Re: Parent's letter

It´s Pday today because tomorrow we have our meeting with Elder Soares  . 

Thanks for the pictures.  Everyone looks so different. It´s amazing how things change in just two years. 

Renen is into swimming AND diving! Awesome! I hope he doesn´t expect to be amazing at either. It's a choice between being a star, or a jack of all trades. I decided a little late that I like being a jack. I'm super excited to record with him! I´ll have to ask him how the sound studio is going.

Speaking of one thing that has changed, I like even MORE food than before. We just ate Subway, including lettuce, cucumbers, and jalapenos. Now I´m drinking apple juice. (which is called crazy water here, if you didn´t already know) I eat everything, hasta las patas.

When does marching band go into full swing? What´s the show this year again? Finals are in September or November, right?

Well, I´ve got to agree that the more people I become in charge of, the more "unplanned" my days get. We actually struggle to make time to plan because it is so rare that anything we plan less than a few hours in advance actually happens. That also means that we bring to pass changes al toque . For example, we´ve been talking about a few elders who could be the next personal secretary.  Yesterday we met with the President, he asked us if we were ready to make a decision, and we gave Elder Chatwin a call. He was in the office by 3pm yesterday, moved into our room at night, and now he´s being trained. Crazy.

I love the scripture! Thanks!

Love, your son,

Elder Hicken

Weekly Update

How are things going? This week has been kinda crazy, I´ll share the details later on.

Nope, I don´t get fed by members any more. Except on Sundays. So I do a lot more cooking than I´ve ever done on the mission. But I have more time to do it. That´s the nice thing about being an AP. I have the ability to do what I´ve always wanted to do, and what I´ve always been good at. While I was a zone leader it was so hard to live up to my potential for all the red tape. Now that I´m the one who deals with the red tape, I have time to cook, to relax, to exercise, to write in my journal, etc.

How did the western welcome week parade go? Does Renen seem more like Kai in person, or is it just the pictures? Where is his recording studio going to be? I´ve got some songs that I would love to play/record with him. I´d need Kai on the piano, but maybe Dad can step in while he´s in Columbia. 

I imagine you´re all in the Temple right now, and that´s why nobody has responded. I hope you´re having a wonderful time. I love you all for being worthy to go!

Talking about the videos-my dropbox is overfull, but we have permission to go on youtube to watch family or church videos. It´s amazing how much trust they have in us, even through really that can´t keep anyone from not obeying the rules. Really, I´ve gone this far without watching videos, and I´m sure I can go the rest, but now it´s an option if you really want to send something.

Hmmm, who is Madeline Wallis? and company? 

Well I hope all is well, I´m doing great. I´m living the life, and feeling more comfortable than ever as a missionary. I feel like I could take on the world. Well, at times I feel like I am but I´m happy, and that´s what matters. I can´t be with President and Sister Borg on an almost daily basis and not be happy. 

So you asked about a day in the life of an assistant. Well, I´ve come to experience that no two days are the same. Let me just list off a few of the activities that we participated in this week.

• multi-zone meetings, like this one:

(me right in the middle, 3rd row)

We did a title of liberty vs. nametag simulation. Fun stuff. Love it!

• meetings with stake presidents
• taking missionaries to the airport who have to leave early
• blessing the apartment of a companionship who felt a malicious presence
• fixing a simple power outage
• serving 1000 hotdogs to a mob of missionaries

Aug 13, 2014
Elder Castro and a triple hotdog.
We eat hotdogs for the multizone meetings, and there is always more hot dog than bun.

This is what we do with the extras

• teaching taxi drivers who ask us what they need to do to go to our church
• overhauling ancient mission excel forms to be more usable
• suggesting changes for the president (we´re only halfway through!)
• sending visa waiting missionaries to their respective missions in mexico
• closing sectors to accommodate loss of missionaries
• organizing a choir for a special fireside this Saturday

and much more, besides the normal, everyday mission life things. 

I love Elder S.G. Nielson´s advice to hasten the Lord´s game plan. He says: "pray for the missionaries serving in your area and their investigators by name every day." How I wish the members of my ward knew my name. How I wish the members of my ward knew the names of my investigators. It would be easy, if they would just take the time to ask "who´s the new guy?" or if I have a family to do FHE with this Monday. After all, we both have needs, and we can´t resolve them without each other´s help. Just as much as missionaries never stop being members, members can´t ever stop being missionaries without being any less a real member.

