(letter dated April 25, 2011)
Hello Family!!
It's good to hear that you all had a wonderful Easter.
Julia and Steve, your news about being member missionaries brings me so much Joy. I'm so proud of you guys for being awesome and trying to be examples to your neighbors. I hope after my mission I can continue doing missionary work.
So...
Unfortunately Hector did not get baptized this week. We went and visited him a few times, and he would never really say a specific day, just that there was something he needed to "fix". We went and watched part of the Joseph Smith movie with him, which he really liked. Elder High shared a scripture about not procrastinating your day of repentance, and we talked to Hector about how he was ready. We tried setting a baptismal goal with him, and we got some horrible news. He told us that he's hoping it can be before, but probably won't be until after his trip to Ecuador. We asked when that trip was going to be, and he said... December. I was like," Wo, Um..." haha or something like that. So we were a little discouraged for sure. He said he wanted to talk with the bishop. So yesterday right after sacrament meeting, he met with the Bishop, and when he came out, him and the bishop told us that he was going to be baptized next Sunday! What a relief! So yeah, that's pretty exciting for Hector. We actually went by earlier in the week to visit, and I asked him if he's received an answer about the church being true, and kinda gave me a response of, "What a dumb question, of course" so that's good news I guess too.
This week I also got to conduct my first companion exchange with Elder Hunt. Elder Hunt just got to the mission but isn't really a new missionary as he served for 2 months in Bolivia, but now he is here in New Jersey. I got a chance to show him some of the ropes of Union City. Unfortunately we didn't see too much that day that we were together, but I hope I was able to learn something from the exchange. He's a really good missionary though, and really taught me to better look on the positive side of things, and to not give up.
This week we went and saw our investigator Jennifer who has been to church a number of times and her husband (they aren't really married though) is a member. It was a super disorganized lesson as we talked about Adam and Eve with the original sin, a little from the Restoration, the purpose of this life, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It all came back to having her just read in the Book of Mormon. Elder High made a little thing for her to sign, saying that she would read the introduction to the Book of Mormon before watching TV, and she signed it. We don't know how it went though because they didn't come to church. Sadly they are going to be moving in just a few weeks to Florida, but hopefully she can talk to missionaries once she gets there.
This week we worked with a few less actives as well. We were able to get one to Sacrament meeting who hadn't been in about a year, and the other one didn't make it to church, but both of them are going to come on team ups with us this week which should be pretty great.
We met these cool people this week named Irene and Cheryl, who were contacts from about a week ago. We went and taught them and they had been to the church and taken lessons before, but couldn't progress much further because of the Husband. He's Jewish I guess, but a Lutheran. We'll hope to start teaching him as well.
Christian and Trixi: We have still not had the chance to visit Christian and Trixi yet, as it seems that Christian is on a new work schedule and doesn't seem to be able to meet with us at the same times as before. Hopefully we can hold onto them though, because they are super awesome investigators.
Oh, one or two things, last night the mouse finally got trapped that was in our house, and I guess up in the west New York apartment, they had one trap catch 3 mice at the exact same time. Crazy right? My comp took a picture of it, it's pretty interesting and I'm not quite sure how it happened. Bad news is, is that we might have bed bugs in our house, but I guess that's just what happens here in the East.
This week we also had the great opportunity to have Zone conference. It was a lot about doing things by the Spirit. We were supposed to write a two minute talk on how our "20 minute lessons" have been going, and I actually got called on to give my talk which was pretty scary, but I think it went alright. At the end of zone conference we watched a talk by Elder Holland that he gave in the MTC. He was talking about how after Christ's death the apostles went back to fishing. We've heard it a lot here about dropping our nets while here on our missions. Dropping all the things that are holding us back from serving the Lord with our all. At times we may come home from our missions and begin to pick up those nets again, or become distracted from continuing to fulfill our call as missionaries. The Lord asks 3 times, Do you love me? If so, "Feed my Sheep." Do we love the Lord? Then we must feed his sheep and continue taking the gospel to all the world. The Lord commanded us to drop our nets. Not just for a time but forever. Just as He did the apostles. I know that missionary work continues after the mission, and that there is so much joy in sharing the gospel. I liked the talk a lot, and it really was a great Zone Conference.
That's about it though. It was a great week, and a great Easter. I know the Gospel is True! Thanks for all your support, and sure do love you. Can you believe I'm at 8 months today? Time flies I guess. I'm super excited in some ways to call in 2 weeks, but in other ways I think calling home is harder. So if we could try keeping the crying to a minimum, that would be awesome, and I'll try not to cry either.
Love You!
Love Elder Hicks!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
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
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
Sunday, April 17, 2011
CHANGES!
(Letter dated April 11, 2011)
No worries, I'm not being transferred, but this week is the week of transfers, and Elder High AND I are still going to be companions. It should be a great transfer, and we will see a lot of good success together. Last night I got a call from one of the assistants, and he asked me to be the next District Leader! I'm so excited for this opportunity to be District Leader and to better help the missionaries and serve those in the District. It will also be pretty cool to conduct baptismal interviews for the investigators of the other missionaries. I guess I better start working more on my Spanish. It's a really great opportunity and priviledge and a time for me to learn and grow even more. Two of the people in our former district are leaving, and one of the people in the district is going to be training so it will be cool having a new greenie around to help out. But that's basically the big news of the week, the rest of the week hasn't been quite so good.
