Update from Africa~ "Working with the YSA"

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was another solid week but the zone number dwindled from 6 to 5. Elder Chisale, one of our missionaries serving in Makindye had to leave on Friday to go to Ethiopia to cancel his work permit. Usually, that's a multi week process so he will be staying there until next transfer. Until then, Elder Randall will be working with Elder Chifamba and I in Nsambya in a 3-some. Haha our entire zone lives in one apartment, it's kind of a bizarre experience but we're having a blast. Elder Chifamba has a game called Ticket To Ride that he inherited from one of his former companions and we are all obsessed to the point where we play every night. If you are looking for a new FHE activity, or a new game to add to the closet, that game has my recommendation. When we find it when I get home, I know many nights will be spent playing it in the Hazen home.

We had Zone Conference this week and it was a great meeting. With so few missionaries, our trainings turned more into group discussions which I prefer to listening to someone speak for 20-30 minutes. One part of the meeting was particular interesting to me. With the next schedule changes, the Brethren had some trainings with the Mission Presidents and one topic of discussion was over YSA's. Usually in the past in our mission, we have tried to place more of an emphasis to teaching and baptizing families. There used to be an attitude where we would try and eliminate teaching YSA's as much as possible. However, the Brethren talked about how important teaching YSA's is because they are the ones who make up the strongest building blocks for the foundation of the church in the long term because they are the ones who go on mission, then marry in the temple, then build multi generational member families. 

Sister Collings showed a video clip of a General Authority meeting before conference in the conference center where the Quorum of the 12 spoke to everyone. Elder Andersen was speaking and made everyone who was baptized between the ages 15-25 stand up. I kid you not, about 65 percent of the people in the meeting stood. These are General Authorities. It got me unbelievably excited because our branch is mostly YSA's and they all are excited about missionary work. Sorry for the short email!

I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Help Thou Mine Unbelief"

Dear Family and Friends,

I'd like to start off my quoting a poem by Meade McGuire...it goes as follows:

“Father, where shall I work today?”

And my love flowed warm and free.

Then he pointed out a tiny spot

And said, “Tend that for me.”

I answered quickly, “Oh no, not that!

Why, no one would ever see,

No matter how well my work was done.

Not that little place for me.”

And the word he spoke, it was not stern; …

“Art thou working for them or for me?

Nazareth was a little place,

And so was Galilee.

This week, Elder Grant and I were jacked up on a spiritual high after participating in Mission Leader Conference on Wednesday, and the Zone Conference with Elder Hamilton on Saturday. However, before then, we needed to do a bit of repenting. Going into the beginning of the week, Elder Grant and I were feeling pretty good about ourselves and about the success we've been having. We may have even crossed the line to being a bit prideful. On Tuesday, in the afternoon, maybe out of a spiritual prompting, we received a random call from one of the AP's, Elder Manquele. On the phone, he asked me to take a guess on how many new investigators we were finding on average a week. In the Uganda Kampala Mission, the standard of excellence for this key indicator is 7, and Elder Grant and I were falling a bit short of that the previous weeks. Elder Manquele asked if we could align our average with the mission standard of excellence and I accepted. To be honest, I don't know why he called, but after I hung up and told Elder Grant, we were both feeling a bit frustrated and dejected. Our thought process was something along the lines of, "Don't they understand what we're doing here? We're doing a great job. Why don't our leaders recognize that?" 

The next day at Mission Leader Conference, the biggest thing I took away from the meeting was that we need to sustain our leaders and the Priesthood keys they have. President Collings talked so much about that and about how we as leaders need to convey the messages we receive from President exactly, "nothing varying" He and the AP's also talked about the importance of constant finding so we as a mission are able to accomplish the goal for baptisms we set together.

We have 495 baptisms for the rest of the year. 495 baptisms in one month. 

However, as President and the Assistants spoke with boldness and confidence, I understood that their words were inspired from God. I understood why they called Elder Grant and I and invited us to repent and improve. I was astonished at their words, and I felt a desire to help the missionaries of our zone catch that same fire. 

