Christmas Time... and it's cold here in Mexico!

Hola familia, 

I am super freezing so my hands are struggling to type. Here in Mexico, they don't have heaters, so when it gets cold, all the houses are just made out of cinder block and cement, so that is why I am soooo cold!! The gloves I had, the thumb started ripping and now I don't have a glove ha ha I just have one!! We have had rain for like five days now and I have cold wet feet. ha ha

My week was good. I loved talking to you; mom and papi!!! For Christmas, we ate like in every single house we visited that day…we can say I don't want to eat for another week and a half… ha ha ha ha it was GREAT!  We also had a baptism this week, her name is Liliana Dolorez Ruiz Honorato. I will send a picture next week. We are so excited for her. 

So this Christmas time, I have been thinking a lot about the promise that the prophet gave us; he said that if we would change the word from Christmas to "Christ" "mas" mas meaning more, but in spanish. I have thought about the word, the word Christ means our Savior and Lord, whom we love and serve, it means that we are willing to be followers of Him, meaning that we are also christians. Now, if we are christians, and members of the only true church on earth, whom really possess the sacred privilege of the priesthood, then we are going to show our faith through our actions. When we do this, it allows us to really find our testimony in the only true religion here on earth. Christ is the beginning and the end, He is our lawyer before the Father! He loves us more than we could ever imagine! Now the word, "mas" in spanish, it is the word meaning,"more", putting more with Christ, that means that we are willing to put what He would do and to put His gospel before our own wants, thus making the word Christ-more. I know that if we can accomplish this then we will receive amazing blessings from the heavens! I can testify of this from just one of the little and amazing events of my Christmas this year.  This year I have been trying to serve as the Lord wants us too. I was able to have a strengthened testimony that this is how Christmas should be spent; in the service of others so that they can have a great time. Thinking of that, this Christmas we had a guy come with us, he is always wanting to go with us, he wants to go on the mission. Well the last week, he told us that he wanted to go with us all the week long, I was thinking it was just to be with the spirit, and besides that, he is the only one who is a member in his family, his dad has told him that if he goes on the mission, he is not allowed to be part of the family coming home. He just said, well, I have to go, it is what the Lord wants! So, after Christmas, he was with us, I asked him what his family did for Christmas? He quietly said that they really don't do anything. Now, I felt the spirit testify to what we had possibly done for this young man, my heart was touched and I knew that the Lord wanted us here to help him to have a good Christmas in the way that the Lord wanted! I testify to the truthfulness of service! I love seeing a change in others faces and I know that they can feel the real love of Christ in their lives! I know that the gospel changes lives and makes us better people! I can testify of that because I have been living it and I have seen the changes take place. I want you to all just please search for someone to serve in this year that is coming up. Search for the ways that you can change someones life, but through the small and simple actions everyday, first start in the family, but don't let your efforts end there, find at least one person every month to say that you can change and help by subtly saying hi, helping to push a cart, or just helping with the snow or leaves. They are not big things, but they are the things that the Lord wants when He says in the scripture, "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass".  I promise you with all the spirit and love that I possess, that you will be more happy in just the next year that comes. I make this promise and I also promise you that you will find more love for the gospel and for others! I promise this and give all the love I have, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.

I am going now, so I love you with all that I am and I want you to go to the temple this week!! Be amazing!! 

I love you and keep being strong in your callings, so that you can keep helping other people. Tell Darby to let me know where she goes, I am excited for her.

Love, Elder Hancock

and p.s. Mom, I love you most! I WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Skype

It was SO GOOD TO SEE HIM AND HEAR HIS VOICE!!!

His Testimony

Climbing the Mountain...

Hola,

Mom, I loved the Abinadi thing; I just said in my mind, there is the mother with the super testimony!!!!!!

The week has been good and I have been working really hard with my comp. My brain was a bit cloudy but I took to the fast. It helped, as I knew it would! I have been worried about money, I don't know why I never have any, even when I am good with it, it is never there! I am kind of sick of it! I don't want this to carry on to my family after the mission, so I am going to try to be the most strict person I can be so that I always have enough. I have gone months in my mission not buying food because I know I can do it, I guess I am just frustrated.

We climbed the mountain today, to take pics with the flag! We have to have permission from Pres. to do it, so it was authorized and we were safe. I didn't get hurt. I actually stayed behind to help my comp get up okay, because it was hard for him, so we were the last ones to get up.

Please tell Darby I wrote her, to be watching for it. She is in my prayers.

I am loving the work! It is now time to go so I am going to print some things from president and leave. I will talk to you next week.

I love you all! Do all the good things!

And mom,  I   WILL   ALWAYS  WIN!!!! I LOVE YOU MOST! I WIN! :)

Love, Elder Hancock

 

 

Support and Peaches

Hola,

Mom, first off, I am one hundred percent okay, maybe it still hasn't hit me yet. But he is from America. He is the youngest of all the kids in his family and there are like nine kids I think. His dad is a Stake President in Idaho. I am mostly worried for his family and how they are feeling. Also, another thing that is hard is that his MTC companion is in my District. I have been helping him a lot, because for awhile, it didn't hit him but then it finally got to him and now, he's had some Hancock along with other elders' talks.

President is doing a tour of the mission and helping all to understand what happened. I think tomorrow he will be here, and so yeah, he is taking it pretty hard. Please keep him and this elder's family in your prayers, as well as his MTC companion.

And mom, I will be the most safe that I can ever be.

Some days have been a bit discouraging this week. You always raised me to love people and not numbers, and so I try to follow your example, mom, and not worry about the numbers as opposed to caring about the person. But, then I wonder sometimes why those who are seeking the numbers are getting baptisms left and right and I am barely getting lessons some days or the lessons drop and I am left walking all day. I don't know, it's hard to understand sometimes. I am trying with all my heart to do all that the Lord wants and I thank you for all the advice you've given me. I feel like I don't have much time left, only about seven and a half months and I want to do all I can in that time serving the Lord. I will continue to work hard to do my part in spreading the gospel. I promise you that.

