April 28, 2014

Hello everyone!

This week has been pretty crazy. A lot has gone on! Some good and some not as good, but all are part of our Heavenly Fathers plan!

We had to push back Octavio Sr.'s date because he still hasn't been able to come to church. ): but we do, however, have a church tour planned for him and his son, Octavio Jr. tomorrow! I just know they are going to feel the spirit so strong there! I think that's really what Octavio Sr. has been lacking. A big spiritual experience that will make the Spirit he feels impossible to deny. We are hoping that he and his son will be able to both be ready to be baptized by May 17!

Also there is a family that was referred to us by the Portuguese St Cloud missionaries (outside of our ward boundaries) from a few weeks back. What happened was these elders taught this family, but the family got offended and didn't want them coming back. So then our Kissimmee South elders (in our ward) got permission to teach them because one of them was a Spanish missionary and we have a Spanish sacrament now. But then the Spanish elder in that companionship got transferred and so they were referred to us. We had tried a few times to set up appointments with them but it was almost impossible! Then sister Brooks and I stopped by their house on Tuesday, and after chasing down their dog for about 30 minutes, we were able to teach the mother a lesson! She absolutely loves us. Something about sister missionaries ;) but then we went back on Thursday and taught her and her daughters! What a blessing :) they all know the church is true and have been to church 4 times now and previously taught all the lessons. They just needed to feel a little more comfortable first I think...

But we did get a new investigator too! We taught her a lesson and when we invited her to be baptized she said no. Not even phased... I love when investigators say no, because immediately after, they will tell you all the reasons they won't get baptized. They literally lay out all their concerns in front of us, which really helps us out in knowing what to teach next. To you fellow missionaries out there never fear the baptismal invitation! Blessings come just by simply asking the questions :)

Oh, an nbd, but I'll be 21 next Monday (:

Thank you so much (:

Sister Halverson

April 21, 2014

Hello everyone!

This week has been pretty great! Seriously being a missionary is so much fun (:

Not much to report. We have been working with a lot of our members though which has seriously been such a blessing. Members are the best! We were also able to mow our member’s lawn! Haha, you would never guess two little girls could mow so much grass! But we were able to teach quite a few lessons and still contact a ton of people. My tan lines are really coming in ;) Easter was pretty great though. We didn't do anything too exciting. We did, however, get a lot of candy. Not something that we need right now.

But yes, everything is going good! Although, I advise you all to never get your hair done at a Puerto Rican salon. Both Sister Brooks and I have some major damage control. Haha, so yes.

But I hope you all had a great Easter! (: Keep sharing your testimonies!

Hermana Halverson

April 14, 2014 - New Companion

Oh my I love missionary life. I have the best new companion in the whole world and she is basically my other half. She completes me. God gave me her for the ups and downs. We've only been companions since Tuesday but I already know this will be my favorite transfer from my mission. We were both at BYU-I together and had a few mutual friends but never actually met. Heavenly Father saved her for my mission to be my saving grace. I just love her. Her name is Sister Brooks and she's from Las Vegas. We have been talking about how we need to tell our Mission President in our weekly emails that we hate each other so he will keep us together for two transfers. The best part about this transfer is in just our short time together we have been able to mend anything and everything that has gone wrong in the last 12 weeks. It's just so perfect. She was actually in the MTC the same time as Sister Fisi but her first two companions were the only two native Hermanas and her last companion has been out for about 9 months so her Spanish is killer. We have been speaking so much of it and I've already been able to see improvements. Like she's white and blonde with blue eyes but she's really actually probably Columbian. We haven't known each other long enough to have her open up about her heritage. If you read about Columbian refugees from Las Vegas, send me the link.

But for reals, this week has been perfect. We were able to meet with all of our major investigators, as well as a few less actives we've been trying to work with. Also because we are both tiny little white girls who make jokes in Spanish, all these Latinos want to shove our faces with food and it's the greatest blessing ever. Soy Hermana Halverson, soy una gorda, y soy Mormon. We have, however, been riding our bikes like 4-10 miles every day so that definitely makes up for all of our dinners, second dinners, and suppers. And I'd like to share that I finally have the best missionary tan lines ever.