I love this work. It is so pleasing to the soul. I am flooded with a constant peace. I am overflowed with a constant desire to share with those I love, love those I meet, and meet those who need-for I need them as much as our Father does.

I love you!

Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Me, right now.

Dinner, last night. 

We don´t have a pension, so this is my favorite pre-pday activity.

Pday in the office...so fun.

 Shopping with the President Borg, the office Elders and Assistants

Hola de La Semana LOCA

Well here I am writing on Sunday night. Sorry if you thought I wasn´t going to write, sometimes things get a little crazy here in the office, and now that we have computer access 24/7 our pday gets shut down sometimes.

Well, ¡todo está bien aquí en la oficina!  [All is well in the office!]

I spent my time writing to Kai, but I´ll be talking a bit tomorrow as well. Love you!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

It was E´Castro´s birthday on the 14th

We eat in Chili´s at least 3 times a week, even on pday.

Letter to the Family

First of all, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! On the 8th I heard one of those songs in spanish that Dad gave you for Christmas so long ago...now I can´t remember how it goes, but it set off a spark in my heart and lit a little fire inside.

Mi compañero Elder Castro es increíble [is incredible]. Lo amo tanto, y me ayuda, y me ha ayudado tanto volverme más como Cristo. [I love him so much; he helps me, and helps me come to be more like Christ.]  The travel is just fine, we go all over the mission every week, but it takes only an hour to get from the office to any part of the mission. Many times less if there isn´t any traffic. 

 The office is great, because I finally don´t have red tape to do what I´ve always wanted to do. And it's normally really stressful, but somehow I´m less stressed right now, and maybe more patient than I have ever been in my whole life. It´s incredible. Elder Castro is my best friend, and I know he loves me to death. I think that has a lot to do with how comfortable I feel. I also get to be with the President a whole bunch. I see him almost every day. The only thing that is sad is that it´s been almost 2 weeks since I´ve taught my own investigator. We don´t have them. We don´t have a sector, well kind of, but we share it with 2 of the secretaries.

Well it´s great to know that Luke was born! I think I found out that Tauna was embarazada [pregnant] two weeks ago...

Love the shirt Renen! We got permission from the President to watch videos from family, could you send me them? Super excited for my Hicken shirt! My old one´s out of date....

Speaking of knowing people. Do you know President Hawking? He served as temple president here in Peru a few years back. I think he lives in CoSprings, but he works in the temple. I have yet to meet President Grow, but I´ll have the opportunity when he speaks to our mission at the end of the month with Elder Christofferson (the Apostle, who is coming to speak to our mission. Later on we find out who he´s going to eat lunch with....) And the mission office for Lima Este is a little far from here, but if I see the President, I´ll tell him "hi"!

I´ll prepare to send a little explanation about a snapshot of the life of an AP, but every day is so different. Nothing is ever the same, and nothing is ever like we plan it to be! It´s a life of fancy footwork and strong toe muscles (from being on them literally 24/7).

Lily! I don´t remember how I lost my teeth, but I kept them in a little lego box to keep them safe after I had cleaned them off well. I´m glad you like legos!

Mom! I loved reading your mission journal! 12 baptismal interviews sounds like the end of the world! Please send more! I love to hear! I´m going to try to get our ward to do a treasure hunt!

I love you! Thank you for all your support and love!

Love, Elder Hicken

Today we went to Gamarra! 

We found my restaurante. Sr. Pollo. 

My companion´s birthday is the 14th and his mom sent him money

...from my country

...that I´ve never seen

-what! 

And I´m starting to cook otra vez!

Hola de la Oficina

Todo está bien, pero estoy aqui en la oficina![All is well here, but here I am in the office!]

I think you might recognize my new companion (see attachment).

[It's Elder Castro, who he has served with before!]

How´s the reunion going? Did Tauna already have her baby? I bet it´s crazy having those two things going on at the same time.

I´ll talk to Grandpa Steimle later today I think to coordinate a bit of the Family History work. I have the goal to take an ancestor´s name to the temple to do their endowment the next time I go with the Zone. 

When do you go back home from all your traveling?

Today I went to the pedologist. I think that´s what a foot doctor is called in english. I don´t think I ever learned how to cut my toenails, but make sure Kai knows before leaving! It´s more complicated than just ctrl+C!

This week I strengthened my testimony that whom God calls he qualifies. Sometimes responsibility entails pride, but when one´s heart is in the right place, and has righteous desires, responsibility entails humility. The key, almost always is prayer. 

