Trying to Finish Strong!!!!

Hola como Estes! I have just received the call to be a Spanish missionary! Jk that would probably be the death of me. Although the more serving here, the more I want to leaner how! It would come in handy!  Haha 

Hello from Maricopa! This week was a good week! Had some cool miracles and fun experience this week as well! They just come and go! 

Glad you all aren't missionary minded and having people over, and going out on visits! I'm going to work you all like dogs with missionary work when I get back, so be ready! That is an interesting policy to have dinners at 5 only if you have an investigator. Do the missionary when they eat at 8 still eat with members or are they on their own.  It's an interesting idea just depends on if you have lessons in the evening but I do agree, 5 pm is probably the best time have lessons.  You will have to tell me how that goes!  How did the lesson go with the investigator at the house?

My spiritual thought for this week is what you can do to evaluate a lesson when you are out with the missionaries. Next time you make visit with the missionaries after the lesson ask these questions! 

1. what was evidence that their faith in Jesus Christ increased? (Things such as how are their prayers, attitude/interest, are they keeping commitments like reading and praying?)

 2. What is evidence that they are going to repent? (Are they keeping more serious commitments? Are they going through the repentance process with past mistakes to use the atonement?)

3 What are signs that they are working towards baptism? (Was baptism discussed? Are they on date? Do they shrug off the date or excited?)

4. What is evidence that the Holy Ghost was present or present while you aren't there (was the spirit in the lesson? Did you point it out to them? Was the spirt changing them while you weren't there?) 

5. What evidence was there that they are going to endure to the end. 

After evaluating those ask the missionaries 

6. What is keeping them from progressing? 

7. How did we seek new investigators through this visit?

I bet you will surprise the missionaries! Don't be critical of them but say hey this is what Elder Hemsley does that the mission department trained on! Haha that is how we evaluate after every lesson! You never know it could help! Maybe they already do that but it's all about the gospel! 

Back to my week haha 

Monday: we just played basketball for like a million hours. I'm actually getting better at basketball  but still not very good. But I honestly don't care what we do as along as its active and we have fun. Sleeping on pday I have come to realize is wasting valuable time! Haha that was about it for the day time. In the evening we had an FHE with a part member family and we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and we did a little activity where you take laundry detergent and it moves pepper in water to the side and is its like the atonement cleansing us! Except the experiment didn't work so that kindof stunk haha but they got the point! After our member was super excited because she really like the family we were teaching! It's cool to see members get excited and want to help and do everything they can! You have your core member missionary families in every Ward and her and her husband are two of the best! 

Tuesday: we had zone conference in Casa grand. So we took the drive down there and met up with president Toone, and the Casa grand zone! We had car checks and our car was spotless so grandpa can take a deep breather! Haha it was awesome! Elder haws and I gave a training on teaching people not just teaching lessons and it went alright. We were rushed for time and we have some very unorthodox missionaries in our zone that kindof went off on a tangent and I had to correct them in front over everybody and get back to the training, which was kindof awkward. After Sister Toone came up to me and said thank you and she was proud of me righting the shop and being willing to do that! So that made my day haha! President Toone and Soster Toone trained about family history and about mission culture, things that salt lake wants to stop. Such as transfer meeting! How we will get missionaries where they need to be without one will be confusing haha! Probably a lot of responsibility on us coming our way! I did get to see Elder Lee since he is in Casa grand! He looks great and I know he is happy because area is booming and they have a lot of work! Hopefully he has some great success! I know he will! After we had a lesson with a less active who is absolutely hilarious and energetic he just works on Sunday! He always greets new missionaries the same! He yells "welcome to the butterfield Ward my friend! Your search is over! You have arrived!" Haha love that guy!

Wednesday: we had coorelation with our Ward mission leader, we helped him with creating a Ward mission plan and setting up home visits! He just feels really overwhelmed and I feel bad because I feel like I have caused a lot of that, asking him to do a bunch of stuff and trying to teach him to much!  In the afternoon we met a really nice old lady that just moved from Missouri and we answered a few of her questions and we set up an appointment for Tuesday!  We had a lesson fall through in the evening but rescheduled it for the next day! And then went by a former investigator who seemed a lot more ready to listen and we are going by her tonight! So hopefully that goes well! We also are putting out a little fire in the zone between some zone members over a disagreement with who should teach an investigator.

