Week 66 Give Thanks and #LIGHTtheWORLD

Hope you all had a good thanksgiving weekend! This is a great time of year to be with friends and family! We had a good week and the work rolls on! 

Tuesday 

We met with the Johnsons to go over the next two weeks of our lives. We're going to be busy! We have zone conferences this coming week and then transfers the following. It'll be exciting! It was good to see them and catch up a little bit. We hadn't talked with them about the all mission conference so it was great to get some follow up! We had dinner with the Crossleys (Stake Patriarch) and it was a spiritual experience for sure. They hardly ever eat meat, so it was bean tacos with lettuce and fruit. I wish I could just paint this picture in your mind, but imagine you're in the temple eating dinner and that's what it's like at the Crossleys. Everyone talks in a whisper and if you're on the wrong side of the table you won't hear a thing... Their house is all white and if there was a reward for making your home a heaven on earth it would definitely go to them. They're great people and they do so much good! We're also working on doing more active member visits to increase our referrals and hopefully find new investigators. We visited with a few families and it went really well! I think this will work out. 

Wednesday 

Last district meeting of the transfer and it was great! Talked a lot about planning and that's something I can always be better at. We followed tradition and had lunch at Olive Garden which is always a good time. We then did some office work which included stacking a ton of light the world cards.... (see pics) it took a long time but we're now ready to roll! Dinner was with the Haners and that is such an energetic crew.  They're usually good for a laugh. Lillie continues to struggle to take anything gospel related seriously so that's a bit of a struggle. The work goes on with her! 

Thanksgiving 

We balled out in the morning. We started off with a light shoot around at the church and transitioned into turkey bowl round one with our ward. It was a pretty weak turn out with only 3 members of the ward, 7 missionaries, and 2 brother in laws.  We played for about an hour in the mud until the elders quórum president called it quits. We then went to another wards turkey bowl and started a game on the dirt of a baseball infield. We did that for probably 2 hours until we called it good hah there was no defense. We came home and did some studies and then went to the Ballards for dinner! Best members and amazing food.  It was all super good! We played some games and just chilled, it was a great Thanksgiving! 

Friday 

We had a really good lesson with the Bortz that night. I think I talked last time about how Trenton wanted to receive the Priesthood. We decided to bring the deacons quórum president along with his dad and it turned out really well. We talked all about the priesthood and Trenton is excited! The Bortz are almost reactivated which is great! I'm so happy to see their progress. 

Saturday 

There's a tradition in the Pleasant Hills Ward of doing a live nativity every year right around Christmas. We didn't know a whole lot about it, but we were invited to come and pass out pass along cards as people drove through. It was awesome!! We had 55 cars come through and a majority of those were non members. It was a great way to spread #LIGHTtheWORLD and we had several good conversations with people as they left. Not sure if anything will come of it, but it was definitely successful! 

Sunday 

Pretty chill day to wrap up the week! The Connor family had us over for dinner which was great. I feel like our relationship with the ward is slowly improving which is awesome! We did a little home teaching with our bishop and then got his vision of what he wants us to do. He's a great young bishop and it's been so cool to work with him so far. This ward has some big things coming its way! The Johnson's had us over at night to go over some things for transfers coming up and Zone Conference! We're on the road again this week! I love Christmas time and I'm pumped for these conferences. Should be great! 

It was a great week to reflect on things I'm grateful for. I have been extremely blessed and I'm thankful for a Savior who loves and is patient with me. I have a great family who I have grown to love even more since I've been a missionary. Families are essential and I don't know why it took me so long to figure that one out. I love you guys and hope you know I'm grateful for all the love and support! Go check out Mormon.org if you haven't yet! 

Random thoughts 

• Pumpkin ice cream is a no-no. 
• The Ballards have been in contact with momma bear and have started to make a lot of my favorite food. I love them. 

Just Believe, 

Elder Halls
Pictures: Last district meeting of the transfer; 34,000 cards; Turkey Bowl Ballers; Alta vs. Bingham; Thanksgiving dinner at the Ballards; Key lime!