Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!! August 6, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

Well, to start off...I wasn´t transferred! I´m still here in Cabedelo with Sister Maciel, it´s our third transfer together! But I was expecting to stay here. I stayed with Sister Stolk for 3 transfers, Sister Cameron for 3 transfers, and now Sister Maciel for 3 transfers. 

And also, we had a BAPTISM on Sunday! So it was actually a miracle. So, last Sunday, Wellen, one of the sisters in the ward who goes on splits with us a lot, came up to us after the sacrament meeting and said that her son wanted to be baptized. Well, then she said that he was only 8 years old. Well, I thought to myself, oh that´s great but it will be a ward baptism, it won´t count for the mission. Then we asked her, "Well, when does he turn 9?" And she responded, "Oh, tomorrow is his birthday."

In that moment, I was soo happy, I really couldn´t believe the miracle that had happened. We had been fasting to have investigators come to church and not a single investigator had gone to church that day. And then Wellen came up to us and told us that her son wanted to be baptized, it was truly a miracle. 

So he hadn´t been baptized earlier because his grandmother and great-grandmother didn´t want him to be baptized, they thought he wasn´t old enough, and he didn´t want to be baptized against their will. 

Well, we had a family night/birthday party at Wellen´s house the following day, Monday, and the bishop and his wife came and Wellen´s family came. The bishop gave the lesson and it was really great. So afterward, we talked to Wellen and she said that her mom and grandmother said that if Alisson wanted to be baptized they would support him :) It was truly a miracle. 

Oh and also, I made the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that you sent me mom and everyone LOVED them. haha, it was so funny, everyone was like, wow, this is so good, what do you call this? It´s funny how something so normal to us, cookies, is something completely different to other people :) Maybe the cookies played a part in making the family change their minds :)

Mom: 

Thanks for putting more money in my account :) You´re the best. Oh and I definitely second the idea of getting a new wardrobe, haha :)

That was a cool missionary moment that you shared. haha, it´s definitely true that the LDS church is not the church where you can be anonymous, ex. visiting teacher, home teacher, etc. It´s funny because we have been trying to track down a lot of the less-actives on the ward directory and many of them have moved. Well, I think the stake president works for the police and the bishop said that we´ll just give the names to him and he´ll track them down, haha 

That´s so great that Jake got his call! And I loved the email that you forwarded from Danielle, she looks great!

Oh, so that picture of Rosa is actually a different Rosa, but it was still great that she went to church and two of her sons who are also less actives came to church as well :)

Dad: 

Glad to hear that the fishing went well, you sure did look happy in the photo that you sent :)

Good luck with all the ward conferences, I´m sure it´ll be great :)

Keep me updated on Grandma and Grandpa as well.

Kelsey: 

I absolutely loved the photos of Guy that you sent! He is so adorable! I hope he is feeling better. That must have been so horrible when he was so sick. 

I have been keeping a journal and write every night. It´s really cool to go back and read some of my journal entries from the beginning of my mission. It´s crazy how fast the time flies!

Lindsey:

Loved the blog post! Wow, Freya really does look a lot like Alice! At least to me she looks a lot like Alice :) Hope everything is well!

Bryan: 

Glad to hear that Freya is a good sleeper and good luck with the job hunt. I´m sure the right thing will turn up. :)

Kimball:

Glad to hear that you are doing well and also, good luck with the job hunt as well. I hope things improve with the company as well. Loved the pictures you sent! And that´s so great that there´s going to be a baptism! Woohoo!

Well, I have to go but I´ll write more next week! 

I love you all the MOSTIEST!!!