Thursday: we had district meeting and it was great! Nice to just sit and listen rather than just stand and train and teach. So apparently the night before some Elders got physical over this debate on who should teach an investigator. There is an investigator going to a Ward where his fellowship is but the elders that teach him are the ones who are over where he lives but not in the Ward he is going to. So a big debate arose between the two sets of missionaries. So after district meeting we literally spent an hour and half trying to counsel missionaries that aren't getting along with their companion with house mates. Some even in Tears. Holy cow those literally drain you.  I don't know how priesthood leaders counsel like that on a daily basis! It's amazing! After we had a lesson/ shoot some hoops with our recent convert! He is so adorable! Just need to get him passing the sacrament! And in the evening we had the lesson that fell through yesterday but we had it and it went great! The man wants to be baptized but he still has a lot of things he has to take care of and gain a testimony of! He is a tattoo artist which can have some conflict haha, he can still get baptized but it just presents challenges

Friday: we had planning and had to hurry to a afternoon lesson with a guy who says he is open minded but he really isn't. It's amazing how many people just have this every church is true mentality. All churches have truth and do great things but it just makes sense do worship with the authority of God, the very person you are trying to worship! He was really cool though and said we could come back. This tiny area we do have quite a few people to teach but meeting regularly and their interest is a different story. In the evening we had a few home visits encouraging missionary work! 

Saturday: the goal was get people to the mission presidents devotional on Sunday! We tried literally everyone! Had a few maybes but we made so many visits trying to get people. Haha. Had a few lessons to which is nice because it was a reason to get in the door in the first place! We had dinner with the Family who fed us at thanks giving and is one of the best! They had slaughtered their ducks for the first time that morning and were showing us the process and stuff haha! They just have a lot of excitement with them and it's awesome! Our message we did what is called the wambat game. It's a listening game and related it to the Holy Ghost! Boy did the game confuse them! Haha after we actually had a second dinner with a less active family. So I was stuffed haha and had a home visit with a member of the stake presidency! 

Sunday: we had church only 1 investigator came so not as many as last week unfortunately! A lot of ours are out of town! After we still didn't have anybody to come to the devotional but last minute someone said yes. So we had to find rides which was crazy, well the member who fed us on Saturday came in clutch and was willing to take us. Other missionaries needed a ride to so it was hilarious to have a bunch of missionaries in the car on the way to the institute building in Mesa! It was a great devotional and a convert I actually taught before the boundaries spoke! If was a funny night in that car ride and a great spiritual high hearing from recent converts!

That was my week! seems like I managed to get a lot more typed is week! All in all it was a good week. Today marks the 19th month mark. I'm still kindof in a panic! The urgency to finish strong is there! Haha glad you all are doing well! Hopefully granddad recovers. Tell him thank you for always being willing to come to my hockey games rain or shine! It didn't seem like much at the time but Looking back it means a lot! Love you guys! Hope you have a great week! And are safe! Good luck with school and work and life!:) 

Love, 

Elder Hemsley 

18 Months Down!

Former companion comes to visit!

Georgia Crew

Christmas pageant

Hello everyone! Merry Christmas for Maricopa! This was a pretty solid week! Sorry about last weeks crazy unorganized email haha. We didn't have much time to write last week and so it was super jumbled. His week was super good we actually had a few cool miracles that really helped us with our investigators! 

Not sure exactly what the Christmas plans are. I should be able to skype anytime after noon on Friday and we will probably have a dinner in there to so other than that, not sure what time so would maybe like 1:30pm my time? Just email when you all are free!  

Glad Ethan made it home safe and Emily is done with school for the break! Congrats on the honor society! And glad the house is slowly slowly progressing! Tell tipsy I said hello and that I miss her! 

Let's see!

Monday: we had the Christmas party where we ran the 5k! Then had a breakfast as a mission! I ran a 23 minute 5k which isn't bad! Then it was freezing cold, wet and Rainey, I ran with Max (he joined in on lap like 3 haha).  We had a huge basketball tournament which was hilarious and awesome to watch and play, we played volleyball and things like that, then out to the Mormon battalion for a testimony meeting. Luckily we are the closest to the Christmas Camp and so it took us like no time to get home even though it was late.

Tuesday: we went to the temple and then took a picture next to the Gilbert temple. That was the first time even on the grounds of it! It was pretty amazing! Can't wait to go through that eventually! After we had a dinner/ lunch as a mission. Crazy sassy Santa told the hilarious things missionaries have done this year and I even same in a musical number. We sang called to serve as a zone, and I had a solo..... Jk no i didn't haha.  Then we had to drop off some elders at the mission office and then got caught in traffic and that took like the rest of our day! 

Wednesday: was back to normal where we emailed you all in the morning and then had correlation for the last time since our Ward mission leader is moving. We had a lesson with a recent convert who took like all of our time and we then had to plan for a few lessons in the evening and all of them fell through which stunk. One did happen with a less active but it was originally supposed to be with a potential investigator but So we decided to help a family in the Ward move and that took most of the night because they had a lot of stuff with not a ton of people there but a few people from the Ward.

