Instagram

Monday, December 30, 2013

Noche Buena, Guayaba, Hna. Call y No One Knows What He Can Do Until He Tries.You'll Never Achieve Your Dreams If They Don't Become Goals.

ELDER HILL, CHRISTIAN, CINTHYA y NINOS, ELDER SANDOVAL ~ FELIZ NAVIDAD (24th)

 It was good to see the fam again on Wednesday. I know it was a little packed and all that, but it was good. Looks like the snow is hitting hard. The weather down here has been good still. It rained on Christmas and Thursday but that`s as close as it got to a white Christmas down here. 

On the 24th, Noche Buena, we went to visit a few people. In the missionary handbook it says that Saturday, Sundays, and Holidays are good opportunities to find new people to teach because everyone is home and with their family.... however, the culture here it totally different. Most people have parties and they aren`t really interested in anyone reminding them of the commandments. Of course, there is the occasional good person who lets you in and receives a little lesson. We also  went to see our investigators and the people that we`ve been finding. Some were home, others weren`t. We ate a lot of food that night because the 24th is their day for eating dinner and spending time with the family. 

On Christmas, everything was so quiet! Nobody was on the streets, no loud music. All was still. We went to a district meeting in the zone. Elder Calderón got sick and we had to finish the meeting. It`s been a while since either one of us has given a district meeting.  We ate that day with the Martinez Ayala Family. They gave us some sort of pork roast bathed in guayaba. Strange, but good. After, we went to Rafa`s house to talk to the family the four of us from the ward. Good day. Then we went to see Alfredo because he was on  track to be baptized this Sunday, and he was. 

ELDERS' HILL y SANDOVAL, JOSE LUIS, YOLANDA,
y ANA LAURA
Alfredo was baptized yesterday and the overall didn`t really fit him to well. He`s a big guy and was making a ton of jokes about how he didn`t fit into the clothes. Alfredo has been to many churches and knows a lot of other doctrines which has assisted him in being able to make the right decisions and feel, more than anything, what church is the right church. He`s a humble man from humble circumstances and that`s what has helped him be one of the elect in these days.

ELDER HILL, BRIANDA, RODRIGO, MARIO, ALEJANDRA y ELDER SANDOVAL
On Thursday we did exchanges with the assistants. In the afternoon all of our appointments had fallen through  and we decided to move our plans up a little. When we were almost getting to our next appointment, we passed a lady and said, "buenas noches." Elder De Los Santos and I looked at each other then turned around to talk to the lady. Turns out she is the mom of the 19 year old kid who was killed about two months ago when Christian, Cinthya, and a few other people could go to church. We talked to their family and they are looking for answers. The father, Lázaro, accepted everything really well and even said that he`d go to church. They, too, have received many other churches and haven`t felt the need to join any of them. Tender mercies happen every day. 

Sunday was Alfredo`s baptism. Actually, his name is Martin, but someone called him Alfredo a long time back and it stuck. So while the Bishop baptized him, he said his name and suddenly Martin`s wife shouts, "Martin Alfredo!" like trying to correct the Bishop. Everyone just sat there stunned and a little startled. The Bishop talked to Martin, and re-started the ordinance. It was pretty funny. We think she did it because the tradition here is that when you baptize a little baby, that`s the name that will be used from that point on.... IDK. 

From Sister Call this week: 

Some of you already know that I like to collect inspirational thoughts.  Here are a few that I would like to share with you on goal setting:

Organize your values in the order of their worth.

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

No one knows what he can do until he tries.

Keep your eye on eternal goals.

Without some goal and an effort to reach it, no man can live.

Set your goals high enough to inspire you and within reach enough to encourage you.

Goals that are not written down are just wishes.

A goal is a planned event.

You'll never achieve your dreams if they don't become goals.


I hope you will take some time this week to set some worthwhile, achievable goals for yourself.

Let’s make this the best year ever!        Abrazos…….Hermana Call 
Let`s make 2014 the best year of our lives because we are always progressing and moving forward. We shouldn`t be like Lot`s wife with the heart stuck in the past and wishing for things to be the way they used to be. 2013 will soon be water under the bridge or over the dam. 

From PMG: 
“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”

–Elder M. Russell Ballard

Happy New Opportunity to Reflect, Re-evaluate, and Progress Forward. 

