Tuesday, January 16, 2018

"In Disguise...McKay? Who's That?"

Hello everyone!!! This week was filled with some pretty big and exciting adventures! We have been running around because we have a lot to get done before we leave to go home, and we are also getting ready for Jorge's baptism! This next week I will be able to attend the baptism of two little girls that I taught while I was in English work! They asked me to give the talk on the Holy Ghost at the baptism, and I am so excited! 

This week we were able to participate in something called the “Book of Mormon Experiment”. This is something new and our mission was asked by Church Headquarters in Salt Lake to be one of three missions asked to participate in this experiment.

The purpose of the experiment is to help other people learn more about the Book of Mormon and taking away the bias. Missionaries dress up in normal clothes, without our name tag and we go by our first names. We walk around in areas where there is a lot of people. We have clip boards with different pages of the Book of Mormon. As we walk around we ask people to participate in a social experiment. We have people read a page of religious text and mark every time it mentions God or Christ, and if there was anything that caught their attention. After reading it we tell them that it is the Book of Mormon.

It was so amazing to see each person’s reaction, and then they want to learn more. There is so much bias in the world about the Book of Mormon, and it was amazing to see all of that taken away, and see the Book of Mormon touch lives. It was strange for a few hours walking around in our street clothes and going by our first names! It was weird and so funny when members of our ward would be walking by or drive by and do a double, or triple take because they knew it was us, but they were really confused on why we were in pants. 

Now, I want to share with you my favorite part of this last week! We were able to go to the LA Temple Visitors Center with Jorge and his family!!!! We went with them after church and did a tour. It was seriously one of my most favorite moments I have had on my mission.

We started at the Christus and talked about the Spirit we felt there. We moved into another room where we watched a video about baptism. After the video the missionary asked Kevin, Jorge's 13-year-old son, why he was excited for his Dad to get baptized, and he said that he was excited to have his Dad pass the sacrament with him. Then Kevin turned and smiled at his Mom and Dad then he started to cry, then we were all crying! The Sprit was so strong!

We watched a video about the family, and then ended by talking about the Sealing Room in the temple. At the end, they accepted a commitment to be sealed as a family on January 27th, 2019! I lost it and I was just a mess! They are very excited to work towards that goal and you bet your bottom dollar that I will be making a road trip back for their sealing! This was seriously one of the best moments of my life!! I feel so, so blessed!!!!

I love seeing all of these wonderful miracles each and every day! Now go find the miracles in your life!!! Love you all and have a wonderful week!!!!

Love,
Hermana Hadley




LA Temple Visitors Center with the Castaneda Family <3



The Castaneda Family, Hermana Hadley, Hermana Dunn
 and the sweet Sister Missionaries that gave us the tour! 



Hna. Dunn and I at the Book of Mormon Experiment with our clipboard! :)



Our group of missionaries in...Disguise! ;)



We were pulling out and a garbage truck decided to block us in....



Sister Hoopes and I went on exchanges this week! 
And we have Elder Nykamp in the background. :)



Time to start saying Goodbye :(
Last time I will see Elder Stoltz!



Saying Goodbye to Elder Ravira and Presdient Henrie Photo Bombed!!!
Too Funny!



Hna. Dunn and I got Boba!!!