We made it!

I made it here safely to New Jersey. The flight wasn't too bad. It was pretty cool to see the Empire State building and other famous sights as we were landing. They don't mess around here.

Right after we got picked up at the airport we had to do what was called the "FEAR BUSTER". They took us to the center of Newark which was definitely a lot different than Provo and did contacting. It was a little scary at first, but I enjoyed hearing other peoples thoughts, and seeing what kind of testimonies these people have. You also just want to help them be happier and have better lives. I'm happy to be here.

President and Sister Bahr are nice people, and the other missionaries here are nice too. I still don't know quite what to expect, but I'm sure I'll get more and more used to it day by day.

Thanks for everything and all you've done to prepare me to be here. This is going to be a life changing experience for sure, not only for myself, but hopefully for the other people I get the opportunity to teach.

Love to all.
Sincerely,
Elder Hicks

Delta Flight 1260

I'm on my way!

How to Survive the MTC

Bishop Smith asked me to give some tips to the Priests in our home ward on how to survive the MTC and how to prepare for a mission.

The MTC is a great place and you can really learn a lot. It's nice not to have so many distractions and to just be able to focus on the Gospel. It gets pretty strenuous at times, but it really helps you grow and prepares you better for a mission.

Here are some tips for BEFORE you get there:

1. Read the Book of Mormon. I know you've heard this a lot but you are going to be telling people to read it and pray about it so it's of major importance.

2. Continue gaining a testimony, because your testimony is going to be one of the greatest tools you have if you can bear it with the Spirit. That is how you can help others feel the Spirit.

3. Try reading the New Testament and from the Missionary Library before you come. Read Preach My Gospel!! Study from it! It will help you be a better missionary for sure! These contain more great things for you to use when teaching, and can help us learn more and more about the Gospel.

4. Try to get somewhat used to going to bed at 10:30 and waking up at 6:30. I wasn't very good about this, but your day can be so productive when you wake up early and go to bed early.

5. Learn to live on a schedule and to make good goals.

6. Learn how to better talk to people. Face to Face.

7. If you are going to learn a language, try to study some of that language before you get to the MTC.


Tips for while you are AT the MTC:

1. Love your companion. You and your companion may have many differences, but realize that you both have things you can teach and learn from each other. You can learn something from every companion.

2. If you are learning a language, take good notes. Get help from your teachers, read in the language. Write in the Language, and of course speak it as much as you can. The more you speak it the faster you'll be able to learn it. Just try saying as much as you can in that language and say the rest in English. Later you can look up those words that you didn't know.

3. Respect your teachers. They can help you learn so much, and can truly prepare you for the field.

4. Love your Branch President. He can help you in so many ways.

5. Study Diligently! This may be the only time where you can focus completely on the Gospel, make good use of the time and try to learn as much as you can.

6. Contact tons of people! This will get you used to talking to people and will give you good practice sharing a brief message about the Gospel (and will help you better learn the language).

7. Have a positive attitude about everything. Although it may be hard for some things, having a positive attitude will truly help you have a better experience.

8. Learn to teach to the investigators needs, and what you think would help them the most.

9. Sign up for lots of teaching times to better improve your teaching skills. Also sign up to have progressing investigators to work with while you're at the MTC. It's about as close to real as you can get at the MTC.

10. Learn to listen to the voice of the Spirit, and teach with the Spirit. The Spirit is what's going to bring others to Christ.

11. You'll hear this a lot but . . .BE OBEDIENT to all the mission rules. Yes, all of them. You can receive so many blessings through obedience, and if you break a rule or are disobedient , you lose the Spirit, and if you lose the Spirit you can't teach with the Spirit. Strive to be obedient and always have the Spirit with you.

Hope these will help you have a better experience in the MTC and on your mission. I'm definitely not perfect with all of these things, but I think they are all important.

Good Luck on your missions, everyone!
Thank you for all that you have taught me.
You'll do great out there.
The Gospel is True!

Sincerely,
Elder Hicks

Elder John Douglas Hicks

“We as a people have one supreme thing to do, and that is to call upon the world to repent of sin, to come to God. And it is our duty above all others to go forth and proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the restoration again to the earth of the plan of life and salvation . . . . We have in very deed the pearl of great price. We have that which is of more value than all the wealth and the scientific information which the world possesses. We have the plan of life and salvation. . . . . The best way in the world to show our love for our neighbor is to go forth and proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. . . .”
President Heber J. Grant
Conference Report, Apr. 1927, 175-76

Only a few more days-- Armies of Helaman

Hola Familia! Como Estan?

