October 17, 2011

FAMILY,
I wanted to apologize if last week's letter was a little too sharp. After I sent the e-mail last Monday I felt terrible, all week. I was very stressed out and had been over loaded by a few things. I enjoy hearing about what is going on, receiving letters and pictures, and always the packages, and I read every one of them, but I really don't have time or remember on Monday mornings about specifics and even questions on everything everyone has asked. I hope you didn't feel like you were bugging me, because you weren't. I am going to try to write a few people back this week though.
The baptism for C went well, even with the short notice. I attached a picture, hopefully it goes through. Its a little dark but I think you can see everybody. T has been progressing, she came to church and loved the primary program. She is scheduled to be baptized later this month. I believe she is going to be ready by then, we have been visiting her every day for over a month to make sure she will be prepared and knows it is true. She is a type of person that needs daily visits in order to keep reading and to feel that spirit to uplift her. Her and her neighbor D are going to have us over for dinner on Saturday, I'm excited.
We received a headquarter referral for a man named A this week. For what we saw on the referral, he wanted french materials or someone that spoke in french to talk to him. We really didn't know what he wanted specifically, so we went over to go see him. He let us in right away and started to talk to us in french. He had a list of questions that he started spouting off and we had no idea what was going on. All we could do was hand him the french Book of Mormon and he started to read the introduction. He realized that we didn't know french and brought his friend over to help. He too only knew french. So both of them got on their cell phones and started calling people to find someone that knew french and english that could translate. I called a recent convert in the branch that knows about 6 languages but he didn't know french. He knew Arabic and different dialects of Swahili. A said he knew Swahili and I gave him the phone so he could talk to I, the recent convert. It was crazy! They were going off about something gospel related, I heard 'faith' and 'repentance' now and again with a little 'baptism' in there of course. The spirit was strong and these two men were searching for the source. We are going to see them again this week and bring I and his friend L who is also a recent convert and TEACH THEM!! It's going to be sweet!
I LOVE YOU ALL -Elder Hale
P.S. In your next letter, could you throw in some stamps?
P.P.S.S. Roxanne- you maybe, might, possibly have a small chance of receiving a letter from an Elder but it is going to be sent to mom and dad address. I may or may not have traded the address for some ties?!?! It was for the tie quilt, bahahaha have fun.