Love, 

Elder Hill 

-- 24th with:
- José Luis, Yolanda, Ana Laura. We bought them their books for Christmas. 
-Christian and Cinthya and kids
-Brianda, Rodrigo, Mario, Alejandra. 


Monday, December 23, 2013

I DON`T KNOW HOW PEOPLE CAN WAIT SO LONG TO GO TO THE TEMPLE! IT`S INCREDIBLE! Merry CHRISTmas & Happy New Year!

 What a week! It went by so fast. Well, seeing that we`ll be chit chatting on Christmas, I`ll just put the highlights. 
 
 On Tuesday Elder Sandoval and I went to the temple. I hadn`t been to the temple since February 9th, 2012. Almost 22 1/2 months.  I DON`T KNOW HOW PEOPLE CAN WAIT SO LONG TO GO TO THE TEMPLE! IT`S INCREDIBLE! There were so many things that I remembered and my energy and dedication was renewed! It was a great experience to be there again. 


Wednesday we went to a district meeting in Melchor Ocampo where Elder Martin is. It`s been good to have him in the zone after being companions. Elder Larsen is also here in the zone. 

Saturday we had our mission Christmas activity. We ate some food, sang some Christmas hymns, and a few special musical numbers. President Call`s family at Christmas time sings the 12 Days of Christmas song, but for the mission. Their kids didn`t get here on time due to bad weather, so when we sang it on Saturday I had to sing the 4th day which was, "Letters from home." I`ll have to write all the lyrics later. Also, Brianda and Rodrigo got married and Brianda passed her interview. We had the ward Christmas party and that was good as well. The little kids did a little nativity scene from the Book of Mormon and Bible and the Relief Society sang some Christmas songs. It was a really good activity. 

Sunday was a great day because there were three baptisms. Christian, Cinthya, and Brianda were baptized. We had Bro. Torres baptized Christian and Cinthya because he`s been their little member friend family. Brianda was baptized by Rodrigo, her new 'husband' even though they already had years of knowing each other. They all felt really great, spiritually reborn, and the light in their eyes was so much more visible than before. No doubt that this is the one and only true Church approved and guided by Jesus Christ Himself. Great times. 

Well, I think that`s about it. We`ll talk on Wednesday at around 5. I`ll send an email before so that you know what time and all that fun jazz. Hang in there! 

Love, 

Elder Hill  
OH, and I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Loves, 

Elder Hill 



PIX: Baptisms this week! 
more of baptism 
Elder De Los Santos 
Elder Martin

Even in Mexico the kids say, "Mom, I am doing my homework!" but they`re really on Facebook. 










I know... I`m just too good looking. 











I know... I`m just too good looking. 


Monday, December 16, 2013

Visitors Center, CHRISTmas, Would HE Shop or Go Preach the Gospel or Heal a Wounded Heart?

ELDERS HILL AND SANDOVAL WITH INVESTIGATORS AT MEXICO CITY VISITORS CENTER
MEXICO CITY TEMPLE


So, this week has been crazy. The highlight was that we went to the visitor`s center that was opened on November 23rd. There were so many people there! I saw people from Querétaro and Tezontepec which was crazy. I also ran into members from Jardines and Valle de Tules.  I never thought that I`d see so many people that I knew. The Church world is so small. Elder Sandoval pretty much had a family reunion because he had so much family that came from Puebla. It was a good time. Oh, I also saw Elder Tolentino who was with me in trio when I first got to the mission! He got home two weeks ago and was with his family at the VC. I forgot to take a picture. 
 



The visitor`s center here is really neat with a bunch of new technology and interactions. Everyone who went loved it and was able to learn a little bit more about the church which is the best part. We should have Brianda, Cristian, and Cintia`s baptism next Sunday. Brianda still has to get married so we`ll see how that goes. 


Other than that, there wasn`t anything too interesting that happened this week. I`m getting a little better thanks to the buttock antibiotic injections the doctor prescribed me. That`s something that never happens at home. 

