Joyous Day!

November 25, 2013

Hey!

So hey, you ready for our miracle experience of the week?? It's a good one!! I don't know how much I told you about an investigator who was going to get baptized way back on my birthday, after a long process, and after working with him all these months, he finally felt ready to be baptized! So yesterday at 4:30 he entered the waters of baptism.. Joyous day! I had the privilege to baptize him, and it was a very uplifting experience. We sang, as the closing hymn, Las Familias pueden ser eternas, and I was thinking about that quote I have heard a lot about missionaries that says, "a missionary leaves his family for two years so that others can live with theirs forever." or something like that. It brought me so much joy to think that in a year they could be sealed as a family eterna. I kind of got a little taste of how God must feel when we chose the right, and make the steps so that we can come back to him. It was a really good experience.

In a way I feel like I was sent here for this family, and now that he is baptized I can leave. So to answer your question, yes, I do feel like I'm going to leave next Monday to go somewhere else. 

We've had a really good week! We found some new people that I'm excited to teach!

 I know that the fight is real out there, and we have to be so careful because we are paving our future with every choice we make, and we have to make certain it is the road that will lead us back to our Heavenly Father. I know that it is also the road to happiness, and to eternal life. I know it's real! The other day I was reading my patriarchal blessing, and near the end it promises me that I will come forth on the morning of the 1st resurrection, and be sealed with my righteous ancestors for time and all eternity, and be given my inheritance blessing. When I read that I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what that might be like, and how glorious that day will be. The Spirit of promise testified to me that those promises are real. I know that we are children of God with a divine potential. Thank you for raising me with this knowledge. It's priceless. I love you! You're exceptional parents, and I'm looking forward to talking with you in a month!! :)

Well, until next week! Love ya tons,

Elder Higgins :)

I Love My Savior and All He has Given Me!

Hola!

This week has been pretty good! 

We started teaching an intersting man who used to be Anti because two missionaries baptized his family behind his back, and his dad raised him saying, "never answer the door to the Mormons!!" But he has been to church the past few weeks and is as open as he ever will. So we are praying and hoping for a miracle here, and so far it is looking hopeful. He was telling us we were "Cool guys" as we were leaving last week. We told him he was pretty cool too!

I love this work. I can't believe how fast the time is flying by! I remember last year like it was yesterday, being in the MTC, and scared out of my mind. I love my Savior and all that he has given me! Especially my family!! You are all awesome. Keep safe with all your travels. Thanks for your prayers and everything else! 

Love, Elder Higgins

Always Something to Smile About :)

Redlands Temple

I Love Baptizing the Youth

November 11, 2013

Hola! hola! 

My companion and I had a great week. We spent a little more time with members this week, and started asking for referrals, and we got some. We are going to have a family home evening with one tonight, and they've invited their neighbors over to join us. So I'm looking forward to that! We had a really good lesson on the Restoration with an investigator this week, he agreed to be baptized when he has received an answer.

The two ninos were baptized as well! It was really great!! Except we forgot to mention that they needed to bring a towel, and a change of underwear, and so the Mom had to go back to their house to get those, and for some reason it took forever!! Our ward was getting pretty inpatient. So it was another stressful experience until the meeting actually started, and then the spirit filled the room, and everyone was happy again. It was a really good experience! The mom, who is coming back from inactivity, bore her testimony. Afterwards she came over and hugged us, and thanked us. I know they will stay active, and the two ninos will reach their potential as children of God. That's also my prayer! I love baptizing the youth, because if they stay faithful they can completely avoid the consequences of sin, and the Holy Ghost will be able to help through the harder teenage years. It's awesome!!

Well, That's about it! I love you, and I love being out here. I know the apostasy is real. I can see it's detrimental effects, and the confusion it brought into the world, but I'm glad the God loved us enough to call another prophet of God, and to restore His church to the earth, and I love sharing that message!

Love, 

Elder Higgins :)

District Leader Training

October 29, 2013 

Oh Wowsers!

November 4, 2013

Whaaat's Uuup!!?

Hey sorry it's so late again with the email's. We have to fit it in last in our schedule because we have to haul two other missionaries around all day. Now, to answer some of your questions. Halloween was pretty great. It was weekly planning day. So we planned for a long while, and then we went out for a little bit, but we had to be in by six. Then we watched a movie with the whole Zone. It was Ephraims Rescue. The sequel to 17 Miracles. It was pretty good. I admire the faith of the early saints! It is getting cooler here, I'm super grateful for it! 

