Email received 04/08/13

Hey Family,

This week was a good week.  We have been working really hard for the Lord.  We baptized Isabel yesterday.  I didn't know her at all when she was baptized.  Elder Ballesteros said that she had been investigating the church for years.  He told me that they had tried to get her baptized a few times but didn't want to.  I believe it is because of General Conference yesterday.  After the ordinance she gave a testimony that just blew us all away!  With the words "I know I am in the ONLY true church of Jesus Christ"  it was so awesome to hear that.  That is my first time hearing that.  It made me so happy.  She was so happy.  Feeling such peace is powerful.

Last Monday we met with a members husband who is Testigos de Jehova.  We walked in there really expecting to be talking about the Book of Mormon or how Christ is Jehovah, but instead he told us that he was done with God.  That he believes that God is not loving and merciful.  It was super sad to hear this.  Such desperation such sadness in a mans voice.  He told us that he is an ex Police Officer and seeing the things he saw drove him to this point.  Looking at this from his perspective is really hard.  Just being Missionaries walking down the streets and seeing such sad horrible things is really hard.  But knowing the tricks of the Devil.  Knowing that he is leading people down slowly.  Leading away the hearts of men.  It is really hard to see the light when we don't have it.  We asked him if he could pray.  Really pray to his father in Heaven if He is there.  If he really loves us.  It was really hard to see him say know.  We started talking about pride.  How pride was the first sin ever committed.  Lucifer denied the Plan of Our Savior because of the Pride he had.  Because of the spirit that was there I really believed that he had a change of heart.  He said that that night he would pray with all the faith that he has.  It was really a sad and happy moment to see.  

Last week we visited a in active member named Linda.  She is 104 years old.  She expressed her sadness for not going to church.  She said that she is not able to go to church because of the conditions she is in.  Because she lives alone it is really hard to do things.  It really hit me how strong of a desire she had to go to church.  Something we all take for granted.  It made me so grateful for what I have.  Because of her strong sweet spirit that she has.  We take it for granted the little things that we have.  A house food money, our health.  These things are so big.  Seeing her desire to go to church made me think really hard about what we do at church that keeps us charged and ready for the attacks of Satan.  We need to remember the little things that we have and really take them for what they are.  For how they have been blessings given to us by our loving Father in Heaven.  

In our Zone Conference a few weeks ago President Villarreal quoted a scripture that hit me hard-  Mark 8:34.  Christ invites his disciples to take up their cross and follow him.  Really inviting us to die with him.  Here in the mission it is really hard sometimes.  But we cant expect it to be easy for us when it wasn't easy for Him.  For me "taking up the cross" means the things we must do to follow Him.  At times they are not easy to do but we do it.  For the desires that we have to follow Him.  We cannot think that it will be easy because we all know its not but we do know it will be worth it.  I have such a testimony of this.  I know we must follow Him.  He is our perfect example.  Our Savior and Redeemer.  

I know without a doubt in my heart that these things are true.  The lives that have changed before my eyes, I cannot deny it.  I love you all so much.  I pray for you all every day. I love you all.  Thank you.

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

I took this one for Ely.  One of the army man from toy story.  HE is real.

Me and Elder Ballesteros

Taco de Tripa.  Yes I ate it.  Horrible.  Don't try it.  yes tripa means intestines.  Of what animaI, who knows

Familia Vega.  The family Elder Taylor and I baptized the last week in Cuajimalpa.

Isabel.  She is really awesome

Email received 04/01/13

Hey Family,

This week was a good week.  A bit hard and challenging but that's ok that's just the way it is in the mission.  We had Zone Conference on Wednesday.  It was so amazing!  It was the last official Zone Conference with President Villarreal.  We are all really sad that he is ending his mission.  Its ok. 