I think the biggest miracle we had this week was on Wednesday. I had this day all planned out from earlier with like 3 backups for each lesson and literally EVERYTHING fell through. We were in this area near our house but it was only 7:00 and we had absolutely nothing to do. It's hard to go contacting during this time because the sun is almost down and it's not a good area to be walking around at night. So I was racking my brain for people in the area and the only person who I knew where they lived was an old former. He actually is Octavio Sr's son, Octavio Jr., and he was taught for 2 years and had multiple baptismal dates and kept talking all about he was just searching for a religion. Well, he hasn't been taught for about a year and a half and literally I knocked on his door at least once a week since I've been here. There were always cars in front of the house and we knew people were home but no one would ever answer the door. So we pulled up in front of the house and said a prayer and I was just begging The Lord for an opportunity to finally talk to this man and to give us courage that we could be bold with him because he's a former. So we walk up the door and we hear the sound of a lawn mower and - knowing the Lord works in mysterious way - we waltzed into his back yard and ended up mowing his lawn for him! Haha, it was the best!  But we were able to really talk to him and he says he is still searching for a church and so we got his phone number and set up an appointment with him! 

Seriously, every day we saw milagros as incredible as this one. I could share for days all about how great this week has been! I’m so excited for this transfer and all the success that Kissimmee is going to see (:

Also, on Friday we had a women's conference for all the Sisters in our mission. It was so incredibly helpful. We learned a ton of ways to make super easy and cheap food, as well as ways to easily do our hair/makeup in the summer, and also how to wash our clothes? Haha, idk. But it was helpful. The best part was though, there was this missionary mall with clothes and accessories and toiletries and basically everything a person needs and all of it was donated by members. So we each were given a bag and told to fill it with anything. So... Yes. We got a ton of free stuff. It was the best! The only thing better than stuff, is free stuff. And the only thing better than free stuff, is the gospel. (:

But I love you all!! I’m sorry this week’s letter was so long!  I'll keep you in my prayers and hope you have the best week ever (:

Love, 

Hermana Halverson (:

April 7, 2014 - Transfers, New Investigators, and a Sloth!

Training is over, and I'm starting the next chapter of this mission. Hermana Fisi is leaving. ): So I will get a new companion. It’s such a bitter sweet moment. Hermana was like the best. She will be training again next transfer, so that means I'll have a new baby sister!! But I will be staying in Kissimmee/St Cloud for another 6 weeks! Which is perfect. Before we got the call, I knew I wasn’t ready to leave. I'm not done with this area yet. There is still so much that the Lord needs me to do here! 

But this past week has been so incredible! The English Elders gave us a referral and we went to go visit this family on Thursday. So there is a grandmother, named Maria, her daughter Paola, and Paola has 2 kids. Her daughter is 11 (and totally interested) and her son is 16. Her son has severe disabilities though. When we went to visit them, right off the bat, Paola had a lot of questions about baptism and about how her son will be baptized. We were able to read with her part of Moroni 8, explaining how baptism is a saving ordinance and one needs to know the difference between good and bad in order to need to be baptized. We explained to her that in the eyes of our Father, her son is innocent, like a child, and therefore doesn’t need to be baptized. We were able to talk about Resurrection as well and share with her that her son will be in his perfect form after this life, without any form of disabilities. She was so happy when we shared with her the privilege she has to be the mother of such a perfect spirit (: They really are so perfect. And this family is so ready! We saw them again on Saturday and set up a baptism date for April 26th (: AND all three of the girls came to the evening session of conference last week! When they met other members of the ward they told them all that they would see them again next Sunday at church!! One of the pictures I've added is with that family (:

ALSO. Yes. General Conference was so perfect. I could go on and on for hours. I got so much out of every single talk!! It’s just like dad said, its different to listen when you are living the law of consecration 100%. The best part was in the very last session, they talked a lot about ALL the things we talked to Paola and Maria about the night before. Like the Lord was totally on their side for that one.. (:

Lastly... No one will quite understand my excitement, besides my family… but we went to Wild Florida last Monday.. AND. I SAW A SLOTH!! OH MY GOSH!!! It was like, foreshadowing my miracle filled week. I got to start it out with a sloth. As I walked away from the cage, I told him I would come back for him. So there you go. I’m getting a sloth. 

So yes, this week was perfect in so many ways. We saw so many miracles! Heavenly Father is truly blessing us. He wants more than anything for all of his children to return to him and I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to help them find their way home. We are all riding a bike, but so many people don’t know where they're headed or even where their coming from. Some don’t have the proper tires or steering. But this Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us all that chance to know exactly where we left from, exactly where we are headed, and exactly the right tools to get us there. There is no plan near as perfect as His. 

Hermana Halverson

 Tara and her sloth!