Everything is going pretty great here at the MTC, only about 3 more days left which is pretty crazy, but I'm excited to head to New Jersey. Thanks again for the packages and letters you all have sent, it's been fun receiving them, and now that I'm gonna be way far away I'm sure I won't see quite as many, but letters are always good too.




Friday: We received our Travel Itineraries which was pretty exciting. We are actually going to be leaving on Monday. We also got to teach our progressing investigator Gabriel as well, and me and Elder Clark taught the Law of Chastity in spanish for our first time (It was actually my first time in spanish or english). We also had a TRC that night with a guy named Juan (Not really I don't think). We taught him the plan of salvation and the word of wisdom in spanish. I notice on the Days when I do HSI, my spanish does really well and continues to improve, but when I don't try so hard, it's not very good. So maybe I should just stop speaking English? I don't know but I'm gonna try and speak spanish more and more, and now that I'm going to the field, I'll have the opportunity to hear more natives speak.





Saturday: On saturday we taught the Law of Chastity again in the TE for more practice which went pretty well. Then our district practiced a little bit for our song we are singing this Sunday. The leaving districts sing the sunday before they leave, and so we are going to sing the "As Sister in Zion/ Army of Helamen EFY Melody" which will be pretty great. We had another lesson with Gabriel and he commited to be baptized and we set a date for him too. On this day I noticed that a lot of the up's and down's of the day are really based on your attitude. I think I've learned a good amount of having a good attitude since I've been here. I notice on the days when I try to have a postive attitute about everything, the days just goes better.




Sunday: I got to play one of the songs in priesthood, gotta love good old "Sweet Hour of Prayer". I am actually regretting now not sticking with Piano, and I know this happens to everyone when they get older, maybe I should of just listened. But maybe I'll try and pick it up again when I get home from my mission, or maybe I'll pick it up if I'm called to be the Ward Organist or somthing crazy in New Jersey haha.

We had choir practice which was awesome and then had a really good devotional w/ the Beesons. Sister Beeson gave a talk about the day in the life of a missionary at the MTC, but she did it all in song by using different portions of different hymns. It was actually really well done. After the fireside we watched the Testaments again. We set a lot of big goals for the week ahead which I thought weren't going to be attainable but they are looking pretty good. We had a goal to teach 15 lessons this week and 15 other contacts. I know that's not very much for the average missionary, but It seems like a lot when on the MTC schedule.





Monday: We had a really good large group meeting about finding those that will receive us. We also had a health and safety meeting and the guy who was teaching us was really hilarious. It was the most laughing I've done in awhile.

Tuesday: We taught a good amount of lessons and it made our goal for the week seem plausible. I got to sing in the Choir for devotional and the devotional was fantastic.

Russel M. Nelson came and gave us a bunch of good information about:
Being Alert,
Staying in contact w/ our investigators,
Greeting people with a smile,
Keeping our spiritual batteries charged,
and that we are
Teaching people not lessons.




Wednesday: Today we had some good class time and got to teach the class lessons about the spirit. Mine and Elder Clarks was about the Light of Christ & The Holy Ghost. We also taught a lesson in spanish about Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. At the end of the day we taught a lesson to Gabriel about the end of the plan of salvation and enduring to the end.




Thursday: Ok so we had a lesson in the TE and it wasn't my best day. We all have humbling experiences and I think this was one of them. My spanish just wasn't rolling as well off the Tongue, and there is still so much spanish I need to learn, and grammer principles that I need to review and perfect (ok maybe not perfect, but get close to it.) We had a great large group meeting about Studying our Language in the Field.

Later, while doing some contacting we talked to some guys who had been out in the field for 2 months and had come back to sign their visas so that they could go to Mexico. They gave us some good advice, and their spanish was way good. I'm excited for when I get to the point where I can speak spanish well.





Ok so everything is pretty great here. It's almost been 9 weeks, almost 2 months even. In some ways it has gone by fast, and in other ways it has gone by slow. It's gonna be pretty weird to leave my home state for 2 years, but I'm excited to preach the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ and maybe learn a little more about myself.

I know that without the Lord and the Spirit, this work would be impossible. The Spirit is essential in giving others the desire to change for the better. I think it would be hard to tell people to quit doing something they love, but if they have a testimony and have a desire to follow Christ, then they are willing to do it. But they can't get this testimony without the Spirit bearing witness of the truth. Elder Nelson also told us that when we don't know what to say it only takes 4 words in english... "We Follow Jesus Christ".

