Christmas Week!!

Dear Everyone,

 

This was a good Christmas, we are truly grateful and thank God for all that we have received and have yet to receive.

 

A lot has happened; for starters my companion and I were given a challenge to eat some hot sauce. This was some powerful stuff or so my companion would testify, and I can testify that there was weeping wailing and nashing of teeth before the great and dreadful day. My companion experienced the burning of the chest.... and then some.

 

I watched the John Tanner story, it is on the DVD of the Doctrine and Covenants DVD's, Disc 3. I recommend all to watch it. Speaking of which, I feel much like a candy version of John Tanner- very wealthy in chocolate and such but desiring to do the most good with it. There is so much to be grateful for.

 

It was good to be able to speak with family, and I wish I could have talked with every one of them. 

 

I learned a lesson the other day. when a toe warmer (adhesive pouch that warms your feet) starts to feel like it's going to catch fire, TAKE IT OFF! It is better that one toe warmer should perish than your whole foot should blister in unbeleif. Between the candy I have received and food and the gift cards from christmas.... I should never have to beg for food.

 

My companion asked me the most bizare question the other day. He said, "Elder, can I see your sister?" I just kinda looked at him a little puzzled. "Sorry, I wanted to borrow your sissors". I've come to appreciate the random moments like that. I've got the theme song from the John Tanner Story stuck in my head.

 

Oddly enough I was actually more excited about this Christmas than almost any other before it. I don't know why exactly. It was a good Christmas.

 

Love to all,

 

Elder Hedgecock

'Twas the week before Christmas!

Dear All,

This week has been interesting in so many ways. I can't help but smile for 2 reasons; 1, my Companion told me that during the holidays everything slows down and no one wants to visit with us, however since Thanksgiving we have seen an increase in people wanting to take lessons- young and old, male and female, non-member and less active alike; 2. The three Sacrament meetings we went to I took notes on all the talks given- 3 wards, 6 talks, 2 subjects: one on temple worship and 2 on personal revelation. I thought by the third Sacrament meeting, I was going to hear the same stuff I'd heard from the other wards, but to my surprise they were all unique and gave helpful perspective to the matter to be able to see it a little more fully. I plan to type out the notes I take on my mission and assemble a binder full of all the notes on various subjects to be able to, as Elder Scott puts it, "if we are casual about the teachings of the spirit we lose the ability to feel them", so that it will show how much I cherish the knowledge the Lord has entrusted me with. And the other to have it for my posterity to read and see what they should do.

I was surprised this morning when another Elder called and asked my campanion and I to give him a blessing because he had food posioning. We went and took him and his comp gifts to help make the day better.  Before we gave the blessing, Elder Henassy said something to the effect of "you guys will heal me", and the manner he said it got my companion and I laughing. But while I laughed I could see that he had the faith to be made whole if it was the Lords will. The other surprise we got this morning was that a guy we are teaching called and told us his fiance returned home with their kids. So it appears we will be teaching him and his spouse-to-be. Hearing that caused me to be happy for him. It also got me thinking that is how our Heavenly Father feels about us- He is sad when we are and is happy when we are and is pleased when we do what's right.

We met a new investigator the other day, and his experience with missionaries was a negative one. He was not going to swear off a whole group of people because of one or two bad apples, though. Which reminds me NEVER EVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TELL SOMEONE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HELL AND HAS SENT THEIR FAMILY THERE TOO. I recall a statement made by Robert P. Swensen that states "do not belittle or mock other religions, we make good men better". This guy is a great guy. We didn't teach but just talked. Somehow I could compare some of the things we spoke about to gospel related subjects. So even though my companion told me we wasted our time,  I see it as a opportunity to progress the teaching we will do later (and yes we could have done better, but the Lord is able to work with what we have).

 

I ATE ELK LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!! That is some really good stuff! Never had elk, but darn, it was totally different than what I expected. I thought the steak would be tough and fatty, but it is quite lean and tender. Really good, too.

 

I need to figure out a time to call on sunday....... we'll figure it out.

I decided I was sick of talking to invisible people and pillows so we took a pillow we cared not for and put a shirt and pants on it and sat him on the couch in our apartment. We put shoes at the bottom and a hat when his head should be..... and then I put my coat on him... called him "Trent"..... I'm going to buy some stuff to add more realisim to him, and maybe throw our housing cordinators for a loop :) They are suppose to be going to all the apartments and doing inspections... could be fun! I took a couple pictures with "Trent" but left my flash drive at home so i'll have to send them next Monday.

 

We have seen a few houses decked out in lights. My companion and I think we should do a contest and whichever house wins will get a lesson. :)

 

I am learning to be careful how you pray to get patience, too.

 

Well,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Hedgecock

Another Week!

Dear All,

This week has been interesting. We have lots of new people to teach and opportunities to do what is right. The Spirit of the Lord is strong here in this area. As much as people may not think there is work to do, there is lots of work here even in the LDS community of Pocatello, Idaho. We have 2 over age youth we are teaching the lessons to, they listen and are receptive to what we say. One ward is just on fire with a desire to do missionary work. We are finding things are picking up. I'm learning all sorts of new things. We are also noticing that each of the wards seem to be talking more and more about missionary work-  in Sacrament Meeting, in Sunday School and all other things church oriented.

 

Well, got to go!

Talk later,

Elder Hedgecock

This Week

Dear All,

We are seeing progress! We have had all sorts of interesting things happen this past week. We've had a sister with 2 over age youth want the Missionaries to baptize her kids. We've recieved a few referrals that sound promising, and had a gentleman ask for us missionaries. He's 33 years old and has not been to church since he was 13, he was having some trouble in his life and saw a man in one of the wards we attend and started talking to him. That man told him to talk to the missionaries. We talked with him and gave him a copy of the Book for Mormon and set a appointment to meet with him Tuesday and teach him lessons.

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional was amazing last night! To see the depiction of Gabriel visiting Mary and the shepherds and the birth of the Savior; What a Wonderful Season it is! And yet how sad to see Christmas as being more of a time of sales and marketing and less about our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. Should it not be a time to preach repentance to all those we see? Should we forget the many great and wonderful gifts that Jesus Christ gave us through the Atonement?

We strive to teach this gospel to all those who are willing to listen, who have been prepared to recieve us. I have had this goal in mind since I left the MTC and I think it should be said...I will try to put this goal in scripture form.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, a mission was the best two years of my life: but I say unto you that a Mission should be the two years that lead into the best of your life."
I hope that in two years I can say. "A mission wasn't just a rare occasion that I will never experience again. but that a mission will be the beggining of a new experience."

Love you all,
Elder Hedgecock