Week 24 - The Mighty Chinook

Hello All!

    I hope you've all had a fantastic week filled with carols and gingerbread and everything else Christmasy! ;)  Really, though, this is such a great time of year, and I'm so grateful to be a missionary right now.  It's wonderful to think about the Savior and all that He has done and will do for us, all because He and our Father in Heaven love us so much, all in spite of us!

    The weather seems to have been a little more typical for this time of year in Southern Alberta.  After our somewhat cold weather (haha) last week, we got a bit of a pleasant surprise in the form of a Chinook in the last couple of days.  The temperature changed from about -30 last week to about 7 degrees yesterday, and snow and ice are retreating rapidly everywhere.  Ya gotta love 'em.

    The work here in Southern Alberta is going well!  Ben and Beth are still doing just great, despite a tragic event in their family this week.  They were just married on Friday in a really beautiful service, and there's really no reason they shouldn't be baptized on January 1st. (Hooray!)  We also started teaching Ben's niece, Allison, this week.  She just moved in with Ben and Beth, and I think the change that she has seen in Ben's life has really interested her in the gospel.  We had a couple of really great lessons with them, one with our ward mission leader, and we know that she's been reading out from the Book of Mormon!  They're all out of town until Friday this week, but we hope to be able to meet with them soon after that, and really see the progress they are all making.  Man, we're lucky to be able to teach them.

    We also finally got to meet with another one of our investigators this week, Randy.  He's a trucker, so he has a pretty crazy work schedule, and he wasn't exactly eager to meet with us in the first place, but we convinced him to let us come over, and we had a really great time with him.  He can't really "see himself converting", but he knows it's all good, and I'm pretty sure he has a testimony.  It's just going to take us helping him gain a desire and a realization that this is what he needs in his life.

    This week, we also had the pretty incredible opportunity to hear from Elder Bednar!  He was in Calgary for a stake conference, and also took some time out of his crazy schedule to address us.  It's crazy to think that we were learning at the feet of and Apostle of the Lord!  (When I say "at the feet", I mean over a broadcast for those of us in the south, but you know what I mean!)  He spoke to us a lot about agency, as well as faith and what that really means, especially in our prayers.  

    As he spoke about prayer, and as we studied some of his other remarks before this, it really made me think about my own prayers.  Something Elder Bednar particularly emphasized was the action associated with our prayers.  Think about it: don't we all, at some time or another, ask our Father in Heaven for something good, and then completely forget about it or leave it all up to him?  Are we really being "agents" at that point?  God has given us the ability to do good, and He expects us to!  We absolutely need to pray and ask for good things and blessings for others, but those things need to be prayed for with an expectation to act as well!  Faith and action are inseparable, and I know that that is something I need to better realize in my own life, and especially in this great work.

    Well, I hope you're all having a fantastic week!  Remember what this Christmas season is all about, and remember what that means to you.  I love you all!  Be good!  Have fun!

I love you all, and Merry Christmas!

Elder Hafen

Week 23 - The Coldest Place on Earth

Hello All!

    I hope you've all having a fantastic Christmas season!  I guess it's even been a white one back home.  Enjoy that, and stay safe out there!  We're having quite the weather here in Lethbridge as well.  This week, I guess there were two days when we were the coldest place on Earth...on Earth!  Don't worry, the church is conscious of our health and safety, and we were shut ins for a few days, which kinda stunk.  Anyway, it was kinda cold. ;)  

    Of course, when the missionaries are stuck inside, missionary work kinda suffers.  We really didn't have the opportunity to do much teaching this week, and we had quite a few dropped appointments, but that's ok! (kinda)  We can only do so much as missionaries, and then it's up to others to use their agency to make the right choices.  All we can do is our best. (And I hope we've been doing that.)

