Email received 11-05-12

Hi family!

Well this week was a harder week.  Its been really good with Elder Muñoz.  He is so amaizing!!  but we are having a lot of good experiences. We were supposed to have a baptism yesterday but it fell through.  We found this family a week and a half ago that is really amazing.  They are named the Anaya family.  They really like the gosspel but the two parents cant get baptized because they have to get married.  But the real problem is, is that they dont want to get married.  It makes me so sad.  But the son said he wanted to be baptized when he was interviewed on friday.  He was so excited.  But he is 13.  And I kind of didnt feel good about baptizing him.  I didnt know why but I did.  But saterday night we went by and talked to him (well his mom for most of the time)  he said he didnt have enough knowledge.  we sat there for a two hours trying to convince him.  But he was in and out of the room playing around.  And I told her that I was not going to baptize someone just to baptize them.  Because thats what was going to happen.  Because I knew he would not stay active because his dad wants him to work with him on sundays and he would never go to church.  And after that I thought Elder Muñoz was going to be mad but he told me  that I did the right thing.  That he said he was just tryingto get him baptized.  That I was going by what the spirit was telling us.  It was actually a really good learning experience for us.  

On Saterday we had kind of a heart breaking story.  We were walking down the street around 5:00 and this man comes up to us.  He said he needed help.  Serious help.  He told us he was intoxicated but not drunk.  He told us he was on the edge of death.  He told us that he had drunk so much just do get drunk but that didnt happen.  he said he went to the catholic church and after the service someone asked him for alcohol but he didnt have any.  He told us that he could not go home because his family doesnt know.  And it would break their hearts if they found out.  But he begged us for help.  We told him first he needed medical help and then we would be able to help him.  He asked us how his spirit could be saved.  He said he couldnt go to the hospital because they would call his family.  I cried.  I had no idea how to help him.  That was the first time I loved some one that i  had met for the first time.  I cried for thirty minuets because i was so heartbroken because i had no idea how to help him.  It was a sad thing to me.  But I learned that I need to do all i can to help someone like that.  Because I know we didnt just meet him for a reason.  We couldnt help him.  I didnt know how to help him.  I felt like I let My Father in Heaven down.  

I learned at that moment how Christ feels about us.  And that when we are makeing bad disisiones He cries for us.  I only felt just a bit small bit of what He feels for us.  He loves us more than we will ever know right now.  He loves us.  I love you all so much.  Thank you for all you do.  

Always and Forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  Mexico has day light saveings  We are only 1 hour ahead

Email received 10-29-12

Hola familia!

Well this week was really great.  The 70 of the mission Elder Johnson, and President Villarreal told the whole mission that we need to focus on reactivating inactive members and looking for incomplete families.  Last year our mission baptized 40,000, and only 4,000 are active.  So we are focusing on the lost sheep that have already been baptized.  It is really cool because the first Presidency have been telling us mas y mejor.  

We have been teaching this family that we have really seen grow.  The only problem is that it is hard for them to come to church.  We have really been working so hard.  This week, we have some cool stories.  On Saturday, we contacted this older guy who asked us if we were in the CIA or the FBI.  It was kind of a funny experience.  He was the first person to call me Gringo and not Guero.  It made me super happy.  

Yesterday we were in class and we were talking about what a testimony is and one of our recent converts Celina told us a story about how she gained a testimony.  When we went to interview her a few weeks ago she told us she wasn't sure if she wants to be baptized.  We were there for a while when she said she would do it.  The next day was a Saturday and she was telling us that she wasn't going to be baptized the next day because she was super occupied with things to do.  She told us that she would talk to us in the morning.  So the next morning she called us and told us she was not going to be baptized.  That moment our hearts dropped.  We hung up the phone and started thinking of what to do.  So we went over to her house and she answered the door and said she would be baptized.  We were not really sure what happened but she was baptized and we didn't have to push her at all that morning.  Later in the week she had things happen.  She had been praying that she would find a job and that she would have enough time to go to church on Sunday.  And after her baptism, during the week she had those prayers answered.  She knows that because she was baptized the Lord answered her prayers because she sacrificed something to be baptized and the Lord saw that and answered her prayers.  And at that point she told us that is when she started to gain a testimony.  It was so amazing for us to hear that because we know that she will stay strong.  Because it is very difficult because Satan really goes after those new converts.  

This week I have been thinking about diligence a lot.  And why we need to be diligent.  If we are being diligent in keeping the commandments of Heavenly Father, and really striving to follow the example of Jesus Christ we will not fall.  Because if we really have that desire then we will be diligent.  Sometimes it is hard.  Really hard.  But when we look towards the light of Christ we will not falter, we will not be shaken on the tempest tossed seas.  And if we really build our foundations on Christ we will not fall.  But we must be diligent everyday in keeping ourselves protected from the temptations and distractions the devil sends our way.  The moment we let our guard down is when Satan strikes.  We can't let him in.  I have seen this in my life.  I know that when I am not diligent, I let Satan in by not doing those small little things to keep him out.  

I love you all so much.  Thank you all for your love and support.

Always and forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 10-22-12

Hey Family

Well this week was a really good week.  We had a lot of miracles this week.  It is amazing to see what the Lord does for us.  We had a baptism yesterday.  He is the son of the mother, Celina, we baptized last week.  His name is Jorge.  He is 15 years old.  He has such a strong testimony and desire to follow Christ.  He loves to play basketball and so does Elder Muñoz, so we went and played basket ball with him today.  It was a lot of fun.  Next week we will play baseball.  I have baseball fever.  

Elder Muñoz is an awesome missionary.  We really are being blessed because of our work.  Last change was a hard one for me.  But I feel really good about this one.  Just this one week we found a lot of people that really are searching for something else.  We met really amazing families this week that I really have faith they will turn to the Lord for help.  There are so many people that are so sad and don't know where to find happiness.  It is hard sometimes.  We all have hard times but if we are relying on Christ he will make our burdens light.  We all just have to open up the door.  Because He is knocking at the door waiting for us to open it.  

We were at church yesterday and were walking home and right next door to the church a man walked out and told us that a few years ago Missionaries taught him a few lessons.  He said they never came back but they gave him a Book of Mormon and told him to read it and never came back.  He told us that he didn't want to read the book and gave it to us.  We told him to read the book and to pray about it.  But he insisted on giving it to us.  We were really saddened by it but we  accepted it.  We are going to go back this week and start teaching him again.  He needs to have the Book of Mormon, because it is the keystone of our Church.  Without it we would not have our church.  I quote Elder Holland, "No wicked man could ever write such a book, and no good man would."  It is the most correct book on the Earth.  There is power in reading the Book of Mormon.  We cannot gain a full testimony of the Gospel without reading it.  It really does bless our lives.  

I love you all so much.  Have a good week.  

Always and forever 

Elder Hancock,

Helaman 5:12

Email received 10-15-12

My Dearest Family,

I am so sorry last week was so short.  We are in a bit of a rush again today.  Today was changes.  I stayed in Aquiles Serdan.  I got a new companion Elder Muñoz.  He is so awesome.  He is from north Mexico.  He is actually temporarily here.  He is supposed to be going into the MTC in Provo to go to Portugal but he lost his VISA for the U.S.  He has three months in the mission and speaks perfect English.  

