Princeton for Six more weeks 9/30/2013

        Princeton 6 more weeks. 4 1/2 in Princeton son!  It will be good we could get Debi baptized and maybe some other people. No transfer for me. Some people in our District got transferred, but it will be good. So that is that. It is the last week of the month. It was the first week in a while that we were in our area the whole week. But we had no miles. We probably biked 60 miles this week. One day Elder Tubb's got 3 flats. Idk why, I changed them all out except the last one I gave up on that one. Idk if it is from the tire or what. His tire is really loose it almost slides on the wheel, idk if that does anything. But biked like a banshee ,it was pretty sweet. Um, no one came to Church. It was kind of a downer week. Although as our joint teacher fell through last night and we didn't know what to do, we ended up tracting the rest of the night. We found this really cool chill girl named Aisha who we taught the restoration and she said yes to be baptized if she found out it was true. We are going back over on Wednesday. She said she would read the Book of Mormon and also go to Conference. We played some football with these dudes during our dinner Saturday. Played pick up football, that was fun. Got my clothes a little dirty. But baylife. We also talked to some ex drug dealers. One is a member, but I think he was still drug dealing when he got baptized. Tom Loftus 25 year old. Met up with him and talked for a while. Then also a lady we met before named _______ was at the library. She is in Minnesota on parole and getting her life back together. She has custody of her daughter. She was caught with possesion of marijuana, for like 2 ounces when she had 12 pounds she was with a youngster in shotgun (not sure what the purpose of a youngster is),  the big timer was in the back, and they were dealing to the youngster's grandma. Pretty cool lingo. She took the blame for it all.  she is trying to change her life, we are gonna bring her some stuff for her apt. So it has been one of those weeks. But we had that last hour miracle so that was cool. We will go at em again this week. We will give em heaven. Ya Rourke goes home in a week then I am done for. Not too much with me. Still DL, still training, still in Princeton.  The Curtis's in the Ward are going to Utah. I have aquired a lot of stuff. I will send it with them to give to you guys at Home.. They are staying in Saratoga Springs. That will be really helpful. Looking forward to Conference. Have fun eating the traditional German Apple Pancakes. Sharwan you better watch Conference.  Love yaaaa write me. Mom and Dad letters inc. Back to this style of email. Saves like 10 minutes. Nuff saidddd love you all. 

Elder Hall

Zone Training and Exchanges 9/23/2013

Dear Family and friends... just kidding I don't have friends to send this email to.

          You get a good looking email today. Man you are so lucky. Some families are really lucky to have a spiritual child that probably brings his journal to the library when he emails to share all of the experiences that he had this week. Well I haven't written in my journal since I have been in Princeton so don't expect that! (I am busy is the reason mostly:)  But you guys happen to have the brother/son of Konnor Hall, and this is just how I do things.  I will give you guys an introductory paragraph. I will most likely talk about the places that I have been this week, and who I was with.  One of the paragraphs will probably be random stuff.  This paragraph I would consider the most important of the three. The last paragraph is what is going on in the area with me and my Companion, (this might be equally as important as paragraph number two,  just for this week).