I am sorry that it's not really a long letter this week. I will send a longer one next week. Tell Papi that I love him and I am going to print out the picture when it is all the way done, so hurry and finish it!

I love you more than tacos al pastor, and that is super far, mom!

I love you with all my heart!!!!! I must leave now.
Elder Hancock


You would have never thought I was eating fruit huh?!!? Well, here is peaches with cinnamon toast crunch cereal on top. ha ha I like fruits and veggies now. My old comp. never ate any veggies so I had to eat them for him, and before I had already started to like them, but now it is just more than that, I like them! ha ha

A GREAT Conference and a plea to Honor the parents

Hola,

First, I have been worried about Darby for the last little while, write her and tell her to write me!! I have been wondering why I am not getting her letters in the last little while!

Conference was GREAT! I loved it with all my heart! I loved how all of the talks were a great help to me! I promise you all, if you watch all the sessions of Conference, you will feel the same as I did. It has been a super exhausting week, because Wednesday we had Zone Meeting, and then on Friday, we had Zone Conference with President Jordan, and then Saturday, the six hours of Conference and then on Sunday, four more! Let's just say I slept REALLY good last night. But, it was all so GOOD!

I just want to talk about something today that I feel is important. I am seriously astonished at how the youth of today think that they need and deserve to have more and more power over their parents. If we can learn from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ thru the example Jesus put for us, He always and I mean ALWAYS taught that He is doing all that the Father wants, not just in the street, in the last and most excruciating painful moments in His life, He said Father, if it be possible, pass this cup from me, but not my will be done, but thy will be done. The Lord and Heavenly Father have given us amazing revelation and help in the scriptures and in the temple, how Jesus ALWAYS goes to the advise of His Father to do all that He needs to do. AND if even that isn't enough, read in the Book of Mormon, and learn how all of the strongest and most powerful, Christlike prophets learn and are, is because in their youth, after their conversion, obeyed the advise of their father and mother! Think of Nephi, he went into the wilderness and risked his very life more than once because he had a very good understanding of the fifth commandment, honor thy father and thy mother… and after we always see that because he put himself aside, the Lord and in the case of Jesus, the Father, exhalted them on high and blessed them more than they had room to receive! We need to love and honor our parents.

Mom, go rewatch Elder Holland's talk! It is the best and I know it will mean as much to you as it did me. And it's worth rewatching!

I don't have much time left so I need to go. I love you all. Do good things!
Love, Elder Hancock

Praying for Opportunities to Serve and TWO ENTRIES!

September 23, 2013

Well, hello all,

This week was a good one, we have been blessed soo much this week! I was really stressed and the Lord has helped me to drop that stress!!! I was really stressed and feeling bad because some of our investigators fell or were falling and there were things like that getting in the way of their progression, and I was praying hard for someone to help us or to have investigators, and then the next day, we received three references that seem to be really good, so that was just one of the small miracles I saw this week.

I would like to say that I am happy to hear that so many are heading on missions.

Soo I noticed this week just how important or I noticed again, just how important it is to serve others. It makes a change in others. I was reading about how the Book of Mormon prophets always were serving others, and ultimately, the Lord, Jesus Christ was always serving to help the children of God to have blessings, He understood something more about service that we don't, and we can only understand it if we are working toward doing it!!! I testify that if we are humble and search for opportunities to serve, you will find a happiness that can't be encompassed in any other action or thing. I have a challenge for all of those reading and listening this week, first, pray for opportunities to serve, second, search for them actively, and third, ACT!! Be acting on all of the promptings of the spirit!! All of us have no idea how much the Lord is helping us and blessing us and how much is our need to bless his children. I find a great joy in serving now. Before, I didn't understand, now I am just barely to catch the smallest glimpse at how important service is in the eyes of the Lord. His children are out there, He has blessed us with happy attitudes, or with our own personal gifts from the spirit, if we use those gifts, then, he will give us more, but not only that, he will bless the other person with the ability to help others. This is how we can be like the Lord. If we serve others, He will bless both with a happiness, a peace, love, and tranquility. I know this is true, I challenge you all to try Him and see the blessings. I testify that it is all true! I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

I love you all. Have a great week! Do all that is good and right.

Love, Elder Hancock


P.S. This is for mom:

I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU MOST!!!!


September 30, 2013

Hola,

First off, I want to say that I am happy that Alex made it to the temple. Tell her good job. And to keep going back often. Now both of your children have been thru the temple, mother. I am happy about that.

Not anything grand or super significant happened this week, but it was a great week. I am working hard and there were a lot of people that we were able to teach this week.  I am pressed for time this week, but I had a super spiritual week, but things that are personal and spiritual so, those things I cannot say, so maybe later, I will let those go to you.

I am sorry that I have been writing shorter letters lately, but the more time I have in the mission, I am starting to feel promptings to write certain people. This has got to be hard for you!! I am trying not to let Heavenly Father down and help those He prompts me to.

Mother, you are my best friend, I love you and I know that you won't go off the spoken path. I love you. I thank you for being so amazing, for always providing me with a safe haven of a home and for always being everything a kid could ask for in a mom!!! Sometimes, I think about all the things you have done for me, and I start to get tears in the eyes. I love you and will always love you more than the friends. Please be patient with me, as I try to follow promptings, and work to write between two languages. It is sometimes hard to fit it all in, in the hour we have to write. I do have a little spiritual thought I had this week, I had while thinking of the challenges I have had in the mission, in the life in all, I will send it to you later.

I feel really crazy that after this companion, I will only have about 4 changes left. I am working as hard as I can to do all that I possibly can with all that I am given! Oh and father, the picture of Christ?