The gospel is true.
Thanks for all the examples you have been for me and helping get me to this point.
Love You!!!
Love,
Elder Hicks

ALMOST THERE!

Hola Familia! Como Estan?

Thanks for the packages and for the doughnuts. Gotta love the Dunfords.

Anyway, This week has been a pretty great week. Last Friday we had our P-day, and since we were still with Elder Boyes we had to go to the BYU Health Clinic with him for physical therapy. It was kinda weird walking away from MTC campus, that's for sure. Then we got there and the first people we saw, one of the boys was just staring at us. I wonder if a lot of people are going to stare at us in Joisey or not. So we were in the Health Clinic writing and letters and stuff, and for the first part of it the radio was on. It was sorta an odd situation, but I guess I have to start getting used to the outside world again sometime. After that we went to the TRC and me and Elder Clark taught Lesson 1 in spanish which was a pretty great experience. I think the spirit was really in the room and it was a great lesson.

Sunday was a great day for sure. We had all the normal meetings and I still haven't been called to give a talk yet, so I'm guess since our district is the oldest they'll be picking some of us out for these last two Sundays. But on Sunday I went to choir practice and I was so happy when I saw what song we were going to sing for Devotional on Tuesday. "Lead Kindly Light". I honestly think that is one of my favorite songs for sure so it was a great day to be in choir. That night we had a firside with Brother Heaton more about the principles of the gospel with the Atonement and Jesus Christ in the Middle. It was an excellent fireside, and then after that we stayed and watched the Joseph Smith movie again. Yeah I know we've already been like twice before, but it's just such a great movie. Oh yeah, I'm no longer the District Leader anymore, now it's Elder Clark, but it's no biggie, I learned a lot of things and learned better how to be a leader and I think that's one of the great things about leadership positions, is that you learn so much. I think President Shumway likes giving lots of people opportunities to be District leaders so they can grow more.





On Monday we woke up pretty early cause we had to take Elder Boyes to the travel office to get him to NJ, but we had some problems and luckily we got him on a later bus so that he could still make his flight. I think Elder Boyes taught us a good amount of stuff, and I think this week has been a lot better for mine and Elder Clarks companionship. We are only together for like 11 more days, so we gotta make them the best.

On Tuesday we had devotional and got to sing Lead Kindly Light for it which was a great experience of course. We've been practicing our teaching in spanish more and more, and we are starting to get better at asking more questions and teaching to peoples needs. Our teachers are working with us as different Progressing Investigators which is cool cause it gives us opportunities to teach different kind of people with different problems. Last night we taught a guy name Humberto (AKA Hermano Rivera) who had been meeting w/ the missionaries for 3 years but still needed more time before he would be baptized. Me and Elder Clark taught him a pretty good lesson about How the Gospel Strengthens Families, so that was a great experience for us for sure.





Oh yeah, I almost forgot! This week our district got to work as "New Missionary Hosts." So we got to be the people standing out on the curb taking the other missionaries to where they need to be. It was pretty fun, although it was kinda sad to see families cry and stuff, but it's all good.

Seems like everything is going pretty well at home then. You all are busy working and stuff, that's pretty good. Tell Grandpa and Grandma I say Hi. Thanks again for the Hicks Hotline newsletters, I enjoy them.

As for my spanish, earlier in the week I was feeling sorta bad because I didn't feel like I was learning very fast, but now I'm starting to do HSI more and it helps so much. When I speak spanish as much as I can, I can tell I'm improving, and I'm so excited to go to New Jersey and contact people that aren't missionaries. Yeah it will be kinda scary at first but I'll get the hang of it. Besides, I've heard that for the New Jersey missionaries, they have something call the "Fear Buster" where like in your first few days or something they take you to the Ghetto to do contacting and stuff. That should be Interesting, but maybe it will bust all my fears away of New Jersey. So I'll let you know how that goes in another 2 weeks from today. Wow isn't that crazy! Going to Jersey in about 11 days. I've almost been hear for 2 months and in some ways it has gone slow, but in other ways it has gone really fast. I'm excited to get out there and get going though!

I'm doing well here, just gotta keep pushing and studying hard to the end although sometimes I get a little trunky for the field which can be a distraction. But there is still a lot more Spanish I need to work on in these last few days, but as long as I'm obedient, Study hard, and just keep practicing, the Lord can help me.

Well not much time left. I love you all, and I hope all is going well.

The Gospel is True!!!!

