December 30, 2013

Dear Family,

Alright so this week was Christmas! Sounds super exciting right? haha. Its pretty weird over here...They celebrate Christmas but not very much here. Everyone is more into 3 kings day or something like that. That's when they receive most of their gifts. It was kind of interesting on Christmas, while they don't really celebrate it like us, they do celebrate. The bad thing is that everyone is in their houses drinking. Which leads to one of my investigators.....she drank alcohol. SO no we are going to have to wait a little bit more time for her baptism. She's a really good person, but she's still human. We are just gonna pick her up and keep going. She knows what's right, but sometimes its harder to do what's right. She will make it to her baptismal date, we are just gonna work hard with her. 

Then, we had a pretty cool experience the other day. Yesterday we had 11 investigators in the church. That felt pretty good! We had never had that happen before. Its mostly from 3 families of 3 but still that's 11 investigators. One of our investigators, Flor, was having problems with her health. She couldn't go to the bathroom and was suffering from whatever the disease was. She asked us if we could give her a blessing(not sure how she knew we give blessings but she did). So, we talked to her and told her how a blessing was and that through her faith she would be healed. Then my companion gave her a blessing. It was awesome and I truly felt the spirit in this small blessing. But then we finished and i thought nothing about we left the room and we went to the next class. She kinda disappeared but we didn't notice until after a while. She then came back and told us that everything was better and she could use the restroom. It was truly a blessing to see the priesthood in action. And the best part is that it was for an investigator and she told us "I know that this church is true and I will do everything I can to be baptized". It was an amazing thing to hear from the mouth of an investigator. With that, we also gave a blessing to her daughter Isis who was having some other problem. Her hands and feet would get super dry and she was always tired. We gave her the blessing at the end of church. So we haven't been able to see her yet. But regardless it was awesome to see that with Flor. The hard part there is with her daughter Jorbelin. She has been doing her prayers and reading the Book of Mormon, but feels like she hasn't received an answer and wants to stop. That was tough to hear but we talked with her and shes going to keep working at it. I shared a scripture in Mosiah 2:15 or something like that right now I don't remember but its talking about the People of Ammon when they were captive. That they wanted to be free and were praying to be free. But the Lord was slow in responding or something like that for their iniquities. I told her that sometimes the Lord is slow because we aren't doing all of our part and that rather than just reading and saying a prayers isn't enough. We have to do what the Lord has commanded to receive an answer. She's gonna keep working at it and she will receive her answer soon enough. 

Sincerely I feel like all of the investigators we have right now are all very prepared and chosen of God. They truly have desires to learn and to do what the Lord commands. I truly believe that all 11 of them will be baptized by the end of this month. This work is amazing. and there is only one way to do it, the Lord's way. The Lord's way is with members and missionaries working together. That's what we are trying to do right now as missionaries.  Find ways to include members. The Lord has told through our beloved prophet, "Now is the time that members and missionaries are to work together shoulder to shoulder". That's probably not exact, but the Lord has told us that this is the way to work. I ask that as members of this church we do our tiny part of simply inviting others to come unto Christ, to repent, to be baptized by someone holding the authority to do so, receive the gift of the holy ghost, and endure till the end. That is the life plan for happiness. It's simple, but yet so hard for us to do it. If we can do the simple thing of invite others then everything else I listed will come to pass. Search between your friends. Someone is waiting for the gospel. And if you find no one then invite all inhabitants of the world to come unto Christ (2Nefi 2:8).

 Do our part and the Lord will do the rest. 

I love you guys always do whats right.

Love,

Elder Hakes

December 23, 2013

Hello!

 

This week went pretty well. We found some amazing people that are truly ready for the gospel. One of them  is named Malena and her 2 children Chema and Azul. Malena is divorced and lives alone. She met with missionaries a long time ago and really liked the Book of Mormon. But, she lost contact with those missionaries and with her divorce lost her Book of Mormon. We were visiting her neighbor Jorbelin and she saw us, so she told her cousin, who is an active member, to tell the missionaries to visit her. So we went to visit her. She has a small problem with coffee and alcohol. And so we taught her the word of wisdom. We asked her if she would live the word of wisdom. She told us, "It's something very hard, but if it's from the Lord I'll do it". I've never had such an answer like that. It was truly amazing. She is stopping to drink those and to live all the commandments. Then she came to church Sunday and told us that she believes everything is true. She wants to be baptized and everything. She was truly prepared because of the missionaries that visited her 4 YEARS AGO! She is working hard to live all the commandments and to become a member. 