Merry Christmas season to all. I hope that we can all relax a little and not worry so much about the gifts and the goodies, and just worry about serving someone in need. What would Christ do? Go shopping all day for deals on electronics and all the newest fun stuff, or would he go preach the Gospel or heal a wounded heart? I`m not perfect, but I`d rather avoid the headache of going shopping and just go help someone else. We`ve all made covenants at baptism that we are willing to take the name of Christ upon us, to cry with those who suffer, and to lend a helping hand. Now, more than ever, it is needed to be done to have a better world. 


Christ lives. He was resurrected and He guides His Church today. No doubt about it. President Monson is a prophet. He speaks to Jesus Christ face to face just as the prophets of old. There is no other true Church than this one. Pray. Know for yourself. 

Happy day! All is well! 

Love, 

Elder Hill 


 PIX/FOTOS

all of our investigators in the Visitor`s center 





the sign out front
The temple 
Kenith and Crisanta (family of Yatziri) from Querétaro
Hermano Oscar from Tezontepec 
Cabello Family (mom and son who got home from the mish in August) from Querétaro

Elders Sandoval y Hill Mexico City Visitors Center Seguimosa Jesucristo
Elders Carmack, Torrecilla, Hill and Sandoval at the Cristus
The group again. Looks better this one. 
Cristian and Cintia and their 5 kids with Rodrigo and Brianda
 
Elder Olivares and Elder Lopez and us, (Elders Hill and Sandoval)

Us on the bus. 

Hola Son,
Tell me that you are better!!!??
Justin Parkinson is back, Troy Schuler's homecoming was today. So may people are already back....
Hey, I`m feeling a little better. The doctor gave me antibiotic injections, so that was fun doing the whole IM in the buttocks thing this week. I might have to go back for more because I still have a good cough and green phlegm. 

Please get my transcripts asap because Davis district only has stuff until the student is 21 then it`s out of their system. 

I know a lot of people are back. Oh well. That`s how life is. 

Love you. Hope things get better. 

Ma-Got transcripts! YOU ARE IN, (Mt. Nebo Paramedic Training), don't worry...Mom's got that part handled. Do you think you will do the 3rd semester of Mt. Nebo?
Don't get me wrong, happy not home yet. Home not ready. I love  you!
I don`t know yet. I could do it, however, I`m not sure if I will because I still don`t know if I`ll start at USU, (Utah State University), in the fall or if I`ll do POST or anything like that. I don`t think I`ll do fire (academy) because they will be cutting back guys due to the new health insurance stuff that Obama pulled. If you could find out if DCSO, (Davis County Sheriff’s Office), hires part time medics and when POST , (Peace Officers Standards & Training),will be, that would help.
Thanks. Ps- I can call  or skype the 22, 24, 25, or 29th. Do you want me to skype the 25th around 5pm? That`s about when my companion will call. I still have time next week to make plans.... 

Ma-Yes, but I think we will use google hangouts, that’s what Thueson’s do.
I don`t know if I can use google hangouts on this account because the church has certain limitations.

Don`t worry. I`m happy I`m not home yet, too. Still lacks a little time. Tell Ryan to write me when he makes a little time. 
Ma-Ok i will. Love you. At storage looking through units to find stuff. All furniture etc is here. We sleep on mattress on floor
Welcome to the mission life. 
MA :( at least you know where your pants are. I have 1 pair!!!
I think you`re good on a few pictures for now. :) 
MA-I can't do much on that end because you have to do the post pre test. But i will get info


That`s fine but if you can get the info. I`m sure I`ll pass the pre test.... it`s like the ASVAB. Remember who you are talking to dear mother. 
MA-No kidding!! I just can't submit the applications without your tests.

look into it and we`ll talk next week. But if I get on at DCSO when would I go through post when I get home? Dates so that I can plan a little and see how it works. 

Love you. Gotta go. Tell the fam hello for me. 





Sunday, December 15, 2013

Blogging, Comments, Questions and Answers

Oh my goodness Everyone! Thank you SO much for all your posts! I hope you all receive this email!

This is me hugging my son before he left!
I will try and answer you all in 1 email, going from my phone to laptop. Thank you for all your compliments and for taking your precious time to read our blog! :) Please keep coming back! I would love to have you add your country when you comment, that would be AWESOME!
1st of all. I created this blog almost 2 years ago for my son who is serving the Lord, Heavenly Father/God on an LDS mission to Mexico City, the North area.