      So this week has been pretty good. Monday of last week was pday and I can't remember what we did. Actually, I played a little bit of basketball during it. Our carpet got replaced. It was freaking grosse. So we had to be gone all day. Move all of our couches, desks, dressers (The Princeton apartment has a lot of crap) out on Saturday night and take it back in Monday night. So we did that all Monday. That was pretty fun. So no proselyting Monday night cause we moved in and organized our furniture. Then Tuesday was... decent we found a cool lady from Mexico whose name is Beanay, the spelling I have absolutely no clue. Pronounced 'BNA'.  Kinda funny. She is a new investigator whom we taught the restoration and invited to be baptized. She is really nice and we are bringing a Spanish Book of Mormon to her tomorow. That is pretty cool she was the last house of the street that we were gonna hit up. One of those stories. So if she gets baptized it will be nuts. I actually don't have many stories like that. I thought every door was gonna be like this, one more knock Elder! Then people would just be getting baptized, left and right. Elder Holland said the biggest problem we should have as missionaries should be getting pneuomonia from the Baptismal font. We should be tapping out after a few hours of a Baptism. We are gonna have to step it up. We have an average of 4 Baptisms per missionary on their mission. President Clements is invoking a lot of change and we have gone from 20-30 Baptisms a month to 53 projected in September. He is a really smart guy. He is a little tired from what I observed on Thursday, as he didn't eat lunch at our training and was .... could just tell he was tired. He is really giving it his all, which is a great example for me. So Wednesday we did studies and did some service for Debi about her house, filled some holes with puddi and stuff.  Then we went to Bloomington with an exchange with the Assistants to the President. Which was very conveniently planned. Ha!  Princeton is 30 miles from St. Cloud and Bloomington is about 100 ish. So with a trip to St. Cloud on the following day (Thursday) they really hooked us up.  Ha!  But it was good. Although me and Elder Mcdonough didn't teach, I think Elder Tubbs and Elder Neely did. It wasn't the best exchange Elder Mcdonough was kinda tired, but it was good. He is a good Elder. We got there at 3:30 and left at 6:30 to go to St. Cloud for our training with our Zone and Pres. Clements. Also Sister Clement's trained.  Zone training isn't a big deal like Zone Conference. Lunch is provided at Zone Conference, Zone Training is just tiny as heck. We had a quick interview then exchanged with the Elders from Buffalo.. I went to Buffalo and Elder Ware, a Buffalo Elder (0bviously..), went to Princeton. They saw a less active and taught Debi. They set a baptism date with her.  She still has to give up smoking but she said yes to October 26th. She played the piano at Church yesterday. It is her calling. A Part member we teach named Rinehart who has come to Sacrament about 20 times got a calling yesterday, Gospel Principles Class President. Actually, Co-Pres. with his wife. Bishop is sly because we wanted him to come to all Church meetings so he did that. They came all 3 hours it was sweet. Things are going well. Out teaching numbers were down but not too bad. We only had 4 days basically in our area. A team in the district didn't do anything. For numbers they got 0's on everything. It was pretty bad.
     Things with me are going good.  I have been trying really hard to eat healthy.  Replaced a good amount of meals with shakes.  Even ran on Saturday morning 2 1/2 miles.  Smoked my Comp who weighs 45 pounds less then me.  So I don't know if that is a good thing or not.  Eating tons of spinach shakes. Healthy ... ish meals and whatever I get fed.  My problem is I can eat so much now. And exercise so little. Hopefully I will play some ball today and burn off some steam.  
      So one week from now you will know if I am staying. It seems like a just a little bit ago I was just like,  Ahh I am staying, dang it. THREE months is a good amount of time in Princeton for me. It is a good starting area I think. Get your sticks area out of the way early! Ha, I bet you guys are thinking Konnor needs to have a better attitude and get over being in the stixx. My attitude is great and I work as hard as I would any other area.  It really is just a lot harder out here and I am still not used to it. Princeton has around 4,500 people compared to 120,000 people in North St Paul, the two areas are totally different. Princeton is one of the smallest places in the mish. Good ward and everything, I would just rather work in a place with a condensed Ward and more people. My friends are all home but Rourke who comes home in October. Chris sent me a picture, maybe I will send it to you guys. Hope things are going well. Not sure what is going on with all of you. Usually only moms update... which is skewed probably towards mom's agenda so send me the real update. Via post with paper, son. I'm all about the paper. Email's I forget about. Happy birthday this month Mom. I know it is September something, I just don't remember when. Ha sorry:) Love ya!  Your a good mom.  Brysons or Ben's is the same month. Happy Birthday to you too. Sorry I don't remember. Oh well. Last week was pretty bad with thinking about music and friends and basketball. I got pretty distracted. It's that being out a year thing. Ha I was eating a banana and spinach at Zone Training and Pres. C was just chilling in the hallway with us.  Everyone was eating healthy  apples and yogurt and stuff.  President C was like man you are the healthiest Zone in the mission what is the deal?  I said, "We are all sick of being fat"! I told them how the AP's weigh you before your exchange because they like the surprise on people's face. They get all mad and say that scare is off.  But I weigh 190!!  It is bad. I need some of the extra weight. I would like to be a strong 175.  I think that would be a good weight for me... but idk. I left at 162. Ya math that one! That is a 56 pound gain if i keep it up the rest of my mission. So that is a fun statistic. So a challenge to everyone but bryson:) If you can beat me running a mile when I get home then I owe you something.