I am so excited for this change.  We had a baptism yesterday.  Her name is Selina.  We taught her the entire last change.  She called us yesterday morning telling us she didn't want to be baptized.  We decided to go to her house before church and try to get her to go.  We went to her house and knocked on her door for 15 minutes but she didn't answer.  Right as we were walking away she answered the door.  She told us that she was really tired and didn't want to go to church.  We told her Satan was telling her not to get baptized.  Right after that she told us she would go at 12:00.  And then we told her we would come pick her up.  Later we picked her up and later that day she was baptized.  It was such an amazing experience because of Heavenly Father.  We knew because of our faith we were blessed.  We also knew how bad Satan was trying to get her to not be baptized.  It really was an amazing experience because in the taxi on the way to the church she said she was really nervous.  So nervous that she was sick to her stomach.  But after she was baptized she said she didn't feel sick.  She said she felt so happy and she said all she could feel was peace.  It is so amazing to see the role of the gospel take root in peoples lives.

I have got to be honest this last change has been really hard for me.  The hardest time I have had so far.  But through faith I got through it.  It was so amazing to see myself change in times of trial.  But I Know that the Lord is with me.  I can feel him as I go throughout the day.  I can feel the strength of angels.  I feel all of your love everyday.  At times life is hard.  Do not give up.  Hold on to the Rod of Iron because this is the only thing that will bring us happiness.  I love you all so much.  Thank you all for the love and support that you give me.  It really does carry me.  

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 10/01/12

Hey Family,

We had some crazy rain this week.  The rain was supposed to stop at the beginning of this month.  But I think it is because of a tropical storm off the coast.  I don't really know.  I have not a clue of what is going on in the world.  It's ok I like it that way.  

Last night we helped one of our converts paint their house.  We went over to their house planning on teaching them but they were painting and looked like they needed help.  It was a lot of fun.  I got paint on my pants.  Not a whole lot but I got some on my pants.  But Elder Romay told me every time I look at that white stain on my pants I will always think of painting that house with them.  It's what we call a "Good mission experience", or a "This is going in my journal" experience.  After that we went home and made pancakes and put chocolate ice cream on it with syrup on it.  It was DELICIOUS!!!!  (hey don't judge... we are still 19-20 year old "men")  

We went to Centro today.  Elder Romay had to buy new shoes.  People need to remember that if they are making shoes for missionaries that missionaries walk a lot.  It was really funny.  His shoes look like they have a mouth.   I bought a cool ice blue  tie today from Chinos.  35 pesos.  We saw Elder McMillan there.  It was so awesome seeing him.  I have not seen him since we got here to Mexico.  

I got the package last week.  I LOVE THE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!  It made me so happy!!!  Thanks for the stamps.  I will get right on writing those letters.  

This week was kind of a hard week.  We are not having a whole lot of things happen.  None of our investigators are progressing.  It has been really hard for us.  We talked with the Zone leaders and they told us that we need to be happy.  Let me tell you it is possible to be happy through our trials.  When we think negative things it impedes our faith, and it is stunted.  But when we have confidence in the Lord, THAT is when our faith grows.  Remember Ether 12:6, "we do not receive a witness until the trial of our faith."  

I have been thinking about prayer a lot lately.  How Powerful prayer really is.  The Lord hears us.  He is waiting to answer our prayers.  Sometimes it is hard to pray.  But when we pour our hearts out unto the Lord in Faith that is when our faith grows.  It is hard.  It is really hard sometimes.  You wonder why you are not having the same good things happen now as much as you had last week or the week before.  You wonder what you are doing wrong.  But Grandma said this to me, "We have trials to make us stronger."  We would be weak without them.  Through all of my trials I have come out stronger every time I have tried my hardest to Progress.  I can assure you that If we try our hardest to be happy to Endure Through our trials, exercizing our faith in Christ in MIGHTY prayer that is when we are made stronger.  We have to remember not to get down.  I have to tell myself that.  It is something I need to do.  But pray.  For me when all else fails.  When no one wants to take Christ into their life.  When all I want to do is lay down and fall asleep I remember Christ.  I remember that HE suffered for me.  Every ounce of my being He did it.  But I get down on my knees and pray and all of those burdens I felt are made light.  I do not exaggerate when I say they are made light.  I know Christ is there.  I know My Heavenly Father knows me and my trials.  Do not forget Him.  I love you all.  Thank you for your love and support.  

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 09-24-12

Hi Mom and Family,

Today was good.  We went over to a member's house and washed our clothes while we did our studies.  Then we went home and laid around for a while until we went shopping.  After shopping we went and got my hair cut.  It was really long.  Then we went home and here we are.  I know REAL EXCITING!!!

This week was a really good week.  I got sick again this week.  We are sure it is from the food we ate at a member's house.  It was fish.  I really did not feel good for a few days.  I have been kind of light headed for the past few days with an off and on headache.  I don't know why.  It is super weird to me.  But that's alright.  I am feeling good now. 

We have been having more success.  We have been teaching families that I really hope will get baptized.  One of those families is the same family I talked about a few weeks ago with the little boy that has cancer.  It makes me sad because the mom and the dad are not married and they have to get divorced before baptism.  The dad is Jehovah's Witness and doesn't want anything to do with the church.  The mom knows its true.  She told us this is the change she wants for her family but her husband doesn't like it.  It makes me really sad.  But that's alright.  We told her if she really wants to be baptized the Lord will provide a way. 

I need to be patient and have faith that the Lord will provide a way for me.  I have been trying so hard to be a tool in the Lord's hand and be the best Missionary I can Possibly be.  It is really hard sometimes.  You get down and discouraged and that is how Satan wants us to feel.  It is hard, but through Christ it is possible.  Without Christ it would be impossible.  I have to remember why I am here.  Remember the Lives that have changed because the Lord used me as a tool in His hands.  It all comes down to faith in Him. 

Yesterday we were teaching the Gospel Principle class and we taught about faith.  It really got me thinking about why faith is so important.  Without faith we would have no Gospel.  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the Gospel.  If we have the faith we can Move mountains.  But the most important part of our faith is action.  Without acting on our faith our faith will not grow.  It really made me think about my Faith a lot.  I know that I must put all I can into the Lord.  Because our Heavenly Father Hears us and loves us so much and wants His children to make it back to him.  Being here in Mexico and seeing so many sad situations and heard so many heart-breaking stories is hard, but I have witnessed the faith that came out of those trials.  It makes me so happy to see these people go through trials, putting all of their heart and Faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  That is why I am here.  To bring the joy, the happiness, the peace that comes through the Gospel.  I have seen it in my own life.  I feel it.  The only way we can truly have these things is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is no other way.  It is only through the Gospel can we have our eternal families.  I love you all so much.

Always and forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  Some Peanut butter would be nice... And Homemade Strawberry Jam!  I love you Mom, with all my heart. 

Email received 09-17-12

Hi Mom and Family,

First off, I want you all to know how much I love you.  I had a hard week this week and Mom, that email you just sent today is exactly what I needed.  I have been having a hard time wondering if I have done enough.  I have been struggling all week to know that my Father in Heaven, my Savior, and my family were proud of me.  This is exactly what I needed.  Thank you. 