This week of  "Semana Santa" was weird.  Because of Mexico being a Catholic Country they all have like a spring break kind of thing.  But in Mexico they celebrate Easter as 3 days.  Christ's death in Calvary Friday.  Passover Saturday and Resurrection Sunday.  On Friday there are certain parts of Mexico that crucify people as "honor" to Christ.  They don't kill them.  The men are paid or something.  But they are obviously Drugged up.  For me its something super sad.  But it is something that was started like 100 years ago.  Elder Ballesteros said something really funny but really quite true that they are wrapped up in the "false tradiciones of their Fathers."  But with the whole country on Vacation this past week there hasn't been very many people.  Especially Friday, and Saturday.  All of the Appointments that we had those days were not there.  It was super weird and kind of creepy Zombie, Apocalypse Movie like those past two days.  It is super weird not seeing loads and loads of people in the street of Mexico City.  Yesterday was back to normal.  It was actually a cool experience in Sacrament.  Because our area is right by the Hot spot of the city we had a lot of Americans in our Sacrament.  They didn't speak a word of Spanish so they had me Translate the Meeting for them.  Two of these Americans were not members so it was really cool teaching them and especially in English.  We also had two people from Italy in our Meeting.  It was really cool talking with them in Spanish. 

It was really a cool experience thinking about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection.  Thinking about the Love that He has for us and how I can apply that into my life and to the Life of my investigators.  There are a lot of people that need this.  That really all they need is someone in there life showing them the way to the Eternal Gate.  It doesn't matter who we are but we all could use this.  I know that it is through the pure love of Christ we will understand the wonderful Eternal Plan of our Father in Heaven. 

All of my Love to you.  Thank you all so much for the support that you have given me.  I love you all.

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 03/18/13

Hey Fam.

This week was such a great week.  SO many great experiences.  We baptized a wonderful family of three yesterday.  Such a wonderful family that we have seen such a big change in.  Elder Tattersall and I found them at the end of last change.  We went by but couldn't find them for a few weeks.  Until like a week and a half ago.  We were so grateful to find them again.  They have experienced so many hard things.  The mom Laura divorced from her husband for horrible terrible things that he did to that family.  When we met them they were just dieing to have some kind of peace in their life.  There is nothing that makes me happier than to see this happiness and peace fill their family. 

Well we had changes today.  I left Cuajimalpa to a place called Tacubaya in the city.  (Look up a place called Zocalo)  our area is right by it.  My new companion is Elder Ballesteros.  He is from Mexico.  He is Temporal.  Waiting for his visa to go to Argentina.  This last change was only a change of 4 weeks.  Because of the change of ages and weeks in the MTC put the Transfer dates out of line with the MTCs and so there was a need for a change of 4 weeks.  Oh and because of that we come home two weeks earlier.  So that was super crazy to think about.

Elder Taylor and I were talking one day this week.  He said something about standing at the gate.  I immediately thought "wow that sounds really cool"  I thought about that more and more that day and what I thought it really means.  Like first about baptism.  How in 2 Nephi 31 he talks about it as "the straight and narrow gate in which we should enter."  Than I thought really about the Kingdom that our Heavenly Father has prepared for us.  It kind of hit me a little bit.  How many things do we have in our life that are like this gate.  That all of us are standing in front of.  But what do we have to do?  We could enter or not enter.  It does us nothing if we stand IN the gate.  We must ALWAYS take that step.  We must always act on our faith.  Really how close are we?  We are all standing in front of this gate.  All of us. 

We met with this man this next day.  He was baptized when he had like 8 years.  He has been inactive for almost 10 years.  His wife isn't a member.  When we were talking this example came to my mind.  That he is standing in front of this gate this door to walk into the Church.  All he has to do is take that extra step.  It was something that hit me so hard this week.  It is even worse for us when the gate is open.  When we can see the inside.  The Happiness the blessings.  For us we have entered the gate of baptism.  The doors are open.  We can "see" the happiness that we can have.  We know.  We know the only way to have these blessings.  We must always take that step.  Always enter the gate.  We can never stay in front looking in.  We must do the things that we know we need to do to walk in the Pearly Gates of the Kingdom of Our Father.  We must not let the temptations and the shafts in the whirlwind tear us down from these blessings.  From standing at the gate. 

I love you all.  Thank you so much for all of the support.  Do not forget your Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. 

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps. Mom I have some bad news my camera is not working.  I didn't do anything.  Its not the batteries or anything.  It just wont turn on and stuff.  I am really sorry.  I will figure something out.  I love you. 

Email received 03/11/13

HOLA MI FAMILIA!!

