He Smells Freakin Amazing (week #34)

This week has been insaaaaane....Yeah I had to sing a solo..the zone leaders made sure I did it ALONE...I sang Lead, Kindly Light." Everyone says it was good so like...I guess it went well? 

I'm not really sure what M's deal is. He's pretty much given up and we obviously aren't going anywhere without a member, so we're asking everybody to at least call him. So we'll see what happens. 

Me and Elder P speak Spanish every so often. I learn a lot of new words from him. Chupacabra literally means "sucks goats" in spanish....

What has been your biggest challenge this week?
Well we had the big storm this week and there was literally nothing to do all day...Like you hope one day during your 2 years you can have a day off and then you realize the days off absolutely SUCK!!!

What has been your biggest concern?
Helping people get to church again...but because of the storm, church was cancelled. Which felt really weird. In missionary life, without church, there's not really any difference between Saturday and Sunday...

What has been your biggest success?
Having Elder Dube come to the mission was awesome!! He answered some of the questions we had for our area directly and it was amazing! Elder Dube gave a training on using scriptures to teach and did a roleplay about our situation exactly. And he used the "worth of souls is great" scripture. 

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?
Elder Dube. For one, he talked about some amazing things. And for 2, he called me up to do a roleplay with him (I didn't volunteer...that's what i get for sitting so close to the front.) and he's just the nicest guy with a ton of energy and a huge testimony. And he smells freakin amazing. It's not weird it's just the truth...

What has been your most significant tender mercy?We helped the S's prep for the huge storm just before it hit, and it was pouring rain and we had to get some metal panels to cover a hole in their house and it was impossible. Like we had to drag it through mud about a foot deep, up a big hill. And the tractor couldn't even pull it...so we had to tie ropes to it and pull it manually. And there is no way we should have been able to get it up there before the weather started getting crazy, but we did. Like I tied it to my waist and pulled it up the hill while the other 2 pushed....most messy service ever given...

What are you looking forward to this coming week?
We have a ward Halloween party on Friday with a chili cookoff! We aren't allowed to dress up but we'll find some way around that rule..., just kidding.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.
To actually have church so we can baptize people....could be a nice change...just a thought.

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

Helaman 5:12. My ponderizing scripture of the week. It's kind of ironic...

Anyways hope you all have a great week!

Love you guys!

Elder Hess

Offered Her a Rubber Band Instead (Week #33)

I haven't played my harmonica in a while, but I got asked to sing in our zone meeting...heck...they didn't even know I could sing.. So I did "Lead Kindly Light" alllll on my stinking lonesome.. Apparently it wasn't bad so that's a plus. Transfers are in a 2 weeks. Just snacks and stuff always helps if you wanna send that.

We meet way too many strange people. I meet a few Portland type crazies every so often...One asked me for my belt the other day so I offered her a rubber band instead...and she took it. Actually yesterday we got asked to come to a less actives house yesterday, and we were afraid he was ticked because we couldn't find him a ride to church but he instead talked for an hour about goth culture...he's actually in the library now singing along to heavy metal music and banging his head....

What has been your biggest challenge this week?We worked reeeeallllly hard to get our investigators to church. Promised them blessings and everything, did everything we were supposed to and more, and nobody showed up. It was super frustrating...

What has been your biggest concern?We've been working with a less active named M who has some big questions and doubts about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and we've been working to get him to start believing again but he gave us his BOM and basically gave up....

What has been your biggest success?J's mom accepted a baptism date! I mean it fell through cause she didn't come to church...but it's progress!!
Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?Bishop K. He's a really quiet guy, but he wants to help everybody..he spent 700 miles driving us to and from zone meeting and taking youth to a stake dance in one day...craziness.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?We found a shortcut to bike to Beeville! We have another car fast for the first 3 days of this week...So today we only biked 15 instead of 16 miles to pday!!! Yeaaaaay! Kinda sarcastic but at the same time not...I am developing my talents...

What are you looking forward to this coming week?We have a general authority coming to our mission on Friday!! We don't know who but he's going to train us and talk to us and stuff. So that'll be pretty sweet.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.Get people to come to the freaking church.

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

The story of Paul. I've been studying him and he did some crazy stuff through ridiculous problems. And Philippians 4:13 I think it is. "I can do all things through Christ..."

Love you guys!!!

