November 27, 2010

With Elder Morales


In the Mission Home





Dear Family,
So this week was pretty crazy. I didn´t go to our sector once. It´s kind of sad. I really miss my investigators. So all the new missionaries arrived on Tuesday. It was....interesting ha ha. So in our mission, before Tuesday, we had 3 north American sisters and they are all good, hard workers. On Tuesday 5 north American sisters showed up and they were like the stereotypical sister missionary in the states. We asked them to bring what they needed for 1 night because we took their luggage to the church where we had the new missionary meeting. I saw more make-up and blow dryers then than I have seen in over a year :) It was pretty crazy!!!! Maybe I´m being too hard on them but I haven´t seen that in forever. We talked a lot about our missionary purpose and hard work. It turned out to be really good. President had us bear our testimonies again and it went way good. I felt the Spirit so strong again :) They were all touched and they are really excited about being here. It was really fun.




So President Sloan has been kind of sick this week. He has pneumonia and that is what caused him so many problems last year and that´s what started his really bad sickness. He decided to rest a lot this week. On Tuesday before the new missionaries arrived we had a meeting without President because he decided not to go. He did go to the airport on Tuesday and he interviewed each of them. On Thursday we traveled to Ambato alone, by bus, and we had a specialized training with 3 zones without President. It was a little bit weird but it turned out to be alright. He´s still sick so we´ll see what he wants to do these next few weeks.
So last Sunday our old Ward mission leader had his farwell. He´s going to the Peru Trujillo Mission. He´s in the MTC now!!! He always went and did visits with us and it was awesome. It was sad to see him leave but he´s doing what´s right. His name is Jorge Pillajo and he´s a convert of 4 years now. He´ll be an amazing missionary!!
Tomorrow in all of Ecuador they are having a cesus and we all have to stay in our houses. We have to be there until 5 PM minimum. Someone will come and will ask us questions and stuff. We heard that each questionaire could take up to 30 minutes so that´ll be fun tomorrow :) We aren´t going to have church either and we can´t have any confirmations either. Tomorrow wil be really interesting :)
So today my companion and one of the secretaries, Elder Duarte, went to one of their old sectors to visit some of their converts and Elder Vomocil, the other secretary, and I couldn´t decide what we wanted to do. We finally decided to go visit some of Elder Vomocil´s converts and investigators in Santa Ana, close to Valle de Los Chillos. It went really well. One of his old investigators that didn´t get baptized had been praying that Elder Vomocil would go back to visit them. We showed up today and he prayed for that yesterday. It was way sweet because they were so excited to see him. After that we decided to call my old bishop in Salvador Celi. He said that he was buying lunch for the missionaries that are there and he invited us to come too. We said ok and we went to the mall in Los Chillos. We show up and he takes us to TGI Friday´s. We were way surprised but he was really excited to see me ha ha :) We had a really fun time and we took a picture :) Their son has changed so much in the last 3 months. He´s talking a little bit and his hair is really dark now. It was awesome to be able to see them again. They are one of my favorite families here in Ecuador. Today was an amazing p-day :)


I had a pretty cool experience helping one of the new missionaries on Thursday. We were in Ambato and one of the new missionaries, one that came on Tuesday, was there and he was kind of nervous. I don´t know why but the zone leaders that were giving the training decided to call on his companionship to do the practice. The new missionary didn´t say a word because he was so nervous. It turned out being alright but I could still see that he was nervous. When we got to our part of the training we had a lot of practices in groups of 2 companionships. When the new missionary´s companionship were being investigators I took him aside. I just asked him how he was doing. He told me that he was nervous and he felt unsure. I told him to just take a couple of breaths and to calm down a little bit. I told him that we´re here to learn from him too and that he´s a good missionary. He felt better and he started to participate more. I felt good for him. Afterwards he thanked me and said that he´ll keep doing better. It was a really special experience for me because I´ve never had anyone thank me for being a leader that I can remember. I felt like I was actually doing my job right now :) It was a really cool experience.
Well, I love you all so much. Thank you for everything that you have done, do, and will do for me. Keep strong in the faith and be ever aware of our Heavenly Father in our lives.




