Dear Mom, Dad, Family and Friends,
First off, thanks Mom and Dad for your kind words. They were
exactly what I needed to hear, well, read :) This week was definitely
better and things can just improve from here.
Oh, and before I forget, the other sisters in our house had to get
something at the mission office so they stopped by and the envelope with
the 4th missionary and the cute Old Navy shirt was there. Thanks so
much! I´ve already started reading and studying the talk and I love the
shirt! I also got a card that you sent me as well Mom. Thanks so much!
I´m sure I´ll get the other packages soon! Probably at the beginning of
August.
Oh and other news, we ended up having interviews with the mission
president this week. It went really well actually and I asked President
Nogueira to give me a blessing and it was very nice blessing. He also
explained how it works if you guys want to come pick me up. So, I was
right, my release date is December 10th, which is Wednesday. He said that you guys need to arrive here in João Pessoa on that Wednesday, December 10th,
and after that Dad, you would probably release me, and then we could
spend as many days as we want touring my mission. The only thing is,
which I didn´t know, is that the Church wouldn´t pay for my return plane
ticket, I would need to tell the mission office to not buy my ticket
and I would fly back with you two. But let me know what you guys think
and we can start planning :)
Dad:
Your email was perfect, Thank you so much. I really liked what you
wrote about Nephi´s example. I had never stopped to think about how
Nephi was truly an example of patience and doing the Lord´s will. Of
course, if the Lord wanted to, He would have been able to deliver him
from whatever trial but as you said, the Lord must try us and allow us
to learn in different ways.
And like you said, the same is with Joseph Smith. He was tried in a myriad of ways and had to learn to follow the Lord´s way.
I think I´m going to start reading the Book of Mormon cover to
cover in Portuguese, I still haven´t done so in my mission so far. And
it will be especially helpful to read the first few chapters of Nephi
with this in mind.
Also, that´s so cool that you saw so many familiar faces when you were in England. Sounds like it was a great trip.
Mom:
I wouldn´t be surprised if it´s true what you wrote, that maybe you
had a harder week because you were feeling that I was having a rough
week. It´s interesting how moms seem to have a special radar, or are so
in tune with the Spirit to know what their children are needing.
I loved the photo you sent of you and Amanda. You two look so cute.
And I´m so proud of you that you were able to get everything working
with your iPod! woohoo!
Wow, I can´t believe Jake enters the MTC this week! It´s so crazy how time flies!
haha, and I just about laughed out loud when I read that the
baptismal jumpsuit pattern is called "Vintage 90s." I am really getting
that old so fast?
Oh, and I´m so happy to hear that they have the Cherry Cordial ice cream again! What?! That´s really exciting! haha, woohoo!
Oh, and I loved the photo from the Missionary Mom´s. the crazy part
is that there are a few faces that I don´t even recognize! Wow, that´s
weird to me as well!
Lindsey:
Well, I hope this week goes well, and who knows, maybe I´ll have another niece next time I read my email!
And I hope everything works out well with the swim lessons for
Norah and Alice. I think Norah´s competitive spirit will probably kick
in a little bit. ;)
And if the baby comes this week don´t forget to send lots of photos
to me too! :) I´ll be sure to continue to keep you in my prayers :)
Well, Saturday
night we had a ward activity that went pretty well. The four of us
missionaries planned the activity with the help of our Ward Mission
Leader, Neto. The name of the activity was "Estória de Pescador" or
Fisherman´s Story. So, Cabedelo was, and still is in some respects, a
big fishing town because it´s right along the coast and there´s a huge
port here. Well, there´s a joke that all the fishermen tell lots of
stories and exagerate their stories as well. So, we had an activity
where one of the games was that the members had to trade "fishermen
stories" and the other group had to say if it was a truth or a lie. And
we showed a few videos from YouTube from the Mormon Channel and it
actually went really well.
Umm, well, in response to your questions Mom. We don´t cook that
often. Sometimes the members can´t give lunch so they give us money and
we make lunch at home. But the best part is that we usually make the
same thing that we eat every day, rice, meat, macaroni/pasta...the only
thing we don´t make at home is beans because they take a long time to
make. For lunch on P-day, I usually make a salad and some rice and
Sister Maciel knows how to skillet beef really well with lime and
onions, it´s really good.
Taking the bus, well we have to grab the train a few times a week
to go to lunch because the ward boundaries are really big. The train is
definitely old and super squeaky but it´s only 25 cents a ride :) And
the bus, we sometimes have to get on a bus to go to district meeting if
it´s in a chapel that´s far from the train tracks.
Also, it´s nice to live in a house because there´s definitely a lot
more room. We have 2 bunkbeds where we sleep, then there´s another room
where we keep our pamphlets, Book of Mormons and other stuff, there´s a
big corridor with our study tables, a bathroom and the kitchen, and
they we have a porch area and there´s another bathroom in the back and a
little backyard where I jump rope every morning as my exercises because
no one likes to run here, not even exercise...haha.
But well, that´s about it, don´t have very much else to write,
Just know that I´m doing well and thank you so much for all your love and prayers!
I love you all the MOSTIEST!
Love,
Sister Hicks
