The Best Text I've Ever Gotten

this week we went to the regional church office-

 IM MAKING MY WAY UP hahaha

This week we received one of the best texts anyone could ever get! I don't want to spoil it right away, so I will start with the fact that I got the package you sent mom! It was so wonderful, and Elder Pesnell and I have much enjoyed all of the green candy but mostly the samoas! They don't have anything like that here so it was amazing! It's been such an incredible week, I can't wait anymore to tell you the story, so here we go!

You remember last week, I told you about our last rdv with Lorrane, where she dropped us and the spirit was very strong anyways. Well 5 days later, on Tuesday morning, we got a text from her that every missionary wants to get saying that she knows now that God has a plan for her, she believes everything we have taught her and she asked to be baptized as soon as possible!!!!! Of course we couldn't believe it, my jaw dropped on the ground and elder Pesnell ran around knocking chairs over and then belly slid on the floor! We called her right away and fixed a rdv, and she was crying as she told us that she got her answer!

Kebabs with Lorrane

Our prayers were those of gratitude and my smile wouldn't go away (I think I was freaking people out as I said "bonjour" to them grinning like a maniac haha). We have since had 4 RDVs with her, we fixed her baptismal date for the 7 April, the Friday after conference, and in lessons she just testifies and accepts everything! The commandments, the scriptures! She said that within those 5 days she stopped drinking coffee and alcohol and she has never felt more free and happy! She loved church and the members love her, she is so prepared and so humble to have received a response, even if it wasn't what she was expecting. And don't worry, English isn't her first language so when she said "I love you" last time, she was referring to both of us as good friends haha. (That's our bad...) We also went to get kebabs with her, because she's never had one before! Please keep praying for her, because we know that her faith will protect her, but sometimes the adversary tries to creep in. I know that faith, prayers and the power of her ever increasing testimony will bring strength and protection. She's so excited to go to the temple! I feel so thankful to a loving Heavenly Father that gives answers to those who sincerely seek them, and I can't wait for the baptism!

Our green lunch!!! 

In other news, we went on an exchange with Elder Wade this week. It was our last time serving together since he goes home in a couple weeks. And it's funny because he's basically a national celebrity, but he's still just Elder Wade. For anyone who wants to know, he is super humble and hard working even though all that basketball stuff is going on at home. He's a great example to me! It was a different kind of exchange, because he came up with President and Soeur Brown alone and stayed with us for a day so Elder Pesnell and I were with him. We were able to see some members, teach Ali and, let me tell you, it was a lesson that could convert anyone, and Elder Wade did such a good job teaching! For dinner we went Chez la famille Fidalgo, and then Elder Menzel and Underwood (the other assistants whom I love so) and had a great night! It was so fun! We also played a little bit of basketball, so ca va.

We had Zone conference and interviews as well. It was cool to see president Brown and talk with him. He is always so inspired and gives the best advice that I know always comes from the Lord. For Zone conference, elder Pesnell and I did a presentation about how the Atonement leaves no trace. It was cool to prepare, even though it wasn't easy haha. In the end we presented two quotes:

"However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made … , or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines"- Elder Jeffery R. Holland

"The Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity. I am so grateful for the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ... for the power of redemption, for the Atonement--the Atonement which can wash clean every stain no matter how difficult or how long or how many times repeated. The Atonement can put you free again to move forward, cleanly and worthily, to pursue that path that you have chosen in life. I bear witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that the Atonement is not a general thing that is for the whole Church. The Atonement is individual, and if you have something that is bothering you--sometimes so long ago you can hardly remember it--put the Atonement to work. It will clean it up, and you, as does He, will remember your sins no more. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." - President Boyd K. Packer

If you didn't read those, go back and read them haha. I learned that the Atonement is truly something that, if used correctly, has the power to erase any mistakes we have ever done. Of course, we need to allow it to, but when it does, there is no better feeling! It's what Lorrane is feeling, it's what I have felt, it's what we can all feel! Don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself! I promise you it will work.

We have all of our other amis still and we have a new one named Juan, who is a member coordonnée, but I'll explain more next time. I explained all the most important things!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Avec amour,

Elder Hall

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