The End

Well, this is my last weekly email as a missionary. I will be flying back to Texas on Wednesday morning. Words cannot express the thoughts and feelings I have had this last week. It has been absolutely wonderful. I have had the opportunity to go and say goodbye to all the members in this area as well as those I have had the opportunity to teach. It is always hard to say goodbye but there is nothing sweeter than to see those people strong in the gospel. 

One of the most special experiences was on Sunday. Brother Bullough from the Sacramento stake came to surprise me. He is someone that Elder Dougherty and I worked with over a year ago. He had not been active in 50 years, and he was an alcoholic. He finally came back to church while we were there working with him. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission, seeing him enter the chapel again. What is even more joyful was seeing him again yesterday. He has been sober for a year now, and he has been going to church every Sunday. He and his wife are planning on being sealed in the temple later this year. It was an emotional day and on top of that, I had the opportunity to bear my testimony in the ward because it was my last Sunday. 

I am forever grateful for the experiences I have had these last 2 years. Nothing else can compare. When I started my mission in March of 2016 I had no idea what lay ahead. Now as I look back and reflect on my mission, it has exceeded my wildest expectations. I love my Heavenly Father. I know he really does live and love us. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am especially grateful for his atonement. I have felt their love and have seen their guidance more than I ever have in these last 2 years. The Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ are true. They have been restored to bless us and bring us happiness and peace, now and forever. That is the greatest message in the world. I am so grateful for the privilege I have had to share that glorious message. Nothing will ever again be the same. Every decision I make for the rest of my life will be affected, because of what I have learned, and the testimony I have grown while on my mission. I look forward to being able to continually share this gospel with all those around me for the rest of my life. Nothing has brought me more joy, peace, happiness, calmness, comfort, love, bliss and hopefulness, than my Savior Jesus Christ and his perfect gospel. I want everyone to be able to feel that in their lives and experience his love. It is real. I love you all and will see you all shortly.

Love,

 

Elder Hallmark

Choose Christ

What a wonderful week. On Thursday we had zone conference. It was a bittersweet moment as I realized this is my last one on the mission. The spirit seemed to be exceptionally strong during that meeting. It is tradition here that all the missionaries who are going home that transfer have the opportunity to bear their testimonies at zone conference. Because this is my last one, I had that special opportunity. It was a very spiritual and emotional moment. It is hard to put into words all of the experiences and feelings I have had these last two years on my mission. Words are just not adequate to explain. I was extremely grateful to be able to bear my testimony. I look forward to being able to share it when I come home as well. 

On Friday we also had the opportunity to attend the baptism of Steve Miller. He is someone that some other missionaries have been teaching. We were able to go over to his house and help with that teaching a little bit, so I felt a involved with Steve. He is such a wonderful man. His wife was baptized a month ago and now they are both happily and actively involved in the church. It is so amazing to see. 

As we have been meeting with Destiny this week it has been wonderful to see how much she has grown since her baptism. She was sharing stories with us of how she has been telling all of her friends and coworkers about her baptism and how much she loves this church. She is really coming out of her shell and her anxiety seems to be slowly dissipating. This is what makes a mission all worth it. Seeing others choose Christ and allowing him to change them. He is the master healer and finisher. His only desire is our happiness and growth. Yet so many people resist him and choose another path. If only we could help everyone have just a small taste of the pure bliss that Christ brings to our lives. The world would be a totally different place. I look forward to doing all I can to helping others feel Christ's love, for the rest of my life. 

Love,

 

Elder Hallmark

 

 Elder Anderson and I tried to take a picture like a basketball team with our zone, and we are the coaches on the outside. it turned out pretty cheesy lol.

My Last MLC...

This week was packed with good stuff. On Tuesday we had MLC and it was my last one. It was super good. They actually rolled out smart phones. So now the whole mission has smart phones. It feels kinda weird using one after not using one for almost 2 years, but it is pretty cool. MLC is always my favorite part of the month. I love being able to spend time with so many amazing missionaries and with President and Sister Hymas. 

On Friday we had exchanges with the Elders in the San Juan ward. I went with Elder Holdaway. He is a great missionary for how long he has been out. He is definitely someone I can trust being in a lesson with. I know that he will explain the gospel principles simply and thoroughly. It is always a blessing being with a missionary like that. 

Today we got to spend some time golfing with Brother Summerhays. He was our old ward mission leader before the wards combined and it was just the carmichael ward. He is the man I strive to be like someday. He is so amazing. He was a coach at a local high school here for over 40 years and he has helped change so many people's lives. He is just a great example to me. He is definitely one of the many people I will stay in contact with when I come home. There are so many amazing people that I have met on my mission, it is unbelievable. I feel so privileged to have served around so many faithful, kind, and stalwart people. I have learned from all of them and I hope I can be that kind of person to those around me back home as well. I love my mission so much. 

Love,

 

Elder Hallmark

 

 

Here are some of the pictures we took at MLC (Mission Leadership Council)

 

 Also, on Saturday we were able to help someone move some stuff out of their storage unit and we found lots of different things. We decided to take a pic with a few of the treasures we found there.

I Love to See the Temple!

Hello everyone! This week was great, always. The best part about this week was being able to go to the temple. I love being there so much. I wish everyone could experience the incomparable peace felt in that holy building. If I could I would spend all day there. 