    We did have the chance to go to our ward Christmas party this Wednesday, though, which was great!  There were tons of members of the ward there, as well as non-members, and it was a really great opportunity to meet people we had only heard about to that point.  Elder Law and I also had the opportunity to perform a musical number, which was apparently okay.  It's been great to be with another companion who is so musical!  (Elder Law is a great "greenie" overall, by the way.  He makes it easy to be a trainer.)

    Ben and Beth are doing well, though.  Circumstances have made their coming to church the last couple of weeks kind of difficult, and we weren't able to meet with them at all this past week, but we have a lesson scheduled with them tonight, and Ben's niece, who is apparently very interested in taking the missionary lessons, and who is living with them now, should be there as well!  Ben and Beth have been trying to quit smoking, which has been tough for them, but I really don't anticipate anything happening that's going to stop them from being baptized on New Year's Day.

    We're still hoping and trying to increase our teaching pool, and there's a lot of really good potential for that in the ward.  The members of 12th Ward are awesome, and really willing to work with us and help us out, and we're trying, with our super awesome Ward Mission Leader, to get things moving even more; It's gonna be awesome!

      I've been starting to read the New Testament these past couple weeks- I highly recommend it, by the way- and I came across the story of Jesus walking on water.  Of course, the storms were blowing and the apostles were scared, and then even more scared when they saw the Savior walking toward them on the water, but he told them, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."  For Peter, that was enough for a bit, and he conquered his fear enough to allow his faith to help him walk on the water himself.  Sadly, that didn't last, and Peter allowed the storm to get the best of him.  Just before he disappeared under the raging water, however, he cried, "Lord, save me." 

    "And immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him." (Matt 14:27-31)  How often are we like Peter?  How often do we let ourselves be afraid about all sorts of things that really don't matter in the long run?  Our weaknesses.  Our worries.  Other's opinions of us.  Anything.  For me, that's pretty often.  But the Savior is there.  When we cry to Him for strength and support, He will "immediately" stretch forth His hand.  He's always there.  Isn't that enough to "Be of good cheer" about?

    I hope you all have a fantastic week and that you don't forget what this wonderful Christmas season is really all about!  Be good!  Be safe!  Merry Christmas!

Love, 

Elder Hafen

Week 22 - Snowed In!

Hello All!

 

    I hope you have all had a fantastic week!  Ours has been pretty dang exciting.  I'll apologize right now for not getting an email out yesterday; we were sort of snowed in, hence the subject line.  It started dumping snow pretty badly on Sunday night, so everyone had to park their cars-didn't really apply to us, of course- so we couldn't really go email or shop or anything.  So, our zone made their way to our stake center to hang out for the day.  Then, the snow just kept coming, and it got bad enough that we had to cancel all of our appointments for the night, and we were sort of stuck at the stake center.  Luckily, there were some wonderful members who were willing and able to shuttle us all back to our apartments through the snow.  It was quite the adventure! 

   

Quite a lot has been happening here as far as missionary work goes as well! ;)  We had a couple of lessons with Ben and Beth this week, which was awesome.  They are truly some of the most prepared people I have ever seen. (And I know that's not saying much, considering I've only been out 5 months, today actually, but I've seen some really prepared people already.)  They've already been taught the first couple of lessons, but they didn't really need them as far as learning goes.  I'm pretty sure they've read Preach My Gospel, and they've been around members for quite a while now.  As far as I know, they've really just been dancing around the idea of investigating the church seriously for about three years now, and now they're ready to be baptized!  They are really committed, and I know they've seen the difference the Gospel has made in their lives already.  Ben, especially, has had a really crazy and tough life, and I'm happy to see that he's finally found the truth!  They'll be married by our bishop in the next couple of weeks, and then baptized on January 1st, and I really can't see anything interfering with that.  Ben also has a brother, Sam, who we think has a lot of potential!

 

   Well, everyone, we just found out that we've got to finish up early today. but I hope you have a fantastic week!  Love the Savior!  Be good!  Have fun!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Elder Hafen

Week 21 - The Second Area and the Firstborn

Hello All!