Good Luck this week with everything!

Love, Elder Hicks

HOLA!!

Hola Familia!!!!

Everything is just going great here at the MTC. Only about 2 weeks left from Tuesday which is pretty crazy. Then I'll be going to NEW JERSEY which is pretty exciting.

Well my week hasn't been much different than usual. Last Friday we had our first TRC in spanish which went really well. Spanish is starting to come a lot better although I still have a lot I need to learn. Now our district is the oldest district in our zone. It sorta feels like we're still kinda new or just right in the middle, but all the districts that came before us are gone now. It's pretty cool not being the young ones anymore, and I think I've changed a little bit from when I first got here 6-7 weeks ago.

I do have some news though, at least for these next couple days me and Elder Clark have a trio companionship. His name is Elder Boyes and he's on I think his 13th week here at the MTC. He was in the same district as Elder Erikson and Bues. So basically since they left he has been a floating missionary. He has had to stay a really long time because he had to get knee surgery so that delayed him a bit. But he should be taking off sometime next week. It's been pretty nice having him around, but there are some things I can definitely learn from him (just how they say you can learn something from every companion... and no I don't know who "they" is).

Well as you all know we had General Conference this week, and it was an excellent experience. There is just something different about GC as a missionary. It could be because there are less distractions, or you are just more in tune with the spirit and wanting to learn the Gospel. So we spend many hours sitting in the gymnasium either watching conference or saving our seats for conference. On Saturday I decided to write some questions down (cause Elder Clark mentioned it) that I could maybe be answered during conference. To my amazement, it seemed that talk after talk was answering one of my questions. For Example... I had a question about pride. Then President Uchtdorf talked about pride in priesthood session. I also had a question about staying focused... There was a talk about that too with President Uchtdorf talking about focusing on what's important and simplifying your life. But it was definitely a great year of conference, and it was actually pretty sad to see it end, but I guess it had to sometime.

One kinda weird thing I thought. During conference I was sorta thinking about how we normally have sweet roles and stuff before conference, and then I was wondering if maybe Mom was going to send me some. I went to get the mail and saw a package slip for me! There they were! Sweet Rolls!!!!! Thanks so much mom, they were great. I'm also glad you sent me that picture of me with Elder Andersen because I was thinking about how I wish I had that. It's pretty amazing how you know exactly what I need without asking for it.

Oh another interesting thing happened on Saturday as well. I was in the cafeteria and guess who I saw???? No you probably didn't guess it right but I saw my friend Leslie. Pretty crazy huh? She works in the MTC now so that's why she was there. It's kinda weird being so close to campus cause I guess there are just a lot of possibilites of me seeing those I know.

Anyway, Sunday was a great day too. We watched conference, then had a fireside which was about music so we sang a bunch of peoples favorite hymns (only one verse) and then after that we went and watched the District. Watching it makes me super excited for the field and I'm pretty excited to leave the MTC although I'll probably miss the food here a little bit.

On Tuesday we had a devotional and I got to sing in the choir again which was great. I really do enjoy it when I go to choir although I don't have a very good singing voice, but I guess this is a good time to learn because I'm sure me and my companion will have to sing hymns to our investigators a pretty good amount. On Tuesday it was pretty cool too, while we were waiting for them to open the doors to devotional, me, Elder Loveless, Elder Carlisle, and Elder (Logan) Lewis were standing by eachother, so it was kinda like a ward reunion.

Our progressing investigator is still doing well, and I think he is looking forward to baptism which is great. Me and Elder Clark are trying to set up more appointments in the TE so that we can get more practice teaching before we leave. Spanish is still coming and some days it's really good (which are the days when I try really hard with SYL (Speak Your Language)) but I have not so good days when I speak a lot of English.

Well I don't know if I have much else to report this week. It was a good week. Only a few left. That's awesome that Julia got to come visit and see Brigham, hope you all enjoyed conference as much as I did. It's fun seeing Pictures of Rachel and Aaron with a baby, and no mom I think the "Hicks Hotline" is nice.

I've been trying to stay a lot more focused this week which has helped I think.

Caleb, you can take my clothes, as long as I get them back when I come home. I'm not really sure which shoes you took, but if they're my Fila's that's ok too!

Love you all, thanks for your support and letters and treats and everything. Mail is so fun to get while here at the MTC and in the field I'm sure I won't get as much but that's all good cause I'm not on a mission to get mail.

Anyway I figure I'll end this letter with my testimony in Spanish. Hope all goes well and everybody is enjoying working hard.

