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