Dec 18--Things are slowly getting better and better

This week was a pretty good week, things are slowly getting better and better. So ive been working on that whole patience thing, and continuing to be diligent as well. So yeah poco a poco ¿no? Things that have happened this week...Well ive just given up on trying to remember how to talk normally in english because my grammar just blows its terrible. I cant even think well in english and let alone talk in english on command, so this is gonna be fun returning home and trying to talk normally con people. But its also kinda fun because it means that im actually like fluent in spanish no? but yeah thats just been something fun that ive been dealing with. Another fn thing is that me and my companion are getting along pretty well, we actually never have fought which is a relief. 

Story one:

This week we had a zone conference which was actually really really good, and we got a lot of great news. The first good news is that we get to go to the movies and see a movie. Theres this new movie in the theater called COCO and it was made by some mormons and literally everybody just loves this movie. Its an animated movie and the Area President told us that we all need to see it because its really good and talks a lot about temple work--Like the whole movie is talking about how some dead guy can't get into Paradise or something until somebody comes and says his name, something like that so we are gonna go see that as a zone sometime this week. And then on top of that we got the news that when we reach 1 year in the mission we are allowed to go to the temple. Just once, but its better than one time your last day in the mission. So I expect to go to the temple sometime this week as well or in the weeks to come. So that was some pretty exciting news and we are all pretty pumped about all of this.

Then Hermana Palmer gave a pretty killer talk to us which was actually really, really good. She started off making us think of a world without forgiveness of our sins, of other people, without comfort, without the resurrección, peace. and a bunch of other stuff. Without the birth of Christ we wouldn't have any of this, and that's why its called the good news and all that good stuff--no?  Its because thanks to Him we have all of these things we have the all the blessings in the world. Entonces, We have  to go and bring this news to other people and without any fear because there's no need to have any of that at all. All and all it was really good. Then she said God came here to earth for me, personally for me, and also for you every single one of us. And He lived His life for every single one of us, and He suffered for every single one of us, and He knows exactly how we feel. 

Story two:

Well we are finally picking up the work here and getting a pretty full tank of people to teach. This week we contacted an old lady named Virginia, and she accepted us to come back the next day and when we came back she was actually there and with two of her daughters. So we started to teach and everything an they accepted to be baptized if they come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and it was great. and then one of the daughters asked if she will ever see her daughter again, because she had died when she had like 4 months. So anyways I said yes you won't just see her but you will live with her as well.  Then she asked but as sisters not mom and daughter. And I said no hermana your daughter will always be your daughter and you will always be her mom, so don't you worry. And then I left a chapter in the Book of Mormon for her to read and then we came back to give another lesson and we started off with a song. It was a Mormon Message about Family Can Be Together Forever, you know that primary song. And when we finished the song  man it was water works with the whole crowd, so we talked a little bit more about that and we were also talking to their kids as well and they were all crying and all wanted to watch it again and again. It was great because we could see the their testimony is slowly building and growing. And they are a family of 11 and just great people.

SO anyways I just learned this week that we need to be more personal with God, and we need to believe and know that He came for each and every one of us. So that means that He knows exactly how we feel and what we are going through. So we just need to pray to him and talk to our Father in Heaven, and then turn to the scriptures and read, and we will find comfort and we will find that God really is talking to us and helping us out along the way. That's all I got for this week so have a great week and love you all.

"church is true go be awesome."-anne bagley

Dec 11--This week was a pretty decent week

This week was a pretty decent week. Its been freezing cold and I'm figuratively dying of the cold. Its weird to think that its only like 70 and I'm having a bunch of cold and am wearing my winter sweater, and some running tights, and I'm still cold. But hey, what's a guy gonna do?  I had the wrong idea of mexico.

This week my companion and I worked our tails off like no other. And we had a bunch of success during the week, and then Sunday came around and ya--nada--we had nobody in church--they all left us plantados when we passed by to pick them up for church. So that was really fun. Yeah--I feel bad when that happens, but then I feel fine because I know that we did all that we could possibly do, and they didn't use their free agency.  We  can't do anything about that. 

