Monday, June 30, 2014

Hola de la Selva [the jungle]

Todo està bien aquì en Precursores!

We went to the zoo today!




 Here`s a picture of a picture made to look like another picture! I love you Sierra!


Happy Birthday Kai! I realized after signing off that it was more prudent to have told you last monday, but better late than never! I hope you had a pie of a time!

Everyone who reads my letters, send me next week stories about how the Lord has eased a burden in your life! I would love to know!

I`m looking for a talk by Elder Holland that says that as members, we should pray for the missionaries in our ward by name. Have you heard of it? Could you send me the link?

This week has been wonderfully hard. The only way to explain it is that after falling a long ways, the climb back up is maybe just as difficult, but much more satisfying looking backwards. Elder Burgos is amazing, and helping me remember what I once learned from Elder Castro. It hasn`t been an easy first two weeks, but I`m excited for the third. We are united, and we love each other, and the zone knows it. They want to be like us, just as they did when Elder Castro was my companion. I am grateful for his help, and hope to help him realize just how important he is to me, and to the Lord here in Maranga.

I know I am in the Lords hands, and not only am I there, but he is using me all over the place! I love it, but I`ve got a crazy schedule! I love the Lord!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Hola con Elder Burgos!

Todo está bien aquí en Precursores!

The work is picking up the pace here as we look to start doing things that just weren´t possible this past change.

I´ve learned these past two weeks that the number one priority for a leader is to make sure his sheep have their basic needs taken care of: water, electricity, food, etc.

Well, I´ve got a new companion! Elder Burgos! You might remember him, he was in my district in Las Flores and you met him when you went to visit. We get a long super well, and it´s a relief to have someone to help me 24*7 at my side. He just got bumped up from being DL. It´s a handful training a new zone leader, but I love it. Elder Burgosis so motivated and wants to do what´s right. He is sensitive to the spirit, and wants to be a good example.

So yesterday we split our ward! We now have a new ward in our stake, and two new missionaries! 

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!
 Fathers day party!

putting together furniture for the new sister´s new apartment!

 the plan of salvation drawn on a dirty car...that counts as a lesson in calle...

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Hola de Cambios!

Todo está bien aqui en precursores! And I´ll be here for another month and a half! Elder Vazquez won´t though! He´s only been here one change, but he´s off to another zone.

It´s great to watch the work progress, even when it´s a slightly stressful process. We´re doing our best to accomodate all of the changes the Lord sees fit in these weeks! We´re super excited for a new ward in our stake: Escardó. Our ward is going to be a father! But it means we´ll loose Sister Heiner and Sister Agüero. We´ll be getting two more missionaries in our zone as well! 

We´re writing today because we spent all morning yesterday moving in the new room for Escardó and distributing materials to the zone in the truck.

This past change with Elder Vazquez has been incredible. It helped me remember many of the things that I had learned in the first six months of my mission. I have learned of the importance of working with families, taking care of your companion as #1, and we´ve begun a relationship with the stake that had disappeared. I am excited to learn even more from my new companion, and begin to put in practice the sum of my experience to have more success to match the desires of my heart!

Testifico que la familia es ordenada por Dios. Los ultimos dias son los dias para trabajar con la familia, y ahi esta trabajando Dios. La Restauracion es real, y esta pasando rapido. José Smith fue un profeta lleno del espiritu de Dios, y dio a luz el Libro de Mormon, que us un fruto de ese espiritu. Al leerlo, seremos llenos con lo mismo, y lo transmitiremos a nuestros projimos en el orden verdadero de caridad. Les amo mucho! Gracias por todo!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Hola de la ultima semana de...

This week has been crazy, sorry, but I don`t have a whole lot of time!

This week we did an exchange with Elder Chatwin and Elder Bobadilla. While with Elder Bobadilla, we talked about how Elder Chatwin treats him as an equal, and even asks him for help with his responsibilities as district leader. Something that has helped E`Bobadilla immensely. We also spent a great time working with families, contacting them in the street. We decided that we are `protectores de la familia' [family protectors] and that the families need to know it. As we finished the day, I told him: ¨Antes de ir al cuarto, necesitamos contactar una familia mas!¨ [Before we return back home, we need to contact one more family.] We turned around to start walking home, and right in front of us there was a family, who we talked to and gave a Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment. Amazing how the Lord prepares us the way.

The work is hard, but salvation isn`t cheap. I`m willing to pay the price!

I love you!

Hurrah for Israel!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Hola de una semana BLANCA

This week was well worth the hard work! We served with all our heart, might, mind, and strength to baptize the Isasi Family. On Friday they were married at 12:30, and six hours later they were baptized. 

We had a huge baptism this week! And a marriage! I was the testigo. Here´s a few photos! The first one is of the 6 of us in our ward and the two assistents, and Rodrigo. Elder Castro was my companion last transfer before being called as assistent--looks like we are still united, based on the pose.


Sunday we had 4 confirmations, 3 children or baby blessings of investigators or converts, one ordination to priest of an investigator, a new Elders Q President, and we´re super excited to be working in the work of the Lord!


Sé que al procurar hablar con todos, cumplimos con el propósito de nuestro llamamiento, aun con los desafíos de la vida misional. La fe es la confianza en cosas que no se ven, pero que son VERDADERAS. Una ley de los cielos es la ley de relatividad. Uno siega lo que coseche. Sin estar preparado, no podremos cumplir. La obra misional involucra a todos, no solo los investigadores. Este obra de salvación es posible gracias al amor de Cristo. Sé que el señor prueba a sus elegidos para prepararles para lo que el tiene reservado mas adelante. La familia es ordenada por dios y el matrimonio entre un hombre y una mujer es esencial para su plan eterno. Al ayudarla y trabajar con familias, estaremos trabajando al lado del señor. Sea con menos activos, investigadores, parte familias, o no-miembros.

[I know that by talking with everyone, we will fulfill our calling, even with the challenges of missionary life.  Faith is trust in things which are not seen, which are TRUE.  A heavenly law is a real law.  You reap what you sow.  Without being prepared, we can not magnify our calling.  Missionary work involves everyone, not just the investigators.  This work of salvation is posible thanks to the love of Jesus Christ.  I know that the Lord tries his chosen ones in order to prepare them for what lies ahead.  The family is ordained of God and marriage between a man and a woman is essential to his eternal plan.  To help and work for families, we are working aside the Lord.  Even with less-actives, investigators, part-member families, and non-members alike.]
Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!