I have truly been humbled.

Area: Blackfoot
Companion: Sister Okutolo
This week has been so great! And we have had so much success! We were able to teach 20 member present lessons and also 9 Less Active/Recent Convert lessons (LARC lessons) And, we have found 4 new investigators! I would have to say that is pretty successful. And, you know how last week I told you about the training that we would be giving in zone training and we were going to have a member come and be a hobo as the missionaries walked into the meeting? Well, that was very successful and I would love to tell you all about that and how it went! So, that is where I am going to start! 
So, we had a member dress as a hobo, as I have mentioned and it went so well. He looked so good! Haha and he really did look like a hobo. Well, we were so excited and we thought that everyone was going to talk to him. It did not go as planned... It actually went so much better than we had planned. No one talked to him as they were walking into the church building. Actually, it was very different from that. When the Elders and Sisters came into the church building, they started talking about how there was a hobo outside and how "if they didnt lock their cars, they might want to do that because he looked pretty hungry and he might go in their cars to get some food." They said some not so nice things about him. I was very upset and sad because of the things that they were saying. I made me realize how people need to have more charity in their lives. Also I realized in that meeting that they also need to be a little more grateful. Before Sister 'Otukolo and I got up to give our training, the zone leaders were going over with the missionaries that had cars how many miles they were assigned to. No one was happy with how many miles they were given. They were all complaining. So, Sister 'Otukolo kinda made everyone feel bad and we told them that we have unlimited miles... Our feet! haha everyone stopped talking about miles after that comment. :) So, after our miles discussion, we had a break then we went right into our training. When we stood up, we went out and got Lyam, our hobo and had him come in. But when he came into the room, he was dressed in his Sunday clothes and he was shaven and he no longer looked like a hobo. We asked everyone if they knew who he was and there were some random answers.. Someone said that he was from the district, a missionary show, and there were some other answers. So, we had Lyam tell us who he was and he told us that he is a father of three and husband, a school teacher and some other things. We then asked him who he was an hour ago and he told us that he was a hobo out in the church parking lot and that he was hungry, looking for some food in the church dumpster. We then asked who had talked to him. And some sisters said that they waved at him. But they didnt go talk to him because they didnt have any food or anything to give to him and they would feel bad going and talking with him when they have nothing to give him. We then asked how Lyam felt when no one talked to him and he said that he knew that no one would talk to him but that he kept his mind open thinking that MAYBE someone would talk to him. I then go on to tell the missionaries that they should have talked to him. They should have shared what they had with him. Who cares if they didnt have food or something to hand to him.. They had the greatest gift of all. They had everything to give him. They had the gospel to give him. They could have talked with him about the gospel and given his something that is completely free. They basically got rebuked and it was not by me... It was the spirit. It went very well and everyone loved the training. They told us that it was an eye opener and that they did need to talk with everyone. I am very happy with how the training went.
This week we were able to go on splits. We found two sisters in the stake that were willing to come out with us and go on splits. It was very successful. We were able to teach seven lessons that night. I was able to meet a couple of new people. They were very nice. I met one guy named Gary and he has been investigating the church for awhile. His wife is a member and he has come very close to being baptized.  I had the opportunity to visit with him and talk with him a little and get to know him. It is incredible how in tune he is with the spirit. His wife was telling us of some experiences that he had had and I want to share one with you that she shared with me. She was telling us that every night at 9:00 he takes a pill that makes him sleepy. He had a strong prompting to not take the pill that night. So he didnt. At 9:30, his daughter had called asking him to take her to the hospital because she was not doing well. If he had not listened to that prompting and had taken that pill, he would not have been able to take his daughter to the hospital. Gary had told us that he had the opportunity of going to stake conference and Elder Bednar being the one to speak. He said that as Elder Bednar was speaking, there was so much going on in the room with little kids crying and running around, but he did not notice them because he felt that Elder Bednar was talking to only him. He felt very connected to him. When he told us this, I had a thought to share with him a video by Elder Bednar. This is the video that I had shared with him.https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-011-patterns-of-light-discerning-light?lang=eng   He liked it so much that he wanted to watch it again. He is so great. He is basically a dry Mormon. He goes to church every Sunday and even yesterday at church, he was greeting everyone. I know that he will one day accept the gospel. Right before we left, I left a question with him and told him to think about it until the next time that we came and the question that I left with him was... Do you want to be with your family for time and all eternity? I told him to not answer it but to think about it. We have an appointment with them this weekend and I am really looking forward to it :) We were also able to meet a guy named Michael. He is pretty great as well. He has been reading the Book Of Mormon and he is interested in learning more about the church. I am so excited about this area. I know that we are going to continue to have success in this area. I have so many blessing come as I have been here.