    I hope you've all had a fantastic week!  I know I have.  It's been crazy, of course, but also awesome.  I am indeed no longer serving in Raymond, which is kinda sad, but I know that I'm not supposed to be there anymore.  Hopefully, I did the work I was sent there to do, and if I didn't...I'll be back!  I am so grateful that I was able to serve in that wonderful area, that I was able to learn the things I did, and, especially, to meet and teach the people I did.  I know I was meant to meet them, and I hope they were meant to meet me.

   

My new area really isn't too far away from Raymond at all.  I am now in the Lethbridge West 12th Ward with my new companion (and first "son") Elder Law from Ogden, Utah.  He is awesome, and we're getting along really well.  He's a big theater geek and we have lots to talk about that way, but more importantly, he's a really hard worker and has such a desire to be a good missionary.  I'll barely have to do any work to train him.  We've spent the last few days just trying to familiarize ourselves with the area and the members of our ward.  It's been fun.  Ha ha, luckily, the last Elder who was here left us with some good records and a solid idea of what we're doing.  What we've learned so far: We have an awesome Ward Mission Leader who we've been able to meet with on a couple of different occasions already; he's really on the ball and is not afraid to do what needs to be done and say what needs to be said.  The ward is really awesome, and a lot of people seem really willing to help in the work and support us. (Including dinners every night!  I didn't think I'd get that in too many other areas besides Raymond.)  Our apartment is great.  We have some awesome investigators, and we're in a walking area!  Ha ha, it'll really get us acclimatized to the winters here. ;) (Don't worry, we're keeping warm, and we may actually get a car soon.)

    I really just want to report on the two progressing investigators we do have: Ben and Beth.  They are awesome, that's about all you need to know.  The previous missionaries have been meeting with them for a few weeks now, but they've been being prepared for a lot longer than that!  I don't know a ton about them yet, but they've accepted the gospel wholeheartedly, and they are on date to be baptized on the 1st of January.  Is there a better way to start a new year?  I submit that there is not!

    Sorry to be so brief today, but I'm sure I'll have more to add next week!  Before I do close, though, I want to leave you with a scripture that really hit me this week.  It's D&C 58:27-28.  Coming into a brand-new area with no idea what we're doing can be hard, and it's easy to be discouraged and get lazy on a lot of the little stuff, but that's not the way to be.  In this scripture it says that "men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many good things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them," The power is in us to accomplish so much good wherever we are, all we have to do is be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and this is a pretty good cause.

    I love you all so much, and I hope you have a great week!  Be good.  Have fun!

Love,

Elder Hafen

Week 20 - The End of an Era

Hello All!

    Well, it seems my time here in Raymond, Alberta has come to an end.  I just received an email from the

Assistants that I will be transferred somewhere in the southern part of the mission, which could be anywhere from British Columbia to Lethbridge to Medicine Hat (or they could even stick three of us together in Raymond. I guess it's happened before.) but we'll see tomorrow!  This does mean that it's very likely that myself and my trainee will "whitewash/purge" into an area, which means there will be no overlap of missionaries, so that'll be fun! haha, I'm actually quite nervous, but also very excited!  I know that this will be a time of some serious growth and learning, and I also know that "whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies." (President Monson)  How comforting is that!

    Anyway, the work of salvation is going wonderfully!  The members in Raymond are really starting to get involved in and excited about missionary work, and it's wonderful!  We're doing splits most nights of the week with all five of our wards, and the fifth Sunday program for the stake will be entirely centered on missionary work in the family.  Good things are coming!

   

We lost an investigator this week....because he was baptized!  Ryan's baptism was this past Friday, and was awesome.  He's a crazy kid, but he has such a sweet spirit, and the baptism went without a hitch.  The talks were really appropriate for Ryan, and the sister missionaries even had an investigator there, who I think really had a great experience.

