And It Came To Pass...

I, Elder Hallenberger, having taken upon myself the creative liberty to write in an entertaining manner, Therefore I will share unto you my record of the marvelous month of September. For behold, it was truly marvelous and it is my responsibility to share with those I love. Therefore I make a record of my ministry among the people of Kakata in the land of Liberia with my son who is a Congolese.

Yea, I make a record in the language of my father which consists of English although my ministry requires that I speak a broken English called Kolokwa that was difficult to learn but now difficult to stop.

And I know the record I make is true and I make it with mine own hand.

For it came to pass in the commencement of September, Elder Dabi and I became exceedingly joyful. For many of our people believed our message and sought baptism.

Therefore we did take courage and did work unceasingly insomuch that all who desired to be baptized were able to do so in the latter days of the month. And more of this great baptism will be spoken hereafter.

Yea, many things did happen in the month for we did begin a weekly Book of Mormon class that has been exceedingly successful.

And it came to pass that the rain did fall upon the land greatly insomuch that many people in our area were afflicted with flooded homes and barns. Therefore we did labor with all our might to assist those we love repair their homes.

And now, as we prepared many for baptism, we received many referrals to visit people in an area which was far in the bush. And this area was named Bong Mine Village and it was a 1 hour drive deep into the bush. Nevertheless, I sent an epistle to my President requesting approval to visit this land, return, and report.

And he said unto me, yea.

Therefore we did take a day and journey into the bush until we found this Bong Mine Village. And it came to pass that the area was promising and untouched by the Gospel. Yea we were the first to preach unto this people.

Therefore I did send a good report in the hopes that my President will soon allow us to return.

And it came to pass that our President did send a proclamation to the ministry warning us of a deadly disease growing in the bush with the potential of being worse than Ebola. Yea, 1 of 5 infected people expire. Nevertheless we will continue to trust God and obey his strict health command knowing we will be protected.

And now I will speak concerning the great baptism which was held on September the 28th. For behold, Kakata nor myself has ever seen a larger baptism. Yea even 22 people entered the waters of baptism. 16 of which were my companionship's candidates. Therefore the day shall never be forgotten.

And these are the 16 names of my people who were baptized: David, Blessing, Emmanuel, Nancy, Marilyn, Morris, Achieboy, George, Cathrine, Comfort, Lil John, Lil George, Steven, Allison, and a newly married couple who recently received a certificate after years of church investigation named Teta and Julius Kuku.

And to my astonishment, all 16 people arrived on time Sunday morning and were confirmed. Therefore we did rejoice for we had worked unceasingly and were blessed with much success.

And it came to pass that my companion and Elder Addo did baptize while President Price, District President Harmon, and myself spoke to the large multitude at the service. 

And now, Elder Wolfe(Arizona), Elder Addo(Ghana), and Elder Andriamisa(Madagascar) have been given new assignments to leave the land of Kakata on the 30th were they will conclude their missions together in December. Therefore it become expedient unto me to take pictures with them for they are my brethren yea they will always hold a place in my heart and I don't predict I will see them again on mission.

For behold, I am the last of my original brothers to remain in this land. For I did arrive here in April with my brothers Elder Dube and Elder Andriamisa but now they are gone and I am left alone in the work.

Now I do testify that the work is divine and true and my companion and I will continue to work hard for behold, that is what the Lord has commanded us. Yea this is the Lord's work and we will serve Him forever. Therefore we are pleased to be here in the land of Kakata.

And now I make an end of my speaking. Amen.

The Work Is Sweet

Dear Family and Friends,

My report for this week in Kakata is a good one! We are working hard to make sure our people are prepared for baptism at the end of September and also some in October. Elder Dabi has been a great companion and I feel so honored to be his trainer. The English hasn't been easy and this week had some discouraging days but I keep telling Elder Dabi to stay strong, positive, and diligent.

I am at a spiritual peak right now and we are also working harder than ever before. The mix of persistent diligence, obedience, and sincere prayer has caused my knowledge and understanding of the scriptures and the Lord's doctrine to increase dramatically. I never want to lose the joy I feel right now as I am engaged in the Lord's work on earth! 

Love you all! 

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger

The Power Of The Book Of Mormon!

