11 Weeks in Tampa

That's one of our investigators motorcycles 

 Zone Training meeting

 a picture of the trunk or treat

 Another picture from the trunk or treat.

We got to help in primary so we played out Alma and Amulek when they're teaching the Zoramites.

This was an amazing week! We had a low of 65 when I got up for working out. That felt amazing! We've been able to get several members involved with our investigators. It's been great seeing the fellowshipping that's been going on. This weekend we actually had our ward Trunk or Treat. We had a crockpot cook off which was delicious! Dennis and Sarah made it to the Trunk or Treat and had a blast with it! Dennis is getting really close to baptism. He's been making all the necessary steps to be ready for it too. There are several others including the Smith Family who are doing really well. The biggest miracle this week was at the trunk or treat actually. We were trying to plan an FHE with a family in the ward and Dennis and Sarah so we were going to introduce them at the party. Turns out the family was already introducing themselves before we even had a chance to do so ourselves. The family was super excited when they found out we were planning an FHE with them. The FHE will be tonight and should be a blast! I get to go on exchange up to Brooksville tomorrow. I can't wait to go up there! I'll let you know what miracles I get to see next week! I hope things are still going great! Hopefully this isn't my last week in South Tampa before transfers but if it is I've loved it! Have a great week!!

Love Elder Hale

10 Weeks in Tampa

I took over the area and Elder Laub came down to Tampa with me. It was a blast! 

 Macdill Air Force Base plane

 Pictures of the Bay

Random apartment complexes along the bay shore

This week was great! This last Sunday I got to participate in the formation of a new stake. They split Tampa in half and took one ward from St. Petersburg and one from Brandon. We had two General Authorities come, Elder Pearson and Elder Alba. It was an amazing experience! We're still in the Tampa stake the new stake up north is called the Odessa stake. I'm not sure where our stake center will be and now we have a new stake presidency, the old one is up in Odessa so it's been crazy. The spirit was super strong at that stake conference I loved it. This week I got to go on base to meet one of those less actives we found. That was an amazing experience. She has always had a lot of doubts so with the help of the High Priest group leader, Brother Schroder, we were able to answer those questions. We are still teaching the Smith family. They're awesome! Right now we are just trying to get them to read the book of Mormon. We got to see Dennis several times this week too. He's been doing great. We have several others who are getting ready for baptism it's a blessing to be able to work with them. I love serving. This week we had several random service activities but we got to dress in service clothes for one of them which was nice in the hot Florida sun. It's been great! Things can get crazy sometimes but the people I get to meet make it worth it. I hope you all have a great week.

-Love Elder Hale

9th Week in Tampa

 We got the some of the winds but none of the rain so we decided to get a kite from the dollar tree and flew it during our lunch hour.

 

That was our last district meeting with Elder Durrant as our district leader. Him and his trainee Elder Stevenson who came out with me were moved to Clearwater. Elder Ellsworth was called as our new district leader last night which is very exciting. Not sure how long it will last since we will be in a new stake next week.

 We got it Friday like I said. Thank you guys so much!!!!!!

A package from home.

 German chocolate!

(Elder Ellsworth says thank you too)

Well this week was just as good as all the others. It was definitely exciting with the incoming Hurricane. We didn't get hit very badly. One of our zones had to evacuate but sounds like they were okay it was just a safety procation. Thursday when it was coming in from the Bahamas we came in early since it was raining pretty hard. That was all the rain we got though. We had an amazing church tour with the Smith family. They're all getting very excited for baptism. They'll most likely be ready next month since they didn't make it to church yesterday. They wanted to come when there would be more people there since the stake was going to send out quite a few men to the east coast to help out with the relief effort. They didn't end up going though. It sounds like they weren't ready for us to send help over just yet. We were able to visit Dennis and Sarah again this week. Sarah is the less active and Dennis is the one who is very interested in the gospel. He's still serving and doing all he can to serve. This week we were able to find several new investigators. There's people everywhere here in Tampa. Something interesting that happened this week was we found out one of our progressing investigators was actually a member. She didn't want to tell us before but opened up when we started talking about baptism. Our new goal for her is getting her ready for the temple. She's very excited about that.

We also ran into another less active at a Walmart parking lot. She ended up coming to church this last sunday which was amazing. She also lives on base so we'll get to go on base later this week. I'm excited for that. Things are moving along in Tampa 1. I love the work here. Elder Ellsworth just got called as District Leader so this week will be busier then the past. We're planning an exchange tomorrow so I'll get to take over the area again. 

We've been staying safe though and I love serving. Thanks so much for the package and all you guys do. I love you all, have a great week!

-Love Elder Hale

8th Week in Tampa

 This was Zone Development day. It was a blast!! The power almost went out several times.

The storms have been crazy lately.

 Conference was amazing! We got to eat at members houses and also watch conferences there.

It feels a lot different being in members homes for that long.

Let's see this week has been good. We didn't get to teach as much with conference and how stormy it's been. Zone development day was a blast. That was all of monday. We had district meeting after it and then came home. We got to do spotlight, signs and a character role play game with President and Sister cooper. It was a blast!!!

The weeks here are going super fast. I have heard from Allen, Daniel and Parker. They're doing great from what I heard last. We have several families we're teaching right now who are working toward baptism this month. Hopefully they all can make it. This ward is great. We have been blessed to see so many miracles.

I promise to stay safe if Hurricane Mathew hits Florida. If it stays as bad as it is I wouldn't be surprised if we have to evacuate. It should die down before it comes anywhere close to us though. Keep the look out for me though. I think this is the Lords way of blessing me for wanting to survive a Hurricane ;) 

I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love Elder Hale 

7th Week in Tampa

 The one with the rain is when we got stuck because of a thunderstorm that hit while we were biking. We had to wait the storm out on a porch. It actually ended up being Dennis and Sarah (the less active's) porch. Which was pretty crazy. So yeah we got pretty wet that day. It rains hard here but only lasts about 10min. That one lasted 40min with lighting and lots of wind. Still staying safe though.

I'm emailing earlier because we have a Zone Activity Day all day. We're heading up to the stake center in Odessa. Also we have three sets of Elders in our ward now. That's been an interesting change. OUR bishop has been doing amazing with the change though. He's been making sure there's families to fellowship with the investigators we have. We've scheduled with several members to watch conference at their house. That will be really good. This week I was able to take the lead more so then before. I've loved everything I've gotten to learn so far. There was one particular day that was really rough. All our lessons fell through so we weren't sure what we were going to do but then we ended up going to look for several formers. One of those formers wasn't living where we thought and instead it ended up being a less active woman and her boyfriend. She was super excited to see us and invited us in. She's in her early 30's and hasn't been to church since she was 16. Her boyfriend Dennis hasn't ever been really religious but kept on saying he knows going to church is what they both need in their lives. He made sure they made it to church the next day. He's been super open to the gospel and even volunteered to help someone move during Elder's quorum. Which is crazy since we had only met with him that one time the day before. It was just crazy to see how ready they both are for the gospel to be in their lives. We also have several others who are progressing just as well as them. One in particular her name is Rose. We've been working with her since I first came out. She keeps on saying "if" she gets baptized. She doesn't want to commit just yet. However she went to Womens Conference on Saturday and absolutely loved it. And then afterwards that sunday when we were leaving her house she said "So if (when) I get baptized who can baptize me?". So she's already planning it out even though she hasn't committed just yet. It's amazing. The people here are great. I'll send some pictures in a bit. 

Florida State played USF so we saw a ton of fans on Saturday. 

Love Elder Hale