Ward Luau and a Baptism!

Well this was a pretty eventful week! I will go ahead and just start
off with I am getting transferred.  Don't know where yet but Thursday
I will be in a new area.  I also got a district leader call.  I was
sitting waiting for the zl's to call if I was leaving instead
president toone calls haha.  He calls all the leadership positions so
when I saw that I was like here we go! Haha I'm super excited but at
the same time feeling a little bit of inadequacy about it! We also had
our baptism this Saturday! It went great! So we helped hit the ward
goal for the year!   So those were the two big things to happen this
week! Pretty exciting!

I haven't gotten the 2nd and 3rd package yet.  I got the pills but I
am worried I won't get them before I leave.  I also have Christmas
gifts for each of you that I am going to try to send home today! So
get pumped! Haha 

The only thing frustrating with leaving is I have worked super hard to
get this area going now we have a bunch of people to work with and 4
on date and now I am leaving😑.  But it's not about me and with
facebook I will get to stay in contact with them!!!

Monday: We just relaxed. I got a hair cut and stuff.  We had a
district activity to go shopping for our Christmas presents to the
family so that took a while.  I got you some pretty sweet gifts.  The
only problem is I am poor so I will have to use the Amex to ship it
all. Sorry😅.  Then after Pday we went and helped this family move
that was getting evicted. Their place was literally turned upside
down.  It took a long time and we cleaned more than moved. After that
we had to come home and wash all of our clothes because the beds we
moved had bed bugs.  And those things are the worst!

Tuesday: we had district meeting. It was a really good one to.  Elder
H did a great job and he was like that was nothing like I
planned.  It went a completely different way about sacrifice and
consecration.  After that we had a lesson with a mom and daughter who
are on date.  They are awesome! We taught the word of wisdom and they
struggle with coffee but they said that they know is is where they
need to be so they are going to give it up.  We then met with a former
member who had his records removed.  He's a cool guy but not
interested at all.  We then had a lesson with a former investigator
who really only wanted destroy our faith by anti'ing us about all the
evils about Joseph smith.  It's interesting because I have no problem
hay disagree with the church even strongly but people that try to
destroy your faith really annoy me.  But he will be a work in
progress. He has faith so that we can work with.

Wednesday:  We went helped someone move in the morning and then in the
afternoon got a call from a guy who wants to change his life around
and wants to join the rest of his family as members. So we went and
taught his family,  the only problem is his family is less active and
really only wants welfare. He hasn't mentioned anything about that but
the rest is like that.  The rest of the day was just finding with not
a lot of success.  We had ward correlation. Which turns into a meeting
where we just sit there and talk about who we are teaching and not
much else gets done.

Thursday: the beginning of the day was kindof unproductive but
finished really strong!  We met with the YSA elders my former zone
leaders! Who are the best! And helped them figure out a bunch of
unknown people in the ysa.  We then met with our ward mission leader
about the baptism Saturday and figured out the program.  We then had a
lesson with another guy on date to be baptized who is stuggling with
smoking.  He's not fully there I think and so he doesn't fully
understand all that baptism entails.  It was a good lesson though.
Our ward members are so awesome.  Perfect fellowship everytime.  Then
taught a part member family.  The daughter can't be baptized until she
is old enough to choose for herself because the mom is catholic and
doesn't want her to.

Friday: We had weekly planning and planned for week one of the new
transfer! Crazy this transfer went by so fast.  We planned but at the
same time people were setting up for our ward party.  We finished
planning early and helped them set up everything. The decorations were
awesome! Hawiann themed.  We had to wait cuz elder H was with us
because Elder U is a visa waiter and leaving but all leaving
missionaries go to the temple with president toone.  So we were
waiting till he got back so we could split back to our areas.  We
taught the part member family who the son wants to turn his life
around.  He just needs more interest.  Then it was time for the ward
party!  It was packed and the food was really good.  We mingled and
then had a bunch of activities. One being real somoan dancers came and
performed and of course they called people from the crowd to come. And
guess who got chosen... The elders woo so we danced in front of the
entire ward.  Haha I have pictures don't worry.

Saturday :  we helped decorate this home for an older couple.
Everything is slow with them so it took a while.  After that we helped
set up for the sisters baptism and then ours too.  We met with
Michelle one last time and then they were set!  We had the baptism .
Great turn out and spiritual.  Only bump was her husband who did the
baptism had no idea how to perform it even after we showed him.
Nervous I guess.  and it was kindof a mess at first it took 4 tries
but he baptized her. Haha but that's ok.  It was great to see everyone
support them and them do it together!

