Tuesday, March 28, 2017

"Fire Alarms Round #2 and a day in YSA!"

Hey everyone! My P-day was on Tuesday because yesterday was Ceasar Chavez Day.... none of us know what that is. It is a California holiday, but I don't think the people in California knew it was a holiday either. Apparently, it is like Martin Luther King Day for Mexicans. So ya. That is all I have to say about that one. 

Some exciting things that happened this week was I cut Hermana Nelson’s hair and it looks pretty good! Also during weekly planning all of a sudden, the fire alarms started going off, now that is my second time this has happened. Once in Valencia and now here. It took them an hour and a half to turn it off so we sat in our car to do weekly planning and blocked out the noise while the fire fighters tried to figure out what was wrong. Anyways, well this week has been awesome and we had some really big miracles happen! 

We have been working hard on finding new investigators and we picked up some really solid people this week and I want to tell you about one of them. I am sure you remember that our church building caught on fire. Well because of that we have been at a different building. Wednesday night we were there having a meeting and mutual going was going on at the same time. Right then a lady walked into the church building from our ward who had been less active for 10 years and had been wanting to come back to church. She was driving home that night and saw people in the church building by her house and she decided that it was time to go back. She walked in and we found her and her son. She told us that her son was 10 and that he hadn't been baptized yet and she wants him to get baptized! We have met with him a few times this week and he is so excited to get baptized on April 22! He loved church and already has so many friends! Timing is key!

This week we also went on exchanges with our STL's (Sister Training Leaders) this week so I was able to go to YSA (Young Single Adults) and work for a day! It was so fun and we covered the whole valley. I was able to go to North Hollywood for the afternoon for some lessons and then go eat at this awesome pizza place right off of Hollywood Way! It was crazy and everyone looked like they were famous rich people, they probably were. But the exchange was so fun with Hermana Figueroa. We also taught so many awesome spiritual lessons! 

For the end of my email I wanted to talk about how awesome Women’s Conference was! I loved how much they put a focus on having Christ as our Center. If we are leaning unto our own understanding we aren't centered, Centered in Christ! He should always be our number one! I can't express how much I Love My Savior! We are so blessed to be able to also have conference this weekend so go watch it! Conference is such a big blessing that the Lord has given to us to be able to receive revelation and spiritual guidance so go take advantage of it!  

Well I love all you guys and have an amazing week! 


-Hermana Hadley


Exchanges with Hermana Figueroa <3



Hollywood Way!



The amazing pizza in North Hollywood!



The Haircut I gave Hermana Nelson ;)



Again, the Fire Fighters outside of our apartment! 
I am becoming great friends with the firemen on my mission!



Incredible Sunsets on a street by our apartment!




Monday, March 20, 2017

"Sammie's Baptism, Flour Ghost & Lieutenant Dan!"

Hello everybody! This week has been such an incredible week. First I want to share the most exciting news... SAMMIE GOT BAPTIZED!!! It was such an amazing baptism! I feel so blessed to have been trusted enough by God to have the opportunity to teach her. She is such an amazing daughter of our Heavenly Father. The baptism was awesome, I sang a musical number and was given the opportunity to share my testimony with everyone. It is days like this where I am so happy I am a missionary! It was also great to see some of the people from my last Branch too.

Now on to the other crazy parts of this week. Monday we had such a fun messy activity as a Zone! We went to a park and played capture the flag, Nephites vs Lamanites. We all wore black and had socks filled with flour that we used as our "tagging" devices. By the end of the day we all looked like ghosts, it was so funny! We had a ton of fun and people didn't look at us any different than they already do! They all know we are weird Mormon's anyways so might as well show them we can have a little fun. ;)

Also this week we were able to go volunteer at Operation Gratitude with a few other Zones! This is where we assemble and ship care packages for service men and women and first responders around the world. It was so great to serve, hang out with the other missionaries and be able to give back to the community and to our troops!!! A local news station was there filming and taking pictures so they told us to look good for all the cameras and from what I understand we made it on the news that night.  We even had a celebrity join us, Lieutenant Dan from “Forrest Gump”.  Funny that my letter last week was titled “Run Forrest Run” and then I was able to work with Lieutenant Dan the very next week!

Thursday we were able to have Zone Conference which is always a treat and a half! We had some really awesome training's by Zone Leaders, STL's (Sister Training Leaders), the AP's (Assistants to the President), members of the office staff, and our wonderful President and his wife! I love having the opportunity to learn from one another. President Henrie kept saying that it was like one big companion study.

I learned that we need to be the best teachers with the best "Degree" of the Spirit. We all need to teach with the Spirit but we also need to know how to use the Spirit the best way that we can. To testify, confirm truth, to be with us, and to know what inspired questions we need to ask. Also at Zone Conference we were told that every car area is also going to have bikes so we can choose when we want to use the car or our bikes! So we picked up our bikes that were in storage and brought them home! We are excited to now be biking missionaries! 

Something that I thought of this week that really hit home was that sometimes when we look at a painting we tend to only look at the weird tree on the left side of the picture. We sit and we focus on that tree and we dwell over it, without looking at the beautiful picture in front of us. The tree could be a weakness, a trial, or something else that is distracting us from our true potential and purpose. Don't look at the tree, the tree is just part of what makes the picture complete. We need to go through those hard times, have weaknesses, and learn to be able to have such a beautiful finished product! I am so grateful that I have that knowledge that God has a plan for each of us and we really need to put our trust in him because he is the one painting the picture and we need to take a step back and learn. 

I want you to know that I know this is true! Or I wouldn't be out here telling that to every person I see!!! Have an awesome week everyone and know that God has a plan!!!

-Hermana Hadley




Hermana Jensen and Hermana Hadley so happy to come back together for 
Sammie's Baptism!



Sammie and Hermana Hadley after the Baptism!  
Love her so much and know we will continue to be great friends! <3




Hermana's Ready for War!
Nephites vs Lamanites!



The Aftermath, we will leave you guessing on which tribe won....



Elder Mahlum shaking the flour out of his hair!



Running through the Spinklers :)



Look who I found Haha...so good to see Elder Martin!
Mom Note:  Hermana Hadley and Elder Martin are from the same home ward back in Kaysville.  So fun to have Wardie's in the same mission!  They decided it had been long enough and better send a picture home for their Mom's :).




Action shot of me riding my bike!



We had Subway by a pond and soon after this picture we got attacked by Ducks :)


Next two pictures from CASF Mission Facebook Page



CASF Missionaries assembling care packages for Operation Gratitude.  There was very high praise of our missionaries from the Operation Gratitude leadership, community, KTLA and actor Gary Sinise.  



Actor Gary Sinise, Founder of Operations Gratitude Carolyn Blashek and President Craig Nelson from the CASF Mission Presidency at Operation Gratitute.  
Gary Sinise is a long time advocate of America's service members.  His portrayal of Lt. Dan Taylor in the landmark film Forrest Gump formed an enduring connection with the servicemen and women throughout the military community.



Hermana Hadley's Familia with Hermana Carlson at her Homecoming last Sunday. 
She was the very best trainer for McKay! <3



Paula, Steve and Hermana Jaden Carlson!  
Love the special realtionship we have with this family!


While visiting Hermana Carlson's ward Sunday our son Logan noticed this Missionary Plaque in the foyer.  We really want to meet this missionary when he comes home! :)