Love,

Sister Hicks

CONGRATULATIONS BRYAN AND LINDSEY! July 28, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

 

Well, to start off, CONGRATS LINDSEY AND BRYAN!!! Freya is so adorable and I´m glad that she´s happy and healthy. Sounds like it was a pretty crazy delivery story but I´m glad that in the end it all worked out just fine. I´m sure I would have been pretty stressed out if it was me but I´m sure you guys handled it great! And you look so great Linds! Congrats again and send more photos :)

 

Oh, Mom, the other companionship had to get something at the mission office last week and they went by and a package that you sent was there, the one with the maple extract (thanks so much, the member was soooo grateful) and the trail mix, and granola bars and bug repellent. Thank you thank you thank you! I also got the article that you sent from the Church news, that´s so cool! Oh, and I got another card that you sent as well! Thanks :)

 

Oh, and also before I forget, next week is transfer so I´ll email on Wednesday :) I hope that I stay in Cabedelo with Sister Maciel. If we stay together it´ll be our third transfer together. In the mission president interviews, Pres. Nogueira told Sister Sayonara that our house was going to the same (no one would be transferred) but who knows, it could always change.

 

Mom:

Wow, sounds like you had a great week this week with going to Wolf Trap and going to the Nats game and seeing Billy Joel! And Greg looked so happy in those photos you sent :) haha, he´s so funny :)

 

and wow, Eythan is getting married, I had no idea!

 

Ok, I´ll take pictures of the house this week and send them to you :)

 

And yes things are definitely back to normal after the world cup which is nice.

 

Dad:

Well I hope you´re having a great time in Wyoming and send Grandma and Grandpa my love. And glad to hear that the meeting at the temple with the Relief Society sisters from the stake went well. I really liked what you wrote about receiving revelation. 

 

 

Well, the time passed really fast today but I do have one funny story. It´s not from this week but a few weeks ago, this drunk guy came up to us and he asked to marry me, and he asked me in ENGLISH!!! haha, broken English for sure but it was pretty funny, and then afterward he asked "But, why not?" haha, oh drunk men...haha it was pretty funny

 

Well I promise to write more next week!

 

I love you all the MOSTIEST!!!!

 

 

Love,

Sister Hicks

Looking on the Bright Side :) July 21, 2014

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

And another goal for Germany!!! July 14, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

Well, yes, let´s just say that Tuesday was a day that I think almost every Brazilian wants to forget. 7 to 1! Yes...let´s just say it was painful. But thankfully, it was pretty calm in our mission area. I didn´t hear, let alone see, any riots or anything. I think it was especially calmer in João Pessoa because they didn´t build a stadium there. The other cities where they built stadium was worse. But, a lot of Brazilians think that the game was rigged and that some of the coaches and players were paid to lose. Who knows, but sure seems possible. 

Anyway, I´m honestly just glad that the World Cup is over. It´ll be nice to just have normal weeks ahead of us. 

Mom: 

Wow, that´s so cool to hear that Katie Bell is going on a mission! And to Paris! So so cool! 

Aah, have fun with Amanda tomorrow, that should be a fun outing. 

Wow, I really can´t believe that it was a year ago that you had surgery. I was in the CTM! Time sure does fly! And I´m glad that you´re walking up a storm there in Ashburn! haha, oh the fit bit...

So, I didn´t get any packages this week (we normally just receive them at the beginning of the month when we have zone meeting) but this week we´re supposed to have interviews with President Nogueira, so maybe they´ll bring the letters and packages from the mission office. And, I´ll ask President Nogueira or the mission secretaries this week about the release date and how it all works. :) 

Dad: Glad to hear you´re having a good time there in the Mother Land :) Don´t forget to say hi to Prince William and Princess Kate for me :)

Bryan: Hope everything is still going well with the home improvement projects. 

Oh and btw, loved the subliminal message... :)

Kelsey: 

Oh my goodness I absolutely LOVED the photos you emailed me! Baby Guy is getting so big! I can´t even believe it! And he´s so stinking cute! And the picture of the three of you from the 4th was adorable. You all look great. 

That´s a bummer about Jason. He actually came to my thoughts this week during my personal study. I wondered how he was doing. But that was sweet of you to console the sisters. 

