July 25, 2013

Hola! 

This week has been great! Just been learning Spanish some more haha. Today I just realized I have eleven days and I'm off to Mexico. Time is flying by! I feel like I got here 2 days ago and I don't know any Spanish compared to natives! which is very true,... but I'll be alright! 

This week in one of the devotionals the speaker was talking about companions. How as companions we need to set an example for the other missionaries and the people! I feel its the same way for members of the church. We need to be better examples to others. I know I wasn't great at all with that before I left on my mission but that is something we all should strive for and I am now. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE WATCHING YOU! That's something I definitely thought about this week. It's definitely true especially for me being the tall gringo missionary going to Mexico. I'm sure plenty of people will be keeping their eye on me! But that's just one thought I had this week. 

I have an MTC investigator(fake) that is progressing and is reading the Book of Mormon. Something fun we get to do also is we teach the missionaries in our district. We pretend to be nonmembers or former members and take the discussions. We can choose someone we know or make it up its all up to us. It's good experience cause you then see how the investigators you teach feel by experiencing it first hand. It's a pretty cool activity and whoever came up with it is a genius. 

So this last Monday I flew out to Las Vegas! Please don't be concerned haha it was only to get my visa!!! So I have my visa and am all set to go to Mexico on August 5th I believe! 

So everything is going great! Except my camera broke somehow..... not too happy about that. Guess you'll have to ship me a new one or I'll have to go to the bookstore and see if they have one! not to sure! 

Everything is going great glad to hear the family is doing well! I love you all! 

Love,

Elder Hakes    

with Sister Rodriguez

Elder Kraus, Elder Ahby, Elder Parker, Elder Child, Elder Herr, Elder Barth, 

Elder Capell, Elder Hakes (My MTC district)

with Elder Bentson

with Elder Billings

with Elder Kanaga

Elder Wilkins from Chandler, AZ went to Perry High

Provo Temple

Oh the friends you meet as you walk to devotional.....Karen Toone, Kyle Groberg, Rock Shill

Clayton Hooper and Colby Neilson

July 18, 2013

Elder Hakes and his companion Elder Parker

Elder Hakes and Parker

Elder Hakes and his teacher Elder Hansen

 Everything is going great! I'll make sure to take those pictures and yes I got the picture. I didn't remember that about grandpa but good to know he is doing well. Its pretty fun being the zone leader! I don't really do all that much though. I'm just there to make sure everyone is doing well. 

We got a new district yesterday of 10. We have 4 districts right now. One of them leaves on Monday though so it will be back down to 3. Everyone in the zone is speaking Spanish but they are going all over. Some of the elders and sisters who already left were state side some were South America, only my district is going to Mexico at least for my zone. 

Wish Ryan luck for me tell him to work his butt off and don't ever stop. He needs to step up for that team cause they have a great opportunity this year. 

This week the devotional was by Richard G. Hinckley. I presume the G stands for Gordon. It was President Hinckley's son. He talked about our responsibilities as missionaries and he compared us to "arrows in the quiver of the bishop". I thought that was a pretty awesome analogy. 

One of my Spanish teachers left cause he is getting married in 2 days. Sadly we won't get to see him before we leave. We got to teach TRC last Friday and that was a fun experience. Its when we teach members of the church that speak Spanish. It was fun hearing from them and the awesome experiences they have had. 

My favorite story I've heard so far was by my other Spanish teacher. He served in Chile and was going to baptize a family of 9 and then was emergency transferred a few days before. They went on and were baptized. So my teacher was sent to the southern part of Chile away from the family. He later taught another investigator down there and baptized him. My teacher had told this new convert named Andres about the other family. So Andres asked for the address and phone and if he could see a picture of them. My teacher though it was random but gave him the info. He then never heard from Andres till the last week of his mission when he received a phone call. Andres called and told my teacher to meet at the temple. This was the day before he left for home. So my teacher gets there and is waiting for Andres who never showed up. One of the temple workers comes outside and says that they needed help in the sealing room. So reluctantly my teacher went in. He was waiting in the sealing room and just after he got there a few kids walk in. On like the fourth kid he recognized them as the family of 9 who had been baptized. So the whole family comes in and my teacher is just going nuts cause he's so happy and excited. Then Andres walks in. The whole family and Andres were sealed together. So my teacher is sooo confused and has no idea whats going on. After he learns that the family of 9 was a family of 10 really. They had kicked out their oldest son who was Andres. I thought that was the most amazing story I've ever heard. 

I'm still doing great! I don't really have much to report except that I love it here. I'm definitely learning more about the gospel and I'm definitely learning to teach.

Love you all,

Elder Hakes   

July 11, 2013

I have been asked to be a zone leader! As of Sunday I will be a zone leader. I pretty much get to pretend to be "The parents" for my zone. haha. I mostly will just check in on everyone in my zone and see how they are doing and things like that. I'm looking forward to it! It should be pretty fun! Tell Weston that I'll be seeing him up here in a couple weeks hahaha. There is a district if 8 missionaries in my zone that were all suppose to go to the Peru MTC but ended up here. They all have completed their MTC time and just got their flight plans and visas to leave on Monday. So I hope I get to see him! I'm doing good! Um...not really sure what to say? haha. Just doing all the same stuff I told you last time. Still learning Spanish and the how to teach better. All the basic missionary skills. Idk haha. I'm doing good. I weighed myself today and apparently I've gained 5 pounds. I'm pretty sure its all muscle;) haha just kidding. But its all good I'll probably lose it all as soon  as I get to the field.

 I think the twins are gone but Sister Rodriguez is still here. She actually goes over to the Salt Lake Visitors Center to receive training for that! I got to see her on Tuesday and we took a picture. I have a couple pictures haha. I haven't really taken very many....There's not much to take a picture of! Its just a bunch of buildings. I'm kinda sad though cause I don't get to go to the temple. The temple here is closed until August 12 or something and I leave august 5th for Mexico! As long as I get my visa that is. 

Everything is going great! I kinda miss not having you to do my laundry;) haha I'm just kidding!!!! Next time I'll bring my journal so i can remember what's happened. Nothing is coming to my mind right now. I'm teaching every other day. Spanish is great. The church is true. You guys seem to be doing great. I'm good:) haha. Idk. Love you mom thanks for everything your the best! Make sure to keep me updated with how Ryan is doing with football especially once they start playing games.... yes I know it's months away haha but I'm excited for them! He has a good team that could go all the way to state. Hope Cody is still doing his buff guy workout. Glad Emily enjoyed girls camp. Tell her I'm sorry I didn't write her back. Hope Dave and Nesa and Joe and Jennie are doing well! Tell Wes to send me a dear elder. Also I would like my ring, some pictures, food is always great:), and anything you would like. There's some other stuff I was wanting but I don't remember at the moment..... anyways gotta go! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Hakes