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