A little sad story that happened this week--but a story that really has helped me and kinda affirmed some stuff. So anyways we went to go talk to a MA member that was baptized a few months back and she told us that she didn't want us to ever pass by and talk to her again. I asked her why and then let her rant and just let out all of her feelings. And the thing is I felt a love that I haven't felt that often and just saw her in the eyes of Heavenly Father and felt the Spirit really strong and started talking to her. I told her "No hermana, we aren't going to stop visiting you because we aren't wasting our time when we talk to you. If you don't wanna go to church that's your decision, but you still continue to be our sister because you're a daughter of God. And we are gonna pass by, and if you are busy or you can't talk well that's gonna suck, but I'm gonna write a short letter to you ever day and keep it in my pocket just in case we pass by your house.  When we pass by I'm gonna leave this note on your door.  It won't be long--maybe just a few lines, a scripture and my thoughts, what do you think about that?"  She told me that that sounds perfect. Then I told her "We aren't gonna leave you, just like God never will leave you hermana. And I hope you can feel the love God has for you, and I hope one day we will be able to help you more."  After that we went on our way.  I was just super sad--not sad for me--just super sad for her, that she's just throwing the covenant away that she made with the lord, and that He has been trying to help but can't get through to her. 

This experience actually helped me out a ton, cuz I've been feeling pretty down and out due to this pretty tough area but this helped me fell as if God is accepting my offering that I'm giving Him. And there's other forms to have success in the mission apart from baptizing people. I think success is found when you can actually feel the love for the people. and also when you are just talking and helping the people around you and just sharing the love of Christ with them. If a missionary baptizes 100 in his mission but none of these people felt an ounce of love, well I would consider that an unsuccessful missionary. But a missionary that baptized less than that but did it with all his love and actually helped the people feel the love of Christ--well that one heck of a missionary.

That's all I got for this week. 

Love you all have a great week, 

"Church is true go be awesome"-anne bagley

We are here to help you teach your friends

This week was a good week, but it was also a pretty rough one as well. 

What did I learn this week? I learned that we just need to have patience with everything, and not get worked up or anything. The Lord always has people prepared to receive the Restored Gospel, and we just need to look for the people and we will find them.

To the members: The responsibility of the missionaries is to help the ward be autosuficiente in the mission work. We are here to help you teach your friends, neighbors and other people. We are all called of God (every single one of us missionaries)--the missionaries that you think are perfect, and the ones that aren't so much. Since we are called of God, He has provided us with many gifts and help aids in these two years.  And all you guys have to do is trust in us. We know what we are doing, and if we don't ,then God will help us with the stuff we don't know.

Also the ward is responsible for reactivating and helping the new members stay active in the church, not the missionaries. It really isn't to hard too do it. You guys just need to do your visits, and fulfill with the calling that you were blessed with. The Lord will bless every single one of us if we are diligent in these things in both things temporal and physical. 

With that being said, it does help to have missionaries that want to work and help you guys fulfill all things. The missionaries (usually) love the wards they are in, and are willing to do anything to make the members happy in the area. I have been experiencing this a lot lately. 

The area that I am in is a pretty hard area, where the members don't really want to do anything--just attend church Sundays and nothing else. It gets me going sometimes, and pushes a lot of my buttons, but at the end of the day I would still do anything to help the members. And many days we have stopped what we were doing and hurried over to their house to help them out with whatever they need, such as painting, shoveling, helping with English, helping them look for their lost kids or runaways. It doesn't matter if its a Wednesday or a Pday, because we are here to help the ward 24/7--not just when its convenient. 

The Lord loves us all and the missionaries are just His hands in the work. We are all going to receive blessings, and we all need to be ready to receive them, and also worthy to get them. 

That's all I got for this week. 

Love you all and have a great week. 

"Church is true--go be awesome."-Anne Bagley

Just working hard..