Ok, Entonces, Aqui es mi Testimonio

Yo se que La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias es verdadera. Yo se que El Libro De Mormon es la palabra de Dios. Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios y tradujo el libro de mormon a traves el poder de dios. Yo se que a traves la expiacion de Jesucristo, podemos regresar vivir con Dios. Yo se que dios nos ama mucho y quiere nosotros ser feliz y tener paz and esta vida.

Yo digo estas cosas en el nombre de nuestro salvador, Jesucristo, Amen

WHERE DID SEPTEMBER GO?

From letter of October 1, 2010.

Wow, It's already October! That is pretty crazy for sure.

Well last Friday we had a TRC and taught the Plan of Salvation (In English). That went pretty well, and now this week the true test will come. Tonights TRC is all in Spanish. Me and Elder Clark have to teach Lesson 1, but hopefully it won't be too hard because we've sorta taught lesson one in spanish before.

On Sunday we had a fireside with Stephen B. Allen and that was pretty good. He talked about some of Nephi's last words in 2 Nephi 33:15 "I Must Obey, Amen." Obedience is really important here on the mish, and I'm trying to be more and more obedient to all the rules.

Last Saturday we also had our TE with our progressing investigator Jimmy. We knew that our last lesson didn't go super well, and it didn't seem like he really knew why we were there. So we told him, and we were pretty bold and talked about how once he learned our message was true, he would want to be baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority. That Lesson was mainly on how having the proper priesthood authority is crucial when it comes to baptism. We invited him to be baptized, and he said that he would once he finds out if that what God wants him to do. Then we had another lesson with Jimmy on Monday, and talked more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a little bit more about Baptism. He accepted our invitation to go to church, so I think he is progressing pretty well.

We also have two other progressing investigators. Both of them are played by our teachers, but one's name is Luis, and the others name is Christiano. Christiano is a progressing investigatore for the whole class, and he's pretty tough. Luis is just a progressing Investigator for me and Elder Clark. Both of these investigators are spanish investigators, so I think that is helping with our spanish, but there is still so much I need to learn. It's pretty weird to think that I'll be leaving the MTC 3 weeks from Wednesday. I'm super excited, but it will definitely be different, and I'm not sure if I'll be quite ready when the time comes.

On Tuesday we had a devotional with the Claytons from the presidency of the 70. His wife talked about how we should fill our vacant airspace (from lack of cell phones and ipods and things) with a different kind of sound. One of these is 1. Listening to your companion, become one w/ your companion 2. Listening to the people that we teach, our Investigators. 3. Listen to the Spirit. I thought this was a pretty great talk of how much we can and need to listen to now that we don't always have our technology going. President Claytons talk was about Nebuccanzers (sorry don't know how to spell it) dream. He just talked about the growth of the church and how it's just going to keep growing and growing. He told us a few stories of how the Lord works to get people and missionaries together. One story he told was about how a guy needed help understanding the bible or something and he saw missionaries and thought they could help him. They were at the bus stop so he went over there and waited for a bus near them. The missionaries kept putting out their hands to catch a bus, but none of them would stop. After like 3 buses went by, the missionaries still hadn't said anything to the guy. After that, one of the missionaries said to him, "This is kinda weird huh?" (The story was something like that) The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways, and he knows how to truly get the people that are ready for the Gospel with the Missionaries.

Oh yeah, I got to sing in the choir for devotional on Tuesday, which was a pretty great experience. I think I might want to do choir or something after the mish at BYU. But yeah it was sweet, and I got to sit by my good buddy Elder Ben Carlisle.

What else? We've been pretty busy this week preparing lessons, and we've been trying to speak a lot more spanish (although i haven't been very good about it this week).

I'm also trying to be a better district leader and be a good example to those around me. Sometimes I'll get a little down on myself when I don't teach a lesson very well, or when I make a mistake, but we are here to learn, and I'm sure that the more diligent I am, the more I will learn. Everything is going well here though. I'm excited to be out in the field for sure.

Anyway I'm running out of time, so I guess I'll share with you some thoughts about a scripture I found this week. In Mosiah 24:15 about burdens. I think the Lord doesn't exactly take away our Burdens, but like it says he gives us strength so that we can bear them cheerfully and patiently. If we didn't have burdens or anything how could we ever learn. Well I'm out of time. Sorry I couldn't share more.

I Love you all, Enjoy Conference, It should be excellent!!!!

The gospel is true.

Love,

Elder Hicks