I had never done a blog, and really didn't know what one was until my son left for his mission.
I used google blog. found some templates, then adjusted in the edit part. Easy to do if you just use google and you get much traffic! 

I have never blogged before. These are his writings. I spellcheck and get creative with the pix, titles, but it is Matthew's writings. I am only allowed to receive an email from him every Monday, a phone call on Christmas and Mother's Day for 2 years! It is our religions, "Right of Passage" so to say. He would be THRILLED to touch SO many of you worldwide!

I spend about an hour a week reading his letters, copying to Word to lose formatting, proof-reading and spell-checking, downloading pictures, then uploading to the blog.

#1- if you would like more information on this subject, I have dedicated a page with links in each of your languages. Here is the link: http://eldermatthill.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_30.html Many of you are able to download The Book of Mormon from this page with NO SPYWARE OR MALWARE. If you choose to and read the book; pray and ask if it is true. If you would like a missionary to come and teach you more worldwide, they are available and would be there within a week or so. Just provide me with your name, address and telephone number. If you would like to chat with a missionary immediately... click this link: http://mormon.org/chat
#2- To subscribe to this feed via feedburner: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MattHill Other feeds: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ElderMattHill
#3- not sure how to protect against hackers... not that web savvy. If you use blogger and many others, it backs up your information, as well as an external hard drive.
#4- Some have wondered "how" they got to this website. My answer would be God directed you. There ARE NO COINCIDENCES, in my book. :)
#5- As far as WYSIWYG, (What You See Is What You Get, I remember from college) I have little coding experience. Mostly just to rename html's, edit a bit and re design this site. Google Blogger is what I use and it is EASY!!
#6- Some have stated this page runs off in Internet Explorer. I have checked Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer here... seems to be no problem. Try adjusting your display settings. Try the boring version of it here:http://www.missionsite.net/eldermatthewhill/main
#7- YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY welcome to share this with ANYONE, ANYTIME!!
#8- Occasionally I get duplicate comments. I have hear from a few that they do to. I do not know how to "unsubscribe you" Google it. Sorry.
#9- I only get photos when he sends them. Mexico City can be dangerous, so he only takes pictures when he feels safe. Sometimes I have many, sometimes none. Sorry.
#10- If you haven't read all the posts...start from here! http://eldermatthill.blogspot.com/
#11- PLEASE don't SPAM this site..find others. Thank you!
I hope i answered all of your questions, comments, concerns and critiquing.
Thanks again for visiting!

Enjoy and good luck. Keep coming back!!

Monday, December 9, 2013

What A Week, (Again) Pray For Investigators & Family Home Evening!

ELDER HILL AND FAMILY HOME EVENING GAME
Hey, 

I`m exhausted. I`ve been sick since I threw up that one Wednesday two weeks ago. I`m still waiting to see if I have bronchitis or something’s but the mucous is green and I`m pretty sure it`s an infection. Lovely. I`m losing weight, too. I was at 77 kg but I`m down to like 75. I heard that flights were delayed because of the snow. Actually, we had to delay trainings for new missionaries this week because their flights were cancelled or something like that. That´s what the assistants said. 
I just pay 25 pesos to have a doctor check me out and give me a rx or I have a member I can go to to have him give me a rx for something good. I know green is infection but I was waiting just because it wasn`t in good enough amounts to tell if it was an infection or one of those moments it just happened to turn up green. 

No, I`m going to buy some things today. Don`t worry. I`m a big boy now.
Mom-Are you getting transferred? Where do you want to visit?
No, I`m staying here. I`ve thought about it, but I`ll let you know for sure next week. Also, I need a few things so that I can write that letter for the scholarships. 

--full address of house in Bountiful
--scanned copy of my last transcript. Were you able to get my last, full, official transcript?
--scanned copy of both of the birth certificates.
--information about Mt. Nebo-- name of director, email, tel #, address 
--breakdown of the costs of Mt Nebo (ex... $7500 total, but $6500 tuition, $500 books, $500 uniform or whatever it is). 

