Week 55: Healthy and Happy!

Well I´m not sure where to start... in these two weeks there have been lots of ups and downs.

 
Share a tender mercy: My companion and I have not gotten sick from the mosquito that is giving people fever and pain in the bones. A whole bunch of people are suffering from the sickness and a few missionaries have it too.

 

 It is so exciting that you are working well with your Bishop...I know that is an answer to prayer.  How is your Bishop helping you? Our bishop goes with us on Thursdays to have family nights with our converts and investigators. Also if we need something during the week he quickly helps us. Last week him and his wife were sad that I might leave the area but were happy when I called on Monday to tell them I was not transferred.

 

You have mentioned that you have sooo many people to visit, how to you find balance in dividing your time between new members and investigators? We have been going on divisions with young women in the ward to visit double in the same amount of time.

 

How much walking are you doing? 2 or 4 miles long  Are you still riding buses?  sometimes  

How many people are you teaching right now? about 20 people more or less without converts and members

Best thing about training this week? I can really see that I have lost my animo. New missionaries are excited about everything and old ones not... she gives my energy to contact and love the members and give everything I have

Name 2 things that you love about your companion  I love that everything is new for her about the gospel (she has two years in the church) and that she does thing with exactness

4 things that made you smile:

1. Our converts were praying that I would not be transferred

2. Moses now blesses the sacrament.

3. F.... will receive the Melchizedek priesthood this month

4. Y... and F... are taking names to the temple this next month that we found to do baptisms

 

 

I love you all!  Please pray that we can find people that are ready to be baptized... no one seems to be ready right now. I love doing the Lord's work and hope each of you know how much I love you and pray for you.  I love you all!

 

Love,

Hermana Hickman

Week 54: No time to write :(

Mom don´t be mad the day passed by really fast and I want to be obedient and not start the day late working so we have to go. We did not have transfers.  I´m super excited to keep working here in Tapachula.  I love love love the members. I feel like my time is passing fast and I´m sad because there are so many things I want to do better.  I´m so thankful for the testimony that I have. I feel like what I´m doing is making a difference.  I love you so much!!!!!!!! Everything is great and I promise to answer every question next week!!!!

I love you all!!! The church is true!!

Hermana Hickman

Week 53: Little Blessings!

Hola Familia!

What 5 things made you smile?

Well to start off this week was rough F... a young man who was going to be baptized this last Saturday and the day of the baptism this step-father said no..... We were pretty  bummed. Then on Sunday almost nobody came to church.  But the Lord sent a little blessing that helped me know I was were I needed to be.

1. We left the house of the family R... our converts that we visit a lot and we were leaving and a  dad from a little family waved at me to come and talk to them....we went to talk to them and the dad told me that his daughter that is 2 years old adores me.  He said that everytime she sees me she says there Hermana Hickman or if I pass by with my hair in a bun she tells her dad Hermana Hickman cut her hair. I have never even talked to this little girl but it was sooo cute she gave me a kiss and it made me feel super happy.

2.  On Sunday night after a long day we had our last visit with J.... They are a young married couple that we have not had success with because they are never home. On Sunday night we arrived and they were outside their house reading about the Plan of Salvation and told us they thought we were not going to come. They accepted to be baptized 28 de febrero!!!!!!

3. I said the prayer to start the lesson with them on Sunday night and when I asked that J... would continue to have work and things.  I almost said Joseph Smith I was super embarrassed but they did not hear. Only my companion and I had a good laugh about it after!!! lol

4. The bishop and his wife are going to start working with us. Our bishop is really working hard and we have his trust!

5. On Saturday the Elders in our Ward had a baptism and we were suppose to have a baptism also but Heavenly Father helped us to stay positive. My companion was a great example fo me and we just kept working. We know the Lord will bless us with people that are ready to be baptized.   
 
 
Share a way that you have served this week: Washing lots of dishes! 
 
How are your new families? We don´t have too many but J... are doing good. Our converts are also doing good. M.... recieved the priesthood on Sunday which was great!

I love you all! I hope you know you are continually in my prayers, but to tell you the truth I have lost myself in the work and hope that the time does not past by so fast. More then anything I don´t want to go to school because I don´t remember anything... lol No really the work of the Lord is amazing to tell you the truth there are days were I so tired, but this week i learned the the Lord knows my heart without even asking He gives me exactly what I need!

