Email received 10/28/13

Dear Mother,

This week was such a good week.  Again struggling with my companion.  We just got a new Ward mission leader and so he is just getting started.  Saturday, we baptized Jonothan, Laura, and Sebastion.  Sunday we confirmed Jonothan and Laura... Sebastion no....We have to redo the ordinance tomorrow.  We found out Saturday AFTER the baptism when we were filling out the baptism forms that Sebastion's real name is Leonardo Sebastion.  So yes it was me that baptized him.  Lazy Elder Hancock forgot to do the forms before.  Its OK, he will just be really, REALLY clean. 

We had a young man help us baptize.  His name is Cassiel.  He is so amazing.  He is 18 years old but can't serve a full time mission because he has a really bad sickness that causes his organs to fail.  When he was like 14 I think he stopped taking his medicine and had to get a kidney transplant.  But he has such a strong testimony.  He is like a returned missionary.  He is also really smart.  He is a piano prodigy (I think) he is so amazing.  He comes with us all the time to do visits.  It is really hard for him sometimes because he gets tired really easily but he loves the work.  I love him.

We have seen the Lord working miracles in our area.  The people are ready.  We just need to find them.  I have to give all I have, all my efforts to find the people that are looking for the truth.  I love this gospel.  I love my mission.  I have changed so much.  I  know what is really important.  It is true.  There is no doubt.  It is our time right now to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. 

I love you so much. Thank you so much for the love and support.

Always and Forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12 

P.S.  Candy.  You know what kind.  Peanut butter,  Jam, Face wash, CEREAL…  Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms.

Email received 10/21/13

My dearest Mother,

Mom, Thank you so much for your email.  It really made me feel so much better.  I have been struggling a little the past few weeks,  just trying to find out what the Lord wants me to learn.  Thank you so much.  I wish I could express to you how much it means to me.  You are always guided by the Spirit in what to say.  What I need to know.  Thank you so much.  Satan has been tempting me so much lately.  I have no idea why.  It has been really, really difficult but I really feel that the Lord is giving me the Strength that I need to resist the Temptations.

My new companion Elder Campos is a good missionary.  But it has been a little bit hard to be with him.  I feel he has started to get a little bit trunky which has been making it really hard on me.  He really likes music and talks about music a lot and sings worldly songs, which makes it really hard on me also.  It makes it really, really hard to work and concentrate when we are not focused on the Lords work.  So I don't really feel worthy to receive some of the blessings that we have received this week from the Lord. 

Jonothan, Sebastion, and Laura were all interviewed this past week and all accepted baptism for this Next Saturday.  They showed us the desire they have to be baptized.  Especially Jonothan.  He really has shown his desire to change, to follow the example of Jesus Christ.  It was a great blessing because his mom, Susana, has such a desire to be baptized but cannot because she is not married to her husband.  But her husband Gerardo did not want anything to do with the church.  He was to the point where he was really rude about it.  But they told us that he is going to the baptism Saturday.  It is a great step he has taken.  I am so grateful that the Lord has but that in his life.  It has been such a blessing to have this family in our lives. 

The Lord has been Blessing me so much.  I see his hand in my life every day.  Which has made my desire to bring the Gospel to the people grow so much.  I feel so blessed to have this desire to bring these people to Christ.  But it only comes through prayer and fasting.  I have no doubt that this church is true.  It has changed my life.  It has changed the way I think about the Plan that God has for us.

I love you so much.  Have a good week. 

Always and Forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 10/14/13

Hey Mom,

I have a new companion Elder Compos.  He is from Peru.  He has the same amount of time in the mission as I do.               

This week was another hard week.  We have been working so hard this last week. One of our investigators Jonothan was going to be baptized yesterday but Saturday night he went to a party and came home drunk.  It was really hard to here this from his mom Susana.  I talked to him Saturday night to get him ready for his interview.  He has such a great desire to change, to do what is right, but Satan has a strong hold on him.  At times we want to do what the Lord asks but at the same time it is so hard to break free from the tightening grip of Satan.

