April 29

Mom, thank you for these pictures! I love them so much! And thank you for the letter! it was so good i am going to apply that principle of thinking what topic to help my investigators more! I love you so much! 

Love Elder Hicks

Dad, I know you know I want to Skype! I want to see you all the time! Tell mom! I absolutely loved her letter! I am really trying to study effectively and I appreciate that she told me about Elder Hansen! I am trying to apply the principle of thinking about my situation and what scripture topic will help my investigators. Thanks for the lesson. I love you so much!

  For this week we had an amazing experience! So me and Elder Feruling Were on an exchange and we had the great opportunity to go find the elect (this means we were tracing) ha but finding is actually super fun! We were in a trailer park going house to house. We talked to a couple people but there was really no great success... on our way back to the car, because we had to go to a dinner, we saw a man outside of his house, and Elder Ferolino asked him if he wanted a pass along card. So we gave him a pass-along card and started talking to him about his life, then we asked him if we could give him a saviors peace and blessing (this is a tactic to give someone a blessing, and to invite the spirit into someone’s life, it is kind of like a prayer, but we bless the person' and their family according to what the spirit wants us to say. we usually do these blessing on our knees inside the persons home.) after we asked him he said we could pray for him but not come inside. So we started getting his family members names to bless them and asked him if he needed any specific blessing in his life. After we obtained the family members names he said that we could actually come inside. We went inside and then told him to focus on his feelings during the prayer. So we got on our knees and said the prayer. 

After the prayer he said he felt peaceful and calm during the prayer, and Elder Ferolino testified to him that it was the spirit that was testifying to him. Then the man told us that he was waiting for something while he was outside, He had a feeling that he needed to wait outside for something and know he received his answer. It was so cool! I know god is preparing people for us to teach and talk to in this mission! I love the mission.

Also Dad I love that story of Moses, whenever something good happens that is of god Satan will always try to bring you down after and then you need to and have to cry to the lord for help to get over it! It is not even funny how much I pray now. I need the lord more than ever. And with and through the lord I can do anything. I need to have more faith though; With Spanish it is sometimes hard to just start talking. I try to say things but I think they don't make sense but the lord always lets the people discern what I am saying! 

Oh also dad what happened with your missionary experience, didn't you invite that coworker to that ward activity?

I love you so much, and I hope all is going well! Tell Makenna and Brennan I love them! And I know that so much God loves them and they are his children!

Love you all,

Elder Hicks

SWABH

See you all soon

Me eating some cereal I got in a package!! So Good.

1st week in NC

MOMMMY! This week has been awesome. Just so you know I am teaching in Spanish! And it is so fun every day my Spanish gets better and better!

For our ward it is a combined Spanish and English ward and our goal is to get enough Spanish members to have a branch by the end of the year. IT is amazing!  

 The other day we were planning and we decided to go to a less actives house from the roster. And we went over to her house. And her 3 little kid our outside. We asked her is your mommy home. And they said oh ya yes let me go get her. So the mom came outside and she said, "well I know who you guys are. I haven't seen anyone from the church in over 3 years" and then she invited us inside! So as we went inside she started talking about why she doesn't go to church anymore and many things about her life. To explain this woman she has made many tough decisions in her life and has married a couple of times and has 3 kids. They are 6, 8, and 9. Two of them are baptism age. Also this woman can only stand for a little bit before she has to sit down and a man lives with her, but the whole time he stays in one room and she said he only comes out to eat. It is a super tough life for her. So when we went in we wanted to talk to her and her kids about the importance and baptism and the restoration.  This lady has been teaching her kids the message of the LDS church since they have been born but since she wasn't able to move very much she hasn't or wanted to take them to church. We started teaching them and the kids knew many answer to the questions and of the lesson and by the end the 8 year old girl said, " I want to get baptized" with only mentioning baptism at the beginning of the lesson. It was so cool. Then all the other kids said they wanted to get baptized. It was an awesome experience! After the lesson though we passed them to the English missionaries but it was such a cool experience because I know the spirit was working through that little girl to want to be baptized. 

Also this week with Spanish, I am understanding little by little and I also taught in Spanish it was crazy because they are real people. And they speak so fast. While we were teaching my companion looked at me to teach a part of the plan of salvation and I had no idea what to say. So I just started talking and as I was talking Spanish words came into my mind and things to say came into my mind to say. I know the lord was qualifying my to do his work as his representative.

 I love this work! I can't wait to hear from you! I hope you feel good mom and I hope you are doing well! Tell the family I love them and really want to know if everything is going good for them! 

Love, 

Elder Hicks

Picture taken as they are writing emails home to friends and family.

April 19

Friday, 19 April 2013

Dear Loved Ones of Elder Troy Burke Hicks,

 Your son  has arrived in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission.  He  has been assigned an outstanding companion to helphim  grow and develop as a missionary.  The people of North Carolina are wonderful and the members of the church love the missionaries.  We will work hard as a mission to assist him   to become a successful servant of our Heavenly Father.

Your son  will be serving in the Gastonia Group (Spanish)  area with   Elder Paul Haupeahiki Laupua Tonga & Elder Clayton Read DeMond

You may send letters and packages to him at the following address until you have been notified otherwise  
                             1264-0 East Hudson Blvd.Gastonia, NC 28054USA
We love your son  and look forward to serving with him Sincerely,

Ronald L. Craven
President

My new companions

Safe arrival

We all got to talk with Troy today as he flew to NC.  He sounds so happy and full of Joy.  

Monday, 15 April 2013



Dear Parents of our New Missionaries,

Your missionary, Elder Troy Burke Hicks , arrived safely in our mission today.   We are grateful for the sacrifice and hard work that has brought your missionary to help serve the Lord in our mission.