Thursday: we sent a bunch of former investigators in our areabook. So some previous missionaries decided to go Tracting for like forever they took members with them and then made all the people they talk to new investigators and dropped them so we have random people at are not interested and don't live there.  We had a lesson with a part member family. He kids are fairly new to the gospel but they are kindof getting burnt out and so we are trying to keep them excited and learning more but since they are young it's hard. Their dad is on fire with the gospel though.  

Friday: I'm not really sure what happened on Friday haha. We had weekly planning and got sent out to eat with two other elders because I hit my 18th month mark so we celebrated! I'm no longer a sister missionary! Haha the new training we recieves talked a lot about planing for lessons so if we have a lesson we will sit and plan for a lot longer than usual. So it takes a lot longer but we are much more prepared for lessons and usually aren't just winging it because we have set aside time on what we are going to say etc. it's kindof what Christ came to the Americas... Do you think he just winged what he was going to say or do you think he chose his words very carefully! 

Saturday: we had a lesson in the morning with one of our investigators and we keep like pounding it in his head that if he knows the Book of Mormon is true then it's like a domino effect but he just is like no I think I'm set in my ways. He's just such a nice guy he just needs a little motivation and he could see so many blessings! After it was a day of service! We helped out at the community carnival where we handed out food to people who are in need. It was kindof annoying to see people who somehow qualify and role up in super nice cars... But we saw our investigator who we have a hard time meeting with and we were able to see her and set up a time to have a lesson on Tuesday!  Then we had the Ward Party where we dressed up as Roman soldiers and were the guards to let everyone in haha! I have picture! Then we went back to the carnival and took things down! 

Sunday: we had church and I actually spoke in sacrament meeting! I spoke on missionary work Duhh haha it was probably one of my best talks ever! I didn't need to look at notes or anything! We then had a lesson with another investigator who we tracted into. He said if he found out it was true he would be baptized! Then the other miracle was we contacted another potential who was actually crying because she was having a hard time so it was perfect! Not that she was upset but that the lord prepared her and we were in the right place at the right time! After we got one of our members sons a tie because it was his birthday and he loves missionaries! We signed it and made him an honorary missionary!  After we planned for zone meeting and then planned out a white elephant gift exchange tomorrow! 

Well gotta go! That was my week! If only I could just skype every week and then I could tell so much more! Haha i hope you have a merry Christmas! Can't wait to skype you guys on Friday! You will see the amazing beard I can grow now... Jk I can't grow facial hair! Love you guys! 

Love, 

Elder Hemsley 

He's such a Zone Leader!

So earlier in the transfer we promised the zone they could throw pies in our face if they reached a goal. Well we ended up cancelling the challenge but they told us they didn't forget so I got pie in my face anyway haha! 

Hello everyone! Another week come and gone! I'm staying in Maricopa at least until the 18th of December! I guess they may be having a transfer early because salt lake would like all those missionaries that would be going home after Christmas before New Years, to go home on the 18th so they can be with their families and not have to fly during then! So probably won't be moved around then but you never know! 

Tell Emily thanks for the email! Glad everything is going well with school and now nice to have some breaks for thanksgiving and then Christmas! Not sure exactly what our policy for thanksgiving is but we were told we could have up to two dinners haha. I think one of the ladies in our Ward messages mom about food and things like that! Their a lot of fun, so it should be a good thanksgiving! 

And a new cat! Wow that's exciting! I'm good with whatever name haha! And maybe this one will like me, you never know! Well we all know he or she will because every at loves me, especially out here, especially when I'm wearing dark pants and then soon covered in fur. 

To be honest i don't even know what I plan on wearing when I get home haha. My style is white shirts and ties, so maybe I will just continue that.... Haha jk.  Whatever I wear I will make it look good! Haha But I now I'm just really enjoying wearing mission clothes all the time!

This week was pretty good! Had some interruptions with transfers and things but overall it was good! 

Monday: we had that surpise MLC and we had to be there by 8 and we live out of the valley so that was an early morning.  When Mutti and grandpa emailed saying they were coming by Monday I figured I might run into them but our meeting went way after the time they were probably there. But I did go into the office and talk to the office staff and they mentioned how they told Mutti and Grandpa I was just over in the Del Rio building right across the street! I got my package and to reassure Mutti I haven't opened my Christmas present yet haha! And I'm never met the girl Mutti was asking about that went to ASU.  After that it took pretty much our whole pday by the time we got home, shopped emailed, and things it was close to 6. The meeting was so good! Like I said it had Elder Nielson and a bunch of the main missionary department guys! They are hilarious but also just blow your mind with trainings! In the evening we had an FHE with the family of the boy who got baptized! We used play doe and built kindof like the tree of life and talked about enduring to the end. They have young kids so it worked out pretty well!