I got sick this week.  It was just a cold, but it is always hard to work when you are even a little bit sick.  We got really wet a few nights ago when it started raining super hard.  It was cold that day so it didn't feel too great.  Saturday was 15 de Septiembre (Mexico's Independence Day).  It was really dangerous that day.  There were lots of fireworks going off.  It was cool.  We were supposed to be back in the house at 8:30 but that didn't happen.  We didn't get home until 9:00. 

We have been having a hard time finding people that want to listen.  It has really been a trial but we are not losing faith.  It really is hard seeing people that don't want to listen to the life changing message that we have for them. 

I love it here.  The people are amazing.  We ate with a family yesterday that really humbled me.  Their dad was baptized not too long ago but has to skip church a lot to work (very common here).  He has a daughter that has been sick for a while.  We gave her a blessing.  It really was a heart-softening experience for me because they were a really poor family and did not have very much money.  But the father's faith and his humility really astounded me. 

We also met a man yesterday who was baptized not too long ago either.  He came to our ward for the first time.  He still needs to be confirmed.  He told us why he joined the church.  His daughter has cancer.  They found out not very long ago.  She has it in her brain.  The man told us she was terminal.  She has two more months to live.  He told us that after he found out she has cancer, he thought long and hard about his life.  He thought about what was going to happen to him after death.  The next week, he walked in to church and the missionaries found him and baptized him.  This story really touched me. 

The Lord is preparing people for me.  I have seen it.  The joy of the Gospel blesses families.  The joy and the light that floods into their eyes IS the fullness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is no way of denying something so pure and sweet when you see something like this.  Complete Transformations.  Lives changed forever.  No other thing could and WILL EVER do that.  Only Christ our Savior and Redeemer and His Gospel can do that.  Because that is why we are here.  To gain a body and find happiness, TRUE happiness.  That can only come through the Gospel.  I see that in my life when I compare who I was more than a year ago, to who I am now.  I promise you that I was not happy.  But I know that Because of Christ and His Atonement, I am happy.  I am at peace.  I feel His love every day.  Yes it is hard.  Life is hard.  But we can be happy and be going through trials at the same time.  But this is only possible through Christ.  I love you all thank you.

Always and Forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  Eli,  Thank you.  I think about you every single day.  You help me.  I miss you but I work hard because of you.  I love you with all my heart.  Thank you.

Mom, these pictures are not too great, but I figure Fred can photoshop them and zoom in on my face, maybe.  I love you.

Email received 09/10/12

Hola Family!!!!!

I am so happy to hear about Spencer.  I can't believe he went in to the MTC so soon.  Argentina has been having some hard times with VISAs.  There is an elder in my Zone that is from here and he is here waiting to go to Argentina.  But it's alright.  Whatever happens is what the Lord wants.  Just today I was thinking about Mason and how I know a friend that is in his same mission and I was thinking if they knew each other.  Well I guess they do.  That is so awesome that they know each other.  Elder Burningham is awesome.   

This week has been really awesome.  We had a baptism yesterday.  This whole week we have been trying to get her to be baptized because she knows its true.  Her husband was baptized just the week before but she told us every single day that she wasn't ready.  We fasted that she would make the decision to be baptized.  On Friday we had a really powerful lesson.  I shared my favorite scripture and said that if she had a desire to follow Christ and build her foundation on Christ that she will get baptized.  I told her that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ she will do this, and that all she needs to have is faith.  Because when you act on your faith your faith grows.  She was studying with the Jehovah's Witnesses and to be baptized in that church you have to basically memorize the bible.  She was baptized yesterday. 

I have a cool story to tell.  Yesterday we found this lady.  We walked in through the door and the Spirit hit me like a ton of bricks.  I saw this little boy about four-years-old sitting on the chair.  His head was shaved and I knew he had cancer.  Right then, the lady said he had cancer.  I could barely keep myself from crying.  But the weird thing is that it feels like I have seen them before or something.  But I knew that I have to baptize her and her family.  When I saw her I just knew how much she needed this.  How much she needs to know that if she has faith in Christ and relies on Him that her burdens will be made light.  I just know how much it will bless her family to know that whenever she needs, it they will be able to have the Priesthood in their home to bless this little boy.  It is hard when you see someone that is sad and you know they are sad because you can see it in their face but they blatantly shut the door.  It makes me so sad.  But really it is this kind of love that makes me go forward, ecause I know how much the Gospel will bless them.  

Thinking about faith a lot.  Faith is so powerful.  I would not be here sitting in this seat writing this email without faith.  And I have to hold on to that faith because my faith in Christ is how I keep going everyday.  To be honest, it is really hard sometimes.  But by having faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ, I rely on him.  I am comforted.  I have felt that comfort; I know that feeling.  It is something we all need.  If we have faith we can move mountains.  I love you all so much.  

Always and forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

P.S.  I need AAA's.  Oh, bad news: my watch broke yesterday.  I was handing my watch and my ring to Elder Romay because I don't baptize with it on, and it dropped, and the glass inside broke.  I am really sorry.  I had to buy a new one.  It is the same style, and not expensive (98 pesos = like less than $9.00).  Sorry.  I love you Mom.  Thank you for being so patient with me all these years.  I know all those fervent prayers were answered.  Thank you.  Because of the Savior I am here.  I know your fervent sincere prayers, pleading with the Lord to help me, were answered because of your faith.  Mosiah 27:14 I love you Mom.  I think of you and the family every day.

Email received 09/03/12

Dear Hancock Family,

This week was such an awesome week.  The last week of the change is always the hardest week.  But we got a lot of contacts and lessons.  We worked so hard this change.  We always want to make every day better. 

I gave my first blessing a few days ago.  That was amazing.  I have never felt the power of God flow out of me like that.  It was so amazing and powerful.  We baptized two brothers of Mitzy and Brisa.  They are the two girls that I baptized with Elder Sylvestre my first change.  Me and Elder Johnson had to wake up at 5am to go fill up the font because we had to baptize them early in the morning.  Mitzy and Brisa bore their testimonies in Sacrament meeting yesterday.  They both cried.  They made me cry because they said that we changed their lives of an entire family.  Those two girls have the strongest testimonies I have ever seen in 13 -14 year olds.  It made me so happy

We got calls on Saturday.  Transfer day.  I am now in Aquiles Serdan in Cameronas.  I am in DF.  One of the only zones in DF.  Camerones is a colony in DF.  I don't know my address.  Elder Johnson stayed in Cantera. My new Companion is Elder Romey.  He is from Veracruz.  He has a year in the mission.  He is so awesome. 

