Week 34 - We Are the Champions!

Hello All!

    How are all you wonderful people?!  It sounds like things are just great at the moment, and I hope they continue to be that way.  It sure was for the Canadian hockey team!  (I just decided I can be excited for all American and Canadian medals for these Olympics.) Congratulations to all of my friends who are receiving their mission calls and everything else.  I'm so excited for you!  You're all going to be great servants of the Lord.

    As I'm sure you could tell from last week, though, missions are sometimes kinda hard (surprise surprise), but they're also great!  I'm sorry if I was a downer last week, but this week has been fantastic, and the Lord is truly guiding and blessing us in His work.  

    As for the reasons missionary work is so great:

    Rob continues to do wonderfully.  He's working toward his baptismal date, and is so committed and converted already!  On Sunday, his fiancée, who has been less active for a long time, was hoping they weren't going to come to church because she wasn't feeling too hot, and it was the Daytona 500 that day.  Apparently, Rob hasn't missed it since about 1982.  But, that wasn't Rob's plan.  He recorded the race, and made sure they were at church just fine.  And quite a bit earlier than the rest of the ward, I might add. *cough* Mormon Standard Time.

    Sadly, Sam wasn't in church yesterday, and neither were Ben and Beth.  Our lesson with them this week also fell through, which was a bit of a bummer, but we'll keep trying.  I just want to use this situation as a perfect illustration of what Satan will do to all of us in our lives.  We're all going to have times when Satan just pounds on us mercilessly, and it's up to us to make sure we can withstand it!  I'm not saying that I'm overly worried about Ben, Beth, and Sam, but it is something we'll all have to go through.  

    Something really exciting...we found a new investigator yesterday!  His name is Darcy, and he's the son of a less active member of the ward.  He's actually just started living with her and her family, because she put him up for adoption when he was born, and he was raised out in Ontario, with an LDS family, actually, but one that also went less active.  He's a great kid, though, and is trying to explore his spiritual side right now.  He's actually just about a month younger than me, so we may be passing him off to the YSA elders, but that is just fine!  It's great to see that the our Heavenly Father is preparing His children wherever you are.

    This week, I just wanted to share my testimony of Joseph Smith.  On Saturday, we had a lesson with Rob, and taught him about the Prophet Joseph.  We watched the Joseph Smith movie with him, and the Spirit was so strong!  Joseph Smith was a prophet.  He saw our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ.  He restored the Church of Jesus Christ, and I love him so much for that and the incredible man he was.  It's simple as that.

    Well, my wonderful friends and family, you're the best.  Thank you all so much for your support and love and encouragement.  I don't know what I'd do without you all.  Have a great week!  Be good!  Have fun!

I love you all so much,

Elder Hafen

   

Week 33 - Happy Belated Family Day

Hello All!

    First off, sorry I didn't email yesterday.  It was Family Day up here in Alberta, so the library was closed.  Isn't it nice to be a member of the church, and have Family Day every Monday? ;)

    Things are still just great up here, and hopefully will get even better soon.  This past week has kind of been a tough one, just with trying to figure out what we're going to do to keep us busy for another transfer (covering just one ward here is kinda tough sometimes.) along with some other things going on.  But that's okay, because those are the times that temper and refine us, and make us more who we're supposed to be.  Plus, there's nothing to worry about, because the Lord is always there.  He was definitely there for us this week; on Sunday, we were pretty down in the dumps going into sacrament meeting, but then He provided for us.  All three of our current investigators were there, and Ben was there with Sam.  Ben and Beth have been going through some pretty tough times lately with adjusting to being in the church now along with everything else going on in their lives.  It seemed like Ben had a really great experience, though, and is committed to getting everything balanced out in his life so he can be as active as possible.  They're doing really well, and it's such a boost to see the people the Lord has given us stewardship over progressing and being blessed by their obedience.  It makes us feel a little better about ourselves as missionaries, too. ;)

    Sam also let us know how he's been doing, since we haven't been able to meet up with him lately.  Apparently, he's been reading and praying, and I believe he was fasting on Sunday for strength to stop smoking.  Hopefully, he continues to do well!

    Rob is also doing just great, and we set a tentative date with him on Sunday for his baptism!  They still haven't heard anything new about the divorce, and we're hoping it will be done soon, but for now, we're planning on the 17th of May.  (Victoria Day, for all you Yanks.)

    Oh, some other exciting news.  We got a call from the mission office, and Joe, who Elder Musselman and I started teaching in Raymond, is getting baptized on the 2nd of March!  Sadly, I probably won't be able to be there, but it's so exciting to know that he's continued to do well.

   

Other than that, we're still trying to keep busy and find those whom the Lord has prepared for us to teach.  I'm also becoming more and more converted to my purpose as a missionary and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which are basically the same thing.  I guess my wonderful mother's Sunday school class had a lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ this past Sunday which is kinda cool, since that's what we've really been emphasizing as a mission for the past couple of weeks.  As I've studied it more and become more converted to it, something has really stood out to me.  I'd say it myself, but Nephi says it a little better in 2 Nephi 31 when he's teaching us about the Doctrine of Christ, "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen."  This is it, ladies and gentlemen.  This is the only way back to our Father.  Those of us who have been blessed enough to have it in our lives, and now I have the opportunity to share that with others and have it bless their lives.  How lucky am I, and how lucky are we?!

