September 30, 2013

Hello family and friends! 

Today we are going to have our first legit baptism! But one of the ward members will baptize her! Which is all good cause she almost didn't get baptized. Her name is Luz. This week she had to go and ask permission of her parents to be baptized. Her parents are actually long time inactive members. But she went and asked her mom on Wednesday and her mom said no. So Luz came to us to talk about it and see if we could help somehow. We showed her 1Nephi 3:7 Which pretty much everyone knows (go and do the things which the lord commands.....for he will reveal a way for them). Very simple scripture and that's how we should teach honestly. It's better that way and they understand. But that's what we did and bore testimony that the Lord would help her but first we need to ask. So we knelt down on our knees and prayed. My companion and then her. I honestly think when we were sitting in that room she was thinking these guys are crazy praying won't do anything. But anyways the next day she went with a friend that's in the ward to ask again. They talked with her mom and long story short her mom said yes and that she could see the difference in her! Its soooo awesome to see the power of prayers. Never doubt the power of a prayer. 

We had in activity this last week. We are suppose to be doing missionary activities but the ward only wants to party and have food....its makes things difficult. So we had a talent night with Mexican food...it wasn't really missionary but it was good. And lots of people came! BUT we didn't receive any references or anything so it was just a big party. It was just a ward party....all of us are kinda frustrated with doing activities every month. We want to do them and they are great for the work when it has a spiritual function. The problem is no body listens to us we tell them what they have to do and they don't do it. Its kinda frustrating when even the members don't listen. The members here are honestly great! The problem is they don't do much when it comes to ACTION. 

But this Sunday we called a lot more missionaries del barrio to help us. We are trying to have 5 family home evenings every week. The 4 missionaries of our ward split and go with a pair of ward missionaries. We will see how they work this week. 

Oh yesterday was a rough day....we went to a members house and they were watching.......FOOTBALL. It was very very very hard not to watch it!

This week we gotta find people we don't have anybody right now....and that's not good at all! SO we are gonna work super hard this week to find and teach more people. Over here its been super hot lately! Pretty brutal like Arizona but humid! 

Love,

Elder Hakes

September 23, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was pretty good! Not too shabby but not amazing! We actually found 2 new people named Janet and Fernando. Fernando has had problems with alcohol but he told us that he wants to change. We didn't have a chance to meet with them. We only went once for a familia home evening. It was really awesome and I think they enjoyed it. 

Right now we really only have 2 investigators that are progressing. One is Luz. If all goes as we hope she will be baptized this Sunday. She lives in a part member family but her family is inactive. She wants her dad or uncle to baptize her. The problem is that her uncle lives far away. He might come in this week but he might not so if he doesn't come Luz wants to wait until December.....which if that happens she wont be baptized at least I don't think so. So I don't know whats gonna happen with her. We talked to her and told her all this yesterday so she is gonna think and pray about. Also, we have a member in the ward who knows the uncle who is going to talk to him and if the uncle cant come in we want him to tell Luz to allow one of us to baptize her. Idk! If nothing happens it will stink a lot..... She has all the lessons she is excited and ready but who knows what will happen. 

Then we have a girl named Michel. She is 14 years old. Her family is also inactive. I think its mostly cause the dad is a taxista and so he works nonstop. Taxis dont make much money here. But the dad and her both went to church this last week. SO that was awesome! But they only stayed for the sacrament. I think she needs to learn a little bit more and gain a stronger testimony. She believes the book of mormon is true. Which is awesome cause if the Book of Mormon is true then Joseph Smith was a true prophet and the church is true as Preach My Gospel says. So we are just gonna work with her some more and see what happens! I think shes ready. 

We have the same problem we need to find more people....and its a lot harder than you think! Especially with the ward directory we have. It has like 600 names I think but only 150 are active. We got to a bunch of these houses and almost none of them live in the address we have. Its frustrating but at least we are helping the missionaries that come for the next exchanges:) haha. 

This week has been super hot! The week before this week was raining a lot and then this week came and was sooo hot! It was like back home in Mesa with no clouds in the sky but here it was still humid! Haha. 

I found out that I now way 165 lbs I lost everything I gained in the MTC and then some. haha. Everything is going good. We are gonna have an activity this Saturday. An open house to explain the different programs of the church (YW,YM,RS,etc). Then after its gonna be a Mexican night with a bunch of food and a talent show. I'm not sure how this one is going to go....(Mom has anyone responded with ideas of missionary activities???) I feel like its like the Mexican night has taken priority over the spiritual side for this activity. But who knows! Ill find out this week and let you know! Hope all is going well at home! I don't remembering hearing anything about Ryan and football? Mexico is great! 

Love you guys!

Elder Hakes

Nate-I met another missionary who knows who you are. An Elder Javier Vargas I think?  

September 16, 2013

Dear Family,

This week....hmmm I have to think. I'm not good with remembering things. It was kinda a tough week. We've been searching and we decided to go visit inactive members. We thought ya that's a good idea right? Well we went to a bunch of houses almost none of them live here anymore and some of them had died....So ya that wasn't very fun. 

