Hola...tarde :) [A Late Hello]

Sorry for writing late this week. This mission is a one of a kind experience.

Todo está bien aqui en Precursores!

We´ve had an interesting week, but it´s been more productive. We still have yet to set a matriage date for the Isasi family, which means they don´t have baptisimal dates either, but they have the idea of getting married and baptized the same day in their heads, which is great.

Teresa gave in on her iceberg this week. That´s the miracle of having a date set, is that it helps them progress! She loves the Catholic saints. She feels like they have protected her and answered her prayers all her life. We are going to try to convert her faith in the saints into faith in Christ. If you have any suggestions for us, we´re looking for divine help!

We´re trying something (regretably) new! No quemar a los misioneros! [Do not burn the missionaries!]  It's working miracles, or at least that´s how we feel. We´ve yet to see results in baptisms, but slowly but surely it´s raising the numbers that really matter. As we keep in mind that we are personal representatives of Jesus Christ, and that the missionaries we are speaking to are his sheep, we are feeling the spirit much more as we work together.

The big news this week is that I´m learning sign language. We have a few members in the ward whose parents are deaf and mute and we´ve gone to look for them, because their kids are less active. So now I´m learning and practicing with them. The teaching process is slow.

My companion and I are working a lot with learning english. We´ve been improving both our english and our spanish speaking, los dos [both of them]! I didn´t realize how much english I´ve forgotton (especially about the gospel) until a new sister from the states asked me to give her a blessing in english. It wasn´t the easiest thing. Elder Castro says that the spirit manifests itself differently through me when I speak in english as opposed to when I speak in spanish. Any thoughts on that? Interesting, is about all I´ve got.

Sorry it´s short! I´ve only got a half hour this week!

Sé que como representantes actuales de Jesús tenemos la habilidad de solidificar la fe do las personas en preparación por los milagros. Esto es nuestro primer propósito. Sé que quienes ensenan mas o menos del evangelio de Jesucristo no son suyos. Que tenemos que ensenar con el fin de aplicárselo el evangelio a ellos mismos por medio de aumentar fe y cambiar por arrepentimiento.Sé que las escrituras nos dirán todo lo que debemos hacer. Sé que según mi voluntad hoy Dios se encargó de mi aprendizaje para que aprendiera lo que el quiso. Sé que dios requiere todo y es posible darle todo por medio de la expiación. En ella debemos tener esperanza.Se que los dones del espíritu son disponibles a los hijos de Dios según so recepción del espíritu por la obediencia. Sé que los patriarcas son inspirados por un conexión fino con el espíritu, lo cual brinda poder según los dones del espíritu. Al ver nuestros investigadores en la capilla de su propia voluntad, y los lideres participa en el consejo de barrio, sentí la gratificación y gozo de saber que los había inspirado y motivado para cumplir con lo que el señor espera de ellos. Sé que planes son necesarios para lograr metas dignas: metas que requieren un mayor esfuerzo, pero son posibles. Sé que dios tiene un plan perfecto para nosotros que si o si se cumple. Cuando estemos donde y como debemos estar, recibimos las bendiciones. Mientras estemos en el horno de la misión, Dios tiene su receta y se está cumpliendo para que seamos una creación suya listo para la pastelería de la ¨vida después¨.

[I know that as actual representatives of Jesus Christ, we have the ability to solidify people's faith in preparation for miracles.  This is our first priority.  I know that people that teach more or less than the gospel of Jesus Christ are not His.  We have to teach with the in a way that they learn to apply the gospel to themselves in order to increase their own faith and to change unto repentance.  I know that the scriptures will tell us all things which we must do.  I know that according to myown will today, God took charge of my learning in order for me to learn what He wanted me to learn.   I know that God requires all and it is possible to give it all through the atonement.  In it [the atonement] we should have hope.  I know that the gifts of the Spirit are available to the children of God according to their reception to the Spirit through obedience.  I know that the patriarchs are inspired with an acute connection to the Spirit, which brings power according to those spiritual gifts.  Seeing our investigators in the chapel by their own free will, and the leaders involved in ward council, I felt joy and gratification to know that He had inspired and motivated them to fulfill what the Lord expects of them.  I know that plans are necessary to achieve our worthy goals:  goals may take a lot of effort, but they are possible.  I know that God has a perfect plan for us and no matter what it will be fulfilled.  When we are where we should be and doing what we should be doing, we receive blessings. While we are in the "furnace" of our mission, God has His own "recipe" and it is being carried out in order that we become His own creation, ready for the "bakery" in the "after life".]

Thank you for all you do!

I love you!

Elder Hicken

Hurrah for Israel!