Hola del cambio nuevo

Everything is going splendidly here in San Silvestre!

Brilliant Idea! I´m going to try and remember to include parts from my letter each week to President Borg. 

Everything is improving here in San Silvestre II. Elder Gaete is settling in just dandy, and we are already working excellently as a team!

Our first day together after cambios, we met with the Bishop (new as of two weeks) and asked for a blessing, as he holds the keys of missionarywork within San Silvestre. We have continued to see the blessings from this blessing throughout the week, and expect to experience many more in the following months.

This week we challenged a new investigator Camila with preparing to be baptized the 29th. She accepted, and is learning faster than we can teach! All because of the spirit. She is 9 years old, and we are reactivating her (widowed?) mother. 

We also had 6 less actives at church yesterday, which was wonderful! Another way that we are seeing the blessings of the spirit, because we just have too much work to do, even though we are working as hard as we can, so we need the Lord´s help, and as we ask, He gives.

Thank you for my surprise, President! He is wonderful! He is most definitely distracted with girlfriend problems back home, but I think the Lord might have prepared me for this opportunity to share what I have learned about devoting a life to serving the Lord. Especially on a mission.

Here is last week´s:

How is everything? We are doing great in San Silvestre. This past week we saw off Elder Perez Albela, and I worked with the Zone Leaders EE´Eklof and Sagostume and Elder Fankhouser. I did have the opportunity to work a little bit in my sector, but obviously not as much as I would have liked. It´s actually been really hard to not have a companion. This past week fue duro. But we had some wonderful lessons in the other sector, and I am determined to improve my sector to contribute at least as much as they have. 

I´m excited to have a new companion, and I can´t wait to work harder,more efficiently, and more obediently with him in the cambio que viene!

Well at least that gives you a basic thought about what I´m doing here right now.

Now to share a bunch of the random things that I´ve noted down throughout the weeks.

Normal is the enemy of progression! If you find yourself using the word normal, rethink if ´normal´ is a good thing or not. Another word to look out for is ´but´. If you are thinking of making a decision, and you find yourself saying ´I should....but...´ then rethink! You were probably right when you said I should the first time!

Sisters! I realized something this week, that is absolutely wonderful! There are several sections in the D&C that are directed towards Emma Smith. These sections are spectacular becasue they are directed solely towards the women of the church--YOU! If you study these sections dilligently, you will come to understand even better the relationship that you have with your Father in Heaven, as his daughter, and the responsibilities that you do or will have as mothers and daughters, sisters and wives.

DENTAL FLOSS IS SO EXPENSIVE. When you come down, make sure to bring plenty of dental floss. A little free thing that you get when you go to the dentist costs almost as much as breakfast here...

Could you send me a map of where Cajamarca is? Just an image from google maps or something? And I´m also going to have to let my mission president know that you will be changing your address for a few months, so once you have an address and dates and whatnot, the sooner the better! Plus I´m dying of couriosity!

Did Jessica leave for Washington already? When did/does she leave?

Reading assignment for this week: Beware of Pride by Ezra T Benson. Oh my goodness so wonderful. I´ll write more about it next week, cause time´s up!

I love you all and I´m so grateful for all of your prayers! I can feel them every day! We are receiving so much help from the Lord, and there are all sorts of miracles. Some of them you´ll have to wait another year or two to hear, but everything is in my Journal, don´t worry! I haven´t missed a day yet!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Elder Hicken

Baptism of Hermana Silvia

Hemana Silvia and Jeffer, Elder Perez Albela and I 

 Hermana Silvia and Jeffer

 Lunch with Stake President, Presidente Manuel De La Cruz

In the bus or taxi or something, from a long time ago.

Elder Obeso, Gutierrez, Eklof, Me, Lopez (then my District Leader), and Perez Albela 

The wall says KAI !!

Elder Fankhouser ate too much!

Contacting Practice