7/25/16 The Juggle of Life

Hey guys!

This last week has been great. More of the same work, trying to find people to teach! Have a household full of investigators that we hope to start progressing really well this week! They all want to come to church and enjoy our lessons, the lady who owns the house is a less active and she's got kids and neices and friends living there and we are trying to teach all of them haha! Its great though, I love being called to teach this gospel and help others progress spiritually. Sometimes I feel far beyond my years, like a wizened old turtle trying to get some knowledge through the skulls of my pupils. I believe that's the mantle of the calling, we are able to see people and discern their needs and deliver the gospel in a way that can penetrate their very hearts. Doesn't always work that way, but when it does there is no more magical experience I've had. Builds my faith a lot. 

Anyways highlight this last week was for sure Friday, we drove over to Cleveland again for the baptism of two of the people I taught the first discussion to like 5 or so months ago! Jesse and Hallee, they've had a go of it and a lot of ups and downs, but honestly since the first discussion I ever had with the the Spirit flooded their hearts and I believed they would make it to this point. I never got to teach them again while I was in Cleveland due to a lot of different circumstances they were in, but the elders there have been making it happen! Their baptisms were beautiful. Before the ordinance Elder Marshall and I got to meet up with my favorite Cox family and they treated us to some killer sushi again! This is becoming tradition. I love them more than most and its so good reconnecting and remembering all the times we've had together in the last 9 or so months since I've known them. The people in my life make it all worth it.

After the baptism we threw some shorts on and balled Cleveland stlye just like the good days! We had a lot of the same people there, shout out to Steve Southward the assassin and Brian "Street Cred" Tilley. Way good times. Thankfully the Cox's stuck around to capture some game film for us on my new camera.

Saturday we hit some trailer doors and tried to get our message out there, after two hours of INTENSE heat we drove back for some lunch. I think I got like heat exhuastion or something because I got waaay sick and dizzy and weak, so that just about killed the rest of our day. But after lots of fluid and sleep I'm back on top. In other news, our car read 124 degrees when we got in after church on Sunday. I think that things lies or counts the heat index or something, no way it was actually that hot. But the air was hot enough in there to suffocate me and burn my lungs a lil bit. No biggie. #1 thing I'm most missing right now: fresh air baby. Fresh. Air. None to be found around here, try leaving in a steamy bathroom for 2 years and tell me how you feel.

Gotta go, spent too long! Love you guys! Keep a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving and you'll never find yourself without happiness.

Elder T. Hakes

Hell South Mission

Here's a bunch of random gopro pics for your viewing pleasure