PINEDO FAMILIA Y ELDERS DASTRUP, TORRECILLA, SANDOVAL Y HILL
LEADERSHIP MEETING
What a week. It`s been so hard being sick still and not being able to focus on what I need to do. So many things that have happened to me this week that I`ve been tempted to say, "What else is going to happen?" However, I`d rather not call down the powers of Heaven to give me more trials. Cristian, Cintia, José Luis, Yolanda, Ana Laura, Alfredo, and Brianda are all programmed for the 22nd to be baptized. It`s been a long time since the ward has had baptisms and so many at a time. The Lord is blessing His ward, not us. It`s just great to be involved in it all. 
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WITH PRESIDENT & HERMANA CALL
This week we hope to be able to go to the new visitor`s center in District Federali, next to the temple. It`s been closed since before I got here and they all say that it`s really amazing. The ward is going this Saturday and we`re inviting all the investigators that we have. Should be a good time. 
BOWLING!!

Well, keep enjoying the snow. We went bowling today. Transfers are going to be tomorrow but we are staying together Sandoval and me. Should be a good last transfer.  Last night had a FHE with the Pinedo family. Good stuff. Well, the internet guy is closing soon so I have to go. Please pray for the investigators that we have so that they can make it to their baptismal date and the rest of the families that we are teaching so that they can be baptized, too. Love you all. Happy week of snow! 

Loves, 

Elder Hill 

Pix/fotos
game we played at FHE with Pinedo. Explain later... let`s just say I was victim
--leadership council this week with all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. 
--Elder Dastrup, Torrecilla, Sandoval, and me with Fam. Pinedo
--Bowling today because transfers tomorrow and Dastrup leaves. 


Monday, December 2, 2013

WHAT A WEEK & BE DILIGENT AND OBEDIENT EVEN WHEN THE OPPOSITION COMES HEAVY!

ELDERS HILL y SANDOVAL, HERMANA CALL y ELDER DASTRUP

On Wednesday I got up and wasn`t feeling too well,  but we went to the church at 10;30 because we had interviews with President Call after our district meeting. E. Sandoval and I went last so the interview was really short since we had gone over time during the morning. I also ate my last "interview brownie" in the mission. Crazy. Anyway, the four of us (E. Dastrup and Torrecilla) leave and go eat and the family gives us rice, eggs w/ jalapeños, and lemonade. From there, we stopped by the house to grab something and I threw up what we ate. I thought that I`d just take some good old pepto and all would be well. So, we head to Tepalcapa for a meeting with Elder Daniel L. Johnson, the area President. Before the meeting we got our vaccinations but the doctor got a little lost and got there late. I started helping fill syringes so that we could get done on time and I was feeling a little queezy and towards the end E. Dastrup is like, "Hey Hill, can you inject me?" The doctor was like 'go ahead' so I inject him real quick, and put the syringe on the table and I feel nauseous. I head to the bathroom when it starts coming up so I cover the mouth, get to the garbage can, and then in the bathroom someone said 'hey if you need the toilet go ahead' so I get to the toilet and throw up everything else that I had eaten that day and I look over and I splattered Elder Grace`s shoe with stuff  and my shirt was splattered but you couldn`t really tell with the jacket on. Needless to say I think it was my most embarrassing day in the mission. Throw up stained shirt at a meeting with a General Authority. 


Cristian and Cintia are progressing well. They have 5 little kids and the 3 little girls stayed in primary and enjoyed their time. Yolanda, José Luis, and Ana Laura went as well and are progressing toward baptism. Ana Laura gave us each a little Christmas balloon and a little letter. I`ll take pictures for next week. We`ve been finding new people little by little but so far no success. We´re doing our best to always be diligent and obedient even when the opposition comes heavy. It`s been one of the most challenging yet rewarding times of the mission. ALMA 32:40-43 Through patience and hard work, looking forward to the end when the tree bears fruit, that`s why we go through hard times. To grow and then get the reward. 

Well, I think that`s about it. I`m sorry for not taking pictures... I just don`t think about it too much. I`ll take my camera this week to take pictures of our invetigators and maybe some places here in Tepotzotlan. 
Be good. Love you all.