We have another 15-year-old investigator named Gema.  It has been such a different experience talking with her.  She is talking to us to find comfort in her life.  Her mom is really close to dying.  This past week her mom entered the hospital again.  She then left the hospital with the doctors saying there is nothing more they can do for them.  The Grandma of Gema told us that her mom does not want to live anymore.  It is so heartbreaking.  Gema has really suffered through so many things, the divorce of her parents and the thought of her mom dying at any point.  Being here in the mission and experiencing some things really has made me grow a lot.  Be more mature.  I really feel that the Lord has helped me to be more mature to handle a lot of things.  We were visiting a less active member that has a while being less active.  While we were talking with her, her husband, really drunk, walks in the door, telling us there is no point to live, that nothing matters anymore, that the next time we come by we will find him hanging by the balcony.  The things that some people have to live with...  The happiness they try to find in drugs, alcohol, sex or things like that are things that will drag them down.  The only way we can have eternal happiness is through our families that are centered and set and built on the gospel.  The only way we will have the happiness we are looking for is through keepings the Commandments of our Loving Heavenly Father.  It is not easy at times but it is worth it.  Really the pain and the struggle really is worth our eternal salvacion.

Friday morning a member from a different ward called us telling us that she had a friend that wants to be baptized.  Exactly like that.  We dropped some of the plans we had for that morning to meet this young adult named Karina.  When we met up with them we started talking and she told us that three weeks ago her friend Jaquelin gave her a Book of Mormon.  She is already in 3 Nephi 12.  This shocked us.  Really the Book of Mormon gave her this desire to talk to us, and more important to be baptized.  The Book of Mormon changes lives.  The Book of Mormon has changed my life.  I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed us with this new investigator.  The Lord has blessed me so much in my mission, the desire to keep his commandments, the desire to always do his will.  I am so grateful for his blessings.  

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

Always and Forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 10/07/13

Dear Mom,

This week was a hard week.  Satan has been working really hard against us.  We had 3 people getting ready for their baptisms on Sunday but we were not able to find them at all for the past few days.  They didn't go to conference.  We were really sad about that.  We have been working so hard but something happened and we don't know what.  We are trying so hard not to let Satan get to us.  He knows that we are doing so many great things for this ward and he is mad about that.  He does not want us to succeed.  We are putting all of our effort into this work.  

I have six months left to be a representative of Jesus Christ and to save souls in his name.  I have to give everything to him.  The Lord is mindful of me.  Just like what happened with Alma and the sons of Mosiah.  We are trying so hard.  The Lord is proud of our work that we have done.  We just have to keep going.  Just like what President Uchtdorf said in the Priesthood session, "It does not matter how many times we fall, it only matters how many times we get up."  This is exactly what we have to do.  Trust in the Lord that he may guide us.  I love you so much Mom.  I am so grateful for everything you have done for me.  Thank you so much.

Always and forever

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 09/30/13

Hey Mom,

I am so happy to hear that everything is going well.  I am really happy to hear about Grae and the Baby.

This last week was all right, but full of challenges.  Satan is putting so many trials in our way.  Elder Sulcary and I got in an argument last week in the night.  We were up talking about it for a while.  But it was really hard.  There are a lot of things that I have to learn. 

We are having a hard time with finding new people to teach and with bringing people to church.  But we are preparing a family for Baptism.  Jonothan, Sabastion, and Laura.  They are the child and grand children of Susana and Gerardo. But Gerardo wants nothing to do with the church.  Which makes it really hard on Susana who wants to be baptized so bad but can't because they are not married.  But she is such a testimony-builder to us as we see the love she has for her children and grandchildren.  She reminds me so much of you.  And Jonothan reminds me so much of Jarom.  It is so amazing to see what you do when you feel like you are teaching your family.  This is the way we need to be, to have a perfect love.  It is so amazing.  But we are getting there.  We are working really hard with reactivating members. 

This last week we had a meeting with our District.  I talked about giving everything we have, all of our efforts, EVERYTHING.  From this Wednesday I have 6 months left in my mission.  I can honestly tell you that I don't want it to end, but the last 6 months I will give everything that I have to my lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I love you so much Mom.  I am so grateful for you.