This week it seemed like a lot of not so good things were happening. Everything seemed to be going well with Hector, and then on Thursday he told us that there was some stuff he needed to clear up in Ecuador before he could get baptized. He still had his baptismal interview, and it came out that he is going to need a second interview. He has that interview tomorrow and I asked Elder Davies (The District Leader last transfer) if after this interview he was going to be able to be baptized, and Elder Davies sounded in the affirmative so maybe Hector will be able to be baptized in the next couple of weeks. This week we also got to go and help their family move, and I think it really helped us earn I guess you would say "brownie points" with Hector's Grandpa. Hopefully he will one day give permission to Yolanda to be baptized, and then her and Hectors mom Wendy can be baptized as well. Hector is an awesome kid though and told us that he still wants to be baptized and that he knows the church is true. He went to the YSA activity this week and is planning on going to mutual tomorrow, so it seems like he is continuing to grow in the church and is making more friends.
Christian and Trixi gave us some bad news this week as well. They still want to be baptized and everything, but we also found out that they aren't married, and that Trixie is still married to her former "esposo". So it could be a pretty lengthy process, but they will eventually be baptized. It was actually pretty cool this week. Trixi has been like super pregnant, and on friday or something like that I called her and got no answer, She called me back later and I asked how everything was going. It was like 10:15 or something like that, and she told me that she had just had her baby like about an hour ago. I congratulated her and was really happy for her. Yesterday we were able to find her a ride home from the hospital, and then we got to go and visit them. We taught them about "Where we were before this life" because they just had a baby and all, and then we told them they wouldn't be able to get baptized on the 24th because they haven't been to church yet and they have to deal with all this divorce stuff, but we invited them to pray about their own date in which they could reasonably be baptized. So we'll follow up on that a little more on Wednesday. I was pretty suprised that she was back only two days after, and she was pretty weak during the lesson, but they still let us come over which was pretty awesome. They also gave us a lot of details about the child birth which was definitely pretty interesting especially in Spanish, and it sounded like a pretty dramatic experience for sure, but hey, I guess they trust us enough to give us so many details about their new baby Angel (That's his name).
As for church attendance. Ay ay ay, yesterday definitely wasn't a good day of church attendance for our recent converts. A lot of them were missing and Fiorella and Samantha weren't able to make it either to be confirmed, but the good news is... Christian came and was able to be confirmed again. I got to do the confirmation which was pretty cool, but kinda hard in Spanish, especially cause as a missionary you basically only use the Usted form (Formal) while in blessings you use the Tu form (Less-formal) and so the confirmation had a mix of both, but hey, practice makes perfect right? Hector came and enjoyed it. Christian's mom came as well, and she isn't a member. And we had another investigator named Jennifer come whose spouse is a member. So we are going to try and work more with her, especially cause they are moving to Florida in like a month.
Elder High has been doing a lot better with learning the Area and seems to be getting to know the ward really well. Tuesday was his birthday, and some of the ward members went and got him a cake and sang to him and stuff while we were in the church during YM/YW. Other that that, things are still going pretty well. We definitely need to improve continually having some struggles in our area this week, especially with finding new people, but I guess it's always a good time to learn, and continually be diligent. I feel like my Spanish has been improving a lot this week with the changes and me being able to talk a little more in Spanish to members and the investigators. It's been a good week though and we'll keep working with the recent converts, members and investigators.
When Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy came to visit us, he talked to us about how sometimes in missionary work, or I guess a lot of the time, things just don't work out as planned and things fall through. He was saying how this provides another opportunity, that whenever one door closes, one more door opens. It's our job to find that open door of opportunity. That principle is probably the same with every situation, inside and outside of missionary work. I really know that everything happens to us for a reason. Sicknesses, adversities, and all the sorts, because it is truly necessary for our growth. But we will only really grow and learn from it, when we act and respond in the way that we should. With patience and with faith, and with diligence, we can grow and develop more Christ-like attributes.
Love you all!
Love, Elder Hicks
No worries, I'm not being transferred, but this week is the week of transfers, and Elder High AND I are still going to be companions. It should be a great transfer, and we will see a lot of good success together. Last night I got a call from one of the assistants, and he asked me to be the next District Leader! I'm so excited for this opportunity to be District Leader and to better help the missionaries and serve those in the District. It will also be pretty cool to conduct baptismal interviews for the investigators of the other missionaries. I guess I better start working more on my Spanish. It's a really great opportunity and priviledge and a time for me to learn and grow even more. Two of the people in our former district are leaving, and one of the people in the district is going to be training so it will be cool having a new greenie around to help out. But that's basically the big news of the week, the rest of the week hasn't been quite so good.
This week it seemed like a lot of not so good things were happening. Everything seemed to be going well with Hector, and then on Thursday he told us that there was some stuff he needed to clear up in Ecuador before he could get baptized. He still had his baptismal interview, and it came out that he is going to need a second interview. He has that interview tomorrow and I asked Elder Davies (The District Leader last transfer) if after this interview he was going to be able to be baptized, and Elder Davies sounded in the affirmative so maybe Hector will be able to be baptized in the next couple of weeks. This week we also got to go and help their family move, and I think it really helped us earn I guess you would say "brownie points" with Hector's Grandpa. Hopefully he will one day give permission to Yolanda to be baptized, and then her and Hectors mom Wendy can be baptized as well. Hector is an awesome kid though and told us that he still wants to be baptized and that he knows the church is true. He went to the YSA activity this week and is planning on going to mutual tomorrow, so it seems like he is continuing to grow in the church and is making more friends.