Elder Hill
ps... brownies in interview and a cake the four of us ate today (Dastrup, Torrecilla, Sandoval, me)
Hey, 
I was actually going to thank you for that today. I was just in a huge frenzy last week because I didn`t have time to write or anything. Lately we`ve been doing things on Mondays and we don`t have time to do anything else. 
How much did it cost you to do it? I really do appreciate it and I apologize if it was far too much to have it done. Maybe I should have just left it how it was in the first place. 
Hope Josh can get better. I`m glad the house is moving along and if it`s not finished when I get home that`s fine. I`ll help to get it finished. 
Also, I emailed Kirk at Mt. Nebo  last week but he didn`t answer me this week. I asked him how it would work for when I get home... Has Lane said anything about South Davis doing a training school? I know that they hired two two years ago this last August so I`m not sure what their plans would be. Do you have Dane Stone`s email in my phone, or John Hauze`s? I can`t remember if it ends in @sdmf.org or @southdavismetrofire.org.

ttyl.

me



Monday, November 25, 2013

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! BARE YOUR TESTIMONY! MISSION BEST FOR YOUNG MAN & THE DREAM TEAM

FROM SISTER CALL IN THIS WEEK'S LETTER:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."  Mosiah 18:23 “…and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God.”   
I am grateful for each one of you.    Abrazos……..Hermana Call

Honestly, this mission is the best thing to do for a young man before he does anything in life. My poor wife, whomever she may be, will be infinitely more appreciative that she didn´t have to deal with me as a normal man without the mission. My boss, wherever I may go, will be happy because I´m not like the rest of the men in the world. There are just certain principles that a missionary learns and SHOULD continue to practice and strive to do after the mission that can literally change the world. We are the light of the world and we can´t just hide anything. Let your light so shine, wherever you may be. I´m so grateful for the mission experience and it´s the best thanksgiving gift I can give is go and find more people. Same with Christmas.... it´s like Christ-más (Christ-more ) every day as a missionary. No better place to be. 

Anyway, I think the fact that it´s almost over is getting me but this week was super awesome. The Lord sent 12 investigators with a baptismal date to church yesterday and that is almost unheard of right now in the mission. IT IS NOT US! We are simply instruments in His hands. Please pray for them. These people are the following: 

-Brianda
-Edgar
-Carmen (Edgar´s wife- well, soon to be wife)
-José Luis (José Luis, Yolanda his wife, and Ana Laura the daughter)
-Yolanda
-Ana Laura
-Ricardo
-Alfredo (wife of a member less active)
-Camelia
-Cristian (with five little kids and he´s only 28! Born to be a Mormon!)
-Cintia (Cristian´s wife)
-Alicia (Brianda, Cristian, and Edgar´s mom)

Ricardo is separate, Camelia is separate, and Alfredo is separate, but the rest are from two families. The Church looks for families because we experience REAL GROWTH in Zion and we progress that much more. Oh, and guess what! Ricardo´s last name is ESCOGIDO! (chosen) We found that pretty funny. Well, I don´t have much time today to write because we still have to wash the laundry, but just know that the work will always go on until it has sounded in every ear. If we want the Millennium to come faster, preach the Gospel more! Fulfill the prophecies faster and then we might just experience something even greater in our lives. 

Don´t forget to share your testimony this week in Sacrament meeting! I invite you, but more importantly, God invites you because the testimony is strengthened by sharing it. 

Love you all! 

Elder Hill and Elder Sandoval
(aka-- "The Dream Team")


ps- I haven´t taken pictures... sorry. I´ll try and do that more but we are just so busy lately. I´ll take pics of our investigators this week so that you know them by face.  

Monday, November 18, 2013

COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS!

ELDERS SANDOVAL AND HILL
It`s been a pretty spiritually crammed week, eh? These last two weeks have probably been the most tiring of my entire mission, and this last week we saw the fruits of all that work that we have been doing. 

Monday: 
We went to visit Brianda and Rodrigo at their house at night and they live fairly far from our house. We taught lesson 1, the Restoration, and Brianda accepted a baptismal date for the 15th of December. Blessing.  Rodrigo is a less active member. So, we leave their house and we started walking to the house and we were going to get home a little late with President`s permission. Suddenly a combi drives by and I whistle at it, it stops, and they tell us to get in. This combi was just going to the store but they took us to the corner next to our house and didn`t charge anything. Blessing. 

