Russell's Email 2-5-09

EVERYONE!
I don't know if I will ever get used to how much the Lord blesses us everyday and how mindful he is of his children. I think it will continue to blow my mind each week. I love doing this work.
This past week has been really exciting. We have had some great lessons with very incrediable investigators and we also had about an hour and a half long meeting with Elder L Tom Perry and Elder Neal L Anderson (He gave the talk, "You know enough." at conference.) I loved it because the first thing they did was shake everyones hand. I love General Authorities.
I'll go through at a later time and type what all he talked about, or I might just try to send the meeting home (I got the voice clip of it.). I loved to hear the words of an Apostle, and the fact that he is the head of the missionary committee for the Church made it so much more inspiring.
We are still teaching the U. family, who are learning about Church. They don't have much background in religion, but they for sure see the need for it right now in their life. They are the family that came and talked to our Bishop about their daughter. I really like them a lot and they are progressing towards baptism.
We also picked up a awesome contact a few weeks ago named Nicole. She is from TN and is really good friends with one of our ward missionaries. We have another lesson with her tonight and so I'm super excited to keep moving forward with her too!
I also got a new hero last night. This girl, Kealohalani (I've mentioned her before) is my hero. She is 8, and for whatever reason decided she wanted to get baptized. Because of this desire her grandparents are now reactivated. Her father is about to start coming back to Church, and her to be step mom is getting ready for baptism. It's amazing the pure motives of a child and the example that can be set.
Elder Perry told us that we needed to start teaching 20 sit down lessons a week! As it is, we probably teach 7-10 and so Elder Davis and I are looking forward to that! The member work is about to boom, which is how it should be! Preach My Gospel was designed to bridge the gap between the ward and the missionary program. I love how it really does do that and how it's becoming the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's not the Church and the missionary program, but as we "perfect the saints, we proclaim the Gospel."
I love this work and seeing it change lives. We talk to so many people on the streets and in passing that seem to have a sense of dispair. We ask them, "Do you know that you have a loving Heavenly Father?" and then we get to testify. After that we ask, "Do you know that your loving Heavenly Father has a plan, especially for you, to return and live with him again?" We get a second chance to testify before setting an appointment. Elder Kikuchi instructed us to contact like this, and it's amazing to see the light that clicks and the dispair flee at the testimony of truth. More often then not, they turn us away, but there is always a seed of faith that is planted. I love this work. Time seems to fly by. Having already passed through a transfer is mind boggling, but it's motivating. That is six weeks less that I have to serve, so for the next 14 periods of 6 weeks, I must serve with all my heart, might, mind and soul.
Thanks for your support. Thanks for the letters. Thanks for the emails and the encouragment. I love hearing from everyone and I really enjoy sharing these experiences. I pray every day for those at home and those who are so precious to me. I love you all, and I'll hear from you soon.

Elder Hitchcock