Sunday: last day of church in the ward.  I'm going to miss this ward
so much.  I think for a dieing wish when I'm going home I am going to
ask to come back.  How cool would that be! We had church a few
meetings. Michelle was confirmed.  We had a bunch of investigators at
church! We then we're supposed to have a lesson with a members
boyfriend but he bailed and we got stuck listening to a bunch of women
gossip on what she should do.  Had dinner with our ward mission leader
and then went in for transfer calls. I'm getting transfer and am made
a district leader.  Humbling, exciting, and scary haha.

That was my week!  Love you all!

Faithfully,
Elder Hemsley

Parker Hits the 6 Month Mark!

Hello everyone! It's freaking week six of this transfer??? This went by so fast.  I don't think I have ever had six weeks fly by like they did here.  Well I have about hit my 6 months mark on my mission! That's pretty insane.  That's 1/4th.  Feels like I just got here.  Finally when I start telling people how long I have been out they don't immediately say oh wow your fresh out aren't ya... 

Transfers are next Thursday so the 18th of September.  So if you can get packages to me before that, that would be great , but if not hold up till I get settled.  I haven't gotten a chance to buy new shoes since the card wasn't working and didn't have time on p-day.  Not sure if I will have time today either but I will try.  

Sounds like Ethan's home coming is still in force! And you are putting him and the Elders to work I see! Oh moving houses.  You do that on your mission more than anywhere else.  And I bet he needs all new clothes... It's weird how on your mission normal clothes make you feel weird almost naked, since you get so used to wearing dress clothes haha

 

Let's see my week was pretty good! 

Let's see monday: was the first of December! Wow! Not much happened on P-day. We went shopping. And emailed, the apartment cleaned.  I couldn't get the shoes cuz its hard to bike to the closest store that has stuff.  We played basketball and found some dodge balls in a closet at the church so we played dodgeball. After p-day we had a lesson with a really nice investigator we have been working with. We taught gospel of Jesus Christ and Invited her to be baptized and she was kindof wishy washy.  She still holds deep roots to her catholic upbringing but like most Catholics isn't active in going or in doctrine.  

Tuesday: was district meeting. Elder H was away with President Toone training for zone conference.. So for district meeting one of our ZLs decided to do it.  We were supposed to just split up and go to other districts.  The district leaders weren't to happy that the ZL did there job haha. Elder Udell was with us again for the day in a trio. We had two lessons with investigators and both still want to be baptized which is awesome! Then after that we had a few lessons with Elder U and Elder H's investigators. This transfer has almost been covering 2 wards and one probably needs a car.  Then we spent the rest of the day going to members and sharing "He is the Gift" to them and challenging them to share it with there friends.  

Wednesday: was zone conference! The theme this transfer has been rescuing the falling or seeking out the one whoever that may be.  So going along with that was the theme of war. And since Elder H was in Afghanistan he shared some stories and the Assistants trained on the war in heaven.  And President Toone just kindof rebuked us all. Which is actually really awesome. Because it makes you want to be a better missionary.  Then we had ward correlation in the evening.  Our ward mission leader is a great guy and super into it but goes a little to in depth we we bring him with us.  After that we had a lesson with the Michelle who is going to be baptized soon.  They were a little emotional because of a friend passing away.  

Thursday: Elder Uwas with us for the last time since Elder Haskel was doing his last zone conference in a different zone.  It wasn't the most productive day. We knocked on a bunch of houses and nobody really answered.  We never really go into the gated rich areas because they don't care and all the members there are inactive. But that is where we focused on.  Our dinner was super late which put us behind.  After that we went had a lesson with a lady and her son. Who is Muslim. We need to probably drop them because they aren't interested really.  After that we had a member come with us to this old lady living in the senior living center who is a member that wants to go to the temple. We gave her a blessing and shared a message.  

Friday: was weekly planning! Planned for week six we were set to have two baptism the following Saturday so we planned for that.  After we had exchanges so Haskel came to my area. Haskell and I for lunch decided to treat ourselves to subway.  A member comes up and decides to pay for all of it! So free meal!  We visited a bunch of less actives because our lessons fell through.  We went and to a senior living center to ask for times to volunteer.  We went had dinner with the A family who were also running really late...we then visited a lady and helped set up her Christmas lights which was fun.  And then visited a member who just had surgery and shared a message

Saturday: we had a lesson with the daughter and her mom but they cancelled again third time in arow....we ended our exchange doing service helping a man put up his wall... That was a lot of work.  Then on the way back Elder Hcut me off while biking hit my back tire and I went flying tumbling down the road.  Luckily we weren't on a major road.  But it still hurt a lot.... And scuffed up my arm pretty bad haha.  Met with a guy who isn't to interested but loves to talk religion. Then met with Ronnie who was on date but now since he didn't come to church he can't be baptized this upcoming Saturday .  He also has a problem with word of wisdom.  I did get to chuck his cigarettes away for him which was fun!  

