Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Happy Easter !! April 13, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,
 
Well we had another great week here in Prossind. We had two baptism, one on Satuday night, Andre, and one on Sunday after church, Danilo.
 
So I´ll explain the stories of these two baptisms. So Andre is Kamila´s (a member in our ward) boyfriend. Our first Sunday here in the ward (Sister Cameron and I), Kamila referred him to us. She said that she wanted us to teach her boyfriend. He lives in another city but he is always here on Sundays and during the week as well so we can teach him. Well it was slow going and there were a few times when we stopped teaching him for a while but then he went to church so we started teaching him again. He´s really timid but he´s a really great guy. So Andre was always in the back of our minds as a possibility to baptize. Every time we visited him he said that he wasn´t ready for baptism or that he had drunk over the weekend or drunk coffee. But things started to change last weeked. Kamila said that he had bought milk to substitute coffee and that he had started to change more. I think what really changed is that they begun planning their wedding (they going to get married next May) and he realized that he really needed to change his life. Well, we finally were able to visit him on Thursday night. He explained that he had been reading, he hadn´t drunk coffee and he was changing. So in that moment we asked him all the baptismal questions and the last question is something like this, "Do you feel ready to make this convenant with God and obey the commandments?" He sat in the chair silent for a long time and Kamila started to say, Just do it Andre, just be baptized!
 
Well, we just waited and I was praying my heart out silently and then he said, Ok, I´ll be baptized. :) So we hollered for Kamila´s parents and they told him how happy they were and Kamila´s dad ended up baptizing him :) Kamila´s parents are adult converts as well. The baptism was very small but was really great. He didn´t want a lot of people there. His other request is that he wanted cookies. haha so we made cookies and brought milk too, because you have to have milk with cookies. Well one of my funniest experiences in the mission. So after the baptism we brought the milk and cookies out and every single person, literally, just came up to the counter and said, "Milk, why is there milk here?" haha here the custom is to have cake and soda, no one, absolutely no one has milk and cake or milk and cookies. haha, it was the funniest thing ever to see everyone trying milk and cookies for the first time. The first counselor in the bishopric said, "I think I prefer soda with cake and cookies." Maybe it doesn´t sound too funny but in the moment it was super funny :)
 
And Danilo, the other baptism, so Danilo is Hermina´s son (Hermina and her daughter were baptized last week). Danilo smoked but he was finally able to stop which was great (let´s just say we fasted and prayed a lot) But the baptism was great and he said that he felt so great after the baptism. haha I think one of the best things is that it´s so hot here that after the baptism almost everyone says, "Aah, it was so nice to cool down in the cold water..." haha, yah that too and you were cleansed of your sins :)
 
 
Well...to start off, thanks Mom for sending more packages, haha you are literally the best mom in the world. And I won´t lie, all the other missionaries always say, "Really, Sister Hicks got another package!" Thanks Mom for all the love. In response to your question, I got the package that had the Ensign, the other with saddle soap, and the other with the shorts and bug lotion :) Thank you! And thanks for sending two more! I love you!
 
Oh, and the Fourth Missionary is a pretty length talk, I don´t know who gave it (I think it was given in the MTC) and it talks about the four types of missionaries that one can be. Sister Cameron doesn´t know the name of the general authority that gave the talk but it´s amazing. I don´t know how else to describe it but this week I´ll find out who gave the talk. If you find it, it would be great if you could print it out and mail it to me :) Thank you thank you thank you! Oh and I absolutely loved reading your conversion story. I always use Mosiah 18:8-10 with my investigators and I explain that this is the scripture that helped my mom make the decision to be baptized :)
 
Oh, thanks for writing Elder Allred as well :)
 
Yes, you have to re-watch Elder Bednar´s talk it was amazing! haha, Sister Cameron think it´s so funny that so many members in the US nap (accidently on the couch) during conference, haha, I don´t know why but she said that all the American missionaries said it´s just normal, which is kind of true, haha :)
 
haha thanks for fixing my typo in the email :) It´s so hard to write well in English and especially when I´m trying to type fast :)
 
haha, and runaway jury, oh the memories...
 
Dad:
It really is amazing how things start to just click and it really is one of the best feelings ever!
I loved what you wrote about Moroni 8 as well. I think I know what verses you´re talking about but I´ll make sure to go and re-read them. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. I know that I truly need them and that I am supported by them. I love you Dad!
 
Wow, I can´t believe that summer is already arriving there! That´s crazy!
 
Lindsey:
I´m glad to hear that you and Bryan got some time to yourselves and that you guys got to go to Target together, haha woohoo! and...CONGRATULATIONS! I can´t believe your guys´ 8th anniversary is tomorrow! wow, Congrats!
 
So the normal time for an investigator:
We contact them in the street, invite them to go to church, be baptized the next sunday, and visit them in their house the next day.
 
We teach them about baptism and the Word of Wisdom before church. They go to church (well this is what we hope for) and then we teach the Restoration and the other baptismal questions and they are baptized the next Sunday. Sounds crazy but it is amazing how many people the Lord is preparing here.
 
Well, I have to go but I love you all soooo much!
 
Happy Easter!
 
I love you the MOSTIEST!
 
Love,
Sister Hicks

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