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

March 17, 2014

Espero que todos ustedes se acordo de vestir de verde!

This week has been pretty great! We don't have many people we are working with at the moment, but it has just opened us up for so much more finding time! We have been planning specifically our finding (a lot more so than before) and we have seen sooo many miracles! And just yesterday we received permission from the President to go finding in a new area outside of ours. It’s in the St Cloud area, but that ward doesn’t have any Spanish missionaries so we get to go find all those ready souls (:

Also we are teaching a man who took the lessons 1 year ago and was taught for quite a while. But he has a son who is serving a mission in NC and has only been out about 5 weeks. Well, he is definitely ready this time around. His son has been such a great example for him and I know has helped him be prepared to receive the gospel. We have only seen him twice but already he has been bringing up questions about things that wouldn’t matter until after he is baptized. I’m so happy for him though. His son has been sending him chapters in the BOM to read and then we go over them with him to help him really understand them. He is so sweet. I’m so excited for what his future in the Gospel holds! (:

Other than finding though, we haven’t done much this week. We've been spending a good amount of time working with our members as well. Missionary work is really starting to pick up in Kissimmee Ward. The members are really getting on board and we can see their excitement to share their testimonies, invite, and teach. This area is so perfect. I have a feeling I'll be here for at least one more transfer so that's great! 

I hope you all have a fantastic week and are doing all you can to help build the kingdom of Zion! 

I love you all (:

Hermana Halverson

This rain passed over Tara today.  She was going miniature golfing with her district.  I wonder how that went! Probably some new water hazards!

March 10, 3014 - Baptism of Carlos #2

Hello my Lovelies!

First of all, YES! Carlos #2 was baptized! And the coolest thing in the world happened. So his step dad, Lee, is a RC who is almost at his year mark but he doesn’t have the MP yet. So he got to baptize Carlos but wasn’t able to confirm him a member. He was... however... able to help be a part of setting Carlos apart as an Elder and receive the AP. But yesterday both Carlos' received the AP and Carlos #2 got it first, so he got to be a part of Carlos #1 receiving it. IDK if that makes sense. But it was so cool! Also we sat in Elders Quorum for the first time in our lives to be able to be there for them so that was neat too ;)

But it was such a great week! Full of many milagros! We have been asked by the ward council to really work more with the members, so we have been able to get a lot more members out with us to our lessons which is so great! Seriously, the testimony of the members is really that slap in the face followed by a tender hug from the spirit. (My zone leader's words.) It’s so true though. President Hinckley was spot on by saying that every investigator/new member needs a friend in the church. 

We also were able to talk to sooo many people! Our miles have been constantly getting cut, which at first I thought this was kind of annoying, until I realized how huge of a blessing it was! We are literally out on our bikes every day now and it’s so great. There are just so many people we pass by without realizing it. Also we've been praying to be able to teach a family and we totally met one!! We have a return apt with them later this week! (:

Really, this week was so great. I feel like I've not worked this hard my whole mission. I love it. Also, dad, you're going to be very proud. Today we helped a friend of a member move into her home and she needed her table and kids beds built. Guess who got to do that?? Im like laying on the ground with mah lil screwdriver underneath the bed and I’m just like, if only my dad could see me right meow. Haha. 

But yes, this week was great. The cool thing about talking to more people means getting to bare your testimony more times a day. I've found that the more I share my testimony, the stronger it gets. It's so incredible.

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

Hermana Halverson 

Baptism of Carlos #2

March 3, 2014

This week, once again, went so fast!! Really not a whole lot has happened. Carlos still has his date set for this Thursday! But his sister, Ingrid, told us that as she was reading and praying, she received an answer that she needs to wait until she goes back to Columbia this weekend and get baptized with her husband. That was so perfect. Definitely an answer from the Lord. She keeps talking about how they are going to take the lessons together. But she also said that she knows this is what she needs to do so if her husband doesn't want to get baptized, she's still going to. I think it’s so great though. The biggest reason they were interested in the first place was because their mom and step-dad talked to them about eternal families. AND the best part is...we finalized the program last night and Carlos wants his step-dad to baptize him!! This is so cool because Brother Bradley is a recent convert of less than a year!!! HOW GREAT!! I just love it.

So we were able to finally see one of our potentials and he's like this famous Bachatan musician.. haha It’s the best. And he is now a new investigator!! But also, he was wearing this really sweet leather bracelet and it had a metal piece at the top and it was the head of some weird dog/dear/ram type of animal and when I complimented it he just took it off and gave it to me and told me it was a gift! Umm... It was the greatest present ever. Members give us things all the time, but this was like super special. It was so cool!

But we are doing so well with working more with our members. EVER MEMBER A MISSIONARY! It’s so incredibly true. Almost all of our investigators right now are member finds or member referrals! I love being able to work with everyone in our ward. We even are having less-actives feeding us which is so great to be able to go over and get to know them and commit them to come to church! 

But idk if I mentioned this earlier, but our ward is one that a Spanish branch has been dissolved into. This happened last March I think and it actually caused (or gave an excuse) for a lot of Latino members to go inactive. So yesterday was our first Sunday with a Spanish sacrament! We now have two sacraments and all the Latinos meet in the relief society room. They all seem to be so happy. There are definitely a lot of different opinions but you will never make everyone happy. I think it’s better this way. Our area is 60% Spanish people so I think this will really help getting more of our investigators to church.

Other than that, everything is great! I’m loving it here in FL. It’s started to get little warmer. Winter here lasts for about 2 months.. haha. But it’s great. Today is Hermana Fisi's birthday so we are meeting with the other sisters in our district and going out for Chic'filet and frozen yogurt! 

I love you all so much and hope you are all having a great week!!! (:

CON MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO AMOR!

Hermana Halverson

Zone conference 2-19-14 (Tara is fourth from left)