The Promised Land?

Alright, so I'm back here next to NYC in the area of Union City 1-15. Some missionaries call Union City the promised land because they see so much success here. I'm back to my old zone but am living in a different apartment of course. Union City is a pretty good place. There are a lot of people, and it's nice living in a place kinda like Utah where all the streets are numbered at least in one direction.

But yeah, so my new companions name is Elder Sopena (Sorry I don't know how to do an n with a line over it, so his name is pronounced kinda like Sopenia). This is his last transfer. He only has 5 weeks left in his mission now and so he's pretty determined to work hard. He's from Puerto Rico, so he's really good at Spanish. He can help me with my Spanish and I can help him with his English.

It's pretty cold here for sure, especially since I'm a walking elder again. So Mom, you don't have to worry about me driving on the Icy roads for now. My guess is that I will stay in Union City for more than 1 transfer (I think) because Elder Sopena has to leave and I don't think they would double us out, but strange things have happened to me when it comes to transfers, so who knows?

Last Monday I worked on packing everything up. I had to give up my old bedding because I couldn't really make it fit. Elder Harrington hadn't brought any bedding and was using some old bedding of an old missionary, so I gave my old bedding to him. It will be missed considering that was my bedding since I was like 12, but I really do love the new bedding you sent.

On Tuesday I finished packing and we got ready to go. It was a pretty crazy phenomenon with Ice Rain on Tuesday. I've never seen it before, but basically it rains, but it's so cold that the rain freezes after it's on the ground, and it makes it pretty dangerous. Our car was like encased with a shell of ice.

So we went to transfer conference on Tuesday and that's where I learned that I was headed to Union City. It was sad the night before to say goodbye to the people from the ward and to say goodbye to Freddy (who I'm pretty sure got baptized yesterday). It was also pretty sad saying goodbye to Fausta. I think you just get really good at saying goodbye on your mission.

So my first night in Union City, we went to go see our main progressing investigator Ruth. Ruth is a pretty awesome lady. She's single and has 4 little boys that she takes care of, and one of them is Autistic I'm pretty sure. So our lessons aren't really very peaceful, but Ruth could definitely benefit from the message that we share.

The first night I was getting a little Dover Homesick. It was kinda hard being put back in the city when I had been more accustomed to small town life in Dover where people lived in nicer more spaced housing. But I guess it was good for the Lord to send me back here where I can learn to grow more. This week we've been trying to find more, but haven't seen a ton of success. But we'll keep working, and we have a transfer baptismal goal of 3, so we for sure have a lot of work to do.

The ward here is awesome, and is a lot bigger than any of the wards I've been in while here in New Jersey. We went and had a FHE with some recent converts and another family, and talked about the Family: a Proclamation to the World. While we were waiting to head over to FHE, Sister Ramirez gave us some Pupusas to eat.

On Saturday we went and played some soccer, and Elder Sopena didn't really want to change his clothes, so I was playing in my b-ball shoes and my proselyting clothes, so I kinda looked like a goof, but I guess it's alright.

So yesterday was a really good Sunday. After Sacrament, the primary needed me and Elder Sopena to be the teacher of the 8-11 year olds, cause the teacher was sick. It was pretty tough to teach them to say the least, but in reality we should try to teach all our lessons with the same simplicity. After Sunday School one of the Sunbeam teachers (I think) wanted us to come in and teach a little bit about Joseph Smith's boyhood. We taught a little bit, and when I walked in there was this little girl that was like "He's cute" and then said something else like "Give me a hug" or something. Then later when she saw me again she just looked up at me with her eyes all big and everything. It was pretty funny.

But yeah it's been a pretty crazy week trying to get readjusted to city life again, and trying to adjust to the cold. At times I've had 5 layers on, including my garments, white shirt, sweater, jacket, and then my big coat which I guess is 2 layers, but mainly my hands get pretty cold. Sadly I lost one of my American Eagle mittons, so I'll have to buy some new gloves today. I'm excited for warm weather to come again though. I guess these are one of the times that we need to think back to the Mormon Pioneers and what they had to go through, and I guess we don't really come close.

Everything is going pretty good though, we just need to find some more people and get some more set appointments. Tonight we are having a FHE at the church and teaching about family history which should be pretty fun.

It's been kinda tough for me lately really adjusting, and sometimes I'm hard on myself, like always. Sometimes I feel like I'm just not doing good enough, but I guess we can always improve. I know that I can be much happier if I just try to have a more positive attitude, and I think that has been my problem lately.

Luckily I have Elder Sopena as a companion this transfer, because he's always positive, pumped up, and ready to go, ready to do missionary work. I think I can learn a lot from him this transfer. He also tries to really help me grow, but making me teach more than my other companions had me really do, and although sometimes it's hard, I knows it's exactly what he should be doing that will help me the most. Should be a pretty great transfer though, and I think I'll learn a lot.

I texted Elder Harrington yesterday to ask if Freddy was getting baptized and he said he was, so that's always good.

I love all of you, the Gospel is true, the Book of Mormon can bless our lives so much!!! Jesus Christ is our Savior, and I know our Heavenly Father is always there for us, and we can live happily if we just do His will in all things.

Love you all!!

Elder Hicks