This week was another pretty good week. Just working hard to try to train my companion, open this area, and a bunch of other stuff. Its pretty funny though because I'm literally doing everything--like every little thing. On top of that. I'm also teaching my comp how to speak English cuz Hna. Palmer has put more emphasis in the language study. 

I am also trying to balance a very prideful sister missionary that's in my district. 

On top of all of that I'm just having a good time not letting anything get to me. 

I had a pretty great interview with President Palmer on Saturday, and I really, really enjoyed it. We were just talking about the work and all of that good stuff, and he asked me about before the mission, and all of that.  I started to tell about how I was not liked before the mission.  I said that some people had told me some stuff before the mission that wasn't very nice and he said, "Man Elder that kinda blows. You should give me their emails and I could write a pretty great email to them." haha  I told that wont be needed. I'm happy with the stuff I'm doing here. It doesn't really matter what other's think. And then he said something that got me pretty hyped. We were talking and he said, "I love the missionary that you've become, and the way you work. You put a lot of Hall into the work and its great. I know God is proud with everything that you've done so far." 

That put me to thinking about my mission, and the missionary that I am. I'm definitely not your typical missionary. And to be honest I don't want to be that cereal box missionary--that's not what I was called to be. I was called to this mission for my personality, and that's how I'm gonna work, and that's who I'm gonna be. I have found that when I try to act like somebody that I'm not then I don't have success.  But when I just kick it back to the old school Tanner (but obedient, of course) I have a lot more success.  But I just try to make everybody I contact, teach, or anything smile and laugh. The work that we do as missionaries is suppose to be fun, and enjoyable and that's what i'm doing. However, its not like we go around just trying to be comics--no not just talking and trying to make the person you're talking to feel like and know that they are important to somebody. Lots of missionaries just get stuck in the routine and look at people as numbers not as children of God. That's a dangerous habit to get into, and hard to get out of. That's why I've been just trying to focus more on the people and not the numbers. I truly believe that every contact should feel like someone cares, and that God is actually there for them. If every missionary does that, then I believe a lot more people would join the Church, and get all the blessings of the Gospel.

That's all I got for this week. 

"Church is true--go be awesome." Anne Bagley

We should try not to judge other people...

This week was another pretty good week. It was a pretty unproductive week, and I just am ready to start another one. Its kinda stinky opening up another area, but I'm enjoying it.  I just gotta find my rhythm in this area. 

My companion seems pretty cool as well, and ready to work, which really, really is a relief.  He's a little weird, but there's nothing wrong with a little bit of weirdness, right?

Man this was really an uneventful week--so what to write about. 

Well, we got visited by somebody from the '70' this week for our zone conference, which was pretty fun.  Its kinda fun in this mission because we have such a high standard to reach that if we even fall short for a month (maybe two months) a General Authority comes in to have a talk with us and see what's happening. That's what happened this week.  We had a bad last two months, so he came in to talk to us, and figured out that the members were just  not working with us, and were just putting excuses and stuff like that. So he invited all the members to come to this Conference, and gave them a little lecture.  It was actually really, really funny. 

They were saying how they didn't ever have any time cuz they are always working (and just a bunch of stuff). So this generally authority said, 'Raise your hand if you have a smart phone'. Everybody. 'Now, who has social media?' Everybody. So he says, 'How many people do you have on social media?' We counted like 6000 people. And then he said,  'Who has their phone on them all the time?' And of course everybody. And then he goes, 'Well, let's do a activity with the missionaries. We are gonna go through your list of friends and we will find one of them and then we will send a message or scripture to them'. So five minutes later we finished and he asked how the members felt. And they said 'really good'. He then said, 'Very good. So I don't want to hear that you never have time to share your testimony or Church with people because you can every single day thanks to this.'

