Week 3 in Brandon

Service with Homemakers of Hope!

Hello!!! That sounds like a very fun filled week! That is awesome

about Gavin! He's destroying it! That's crazy about snow....we have a

cold front coming in this weekend so we might get some of that cold

haha. Hopefully it's not too expensive to replace the flooring. We had

a ward Conference in valrico where President Hunter (we might be

related not sure haha) focused on the blessings of the temple. It was

awesome! I'm glad you all were able to go. Also, I got the package!

Thank you. We need that card too because they don't refill our cards

until the 1st. And I still don't know my pin... Is there a bank I can

go to? I thought I remembered it but it wasn't it... can you check my

card balance too?

I've had to use it a lot because of not having food due to

whitewashing the area and travel without a car. We plan on buying in

bulk so we don't have to use as many personal fund this next transfer.

This week our member meals are starting to begin in Lithia which will

be a blessing haha. They're both awesome wards.

No license unless Elder Cox has hid it....I hope it wasn't sent to a

wrong address, I don't think that's possible. It will probably show up

this week. I haven't scheduled due to craziness of losing my wallet

and forgetting my new Pin. I will do so this week. President Cooper

told me I should too. Can you send me a picture of the insurance card?

I don't have mine because of the wallet. Thank you!

Things are slowly but surely coming. The highlight of the week was

when we were walking down the street and felt impressed to knock on a

door. This was about 8pm and because of how dark it is we don't

typically knock doors that late. A man in his 20s came running outside

and was ecstatic to see us. He had met with missionaries in Alabama

and just moved back with his family because of some trials. He has

been praying for missionairies and then boom! It happened. The spirit

was leading us all the way. We were supposed to give him a church tour

but he thinks his parents are anti so we haven't met again. We are

praying everything will work out! Another miracle was when we tried to

contact a referral in our complex. They weren't home but we felt like

we should go up another floor. We did and walking out of the door was

a potential we had found and his family. He had gone back to Texas to

get his family ready to move back to China. And there they all were.

He said this was there last day there so we were able to give them

some stuff to read. Hopefully they can find the gospel over there too.

Crazy miracle haha.

Elder Leslie is doing good. The adjustment was hard at first I think

but he's changed a lot since then. He has great desires and knows how

to trust in God. I've loved serving with him. We have a Stake BBQ this

week and have several families committed to coming. We are hoping to

give them a church tour afterwards and one of them is really

interested in family history so we will help there. Good things are

coming! Love you so much!

Elder Hale

Week 2 in Brandon

 Florida sunrise at our complex

Elder Leslie, new companion

Hello!!! I love the pictures. I can't believe it snowed! It's been

warm here. It's going into the upper 80s already. Things have been

going really well here. We have been finding more people. It's been

slow but actually starting to show progress. We have loved it. Elder

Leslie has shown a lot more confidence. He's got such a sincere

testimony! We are working to build a teaching pool.  Both wards are

awesome which had been a huge blessing with them helping with the

work. ? We have Zone Conference this week which we are both

very excited for. We are going to be getting smart phones very soon

which is crazy! Not sure if we are supposed to know that or not haha.

No word on the license. Elder Cox is keeping his eye peeled for it in

Brooksville. We have a lesson with a family tonight so we are praying

that all goes well. Sorry my email is so scattered. I've been typing

it throughout the day. It's a lot harder on car share. These elders

move slow haha. They're awesome though. We did go on exchange this

week with some elders in the district. They're struggling with their

drive and obedience so we are hoping we can help them. It's a great

district though. I held my first district meeting this past week. It

was awesome!!! Definitely still adjusting to the new areas. Loving it

though!

Glad to hear things are going so well! I hope you have a great week!!!

Love you!!!

Week 1 in Brandon

 Seeing Jeff at the baptism in Providence!

 Birthday gift from Brooksville Ward

Elder Leslie

Things have definitely been hectic. Lots of hard goodbyes in

Brooksville but it's been good. I'm with Elder Leslie who is from St.