I have to go now, I love you all. Papi, keep reading the scriptures in spanish!

Love, Elder Hancock

Hurricanes and Changes

Hola,

Well this week we had to spend Monday in the apartment to wait out the hurricane and then I had to go to Tampico yesterday to pick up a new companion, from Mexico, to train. That is why President said he had seen me and knew I was fine. My companion's name is Elder Cardenas. We returned today, by bus. The roads were good, a little covered in water, but it looks like the hurricane hit Victoria for a little longer than it hit Tampico. Tampico just had a lot of residue, it wasn't too horrible, but Victoria was pure flood when I left, but since I got back today, the sun is out. They say it will be sunny today and tomorrow, but then the next day back to hurricane weather.

President told me to make sure that I told you I am good.  He and Sister Jordan are good to think of the parents, especially with moms concerns; they understand because they have concerns for their kids too. I know I was 100 percent meant to be with them. They make sure my mom has no worries. Elder Puello went to Mante! It is hard to see him leave, but we go forward.

Yes mom, I guess we could use Noah's ark or a submarine. ha ha I do think I might be needing some new shoes here in a little while with all this rain. ha ha

The hurricane was good for the testimony, not because of the protection, as much as another thing. The people here in Victoria have been praying for rain for years and years and they didn't have anything at all, but finally they are receiving and in abundance! I have been able to see the Lord's tender mercies in that way, along with all the protection He has provided us!

Thanks everyone for all the prayers. I am so grateful for them!!! We live in a one story home and the water almost entered, but it is on a little hill, so nothing happened, and well, I am glad that nothing happened. I can say that I have lived thru a hurricane now. It was kind of cool, like a really bad blizzard in the house, but instead of snow; it is water.
(Note from Mimi: I believe when he says in the house, he means at home)

I am doing all I can to avoid entering the water unless I absolutely have to and I try to go in the less flooded areas! Thank you for all the worrying and I will do all I can to keep myself safe!!!

I love you! Have a good week and do all the good things!

Love,

Elder Hancock

Flooded with Water, Knowledge and Blessings...

Hola,

This week was good. I was completely soaked like five of the six days, the floods were sooo bad that they were carrying cars down the street!!!! It was crazy!

Wow, I feel like I am just super into the mission, like I write Mondays, but I haven't seen or talked to you guys in so long! That is really really unbelievable!

Well this week I have felt why is the Lord sending sooo many blessings, I have judged people and I have talked about them before, not super mean but I shouldn't talk about others at all when they aren't present! I am repenting so much and I am working my hardest to keep these changes in my life! I just felt like, why didn't I know all of these things I've been learning, starting my mission? But, I have to keep believing that it is all a purpose for the Lord, that I have learned it when He wanted me to. I haven't done the area book for a couple of days, so I was pretty planched when all the meetings we have had, have been on obedience. I have started catching up on it and will keep doing it.

This week has been something special!!! We are going to have a baptism on Friday at six. The investigator's name is Ramon! He is a great guy and loves the gospel!!! Sooo I am super happy for that!!! Also, this week has been something of a revelatory experience for me. First, I have been searching a lot in the references in the scriptures. I have seen that it really helps a lot! Search them!!!! Then, I saw something in Mosiah, about the Sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger! It was super awesome! It says that they were desirous or however you spell it, in Spanish, it is deseosos, but they were filled with desires to do good! They were able to change these desires of doing bad to doing good, they did through the act of doing, actually putting to practice the gospel! But from their actions, they were able to do a great thing! I loved this! I thought, if we can figure out how to put actions to all of our hopes, desires, dreams etc… we are able to do everything God wants us to do. They have to be righteous desires, but they will be followed by blessings from the Lord. If we have desires, without action and prayer, they are simply empty thoughts. I know that we can achieve everything that the Lord wants us to if we can figure out the act of putting actions to our righteous desires. Also, I was able to see the importance of the Bible in the work this week. We taught someone, she had the Bible so I shared with her about the lost sheep in Luke. It was super awesome! She started to cry because she needed the spirit she felt. I felt so humbled seeing that the spirit really knows these people and not me! Please read the Book of Mormon and the Bible, together they will guide us. Please help others; follow all of the spiritual thoughts! They will always end up blessing someone! I love you all and keep doing good!! I say this in the beloved name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mother, I just want you to know how much I love you and for all that do, I don't say thanks enough! I never have! I will try to do better in that. I may appear that I am putting a lot of attention in the mission, but I really am thanking Heavenly Father for you and all you do! I love you sooo much! Really, thank you! You are being an incredible mom!!! I love you more than you can imagine!! And it makes me super happy that you go to the temple often! Keep doing the Lord's work!!!

I LOVE YOU MORE!!!! AHA!

Love, Elder Hancock

At the Zoo

Floods carrying the cars down the street

Just me

Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo ...

Hola,

We changed our p day to Tuesday this week because we went to the zoo today as a zone. It was amazing! I saw a giraffe!!! :D But my time to write is short today because of that. The area and the people are great!

We had President's interviews this week and they went really good. President had some really nice things to say to me. 

Ah… mom, don't be missing me, you only have about 9 months more of the worry game, then you don't have to anymore, I will be walking off of a plane, completely lost in America. Don't worry that your mommy days are done mom, you are going to be my mother and do mommy things until I die because we all know that you are going to live until we die, so you will be like two hundred years old. ha  You will always be my mom; sure I am going to make my own decisions but I am not going to throw you guys out of the plane. We can think of life like flying a plane, you have two pilots; they are making decisions right and left, they are trying to make it through the storm. The thing is that many don't think about how the pilots make it through the storm, it isn't from sheer practice, they are in constant contact with the ground control. We are the pilots, there will be a whole heap of storms, I know that I cannot lose contact with the ground control, or to say, you guys, You are my strength, you are important enough that the Lord told me in my patriarchal blessing, that your home and family is a safe haven, cherish that and use it or to say, visit them, and use it to get strength and guidance in life. I may not know much about life, but I know one thing, when the Lord makes something that important, I better do it! I will always make sure the family and that includes you and pappi, a VERY important part of my life. Don't worry, remember what I told you about Oliver Granger, or search all it says about him. It says that the Lord knows all, ALL of our esfuerzas, I forgot what it is in English, but He knows all of who you are, be humble, go to Him always!!!! and you will have the blessings at the last day!

