Future Vision of Quetaltenango

Sounds like fun times with the Moores.

It was a great week here! My comp. and I were able to learn a lot from President in training meetings. 

The vision for the mission Quetzaltenango is that in 3 years, we can double the number of stakes. Pretty bold, right? But with the Lord, nothing is impossible! It´s a lot more simple if you break it down. President Smith showed the mission the family plan. This plan invites every member family to bring another family to church. Wouldn’t that be cool if every member did that? The point is if every family were to bring another family to church in the next 3 years, the stakes would double. It really helped put things into perspective. The mission is more than getting a baptism before the next change, but really working to build the kingdom of God with the members. It´s amazing to have leaders inspired of God.

President Smith also talked a lot about the standard of excellence. My comp. and I have really tried to push ourselves this week to get our standard up, and we saw amazing results. It was incredible to see how the Lord blessed us in our efforts to achieve His standard.

Went on divisions with the assistants, Elder Bryan and Elder Pérez. I was with Elder Bryan in Garbaldi, whereas my comp. went to Cauvario. We ended up contacting a really positive family. So we were walking in the street and just started talking to this lady. She told us her dad and mom were really sick and took us to her house. The funny thing was the sister of this lady had rejected Elder Doty and I just 3 days before. haha. This time, however, she was a lot more receptive. We came to find that the mom has brain damage and the dad can´t get out of bed. The woman´s sister, Norma, had received missionaries a long time ago but had never progressed. Elder Bryan and I taught of the Restoration and left a pamphlet with her. On Sunday, Elder Doty, Elder Rivera and I passed by again but this time the daughter was there. We boldly taught about the Book of Mormon and challenged them to be baptized. They said they would! They want us to keep coming to help them know our message is true. The Lord has blessed us SO much!

There are so many dogs in the street! The buses are always super crowded! There is garbage everywhere! I love this country. Really I do.

What does Christ expect of me?

In the Book of Mormon, we find the answer,

 23  Y él manda a todos los hombres que se arrepientan y se bauticen en su nombre, teniendo perfecta fe en el Santo de Israel, o no pueden ser salvos en el reino de Dios.

 24  Y si no se arrepienten, ni creen en su nombre, ni se bautizan en su nombre, ni perseveran hasta el fin, deben ser condenados; pues el Señor Dios, el Santo de Israel, lo ha dicho.

[23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

 24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.]

 2 Nephi 9:23-24

I know that Christ has suffered for our sins and paid the price to allow us to return to live with God. What he asks is really a small price to pay. He asks for everything.

All the best!

Elder Hicken