Tuesday: was new missionary meeting and what we decided was instead of just training we had all the Spanish missionaries train us on how to contact someone in Spanish because it's a lot harder for an English missionary to get a referral for a Spanish missionary than the other way around. So let's just say I'm glad I'm English speaking because I am brutal at speaking Spanish and remembering it. So the gift of tongues when it comes to Spanish is not something I have been blessed with right now haha. After we had district meeting the last one of the transfer! It went pretty well! The one I was in was a lot of fun and you can always take things out of them and apply it better to missionary work! In the afternoon we had lunch with this Vietnamese lady who I have mentioned is a bible scholar and we have been doing service for. She fed us "Pho" pronounced like "Fha."  It was so good! Just like a soup noodles lunch. It's funny how on my mission I have been willing to pretty much eat everything because I really have yet to be fed something I didn't like. Haha after that we had a super good lesson with a lady I tracted into! Tracting has brought some real success lately which is nice!

Wednesday: we ate lunch with a less active which was really good! We took this young man to both of them because we needed a third male and we were just joking how we are just treating him to lunch all the time! In the afternoon we had another long debate with the bible scholar lady and I'm about done teaching her. She is so nice and we have done a pretty good job of answering her questions Etc. but she is set in her ways. After that we did service for the food bank prepping them for their toy drive! That was a lot of fun to help out there! In the evening we had a super exciting lesson that fell through but we were able to message them on Facebook what we were going to teach and they loved it! So booom! Technology allowing us to have lessons even when we can't go over! We did visit a nice part member family and hopefully we can get the husband interested! 

Thursday: was transfers! What was amazing is that our whole zone stayed exactly the same. Nobody left! That is like unheard of! All we did was get a new trainee because one missionary finished his mission and then the sisters got put in a trio. Other than that, stayed the same! So then at transfer we got trained by the mission department people again and they are awesome! They talked a lot about planning and it changed the whole perspective on planning.  So I guess since they announced it in the Mtc I can tell. So the thing I haven't been able to talk about is they have been filming some training videos in our mission. They chose 8 missionaries and have been filming them on how to use technology and online proselyting.  I haven't been directly in any filming but I'm sure I'm in the background somewhere in the filming. Ethan knows the training videos you can watch so he knows what I'm talking about. Not officially allowed to say what the title is called but I think he can put it together! After we went with our housing coordinators and moved beds and supplies to the zone. They always buy us Polar pop (cheap soda drinks) which is nice haha (basically the best gas station to ever exist is Circle K. They are everywhere haha

Friday: we had planning. Planning after transfers is always insane because of all the moving around and confirmation of information. So planning always gets interrupted. Plus people just come up and ask you questions and your like whuuuut? Haha it's all good I love it though! After that we visited a few people and were on bikes because the weather is just incredible! In the evening we had an awesome member out with us and made a few visits but not much success on people answering. We are at the point where we have to try and get these investigators to meet with us more than once or twice a week! It needs to be like everyday! Technology helps with that a lot to! 

Saturday: we met with the sisters for zone meeting and prepared the training for that. After had a lesson with a recent convert who is just lonely. So we know it's good to go over there and just let him talk haha and he can talk! After that not exactly sure what happened! They just kindof blend together sometimes! We did visit a really good potential that we were afraid we were pushing to much but it went really well and going back Tuesday! So that alone made it a good day!

Sunday: we had church. We got asked to teach elders quorum about an hour before it started! Church was good wish we could get some investigators there but soon though! Soon!  We taught elders quorum and it went really well! It was on temporal and spiritual preparedness so a lot of food storage, and getting out of debt! Which missionaries know so much about! Haha our food storage is just lunches for the week haha. But it went really well and we focused more on the spiritual welfare! After we had a meeting with the stake which took way longer than we thought. And then we were super late to dinner, which made us super late to go on visits with a member of the stake presidency (who is like the nicest guy in the world! Such a stud) and then made us late to our meeting with the STL to prepare for zone meeting! Haha it was still a good night though! 

That was my week! The holiday season is almost in full swing! Not really in need for a lot of things but just white shirts (The best are the really thin ones that I had before I left which we long sleeve) and ties are always good! Haha  I've been having mini panic attacks about the fact that I will soon need to be registering for school etc, and that fact that the year is almost over haha. It makes me just want to teach, teach, teach which is what is lacking here right now! But I know it won't be lacking for long! New transfer and new trainings, and new people to find!  That's about all I got haha! Love you guys! Hope you have a great thanksgiving! Miss you! Can't Thank you enough for all that you do!    

Love, 

Elder Hemsley 

Back to Chandler as a Zone Leader!