Love,
Élder Hakes

November 20,2010

Dear Family,
So this week went really well for us. We weren´t able to go to our sector as much as we would have liked to but we had some really great spiritual experiences. We had a good one on Wednesday night. We got home from Otavalo at around 7:30 PM It was pretty late and by the time we were ready to leave it was about 8:05 PM. We were thinking about just going somewhere close so we could get home quickly but we decided against it. We went down to where some investigators with baptismal date live, the Maza family. They live down 133 stairs. When we got there just 2 sons and the daughter and the mom were there. We asked them to invite the dad but he didn´t want to (we had never met him before but we told his family that we would talk with him some day). About half way through the lesson the dad walked in the room. We were all surprised but we invited him and we continued with the lesson (about baptism). About 10 minutes later the other son showed up. That means that for the first time ever we were with the entire family at the same time. It was such an amazing experience to be able to have all of them there and to be able to share that time with them as a family!!!
Thursday night we had another cool experience. We went to visit the Taco family (the ones that went to church this last Sunday). We got there and we found out that they had read in the Book of Mormon, but they didn´t remember anything that they had read. This whole month we have been talking about the Book of Mormon, especially Moroni 10:3-5, in the Zone Conferences so we decided to teach that to them. We talked about the importance of being able read it with a sincere desire and with real intent. They were able to understand the difference now. So last night when we went by again we found out that only the son had read and that they didn´t have time. We weren´t sure what to share with them because we knew that they had understood what we taught them the last time. My companion started and he decide to share Helaman 5:12. I felt that that was what they needed and my comp explained it very well. When it come around to me I still wasn´t sure what I was going to say but the Spirit helped me. I talked about how we can recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost as we read. They shared with us that that is what they had felt as we were teaching them, the Spirit. It was a really amazing experience and the Spirit was so strong.
We had another cool experience on last Sunday too. We showwed up to our investigators house and the dad came out and said that everyone else was sick. He invited us in to share with him and we did. We talked about blessings of health and we gave 2 blessings of health and 1 blessing of strength to his family. The Spirit was so strong and they were extremely grateful for what we did. I hadn´t given a blessing in so long so it was nice to be able to do that again.
So It has rained everyday since last Thursday here in Ecuador. There is a phenomenom here called "la niña" ("the girl" in English) that makes everything cold and rainy in all of Ecuador. It´s been in the 50s and the low 60s this whole week. Kind of weird. Luckily today it was sunny in the afternoon when we were at Mindo because it started raining on the way home :)
Well I love you guys. I thank you all for all that you have done for me. I have learned so much from each and every one of you. I am grateful for this Gospel that i get to preach everyday. I´m grateful that i am learning to live it and help others to live it as well. This work is God´s. I can testify of it now. He leads me everyday where i need to go and puts the words into my mouth in the exact moment when I need it. Again, thanks for everything!!!!



Love,
Élder Hakes

November 13, 2010

Dear Family,
This week was pretty crazy. It went by so fast because we were traveling the whole time. We left Tuesday morning at 8 AM and we got back at 6 PM on Friday evening. It was so long but so fun too! With the Zone Conferences and the Specialized Trainings this time we haven´t done anything. We have a grand total of like 1 hour between the 2 days and all we do is have a demonstration and have them do practices. It´s good because this time around I´m learning how to be more observant and I can make more comments to them about their teaching skills. It has been nice. So President Sloan decided to take us and the zone leaders out to eat with the Stake President in Esmeraldas and in Santo Domingo. I ate some pretty good food this week :) I probably gained like 5 lbs. ha ha. Seafood in Esmeraldas is amazing!!! It´s a city that is literally on the coast so it´s all fresh and it´s fairly cheap. I had some pretty amazing shrimp there :)
So on Sunday we were finally able to get out and work. We went with some of our families and we were able to help them progress more. The Taco family and the Maza family have baptismal dates for the 27th!!!! We had 2 amazing experiences with them on Sunday to help them to accept a baptismal date. When we do the baptismal invitation we normally do it in 2 parts (I might have already explained this before but oh well!). The first part we ask them, "Will you prepare to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized just as he was?" Normally they will say yes I would like to prepare for that. The second question we ask is basically the same, "Will you prepare to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized on the 27th of November?" Normally on this question they´ll have some sort of excuse or doubt. Basically we help them to realize that if they truly have the desires to do it that they can do it. They just need more faith!! After the second question we are able to know why they don´t want to get baptized and we are able to help them to repent and to be ready for that day. It is such an amazing process and it works with everyone. That is why we are baptizing so many people here in the mission now. I love it!!!!
On Thursday night we went on exchanges in Santo Domingo. I went with one companionship and my companion went with another. It was so amazing to be able to get to work again. I hadn´t done any type of "in the field" missionary work for a few days. I couldn´t even do a contact because we were with President in his car the whole time. I was dying ha ha :) We had some amazing experiences that night and I´d like to share just one of them. We went to one of these missionaries investigators that is going to get baptized today. When we showed up he asked us to go visit him with one of his sisters that hadn´t listened to the missionaries before. We went in and she wasn´t too interested but I told her that we could help her and that I wanted to share an experience with her. She said that she would rather set an appointment for another day and I told her that I live in Quito. She finally agreed and we started with a prayer. I just started to ask her questions about her life and about what she desires. She opened up to me and I don´t know why. She started to tell me about her depression and her need to be loved unconditionally by someone. She had been studying with Jehovah´s witnesses and she hasn´t felt anything special yet. I asked her a rhetorical question and said, "Who have you shared this with before and why did you share it with me, a complete stranger?" I told her not to respond and then I said, "The Spirit of God is testifying in your heart that I am one of His servants and that I can help you." She just sat there thinking. I shared an experience with her and we ended with a prayer. She tried to invite us over for dinner the next day and I said that the 2 missionaries that i was with could go but that I couldn´t. I am so grateful that the Lord worked through me that night. The Elders that I was with told me that they had tried to talk with her before but that she wouldn´t listen. I needed to be there on that day and I had to be there to help her to feel the Spirit. I hope and pray that she will continue listening to the missionaries and that she will be baptized. It was such an amazing experience.
Last night the Taco family said that for sure they are going to go to church with us on Sunday!!! We are super excited because that has been their challenge over the last few weeks. We talked with 2 of the sons in the Maza family and they are going to go to church as well (the mom wasn´t there). They said that they´re going to help family to go as well.
I just want to let each of you know how grateful that I am for you. This week I have pondered over the many blessings that I have received in my life. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father put each of you in my path and that you were able to influence me in my progression towards God. I love each of you. Thank you for everything.