Christian and Trixi gave us some bad news this week as well. They still want to be baptized and everything, but we also found out that they aren't married, and that Trixie is still married to her former "esposo". So it could be a pretty lengthy process, but they will eventually be baptized. It was actually pretty cool this week. Trixi has been like super pregnant, and on friday or something like that I called her and got no answer, She called me back later and I asked how everything was going. It was like 10:15 or something like that, and she told me that she had just had her baby like about an hour ago. I congratulated her and was really happy for her. Yesterday we were able to find her a ride home from the hospital, and then we got to go and visit them. We taught them about "Where we were before this life" because they just had a baby and all, and then we told them they wouldn't be able to get baptized on the 24th because they haven't been to church yet and they have to deal with all this divorce stuff, but we invited them to pray about their own date in which they could reasonably be baptized. So we'll follow up on that a little more on Wednesday. I was pretty suprised that she was back only two days after, and she was pretty weak during the lesson, but they still let us come over which was pretty awesome. They also gave us a lot of details about the child birth which was definitely pretty interesting especially in Spanish, and it sounded like a pretty dramatic experience for sure, but hey, I guess they trust us enough to give us so many details about their new baby Angel (That's his name).
As for church attendance. Ay ay ay, yesterday definitely wasn't a good day of church attendance for our recent converts. A lot of them were missing and Fiorella and Samantha weren't able to make it either to be confirmed, but the good news is... Christian came and was able to be confirmed again. I got to do the confirmation which was pretty cool, but kinda hard in Spanish, especially cause as a missionary you basically only use the Usted form (Formal) while in blessings you use the Tu form (Less-formal) and so the confirmation had a mix of both, but hey, practice makes perfect right? Hector came and enjoyed it. Christian's mom came as well, and she isn't a member. And we had another investigator named Jennifer come whose spouse is a member. So we are going to try and work more with her, especially cause they are moving to Florida in like a month.
Elder High has been doing a lot better with learning the Area and seems to be getting to know the ward really well. Tuesday was his birthday, and some of the ward members went and got him a cake and sang to him and stuff while we were in the church during YM/YW. Other that that, things are still going pretty well. We definitely need to improve continually having some struggles in our area this week, especially with finding new people, but I guess it's always a good time to learn, and continually be diligent. I feel like my Spanish has been improving a lot this week with the changes and me being able to talk a little more in Spanish to members and the investigators. It's been a good week though and we'll keep working with the recent converts, members and investigators.
When Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy came to visit us, he talked to us about how sometimes in missionary work, or I guess a lot of the time, things just don't work out as planned and things fall through. He was saying how this provides another opportunity, that whenever one door closes, one more door opens. It's our job to find that open door of opportunity. That principle is probably the same with every situation, inside and outside of missionary work. I really know that everything happens to us for a reason. Sicknesses, adversities, and all the sorts, because it is truly necessary for our growth. But we will only really grow and learn from it, when we act and respond in the way that we should. With patience and with faith, and with diligence, we can grow and develop more Christ-like attributes.
Love you all!
Love, Elder Hicks
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Amazing Conference Weekend!
Let me just say how much I love conference these days. Maybe it's just because I'm a missionary and so I try to apply it more, but hopefully upon returning home, I can keep that same enthusiasm about conference. I didn't end up watching any of the sessions in Spanish, mostly just watched them in English with the other missionaries in the ward.
Well I have some kinda big news. So transfers are next week, but... I already have a new companion. Yeah it's pretty crazy but Elder Hannah got emergency transferred on Saturday, so now my new companion is Elder High. It was pretty weird actually. I was just upstairs filling out a progress record, and Elder Hannah calls up to me and says," Elder Hicks, there's a change of plans." and I say, "Which one's?" and he said, "All of them. I'm leaving Union City today." So it was definitely a big suprise. He got all packed up, we went to conference, he say goodbye to some people, we drove to Short Hills where the two other missionaries and President Bahr were waiting, and then made the switch. Now Elder Hannah is in New Brunswick, and I asked President Bahr if this is what our companionship was going to be for next transfer as well, and he said something like "I hope so." So it looks like we got an early transfer conference, but the good news is, I'm most likely staying in Union City for at least one more, but I'm sure I'll leave after this next transfer. Elder High is a good kid from Idaho. We seem to be getting a long pretty well. We haven't taught a lesson together yet, but I think we should see a lot of success together this transfer.
I did get the sweet roles today, thanks so much. They were delicious and luckily there were 5 other missionaries in the car when I opened them so that I could share them and not get too chubby. I think I'm getting a little to big for my black suit. I'm not sure exactly how much I weigh, but I'm probably like 10-15 pounds more than when I left on my mission. It's all good though because supposedly summer is pretty brutal here and so I'm sure I'll sweat it all off.
We have 3 baptismal dates set for this coming week for Hector, Wendy, and Yolanda, but I think it's really only going to be Hector that is baptized this week. This family is awesome and Hector is the man. I really hope he goes on a mission within the next couple of years, or maybe he could come live at BYU, but I guess he probably needs to learn English before he can do that. Hector came to a session of conference yesterday and liked it, and as they would say in "the district", "You can put your money on the prophet." But after the session I asked if he thought he was going to be baptized next week, and he looked like he was pretty sure of it. There is still a good amount we have to teach him though so hopefully we can meet with him enough this week so he is ready by Sunday. Now the best case scenario for him would be to be baptized this week, receive the priesthood a few weeks later, and then baptize his Mom and Grandma. So we'll see what we can do with that this transfer. Really good people though.
Christian and Trixi are doing awesome as well. Trixi is probably having her baby today which will make it a lot harder for them to come to church within the coming weeks, but they'll be baptized eventually. They are so good about reading, and always have so many questions and things to share. They are truly a prepared people.