Hope everything is going well with Kimball´s new position. 

Lindsey:

I loved, loved, loved the blog posts that you sent! You all look so cute! And your hair! What?! It´s so long! I love it! You look like you when you were dating Bryan!

Well, I hope everything goes well with the baby. And we´ll see if those herbal things actually work, haha :) I don´t put much trust in them as well, those oils and everything, but...who knows?!

Well, this week...yah...this week was rough. We didn´t have not one investigator at church, our investigators that we were certain would go to church, didn´t come. Let´s just say that I want to forget this past week. 

Last night, as I kneeled down to pray, I just began to cry. I think the stress of the week and everything that had happened just built up and I just cried and cried. But sometimes it´s good to just get it out and cry. I was reminded of a quote that I put on my wall from Elder Holland that goes something like this, "If at times it seems that the more your try, the harder it gets, be of good cheer for so it has been with the best that have ever lived." 

I feel like I`ve been giving my all, we´re obedient, we´re diligent, we follow or district leader and zone leaders´ counsels, but it just isn´t working. But today as I was studying Elder Perry´s talk from this April´s conference I was struck deeply. It talked about how we have to be obedient and show our faith. This week I´ve decided that I need to develop more faith. I know that things will improve, but I need to show and exercise my faith more. 

Well, I´m doing well. :) I love and miss you all! 

I love you all the MOSTIEST!!!

Love,

Sister Hicks

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD AND KIMBALL June 30,2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

Well, to start off, Dad, I wanted to wish you a very happy birthday today! And Happy Birthday Kimball! (on Wensday) :) I hope you two have a great birthday! 

Taylor: Yah, the World Cup is really affecting missionary work the world over. My friend who´s serving in Russia said that everyone is staying up late to watch the game and so waking up around 4 in the afternoon, haha!

Wow, I hope everything goes well with the move in to the  new place! You´ll have to send me some pictures once you get all moved in! 

Enjoy your last fews days in Spain!

Dad: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! 

 Glad to hear that Stake Conference is well. That´s a bummer that the router burned out and that you didn´t have much time but I´m sure you did a wonderful job! 

Wow, I can´t believe June has already ended as well. It flew by really fast! 

Give Grandma and Grandpa a huge hug when you see them from me. Tell them how much I love and miss them. 

haha, yah, it was definitely a blessing that Brasil won. Pretty crazy game but ended great. Funniest part about the game: So we watched the game at a member´s home with their whole family and the neighbor´s tv is about 2 seconds ahead, so during the penalty kicks we knew if the player had made a goal before we even saw it on the tv because the neighbors either yelled or kept quiet. haha, it was pretty funny :) And let´s just say Brazilians know how to yell during soccer :)

Mom: Wow, that´s interesting that Emily can´t leave home during the game. It´s probably because her mission is close to São Paulo and there are games being played there. But here in João Pessoa, there aren´t any World Cup games. But we won´t be allowed to watch the finals game on Sunday (if Brasil makes it to the finals) because well, it´s Sunday

I got the pink sweater in a different box than the shoes. I still haven´t gotten the talk but we have Zone Conference on Wednesday so I should get it then. I´m sure I`ll get the package with the Old Navy shirts soon. Heather Kern emailed me and said that she had sent a package in February and I still haven´t gotten it. I´m sure I`ll get it soon. :) Thanks again for sending the package!

Aah, I´m glad stake conference went well. haha, I can picture you crying during the chorus. (I didn´t even know that that hymn was so new, well not that new...) :)

haha, that´s so funny that you wrote about the electric fence collar during FHE because I was talking about that just yesterday with Sister Maciel. So, we have this electric racket looking thing to cool the mosquitos in our house and it obviously shocks you. haha, Sister Maciel was joking around yesterday and pretending to almost shock me. And that´s when I told her the story, haha, she laughed when I told her :)

You should definitely go downtown to see the fireworks. 4th of July here is the Brasil soccer game. I´m going to make brownies to bring to the member´s home and somehow I´m going to decorate the brownies with an American flag, I´m still planning it out but it should be good :)

Bryan: Congrats on the new bedroom! Looks great and I loved the pictures! 

haha, oh the Steve Jobs quote...

