September 26, 2016

Time never seems to slow down... jajjaja that is so true. Jamie is home??? that is Sooooo weird... jajaja. 

How was the woman's broadcast?? what did you learn??

It has been a fun week! We had interviews with the president! That was Tuesday. Then we had interchanges. that was way good. We ate some awesome pizza and chicken thanks to Hermano Uzurgaste. :) Me and Elder Castillo worked together. We found a person who said she didn't believe in anyone or anything. We taught her in the door a little. Testifying of God and his Son Jesus Christ and how we knew that they live and are real people. She started to cry. She had felt the Spirit. We did a prayer with her there in her front door and then we said we would pass by again. It was an awesome experience. I had always been kind of scared to find an ateo (atheist) but in the moment that we talked with her we were able to say the things she needed to hear. Now we are going to have to go pass by her house in these days. We found 3 investigators between me and him in that day we had together so it was awesome!!! His comp is laughing at me for my horrible English still... there's not much I can do about it... I am in a Spanish speaking country... jajajaj. This week we have leadership council and zone meeting this week so those should be fun. This last week we also participated in the world service day of the church. We painted the hospital of Maipu. We had a couple stakes there working on it. it was way fun!!! We were able to paint it all. Or at least all that they asked us to paint. We had quite a few missionaries there too. Who doesn't like to paint??? 

I also had a talk on missionary work and how my family helped me to prepare me for the mission. So I believe the Bishop just wanted to see the big rugby playing gringo cry. jaja. I cried a bit. But I talked about everything you guys did for me. It was almost everything that was taught in the scriptures by King Benjamin in Mosiah 1-5. It's everything you guys have taught me. That we have to serve that I need to watch my thoughts, words, and actions, that I need education, that I need to study the scriptures, and that I need to love others like God love them. So I shared that all with them. And I just want to thank all of you family and friends (friends are family to me) for everything you have done for me. That you have all helped me in my way so I could come to Argentina and be an instrument in the Lord's hands and help some other people come unto him. Thank you all for everything you have taught me with your actions words and love that you all have given me. I love you guys a ton and I am very thankful for everything you have done. Be safe. And Always bear testimony of our Saviour. In every moment. I know that it is a blessing to bear our testimonies whenever we can. 

Love you guys and we'll see ya next week :)

Con amor,

Elder Hakes

September 19, 2016

Happy birthday Nessa and Carlee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you guys enjoyed your big days!!! :)

Sounds like all is going well in the sports department :) jajajaj. I miss playing sports... it would be fun to go play a game of rugby or football :) 

Girls camp already???? jajajjja. That's crazy..... are you in charge again??

OOOOOooooo that won't be fun for Jacob..... (Ryan's cousin had some surgery on his hand this week.)

They are touring Japan???? I didn't think they would end up doing that... jajajja sounds like a ton of fun though!!! I would so do that too ;) ;) nudge nudge jajaj. I can't believe she is ending her mission.... that is so crazy. and it came so fast... the mission passes by so fast... it's not even funny no fair. I wish it would slow down sometimes but at the same time I like that it goes so fast because it can get boring if it goes slow. (Ryan's cousin Jamie is returning from her mission in Japan On September 26th and her parents picked her up.)

It has been a good week. This last week was transfers but looks like I stay with my comp. I guess I'll have 4 and a half meses here!! jajja. I think the President puts me in a place and forgets about me and then when he remembers when it's been about 6 months  in  a area. jajaja. but it's all good. 

We had our district meeting Friday and it threw me off completely.... jajjaja. It is always Tuesday and they changed it to Friday for the week no más and I thought that the week had started over like subconsciously I felt it was Tuesday when I knew it was Wednesday. jajaj. fun stuff no?? Sunday felt weird for that reason but it was way good anyways. We had a way good semana. We found 8 new investigators and they all seem pretty interested. We have a ton of lessons for this week. I think we have to Wednesday full with citas.... crazy stuff!! It's a blessing to be so busy. But we are working a ton. It's fun to work hard and see the results. I was sitting there in sacrament meeting Sunday looking at all the people that had come to church in the last 3 months. Like the people we have been working with members inactive and investigators. Its was so beautiful to see that. And then I felt like I was going to be in the Young men's when I get home. Like it will be my calling and so I think I need to prepare for that.... jajjaja. I don't know why but I felt like I am going to help in young men's. Sounds fun to me so I am cool with that!! 