Maria and Paolo, new investigators

March 31, 2014

Hello my loves. (:

SOOO this week has been just perfect. Unfortunately we've had to drop a lot of our investigators. Except Octavio.. who... drum roll... HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE! May 3 (: I’m so excited for him! He is the best. He totally knows this gospel is true. He just is still a little shy about admitting it ;) 

Also we had a huge nasty awesome rainstorm on Saturday that we named Hurricane Leslie (hermana's first name) and it lasted like 4 hours and just thundered and lighteninged all day. BUT it was able to go away just in time for us to go to the Stake Center and watch the Relief Society broadcast. Man. I have never felt so privileged to be a daughter of God as I do right now. (:

And a HUGE miracle. We found a less active family!! It was so crazy too. In ward council yesterday we were given their records and we stopped by after church. They are amazing. They said they were baptized about 4 years ago and a family who is still in our ward are like their best friends and were the ones who fellowshipped them into the church! We talked to the mom and she said that she has been trying to find a way to get back to church (it’s been about a year since they last went) but she hasn't had that push. But her mother is a member and lives in PR and right before we knocked on her door, her mom sent her a text with her testimony. Okay. The Savior really just has amazing timing (: 

But, my big news... TOMORROW: English classes at the church at 7pm. We will be doing these classes every week. It’s done by a program from the church specifically meant for missionaries, so that’s way cool!

And I’m so sorry my letter is so short today... We have super limited time because we are going to Wild Florida!! I really actually don’t know what it is. I think it’s like a zoo. But our stake president's family owns it so missionaries get to go whenever (:

Have a great week!!

Hermana Halverson

 Last District meeting before transfers

March 27, 2014 - Surprise text!

Note from Tara's mom:  


Today, I received this wonderful and surprising text from a sweet lady who is down in Kissimmee.  She also tried calling me, but unfortunately, I didn't have my phone on me at the time.  Things like these totally make my day! So glad Tara is embracing the full meaning of being a servant for the Lord!

March 24, 2014

So I have really no time to write this week but I just wanted to share an awesome miracle I had on Saturday!

Recently I have been feeling like my Spanish has come to almost a halt. I just haven't been progressing the way I've wanted to. Hermana and I are speaking a TON more Spanish and even doing our PMG activities in only Spanish now. Also, we are trying to finish all my training from 100% Spanish so we have to translate the book pretty much. But it’s been a big help. Also, transfers are in 2 weeks and I've been super nervous about getting a new companion and being the only one who knows my area, so I’ve been praying for a lot of help and guidance.

So yes, Saturday. We were on exchanges and I was with Sister Collins again, but this time she came here and I was getting really nervous. Also because all our lessons that day were with people who don't know any English at all. So while Sister Collins and I were out seeing potentials we taught a lesson on the spot and it was so crazy. I was translating in both directions so the women could understand Sister Collins and so she could understand them as well. Right when we were invited in I asked the Lord to really help me out because I knew I wouldn't be able to do this one on my own. Well, we have 2 new investigators now so I think it went pretty well ;) What a blessing though. I know the Lord will help us out, but all we need to do is humble ourselves and let him know that we really do need his help; we just have to do our part.

I also am getting really into this whole "hastening of the work" thing. Elder Perry was in a conference with the leaders over our area and basically set our new standard of excellence, which is awesome that an apostle of the Lord is sitting here and telling us exactly what our potential is as missionaries in this area. He also told a story of a dream he had where he was standing in front of the temple and Joseph Smith Sr. was almost running inside and Elder Perry wasn't able to talk to him. Then Joseph Smith Jr. came by did the same thing. Elder Perry talked about his confusion and then he saw Joseph Smith Jr. walking back out of the temple really fast and Elder Perry finally was like, "What are you in such a hurry for?" and Joseph said, "Every dispensation has had enough time to do all the things that needed to be done. Ours is the only one that doesn't have the time."

That's why our prophet and apostles are really pushing missionary work. With the lowering of the age, emphasis on every member a missionary, and senior couples as well. We are all missionaries. We are all doing the same work. And our loved ones who have passed are just as busy as we are. Both sides of the veil are being rushed to make sure all of our brothers and sisters can return back to our loving Heavenly Father. We are being told we don't have enough time, but I know we can make a difference and do all we can to help. We are kind of cramming for our final exam, but personally, that's when I get the best grades ;) You can all do it!

I hope you all have a great week and my love is with you! (:

Hermana Halverson

P.S. Speaking of last Monday's P-day:  And YES it POOUURREEEDDD on us! We play all 36 holes in the pouring rain and then went to Denny’s after. Haha, it was awful. We actually could wring out our clothes afterwards. But it was warm and we all paid for it so we stuck it out ;) Also, out of 3 companionships in the first round, (us, 2 sisters, 2 elders) I got first place! Then us sisters played with the other 2 sets of elders and I got third. So like I’m really good at putt putt. haha

Me trying to weekly plan while Hermana was taking pictures

After our rainstorm golf tourney

  The ship from the golf course