Are you going to the temple weekly? Is your arm feeling better so that you can, mom? Sadly my time is coming to an end here in the cyber, so I am sorry that it's not a long letter this week. I love you all! Have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Hancock

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

*Not much this week, to share. Our letter was a bit personal and full of good advice for this mom, so I am sharing the most wonderful part of the letter, with you.*
Mimi


the area is great always! i love it and a little thing for you guys.. . . .

thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! t hank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! than k you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you !! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! thank you!! for all that you do, thank you for it all. you have been enough to teach me how to be a good mormon boy, sometimes i was and am dumb. but you have always helped me. soo THANK YOU!!

I love you! Do all the good things!

Love, Elder Hancock

Thanks Be to God

Hola,

I don't know what I have done to deserve this. I have an amazing comp; he wants to work and be good. He's becoming one of my best friends. The Ward is amazing! And the Bishop is great! I am really going to ask President what I did to get here.

Just like Alex said, I feel like I am serving in the home, it is weird! I am doing everything I can to love the people and to help them feel loved! I have been praying and I know that God will help me to help the people. That makes me happy. I have just wanted to be on my knees constantly for thanks to Heavenly Father.

In hard times, I've had the thought always come to me, from Joseph Smith teachings, he always said, sometimes the Lord has to bring us down low before he can bring us higher. I just feel like he was always watching me to see if I would just stick in there to keep representing the right. 

Sooo yesterday, it rained like crazy and I am going to send a pic that is of me in the water. This was in the street and it was up to my knees!! I love it in Victoria! Talk to you next week!

Love you all! Keep doing great things!

Love, Elder Hancock

Transfers and Blessings

Hola!

Guess where I am right now!!!! I am in Ciudad Victoria!! It is the city highest up in the mission. Papi guessed this is where I would go like three weeks ago. I have felt my whole mission that I would come here also. Maybe I need to meet someone and help share the gospel with them. I already love it here. I feel like I am in Utah. It is really like it here. It looks like home here. It isn't too humid here, a little more chilled out and dry, but still, it is Mexico, so it is automatically more humid than Utah. It was about a 4 1/2 hour ride to get here.

My new companion is Elder Puello. He is from the Dominican Republic and is a hard worker! He is awesome!!! He is Elder Parry's kid.

This week was one of the most spiritual weeks of my mission. One great thing I had this week was that a family from my first area; they went to the temple this week and it was a spiritual high for me!  President was happy to tell me that I could go and say hi to them. I could see the hand of the Lord in my life completely! They are a great family! They get happy so easy and I love that about them! When I saw the hno, we just hugged for like two minutes and we remembered that I had made a promise to go to see them at the temple if they went, I made this promise when we were in my first area! I was happy to see that even if I had forgotten the promise I made over a year ago, that the Lord remembered and was able to help this family and I to feel the spirit! AND to finish it all off in Tancol, an hno I had been working with for the whole almost eight months, got his recommend signed and he is going to the temple again with his wife, they are both returned missionaries. Soooo, I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others, super this week! I feel good about the time I spent there and I see many fruits of the labor there. I am blessed. It was so hard to say goodbye to everyone, we all cried. I will miss Tancol and the wonderful people there.

I am going now, I am out of time. I love you all!!!! Have a great week and do the right things.

Love, Elder Hancock

Me and the family Crespo Cruz

Portuguese and Avocados

Hola,

Well, this is the last week of the change. I don't know what to think, I love these people, but it feels like I am leaving the house, like I have been here so long that I won't really feel how much I miss and love them, until I am gone.

I am tired and I am trying to ignore the tired and exhaustion with all I have, it's just been a good amount of test here ahhhh. I just don't want to ever feel trunky and want to go home, I want the desires to always be in my mission until the day I leave this life and even longer. I do NOT want to ever be a dead missionary! It is foe or gross and bad. I LOVE the mission with all that I have!

I have been a bit spiritually drained but just in thanks to the Lord and in constant prayer, He will help me to prevent any getting trunky in the future. With just about every area, I have had the opportunity to have a spiritual witness as to if I will be leaving the area or not. Last change, I thought I was going to leave, because it was the natural man saying so, then when I prayed about it, I had this thought saying that I wouldn't leave and I stayed. Now, I was feeling like I could possibly stay another and when I prayed and I had the thought that I could be leaving this change. So, that is always a super spiritual experience. I love to see how the Lord can help us in all we do to prepare us for the future in all things.

I am now trying to learn Portuguese and I am actually learning pretty good how. ha ha to say como seta, you say com estais. There is a guy here who speaks Portuguese and a lot of other languages because he is in the Navy and he had to learn them for work and he has to use them frequently but Portuguese he learned in the mission. I am learning a lot from him. It is surprising how great it is to learn when the Lord gives you the gift of tongues! It isn't even that I have already learned a language, it is the pure gift of tongues and I am soooo grateful for it. I can't type any Portuguese here because the computer has to be set to Portuguese to actually type in it. I can read and understand it and listen and understand the majority of it, but the hard one is talking in it now but from having to remember so much verbs in Spanish, it is not too hard to remember more now, so that is cool. I love languages, I want to learn Italian and French also, so I am not even close to stopping learning. ha ha

Would you send me journals, but not ones like you have sent me, I want one of the boring ones like you use ha ha that just say journal on front and are usually the color of the scripts like black, maroon and blue. I would like the navy and maroon ones. I think you get them at Deseret Book. They have the spiral thing to hold them together, but then the spiral is covered so it looks nice. You have had them before, so you will know what I am talking about! I know you might be confused with my description, sorry. And if you send them in a padded folder, it costs a lot less and it gets here faster than others, like a week faster so I would recommend that. ha If you send me three I am going to try to fill them up in this last nine months or so. That is my goal.