    Our other investigators are doing well, though I didn't really get to see them this week.  Elder Lauzon did have a lesson with Caelin and Sam while we were on splits one evening, and Caelin actually wanted to say the closing prayer! (Something that's pretty rare for her.)  I wish I had more to report on all of them, but I have high hopes for them, and I'll be keeping my eye on them for a long time yet.  We also started teaching another investigator on Saturday, Bryan, who's married to a less-active member, but really doesn't know much at all about the church.  He was pretty receptive, though, and I hope we can help him gain a desire to learn more and apply the things we teach.

    This week we also had the opportunity as a mission to hear from Elder Schwitzer of the Second Quorum of the Seventy.  It was a really cool opportunity and I learned a lot from him, especially about repentance.  I don't have my notes from it with me, but I remember especially the importance of helping those we teach repent themselves, and really understand what it means.  (We also have to learn ourselves more about what repentance means.)  Overall, I think I really just need to look at repentance more as the positive change that it really is, instead of something to be dreaded.  Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Father in Heaven has given us the opportunity to become completely different people!  Instead of being stuck as the mortal, sinful, very imperfect humans we are, we can become so much more!  We can realize that we are children of the most powerful and wonderful being in the Universe, and he's given us a way to become like Him.  We just need to try our best.

    I love you all so much!  Have a fantastic week!  Be good, have fun, and remember who you are!

Love,

Elder Hafen

Week 19 - Happy Remembrance Day

Hello All!

    I just want to start off and wish you a happy Remembrance Day!  I hope you're all having a fantastic day and week, and that you're enjoying the onset of winter, wherever you are.  I know I am. ;)  Haha, Raymond is great, as usual, and the end of the transfer is almost upon us.  With that comes some exciting news. . . I'll be training next transfer!  I'm very excited/nervous, but I trust that this is actually what's supposed to be happening. (cross my fingers)  It's crazy to think that that missionary is in the MTC right now, probably going through the same things I went through four months ago.  Anyway, it'll be fun! :)

    Elder Lauzon and I have been working hard, and the people of Raymond are, I think, really starting to get excited about missionary work!  We've been going on splits with (pretty much) all of our wards weekly, and getting a lot done.  Never think that there isn't missionary work to be done, even if you do live in a place where "everyone" is a member.  There's always work to be done!  Isn't that awesome?!

    There's not a ton to report this week on our investigators, other than they're making good progress!  Ryan, who we started teaching last week, will be baptized this Friday.  His mother really wants him to be baptized, and we've been meeting with him very often to make sure that will happen. He's such a sweet kid, and I really hope that his baptism will make a difference in his life as well as the life of his family.

    We met with Ethan for the first time in a while this week, which was great!  We met with his sisters as well, and all of the girls showed up for church on Sunday, though Ethan did not.  The four of them have also started studying the Book of Mormon together every night, which is awesome!  As they get along more and more and learn to love another a little better than they have in the past, I know it will make the time they have to wait to be baptized so much easier on them.  I just hope that we'll be able to help them make a difference in their lives and become the amazing people I know they can be.

    Joe continues to do well... he just has to wait.  It's ok, though.  Experiences like this help us all grow, and I really think it has helped Joe grow and that it will continue to do so.

    Other than our investigators, we've been meeting with a lot of Less-Active members and Recent-Converts, and that's been great.  Interacting with them has really reinforced to me that missionary work isn't just baptizing people.  There are so many members of our church who need friendship, who need encouragement, who need love and a sense of belonging.  We can help strengthen them.  It helps a lot to love them.

