It's the final countdown!

Malo e lelei family!

It's the final countdown! I cannot believe my brother who was in the same spot as me last year at this time is getting married for time and all eternity! Who would have every thunk! I am sure he didn't think it would all happen so quickly. And Annelise! I cannot believe yours is coming up so quickly as well! WOW. I can't believe how old you all are. I guess WE I am only 4 years behind...interesting.

Where do I begin. This past week was a mix of everything. We have found two new investigators while I have been here. One's name is Dylan and he is just soooo interested in everything about this gospel. He is so receptive to everything. We taught our second lesson to Dylan on Tuesday night. We brought a recent convert named Chelsea, she said that she felt the spirit so strong at that lesson. As much as she felt it when she was being converted. I honestly think it is Dylan. He is a powerhouse of spiritual experiences! He comes with an open mind and an open heart to just listen to what we have to say. And he says he has been looking for a religion that gives him that tingling in his spine that he only feels when he plays the guitar in worship bands. BUT he feels it constantly with us. At the end of that lesson we invited him to be baptized. It caught him a little off guard, but did not scare him, he said he needs to learn some more. But he is not closed to the idea. Now he knows! It was an amazing lesson. He loves that we have a prophet who speaks for God on the earth today! Just like in times of old. I am telling you he is amazing.  

I wish you could meet him. He is ready for this gospel to change his life. Well then Wednesday came and that night we lost the phone. So that kind of stressful because that is how all of everyone here contacts us. And I know that most missions don't have phones, but its one thing to have one, and have it be a part of your missionary work. And then not have it. You can do it without one, but when you where doing it with one and then....BAM its gone it gets tough. People start cancelling and meetings are changed around, but you are so out of the loop because you don't have the cell phone. Oh man. It was so hard.

So the next day was District meeting, but we ended up going to the wrong building because the District leader texted everyone to let them know that it was going to actually be at the building in Washington. HA! like 5 minutes away from our apartment, but instead we ended up traveling 30 miles to the building it is usually at. So we were late to district meeting that day. And the phone was totally gone so we could not call anyone to let them know. I cannot even remember Thursday, it is all just a blur. All I know is that it was a crazy day full of event after event after event. We were exhausted. But we had to teach the Book of Mormon class that night. So we went into it hoping that our investigators would show up. And THEY DID! Last weeks class was amazing. We had Dylan, David, and Mark there, with some members from our ward, and the ward mission leader, Brother Wagemann (who is amazing). I cannot even remember what was said in that class, but I just know that everyone worked together to teach Dylan and talk about the Book of Mormon. And the spirit was there testifying with us. Sister Martinez and I were blown away with how much it took off. Dylan said that the tingling in his spine was seriously there. He even said we might have to "Dunk him next" haha he is so ready. He just eats this gospel up! I love to be a part of it. I love to be a part of helping him come unto Christ. As his relationship with God and Jesus Christ grow I feel so overwhelmingly happy. Its like watching your child go through some of life's biggest events!

Yesterday was stake conference and Mark, David, and Dylan all showed up!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW AMAZING THAT IS!? They made that effort to show up. I was so beyond grateful. Mark brought a pen and paper and wrote down any questions he has about the meeting, and the things that were taught and testified of. I forget that people don't know we lived with God before the life, and don't understand the importance of temple ordinances because its just something we have always known!! It's like teaching a child. But not in a mean way, they really just don't know anything about this gospel. Its fun to be a part in God and the Holy Ghost working together to teach them! But we have more lessons with Dylan this week and we will address his concerns. 

 I took part in a baptism yesterday. His name is Mark and he is, wow. He's pretty cool. The spirit was so strong there, I know God and Jesus Christ were there smiling so much for Mark. Sounds strange, but I felt so much love in my heart, I know that God was there. And the Holy Ghost was so overwhelmingly strong in that room! I got to teach him for like a tiny bit, but at that point he was all ready to get baptized. Sister Martinez, and Sister Calton (the companionship before) found Erica and Eric's family which Mark lives with right now (it's his older sister) and we are working on the rest of the family right now. There 11 year old son David told us he wants to be baptized its just a matter of when haha. Everything is going SAWEET! I love it. We keep looking for new people to teach all the time. We tracted into a kid named Brad. His mom is not interested at all, and said she is good but Brad was like "I want to learn more". So we gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to start reading. We also invited him to the Book of Mormon class we have started with the Elders that are in our ward. The class has really taken off. Like I explained before a little. Its just an awesome class! I love being a part of the work that is going on in Washington, MO! Everyone is at such a different stage in there life, but God loves us all the same, and will pour out his spirit the same to us if we desire to come unto Christ and be perfected in him. If we have a desire to learn more truths in our lives! I love this gospel. And the opportunity it gives each of us to learn something new each day, to come closer to Christ each day. Its a journey that never ends. We should all be in the same boat as Dylan, a new investigator to the church. We should be finding something new each day that we desire to learn more about. The Holy Ghost should always be guiding us down righteous paths. Repenting each day, and coming closer to our Savior Jesus Christ.   

This week Sister Martinez and I's goal is to instill a sense of urgency into our investigators who are just stuck right now. To help push them towards baptism, or help them realize the importance of baptism. If they don't we need to clean out our teaching pool. Which is something that is bold, and heart wrenching because we love all of our investigators, but maybe it is not there time. We are not giving up. Just waiting for a different time, or a different set of missionaries can help them more than we can. But we hope to set a baptismal date for David, he seems so ready. I hope that he can be a good influence on the rest of the family. With him and Mark both being baptized, I think it could really help the rest of the family. But I hope that at Mark's baptism they felt the spirit that was there. I am excited for our lesson with them tomorrow to ask how they felt and be bold but loving with them. They are really amazing people. And they are such a loving family! We just need to get that spark that was there ignited again. Hopefully it all works out for the best! Actually I know it will, God has control.

I love you guys so much! Wish Todd and Liz the best of Luck for all eternity! The next time I hear from you guys Todd will be a married man. And then Annelise is next! So many exciting events happening right now! Don't go too crazy in the Haderlie house, I expect it to still be standing by the time I get home.

xOxOXxo

(big hug, little kiss, big kiss, little hug) 

Ofa 'Atu!