Dear Family and friends,

During personal study, I read the Book of Mormon and I'm currently in the book of Alma. Miraculously, each lesson we teach gives me a perfect opportunity to share what I recently read during my personal study. For example, we recently taught a man named Edwin (Not his real name) about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love to first teach a brief overview of all 5 principles (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end) and then come back another day and break it down teaching each principle individually in depth using scripture. Other Missionaries can take 1 day to teach this lesson but I prefer to break it down into multiple discussions beginning with a brief overview of the Gospel and why it is so important. After the first lesson with Edwin, I found myself one morning in Alma 32 where Alma teaches the poor about faith. I knew this would be perfect for Edwin's next lesson! I also read in the following chapters where Amulek speaks about repentance. When we taught again, I shared these scriptures with Edwin and I could tell he took it to heart. He asked, "What happens if we don't repent? Will we go to hell?" I opened my Book of Mormon again and read about Alma's personal experience with repentance. "Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell. Yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept His holy commandments."(Alma36:13) After reading this, I saw that Edwin had understood the scripture and was worried for Alma and himself. I told him that the story wasn't over yet and I continued... "...I cried with my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall bitterness, and am encircled about by the chains of everlasting death. And now, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceedingly was my pain!" "...Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy which I did taste."(Alma36:18-20,24)

This positive and happy ending brought us all to feel joyful to know that because of the Savior’s Atonement… We all have the wonderful and priceless gift of repentance. When we apply this gift to our lives, we can become new and holier disciples of Jesus Christ. Take Alma’s example! He sought to destroy the church but because of his change of heart, he became one of the most powerful servants of God working miracles upon the lives of the Lamanites. Edwin then asked about his beloved sisters who don’t follow God and have no desires to change. He wanted to know what would become of them. I told him that Alma was spared because of the faithful prayers of his parents. This is what caused his repentance to begin! “...It is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared..”(Alma10:23) 

I truly do believe that the Lord is mindful of his servants and that he will care for our loved ones as long as we remain worthy to pray for their welfare. We also need to be patient and trust God’s timetable. I have faith that Edwin’s sisters will soon recognize his change in heart and will desire to follow his example.

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. Elder Hugo E Martinez challenged me to use it as much as I can when teaching. Since then, miracles have occurred and my own testimony has been strengthened each time I use The Book of Mormon to teach and testify. I recently began a Book of Mormon class but I like to call it the Book of Mormon discussion group because it’s a lot different than the usual Book of Mormon classes. I put the chairs in a circle and invite not only investigators, but members and missionaries also! Together we discuss Gospel questions using the Book of Mormon. It’s truly a powerful book but not in the way people tend to think…. I know a man who used to put his scriptures on his nightstand but he would never read them. He simply believed that the presence of the book would protect him throughout the night! It doesn't work like that. The book itself inst powerful but the teachings inside have the potential to bring miracles in our lives if we chose to diligently study and apply them to our lives. Same goes for the power of a mission! Many believe that when they return from their mission… God will suddenly throw a blessing on them that will protect them financially for the rest of their life. This causes them to go on mission but disobey, not work, and return home only to realize that they have completely wasted everyone’s time.(Mosiah7:30-31) When missionaries learn to work hard, deal with difficult people, study, manage monthly subsistence, cook and care for themselves, wake up and go to bed at a good hour, develop Christlike attributes, and practice patience, obedience, and diligence, the experience of a 2 year mission has the potential to set them straight for the rest of their life! Likewise, when we apply the teachings of the Book of Mormon to our own lives, the Lord can work miracles in our lives. Seems pretty powerful to me:) I love the things I am learning and I thank God for the blessing of a mission and of course always the blessings of the powerful teachings in the Book of Mormon.

While teaching a family with Elder Martinez, I was asked the question… “What’s the difference between a preacher and a missionary?” I suddenly got nervous to answer in front of a General Authority but I figured saying something would be better than saying nothing. “When I think of a preacher, I think of a man who stands at a pulpit and shouts scriptures at the crowd.” I stated, “Then the preacher goes goes home never to be seen outside his church. But I want you guys to think of us not as your preachers but your friends. Your family. It is true that we are called to preach the Lord’s Gospel but we are first called to serve not preach. If you have questions… we will try our best to answer. If you need someone to wash your clothes, call us and I will have all 12 missionaries in Kakata at your house washing clothes, doing dishes and whipping the grass.” I looked over at Elder Martinez to see if he had anything to say but he just smiled and said, “Well said.”

Our area is truly doing great. Our companionship is wonderful and I thank God that I have been able to remain healthy enough to train Elder Dabi to be a hard working missionary. His English is improving rapidly and he is truly my good friend! I taught him the word bro and my guy but he seems to get it mixed up and say, “Guy! Whats up?” or “Goodnight my bro!” Haha he’s growing up so fast!

This is my report! I love you all!

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger

Latter-Day Zeezrom

Dear family and friends,

We’ve been pretty busy this week and it’s only gonna get busier! We are currently preparing 19 people for baptism at the end of September. Our days our full but it’s always a good time with my son, Elder Dabi who is learning English very well. I love him and I’m grateful for the companionship.

