I am in a new ward, and I am excited to be here. It is called Nocedal, and my sector is three times bigger and more wealthy than Los Olmos...so this should be a little bit of a change. The houses...are relatively big and nice looking. Like front doors and all that jazz exist. I have heard only good things about this ward from the Elders that have served there (one of those Elders being my trainer!) and I am excited to be here. My new companion is a gringo (not being racist, but extremely excited about that) and his name is Elder Jenks. From North Dakota, and ALSO plays Super Smash Bros so that`s good. Plays with Shulk, for any fellow Smashers out there. (HA! Shulk. Shulk is a chump.)
I can`t think of a better, nor more difficult, way to end time in a ward than with a baptism. Wow. Amaro and Vicente were baptized on Sunday! Along with another joven named Katiuska, who has an incredible story, but time forces it to wait for another day. 3 baptisms in Los Olmos! I think I received a little bit of understanding to the Joseph Smith`s revelation in DC 18:15-16. In terms of baptisms, these 2 kids were the only 2 I saw enter the waters of baptism (in which I participated from the very beginning) in my time here in Los Olmos. But Sunday made everything worth it. The reactivation of their mom, Karla, their sister, Tamara, and their baptism was worth 7 months or working. Really, it was worth 2 years of work. If we don`t find another person for the next 2 years, I am more than happy with the conversion of this family. Named La Familia Silva Perez.
Getting the news that I was leaving in special changes this week was a little last minute, which made farewells fast and hard. Between Elder Albarracìn and Karla, Vicente, and Amaro, goodbyes were really really hard. And the family of our Bishop. It`s interesting...while we have so many incredible families in the ward, it wasn`t that hard to say goodbye to the people that I didn`t really help progress. If I didn`t put some kind of work spiritually into the family, it wasn`t that hard to say goodbye. Oooh and Nacho, ahh that was hard, too.
It`s just wild...there`s a decent chance that I won`t ever see them again, and especially with Karla, there`s a chance that she could inactivate or that her kids could fall away or I don`t know. It is interesting to completely walk away from a big work you are participating in and leave it completely in The Lord`s Hands. Talk about trust.
Also pretty emotional saying goodbye to Elder Albarracìn. He has got it pretty rough. Being the only member in his family, not a lot of support on his side, and he had to work like crazy to afford coming out on the mission. He didn`t come out with a lot, but the members of his wards have given him what he needs, which is amazing. As we were saying goodbye, he went to his closet and brought out a tie, and said
"Here. This is for you. But TAKE CARE of it. This is the most important tie in my life". He started to cry and said "This is the tie my mom gave me before I left".
He also gave me a sweater and a little stuffed kangaroo he had brought from his house. I will miss him so much, but The Lord knows exactly what His Children need, so I think this change will be good for everyone.
He also gave me a sweater and a little stuffed kangaroo he had brought from his house. I will miss him so much, but The Lord knows exactly what His Children need, so I think this change will be good for everyone.
Excited to see what the future holds!
Love you!
-Elder Hixon
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