A member shared with us a scripture in Ezk 14:14

That I love because it talks about how we can not rely on the testimony of others. I know that this church is TRUE!

I love you all!

Hermana Hickman

Week 52: Happy Happy New Year! RIP Mr. Rat:)

Hello Everyone!

 

So tell us about your week:) What was the best thing that happened?

We had 2 baptisms which was amazing. Last Monday our district leader called and told us that we needed to baptize 2 people this Saturday because we are behind in our mission goal of 400 baptisms for this transfer and 400 other baptisms for the dead... We saw a miracle because on Sunday the bishop told us someone was visiting that wanted to be baptized. His wife is in our ward, but that the baptism needed to be this week because he was leaving on Saturday in the morning to work we were like "OK bishop whatever you need¨ lol.   D....also was baptized on Saturday night!

 

5 things that made you smile:

1. In Gospel Principle class the teacher talked about the story of "What were you born to be, by Vaughn J Featherstone.

2. Today in a holiday in Mexico.  I felt super cool when I was talking to my companion about what they celebrate and then I remembered Senora Calhoon and what she taught us about 5 de Enero... That´s right I remember something from High School.. lol 

3. Our 2 baptisms 

4. We fasted about how to help our bishop and we got to talk to him on Sunday and shared a scripture with him to help him stay motivated.

5. We contacted 141 people.... there is a story to this... on Sunday we still needed to do 43 contacts to complete the mission goal of 140 and to tell you the truth I said to myself what is the point we are not going to find 43 people on Sunday to talk to (there are less people in the street on Sundays) The point of this story is that Hermana C... was not going to finish the day until we had 43 contacts.... I  helped but I did not think it was possible with about 2 hours until we finished. On Sunday night we found a whole bunch of people to talk to. I´m so thankful for my companion that showed me that we work until the end and we put our trust in the Lord. It was amazing when we finished the last contact. She really motivated me to contact also!!!!

Share a tender mercies or answer to prayer:

Heavenly Father has given me strength to get up every morning with all of my companions. I have had the problem of getting up early every morning,but now I´m incharge of the alarm and I get up every morning .... never thought possible :)

 

 

With six months left on your mission...what do you want to accomplish with the time you have left?

 I´m pumped!  I feel like I still have so much to learn but I know I still have a lot of work to do... the problem we have here is there is not enough time to visit everyone we have a lot of converts!!!!!

How are your bat and rat? do they have a name? Hermana C... killed the rat this week :)

How are you feeling? GREAT 

 

Bueno! Well I love you all and once again my time has run out!!!!! I love you all! You are in my prayers!  

Hermana Hickman 

Week 51: Merry Christmas from Mexico!

Hola Familia,

 

How was this your favorite Christmas?

After talking with you guys I just felt the spirit with me and was able to talk to people on the street like they were my best friends even if they were super mean I could not help but smile... I just felt happy all day!

Besides not being with family, how was this Christmas different?

Don´t read this mom....

I opened all my presents before Christmas!!!! lol 

Favorite part about your Christmas in Mexico?

 Everyone is family and all the members wanted us to come to their house to be with them! They don´t do anything on 25th,it is a normal day.  They only celebrate on 24th.

What different traditions did you observe and like?

piñatas... fireworks... it is pretty much the same they don´t really talk about Santa Claus here more the 3 kings... 

How goes the training?  I learned something the hard way this morning I have been trying to do everything for my companion and not letting her help me because I want to give her everything, but I realized today that because she is older then me and she is in her country... she felt like I  was belittleing her.  I wonder if this was not a mistake that I´m training but I got this letter from President today that helps me keep going!

"President George

¨You are a wonderful trainer! I just read your companion´s letter and she spoke of what a great example you are to her. I know you are! Self doubt is natural-hay que overcome the "natural man". Seriously, there are few sisters that I trust as much as you! Keep that positive, cheery disposition! It is a "light". Let it shine!  Love ya! ¨

How does Mexico celebrate the new year?  fire works, parties and drinking.

Share 5 things that made you smile this week:

1. The rat has not returned to our house.

2. Nik Day has a new song in youth music lds.org

3. We are going to look for new clothes right now... I might buy my comp something I hope that is ok.

4. An American elder's family sent him money to buy clothes for our little boy that was baptized instead of buying gifts for themselves.