Some good news would be that Diana came to a session of conference as well, so hopefully we can keep working with her, and help her understand more about the gospel.
Hmmm... Any funny things happen this week? I'm not really sure, it's just funny moments like I said, so it's hard to really remember things that happen. We knocked a door this week and I just had a Spanish fail which was really awkward and Elder Hannah had to help me out. Another one would be that Elder Hannah was calling up a recent convert named Jan to see if he could come out a work with us. He was just taking a nap, so he said he couldn't on the phone, and then I could hear yelling in the background (although Elder Hannah was the one that had the phone) and Elder Hannah later told me that Jan's mom said ," Porque no puede, Si Puede!!!) Or How come you can't, you can! but she was kinda scolding him basically making him come out and help the missionaries. I guess you would just have to be there. Oh yeah, another one this week was super super awkward. We were at this less actives house and he wanted me to give the prayer. I asked him his name right before I was to give it, but unfortunately I heard him say "Jehovah" (In Spanigh) instead of Eduardo. It was a hearing fail on my part, so I was a little confused and said back to him "Jehovah" and he just kinda looked at me, and Elder Hannah was like "Eduardo". I don't really know where "Jehovah" came from, but it was pretty awkward on my part.
Everything is going pretty well here in Union City. Changes are still kinda weird for me, but I think this will be a really good transfer with Elder High.
I really like conference a lot. They seemed to focus a lot on service and giving to the poor. I also really like Elder Bednar's talk, and I felt like that one was meant just for me, because I'm still trying to learn how to receive personal revelation, and I get worried when I don't have these huge spiritual experience's and things like it, but It's true that revelation comes line upon line, and precept upon precept, and that sometimes we may not really recognize that we are receiving personal revelation. I know that president Monson is a true Prophet, and that the apostoles are also called of God. I really liked the talk of Richard G. Scott as well. This conference talked a lot about marriage as well, and basically we were told that after the mission, marriage is the next priority. I really liked Richard G. Scott's talk and the special experiences he shared. I'm so grateful to be out on my mission learning the lessons I need to really return home with honor, and come home with the skills necessary to continue being a missionary after the mission, and to know how to raise a family and keep them strong in the gospel. I was saddened to hear this week of somebody I knew in the MTC who didn't make it out into the field, especially cause I know how truly special the mission is, and how much it changes the lives of others as well as ours as missionaries. Hopefully he can go back out one day. The Gospel is true!
Love You So Much!!
Love, Elder Hicks.
Well I have some kinda big news. So transfers are next week, but... I already have a new companion. Yeah it's pretty crazy but Elder Hannah got emergency transferred on Saturday, so now my new companion is Elder High. It was pretty weird actually. I was just upstairs filling out a progress record, and Elder Hannah calls up to me and says," Elder Hicks, there's a change of plans." and I say, "Which one's?" and he said, "All of them. I'm leaving Union City today." So it was definitely a big suprise. He got all packed up, we went to conference, he say goodbye to some people, we drove to Short Hills where the two other missionaries and President Bahr were waiting, and then made the switch. Now Elder Hannah is in New Brunswick, and I asked President Bahr if this is what our companionship was going to be for next transfer as well, and he said something like "I hope so." So it looks like we got an early transfer conference, but the good news is, I'm most likely staying in Union City for at least one more, but I'm sure I'll leave after this next transfer. Elder High is a good kid from Idaho. We seem to be getting a long pretty well. We haven't taught a lesson together yet, but I think we should see a lot of success together this transfer.
I did get the sweet roles today, thanks so much. They were delicious and luckily there were 5 other missionaries in the car when I opened them so that I could share them and not get too chubby. I think I'm getting a little to big for my black suit. I'm not sure exactly how much I weigh, but I'm probably like 10-15 pounds more than when I left on my mission. It's all good though because supposedly summer is pretty brutal here and so I'm sure I'll sweat it all off.
We have 3 baptismal dates set for this coming week for Hector, Wendy, and Yolanda, but I think it's really only going to be Hector that is baptized this week. This family is awesome and Hector is the man. I really hope he goes on a mission within the next couple of years, or maybe he could come live at BYU, but I guess he probably needs to learn English before he can do that. Hector came to a session of conference yesterday and liked it, and as they would say in "the district", "You can put your money on the prophet." But after the session I asked if he thought he was going to be baptized next week, and he looked like he was pretty sure of it. There is still a good amount we have to teach him though so hopefully we can meet with him enough this week so he is ready by Sunday. Now the best case scenario for him would be to be baptized this week, receive the priesthood a few weeks later, and then baptize his Mom and Grandma. So we'll see what we can do with that this transfer. Really good people though.
Christian and Trixi are doing awesome as well. Trixi is probably having her baby today which will make it a lot harder for them to come to church within the coming weeks, but they'll be baptized eventually. They are so good about reading, and always have so many questions and things to share. They are truly a prepared people.
Some good news would be that Diana came to a session of conference as well, so hopefully we can keep working with her, and help her understand more about the gospel.
Hmmm... Any funny things happen this week? I'm not really sure, it's just funny moments like I said, so it's hard to really remember things that happen. We knocked a door this week and I just had a Spanish fail which was really awkward and Elder Hannah had to help me out. Another one would be that Elder Hannah was calling up a recent convert named Jan to see if he could come out a work with us. He was just taking a nap, so he said he couldn't on the phone, and then I could hear yelling in the background (although Elder Hannah was the one that had the phone) and Elder Hannah later told me that Jan's mom said ," Porque no puede, Si Puede!!!) Or How come you can't, you can! but she was kinda scolding him basically making him come out and help the missionaries. I guess you would just have to be there. Oh yeah, another one this week was super super awkward. We were at this less actives house and he wanted me to give the prayer. I asked him his name right before I was to give it, but unfortunately I heard him say "Jehovah" (In Spanigh) instead of Eduardo. It was a hearing fail on my part, so I was a little confused and said back to him "Jehovah" and he just kinda looked at me, and Elder Hannah was like "Eduardo". I don't really know where "Jehovah" came from, but it was pretty awkward on my part.