Tuesday: 
We went to eat with an older sister in the ward but because she was alone we had to eat outside and suddenly it started drizzling. We ate fast and went home to grab the sweaters because it was a little cold. We went to the Trebol to look for a contact that we had made a few days back and so we counted how many streets we had to go and we entered, knocked on the house, and no answer. We thought to ourselves, "Why are we here?" Knowing that the Lord put us there for a reason, we were there analyzing for like 3 minutes. I turn around and there is a little dry cleaning business there and so I feel like we need to contact them. A little old lady, Guadalupe, comes out and we explain the situation that we had been looking for someone, and then she explains that we had counted the blocks wrong. So we taught her lesson 1, too, and then she says at the end, "Good thing you boys made a mistake so that you could come bring me this wonderful message." Blessing. We left feeling a little stunned, thinking that maybe she might be a less active member, but no, she wasn`t. We are still teaching her. So we count the blocks correctly and nobody was home there either. Asking the same question, we feel like knocking two doors. From one, Gloria answered and from another answered Cintia. Both gave us appts to come back and share a message. Blessing. We leave there and go to talk to Brianda. We arrive and we teach the law of chastity because they aren`t married. They both understood and are making plans to get married. Blessing. 

Wednesday:
We go to a district meeting in the zone and one of the stinking sisters kept staring at me all through the meeting. I was super uncomfortable. CURSE. Pres. Call asked us to re-evaluate the goals for December to see if we would be inspìred to lower them so we helped them understand why that was and the zone goal went from 57 to 40, a very much more reasonable goal since we haven`t been fulfilling our goals as a mission. The mission goal went from 261 to 197. Blessing. I know that if we reach our goals now, we will all get more excited and work harder for January and on. After the uncomfortable district meeting, we went to the Trebol again and nobody was home, so we went with Rafa and Yamina, a really cool family here in the ward. Blessing. Rafa (Rafael) shared something that was really cool that I hadn`t understood in this way before. In D&C 18:15-16 it says that if we bring one soul unto Christ then how great will be our joy in the kingdom, and we will be so much more joyful with many souls. What Rafa explained is that the one soul that Christ asks for is OUR ONE SOUL, for how great will be OUR joy living with Him. The other souls come by helping others and preaching the Gospel. Just like on the airplanes when they talk about the O2 mask, save yourself, then you can help others. 

Thursday: 
We had weekly planning and we were about to go buy some enchiladas next to the house when the family where we live asked us if we had eaten and if we wanted some flautas (hard tacos). Blessing. We went and talked to Gloria in the Trebol and she said that she remembers when she was little a mormon family friend gave her a little doll for Christmas. This lady is like 70 something so if she still remembers it, it must have been a good experience. That`s our little window to have her allow us teach her family. Blessing. Patricia is an investigator that has been having the missionaries for a while. We stopped by to talk to her and I had noticed that something was wrong with her before but she didn`t tell us. This time, we talked about how if she goes to church she can receive revelation to know how to take care of that problem. I was talking to her about the blessings that she can receive and promising her that if she goes, she will feel better. She suddenly turns away and says that she felt something and that I should stop talking to her like that. We know it was the Spirit that she felt and that He was reprimanding her for not having taken the initiative to go. She said that she was going to go, but she didn`t. :(  Leaving her little store, we were walking to another appt and I suddenly felt that we should go down a fairly dark alley way. We did and we got to the end and noticed that it had no way out. Stopping and asking the same question as to why we were there, the words, "red door", came to mind and guess what? We were standing in front of a red door. We knock, and Alma comes out. She`s like 22 and she said that she had friends from the church and we made an appt to go back. Blessing. Later we find out that her cell number was already in our cell phone! Coincidence? I think not! 

Also on Thursday we went to see Rodrigo and Briando again. We walked in and Brianda looked totally different. This time she was radiating light (which was absent in past lessons) and she tells us that she didn`t receive her answer by praying, rather by sharing her experience and what she has been learning with her brother Cristian and mom, Alicia. 

Friday: 
Exchanges with Elders Ferrin and Castillo. Martha is an investigator of theirs who hasn`t progressed in more than a year! I knew why at the end of the lesson. She wasn`t praying the right way. She was praying in like third person or something. We explained it to her and I know that it will help her a lot by having a communication with her Heavenly Father. 

