How can I be the 4th Missionary?

It has been such a crazy week!! I'm emailing today because President Clark said yesterday was too dangerous for the missionaries to be in town. Everything is okay! President is just being cautious! (As he should be)

This last week I've been able to spend more time with President and Sister Clark. I'm grateful for the time I've had with them because they are such great people! I was able to hear their incredible story about how the Lord prepared them to become such great leaders. They inspire me and I'm grateful for them.

The other day I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Fifita. He is Tongan from New Zealand. He spent a while before his mission in Australia to play rugby. He is such a cool guy! His area is amazing! It goes all the way to the beach and Hotel Africa! Hotel Africa is fascinating but also horrifying because its a huge sign of the war. Elder Fifita and I taught many people and had such great lessons! For lunch, we went to a lady who cooks meat and rice. It was really good! Of course... It wasn't until after I ate the meat when Elder Fifita informed me I had just eaten dog. judge me all you want but... Dogs make good pets and meals!:)

I got to meet the newest elders in the district. Elder Lartey from Ghana and Elder Nahounou from Ivory Coast! Hilarious companionship!! When I returned to my apartment I met Elder Tamfumo's new companion, Elder Miller from Arizona. Great guy!

Early Saturday morning... Elder James got really sick. Being his companion... I conducted a priesthood blessing. In the middle of the blessing... Elder James literally passed out, fell off the chair, and flopped on the floor. It sounds funny now but we were all in shock! I was terrified that I gave the blessing incorrectly!!! We all ran around like headless turkeys in panic! Elder Tamfumo and his companion helped Elder James to his bed while I called President. President sent a driver to transport my companion and I to a hospital in Monrovia. It was surprisingly nice! Sister Clark and I waited for a doctor to see Elder James. I stayed with my companion the whole day while he rested. They had Elder James stay the night so President took me to the Assistant's apartment for the night.  Elder James ended up being okay and we were back to our regular missionary work the following day. He later told me that he tends to pass out whenever he gets even remotely sick haha! I wish I knew that earlier! I thought he died!

The assistants, Elder Pratt from Maine and Elder Wangele from Nigeria are great guys! Great missionaries! They were able to answer a question I had for a while. Every missionary is aware of the term... The 4th missionary. The 1st and 2nd missionary aren't good missionaries and the 3rd missionary is a very good missionary! (You can look it up if you'd like) The 3rd missionary tries his hardest and loves the work! He is into conversions... Not just baptisms. He serves an honorable mission and enjoys the blessings that the 1st and 2nd missionaries missed out on. The 4th missionary is perfect haha! He is obedient and loves the work! He is like the 3rd missionary but better! Well after hearing this I wondered... How can I be the 4th missionary? I decided to take my question to the assistants. I asked Elder Pratt, "After spending this time with me... How can I do better?" He looked at me in confusion and asked, "You want me to judge you?" I said, "Yes!" I wanted these great mature and experienced missionaries to let me know how I can do better. He then said, "Well the fact that you're asking such a question proves to me that you seek consistent improvement. Which is very good!" I then asked, "How can somebody be the 4th missionary?" Elder Pratt then stated that the 4th missionary is essentially Jesus Christ. He said that even though we have been called as representatives of Christ... We arent perfect like He is. We have great responsibilities and expectations but we are still young mortal boys who make mistakes! He said the 4th missionary is someone you can slowly become. Nobody is the 4th missionary immediately! It comes after trial and error! It comes after you've adjusted to mission life and the area you've been called! It takes practice. The 4th missionary is someone the 3rd missionary strives to become. Tries his hardest to become.

I absolutely loved Elder Pratt's council! I will continue to apply this lesson to my daily missionary life and I hope my other missionary buddies do the same! Another lesson I've learned... Snail slurping is NOT a fun activity!

Love you all!
Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger

Baptisms and cockroaches!!

Well I've been here in Liberia for over a month but I can't seem to get used to the giant cockroaches that walk around the floor like they own they place. They are absolutely horrifying! Whenever they are seen, Elder James, Johnson, and I always jump, scream, and grab our machetes! Meanwhile, Elder Tamfumo fearlessly picks up the monsters and carries them outside. I still hesitate getting into bed after being woken up one night by a cockroach crawling on my arm. Ah! They are the worst! 

