Thanksgiving Week!!

Dear All,

This past week been a fun experience; we've had a bit of a slowdown of activity with the holidays and all. But we have finalized our plans to move the work forward with a list for members to fast for missionary opportunities, a list for members to offer their homes to let us teach investigators in their home and a fireside for 3 Sundays in a row to teach members how to be better member missionaries and answer their questions as well as answering questions non-members may have asked them.

Our Stake President is sending out an invitation on Sunday to invite all members to invite a non-member or less active to church. The classes for the day will be geared to those who will be visiting. We are excited to see if they will take the challenge and the number of people stakewide who will attend.

On Friday and Saturday I had exchanges with the District Leader. When he was with me in my area we managed to get 4 potential investigators, and our goal for the month is 4. On Saturday I was with the District Leaders companion in another area. It was exciting. :)

I'm still waiting for snow. I have heard now for about 2 or 3 weeks that it will snow and I will freeze. I say, "Alright, looking forward to the snow" and nothing. Maybe out of spite it will come when I don't want it. The thing is, I WANT SNOW!

I don't have anything else on my mind other than Godspeed.

Sincerely,
Elder Hedgecock

Week Two!!

Dear All,

The week is picking up, we got a few appointments set and we are being led by the Spirit as to what we shall do for each investigator and for the area.

I met my first “basher” the other day...... WOW. I mean WOW. I always want to laugh inside when meeting them, ‘cause they claim to be followers of Christ, they claim to have studied the Holy Scriptures for long periods of time, but I think even though those are good, they've gotten caught up in the "thick of thin things" and don't have a knowledge of the Spirit. His words were contentious and sounded a bit like a hypocrite claiming, "Don't mean to thump with you guys but you're wasting your time being out here", he challenged us to read the Book of Hebrews. I read it and it helped me confirm what my purpose is here. I took the challenge because I knew the Lord would teach me something about these types of people. I said little to the young man because I would rather stand before my God saying, “I Listened to the man, to what he had to say and sought to know what he needed rather than feed his desire to stir up my heart to anger and contend with him”. I decided if I see that man again I shall thank him for helping me understand my purpose as a missionary a little better. :)

The members are great and loving of the Missionaries. I think of a talk from President Uchtdorf where he said, "When I was called as a General Authority, I was blessed to be tutored by many of the senior Brethren in the Church. One day I had the opportunity to drive President James E. Faust to a stake conference. During the hours we spent in the car, President Faust took the time to teach me some important principles about my assignment. He explained also how gracious the members of the Church are, especially to General Authorities. He said, “They will treat you very kindly. They will say nice things about you.” He laughed a little and then said, “Dieter, be thankful for this. But don’t you ever inhale it.””

I went on exchanges last Wednesday and we taught a Wiccan. I was surprised to find what that is though, they are commonly called witches. They amazingly have a lot of beliefs that are similar the church. Granted, they have a few differences, but I could sense she had a great deal of love for her fellow men and could tell she was charitable and compassionate. I felt the Saviors love for her in the lesson and we stressed it to her. I wish I had more to say, but my mind has drawn a blank. In time I hope I can be a more effective missionary.

2 Nephi 25:26
"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

Love you all!
Elder Hedgecock

First week out!!

Dear All,

This week was interesting. I am now serving in the Alameda 2 Area which covers the Alameda 5th-9th wards. I am being trained by Elder Mansfield who has been in the area before me.

The first week here was a real slump.... lots of walking with no real contact of investigators. This week is already looking better with a few appointments with investigators. A less active sister we visited with and challenged to come to church came even after she forgot to set her clock back and came an hour early. Goes to show she knows whats important! We meet with her again later.

We have about 32 less active and recent converts. Elder Mansfield and I decided it was time to sift the wheat from the tares, we are going to be focuing more on what investigators we have and getting more referrals.

Sister Stones (our 'missionary mom') is a really sweet lady with 3 kids. She is a kid at heart sometimes. :) She likes helping us and we do chores and plan family home evening activities for her and her kids. Today we help a lady move out of her house. After that the schedule gets empty till later in the evening, but there is some shopping to do later today.

T.T.F.N.-Ta Ta For Now

Love,
Elder Hedgecock

Changes afoot!

There is a happy circumstance for Elder Hedgecock, or perhaps, more accurately, the happy circumstance is for his mom, but in any case, it's a rather unusual situation. Elder Hedgecock is serving in exactly the same mission as his recently returned step-brother, Elder (Justin) Hoopes. In addition to serving under the same mission president, they will likely run in to many of the same members. This Missionary Mom is delighted, because it means she may hear more about Elder Hedgecock from ward members in places where he is serving than is normal, since some of them keep in touch with (the former) Elder Hoopes!

We received a phone call from him on Tuesday, as he waited to board the plane to Idaho, and that was a fun, although short, conversation.

We have learned that Elder Hedgecock is serving in Alameda area, a little bit north of Pocatello. And, thanks to the internet, we also know that snow is falling in that area!! Keep warm, Elder Hedgecock!!