Miracles

Shout out to mom and dad. Your date at the new Sherlock Holmes exhibit in the science museum sounds pretty interesting. I was excited to hear that the bball season is starting once again for Jonathan. Send updates. And even though I´ve never met Steve, I´m so happy he went to the temple. It is such an uplifting and spiritual experience, something I´m sure he´ll never forget.

Guess what? Lucero got baptized! 

A little scary that when we went to pick her up and bring her and her mom to the chapel for her baptismal interview, she wasn´t there. We said a prayer. She doesn’t have a phone so we tried walking around to find her for about 20 mins. Then, when we came back to knock on her door she was there! Thank you Heavenly Father for answering our prayer, and in more than one way. She had gone to get her identification but the line was super long and so she got back late. It all worked out though and at last she was interviewed and baptized. The baptismal service was really special. There were a lot of people who came. One sister in the ward was able to play her violin as a special number. (I thought of you mom) The most important thing was that there was a great spirit of love there, from the members and from our Heavenly Father.

I have to mention another miracle. As we were looking for Lucero, we met a family who seemed really positive. We went back on Sunday to visit them and figured out pretty quick that one lady was a member of the church. She had followed her husband with their two kids and two of her friends here to Xela for her husband’s job. They’re all living together, but only she is a member. She fell away for a time and wasn´t able to locate the church when she got here in Xela. She is really excited to have us continue to visit and to teach her two friends who seem interested as well. The Lord is sure in charge of this work.

It was a week of divisions. First, I stayed in the area with Elder Cudney, while my comp went to a different area. One of the greatest moments with Elder Cudney was that we were able to find and teach a whole family, who all accepted a baptismal date! Miracle! Then, later this past week, Elder Chavez, an assistant, came with me here in Garibaldi. I learned so much from him. I really wanna work on the way I teach, focusing in more on the investigator and teaching in a way that they can better understand. It was great that Elder Chavez and I had a lesson for every hour of the day and everyone was home! Miracle! Elder Chavez was able to help out a lot of our investigators. He had great insights and commitments. I really learned a lot from him. I know it’s so important to work with the members!

Leader´s counsel was also this week. The assistants focused a lot on remembering what we had talked about in the last counsel, that of finding and teaching families. Then Pte. Smith talked about the doctrine of repentance. He talked about five crucial steps. First, we need to recognize the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Second, we need to be born again. Third, true repentance requires change. Fourth, Godly sorrow. Fifth, allowing Christ into our lives. He finished by talking about a scripture, Galatians 5:25. If we live by the Spirit, we must walk by the spirit. Are we living beneath our privileges? He said if we don´t listen to the spirit as we live worthy, then we are. Pte. Smith also added if there was one thing we could learn in the mission it would be to receive revelation, recognize it and act on the promptings we receive. I’m trying to do that.

Anyways, I love being on a mission! I know this gospel is true. 

Hope everyone has a fantastic week! Todo chequeleque

Elder Hicken

P.S. I forgot to mention last week that we got a new Elder in the area.  Elder Peinado. He’s not only new to the area, but also new to the mission. He´s been with his trainer, Elder Thorne, this week. It´s awesome sharin´ the area!