I have to go now, my hour is up. I love you! Keep up the good work and know that I love you! Have a great week! The picture is of me and an avocado tree! All the avocados are huge like that here!

Love, Elder Hancock

P.S. Don't forget next week is changes so I don't know when I will be writing.

Congrats To The Sister And To The Mother

hola familia,

Well, I have just been seeing the rock on Alex's hand! Sister, you are now embarking on a great adventure, please I urge you with all that I have, make it a priority to be humble and love the Lord more than your husband!!! And let him love the Lord more than you. That will assure that you and your children and family will stay worthy and strong in the church all your lives!!! And lastly, GO TO THE TEMPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!!!! You are great and congrats!

Brant and Kristy, your baby is cute. Congrats on the baby blessing! It sounds like it was a great day! :D

I was so happy to get the pictures of Katy! I almost cried from joy, seeing that Katy went thru the temple and got married there. I am so happy for her. Please tell her congrats and that I am so happy for her!

Mom, congrats on the new calling. That is great news! Even though I know you know this, I just wanted to remind you how important all callings are. A secretary is very important because the president and her counselors jobs would not be possible without a secretary to help that happen. It's like the story when Heavenly Father says to one of his kids, asking if they want to serve and of course, they scream yes! Then he assigns them to a place to serve, they immediately say, well, hey now, I don't want to serve there, no one will see me or even know that I am alive… I want to do something great. Then the Lord says, all loving and knowing all, but, I will know what you are doing, I will see everything you do, I will even bless you and help you with what you are doing. Who else needs to know about the calling you have, how it is helping my kingdom. So, I want you to know that your calling is an opportunity to serve, as I know you already know. You have told me time and time again that wherever you are serving, that is immediately the best calling ever! I know you will make everyone in the ward want to be the secretary! You are amazing and I love you more than you know and this is great news to hear!

I am laboring diligently and apparently I need to still be here because I am now going on seven months in the area. All I know is that I am feeling so much growth and I start to cry at the slightest feeling of the spirit now and I am seeing the miracles of the gospel in my life. This is where the gospel really gets fun! It's been good for me, helping elders when they are struggling and having a hard time with something. Sometimes, I forget to be asking the questions that the zone leaders want us to and I just go with what the spirit wants us to, but then I look back on the questions, and they are something that the spirit naturally told me to say, so I am super happy with the spirit!  I LOVE the work!

My pres is staying the same on all the attire and such, he is going to interview all of us on worthiness next change to see if we are worthy to have iPads and such like the First Presidency said we would have. I think it would take the place of the movie players we have now. I will be the strict one with it. The phone remains in my pocket!

Oh so, I just saw something that will make you mad, I forgot the cord to the camera!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO ha ha I am super sorry! I know I promised pictures this week. Next week I will, cause tonight I will put the cord in the holder so it is there already for next week.

I have to go now, I love you all and keep doing the great things! I have been praying for you, to have work papi, and fasting for it too. So, I hope you get all you need! You are great! Magnify your callings to the fullest! GO TO THE TEMPLE EVERY WEEK!!!!! It is necessary! I am trying to do all that is right, all the time. Have a great week! Do all the right!

I LOVE YOU ALL!
Elder Hancock

P.S. Momma Bear, you have only ten months of wait time ha ha I know you are counting!

Wet Shoes And Having The Spirit To Guide

Sooo hello all and all,

This week has been crazy, it has been filled with little tests here and there! I learned a lot of how the spirit can help us in the callings we are given in the gospel. The week was good. Today I got to give another American who is a new missionary a blessing of comfort and strength, I felt power as I gave him the blessing, I knew that it was the Lord putting the words in my mouth. The other cool part of the day today was that along with the cool blessing is that before hand I had the thought to invite another American missionary who is a good guy and has about seven months in the mission. Anyways, I had the thought to bring him also. It was cool to see him testify of the tests he has had in his mission to help this young missionary. I was glad to see that the spirit knew that this missionary maybe just needed an experience with giving a blessing also. So I have seen alot this week, of the ways that the spirit has direct knowledge of everything that we need. In our callings we have, the Lord can bless us with the exact knowledge or with an idea of what we need to do; alot of times it doesn't come until we have thoroughly thought through all the ways we can help the person or what we can do to help Heavenly Father. Something I have seen this week is that when I am talking to the other missionaries, I pray before hand, about how I can help them and if the spirit would help me to know anything that they need to know. I had an experience really cool this week cause I was talking to a missionary and was able to ask him about a certain thing and he told me that it was his worry and wanted to know how I knew, I could just tell him that it was a thought directly from the spirit! I want this for all of you this week; I want you to search for opportunities to hear and follow the spirit! I promise you that it will guide you; now I am not saying that it will be easy or even seem possible, but it will be worth it! There are things in the mission that I am seeing, that the mission is not only just coming out here to teach for two years. In this time and these last couple months, I have learned more and more, that the Lord wants people who are just willing to do what He wants, and He calls them to the work. In other words, I have been able to see that my feelings toward my mission are completely changing and I am loving more the people I serve.

