Hola!

Todo está bien aquí en Precursores!

It´s been a crazy week, and honestly the lack of sleep has caught up with me. We´ve been up too late passing logros [passing off goals], writing in journals, and talking about the needs of investigators and missionaries. We´ve set a companionship goal to improve on our bedtime. We also want to be more punctual in all aspects.

We´ve got people on date once again!

The Isasi family is the greatest. They were a reference from a member because their house caught on fire. We visited them and they are golden. They are planning to be baptized the 15th. Candy, the mother, has a serious disease, but is recovering very quickly after a priesthood blessing.  Our bishop is helping us out and has organized the Elders Quorum to do a service project in their home and look for a wheelchair for Candy.

Teresa is the grandmother of a less active that is starting to reactivate. She has been very catholic in the past, but we are helping her feel the spirit, and she confessed to us this week that she has the desire to be baptized on the 8th.

Juan is the spouse of a recently reactivated sister in our ward. He can´t read, and understands on a childlike level. We are trying our best to help them get married next week, and understand the principles of the gospel so Juan can be baptized the 15th.

Elder Castro sliced his hand open helping the Isasi family this past thursday. 

He got 10 stitches. I was on exchanges with another Elder, so I didn´t see it happen. 

While he was in the hospital he taught 7 lessons to doctors, nurses, and people waiting to be helped in the emergency room. (he waited for 1 1/2 hours to be helped).

 He is recovering very well, and the hardest part is keeping him from overexerting. 

 He is teaching me more than I could realize, and is helping me to see my strengths, more than anything, which builds my faith. 

We are as united as two teenage boys endowed with power from on high can be. We work like friends, because we are. We laugh when it´s time to laugh, and we work when it´s time to work. Elder Castro has taught me how to work with goals in the mission. I always thought the point of a goal was to reach it. Now I understand that the point of a goal is to increase product. We are improving every day, and learning even more. I am truly grateful for the Lord´s hand in my life these past weeks.

This week I had an exchange with a district leader in his sector. He is getting ready to return to his home, and my goal was to help him focus his thoughts: think of home when it is time to think of his home, and think of the mission when it is time to think of the mission. As we discussed, our thoughts turned to talk about how to change faith into power. It is a profound subject. Scriptures to study regarding such a topic, and how to apply it in our lives, or especially in the mission field, are more than welcome.

Sé que nunca habrá una oferta en bendiciones. Hay precios eternos preestablecidos para este vida y el momento preciso no significa que no tenemos que esforzarnos tal comolos otros momentos. Sé que nuestra tarea es demasiado grande para cumplir solo. Necesitamos la ayuda del Salvador. Y esa es la clave cuan dispuestos estemos de buscar y recibir esa ayuda. Sé que uno de nuestros responsabilidades es lograr metas dignas. Cuando somos dignos, logramos metas dignos. Sé que Dios nos ama muchisimo, y que conoce los sementinos mas tiernos de nuestros corazones. Cuando somos humildes nos manda demuestros de este amor para motivarnos y ayudarnos a progresar Se que dios nos conoce perfectamente y que a medida que estemos orando nos consagre nuestra acción para el beneficio de nuestras almas.El Libro de mormón is la clave de nuestra religión, y si no lo compartimos, lo olvidamos. Compartalo!

[I know that blessings never "go on sale".  There are pre-established eternal prices for this life and the exact moment doesn't mean that we don’t have to put forth the effort as much as in other moments.There are eternal prices preestablished for this life and the precise moment does not mean that we don't have to put forth as much effort as in other moments.  I know that our work here is too big to complete on our own.  We need the help of our Savior.  And the key is how willing we are to seek and receive His help.  I know that one of our responsibilities is to achieve worthy goals.  When we are worthy, we meet those worthy goals.  I know that God loves us so much, and that He knows the deepest feelings of our hearts.  When we are humble He sends us manifestations of this love to motivate us and help us progress.  I know that God knows us perfectly and that as we pray, He consecrates our action for the benefit of our souls.  The Book of Mormon is the keystone to our religion, and if we don't share it, we will forget it.  Share it!]

Thank you for your faith! I love you!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Hola de Barrio

Todo está bien aquí en Precursores!

Talon was assigned to be a zone leader with this most recent transfer.

 

Wow, I didn´t see this change coming, but now I realize it was necessary because I stopped working by faith, and started working by knowledge. Now I´ve been thrown back into the world of faith, and I´m doing my best to baptize my sector by fire. 

Elder Castro is the best. We get along like long lost friends, and we´ve got a unity that reminds me of Elder Eklof and Elder Sagastume. We work hard, and we´re making progress, both in our sector and personally. Elder Castro is progressing rapidly personally. He shared with me that in this short week he has learned what it means to be guided by the spirit and how to be happy and obedient. I love working with him. 

Being with sister missionaries is very different. It keeps a level of respect and formality in the zone that just isn´t present when there are only Elders like there have been in my previous zones. I have to admit I was a little scared to be in charge of sister missionaries, but now I feel like I´m getting used to it.