On Friday we had the opportunity to go on exchanges and I got to go with Elder Wills. I love that man! He is such a great example to me. I learned so much from him on our exchange. It is weird because when we are together I don't feel like I am leading him. It feels like he is leading me. He is so in tune with spiritual promptings that come to him. It amazes me. It is also cool that he is from South Africa. I hope I get the chance to visit someday. From what he has told me, it sounds like a pretty cool place.

So recently as we have been meeting with Erica, we have also had the opportunity to meet with her fiance, Chris, as well. It is great to be able to teach them together. Especially as we talk about the potential for an eternal family if they get sealed in the Temple. We hope he continues meeting with us and we are able to work towards his baptism as well.

Love, 

Elder Hallmark

Baptism!

Well Destiny got baptized!! What an amazing experience that was! It was a bit stressful the last couple of weeks with her, because she was just experiencing sooo many trials in her life. Literally it seemed like everything possible was happening in her life to keep her from being baptized. I am so grateful that it all worked out though. They Lord's hand was guiding her along the whole way. At church, the members of the ward stepped in and helped fellowship her so much. Sister Anderson and Sister Stoeltzing came and took her kids to nursery so she could go to Gospel Principles. This ward has the most amazing members. I am so grateful to be serving here.

This week we also had the privilege to go on team ups with the Elders in the Deseret ward, and the Elders in the San Juan ward. I was able to go with Elder Lybbert and then Elder Manalansang. They were great team ups. I love being able to learn from other missionaries. One missionary that has had a big impact on me recently has been Elder Wills. He is Elder Manalansang's companion. He is from South Africa so he has a pretty cool accent, and he is one of the most spiritual people I know. He is just always thinking about others and how he can best serve them. He is one of the most humble people I know. What makes his humility even greater though is his home life. His family is one of the wealthiest in South Africa. They own huge chains of restaurants, nurseries, and 6 other companies as well. At 17 he ran one of his Dad's restaurants for him. He has been accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities and is still deciding which one to go too. He will never mention any of this to anyone unless you really bug him about it lol. Most people in the world would flaunt things like that and tell everyone how great they are. He is a great example of Christlike humility. 

Well I love you all and hope your week is wonderful!

Love, 

Elder Hallmark

Here are pics from Destiny's baptism

This is a pic of Elder Anderson and I with the Gunnell's. They are some senior couple who work at the mission office. They are my favorite senior missionaries ever. They are so fun to be around!

He Really Is There

Well Destiny is good to go for baptism!! She had her interview yesterday with President Hymas and she is preparing for her baptism this Saturday. We are sooooooo excited for her. She has been one of the biggest miracles of my mission. She is still a little nervous because she has really bad anxiety, but she is going forward with faith and courage, even through all of these trials she is facing. I am so amazed by her willingness to push forward. 

Yesterday we were able to do a temple tour with Hawk and Kimberly. It was a very special experience. The spirit is always so strong at the temple and it was even stronger as we discussed how the can be sealed together for time and all eternity. I can't wait to come back for that. It was be such a great experience. 

This week has flown by in the blink of an eye and I expect this upcoming week to be the same way. I am trying to finish the book "Jesus the Christ" before I come home. I read it the first 6 months of my mission and it was a spiritual experience. Recently I decided to pick it up again and It is way better than I remember haha. In the last 18 months I have learned and grown so much and so there is so much more that sticks out to me. It is such an amazing book and I feel like it is helping me to know my Savior a little better. I love him and I am grateful for his constant grace and love that I have felt in my life. He really is there. 

Love, 

Elder Hallmark

This week has been perfect weather and so we have left the car at the apartment and spent a lot of time either on bikes or walking around all day visiting people.

Fruits of our Labors

This week was so wonderful, because as a zone we were able to see the fruits of our labors. There were 3 people baptized this week in our zone. It was such a spiritual weekend, as they were all baptized on Saturday, and then all were confirmed and received the Holy Ghost the next day in church. Kimberly's baptism was so spiritual. At the end she bore such a powerful testimony of what this gospel means to her and how she knows that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I am so grateful to be apart of her conversion. I am excited to come visit in 10-15 years from now and see all the lives that she has touched. She is a powerful and dedicated disciple of Christ and she will be an example to so many people.

The focus for this upcoming transfer is Destiny. She putting off her baptism until the 24th because she has a co worker that wants to be there and will be out of town on the 17th. She has really been hit with a lot of trials recently and it is hard to know what to say in certain situations because we have never experienced that. I only know that the Savior has, because of his atonement. I know that he knows her perfectly and he has experienced all of her trials and much more. He is the only one who can provide comfort and consolation in these turbulent times that she is going through. That is why I am so excited for her to keep working towards baptism. The more she follows the Savior the more peace and comfort he will bring to her life, and as she receives the gift of the Holy Ghost she will be able to have that peace with her constantly. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not a list of requirements that our Heavenly Father wants us to conform to. But rather a way that we can live our lives that will uplift us, edify us, and help us to be the best people possible. He loves us and his only concern is our happiness and eternal growth.

We also got transfer calls on Saturday and I will be staying in the Carmichael zone with Elder Anderson. This will be my 5th transfer as his companion. We served together for 2 transfers in Placerville and now 3 transfers here. It has been a blessing. I have gotten so close with him and he has become one of my best friends. I look forward to working hard with him these last 6 weeks of my mission.

Love,

Elder Hallmark


Here are pics from Kimberly's baptism

With her husband, Hawk

 Here is another baptism that we had in the zone. Her name is Deborah and she is standing in between the 2 sister missionaries in the center right.