Before Missions-after Missions photo coming in one year!

New Carpets 9/16/2013

So this week went ok. I am starting to try to lose weight.  I have been replacing meals with Dad's shake and drinking tons of water.  I made a shake today with a banana and the powder, but it had spinach in it.  It wasn't as good as the normal banana one but probably healthier. I was in Elk River earlier in the week. Went on an exchange with Elder Sieler and picked up a Montana accent!  He has a pretty good accent, it is funny.  He was actually Elder Weatherford's MTC companion, so we talked about that a little bit. It was good. Their area is hard!  I was being really bold with people on the exchange and nothing came out of it. They don't teach Gospel lessons much in Elk River and that's gotta change. I don't know what the key is there. We also had New Missionary Training Wednesday where we had the fun opportunity to wake up early and drive down to Bloomington and participate in that. It was good, all the Trainers and their Companions were there. I saw some people I knew.  Elder Crandall is a pretty legit hmong missionary.  He is going home that is the last time I see him!  It was good.  We were there for forever though.

       I love missionary work so much, I don't think I like missionaries that much. There are some funny one's.  It is just interesting.  Elder Tubbs I think has been sheltered from the world.  He is so surprised that so many people smoke or drink. I think lots of missionaries are like that.
      Ohhh funny story. We were at this park last night and we talked to these guys who were about my age they actually reminded me of my friends. They were pretty funny. We were just talking to them about stuff. Found out they drank every weekend. A few of this group had kids. One was going to Jail for about a year in October for stealing 5g worth of stuff. Then they commented, "like man sorry we are probably tainting you guys or something".  Elder Tubbs replied "Well, actually I used to be pretty wild and rebellious". And he was dead serious.   The guy who was going to prison laughed, "Oh I am sure"!  We all started laughing, I was laughing pretty hard as He thought he did some crazy stuff. Elder Tubbs told them how he threw this little tv off of a bridge in the middle of nowhere and then they threw rocks at it when it was on the ground. The guy who was going to prison said "... pretty crazy".  It was super funny.  Elder Tubbs is the guy who you could tell is Mormon if he was in normal clothes.  His favorite word is 'goodness'. So that was really funny. We are driving around a ton cause this week we have exchanges with the assistants in Bloomington. The next day we go to a training up in St. Cloud.  Bloomington is twice as far from St. Cloud as Princeton. ... With Ap's... Hopefully it will be good. We are wrecked for on our miles. Hey how the heck do you get a tubeless stem out of my wheel.  My tire went flat, I went to put a tube in and I don't know how to get the old stem out. 
     The Sisters in the District set a date with a 12 year old last night. I got Debi an Ecig Laniard so she will always have it with her. 

     Oh man Wednesday we got a call from the landlord she said new carpets were coming Monday and that everything had to be out. We have so much crap in our apartment. So we did that Saturday morning with 2 guys from the Ward. We had to literally get everything off the carpet so our closet shelfs are filled and our kitchen has tons of stuff in it. We get to move everything back in tonight. But our carpet is nasty, it is as old as the apartment so the new carpet will be worth it. So that is pretty fun. We have taught some new people and had some cool experiences happen. Taught a lady the restoration while helping her do a puzzle. She was Catholic. We also taught a really sincere lady who has had 9 back surgeries because she had domestic abuse after the first one. We see her tomorow. She was cool. I am not sure what to do hey transfers are in 2 weeks!  Wish me luck.  I'm training but ya never know!  Well that is it with me.   wbu?   guys?