Hello from Chandler! I got transferred and am now in Chandler.  I went to Chandler back to Tempe and now back to Chandler.  In east Chandler this time which is probably the wealthiest stake in our mission haha. So needless to say the houses here are HUGE. I actually got a call to be a zone leader here! The zone is pretty small but so far we have been pretty crazy getting all the missionaries situated with housing, their new wards, and cars. But I'm excited for the opportunity to serve! As a zone leader you get to work with missionaries more closely which is pretty cool but you also have to a lot of tedious stuff.   My companions name is elder L! He has one transfer left and is super cool dude. We get a along really well. And he actually is going to byu and has scholarship to play golf at byu! So we have been talking up a storm about it and stuff. We are going to try and play at least once this transfer in the super nice courses haha.  

So max is now in Tempe! He is an awesome elder named elder C. I lived in the house he is living in. He is actually in president toones home Ward but president is never really there.  

So my wards are called Lindsey 1st and 2nd wards. First time I have ever covered multiple wards! It's kindof confusing actually. Hard to know the boundaries for each.  I'm a little bummed about leaving Tempe with some really amazing people there and hopefully they will progress and I will be able to come back for their baptism.  Not much work here unfortunately. Really nice rich members that will pretty much do anything for missionaries.  We had a breakfast with the stake president and he was a super cool dude.  

I should be good on clothes, etc will need some new pants soon. I got my shirts hemmed so they fit great! 

Here is the abbreviated version because my first one got deleted  

Monday: we went and it was our zone leaders last pday so we went and played golf with them! It was a lot of fun bump course but I played well! After we just chilled in the apartment until it was time to head out. We went visited a few people bishop requested for us to go by and had some really cool lessons with members struggling.  

Tuesday: was my last district meeting as a district leader! It went really well it was on the atonement of Jesus Christ and teaching of him. I showed part of Bruce r mckonkies last talk he gave before he passed away. If you haven't seen it.... Go watch it! Soo good! It's called the purifying power of gethsemane! After we went and did service at treasures for teachers and they threw us a little going away party since some of us could possibly be getting transferred! After that we worked until dinner. After dinner we went to the Mesa temple visitors center with one of our investigators who is so awesome! She loved the Joseph smith movie and had great questions. Then we watched an interactive thing and she at first was like what if I hate my family and don't want to live so them (she was kidding) by the end she was bawling and told how she wants to see her dad again and would do anything to him. So it turned out to be an incredible experience.  This was also the night I got the call from president to be a zone leader!  I'm going to miss the elders I lived with

Wednesday: we went and said good bye to the people at treasures.  And then spent the day running around trying to say by the the investigators since elder Erikson was leaving to.  We had a super awesome lesson with the part member family who is tatted up and everyone was crying by the end.  We got to go to a devotional for the new missionaries to and meet all them as well! 

Thursday: was transfer meeting. Really hectic.  Got called to Chandler east with Elder L. We had a few meetings and then had to drive missionaries around to get their housing and areas all set up. Pretty stressful but I love serving other missionaries! We didn't get much of proselyting in except meeting with our two Ward leaders.  

Friday: was also hecktic since much of our electronic area book was still messed up so weekly planning was put much planning for us. Elder L said as a zone leader your first few days it is tough because you want to go out and proselyte but have so much stuff to do haha. By the end we got to and met some of the people who the other elders were teaching! It felt good to talk to a none member since there are so many members.  Haha

Saturday: was a full day and it was pretty good. We met some more people. One Ward seems really awesome the other seems a little more hard to work with but I think it will be good! I really want to turn this zone around because it's teaching numbers are super low.  We met with the sister training leader and planned out our zone meeting. It should be really fun! And hopefully will pump the zone up for an awesome transfer!

Sunday: we had 6 hours of church plus meetings so it was pretty long haha. Once again one Ward is really fired up about missionary work the other is not. In the evening we tried contacting this one guy who seemed really interested so we already are seeing miracles. 

Well gotta go! But I loved the videos of Joseph and Daniel. Sooo funny! I miss everyone meeting up at grandmoms house! Love you and hopefully you have a great rest of summer. That moms real estate will pick up especially! And hopefully dad won't have to go on strike duty! You are always in my prayers! 

Love 

Elder Hemsley 

 BYU Home Teaching Companions become Missionary Companions !!!!

Elder Hemsley's 20th Birthday Celebration

Elder Hemsley's Birthday Surprise

Hello! This is officially the start of week 1 of the transfer 9! Sorry
for the late email today we went hiking in the morning and then guess
who went golfing this afternoon?!  This guy!!  We aren't allowed to use
computers to email just iPads so I can't Download any of my golfing
photos! It was so awesome! We went to a place called Club west golf
club. It is in the foothills area. It wasn't a bad course and for 20
we got to drive the cart. We only got through 9 and I shot a 43 not to
bad. Thought at the beginning it was going to be super low round but
struggled coming in haha. It was 110 degrees as we played. Don't worry
I was covered in sun screen the whole time, and I used a towel over my
head the whole time to shield my face.