Sunday: only Michelle came to church but I guess she is the most important so she gets to stay on date and is all set! Our gospel principles class gets a little crazy when it our gospel principles teacher starts teaching false doctrine or at least unknow doctrine about heavenly mother....then had ward council which is always fun! Ate dinner with the Andrus family and they had some friends over. Odd how Elder C and I are almost the same age as all them. Could have been a hangout if we weren't missionaries haha.  Then we got to watch the Christmas devotional. Had a lesson with Michelle and that was my week!

Love you all

Faithfully,

Elder Hemsley

Wrapping up & digging in

From Ethan

Hey Mum!  

 

So if we need to we can make this a shorter letter so we can get me registered for everything.  That's kinda on my top priority right now haha. 

 

Anyways, this week was full of its own interesting challenges.  Its proven to be kinda hard to find a vision and a sense of purpose in this ward.  With so little time and so much to do, its tough to make it as personal as I want to.  But we're working hard nonetheless.  Apparently the rumor has spread like wildfire throughout the ward that the two new Elders in the Ward are short timers.  But we're trying to dispel the rumors that we're trunky haha.  Me and Elder A are both committed to working till the last possible minute, but its kinda tough when you're under the kind of bind that we are.  We've talked about it a lot.  Elder A has a really strong testimony of the inspiration of our leaders and that there is always a purpose in what we are asked to do out here.  I agree.  But I also am of the opinion that we don't always have to know the deep meaning in every little thing that happens to us as missionaries.  I just want to work as hard as we know how, make ourselves as open to revelation as possible, and try to be the best possible tools in the Lord's hand's that we can make ourselves, and the rest will fall in place.  We actually had a lot of small miracles this week too.  Those definitely add up.  So it has been a good week.  

 

Monday was my last zone P-day.  I'm glad I'm done with those.  The ZL's never put any effort into it, so we always just end up playing basketball and volleyball at the church.  But me and a couple other missionaries got together and played some approved card games.  So that was fun.  

Ate with the older R family that evening, and then Elder A went in early that night because he was feeling really crummy.  All this new exercise sometimes shocks your immune system.  

 

Tuesday was a good day.  Service in the morning, finding in the afternoon, Steak for dinner at the R family's place, and then we had a couple of really awesome lessons.  The first was to Sister C, who had been inactive for a long time until a few years ago, and her non-member husband.  He was super antagonistic towards the church at first, but now he loves what it does for his wife.  We talked about the importance of the temple.  She's really close to getting there.  Then we went to the M and taught them a follow up lesson on prayer.  Great lesson.  

 

Wednesday is usually our busy day, but not this week.  we visited a lot of less actives that morning, and we actually found out some new info on a couple of them that the ward hadn't known.  Then we went to district meeting, and I gave my last training.  It was on the relationship between Faith, Grace, and Works, and how to apply that in our missionary work.  So many secular Christians don't understand how they work together.  That has been a topic of my study for my entire mission almost.  And I feel like it was definitely one of my better trainings.  It was a satisfying conclusion lecture to what has been a really tough course of study.  And I got a bunch of compliments on it.  

One of the other things that we have been doing recently is just going out, walking around, and talking to whoever we see.  No plans, just preaching.  Its been kinda cool and we have found a bunch of new potentials that way.  I feel like my mission has been a lot of potential finding for other missionaries, and then whenever we turn someone into an investigator, they were usually found by someone else!  Oh well.  We're all on the same team I guess.  

The M family bought us panda express that night, which was cool since I haven't actually had anything other than cheap Chinese in a while haha.  I'll have to take you guys to a dollar scoop when we come through here again.  

Then our lesson with Susan cancelled.  If she hasn't read the BOM the next time we're probably going to drop her.  Then we taught a lesson about the temple to the B Family.  They are soooo solid.  Wish I could have taught them before they were baptized.

 

Thursday we street contacted in the morning again, and ran into a couple of less actives.  That was kinda cool.  Some really interesting timing there for some of them.  

Went to the T family's place for lunch and they gave us a hair cut.  Last one of the mission!  My style has changed a tad since I've been home haha.  

went to arc in the early afternoon, and then we tried a bunch of LAs in the later afternoon.  Ate dinner with the awesome W family who fed us ribs, and then we taught a lesson on the Priesthood to the S family.  Brother S was ordained a priest but he's never done anything that comes with it.  He's really shy so it will take some convincing before he'll agree to bless the sacrament.  Then we got stood up by the J family, and drove around with Brother S visiting unknowns.  Got a few doors slammed in our face haha.