Later in the week, Elder Hamilton visited Rwanda Saturday Morning to begin his mission tour. Before the main conference, he pulled all the leaders into a room together and we had a discussion for 45 minutes. The main theme of this discussion was to talk about how leadership in the church is different from leadership in the world and discussed principles of leadership in D&C 121. He talked about how we are no better than anyone else and how leadership in the church isn't a hierarchy. I think because we are young and imperfect, we as missionaries get caught in the trap of aspiring for leadership or recognition. As I was reading from the beginning of the Book of Mosiah, I read about how we are all the same in God's eyes and about how meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Yet, I'm thankful for a God who, even though we are meaningless, is mindful of the one and puts him or her in exactly the right situations that are crucial to their ultimate progression to become like our Father in Heaven. There is one final quote that I loved from Elder Hamilton. He said, "Heavenly Father doesn't have some A-Team waiting in the wings to carry on or finish our work. We aren't the JV team. We are all he has and he's going to work with us to bring about many mighty miracles" I'm extremely humbled at that opportunity.

BTW, Ask me if I was asked to drive Elder and Sister Hamilton to the airport.  Yep, coolest thing ever!

I love you all,
Elder Hazen

Thanksgiving

Car Trouble

Weekly Update~ "Gratitude and Tender Mercies"

Dear family and friends, 

I can honestly say that this was the most spiritually uplifting week that I've had on my mission thus far. I sit here in awe and filled with gratitude for the tender mercies that I've experience this week. One thing that Elder Grant and I have been doing since we've become companions is list the tender mercies we saw from the Lord's hand throughout the day. It is something that we are going to begin to apply with the zone when we take reports from now on.

RJ and His New Companion Elder Grant

Late last week, during companionship study, Elder Grant showed me a talk titled "being purified" (I've enclosed a picture of it).  It basically talks about how a missionary receives counsel from his priesthood leader to take a day entering into an attitude of prayer and fasting, make a list of things that keep the Spirit from being a constant companion throughout the day, then begin a 40 day fast from these things. He counsels the missionary to plead the Lord each morning for strength to resist temptation, and each night, account to the Lord how well you did, and if you did something on the list, figure out why, promise to do better, then ask for more strength the next day. The purpose of the "Purification Fast" is to change our basic desires to align our will to the Lord's, to help our Spirit flourish, and to prepare a place for the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion. Elder Grant and I began our fast on Tuesday and I came up with a pretty lengthy list that continues to grow. Since we've begun, my prayers have become more earnest, heartfelt, and sincere. I've seen some of the blessings already. My thoughts have become more filtered and focused on others, my love for those whom I serve with has increased, I feel happier, the Spirit has guided us to prepared individuals, and the Spirit has assisted more in our lessons. Let me share a few of these experiences:

-On Friday, we had Zone Conference, which was an extremely powerful meeting no doubt attributed to the preparation of the Elders and Sisters. After, Elder Grant went with the K1 Elders to conduct a baptism interview while Elder Majawa and I taught a lesson way out in Narnia. 

After, Elder Grant and I went to teach lessons to two families. The first lesson was with a media referral who found the church online that we had taught twice before. We were planning on teaching the Plan of Salvation When we reached his home, we found his brother there as well because Jean Pierre invited him over to listen to us. The brother's name was Ephraim. We began teaching the Plan of Salvation as planned, hoping the things we were teaching would make sense to Ephraim as well. Mid-way through the lesson, everyone was understanding well aside from the occasional question from Ephraim. However, before we could continue, Elder Grant and I received a prompting to pause the current lesson and share a brief Restoration lesson. This prompted many questions from Ephraim, especially about baptism. He questioned the need to be baptized again, like most people do, but Elder Grant and I bore testimony on aligning our will with God's and doing things his way. Everyone in the room was listening intently and was visibly feeling the Spirit. Even Ephraim, determined to hold his position, couldn't stifle a smile. The Spirit confirmed that our words were true, even like it says in the Book of Mormon about Nephi teaching, "They could not disbelieve our words".

Zone Conference

 -The following lesson, we read the Book of Mormon with Edith and her son, Allen. As we discussed with them, the same Spirit entered the room as we committed them to pray about their baptism date on the 16th of October for confirmation. 

-This week, my love for the members' help in this work has increased. Elder Grant and I have been focused on using members capable of fellow shipping our investigators. I can think of 3 specific experiences where certain lessons would not have gone nearly as well without a member present. Joseph Omba was able to communicate with one of our potential investigators to find where he stays, jumping out of the car periodically to ask pedestrians on the road if we were heading in the right direction. Eric Habimana was able to translate a great lesson with his sister and brother in law. Heritier was able to offer a few powerful testimonies. President Collings has sent more missionaries here in Rwanda this transfer for the sole purpose of getting members more involved with missionary work. He promises to send more missionaries here and if they continue to step up like they have thus far.  President predicts that a stake will be established in Rwanda within the next 3 years which gives me chills.

