The last one.

Dear Family and Friends,

   I wanted to share my solemn and humble testimony with everyone at home and with everyone who is still in the mission field, While I still have this great calling from my heavenly father, I will try to share my feelings and love  about what has happened these past 2 years in a short testimony. 

   First I want to say that the Lord has changed me, I am not the same person I was 2 years ago. Jesus Christ has changed me. 

   Looking back at these 2 years I remeber when I arrived how I looked at the mission... I always was thinking about other things, I needed a LOT of help from my trainer. I couldn`t speak the language... ( there are many things that I needed). It was hard for me to leave the apartment to go look for people.. I was afraid to talk to the people... IT is incredible how we change by practicing and living the gospel... through time in the mission one changes. About mid way through the mission I had made a promise with God that I would do everything to serve him,,, Now in these circumstances of change, I know that I must do these things... I can`t have fear because what I say does not come from me... I also can`t have fear beacuse what I DO does not come from me.. Where I go is not where I thought  we should go... I know that everything we do comes from the help of our heavenly father. I am so greatful to have been able to serve my Lord for these 2 marvelous years. To see people change their lives and make covenants with GOD... Truly I am nothing, by myself it is impossibel to have done what has been done these past two years!

   I love my heavenly Father. I know Christ lives. I know that one day we can be like our heavenly father and that is why I am here to help others become like him... 

    I don`t want this time to end... But I know it must, I am proud to say like moroni “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people that they might have everlasting life” (2 Ne 5:13) It has really been the best two years among the great people of Buenos Aires.  I love my heavenly father, I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Love, 

Elder Troy Hicks 

LA Gran Mission

Dear Family and Friends, 

I have a thought a lot about what I was going to write you today. I want you to know that this week has been amazing. The daughters of the Colman Family were baptized and all the family came! what a great experience. During the baptism I had to direct it.. I tried to say a couple of jokes and no one laughed at any of my jokes... hah but it´s okay!) i hope all of you are doing great, I sure do love this time. I wish and hope we can all enjoy every little moment inthis short life that we have.   After the baptism Brother Colman said that he was super Happy. The sister Colman shared her testimony. And  we gave books of Mormón to all the family!) all in all in went very well! except for the part about my jopkes that weren´t that funny... at least i tried.

Also this week IT started to RAIN very hard. and we decided WOW we need ot take advantage of this sopportunity to find a family! so we started talkign to all the people we could....( their was no one in the street) wwe started to knock all the doors, one lady told us we had to go to a business to find shelter...! ja finally in one house we found shelter and we gave the family a book of mormon and the dad wa really apreciative to recieve the book and told us he was goingto read it. The Lord blesses us as we sacrifice for him. 

Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord;  yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea,let the   affections of thy heart be  placed upon  the Lord forever. (ALma 37:36)

Somwtimes we have diffucult weeks... and we want to keep growing but we have not seen the results that we ecpect... I want more, I espected more... I acrificed more but it seems that I am having the same result... why? 

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct theefor  good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord,   that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thourisest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and  if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. (Alma 37:37) 

the Lord will counsel us and as we listen he will guide us!

1. Colman Family

2.Colman Family

Love you so much! 

Love,

Elder Hicks

Colman Family

Thank you so much Mom and Dad for looking for opportunities for me to work and to study. I do not know where I would be without you two in my life. Love you so much. my companion wanted to know if you could find... pelon pelon rico its a candy from mexico. 

Also I would love to work with Brother Albrecht before I go to college. It would really be very fun. 

I did recieve the letters form the primary kids... I am so sorry I forgot to write them. I recieved the letters on christmas day. They really were very great! 

I think I´ll send a little e mail to you next week, i need to take them out and read from who they were from, The little Raif sent me one! ja love you so much my great family!!

Le Amo Mucho

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been great! Leonardo recieved the aaronic Priesthood. he is going to baptize his daughters this weekend. !) 

I want you to know that this is the church of Jesus Christ. I have felt it so strong during this time of my life more than any other time in my life. 

  This week has been super hot, wow I don`t think i have sweat more in my life! well, that`s enough informatio about the weather... 

Right now, we are triyng to find more people in Ricardo Rojas.. It seems like the only family taht wants to listen to us is the great Colman Familñy... something that is really great is that my companion is super funny, this week we have used are bicyle all week, something that is killing me is that he always cooks us dinner... and he cooks so well! and I have to eat it! Mexican food is thae best food! jaj  

But really this week has been very great, We need to find a new family and quick I know with the help of the Lord we will be able to do it!

