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! :)