Nov 25

This week has truly been great!

This week we did a lot of walking but we are seeing results.

Elder Paricahua and I are having so much fun. Also this week the heat has started to hit Buenos Aires Argentina. Each night we have to use a fan to be able to sleep or we would sweat to death.

Also something funny yesterday during a lesson that we were having, We were teaching a young man named Gozalo who is 20 years old. And while we were teaching I was sweating so bad, also I had about 20 bites from a mosquito, but all of that did not matter because I could feel the spirit and I could see that growth of a young man. We challenged him to be baptized on the 8th of December. He said yes and is going to be prepared to be baptized that day! This is the Lord's work.

One of the investigators named Elizabeth was baptized this week in our ward and she is doing so great. She truly is converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The missionaries have been teaching her since I arrived in José C. Paz. But she could not be baptized because she lived with a man. And This week she moved all of her stuff so she could live in a different house and she got baptized!! It truly was so great! She was so excited and she has waited for this day for so long.

She has told us that the missionaries saved her life. About 2 months ago before the missionaries came over she was thinking about doing many bad things because the man she was living with did not love her and also because she did not have a Job and she was not able to escape her problems. She was truly sad and devastated. 

The day the missionaries came over she was going to take her life... She has told us that with the gospel her life has changed. It is so amazing to see a change in her over these past 2 months.

Also Abril and Hermana Luna are starting to teach the Gospel to other People, Hermana Luna is starting to teach the Gospel to her cousin. And this week after Church Abril shared her testimony with her cousin, Her cousin’s name is Daina. And Daiana is going to listen to us teach this week.

Also this week Elder Paricahua and I are doing so much better in our teaching, We have truly seen the Lord help us with our teaching. 

I think one thing that is so important in the mission is that it teaches us what are our priorities. Right now, I am training and I need to focus on Elder Paricahua and each day that I focus more on him and his progression we always have more success. The Lord knows are needs and when we focus on what is most important in our lives we have more happiness and more success! 

I cannot believe that the mission is going by so fast... I truly love each moment of it. I can remember when I was in the MTC and I saw Elder Breinholt and he told me he had 9 Months in the mission and I thought... Holy cow that is so much time. But now I will have 9 months in a little bit of time. I can't believe it. I truly love every moment we have to serve the Lord-

The pictures that I sent are of an investigator named Horacio, It was his birthday and he invited us over to celebrate it with him... If you think I am gaining weight you can call me out... Hah I promise I am doing my exercises each day! 

I know that Christ Lives and that is we act like him we will always be more happy and be able to enjoy life to its fullness. We need to remember what are the priorities and once we do so we will be able to be happy. I am so grateful for my trials because they help me grow closer to Christ and they help me plead for his help. Remember we need him in the worst of times and also in the times that are difficult, always remember him. 

Love you all,

Elder Hicks

P.S. how is reading of the Book of Mormon...? We only have one month left, and it will go by fast.

  Troy sent the picture of the meat for his Dad to see, last week Bill sent him a picture of a bunch of steaks he was grilling for Dinner.  I think this is Troy's way of saying Dad I am eating pretty good myself!

Nov. 18

Dear parents and family,

In this letter i want to communicate with you how much i love you, I hope you can feel the LOve i have for you.

THis week has been great and the time is flying by so quickly. We listened to Elder Holland this week and he spoke a lot about who we are. That we are literally representatives of Christ. ALso his wife spoke about a scripture in Doctrine and convenios in section 88: 63-68. It really has left me thinking about many things in my life and during my misión. OUr investigators have not been doing so well. BUt what is so good is that ABirl went to church with her mom this week and they are on the track to being members for the rest of their  lifes and for eternity.

Dad, you asked me what I do with my spare time. For my spare time I don´t workout. I am trying to be as healthy as I can be and I am learning so much about the importance of the word of wisdom. If we follow the word of wisdom we can be the most happy possible. Also about the country of Argentina I don´t know much about, It is truly hard to find time to do anything on the Preperation day and to come back in time to teach all of our investigators.

 I really want to talk to you about what I learned during the conference with president and sister Holland. I really loved the talk by sister Holland. SHe specifically talked about the verses in the doctrine and conenants. And in this scripture it talks about how we need to keep our put only on the glory of God. And after this the scripture gives a promise that if we have any darkness inside of us. The darkness will be chased out and it willed be filled with Light. I have been thinking a lot about this scripture and how we can chase the darkeness out of our life. I know if we think of the God all the time and of his glory we will be able to chase away any darkness that is in us.

In he talk of President Holland, I learned so much and I am still learning more. Elder Holland talked about who we are, that we are somewhat apostolic. That as missionaries, from the time that we wake up we are thinking about how we can save the human soul.  And that truly is the mission, that we can always think of a way to save the human soul and each day we can focus ourselves in this mighty goal.. the same goal that God has.