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

 Shopping with the President Borg, the office Elders and Assistants

Elder Hicken's new assignment

Hicken Family,

As you may know by now, your son has been assigned to serve as an Assistant in the Peru Lima Central Mission.  Your son has shown a high level of dedication and maturity to be given this responsibility.  He is an outstanding missionary and we are so grateful to have him as our new Assistant.

This assignment comes to only a few of the most outstanding missionaries.  Elder Hicken has distinguished himself as an excellent teacher, diligent worker and a well-organized leader.  He is a great example to his fellow missionaries and has gained their love and respect.  His worthiness and leadership abilities are a tribute to himself and to his entire family.

His dedication to the Lord and willingness to serve will provide him with experiences that will assist him in the future and in leadership callings in the Church.  Sister Borg and I work very closely with the Assistants, and we grow to love them as our very own.

We appreciate your continuing support of Elder Hicken as he continues to serve our Father in Heaven with all of his “heart, might, mind and strength.” (D&C 4:2)

Warmest regards,

Alan M Borg                                                                      Presidente                                                                             Misión Perú Lima Central

Life: Letters to and from Kai

To: Talon

From: Kai

July 8, 2014

Well, I guess I learned that not doing homework over July 4th weekend is a bad idea. But, I had fun anyway. We were up late on the 3rd and I then worked the Stadium of Fire which was great. I was on the field for half of it and checking tickets for the other half. Then, that night we (roommates and FHE sisters and some friends) went to Kiwanis until 3 and then Alex (roommate) and I watched some Doctor Who and then I wrote a paper when he went to bed, then I ran 8.25 miles (around the Stadium and then up the Y and back) and ate breakfast then went to bed at 9. Then I woke up at 2 and we went up Bridal Veil falls and that was super fun then we went to a BBQ and had more fireworks and then watched the LEGO Movie. So, despite my lack of labor over the weekend I really had fun. But now, I’ve got stuff due all over the place. I’m learning that the dynamic with grades is very different than High School. But, be assured it’s a great time and we have pretty girls at our apartment all the time which is important.
I’m also now late on my visa for Colombia, and that needs to be done soon. I need my blood type.


Love,
Kai

To: Kai

From: Talon

July 14, 2014

haha, you´re just like I was when I was at BYU. IT was a blast, and I did everything I could to have fun. But I know that I´m never going to go back to where I was then. I don´t want to go all spiritual, but I´ve learned to like joy even more than I used to, even more than I like happiness. I´m glad you´re gaining experience, because it will help you on your mission. Speaking from the other side of the canyon, everything I did while in college that I regret, I did because I was too tired to make a good decision. Have fun, but never let yourself get so tired that your frontal lobe goes to sleep. I don´t know if you remember from psych or biology, but the frontal lobe is the last part of your brain to develop, and it develops between the ages of 8-23 years. When we are 18 years old, I think that (just like a baby) our frontal lobe takes naps while the rest of our brain keeps working normally. President Uchtdorf says we shouldn´t sleep through the restoration, but don´t think that means we don´t need to sleep! haha

In the mission I have learned how to make goals and achieve them every week! It´s super fun to look back and see how many steps you´ve taken to get to where you are! Make a goal with a date to get your visa for Colombia, and then plan out each thing you need to do in order to acheive the goal. I have sticky notes all over my desk where I study in the morning reminding me to acheive my goals, and outlining how I¨m going to do so.

I love you! I¨m super excited to see you grow like I have! The mission is incredible. It´s like one of those math problems (I don´t know if you remember studying math in Walker) that says that there´s a machine and when 6 goes in, 12 comes out, 3 to 6, 5 to 10, and you have to figure out the function (x2) for each machine. I´ve figured out the function for the mission, and it´s exponential. If you come in without a testimony, you´re going to gain it. If you come in without knowing the scriptures left to right, you´ll get to know them. But if you come in with a powerful testimony, gained not only through obedience, intense study of Preach my Gospel, and personal experience, but through each step of the very gospel you will be preaching, from the seed of faith, to the balm of gillead, you will leave the mission as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Endowed with power from on high to bring to pass the inmortality and eternal life of each and every sheep the Lord places in your fold. This is the mission. This is the battle field. We are fighting tooth and nail with the very enimy of God-and we are winning. The work is within us, and we will never fail. Because we will never falter. We are Maranga.

I love you!

Be strong!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hola de la semana más rápida de mi vida [fastest week of my life]

Todo está bien aquí en Precursores!

