February 23, 2015

We didn't get a note from Brent this week.... just pictures.  He did respond to an email from his Aunt Jennifer.  She was interviewing him for a post about his birthday on the family blog....

"I was lucky enough to get a quick response from him today via email regarding his birthday. Here is what he said: .Something I always remember is that my birthday never falls on Superbowl Sunday and that makes me rather sad haha..... My favorite cake I had here in the mission. Raspberry cheesecake on the bottom with normal cake on top or Tres Leches (3 milk) cake from Mexico!!!! My birthday wish this year is to recognize the will of God and do what he wants me to do to help others!

February 16, 2015

This last week was a lot better for my companion and I!!! We worked a lot harder and smarter. We used the members to help us out with our investigators and with finding other new investigators. Team work is always so much better than trying the one on one game. So we had 4 investigators go to church with us this last week. 2 married couples. The only thing is the both of them I didn't really get to know that well haha. During 2 days last week I was in divisions in another area so I  didn't get to meet them and get to know them. I'll let you know more information on them next week. The 2 divisions I did were pretty fun. One was to help a companionship get along better and the other was just to help the missionaries work harder and go with multiple investigators at the same time. 

The one with the companionship that doesn't get along is a tough case......They both have a character that is so similar that they don't get along. But I could talk with them and share some scriptures with them. One of them I thought was pretty dang good and funny. Its 2Nefi 2:21 or something like that. I don't think that's right, but it pretty much said be men and be united. SO I told them to man up, get rid of the problems and move on. We are gonna be checking and seeing how it goes this week with the goals I put with them. 

The other divisions was with Elder Canton. He is Mexican from Cuatla Morelos. He has 6 months in the mission and likes to work hard and teaches well. We taught the Restoration together. It was such an AWESOME lesson. The spirit filled the room where we were teaching and the sister accepted everything! I love the clearness  and simpleness of the gospel. When we teach it like that the spirit is allowed to be in our lesson and testify of the truth of what we teach. I know the gospel has been restored. Every time I teach it, I only feel that it is more and more true. I invite all to check for themselves. Meet the missionaries and ask them to explain this message whether you be member of the church or not. It will help you to understand more about the church and the importance of the church today. And most importantly it will strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ and his teachings. Then, if you desire to even strengthen yourself more, read the book of Mormon and ask God if it is true. He will answer you as he has answered me in my life. 

Love always,

Elder Hakes  

February 9, 2014

Alright so this was pretty normal! Working hard with zone. We are getting better just some small things we gotta do better. Tomorrow we are gonna have Leader training for our district leaders and then a zone class. Yesterday we had a meeting with the stake president of our stake. We made a Stake Mission Plan. Based what we had learned earlier in the week. 

Im the week the President of the area of Mexico came. He talked a lot about the basics and simple ways to work with members.  He also showed us the plan of the area. Its based on Tithing and fast offerings and Temple work. It seems kinda interesting because you would think its kinda weird but its very intelligent. Just think about it....what type of faith does it take to pay your tithing and fast? It's quite a bit....and besides that doing temple work. But not just temple work, but temple work with family names! Basically as we do this we will help the members to be stronger and we will be able to make them strong enough so that we can work together and do the work of our Father in Heaven. So we put goals with the stake president about this and we are gonna work together with them. 

My birthday was pretty chill. The only thing is it was a Sunday so we don't do much on sSndays. It's because as zone leaders we talk the whole afternoon with the district leaders about what we are gonna do in the week. SO we are just in the house talking on the phone. Right now we are gonna go celebrate my birthday with a family! And some sister missionaries bought me a hug thing of bread!!! It was pretty sweet! I'll be sending pictures in a little bit but it was fun:) 

Life's GOOD:D 

I'm actually rather tired right now.....and nothing is coming to mind of what happened this week. But we are working hard and the zone is getting better:) 

Love yall!!!!

Elder Hakes 

Potatoes

 

An old friend

Our Practice investigator

Eating with President Cordova and Elder Benjamin de Hoyos

Writing home today

Coconut 3 milk cake

February 2, 2015

Hello FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!!!! 

SO this has been an alright week. My companion and I are learning and trying lots of new ways to help the zone get better. We are gonna focus on verifying. So I thought I'd share with you guys what I learned while studying about this. First off, verifying and seeing how someone is doing is not all that we need to do. As leaders in whatever we do whether it be sports, your job, or as a missionary it doesn't matter it has the same basic concept. As zone leader I check with 3 leaders almost every night and they report to me about the 4 other missionaries that they are in charge of. Any doubts, questions, asking how to get better, etc. As a leader we have to answer in the moment that the person asks the question. We give them an idea of what they can do to resolve their problems. And would call that that we must teach when we verify. First giving the example and giving them ideas. Then the person will think about the problem and the way to do things better and in doing so they will look for the way to make the idea we gave them better. In doing so we will both be edified the leader and the person we verify or teach. Also it allows the person to work upon their own desires not only because I told them they had to do it but because they want to do it. Not sure if I explain myself well but this is the method I'm gonna use to help my Zone be better. 

Also this week I went on divisions to a city called Huatusco,Veracruz. It's a beautiful place. I'd check it out on the internet! I went with 2 missionaries that only have 6 months in their missions.  It was awesome! I like to be with younger missionaries, because it give me the opportunity to learn a ton from them and the huge desire that they have to share the gospel. Of course I also have the opportunity to find the way to help them get better. And the best part is the new missionaries ALWAYS want to get better!!! Sometimes there are missionaries that have time in the mission and they don't like getting corrected. But the new missionaries love getting corrected and they do what you tell them and they get better! Its awesome haha. 

I'm still getting use to the Zone Leader position. It's a lot different than district leader but its going good I'm enjoying and learning a lot!! The weather has been great!!!! We are trying to work a lot harder in our area. We have been more focused in our zone than in our own area and so we gotta work on that and we are gonna get better here. 

Also they changed our zone a lot!!! We had 24 missionaries and we have 9 new missionaries. A new district leader and a new sister training leader and one of the sisters is gonna train a new missionary. Also they pretty much changed an entire district. So it should be fun!!! Lots of new faces and we can use that to our advantage to help them and to gain their confidence. Should be a fun new exchange!!!!!

Love always,

ELDER HAKES