Pereira

Well, I´m here in my new area. I´m training a new kid from Bolivia. He already has a cambio of training, I´m just finishing up the second half.

So, the temperature in Pereira is normally about 10C less than Montería. I normally have cold [feel cold] and it's great. In the mornings it does iis] about 20C and I put a jacket on and still feel the cold and right now I looked up the conversion and that's like 70F. So, that goes to show that I´m real accustomed to the hot weather and especially to Montería. Especially when I see the Centennial weather and it does like 5C in the mornings.

So my comp is from Bolivia and is Élder Martinez, has 18 years, and he´s learning a lot. The work is a lot different here than my other areas in the mission, and being district leader is a lot different than I remembered. It´s an opportunity to learn and put myself a bit deeper in the normal mission work. Actually, it feels more relaxing and good. My district is only two areas, and the other is Ëlder Limos (who I knew in Armenia, he was in the zone in my first cambio) and his comp is Élder Rodo and they are both from Bolivia. So I live in a little house with 3 bolivianos. 

Always Great,

Élder Hicken

Cambios!

Well, just like 6 weeks ago, I´ve got a new comp. Élder Alvarado and I are both leaving the area. It´s alright because we´ve got all the information they need to get here and take off running, and there´s plenty of people to work with, but it´s stressful at the same time. The good news is that one of the missionaries replacing us is Élder Velazquez, who was my comp in Álamos six months ago, and I trust in him to do a great job.

Élderes Alvarado, Muñoz, Villarroel, Hicken

Élder Alvarado and I are going to Pereira, but to different zones. I´m going to be in Pereira a part called Naranjos finishing the training of a missionary and being leader of district. I´m way way excited; I´ve spent the last 8 months training and all to the district leaders and now I need to be my perfect image of a district leader. The classic principle of live what you preach.

The week was a rough one, with alot of early mornings. We were exhausted all week and therefore we didn´t reach the goals we put -- we just didn´t work efficiently enough.

Also, Élder Muñoz, who was my companion in Cereté for 3 weeks ended his mission this week and I got to buy his ticket and send him off.

Me with the Río Sinú

Always Great,

Élder Hicken

Cerete y nuevos

Hey party Élder Muñoz and I decided to come and visit Cereté, so I´m writing from the internet that I wrote from from April to September last year. We are going to spend the afternoon visiting members and converts.

This week is the last week of Élder Muñoz; next week he has his interview to end the mission.

Elder Hicken, Alvarado, Villarroel, y Munoz in the Avenida 1a

This week seemed successful, but in the end no one came to church. It seems like a less-active got lost and ended up going to Catholic mass o "misa". With Élder Alvarado, we are putting a bigger focus in the zone on achieving goals. Instead of being political with goals and putting goals that are easy to achieve or that change, or that aren't significative,  we put goals that are tough, achievable, specific, relevant, measurable, and that are by day, week, month, and cambio [transfer]. We are focusing on the little things that cause them to achieve or not achieve the goal and we are going to start being a lot more pilas with the goals and we´re going to achieve them. Also, paying attention to how well we actually use our time. Sometimes we lie to ourselves with excuses about our time. Yeah, but I was tired, or no one was home, or the Junior game was happening, or it was 40 degrees out...in cap. 8 of PmE it talks about "Rendir Cuentas" ["Accountability"]  and says the importance of taking responsibility for your failures and achievements, not giving them to others. The point is get better, not have a good reputation.  "Accept full responsibility for your efforts. Never blame others for difficult circumstances or lack of progress."

“When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.”
                                                                              –President Thomas S. Monson

Love God Every Second of Your Existence!

Work liberates us from 3 great evils: boredom, vice, and poverty

We met a family this week the mom is Yudi and she´s got two kids Javier (20) and Juan José (19) and talking to them was interesting. They´re catholic, but sharing the Gospel with them, they seemed to understand the stuff. They said that it just made sense that there should be a prophet the same as Moses or Abraham or Noah in the earth right now, and that the authority of the Priesthood, being the same as the antiquity, should be on earth. It made sense to ask God to know if it was true. Although they traditionally believed something else, they were humble enough to listen to two weirdos of their own age and not try to have the reason or to be superior, but listen and try to understand something different.

We have loads of problems with pride in Colombia, in ways that I hadn't seen before, but there are always people that amidst the traditional superiority have for some reason the right level of humility to hear and accept the Gospel. Where are we with pride? Just for being baptized doesn't make us Humble. If you want to know how you are, read "Cuidaos del Orgullo" or "Beware of Pride" by Ezra Taft Benson in the 1989 April General Conference.

Always Great,

Élder Hicken

Invasion! Conferencia General!

So I´m sure Conferencia was great on Saturday, but we didn´t get to see it. We were under orders to not leave our house since Thursday. The guerrilla rose up and caused a stir, but everything´s normal again. This week we´ll have to see the Conferencia. Sunday was stellar though. 

Because of the situation with the guerrilla, no investigator could come but I wanted to just download the talks and show them to the investigators and people because they were perfect. It seemed to me that they talked a lot about the Plan of Salvation and the effect that our actions have on our situation now and after. As Pte Monson said, we need our end in sight before taking decisions. There was a lot of talk about the Temple. Our end in sight includes the Temple, and what the Temple makes possible.  But it isn´'t just that we get to the Temple and do the ordinances, but that we go often to the Temple. The work and glory is that all men have eternal life, or that ALL men go through the Temple. That includes mission work and proxy ordinances. If our actions don´t include making the Exaltation more possible for us and others, it would be wise to analyze that action and why we do it. Sometimes we try to separate Gospel and the "Real Life" but doing so is showing that Jesus only matters sometimes. Pretending that He has nothing to do with our job or dreams or studies or sports would be saying that He doesn't love us, doesn't look for our welfare, and we forget him. We should acknowledge the hand He has in every part, and through obedience we will receive necessary blessing even in work, aspirations, school, and other activities. How many people reach a comfortable point in their lives and therefore decide that God no longer applies? It was a good Conferencia. We didn't get much done this week for a couple vueltas and then the invasion of the guerrilla, but this week we should get more done.

Always Great,

Élder Hicken