I'm becoming a better missionary personally than ever before. However, I know that I am nothing, and as Ammon, I boast in the strength of my God who gives me power every time I plead with him that my tongue will be loosed that I will be able to bring just one soul to the knowledge of this Gospel.

I love you all

Elder Hazen

RJ finally got his hump day package, all Packagesgoto Uganda and
you have to wait till someone goes to Rwanda to get them!

RJ's Favorite Item from the box- Chocolate WonderBall

Other Favorite- Kipper Snacks!

Weekly Update~ "The Spirit Teaches, Not Myself"

Dear Family and Friends, 

   Elder Mumba and I had a wonderful week although it was bittersweet because it was the last time I'll be seeing Elder Ruell for a year. We were able to go on exchanges with him over the weekend while he was in town for Zone Conference. I'm bummed there's gonna be one less Giants fan to talk ball with. We had a few experiences that happened throughout the week that I'd like to share and then I'll talk a little about what I learned at zone conference.

Giant Fans-Elder Hazen and Elder Ruell

   On Tuesday, we met Christina, one of our investigators we have been teaching for about 2 weeks now. She is from Ghana and had contact with the church when she lived there but never met with the missionaries. We had planned to share with her the Plan of Salvation, but when we began following up with her on her Book of Mormon, we decided to take the lesson another path because she had not read the reading assignment and had not prayed to know if the Restoration was true. We bore testimony about the truth of the Book, then Elder Mumba out of the blue asked, "what matters most to you?" She got quiet and began to think. After a few moments of silence, she shared an experience from a few years ago when a voice in her mind asked her the same question while she was in church singing in the choir. She described it as an out of body experience, things proceeding to move all around her, but she felt like she was stopped in time. She answered the question in her mind and told the voice that her son was the most important thing in her life to her. The voice then answered, "would you still worship the same if he was taken away from you?" She said it was difficult to answer, but she told the voice that she would. She proceeded to tell us that she lost her son that next year and it was the most difficult thing she has ever gone through. She told us she still believes in God, but wonders if he truly does love her and the rest of her children. Elder Mumba and I took turns bearing testimony that she will indeed see her son again and that it is possible through this Restored Gospel and the Priesthood. We left the lesson feeling grateful we had heeded a prompting from the Spirit because we know that the success of that lesson wasn't possible without it. 

   Friday was a bit of a roller-coaster for me. In the afternoon, because we didn't have many confirmed appointments, we spent a majority of the day tracting. About a half hour into our finding, we were invited to teach a young family that was a huge blessing. The Spirit was so strong and we were able to include one of the daughters in the lesson because she has been to the church before with one of her friends. Her mother committed to come to church and be baptized along with the daughter. That evening, we had a lesson with a guy called Jean-Claude who we met a week previous while we were street contacting. We got to his home at around 7 and he invited his friend, Shemma, to join us. Jean-Claude is a member of a local pentecostal church, and Shemma is Agnostic. Both studied in foreign countries and both were bright guys. We went through the Restoration with them and they kept asking difficult questions that I had a hard time answering, so I relied heavily on Elder Mumba. At the end of the lesson, they kept bombarding us with questions and quoting things from the Bible I was unfamiliar with. I can't really explain what happened in the lesson other than the fact that I figure the Lord was trying to humble me and bring me back down to sackcloths and ashes because I have never felt so stupid or inadequate in a lesson on my mission than I did that evening. I learned a valuable lesson that it's the Spirit that teaches, not myself. I think lately I might have been relying a bit too much on the flesh of the arm and not enough on the Lord and I felt how lonely it is when I'm left to fend for myself and teach these people. Elder Mumba has been a wonderful example to me since I've been with him as someone who knows how to rely upon the Lord. His prayers are always heartfelt, he always puts in 100% effort to his studies, and many other things. I'm not saying that I'm not doing these things, but there is always room to improve and I think the Lord recognized I may have been getting a bit complacent instead of having steady progress. I'm grateful the Lord chastizes his servants to make them better.

