Buenas Tardes Queridos :)

(email from June 9th)

Happy Monday again! Well it is finally starting to get cold here. It has been cool, for a quite a while but we have had a few days in the last couple weeks that it was flat cold! I have started using thermals off, and on, and yesterday my companion and I had to travel to the Sister´s area, that is about 3 hours away by bus and train, and I was glad I was bundled up because we got off the bus at 8 o clock last night went running to the train station, and we got to the station just as it was taking off. So we sat and waited in the cold for an hour until the next train! It also has been raining quite a bit, and there are lots of dirt roads in my area, which means lots of mud! (Let me tell you, mud, and the missionary wardrobe don´t mix to well!) 

We have been working alot with a family, the two parents and members, and their oldest daughter. But they have two kids who aren´t members, Bruno (9 years old) and Karen (16 years old). Bruno is an awesome kid! It amazes me how smart he is, and the questions he asks! We were sitting in the lessons and we taught him about how to pray, and at the end we asked if he had questions and he asked why the good and the bad exist, why it wasn´t just good. It totally caught me off guard! He accepted a baptismal date for the 28th of June, and his older sister said that if she felt this was the decision for her, that she too would be baptized! So it has been great to get to know them all, and to help the whole family go to church and get reactivated in the Gospel. 

I can´t believe that this is also the last week of this transfers! Another 6 weeks have gone out the window, before I even knew what happened. My companion has been in this area for more then 6 months, so it is most likely that he will leave this transfer, and I will get a new companion! It will be interesting to see what changes this new transfer could bring! After 9 months of being here in the mission, I am pretty well adjusted to everything, and I am finally getting the hang of my new area and the new ward. I still am loving it all. Ya there are hard days, but the good days, easily out weigh the hard ones! 

I have been thinking and for anyone that is in what seems to be a stand still in their lives, I encourage you to take the time, and look back on your life, or on the reason that you are doing something. Many times we start out doing something, and we have a strong passion for it, and then after time we become a bit complacent, and that passion sometimes can get lost, in the tasks, and day to day things of life that drag us down. If you find yourself if this situtation sit yourself and do a little evaluation. I know that as we go back to our roots, to the reasons why we started something, we will find strength, and we will be lifted up, and become the kind of people we want to be. 

I love you all, and truly hope and pray for the best for each and every one of you! Have a great week! 

Elder Hall 

Hola Amigos!

Buenos Días Amigos!

We have had a great week again! And yesterday we had a really great Pday! (Except for some computer problems! haha)  We went to Ezeiza an area three train stations from mine to watch a movie, play soccer, and
eat pizza with the zone! I gotta say I am actually starting to get the hang of futbol! I made three goals, and helped with a couple as well, and we had a ton of fun. It only hurt a little when I was playing
goalie, and one of the elders kicked the ball, and it happened to land right between the legs, but I did as my dad has always told me, sucked it up, gritted my teeth and kept playing! (They didn´t get the goal by
the way!) hahaha

This week was also a fun week because I had an intercambio with Elder Holmes, my best friend from 5th grade! It was awesome to catch up after so many years, and just to talk about some of the memories we
have of our time in elementary school. (Which after so many years aren´t too many, but it is funny the things we remember!) I felt a little bit like Alma in the Book of Mormon where after so much time being away from his friends the sons of Mosiah for so many years, when they finally met up again, their joy was so great, especially when he saw that they were all still strong in the faith. Obviously him and I have seen lots of friends who haven´t held true to the testimonies that they had, and for us both after so much time to meet back up here again it is just awesome. In the crazy world of change and newness that we live in, here in Argentina it is a good comforting feeling to have someone who just understands how things are back home! :)

As we continue to work with the less active members we have good days and bad days. There are times where we enter a house and the family is happy, and want to come back to the church, just got a little off
track, and this week, we really saw the other side of things. We went into a families house, and I have never heard a family say more horrible things about each other. My companion and I literally left the house with our heads pounding with headaches, and stomach aches, it was so bad. I was very grateful though that night because afterwards one of the active families in the ward invited us over for dinner, and to share a message. Let me tell you I have never been so glad to enter into a house with a family who understands the gospel, who want to be the best that they can, and who can improve, and love each other. It was really refreshing, and for me it was the Lord´s way of saying that he understood how we felt, and he gave us a glimpse of how things should be to help us keep that in mind!

It just really made me appreciate all that I have and the family I have, we may at times be a little rough around the edges, but at the end of the day we are a family. And I will take them with their little imperfections any day over what I saw the other night. We need to appreciate the family that we have, and maybe even if it isn´t the best their is always friends and close acquaintances who can be there for us.

I hope everyone has a great week! :) Love ya all!

Elder Hall

9 Months in the Mission!

Buen Día :) 

I`m back! Another week flew by! And with every week, my grammar gets worse, and worse, and I forget more and more english! Especially because my companion doesn`t know english, and really has no desire to learn it! I am hoping my next companion wants to learn english, because it really is fun to teach it, when it is your companion, informally!