I had to say goodbye to all the families yesterday.  That was so hard.  I wanted to go, but I wanted to stay because of the families.  I was with the Family Espinosa Gallardo (Mizty's and Brisa's family).  What Patricia said to me made me cry.  She told me that because of us bringing her family the Gospel, her family is happy.  I baptized all of her kids.  She and her husband can't get baptized because they are not married, and they can't get married because they have to get divorced, and getting a divorce in Mexico is hard.  She told me a story about her husband.  Her husband really likes to drink.  He isn't an alcoholic but he loves his alcohol.  He really likes the Gospel but he doesn't want to give up drinking.  She told me a story about her husband.  They were at a birthday party and the family were all drinking.  One of the brothers of Jorge offered him a drink but he turned it down.  He said he saw how happy his family was and that he wasn't going to drink.  He said that when he is baptized he will be worthy for a whole year so he can be sealed together with his family.  Patricia told me as tears were streaming down her face that we brought an entire family back to Heavenly Father.  An entire family back into the fold of God.  She told me that we shine.  At that moment I knew exactly why I was there.  I told her that because she is happy and her family is happy I am happy.  All of this has made me so happy.  She also told me that Edgar and Nathan, the boys we baptized, want to have wives and children so that they can bring them into the Gospel.    Mitzy put her testimony and a picture of the baptism in the Liahona for the month of December.  So when December comes, go buy one.  English ones are not common in the States but try to buy one.

When I went to see the Prado family (Pedro and Irene) I shared my last words with them.  I shared my favorite scripture with them.  I told them that if they build their foundations on Christ they will not fall.  That if they rely on him they will not fall.  If they try their hardest everyday to stay on the path and to keep growing and keep pushing forward they will live together forever.  The Spirit was so strong.  I love them so much. 

One thing I have definitely learned is love.  Some of the families I have baptized have gone through a lot.  Life is hard.  It is that straight.  Life is hard.  I have gone through hard times in my mission so far.  Sometimes it feels like we can do nothing more so we just give up.  No!!!  FALSO!!!  Lies of Satan.  He wants us to think that.  We all fall at times.  But it is at that point when we make the decision to give up, or to rely on Christ and keep going.  Rely on Him.  I have felt Him.  I have felt peace and calmness in myself and a voice saying everything will be ok.  He is the Rock.  He is the Foundation.  if we build ourselves on Christ we will not fall.  It is a promise.  It is a Fact.  It is never too late.  He loves us.  No matter who we are.  He loves us.  He wants us to make it back to him.  I love you all.  Thank you.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Facts about Elder Hancock:  Wake up at 6:00; workout until 7:00; out of the house by 10:30; get back to the house 9-9:30.  I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, eggs, (why are eggs so expensive right now?)  cereal.

Email received 08/27/12

Hi Mom and Family,

Well this week was an interesting week.  Elder Johnson and I got robbed on Tuesday.  It caught me and Elder Johnson off guard.  We were walking down the road to our house around 9:00 and a scooter pulls up and a young kid gets off.  They were no older than 20-21 years old.  They came to us and pulled a gun on us.  At first we thought they were joking because we get harassed all the time here.  So we thought they were kidding around with us until they pulled the gun on us.  We knew the gun was real because of the sound it made when he cocked it.  So we gave him the one peso Elder Johnson had in his money pouch.  Then we started giving him our bags, but he didn't take anything except the one peso Elder Johnson had and ran off and got back on the scooter.  This all happened within like 45 seconds or a minute.  But we were still kind of in shock over what just happened.  We walked away saying, "We were just robbed!"  It was kind of funny because they went through all that work to get one peso, not even a peso.  It was like 70 centivos.  Not even a penny in $$$$. (I'm forgetting how to spell.)  So, yeah, that was an adventure.  

Then on Thursday we got lost trying to find a doctor's place for Elder Johnson.  But we got lost because the Assistants didn't give us an address that we could give to someone to help us find it.  So we ended up walking in the wrong direction.  We eventually got there but it was really interesting.  

I had my first adventure with food.  We were eating at a carnita place (carnitas are soooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!)  but when they brought us the food they told us the meat wasn't "pure" meat.  We had no idea what that meant until we bit down on the taco.  It was like crunchy, chewy, soft, gristley, all rolled into one bite.  It was super interesting. We had NO idea what we were eating until someone told us none "pure" meat means it is every part of the pig all chopped up and put on a tortilla.  Lets just say it was really hard to get it down.  So that was super interesting.  

I might have also told you all this one but we ate at a member's house a few weeks ago and she is really poor.   As we ate, we started to see a TON of cockroaches crawling on the walls where we were eating.  We call experiences like those good "Journal" experiences.  I didn't get sick though so that is good.  

Speaking of sick, I got sick Friday.  I woke up throwing up.  It wasn't good.  So all Saturday I didn't feel good.  We didn't work that day.  I felt super bad because I wasn't working.  But we made up for it yesterday.  We worked super hard yesterday to make up for Saturday and Thursday.  

I  confirmed my first person yesterday.  I confirmed Isabel.  We baptized Jose Lewis and Isabel last week.  But it was super scary confirming her because it was my first time.  Its also really tough in Spanish.  

I was reading in Alma 42 and 43 and 44 and 45 today.  It is the start of the war chapters in the Book of Mormon.  It is so amazing to read of the brilliant faith that Moroni had.  Because they all knew if they had the faith and they were doing what was right they would have Heavenly Father on their side.  And they fought for they right reasons, too. because they were fighting for their Families, their religion, their homes, their fallen brothers.  They never fought for anything else, just for the things that were so dear to them.  I compare that to us being robbed on Tuesday.  I look at that as a miracle.  They took nothing other than the peso, yet they held a gun to us.  I know that if I am doing what is right and I am doing all I can to be a worthy Representative of the Lord, Jesus Christ, then we will have angels on our right side and on our left side keeping us safe.  Yes things do happen.  But I am bought back to rememberance of a scripture: "Perfect love casteth out all fear."  Moroni 8:16.  It always brings me back to my family.  I am always thinking of you all and thinking about how I want to make all of you proud because I am bearing the name "Hancock" and "Jesus Christ".  These two names are my biggest motivators.  I always try to love the people.  Even the people that rob us, because with the love of Christ all is possible.  It is love that makes the work go forward.  Love.  Love with all that you have.  Have a love for the Lord.  Have Love for every person you meet.  Because if you show them your love they will see the light of Christ in you.  My biggest goal is to reflect the love of Christ to all people.  I love you all.  With all of my heart.  

LOVE,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  We climbed this mountain this morning and took these pictures.  All the white things are houses.  All the Buildings in the background is DF.

How tall is the giant Cristo in Rio?

Email received 08/20/12

Hey Family,

This week went really well, but, Elder Johnson is still sick.  We are now thinking he has some kind of parasite.  So we are going to have to go to the doctors today. 

I had my first Confrencia de la Zona this week.  It went really well.  President Villarreal is going to be an apostle some day.  He is such a powerful man.  One of the Zone leaders talked about how on our tags we have three names.  The name of the Church, Christ's name, and the names of our families.  We are literally representatives of these people.  He said we always need to be thinking about these names and how they want us to represent them.  It was a really cool experience.  I really can't wait for the next one. 

I had my first... food that I really didn't know what part I was eating.  We went to eat carnitas (AMAZiNG!!!!!)  and we sat down and they brought us the tacos.  They said the meat wasn't puro.  It wasn't all just the pure meat on the pig.  It was everything.  It tasted good but the thing that got me was biting down and feeling something really crunchy and then chewy and  then soft.  Yeah that was a...good experience. 

We had two baptisms yesterday.  They are an amazing couple.  We just found them while we were contacting some random street.  It was a miracle that we found them.   The light in their eyes truly is amazing. 

