October 21, 2013

Buenos Dias familia y amigos!

The mission is going great. This week me and my companion have tried extremely hard to be obedient in everything we do and we have been blessed. We did a lot of knocking doors and just talking with people. Whenever an appointment would fall through we would contact a neighbor, just little things like that. But always remember Alma 37:6-7.... By small and simple means are great things brought to pass. We found like 11 investigators that we are going to see this week. Sadly I know that most of them will fall through, but if that happens they will be prepared for the next missionaries. During the week we will have to go check with all of them and we will see how they are. 

I want to share one experience that happened. The other day me and my companion had made a contact and set up an appointment with that lady for the next day. SO the day came around and it was 7:30PM and we went to look for the person. We got there and the lights were out and no one was home. We were waiting and just decided to knock. But no one came. The neighbors from the other side of the street said hey no one is home. My companion just said oh ok thanks. And we were about to leave the street. I don't know why, but thought came to me contact these people. SO I told my companion and he said no. Haha. Then I asked him again and he stopped and thought about it. Then we went and contacted them. We went and we had an awesome lesson with them. They are evangelists but they were asking us tons of questions and wanted to learn. Short story.... the lesson lasted until 9:15. We talked about all kinds of things and the woman told us she would read the Book of Mormon.  It was just a small little thing. I don't know if anything will happen, but that experience was one that I won't forget. 

The Lord has people prepared and they are ready to listen to this message. The message that the gospel is restored , we have prophets, families can be together forever, etc. 

If you read this I have a challenge for you. Probably all of you are members first off. So you have the responsibility to share the gospel with all people. Think and pray of one person that you could talk with about the gospel. I promise that there is at least one person you know ready to listen you just have to share. There's a quote I learned in the MTC that says... Where E'er thou art, act well thy part. This is my challenge and I know you can find people the Lord loves and blesses us every day. Just look for the Lord's hand. 

Love,

Elder Hakes 

HELP!!

Angry

mom

Report her

to

1-800-Grandparents

October 14, 2013

Hello,

This week I learned the importance of asking the ward members and everyone we talk with for references. We did that a lot more this week. We only found 2 people more to teach but that's ok! That's 2 more people! One is the cousin of Luz. Named Yeraldinne. Shes 13 and has met with the missionaries before. Shes learned everything but forgot practically all of it. But the problem before was her mom wouldn't give permission. I've never met the mom though. My companion met her once when we did divisions for a family night. But I don't know, only time will tell!

Then we found a guy named Arturo. Its actually pretty funny because he looks like, talks like, and is practically the same as one of the missionaries in our district. Its a little but weird but its funny. But he's 20 years old and has lots of family problems. He doesn't know who is father is. He was raised with a man and then barely found out that he wasn't his father and things like that. The hardest part is he doesn't really have time to talk with us because he's always working. He gets up at like 5 to go to work and gets home 8 at night. Then, he eats showers and goes to bed. So he doesn't have hardly anytime. He told us he will go to church this Sunday and see how it goes. He is very humble and has a desire to learn. He never really had any religion before and didn't really believe in God. Or he did, but it was more like a respect thing like he's there but it wasn't important to him. Idk. Something like that. Those are the 2 we are working with right now and we are still searching.

My goal is to ask every person I talk to for a reference. Like in conference how he said if every member gave 1 reference before Christmas how would the church grow? But everything with that is going well. We had quite a few less actives come to church this last week but it was weird cause there weren't a whole lot of the normal members. This week is our ward conference so well see what happens. They are having a sports activity this Saturday to invite people for Sunday.

Everything is going great I feel like I understand most of what the people are saying.  There's always a couple vocab words I don't understand, but I'm learning! Ya pretty weird me learning...haha.

We are working gonna find more people this week. We hope to have a baptism for Yeraldinne in 2 weeks. We will have to see what happens though.