   At Zone Conference, I was finally able to meet President and Sister Collings and I was satisfied with the Spirit I felt in the meeting. They had us prepare by reading a few scriptures in the Book of Mormon and Bible including the entire gospel of John. The focus of the meeting was how to rely upon the Spirit and how to use the Book of Mormon and other scriptures more effectively in our teaching. The AP's gave a training and Elder Robinson mentioned something I really enjoyed. He referred to the story of Abinadi and shared that it wasn't until after he referred to the scriptures and the commandments and the words of Isaiah that King Noah and his priests began to listen. Abinadi was a smart guy and understood the Gospel, but the scriptures bring a special spirit into lessons. When you think about it, Alma became converted, converted thousands of others, Alma the younger was taught the things of his father and taught countless others as well, and so did the sons of Mosiah. When it comes down to it, an entire nation was changed all because Abinadi used his scriptures. Absolutely powerful. I'll share some other thoughts next week. 

Zone Conference with Pres. Collings

Also, Ignatius was baptized!!  It was seriously so nice.  I feel like my purpose in Rwanda was to find him and I know my purpose here has been accomplished;) I was able to perform the ordinance and I got emotional during the prayer. After he came back out of the water I just gave him a big ol hug!

Elder Hazen and Ignatius

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Delighting in Plainness"

Mother's Day Skype

RJ and His Companion Elder Nambale

Wishing They Could Tract This Way!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a great last week with Elder Nambale. We put in some
good hard work as we were counting down the days to call home our
wonderful Mothers. Today we had transfers and we found out that Elder
Brogan and I are swapping companions- Elder Nambale is moving to be
with him to be the second Zone Leader, and that I would be the new
District Leader to replace him, and Elder Mumba would be moving to be
with me.

This week, after feeling like my teaching skills were getting a little
rusty. I really put focus on studying the lessons in Preach My Gospel
throughout the week during my study time. Along with this, during Zone 
District Meeting this week, Elder Brogan told us that we need to place a 
greater focus in preparing lessons for our appointments throughout the day
during our companionship study, so we would be able to come into the lesson
prepared and ready to teach with the Spirit. He talked about how you
grow older on mission and become more familiar with how the lessons
are arranged, sometimes we move away from this step of making our
lesson plans apply to the investigator we are teaching. After this
refresher, Elder Nambale and I made a goal to apply our lesson plans
to each investigator. We would teach throughout the day and write down
the commitments we were going to extend. As we did this, we were able
to teach with greater power and authority and fulfill all our plans we
had made during our weekly planning the week previous. It was a little
change in our routine, and though it took a few extra minutes of our
study time, it made all the difference. Throughout the week, we taught
a few of our investigators who we were on the fence about dropping
them and because we took the time to plan these lessons, they proved
to be very successful lessons and we were able to answer many of the
questions these people were having. I testify that as you take the few
extra minutes to plan and teach with simplicity, it makes a big
difference and I'm grateful we were able to see that this week.

I also wanted to give an update on a young couple we are teaching
right now. Their names are Bosco and Joanne and they have been dating
for about a year. About 3 weeks ago, they came to church together on
their own after our Branch Clerk invited them. Elder Nambale and I
have been teaching them ever since. They are planning on getting
married in December. We were able to teach them twice this week and
it's made me so happy seeing how well they've grasped onto the Gospel.
They both feel like their prayers have been answered concerning the
truthfulness of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ and they are both
progressing so well. Seeing them making the Gospel a priority in their
life reminds me of how when I get home, I want to set my priorities in
the same order with my eternal companion and my future family. I know
the blessings this Gospel brings and I want nothing short of them.

This transfer, I've learned so much about how obedience brings
blessings and allows you to have the Spirit as your constant
companion. There is nothing more important than having the Spirit with
you, especially as you teach. Obedience and having the Spirit are
directly related. When I got here, I realized I needed to fine tune a
few small things and it has helped so much. I'm grateful for my
district I've been able to learn so much from and am looking forward
to the lessons to be learned in the future.

In conclusion, I'd just like to express my gratitude to my wonderful
family and more especially my mother. I love my family so much and am
grateful I was able to FaceTime them yesterday. I know that there is
no greater calling than Motherhood and am eternally grateful for the
example my mother is to me and I love her so so much.

