It's Nuts How Time Flies!

February 25, 2014

Hey so sorry I wasn't able to Email yesterday. Transfer P-days are always crazy, so we are taking a few minutes to Email today. My companion and I are staying together for one more transfer, so I'm happy about that! I think we will see a lot more success together.

 

I saw all the pictures of Justin & Kelsey. They were super fun. She looks like she's about to burst!! And Justin sent me pictures of the baby room. It looks like he will have a good little room, and home, and family. I'm glad to see that, because too often we see very young girls that are pregnant, and their little babies don't have a lot of hope for a well established family. It's really sad to see. So I'm glad Justin & Kelsey are doing it right and preparing for little Eli. I'll be looking forward to meeting him!!  That's so cool that Carley Wood is going to Portugal! They'll be extra extra blessed having two missionaries out in the field. I love it!

 

So, this week was pretty fun! We were indeed able to go to Norco. We had a few more names to visit whilst being there, but no one was home. It was lame! But it was fun driving through. We didn't make too much progress with any of our investigators, but we did get a few more referrals from members. I always get excited about those. They're always a little more legit than the people we find when we street contact. So I'll update you on how those go. 

 

We also have a meeting with President this week to discuss this months goals, and how we're going to improve. Those are always fun!

 

We went, with all the elders in the zone, on hike early Saturday morning up to mount Rubidoux, and watched the sunrise. It was really neat. It's nothing like hiking in Utah, but it was really beautiful nonetheless. I forgot to take my camera though! Bummer. Sorry!

 

But other than that there's nothing else really.. Oh! We did go out with a guy on Thursday, Bro. B--he's from the English ward, but he has been trying to introduce the gospel to a lady that cuts his hair. He doesn't speak Spanish, and she doesn't speak too much english, but somehow he set up an appointment with her for us. So we went by with him and had a lesson with her. She's very receptive, and I have high hopes for her.  I really admire people like Bro. B-- I mean he prayed to be led to a hair salon of someone that he could share the Gospel with. He's a champ!

 

Well, I love you! I'm thankful for your support, and testimonies. I can't believe February is gone. It's nuts how time flies!

Love, Elder Higgins 

I've decided, just now actually, that there's always something to be excited about. Isn't that wonderful? I think it's great!"

Miracles and Feeling the Spirit

February 18, 2014

 

Thanks for your valentine wishes! Our valentines was pretty uneventful. We drove around all night valentines, and couldn't find anyone home. There was a bunch of couple's walking around, and we just observed everyone with there significant others enjoy the night. I was amazed at how surreal everything seemed, all the romance and everything. I forgot all that existed, not that I was super romantic before or anything, but it was weird seeing it all.

 

Valentines day was also I-- birthday. I don't know if I've told you about her but she is this really funny, really crazy recent convert, and we visit her quite a bit to give her the new convert lessons. Anyway, we bought her this really ugly, purple picture frame at target, and stopped by the day before her birthday and took a picture with her. She was super confused because we came just to take a picture and then left quickly. We wrapped the frame with the picture in newspaper and duct tape. We wrapped multiple layers, and then stopped by to give it to her on her birthday. She had just gotten her nails done, and it took her a good 15 - 20 minutes to open her gift. It was pretty humorous! She thought the frame was "beautiful" though. So it turned out good!

 

We had a good week. We focused on teaching M's kids this week. We had set a baptismal date for the whole family, the parents weren't able to get married, so we still have some work, but some of the family made the date, and were baptized on Sunday. It was good, they showed up to the baptism happy, and ready to follow their Savior. Their mom is great, and absolutely loves the church, and she'll soon join her kids once she gets married. I could tell she felt the spirit strongly at the baptism. The bishop is coming over with us this week to talk them about marriage. I think that will help a ton.

 

Other than that, we are still working with the same people, kind of stuck in place with most of them. We did have a funny miracle take place though. One day we didn't have much going on, and we had planned the night before to visit this girl named T-- she was baptized months ago, but never got confirmed.  We kind of just planned to visit her out of concern and because "jokingly" we wanted to finish planning. We knew she wasn't going to open the door for us. My last companion and I had tried a few times, and we're never able to find her. Anyway 4:00 rolled around, and we looked at our planners to see what we had planned next, and it was time to visit T--, so we went with no hope of result's, but we had planned it, and wanted to stick with the plan. We knocked on her door. No one answered, knocked again. The apartment door opposite to her's opened up, and there stood a teenage boy. He had thought we knocked on his door. We introduced ourselves quickly, and he said he was a familiar with the church, and he had just moved here from Utah. We went back over there last night, and were warmly accepted into their home. The mom, and son are members, but they had gone less active, and have two kids that have not been baptized yet. We'll fix that! Haha :) They're a super cool family.

 

I do know that God knows our personalities, and allows the Holy Ghost to work with us, and to adapt to our personalities. What came to our minds as a "joke" was actually a whisper from the Holy Ghost, telling us to go even if we didn't think we would find her......He knew what we would find. I thought it was a cool experience and I regard it as a miracle.

 

Also, with this same idea in mind. There's this place in our area called Norco. Everyone rides horses up there and it's a whole other world. We always want to go there, but there's no work there.. It's very sad! Well, we ate with Bishop last night, and we just randomly asked if he knew anyone in Norco that speaks Spanish because we wanted an excuse to go there. We were just joking, but he got up and walked to his office and came back with a slip, a referral that someone had given him a while ago. She was from the English ward, and had a friend that wanted to come to church, but didn't speak English. So when she ran into the Bishop one day she gave him that referral. She lives in Norco! Haha we finally have an excuse to go there. Super cool!