Elder Hess

Chicken Wire and Paper Mache (Week #32)

Preface by the momma:

Elder Hess has shared a number of times about how experiences from the past have helped him on his mission so far. A few weeks back, he and his companion passed around a service sign-up at church. He was very interested to see what they'd be asked to do. It ends up that they did a number of things one of them being help decorate floats....Just one more thing he has had experience with. Funny, no? I thought it was.

The first section of this email, prior to the questions, are his answers to a number of my questions....You may recall that Elder Hess broke his ankle right at the time he turned his mission papers in. Thus the comments about the ankle.

I love to watch, through his weekly emails, how he's growing and developing into a thoughtful, caring human being. What an awesome experience mission life is!...Particularly, I'm loving his answer to the goal question this week....Not sure I know too many 20 year old young men who are working on this particular goal among those you run into on any given street--unless they're missionaries. So grateful for this experience for my young man!

*****

It was a good week! The razor is awesome! I love it! I had a lot of random emails from people that I've never talked to...which was nice! 

Building the float was a lot of fun! It wasn't at all like the ones in Portland. These were a bunch of chicken wire and paper mache and stuff like that instead of seeds and stuff. 

J, as soon as she told [her boyfriend] she was getting baptized, got proposed to haha so as soon as he gets back in December they're getting married!! Really cool miracle. So she has a ring and everything now. 

My ankle's doing fine. Occasionally it'll hurt randomly but it's all good. Yeah we bike everyday to save miles. We drive into a town and park it so we can bike. Thank you so much for the package! It was perfect! I'll be sending the ties this week! I'm going to put in my journal and some stuff in there too.

What has been your biggest challenge this week?We got challenged throughout the mission to find people that will come to church. So we really focused on finding people that would be willing to come and commiting them to do it.

What has been your biggest concern?Making sure J gets to church. She got confirmed this last Sunday, but she hasn't been feeling well so we were worried about it for a bit.

What has been your biggest success?We met a girl named C about a week ago. She's 25 with 4 kids living alone and has some tough times. But every time we visit her, it's just at the right time to meet her and it's always when she's going through a tough time. She told us when she was younger, her cousin died and so she stopped believing in God and everything, but missionaries came by and helped her out and started believing again, and now she's going through some of the same stuff and we showed up!

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?Probably Sister B. She's one of the members on our street and she has a less active son named D who's around our age. We go by her a lot to help her out cause she has a broken leg and to try to help D. We've become really good friends with both of them. She always gives us Dr. Peppers (apparently a really big thing here)

What has been your most significant tender mercy?J brought her brother and mom to church! It was awesome! They've been saying they'll come for a while but they finally did!

What are you looking forward to this coming week?

We have a TON of members and investigators with humongous problems. One family has a dad with a blocked artery in his neck and a misplaced disk in his back, his wife has a spine fractured in 2 places, and his daughter has chronic anxiety. And they expect us to fix all those problems... Tons of pressure but I'm excited to see how it turns out!

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.I've made plans on how to develop love for everybody! So I'm going to pray for love in every prayer!

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

D and C 123:17. Also my favorite scripture for your ponderizing list!

Love you guys a lot! Have a great week!

Elder Hess

"Finally! The Doors of Heaven Can Open!" (Week #31)

It was probably the best birthday I've had! Really great day!

What has been your biggest challenge this week?
Time. Waiting for conference to come took forever...

What has been your biggest concern?
Just getting J in the water. Satan pushes really hard before baptisms...

What has been your biggest success?

Finally. FINALLY. J has been baptized. A couple days ago, she had a dream where her family members who have passed on were around a table, dressed in white and celebrating saying, "Finally! The doors of heaven can open!" Like, What.......And so she's really excited to get her family history started so they can be saved too.

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?
2 people. 1: A.M. She's so cool. In between sessions of conference we'd go eat at her house. She's an awesome lady. 2: J's dad (he's dead which makes it even weirder). He's probably been the biggest influence on her gettiing baptized. She has dreams about him all the time and when I put her in the water she said she closed her eyes and saw him smiling....

What has been your most significant tender mercy?
Conference. Those men are inspired for sure. They said a ton of things that I needed to hear and things I need to share with people.

What are you looking forward to this coming week?
Well today we're playing soccer as a zone sooo that...but also working on J's  family. We've met them and they're really nice.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.
Work with J's family. I think they could be baptized. 

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

The story of Daniel. They shared it in Conference and it makes sense. Babylon is getting bigger and we need to not only resist it, but build God's kingdom as well.

Again thank you so much! You're doing great work! Elder Holland's talk really struck me. You're the reason I've made it here. So thank you again.