Right now we have had like three or four days of consecutive rain, I LOVE it haha the only bad thing is having to dry my shoes out at night! haha I love the mission though! Also one thing I have seen is that there is no need to whine, or complain, it is because no one ever wants to just sit and listen to a complainer all the time, the occasional is ok, but all the time is just horrible! That is the advise that I have for all future missionaries; never complain, because your comp is trying to do all he can and it just never helps to complain! A thought I had this week was very amazing, I had a thought about learning diligence in my mission, I have had the thought that I have to learn the thing now and if I don't, well then I am never going to learn it, I was certainly wrong! I thought about a comp I have had where both of us wanted to be obedient and diligent, and well, great things happened! I know that the Lord loves us and helps us!

I love you all a lot and I am sooo thankful for all you do. I pray for you every day and night! Go to the temple! You will be blessed! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Hancock

Serve The Lord Where He Wants You To Serve

Hola,

We had changes today. I am… STILL HERE in the area and I am staying as the District Leader. I am overwhelmed with the call to be the leader and it is still a shock right now. I have been stressing a little bit but I do know that Heavenly Father will help me do it. I also know that the basis of the mission is not to be the leader, but more importantly, to serve the Lord however He wants you to serve. So, if he wants me to serve in this way, then I will work my hardest to do it the best I can.  Please keep my name in the temple and in your prayers, that I can do this and do it the right way.

I am sad to hear that Elder Parry didn't get to meet up with you and papi, but I am glad that he did get to see papi play Brigham Young. Someday, you will get to meet him. He is a good man and I consider him one of my best friends. He has taught me a lot.

Well, I don't have a lot of time to write today. I am super busy. But, mom, I love you and I thank you for all you are doing.
I love you all and know that you are all doing the right! I am trying with all that I have to serve the Lord as He wants me to. Have a great week and papi start the tour de france!

Love, Elder Hancock

P.S. Sorry it's so short today, hopefully next week I can write more. I just had a lot to do today.

A Decision Now Affects The Future

Everyone, last week, Dakotah had a storm on p-day and so he didn't get to write home. So we were really glad to hear from him this week.
Mimi


hola familia,

It's been a crazy week. I am acting as the District Leader for now. Next week is transfers though, and I have already six months here in the area, so I might be in a different area next week.

Thank you for the pictures of Nathan. He is going to love it here in Mexico! Tell Lander good luck next week! He and Nathan are going to be awesome missionaries.

Hey, Elder Parry and his family are going to come down to pageant this week or next week. He is super excited to see papi as Brigham Young. He said they will get ahold of you to meet you and say hi. He is one of my best friends ever! Let him know I love him a lot when you see him!

So, this week I have been studying how the decisions we make in our missions aren't only the decisions we make in the mission. I was thinking about the decision to work and not just sit at the house of members all day; that affects my family in the future because I will have to make the decision to go to work to supply for my family, to work to raise my children, to help them along to find the right path and to be able to love them the whole time. I love to think about how about how these decisions affect our future, if we follow them and make them in a correct way, then we ill have an easier time doing it again in the future with our children and families, if not, then that hard decision will still be standing in front of us and we will have to get over the mountain eventually.

Also, this week, I have been thinking a lot about the importance of really letting ourselves become converted to this gospel. First, when we do things, let them be from our hearts, let them change us. Don't be scared of the doctrine of the gospel, follow the counsel of the prophets with all you have and really put your trust in them to help you through. Another thing is that we can all use our priesthood more fully, I don't know if I have said this before, but I have been praying for opportunidades to use the priesthood, to be able to really minister to the people of my area. That doesn't just mean to go forward and to throw the lessons at others, but to really go to them, find those who need to be blessed, but to start that, to ask Heavenly Father who needs us today? What is the errand that you want me to do today? And to finish, actually having the honor to go and do like Nephi, to do the Lord's work, to go and to love others. I bare testimony that this will help all of you to be more and more converted in the work of the Lord! It is what God wants us to do, to use the power he has blessed us with to "run His errands". I love this gospel with all my heart, might, and strength! I fall a lot of the time but I am seeing just how much Heavenly Father is picking me up off the ground and helping me to do and be all that He wants me to be! Please remain faithful in the times of hardship and doubt. There is always help waiting for us! I love you all, I am just barely starting to understand just a little grain of how much Heavenly Father loves His children! You all have a divine role and a plan! Let Him help you with that plan! I bare testimony to all of you of all of this, as a servant of the Lord, in His sacred name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

On another note, we had a baptism this week! His name is Eduardo Ibarra! His family is a great family we have been working with! His dad baptized him.

I love you all!  Have a GREAT WEEK! Do great things!

Love, Elder Hancock

p.s. Mom… I LOVE YOU MOST!

walked on water for my year mark...ha ha ha

Broken Space Bars and Power Of The Priesthood

hola,

The space bar and keyboard are tripping out so I am trying to work with them. Mom, you might have to fix the places it messes up before you send it out. It's my worst enemy right now. ha ha I am just realizing how many e's there are in the English language because the e is not working every time either. This may be short this week. I also tried sending pictures but they are having trouble going out today and so I will try again next week. I will hopefully get a better keyboard then.

I am having a good week and I love the work. The temperatures are above the hundreds. It is dastardly. ha ha I am glad to hear poppi is going to be Brigham Young in the pageant. He will do awesome.

Tell Nathan to get ready for the best experience of his life so far!!! If he is going to the Provo MTC; I heard that they are going to start to send them to the new Mexico MTC three weeks into their stay so he might get to do that.