Yesterday we had a lesson with a family who are members who are working with some investgators... (much like the situation that we should all be in as member missionaries(!) so with them we planned a family home evening and the investigators are going to come over to theri house this week on thrusday. We shared the scrtipture ethwer 12 6;12 with them and I believe that applys to each one of. We must all show are faith in sharing the gospel so that we will be bale to prepare fo the second coming of Jesus Christ.

I want to know hopw it is going for by sharing the gospel wiht oothers ( please tell me!) 

1. My companion is so great!

2. We went to the temple with the family Colman

3. We ate a lot of empanadas as a zone!

Love,

ELder Troy Hicks

Mom,Could you please sign me up for classes at CGCC, or please help me find a Job... I don`t want to return to Gilbert without doing something. Please I would love to study generals in CGCC or Something like that. Thanks!

Also Can you bring to argentina... my compnion wants Some type of sweets from mexico... If you can find one that is spicy or really hot! Also TO bring for the converts is a picture of the temple here in Buenos Aires if you can bring about 10 of them !! thanks!

I asked Troy to send us a picture of his companion.  This is what he sent us.  :)

la gran mission

Dear Familyand friends,

   This week has been full of miracles, Leonardo and Sabrina were both confirmed members of the church. Leonardo was going ot baptize his daughters yesterday but we couldn´t find his baptismal records so we ahd to rebaptize him. On friday he got baptized and he was confirmed with his wife on sunday! This sunday he is going to be able to baptize his daughters. We wanted all of tem to be baptized together but he really wants to baptize his daughters and I am not going to tell him No to that type of petition. 

   I love the missionaries that we have in the zone! 

   WE have seen so many miracles in the zone. FO rthis new year our president has thought abuot how we can have much more baptisms is put the goals that we ahve as wards and make that the goal of the mission so that the goal we put as a mission will be in agreement with the goal of the members. As a ward last year the ward lopez camelo they baptized 65 people and we need to put a goal with our bishop and ward mission leader. 

   I know that this church is true and that the priesthood really exists, I am so glad that we are able to preach this gospel. I want to invite everyone to at least talk with one person this week about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the holy Ghost will help you make this invitaiton.

Will you share the gospel this week? ( i expect a response to this invitation) as you do so I promise you that the Lord will trust you more and bless you with the word in the precise moment. I love you all! 

Love,

Elder Hicks

Elder Bobadilla

Colman family

Questions:

1. We are going to play soccer today as a zone! also we had an awesome sone meeteing this week!

2. My new companion is named ELder Seda. He realy know how to act with faith I am so surprised at the faith that he has. 

3. OUr zone is doing great, We need to focus on helping them to have more lessons with the members and to find through them more! 

4. I am still in Lopez Camelo or Ricardo Rojas. 

 I want you to all know that sharing the gospel is the best thing ever. I truly love sharing it with my brethren here in Lopez Camelo!

 I wanted to invite all of you to read a article from Presidente Monson- Please read it, it talks aboput the importance of Following the Prophet  

I love you all so much and I want to knwo what you felt about the story as you read it.

I love you

Dear Family,

I don´t have a lot of time! But I want you to know that I love you all so much! WE are going to have an activity as a zone right now. I want you to know that Sabrina got baptized and that her husband is going to baptize the daughters it should be this weekend. It depends when his register arrives. !) I love this misison it really is so great. I love seeing that the people change and that they want to follow Christ. 

   Dad! I wanted to tell you happy Birthday! I am so grateful for you as my Father! I love you so much and I have learned so much from you.  I hope you enjoy it on the 4th and that you are able to eat a lot of german choclate cake. !) RIght now I don´t have a gift... but I want you to knwo that I am so glad that you are my Father. I couldn´t have been blessed more. Even thought as a kid when we went hunting I always cried for the cold I always wanted to be just like you but only with bangs and that saying still stands true today!) hopefully i will have my bangs one day. ha

   My new companions name is Elder Seda and he is also from mexico and he studied with Elder Bobadilla before the mission and lived in Monterray before the mission! I love having mexican companions!!