That's terrible to hear about the two sister missionaries hit by the
truck. Really makes you sick to your stomach.  Yes missionaries are
protected but sometimes things happen. Don't worry im doing my best to
be safe!

Ha that's funny the missionaries are always over looking to do
service. We actually are told that service on Saturdays isn't allowed
anymore because missionaries just decided to do service all day and
Saturdays are supposed to be your most productive day proselyting.  We
are also told it takes aways from the role of hometeachers when
missionaries help with tons of member service. I guess every mission
is different though!

This week was good! The 3 boys mom is back on date for baptism. It
will be interesting to see if she can pull through. Just the smoking
and drinking is hard for her to kick. So more to come on that.  We had
a pretty good teaching week. This week I got to go on exchanges with
elder Bradley! So BYU home teaching buddies are now mission companion
buddies! We had a great time taught a few lessons together (much
better than our home teaching lessons). We had a member literally
forget about a lesson and so we weren't able have the lesson and the
investigator was upset and we haven't been able to get in contact.

Saturday we got to be the judges for the ward chili cook off! It was
really fun. It was for the scouts to raise mom for scout camp, glad I
don't have to go! Haha my tongue was raw after so many chilies .

So I guess max is coming from the Mtc tomorrow! Maybe I will see him
but most likely it will be on Thursday! It will be cool to see who his
trainer is! Hopefully he is with someone good!  Yes we are back on
Facebook. No posting and talking to people outside of our area for the
time being. 

This past transfer flew by! Just like all of them! Hopefully another
great transfer is ahead! Gotta go! Love you all! 18 days until June
18th which is my one year mark. It's pretty insane to think about!
Miss you guys and can't wait to be back together!

Love
Elder Hemsley

Back to back to back transfers! Now back in Tempe!

Hello everyone! Well I am currently in Tempe Ward in Tempe! Im back from Chandler.  Got the call Tuesday night saying I was leaving again.  I should maybe just not unpack and live out of a suit case or something! haha.  I wasnt expecting them to take both me and Elder J out of the area.  I loved the people there and the members were so awesome, but I'm definitely not as upset as I was when I was leaving ASU.  These transfers keep going by faster and faster.  And it has now been about 9 months since I left! Isnt that amazing!  Well I will include more it here instead of in the weekly part but I got white washed into Tempe Ward.  Which means they take both Elders from the area and transfer them.  So Elder J and I got white washed out of Chandler and I white washed into Tempe with two other Elder!  So I am in a trio!  White washes stink because you literally dont know anyone and you dont know the area, investigators etc.  I am training an Elder named Elder M!  He is a total stud, from Idaho!  I also have another companion named Elder G.  Elder G is a good missionary just very quite and doesnt say much if anything, just sits and reads scriptures.  But when he says something it is usually really profound.  He did a mini mission in Wisconsin before coming out.  Im am still District Leader.  I have to say it is good to be back in Tempe.  I really enjoy Tempe, and i have a little better sense of direction up here then down in Chandler.

Sounds like the highlight of the week was Emily's birthday!  I just want her to know that I did infact remember her birthday, and had a letter all written out but transfers happened so I didnt get a chance to send it off!  So HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY! Hopefully I can mail off the letter today! Sounds like a pretty roller coaster though with Youth conference! No braces! And a Car! Thats freaking awesome! I wish you would have captured her reaction!  I know it may not be the most exciting birthday doing service. But as king Benjamin says "when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of you god." So I know Heavenly father was proud of emily for helping others on that day! But it sounds like she had an awesome time at the end!  

Since I made the first part long Im going to run through my week pretty quick!  Lots of heckticness with the transfer.  

Monday: So we actually had a normal day this day except for emailing.  Our p-day got moved to transfer day which is Thursday.  So we were given two hours pday then to get hair cuts and email and then to treat it like a normal day.   We had three lessons set up with people that we tracked out.  We had a member come out with us during the day which is hard sometimes to do.  one fell through, one the kid was kindof a jerk and crazy but it went alright, and the last went great and she said we could come back and share more.  In the evening I did a baptismal interview for a guy named mark! Total stud.  Gotta love the opportunity to talk with them about their conversion and testimony.  Their is a missionary named Sister Clemens, who was in my district in YSA and in Chandler and she just keep bring me people to interview! She is one heck of a missionary!  

