Love, God, And The Salvation!

Dear Family and Frineds,

 This week gave a guy a blessing and her started to cry, it was amazing to see the lord work through him and thorugh us. He was super sick and his wife is a member. ADn he asked us for a priesthood blessing, as we were giving the blessing he could barley stop from crying and totally broke down. before we gave him the blessing we shared a scripture with him that is in Doctrine And Covenants, That says we should care about what God wants and the rest will fall into place. This week I have really felt that this is true, even though it can be hard as we do what the Lord wants everything will fall into place. In a talk by President holland named ¨the bitter cup and the bloody baptism¨ he makes a reference to C.S. Lewis where he describes God as a surgeon.

  He states the following: But suppose that what you are up against is a[wonderfully skilled] surgeon whose intentions are [solely and absolutely] good. [Then], the kinder and more conscientious he is,[the more he cares about you,] the more inexorably he will go on cutting [in spite of the suffering it may cause. And] if he yielded to your entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless. . . . [pp. 49–50]

[So I am, you see, one] of God’s patients, not yet cured. I know there are not only tears [yet] to be dried but stains [yet] to be scoured. [My] sword will be made even brighter.

The Lord is forming us to be something greater than we really are and as we trust in him and Love him with all our heart might mind and strength he will create us into somehting we never thought we could be...  SUre we know we will be Gods one day but do we really undersatnd what that is like?? I can´t wait to be like my Heavenly Father.

This week, I have felt the love of my savior and of my heavenly Father. He wants what is best for us. I know he Loves us and is always there for us! 

I want you to know how much I lvoe you all so much. And I want what is best for each one of you!!

About my Week: 

This week we have wroked in trying to find more people. we have met a ton of great people.!)

We are working on an incomplete family named the ANgel family. Every one is a membet except on edaughter named Candela and her Bropther. CAmila is also her sister who got baptized.

In our area we get around by walking a lot! ANd we use a bus. Almost in all of Buenos Aires, you have to use bus to get around. It is a quite interesitng experinece when it is super full of people. Usually it is quite calm.

Also We have to go to another compueter... they are closing up here... one second!

love you!!

This week we have  meeting as zone leaders and we are going to teach our zone what the president wants us to help the zone. Also as a mission we focus  a bunch on the Book of Mormon and finding through the members! SO we will see. but the zone is so great. 

The craziest thing I have ever ate... Would have to be.. we have eaten blood susge.. also yesterday while we were eating lunch a guy caught  frog and wanted to eat it... he had been drinking  a couple of drinks... But I said I wasn't going to eat it.. I didn´t think it was  good idea to share the gospel with him in the moment.. he was way funny.

Also yesterday I saw Elder Erickson ( he is the neighbor of Michael Peterson!)  at the farewell of Elders and the Sister Missionaries.

all in all it has been a great week! 

Love,

Elder Hicks

P.S. The mission is so great I love it so much

Mom, Just so you know, I would love for you to come down in February... I want you to come and see what it is like in Argentina and I want you to get to know My converts. also I would love for Brennan to come.

Love you all,

Elder HIcks



Love you more!) haha

Surprise Email on Sunday

Hey mom, it's Elder Hicks I'm in Lopez camelo. I love you all!!! 

at a meeting With President Ayre, Elder Damitz, and Elder Bennett

LA Grano Misiòn

Dear Family and friends,

    Well, THis week has been great. I`m not really sure what to say but it is so crazy and I am so thankful for my father in heaven hwo heres my prayers.  Recently i HAve seen a trailer for a movie about the Momons that is going ot come out. I had no idea that this was even in production. It makes me think ¨wow, HOw crazy it is to be part of the gospel. ANd to be able to share it in all times and in all moments. Akways it is so great to see the Hand of God in this work and also in my  Home and in hoems around the World. I truly love recieving the emails of all the elders i know. Knowing that also in Japan People are acepting the Gospel. In mexico, In Aregentina, In CHile. In all the world. ANd now GOd wants people all over the World to know about his gospel and that through his son everyone can be part of his restored Gospel. I preach day in and day out... Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Recieving the gift of the HOly Ghost, And Enduring to the ENd. Eery day it is my goal to have someone CHANGE, and I see it everyday!

