Russell's Email 6-11-09

Hey hey hey,
So I was sure that I was going to be staying in North Las Vegas for at least another six weeks, but the Lord has other plans for me. I was transfered up to Ely NV which is 3 hours from everything and in the middle of no where. I am 3 hours from Salt Lake, 3 hours from St George, 3 hours from Las Vegas, 3 hours from Elko, and there is nothing here! I love it!
Ely is about 5000 people and is about 6500 feet elevation. I left vegas in a short sleeve shirt and melting hot, and now I am in cold 50-60 degree weather and I'm almost always wearing my sweater or jacket, (or both).
My new companion is Elder H. from Flordia. He has been out about 9 months and the only other missionaries close are Elder and Sister B. from Cookeville TN. It's neat to be around them, and our whole district is from the south, 3/4 from TN. Pretty sweet....
We work a lot more with the members here and they are wonderful. We have a baptism set up for Saturday, with 2 more perspective baptisms this transfer. It's such a blessing to serve here (OH! and I'm in a car so I get to ride my bike again FOR FUN!!!) and, according to the other missionaries, it's also an honor. Aparently, if you get sent to Elko zone (bapsically everything north of Las Vegas) President trusts you. I'm excited to be here.
I don't have to many stories yet, but this is a neat town. I love being a missionary and sharing the gospel.
I think the best experience thus far was a lesson with a lady named B. and her husband D.(who had an argyle Fox Racing hat... yes, I wanted to take it). We taught about the Restoration and shared scriptures from the Book of Mormon. It was a really neat experience because this lady truly wants to know. I love the message of the Restoration because a person will grow closer to God by abiding by this message than any other message. I know this is true because I am constantly growing closer to Him.
I really love being a missionary. This is really the greatest thing I could do. Serving the people of Nevada, serving my brothers and sisters is the most joyous work. I'm glad I am here. I wouldn't change it for anything!

Russell's Email 6-4-09

So This past Saturday I had the chance to return to Green Valley for a baptism. I baptized T. in a font that was hot enough to be a hot tub. Being able to baptize T. was truly a wonderful blessing and opportunity. Such a neat experience, and as a missionary, it was the highlight of my week!

We also set someone, her name is O. and we have another lady, L., who we will set for baptism soon. The Lord is truly blessing this area. I love getting to do the things I have in this area. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me in this area and mission.

This week I have seen more and more the Lord's hand and the love that he has for his children. It seems each week I become more and more aware of this and my love for the Savior grows even more. It's such a blessing to be able to bless the lives of others.

Something really neat, the missionary program is starting to focus more on lessons taught to investigators with members, and so we have been doing that. Working with members of the Church is so amazing! Their added witnesses and the spirit they bring, it's great. The more LTM's (lessons taught with members present) the more progressing investigators. The more progressing, more enter the waters of baptism. Learning to work with the members in North has changed my mission. I love it.

Yet again, time is short. I love it here though, and I know that this is the Lord's work. I'm confident of that.

Russell's Email 5-14-09

So this week in North is another week trying to get control of the task. It's going much better, and we are starting to get people to teach. I really enjoy seeing fruits of my labors, it's then I really know that I am making a difference in the lives of others.

I think that my most favorite experience of the week is this. We are having a contest with the missionaries I live with to see who can have the most "other lessons" in the week. (Other Lessons = 2 principles and a commitment, these can be taught in homes or on the streets) during this, Elder J. and I have talked to sooooo many people. We talked to one lady who invited us back after we talked about families with her (turns out she has 5 or six kids!!!). We went to our appointment with her, she had forgotten about it but before we could ask her if we could reschedule, she asked us. We did and before we left, I looked over her shoulder into the house and I saw a "Return with Honor" plaque hanging on the wall. I thought that was neat, and I have a good feeling about teaching her.

We also had another really awesome lesson with the family we are teaching that the parents are deaf. We gave them the Restoration pamphlet and told them to read it and then we went and watched the movie, the Restoration. The experience during the first vision was amazing. I'm pretty sure she knows it's true, and it's a testimony to me that the spirit doesn't need a langauge to touch the hearts of God's children. it was simply amazing....

I love being here and sharing this message with others. The Gospel is truly where happiness is, and nothing can take the place of Spirit. I know that this gospel is the way, and that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. I have learned so much this past week, and it's great to be able to serve others.

Elder Hitchcock

Russell's Email 5-7-09

This area is sooooooooooooo different than my last one, but I really love it. I have had some awesome experiences doing this work here and sharing the gospel with others.
Each area provides a unique challenge. One of the biggest challenges here in North is finding people who speak english and who are sincere. What's great though, is I know they are out there.

I think my most favorite experience is a family we went to see, the kids are members and the parents aren't. The parents are also deaf. I have had the opportunity to go and to try to remember all the ASL that I can and to talk to this family. The kids want to come back to Church, and the parents want to come. I'm so excited, and to see the Lord use me was a neat experience.

