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