Transfers and Conference Weekend!

April 7, 2014

Hola hola!

 

Well, I'll just cut to the chase since it's transfer P-day and we don't have much time. The news is as follows: Elder Baltazar is heading over to Mennifee. He's going to spend the summer on bike. Haha! He hasn't experienced bike yet, and he's going just in time to be biking all summer. That will be sweet! I've already experienced that, so I've been telling him how great it is. How some days the sun is your worst fear. How teaching lessons is a whole new experience when you are sweaty. He's going to love it! I'll be staying here, and my dear friend Elder Prieto will be coming to be with me. He was in my ward in Moreno Valley for a while. He's awesome. Saying his name is really fun too. Prieto. Just keep saying it and it gets really fun to say. He was born in Peru, but has lived most his life in Northern California.

This week was awesome. I loved General Conference. I think my favorite talk this time around was Elder Bednar's. He talked about how trails make us stronger, and about the Atonement. "It was the load." I loved that! I liked them all. Elder Hollands was really good, and Elder Todd D. Christopherson as well. There seemed to be an overriding theme that said, "God's standards never change. We can't be like the world, and must stand firm." It's good to know that we have 15 special witness's of Christ that we can trust.

 

This week was packed with meetings. It seemed like we weren't teaching as much. Two highlights though one was a lesson where we invited our investigator to get married even though it might mess up here legalization process. We were reading in Enos, and somehow her need to get married came up, and we were able to challenge and testify. The spirit was there and her response was different than before. I think she might actually do it. Their son also got really excited when we were talking about his parents getting married. He said excitedly,"Yo Paso los flores" He pretty much volunteered himself to be the flower girl. It was super funny! We have plans to take the bishop over there on Thursday. I think this is the beginning of a miracle.

 

The other highlight was teaching another couple, we took a couple from our ward to visit them. She answered the door, and said she doesn't want anything to do with us....I just don't get what the source of all this anger is toward us.. Well, I know, but I just don't get how so many fall into these misconceptions so easily. Anyway, we somehow got in the door, and had a really good lesson with her. We invited her to take the lessons. She wasn't thrilled by any means, but accepted. I know that the lesson we had with her would not have been as good with out La Familia G--- It probably never would have happened if they weren't with us. The members bring our message to life, and it is much more easily accepted when they come out with us. So when you see the missionaries let them know when you would be free to go out with them! 

 

I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, and I loved hearing from him this weekend.

 

Love, Elder Higgins

I've Found the Great and Spacious Building!

March 31, 2014

Howdy!

 

Well, We've been fighting with Satan this week. It's been pretty obvious that he is trying to keep some of our investigators out of this church. We are teaching 3 people/families that attend this church, It's a great and spacious building that sits up on a hill, it's impossible to miss, and if you didn't know it was a church you would think it was a factory. Anyway they are popping up everywhere in SoCal, and people are getting "saved" left and right. They fill minds with rubbish about The Church of Jesus Christ....

 

We've been having a hard time finding people that will progress. We have a lot of really good first lessons throughout the week, but we go to the appointment we set for the next day and can't catch them again. For instance we met a girl this week, and left her with a blessing. Everything went really smoothly, and she felt the spirit, and agreed to meet with us so she could be baptized, but didn't make the appointment the next day! We've had some conversations over the phone, but haven't been able to find her again..

 

That's the story this week.

 

BUT In other news:

 

M-- who got the priesthood last week, passed the sacrament this week. That was good to see.

 

We had a really good lesson in Gospel Principles about Jesus Christ and His atonement. It made Our investigator cry.  We are going to really challenge her to put her faith in God, drop everything, and be baptized this week. We're hoping for a miracle.

 

This is the last week of the transfer. I have no idea what's going to happen. If I'll be leaving or staying. But it sure has been fun with my companion Baltz!!

 

I'm super excited for General Conference this week!

 

Thanks for your prayers, and for your wonderful testimony. I know this church is true, and the thought of living with you and the rest of the family with God is so sweet, and I'm willing to dedicate my life to make it happen. Tell the whole crew howdy, and that I love em'.

 

Love, Elder Higgins :)

I Taught A lot of People About Jesus

March 24, 2014

Hola! 

So.. Let me think what I did this week. Well, I taught a lot of people about Jesus. We went on exchanges with the AP's. I stayed in our area, and the former basketball player from U of U, Elder W--came to stay with me for the day. So he was able to teach me a lot. We have been finding people a lot of people, but it seems really hard to keep meeting with them regularly. I guess we're just finding the really busy people. We did visit a recent convert yesterday, and her friend was over there with her. We taught her the Restoration, and she was astonished when we told her there was a man, Thomas S. Monson, on earth today that communicates with God - Like Moses status communicates with God!! I was super pumped to see her react that way. That's what I'm talking about! She asked us how we knew, and so we gave her a Book of Mormon. Then we read about Jesus's baptism in 2 Nephi 31, and quickly after reading it she pushed her preconceived Christian belief that baptism wasn't necessary aside, and agreed to be baptized, Way cool! 

Other news:  A recent convert got confirmed on Sunday. 

