide, but I'm going to say where I am at. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.
This week has been great due to the fact that I have been sleeping much better. While I am thinking of it, transfers are next week, so no e-mail until Wednesday.
This week a new meal coordinator was called, Sister Syme. The last 4-5 weeks we haven't had a meal coordinator which has made it hard for us to work with the members. Our meal calendar is online which we obviously can't get to or see and the communication from the calendar to us is lack-luster, so dinner appointments were missed, hence loosing members trust, which worked against us to help the members to do their missionary work. So Sis. Syme is in charge and she is so excited to work with us. She already invited a less-active to church and over to her house. Yesterday in fast and testimony meeting she got up to bear her testimony and challenged all the members to invite a friend to watch General Conference with them. She is rockin!
The part member family that I told you about last week is still doing great. We weren't able to meet with them this week because of an unseen visit from a old acquaintance, be we are lined up for next week. We also are working with another less-active/part member family. We are going to have a BBQ with them and build some relationships with them. The non-member in the family has mentioned baptism to her husband, so we are going to check it out.
This is just a heads up, the price of corn has gone up a TON. It is over 6X higher than it was last summer, so this summer's prices are going to shoot up. Stock up now! Thought I would mention it, I'm in the heartland on corn for heaven sakes.
This morning we started running. I fell off the wagon after Elder Curtis left, no more diet and our YMCA membership ran out, so subsequently I'm not up to par. There is only so much you can do to work out in your apartment. So we got talking to a less-active (who is part of another part-member family!!) and he wanted to start running in the morning to get ready for basic training, but he wanted someone to run with. We thought that it would be a good way to build a relationship with him so we can get in the door and get him active again as well as teach his fiance. But unlike Phoenix it was 27 degrees this morning, a little chilly.
Things are going great, thanks for the tapes and stamps Mom, you are always on top of things.
I LOVE YOU ALL very much. We are working hard. -Elder Hale
P.S. I have to tell you something, I got a speeding ticket. Yes my first one on my mission, in Ankeny Iowa, on the Sabbath, on the way to PEC, in the mission car. So it's part of the rules, I have to use my home account for this one. So don't get worried when you see Des Moines Judicial System on my card in a couple of weeks, sorry. I'm probably black dotted from driving for a while, it will be nice to get a break...