Monday, May 2, 2011

May 2, 2011

(e-mail subject line today "Bin Laden is dead - neat")

FAMILY,
Ok, so about the skype thing. We have church in the afternoon and we just set an appointment with a lady this morning for after church, so the soonest we could connect would be around 5, so that would be like 3 your time. I think that will work out for everyone. We will have to make our time count because this could be the last time I will see you guys.
I have to inform you that the rapture is happening on May 21st (around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, when it is convenient). So the world will end before I ever make it home according to a "billboard prophet". We will see what fruits come from him, then judge him...
It's tornado season. I heard that there was a big storm that hit the southern United States. Our mission office informed us today that all of the missionaries are accounted for and ok. Maybe this summer I will be able to get some footage of one. Just kidding Mom...
Saturday there was a service project at the church. We were cleaning up the grounds. It lasted about 3 hours, but I got very sunburned. I didn't think the sun was going to be out, it's never out. As missionaries we are allowed to take our suit coats off when it is 70 degree outside. Let's just say that we have only taken our coats off a few time so far this year, so I wasn't expecting the sun to be out. But I got very, very burned. At sacrament meeting the 1st Councilor to the Bishop was conducting and thanked everybody that helped at the service project even though everyone got sun burned, then he said, "..but not as bad as Elder Hale". He totally called me out in front of everyone. It was a bad burn.
There are a couple of pictures attached, this photo is of the whole generation family starting with Elder Wilson, Me, Elder Eldredge, and then my brother Elder Dearing.
The second one is with President Jergensen. I almost forgot to get a picture with him because I know that you wanted one, so we were in a gas station and snagged the clerk to take a picture of us. President went out with us Tuesday night for some specialized training. We went to Sister F's house to cover some of the last commandments for baptism. President Jergensen is a talker so he started throwing questions at Sister F. He asked her how she came into contact with us, how she thinks about baptism and that sort of thing. He then asked her about when she knew it was true, since she had been taught by other missionaries in times past. This had been a question that we had never asked. We saw her countenance change and she was accepting and keeping commitments and felt that she knew, but we never had been so blunt as President Jergensen about the matter. I was a little nervous when the question was asked because Sister F is timid and a little shy about personal things and we didn't want to push that line. She answered the question referring to, I think, the second lesson that we had with her. She talked about what we covered and how it was taught. She talked about how she was totally open to learning this time without trying to find doubts. Learning for herself to find out and not for the sake of her husband or his family who are members. She shared a feeling that she had during the lesson, she said that it was an overwhelming feeling that told her "its ok, its ok". At that very point I knew that she was converted. She had felt the Spirit and it had changed her heart. I have never experienced a night like that before.
I LOVE YOU ALL. See you Sunday, -Elder Hale

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