It's all about Service

Hola familia, 

First, thank you all for the money in my account. It has been a help, it seems I always need money like crazy. I gave my reembulsos to my zone leader that was going down to Tampico, but he was super pressured there and forgot to give them, so he is supposed to be sending them today by internet, so I should have some money back on Friday from those. Right now, my comp and I don't have anything which was bad and then I found out today that you had put money in my account. :D

This week was good, we are starting to warm up. It did snow this week, but it didn't stick to the ground, it just came down in little baby flakes for a couple of minutes, so I can officially say that I saw snow in Mexico!! The depression ish/anxiety problems stay about the same as they have been but I am still trucking thru and keeping in touch with president and getting blessings when I need them. We had 12 less actives in church in sacrament! So exciting! 

So, a little while ago we helped a man. He had been feeling bad and all of the doctors were telling him that it could be colon cancer developing. We gave him a blessing, my comp anointed and then I gave the blessing. It was just a spiritual experience. I felt the immense love that the Lord had for this man and the happiness He felt that the man was coming back to church. There was a promise; it was that if the man was honest in coming back to church, if he stayed strong, and kept keeping the commandments, and if he was continuing to exercise his faith, that the Lord would heal him, but if not, there is no promise. I felt like the blessing was a very cool experience and honestly I forgot when he was going to get the results. I have seen that the Lord helps me to forget sometimes to help me to really have an amazing answer in the end. But, one day this week, I went to see him and he said that he had the results and that he was completely clean, that he just has some swelling in his colon and it is being caused by his blood pressure or something. So, I am very happy and my testimony is super strengthened at the chances to exercise the priesthood! It really is the amazing power of God on earth!!

I finally got the tie, the hymnal, and the Christmas pic of mom and papi. ha ha oh I loved it. My comp and I have been singing in English like this whole week. President says if you have a companion who speaks Spanish, teach him English, the mission is an amazing opportunity for learning. My comp is speaking pretty good English and my Spanish has gotten better in this time. 

Thank you for sharing with me what those families said about me. They are great families! I love them! 

So, I was thinking on our service this week; I was thinking about how we serve the Lord and our friends. In almost every circumstance I have found myself serving the Lord. I have been serving, not the people that I want to serve, or the people that I think would be good members, or even the people that I think would need help. What has happened, is that I have found myself in the service of the people that maybe I would have thought didn't need help, or that I would have just passed up, or that I would have said that someone else could serve, cause I and MY big head and pride didn't just quite like how the vibe was with them. What I have found is that that when we truly love the Lord and HIS children, we are able to put aside the ME and the what do WE want, and who do WE want to serve. I have made friends with these people, and some are now my best of friends. I am changing into the man that the Lord wants me to be. I am in forever debt to my Father in Heaven for helping me to be an instrument, for ultimately starting the great change that can come to pass in our hearts. I love the Lord, I love his children. "And I say unto you that when ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me"… I think that all of us can apply this scripture in our lives. When it says, "the LEAST of these my brethren"… it is not meaning merely the poorest of poor, or those that stand most in need. It is also meaning to serve those who might just look to be the least of worth to you. If you can "put off the natural man, and become a saint through the atonement of Christ", I promise you that the scriptures will be unfolded unto all of you. Search for the service to the people that are not necessarily your best friends, but maybe for the people, or in opportunities that really make you exercise a little bit of humility, love, tender and brotherly kindness. THAT is when we grow; if we first serve those whom the Lord wants us to serve; those whom HE would prefer, those whom HE loves more than we love them. We need to turn our sights to God, to turn them to really making them be "with an eye single to the Glory of God"; really seeing those along with ourselves, as who can we become, not who we are now. Now, I make this promise because I live it everyday, the Lord has changed my life, He is making me who I want to become!  I testify that He wants you all to help His children. He loves them, He loves you, He will help you at all times. I testify of this, in the beloved name of our Savior and King, even Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Ha ha mom, thanks for the countdown and no, I am not trunky. It has really passed, if it was going to come. I am just finding more love for the people and just serving with all that I have. I hope if it does come, I will be able to fight it off and be like you mom, working hard up to the last day! 

Next week is transfers and I have six months here, and me and my comp have four and a half months together, so it's a definite possibility I will be going. I would love another change here, but I have no idea what will happen. If I am transferred I will probably be late writing or maybe even not until Tuesday so if you don't get your letter don't worry until then, don't worry. 

I am short on time today, so will you please write Tyler a little hi and have a great week for me and tell him I will write him next week. And please tell Darby, I am thinking of her and I am excited for her to get to go back out! I will try to write her next week also. 

I have to go now. Have a great week! Go to the temple! I love you all! 

Elder Hancock

P.S. Mom, I love you MOST! I win! I win! I win!