 

I think the spirit influences our thoughts more than we could ever imagine, and I don't stress too much anymore trying to discern whether the spirit is speaking to me, as long as it feels good I just say and do what comes to my mind, and trust that it's the Holy Ghost.

 

Well, I guess I better sign off. I love you! Thanks for all your support.

 

Love, Elder Higgins

 

Exchanges

February 10, 2014

 

This week was good.  We went on exchanges twice this week. Elder M-- came here, and let me in on some of his wisdom. He has been AP for a while, and is going home in two weeks. Like they say here..  He's a dying missionary! It was really fun being with him. He taught me a lot!

Then we went on exchanges with the chinese elders as well. They taught me how to say "I play ping pong," and I was able to use it a few times. We went all the way to rancho, which is out of the mission, but they cover parts of different missions as well. So that was fun little drive out there. I did a baptismal interview for one of their investigators, so one of them had to translate for me. It was a unique experience. He was baptized yesterday.

 

I really like exchanges because I get to learn a lot from the other missionaries. Other than that I don't have too much more to say. Valentine's this week.. That will probably be cool for everyone else.

 

Love, Elder Higgins

Mission Leadership Council

January 30, 2014

I Do Love Being Out Here....

February 3, 2014

Well, this past week was a good one. We found a new family and they are pretty great. They were actually found by another missionary. Apparently the dad came up to them, and asked who they were, and how they can help them, and the missionaries said they could help him come closer to the Savior by helping him prepare to be baptized into His restored church. He said that sounded good. So we started teaching him. He and his family came to church this week.

 

We had a total of 7 investigators at church. It was pretty cool. Usually it's a struggle to help them come for whatever reason, but this Sunday it was easy. Our newly baptized were confirmed by the bishop. So they're officially members now!

 

We get to go to the temple tomorrow. I'm pretty pumped. 

 

Well, that's about it for this week. Nothing super new or exciting. I do love being out here though. I'm making a lot of friends, and it's especially cool cause our friendship is founded through Jesus. That's one thing I've learned, that anything founded on or through our Savior is strong. It's not superficial. So I do love being out here.

 

Love, Elder Higgins

I Know How it Feels to Be an Instrument in the Lords Hands

January 27, 2014

Hola!  I have a lot to say this week. It's one for the books!

 

Ok so we started out this week with one investigator with a baptism date set for the weekend but still had concerns about a few things. She would openly tell us that she believed Joseph was a prophet, and has stopped drinking coffee, and loves to study with us, but there was something that was holding her back. We were determined to help her prepare for this Sunday though! So we met with her everyday for a little while. We gave her chapters for the BoOk of Mormon and an article from Thomas S. Monson, and reminded her to pray often.

 

We also knew that another  investigators son had been to church plenty of times and if we could find him this week to teach him he could be baptized, but he's a busy little 12 year old. The lessons for the week went as follows.

 

Tue: We read over the baptismal interview questions, and like I said there wasn't a problem with any of them. We told her that she was obviousely ready. 

 

Wed:  A missionary that I served around in Moreno Valley, and I went on Exchanges. So he went with me to visit N-- He was there when the SBO (student body officer) video incident went down in Moreno Valley.. I thought those days were over when I left. He still likes poking fun at me though, and somehow in the little spanish he knows he told her about my video, and my dancing. She really wanted to see it, but I told her she would never see it! It was kind of a goofy lesson, but she did tell us the main thing that was holding her back .....She also asked "Why so soon?

 

Thurs: We met with her in the morning again, and answered her questions with Alma 34. "Don't procrastinate the day of your repentance!" I could tell the spirit was working with her....She still wasn't for sure, but she was making progress. We also taught our young man about faith, repentance, and baptism, and invited him to be baptized on sunday. He said, "yeah." He's a man of few words.

 

Fri: Interviews for baptism were done and she passed with flying colors. We used that as a testament that she totally is ready, and in 2 days time is when the Lord wanted her to be a member of His church. She said, "Okay, but only if I get to see your video!" I facepalmed and thought about it, and showed her.  She was laughing at the video. I'm sure it was a merry time. (This video from high school will not go away!!!)

 

Note: She's super legit and keeps commitments. Her testimony is growing, and I could see that. I don't want you to think that she was baptized for the wrong reasons. She would have been baptized regardless of the video. She just likes to joke around!

 

We also taught our young man about the Restoration, and the Word of Wisdom, and asked him if he believed Joseph was a prophet to which he said, "Yeah."

 

Sat: We brought two members with us that are around her same age. It was a good lesson. She prayed at the end. It was cool to see how her prayers that she said at the end of the lessons changed from day to day. She started out the week saying, "please help me know if I should be baptized" to "I know I need to be baptized please help me" to "Thank you I'm excited to be baptized tomorrow."

 

Sun: We pulled M-- out of class and taugh him about the rest of the commandments, and he was interviewed....Then at 4:00 they were baptized. I had the priviledge of baptizing N-- It was so cool to see the progress she made from the first time we talked with her 3 and half weeks ago. I'm also glad This young man could be an example to his family, and I'm positive the mom will be baptized soon. 

 

I know miracles exist, and I know how it feels to be an instrument in the Lords hands. It's such a rewarding experience. I know that video I made was inspired. Haha just kidding, but it helped! I love to her peoples testimonies after they're baptized! Our new sister in he gospel had a great experience, and felt her burden lighten, and our young man was just super happy after, and talked more!

 

I love you!

Love, Elder Higgins