Love,
Élder Hakes

November 6, 2010

Dear Family,
What a crazy week ha ha :) We were in meetings all week just as was planned. It turned out to be really good. We learned a lot of things. During all of the meetings and trainings, we did demonstrations with President Sloan. The demonstrations have really helped. My companion and I are more confident teaching together now and the missionaries can see a good example and they can see that we aren´t perfect. It has been really great. We have been able to feel a special spirit during the demonstrations. So on Tuesday in the Zone Leaders Council we had an hour to play soccer and/or Ecuavoli (Ecuador Volleyball). My companion got hurt playing soccer. We thought it was just a sprained ankle but it is really bothering him still so he´s going to get it x-rayed next week.
So today in my personal study I read a scripture that really impacted me. It´s scripture mastery but I have never felt like this when I read it. It´s in D&C 130:18-21:

18. Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.
20. There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

I don´know why it hit me so hard this time. It really helped me to have more of an eternal perspective. It has given me more desires to be even more obedient and to repent of all the little mistakes that I have made in my life.
Well I love you all. Thank you for the good influences that each and everyone of you have been in my life. I realize now more than ever how grateful I am for the people around me and for what they have done for me. I have so many experiences, good and bad, that have helped me to be where I am right now and that have helped me to truly apply the gospel in my life. I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father gives us our free agency and allows us to make mistakes so we can learn and become better each day. Don´t ever forget what He did for each and everyone of us individually. When we can have that in mind all of the time, that´s when we can become perfect.



Love,
Élder Hakes

October 30, 2010

Dear Family,
This week was pretty fun. On Tuesday and Wednesday we were in Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo again. The trainings that we had went really well. It didn´t feel as hot as last time we were there. I actually enjoyed the weather. It was funny because my comp was dying in the heat and he´s from Guayaquil which is a lot hotter. He´s going to die when he goes home in December. On Thursday we had divisions with the Secretaries. Elder Vomocil and I stayed in the offices doing stuff while our companions went and taught lessons. We left a little bit earlier and one of Elder Vomocil´s investigators gave us rice, potatoes, beets, fried beef, and an egg. It was sooo good. They are from the coast and the people from the coast know how to cook better :) Yesterday and this morning we were in Otavalo. It was the last Specialized training of the month and I think it was the best one too!! In this one we did something a little bit different. We always have practices in all of our trainings so the missionaries can know how to apply it in their sectors, but this time my companion and I decided to do a demonstration and then we had all of them practice instead of just 1 companionship. It turned out to be really good. The missionaries were able to see that we´re not perfect and that we need help too and it gave them more confidence in the practices that we did afterwards. We´ve decided to do a demonstration in every training that we have in the future. Last night we were supposed to have another training with all of the ward and stake leaders from Otavalo but no one showed up. We waited for like half an hour until the Stake President finally showed up and we scheduled it for a different day. The training wasn´t well announced (it wasn´t announced at all) so President Sloan wasn´t too happy. Afterwards he felt bad for all of the missionaries that had waited for nothing. He bought the whole zone and us hamburger combos for dinner. It was way sweet.
It´s interesting to see how I´m progressing now. Before I could see it a lot easier and I was progressing in things that we do everyday. As I´ve been here in the offices I feel like I´ve progressed more as a leader. I feel like I understand the Gospel more now and it´s actually part of me and my life not just like a job. I´m learning a lot about how to have good judgment too because we have to make a lot of decisions as assistants. I´m more grateful for my calling now and I don´t feel useless anymore ha ha :) Thank you for all that you have done for me, all of you.




Love,
Élder Hakes