M-- was ordained a deacon. His mom, who we are still visiting quite frequently, was there as he was ordained a deacon and was given the Priesthood, and there were tears in her eyes afterward. I know she has had so many spiritual witnesses that this church is true, but it's just so hard for her to make the commitment.....

I've been studying ACTS along with the Book of Mormon. I read about Peter and the rest of the Apostles getting arrested for preaching Jesus, and then rejoicing when they finally were released after being punished. Here, it's better if I just reference it: 

Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

 41 ¶And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

They are such cool people!

Love,  Elder Higgins :)

A Day in the Life of a Missionary

March 17, 2014

Hey. How's it going?   So..

Our week was pretty good, beside the fact that a lot of people just heap their problems on us. We taught a lot of people this week who just told us their life story, and of their challenges. I won't go into too many details, but it was pretty wild.

 

One of our converts is doing better, and all settled into her new little home. We helped her move one morning, and she wants to come over tonight and bless it. Thanks for your prayers!

 

M-- who was baptized in January, was in the ward talent show this week. It was super funny! We stopped by to see if we could talk with the bishop, and somehow got roped into being in a skit so we had to stay the whole night.. Haha I wasn't complaining. It was pretty fun! Anyway, M-- and his church buddies did this thing where they had a drawing of two missionaries with the faces cut out where they stuck their own faces there instead. So two of them were the heads and two other boys were the arms somehow. Then they did a day in the life of a missionary. They brushed their teeth, and ate cereal, and did other stuff. It was super funny seeing them make a mess and try and do everything. It was even greater because knowing michael he is one of the most reserved and quiet kids, and he was up there getting cereal thrown in his face and what not. :)

 

I hope I explained that well enough.. Anyway, I'm just glad he and his mom are so involved in the church. They had a blast at the talent show!

 

G-- was baptized yesterday. We've been working with her and trying to overcome some things, and a few days ago bishop finally gave the go ahead. She was excited!

 

I would send home some pictures right now, but I actually wasn't there for the baptism.. So kind of a funny story here, but not really. We realized as we started planning the baptism that we scheduled a dinner with a member that was coming down from a different city to eat with us, and his non-member parents around the same time. We were able to switch to make it a little bit earlier, but we decided we would have to do splits. So my companion, and The ward mission leader went to get the baptism ready, and my comp got all dressed up, and myself and a priest in our ward went to the dinner. The food wasn't ready though, and we had to wait a while. By the time we got our food it was 5 till the baptism. So we ate real quick, and finished our food and left after having a good discussion about the Gospel. I figured they would have started late, but we arrived just as they finished the actual ordinance. I felt really bad! She didn't notice though, because I was there for the last part. I think she assumed I saw it all. Don't ask, don't tell right? :)

 

Other than that we had an average week. We have been in finding mode for these past few days. We need more people to teach! So hopefully we'll be seeing a lot of progress here in the next week.

 

Thanks for everything. I love you!  Love,  Elder Higgins

 

Zone Conference- March 10, 2014

A New Member of the Higgins Team!

March 3, 2014

That's so exciting baby Eli finally arrived. It seems like very recently we just found out she was pregnant. I'm glad he arrived safely, and joined the Higgins team! Eli will be a champ. Kind of a small guy huh? 6 pounds. Is that small? Anyway, That's super exciting. I'm stoked to meet him when I get home! By that time he'll be a little more lively I imagine. Sister Pierce from the office did call on Wednesday. It made my whole day knowing that I became an uncle, and my bro was a dad. So thanks for calling and letting me know. You're the best!

 

Can we tell what kind of kid he's going to be yet? like his personality?? Or is it too early to tell?

 

Well, we had a good week. We had our MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) meeting with President , and learned a lot. They want us to focus on teaching the doctrine behind church more often to remind people of why we go, and tie the Atonement & Sacrament together. That way they'll realize that going to church isn't that big of a sacrifice in comparison to His.

 

Then we had a ZDM (Zone Developement Meeting) where we are privileged with running a 3 hour meeting, and training all the missionaries in the zone. It's always a good time! 

 

We found an investigator that live 3 houses down from our church house. That's pretty convenient. We just barely had our first lesson with them Sunday after church. They said they need to learn more before being baptized, but seemed open. We're going to see them again tomorrow!

 

And to answer your question we did find ourselves back in Norco. We got a referral for a sweet lady, she lives behind someones house in a small garage/shed thing. She lives there with her mom and son. We had a really spiritual Restoration lesson with her. When we were explaining The Apostasy, we asked if she believed she had found the true church of Jesus Christ, and she quickly answered, "No, I know I haven't." That answer hit me super hard, because it was evident that she had been searching, that she had listened to other churches representatives. She read from a Jehovah's Witness bible, and her Mom raised her Catholic. I'm sure she has been to various Christian churches.  The only thing she trusts is the Bible. Even better was her answer when we asked her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who held the priesthood authority. She replied, "I always follow Jesus Christ." It was very sincere, and she agreed to take the lessons, and to pray, and to be baptized if she knows it's true. It was the highlight of the week for me.

 

I love you! I'm glad Eli has joined the team, and glad he arrived safe. Thanks for everything, You rock!

 

Love, Elder Higgins

Missionary Leadership Council - February 27, 2014