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Thrust In Your Sickle WHILE the Day Lasts"

Dear Family and Friends,

   The work in the Kigali 1st Branch is definitely picking up. Elder Namable and I find ourselves running from appointment to appointment in attempt to keep time and meet with all the families we have lessons planned with. We come every evening extremely tired but, I wouldn't have it any other way. This week, President Chatfield and the AP's were in town for the Rwanda Zone Conference as well as exchanges.

Elder Afrifa, Ruell and Wilson with Elder Hazen

   On Wednesday morning, Elder Afrifa, Elder Ruell, and Elder Wilson got into town in time for DDM. After enjoying a nice lunch at one of my new favorite buffets, Elder Afrifa went on exchanges with Elder Nambale and I.  Every time I've been on exchanges with Zone Leaders or AP's, we've always had bad luck with getting bounced by our investigators we had planned to teach for the day, but this time we were able to meet every person we had planned! It was a great experience because I was able to ask a lot of questions that had been on my mind concerning investigators and getting them to come to church.  I was also able to learn from the way Elder Afrifa taught. It was a joy being around him because he has a contagious laugh and smile and loves the work so much. 

   On Thursday morning, we had Zone Conference. Even though I think I say it every time, this was probably my favorite of my mission. Everything I learned was exactly what I needed at this point in time. I'm grateful for the inspiration President receives on behalf of the missionaries in each of the respective areas they work in. Elder Ruell was telling me that he has been to 7 different conferences this transfer and President has had different counsel for each zone. Sister Chatfield began the conference by talking about tender mercies and how big of a role they play especially in missionary work. My whole mission I've always tried to be mindful of tender mercies no matter how big or small. I consider every opportunity I have to share a bit of this Gospel and bear testimony as a tender mercy. If I've learned one thing on my mission, it's that we need to plant as many seeds in the hearts of people as possible, even though we may not be the ones reaping the harvest. President then gave his opening remarks and told us a story about when he was in college and was rushing to finish school and made an agreement with his professors to give him pass fail tests so, he could graduate in as little time as possible. He told us about an English paper he delayed to write until about a week before the deadline. In a time of desperate measures, he asked his older sister to give him one of her papers from her time in college, having graduated with an English major. She gave him her BEST paper she had written throughout her college career, one that she turned in as her final college thesis. It received an A+ and her professor told her it was the best paper he had ever read. After making a few adjustments, President took it and turned it in to his professor. When he received the  paper, his professor told him it was the WORST paper she had ever read and that she was giving him a D+ so she didn't ever have to deal with him again. He told us that while he was elated that he had passed, he told us that if he had just begun the paper and worked on it little by little, he wouldn't have ever had to turn in a paper titled "Why Shakespeare wasn't Shakespeare." He compared this to our missions and that we should be doing exactly what we are supposed to with the little time we have to serve so, we don't have to turn in a paper to the Lord that isn't our best at the end of our two years. As always, President also talked about increasing our faith. He told us that if we want to teach more and find more families, then we need to increase our faith, ask for the Lord to be apart of the work, live worthily, forget yourself, and trust that our Heavenly Father knows exactly where the elite and educated people who will build the branch are and trust him to guide us to them. This had a huge impact on me. I felt the Spirit so strongly and I felt at that moment that I couldn't go wrong in this work because I felt of the power of our Heavenly Father. He already has all the answers and keys to success. It's just as simple as asking him and having the faith to follow the Spirit. He also gave us a Mission President promise and told us that if we ALWAYS follow our priesthood leaders for the rest of our lives, we will never fall away because they truly receive revelation from God on our behalf. The moment we stray from our priesthood leaders, is the moment we stray from God's will for us. He concluded with a quote I really enjoyed. 

"Pray, then work like everything depended on you, then pray like everything depended on God."

   Since Zone Conference I have felt like I have lost myself in the work even more. I am always constantly thinking about these people and praying in their behalf and every time I study or read something, I often find my mind wandering to my investigators and think about how the things I learn can benefit them.

RJ Drinking Kivuguto

On another note,  Elder Nambale and I have a new obsession. Nearly every night, before we go home, we stop at a little cafe and drink a mug of "kivuguto". Haha it is fermented milk so it tastes like yogurt without sugar but when you put brown sugar in it, it's unreal. 

