2/15/16 A Funny Story

I forgot my funny story: 

Sunday some delinquent kids in our ward stole the neighboring Jehovah's Witnesses exterior lightbulbs that light up their sign. Somehow it became our responsibility to escort one of them back over there to screw them back in. We walked through our lawn to their building as a bunch of them started coming out to go home and we had some stares as we stood close by while pesky Ryan returned the stolen property. We smiled and gave some waves and walked casually back through their lawn to our building directly adjescent to theirs. So funny! It was like a religious holy war, but we made peace.

2/15/16 Do Work

Hey Weekly Crew,

Low on time today so quick updates and a funny story to brighten your Monday.

Highlights this week is that I'm feeling WAY better and running on full throttle, the doctors prediction of a 4 week cough was beaten by the priesthood blessing and prayers I received. Hallelujah. You sure learn to appreciate good health when you don't see the sun for a few days.

Other highlights include a Wednesday night baptism for a kid named Dustin Toney. If you knew him your jaw would have just hit your lap. He's made serious changes in his life in the last few months. Major changes. Partially because he is now properly medicated and partially because it was his time to get real about his life and do what's right. He is a great kid with a rough past, true grit, and a bright future. He's been associated with the youth and the church for a couple years now, everyone loved supporting him in his new found determination and attitude as he entered the waters of baptism. Miracles happen people!

Last highlight (almost) was our temple trip on Saturday, we had 40 people in attendance, 12 of which were recent converts, 6 of which were there for the first time, and 2 others who are investigating and 1 less active member who went for her first time. I don't think they'll be allowing our ward to share the font with other wards anymore, we crowded the place out.

Last highlight (for real), I don't know if I mentioned but ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON IS COMING TO OKALHOMA THIS WEEKEND. First visit from an apostle since 2001. We're stoked and church meetings will be in Bartlesville OK in an event center that was rented out for everyone in a 2 hour radius. We have a mission conference with him this Saturday in Tulsa. It's going to be altering. In ward council we talked about how we can get all 41 of our investigators and sacrament attenders to Bartlesville to hear him (most don't have stable income, let alone transporation). I jokingly suggested we rent a school bus. Bishop said "yes good idea", and in an hour we had a school bus secured for travel!! The Yellow Cleveland Bus of Miracles and Faith will depart from Cleveland at 8am sharp on Sunday. On board will be people who don't yet know they are about to be bathed in the spirit and converted by the living words of a special witness of Christ. Expect baptisms to follow!

Oh crap, last real highlight right here: Today we're playing with zorb balls in Owasso as a zone party! Google it and be jealous!

Major downer and not a highlight: transfers calls is ALREADY this Saturday. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME, I DONT WANT TO LEAVE YET.

Keep the faith,

Elder T. Hakes

Dustin Toney

SSSHHHHH this might be illegal...

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Just between us

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A piece of our temple crew! The recently baptized Mclearans and returning Schmitts :)

2/8/16 Where to start?

Man, this last week has been ROUGH

Tuesday we had zone training meeting and interviews with President Loveland, which both went really really well, it was a great day. It was an uplifting meeting and this zone has some real potential, I'm excited to see some miracles happen as we set goals together. My interview with President basically consisted of him asking me questions about the legendary Cleveland area and the work we are doing there. The things happening here are truly historical. I was able to give some good insight as to some of the ingredients for this baptizing recipe. That about sums it up for the highlights. Haha no not really that sounds pessimistic. But I got sick that night after a long day of meetings and lessons and literally spent the entire week in bed. The entire week you might ask? Yes, the ENTIRE WEEK. What started off as a silly head cold was diagnosed by the doctor on Friday to be one of the worst viruses that he has seen in Cleveland in 20 or 30 years! Wonderful. I'm over the major part of congestion and sore throat, but its moved into my lungs giving me a hacking cough. My muscles ache like I just won the crossfit world championship. Agony, people. It's been no fun, but on the bright side we truly saw the Lord's hand in our work. We had a goal to teach 20 member present lessons this week. And we hit it. Haha! I literally spent the whole week in bed moaning but by some miracle Elder Henderson was taken out by enough members to keep doing the work and hit our goals. Who needs me? It was inspiring to see the work rolling forward and some amazing lessons and progression being had. 