It´s short this week, sorry!

Elder Burgos is like trying to work with my other half. It´s like nothing Ive ever done before. I´m actually really happy, and really grateful for him, and what he does for our sector. I´m doing my best to help him be the best zone leader, or at least help him know how to become so.

Just a quick favor, I´d love to buy a new suit. The one that I bought in Mr. Mac started to fray in the MTC...along with the shoes. Here in Lima there´s a John Holden factory and sells suits fresh off the line for 100-200 soles. I´d also love to buy a painting from my ward mission leader, who is going to move to California in September, and is selling all of his work to raise money for the trip. I´m thinking about asking him to paint something especially for me. Any ideas? He said that he was selling them to his clients for about 100 soles.

On a more spiritual help plea, Dad, I need help with regards to missionary correlation. Nobody knows a good way to organize it, and much less when there are 4 or 6 missionaries present, each with 15 families to save. We´re doing our best, but I was struck by the lightning of revelation that you´re a ward mission leader and I can ask you for help! Any suggestions? Maybe an agenda that you´ve used?

I love the work in family history! It´s incredibly motivating, and I´ve finally found the feeling of ´apresurar´ [hastening] that I´ve been looking for since we split the mission more than a year ago!

I´m still yet to receive any stories about how Christ has made light your burdens! Don´t tell me you're all heavy laden and weary! If you can´t think of an occasion when your burden was made light, say a quick prayer and tell Heavenly Father that you need one quick so you can write me this coming Monday! Ask him to help you see opportunities for you to let Christ ease your burden. I promise that he is willing, and that he is waiting. Don´t be late!

Favorite video of the week:

The work is incredible, and even though Peru isn´t as outright about it, the church is exploding! We split the ward in half last month, and we´re alredy talking about asking for more missionaries. 4 missionaries just isn´t enough. We need so much help from the members. It´s hard to find time to talk with my companion sometimes because we are always on splits with members from the ward!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Hola de la mitad

Hola Presidente!

Todo está bien aquí en Precursores!

This week we trained the zone in everything we were taught on Tuesday in the Mission Leader´s Conference! Sister Belt and Sister Anderson (our Sister Training Leaders) helped us by talking about how the work of salvation is a work of love, with regards to our companions, the members, our investigators, and our ancestors. The zone has a goal to finish with their 2nd generation in the ´My Family´ pamphlet by this Sunday so that they will be prepared for the HC´s when they come to teach us the 18th. Elder Viñoles (our senior district leader) taught us about how to set goals, and how to achieve them. The zone gave us great feedback, and they seem to be very excited, even though many of them are going through hard trials.

This week we caught a dove!

And this picture is from the Isasi family, Piarella. She´s 11.

As I gain experience, it gets easier to see the future, but it never seems easier to do anything about it.

One thing I have learned while being in the mission is about the character of Christ. I want to be like him. It´s incredible how wonderful life is when one really focuses their entire life on becoming like him. One thing that I¨ve learned to always ask myself is if I am a blessing or a burden. When I call my leaders to ask for help, I ask my self how I can be a blessing for them in this moment. When I call my missionaries to verify their work, I ask myself how I can bless, not burden them. It has been one of the biggest changes in my life, and I believe it all started with something Dad taught me: whenever you go to a meeting or meet with someone important, always make sure that by the time you leave, they are glad that you were there. I always try to make people really, truly glad that I am there to help them, and never feel like life would be easier if I weren´t there to bug them about an assignment, or get after them for not doing something.

I hope you like my english I´ve started to use google translate to be able to speak better. 

Our zone has high goals. Actually we´ve been the zone with the highest goals for more than 4 months, and it´s not going to be easy to help our missionaries reach them, but we have the same faith as Nephi when he boldly proclaimed: I will go, I will do.  

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Hola de la Ultima Semana

It`s the week of transfers, and things are crazy here! 

I`m finishing up Elder Burgos`s training, and he is spectacular. We had interviews last week and the President and Sister Borg both commented individualmente [individually] to me that our zone has a powerful spirit, and that they are very impressed with their behavior. Elder Castro and Elder Thorsen, the APs, told us that they were very impressed with their comprehension of missionary work and how to bring it to pass. 

I`m super excited for changes, although I don`t know if I`m ready! I think I`ll have a little bit more time to write next week! 

Just know I love you! Each and every one! It is so important to love, and to serve! 

Love, Elder Hicken