This week we had a good week of visiting, contacting, and helping out less active, and inactive members. We have quite a few families that we are visiting, and are  truly seeing progress in. We had a lesson the other day with a family, who the dad, passed away two years ago. He was a very strong member of the church, and it was a loss for many people, especially for the family. They have been off and on with the church for a while, and we have had some great lessons, and spiritual experiences with them already. As we were sitting there talking with them about their dad, and husband, and that although he wasn`t here on the earth with us, he was on the other side preaching the gospel, and helping others. As those words left my mouth I felt the spirit very strongly. Some of you might know, but about two weeks ago, I lost my great grandpa who was not a member, and the last week one of my Uncles, who was not a member as well. I can`t explain it in words, but I know that while I am here helping this family out, he (their dad, and husband) is on the other side, teaching my family, helping them to learn, and accept those doctrines and principals that are so important, and so close to my heart. I know that when we lose a loved one here on this earth it is not the end. 

I know with all my heart, that those who didn`t have the chance to accept or understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this life, will have the opportunity to be taught, and accept it in the life to come. I am so thankful for this knowledge, that we have a merciful God, who will give all the opportunity to listen, and accept his gospel, if they are will to repent, and humble themselves. I am so blessed to have this Gospel in my life, and I am even more blessed to have the opportunity to share it with the people of Argentina. 

I hope everyone has a great week, and is enjoying the warm weather of summer, because here it is starting to get cold! Love ya all! 

Elder Hall 

 Alright so I have never really liked hot dogs, but these are Super Panchos, (Panchos are hot dogs here!) and we eat them three times a week, 3 for my companion, and 2 for me, with Manase (I forgot how to spell that haha), and these little Potato Chip things! 

 Alright I don`t know what Argentina is doing to me, Hot Dogs, Manase (Again with this word haha), and now tomatoes, I can just eat slices of tomatoes now, or make a little salad like this! 

 Saturday was an Argentine Independence Day, and so we and the other Elders from the ward made Empanadas for a church activity! They were really good! 

 40 Empanadas! 

Elder Holmes, Elder Tribe, and Elder Chuliver!

Buenos Dias! :)

(email from 5/19/14)

Hola Queridos! 

Another week has come and gone in the mission! It is amazing to me,  how fast time is flying buy! And it just doesn´t stop! This week we had a good week, and got a lot accomplished! We spent almost all day, Friday going through lists of members, organizing addresses, and placing names on our big map of the area in our apartment, and we were both pretty dang excited for our afternoon appointments to finally get outside for a little bit! 

We finally have the new program completely implemented,and all of our focus is on finding those inactive members, who would like to return, and helping them and their families. I really feel like we have seen ¨mini-miracles¨ this week! We contacted a lot of families, and the people are starting to open up their hearts, and their homes to us! I have realized that although these people, may not have walked into the church for 15 years, they have never forgotten the spirit that they felt, and they can not deny that it truly is the House of God! 

Overall everything is going great! And we are looking forward to the zone conference this week! Hope all is well at home!

Con Amor,

Elder Hall 

ATTENTION READERS!!

Elder Hall's 19th birthday is on June 27. He hardly ever receives mail of any kind and said that he would love to start getting mail so when he needs a pick me up he can turn to his letters. Email is amazing and he gets so many emails each week but he can't print them so he isn't able to turn back to those that inspired him or gave him great advice, or just made him laugh!  I am hoping that everyone who reads his blog or has been inspired by Brennen in one way or another can take a few minutes and either send him a birthday card or write him a letter to let him know what he means to you, even if you might not know him that well but have been inspired by his obedience in serving the Lord.  It typically takes 3 weeks for regular envelope mail to reach him so the sooner the better so he gets it around his birthday. Remember no packages can be sent, but regular mail can reach him & it does cost around 1.50 or so to send a card.  I know that it will mean a lot to him to receive letters and cards for his birthday!  Thanks so much for all the love and support of this awesome missionary son of mine!

Elder Brennen Hall

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Quintana 447

1846 Adrogue

Buenos Aires

Argentina

Buenas Tardes! :)

Hey Everybody! 

I decided to write a good letter today, because everyone else except for a couple people haven´t been getting informed to well! :) I am doing great here in Spegazzini! We had a crazy week with lots of traveling, meetings, and just random stuff, so I am looking forward to this week to be able to get into a routine of working! Elder Chuliver, and I are getting along great, and I getting to know this area is a little tough, because it really is so big. There is more than a third of the area that I have never been in, and it is most likely that in five weeks my companion will leave and I will be the one directing the area! So it is a big chunk of Argentine meat to try and swallow at once! 