Nepali work was the happiest time of my life 9/9/2013

Sep 9, 2013

All my friends are home. It is kind of surreal. I am doing well. We had district pday. Played some cards bball and went to space aliens A good kinda expensive restaurant alien themed. We even got a pic with the alien! haha. I got a haircut really short. I like it:) We also went to some outlets. I hate going to the nike outlet I love nike stuff! it was fun though. I am going on exchanges to elk river tonight. Debi tried quitting smoking this week but its been hard for her. We made a rap about it that was a knock off of an Eminem song. . We went on a 2 day exchange with the zl in st. Cloud it was a good exchange. Elder tubs comp and Elder saunders Zl got their bikes jacked. We were upset but we went and played bball when we got back e tubs bike was there missing his seat and seat post and light. That was it though. His was brand new so that was good. It was locked to the rack . It worked out ok. Saunders didn't get his but his bike was junk. Man I just got a weird feeling reading my friends emails, they are all home. They sent like their last emails where they are sad. 1 year left. Man them talking about school and stuff I have no idea what I am gonna do. I never wanna go back ha. I hope I can stay out here longer. And go back to nepali work. That was the happiest time of my life I think. I really learned to love people. I will ask for it or something. I don't know what I am gonna do when I get back, I might do slcc or something simple. Work and pay tuition. I think I need to do it. So idk, Dad hook me up with that sports dude. I love sports. Thanks so much I gotta be quick. Emails are always rushed so write me if you have time I will write a handletter back to everyone I get. This week We go to the new missionary training last time I trained I didn't get far enough to that point so this is good I get to go! ha it will be good. Always a revelatory experience. I love you all. Starr got promoted, she is a really good person she deserves it! She is really good with people. Sharwan went to 

college. Colby idk what he does, I don't even know where he lives! Ha. Write me send me updates. The Perry kids wrote me and it was just them! So I know if they can do it, so can you. I love you all.  Sorry this email stinks but deal with it! I love you all.  I am going through the time in my mission that will make a big difference, I have learned a lot in 1 year.  But I have 1 year left and that's a good amount of time.  How I use it will be big.  I am in different positions too so it is interesting.  It just gets harder but it is good for me.  A nap every now and then would be nice.

  Peace bras

Tender Mercy 9/5/2013

My week. Um, it was pretty good!  Today we actually did a ton of service, even though it was p-day the Sister Missionaries in the Ward received a call about people moving, so we moved some people this morning.  I guess they weren't members but knew a lot of people from Iowa who were members or something and were big into genealogy.  So we moved them at 8 am. Then we went to Sister Kenfield's house in Cambridge and she wanted us to help build a flower bed with brick lining around her tree. So we did it. I am tired. DL training is super tiring. I got to bed right at 10:30:30 last night after doing numbers and evaluations and calls!  It's pretty glamorous... not.  We also had a District Meeting in Princeton and I was out of money so we did potluck, that was pretty fun. Elder Lepannon made some Finish Pancakes (crepes) and I made Curry and Rice and everyone just brought random food. We taught Debi and Joe this week once each. Joe is 78 farmer dude and he is awesome.  He is also progressing at his own pace. Debi knows pretty much the Church is TRUE. Just wavering on D&C 89 a little bit.  We taught and talked to a few new people last night; a really friendly lady named Susan, who is a single mom has a 15 year old daughter and loves God but hasn't done too much as far as religion lately. We taught her and her daughter the restoration and it was fun, she talked for forever! They said we could come back. I invited them to Baptism which they said no, but it was still good, I guess. She believes you can have Church anywhere. She said this meeting right now is Church. Me and brother Foede our member explained, you need the Sacrament and a Priesthood member to bless it!  She believed you could do that at a park. Which is true if the Priesthood were following Christ and blessing the Sacrament as he taught in Scripture.  It was funny. We did a decent amount of less active work and taught nine nonmember lessons and five less active lessons. We are to strive to hit lessons all together while training, so we can get used to a lot of teaching. Teaching 14 lessons is decent.  Especially in the country areas. One time in trio companionship in the Nepali we had like 16 member presentations. 16 lessons with a member there, that was really good. do you guys remember when I went out with that missionary on splits from Brazil when I was like 16 and living in Suncrest?  That was one of the weirdest experiences ever. This mom he wanted to teach got evicted we went to Wendy's twice. He didn't know English super well.  Like his lefts and rights were mixed up. We never taught anyone and it was during Transfer day, so his Comp went to Lehi and he stayed in Alpine and his new Comp came from St. George so I had to wait at night with him until he got there. It was way past when we are supposed to be in and he wouldn't let me go in where they stayed, so he just sat there in our car. Weirdest thing ever. That didn't help me understand missionary work at all. Things are going well. We did tons of service this week. Bro miller our ward mission leader had a little party that Joe and Debi went to that we went to. Just some food at his house and stuff. It is cool today like 55 degrees. It was like in the 90's all week and super humid. All we did, was go bike to Debie's paint a bunch of stuff for her. Then after dinner we helped a member that last minute who called us to move them. It was so hot when we were painting.  I was outside and literally nonstop beads of sweat were coming from my face. It was pretty good. I miss the dry heat but the worst of it is over it has been a cool dry summer. Not looking forward to winter!  Things are going well.  We go on a 48 hour exchange with the Zone Leaders this week.  They do 48 hour exchanges instead of day exchanges because of the new Missionaries. It is a lot of time. Two day exchanges. We both go to St. Cloud so we are blitzing the area. I continue to see little miracles all the time. Luckily my arms are pretty tan.  I even have a gnarly ring tan line.  The rest of me is butt white. So I have something to work with going into the cooler seasons!  Hope things are going well with you guys.  Love ya! 

