Elder Hancock

Elder Hancock
September 16, 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012

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.

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