We also found a woman named Erlinda. She likes her bible a lot.... she has it with her all the time and reads a lot. When we found her she believed that all the churches were good  because they all worship God. We invited her to church and she came also. The truth we didn't have very much time to visit her and see how it went but I think she really liked it. Those were the 3 investigators that went to church this week. Oh and a girl named Jareli and her brother Christian. They are both really good too. They have a hard time understanding everything we teach but they are good people.  The Lord truly has blessed us that we could find these people. We are working hard to prepare them for a baptism. 

This week we also had a conference with Presidente Treviño and a member of the Area 70. It was with all the ward councils of the stake. It was really amazing. They were mostly just explaining how the ward should work together with the missionaries. Mostly he talked about that and the responsibilities of each calling. It was pretty amazing and I think it helped the ward a lot. The ward I'm in truly has soooo much potential. There are 115 on average every week. For Mexico that's a good number. (I don't remember how much is it back home?) But right now its hard to get them to work. The conference we had lifted their spirits to work in the Lord's work. 

That was my week.   Life's good! Hope all is well back home. Wow.......almost forgot to everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS! Please remember the our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ in this time. Serve others and help others always. Strive to develop charity or pure love for all people. 

Love,

Elder Hakes   

 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATER DAY SAINTS
MISSION MEXICO VERACRUZ
23 / December / 2013 Veracruz, Ver.
 

Dear family of our missionary:
It is for me a great honor to address you on this special occasion, Christmas. The time that we join the world to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that he was born in another time, but it's nice to create unity with each other these days and enjoy the atmosphere of love and brotherhood.
Your son/daughter is doing a great job here in the mission. This work is highly related to the season; which is to invite all to come unto Christ. For this he/she has established a very close relationship with him by learning from his life and his teachings, praying intensely, emulating his example, acquiring attributes similar to His, and speak with strong testimony about His divinity. Because of this, many people have been blessed and many of them have joined the Kingdom of God through baptism.
Certainly this Christmas there will be an empty Chair, gifts unopened, unused bed, and a place available in the room and your home table, but I want you to know that today, more than ever; and very differently from all the other years, all those spaces will be filled by the grateful and loving spirit of Christ who miraculously will compensate for the absence of your child. Not only with the feeling of comfort, love, peace, and membership but also with all the blessings that he knows are necessary in your home and are a direct consequence of the faithful and selfless service your valuable son/daughter; who has literally been an angel in every sense of the word to all those with whom they have touched here in the mission especially for me, my wife and my children. To know him/her and love him/her is one of the greatest blessings we have as a family. Thank you for letting us have him/her and enjoy their spirit and friendship. We want you to know that we consider him/her part of our family and so it will be forever.
More than two thousand years ago angels were announcing, like your children are currently announcing, the Nativity of Jesus, saying: "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men!" Luke 2:14. It is our hope that today and always He will impart that peace and that good will in your home, your neighborhood, and your community.
True peace only Jesus Christ can provide, "peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you;" I don't give you as the world gives..." John 14:27 to live the Gospel, to serve, to share the truth, and to love as he did will be lighten the challenges of life and we will feel his presence in our hearts every day. May God bless you and may we rejoice together this Christmas with your son/daughter this unique and wonderful time of missionary work. We wish this with all our heart, expressing our love for you and your children; in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
 

President and Sister Treviño

December 16, 2013

Dear Family,

 

Well, this week was alright ... not too bad not too good. On Tuesday I got sick..... luckily it wasn't till in the night after we had finished teaching all of our investigators. I got salmonella food poisoning:) That was just a great experience let me tell ya......I threw up about 10 times and I had diarrhea like crazy. I felt like it was New Year's Eve in my stomach and my face was whiter than the moon. If that's not enough graphic for you,  I can go into depth even more but I'd rather not do that haha. It was just not very fun and we will leave it at that. I went to the hospital at 10:30 PM and got home at 2:30 AM. The next day I had the opportunity to go in a bus for 2 hours there and 2 hours back. I was pretty darn tired that day. Things I learned from this experience:

1. The doctors here are not very good at injecting, they messed up 3 times with the needle

2. The doctors are very good with their drugs cause I was good as new after 1 day

3. Pregnant ladies scream a lot (I was in a bed and a lady that was gonna have her baby was right next me on another bed)

4. Never want to go back to a hospital in Mexico nor have salmonella

So ya that was that experience..... haha. Besides that, the week went ok. We went with Paola and she has been really rebellious...she hit her mom and smoked.... it's just not a great story over there right now. We want to help her but you can't help someone if they don't accept the help. Then, we found a woman named Malena. She is a cousin of the 2nd counselor of the bishopric. She is a very smart lady and likes the church a lot. She said the first time she talked with the missionaries and they gave her the Book of Mormon, she read most of it in a week or 2. SO she was excited to see us again and to get another Book of Mormon. The only bad thing is she didn't go to church this week.... we went and talked with her neighbor who is a different investigator and she told us that she went to a party the other night. So....that was a bummer but she is really good besides that. 