-Elder HALL

Hot- Good Day 8/26/2013

   It has been a good week! Really hot! I think it is like 115 with the humidity at about 80 degrees. So sweaty. My companion just graduated High School from American Fork, he is the same age as Sharwan. It is crazy. Elder Tubbs from AF, he is funny, definitely a Mormon. He is a good guy, knows the Scriptures decently. This week we went to transfer meeting, Elder Boynton left then I tracted all day in Bloomington. That is what the trainers do while they wait for their new Companions because the Newbies get interviewed by the Mission President and have first day stuff that they do. Then at 5:30 we have dinner with all the new missionaries. A young women named Sister Kendra Curtis came out to the Minnesota Mission this last Wednesday and she is brand new. So I saw her at the Mission home. Ate pizza with her and caught up a little bit. It is super weird cause we almost had a thing once!  Plus she is way pretty. I am not trunky or anything just telling you it is an interesting situation but it was good to see her, she is in a different zone no worries. Plus I am not a Sister guy. I'll send a picture of meeting up or something next week, I forgot my camera this week. A member drove us to the Mission Home, I'll day. He is a stud and saved us like 150 miles. My boy. We had a good first week. Not too much going on but we taught some lessons and some less-actives. Elder Tubbs even invited two ladies to Baptism. So hopefully more of where that came from- coming soon. Can't believe Wany goes to BYUH in two days. I don't know what you are doing sending her there!  Lindsay Lohan threw a party there a few years ago and partied with the BYU-H kids!  Ha that part is true, but that is a good school and exciting!  Sharwan will be a great student.

            I also went and traveled around this weekend. One team in our District had this lady Sister Larsen whose family is all members and she wanted to be baptized. She could make her testimony of everything a little more solid, but she knows Baptism will be good and I believe at this point baptism would be good for her. She lives in Elk River Minnesota, she is a very good lady about 40.  She kept saying man your so young- your like my sons age. I guess he is 22. Wait until she see's all of the interviews coming from 18 year olds in the near future. It was a good interview. She will have a second interview to talk with our Mission Presidency or someone in it for her Baptism. Her Baptism will be Saturday, very exciting.

             I also interviewed a guy named Brady who lives in Buffalo, Minnesota. He is 20 year old and he is really cool. He is dating and is engaged to a member. He had a sincere testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We had a good interview and he is already inviting people to church. He is getting married in October and Baptized this Saturday as well. He is awesome and will be a great member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So awesome things and miracles are happening. Us or the sisters need to get someone Baptized.  Because Princeton needs some miracles!  It is plowing through the weeds in this area, but we will figure it out! Gonna do some La work too. Joe is an older man, 78 years old that we teach. He has a good testimony of Jesus Christ. He smokes like a banshee. So we are helping him quit. Debi  has an outstanding testimony. Her Faith is low and she is struggling to quit smoking but with faith I know she can do it.  Rine Hart is a part member as well but young maybe 25 years old, he comes to only Sacrament meeting every Sunday and we meet with him every other week. 