Jesus had a relapse this week.  He has been out of a job and has been fasting and praying really hard to find a job.  He found this job that was perfect.  But he didn't get the job because he has a tattoo on his hand.  So he went and got drunk.  We went over there and he started talking to us and just broke down and cried.  Because of the guilt and shame he had.  At that moment we said it was ok.  We all fall en veses.  We all fall at times.  That in those times we fall and have trials is when we need to have faith to  pick ourselves up and keep going.  That we need to ask in "mighty prayer and supplication" for the Lord to forgive us.  We told him that his faith can be strengthened in this trial.  He has so much faith in Christ.  This week I kept thinking about that experience.  How bad Satan wants us to feel like we have to give up because our sins are too great.  No sin is too big. 

I know, I know that if we lay our burdens, our afflictions, at the feet of the Savior he will carry us.  That if we pour out our souls, our hearts to Him when it feels like our souls are on fire, I know that Christ will forgive us.  We need to enter into our own Gethsemane.  When we repent we must humble ourselves.  To the point where we are wrestling with our souls in mortal anguish for the sins we commit.  It doesn't matter how big or small that sin is.  And we must not procrastinate the day of our repentance, because "this is the time for men to prepare to meet God."  I know what sin does to us.  it makes us feel worthless.  I have been there.  I have seen the Darkness.  I have seen the Light.  I know how it feels, the mortal anguish sin causes us.  Satan does not want us to make it.  But I testify with all the fervency of my heart,  IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!  I have felt the arms of the Savior wrap around me as I have fallen on my knees and begged,  PLEADED for forgiveness.  It came.  It comes through our humility.  The Savior is there.  I have felt Him.  I know.  Oh remember, remember, Christ is our rock.  Christ is our foundation. 

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words.  I think of  you all every single day.  My love for my family and my Savior and all people is my driving force.  Thank you.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  Did you get my pictures last week?

Email received 08/13/12

Hi Mom and Family,

Well this week was really good.  We had a lot of things happen.  We had three bautismos yesterday.  A family.  Nothing makes me more happy than to change the hearts of an entire family.  The dad, Jesus, had a really bad drinking problem.  We have been trying for weeks to get him to stop drinking.  But every time we went over there he was drunk.  He had so many problems with his wife and his family.  When we started teaching him two weeks ago he was on the edge of moving out and getting a divorce from his wife.  As we were teaching him, the Spirit filled the room.  It was like a thick kind of air, but as that happened I  promised him with the power of the Spirit that was in the room that if he waited two weeks to move out and took two weeks to change, REALLY change his life, that the gospel will give him and his family so much happiness that they didn't know was there.  Two weeks later he and his wife, Ivone, and his ten year old son,  Jesus Alan, were baptized.  

Elder Johnson got sick again.  He asked me to baptize all three.  After the baptism, the light and the love and the peace and the joy that I saw in each one of their eyes was all worth it for me, knowing that I was used as an instrument in the hands of the Lord in bringing an entire family to the arms of the Savior and Eternal happiness.  I am telling you right now, there is no better feeling.  

The past few weeks have been kind of hard. On Saturday, I got really upset after a contact with this guy.  People here really like to try to bible bash with us (especially T.J.  or J.W.).  This guy was explaining what faith was to us, and I was telling him that faith was two parts: a belief and action.  Without action you can't have faith.  Your faith decreases.  But he started telling me that I had no faith.  And then he was saying stuff in Spanish that I didn't understand.  And then he said that if I had the faith I would have been able to defend myself.  So we said that we were representatives of Jesus Christ sent here to preach His Gospel and that we were not going to fight with him and we walked away.  After, Elder Johnson told me that I did really well but he was just taking advantage of us.  It was really crazy.  

As I was feeling really upset I remembered the chapter of the book of Mormon I read.  Alma 23 I think ... can't remember exactly.  Ammon is talking about all the success they had.  And at first, when they were teaching, they were spit upon, beaten, mocked, everything.  As they were about to turn back and give up because they were depressed, the Lord said be patient in your afflictions and go back to the city and teach the people.  That's what they did.  Even when they went back the same thing happened to them.  This time they were thrown into prison.  But they were patient in their suffering, while they were starving to death.   

And then when Ammon came to free them they preached again unto them.  But this time they had success.  They had so much that thousands of Lamanites were baptized and converted.  Not just to baptism, but for Eternity.  So much so that they refused to take up arms against their brothers.   Because they had so much faith in the Lord, they knew that if they died they would be welcomed with open arms.  Thats what happened.  The Anti-Nephi-Lehis died as the Lamanite army fell upon them.  But because of this, thousands of Lamanite hearts were softened and converted.  These chapters struck me to the very core.

It was so amazing because I was looking back at this chapter and remembered the faith diligence and patience the Sons of Mosiah had.  Then I remembered Christ.  He is with me.  He is lifting me when I am down in the depths of sorrow.  I have faith and I know that Jesus Christ knows exactly how we feel.  He is there.  I have felt the healing power of the Atonement.  I have felt his love surround me like a warm blanket when all of the feeling in my body has gone.  Have faith.  Have faith.  It is according to your faith.  When you ever, EVER get down, remember Him.  Pour out your heart to Him.  He will be there.  I know.  I KNOW.  I have seen the power of the Atonement change people's lives.  Don't EVER forget Him.  Because He never forgot you when He took upon your pains afflictions sorrows and sins everything in the Garden of Gethsemane.  His arms are out stretched towards you.  He is always there, no matter who you are, or what you have done.  He is pleading with you to come to Him, to humble yourselves to Him and to pour out your hearts to Him, whether it be sins or sorrows.  He is begging for you to come to Him.  

I love you all.  Thank you for your love and support.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  I got your email, Mom.  These are some pictures we took on top of a big hill in our area.  You can see all of DF.  Elder Johnson is the tall skinny one in the red shirt.

Email received 08/06/12

Mom and Family,

It is so awesome to hear that Spencer Jones is going to Argentina.  That's the same place Brother and Sister Harris and Brother LaBaron went.  That is so awesome!!!! 

Well this week was kind of a tough one.  We have an investigator that we met last week.  We were walking up this hill and we heard, "ELDERS!"  We never hear that.  We hear, "HERMANOS!" all the time.  But the guy was super drunk.  He told us that he needed our help.  We didn't listen because he was so drunk.  So we decided not to go back to follow up.  Then a few days later we were walking back from the Bodega, because Elder Johnson needed medicine, and we saw this same guy again.  We knew we had to teach him.  We started teaching him this past week.  We have such powerful lessons.  He is having a lot of problems with his wife and his kid.  We told him that its because of his drinking problem.  I have never met someone that has wanted to make a change in their life as bad as he does.  So, Saturday night we taught he and his wife together and they told us they wanted to get baptized really bad.  They told us that they were going to church the next day.  Before we left we told him he had to stop drinking.  So yesterday we went to pick them up for church and he was drunk.  My heart sank.  I was so sad.  He told us he couldn't come to church because he had been drinking again and his wife ran off yesterday and he didn't know where she went.  After that we felt so bad.  We had been fasting and praying so hard that they would come.  We were wondering what we were doing wrong.  We have been doing everything we possibly can to bring people to Christ.  And we just felt so sad and confused.  But the last 15 minuetos de clase we were called out in the hall by someone and right there were standing Jesus and Ivon.  We were so happy.  We knew that it was nothing short of a miracle.  It was such a testimony builder to me.  I need to be patient with the Lord.  It was so amazing. 