      I want everyone to know that God exists and that His son is our saviour. And that thorugh him we can feel... CAlm, Peace... Even though we don´t live in a place of peace this spirit that we recieve after baptism will gice us this peace. I know it, I have felt it, ANd I have seen other people feel it too. 

     This week i have seen changes in Uriel, BEfore he told us he didn´t want to change,,, THen when we told him we weren`t going ot pass by more he ASked if we could come back. and we set the baptismal date and now he is a baptized member of the church. HE is such a great kid. He is 15 years old and he is a boyfriend of one o the members of the CHurch.

     Well, this week has been super great,  ANd I want everyone to know that God exists and that he loves us. If we TRY or if we change a little bit I know he will help us. Even in hard situations. BUt we must do it in christ way he is the pathway and the only way we can have eternal life. I know it and i love my Saviour for that. 

BE happy!! and keep smiling God is there to support you!

I love the mission and I love this time to tell everyone that Their is a better life!

Love, Elder Hicks

Dad
This week we have gone to the Gym every day. I am running on the treadmil. also on saturday i ran with one of the elders from Chile... I almost died after 20 minutes... ja Also it would be great for you to come down dad. are mom and makenna going oto come?? and Whatever you think is best i am fine with.

Ps.  I want to see pictures of your hunt dad! 

Love you,

Elder Hicks

Only one foto... B day of angeles, A member who loves to share the gospel. Hree in aregentina when it is a b day that means everyone has the right to throw Eggs and Flour and I guess old dirt all over your head!!

A week of Miracles

First of all I wanted to thank all of you for your responses to my email. I sure love recieveing emails from all of you. And I love you all so much. 

   This week we had  baptisms in our zone and I have np idea but the lord is blessing this mission so much. ANd is blessing all the missionaries that our in the world. Every week I get to see letters from ELder Mclaws and Elder Sellers, AND ELder Overson, Elder Erickson, Sister Riggs, And I can not believe the growth that they are having. It is so great to be a servant of teh Lord. I am so greatful for his love and for his help for us. Our mission Presidnet has been talking about the Alma 6 when Ammon thanks the Lord for everything that he has done for the great change in the Lamanites.  I love the mission and everything about it. Even though each day is another chance that the lord puts me in situations that usually would be hard for me. And every day is a callenge, I love it. I am so thankful for our lord and Saviour. 

    This week as a zone we are doing so great. 

A story I wanted to share with you, This week our baptsim od Cecilia, Alex, And Daniela, almost fell through. HEr ex/ husband came to her house on friday and tried to covince her to not be baptized... SO she left her house, and went to her mom[s house. WE called her with a prayer in our hearts and it turns out that the MOM IS SUPER REALOUGOUS... and she was super chill. She was a very calm lady but was not a member, but she basically persuaded her daughter to return to ricardo rojas to be baptized... I don[t why the but the LOrd always sets things up perfectly. Well... I guess I do know why but it always surorises me jaj.

This week was amazing and this next week is going to be just as great. 

I love you so much

Mom,

I do know Elder Tambo, He is such a great missionary. Tell his brother That he is doing so great and that I will give him a shoutout. Are you and the family doing visits with the elders??

Tell makenna that she needs to do it, It is such a fun experience and that she will make a lot of eternal friends. Thanks for your prayers. I am also DOing dreat, I am tired in the mornings and about all the time... BUt i am also happy about all the time and also in the mornings... hah

 Mom, THAnk you for your spiritual email I really loved it.

DAd,

Thank you for your email alsò,  I never have really noticed or payed attention to the ¨willing¨ word. This week i listened to a talk by Brother Skouson about the meaning of the Atonment. Just like CHrist could do mirables to change the physical state of things. Remember how he could cure the blind or make the lame walk. WEll when he does that he literally has control over the element inside of us. And he changes how are elements are set up to be able to change us. And it is the same with the Atonement as we go to him for help he literally changes us. I am so glad that we can take part of this atonement. It has changed me and it has changed are whole family. And as long as we are willing to take part of his atonemnent then he will change us. Thank you dad for your email. love you.

Makenna,

I also love you. And I loved seeing the picture of you and Mom with my Christmas card... Wow, It sure took a long time to arrive... maybe i might of sent it late... we will never know.. hjaha I love you so much. hey i wanted to invite you to go on a visit with the missionaries one time in our ward, if it is okay please will you ask them if you can help them wiht their missionary labors? i love you.