Mom had asked me some questions that I am going to answer now.
Q. Which of your investigators shows the most promise to be baptized?
A. Well, I am going to have to go with Ruger Capson. Only because he will be getting baptized this Wednesday. :) I am so excited about that! :) He is so cute he is a little nine year old and he is so excited to be baptized. But other than him, I would have to say that Destiny is the closest to baptism. She is great. She has been meeting with the missionaries for awhile. She is just having a hard time with the word of wisdom. But we are working on that and we are also working on getting her to church. :)
Q. Do you go on splits with the other sister missionaries each week?
A. We actually only have to go on exchanges three times. We go with the whole companionship instead of going with just one of them. That way we can see how they work together. So since we have six sets of sisters that we are assigned to, we only do three exchanges. I will be going on my first exchange this week and I am so excited! :)
Q. What are the 2 things you will continue to do even after your mission?
A. I love this question! I have thought about this so much! But I think that the 2 things that I will continue even after my mission is the daily scripture study and prayer, along with doing missionary work. I know, that sounds so cliche. But, really honestly, I want to be the best member missionary that I can. And I want to make sure that I am always striving to better my knowledge of the gospel. Daily prayer, scripture study, and attending church and having family home evening is the way to stay active in the church. So, those are things that I am going to do after my mission.
Q. What would you say the highlight of your whole mission is?
A. The highlight of my whole mission... This is a hard one. There are so many good things that have come from serving a mission. I have loved every minute of it. It is such a great and wonderful opportunity that I have been given. I would have to say the people that I have been able to meet. They are all so wonderful and they have helped me so much in my mission. I will have so many friendships that have come from serving a mission. Another highlight it the person that I have become. I do not think that I would be the person that I am not if it were not for my mission. I have grown so much, and I am sure that had I not have served a mission, I would not have grown. I am so grateful for who I am and who I have become. And that is all because of the help of the Lord. But lastly, a huge highlight, it seeing people enter into the waters of baptism. What a great experience that we have as missionaries. To see those you have taught, take Christ's name upon them. It is such a great and wonderful experience. :)
Q. What is the best way you would say to be a leader?
A. I havent been a leader for very long, but from what I have seen and have experienced, is to be the best example you can be. I always look up to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies on this one. They set that example for the Lamanites.
21 Now when the people saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword.
22 And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God.
23 Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword—
24 Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done.
25 And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them.
26 And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved.
Because of the example they had set for the Lamanites, there were many who were converted. I love this. I know that I am not trying to convert the sisters, or that I have to withstand weapons. But, when temptations or sorrow come into my life, how am I going to handle it? Am I just going to quit or am I going to turn to the Lord? I believe that by always turning to the Lord, and trusting in Him, that I will set an example to the sisters and help them more in that way than any other way. I want to do the best that I can in all that I do.
This week was a very good week. And I would tell you so much more but then this email would be so long that no one would want to read it. Haha. But I will tell you a couple of more things... We have meet a guy named Scotty, he lives in the state hospital here in Blackfoot and it is a mental hospital. Well, we have started teaching him and he is so smart. He quotes the Bible for us! He will answer our questions with verses from the bible. He is so great. I am not really sure why he is in there and I am not sure if we will ask him. Haha. But he is wanting to be baptized but is afraid to because he is afraid that when he gets out of the state hospital that he will want to go back to smoking. So, basically he does not want to be a hypocrite. But we are working on that.
This week, there was a flood here in Blackfoot and it was so much fun! Sister 'Otukolo and I actually walked around without our shoes on. Haha just because we didnt want our shoes to get soaking wet... But it was a little too late for that. So I guess it was just the fact that we didnt want shoes on. Haha. I just want to bear my testimony (through email which is hard) that I know with all my heart that this church is true. I have been so humbled on my mission and I am so grateful for every experience that I have. Good or bad. I am grateful. I love the Savior with all my heart. He is my Healer and my Guide. He is the reason for everything and the reason why I am here on my mission today. I am so grateful for the prophet Joseph Smith and for all of his courage and the courage that he had to restore the gospel here on the earth in these Latter Days. I truly know that my life will be so blessed for the things that I have accomplished here on the mission. I am so grateful for everything that I have been able to experience on my mission. Rely on the Savior in all that you do. Turn to Him in time of need. Pray to the Father in His name. All that we do is because of Him and should be done in His name. I love you all and thank you for all that you have done for me. I will see you all in just a couple of months!
Love,
Sister Ashley Halbison