Then Sunday I heard a lot of stuff that kinda rubbed me the wrong way, so in the second hour they were talking about how we could help the ward get more people to church. I raised my hand and said, 'Well I think we should probably start with the gossip. Gossip kills wards and people's ability to feel God in their lives. And I'm not going to feel comfortable inviting people to church if when they show up all they are going to get is judged. We should know a lot better. We should know that we ourselves aren't perfect, and because we aren't perfect we shouldn't be judging anybody else. We all go to church cuz we are all sick and looking for help.  Nobody in the Church is so perfect that they should judge.' 

So one thing that I learned is that we should try not to judge other people. Nor should we try to justify their actions. It doesn't matter who has committed more sins in life, our who's committed the bigger sin, because its the one that judges that has the biggest sin of them all. That's one thing that I've learned as I have walked the streets of Mexico. Everybody has their own story, and we don't know it until we ask and get to know the people. 

So sorry for the short email.  This is just all I got for this week

"Church is true--go be awesome"-Anne Bagley

This week has been a pretty good week. (Nov 13th email)

This week has been a pretty good week. 

Got really, really, really annoyed with my companion to the point were I almost punched him in the face--but i didn't, so don't worry. He just kept correcting me on every single little thing. The most annoying was when I said, 'Oh, that car has a problem with one of their belts'.   And he said, 'There IS only one belt--and its not a belt'. And I said, 'No, there's more--and yes, its called a belt'.  He then went on about how he was right cuz his uncle worked as a mechanic for a little. So I just said, 'Yeah, let's just stop talking to each other cuz you're literally gonna try to correct me on every little thing, and its annoying me'. So I just stopped talking cuz I didn't wanna hear it from him. And then out of nowhere during the night he started saying that things like Bush did 9/11 and all that stuff. So I stopped in the street, grabbed him by the arm (like a nice, firm grip), and said, 'You need to shut your mouth. You're lucky I'm having a lot of patience cuz if it was any other kid I would of turned around and knocked your two front teeth out. So shut up and keep walking, and I don't wanna hear another word out of your mouth'. 

However I'm lucky and once again I was transferred today (as I was previously told I was going to be). I am training--so what is up little homies. 

Other than my companion, this week was a pretty dang good week. I knew that I was getting transferred and I knew that President was just putting me in this area to open it up and to just try and fill the teaching pool as quick as possible. So this week we went from only having  two investigators to having  more than 20, and a few complete families.  I just hope my ex-comp doesn't drop the ball on this one. And 6 investigators in church.

I did learn one thing--and it is that as missionaries we have the power to receive the most direct inspiration. Some people can get offended by that, cuz sometimes we need to be really direct with the people. The funnest thing was that yesterday we passed by a less active members house to talk to him about why he isn't going to church. So he starts to pretty much tell us well its just because this, this, and this--just excuses. So I told him that, 'Hey, you were the one who decided to be baptized. It was not the missionaries decision, and you know that it was a sacred promise with God. And God's waiting for you to do what you know you need to do. So I said some other direct stuff and then shared a prepared personal story with him. He got ticked and said missionaries are stupid like that, and they always are promising stuff that are really direct, and they need to be more careful with that cuz what if it doesn't happen. That's when I said, 'Yeah its scary when that happens, and when we promise really direct things.  But to be honest, we have the power and authority to.  So no, its not to scary--its actually really spiritual and special. And the people that doubt this power just don't have the faith that we were sent and called of God'. 

So he start calling me a liar and a bunch of terrible things. My comp was enjoying it cuz the guy was like worshipping my comp, but in the end i just said, 'Hermano, we love you and we want the best for you.  And yeah, I had to be a little direct, but you wouldn't have listened if I wasn't. But I say these things cuz its what God wants.  I do what God wants, not what I want.  And God wants to see you in the church renewing your covenants that YOU made'. 

That was just a testimony builder for me and my calling to be honest. I know that we missionaries are called of God and He is in every lesson, every contact, and every thought out here. That means when we say something, promise, warn, or anything else it is directly coming from God, not from dos chavos in a white shirt and tie.

I know this Church is true and its without doubt that I say that. 

