Hellooooo!

Well its been a full on week, the University ward I am in is a BUSY area, we teach a ton and contact on the campus all day long. My days have been packed, sometimes even taking up our dinner hour. I love every minute of it. Its an adjustment for sure to be teaching young single adults and not families, but I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. My new companion is Sister Barlow from Syracuse, UT, she's 20 and came out the transfer after I did. We get a long smashing and she is a way hard worker! We talked about our gifts of the spirit and how we teach, she is super faithful and bold, and I am gentle and loving haha so we balance one another nicely. I'm learning more about being bold with love and its increasing my confidence each time we teach! Last friday we taught 5 lessons and all of them we basically in the same area of the university, we would finish a lesson, pray say goodbye and then the next person showed up. Incredible!! 

Lubbock is DEFINITELY in the Bible belt, people here are so smart when it comes to the scriptures and its humbling to get to teach such great people. They ask more questions than I have ever thought of in my life- so its been stretching me, but also helping me gain more knowledge and a stronger testimony. I'm loving this area a lot, its so different, but great. Already I've discovered something about my purpose for why I'm here. Its to "be, rather than just seem."

Its easy to look like your doing the right thing, to look like you have a testimony, but if we don't become the very thing we believe (become like Christ...at least try) then we are merely going through the motions. This idea of being and not seeming came from a missionary meeting last week and its really stuck with me. I want to BE not seem, Do not just appear. How do we do this? We live the gospel, love others, keep commandments- not because we are told, but because we love God and it brings so much joy to our lives. IF we BECOME then we will serve others out of love and not to be praised, we will go out of our way to lift others burdens, out of genuine sympathy/empathy, not because its what we should do. Also, when temptations come you'll say no, not because " I can't" or "shouldn't but because we don't want to. Be dont just seem...Something to ponder.

Love you all the way from Texas!

Sister Hall

pics-goodbye NM

One of the fam's from my old area...hard to say goodbye!

Another favorite from Roswell <3