Everything is going pretty well here in Union City. Changes are still kinda weird for me, but I think this will be a really good transfer with Elder High.
I really like conference a lot. They seemed to focus a lot on service and giving to the poor. I also really like Elder Bednar's talk, and I felt like that one was meant just for me, because I'm still trying to learn how to receive personal revelation, and I get worried when I don't have these huge spiritual experience's and things like it, but It's true that revelation comes line upon line, and precept upon precept, and that sometimes we may not really recognize that we are receiving personal revelation. I know that president Monson is a true Prophet, and that the apostoles are also called of God. I really liked the talk of Richard G. Scott as well. This conference talked a lot about marriage as well, and basically we were told that after the mission, marriage is the next priority. I really liked Richard G. Scott's talk and the special experiences he shared. I'm so grateful to be out on my mission learning the lessons I need to really return home with honor, and come home with the skills necessary to continue being a missionary after the mission, and to know how to raise a family and keep them strong in the gospel. I was saddened to hear this week of somebody I knew in the MTC who didn't make it out into the field, especially cause I know how truly special the mission is, and how much it changes the lives of others as well as ours as missionaries. Hopefully he can go back out one day. The Gospel is true!
Love You So Much!!
Love, Elder Hicks.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
"Why is everyone dressed like that so tall?"
A new week is here and we just finished having another amazing week here in Union City. This is really such an amazing area and I hope I get to stay for a while longer, but who knows if I'll be transferred in two weeks or not.
This week we have seen a lot of success. Yesterday Fiorella and Samantha both got baptized. Fiorella has been an investigator for quite some time off and on, and yesterday she was baptized and seemed to be really happy. Hopefully her siblings Emily and Brian will get baptized soon as well.
This week we set two new baptismal dates for the 24th of April with our Investigators Christian and Trixi. They are two very prepared souls. One is from Columbia and another is from El Salvador. They have such a great desire to learn, and I think they really love the message. Sadly they haven't gone to church at all because Christian works, and Trixi is very pregnant, like going to have the baby just any day now. But they are doing good and I think will continue progressing.
I had another great opportunity to return to my Birth Area last Tuesday. I went on an exchange and was working with Elder Flake in the Bayonne/Jersey City area. We were able to go see Hermana Aranda (The older lady from Bolivia) which was a great experience. She didn't really remember me very well, but it was great going back and seeing her. We also got to go see Patricia and Leonal, the two investigators that me and Elder Yates re-found at the end of my first transfer that had a lot of great potential. Leonal was baptized, and just recently passed the sacrament for the first time, and the other elders have been trying to work with Patricia as well. Elder Flake and I went there and we set Patricia with a new baptismal date, and she wrote down a few things that she would have to give up in order to be baptized, but she seemed pretty sincere, and I was so happy to be able to see them again. As I was leaving their house it was kinda sad knowing I might not ever go back, and I really felt a great love for that family.
This week we taught Yolanda and Hector again and they seem to be doing great. Besides the fact that they have a few trials hitting them, I think Hector has progressed a lot. He seems so interested in the Gospel and we are still hoping that they can be baptized on the 10th of April. Elder Hannah was saying today that maybe Hector can just get baptized on the 10th, and then a few weeks later he would be able to baptize his mom and grandma. That would be cool for sure, but we need to get permission from Yolanda's Husband for her to be baptized.
Also, Brian Martinez left today for his mission which is kinda sad. He's really helped me and Elder Hannah out a ton, and has basically been our 3rd companion for this entire transfer. But he's gonna do awesome on his mission.
Becca asked for funny stories, but I don't have any really funny long stories but just funny little experiences or just things where I could say "That would only happen to me". Just like the subject of this e-mail. We were walking by a couple of kids and once we passed them they were like "'Why is everyone dressed like that so tall?" Or another experience where I was walking into an apartment and my foot accidently knicked some thing and it fell and made a loud clanging sound. Or at a dinner appointment I picked up the salad that was in a strainer bowl and as I was serving some salad to myself, it was dripping from the bottom onto the floor and chair. Or a cat walking by my leg during a lesson and getting it's hair all over, or me sitting down waiting for Elder Hannah coming to plan and seeing something move in the corner of my eye only to find a mouse running across the floor and under the fridge (kinda like last year huh?) We have traps set up though and hopefully we'll catch him, but I guess you gotta just love it all.
I really do love it here in Union City though. Elder Hannah and I are getting along better than ever. We've been trying to work with our Recent Converts, but Diana still didn't come to church this week, and neither did the Ramirez family, but I guess everyone has their agency. It just gets dicouraging at times when you feel like people are just not doing what they know is right. As is said on the PMG DVD's and everything I felt this way yesterday. I was sitting in sacrament just kinda frustrated that certain people didn't come to church, and then I thought about how going on a mission really does help you try to become more like Heavenly Father. You love the people and you try to teach them what's right and really hope that they'll follow through, and sometimes they just don't and they make the wrong choice. It makes you feel sad and dissappointed because you love the people so much, and then you just think about Heavenly Father and how he feels when His Children are taught correct principles, and still fall to the natural man and make wrong choices. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be serving a mission, and all the great experiences I'm having. My Spanish is getting better little by little, but I'm still far from being fluent.