We've found several more families to teach and they are all pretty excited about it. The Dobbs family is doing really well, they missed their baptismal date Saturday because they're waiting on divorce papers for Andrea so that they can be officially married. But they've quit smoking and he's found a job and they all can't wait to be baptized. We are going to have a spur of the moment baptism for a kid named Dustin this Wednesday! He's been around the church for a long time but just barely had a change of heart and attitude and wanted to make the changes necessary to be baptized. He had a date for later but we all agree he's ready now so that he can go to the temple with the youth this Saturday. Going to be sweet! Our recent converts the Mclearans are tearing it up gospel style and drinking all the living water (don't worry there's enough to go around.) They're going to the temple for the first time also and cannot wait. Our other convert 16 year old Dyamond is doing well and excited for her first temple trip as well! It's going to be a stellar week. Please pray that my body can rid itself of this plague and I can return to full health. It's been a major drag, its starting to effect every facet of my life and work, mentally and spiritually. I think I'm on the mend though :) At Sacrament the meeting was SPARSE, half our ward and investigators are sick. Pray for all of them! We all know that Satan is trying to bring down the ridiculously awesome things that are happening here. He can't hold us down! Wish I had some fun pictures to send but regrettably I didn't take any selfies of me sick in bed. 

OH on another positive note we have an apostle, Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Lynn G. Robbins are coming to Bartlesville Oklahoma to address us on the 20th! Our mission will have a special conference with them and then our Sunday services will be with them again in Bartlesville. I am beyond excited to hear the words and feel the Spirit they have to deliver from the Lord. The men I spend all day testifying of will have major converting power in the hearts of our investigators who get to go see him. It will be the first apostle in this area since 2001. Talk about blessings.

Gotta go. When the going gets tough, remember that Satan send his worst storms right before the miracles happen. Joseph Smith can testify to that. Theme of the week: D&C 122:7-8. Read it.

Much love,

Elder T. Hakes

2/8/16 Getting Creative While Sick

Actually I forgot, I do have some pictures to share with you. I don't have sickness selfies, but I drew some pictures in my hours of weakness so here they are.

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2/1/16 Armadillo remains and removing sin-stains

Former Acquaintances!

Weeks are literally days. DAYS PEOPLE. I hope the rest of my life doesn't go by this fast, I might wake up with grown children and not very much hair. 

This last week was the real deal, the ward is catching fire. Still. Our ward missionaries found us 7 new investigators and brought a bunch of them to church! What?! This Sunday was ward conference and we had a new highscore of 174 at sacrament. (granted some of them were from the stake) But hey we had 23 investigators at church. It seems as though everyone we testify to has been looking for this for quite awhile. This ward is going to need a split at this rate! Let's see.. funny stories for this week.. we were driving down a country road and saw some typical roadkill, but did a double take. We looked at each other, "was that an armadillo butt?" I flipped around and yes, indeed it was an armadillo's lonely separated hind end getting nice and dried out on the road. Henderson jumped out and picked it up, essentially an empty hind shell with the tail still attached hahah. It is still in the back of our truck. We haven't decided what to do with it yet... wall mount? Prank? Redneck shrine? We'll see :) Saturday we helped our new friends and converts the Mclearans chop wood with their neighbors the Schmitts. They got out the chainsaw and dropped some oak trees in the yard while Henderson and I split it (with a nifty hydraulic splitter thank goodness) and stacked it. It was great to be outdoors and use some muscle. The weather has been crazy warm! I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt right now. They suspect a cold front is coming though. I keep hearing about these insane ice storms and power outages around here, but I'm starting to think these people have been watching too much tv. No signs of ice yet! District meeting this week was cool, they changed the areas in the district a little bit and sent in a new set of sisters into Claremore which was previously the zone leader area. So now at our meetings it was just me and my companion and four sisters; the zone leaders were at the other district. Won't hear me complaining! Well the rest of this week was filled with great lessons and lots of miracles and some real progression from our oceanic pool of investigators. The Dobbs family whom we love had a date for this weekend, but they are still working on finalizing a divorce so that they can me married and then baptized. These sorts of legalities can be messy, we hope desperately that this won't delay them too long. We've got lots more baptismal dates to set with people for the coming months and a lot more cigarette mountains to climb! Those who realized they don't want to trade a mess of pottage for their birthright easily give up the smokes. True doctrine understood changes behavior! On a side note I also started studying the Old Testament, I plan to read it in about 10 months. There's some weird stuff in there, let's just say I'm grateful for modern prophets and JST footnotes! Also, Elder Henderson almost beat me at chess, guess I better stop going easy. Till next week.