So this week was pretty awesome. We've been trying to find new people, and we found some. We gave a family of 5 a blessing, and one of the daughters said it really touched her. We have a return appointment for tomorrow. I'm excited about that! We haven't been able to visit too many members yet, so we are still trying to get references from them. No baptism this week, We got a text Sunday morning the morning of, and one of their family members died, and they had to go to Los Angeles. We're gonna visit them tonight! Other than that we have been visiting a lot of the recent converts, and helping them out still. 

So that was about it for the week. Oh, but get this. One of the youth in our ward somehow got a hold of my SBO election video on Facebook, and is sharing with all the youth in the ward. People will just come up to me and ask me where I got my dance moves, or they'll quote me and say, "Oh wowsers, I didn't see you there!" So I'm getting a lot of crap for that, but also a lot of respect for the dancing.  Haha it's pretty terrible. I wasn't expecting anyone to find that. I guess my Facebook is not secure:) 

Love Elder Higgins

I Still Love Being Out Here, It's Great!

October 28, 2013

Howdy!!

 

Those were some good looking pumpkins you guys painted. (See my Halloween tribute to Elder Higgins below!)

 

So for a little update. P-days are crazy in Moreno Valley. We are now out numbered by sister missionaries. There are around 14 sister missionaries and 8 elders. Every sister companionship has a car, and between the 8 of us elders, we have one! So we have to borrow cars every p-day, and every time there is a meeting. It's a sorts of confusing! That is also why we are Emailing so late today. I apologize for keeping you waiting.

 

My new companion is really cool. He's got a good sense of humor and keeps me laughing. Speaking of humor, we ran into a stand up comedian in the street the other day. He was practicing his routine with us and everything. He was dancing, and telling jokes, and making funny voices. I applauded him for his routine, and laughed generously throughout, but to be honest he needs a little more practice before he makes it on stage. But yeah, My companion is cool. We're going to have a good time.

 

I don't know if I told you before but a ward member found a less active member Mom the other day in her work that has two unbaptized kids. We have been working with them these past weeks, and they are all set to get baptized on this Sunday. They are awesome! They love going to mutual, and coming to church, and pretty much everything! Other than that we are going to start looking for more people to teach. We are going to start visiting with the members more and help them realize their duty to share the gospel. We just had a Stake Conference yesterday and every talk was centered on the hastening of the work of salvation, and focused on how members can do their part in this beautiful work. So we will be riding that fire, and start helping the members get to work. It'll be a good time! :)

 

(I had asked what his district leader responsibilities are) Oh and the District Leaders responsibilities are just conducting DDM's (district development meetings) every week, and training, and just helping out the district. Oh and doing baptismal interviews. I actually got to do one of those this week. It was a cool experience. I was thinking on some of my first interviews, and how nervous I was to be "interviewed." It's just kind of an intimidating word!

 

But yeah! Love you and all that. I still love being out here. It's great!

 

Love Elder Higgins :)

                                     

Transfers and I'm a District Leader!

        October 21, 2013

So here's all the juicy transfer details. My companion is going to the Deanza ward in Jurupa. I'm going to miss him a ton! We're pretty good friends, and learned a lot from each other. Everyone in our ward knew we were sad getting split up. They could tell we were good friends cause we were always laughing and stuff. As for me, I will be staying in Moreno Valley for another transfer. I guess there are still some people here that need to hear my testimony. I'm super excited! I love this ward a lot. I honestly didn't expect to stay though. My new companion is from Mexico, I've met him before and I'm excited to work with him!

Our ward is getting two new sister missionaries. We'll have 6 now!! Pretty crazy! It will be cool to see how it works out. The members will be kept busy here. That's for sure!

I was also called to be a district leader. I'm in a district with all the Spanish sisters. So we will have all our district meetings in Spanish, which will be neat. I've never seen that happen before. I'm pretty excited!

We had a week of committing people to church, and re-committing them......our recent converts were confirmed, and given the Holy Ghost yesterday. That's also Pretty cool. I love the Holy Ghost!

Love, Elder Higgins :)