Words from Sister Elese Hauser in Illinois

"Dear family & friends,
It's been a pretty boring week. Nothing eventful really happened. We
had plenty of time to accomplish everything we wanted and it was your
average week as a missionary....
Ha!!!!! If anything, this week has been the exact opposite of all of
that! From 3 different meetings, to miracles with our investigators,
to Elgin surviving a natural disaster, it's been one of the more
eventful weeks.
Maybe it's on the news, I don't know since I don't watch the news, but
there was a crazy storm on Friday. Like one of those storms where you
think the world is ending and your just looking for the second coming.
Luckily we still have time to repent and the world did not end, but it
sure felt like it would! We were in Mission Leadership Council all day
Friday. And since we were in the basement of the mission home, we had
no idea what was going on. It was raining super hard when we had to go
out to car to come back to Elgin and we got drenched! But that wasn't
anything out of the ordinary for a mid west storm. But then we saw
that several members and missionaries had called us asking if we were
okay. We thought that was strange until we arrived back in Elgin and
saw the damage. Elgin was in distress. There were branches and leaves
everywhere. There were WHOLE trees uprooted laying on top of houses,
cars, and in the road. And when I say trees, I mean trees the size of
3 story buildings were everywhere. If the whole tree wasn't uprooted
then major limbs were no longer in tact. There were power lines and
poles that were blown over. So we arrived back in Elgin wide eyed and
a little scared. We didn't have any power that night nor did most of
Elgin but thankfully it turned on the next morning. And so apparently
this storm only lasted like 20 minutes but the wind was so strong that
the rain was coming in horizontal. But now peace has been restored!
Well there are still some places that don't have electricity and roads
that are blocked off and we can't get ahold of one of our
investigators because she doesn't have power and has moved away for a
few days, but it's seems to be back to normal for the most part.

This week I got to attend my first Spanish baptismal service! Sister
Jennings, my new awesome companion, was asked to play the piano for
it. So that was fun even though I didn't understand a single word that
was said, I still felt the spirit. Speaking of baptisms...... Our
investigator Roy is on date for October 18!!! We met with him after
church yesterday and had an awesome lesson! Saying that he likes to
talk a lot is an understatement but that's how he learns best. And so
this whole last week he's been praying about a baptism date and when
we asked him what he felt good about he didn't even hesitate before
saying that October 18 just kept standing out to him and he knew it
was right. He's even started telling people about his baptism already!
Roy is a single man in his 50's and he has a cat named Cat. He turned
down a job offer with a substantial pay raise because it would
interfere with his bowling. That pretty much sums up Roy. He's a very
simple man and when I first met him I wasn't sure what to think. But I
have so much love and charity for him! And I'm so grateful I'll be
here to see him be baptized. My heart is full with joy! And as far as
we know Kathy is still on date for the 11 of October but we haven't
been in contact with her in almost 2 weeks. So we are a little worried
because her son told us that she's just pulling our leg and isn't
really interested. Well when her son told us that I wasn't very happy
and wanted to literally go pull someone's leg because Kathy is such a
sweetheart! But there's only so much we can do. But we will not let
Satan win this battle without a fight!

This week we went on only one exchange and I stayed here in Elgin.
While on exchanges we decided to stop by a lady named Benita. So I
can't remember if I told you about Benita a while ago or not so here's
her story. In July, Sister Bird and I got a headquarter referral
saying a lady named Benita wanted us to come and visit her. So we did
and she told us that she had just moved to Elgin from Idaho and while
there she had been taught all the missionary lessons, come to church,
been interviewed for baptism, and the day of her and her two kids
baptism came and her husband told her that he would divorce her if she
got baptized. So she wasn't baptized and then they moved here. Well
for the month of August they were in Wyoming while her husband
finished his job and now they're living with family and looking for a
house here in Elgin. So we stopped by on Saturday and she was home and
she let us in. She said that she knows the Book of Mormon is true, she
knows Joseph Smith is a prophet and that this church is true but she's
been attending the Catholic Church to please her husband. But, her
husband actually came out and met us and said he wouldn't care if
Benita wanted to take the kids to church!!!! She was so excited and so
were we! But they weren't at church yesterday and we don't know why.
So now we have a game plan to find them a family in the Ward that they
can be friends with and to take the family to their house for a lesson
and pray that the husbands heart will be softened. I so hope we can
teach their family! There's nothing better than eternal families!

And we had yet another miracle. We started teaching a part member
family. The husband is a less active returned missionary and his wife
is not a member. Interestingly enough he's a pilot and she's a flight
attendant, but they didn't meet at work! They are a super sweet couple
and she sincerely wants to learn more. At first they were pretty sure
they'd never come back to church but then we showed this awesome video
and shared a message and everyone was crying (expect for me, because I
don't cry!) and their hearts were so changed. It amazes me every time
how much the spirit can change our hearts. The spirit can make us into
a completely different person in the matter of a few minutes. And that
is how I know this is the true church. Because we have the Holy Ghost
and it really does change people.
This week I especially felt it's changing power as I was humbled and
turned to the lord more than ever before. I feel like every thing I've
learned on my mission I am having to apply now. This is it. The Lord
expects us to prove ourselves. He takes us on a journey where He molds
us, shapes us, and sanctifies us. We then must prove that we have
applied all of the things we have learned. I would say one of the
biggest lessons I've learned on my mission is how important it is to
do the Lords will in all things. Think only what The Lord would think.
Do what The Lord would do. Speak what The Lord would speak. It is
incredible what The Lord can make of us when we turn our lives over to
Him. I know that we don't have to be a full time missionary to feel
the power of the atonement in our lives each day.
At a transfer meeting this week President Fenn said, "That which is
important is hard." How very, very true that is. We must never give up
but we must "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ." This week
I want to challenge you all to evaluate your lives and think about how
you can strive to not give up. Whether you're wanting to quit a team,
or church or you're just tired. Don't give up! I know that the
Savior's life was not easy and I am so grateful that He did not give
up or else none of us would have any hope. Know that I love you all.
And I do miss you all! Although I'm not sure if any of you miss me
because I haven't gotten any letters in 2 months! But it's whatever:)
And the best part of my week: we got to eat sweet corn!!!! It was
picked from the field that morning. But instead of boiling it he
cooked it in the husk on the grill. Can I just say that we've been
cooking sweet corn the wrong way this whole time!!! Boiled sweet corn
is good, but this was divine, Heaven sent, a blessing from The Lord!
Haha, just so you're all aware, this is how we'll be cooking our corn
from now on! Have a great week! I love you all!"