    That kind of brings me to my thought this week.  In one of our sacrament meetings yesterday, there was a talk given on love, and I loved it!  The sister who gave the talk shared a quote from President Spencer W. Kimball: "The greatest force in the world is love."  How true that is!  Think about the most incredible and important event ever to take place, namely The Atonement, and what motivated that.  Love.  Our Heavenly Father loves us so much "that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)  I'm sure it's easy for parents to imagine how hard that would have been, but our Father in Heaven did it because He loves us that much.  We need to love Him back.  That is the first great commandment.  Our Heavenly Father has given us everything, I think it's fair for us to try to love him with all our heart, soul, mind ,and strength! (Mark 12:30)  We also need to love one another.  Who are we not to?  After all, Christ came for all of us, and we are all in need of the power of His Atonement.  It can be hard to love our brothers and sisters, though.  Our Father is there to help, though.  He can give us love, we just need to ask him for it.  One of my favorite scriptures is Moroni 7:48: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."
    I love you all so much!  Have a fantastic week!  Be good, and always remember to love each other.  Have fun, too!

Love,
Elder Hafen

Week 18 - Winter Wonderland

Hello All!

    I hope you're all having a fantastic time!  It sounds like the weather down in Sunny St. George is just beautiful, so that's nice. Haha, it's beautiful here as well, just a little colder. ;)  Really, though, the weather is beautiful!  We got plenty of snow and ice last Sunday, and then the rest of the week was really pleasant- which gave the kids a really nice Halloween- and then the snow just piled down on us again yesterday.  Good stuff!
    The weather isn't nearly as important as the awesome things that are happening up here in Raymond, Alberta, though!  The week started out a little rough with a lot of appointments falling through, but we've been blessed in the last few days to have been able to find a couple of the people our Heavenly Father has been preparing and get some great things moving here in this tiny town.
    One of our new investigators this week was well-known to us already.  Her name is Sam; Meagan, Caelin, and Ethan's little sister.  She just turned nine recently, and we met with her for the first time this week.  She's a great little girl, and she absolutely loves the church!  She's been going to church practically every week with her aunt, and loves to go to primary as well.  We just continue to hope that her father's heart will be softened, and that they'll all be able to stay strong despite this challenge that they are being made to go through.  There's no way we're giving up on them, though.  Even if it does take years; they've got way too much potential for that. (As do we all.)
    We also started teaching another nine year-old last night.  His name is Ryan, and though we were on splits, and I didn't get to be at the lesson, I've met him before, and he's such a sweet little kid.  I believe his family is somewhat less-active, so he hasn't been baptized yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before he is.  One of his biggest heroes is his neighbor, Brother Wihnan, who was just called as the High Priest Group Leader in one of our wards, and I'm sure he'll be the one baptizing Ryan in a couple of weeks.
    Joe continues to do well.  I wish he could get baptized right now, just because I know that being baptized and having the Holy Ghost with him will help him so much in his continuing progression; he's really grown and changed a lot since he's been here in Raymond.  It's alright, though, March 2nd is going to be a very good day for him. :)
   

And of course, there was Shaidon's baptism this Saturday! (Hooray!)  It was wonderful, and a lot of his family was there to support him, many of whom are less-active.  I was privileged enough to be able to perform the actual ordinance (my very first baptism, and I didn't mess up!), and his grandfather, who is a really great man, confirmed him.  It was a really beautiful blessing, and I really hope that Shaidon's example will have a powerful impact on his family.
    This week, I had the opportunity to read a talk by Elder Orson F. Whitney on lds.org called "Built upon the Rock".  In it, he said something that really stood out to me:
 "Whatever is done by this Church is because God, speaking from heaven in our day, has commanded this Church to do it. … That is the constitution of the Church of Christ."  How true is that!  People, including us, at times, have concerns about the church.  We look at some of the differences that make us so peculiar, and the things we do or don't do that set us apart so much from the world, and we often wonder about them.  Some of those things may even be unsettling to us.  That is totally normal, and I've done it myself, but we don't need to worry or doubt.  This is Christ's church. He leads it through his apostles and prophets.  He will not lead us astray.  After all, He is the Lord, our Good Shepherd.  We most certainly are not. 
    I love you all so much!  Have a fantastic week!  Good luck to the cast and crew of "Peter Pan" with all of your performances this week!  I'm sure you'll be awesome.  Be good!  Have fun!

Love,
Elder Hafen