Thanks again for everything!
The Gospel is True!
I love you all! (Les Amo Mucho!!)
Love, Elder Hicks
This week we have seen a lot of success. Yesterday Fiorella and Samantha both got baptized. Fiorella has been an investigator for quite some time off and on, and yesterday she was baptized and seemed to be really happy. Hopefully her siblings Emily and Brian will get baptized soon as well.
This week we set two new baptismal dates for the 24th of April with our Investigators Christian and Trixi. They are two very prepared souls. One is from Columbia and another is from El Salvador. They have such a great desire to learn, and I think they really love the message. Sadly they haven't gone to church at all because Christian works, and Trixi is very pregnant, like going to have the baby just any day now. But they are doing good and I think will continue progressing.
I had another great opportunity to return to my Birth Area last Tuesday. I went on an exchange and was working with Elder Flake in the Bayonne/Jersey City area. We were able to go see Hermana Aranda (The older lady from Bolivia) which was a great experience. She didn't really remember me very well, but it was great going back and seeing her. We also got to go see Patricia and Leonal, the two investigators that me and Elder Yates re-found at the end of my first transfer that had a lot of great potential. Leonal was baptized, and just recently passed the sacrament for the first time, and the other elders have been trying to work with Patricia as well. Elder Flake and I went there and we set Patricia with a new baptismal date, and she wrote down a few things that she would have to give up in order to be baptized, but she seemed pretty sincere, and I was so happy to be able to see them again. As I was leaving their house it was kinda sad knowing I might not ever go back, and I really felt a great love for that family.
This week we taught Yolanda and Hector again and they seem to be doing great. Besides the fact that they have a few trials hitting them, I think Hector has progressed a lot. He seems so interested in the Gospel and we are still hoping that they can be baptized on the 10th of April. Elder Hannah was saying today that maybe Hector can just get baptized on the 10th, and then a few weeks later he would be able to baptize his mom and grandma. That would be cool for sure, but we need to get permission from Yolanda's Husband for her to be baptized.
Also, Brian Martinez left today for his mission which is kinda sad. He's really helped me and Elder Hannah out a ton, and has basically been our 3rd companion for this entire transfer. But he's gonna do awesome on his mission.
Becca asked for funny stories, but I don't have any really funny long stories but just funny little experiences or just things where I could say "That would only happen to me". Just like the subject of this e-mail. We were walking by a couple of kids and once we passed them they were like "'Why is everyone dressed like that so tall?" Or another experience where I was walking into an apartment and my foot accidently knicked some thing and it fell and made a loud clanging sound. Or at a dinner appointment I picked up the salad that was in a strainer bowl and as I was serving some salad to myself, it was dripping from the bottom onto the floor and chair. Or a cat walking by my leg during a lesson and getting it's hair all over, or me sitting down waiting for Elder Hannah coming to plan and seeing something move in the corner of my eye only to find a mouse running across the floor and under the fridge (kinda like last year huh?) We have traps set up though and hopefully we'll catch him, but I guess you gotta just love it all.
I really do love it here in Union City though. Elder Hannah and I are getting along better than ever. We've been trying to work with our Recent Converts, but Diana still didn't come to church this week, and neither did the Ramirez family, but I guess everyone has their agency. It just gets dicouraging at times when you feel like people are just not doing what they know is right. As is said on the PMG DVD's and everything I felt this way yesterday. I was sitting in sacrament just kinda frustrated that certain people didn't come to church, and then I thought about how going on a mission really does help you try to become more like Heavenly Father. You love the people and you try to teach them what's right and really hope that they'll follow through, and sometimes they just don't and they make the wrong choice. It makes you feel sad and dissappointed because you love the people so much, and then you just think about Heavenly Father and how he feels when His Children are taught correct principles, and still fall to the natural man and make wrong choices. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be serving a mission, and all the great experiences I'm having. My Spanish is getting better little by little, but I'm still far from being fluent.
Thanks again for everything!
The Gospel is True!
I love you all! (Les Amo Mucho!!)
Love, Elder Hicks
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
SPRING IS HERE!
Well, happy first day of spring everyone. I'm so happy that the weather has finally gotten warmer here. I mean right now it's rainy and stuff, but on Friday it was like it was summer. I went proselyting in a short sleeve shirt and was out at a barbecue for awhile, and there were a ton of people out on the streets enjoying the weather.
This week has been another great one though for sure. Elder Hannah and I have really been seeing great success together, and he told me this morning that neither he nor I would see another transfer like this one again. It really has been amazing. Yesterday Christian and Francisco were confirmed. Unfortunately Fiorella and her daughter weren't able to be baptized this week, but they are planning on it for next week for sure.
This week we had the opportunity to go teach Yolanda, Wendy, and Hector again. They are the family from Ecuador. We read through the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them from 2 Nephi 31, and they seem to understand it very well. Hector was telling us that he has never felt the same way with anything as he has when he reads the Book of Mormon and goes to church. He really is a champ, and I hope that one day in the next few years he can go on a mission. During that lesson we were able to set all 3 of them with the baptismal date of April 10th. Hopefully they can continue learning and feeling the spirit to really be prepared by that date. They are an amazing, and really prepared family for sure.
We also have these other golden investigators named Christian and Trixi. This week we went over, and they had done their reading and the first 10 or 15 minutes of the lesson was spent talking about what they had read, things they picked out, and questions that had. They have such a great desire to learn. We taught them the plan of salvation and Trixi liked it a lot. After the lesson Christian was asking us how he could know if he had retained a remission of his sins, and another question about how to judge or discern. They are so awesome, and I think they could have baptismal dates pretty soon as well. Trixi is due to have a baby though very soon, and they haven't been able to come to church yet, but things will all work out in the end.
