Dear people who I know, like and love!

This week has been nuts! For real. 

We had a confirmation this week. Jamie, who was baptized last week, got confirmed this week. So Now she's got the Holy Ghost power. :) YAY!

We taught a few lessons. Blessed many (Harvest blessings, man. They are brilliant!) Prayed a ton. We've been involved with drama and scandal. It's been good. 

At the Baptism last week there was an emergency. You see... We had a baptism at 6ish. Then there was one after ours. Unfortunately, Bishop forgot. And he pulled the plug to the baptismal font. And the water started draining. Rapidly. Very rapidly. The Elders tried to close it with luck, prayers and a broom handle, without any success. It was tragic. 

"Whatever shall we do?!" The masses thought. "Christmas is ruined!!!" exclaimed others. 

"Never fear, my friends in white! All will be well!" Said my companion! As she shoved me into the baptismal font to save the day!! Okay, what REALLY happened was that they were trying to figure out what to do. Who will get in? Should they change into a marshmellow (jump) suit? Who would take the plunge? Finally, I just walked in, skirt and all and plugged the tub back up. I went swimming on my mission! Nuts! 

Then one day, we were OYMing (Open your mouth) where we talk to 10 people a day that aren't counted as tracting or those that we teach. Just EVERYONE that we come in contact with, in the rain. It was cold. We were wet. And we talked to a family who gave us free tamales! REAL tamales! I was frozen on the outside, but the jalapenos put my mouth ablaze. I was warm within. haha. Yes. 

That night drama occurred. We were part of the "Minding my own business" club, doing missionary things. Talking to people. Praying. Teaching. Crying repentance when we got a bone-chilling phone call: 

"Girls.. I need to talk to you... Come home now" Our home share...

You see, our home share has dogs. 3 of them. That are trained to kill. They are well trained, so they haven't yet... you know... killed. But I know my luck. YOU know my luck. So I pray a lot. Finally, when I was so stressed out and living in fear, I talked to Sister and President Smart about what to do. They did their thing, which meant talked to the housing coordinator who told her we are moving. 

We got home, she very calmly told us that we were moving and then proceeded to tell me that having PTSD would ruin my life and that it's a weakness. And then spend 3 days completely ignoring me. (I think she blames me...)

Now... Now they told her we may not be moving. So we're in the awkward limbo where she will talk and love Sister Gowans, and she won't talk to me. Unless she has to. But I don't get dirty looks anymore. Progress. 

The next day, we found a dying rat sitting outside our homeshare. Sewage rats. They're real. This rat was became named Tony. He had been injured by something bad. or big. I'm not sure, I wasn't there when this occurred. So we sang him to death. I don't know what killed him. Our songs or his injuries... Poor Tony. We rescued him from the killer dog. The rat better be grateful! 

At some point this week, my companion and I were rejoicing over Halloween candy and junk food and trading for the good kinds. (We bartered. Candy was shared. It was grand.) Apparently I offered an outlandish trade because I was Whoppered in the face! In the Center thereof! It hurt. We laughed. I told her she broke my nose. She worries. I laughed. Then repented for lying to her. No noses were broken this week! 

Finally, I found in our trunk a treasure! A Book of Mormon in Arabic!!! I will be fluent in the reading thereof by the time I go home! (Not true, I just think it's really cool!) 

I think that's it for now. I still don't know if I'm homeless right now. Loving life out here. Being a missionary is the best!

We're starting a 30 day fast for missionary work. How it works is everyday, a different family will fast in the ward for our missionary efforts in the Moreno Valley Ward. That night, we go to the family's house and break their fast with them. This has led to lots of success in other areas, so we're going to see how it works here. Bishop and the Ward Council were so excited, that they are the first 2 weeks of fasting families. We are lucky to have such a ward behind us. Pres. Monson, Elder Ballard and all others were right, we can't do this work without the ward. We can't do this without members. We need them. The work of Salvation is so important. 

Anyway, peace and love and things!

Love, 

Sister Dibe Hall

My Missionary Commission:

My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work. 

Elder Bruce R. McConkie