This week I was reading in Mosiah. It has been very interesting. I loved in the first chapter that he first showed how he taught his children to study and get to know things of the world and also the scriptures. Then he starts teaching them to keep the commandments and other things but I like when it says that he taught them until he got old. and right before he was about to die. I think it should be the same with all parents and future parents. They should be ready to teach their children until the day that they pass to the next world. Because We as children always need the wisdom of our fathers and mothers. That goes for fathers and mothers who have children Grandparents, great grandparents and Ancient parents!! jaja. But I have been loving to read of The King Benjamin and everything he teaches in those first 5 chapters. I think they are very important for us and they are very interesting to me. You guys should go read them today!! He teaches so many things that we need to do in our lives. It has helped me to think of some things I want to change in my life and improve. I hope you guys are taking advantage of the scriptures that we have at such easiness. They truly are delightful for the soul like Nefi teaches. If you aren't searching them everyday. Repent. And start searching them. They will change your lives. Like they are changing mine. I love you guys a ton. Have an amazing week. :)

Con amor,

Elder Hakes

September 12, 2016

Sounds like a week of fun!!! jajaja. I miss working up there at the shabin. It will be so weird to show up and a lot will be done... it's going to be way different jajaja. But oh well. I guess it's the life of a missionary :) That's good to hear football is going good. I honestly didn't think that it would be going so well. 

GRANDPA AND GRANDMA HAKES ARE  MOVING?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

i did not expect that at all.... wow. i am going to be so lost when i get home... jajjaja. i knew how to get there blindfolded. but, oh well. If it's better for them that makes me happy :) But that will be way weird having family parties... You'll have to all have one last Hakes party in the house  and take pics so  we all have memories of the house in fiesta!! jajajaj. 

This week has been a fun one. We found a couple of people who lived in the USA but are from argentina. They went to the U S for a couple of years and then came back. So I practiced my English a little. One of the people was a lady called Lorena. She is a traductor here in Argentina. She was correcting my English because I talked in bad grammar..... jajjajaja. I never thought that that would happen to me in the mission. People are now correcting more of my English than Spanish!!! jajaja. I think I might be in trouble when I get back but oh well. I have a long time until I need to think about that. But it was interesting to find so many people from Argentina who have gone to the US. They were way good people and way nice too. 

We have a couple lessons set for this week!! We'll have to see what happens there :) Did you get the fotos of the baptism of Yolanda? I hope so!! jaja. This week we also participates in an Open house of the church. Capill Abierta. It was in Estanzuela. We went and basically did a tour of the church and explaining the basics of the church!! It was way cool!! It was kind of like the visitors center of the temples where the hermanas do a tour. Same thing basically. We didn't have a lot of success because they only gave a one weeks notice to that ward and they scrambled to get it all ready but I think the next ones will be better. They have a facebook page where they are going to put all the pictures of us there. So check out Capilla Abiertas Misión Mendoza Argentina, Capilla Abiertas de Mendoza y San Juan or something similar to those 2 ideas. I don't remember how it was exactly but it should be easy to find?? Let me know if you find it and if there are any good pics :) The one they are going to do in Lujan is in December so I dont think I'll be here.. I hope my next area will have it! 

We just had traslados and I am going to stay another one here so 6 weeks más!!! WOOT WOOT!! This ward is way cool. I love it. They are working hard to help us and it's awesome. We are having success for the help of the members like I have been telling you guys the last couple weeks. 

I hope you guys are all  doing great that you are working hard and having fun. 

Love you guys a ton!! 

Keep safe!!

Con amor,

Elder Hakes

September 5, 2016

Hey! 

It has been one crazy week.... jajajajaja. It has been a lot of trainings and meetings this week. Tuesday we had Leadership meeting all day, Then Wednesday was weekly planning in the morning and meeting with stake missionary guy in the night, Thursday Zone conference, Friday doctor for my comp with a bad knee and tormenta blanca in the afternoon, Saturday BAPTISMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Saturday afternoon we trained the ward mission leaders, Sunday church. So it has been every day a meeting of some sort. in 2 of them we had to train... jajajaja. It was completely crazy. We weren't able to do almost anything of the normal missionary work in the week. So that was a sad point... but what can we do. Some weeks you just have to do with what comes your way. 

It was good week anyways because Yolanda Domingez was baptized. She was basically a member when we started teaching her. She lives all the commandments except that she drank a little tea. But she heard that it was something we shouldn't drink and she stopped drinking it immediately. She got her testimony that the church was true when she went  to the church I think. A lot of prayer too. It was as if we just passed over the topics because she already knew them. It was so awesome. She gave her testimony after the baptism and in the church Sunday. She is now preparing to go to the temple in 2 weeks to do baptisms for the dead of her own family. That makes me so happy :) She is a true convert. 

I hope you guys are doing good. This week I have been learning a lot about the Book of Mormon. Nephi has been teaching me a lot ;) He has taught me the true purpose of the Book of Mormon and for what purpose it is written. It was interesting. President Goates talked to us about the importance of the Book of Mormon in answering all the questions we or people in the street have for their lives. The Book of Mormon can answer whatever question we have if we read it with real intention and listen to the spirit as we read the words. It has helped me to see the truth of the doctrine we teach and more importantly it helps me learn who God and Jesus Christ are and the love that they have for each and every one of us. It is a gift that I think all of use without understanding what book we really have in our hands. The ONE book in al the world that can give us all the answers we seek. I know that it is the word of God and that if you read it with real intent that you will be able to feel the same love that I have for these sacred scriptures. I hope that you all can enjoy the greatest book in all of mankind. 

Love you guys a ton. Keep safe.

Con amor,

Elder Hakes