Before I go, i only wanted to say if you are reading this right now I love you all so much and I am going ot send photos from the baptism right now. after i write.

Love this week!

Dear Family and friends,

This week has been so great!! Camila, was baptized. And Mom, you are going to have to forgive me... because I can´t send photos right now. And the reason  why I always spell so wrong is because the spell check is always in SPanish. I am going to see right now if I can change it... I can't find it... hah But i still love you just so you know!

     This week we have seen so many miracles, My companion is such a great missionary, and I am learning so much from him. 

As A Zone Leader we talk with the zone each night and we try to help them work in a wore effective way. So they can realize more baptisms and Member present lessons. I literally love it. I love all teh missonaries in our zone. I have pictures of them but i can't send them. It does not work with the memory card that I have. The missionaries that we have right now are amazing!!

    Just so you know I love being a missionary so much. This week we had a baptism and Her name was Camila, Her Dad Baptized her. She had problems with her boyfriend but she made the decesion the night before her baptism to fight with him on purpose so she could be baptized on sunday. It was so great to see her faith. Next sunday she is going to recieve the Holy Ghost!! 

    This week as a missionary I have learned so many things, epecially the Love of our heavenly Father, In every aspect of Life he shows so much love. As people and as his sons and daughters, he always wants what is best for us.. It is only sometimes hard to live ALL his commandments. And to be bold enough to let others know they can have and even bettter life. Luckily we have the Help of the Holy Ghost when we testify. I love my Heavenly Father. I know he is always concerned and worried about our wellbeing. I love you all also. thank you for supporting in my mission and in this great time of life. God is always concerned for each one of you and for your desires and for your concerns. Trust in him. He will guide. 

    Love you all so much and I certainly hope the weather over therre or wherever you are in the world is as great as it is here in The grand Argentina!! 

Love,

Elder Troy Hicks 

Dear Family,

I hope you know that i miss you all so much. And that there is not even one day when I don't think about each one of you. I love the teachings that I have learned from my parents. I don't know why I have been so blessed to have such a great family as ours. I love this time in my life. Even though i am far away I feel closer to each one of you as I serve this mission.  

   Please keep me informed in how each one of you  are doing..

   I am so sorry for not providing pictures... People tell me I look skinnier!) ha I love you all and I know their are angels that protect each one of you. You are so important to your Heavenly Father! 

Love,

Elder Hicks

The new Area

Dear Family,

    This new area is so great. This week has been crazy, but I love this area, and I love my companion. This week we have see so many miracles. I know that the Lord loves each one of his children. In Argentina and in Arizona, in Chile and in China, Well he loves us all so much. 

   The zone is so great. In the Zone is a sister named Sister Downs, who went to Highland, and also in the mission is Elder Erickson. He is the next door neighbor of Michael Peterson. I love this mission! 

    We also had the first zone meeting this week that I have ever had. I was super nervous... haha But Elder Molina helped me out a bunch. During the meeting all I had to say was what I already knew. Our Zone is really so great. and we have seen so many miracles this week! 

     Also this week I have tried to get to know as many members that I can. I have learned that it is absolutly impossible to get to know everyone in one sacrement meeting. Luckily, it was a ward conference, The Number of people there were 214! Usually in argentina the attendance would be around 100 or 110. This ward is amazing. 

     This week we are going to see how we can baptize and we are going to do even more. 

     I know the Lord guides each one of us. And every thing is in his time, This week we have seen so many miracles, we are taking advantage of each moment to be able to teach, at the beginning of the week we did not have anyone set to come to church and yesterday with the help of the lord we were able to help 5 people to come to church. It seemed like we were in a movie or something. Each day somebody else told us they wanted to come to church. We are in the promised land here in Lopez Camelo, I hope you have looked it up on the Map. Our neighborhood is called Ricardo rojas! It is so amazing.

    Their is one convert here who just got baptized and he is trying so hard to be obedient, His wife told us that this week he stopped listening to music becuase he heard in gospel Principles that we should not listen to bad music. so he went right home and took out all the music and now he thinks they can´t listen to any type of music even to ringtones... haha don´t worry we are going to help him out!

    Hopefully this week we are going to be able to baptize! Please pray for Camila, Cecilia, Alex, Daniela, and Murella!!

I love you all so much.

Love,

Elder Hicks!) keep smiling!!