Well, this week went pretty well. Cida didn´t stop smoking but at least she went to Church again this week. Please pray that she´ll be able to stop smoking and drinking coffee this week :) And also that we´ll be able to find new investigators this week. Our goal for this month is 4-2-1 (4 baptisms, 2 of them being men, and 1 family) If you could pray that we would be able to reach our goal that would be great. 

So funny story of the week, last night as we were tracting one of our old investigators, Glaudênia saw us and came up to talk to us. Let´s just say that she was a little drunk...and she told us "Come to my house and pray for me, please!" haha, we went to her house and said that it had to be quick but that we would pray for her. Well, she asked for the two of us to pray at the same time and I told her it had to be just one. Well, I ended up praying and during the middle of the prayer she just starts talking and she´s like "Oh wow, you´re so sweaty!" Then she began to wipe the sweat off my face with hands (remember I was praying during all this) haha, it was so gross and I was like, "What? You can´t just rub off the sweat from other people´s faces!" haha, I didn´t really say that to her but let´s just say it was a pretty funny experience in the end. Oh, what people do when they´re drunk. 

Another cool story from the week: So Saturday night, Wellen, one of the sisters from the ward went out to teach with us. As we were walking her home she stopped at the bakery to buy bread and I was talking to her about how much I love the bread here in Brasil. Well, I guess I talked about the bread so much that when we got to her house her husband (who´s a bread deliverer) gave me two packages of bread! I was so excited! Then, we went to visit a  less active sister, Rosa, (she is soooo great and has such a strong spirit). As we walked in, I felt a prompting that I should give the bread to her. I knew that she didn´t have very much to eat and that she was barely making ends meet. So, I gave her the bread that I had and she was sooo happy and so grateful. I was reminded of that hymn, "Because I Have Been  Given Much." It was such a strong spiritual experience and reminded me of how much we truly are blessed.

Well, I love you all so much and hope that you all have a great week! 

I love you the MOSTIEST!

Love,

Sister Hicks

Corn, Corn, Corn June 25, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

So the title of "corn, corn, corn" is because yesterday was São João (Saint John) here. It´s a Catholic holiday (which means it´s a Brazilian holiday) and it´s really big here in the Northeast. And the tradition is that you eat corn, and A LOT of corn. Boiled corn, roasted corn, corn cake, any corn dish that you can think of, I´m a little corned out. and the corn here is a little different, it seems like it´s starchier, it´s not as sweet, anyway, let´s just say it´s corn central here. 

Well, this week was transfers. Sister Maciel and I are still companions (woohoo!) and Sister Gonzales (from Peru) was transferred and Sister Marschall (my trainer) is here now. haha, third time that we´re living in the same house! And now I´m living with 3 Brazilians! Woohoo, first time in the mission!

Mom: Thanks so much for the package with the cute pink sweater! I love it! I wore it to church this Sunday! Oh and I got the card with the 52 Northern virginia sayings, haha, I was literally laughing out loud! I will probably get the other package next week :) Thank you sooooo much! You are literally the best mom! The only things I need - a member here asked if you could send maple extract (to make maple syrup) he said he would pay me. And if you can could you send more oreos :) My companion and the other sisters like them too :) So if you´re able to, that would be great, thank you!!!

I´m glad to hear that trek went so well. That would be great if you could get a copy of the dvd. 

Oh, and that was sooooo sweet of you to make the crack mix and give it to everyone, and the flowers as well! The girls loved them! 

João Paulo didn´t go to church. We´re going to have to cut him from our teaching pool but a woman named Cida and her granddaughter Tais went to church. If you can, pray that Cida will be able to stop smoking and stop drinking coffee, thanks :)

I´m glad to hear that Greg liked the balloons on his birthday and that Brother Sweeny is well.