Love you guys! 

Elder Hess

Sorry the computers are being really dumb and not letting me send pictures. I promise I'm taking some.

#birthdaypresent (Week #30)

This week was super busy...We did tons of service. We replaced water heaters and cleaned air conditioners and even worked on a float for a parade! It's been crazy. But great! People are really appreciative!

What has been your biggest challenge this week?
Finding new people. Scratch that. We can find people we just can't get them to act. They'll listen but they won't come to church or pray or anything. Super dumb. But they're really nice people!

What has been your biggest concern?

Miles. We only have a certain amount for the month and we're getting to the end. So it's tight. But we still have enough.

What has been your biggest success?
Jo is getting baptized!!!! Heck yeah!! Her boyfriend is now working elsewhere and is paying her rent but isn't living there. So we talked to the bishop and she's getting baptized!! #birthdaypresent

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?
Sister T and P. They're the new sisters in our district and they're really cool. Having new people in the ward makes things different.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?
We've been biking to save miles and the members really try to help us out if they can. Well most of them haha

What are you looking forward to this coming week?
General conference! Getting 3 new apostles is crazy and I'm excited to hear what they talk about. We're going to watch them at A's house.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.
Get people to act. We can't really do a whole lot if they don't do anything.

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

I've been reading a lot in Jesus the Christ. Read about how when the Roman soldier stabs Him in the side, water and blood comes out. And i was like "why the heck is there water?" but in the book it talks about how that effect happens during a cardiac rupture. Literally a broken heart. So when God forsakes him, his heart broke. Trippy stuff.

I completely filled out my journal now.

Love you guys!

The computer isn't letting me send pictures.... sorry

Elder Hess

Really Spooky Stuff Goes on With That (Week #28)

What has been your biggest challenge this week?Probably time management. We cover 5 cities all at least 20 minutes away from the next and we had to visit Jo everyday...So we weren't able really to visit any other than the one city....Poop.

What has been your biggest concern?Jo...she still hasn't found anything she can do and is still coming to church and learning but we can't find a way out for her...

What has been your biggest success?We found a guy! His name is S and he told us he doesn't believe in God, he believes in la santa muerte (essentially satan. Really spooky stuff goes on with that) But he wants to improve his relationship with God...Not really sure how that works but sweet!

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?Sister S. She's a great lady. Always really positive and hardworking and everything. Just a really nice lady. and her birthday is one day before mine! Elder P is up there too. He's an amazing little dude.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?Probably water. It's been really hot. And we've been biking everywhere to meet more people and a lot of the people we meet, even if they're not interested, will offer us water. Thank goodness!

What are you looking forward to this coming week?We're having a car fast in our zone! Nobody will use their cars at all until Sunday. Sucks for us cause we have to bike an hour at the least to anywhere to do work but it's gonna be a great experience. We biked 25 miles this morning for district meeting and we're gonna bike more to our real area to do work!!

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.Find more people. Since Jo is stuck until who knows how long (guy wants to marry her but refuses to act and doesn't want to be pushed) We have to focus on other people we can help right now. 

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Read it this morning and was really cool. The crap we go through now is gonna help us in the end. 

My bike is good. We ride them ALLLLLL the time and we got all we need for that. 

Patriarchal blessing:I'm trying to mark all the blessing and things to remember and then look for stories in the scriptures that apply to those. 

Sounds like life is moving ahead. Craziness. I hope everything works out for T there (say hi to Ms Macomber for me!) and for Q as well. 

Hope you have a great week!

Love you guys!

Elder Hess

Our mouse problem in our trailer was solved

"I'm Not Crazy. I'm Just Texan." (Week #27)

I did work in my own area this week which was great. Lots of good stuff. We're keeping the hornets as pets. They don't bug anybody and they're adorable. Like a terrifying puppy. 100's of them. I haven't heard anything about M...Jo is great. She acts like a member and is really truly converted. But she won't stinkin move away from that dude!!!! UGH!! We're still working on her plans. Yeah. me and P emcee'd the talent show. It was super easy. I just told a bunch of stupid jokes (a specialty). The ward's doing fine. 

What has been your biggest challenge this week?keeping track of miles. we have a limit on how many we can use per month and near the end of the month it gets tight. Especially when you have to drive 20 minutes to get anywhere in your area.

What has been your biggest concern?Jo figuring things out. We can't find a way to make it work. It would be way easier if the dude would just marry the lady...

