Week 12 in Lithia

 Elder Klebingat and Elder Patick

 Florida storm

Lithia

Hello!!!

Sounds like a fantastic week! Today has been crazy so if I don't get

back to everyone please send them my apologies. I can't believe Hazel

is already 7!!!! Where has time gone?? She's going to be getting

baptized very soon! So awesome! Also, sounds like EVERYONE is

destroying their sport. That's so great to hear!

Things have been a lot different since solely covering the Lithia

Ward. It's been a huge blessing because we are now able to more easily

follow up with the investigators we are finding. We met this awesome

family from India this week. We didn't even get to the driveway and

they were freaking out, super excited to see us. We have met with them

twice and will be seeing them again this coming weekend. They should

also be coming to church. Huge miracle!

Another miracle this week happened late at night. The day was long, we

are on full bike right now. (The elders we are on car share with one

of them can't bike right now, so they are working to find a car so we

can do our exchanges/have a way to get to baptismal interviews). It

was 8:30pm and we felt a need to pray for direction. We had the faith

and set the goal to hand out a copy of the Book of Mormon and set a

return appointment. We began walking toward a members home and saw an

open garage. There was a man inside wearing a BMW shirt. In the garage

and the drive way were some really nice custom made BMWs and an Aston

Martin. We began the conversation asking about the cars, eventually he

asked what we did and we began talking about the gospel. He was very

interested in the Book of Mormon and said his wife would be too. We

will hopefully be seeing them again this week. Such a tender mercy

from the Lord. Faith truly does lead to miracles.

We have been in contact with the Valrico Elders and the investigators

are doing well. We found out one we met a week and a half ago has

already read 50 pages of the Book of Mormon! We invited him to read

the introduction haha. The Ward is going to love those Elders, Elder

Stringham and Elder Call.

Being in a tripanionship has been awesome! The members love Elder

Shakespeare and I do feel it's increased our faith and lowered our

fear to talk to everyone. Hence the many miracles and people we have

found this week.

We had the blessing of Elder Klebingat and Elder Patrick visiting the

mission. It was so great seeing Elder Klebingat again! I learned so

much about how I can be a greater instrument in Gods hands. Elder

Patrick is from the Tampa 1st Ward. He was just called this last

Conference. It was great seeing him again, we always joked around he

would be called as a 70 and it happened!!

Our Sunday was super busy. Elder Patrick joined the Ward Council and

the Ward. The fast and testimony meeting was powerful. They had their

Coordinating council which includes him, all the Stake presidents in

the mission and president cooper. So they call took a break and came

to our ward. Needless to say there were some great testimonies. The

members in the Ward were on fire. All their testimonies were very

missionary minded. Afterwards we had several asking for copies of the

Book of Mormon and asking for us to come into their homes. It has been

amazing to see the missionary fire that has come in the Ward. We are

looking forward to increased fruit as the members are equally yoked in

this work.

We are planning on skyping at 5pm our time. So I will call about

5:30pm our time 2:30pm your time if that works for you? Is church at

11pm now?

We have had a lot of crazy storms too. It's been heating up a lot

lately, I guess that means it's getting closer to the summer haha.

Well look forward to talking to you all this Sunday!!! Happy early

Mother's Day!!!! You're such a great example to me. Love you!!!!

Elder Hale