Elder T. Hakes

1/11/16 Cleveland, Round 3

STAYING IN CLEVELAND HALLELUJIAH

That's all I need to say. I've learned and grown more in this area than in my last two areas combined. I cannot wait to keep serving all these people who are ready to come unto Christ.

I have no time, so highlights!

-My companion Elder McArthur is being transferred to Gore, OK. Sad to see him go, but excited to get a new companion as well. Elder Henderson is his name, he's been out 3 months and that's all I know! They love to stick me with the greenies around here.

-This week was bomb, wish I could tell you all about it.

-We took recent converts and investigators to the temple for the first time last Tuesday. Sarah Ballard did her first baptisms as well as Richard and very pregnant Anna. They all loved it and the spirit was tangible. GET RECENT COVERTS TO THE TEMPLE WITHIN A MONTH. It will change their lives and solidify conversion.

-Last week we picked up a whole new family to teach! Bishop met them while trying to contact their neighbors. They came to church, loved it, and we taught them the first 3 discussions last week! Haha! Their names are John and Andrea Dobbs, and they have two kids who live with them, Natalie and Ethan who are in 8th and 5th grade. I've never really taught a complete family like this and it is the greatest thing to ever happen to missionary work. They are HUNGRY for the gospel and they've loved every second of our teaching. I prophesy they'll be baptized in a month. So pumped!

-Some less active members also brought their neighbors to church for the second and third week and we started teaching them. Cheryl is older and her son Jackie are both excited to have found the fulness of the gospel and can't drink it in fast enough. Life changing, SO FAST. Their baptismal date is the 23rd this month!

-Add this to all the people we're already teaching and it's a whirlwind of miracles and blessings over here. It's awesome to behold. Bishop Southward's love and dedication to his calling have created a fire and its sucking in air faster than we can keep up. In ward council we discussed last years goal in the ward to have 12 baptisms (they had 23) and this year they set a goal for 40! Haha it can honestly happen, we have about 32 people who have attended church and are investigating on some degree. Yeesh.

I went over time, hope I had nothing else important. Also today is my 10 month mark in this crazy mission! Love it can't wait for more.

Elder T. Hakes

PS Anna is about to have her baby and second now, cool stuff :)

Zone Bowling!

Temple Gang!

Country boys doin country work with Brother Cox

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Here is our second hour investigator class on Sundays. Bigger than ever!

1/4/16 Mercies

Guys, life's good. Wish I had a go-pro strapped to my forehead so you could just watch and be jealous of all the things I do every day. Aaaahh well... Guess I'll have to sum it up in a 10 minute email.

Richard and Anna Lawson were baptized Saturday! It was wonderful. They're suuper pumped to continue in the gospel. Lemme give you a bullet list of all the ridiculous miracles that have happened to them in the last two months since we met them:

-randomly met them at a member's house, a member whom they just met that day and started hanging out. (they are essentially homeless and staying with a cousin)

-taught follow up lesson, still not sure if they're into it.

-Bishop counsels them to be married.

-We teach full restoration, spirit overwhelms, they want to be bapitzed.

-Bishop marries them.

-Strong lessons leading to baptism, they're happier than ever.

-Two days before baptism they find a small house for sale in Cleveland, call owner, make a deal, they literally move in that night.

-Baptized Saturday (First baptism that I have performed on the mission!)

-Confirmed Sunday

-Job interview for him today

-Going to temple with us tomorrow.

I don't know why, but God REALLY has his hand on this couple. Anna is pregnant and I've gotten the impression that the path is being laid for this new child to enter into a solid life in the gospel.

The work carries on at a rapid pace here in the promise land. Bishop Southward is an inspiration to everyone around him. Investigators continue to show up at sacrament meeting with friends or family, feel and spirit, and determine to keep coming for the rest of their lives hahaha we have so many new investigators at our fingertips every week. If I could spend the rest of my life here doing this I might just do it. Transfer calls is this Saturday.. PLEASE pray that I'll stay here... I need these people as much as they need me haha. Neverless, thy will, not mine, be done. I guess.

This Sabbath was a spiritual feast, i enjoy the opportunity to fast and hunger and thirst after righteousness. I feel the Spirit so powerfully when I do. It's real life. I have to go :( I can't believe my family is growing up... Brent marriage is gross so stop it. Weston, wait for me so we can party and date girls together.

God is merciful.

Elder T. Hakes

Oh by the way Bishop married more investigators in the church haha.

The things you find in peoples freezers around here.....

Richard and Anna's big day!!

Balling with the crew