second chances

No No No you don't. Mother, there is no quitting on our family journal. I have not quit, just need to get my priorities straight. I have so much to write and feel like I should space it out over a few weeks, but I will do as much as I can today. When we first moved in the ward here, there was man named Mike Pate. He and his wife Holly had moved here from California and he was a marine. They were struggling and he was not a member and was not interested in the slightest. He started coming to ball and he and I had a good connection. We have a missionary in our ward that is 25. His name is Elder Ah Koui. He is from LA but moved to St George and we knew his girlfriend really well. She told us he was coming to Charleston and had changed his life. Well they started working with Mike and they had a good relationship but Mike was losing interest. So we went on splits one Sunday and we talked about everything from Joseph Smith, Gift vs power of Holy Ghost, Priesthood presence in the home, blessings, Book of Mormon, to my back hair and mullet. Instead of asking why he wasn't baptized or what we he doubted, I asked him what he liked or what he felt was true. The spirit was strong and his family of 8 could all feel it. When we got in the car, the missionaries and all said simultaneously, "he will get baptized soon". We pulled over to offer a prayer of gratitude to Heavenly Father for the wonderful spirit felt. As we said Amen, Mike texted the missionaries and said he wanted to get baptized in two weeks and was so excited but he didn't want to tell his family till later that week. He asked me to baptize him and it was an amazing moment. Practically the whole ward was there and it was incredible to be in the waters of baptism again. I thought the next time I baptized someone it would be my first born. I love the gospel and the blessings it brings. We took a trip to Miami for a few days. It was crazy getting there, but we had a great time and the boys loved it. We also went on Trek the weekend of conference. It was our spring break and we left on Thursday morning. We were not too excited as Chad had just returned from Argentina Wednesday night. Jada was here with her 6 week old boy. Kayla really wanted to stay but we knew it would be a great experience even though we both didn't enjoy trek as youth. Well it had been great weather but Thursday it rained a cold rain from sun up till about 8pm. We went through swamps, rivers, mud, puddles, and a constant rain. As we were Ma's and Pa's, our 11 kids were incredible. We each made one rule for our family. Being optimistic in all things, being kind, supporting everyone, no mud fights, saying I love you...etc. I was honestly thinking they should cancel it after the first night. Everything was so wet. But the rain stopped, we dried out our clothes around the fires, we had hot stew and hot chocolate, and a great fireside. That night, the Hall family all piled in one large tent with Kayla and I being the chastity line. There were some magical moments for everyone those few days. The next day it cleared up and although we were covered in mud, our spirits were clean and bright. It made us all appreciate those that sacrificed so much before us and our testimonies strengthened. Kayla and I loved it and so did our kids. We had family chants or yells that we always included "Hall" in it. Hallar, Hallt (stop), WeHall (go), Where we go one...we go Hall, and H-A...L-L. There was pioneer games and then an old fashioned ho down and we danced the last night for a few hours. We handed out leather bracelets with a washer that had AKB on it. Our final devotional was about Joseph Smith. He Asked, he Knew, and he Became the prophet of the restoration. We can all Ask, Know, and Become our full potential. That night all the boys slept in a lean two. It was cold but we were so exhausted we only woke once every hour. I had to pee so bad but it was too cold and wet to even pull my head out of my bag so I held it all night. The next day we all had an incredible testimony meeting. In the middle of the woods, the sun came out, the birds were chirping and it was our own sacred grove. 120 kids singing and bearing testimony of the gospel...loved it. I'm so grateful to be a part of the Lord's Kingdom on earth. As terrible things happen around us and we face trials, our burdens are made lighter if we Come unto Him. I love Him and hope we can follow his example in the life and the next. I know our family is going through some muddy waters, but we all push a little and pull and little, we will Hall make it to the end. "Where we go one...We Go HALL" I will catch up more next week. Love you hAll.