 Tuesday:  was district meeting!  It was on teaching the commandments more simply and powerfully.  It went well! Its amazing how each district meeting takes different turns and different discussions come up and its cool to see the spirit work and follow it.  Becasue I barely got to anything I planned but thats Ok! Im always happy when people are participating and it edifies us.  We went and visited a few part member families.  One college age guy we talked with was pretty intense about science and hated heaven vs hell and had a lot of misconceptions about mormons.  We handled it pretty well but hard to talk to those people.  We went and were supposed to give a blessing but the lady never showed, so we waisted a ton of miles for nothing haha

Wednesday:  It was my last day in chandler because I got the transfer call the previous night.  We went worked at a food bank and ended up sorting papers that they had done a poor job keeping track of.  So we were more like office workers for the day.  We stopped by a few people to say goodbye to our investigators and to a few members.  We sent a lot of time writing down notes for the next Elders so they will know what they are doing and wont be to lost.  Had a great lesson with a less active she was very nice and said she needed to try and come back which was cool.  Then made a few visits but not much luck

Thursday:  We had transfers today!  I got the call that I was supposed to be in a trainers meeting that morning which was funny because they said that since I was second half training I didnt need to go but they changed their minds.  Elder M actually was out for 6 week a few months ago but had to go home because of family issues, and so he was coming back out.  So when i was called to train during the meeting him he came down from the stands and I gave him a big hug, like all trainers do to their new missionaries!  Pretty awesome!  The rest of the day was pday so we unpacked etc.  and then in the evening we had dinner with a crazy lady from the ward.  Legit crazy.  He house was a total pig sty and it was so bad she didnt have any dishes for us so we had to clean, and then we stayed and helped he clean more dishes.  Very very very odd.  Then tried to find our way around visiting some of the investigators

Friday:  Well this was our first day in Tempe Ward.  Had weekly planning kindof got more acquainted with things.  The previous Elders were really really loved and had been there a long time so its going to be tough to fill some shoes.  Had some studies training hour,  then met with a few members and less active.  All very odd.  So our first impression of this ward was not great haha.  

Saturday: We went and did service for two different members and then came back got ready, studied and trained.  I love training hour fun to talk about and how to apply different things.  Then Spent the day in our really ghetto part becasue we cover parts of phenoix.  very interesting layout for the ward.  A lot of diversity  At this point we still hadnt met our bishop or ward mission leader.  They were both too busy to meet with us.  I do sometimes feel like I have to todlers following me around because one Elder is just new and the other is just dead silent haha.    We met with a family that is getting ready for baptism but looks like the mom is still having word of wisdom issues.  

Sunday: We had church finally got to meet people and introduce ourselves.  The ward is awesome.  A lot of old people a lot.... haha but after we had meetings, after meetings.  Then we had a mission presidents devotional to finish it off.  It was one of the best ones yet! it was super powerful president toone never ceases to amaze me! I also got to See Elder O!! he was down visiting and came to the devotional! SO good to seem my old mission daddy! haha then had to send in stats

That was my week!  Hectic as ever!  Not much time but im running low on pill to! Our address for our new place 2155 s 55st #2004 Tempe, Az 85282! Gotta go!! love you all! Oh and their is a change in mission policy since we need our myldsmail account during the week to send us info they are now letting us read emails through out the week! I cant respond till monday! But I can read them! Just a heads up!

Love you
Elder Hemsley 

Loving Arizona!

Hello everyone! Week 5 is in the books and now onto the last week of
the transfer! Pretty crazy right? This week was pretty crazy to.  Lots
of different stuff happening! That's awesome about the circus! I was
about to say, I don't think I have ever been to one but I guess you
took me when I was super Young's! Sadly don't remember it! That would
be fun to go to though! It seems like Mondays just come so fast! Tell
Grandmom! I said happy birthday! Or could you send me her email so I
can send one!
I got my package! Thank you!


Monday: we were supposed to have a district activity but we just
decided to make it companionship. So their is a lady from our ward and
she is from Ghana! And we have a missionary in our zone from Ghana! So
we wanted them to meet. So we set the thing up and she made us lunch.
She made  food straight from Ghana called "foo foo" haha it was
basically dough in soup.  You use your hand to pick the dough out and
then you swallow pieces of the dough whole.  Can't chew it you kindof
just swallow it and it's kindof slippery going down haha.  It's
filling to.  I didn't even eat dinner because I was still full.  The
soup was really good to and you drink that with you hand to. They told
me I could be an adopted citizen from Ghana because apparently I eat
foo foo well! Haha so they got to chat in their native Tongue which
was cool to! The evening we visited a lady who we had previously given
a blessing to and talked to her nonmember husband and he said we could
come back and do a little bit of bible and Book of Mormon study! Then
visited a less active group of brothers in their 30s. Their are four
that live in one house. All less active with different stories though.
Pretty crazy! They are nice though.