Yesterday in Sacrament one of the people I baptized, Mitzy, bore her testimony about EFY and how the gospel changed her life and her family.  She told us how her dad is interested and how happy her family is now.  How she knows that ever since the Missionaries entered their home they brought happiness with them.  That whenever she looked in our eyes they saw the love of Christ.  It made me so happy.  I know that I have brought someone to Christ that is building an unshakeable testimony on Him.  That is exactly why I am here.  It made me so happy to see that.  I know that she felt that way when we taught them because we have the Spirit with us.  My main goal when I came on my mission was that I need to have the Spirit.  I need to have people see the light of Christ in me.  Because that is how we draw people to us, by the true and eternal love of Heavenly Father.  Because I know that without the Spirit we cannot teach.  That simple.  We cannot teach.  She also bore her testimony about the Book of Mormon.  How she knows it is the word of God.  So awesome. 

The Spirit combined with the Book of Mormon is the Most powerful tool in conversion.  I know that.  I have seen that with my own two eyes.  That is my message to you all today.  The Book of Mormon is the most correct most important book on the planet.  I KNOW with all of my heart that if we read it every single day,  and if we truly study it every single day, and really know it is true, then we will be strengthened through our day.  It really cut and dry.  If the Book of Mormon is true: Joseph Smith was a Prophet; he restored the fullness of the Gospel on the Earth.  Not just any gospel THE Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That it is the mizmo Iglasia Jesu Cristo establisio en su vida.  If the Book of Mormon is true the entire Church is true.  That simple.  We are the only Gospel on the earth that has the Book of Mormon.  I know with all my heart that it is true.  I Know that it will strengthen your lives if you let it.  I know without a doubt there is power in the Book of Mormon.  Read it EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!!  PRAY EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!!!!!!  Ask your Father in Heaven if it is true.  It is through the small things that we build our testimonies.  That is what I told Mitzy.  If you do the small things DAILY we are promised exaltation.  It is a PROMISE!!!!!  I know that is how we will be able to live with our families forever.  Through the Evangelio de Jesu Cristo. 

I love you all thank you for all of your prayers and support.  I feel them everyday.  I love you.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  I wore my Special tie yesterday

Email received 07/30/12

Hi Mom and familia!!!!!!!

I got the post card from Jarom.  It made my day.  I also got a Dear Elder from Grandma and Sarah.  It makes me super happy when I get mail. 

So my new companion Elder Johnson has been sick like all week.  It hard to work when you're sick.  So we didn't work as hard as I would like this week, so it was an ok week.  We didn't have anyone in church yesterday either.  According to Elder Sylvestre, we failed this week.  Haahaha...  It's ok.  We have set a lot of goals to help us. 

We had four people confirmed yesterday.  So that was super awesome.  I love those people.  We taught the two girls, Mitzy and Brisa, on Saturday.  They are such amazing girls.  Mitzy went to EFY last week right after her baptism.  She told me that being at EFY strengthened her testimony.  I taught them about the Spirit and enduring to the end, and how baptism isn't the end, it is just the beginning.  The real test is enduring to the end.  It was such an awesome lesson.  The Spirit was there so strong.  It was really awesome because just in those moments I was speaking Spanish, and understanding it like a champ.  I was so happy.  So my Spanish is coming along so well, as of literally Saturday.  It was such a testimony builder to me because I know that the Lord has been helping me and has answered my prayers.  I was so touched by the Spirit on Saturday. 

Francisco and Sofia can't get married.  I was really sad about that.  They have been struggling and I know that they will be blessed if they are baptized and strive to live their lives in the Gospel but they can't get married.  I was super sad about that.  So I told them that they should still come to church and read the Book of Mormon and pray.  Because I know that Heavenly Father will bless them by doing these things.  It really is heartbreaking to have this happen.  We aren't allowed to teach people who can't progress because it is a waste of time.  But that's ok.  They really wanted to get baptized.  I love them so much. 

Mom, I totally agree with you about love.  The Spirit really motivates us to do all we can.  That has been my goal and my top priority.  I have really always tried to teach with the Spirit and have the Spirit with me.  I know that the Spirit will help me love, and love will help me do it all. 

Last week Elder Sylvestre and I found a talk in our carpet de mission about purifying ourselves as missionaries.  It talked about if we purify ourselves from all of those little imperfections then we will be the best missionaries we can be.  That's what I have been focusing on the past few weeks.  I have seen a HUGE difference in myself.  They are just small things, like talking about music and movies.  Those are the things I have the hardest time with.  Especially music.  Classic rock is huge down here and it is SUPER TOUGH..  but not thinking about those things has made me a better missionary.  I know that if you do that, just purify yourself of little imperfections, you will be so much better a person.  I know that the Lord has blessed me in doing it. 

I know that the Lord is with me.  I know that everything I am doing is bringing people happiness and joy forever.  I love the people here.  It kills me when I knock a door and someone answers and you can just see the sadness in their eyes and they don't want anything the Gospel will bring them.  Its like someone that's starving to death and you bring them food and they don't want it.  It makes me sad.  But it makes me work harder. 

I know that I have the Spirit of the Lord with me.  I know that if we do all that we can to build our foundations on Christ than we will be able to live with our families forever.  I know it.  With all my heart I know this Church is true.  It has brought me so much joy and comfort.  I know that Christ suffered for our sins so that we can be happy and have joy forever.  It is more than possible.  I love you all.  Thank you.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 7/23/12

Hi Mom,

Well I forgot to tell you last week, but I got the rest of the letters and packages.  Not last week but the week before.  I got your email in time.  It says I got it at like 9:35 this morning.  

Has anyone said anything on the blog?  If they did could you send me some of the messages from it? 

Anyway, today was the first day of the new change.  The start of my second.  Super crazy.  I stayed in Cantera.  (Look for a place called Santa Cecilia on google earth.  I think that is what the place is called here.)  yeah I got a new companion.  His name is Elder Johnson.  He is super cool.  He is from Idaho.  We went to DF today to pick up all of our new companions and played some soccer.  I am getting pretty good!!!  (Owen Jarom Fred:  WATCH OUT!!)  Haha not really.  Well this week was super crazy.  We worked really hard this week.  That couple that I told you about didn't get married this week.  Her dad wasn't able to get off of work.  But Francisco has to have another entrovista with the Presidente de la mission.  So hopefully that happens this week. 