What has been your biggest success?

Using talents I didn't realize I had. I've been asked to play carpenter 3 times this week. Like using power tools and frightening things like that. So glad that Dad taught me how. Apparently the last few elders didn't even know how to use a hammer...

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why?Sister K. She takes really good care of the missionaries here. Always makes sure we have enough to eat and everything.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?Being able to help out on the S's house. They've been working on it for 5 years. and so I feel like helping them is one of the reasons I got called to this area. So I could cut wood and stuff for them. And we found an investigator for the sisters in our district through cutting wood for him too! Super weird.

What are you looking forward to this coming week?Today we have a ward FHE. We have one every week but this'll be the first that I'll be at..

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it.

finding more prepared people and getting them to church!

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

My patriarchal blessing. I've found some good ways to study it now.

Love you guys!

Elder Hess

aw snap! I almost forgot!

PS!!!!

We visited a less active and parked outside his driveway cause we didn't wanna take his space. And we go in and we meet the wife and family and everything and they're super nice. And then the dad bursts in and runs to the back! And the wife is like "oh he probably has to pee". And so we relax and then he runs back in and we're about to go say hi when he rushes by us and COCKS THE FREAKIN PISTOL THAT IS IN HIS HAND!!!!!!! Apparently he saw us pull up and didn't know who it was. And then he looked back and didn't see us so he assumed we were criminals....He was gonna put the gun to our heads!! How cool is that!!!!??? 

His excuse was..."I'm not crazy. I'm just Texan."

Lengua (tongue) tacos! Not bad.

How to be More Proactive in the Gospel (Week #26)

Hey momma!
I'm doing great! Yeah it was a crazy week but a good one. Elder P had to go to McAllen for a meeting that lasts 3 days so I stayed in Robstown which is one of the towns in the US known for their heroin trade. Fun stuff haha We actually cover like 5 different tiny towns.They each have probably less than 2000 people.

P has pretty good English he just messes up sometimes. He's been out for a year and a half so I teach him stuff sometimes. I know absolutely nothing about Harlingen. They should have been baptized yesterday but I haven't heard. I'll find a way to figure it out. I don't get to leave my area really unless it's an exchange.

What has been your biggest challenge this week? 

Not being in my area... It's tough cause you don't know who needs help in your area when you get back.

What has been your biggest concern? 

J. She's our best investigator and last Sunday she gave a letter to the lady who went to pick her up for church. She basically dear johned us because her common law husband wouldn't marry her for real and so she can't get baptized yet and we couldn't go by her for 4 days...

What has been your biggest success?

In those 4 days we were gone, the sisters in our district went by her house and talked to her. In that time, she had searched in 4 different churches to find another baptism but felt wrong with all of them.and she felt that God was dissapointed in her.....We went back to her house and she told us she only feels right in our church and she wants to be baptized. So I gave her a blessing and her mom is going to be living in a different apartment so we're hoping she can move in.

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why? 

Elder G. He's the guy I went on an exchange with. We had a ton of fun.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?

We had a talent show as a ward activity put on by the missionaries and it was really succesful. I was the mc and A lot of people participated.

What are you looking forward to this coming week? 

working in my area and finding more people.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it. 

Have a better relationship with the members. 

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

I gave a talk yesterday on how to be more proactive in the gospel. None of our investigators  have a job or a car so the members have to take them to church. And sooooo I shared with them that that's their duty as members, to support other people wanting to learn.. I shared alma 8:8-16 about sharing the gospel.

I also used you as an example of fulfilling your calling as a mom and in the ward and as a member in my talk! So thanks for being a good person!

I can't send pictures over this computer but I have some good ones!

Love you guys!

Elder Hess

Hey, How's Not Having Electricity? (Week #25)

My new comp is Elder P of Guanijuato, Mexico (not really sure how to spell that) But the dude is great. Really good missionary even though he doesn't know a ton of English. We speak pure English. I've only met one person that speaks Spanish up here....yikes. It's defintely more Texas than Mexico here.

What has been your biggest challenge this week? 

Getting transferred! I was super excited to get M and Je Baptized and married! But the Lord has other plans as well I guess. 

What has been your biggest concern? 

Getting to know this area. We cover a huge space. Like 4 tiny towns all really spread out. So it's a challenge but we're getting it.

What has been your biggest success?

We did a car wash for a boy scout fundraiser and I was put in charge of making hamburgers. And I got complimented by Texans!!! On my burgers!! Like whaaaaaat?!