John's Arizona. It has a population of 2,000 people! Crazy! So he's a

full blown cowboy. He has an awesome testimony though, everyone loves

him! The wards here are awesome. Lithia is mostly all gated

neighborhoods and it's very affluent. There's only 130 people at

church but 50 of those are youth and another 50 are primary children.

So lots of kids. It's an awesome ward. President Caseres who was just

called into the mission presidency is in that Ward so we are hoping to

get him and his seventeen year old son out with us. The Ward mission

leader Brother Chamber is awesome!!! We are on car share so we have

been on bike but it's been working out so far. Most of the

investigators we have found are just here in the apartment complex.

Which is definitely the nicest in the mission. It's like a hotel haha.

Miracle of the week in the area was when we were biking and found a

family on their porch. We shared the Restoration and the mother was

eating it up. Same with one of the daughters. (There's seven kids all

under 11, 3 of which are over 8). The husband who had been quiet

during the entire lesson finally spoke up and said he was baptized in

our church. That was in the stake back when he was eleven. When his

wife heard that she freaked out and was asking if they could be

baptized at the same place he was. It was awesome haha. We are hoping

they can make it to church this Sunday. If they do the Ward is going

to eat them up.

We also cover the Valrico area. There's a lot more finding and

teaching opportunities there. The Bishop there is amazing. They have

an awesome ward mission plan and one of their members just got back

from serving as a mission president. He's in the high Council and is

over missionary work. He is amazing! So lots of good things. The hard

part with the two areas we are opening is there wasn't anyone to teach

when we got here. So it's a complete new slate. But good things are

coming! I love these wards though, they're pretty much according to

everyone here like Utah wards. There's more youth in both of them then

our ward in Oregon.

Sorry for such a long update. I'm not sure how much of it makes sense

haha. I'll be sending pictures in a later email. I promise! Our new

address is 13948 Circa Crossing Dr. #107, Lithia, FL. You can just

send the package our whatever it is there. No worries, the license

hasn't come yet. Elder Cox is keeping his eye peeled for it. I'll be

scheduling my appointment this week since transfers have finally come.

Also, during all the rucas I threw away my new pin for my card. I

don't think I remember the right one. Is there any way you could get

that pin for me?

And it was great to see Jeff! I didn't expect to see him so it threw

me off haha. I might see him again. Just depends on exchanges and

everything. I know we are limited with friends and family visiting but

it's fine since that is his ward haha. I'll probably see him at the

Stake BBQ coming up.  Glad to hear everyone is healthy again. 

Love you!!!

Elder Hale

Week 17 in Brooksville

We just found out about transfers and I am leaving the area. I've been

assigned to open up two areas in the Brandon Stake, Lithia and

Valrico. I will also be serving as a district leader and training a

new missionary. The Zone leaders in the Zone haven't served as Zone

leaders before, so president has asked me to also help them know their

responsibilities. It's definitely new so I'm excited! It's going to be

a lot of fun and filled with miracles!

If you've sent anything and it doesn't get here until Wednesday I

won't get it before I leave. Transfers are on Thursday. So Elder Cox

will forward whatever is left to me. If you haven't sent it please

send it to the mission office. Also, I'll have him give me my license

since it's going to come here to Spring Hill.

The work in Brooksville is still amazing. Raquel Kimmel is very set on

getting baptized at the end of the month. I'm definitely going to miss

them. We also just taught a father and son who referred themselves

online. They want to be baptized and feel God has literally been

reaching out to them. We will be seeing them again on Wednesday. Such

a huge miracle! Elder Cox will be staying here as a Zone Leader and

will also be training a new missionary. Hence all the crazy miracles

and baptisms coming.

Things are definitely going to be busy the next couple weeks. I'll

keep you updated on the license and also our new address. Good things

are definitely coming.

I'm glad to hear everything is going so well!!! I can't believe how

brave Hazel is.  That's awesome! Well I love you so much!!! Have a

great week!!!!!

Elder Hale