In our zone we are asking for key indicators of asked references and baptismal invitations with date. They seem to be just what our zone needed to improve. Hopefully we will see progress in the main key indicators as a result of the progress in these two.

Sé que Nuestro Padre Celestial es consciente no solo de quienes somos, sino quienes seremos y como vamos a llegar allí. Cuando somos humildes, nos guía a través de nuestro imperfección perfectamente. Sé que Dios nos manda pruebas para perfeccionarnos, pero depende en nosotros si tales pruebas serán eficaces o no. Será según nuestro humildad. Se que nuestros pensamientos no son los de Dios, Y que no debemos entender todo, sino todo lo esperamos, o sea en todo, guardamos la fe. La felicidad empieza con fe. Sé que la iniquidad nunca fue felicidad, y por consiguiente, nunca necesitamos una descanso de justicia, sino una resurrección, o revivamiento, o una remisión para alivia el cansancio y motivarnos a progresar. Dios nos revela según su conocimiento, y no lo nuestro. El sabe quien va a estar en una cita y quien no. Planes inspiradas no cambiaran al aprender algo de repente, porque Dios ya sabia cuando nos revelo el plan. El es lo mismo ayer, hoy, y para siempre. No podemos cambiar su voluntad, sino nos saldrá mejor al aceptarla y también acudir a ella.

[I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of not only who we are, but also who we will become and how we will get there.  When we are humble, He guides us through our imperfections perfectly.  I know that God sends us tests to perfect us, but it depends upon us if the tests will be effective or not.  It will be according to our own humility.  I know that our thoughts are not God's thoughts.  And that we should not understand everything, but rather we can hope on all things, and keep the faith.  Happiness begins with faith.  I know that wickedness never was happiness and therefore there is never a need for a break from justice, but rather a resurrection, a revival, or a remission to relieve fatigue and motivate us to progress.  God sends us revelation according to His understanding, not ours.  He knows who will be on date, and who will not.  Inspired plans don't change by learning something all of a sudden, because God already knew when he revealed the plan to us.  He is the same yesterday, today, and always.  We can not change His will, but it will be better for us when we can accept and abide by His will.]

 

Thank you so much for your faith! I love you!

Love, Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!

Hola de Cambios

Todo està bien aquì en Jorge Chavez!

This week was relevatory in our progress as a companionship, as well as my progress personally as a missionary. I spent a good time thinking about why we aren`t having baptisms, in spite of our hard work, our efforts to be humble, obedient, and just about anything we can be or do (PME pg. 238) to acheive our purpose (Mateo 28:19).

 19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We`re trying our best to help Josuè`s dad be able to baptize his son. I think we are going to have to change his date from the 22, but he`s 9 and is meek and willing to wait for greater blessings (i.e. being baptized by his father).

I`ve decided this week that this is my last week in this sector without success. From here on, I`m not going to be satisfied with my efforts if we don`t have either a baptism or a less active activated. I`ve looked at the situation here, and we have a field ripe for the picking, and I have no reason to not have success every week.

We`re excited to learn about transfers tonight! We`re about 90% sure one of us is going to change. Probably E`Pinedo, but it could be me too! And one of the zone leaders in our ward is finishing his mission, so we`ll be getting a new zone leader tomorrow. I`ll let you know next week!

Se me estaba pidiendo que compartiera algunos escrituras que estaba estudiando. Eso significa que voy a hablar del evangelio, entonces va a tener que ser en español, lo siento. Recientemente leì con un elder los versículos 3 Nefi 12:48 y Mateo 5:48. Testifico que Cristo fue perfecto, que su perfección fue a un grado que nosotros no podemos entender sin el espíritu. A medida que aumentemos nuestro habilidad de percibir el espíritu, también nuestro entendimiento del perfección de Jesucristo aumentará, nuestro humildad profundirà y nuestro porción del hombre natural volverá màs y màs dèbil.

[I was asked to share some scriptures that I've been studying.  That means I am going to speak about the gospel so therefore it will have to be in Spanish, sorry.  {And the reason he is writing in Spanish is because he is now more comfortable talking about the gospel in Spanish rather than in English since that is how he is learning to share his spiritual feeling.}  I recently read with an elder 3 Nephi 12:48 and Matthew 5:48.

Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

I testify that Christ was perfect, that His perfection was of such a degree that we can not understand without the spirit.  As we increase our ability to perceive the Spirit, so will our understanding of Christ's perfection increase, our humility will become more profound, and our portion of the natural man will become weaker and weaker.]

I always write my testimony out beforehand so I can write it with the spirit in our room, and when I go to internet (where the spirit most definitely does not reside without diligent miracle seeking) I can just type it. But today, I left my testimony book in the room...so it`s going to be a little bit shorter.