In the end of the talk, I wrote in my Journal: I just listened to Elder Holland and I know He is a prophet of God. I felt the spirit, a feeling of tingles that starts in my mind and goes to my feet.

I know that Christ lives and that he Loves us so much, This following week is going to be so great!! Always keep your head up and if you are sad, think about who you are. A child of God. That, I can promise will bring you happiness.

I hope you can feel my Love for you all through my letters, I know they are not perfect and I don`t always answer all your questions, but what I know is important is that I  love you and I hope you can feel it. Also I hope you can feel the love God has for you.

Love you so Much,

Elder Hicks

Nov. 11

I still have the same companion, Also i did not hear about the typhoon in the philippines, I will keep the peopele that have been impacted in my prayers.
HA Dad about your comment of me waving to people.. i don{t wave to everyone but i make sure that i have the opportunity to say hi to everyone that i see.. i hope they don´t think we are weird.
I recently read a letter from Elder Sellers and I am realizing how different each mission is for each missionary. How different it is and the different challenges people face in each part of the world. This week I have gained a strong testimony that I know i am where I supposed to be. Also I am starting to understand that each moment that we have hsa ben organized specifically for us and each second is measured by God, that hopefully we can use to be happy and use to grow.
This week we had trials but also we had the opportunity to see 2 confirmations. Of Ramon and of Abril, not that i want to say it but we arrived late to the sacrament meeting with Ramon ( probably the worst i have felt on my mission) but it was all okay. Our bishop is so patient and he still gave us time during the sacrament meeting to confirm him as a member of the church of Jesus Chirst of Latter day Saints. Such a blessing. Also Abril with her Mom arrived late but she had a chance to be confirmed also. These next couple weeks are of utter importance to teach them the doctrine of arriving on time... hopefully as i teach it I will come to understand it... ha

Elder Paricahua and I are doing so much better each week. He is such a great companion. I am beginning to see his growth and it is such a blessing to see your companion change through the gospel... (Maybe Mom you have seen a change in Dad thorugh the years with the gospel.) He has grown in so many ways and is truly becoming a man of God. As i am seeing him change through the atonement i am filled with so much happiness.
This week with Elder Paricahua in our training we learned a lot about using the Book of Mormon to testify, we had an opportunity to apply our learnings in the house of one of our investigators. We were passing by the house and a man came outside form another church and he started preaching to us. I was thinking wow if you really knew what the truth was you would be so much happier. after he finished talking Elder Paricahua started preaching of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, once he finished we asked him if he would read the invitation that Moroni gives in Moroni 10.3-5,  He said no so then i started to read it, the spirit was so strong.    After we read it Elder Paricahua bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon.  It was such a great moment to have to see and to have th eexperience to testify of the Book of Mormon even though the man did not accept our invitation i felt so satisfied. 

This week we don't have a cellular so we are again living with the Zone Leaders in The Plaza of José C. PAz, It is really fun to live with them, each night we always laugh. I am not sure when we will be able to go to our other apartment again.

This Saturday we are having a conference with 2 apostles! Elder Holland and Elder Christofferson are coming to our mission. I am so excited more excited that a girl would be if she was gong to a concert of Justin Beiber.. Ha maybe, but i know that the spirit is going to be so strong. and that this day will probably change my life. 

The mission life is so great and i Love you all so much

Love,
Elder Hicks 

P.S. I hope you are all on track with your readings of the book of mormon we have to finish it by Christmas.. I am in Alma.

SWABH
See you soon.. time is flying by...

Nov 5

Wow it sounds like you are all having a great week and it is so great

to see that are family  really is progressing.

And Makenna looks great with her things for Halloween.

2. I am keeping a Journal each day. I have missed about 5 days during

the mission and it is my goal to continue with this until the end of

my mission. It is so cool to see how i am changing througho0ut my

mission and it is literally impossible to remember all of the miracles

that we experience.

this week we had the baptism of Abril and of Ramon.

It went so well, it was the first baptism that I have had that I was

really worried, because I was senior companion, after a little bit one

of my leaders named Hermano Reodriguez told me to be calm... this

really struck me. up to this moment in my mission I have done

everything rushed and as fast as I can... I have worried a lot and not

lived in the moment like i should.. the moment that he said that i

think will change the rest of my life. This transfer we have worked

hard. we entered a new area and we had 2 baptisms and i know that the

lord is pleased with what we have done, but also he wants me to

recognize that to help others not everything has to be perfect, as

long as we are trying are hardest to be obedient and trying our

hardest to help others we will be blessed. not everything is perfect.

This transfer has changed my life and I know every transfer in the

mission will continue to change my life.

Love,

Elder Hicks

I did not share a scripture with you..

I know that only through christ can we overcome the spiritual death and the physical death it is so great to know that we are going to live again with our father..

Mosiah 16;9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

I invite you to think about what the scripture really means... and i hope you are all still reading the book of moromon everday for christmas we are all going to finish it.