 

Friday was Halloween.  It was okay, but doing weekly planning in the evening while handing out candy was kind of a bummer.  But we got a lot of service done that day with a few non members, and we taught a lesson in an assisted living home with Brother V and his friend who also lives there.  She's a LA that just moved into the home.  Super friendly, but kinda hard to stay on task haha.  I didn't carve a pumpkin this year :(  No time or resources.

 

Saturday's highlights include teaching the Native American B family, who unexpectedly fed us lunch, and seeing the G family that night.  They hadn't had the missionaries over for dinner for a long time because some past missionaries were dumb.  But they like us and they had us over, so that is a total plus to the ward trust category.  We later found out that they were having some struggles with one of their teenage daughters, so our being there apparently has helped with that.  That was pretty sweet I thought. 

 

Then Sunday was booked solid almost.  Meetings in the morning, sacrament visits before church, church (where we both bore our final fast sunday testimony), Dinnery with the S family, and then Lesson one with the H family for their 7 year old son Nick.  He's getting baptized in December so they want him to have a thorough understanding before that.  They are such an awesome family.  Brother H took us home and talked our ears off about his mission for a solid 45 minutes.  And then our day was done!  Just like that.

 

Anyways, I gotta go, some members are picking us up to take us to lunch.  Love you guys!

Have the mission office get ahold of me of there is anything else we need to do for registration!

 

Love 

Elder Efan      

 From Parker

Hello Everyone! The pictures from Lexi's party were awesome! Lexi is getting so big! And I love how all the kids are climbing all over dad, not much changes!  That is so freaking awesome, with the baptism that Emily got to speak at the baptism!  Good job all of you for being member missionaries! And from all the move pictures it seems like I will be home by the time it is all finished haha! Elder Anderson! Thats so crazy he is coming back to finish out his mission! I was wondering about him because when Elder Buhler friend requested me, I saw pictures with Elder Anderson in them!  Yeah I am staying in Ahwatukee area and staying the same ward with Elder C.  It looks like I will be here for at least six months! Pretty crazy!  I love it here except it is pretty dang hard to find people that are interested.  Some other Elders are like "look at it this way, since all you know is that zone, when you get to a zone that has a lot more going on it will be like Christmas all the time" haha so I am hoping it is something like that!

Lets see this week and transfer flew by.  

Monday: Not much happened we did our normal routine.  Elder C and I decided to go to Macdonalds to see how much I had on my gift card and I bought some stuff, swiped the card and it said approved so I like yelled yes! Turns out that I had only 30 cents and it approved me for that... and I didnt have any money left on my card, soo I had to use the Amex ahaha. After p-day was over we went and visited a few families.  We visited the P who are awesome! He is super pumped about missionary work and was like "really if you guys need anything let me know"  he then proceeded to give us another 10 bucks haha.  It is tough to visit members because on mondays it's family home evening and we dont like to interrupt  that.  

Tuesday:  We had district meeting and it was kindof like a fast and testimony meeting because we all got to help teach, bare testimony and train.  It was pretty awesome! Then we got a call to help someone move who we didnt even know and had no idea how much stuff would be there haha.  Brother P was able to help with his truck and we showed up and there was like nothing to move. Plus it was way on the other side of the other Elder's area and then we brought it back to the way other side of our area haha.  Like I said the Painters are awesome!  We then went on exhcanges and I went with Elder w to his area.  It went well we visited a few people from the ward and potentials and then after dinner we had a lesson with one of their investigators who was going to be baptized that upcoming weekend! She was super golden.  Married to a less active that is now coming back to church.  We taught laws and Ordinances.    

Wednesday:  We finished up exchanges, Elder W and I went to the Guadeloupe part of his area which is really sketchy but that is where all these cool shops are so I will have to go back there some time!  Plus that is where I got my new facebook picture haha.  Since he now covers part of my old area we visited some people that I remembered and had two lessones with less actives that I had become pretty good friends with.  We then had a lesson with the Delaughters and taught the Plan of Salvation.  It always ends up them just talking about all these crazy doctrines that probably have some kindof truth to them but are way way out there.  haha We stayed for dinner to so it lasted even longer with all the doctrinal stuff haha.  We then met with our only ward missionary since we have no ward mission leader or missionaries really.  We kindof filled her in on everything.  We then visited some members of the tempe 10th part of our ward which has really young people and really really old people.  Not much in between