5. We have two new families!!!!

I love you ALL sorry for not write everyone a letter but I love your letters and they motivate me to keep going I love you all more than anything.  I will see you in 6 months, but for right now I´m in the work of the LORD and I´m going to give him all I got!

Hermana Hickman 

XOXOXO 

Week 49: I'm dreaming of a Hot Christmas:) average temp 91

Hola Everyone!

Best day this week?

 Friday a little boy named B... was baptized by one of our converts which was pretty amazing! The font only filled up 1/3 of the way but B... is super skinny. It all worked out, but there is no water here in Tapachula.

Tell us what happens when you do transfers....

Well my companion Hermana C.. was in Tuxtla so I was on a bus for six hours on Monday. When we got there it was time to sleep so we slept with some sisters in Tuxtla.  That night I could not sleep I was so nervous because when we arrived President pulled me aside and told me that my companion is super excited but does not have a lot of support from home and that she is a convert. He did not tell me who it was.... but the whole night I was stressed and could not sleep. The next day we had a meeting with President and they got us all excited to train and then they presented our new companions. My companions name is Hermana C...., she is from Mexico City and is a great little worker!

5 things that made you smile this week

1. Being so excited to train and after one day realizing how hard it is:) 

2. The Relief Society President walking home with us and telling us stories.

3. Everyone thinks my new companion is white too.

4. Remembering my first transfer in the mission.

5. The notes my companion leaves me in my scriptures and under my pillow.

6. Not knowing what to do without water.... lol 

How is Christmas in Tapachula different than in the US?

It is Crazy Hot, most people have fake trees which is sad. I miss the smell of Christmas trees.

How will most people celebrate Christmas?  How will you celebrate?

Members have invited us to eat Christmas Eve dinner with them, but I don´t know what else we will do... 

How are your investigators progressing?

We have some that are really ready to be baptized but I´m having a hard time having faith that we will find new people to teach. Our contacts went down only 82 contacts... My companion does not feel comfortable talking to people which I totally understand but it makes me sad when we don´t reach our goals. 

Sorry I don´t know anything about Christmas but on Saturday they are going to tell us. I love being a missionary! I love that I have a new companion that keeps me on my toes and that helps me be more obedient. I know that I´m training her for a reason. The work is really progressing here. We have a little old man named Moses and I just love him to death. His wife went to the temple with our ward this week and it was her first time. She felt the spirit so strong and told the bishop's wife, when she entered the temple " now I just need my husband for this moment to be perfect, he is going to be baptized soon! "  When she shared this experience in Gospel Principle's Class I just started to cry.  Moses was there and the teacher said how special when you both go to the temple to be sealed I lost it.  In that moment I realized that this was the reason I came on the mission was to help families be together forever. I don´t know how but in one year from know I  will try and return to Tapachula and see them sealed in the temple. Moses lived in Utah for 3 years and learned about the gospel there, but years and years have passed and missionaries and missionaries have passed but not until now with us did he make the choice to be baptized. I love the Gosple!!!! I love you all!

 

Hermana Hickman

Week 48: The Bat is Back and NO water!

Hello Everyone!

 My week had some ups and downs but we had a baptism which was great and we have 6 people that are preparing to be baptized.  Our ward is a little bit of a mess right now and everyone is sad that my companion is leaving. I´m super nervous to train a new missionary because I still feel like one.... and it is going to take a lot of energy lol:) More then anything I excited I have a lot to learn. I know Heavenly Father will help me. Our bat came back to visit us in the house and we don´t have any water. So if you could pray for those two things that the bat leaves and the water comes I would be super grateful! Well I´m doing great I have days I´m sad and want to see you all but the people we are teaching are amazing and it makes me excited. I am excited to see you all in 18 days.

Did you have a hard time saying good bye to your companion?

well right now she is sitting next to me :) but it is going to be hard to say goodbye.

 

Has your Christmas package come yet? YES thank you

 

Has the weather changed? no it is just super, super hot and yesterday I felt my first earthquake.

I love you all and hope you know you are in my prayers! Thank you all for the prayers and love that you send my way the work of the Lord is amazing!!!! I love you all!

 

I love you ALL!

 

Hermana Hickman