Dad: Sounds like trek was a huge success! I´m sure everyone loved it! 

Don´t stress too much about stake conference. You´ll be great! I have no doubt about it!  Be sure to send me a copy of your talks, I´d love to read them :)

Send all my love to grandma and grandpa as well! 

Bryan: haha, Norah is so funny, I can imagine her talking to that little boy´s mom, "You don´t go to church?" :) 

oh goodness, computer scientist, haha I´ll think about that a little more.

Kimball: Wow, that´s really cool about Jason. I hope that he continues to progress. I´ll definitley keep him in my prayers! Give Baby Guy a big kiss from me :)

Lindsey: Glad to hear that Alice is enjoying preschool (well for the most part) and be sure to send photos as well of the room when it´s done! :)

Well, Brasil plays again on Saturday, oh futbol futbol futbol...I´m actually a little excited for when it will be normal again...

Well, I´m doing well and I´ll write more on Monday! 

I love you all the MOSTIEST!!!!

Love,

Sister Hicks

Futebol MANIA!! June 16, 2014

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

To start off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREG!! (I know it´s not til Sunday but still...)

Well, this week was pretty crazy with the World Cup game! Let´s just say that Brasil is CRAZY for soccer! I didn´t realize how crazy it is here. But literally, the whole COUNTRY shuts down when Brasil plays. And it´s funny because they watch the World Cup like we watch the Olympics at our house. The TV is just always on, doesn´t matter who is playing. haha, so we always watch just a few parts of the game. Italy playing for a little bit, then the next house Spain is already playing, you get the gist. :) haha, but, it truly is just a FESTA (party) here! haha, it´s so fun to be a part of it as well with my Brasil jersey and everything :) 

So fun story, the house where we watched the game, lives a family from the ward. They´re so great! And Carina (she´s in the picture) is a convert of 22 years. So, yesterday the American elder that baptized her (22 years ago) came back to visit his mission with his wife! It was really cool, we all had lunch at their house yesterday. He still speaks pretty well (the basics) but his wife doesn´t speak a lick of portuguese so I had to translate! haha, I never imagined that I would be able to translate but it was actually really cool! (But I won´t lie, I left with a head ache :)

Another cool story, this morning as we were leaving our house, the other sisters from our house called and said that Luzinete was in front of our house! My first baptism from my past area! She was working in Cabedelo today and so she passed by to see me! It was soooo great to see her and to find out how the ward is back in Prossind! She´s doing great and wow, it was just so cool!! Brought back a lot of memories as well!

This week was a little rough. Sister Maciel and I decided that we´re just going to start all over with a new approach and try to do things differently. Please pray for us this week that we´ll be able to find new investigators to teach because we don´t have a very big teaching pool. Also, please pray that João Paulo will go to church this week :) He´s one of our investigators that we´re teaching :) Thanks!

Mom:

Well, I don´t know what I´m going to do for my year mark, it´s still pretty crazy to me! And it´s weird that I have the most time in the mission than all the other 3 sisters that I live with!

haha, LOVED, the card that Greg found! I was actually able to get the video to work!  haha, I think that is literally the perfect card for him! 

Sounds like everything is going well there and I hope that everything works out for trek, I`ll be praying! :)

Dad:

Well, I´m glad to hear that everything went well with the funeral, that sounds like it was interesting but that was really nice that you went out.

I liked your idea for stake conference, that´s really interesting about the Liahonas. I´m sure it´ll be great!

Lindsey: haha, first off that story from Norah was absolutely hysterical! haha oh Norah, as always :)

Glad to hear that you had a great birthday and that Father´s day was nice as well! 

Well, I have to go but I love you all soooo much and  miss you all!

I love you the MOSTIEST!

Love,

Sister Hicks

PS I hope you enjoyed the photos!