Tuesday: What a day! So instead of district meeting it was zone
conference! We got a huge training on teaching more simply and
powerfully.  That has been the goal and focus lately and president
Toone said it will be for a while.  Missionaries getting into deep
doctrine to much.  Then we got some training about how to use FB more
effectively.  We also found out their is a general authority coming on
the 4th to do more technology training, and that is when we will be
turning in our old iPads and getting new ones, that eventually I think
we will have to buy. They are going to be making some changes and so
they may be changing the way we use them.  So they may have us hold
off on facebook and Skype lessons until they figure some things out! I
started a "I'm Grateful series"! And I guess you saw my corn photo!
Such good corn! Chili powder, mayo, and a bunch of spices. Haha.  It
was also in a part of our area I have never been in to! Nice trailer
parks... Not.. Haha then after that I got to leave conference early
and go to Zedongs baptism! ReMember the awesome Chinese investigator I
had up in YSA!? Yeah he was getting baptized that day! So president
let me and another Elder who does tech training leave and who is
teaching him now leave early go meet up with Elder Smith and head to
the baptism.  I got to give the talk on baptism too! The whole thing
was awesome! Probably the most powerful baptism I have ever been in.
Zedong gave an amazing testimony, and all the Chinese converts got too
as well!  So I got to see some members and the bishopric from the asu
ward! Then finished the night getting back to my area and linking back
up with Jensen who was with another companionship! So awesome!

Wednesday: was district meeting! It went pretty well! I made the whole
training on plan of salvation and asking questions.  He way I did it,
I had all of us outline the different levels that happened in
inception the movie.  Then we came up with how different questions go
deeper into concerns etc. It was pretty sweet! I told them I was about
to make them all really trunky and by the end I think I accomplished
that! Then finished the meeting off by making plan of salvation out of
play doe! So it was a pretty fun district meeting! We had a district
leader meeting. Then I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. I went
to their area, which was hilarious because it's a Spanish area! So
most of the lessons I was dead silent and had no idea what was going
on.  Luckily some spoke English.  Spanish elder do get fed extremely
well.  The zone leader I went with is elder Carter who is like 6'4 240
and is a football player so I have to say it was a funny looking
companionship!

Thursday: was probably the first normal day! We exchanged back at
noon, in which
Went and taught a few less actives. Then did a little bit of tracting
till dinner.  Had dinner with a cool family who has like tons of
adopted kids so it was a little hectic.  We went out with our Wml for
the night visited a few people and had correlation meeting


Friday: we went helped do service with two other elders and we show up
and the guy has no clue what he's doing so most of the time we were
just debating on how we were going to level his yard with so much
stuff. Not much got done haha. The guy is crazy to. Convert, nice but
crazy! Haha we had dinner with a old couple who took us out and they
even got a us a referral just from talking to people at Wendy's haha.
They are super nice.  Old people feeding the missionaries is the best!

Saturday: we went and did service for a member in a different ward and
helped him pull tons and tons of weeds.  we had like 8 missionaries
and it still took a while! Pretty crazy! After we were supposed to
help a couple move in but he kept pushing it back and pushing it and
we were kindof just on call and ready then he calls and is like oh
it's all done. And we were like wow thanks for letting us know... So
that was dumb. Since our area is so weird miles are always tight so we
keep having to bike to pretty long distances. .  We had the adult
session of stake conference at evening and we were allowed to go.  So
the two missionaries we live with were running late so we brought them
suits so they could just come to the building change and then watch
conference. It was pretty funny.


Sunday: we woke up super early to go to the elder quorum presidency
meeting. We want to try to make it to all the presidency meetings to
try and get more involved. It went super long and then we had to go
straight to stake conference.  Not going to lie I was pretty tired at
that point and was struggling with keeping my eyes open during stake
conference haha, but it was really good and our stake president is
really an amazing guy! After we spent the day visiting members after
some studies and then went to dinner! With an awesome family named the
Bensons! So his wife was out of town and it was just him and his two
daughters so he sent them to go get Panda Express for us haha. It's
Sunday Kindof funny, didn't have much else to make to give him the
benefit of the doubt! Haha the night was so beautiful we decided to
walk everywhere. We set up family mission plans with people and tries
a few less actives.

Still not to much work going on right now, but we are working on it!
a few people to teach and most of the less actives have told us to
pretty much get lost haha.  So right now it's a struggle. Hard to keep
busy.  Just have to keep praying for opportunities.  We have been
giving out tons of family mission plans. Just got to get people
talking to their neighbors!

That was my week, pretty good! sounds like everyone is kindof in the
rut right now! Miss you guys a lot! Time just flys by! We are going to
skate land so that should be fun zone activity! I get to be back on
skates!

Love you all!


Faithfully,
Elder Hemsley