Well for starters I am super jealous of all the snow that you got.  It is actually such a beautiful climate.  The best in the world.  I cant believe Eli is reading already!!!!!!  Everyone is growing up so fast!  That is so awesome that you are reading the Pearl of Great price  Deep doctrine up the wazoo.  And Jesus the Christ.   The best book written on the planet next to the Book of Mormon.  Well in response to your question.  I need ties really bad!  but that's it.  Maybe a few pairs of garments.  The spandex kind.  Por favor.  And I need stamps really bad.  But socks.  No.  Those socks that I got from the Missionary mall are AWESOME!!  I don't have one hole in them.  I have not had to throw any of them out.  Yeah really awesome. 

Well this week was such an awesome week.  I love being with Elder Taylor.  Every week we are working harder.  Really me a better person.  Yesterday was an awesome day.  We were eating with a member and she was playing some kind of EFY movie.  SO POWERFUL!  Me and Elder Taylor left that house with goose bumps.  It had that SUPER awesome scripture from Moroni 1:1  "It came to pass that the Lamanites were killing all of the Nephites that would not deny the Christ.  And I Moroni will not deny the Christ!"

WOW!!  The Book of Mormon is so powerful.  And then it talks about when Joseph Smith told all the church ministers about his vision they all became scared.  Men that had studied the Bible for years and years were afraid of a 14 year old boy.  Not important only that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true and Living church Of Jesus Christ.  Just watching that made me Proud of being a Representative of Jesus Christ.  Something that I cannot deny. 

We still are not having any luck with Angel and his family.  It really is something that is so heart wrenching.  The thought of that family not entering into the Kingdom of God is probably one of the worst feelings you could feel as a missionary.  We went by a few times this week but we didn't have very much success.  They just look more and more uninterested and annoyed really every single time we go by.  We have actually decided to leave them for now and give them some more time.  Because we are not hear to fight with people to get baptized but really to find the people that have been prepared to receive the gospel.  Something very beautiful.  But very sad at the same time.

Alan is so amazing!  He has such a drive to do whets right.  His parents have not showed much interest and let alone they are really hard to find.  But a few days ago we were talking about temples and he told us how he wants to do everything he can to enter this sacred and holy place worthily.  These words are probably the sweetest words you could hear as a missionary.  Really these thoughts and feelings about something this small is very hard to describe the joy and warmth that it brings to your heart.  it really strengthens my Testimony as a missionary and my love for this gospel. 

We met a man this week who asked us to help us set up his phone line because we speak English.  We started talking with him and said that he had been taught by the missionaries before.  He said he didn't accept baptism because on his moms death bed she told him to keep the catholic traditions in the family.  He lost his wife and his mother in the same year.  Then a year latter he was in California when he got in a head on collision with a teenager high and drunk going like 105 miles and hour.  It just about killed this man.  He had to get his face reconstructed and everything.  Very sad.  He has had such a sad life.  The hard part was seeing his loyalty to his mothers word even if he knows its true.  Knowing the joy and happiness he could have. 

Well I guess the moral of this story is not taking for granted what we have.   The joy and happiness that we will have if we do what is right.  We are the only church on the planet that believes we will become like our Father in Heaven.  He ALL have that potential.  we all just have to keep progressing and finding out what it is.  I am so grateful for this church.  I am so grateful to be here seeing lives change.  I know with out a doubt this is true.  Don't take it for granted.  Do all you can to keep yourselves on track.  It is hard but help the people around you that don't have what we have.  Love them.  that is the key.  For me.  I love you all.  Thank you for all you do.

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Ps.  The only people that write me is grandma and Susie and Sarah Johnson, 

Email received 03/04/13

Hey family!

This week was such an awesome week.  We never heard from that man.  We know the Elders went to see him.  He has a lot of things going on and really needs help.  But the Lord knows his situation and will help and guide him to where he needs to go.  Angel and his family were not baptized yesterday.  Last week we went by there house and he told us they have no time to meet with us anymore.  He works from like 6:00 to 6:00 and is always occupied at night.  It was something that we were not expecting.  We Had taught them everyday for a week and were wanting to be baptized and then all of the sudden no.  It was super hard on us because they told us not to come back.  We have been praying really hard for that family.  We still are not going to give up on them. 