The ward here has tons of members, and there are a good 500 members that currently are not attending church, so we are focused completely in on them, and in their families! Because of this new program that our mission is trying, we don´t knock on doors, or contact people in the street, and really our focus is not on looking for new members. It is now focused in our finding the lost members, and helping them remember the love that our Savior has for them, and then getting them back to church, and baptizing those family members who need to be baptized! I really like it, it honestly is sometimes harder to teach less, and inactive members, then it is to teach someone who has never even heard of the church. We have to study harder, pray harder, and honestly be better missionaries all around, to help these families remember the feelings and testimonies they once had of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Already we have seen results and this week I had some special experiences, as we listened to, and honestly shared some of the problems and doubts that these members had, and I know that the Lord used us to help them out. I felt his guidance, and his words, and I know that this family has a different outlook on things. I also know it was because we took the time to listen to them, and then wait for the guidance of the spirit that we were able to help them feel the spirit, and give them the desires to attend church on Sunday. One thing that I am learning now, that is a lesson for us all, is that sometimes, even when the other person really doesn't have a reason to be angry, or to have acted the way they did, we should listen to them first. There are times when it is hard to go into a situation and not drop the cane on someone even when they deserve it, but I know that as we take the time to listen to the concerns and problems of others, and wait for the guidance of the Holy Ghost we will be able to resolve ALL situations, and we will be better people! 

I also have to throw in a Feliz Día de la Madre (even though it is a little late!) to all of the wonderful women who in one way or another were mothers to me! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to speak with my mom (and the family) yesterday, and I can´t tell you all how happy I was to know that they are all doing good, that they are safe, and healthy, and that they are blessed. There is nothing more important in my life than my family, and as hard as it is for me to be away from them, to miss the ball games of Garret, reading a storybook with Russ, the preschool graduation of Laynee, scaring boys away from Mak, talking with my mom every night, and working along side my Dad, I know that it is all worth it. And the joy that I receive from helping other families be more united definitely helps me cope with being away from mine! We ALL should enjoy the time that we have with our family, and with our friends, because at the end of the day, there is NOTHING in this life (when accompanied with the Gospel) more important than our relationships with others. I love you all, and I am so thankful for each and every one of you! Have a great week! 

Elder Hall 

Saludos de Spegazzini! (AKA I got transfered....again!)

Buenas Tardes!

Well surprisingly I got transferred again! I figured my companion was going to leave, but apparently the Lord  needs me in another area! I am now in Spegazzini (Spe-gah-see-nee) in Monte Grande Zone! It is a GIGANTIC area! I swear I went from the smallest area in the mission to the biggest! So definitely a big change in that aspect! My new companion is Elder Federico Choliver from here in Argentina, he is 24 years old, and has been in the mission for one month more then me! He seems like a great guy, and has told me a couple times now, in our whole two hours of knowing each other that we are going to work hard, so I am super excited! 

This week was a good week is Villa Progreso, and truth to be told I was kinda sad to leave! I was just starting to get to know everybody! We were able to end the transfer with a baptism of Ayelen, it was a great experience! I am always so thankful for the people that the Lord puts into my life! Along with visiting the members, and saying good bye we were pretty dang busy, and Elder Herrera and I ended our transfer together good! 

Everyday is a new experience is the crazy life of the mission, and I am always so thankful for what the Lord gives me! We are out of time! Next week will be a better update I promise! Love you all! 

Elder Hall 

 My district in La Plata! Me, E. Rodriguez, E.Peterson, E. Herrera, Hna. Baez, Hna. Tolman! 

 Ayelen´s Baptism! Her and all of her family! Her parents have been inactive for a really long time, but her brother and uncle, are active. Both of her parents came to the Baptism, and to Sacrament meeting on Sunday, her dad even got up and bore his testimony. Her mom told me that they have started praying as a family again, and that she feels a change in their lives! It is amazing to see how the Lord works! 

 Me, Ayelen, Hermano Nefi Salazar, and E. Herrera

 There was also two other baptisms along with Ayelen´s, investigators of the hermanas from El Bosque Ward!

 The primary really helped us out on the baptism! Even though Ayelen moves up to Young Womens next month!

 Renee, Lautaro, and Yaiza, Laura couldn´t make it to church so I didn´t get a picture with her! Renee and Lautaro are members, and Laura is taking the discussions! Really great family that I am going to miss! 

Guillermo Silva, and I with their dog, Negro! Guillermo is preparing to serve a mission, and he is the Elders Quorum President, his dad is the Bishop, and the entire family is great a good friend that I hope to keep in contact with!

The Silva Family and I. I can´t say enough about this family. Hermano Victor is the Bishop, Hna Virma is in the Stake Relief Society, Guillermo (19) is the Elders Quorum President, Virma Hija (22) is in the Primary Presidency, and Luz ¨Nani¨ (16). They are a family who have dedicated absolutely everything to the church, and were baptized only four years ago! (The Bishop was baptized as a teenager, but was inactive for years and years!) Amazing!