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why? 

The Amish!! We live in the middle of nowhere....in a trailer (so cool). And one of our neighbors a couple miles down the road is an Amish community. One of our 4 neighbors on our "street" are the S's. They've been best buddies with the Amish for a while (not really sure what they talk about..."Hey, how's not having electricity?") and they're building their dream house. And the Amish volunteered to build their roof for free. It looks amazing. They're really nice people and they make freakin amazing apple pie.

What has been your most significant tender mercy?

Literally just before our transfer meeting, G called asking if he could meet with us. I don't know how it turned out but it was an answer to my prayers. 

What are you looking forward to this coming week? 

We're having a talent show this Saturday! And I might play the harmonica!

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it. 

Having more animo! (excitement) I think we all know excitement is something I struggle with.

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this wee 

The you cannot serve two masters one. When we aren't following commandments, we're following the wrong master.

Anyways, hope this week will be great for you guys!

Love you!

Elder Hess 

Me and VK and M

Outside our window (yikes)

Nicest Compliment I've Ever Received from a Gangster (Week #24)

My Homie the soldier at the war memorial (I named him Ricky)

J has been coming to church every week. We don't really teach him because even though he doesn't work, somehow he's always gone from his house. He's not all there which makes him tough to teach.

K's doing well. She understands President K now I think but she isn't all in on talks being 3 sundays out of the month. She prefers testimonies. She's progressing really well though.

Nothing from G. Trick is, he's working now and won't respond to us when we ask if he's home. Really frustrating but I'm still praying for him.

I haven't lost in prosball yet. So I haven't done anything yet. My goal is to not lose on my mission. I would play Jo again but he's never home whenever we go by as well. We've even set appointments with his family but they aren't there. I think his Grandma is the issue now. The kids want to go to church but not really her. We'll see.

We've tried visiting people from the blitz but a lot aren't interested. The blitz is when other people from your zone or district come and work in your area. So we had 2 other companionships working in our area. The trick is, you didn't meet them, so you don't know how prepared or interested they are. Sister P and Sister T were one companionship and I can't remember the other elders. We basically went around and tried to plant seeds with people. Super basic stuff.

M and Je are doing really well. They've come a long way. Je is Sister S's daughter and they live with her. 

Branch movie night went great. Had a lot of people come and a few investigators. Heck yeah we had ice cream!! The movie was Legacy (cheesy as heck but had a good message). It's a pioneer movie.

Transfers are tomorrow. This next transfer I hit my 6 month mark!! Elder H is a great guy. We get along really well. Unfortunately, he's going to be training this next transfer. So we know for sure we won't be together but we don't know where we're going.

What has been your biggest challenge this week? 

Being focused on this week and not the transfers that are coming. Sort of a mini end of the mission. Once you get to the end it's super important to stay focused and not slack.

What has been your biggest concern? 

Making sure we contact people that can progress. We contact a lot of people but it's tough to find people reeaaally interested

What has been your biggest success?

M and Je can finally get married! They talked to President K and the branch can help them out with the money!!

Who has been your favorite person this week? Why? 

M. He was a sketchy dude but he's flipped his life around. We took him to a wedding of a couple investigators in the other ward so he could see what his wedding would be like. He really loved it and we talked to him about his plans for his wedding and who would come and stuff. He's got a job and another job offer that could be better and a family that loves him and he really wants to become better. He told me and H and Ma and VK at the wedding, "A lot of people in our neighborhood talk trash about you guys. And it makes me really mad. You're great guys. We could chill" (Nicest compliment I've ever received from a gangster)

What has been your most significant tender mercy?

We were biking all yesterday and had a rough day where basically nobody wanted to talk to us, and it was super hot. So we went to a member's house and we were chatting when their son came over and put a drumstick (those ice cream ones, not the wood ones. My favorite things ever) on my lap. I had left it there like a week ago and totally forgot about it. Made my day.  

What are you looking forward to this coming week? 

Transfers. I really wanna see if I'm staying or going and who my next companion is going to be.

Do you have a goal set for this coming week? Tell me about it. 

my goal is to be patient. the Lord puts people in our way where and when they should be there. I just need to be patient enough to wait for them but keep looking at the same time.

Which scripture has had the biggest impact on you this week?

I've been reading a lot of D&C recently, and I like the blessings the Lord gives to the first couple people in the church. I think it's really cool to receive revelation like that. And it's possible for us too!

Hope you guys have a great week!

Love you!