With love,

North Carolina Charlotte Mission Office Staff

 Elder Troy Hicks

President and Sister Craven

New Missionaries of the Charlotte NC mission 

Reassignment update

The consulate was awesome, I wrote about it in a letter to you!! MOM!!!! I leave on Monday!! Guess where??

TO NORTH CAROLINA!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha so funny! I am going to Charlotte, North Carolina! I am so excited! I have seen Spencer here, a couple times actually! He is looking so good; I leave the MTC on Monday! Also I am not Zone leader anymore, ever since we got delayed at the MTC we have not been zone leaders they wanted to give the District below an opportunity to be leaders! But as I was one I would set up sacrament and make sure everybody was in bed on time and make sure we were in our rooms during quiet time!

But I am so excited to go to North Carolina!! I cannot wait to leave on Monday and be a full-blown missionary! Also I saw Elder Breinholt at the MTC! He had a Visa waiter companion who had to go to come to a meeting here at the MTC! It was so good to see him! Also I am about to send the thank you note. I have already written it.

And I hope that blanket gets here by Monday morning, we will see what happens!

This week has been crazy all of our Hermana's left to Sacramento and it has just been our 4 Elders in the MTC and we have been combined with another class who is going to Argentina.

Can you all write me your testimonies of the Plan of Salvation? I would love to here what you know about it.

Once I get all of yours I will bear my testimony of it also! But I do know that this church is true. The night our Hermana's left we gave them all priesthood blessings and I could feel the Lord's so strong for them! I received a personal witness that the priesthood is real and that the Lord Loves every single one of his children so much!

I hope you are excited I am going to Charlotte, North Carolina. I know their are people out there being prepared to hear of the Lord's Gospel, and I will pray to meet them and pray for them to come meet me! I can't believe they just opened Gecko Grill, What did you all order! Did you miss that place a lot? I look forward to receiving your testimonies of the Plan of Salvation.

I can't believe the Kitchen is not done! Mom you are so patient. Are you going to send me a picture of it? I bet it looks super good just like you do! Also thanks for all your help I think about you so often and I could not of been who I am without you!!

Hey no one has told me what they thought of Conference! I totally want to hear your awesome testimonies!! For me, it was like going to the super bowl but way better. When I leave I am going to try to give away a mormon.org card or on the plane I am going to try to give away a book of Mormon! I love you so much and I can't wait to hear from you all! I hope you are doing well. I’ll tell you what happened in the airport next week. I am going to be a super Mature Missionary and I am representing Jesus Christ. I love this Church and I love this gospel.

Love you,

Elder Hicks!!

P.S Your next email from me will be from North Carolina!!!

MTC District

Spencer and Troy in the MTC

A Mighty Band of Youth

Click on the  link,  at 6 seconds you can see Troy (Elder Hicks) in the top row singing.  This is an awesome report of what is happening with the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

 http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24703772&nid=295&title=a-mighty-band-of-youth&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-9#ooid=ZoMnV0YTqoWk6wLwK-3ZcKo34DG1xJfF

I was able to get this pic from the video

Easter Weekend

Mom!!! I miss you. Dad! Miss you! Brennan I miss you! Makenna I miss you!!

I appreciate all the letters you are sending me! Every time I receive a letter or a dear elder I get so excited!

I am staying in the MTC another week! We are going to Salt Lake City on Tuesday to go do some thing’s for our Visa's and then we will be reassigned in the states probably next Thursday I will know where I will be in the States! Ha ha I am excited to serve! I can't wait to get out of here. Next week all the Hermana's in our district our leaving and in class it will only be all the Elders and me! Kind of weird...

This week we had an Elder lose a family friend who was like a Grandpa to him. He asked me for a Priesthood Blessing. After I put my hands on my head for him, I felt so much love for the Elder I gave the blessing to. I had an insight into how the Lord feels about every one of his children. What a blessing the priesthood is! We can feel the love of the Lord for others. Also Easter Weekend is probably the best weekend to be in the MTC! We had bishop Causse (the presiding bishop) speak to us, and also Sheri Dew! They were both amazing speakers! I have never loved the Savior so much in my life!

This week I have also focused on how to listen to the spirit and what it is telling us! I read Moroni 7:16 and it answered so many of my questions! You don't need to worry if it is the spirit telling you to do something! As long as everything you do is to bring others to Christ and is good, then it is of the Lord!! And then God will bring you to the place that you need to be. And most of the time you won't know how you got somewhere and did the right thing for each situation!

This week that is my goal. Do everything that is good and of the lord and I know I will have the spirit always with me guiding me in what I do and say!!!

I will still be in the MTC when I email you next week! But I love you!  You better tell me how General conference goes for you!

Also when I saw those pictures of Makenna's foot I almost threw up! I will miss that bunion... it was such a cute little thing. Haha I Love ya'll so much and can't wait to keep receiving letters! Also thanks for the bear hug dad!

Love you all so much!

Elder Hicks!

Sorry if I didn't answer all your questions from each letter Mom... today I am kind of in a hurry. I have to get to a haircut! Love you Mommy!

 

With Elder Randall

picture of my district

 

Me and Elder Means, an Elder in the new district, he has to go home this week because of a back problem.

the elders in my district!!!

                                   

 Elder Mortenson in the middle.. he is from Gilbert

                               me, Elder Clawson and Elder Anglade in the middle

       Our district! 

Sisters from left to right our Hermana Cardullo, Hermana Clonts, Hermana Sharp, Hermana Dando, Hermana Reid, and Hermana Cosby!!!