Yo sè que mi Salvador vive. Èl es el bálsamo de Galaad. Sufriò para limpiarnos, no solamente del pecado mismo, sino todos los efectos del pecado, sea nuestro o no. El arrepentimiento renueva espíritu, vivifica fe, realiza esperanza, cultiva caridad, y edifica testimonio. Si nosotros sentimos algún fruto que no sea un fruto del espíritu de Dios (Galatas 5:22-23), seremos purificado de este espíritu por medio del fuego del espíritu santo. (3 Nefi 18:11, Mosiah 4:3) Asì nos llenamos de gozo completo, y nos preparamos para hacer y guardar convenios con nuestro Padre Celestial. Èl es nuestro Padre. Jesucristo es su hijo, nuestro salvaciòn. Que nosotros seamos cambiados por medio de su gracia es mi obra, y mi gloria. 

[I know that my Savior lives.  He is the balm of Gilead.  He suffered to cleanse us, not only from our sin itself, but for all the effects of sin, whether ours or not.  Repentance renews the spirit, enlivens faith, realizes hope, cultivates charity, and strengthens testimony.  If we feel some fruit that is not a fruit of the spirit of God, (Galatians 5:22-23)

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 we will be purified of this spirit through the fire of the Holy Ghost.  (3 Nephi 18:11, Mosiah 4:3)

11  And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

 3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.

 So we are filled with complete joy, and we prepare ourselves make and keep sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.  He is our Father.  Jesus Christ is His son, our salvation.  That we can become changed through his grace is my work and my glory.]

Love, Elder Hicken

Hola del dedo malchancado

Todo està bien aquí en Jorge Chavez!

Today we went to the foot doctor to get my foot all fixed up. 

[Looks like an ingrown toe-nail, Poor Guy!]

It feels a whole lot better already. One of those experiences where you don`t know what you`ve been missing until you get `updated` and realize that it would have been a whole lot easier to be proactive in the first place. I have been learning that lesson a lot recently. Actually, I`ve come to the conclusion time and time again, that there is absolutely no reason to abstain from being proactive. 

One way that I`ve learned that lesson this week is with Bryan, one of our investigators who was on date to be baptized this past week. During the week we learned that his evangelical family had no idea that we were meeting with the intention to do more than just talk. So when he invited his sister to his baptism, the whole plan went kaput. His mom, who was on vacation, came back home and now won`t let us near him. We`ve talked to him twice in the street, but it would have been more efficient to have talked with the family when we set him on date. We`ve got a project ahead of us.

We had three members of an unmarried family on date as well, but they have a habit of going to the beach every Sunday that we have yet to break. We will be visiting them this week to reestablish a Spiritual Progress Plan with them.

Our one on date is Josuè--the 9 year old son of a less active family we discovered underneath the rocks. He went to church with his mom yesterday, and his dad told us that if they don`t give him Sundays off this week, he`s going to quit. The family has got a lot to change, but is humble enough to obtain it.

Elder Pinedo is doing great. He is ready to train. He`s training me, actually. We`ve learned a lot together as we`ve worked in this ward. We`re prepared for whatever the Lord has in store for us this week, whether it`s staying together, leaving, or being left. 

Sè que no hay excepciones, solo casos especiales. Los Principios no cambian con cada persona, sino la manera de aplicárselas. No hay preparación para superar aprendizaje, ni ganas al testimonio. Sè que estamos en el evolución delcumplimento de los tiempos. Dios es un Dios de Progresión sempiterno, y estamos bien cerca del fin de este etapa. Se que los pensamientos y caminos de Dios no so nuestros, el etapa enterado en todo, y sobreobserve nuestro profeso, meticulosamente probando nuestra fe y perdonando nuestros errores. Sè que es posible lograr la perfección, pero solo hay una manera cual es el plan de salvación. Sè que dios no prueba en las maneras mas difíciles para nosotros, como el tiempo, la diligencia, y la perseverancia. Si escudriñamos la palabra de Dios, estos se volverán en herramientas para nuestro progreso espiritual. Este semana aprendí que la fe es una confianza que por medio de la Expiación será cada error borrado, cada alma alzado, y cada labio temblante tranquilizado.

[I know that there are no exceptions, only special cases.  Gospel Principles do not change with each person, rather the manner in which they are applied.  There is no preparation to being overcome with learning or gaining a testimony.  I know that we are in the unfolding of the fullness of times.  God is a God of eternal progression, and we are very near the end of this stage.  I know God's ways and thoughts are not our ways  (see Isaiah 55:8). He is aware of everything, and he observes our progress, meticulously tests our faith, and forgives our errors.  I know that it is possible to achieve perfection, but there is only one way which is the plan of salvation.  I know that God tests us in the ways that are most difficult for us, such as in time, diligence, and perseverance.  If we search the word of God, this will become tools for our spiritual progress.  This week I learned that faith is a confidence that through the atonement each error will be erased, each soul lifted, and each trembling lip calmed.]

Thanks for everything you`re doing to bring to pass the work and glory of God!

I love you!

Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!