Thursday:  We went and did service for another lady in our ward and helped clean up her yard that was getting pretty crazy.  It is tought to fill those morning ours so service is a great way to get to know members, get them to trust you, and to just help someone! We found a new investigator who really isnt an investigator he just likes to talk about religion and knows like every religion to the tee... except ours olddly enough.  We met with him but he is pretty much athiest so it is tough.  We then went by a few potentials and set up a few return appointments.  We then got called to help set up for the ward Halloween party.  So we helped with that and then got to be the judges for the chili cook off.  So needless to say since this is our second time doing it, my tough is tired of chili haha.  It is funny because it looked exactly like our ward back home.  No matter where you go, you get the same Halloween party in an church gym with the same kindof things happening.  Felt like home!  That took up most the night because we were asked to help clean up as well.

Friday:It was Halloween!!   There was not much to do this day because people where either gone, or preparing for the evening and didnt have time.   We had weekly planning.  Its funny because that week you sometimes are planning for an area that you might not even be in anymore haha.  We visited some people and asked for referrals with not much luck.  Then we had to be in at 6 because president Toone doesnt want anything bad happening to his missionaries that day.  So it was kindof a day off!  Except we didnt have much to do except twidle our thums haha.  We did find the board game Risk in our closet and got approve from the Zl's to play it, so that pretty much took up our night haha

Saturday:  it is already November!  This week was a rough week.  A lot of interruptions and a lot of people gone and a lot of people cancelled.  Kindof disheartening.  We then had a lesson that was set an investigator we were excited about cancelled on us.  So hopefully can meet with her soon.  Most of our day was compiled of studies and more service.    The mission has a new program called just serve.  Where community things can sign up for missionaries to come and serve.  We are allowed 10 hours a week to help with that.  So hopefully that starts rolling fast.  Being a tester mission is cool!  We had stake conference and then just street contacted because it got out late

Sunday;  Was the regualar stake conference.  They tried this new thing where 97 stakes in Arizona had a broadcast from Salt Lake.  We got to hear from President Uchtdorf and Elder Christoferson! It was like a mini general conference!  Really cool! We then has a lesson with our temple open house referral.  We invited him to be baptized but his less active girlfriend said no for him.  They are living together and she knew exactly what that meant.  He is still really interested so we will continue to work with them! We visited people in the amazing 60 degree weather! or something like that.  I was actually really cold for the first time in what has seemed like forever.....  We went in early to send in stats because of transfer calls.  Waited and it took a long time to find out that I am staying haha.  

That was my week!v Tough week.  This next transfer hopefully will be a good one! Bishop Wright has a goal of 10 baptisms for the ward this year! We are at 9! So I really want to help be a part of that and hit the goal they set!

Love you all! And thanks for the emails!

Elder Hemsley

Great Week from Elder Hemsley #2!

Man this transfer is flying by!  I am already in week 4!  Looks you are finally getting out of the tiny
hut which you called home for almost a year.  It looks like you are literally gutting the new house to. 
You will have to send me pictures of the finished product! I cant believe Ethan will be home soon!
Its gotta be getting close? Is it his last transfer?  That is going to be weird calling in Christmas and
he being sitting at home and I am the one on the other line haha.  This week was pretty stressful
but awesome.  Training is going good.  Elder C is a very emotionless person,  the very
unenthusiastic type.  But he is a great missionary so that is really all that matters. He does love to
disagree with me in pretty much anything, and to pick apart everything I say.  It doesn't have to be
about missionary work either haha.  Probably  just a way of him trying to have an opinion since he
is older but I have been out longer.  But we get along fine, and we get alone as a house really well.

Monday: Monday after we emailed then went shopping.  We have to bike with all our groceries
home now becasue the zone leaders cant pick us up and neither companionship in our house
 have a car.  So that was interesting.  Then after that we got permission from the AP's to go to
Arizona Mills mall since Elder C and Elder S needed new suits.  It was crazy because everyone
 just stairs at us the whole time.  Plus after being a missionary the mall seems so worldly, fine
apparel, shiny lights, crowded halls.  Kindof funny.  I am pretty sure I have actually been to that
mall before.  I think Dad Emily and I went to it when we were flying home from provo when Ethan
was at BYU, small world right?  I did however manage to buy to sweet ties haha.

Tuesday: We had zone meeting so the zone leaders and sister training leaders trained us instead
of the district leaders.  Our zone has be destroyed with emergency transfers, and people going
home for medical reasons.  So our zone so small.  In the past they are usually like 25 people
now ours like like 8... haha We then had a few lessons with some new investigators which was
pretty awesome.  Still kindof bummed how we lost a bunch of people because of the ward changes.
 We then had the T family boys baptismal interview so Elder S did that.  They both did great so they
would be baptized that upcoming Saturday.  Then we mapped out the new area we have which is
going to take some time since we are on bikes and it got a lot bigger.