This week I have been studying in the Bible a lot!! I have been learning a lot about Christ's example for us. He has always set the perfect example! In my insight this week, if you want to have more power in your priesthood, you have to be worthy, be doing the things like praying, reading, and going to church, but the other thing is having the willing want to serve others. This is super hard to develop, sometimes I feel like I am struggling with that a lot. Sure I serve, but I want it to always be out of pure want to do it, not because of just, it is what we do. There is a difference. I have thought about the power given, when you are being like Jesus, when the leper came to him and asked if he wanted to heal him. Jesus said I will, or to say, I want to. That has helped me to see the example of Jesus in my life, saying that he was willingly wanting to serve. Therefore, amongst other reasons, He had power to heal the sick. If we can serve our enemies even when we don't want to, it causes a change in our hearts, something we cannot explain, that is what gives us the more pure power in the priesthood. My challenge to all is that you can serve someone this week, but be it someone who actually NEEDS it. Then try to the see the change in the power of your priesthood. I testify that this is true with all the love of my soul, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you all! Keep doing all you need to do! Have a great week! Go to the temple.
Love, Elder Hancock

Skype for Mother's Day and Thanks To The Parents

For Mother's Day we got to talk to Dakotah thru Skype. He was allowed to talk to us for 40 minutes. We enjoyed every minute of that 40 minutes with him. It was so good to see his face, hear his laugh and feel of his spirit. He bore his testimony to us in spanish and finished it with tears. It was great to feel the spirit as he did so. We grabbed the iPad and videoed it so we can hear his voice for the next 7 months occasionally. I will try to get the video on the computer so you can all hear and see him. He was doing well and did find some trouble finding some English words for things. But he loves the Lord, he loves the work and loves the people. We are thankful for his willingness to go out and serve.

Picture of Dakotah on Skype

Our latest family photo lol

Letter from this week:


hola familia,

My week went pretty good, but, I have been in the house all week cause my comp dropped back into the sickness, but this time hna Jordan took us to the hospital to get it taken care of, so he is doing better right now, so let's hope it's permanent. We are starting to think it was an infection in the stomach. But, hey he will be okay, I am here to take care of him. haha

How was your week? Happy Birthday to Alex! It's crazy to think I have almost a year in the mission and that it went soooo fast! Well, I think today, I am buying shoes with my birthday money, not exactly the fun gift ha ha but necessary. And maybe a pair of pants, but so far that's it.

So, I just wanted to say thanks for always forgiving me for being such a snot and a jerk to you and pappi. We were thinking about how you guys did it all these years and it is incredible and I cannot comprehend how you managed to still love me when I blew you guys off so many times, and especially pappi when he wanted to spend time with me, I blew him off so many times, it's not even funny. I felt so horrible this week, that I did that in the past and I repented sooo much, cause the sad faces of you guys when I blew you guys off came into my mind and ruined me. Sooo I am super sorry and you guys are my heroes!!!!!! Thank you for everything.

The gospel is true. You don't find your testimony, really find it, until you are living on it, taking it to new extremes, when you have to defend it in the street, when you are persecuted for the cause of serving the Lord; that or then, is when the testimony is found. It is when you realize how much about this gospel you do not know, how much you have to learn and grow, how much the Lord really is doing in our lives, how much he is preparing us for the future times and future tests. So stay strong, please remain faithful when the whirlwinds come and try to blow you down, you will always be able to make it through to the brighter side of the way, to be able to find the light thru the gospel!

We are leaving now. I love you will all that I have and all that I am! Have a great week and go to the Temple!
Do what is right!

I love you,
Elder Hancock

Transfer Day-getting to reunite with some friends.

Dakotah loves his hot sauce. :)

Birthday Wishes In My Email... Thanks!

hola!

WOW! Thank you everyone for all the WONDERFUL birthday wishes! I loved all the like million messages in my email! :D

I am doing great!!! I still can't believe that I have twenty years now hah that is a super surprise! Thanks for the birthday money mom and poppi and grandma and grandpa, ha ha you should have seen the smile on my face! :D I haven't used it yet but I am thinking on covers for the scripts and maybe new pants, shoes or backpack.

Some people had cake for me and President and Hermana Jordan called and they sang happy birthday to me!

For Mother's Day, I am not exactly sure what time I will Skype but it has to be before 4:00pm my time so I am thinking between 12:00 to 4:00pm my time, but maybe just be ready for whenever that day!!!

The temple was great today, but for that, I don't have much time so I will talk to you Sunday and write more on Monday. 

I love you! Keep doing the great things! Let all know that I love them and I LOVED their birthday emails!

Love,
Elder Hancock

Here are a few pictures. I will talk to you Sunday!

Notice what's in the street by him.

Birthday Cake

With his companion

Zone at Temple today

Giving Thanks To The Lord At All Times

Well hello hola!!!!

This week was just full of amazing tender mercies of the Lord! I am excited to tell you about that but first I am super happy and excited to say that I am glad to hear about the amazing things going on in the house, like Brant and Kristy now have a baby! That is super cool! Guy and April are now grandparents! Also I am so happy about all the things the family is doing!

Well, I think Alex's new guy is better looking than the others she has picked, he has a light in his eyes, that means he might be better and stay the good missionary he was. I am happy she found one who is still keeping the missionary spirit alive and is still a missionary at heart and not just because of a name tag. Tell her to cherish that and to thank the Lord for that. He could be a good one!

They changed our p-day, now we have until 6pm to do our p-day and we now do our junta or district meeting on Wednesdays at noon, so that is nice. Oh and next week I will not be writing until Wednesday in the afternoon, it is because we are going to the temple, as a zone(I guess that's the benefits of serving in Tampico), so we have to change p-day until Wednesday, so don't get worried. Today, we went to the beach again, so I will send some pictures if I can get them to send.

For Mother's Day, I am thinking it will be the 12th on Sunday and I have to do it before 4pm, Pres. says, but I get to Skype so you might not get to go to church that Sunday. I am really sorry if you don't!

I have been thinking a lot about this week, and I have seen something that the Lord has helped me to see in particular this week and it has really touched my heart a lot! The thing is, giving thanks to the Lord at all times. At this particular time in my mission I happen to have a great comp! He loves to work and all that great jazz! I LOVE THAT! I LOVE TO WORK! And I love that we are seeing so much success, the area is just opening up and it is just taking off because the Lord is helping us so much!