On Saturday morning I had the great privilege of baptizing Brother Masaque!. I'm so happy for Brother Masaque and his decision to be baptized and become a member of the true church. The baptismal service was beautiful! There were a total of 5 baptisms. I was the baptist for 2 of them. Truly an amazing experience for me and everyone involved! Elder Tamfumo gave an outstanding improvised talk about the importance of baptism. Something that stood out to me was when he stated that Satan and his followers will try their hardest to get us to look back on the bad things that we have promised God we would turn away from. He said we need to consistently exercise our faith in Christ. If we fail to do that then our faith will decrease quickly. That comment reminded me of an analogy I had heard a while back that I've been using in my lessons. Faith is like a bicycle. The faster you peddle... The faster the bike will go. If you stop peddling... The bike will fall. We need to consistently exercise our faith or we will surely lose it.

I really appreciated everything Elder Tamfumo preached. I recently went on exchanges with him! He is from the DRC and speaks French and English. Elder Tamfumo taught seminary for 4 years and attended many years of institute. It seems he can answer any question I have about the scriptures! He is a great guy and the only one in our apartment that isn't scared of the bugs.

We got really big news from President Clark! Elder Johnson left early this morning to another area where he will be a Zone leader. Elder Tamfumo will proselyte with me and my companion while he waits for the new elder that he will be training. He should get here around Wednesday. Our district is expanding from 3 companionships to 4! Elder Hinson and Fifita will remain as my Zone leaders but the new district leader is my companion! Which means I will be going on exchanges once a week! New people and places! Pretty exciting!

As for my investigators... They are awesome! Zwana continues to be a great investigator! He frequently calls us with questions about the Book of Mormon! He has memorized every principle of every lesson! He could tell us stories in the Book of Mormon as if he had studied them his whole life! He occasionally comes with us to teach other people. Whenever someone walks by during a lesson... Zwana will enthusiastically urge them to join in on the lecture! The other day we were teaching a multitude of interested people thanks to Zwana's determination to invite others! Ah he is such a great kid! I'm excited to see where his faith takes him!

My people, I love Liberia! I love the work! I love you all! 

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger

PS: I'm happy to here Elder Packer and Christensen are doing good! They have been in my prayers! I love to hear about the activity my ward just did! Sounds like fun! I'm sure Brother Packer played a perfect Joseph Smith hahah! They share a lot in common. Both great men I look up to!

Another Great Week!!

I'm glad so many of you enjoy my emails! thank you! As many of you know... Someone's mission should be a spiritual benefit for themselves and the many people they teach. I'm not sure however that some of you know and understand that part of a missionary's duty is to write home in a way that spiritually benefits the readers. this is why it makes me so sad to hear some Elders say they don't care to write home. So many of my family and friends have helped me get where I am today. I feel like the least I could do is spread the blessings of a mission by sharing my many great experiences! Plus... I love writing and while many kindly say I do it with a talent... I simply do it with the love for the readers! As much as I love to make you laugh and giggle... It is important I share my testimony strengthening experiences. If I fail to do that... I am not reporting home the way I should be. With that being said...

We've had a very sunny and dry week until just the other day. after a night and morning of heavy rainfall, the grounds were once again flooded. We had previously planned to meet with an investigator named Rachel. (Not her real name). I had never met Rachel because her house is a 50 minute walk through the jungle. After walking a bit we discovered the path to her house was completely flooded with a waist high body of rain water. In my head I thought, "Well I guess we won't be seeing Rachel today." I then looked at my companion who was already removing his boots and socks. Elder James inspired me and put a smile on my face. I followed his great example of a true dedicated missionary and together... We went for a literal swim to Rachel's house. For behold, the field is white and ready to harvest so grab your swimsuit and sickle and get to work! (Disclaimer: Not the real scripture) We usually get weird looks because of our skin color and nice clothes but this time... The looks were priceless!