Love,

Elder Hicks

Christmas Time

I love you so much  will talk to you on Christmas day. I will have to confirm the time on thursday inthe morning. But i am thinking 7 will be perfect!!
Elder Hicks

Merry Christmas #sharethegift

Dear Mom, 

 I hope you know how much I love you . I am trying so hard to finish strong and help so many more families come unto Christ. we have seen so many miracles this past week. And next monday I am going to give 20 dollars to a family... well more like 200 pesos! I love you mom!

Makenna,

Hey I love you so much and i am so happy for what kind of decisions you are making in your life. You are an example for me. I know sometimes it is hard in thy youth... but lean on your older brother Christ and he will help you!

Love you

Dad, I hope you have enjoyed a great week and that your talk went well , i also hope Moms talk went well on the baptism. I love you so much, there is not one day I don`t think about our family!! 

love you 

  Our goal as a zone!

 Pictures, with Elder Bennett and his companion.

 Ward Members

Primary Kids

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been absolutly Great. As we are getting closer to CHristmas we are feeling the spirit a lot more. I do not know if I have told you but we are trying to baptize 4 people this month and we are doing everyhting we can to be able to find four souls and help them recieve a saving ordinance. We are doing everyhitng possible! 

   The other day we found a man who was baptized in the church 15 years ago and now has a wife and 2 kids. We invited all of them to go to the christmas dinner with us! They all went and loved the dinner!! Our ward is great! But he did nto come to the stake conference we had on Sunday! but they have such a huge desire to com eot churhc That this next week we are going to make better plans with him so they can go to church!

    Also somethign funny this week... Well this morning as i was getting ready to go running I fell off my chair and I was so tired that all i said to my compnaion is... That didn`t hurt and kept putting on my socks and I left... when I came back we realized how weird it was and my companion could not stop laughing!  

    This week we need lots of prayers for htis zone here in litoral... please we need to be able to help these people accept the gospel in tehir lifes... The families we are teaching are, Sotelo family, Escobar Family, and the colman family. 

    I love you all so much, and I hope you all have a great day, I attached a poem that I really loved.

Ladder of hope

I had been in that hole for a very long time In the dark and the damp, in the cold and the slime.The shaft was above me; I could see it quite clear But there's no way I ever could reach it from here. Nor could I remember the world way up there So I lost all my hope and gave in to despair. I knew nothing but darkness, the floor, and the walls Then off in the distance I heard someone call: "Get up! Get ready! There's nothing the matter. Take rocks and old sticks and build up a fine ladder." This had never occurred to me--had not crossed my mind.But I started to stack all the stones I could find. When I ran out of stones, then old sticks were my goal, For one way or another I'd get out of that hole. So I soon had a ladder that was sturdy and tall And I thought, "I'll soon leave this place once and for all." I climbed up my ladder. It was no easy chore, For from lifting those boulders, my shoulders were sore. I climbed on up the ladder, but soon had to stop For my ladder stopped short--some ten feet from the top.I climbed back down my ladder and started to cry I'd done all I could do. I gave my best try. And in spite of my work, in this hole I must die. And all I could do was to sit and think, "Why?" Was my ladder too short? Or my hole much too deep Then from way upon high came a voice, "Do not weep." And then faith, hope, and love entered into my chest As the voice said to me that I'd done my best. He said, "You've worked very hard, and your labor's been rough, But the ladder you've built is at last tall enough. Do not despair. You have reason to hope just climb up your ladder; I'll throw down my rope." I climbed up the ladder, then climbed up the cord. When I got to the top, there stood the Lord. I couldn't be happier; my struggle was done. I blinked in the brightness that came from the Son. I fell to the ground, His feet did I kiss I cried, "What can I do to repay thee for this?" Then He looked all about Him. There were holes in the ground They had people inside, and were seen all around There were thousands of holes that were damp, dark, and deep The the Lord turned to me and He said, "Feed my sheep." Then He went on His way to help other lost souls, And I got right to work, calling down to the holes: "Get up! Get ready! There's nothing the matter.Take rocks and old sticks and build up a fine ladder." It now was my turn to spread the good word. The most glorious message that man ever heard. That there's one who is willing to save one and all And we've got to be ready when He gives the call. He'll pull us all out of the hole that we're in And save all our souls from death and from sin. So do not lose faith; there is reason to hope just build up your ladder; He'll throw down His rope 

I hope we can share this message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to help them know that we can all build a ladder and leave the hole we are in! SHARE THE GIFT-Who will you share it with?? 

I love you all so much! 

Love,

Elder Troy Hicks