"Church is true.  Go be awesome."-Anne Bagley

Huatusco

This week was another pretty good week here in Veracruz. However, I got transferred once again to another area- this makes it the third area in just this transfer, and my third companion as well. They actually sent me to an area that is literally in the middle of nowhere. Its un pueblito called Huatusco, and the closest "city" is a solid 1:30-2 hours away from us. We actually don't have to go to any district meetings because we are so far away. I freaking love that. However, President told me that I will only be here for like 1 more week, and then I'll be going back to my old area. Right now I'm actually opening an area for two weeks, and then I'll be returning and opening another area next week--this should be pretty fun. 

Elder Salazar and I kinda knew that we were going to be transferred due to our interview with President. He told me "va a ver Elder Hall"--which pretty much is slang for telling Elder Hall that he's about to be changed, or there's going to be a big change in my mission. 

He  told me and Elder Salazar that he can trust us with anything, and we are his two most trusted missionaries, and he has complete confidence in us. We need to know that he's gonna put us in hard situations to help strengthen the mission. So that next day we got word that we were going to be transferred, which sucked. 

But now i'm literally living in the middle of the mountains and its pretty awesome.  I'm tanning pretty dang well here so that's cool. This area is pretty weird and all backwards with everything. 

We are going to be working hard this week and I've got a pretty good plan to help this area in this last week that I'm here. Usually its the poor people that are the most receptive to the missionaries but not here--they hate us. As we say here, "son católicos con huesos colorados." However, the "rich" part of the community (I hear) actually accept us pretty well. The thing is they are all Italians, and they are a really, really tight nit group. So I have a pretty great plan of just going up to them and enter into their circle of friends. It shouldn't be too hard due to the fact that I look a lot like them (a little whiter, dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and tall). They also like accepting us into their houses to talk and they treat us just like family when we have their confidence. So I'm gonna try to take a different approach to this one. I'm gonna just try to gain their confidence, and just try to enter into the status of a true 'Italian'. I'm just hoping to get at least like one or two of them to church this week because, where one or two Italians go--they all go. And then we will slowly start working our way down to the other levels of the community. Since the Italians own literally all of the stores and restaurants here that should help us out a little bit. It seems that they get something they don't just keep it to themselves--they love to share what they have with literally every single person in the whole world. So yeah--we are gonna go that route this week and see how it turns out.  

Another pretty funny thing is that we have gained the confidence of the branch really quick. Just yesterday we had like every single person in the branch ask us for a blessing, and wanted us in their houses, and in the houses of all of their friends. And on top of all of that they put me and my companion in charge of the Primary Program next week. I'm pretty excited for that one. 

However, something I have realized is that time flies by when you are on your mission. It has now been a little over a year. Its been a year of a lot of things. A year of:

1.Bathing with a bucket of hot.

2.Flushing a toilet with that same bucket.

3.Speaking Spanish.

4.Doing stuff for others 24/7.

5.Washing my clothes in a bucket of water and soap.

6.Putting up on a clothes line.

7.Mexican Food

8.Racist comments and looks just because of my skin color.

9.Hate from every side.

The thing is I wouldn't have changed any of this for the world, or for any other experience. I've gained a lot over this past year, such as:

1. A testimony

2. A lot more patience.

3. Such a profound love that I didn't know existed.

4. I feel like God has faith in me just like I have in him.

5. Funny jokes and memories.

6. Great new friends from all over the world.

7. New families (that are Mexican)

8. A better character (don't get me wrong I have my same personality).

9. A different view on life.

10. Just more joy and light in my life.

Its a weird thing, but this year has probably been the happiest year that I have ever had, and its also been the poorest I've been all of my life. It makes me see that money really isn't a big factor in what makes somebody happy--its the things they are doing in their life. And its also about the people that you are around. I'm excited for these 11 months that I have left, and can't wait to see what they hold for me. There's going to be a ton of ups and downs, but that's life. We grow from those moments and can learn and grow from all of our experiences in life. 

That's what I got for this week. 

Love you all. 

"Church is true go be awesome."-Anne Bagley