Elder Sylvestre and I had 4 bautizmos yesterday.  It was really cool.  I wasn't able to take pictures.  The batteries in my camera died.  They die super fast.  So not really sure what to do about that.  It's alright.  We baptized two sisters, 13 and 14 años, and an older couple who are parents of recent converts just two changes ago.  So that was super cool.  There is no greater feeling than bringing eternal happiness to people.  I was able to baptize the 13 year old girl, Brisa.  (Abby: She reminded me of you because she is IN LOVE with One Direction.)  And, I baptized Pedro.  It was so amazing.  I love it.  This change was a really good change.  We found so many amazing people.  The families I baptized last change are so amazing.  They have such a strong desire to follow Christ.  Mitzi (the 14 year old girl we baptized yesterday) is going to EFY today.  The ward really brought these investigators in under their wing.  It really shows me that they really need a friend.  How important it is to befriend people who are struggling because if they know that there is someone who really does care about them they will try.  Their testimonies and their fe en Jesu Cristo will be strengthened because they will see the Christ-like love in you.  We cannot forget about those in-active members. 

Last week, on Tuesday, Elder Sylvestre and his generation went to the temple.  (Which is why I didn't email until Tuesday; that's when we had our p-day.)  But I was put with a few elders on a change just for the day.  But we were walking down the street in the rain and we saw this flash of blue that illuminated our faces and for a split second, it felt like the world was still.  And then, right then, we heard this ear splitting crack that shook us to the very core of our bodies.  It was super crazy.  We were almost struck by lightning. 

This week has really shown me what I need to work on this next change.  My Spanish is coming poco a poco.  I am super excited for this change.  I will miss Elder Sylvestre, but that's ok.  It really is so important to be 100% obedient because that is how the Lord will bless us.  It is really hard.  I am not going to lie.  It's disappointing seeing people not partake of something that will make them more happy than they know right now.  But I have had my testimony grow about prayer.  I know without a doubt that the Lord knows exactly who we are.  I know that our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ suffered for us personally.  Not just for our sins but for our pains and our afflictions (read Alma 7).   I know that when we are going through trials we need to drop down and pray, pray like Enos.  Like what President Villareal says:  enter your own Gethsemane.  That is exactly what we need to do.  I know that the Heavenly Father will hear our cry,  our supplication to our Lord.  Please when you feel like you can't go any further, drop down and pray.  Pray with every fiber in your body.  I know with all of my heart, with every fiber of my soul, that Heavenly Father will hear us and He will make our burdens light. 

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers and support. 

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 7/17/12

Hi Mom,

This is the last week of the change.  I can't believe how fast it has gone.  Well, this week has been full of testimony-building stories.  I have had a really good week and have seen the fruits of my labors.   Remember that guy and that girl I told you about,  the super poor ones that we thought weren't going to be baptized?  We went back last week to tell them that we can't teach them because they can't be baptized because they can't get married.  Right before we were going to tell them, they told us that the girl's dad is going to let them get married!  Then the guy told us that he had gotten a new job that day that pays him almost twice as much as he was making!  We also gave them 100 pesos that was able to feed them for 3 days.  In 3 days their entire outlook on life changed.  Earlier that week on Sunday, when we were at their house, we found a Santa Muerte statue thing in their house.  (Santa Muerte is some really evil and dark thing that some of the Catholics do.  They worship an idol and they ask it to do favors for them.  It like talks back to them and stuff.  It is super, SUPER evil.  Its just another tool Satan uses to get hold of us.)  We had to take it from their house because they cannot  have the Spirit with them if they have it in their home.  When we took it we had to destroy it.  Just holding it made me feel super gross.  But when we went back on Tuesday they told us how good they felt.  We told them it is because they don't have that thing in their home.  It is so amazing to see the blessings the Lord gives his people, and how much He wants us to do what is right and to follow him.  We are going to get them married and baptized this week.

On Friday, Elder Sylvestre and I were contacting and we found this lady.  We told her that we are representatives  of Jesus Christ.  She said she knew who we were.  That just two weeks earlier, two white boys with white shirts ties and name tags gave her a foyetto (pamphlet??) and brought her to church.  That confused us.  We asked her what church it was.  She said they were Mormon missionaries.  We set up a cita (discussion??) with her and walked off dazed and confused.  We started talking about how we are the only missionaries in this area and that no other missionary would proselyte in our area.  They would have told us if they did.  So then Elder Sylvestre started to tell me that he has had other experiences like that during his mission.  We started talking about how there are angels in our area also doing missionary work, preparing the people for us.  That made us so excited.  After that experience, I thought of Grandpa Cline and Grandpa Hancock doing missionary work.  It would be super cool if they were helping us, or the three Nephites.   I just happen to be in Mexico .   It was way cool to have that happen. 

We also contacted a guy that said that Mexico was going to run out of food by September and that it is going to be the beginning of the end of the world.  Having the Gospel in my life is so comforting to me.  Because I know what is going to happen and I know that if we are doing all that we can do to obey the Lord's commandments, and do all we can do to be the best that we can be, we should have no worries. 

The time that I have here in Mexico is precious.  It is the Lord's time that I am on.  Another missionary told me a story about a Big Cristo statue falling during some war in another country and the arms broke off and a bunch of people wanted to fix it by putting new arms on it.  But some guy told them that they shouldn't.  That it is a symbol a reminder that we need to be the arms of Christ.  I am the arms and hands of Christ.  I am here to bring the lost sheep back to the fold.  I am literally his hands and arms.  He is using me to find those people he has prepared:  the personas escojidas.  The chosen people he has prepared.  There are people out there waiting for me who need me.  But I must obey.  I must do the things that the Lord has commanded.  If I am doing all that I can working as hard as I can, being 100% obedient, then I will find those people.

Oh remember, remember family, that we must build our foundations on Christ.  If we do we will not fall.  We shall not fear.  I promise you.  Being here in Mexico I have seen a lot of scary things, but I know that I am obeying my Father in Heaven and that He is protecting me.  Build yourselves on Christ, and ye shall not fear. 

I love you all.  Thank you for all that you do.  I love you.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 07/09/12

Hi Mom, 

I'm sorry I am emailing so late.  We had to go to the mission office in the city to sign for some more visa stuff.  It took a while.  But that's alright. 

This week was a harder week.  We have been teaching this lady and her daughter for a month now.  They are actually my first investigators.  We thought they were going to be baptized but no.  Last week she told us that she got a message from God and he told her that he has been with her all along and that she needs to trust him.  So she took this as he was telling her that the Catholic church was the right church.  But we were telling her that she had turned that answer around.  We told her she knows its true.  She has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon and been doing all of the commitments we give her.  But she just doesn't believe anymore.  It is so sad to me.  We told her we couldn't visit her and teach her anymore because she isn't progressing.  We can't teach people that don't progress. 

After that, we continued to teach her 13 year old daughter.  On Thursday I went on splits with my district leader so he could interview her for baptism.  At the end of the interview he asked her if she had any doubts, questions, or comments and she said "I have one thing.....I have no doubts about the church......Heavenly Father answered my prayers.....I know this church is true....I want to be baptized."  When she said that, we were not expecting it.  It made us so happy.  But because she is underage we had to have the permission of her Mom.  But her Mom said that she wants to talk with the daughter first and we should come back the next day.  So we came back on Friday and we taught her.  And she said she was going to get baptized.  But we knew her Mom was sad.  So we came back the next day to talk to her about what is going to happen when she is baptized and what she needs to bring.  We then asked her who she would like to baptize her.  She sat there for a minute....which turned into five, and at that point we knew something was wrong.  So we asked her, and her Mom said that they were not going to make it to church the next day and that she had something she had to do.  Then she continued to say that she didn't feel ready.  Me and Elder Sylvestre sat there in shock and sadness.  So that fell through and we were so sad.  And I say that very humbly. 

