Week 29 in Sarasota

 Cleaning up after Hurricane Irma with Sarasota ward

 Found this little guy while cleaning up

The unwelcome visitor from the hurricane

I can't believe General Conference is this weekend!! It's crazy! This

week was another long week. We figured since we had finished most of

the Hurricane clean up in our areas that now would be a time to go

proselyte. Well thirty minutes before preparation day ended we noticed

an odd bug on the wall. We looked closer and it was a bed bug!!! So we

were cleaning all our clothes and the apartment and we were sent to an

apartment up in Bradenton. We went back after it had been cleaned but

they were still there. So we had the apartment cleaned a second time.

Crazy! We should be good now but because of all the cleaning and the

possibility of carrying them on our clothes we weren't able to really

go out until the end of the week. I've had to use a lot of personal

funds. Can you please check my account and see how things are looking?

It's been crazy with the Hurricane and now bed bugs. Trying to be as

minimal as possible but it's been hard. If you can make sure there's

enough money on my card still that would be awesome. Thank you!!

There were some crazy miracles when we finally were able to go out!!

One man we knocked on his door and he let us right in. He invited us

back for ribs this week and he is interested in learning more. He's a

minister so he's very knowledgeable with the Bible. We also met a

family, the teenage daughter told us how her uncle is actually a

member. The spirit was very strong as we testified how the gospel

blesses our families. It seems everyone is much more prepared and I'm

sure it's a result of the Hurricane humbling people. What a miracle!

Well I'm so grateful that this week should be back to the normal

schedule. We are excited for miracles to come especially with

Conference coming. It will be great! I hope you have a great week! I

also hope you are able to find peace from the words of our latter day

prophets. Love you!!

Elder Hale

Week 28 in Sarasota

 Sarasota Zone at zone conference

Yum, lunch!

Things have been busy, busy here. It's amazing that the storm

literally went around us so we missed the more destructive winds. What

a huge miracle. We have been serving most of the week as far as relief

effort goes. It's been humbling to see hearts softened. God really

does put these hard things in our lives to remind us he's there. We

have had several people who are less active or stopped investigating

text or call us to say they want to meet and come to church. It's been

a huge blessing. As far as service goes this past weekend we were

serving both Saturday and Sunday in the Hurricane Relief area. It was

some tough work but we were with members and got to make some strong

connections there. This week we will have more time to proselyte which

I am looking forward to. Today will be purchasing food and rest. Elder

Farr and I both got some really good sun burns this past weekend.

Anyways, I don't need much. If you didn't notice already I had to take

some cash out of my account for my 72 hour kit. Also the power had

gone out so a lot of our food was bad so I used my home card for that

too. But besides all that everything else is well. I look forward to

getting back into the groove of things. If you send food or something

like that I know I won't complain haha. If you do send anthing make

sure to do it before we have General Conference since transfers are

the first week of October. Crazy! Well love you and hope you have a

great week!!!

Elder Hale

Week 27 in Sarasota

In their safe haven buidling to wait out Hurrican Irma

 Ready for the Sabbath in their safe haven building

Sunday School 

Elder Farr and Hale

Hello! I probably won't be able to respond to everyone until next

week. We are doing really well. The Hurricane somehow just took a

complete turnaround Tampa and completely missed where all of the

missionaries were staying. We got lots of winds but we were spared

from the damaging winds and others. There is definitely damage but

it's a huge blessing! We are praying for everyone in Sarasota,

especially Heidi and Justin. We aren't sure how all of them are doing

since they had Hurricane winds and a storm surge. We aren't sure when

we will all be allowed to go back down to Sarasota but we have a

chance to start doing service today. We are all super excited to serve

those in this community! The damage is not too bad around us. We only

lost power briefly. We have heard there's damage in other area. It

sounds like the most impact was in our Zone so we are grateful we were

evacuated up here. Sounds like everyone is doing really well! I don't

have any pictures besides the ones that were taken by Brother Ashley

and the Culbertsons.  We are staying safe and are praying for those

affected by the storm. One highlight from this week was President

Cooper asked for me to preside and conduct yesterday. We got to hold

our own church services. The spirit was so strong! I don't think there

will be another time that we will have a chance to have a sacrament

meeting with just missionaries. But things are going to go really well

having a chance to serve those around us. I hope you have a fantastic

week. Love you so much!

Elder Hale 

Week 26 in Sarasota

Hello!! The weather has calmed down, we did

have to make sure all of our emergency packs are ready last minute.

Hopefully there isn't anything big that will come anytime soon. There

is something currently headed toward Florida but that's the other side

so who knows! It's been very hot but that's Florida. Besides that

things have been great! We had MLC this week (I failed to get the

picture) and then an exchange with the assistants afterwards. It was

awesome! As Elder Leja, one of the assistants, and I were contacting

on campus we approached a man named Tyler. We spoke with him for a bit

and he told us how he went to church back in Korea. He's from the US

he just went there since his dad is an ambassador. He knew so much

though! Nephi, Lehi, the Celestial Kingdom and Preach My Gospel! It

blew our minds! As we were teaching him another man was staring us

down. We signaled him over and he also stayed for the lesson. It was

crazy! He had to leave early but he should be meeting with them again.

Tyler accepted a baptismal date for the end of this month. He is

awesome! It is amazing to meet those people who are so prepared for

the gospel! There are several in the areas we are working in where

we've seen similar miracles. One was actually testifying to his friend

about the Book of Mormon and how what we taught was true. He wasn't a

member and that was his first contact. Lots of miracles! There's a man

named Adam in Venice who came to church again. We are hoping to set a

solid date with him this week. He's doing so well!! Well lots is going

on! I'm loving the work! Elder Farr is destroying it! I will have a

picture from Zone Conference. So for sure next week. Well, love you so

much!!! Have a great week!!

Elder Hale