 We had so many miracles happen and so many blessings given to us this week.  We baptized two people yesterday.  The first person is named Alicia.  She is so sweet.  She has had so many problems.  She is 50 years old and her husband died some months ago.  She has been so sad and depressed ever since than.  She developed bad health problems.  She has been struggling ever since to fight these problems.  She is the sister of our Dueña and she said that we should go see her.  We went by and gave her a blessing.  We stayed with her and talked with her a little bit about her Husband.  She did not look good when we went to see her.  But little by little she looked better and better.  Yesterday she was baptized.  It was such a special experience to see.  We knew how good she felt.  She told us that in one year she is going to be sealed with her Husband in the Temple.  It was so amazing to hear that.  As a missionary that is one of the Greatest things you could ever hear. 

The other person is named Alan.  He is 19 years old.  We found him looking for a house on Thursday.  He told us that he had gone to church before.  He told us he was never baptized because he was living with his girl friend.  He told us he had some problems and really wanted to change.  A few months ago he moved out and ever since then has been desiring to change.  He told us that he wanted to be baptized, and as soon as possible.  His parents came to church and so we are going to work with them a bit this week because we know they felt something at church and during the baptism. 

Seeing a change in someone's life is always so amazing.  Really seeing these things are the most rewarding things.  It was really at the beginning of the week seeing a family slip through our fingers a little bit.  I kind of thought a little bit about Ammon and the Sons of Mosiah.  They were beaten and spit upon and rejected from the city.  When they turned  back the Lord told them to go back to the city and that if they are paciente in there trials the Lord would give unto them Success.  They had such a desire to find everyone because they could not stand the thought of one person not entering into the kingdom of God.  that's kind of how it was for us.  No we were not beaten or cast out but the thought of that family not living together forever got us down a bit.  But really I remembered that scripture and Just trying so hard with all that I have to be paciente in my sufferings.  Just seeing the fruits of trying so hard to do that was so rewarding.  Just week by week something happens that makes me grow as a Missionary and as a person. 

I feel the love of my Heavenly Father.  When all seems lost turning to him has been my biggest source of comfort.  There is nothing more that could make me Happier.  Being a Representative of my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ and being a tool in his hands and finding and bringing back his precious lost sheep.  I feel your love and support with me every day.  I am so infinitely blessed with a family that loves and supports me so.  I love you all so much.  Thank you for all of the prayers and support.  I could ask for nothing more.  I love you and I ask all of you to please remember WHY you are here and the plan that Your Father in Heaven has for you.  It is real.  We are a part of it.  Every single on of us.  Oh remember, remember.  I love you

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 02/25/13

Hi family!

Wow I didn't know Ambria Rowland was married!  Wow That's super weird!  I guess I better get used to it.  You all should sign a petition to keep them from developing the Field.  Hay "there's too many people, there needs to be another pledge. ;)"  Just kidding that is great there is a lot of good people in the ward now.

Well this week was an amazing week.  We have seen a lot of miracles this week.  We worked so hard this week.  Last Monday we were contacting trying to find a house at like 8:30 at night.  We found this family of five.  We first just taught their dad Angel in the door.  We went back the next day.  We taught about baptism and why it is important and why we need it.  We told him that he could be baptized in 15 days.  He said that he wanted to be baptized and to be free from all of those bad things he has done.  It was really toughing to see how great of a desire he has to be baptized.  He told us that he wants to be an example for his kids.  He has three kids.  Carlos (10)  Veronica (8) and Carla (3).  They all have such a desire to be baptized.  The next day we talked about the Restouracion of the Gospel.  He accepted everything.  He told us how he thought it was necessary for the Church of Jesus Christ to be restored.  They all came to church yesterday and loved it.  We can not wait for them to be baptized this Sunday.  