We've been working with our Recent Converts a good amount lately and they all seem to be doing well. Ruth is continually learning, and she's really a great member of the church. I'm getting a little worried about Diana though because we haven't seen her at Church the last 2 weeks, and we haven't really been able to see her or talk to her in awhile. Yesterday we saw her mom though and she said that Diana has been busy taking care of her little sister, and that her phone was broken, but sometimes I just don't know. I really hope we can get back in contact with her, and help her grow in the Church.
This week we were walking down the street and a guy waved to us from across the street. Then he started yelling out Jimmer Fredettes name. It was pretty funny that he recognized us as Mormons, I guess because of BYU basketball. We didn't talk to him or anything, but I thought it was a pretty interesting experience.
The mission life is good though, and I'm still trying to learn Spanish. I haven't been progressing a ton lately, but I'm sure it will come with time. It gets discouraging at times when people don't come to church, especially recent converts, but I guess that's why we are here. To bring other people unto Christ, while at the same time strengthening the ward that we are in. The Gospel truly brings so much happiness, and sometimes you just want to make people take it. Everyone has their agency though, and you really learn to develop Christlike attributes on the mission. I can't believe almost 7 months has gone by. Pretty crazy huh? Well, gotta keep working hard and staying focused, and may this spring be a great one for all of you. May we truly find happiness in the little things and allow to "Come what may, and love it." I love all of you and I'm pretty excited for General Conference in a few weeks.
Love, Elder Hicks
This week has been another great one though for sure. Elder Hannah and I have really been seeing great success together, and he told me this morning that neither he nor I would see another transfer like this one again. It really has been amazing. Yesterday Christian and Francisco were confirmed. Unfortunately Fiorella and her daughter weren't able to be baptized this week, but they are planning on it for next week for sure.
This week we had the opportunity to go teach Yolanda, Wendy, and Hector again. They are the family from Ecuador. We read through the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them from 2 Nephi 31, and they seem to understand it very well. Hector was telling us that he has never felt the same way with anything as he has when he reads the Book of Mormon and goes to church. He really is a champ, and I hope that one day in the next few years he can go on a mission. During that lesson we were able to set all 3 of them with the baptismal date of April 10th. Hopefully they can continue learning and feeling the spirit to really be prepared by that date. They are an amazing, and really prepared family for sure.
We also have these other golden investigators named Christian and Trixi. This week we went over, and they had done their reading and the first 10 or 15 minutes of the lesson was spent talking about what they had read, things they picked out, and questions that had. They have such a great desire to learn. We taught them the plan of salvation and Trixi liked it a lot. After the lesson Christian was asking us how he could know if he had retained a remission of his sins, and another question about how to judge or discern. They are so awesome, and I think they could have baptismal dates pretty soon as well. Trixi is due to have a baby though very soon, and they haven't been able to come to church yet, but things will all work out in the end.
We've been working with our Recent Converts a good amount lately and they all seem to be doing well. Ruth is continually learning, and she's really a great member of the church. I'm getting a little worried about Diana though because we haven't seen her at Church the last 2 weeks, and we haven't really been able to see her or talk to her in awhile. Yesterday we saw her mom though and she said that Diana has been busy taking care of her little sister, and that her phone was broken, but sometimes I just don't know. I really hope we can get back in contact with her, and help her grow in the Church.
This week we were walking down the street and a guy waved to us from across the street. Then he started yelling out Jimmer Fredettes name. It was pretty funny that he recognized us as Mormons, I guess because of BYU basketball. We didn't talk to him or anything, but I thought it was a pretty interesting experience.
The mission life is good though, and I'm still trying to learn Spanish. I haven't been progressing a ton lately, but I'm sure it will come with time. It gets discouraging at times when people don't come to church, especially recent converts, but I guess that's why we are here. To bring other people unto Christ, while at the same time strengthening the ward that we are in. The Gospel truly brings so much happiness, and sometimes you just want to make people take it. Everyone has their agency though, and you really learn to develop Christlike attributes on the mission. I can't believe almost 7 months has gone by. Pretty crazy huh? Well, gotta keep working hard and staying focused, and may this spring be a great one for all of you. May we truly find happiness in the little things and allow to "Come what may, and love it." I love all of you and I'm pretty excited for General Conference in a few weeks.
Love, Elder Hicks
Monday, March 14, 2011
Chicos!
This week has been another great week here in Union City 1-30. The combination has actually turned out to be pretty great for Elder Hannah and I, because it keeps us pretty busy for sure. I guess I'll just update you on any news or cool things that happened this week, and then I'll send you a picture of... Our two baptisms this week!
We had a pretty cool opportunity to invite Diana (Our recent convert) to go on a Team-up with us to go and teach another Dominican Girl that has had some interest in the church. We went and taught her about the plan of salvation, and Diana was trying to explain different things to her, and trying to help her understand, and even asking for a certain pamphlet to show her a thing or two. Diana is pretty awesome for sure, although we've had a really hard time being able to actually teach her and help her grow in her gospel knowledge.
This week we were able to go teach this awesome lady named Yolanda who was a former investigator awhile back. Last week she came to church and we set up an appointment to go by in the week. We went to the appointment and she was there with her daughter Wendy and her Grandson Hector. Yolanda lived in Utah for awhile and I think really has a testimony about the Book of Mormon, and in the church as a whole. We taught all three of them about the Restoration, and they all seem to be really interested. I think they are from Ecuador, and Wendy and Hector are especially new to the states having only been here for a month or two, I think. Wendy commented during the lesson about how she liked what we were saying, and all three of them came to church this week. Hector even stayed for the baptism, and is showing some great interest in learning more about the church.