I really love serving with my companion Elder J. He is a great missionary and has a great love for this gospel. He is teaching me so much, and really helping me develope into the missionary I want to become.

We had interviews with President this past week and I had a great one. One thing that was in common in mine and Elder J.'s email was that He (President) and the Assistants felt like Elder J. and I were the missionaries to come into the area brand new and make it better. Knowing that I am called of God gives me a deep feeling of responsibility, knowing that President has that much trust in me scares me to death hahaha. I love this area though, and the people here are fantastic.
We are still seeking out those who have been prepared by the Lord's hand to receive this message. Sometimes we find people who are more open than others, but we haven't stopped trying to find them yet. I'm really thankful for the opportunity to have a new start in a new area and to work in such a great place.

If there is one truth that I am continually reminded of, it's this. God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that's true. I hope next week I can tell ya'll we set someone for baptism, but we shall see! I love ya'll

Elder Hitchcock

Russell's Email 4-30-09

Wow, crazy times....
I'm transfered to the North Stake in North Las Vegas. This place is great, but it's pretty much the polar oppisite to Henderson. I thik I will learn Spanish here, and I know that will be a blessing for the rest of my mission!
My new comp is Elder J. from Canada. He has served the past 4.5 months with me in the Green Valley zone, so I know him. We were whitewashed in (where a ward gets two new missionaries) and so we are working to make this transfer work.

Elder J. and I have pretty much cleaned the entire apartment now, from mopping the floor to washing the couch cusions and cleaning the walls. I like neat. I remember a quote that says, "be the change you wish to see." That's what I am trying to do.

We have a baptism for Saturday, it's an 11 year old named L. all his siblings have joined the church, but his parents still haven't. As far as we know so far, he is really our only promising person. We shall see as the transfer unfolds.

I've learned a lot already. I didn't know what to do because I didn't know the area, the people, anything. I started to study in the Book of Mormon about Alma and the sons of Mosiah when they "whitewashed" the land of Nephi and the Lamanite people. I really enjoyed this study so far and it gave me some great insights. Service, obedience with exactness, leading by love and example, so many different things that are a blessing!

I'm really grateful to be here in North with Elder J. I sense a great deal of growth is in my future as we work to turn this area around and leave it much better than how we found it. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father and for the blessings as of late. I know this is the Lord's work

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I will have more to report on next week. I love you all. Pray for me please, and I'll pray for you.

Elder Hitchcock

Russell's Email 4-23-09

The past two weeks have been so good! I've seen the hand of the Lord in this work more than any other time in my mission so far!

We are getting some really amazing contacts and investigators lately. A fun experience, I might have written about before, but we had a family of 7 (four of them are baptism age) moved into the area. The Lord's hand has been in their life the whole past like... 3 months. They were taught everything by some other missionaries and then they moved into our area (hehe the Lord loves me too!) and now they are on fast progress towards baptism. I really love the C. family and it's awesome!

Another huge miracle that we saw this past week was we were teaching T. T. is 15, his girlfriend is a member and he has been coming to Church and seminary for like, 2 months. His dad was against him joining the church, so we kept teaching him. One of our last lessons, we had it at the Bishops house. When Bishop joined the Church, his situation was very similar to T.'s. We asked Bishop to share his experience and he did. The thing that made the difference for bishop, he and his friends and the missionaries fasted that a way would be provided for him to join the Church. A few days later, one event led to another and his dad gave him his approval. That was the challenge we gave to T. Well, bishop took T. home and met his dad, and now T. has a baptism date. It's amazing how the Lord provides ways for his children to keep the commandments.

Another experience that sticks out, I think I shared about before. We were at bishop's house and we challenged his daughters to have some friends over for a lesson. Well, we had one of the lessons the other night and it went really well. I called Bishop this morning and was talking to him, and we were talking about one of the young men, B. His mom broke her wrist and so some of her friends have been helping B. get to and from school. (they are both moms and return missionaries, and one is a ward missionary.) B.'s mom called the ward missionary and asked, "Joyce, what are ya'll teaching my son about celestial and terrestial and telestial?" She replied, "Um, we haven't been talking about the Church with him..." Eventually it came out that we had a lesson with him and she said, "Well, he is at the age that he needs to decide and find for himself what he believes." Um yeah, he's coming to Church!!!!!!!!

I'm so grateful to serve my mission. I'm thankful for the love of my Heavenly Father and for the difference that it makes. How I love this Gospel, and how I love to grow in it.

I hope these experiences help to build your faith and give you courage to open your mouth and share the Gospel. People need what we have in this restored gospel, but they typically won't take that first step. Elder Perry invited us to open our mouth and gave us the things we should say. The first to ward our neighbor and declare our beleif in the Savior. Then to open your mouth and tell the first vision in your own words. Last, to open you mouth and bear testimony of the Book of Mormon. Then he gave a great promise, "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"

The Lord loves his children and wants them all to return home. May we take the courage to act and all labor in this rewarding work.