I'm glad we went for that swim because the lesson with Rachel was unforgettable. She had a difficult question to a serious problem and she needed our help. After inquiring of the Lord through sincere prayer... We let the Lord speak to us by opening to a random page in the Book of Mormon. Elder James and I already had strong testimonies about the power of the Book of Mormon but I had never before witnessed the power come as quickly as it did for Rachel! This faithful lady literally found a perfect and profound answer to her prayers instantly. This experience spiritually strengthened me, my companion, Rachel, and I hope you! The power of the Book of Mormon is real my people!
Experiences like this happens DAILY on a mission! That is why i'm so excited for my friends receiving their calls and leaving for their various missions!

My companion and I have so many amazing investigators! I will have my first baptism on Saturday! I'll try to send pictures. Zwana and his friends understand the lessons and love the many stories in the Book of Mormon! Angel and her friends love when my companion and I visit to teach. It's truly such a wonderful sight to see all these people grow in faith and understanding of the true Gospel!
Thank you guys so much for your loving emails! I might not have time to reply... but I promise I love them all and I love you all!

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger

PS: I caught a lizard!:)

Monkeys!!!! Ahhh!!!

Dear friends and family,

The free meals will surely be the death of Elder Hallenberger! Like I’ve said earlier… The people here love to put violent amounts of pepe (pepper) in the rice. This is all they eat. Just the other day, a kind investigator offered us a meal to eat before we departed to our next lecture. He placed a bowl of rice with two spoons in front of me and my companion. He then poured a red substance over the rice and of course… A fish head on top. Just once I’d love the meal to be a delicious juicy Chick-Fila sandwich. I asked the man in my weak Kalokwa dialect if the food had a lot of pepe in it. He then pleaded saying there was very little pepe! The Holy Spirit told me otherwise. Nevertheless… After blessing the food, I took a bite. We must’ve said the prayer wrong because that food was far from blessed. In fact, It was so hot I’m convinced it came straight from down under! Not only did the man lie to me… Which is a sin. He tried to kill me!!! This is also a sin!!! Ahh he was laughing too!! He cried tears of joy while I cried tears of sheer pain!!!!

On a more positive note… I saw a freaking monkey!! It was so cute and small and ahhh!!! I’m in Africa!!! Bucket list for when I return home: 1^st… Hug mom! 2^nd… Buy a pet monkey! 3^rd… Hug dad;)

We went into Monrovia last week and wow! I used to think San Francisco was crazy! Elder Johnson got punched by a lady!! Long story short: After all 4 of us were in the keke (Three wheeled taxi) a large woman tried to sit on Johnson’s lap. After Johnson reasonably resisted… The woman got angry, yelled a few words that won’t be repeated, and hit him in the leg! I saw it myself! It happened so quickly! It could’ve been me! I’m so glad I don’t have to title this e-mail, “My small and tender leg has been crippled due to the force of a large woman’s fist.” Every Elder in the keke was shocked she had punched him but I’m surprised Elder Johnson could resist a woman of her size from sitting on his lap! The power of God is real Brothers and Sisters;)

Unfortunately, not everything here is as fun as Monkeys and keke rides. One sunny day while walking to our next appointment, my companion and I saw something I never want to see again. On the side of the road there stood 4 girls no older than 12. They had blades pointed at a crying boy no older than 2. They weren’t letting him stand up off the large red ant hill he was forced to sit on. It was bullying and torture. Without hesitation, my companion and I made the bullies leave. I then lifted the scared, crying child off the hill and carried him to the road where I brushed him free of the many biting ants. I then asked if he was okay. Reasonably, he didn’t reply and cried running home to what I hope to be a comforting mother. I’m sure you’re sad picturing this in your head but living it was just sickening. The cruel way they treat children and animals here is easily the worst part of Liberia.

Thankfully the positives outweigh the negatives! One of our new investigators from New Look is named Angel. Angel has such an amazing spirit! It’s fantastic!! When we first met her… She seemed sleepy and uninterested. Nevertheless… We gave her a pamphlet and continued on our way. The next time we walked by Angel was very excited to see us! She gathered family and friends and together, my companion and I taught Angel and her large group of interested loved ones! It was a wonderful lesson and it was evident that Angel not only read the pamphlet previously given to her…But she had studied it! She understood everything we taught!!! After meeting with her a few times I know in my heart that God has prepared her to hear the exciting message of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! So exciting!!

It’s difficult being away from my family and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. But it really helps being surrounded by such a loving people who treat me like family! I love these people! I love Liberia! I love the work! And I love you all!!

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger