East Coastin'

(letter dated April 18, 2011)

Hello Hello from the East Coast!
It's good to hear that you are all doing well, and that you had fun at disneyland. I sure do miss that place, but it will be there when I get home.

Things here are going pretty great. I had the opportunity to conduct my first District Meeting on Wednesday which was a pretty good experience, and then we've just been working to find more people this week.

As for an update....

Hector: Hector is doing pretty awesome. He had his second baptismal interview this week with President Allongo and he passed it! I think the interview was really good for him, and helped him feel a lot better. He wanted to be baptized this Sunday, but... we had some more problems come up, as his mom wasn't willing to sign the baptismal sheet. I'm not sure exactly why not, especially because she had a baptismal date a few weeks ago as well, but it just so conveniently happens that Hector turns 18 next Sunday and therefore won't need permission. We'll see though because I think he still wants his mom to be supportive of his decision before he actually gets baptized. He's an awesome kid though for sure, and seems to be really happy and likes the church a lot. I don't think he has missed a Sunday since we have started teaching him. I think he's been to church/General Conference like 6 times which is pretty awesome. His Grandma wants to get baptized as well, but I'm not sure exactly when that will happen. We taught Hector and Yolanda the law of Tithing, and the law of Fasting, and they both agreed to it, and Hector said he was going to fast on Sunday. So we'll see how things go with them, and we'll just keep trying to support them. Hector's little sister got to come to church for her first time yesterday which was pretty cool as well.

Maria: I just figured I'll update you on Maria. So after Elder Sopena left, me and Elder Hannah didn't really get a chance to teach Maria. We tried and taught her husband a few times, but never her. I called her last week trying to set something up, and it seemed like it was always "No" when I asked if we could come over. I called again, and she said no not today. Then I figured I might as well ask... something like this "Maria, do you really have interest in hearing us again" and she said no, so unfortunately we got dropped. Maybe someday though she will get baptized.

Christian and Trixi: Didn't get to teach this week, but I think they are still doing pretty awesome, been busy with baby stuff and all I guess.

Jennifer: Jennifer is an "On/Off" again investigator whose spouse is a member. She has come to church the past two weeks though. The only problem is, she hasn't read in the Book of Mormon, and gives a lot of excuses for why she can't read. So we'll just have to read with her I guess, but hopefully we can set her with a baptismal date this week too.

Katherine: We found this awesome new girl named Katherine this week. On Thursday we were going to look up a potential that we had contacted two transfers ago but had never made much contact with her other than a phone call. It was a nice warm day, and we headed to her apartment, where the first basement door happened to be open (which is usually locked) because one of the tenants was outside enjoying the weather. He allowed us to go into the basement, and we knocked the door. A girl of about 23 years of age answered and told us that the person we were looking for (Rosa) wasn't home and wouldn't be for a week. Elder High asked if we could teach her, and she let us into her house. We taught her about the restoration, and our good buddy Norbert, who goes out on team-ups with us a lot, bore testimony of the message. I think the testimony really touched her, and she basically described it as beautiful. Elder High explained that as being the Holy Ghost and soft committed her to baptism. She accepted and we invited her to church. She came to church yesterday and stayed for all 3 hours, and wants to start going to institute. Things are going pretty awesome, and hopefully we can set her with a date tomorrow.

Well that's mostly an update on our investigators. Working with Diana has still been pretty tough. We went by last night and talked to her and she was saying how she was like never home, and she's pretty busy with stuff, and she doesn't know if she'll be able to come to church next week. I think we are gonna kinda stop going by to try and see her for awhile, but it's just hard when she isn't going to church, but I guess there is only so much you can do, right?

Things are still going well, although there are some things we need to improve on to make better use of our time. I get the opportunity to do my first baptismal interviews this week which should be pretty great. Two in Spanish, and one in English. It will be a great opportunity, but I'm a little nervous about how I'll know whether or not they are ready for baptism, but I guess I'll just have to really go by the spirit. I know I can be a better missionary, and I think sometimes my shyness or discouragement can get the better of me. Sometimes it just get's stressful when people don't follow through, or when people give you false information, but I guess it all just comes back to... "Come what may and love it." I really do love my mission, and I'm gaining so many new and wonderful experiences.

Welp, that's about it for this week, I guess I'll just include a funny moment or two. This week we went to Ruth's house and we were watching or trying to watch "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration." Her son Miguel-Angel was there too, and he was opening up some bags of toys to play with. He was just playing around, and then he beckoned, or called me to attention. I looked at what he was holding in his hand, and thought for a second that it was a toy mouse, or not... Yeah it was pretty disgusting, this little kid was holding a dead mouse in his hands that must have been in one of the toy bags. We were trying to call Ruth's attention to the matter, and when she saw it she was telling Miguel to drop it, and yeah it was pretty nuts, and kinda gross. That was a pretty funny experience though.

Then I had another really short one while contacting. We were walking and I saw this guy on his phone but kept walking. I thought to myself, that looks like a good guy, so I turned around to go and contact him. I was following him and as he was about to walk into a store I was like "Hermano!" but he didn't hear me cause he was on his phone and all. I reached to tap him on his shoulder, and I think he thought I was going to jump him or something, because he turned around quickly with his hands in defensive fighting position. I was like, "Wo, it's OK, I just want to give you a card" and so he took it. But obviously I'm sure that contact had a negative affect more than a positive one, so I guess I learned my lesson to never tap on peoples shoulders, but I guess that's just one of my awkward things.

I had another one a few weeks ago, where I saw a lady who looked pretty good to contact so I started walking a little faster. It was night time, and I'm a big tall person with a black coat on, so I think she could tell I was coming up fast, and then she crossed the street. I guess I just gotta take it easy with the whole creepy contacter thing huh? Well I guess it's just trial and error of what works best.

But yeah, that's my week basically. This week should be pretty great though, and we will just keep being diligent and trying to find with the Spirit, and teach with the spirit to truly fulfill our purpose as missionaries.

Just to end with my testimony. I know the Church is true, and I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that everything that we experience in this life is for our good, and that the lord qualifies him who he calleth. Sometimes we may receive calls or duties that seem overwhelming or that we are not fit to do it, but the Lord knows our capabilities and will not make us do it alone. Sometimes we may receive callings in order to become qualified, not because we were qualified beforehand. We learn so many new things, and it's through the pushing and learning, that we can become more like the divine son's and daughters that our Heavenly Father would have us be.

Love you all, and thanks so much for your support!!

Love, Elder Hicks