Week on the DL Leads to a Stronger Testimony

We got this week's letter from Haden and it is a long one.  He's been on the DL all week so he's had some time to reflect and he spilled his guts here.  It's a pretty powerful letter.  I tried to put as many links as possible in there for things that are easy to look up.  If you have any other questions about any of it, please let me know.  Or you can always go to Mormon.org and they do a very good job of clearing things up.

Also, after a 2 week absence we finally have more pictures!  The Picture page has been updated, so check them out. 
Read the letter below.....

Hola,

Well this week was a little boring. I was not able to walk all week and I couldn’t go out. I have crutches and a walking boot and the only good thing about it is that my arms are going to get huge. Haha. But I had a lot of time to think about a lot of stuff this week. A lot of things that were personal and that made me feel so much better. Even though I wasn’t working and wasn’t able to do a lot, I still felt the Spirit so strong in my life. I definitely am feeling a difference now that I decided to do things the right way, after conference, I realized that I needed to change, I took those steps. And right as I started to do it, I wasn’t able to anymore because I hurt my ankle. haha. I have some sweet pics so check those babies out.

But what we tried to do was have a member go with my companion while I was chillin in a house of my mission leader. But we were very very very very sad. On Wednesday, both the people that were going to go with us called us and said they couldn’t and one didn’t even call us. Then Wednesday night, we called the guy that was going to go with us on Thursday, and he said he couldn’t. We just sat there for like thirty minutes in silence wondering, why? It was a very humbling experience and I know that there was something there for us to learn. That night I had a long prayer, it wasn’t a usual prayer, and I just pleaded, asking Heavenly Father to help us. For Him to prepare a way and for Him to take care of it because we cant. It was about twenty minutes of pleading.  

As I went to bed, I was still sad but I had faith that all would work out. And it did. We didn’t have a chance to teach a lot. Honestly, I think I only taught two lessons with my companion all week. But those two lessons, those people were prepared. It was a couple that we have been working on getting married. We called the judge of the mission and he said that they had all they needed to be married. So on Saturday they are going to get married and we are baptizing them on Sunday. It was such a powerful lesson that we taught and that they received. Not a doubt in my mind that they were prepared. And this man, Filiberto, he is a good guy but he has some problems. But he worked them out. We are baptizing him also this coming Sunday. Both those lessons were the only lessons that I taught all week with my companion and for them both to be committed to baptisms is something that I knew was an answer to my prayers.

I know with my foot and not being able to work there is something that I need to learn. This week I had a lot of time to think like I said. Think about my family, friends, loved ones, investigators, purpose, and opportunities. It was nice. I figured a lot of things out that I needed to and it testified to me that I am here because I should be here. That this is where I need to be and I need to use this time because it’s sacred. I am so glad for the opportunity to be here and for all the people that helped me make the decision (or made it for me) I think only a few people will get that one. hahaha. And for everybody’s love and support that I feel while I am here. I will not cheat any of you. I am here to work and no matter how hard it is to do that, I am going to do that. So don’t worry.

There is something that the Prophet said this last weekend in conference. He gave a really powerful talk on the priesthood. His talk and the talk of Jeffrey R. Holland probably changed my life. With the power of his voice and the determination that the world saw in his face, he pounded his fist on the pulpit and said honor your priesthood. I can’t explain the feeling that I felt as I heard those words. If you haven’t watched it you have to. It was at that moment that I realized I needed to be better. A better tool in the hands of my Heavenly Father and honor my priesthood better.

I have only been out here for a few months. Actually tomorrow is five months, it’s crazy how fast it went. It took me a while but I finally know who I should be and what I need to do. The priesthood is something that we have on this earth to help us. It’s not to make God feel good, it’s not going to make us rich or have a big house, but it will bring us things that will matter later on in this life. The opportunity to have that is something that we should all cherish. I can’t explain the love that I have felt through priesthood blessing from my Grandpa Muggs and others. Right before I left I received a priesthood blessing from my Grandpa and it was such a special opportunity to have that. I ask, for all those who have or have had the priesthood, work for it. Work to keep it or to gain it back. Because it will bless you and your family, and it has the opportunity to bless all others that you don’t know either. Almost every week we give blessing to people we don’t know, but it’s not about our knowledge of them and their lives. It’s about our love for them.

I am sorry this letter is probably confusing to other who aren’t members of the church. If you have questions ask Tobin. But I know with all my heart that this is the truth. That it’s something that was given to us by our Father in heaven for our salvation. We need to show our gratitude and appreciation. I haven’t always done that in my life and this week thinking brought that into me. I know the person that I need to be and the person that I should be. The person that I feel Heavenly Father wants me to be. And I am going to do all I can to keep that. In the MTC (missionary training center), my teacher asked me a question "what do you want most out of your life right now?" I said "for my Heavenly Father to be proud of me. " Now, for the first time in a long, long time, maybe even my life, I really feel that He is proud of me. I honestly feel that He is with me and He knows how I feel. He knows my problems and as long as I do what He asks, He will help me through them.

Phew....well that was emotional. But I felt like I needed to share that with you guys. Mexico City is still awesome. It rained last night but it doesn’t matter because I was in the house. My companion is district leader now and has a cell phone. He pulls it out every five seconds, I swear we are going to get robbed cause of that stupid thing. But a lot of good things are happening. This week we are going to work more now that I can at least put my foot on the ground. Oh yeah showers suck. All the blood rushing to my foot is horrible. haha.

Last week we thought we were going have changes (move to a different area) so we visited a family we just baptized, Anabel y Elva. That was depressing. They were crying and all and they gave us letters and their kids drew us pictures. And they were just expressing their gratitude for us. They are an awesome family and I am glad to have known them. But I didn’t change so I still know them. I told them that in two years I would return and go to the temple with them. So Dad, start saving up...haha :)

I haven’t got robbed yet and haven’t eaten chicharrones in like two months. So pretty much I am feeling good. Hopefully this letter did something for someone who reads it. They always tell us that no matter where we are or what we are doing for two years we are missionaries. So I kept to that saying. I love you all and there is a reason why I wrote these things. It’s probably going to pass over the heads of about 85 percent of you, but hopefully for that one person, it did something.

I love you guys and miss you. Enjoy the pics and talk to you next week.

Much love,

Elder Hoots