Saturday: 
We go visit Cristian and Cintia and they are super excited to go to church. They said that they are going to close their restaurant and go to church. Blessing. They both accept a baptismal date for the 15th of December. Blessing. 

Sunday: 
Adalberto goes to church alone and says that he was going to get baptized somewhere else but he had to move. He investigated the time and place, and showed up alone. Miracle. Yolanda, José Luis, and Ana Laura, a family of three said that they didn`t want to go to church when we contacted them. Suddenly they show up and love it and they`ve come two weeks now, and say that they`ll come next week, too! Miracle. We called Camelia to see why she wasn`t able to go to church and turns out that she was all ready to go and there was a shooting outside her house so she wasn`t able to leave. Opposition. Cristian and Cintia had something come up in the business and couldn`t make it. Opposition. We had several investigators in church and the Sacrament meeting attendance rose a lot. Blessing. 

Basically, there are tons of blessings. Just count them and you will see that we have more blessings than oppositions. 

Love you all. Gotta go. 

Elder Hill 

pic- Sandoval and me when it was really cold outside. (In the 50`s.) I`m going to be in trouble when I get home and it`s SNOWING! 



Monday, November 11, 2013

Jared, Pray for the Gonzalez-Valdespino Family, Companion on the Same Level, SCORPIONS in the House & Redheads are Good Luck!!

ROBERTO Y ELDER HILL ~ JARDINES
So do you remember the 10 year old kid, Jared, from Jardines who had Leukemia? When I left in September he was doing fine, at home playing video games and all that. The other day I heard that he was going to have a heart transplant. Today we went to Jardines so that we could talk to Roberto about my companion`s knee and he told me that Jared passed away Saturday morning. I remember when the whole process started we went to visit them and I ended up sharing a message that I felt inspired. I talked about the plan that was created and that if Jared ended up passing to the other side that they needed to stay strong and stay in the church. I thought it was harsh at the time and when he was getting better I just thought how great that nothing had happened. Now that he has passed away, he really is in a better place and without a diseased and suffering body. Please pray for the Gonzalez-Valdespino family. 

Well, we did exchanges this week and I was with Elder Quintana. He`s a funny guy and he takes sleeping pills at night because he`s been having a really hard time not sleeping. At like 10:15p he lays down to go to sleep and I`m sitting there on the bed thinking about reading a little and he starts telling me that the light bulb is yellow, but then as he turns his head to one side it turns blue, then purple! He was just talking and talking and then he just fell asleep. It was seriously a funny moment. Something else that happened while I was with him is we got into the combi to go to another appt and a little girl sitting in the back corner pinches her little brother. The little brother gets mad and says, "Why did you pinch me?!" the little girl whispers, "Shhhh... it`s a redhead.... their good luck... I`ll tell you later!" So, even in Mexico people pinch just because they see a red head. 

ELDER SANDOVAL MAKING DESSERT
This week we found five new people who accepted a baptismal date. We`ve been seeing the fruits of working hard and being obedient. It`s so nice to be with a companion who is on the same level as me. I mean, the Spirit is who does all the work but it`s just different being with a companion who has the experience and knows his stuff well. And at church, five new people showed up to church without us even doing anything. They just showed up and happened to like it and said that they will come next week. Three of them was a Mom, Dad, and a son who E. Sandoval and Elder De Los Santos had contacted while we were on exchanges. When they contacted them they didn`t want anything, so they just left a card with our names and address of the church on it and pretty much just saying, `well, if you ever have time or want to stop by, here we are on Sunday`. SURPRISE! They show up. Miracles DO happen. 

CEREAL BOX ELDER HILL MADE MODEST
Oh, and we have scorpions that sneak into the house at night so we have to watch out. Also, I bought a box of cereal this week and the girl on the back wasn`t dressed very modestly, so, Sharpie made her modest. E. Sandoval made a dessert, too. I don`t know what it`s called in English or Spanish. But it`s like a quick lemon pie type thing. 

Well, other than that.... it was a pretty good week. I just don`t remember every little thing that happened. It`s hard to put 7 days or 168 hours into an email. Love you all! Have a fabulous week! 


Elder Hill  
Follow Me on Pinterest
MORE INFO ON MISSIONARY SERVICE @ LDS.ORG