Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Surprise Meetings

Good Early Morning everybody from the Homeland(Unless you're not in
the homeland, then hello to you too.)
   This was a fun week! Lots of Random experiences!
To start I finally got a new iPad.... For those that didn't know my
last one sucked.... Due to repeated beatings and uses as a bludgeoning
weapon it was having some serious problems. So after a couple days of
trying to finagle with Apple and the Church I had to submit and deal
with "policies". Which included me forking up a painful amount of cash
for a new iPad..... But it's over with and my life is much easier now
so yay!
   We had a funny run in with one of our investigators this week too.
This late is super busy and so we've never been able to schedule
anything with her. So one night we decided to just stop by her house.
She was actually there! And so was her boyfriend, and 5 minutes 2 more
of her friends. Apparently we showed up in the middle of their band
practice. Now you don't run into that every day so we showed support
for our investigator and stuck around a little to see if they were any
good ;)
   For the last 2 weeks we have been spending some time helping a
member paint her neighbor's basement. Her neighbor is going through
some serious medical problems with her husband and so she is trying to
sell her house and run back and forth between hospitals and
specialists. So she doesn't have time to prepare the house for sell.
This week we managed to steal a few young men to help us out. It was
really fun though handing teenage boys rollers and free reign on a
room that you can't really make a mistake in painting it is a bad
idea.... Two hours later we had 2 boys covered in paint and a 3rd
trying to peel it off of his arms, which were completely covered. So
we made them sit out and dry for a few minutes before we had to take
them home.
   Now for the highlight of the week!!! TEMPLE!
       The ward had a youth temple trip and our recent convert Bridget
who got baptized a couple weeks ago managed to get everything set up
for her to go with! We met all the qualifications to allow us
missionaries to accompany her and it was super great! We got to drive
out to Good ole' New York City... Still don't like the city... And go
to the temple to do Baptisms with her. She also had the names for her
Parents, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents! So her first time doing
baptisms for the dead was for her mother. She gave me the honor to do
it for her Male ancestors and that was super cool! The spirit fills
that building everywhere and it was an amazing opportunity to be a
part of that!
   Another crazy thing that happened at the temple.... Apparently the
Riverton High School theater was on their annual New York Trip and
they happened to be at the temple when we got there! I got to talk to
a few friends from home for a minute! What a small world we live in!

       Now for my Father's Day rant....
   So many of you heard it from me back from conference.... But I'm
just reminded constantly of where fatherhood is going in society.
There are too many families that are broken and/or fatherless. Too
many children who don't even know who their dad is. Too many without
that example, who will grow up to continue the cycle. With all the
amazing father figures I've had, and my own deep opinions on the
subject it hurts me deeply. Especially as a missionary when one of the
first principles that we teach is the God is our "Heavenly Father".
Many that we teach have no comprehension of what that means. They
don't understand the learning, the strength, the guidance, and the
love that a true father is.
   I would just like to thank all the Father Figures I have. My Dad,
Stepdad, Uncles, Grandfathers, and family friends who have been there
to teach me, and guide me into the man that I am becoming today. I
thank you all and love you so much. Never forget the impact you have,
good and bad, on not only your own children, but all those around you.
   I love all of you. Have a great week.

                     Elder Anthony Sleigh Hicks
                 New Jersey Morristown Mission




 "Flirting with a lot of sister missionaries tactfully..... Just kidding.... Maybe..........."

 Money for the new IPAD

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