October 16, 2010

Dear Family,
This week was a little bit crazier than I thought it would be. I didn´t realize how hard it is to work with such a big group of new missionaries. On Monday afternoon and night President Sloan had to interview all of the new missionaries. He couldn´t wait till the next morning. We were in the President´s house until 10:20 PM waiting for the interviews. After taking the new missionaries to the house where they were going to sleep we got home around 11:15 PM. It was a pretty crazy night. On Wednesday I had a really cool experience. We were in the training for the new missionaries and we were going to do our part last. The first parts took a really long time. When we were to speak it was already past the time that we had planned to end at. President Sloan told us to just bear our testimonies and then we´d end. I liked that he told us right before we had to get up. I wasn´t thinking about what I was going to say. I just said what I felt. I felt the Spirit so strong in that moment. I shared with the new missionaries and their trainers about my experience with the Book of Mormon. When I got to the mission I had read the Book of Mormon 3 or 4 times cover to cover. I thought that that was sufficient but I was wrong. President Sloan challenged us to read the Book of Mormon with real intent as soon as we got here and I chose to do it. It was the best experience that I have had in my life. I now know that the Book of Mormon is true. I can feel it in my heart. I love the Book of Mormon. Just by reading the Book of Mormon I have learned to follow the Spirit. I know where to find the answers to my questions. I love it!!!!!! Don´t ever go a day without reading the Book of Mormon. If you do you will lose the Spirit and your day won´t be as good. I can testify of that now.
This week we finally went to teach a family of 6 that we found 2 weeks ago. They are so amazing!! We invited them to baptism in the first lesson and the accepted. They are going to go to church on Sunday and they are keeping all of their committments. It is so exciting!!!! I love being able to be in the feild! This next week President and Sister Sloan will be in Peru for the Mission President´s Seminar so that means that we should have a lot more time to be in our own sector. I´m really excited for that!! President and Sister Sloan are going to Machu Pichu for part of the Seminar. They are so lucky!!!!
So next week we have Stake Conference in our stake here in Quito so I don´t know how much time we´ll have to write you next Saturday. If it´s not on Saturday it will definitely be on Monday. I love you all so much. Thank you for everything. Keep being faithful and CTR forever!!!



Love,
Élder Hakes



P.S.
We went to the Middle of the World again. This time I took a picture with a statue of an indian native to ecuador. They don´t wear any clothes so I used a Law of Chastity pamphlet to cover him up : )