    Well, my wonderful friends and family, you're all great.  Thank you for your kind words and encouragement.  It means a lot.  Have a great week!  Good luck with everything you're up to.  Be good!  Have fun!

I love you all so much,
Elder Hafen   

Week 32 - Six Weeks More

Hello All!

    Well, West Lethbridge is as good as ever, and it'll be that way for at least another six weeks!  Neither Elder Law nor myself will be transferred this transfer, which is a little weird, but also awesome.  I've loved this area so much, and it'll be great to see how much the Lord will give us as we continue to work hard and try to find the work He's prepared for us.

    Not too much to update ya'll on this week.  It's been tough to find times to meet with people, and Randy, sadly, dropped us this week.  He's a great guy, and we'll hope for good things in the coming weeks for him.

    Sam didn't make it to church this week, and some things came up that will prevent him from being baptized this week.  We'll keep working with him, however, and hope that he keeps progressing and working towards that covenant with his Heavenly Father.  

    Rob is doing just as fantastically as ever!  We were able to meet with him once this week, and taught him the Law of Tithing.  Apparently, he's been asking his fiancee when he can start paying his tithing.  They're even going through a pretty tough time financially right now, and he's still so willing and excited to do everything he can to keep his Father in Heaven's commandments.  

    There was also some exciting news this week regarding the husband of one of the members of our primary presidency.  I told you a little about him last week, but he was at church this past Sunday...and stayed all three hours!  It seems like he's making really great progress, and we're hoping to see something come of it all soon.

    This week, we taught Gospel Principles...again, and the lesson was on the Creation.  It was actually really interesting and somewhat challenging to teach on it.  There was one scripture that stood out to me particularly as we were talking about all the incredible things our Heavenly Father has given us.  It's D&C 59:18-19:"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." This Earth and everything on it, in it, above and under it was created for us.  Our Father in Heaven loves us so much, that He has given us this incredibly beautiful and useful world, and I, for one, am so incredibly grateful for all of it.

    Well, my beautiful friends and family, have a fantastic week!  Good luck with all you're doing, and always remember how much your Father loves you.  Never forget that, and you'll be able to get through anything.  Be good!  Have fun!

I love you all so much,

Elder Hafen

Week 31 - Happy Birthday...to me!‏

Hello All!

    Southern Alberta is still fantastic as ever!  It's been a bit of a different week, as this was the week in Elder Law's training when he was to take the lead in all teaching and planning situations, which he did very well!  It was just weird to realize that his training is almost over, and possibly our time together.  These last two transfers have really flown by.  Speaking of which, that's why my subject line is my subject line this week.  Seven months ago at this very moment, I was sitting in my MTC classroom, waiting for things to really get started.  It's a little weird.

    It's been another adventurous, and cold again (:P), week!  The Lord is blessing us, and hopefully will continue to!

    Sam is doing well.  We were finally able to meet with him, and Elder Law taught him the Word of Wisdom this week while we were on splits.  The brother he went with actually had a lot to contribute to the lesson, and Sam is committed to following it.  We also changed his baptismal date to February 15th, and we're hoping and praying he'll be ready for that day.  

    Rob also continues to do well.  We should be meeting with him in the next couple of days to start finishing up the lessons we still need to teach him, and hopefully set a tentative baptismal date, depending on the outlook on his divorce.  Augh!  He's just so incredible, and I honestly feel so blessed to know that I was allowed to be one of the missionaries who started teaching him.

    We also met with one of our other investigators this week, Randy.  It's really difficult to find times that work for him, since his work schedule is so crazy, (He works up north on the oil rigs) but we were finally able to meet up.  He's what could probably be called an eternal investigator, but a really awesome guy!  He says that he doesn't "see himself being baptized", but he listens to stuff on BYUTV all the time, and really gets the stuff we teach him, he just has a lot of trouble following through on commitments, and it really goes to show how important it is to diligently read, pray, attend church, and everything else.  We're not going to progress if we don't.

    We're also hoping to find some new investigators this week, and start teaching one of our current investigators more seriously.  He's the husband of a member of our Primary presidency, and their children are baptized (mostly, at least) and active.  He's also been taught before and has come to church for the last several years.  He's an awesome guy, and he actually bore his testimony yesterday in church about how much he loves the church's emphasis on family.  We'll cross our fingers and pray that things work out with him.

Really quickly, I just wanted to share a tidbit from our Gospel Principles class this week.  Yes, Elder Law and I taught Gospel Principles again, though we did have a few days warning this time. ;) The lesson was on agency.  For part of it, we were emphasizing how we really do get to choose where we end up after this life. (2 Nephi 2:27)  Elder Law made me aware of a couple of scriptures in 3 Nephi 18 that really illustrates the differences between the two beings who want to "have" us.  In verse 18, it talks about Satan and how he "desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."  Satan only wants to possess us.  To have power over us.  To control us and subject us to all the misery he's brought upon himself.  He wants absolutely nothing good for us.  On the other hand, there's the Lord.  In verse 31, He tells us, "But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered."  He is the Good Shepherd.  He wants nothing but the best for His sheep.  Whatever direction He leads us, it will be for our good, even and especially when it doesn't look like it to we simple-minded sheep.

    Well, I love you all.  You're wonderful.  Have a fantastic week!  Be good!  Have fun!

I love you all so much,

Elder Hafen