Week 30

What an incredible week!! Not only did we get a down pour of rain...but we also got a down pour of blessings! (Aha see what I did there 😉 lol)

First things first...Morgan got baptized!!!

Saturday was such an amazing day! First of all it rained super hard as we were out visiting people, so we got soaked! Haha I'm sure we looked just pathetic walking out in the lightning storm...but we made it fun!
Then we headed over to the baptism. Never in my life have I ever felt the way I did during her baptismal service. The spirit was SO strong and we were all just bawling. And Morgan. She was glowing! As she walked out of the water she started sobbing and smiling all at once, and I couldn't stop smiling either. I leaned over to Sister Zimmerman and said "i think this is what heaven feels like". I wish every one of you could've been there too and felt what I felt! It has been such a blessing to be even just a small part of Morgan's story! She's impacted more lives than just her own, including mine and the whole ward.
The joy and happiness and spirit that we felt is indescribable. Someone got up and said "I hope you all believe in miracles because the transformation this family has had is truly a miracle." Morgan's step sisters family (her fellowshippers) went from pretty much completely inactive to active and fellowshipping their sister and helping her to get baptized. They have made a complete transformation and Morgan has helped them to do so. Also, not only has Morgan helped her less active family come back to church, but also has helped a friend she met at the gym come back to church. She is just a light, truly a light to every single person she meets. I know the Lord is proud of the decision she made.

I'm mad that I can't accurately describe the feelings I had haha but just imagine the happiest you've ever been and multiply that by 100!

Anyway, I could go on and on about her and her story, but I'll save the rest for another day.

SO I totally forgot to say that my old stake president from Star (pres Firmage) got called as an area seventy in conference last weekend! He's such a cool guy!


Okay so another AWESOME part of the week was Thursday when Elder and Sister Nattress (of the seventy) came to visit our mission and talked to us missionaries. We had a whole day to learn from him and it wasnt nearly enough time! What an incredible man who is definitely called of God. We all got to shake his hand as we walked in, and as I did so he looked into my eyes and we had an intense 7 second interview (although it seemed way longer than 7 seconds...i swear he saw my whole life and every mistake I've ever made lol)
He's such a nice man though and taught me a lot of good things. One of my favorite things he said to us was "When I look at you I see eternal families. There's a lot of power in who YOU are"
He also stressed the importance of making sure that our kids KNOW that WE know that our Savior lives.

Oh, one more awesome thing he talked about was as missionaries a lot of the time we think "WHY? Why is this so hard?" He simply said to us "Elders and Sisters, it's not about YOU. Have you ever thought that maybe your mission (or life) is hard not because it'll benefit you in any way, but because one day your kids will need a mom and dad who KNOW and understand what it means to go through something hard? Someone who can say 'I understand what you're going through because I've been there myself'"

Umm WOW! Let's just say I went home and did a lot of repenting. Just thinking about my future children and how every hard day is for them has really motivated me to keep going and to stop thinking about myself.


On to a lighter note...we learned some self defense this week! Lol our district leader told us to go to this class at the church because we walk everywhere. Haha! It was pretty fun and now we can both take out anyone who comes near us 😎

I'll end with one more miracle from this week. Sunday we went to gospel principles class and this guy we didn't recognize walks in and sits through the whole class not saying a word. Well afterward we talked to him and it turns out he just moved here from France and has known about the Church for a long time but has decided he finally wants to learn more. What!!!! The Lord is definitely preparing His people!!

I can't tell you how much my testimony has grown in the past 7 days! So many tender mercies and giant miracles have happened this week and I'm humbled to have witnessed them. God is so good. And Christ lives. I know that with my whole soul.

Love y'all!
Sister Erika Hales


1 & 2: the trees are blooming and it's soo pretty
3: this is what it's like taking pictures with elders lol
4: meee
5-7: Morgan's baptism!! (Facebook saw this first haha)
8: all the sisters on this side of the mish with sister Nattress









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