New Week

Well, it seems like this past week was a bit out of the ordinary for many people. Feeling sentimental a bit seeing pictures of the Newman Center, where we performed with YVC. Also I started laughing at that letter Lily wrote to "Jacob R." I forwarded that to Mackenzie. 

So, apparently there´s another initiative like Él es la Dádiva starting up called Gracias a que Él Vive [Because He Lives] and I´m really looking forward to it. Also, first one who tells me who Angela Carmack is in the church wins. Talon would probably know. All I know is that all the stuff with initiatives like these comes from her. 

So, fun fact...Elder Pino (the financiero of the mission) didn´t pay our utilities last month, and because they cut off the lines after 60 days of no pay, we have no utilities. Light is separate so we have electricity, and some guy outside did something with the water line, so we have water, but we don´t have any gas. We can´t cook anything and we don´t have hot water. It was really great having an intercambio [exchange] with the LZ [Zone Leaders] and not having utilities and then have every stinking cita [appointment] fall through. It was just a massive learning opportunity basically. But, I came out of this week with a lot of goals to do a lot of things better. 

We met a new family in Sabaneta and the mom and Daughter, Elizabeth and Juanita, are really interested and really want to know the truth, while the son (there´s 5 kids but only 2 live at home still) Geoffrey (or maybe Yeffrey, don´t know) is a pothead and doesn´t want anything to do with us. That´s where a special member of the church comes in. This guy lives in Itagüi, but gave us this reference and will be basically the only way that Geoffrey will progress and recover and that the family can progress towards eternity. 

I have a massive testimony of the importance of the members in the obra misional [missionary work]. This week, we started a ´club´ in the ward of the 6 families that we think have the most enthusiasm towards the obra misional. Basically, we will use these families to help us, and we will focus more time in helping these families contact and teach their friends and families. I think this has a lot of potential to expand until the entire ward has this enthusiasm to the obra misional and I really hope it works. 

Also, Libardo came to church! He loved it, and though we weren´t able to visit with him Sunday afternoon, that will happen in the next couple days. Elizabeth and Juanita didn´t come because they woke up late, but it´ll be better next week. I basically asked Bleazard to say something to the APs to leave me in this area for another cambio with a different companion, and I promised him that there would be baptisms por fin [at last]. End of paragraph.

I love hearing about missionary experiences that people are having, especially with the ways that Mackenzie and Nate are helping the missionaries in their wards. Also, the Lamb of God sounds like one of the coolest things that´s ever happened. 

One really cool step in the obra misional that happened in the ward this week is that yesterday the Bishop announced that the ward would be doing a 40 day fast. The ward started to laugh and then the bishop was like "No, I´m serious." The ward is doing a 40 day fast to build unity, and enthusiasm to the obra misional, and also for divine help with the obra misional. Here´s the plan: the ward will be divided into 40 groups, and every group will fast one day. It´s actually brilliant and I´m excited for when it will be put into effect. Feel free to use this idea. 

Always Great,

Élder Hicken