Week 4 -- August 1, 2013

Dear family and friends

This week has gone by so fast. It feels like that yesterday was last weeks pday. I am really happy because we are finally getting a new cafeteria here at west MTC. It will open on monday... hopefully. Anyway, life as a missionary is wonderful. I am loving teaching and learning the language. I feel like I have learned so much. Everyday I think of how blessed I am of the opportunity to serve for 2 years. I love it. It is really hard at times, especially in the morning, but my Heavenly Father strengthens me so that I am invigorated. Also a really neat thing happened this week. I found out from the teachers and other missionaries in our district that my companion and I give the best lessons in albanian. They have said to some of the other missionaries that if they do not get better they will have to shadow us in our lessons. Now I do not say these things to draw any attention to myself or my companion. However, I wish that you will look to our glorious Father in Heaven and realized that miracles do still happen. My companion and I are both feeling like we are falling behind in the language. Not because we do not study. I can say that I study my heart out. Yet, dispite our weak language, we have been blessed to have the spirit with us in our lessons. I feel the spirit burning in our lessons. I know that our investigators are feeling it too. I will refer you all to a scripture that I love and that can describe my feeling better than I can. It is Alma 26:11-12. I do not boast in my own strength, but I will forever boast in the strength of my God. he is my everything. I am His servant and I have giving Him my full heart and soul. Anything I do that is good is not of me, but of my Wonderful Heavenly Father and His Son. I will forever sing praises unto the Heavens. No storm can change what I know. I could not deny what I know. How could I deny my God? I feel His loving touch. I hear His voice. He encircles me in His everlasting mercy. He refines me daily. He protects me from harm. How can I refrain from proclaiming the gospel to the world? I cannot refrain from doing so. I must tell all. People of this earth must know of the divinity of their Savior. I do not fear what man can or will do to me. I will never, ever, stop testifying of my Savior. I know He lives. I know that through the Atonement we can be fogiven of all our sins. He paid the price that we may not suffer. I testify of his divinity. He is my Savior, my king, and my friend. My life is in the hands of my God. My heart is full. My soul cries out in praise. These things I say in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sincerely

Elder Jonathan Hald

Photo 1: one of my zone leaders that left last Monday to Hungary

Photo 2: an elder that left to Hungary last Monday.

Week 3 -- July 25, 2013

Dear family and friends.

 

 This week has been wonderful. I has also been really hard. I had my first TRC experience last thursday. It was really fun to talk to a returned missionary from there. He was very good at Albanian. He even had a perfect Albanian accent. My Shokuim (companion) and I are now teaching in albanian 7 times a week. It is really crazy at times. We do not have any time to prepare so we have to rely on the Lord completely.

Some of our lessons were really good and others... well let us just say that we did not understand our investigator so it got a little weird when we were having him act out his words in order for us to understand. It was quiet funny at times.

The language is still really hard. Everyday is a very humbling experience. Nevertheless, the Lord showers me with his mercy, letting me learn the language, step by step. I am very grateful for all the support I am recieving. I can feel your the prayers helping me through my days here. I can say that I am anxious to get to Albania. 9 weeks in the MTC in a very long time. We need it for sure, but we are all ready to go out into the field.

I hope you are all doing well. I would love to hear from you all. mail is always exciting on a mission.

 

Fear not man, for they cannot hurt thee. God shall never fail thee. Always let your heart be full of praise and love.

 

Sincerely

 

Elder Jonathan Hald 

 

Elder Hald's own description of the above picture: "Just me happy."

Elder Hald would love to get letters.  He only has a few minutes once a week at the MTC to read and write emails, so it is better that you write REAL letters to him because he can read those every day.
Here is his address:
Elder Jonathan M. H. Hald
SEP03 ADRTCS
2023 N. 900 E Unit 815
Provo, UT  84602

Elder Hald's 2nd Week at the MTC, Provo, Utah

Elder Hald and his companion, Elder Allgaier

The Book of Mormon in Albanian.  I think I actually recognize the word for Christ, but that's it.  Anybody recognize anything else?

Elder Hald with his friend from high school, Elder Acheson.  They do look like cousins!

Here is Elder Hald's letter this week:

Dear family and friends

 

I finished my second week here yesterday. I just keeps getting better and better. The language is still crazy hard, but I have learned a lot. I am having a blast teaching in albanian. It is really hard, but I feel the spirit helping whenever I am at a loss of words. I am loving my district. I forgot to say that the name of my companion is Elder Allgaier. He is an amazing elder. He is really good at making people laugh. He is our district leader. Elder Acheson is the district leader for the other district.

 

I found out that one of my teachers is friends with sister Leit. The sister missionary that went to my mission and came back like a year or so.

 

It is kind of crazy because tonight my companion and I are doing TRC in Albanian! after that we are teaching 2 times the next day and then 1 more time the day after that. Also all of these lessons we cannot use our notebooks. we have to do it all from what we know in our heads. So basically, it will be very interesting.

 

My testimony has grown a lot this week. I am feel empowered from on high. the tender mercies of the Lord flows like a river into my heart. The veil is very thin when you are on a mission. I never feel alone. I know that I am surrounded by guardian angels every day. I testify that when you are serving the Lord, His angels will be on your right and left side guiding and protecting you from evil. When you put Him first, He will put you first also. If you draw nearer to Him, He will draw nearer to you. I cannot refrain from weeping of joy. His love and influence is too great. My Savior is my Master and only to Him will I obey. I hope that all of you can feel God's infinite love for you. If not, I will testify to you that He loves you. Seek Him if you feel He is far because He is never far away. He waits for us to let Him into our lives. His kindness shall never depart from thee.

Keep the faith. fight a good fight. never surrender to anything less than godliness.

I say these things in the sacred name of our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Sincerely

 

Elder Jonathan Hald

Elder Hald's 1st Week at the MTC in Provo, Utah

Elder Hald with his district his first week at the MTC

More of Elder Hald and his district his first week at the MTC

Try to pronounce that! 

THIS is the real last goodbye of Elder Hald

So as I was saying, here we thought we had seen the last of Elder Hald for two years, and then we drove around the building to leave the MTC.  And there right next to us on the sidewalk was our own dear Elder Hald, albeit this time he had received his name badge. What a blessing to see our own happy Elder Hald for one last time, totally unexpected.

Dropping Elder Hald off at the Provo West MTC, July 3rd.  Elder Hald actually lived in those apartments during his Fall and Winter semester at BYU, but now everything is changed.  The Spirit was so strong.  It was very clear that these were not BYU college dorms anymore. As we drove into the MTC to drop Elder Hald off at the curb, we were greeted by missionaries lined up on both sides of the parking lot, and they all actually clapped when we drove in.  The actual missionary who was Elder Hald's guide, was an Elder Woodruff, and, yes, he is the great, great grandson of President Woodruff. So here we wave goodbye to our firstborn, and brother thinking that we wouldn't see him for two years, BUT we were wrong!!!!!  See next post!