Always and Forever.

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12

Email received 09/23/13

Hi Mom,

This week was such a great week.  We have been working so hard here.  The ward is still struggling a bit but we are super happy with the work that we are doing.  The Lord has blessed so much this week.  We feel so blessed.

Last week while we were waiting for the interviews with President Whitehead we were talking with the Assistants and they said something that impacted us all.  They said that the Mission Mexico City West is what the Area 70 Elder Johnson says the "Flag Ship" of Mexico.  We were talking about what a flagship is and they told us that In an Armada there is always a Ship at the Front leading the Armada.  It was so amazing to hear this because this is a mission that is so obedient and diligent.  What a blessing that I have received to be a missionary in this mission.  It is so wonderful to be part of this mission. 

But one of the things they said is that Mexico is one of the Pillars of the Church but also has so many inactive members.  Especially this Mission.  Alone our ward has 850 members.  700 of those members are inactive.  They said that saving these inactive members is just as important as baptizing new ones.  The importance of the Work of Salvacion is SAVEING the members.  Saving Gods Children.  The work of the Lord is quickening.  The world is getting worse and worse every day.  The Lord is pushing his work to go faster and faster.  We are in the middle of a time so important.  We need to take a minuet and realize the things that are going on.  Since October General Conference Last year when the Prophet announced the drop of ages of eligible missionaries the work of the Lord has seen so many drastic changes.  The Lord is depending on his children that HAVE the blessing of the Gospel to help his other children who do not have these blessings.  It is such a radical change but a prophecy that is being fulfilled in this very moment.  The work of the Lord will never come to a stop.  But really the time is coming for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to come.  The time Is know that We must do all we can to prepare ourselves and his children for His glorious Arrival.  

I talked in church yesterday.  I talked about testimonies.  I realized too much while I was writing this talk.  We all have testimonies.  Whether it is great or small.  But it is our responsibility to grow and to nourish our testimonies.  By the small things...  The small things are the most important.  Prayer, studying the scriptures, repenting and going to church to take the Sacrament.  These are things that are so small but they are things that are so essential.  Doing these things here in my mission has helped my testimony grow so much.  

I know that the church I true.  I have no doubt.  Like we say to all of our investigators, if you want to know, kneel down and ask your Heavenly Father if these things are true, if the Church is true.  I know that you will receive an answer.  He is there.  He loves us.  And so he will answer, through the Holy Ghost.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Always and forever,

Elder Hancock

Email received 09/16/13

Dear Family,

It sounds like everything is going really well at home.  Keep up the good work.

Well this week was such an amazing week.  We had such amazing things happen.  We are teaching a family that is preparing for their baptism.  We are so happy for them.  One of the sons Jonothan is an inspiration for me.  Last week he told us that he was at a party with his friends.  He told us that all of the people were high and drunk (including the friends that gave him a ride).  He told us that he had a feeling that he should not be there, that it was something that he didn't want.  So he walked home at 2:00 am, in the streets of Mexico City.  The next day he found out that the friends he went to the party with got in a crash coming home from the party and got hurt pretty bad.  He told us that the Lord gave him that feeling to go home.  Thursday he told us that he had a dream Tuesday that two teenagers and Elder Sulcaray and I were at the door knocking looking for him, but he didn't answer.  Wednesday two Jovenes Adultos Solteros (young single adults), Elder Sulcaray, and I went to the house looking for Jonothan but nobody answered the door.  Thursday he told us this dream.  He realized that nobody answered the door in his dream because nobody was home.  He told us that the Lord is guiding him.  He told us that he knows the Church is true.  I know that the Lord guides us in our lives.  I feel it every day.  Even if we do not notice it he is.  He is doing all he can to keep us on the track.  

Today we went to have interviews with President Whitehead.  The things that the Assistants taught us impacted me.  The importance of the work we are doing.  They said the work we are now doing is equally important than the Restauracion of the Gospel.  I know that this is true.  I feel the work we are doing is so important.  I love you all so much thank you for the support.

Always and forever 

Elder Hancock

Helaman 5:12