Hola,

HEY!  How`s it going?  How did this week go by?  Mine was great.  First, I gotta tell you about the special conference we had with Elder Arnold.  Man, so we had to get up at 4 am and get ready.  Our leaders told us that if we were late, we were probably going to die right there in the chapel, so my comp and I left with plenty of time to spare and hopped on a bus.  Well, it turns out that the bus was going super, super slow for some reason and we were like, oh man, we`re going to die!  Haha, so we hopped of the bus and found the nearest taxi.  We hopped in and, just like the movies, yelled - !To the mormon church, and step on it!  HAHA!  Well, it wasn`t that dramatic, but that poor taxi driver was going as fast as he could.  Anyway, we got there right, and I mean, right on the mark.  So, before the main conference, all the district and zone leaders had a conference with Elder Arnold.  Man, he that has got to be the most intense meeting I`ve ever been in!  It wasn`t intense like military intense, but Elder Arnold just taught with such power and authority that it blew us away.  He told us he had been studying our mission for 8 months and he gave us very specific things we were going to change in our districts and zones.  He also had us read out loud our numbers for last transfer, one by one!  He`s super big on obedience, just like President Aryle.  He also referred a lot to his talk he had given in general conference, just one week earlier!  Something super interesting, he told us that he prepared for 7.5 years for that talk, making over 50 different versions.  It was so inspired!
So, after the leadership training, we had the conference with the rest of the elders and sisters in 4 zones. Also, sister and President Arnold both speak fluent spanish and portugese and sister Arnold talked to us about the reality of miracles.
Really, Elder Arnold is here to increase the number of families that get sealed in the temple for the eternities.  Man, his vision was so amazing.  It matched right on with my vision of my vision and even increased it to match his.  I now know, without a doubt, that I am here on my mission to help my converts, or future generations of my converts, be sealed in the temple.  What an awesome mission!
Elder Arnold also taught us how to do the baptismal challenge using the book of mormon the way he had seen an apostle do it.  It was way, way legit.  A really cool experience for me happened as we were leaving the leadership conference.  He was giving hugs to everyone as they left.  After giving me a hug, he grabbed my shoulders, looked me in the eyes (gulp...) and said, "Thanks for being so sensitive to the spirit."  I had made some comments, but I dunno, I don`t think they were like new doctrine or anything.  Anyway, it was pretty sweet.  As was the whole conference, it really opened my eyes.

Well, the pascual family is scheduled to get married on the 28th of this month, pray for em!  Satan`s trying to get involved a little, but we`re working as hard as we can to help them overcome their struggles.  We also found another family this week: Arturo, Loyola, Eugenia, and Emanual, as well as two other friends that live with them.  They were a reference from a member in another ward and they are progessing very well.  THey`ve agreed to be baptized!

We`re still going hard on the members.  We don`t see immediate results, but I know it will be the only way we can continue to jump start this work.  My companion is doing great, especially for coming to an area that was opened just one transfer before.  He`s learning spanish and has a HUGE testimony.  Man, I`m really privileged to be with him.  We`re going to see miracles together.

Well, I love you guys.  I hope you liked my long email (mom).  Haha have a great week.


Elder Hales