Later, we stopped by another investigator's house who has been taught by the missionaries for the past five or six months and hasn't come to church.  So we had a really powerful lesson and I bore my testimony about church attendance and the power of prayer and repentance, and shared that my life before my mission wasn't good at all, and because of repentance and the arms of the Savior, I was forgiven.  So the next day we went by before church and reminded him.  But he didn't show up at church.  We had to drop him as an investigator.  I was so sad to do that.  Because he was so ready; he was so amazing.  We love him so much. 

I have another sad story.  Right before church we saw a man and a woman standing in front.  The girl was 16 and the man was 23.  They were dating.  They told us they stopped two missionaries on the street the day before and told them they want to be taught.  The other missionaries were from another mission, the northwest mission I think.  Those missionaries told them to come by our church on Sunday around 12:00 before church and they would find missionaries.  Well they told us where they live and it just happened to be in our area.  So they went to church, and after, we went with them to their house.  This was the most humbling experience that has happened to me so far.  They live in a place that is 12 by 12 feet with holes in the roof.  It rains every single day.  They also sleep on the floor.  The man makes 700 pesos a week.  That's like less than $70 a week.  Not to mention that he works 70 hours a week.  He makes less than a dollar an hour.  Oh, and the girl is pregnant.  She just turned 16.  They want to get baptized really bad but can't because they have to get married.  See this would be easy because we would just have to marry them.  But her dad forbids it, because she has a baby on the way, she is 16 and he is 23.  And we can't split them up because she is pregnant.  This is just a sad situation. 

My testimony of prayer has really been strengthened.  I know that if we rely on the Savior and his Atonement he will help us.  He will lift us when we cannot lift ourselves.  We need to do our part to do this though.  I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father Knows us and knows exactly what we need.  I love you all.  Your help and encouragement has really helped me.  I am not going to lie.  But this has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  The Savior and the Atonement and His suffering for the worlds pains and afflictions was not easy, at all.  In the words of Elder Holland "Salvation is not cheap!  How can we expect it to be easy when the Savior took upon Himself the world's pains and afflictions."  It isn't easy but it is worth it.  I love you all and I know I am here saving lives. The Savior is with me every step of the way.  He lived my pains, afflictions, and sufferings.  He lived yours.

Oh remember, remember, that it is upon the rock of your Savior which is Christ the Lord that ye must build your foundations.

Elder Hancock,

Helaman 5:12

P.S. Mom I got the three Dear Elders and the letter yesterday.

Correspondence info

Michael asked for addresses to be included in any correspondence.   He is so grateful for the contact with those who love and support him.  Your correspondence has been very, very important to him.  He has very limited time to read and respond to email but would like to receive from and write letters to those who contact him.  He has time to do that on p-days. He would prefer receiving less email because of his time restrictions at the computer.   He also is restricted by his mission's rules to emailing immediate family members only.  

There are three ways to write to him, outlined below.  Of these ways, we are not yet experienced enough to know which is faster.  I did send one letter each way, plus one in an international priority mail envelope all on the same day last week, so we will know eventually which way is faster.  I will keep you posted.

1.  FREE and EASY, like email:  DearElder.com, http://www.dearelder.com/,  is a great resource to use and is almost like writing an email.  Pouch email through their service is free to his mission (Mexico Mexico City West).  It is free to set up an account and very easy to use.  Letters written this way that are received by the site before midnight MT on Sundays go out to the LDS Church Office Building Monday mornings.

2.  If you would like to write a direct, USPS letter, you should know that mail is not delivered to his apartment.  It needs to be sent to the mission home.  The Zone Leaders pick up mail for their zones once per week.  One 85c stamp is required for each ounce or partial ounce mailed.  The envelopes must correspond to the standards set by the USPS.

The mission home address is: 


Elder Michael Hancock
Mexico City West Mission
Sierra Vertientes 310
Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico, DF 11010
Mexico

3.  You may also use the church's pouch mail system.  This requires one piece of paper, no envelope, and a 45c first-class stamp.  There are regulations that must be adhered to precisely or the letter will be sent back to you.  Please take the time to read and follow those regulations. Here is a link to a site that will outline those regulations: http://ldsliving.com/story/63606-lds-how-to-write-a-missionary.  The pouches are sent out to the various missions on Tuesdays.  I think anything that comes in the mail by Mondays is included in that week's pouch.

The address to use when writing Michael by pouch is:


Elder Michael Hancock
Mexico Mexico City West Mission
PO Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84010-0150


If you have news that you would like him to receive quickly, I will relay a message to him in my next email.  OR, you may post a comment on one of the blog posts.  I send him any posted comments each week.

email received 07/02/12

Hi,  Mom,                                                                                                               July 2, 2012

I have a few crazy experiences for you.  The first one happened last Tuesday.  My companion and I were walking down a street, when a man, no older than 21 or 22, stepped out and we knew he was drunk.  He asked for money but we just kept on walking.  The man kept asking for money but my companion told him we were representatives of Jesus Christ and we don't have much money.  As we turned to leave, that man punched me right in my face.  It didn't hurt; it just startled me.  I didn't get upset or mad.  My companion got mad and the man just ran.  My companion said he was a coward.  But it made me sad because of what sin does to people.  He was just trying to make the world worse.  It made me want to work harder for people.  I don't believe in violence.  I believe in peace.  Violence and anger only make things worse.  It is a component of the natural man.  It made my heart hurt for him.  I didn't get mad or angry at him.

My second story happened last night.  Elder Sylvestre and I were contacting on a calle (street) and we ran into a really drunk guy.  We just kept walking up the street.  After we got done talking with a man, Elder Sylvestre told me he didn't have a good feeling.  I didn't feel good either.  So we decided to not knock that street and get away from that street.   Today, we made brownies at an investigator's house and they told us there was a shooting last night on the exact street Elder Sylvestre had stopped contacting on.  It is a testament to how important the spirit is to me.  I know that the Lord is watching over me.  I have no doubt that he is.  I am his servant, his representative.  

This week went OK.  It has been really hard to get investigators.  We just really haven't had a lot of luck.  But that's OK.  We will just work harder.  

I am writing in my journal everyday.  I don't want to miss a day.  

It makes me so happy to hear that you and the family are doing good.  I miss you all a lot, and it is hard,  but I have all of my faith in the Lord.  It wasn't easy for Christ.  So how can it be easy for me?  I know those words are true.  With all of my trials and hardships and the times that I think I can't do it anymore, I have the Lord, my Rock, my Savior, my Redeemer, Jesus Christ to hold me up, to carry me when I need to be carried.  And I know without a doubt these trials make me stronger.   It is through the trial of my faith....

I love you all with all of my heart.  Just remember the Savior.  I could not do this without him.  He is my Rock.  I love him with all of my heart.  I am here to tell the people that there is hope and light.  Remember peace.  Peace and love really are the answers.  Christ really loves us so much he suffered for us all, individually.  I love you all.  Thank you for your love and support.

Always and forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

PS  Hey Mom,  I love you,  and I do need stamps.