Things are going well. I played basketball and did some drills that were way too freaking hard today. I am out of shape.  Start sending me exercise programs or diets!  I love you all. I am grateful for you guys. Society is so crazy. I am kinda crazy but keep it up!  Ya, I will write you back every letter you send to me!  That's a promise! see ya in 1!

 

 

         -Elder Hall

Repent and see the new Temple film- Training 8/19/2013

           I thought for sure I was out of here!  But turns out I am training in Princeton!  There are 33 missionaries coming to the mission on Wednesday so I guess it makes sense. I am fighting myself on the inside ahhh the stixxxx. Well If I endure it, I will get sent back to the cities. It will be a good transfer I have learned a lot since the first time I trained and hopefully I don't get rid of the first one. Elder Boynton is going to Anoka to open a brand new area with an Elder that is on his very last transfer EB plans on going home the same time as well. I am just glad to get a fresh start with a new companion I have tried so hard to show obedience and missionary work but it just hasn't gone well so I am very grateful for this opportunity. A girl who I knew from home is coming Wednesday as well from the MTC, Sister Kendra Curtis. So I will get to see her at the missionary meeting!  It will be good though our District is pretty fun. I hope my new companion works hard and that we get along.  Man  the Princeton library mascot fox is here, a person dressed up in a big fox outfit. I just pounded it- with it. It was weird man oh man, Princeton. Well look for some success in the next six weeks. Usually trainers are trainers for three months but we will see! I am not a good trainer, but like I said, I have learned a lot since I last did it.

               In fact Elder Cluff the guy whose training I finished is training right now and doing well. He is one of my favorite companions. Elder Shrestha is also going back to the Nepali area and the guy who replaced me is the Zone Leader over there! I am so jealous, I love elder Shrestha!  But I will see him Wednesday and give him a huge hug!  I will send pictures of my new suit!  Well we did a decent amount of finding this transfer, we only really have Three investigators so we do need more progressing investigators. The area is OK the Ward helps out but everything is far apart and we are ahead of ourselves on miles. A guy in our ward is taking us down to transfers and I get my companion later at night.  So I will be hanging out there and he will take us home. Talk about commitment.  His name is Brother Mikkelson.  I love my mission and I have learned a lot this transfer! 1/2 through this whole thing- the Mission- hump day. Hey there is a new Temple video, have you guys seen it?  Repent if not and go see it, I totally wanna see it. I missed it by a week. That is the update with me. I got a rice cooker since I might be here for 3 months and am cleaning things up for Noobie. Love you guys a ton. Best family ever!  Thanks for the letters Taylor, Skyler and Myles.  Mine are coming!  In a few weeks Chris and Josh come home.  You should support them if you can they made a big influence in my life and are great people.

         

 Sincerely,

               

Elder Hall

 

 

ps. don't get used to paragraphs and grammar:)    

Season Pregnant- I almost Forgot 8/19/2013

Dear Family,

I totally was talking about how Season had Three kids really close together in age, at dinner last night with some members who were pregnant. Then I was thinking, wait a second she is pregnant! I totally forgot Season was pregnant!  For a few months! Update me, how far along is she?

Elder Hall

Elder Konnor Hall,

Ha!!! I'm 29 weeks, which means I just started my 7th month of pregnancy. I sometimes forget I'm pregnant too, oh wait, no I don't. It's very apparent that I am. :) But don't feel bad anyways. Love ya!

Season

P-Day at THE BARN

My Zone- Rocking my new Grey Suit

Indoor Barn 8/12/2013

Dear Family,

I have no time to email because we did activities all day with our District. This guy has an indoor big barn thing with ping pong and American ninja warrior stuff, and pads, and climbing things, and a zip line, and go karts that we didn't use. We had a good day. He had a new Mazda, its like Wany's car but 2013.  He built a racetrack outside and took me and one other Elder on it and was drifting and stuff it was fun!  So it was a good day!  Our week went well helping our main investigator Debi quit smoking!  Five investigators came to Church.  Two girls didn't like young woman's because the were taught about moms and one young woman doesn't want to be a mother, but things turned out OK!   I love you all, write me and you will get a personal update!  I got a sweet suit just barely. Transfer p-day next week!!  Wish me luck. Hall out!