Birthday Party

   Last night, the whole zone was invited over to Jimmy's home for his daughter's birthday party. We got destroyed with food, laughed, exchanged kind words, and just had a great time. Rwandese know how to throw a good birthday party. 

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Waterless and Powerless!"

Dear Friends and Family,

This week would've been loads better if we didn't lose water for three
days.  We just had our water tanks cleaned-that's where we get all our water-
and the water doesn't refill until Saturday. So, after they were cleaned
we just went without, we had to fill up buckets to bathe etc. and
mostly had to eat out and we had to pour buckets of water to flush
toilets etc… it wasn't too bad though:) We also had a power surge that blew up nearly all our light bulbs in the house, our microwave, our fridge, and our toaster. But, fear not
because we saved our oven so we're still cooking big with what
resources we still have...Blessed are those who endure:) However, it
did not hinder the work, because Elder Dowdle and I were able to have a
great week.

House Water Pump

At Zone Conference, Sister Chatfield encouraged us to focus on a new
Christlike Attribute and work on developing it for the next few
months. The attribute I'm focusing on now is Patience. Since I've
begun to do that, and pray for more patience in my daily prayers, I've
seen many blessings. First of all, I've become more patient with the
people. This has allowed me to express more love to them which
motivates me to share the gospel more by stopping people to talk to
them while moving from appointment to appointment. It also has allowed
me to be more calm when things don't go as planned. As I've studied
the scriptures in Preach My Gospel about Patience, I've realized that
Patience isn't only being calm when people annoy you. It's trusting in
the Lord's will for you and his timing when you ask for things you
need and for blessings in the work. As I am submissive and trust in
the Lord and his plan, I know everything is going to work out and I
realize that more and more every day.

We were able to go on exchanges with our Zone Leaders, Elder Robinson,
and Elder Empey on Friday as well. Elder Empey was assigned to work
with us for the day and because he is only a few weeks from going
home, I tried to apply the things he was teaching Elder Dowdle and I
throughout the day. I've realized that you can never fine tune or
practice skills in proselyting enough and there's always something
that can be improved. He gave us a lot of advice for how we can
improve and strengthen the branch and our area.

Currently, we only have 3 investigators with baptism dates- Reegan,
Alfred, and Addison. Reegan and Addison are brothers and are both
Blind David's sons. I had the opportunity to baptize Reegan who is 9 years old
yesterday in the pouring rain which was quite an experience. The
rain filled up the font behind the church completely full so I had to
hold Reegan up during the performance of the baptism because he was
too short to stand. I'm very excited for David and his family. He was
very emotional and was elated that another one of his children
received the blessings of baptism. Another one of his sons, Isaac,
lives in another city and is being taught by the missionaries as well
and is being baptized within the next few weeks.

Completely Filled Up Babtismal Font

Rain Filled up the Font to the Top!

Reegan and Elder Hazen

Alfred has a wife and has been coming to church every week for a month
now, but we haven't had the opportunity to teach her yet because she's
been in the hospital. We were able to go give her a blessing Thursday
evening and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy Friday. We are hoping
they will all be able to progress towards baptism together when she
gets home.

As we have been trying to replenish our teaching pool, it's been
difficult but I know our efforts aren't wasted and things will begin
to improve in the area this week due to the fact we received 8
referrals last week.

I'd like to share a small thought from what I learned in my studies
from 1 Nephi 16. In this chapter, Nephi and his family continue
through the wilderness and he describes his experiences as they were
directed by the Liahona where to hunt for food for the family. One
day, Nephi's steel bow broke and they were unable to obtain food to
feed their family. As the circumstances grew more difficult, more and
more people in the family began to murmur until Lehi himself was
murmuring. However, Nephi shows a lot of his character by submitting
to the Lord in his time of trial and relies on the Lord on where to go
after he fashions a bow and arrow out of wood. From this we can learn
that attitude determines the outcome of situations. All of Nephi's
family was going through the same circumstance but Nephi looked at the
situation with an optimistic point of view and acted, and with the
help of the Lord he was able to accomplish his task. I look at it the
same way with Elder Dowdle and I's situation with replenishing our teaching
pool. Many missionaries have gone through trials like this before, but
it's all about how we view the situation. I have been trying to be
optimistic and I know that as I'm patient with the Lord's timing, he
will help us find new families to teach.

I love you all!
Love, Elder Hazen