Anyways, I have been thanking the Lord so much this week for just giving me an amazing comp that will help me to grow and that I will help him to grow! I have seen as a result of this that I have been forced to be humble to the Lord because I am having to give thanks! It is a crazy concept, but it really works. When we are in constant thanks of our Heavenly Father, we find it harder to be prideful! I have seen this working in my life and I am super happy that the Lord has taught me this lesson and I pray that we don't forget it. But this is not only applicable with your comp, I have started to apply it with the other parts of the work too, the result, is that the Lord is bringing more love to my heart and helping to love the people in my area even more! My challenge for you this week is that you all can apply this in your life!! I want that all of you can give thanks to your Heavenly Father this week, in the night time and at all times let your hearts be fully drawn out in prayer always in thanks to your God! I don't have much more time but I testify that this will help someone out there and that it will help you all out!

Grandma and Grandpa, thank you for writing and I will watch for the birthday money. Thank you so much! Mom and Poppi, I will watch for your birthday money too. I may use this birthday money to buy new shoes. Mine are falling apart, I already went through the soles I have now. ha

Oh, and yes mom, I am still losing weight. Lots of walking...


Keep doing great things! Have a great week! It is my birthday this week! THE BIG 20! Sooo hit me up or send me something hahs!

Love you all,
Love, Elder Hancock

 

Miracles Come To Help The Diligent

hola,

This week was really great for me! We have been trying to be diligent in all things we do as missionaries, this week it was in asking the question, if they will have someone invited the next visit! It was amazing cause no one at all gave us really anything, but then out of the blue, we got this guy that is golden and really wanting to be baptized! So it was amazing to me to see how the Lord brings miracles to help the diligent elders who are trying as hard as we can!

We will talk and decide this week about what to do for Mother's Day, mom. I think I will be able to Skype again, I just don't know what day.

Tell the Jackson's good luck and congrats on their move and I will miss them. Maybe you need to just get a job down in St. George or Kanab, poppi and then you can be closer to Lisa, mom. :D

Thank you for always trying so hard to get me what I need, mom! You are the best mom in the world!!!!!!!! Definitely the best mom of a missionary I have ever seen! I know that you will receive amazing blessings from your best momness! :D I love you!!!!!

It is weird to think that Alex is getting out of school in two weeks! Wow! So, tell everyone to write me! I would love to hear how everything is going for everyone.

I am sorry I don't have much time today to write! But, I love you all with all my soul!!!! Have a great week and do the things the Lord wants you to.

Love,
Elder Dakotah Hancock

 

Book of Mormon in a dialect here. It is Mayan.  

 

I fell and sliced my hand pretty good this week but it is okay now and it will be a cool scar. 

Filled With JOY For The Missionary Work And Tests Bring Testimonies

hola hola hola everyone!

I got my package today! That made me super happy! I am wearing my glasses now. :D I am excited to use my little Preach My Gospel today! Wahooo! Thank you for emailing that picture of Dome and Blake! They look great! Dome is doing amazing! I hope when we all get home, we can just keep working hard to do all that Heavenly Father wants us to, being humble and willing before the Lord at all times.

This week was actually really hard. It was hard because of spiritual and listening to the spirit troubles, like knowing the exact person that we needed to visit! I have seen and learned a lot this week! There are some real miracles that have happened in this short little time! Wow, the Lord is really helping those who want to come unto Him.

First of all, I am super happy that people are going on missions, it is really the greatest decision you can make at this time in your life! I have seen sooooooo much that I have learned in just such a short time! Well in ten months, it feels like four days I swear! But it only feels like that when you are doing what you need to do! I think about the two year elephant that you eat and I am almost half way through this two year beast! :D

I am just filled with joy for the missionary work! For those who are debating going on a mission because you don't know what will happen, if you have a girlfriend waiting, if you think that there are just so many opportunities to pass up right now… you will have those opportunities, if not even more and that are far better in the future! I encourage all of you to go. I also share my testimony that I know this church is true! I love this gospel with all my heart! I really have seen a change; the change that God is bringing about in this heart of mine. I have tested Heavenly Father's promises and preached the gospel, to see if I will be happy. I can tell you that I am the most happy that I have ever been in my whole life! Right now I am working on keeping humble cause I have a comp that is my best friend in the whole world! Therefore satan works to take the humility from me!!! So, therefore I am attacking satan and fighting for humility!

My spiritual topic that I want to bring to the table today is the topic of TESTIMONY!!!!!!!!! Wahoooo!!!!!!! I am going to talk a little about testimony!!! I was wondering where in my call it says that I would be suffering for two years and tested until the breaking point everyday; those returned missionaries will know what I am saying, especially the ones who served in Mexico and walked like twelve miles or more a day in the hot sun at 110 degrees! But, there is one thing I have noticed about the Lord and his missionaries, we are sent here to preach the gospel; through that Heavenly Father gives us tests, a whole heap of miracles and much much more, and afterwards He blesses us with the testimony. There is a reason it is called by that name, not takeamony, givemeamony, haveamony, thankamony, or any one of those names. It is called a TESTimony because that is the direct intent that the Lord is going to do! He is going to test it! It will be the hardest thing in the world when He does, but that is how He is making more and more clear to us that it is all true! When we are willing to suffer for something, willing to give two years of our life to the gospel, He makes sure that we receive a re-embursement or in other words, a super testimony! I want all of you to try to do something to test your testimony this week!

I love you all and know that this gospel is true!!!! I love it and I know that you will encounter this same happiness that I and many others have!! :D Please have a great week. I would talk a lot more but I am now at my time limit! :D I send shout outs to all my friends, especially the Copes and the Jacksons. Please tell Lisa, thank you for the letter and I am sorry I ran out of time and can't write back. I love their family and know that all will work out just like it is supposed to.
 

Have a great week and I will try to also!!!! :D

Love, Elder Hancock!!!!!!!!!!!