The mission's great.... loving everything except not playing sports.I didn't know it would be so hard..... I even want to play soccer! I have never in my life wanted to play soccer but now I some how have the urge to play it. haha.

Love you guys work hard always and please help the missionaries in your ward! I know that they need help and that you can help them. Just give them a couple names of people that the can go visit. Remember the Lord is always on your side and will always help you but only when you do your part first!!! 

Love,

Elder Hakes


PS -
 ---I asked Brent to tell me about the area he was serving.....and if he liked soccer yet.....

The area is small! I can walk it within 30 minutes. Probably like McKellips to Main from Stapley to Lindsey! Not sure something like that. Its just one city! Well, more like town! Not Americanized at all! Almost no one has air conditioning. Probably 70 percent have television. Everyone uses fans to cool down and open the windows but that's  it! So, it's super hot.  I would say its the same has AZ. 

I don't know... I don't hate soccer but I'm still not a fan. I don't know if i ever told you but we can't play soccer or basketball or practically any sports. We played ultimate Frisbee and softball for our activities of our zone. but that's it. Honestly, that's the only thing I don't like about the mission. no sports:( 

October 7, 2013

Hey everybody! 

I really hope you were paying attention in conference this last week! Cause it was pretty awesome! I don't have my notes with me but I remember that I loved Ballard's talk. I'm trying to remember what he talked about though haha.... I think it was about missionary  work. There were a lot speaking about the missionary work and mostly about the members part. As a missionary having members work with you is honestly the most efficient way to work. I've learned that in my short time here! There were also a lot of talks about women and keeping your standards high. I'm not sure why but that stuck out a lot to me. Just always remember who you are guys or girls. We live in a world full of sin! FULL! Do the little things right and all will be ok! Never forget the little things cause the second you do you WILL fall. We can't live in this world without the blessings we have within the church. We have been given much and we also must give. My challenge to anybody who reads this is to share your testimony 3 times this month. Believe me that is super easy! haha. I don't remember but I want to say it was Ballard's talk where he said if we all just invited one person before Christmas then how would the church grow or something like that. There are 15 million members of this church and 80 thousand 300 and 3 missionaries in the field. And the numbers should only grow. Do our part forget ourselves and get to work. As every prophet we have ever had has said members are missionaries. Spencer W. Kimball specifically is famous for the every member  a missionary quote. The work is hastening but it will only go as far as we let it by doing our part. 

I loved one of the quotes from Pres. Uchtdorf where he said something along the lines of don't criticize others for their sins because you have the same as them. I honestly don't remember what it was but it was something like that. He also shared the story of Christ in the temple and how they brought the woman who was caught in adultery and he said any of ye with out sin let him cast the first stone. I loved that! We all have problems in this world and most of the time we don't even know when someone is having problems. But that's why we have the church "for the strengthening and edifying of the saints one with another". Love one another and pick up our brothers and sisters in this world. Help them, encourage them, heck invite them to church where they can get help from all members! The church is a support system in a way. We are all there for one another and pick each other up. I'm trying to think of what else I liked and I cant remember....but those were the biggest things I remembered. 

General conference in the mission is like Christmas! haha. Its so awesome! The time honestly flew by and I'm proud to say I didn't fall asleep once! Although I was pretty darn close 2 times haha. But remember why we have these prophets. These men speak the scriptures of our day. We always talk about studying the scriptures (Book of Mormon,Bible) but remember the scriptures of today. They receive inspiration for all of us. They know what we need and they freely give it. Why not take part in it? Its right there and its free! The prophets speak the word of god. Something I did before the conference is I wrote questions I wanted answers to. After the first session the prophets had already answered every question I had. We have prophets and scriptures, and prayer. Do these things and you will be blessed. The Lord wants to bless us but we need to do our part first. Always remember that. Conference was truly amazing! It was a little hard trying to understand in Spanish but I understood enough to answer my questions. 

I love you guys! Thank you for all the support!!! Never forget who you are and stand tall in this world!       

Love,

Elder Hakes