On Wednesday after zone conference, we had the opportunity to teach 2 powerful lessons with Elder Hugo E Martinez of the Seventy. Since neither my companion nor Elder Martinez could speak Kalokwa…. I taught and they testified. It was a great experience and I’m grateful for it.



Not long ago, I finished reading in the Book of Mormon about Alma and Amulek and their experience with Zeezrom. Ironically, I had a very similar experience on Friday afternoon only, I didn't have an Amulek to help me blast (Alma 11:23). Instead, I had a companion that can only share a small testimony in English. Nevertheless, The Spirit of God was with me and my tongue was loosed and I was able to flog the accuser with scripture to prove my claim.






We were in the middle of a lesson when a very arrogant man named Jeremiah decided to take a break from selling and contend with me. “Tell me about the 3 heavens you guys believe in” He demanded, “Does the Bible not say that there is only a heaven and a hell?” Immediately I knew a bible bash was about to start. I hate arguing especially about religion but this man was determined to shut me down. I could tell he was educated by the way he talked and he could also shout memorized scripture that he learned in school but I knew what I taught and I knew where to find it. Regardless, whether you’re right or wrong, an arrogant person won’t listen to what you have to say. It’s like banging your head on a brick wall and complaining you have a headache.








I told Jeremiah that we respected his beliefs and that we would appreciate the same respect. I began by saying that after we die, our bodies and spirits are temporarily separated. Our bodies go to the ground and our spirits go to either paradise (heaven) or prison (hell). Because of Jesus Christ, we will all one day be resurrected and our bodies and spirits will reunite to their perfect frame and we will be immortal, free from physical pain and death. After this, we will be judged and given our eternal reward according to the way we chose to live our lives and treat our bodies. Those who followed God’s Gospel will inherit the Celestial Kingdom where God and Jesus Christ lives. They will have eternal growth and a fullness of joy and their glory will be as the brightness of the sun and more. Those who chose to follow God not in this life but in the spirit world will be heirs of the Terrestrial Kingdom where they will experience a glory of the moon. Those who chose to continue in sin and refuse Christ’s Atonement will still be given a glory of the stars in the Telestial Kingdom and their happiness will be much greater than earth life but because they refused the Savior’s sacrifice, they will need to suffer for their own sins. Both Terrestrial and Telestial Kingdoms are better than earth life because it includes a portion of God’s Glory yet the heirs of these Kingdoms are eternally damned and will never become like God. He asked where I learned all this and I had him read in the 1st book of Corinthians 15:41-42 where the Apostle Paul explains the 3 degrees of Glory.



He then asked where I learned about the Spirit world and that's when I finally pulled out my Book of Mormon. Alma 40:11-14, “...The spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness...” And then Alma speaks about wicked Spirits, “...And these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the Devil.” He then continued asking about spirit prison, “The hell of our spirits is a lake of fire prepared for those who sin. Do you believe this?” I opened to Romans 3:23 hoping to turn the conversation to a positive message about the amazing Atonement of Jesus Christ, “...For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” The spirits who are seeking improvement and exercising the Savior’s Atonement will have desires to progress in the next life and will have that chance. We are all sinners but only some want to change. Those who don’t never will. “For that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.” Alma 34:34 “I also explained that the lake of fire is not literal because spiritual spirits cant feel physical pain but that the wicked’s “...Torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone” because of their guilt and eternal damnation and the fear of judgment. (2 Nephi 9:16) It’s called the great and terrible day of the Lord because for those who prepared to meet their maker…. It will be a glorious reunion but for those who deliberately fought against Him… They will wish mountains would fall on them to cover themselves from God.

“I do not believe these things because you teach out of a book that surely adds to the bible which is against John’s teachings. Why do you feel the Book of Mormon is any exception?” He asked. I thanked him for such an easy question. I then explained that the book of Revelations is a book of it’s own and it was written far before all 68 holy books were put together. The word bible means collection of books and when John wrote, “...If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Rev 22:18) he meant specifically the book he was writing which was the book of Revelations. We thank God for every word of scripture and the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. “...In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matt 18:16) We believe that the Holy Bible is the first witness of Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon is another.

I asked if his questions had been answered and he literally scoffed and walked away. Although I got him good, I felt bad for the family who had to watch me deal with the Latter-Day Zeezrom. I explained that we respect all religions but we wont deny truth. Facts don't have feelings. I’m happy to say that the family came to church for the first time the following Sunday and I kid you not… Jeremiah even showed up and I was able to finish contacting him:) Even Zeezrom was converted which always reminds me that when someone wants to fight… we need to stay calm, kind, and also bold.

I love you all! Thanks for reading my stories and giving me positive feedback and loving encouragement!

Sincerely, Elder Hallenberger