Then, we were talking with her neighbor who is Jorbelin. She is a pretty amazing 12 year old to be completely honest. She acts and looks more like a matured 20 year old. I was shocked when she said shes only 12. But we couldn't find her because she was working so we talked with her mom. Her mom told us that she came out one day and said "Be quiet because I'm going in my room to pray if the Book of Mormon is true because I have to know."  That was a pretty amazing thing to hear! But she didn't go to church either..... 

In fact we didn't have an investigator in the sacrament. I felt horrible that first hour. It was just like "what the heck? Whats going on here?" Its literally the worst feeling in the world. So I said a prayer in my heart asking the Lord if just one person would show up. Me and my companion got up after the first hour and walked outside to find the mother of Jorbelin in the hall with her daughters Isis and Ivon. That was just such an awesome feeling. Because I was literally dying because no one was there and then we found them in the hall, I can't even tell you the joy I felt! But they went through the whole time and they loved everything. And the mom is gonna listen to us to now. 

That was pretty much my week. Life is good! I'm doing great, love the mission.

Love

Elder Hakes

December 9, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was a good one. We found quite a few people who are really good. We found a woman and her husband named Perla and Octavio. We have been talking more with Perla because her husband is always working. But, she is Catholic and is a very good woman. The problem is she isn't married And needs to get divorced.....it seems like that is always the problem. And she didn't go to church cause she has to go to her Catholic church. Then we found a man named Tiburcio. He is a super good man. He let us in and we have taught him twice. He likes everything that he has heard so far. Unfortunately he didn't go to church yesterday though....we told a member to pass by the house for him on her way to church but she got confused or something and didn't go. So, he didn't come to church either. Needless to say it was kinda tough in the fact that we didn't have a whole lot of investigators in the church. We did have Paola and Jorbelin. I don't remember if I've talked about them before but....they are cousins. One of them is 12 and the other is 15. Both these girls have gone to church 3 times and have all the lessons we teach as missionaries. They are pretty good but they still have to go 2 more times to church. So they will be baptized on the 22nd. I think that's just about the best Christmas present you could get. But regardless we are working hard. 

Tomorrow we have transfers but I found out yesterday that I am going to be staying another exchange in Carlos A Carrillo. I'm all good with that although sometimes I kinda want to leave. I want to leave and be with another gringo with the same time where I have to do everything. Cause I feel like that would be the best way for me to learn. But regardless I am happy happy happy to be here and learn a little bit more from my companion. He's helping me a lot to learn more about the lessons and how to help the people. 

The other day I went to the temple! That was pretty awesome! A little bit weird with the new video and it being in Spanish, but I liked it a lot! The temple is such an amazing place. If you live nearby the temple you should go once a week! It's such an amazing place! I love it there. 

We also had a Christmas devotional as the mission.

Then yesterday we got to watch the Christmas devotional from the first presidency. I liked the end when Russel M. Nelson spoke a lot. The devotional was amazing and a great reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. And since it's the Christmas season I think we should be forgiving. Forget yourself and help all others. and the best gift as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints that you can give is the gospel. Please share the gospel with someone you know.

I got to give a talk in sacrament this last Sunday and was thinking in the point of view of the members and came up with a formula. 1. Love your neighbor or the person you want to share the gospel with. 2. Serve them in whatever way you can 3. They will recognize the difference in you and you can share the gospel and testify of the gospel and how it has blessed you 4. Then we MUST invite. In preach my gospel it talks about the importance of all of this but especially in inviting. Millions of people are looking for the truth but don't know where to find it. We have the duty as members of the church to share the gospel. This Christmas give your heart to some in service, then share your happiness with them and invite them to learn more. It's a simple pattern that I know is true and works. The Lord blesses us for our efforts. Look for someone in your life to share the gospel with. I promise there is at least one person you know waiting. 

I love you guys thank you for everything.

Love

Elder Hakes