Wednesday:  Was a less productive day proselyting because we all got to gather as a mission and watch

Meet the Mormons! I loved it! If you havent gotten a chance to go see it, go.  It was incredible.  The church
 has gotten so much better at producing movies and media.  So yeah we are kindof hipster because we
saw the movies before the public soo yeah.. jk  Then we had a few meetings where president Toone
 addressed us.  He always says he has a quick thought but the thoughts end up taking a long time
haha but I love listening to him speak.  I would sit there listening all day if I could.  We visited the
oldest part of our area where some of the older families live.  I think we surprised them because
missionaries dont go there to often.  Families came up to us at church thanking us because the
older members were talking all about it and were so happy that we stopped by.  We did however
have to do a lot of biking because of visiting them.  It was worth it though. 

Thursday:  Was alright of a day.  Not much happened becasue we didnt have a lot of luck visiting
 people. I pretty much had to plan the Toledo's entire baptism because our ward mission leader is
released and was out of town.  The entire ward was at a ward camp out and the T family weren't
answering on who they wanted to do what for the baptism.  We didnt have anyone to print and
 make the programs and we were afraid since the ward camp out was Thursday to Friday, and
Friday to Saturday that nobody would show for the baptism.  So I was a little stressed out that day. 
We had a lesson with a new nice lady and her daughter and our member was sick but still decided
to come.  So he proceeded to cough, sneeze, lay there, fall asleep, and play with the families pet
bunny while we tried to teach them.  Note to self never take that member to any more lessons haha.  

Friday:  We had weekly planning and to be honest it is tough to plan for stuff when we have pretty
much baptized our teaching pool (which is a good thing to) and we lost most of the people we stop
 by.  It was good though because I was able to find someone to print out the program and we got
all the information from the T family, we let all the auxiliary people know.  Elder C always focuses
on the pointless things.  I am like we have a freaking baptism tomorrow and you want to just sit there
 and put in our daily things that we dont even need to put in the area book app... But something I am
going to work on is I kindof realized I try to do everything myself to much even when I was the junior
companion.  So I need to start getting him to be more involved because he is the one being trained,
and even if he is unwilling to.  

Saturday: We had the baptism!!! It turned out great! They asked me to perform the baptism so that
was my first time baptizing someone! It was an amazing experience.  I was super nervous but once
I got into the water, all the nerves just went away and both baptisms went smoothly minus one of the
boys legs coming up the first time haha!  The baptism was a success.  There was a great turnout to. 
I have realized the people that come to the baptisms are the members that I have gotten the closest to. 
They dont even know who is being baptized sometimes, they just come to support me since I have
been in the ward for a while and each of my companions havent.  This feels like the ward I have been
 going to my whole life.  It is crazy! It will be sad when I get transferred.  After the baptism we hit the
bikes and visited people from the new ward.  We stopped by this one members home.  Randomly like
 we were like, lets go by this guy.  We skipped tons of people just to go to this person.  He lives alone
went inactive for a little while and deals with depression and other emotional problems.  He was really
nice at first but started to question who sent us to his home, and we were like umm nobody... (in actuality
it was the spirit but nobody from the ward did).  He broke down in to tears saying he was afflicted but
never said what.  So we gave him a blessing and a hug and he was really grateful. 

Sunday:  Was the first official day with the ward being twice as big.  So we shook so many new hands
 just trying to get to know everyone.  It was packed too.  Then we had the Toledo boys confirmation
which they asked me to do also since I am the one who has taught them since they moved here.  We
 have established pretty good fellowship but the mom really wanted me to do both the baptism and the
confirmation.  The first was I was pretty nervous but after I started speaking most of the nerves went
away.  I dont even remember what I said really but people kept coming up to me saying it was
wonderful.  So I got to do my first baptism and confirmation this weekend! How cool is that. 
I didnt get any pictures at the baptism so I will try to get Sister T to send some to you guys or
post them on facebook!  We then had ward councel which is always a blast in this ward.  Bishop
said they had a goal of 10 baptism this year and since I have been here there has been 6 so I think
we are close if not already reached that goal!

That was my week!  It was pretty awesome with Meet the Mormons, then the baptism, the blessings,
and then meeting the new ward! It was an exhausting week.  Now I am stressing because we need to
find new people to teach! haha  Other than that how has you guy's week been?  I will try to send some
pictures soon, I just always run out of time haha! Love you all!  