On Thursday we were running to the Church because we had ward council and we were running super late.  A taxi driver stopped us and started crying saying that the missionaries contacted him Sunday saying that all the missionaries were going to pass by his house but the next day they didn't go.  He started crying telling us how we were liars and that we don't keep our promises.  He said at 6:00 the missionaries were supposed to go by but never went.  He told us at 7:00 someone came and took his little boy and hit him in the face.  He said if the missionaries were there nothing would have happened.  At this point he was just crying tears streaming down his face.  At this point we were crying with him telling him it was a mistake.  That night was the night of changes and the missionaries in that area were late.  We promised him if he gave us another chance the gospel would help him in his life.  We sent this reference telling them that they have to pass by.  It was a very somber and heart wrenching moment for us.  But the Lord put us in that exact moment so that we could find that man.  walking out of the Church from ward council and a man stopped us again.  This time it was good.  We started talking and he said that the missionaries have talked to him before.  He said that he wanted to be baptized.  In all 10 and a half months I have never had someone flat out tell us "I want to be baptized"  we told him that we would baptize him this Sunday.  But first he has to "talk" to one of our companions.  So we said we would meet him at the church at 5:00 the next day.  So us being all giddy and joyful went to the church the next day.  He wasn't there.  We waited for two hours.  Toda villa no llego.  So we went to look at his house or where he said his house was.  Didn't live there.  We found his brother that works next to the Church.  He said he has no house, that he is homeless.  We couldn't find him.  The next day we looked and we looked but couldn't find him.  Sunday we looked and looked....and we found him.  At 6:30 we found him.  We were like hey we are going to baptize you right now.  He was "OK"  so we called everyone and everyone came.  I Had a bad feeling.  I didn't know what it was but it was obviously about him.  So our district leader got there and found out that he has a problem and so we couldn't baptize him.  BUT the moral or my point to this story.  I learned a lot about faith this week.  We put all we had in the Lord.  We found him.  But we never doubted.  But we only did this by keeping focused on the Savior.  For me it doesn't really matter that he didn't get baptized we will just baptize him next week.  But I kept thinking about Peter walking on water.  He did it.  Walked towards the Savior.  But what happened.  He took his eyes off the Savior to see the torment around him and he fell.  "Pedro, porque dudaste?"  We can never doubt.  It is very hard.  But the  more faith we exercise the more faith we will gain.  Always, always we must be acting on our faith.  Faith is a basic thing.  But at times is very hard to have.  I love you all so much.  Thank you . 

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 02/18/13

Hey family,

This week was a great week.  We had changes today.  Elder Tattersall left and I stayed here.  I have a knew companion, Elder Taylor.  He is from Bountiful.  He has seven months in the mission.  He is really great and I am really excited to work with him.  He seems like a really hard worker. 

Yesterday we had a baptism.  His name is David.  We found him last Saturday.  He said that he really wants to change his life.  He went to church and yesterday he was baptized.  It was such an amazing sight.  Seeing some one have such a desire to change their life and really come closer to Christ.  It is such a miracle to be a tool in the Lords hands to find His lost sheep.  And to see great changes in their lives.  It is something that I am very grateful for. 

Last week Elder Tattersall and I were walking down the street from a cita that we should have had but they were not there.  A man like 30 years old calls out at us.  We walk over to talk to him and we could clearly see that he had been drinking.  He said that he was an alcoholic and wanted to change his life.  His wife and two 9 and 7 year old kids.  He said he wanted to find himself.  Find God and for the first time in years feel good.  We could see that he truly meant it.  We gave him a folleto of the Plan of Salvation.  We wrote down his number and asked if we could pass by his home.  He said he is almost never in his house because he is always working.  This really happens like every day.  so we walked away thinking we will probably never find him again.  In our area there is a big golly and a road that goes through it to go to a little mesa or pueblito.  But it is like 15 minuets away from the rest of our area.  And this is where we found this guy.  The next day there was a big crash between two dump trucks.  This stopped all of the traffic on both sides.  Because there was no buses that could pass we had to walk.  It took us like an hour and a lot of effort.  as we got to the pueblo we found this same guy walking.  We found him and he told us he was up all night reading this folleto and pandering about it.  He told us that when he read it, it hit him very hard.  We were thinking how much time we had lost when we got to the top.  We found this man.  How grateful and uplifted he was for this.  At that moment I realized that it was not just a coincidence but that it was not just a wasted hour.  I realized that if I am doing all that I can the Lord will not let his time be lost.  He will always look for ways for us to find His lost sheep.  There is no such thing as a wasted motion.  It was something that really hit me.  It really made me grateful for the little things that Heavenly Father does. 

I am so grateful for all of you.  I love you all so much.  My motivation and my inspiration.  I love you all with all of my heart.

Always and Forever,

Elder Hancock.
Helaman 5:12

Ps.  Mom:  Hey I need some more money.  Oh and  We were walking through a HUGE fiesta to get to our house and we saw a Metallica cover band and I thought of you singing.  It was super hard actually.  We ran out of there.  Awesome.

Owen I wrote you a letter and it wont get to you on time. so.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY


They Zone Playing soccer
My Area.
Elder Taylor and I