Ruth is becoming a pretty strong member of the church as well. We had to reconfirm her this Sunday, but she seems to have a strong testimony of these things, and will probably do some pretty amazing things in the church.
This week I had the opportunity to do splits and be out with another recent convert named Jan (John) which was pretty cool. We didn't actually get to teach anybody, but it was good practice for my Spanish, and good to get to know him a little more. We went to his house to wait for Elder Hannah and Brian, and I decided to share a message with him about prayer from the book of Enos. I talked to him about the pattern of Enos' prayer when he starts out by praying for himself and repenting of his sins, then begins to pray for his bretheren the Nephites, and then his bretheren the Lamanites, who were their enemies. And that's how our prayers should be. Not just for ourselves, but for our bretheren and even for our enemies I guess you could say.
This week we were able to go eat at the bishops house, and after I left, one of the friends of the Bishops daughter showed interest in taking the lessons, and he even came to church and the baptism yesterday, asking how long it would take, or what he needed to do to be baptized. The Lord has really blessed us this transfer.
Yesterday we also had the opportunity to have the baptism for the "Chicos". Well, Christian (9) and Francisco (11) I guess you could say. And when we asked who they wanted to baptize them and we gave them their options, Christian picked me. It was a really great opportunity yesterday to baptize Christian and I'm really grateful that I had the privilege of doing it. Next week we are supposed to have two more baptisms with Fiorella and Her Daughter, who were both at the Baptism yesterday.
It should be another busy week, but I really love being busy. It definitely makes the time fly by for sure. After this week the transfer will be half over. There are going to be some big changes coming up in the next few months though with about 17 Spanish missionaries going home, and only like 2 coming in, and then a new mission president this summer. But I guess life is all about changes.
I'm so grateful to be a missionary. The Gospel is True!! I know that Heavenly Father really has a plan for all of us, and we can learn new things from every situation. It's up to us to react to the situation in a Christlike way, and that's where the learning will take place. I know that becoming a consecrated missionary is really the way to find happiness in the mission field, and working to develp christ-like attributes brings even greater happiness.
I love you all so much!!
Love,
Elder Hicks
We had a pretty cool opportunity to invite Diana (Our recent convert) to go on a Team-up with us to go and teach another Dominican Girl that has had some interest in the church. We went and taught her about the plan of salvation, and Diana was trying to explain different things to her, and trying to help her understand, and even asking for a certain pamphlet to show her a thing or two. Diana is pretty awesome for sure, although we've had a really hard time being able to actually teach her and help her grow in her gospel knowledge.
This week we were able to go teach this awesome lady named Yolanda who was a former investigator awhile back. Last week she came to church and we set up an appointment to go by in the week. We went to the appointment and she was there with her daughter Wendy and her Grandson Hector. Yolanda lived in Utah for awhile and I think really has a testimony about the Book of Mormon, and in the church as a whole. We taught all three of them about the Restoration, and they all seem to be really interested. I think they are from Ecuador, and Wendy and Hector are especially new to the states having only been here for a month or two, I think. Wendy commented during the lesson about how she liked what we were saying, and all three of them came to church this week. Hector even stayed for the baptism, and is showing some great interest in learning more about the church.
Ruth is becoming a pretty strong member of the church as well. We had to reconfirm her this Sunday, but she seems to have a strong testimony of these things, and will probably do some pretty amazing things in the church.
This week I had the opportunity to do splits and be out with another recent convert named Jan (John) which was pretty cool. We didn't actually get to teach anybody, but it was good practice for my Spanish, and good to get to know him a little more. We went to his house to wait for Elder Hannah and Brian, and I decided to share a message with him about prayer from the book of Enos. I talked to him about the pattern of Enos' prayer when he starts out by praying for himself and repenting of his sins, then begins to pray for his bretheren the Nephites, and then his bretheren the Lamanites, who were their enemies. And that's how our prayers should be. Not just for ourselves, but for our bretheren and even for our enemies I guess you could say.
This week we were able to go eat at the bishops house, and after I left, one of the friends of the Bishops daughter showed interest in taking the lessons, and he even came to church and the baptism yesterday, asking how long it would take, or what he needed to do to be baptized. The Lord has really blessed us this transfer.
Yesterday we also had the opportunity to have the baptism for the "Chicos". Well, Christian (9) and Francisco (11) I guess you could say. And when we asked who they wanted to baptize them and we gave them their options, Christian picked me. It was a really great opportunity yesterday to baptize Christian and I'm really grateful that I had the privilege of doing it. Next week we are supposed to have two more baptisms with Fiorella and Her Daughter, who were both at the Baptism yesterday.
It should be another busy week, but I really love being busy. It definitely makes the time fly by for sure. After this week the transfer will be half over. There are going to be some big changes coming up in the next few months though with about 17 Spanish missionaries going home, and only like 2 coming in, and then a new mission president this summer. But I guess life is all about changes.
I'm so grateful to be a missionary. The Gospel is True!! I know that Heavenly Father really has a plan for all of us, and we can learn new things from every situation. It's up to us to react to the situation in a Christlike way, and that's where the learning will take place. I know that becoming a consecrated missionary is really the way to find happiness in the mission field, and working to develp christ-like attributes brings even greater happiness.
I love you all so much!!
Love,
Elder Hicks
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