Love 

Elder Hemsley #2

Six Weeks and Counting Down! - Then He is Home

"Hello Elder Hemsley, this is Sister Hollingsworth in the mission office.  What airport would you like to fly into next transfer?"

UMMMMMMMM WHOA. 

Thats how my week started this week.  All of the sudden my days were numbered haha.  Although I suppose they've been numbered for you guys for the whole time.  But it was a real eye opener for me.  I didn't know how to answer that question haha.  Deer in headlights for sure.

Anyways, Hello everyone!  Hope life is swell back in the ATL.  Its been cool to see all of the pictures of the new house!  Can't wait to come home and help out with everything.  That looks like a super sweet deck in one of the pictures.  Can wait to get some serious grilling going on that one.  

Life here in the G V ward has rather interesting this week.  The biggest source of craziness was that we ended up totaling at over 140 miles OVER what were were supposed to on the car last month haha.  So by the end of the week we were told that we had to park it for a few days and bike.  That whole thing just totally makes me laugh just cause of how ridiculous it was, but I''l tell you more about it a little farther down.

We also found a bunch of new investigators this week, which was sick.  Since we dropped everyone, we've had a lot more time to tract, which Elder A hates haha.  But I keep reminding him that we ALWAYS find somebody when we tract here in A.  Getting them to actually keep commitments... is a different story. 

So Monday was a super rainy P-day.  It Stormed and hailed for sooo long.  And plus the church was closed cause the carpets were being cleaned, so what does that leave us to do?  Play football in the rain!  haha.  Recently the Elders in the zone have been going through a football phase instead of basketball, so I broke down and started playing with em.  It's been fun!  Caught a touchdown and got a bunch of sweet blocks.  It may seem silly, but its kinda a big deal for me haha.  

Didn't have a dinner that night so we went to the F's.  She is pretty much the mission mom and will always have extra food for the Elders.  We needed it too, cause we were broke haha.

Did a lot of finding that night.  Eliminated a few potentials from our books. and found some more people to take their place.  Parker must be having a completely different experience, cause everything that we do is on paper.  Its kinda frustrating. 

Tuesday was a neat day because we got to go help the ward clean the new building and get it ready for the open house in a few weeks.  We showed up and there wasn't a ton to do at first, but we hung out with Brother C and found a few things that we were needed for.  Its a nice building, but very different from the one that we are in right now.  The basketball court is perpendicular to the chapel if that makes any sense.  Kinda cool!

Had DLC's that day which was less than productive.  There aren't a whole lot of people who are really behind this new Zone vision that they're pushing.  As Elder R put it: "Its like telling a three year old to paint a picture of a flower.  No matter what the kid hands to you when they're done, you're gonna tell them 'Oh what a pretty flower! Good Job."  I thought that was an apt comparison haha.  I initiated a referral finding contest in the district this week to try and help people "One Up" their new investigators.  

Hung out in the sketchy C Ave. area of our ward and did some contacting around there.  Thats when I got the above mentioned phone call.  That was a super weird feeling haha.  Then we found this lady named Elizabeth who at first seemed interested, but then slowly helped us understand that not only was she not interested, she was NUTS hahaha.  It was hilarious.  We were at her door for like 45 minutes listening to her rant.  She started talking about how our church is the "richest church in America" whatever that's supposed to mean, and then pretty soon she had drifted off in to ranting about everything from bad doctors at the CU medical campus, to Obama.  I love stuff like that.  They're just stories to tell haha.  

Ate dinner with Sister Y at Outback Steakhouse.  That was a treat.  She is a single older lady who loves to eat haha.  So that was fun.  Then we went to our appointment with J and taught him the first lesson.  He's a cool guy, but man if he gets going he wont shut up.  He's attended every church from Catholic to JW to Scientology, but he has never found what he has really been looking for.  Thats where we come in!  Great lesson, but you gotta fight to get words in. 

When we had our correlation meeting with Brother M.  He's been having some adverse reactions to his stomach surgery, so he's been out of commission for a while.  Which doesn't really help considering we were uninvited to ward council last week.  Nothing we did, just a change in emphasis in the stake.  We need that ward interaction :P

Wednesday was cool.  Went to work out in the morning with the other Elders, and then we did studies at the church.  Then we were there till District meeting where I unveiled a new tool for everyone to start using.  I made copies of an old "My Personal Vision" chart that Toombs gave us a while ago, and challenged them to have their own vision that they can recite to themselves.  Just like the one we have from Preach My Gospel.  It was cool.  Then Sister B gave a training on the Plan of Salvation.  