There's been a lot of rain the last couple days and some of the streets were flooded with water. I guess some tropical storm? I don't know, that's what my mom was saying haha. There was lots of rain this last week and lots of the streets were full of water! Nothing too big happened!

I think we probably lost one of out investigators this week....Darwin. I don't know how or why but I don't think he will talk with us anymore. Yesterday was independance day for Mexico. And he said he had to go make things for the big party they have in the city. When we arrived at his house he was sleeping. He came outside and said how he was busy. So he didn't go to church. and before this he cancelled meetings with us twice I hope that he continues, but I don't know.  It's tough when this happens. This guy was the best investigator we've had. He read the Book of Mormon every day and always had questions about what he was reading. But I don't know... I think he's done with us.

 But the other investigator Luz. Shes doing great I'm still kinda nervous that she only wants to talk to us because she wants a relationship with my companion. But we have talked about it and are being cautious. The biggest thing is we need to find people. I want to work with the members more. they know people and know where they live, what they need, etc. It's very hard here in Carillo cause the people always lie to us....they'll tell us oh ya she lives just up the road and we go and there is no one. It's weird.....I don't understand why. It's tough but thanks for everything! I'm doing great! Love you guys!

Love ,

Elder Hakes     

PS

Please tell Nate I met a former Elder Paco Marquez who lives in Carlos a Carrillo and knows Nate. He just got married.

Congratulations Jennie on graduating!

 

September 10, 2013

Just received this via snail mail.  I guess we know how long it takes to get here.  Elder Hakes talked to us on the phone June 26, 2013.

September 9, 2013

Dear Family,

 This week has been pretty good. We have 3 investigators that I will be shocked if they don't get baptized honestly. One is named Darwin. Hes 23 I believe and lives in a part member family that is inactive. We have been teaching him at the church but I kinda want to go and teach with his family too! But he's amazing. He asked us after one lesson if he could serve a mission like us. I almost cried haha. He is super awesome he's reading the Book of Mormon and asks questions about what he's read every lesson. If there was a definition of a golden example for me its him. 

Then we are teaching a member's wife but they aren't married and the member needs to get a divorce from his previous marriage. Its very complicated....but she is awesome and comes to church every week. She wants everything with the gospel she has a strong testimony of prayer. I think we need to talk to her a little more about the Book of Mormon,  but other than that everything is awesome. We taught them the law of chastity so they can talk about all that. They seem to have accepted it. But that's what is gonna be the hard part. Getting the divorce from the previous marriage and then getting married. Her name is Pajola by the way. 

Then she has a cousin who we have been teaching. She is pretty awesome too! But I'm not completely sure sometimes for why shes talking with us. Sometimes it seems like its just to talk with us cause we are boys....wink wink. Haha. But when she prayed for the first time with us....it was so awesome! Honestly one of the best prayers I've ever heard and I'm pretty sure I didn't understand everything she said. Those are the main investigators right now. There are 3 others that are could and listen but don't act. One is the sister of Pajola. I think her problem is that she is living in a house that doesn't like the church...so that makes things difficult. But she is awesome she takes notes when we are teaching. I believe she really wants to know, but she just is being lazy. And its the same way for these other 2 investigators named Jazmine and Laura. They are just lazy....I dont like lazy. But other than that they are all awesome people! 

We still need to find more people! That's the biggest thing we need to find people. They changed some stuff in our mission well all of Mexico. The new rule is investigators have to go to church 5 times. It use to be 2. But its better this way cause they are actually converted and want to go to church! Its not oh hey come twice and we will baptize you. I'm actually really glad they changed this rule cause I felt like people weren't prepared to be baptized. With my first baptism...and only for right now... I didn't want to baptize her. She wasn't ready she did it cause her parents did and she liked the missionaries. That was a tough situation cause they all wanted me to baptize her cause I just had to have my first baptism. I want to baptize people that I know and have been teaching and truly want the gospel. But I chose to go with their wishes and baptize. I will not do that ever again. That honestly was a horrible first baptism....it just totally felt wrong. Anyways

Just have Ryan keep working. They can't get mad at him for trying and working hard. Cody and Em I'm sorry if I haven't responded to your letters I read them and am grateful I just don't have much time to do anything. Tell Cody to keep working hard at basketball. Happy birthday Nessa! Hope all is going well and you are still keeping David in line...or at least trying!

I need some help! As our missionary plan for the ward we want to have 1 big missionary activity every month! We are having a hard time thinking of these activities so....anybody that has ideas please send it to my blog with my mom and she will send them to me in an email. I'm doing great and that's all you guys need to know! haha. I love you guys! Thank you for all your support! Mexico is amazing! The people are amazing! We actually helped redo a roof for a member today! That was pretty fun haha. But I love this work!

Love,

Elder Hakes