After lunch we had a lesson with a new investigator named Theresa.  Taught her lesson one and it went super well.  One big thing we run into with people is the idea of moral relativism, and that everyone can "walk after the desires of their own heart" and "do what is right in their own eyes" like the Book of Mormon says.  She was like that.  But still pretty solid,  

Did some more finding and then came across a lady who had a great grandmother who was LDS.  So she invited us back!  Then we ate dinner with the B Family.  

That evening we taught Jeremy , a native American dude who's been going through a lot of hard times.  Potentially going to get a divorce.  Thats always tough.  We gave him a blessing and then he taught us some Kung Fu moves on his big wooden Wing Chung dummy haha.

Thursday Was dominated by us having to go down to Firestone and get an oil change, where we struck up a conversation with this old Black dude named Dave.  I'm so glad I grew up in Atlanta sometimes haha.  Helped me learn how to speak Jive a little bit haha.  Plus he loved jazz and such.  Invited him to the open house and everything.  

Tracted after lunch and found a Hispanic lady named Ingard who we taught the first lesson to right then and there,  She was super cool and had been eyeballing the new church building every time she drove by.  Its in a great location.  She's Catholic but doesn't like the whole Saints thing.  Can't blame her haha.  Idolatry never was happiness :P

Ate dinner with the C's that evening.  We had to sit our on the porch for like 30 minutes cause brother C was running late.  Cool family.  

We had an appointment with a guy named Brother C that night, but he bailed.  Not to surprised about that one.  Dude looked like a cave man.  

Then we had an awesome experience with the Sisters that evening.  They are teaching a guy named Cletus, who has proven to be a little too gangster for them.  So what do they do?  Give him to US!  It was such a funny hand-off lesson.  It was like trying to teach Snoop Dog.  It was the best.  Somehow I earned the nickname "the General" right off the bat.  We were all trying not to bust a stitch while he was talking,  He was a little out of it haha.

We're totally going to go back. 

Friday was boring.  Service in the morning, lunch at Churches Chicken, and then we planned for a lot of the afternoon.  Then we got a call the the Zone Leaders wanted to come "talk" with us.  I was a little nervous to see what that was all about, but I had a hunch it was about the Mileage thing.  When they finally got there, they basically treated us like two year olds and gave us a lecture on how "there are consequences for our actions."  Then Elder  insinuated that we had used it for non-missionary purposes which was bogus.  So the result?  The car got parked for a couple of days.  Don't get me wrong, I totally get that we could have done better with miles, and I don't even mind getting the car parked to make up for the mileage.  But they went about it in such a condescending, holier than thou way.  They basically told us that we needed to repent.  All it would have taken was a simple "Hey so we talked to the office and we need to park your car for a few days to make up for the mileage that you blew."  I would have been fine with that.  But instead they took the opportunity to try and "chasten" us.  

Ate dinner with the N family and all of their extended Polynesian family.  Some of them requested that I play guitar for them since they had seen me play at Rosetta's.  So I played them a version of Nephi's courage off of the Poly-Trunky CD.  Its a CD some Polynesian missionary made of a bunch of songs that he wrote, arranged and recorded while on his mission.  I've gotten pretty good at singing and playing simultaneously since I've been out.  

Visited the very awkward P family that night, and then we went home like 20 or 30 minutes early cause Church's chicken wasn't sitting well with us.  Then the zone leaders showed up to take our keys.  I was cool with it until they started asking why we had come in so early.  I told them why, but we got a bit of a lecture about staying out until nine.  I thought that was kinda funny since they had showed up at our place at 8:40 instead of nine like they had said they would.  Basically what that meant was that they didn't have anything to do in their area, so they came to our place early.  And then they lecture us about the same thing.  It was a tad frustrating.  Not that I'm diminishing the importance of staying out until nine, but still.  

Conference weekend was pretty cool, but relatively uneventful for proselyting.  We watched the first two sessions at the Wilkes family's home, Watched Priesthood at the church, and then watched the Sunday Sessions at the M's place.  Some overarching themes that I picked up on were Self-reliance, agency, and the importance of prophets.  Christoferson has become my new favorite to watch and listen to.  The dude is a stud.  Bednar's was my other favorite, and I also remember Elder Cook's being really good too.  

Aside from conference, we ate lunch with Sister C on Saturday, got stood up for a few investigator appointments, and ate dinner with the A family on Sunday.  Then we finished off the week by visiting the W family, a really young couple with a 13 month old.  They were really cool too.  Made me start to think of how close that could be for me... yikes.  

Anyways, I would still chalk this one up to one of the better weeks that we have had this transfer.  Hopefully this one will be even better.  

Love you!

Elder Efan