Last Letter, Part 2: Bind Up the Testimony (Isaiah 8:16)

Family and friends,

This week was eventful in the second half, and I was able to see the rebirth of our teaching pool. We recently lost the very most promising person we were teaching, who had a baptismal date set for November 28 - he suddenly moved to Lincoln - and everyone else is also extremely busy with the holiday season or has lost interest. But this week we started teaching four new people (a VERY good number, considering many past weeks of zeroes), and one woman from Guatemala that we began teaching the previous week began showing immense interest! That's a grand story in and of itself. Ask me about it, sometime!

Something that is stunning to me is that I have still found that I am unable to speak Spanish. Every time I have a day when my brain trips up and I can't recall the vocabulary, I analyze what is different, and without fail it has been true that, each time, I have been distanced from the Spirit. In other words, I can't speak Spanish very well, but the Spirit has filled up that deficiency. The gift of tongues is real, and I still have to rely on the Lord to be able to communicate with these good people. It is a very direct and obvious miracle. God is good.

Every progressive year, without fail, I have looked back on the year that is ending and I have thought, "Wow. I truly knew nothing, didn't I?" This year has been no different, and as this one draws to a close my eyes have been opened significantly to all of my missed opportunities as a missionary.  I am thoroughly humbled by that perspective, and I recognize now that my spirit has always been so willing, but my flesh has been so weak.

Don't stop reading! I promise I'm not depressed! That revelation was just the dark side of a beautiful coin. The other side is much happier. 

My mission has not been a failure. I did not throw away two years of my life! What I gained is irreplaceable and invaluable: it is the knowledge that I am by far my best convert. Yes, I did truly bless the lives of many others, both directly and indirectly - which is in fulfillment of God's promises to me - but nothing I ever did for them can possibly compare with what God did for me. I will never fall away. I have finally broken down many of my barriers and have begun to learn true, unadulterated faith and humility.

When I think of the gargantuan change I have seen in myself, and of the great blessings I brought to others despite my ignorance and weakness, I feel so small, because I know that none of it happened by my power. All of it was a gift from a living, loving, ever-present Father. I have gotten to the point that every time I think about all the mercy I have been granted I am overcome with gratitude, and all I want to do is praise God in the Perfect Language - because mortal words fail to describe such immense joy.

Another revelation I had recently was fascinating: if I were to have been the most diligent missionary possible, and the hardest working, I feel like I would have lost my soul and become a blind zealot - that is simply what I would have been. That wasn't God's plan for me. His plan is that I be converted because of my experiences here, good and bad, diligent and lazy; and that hereafter I be an exemplary member missionary, though I was not an especially outstanding full-time missionary. My future is bright, and I know God will have mercy in my weakness. I have been set up by Him for great things, and God is showing me the way forward from here. I know He will continue to guide me, as He has done before.

Only the spirit of prophecy can say what I want to say. So, let me give you a prophecy: "If any man will do [God's] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17). Just as this is true of the doctrines Christ taught, it is also true of the doctrines I teach, as well as the other full-time missionaries, and our church leaders at all levels. It is so simple, but my soul burns with that admonition: "do [God's] will, [and you] shall know of the doctrine".

I have even been inspired for good by a bad experience: my deteriorated health. In Argentina, I felt like I was in perfect health, with hardly ever a hiccup. In Nebraska, from the beginning I have been dealing with a variety of physical aches and pains. But even so, as I have grown in faith, I have honestly learned to rejoice despite those things, because in the end they are all so minimal. It only gives me one more way to subject my body to my spirit, and I have been blessed enormously by it.

A thought I have come back to often, recently, is that it is essential to have the courage to accept that our way of doing things is never better than the Lord's way (Isa. 55:8-9). And likewise, we must have the courage to abandon our old ways easily, in accordance with revelation, and count all things a loss compared to Christ (Phil. 3:7-15). "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26). What will we give up for Him?

One of my favorite scriptures ever is Abraham 1:2:

"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers,... desiring also... to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir,... holding the right belonging to the fathers."

This is now my only goal in life: to "[hold] the right belonging to [my] fathers."

I'm nowhere near perfect in this. Or anything. Not even close to being almost kinda near starting to be more-or-less perfect-ish. But these two years have given me a good start. God be praised for all that He has done for me.

I know that this work is going forward, uninhibited by anything at all, and guided only according to God's will. Jacob, my wonderful younger "big" brother, already has the indispensable chance to witness front-row what God is doing for the world right now. He will continue as a great missionary in a world that no longer needs missionaries like me and those who have preceded me. I watch with awe the rapid developments in the world that are opening wide new doors to share the Gospel to those who are searching, and "know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12). I am excited to see what the glorious future brings, and what revolutionary revisions God has yet to reveal.

If you don't yet see the vision of missionary work - which includes member missionaries, ministering, the work of salvation for the dead, and many other facets - I invite you to repent and to pray to God earnestly for an understanding of the work that must be done. Only the Holy Spirit can tell you. I know that He has told me in that way.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I tell you all that God has been good to me. Amen.

Con amor sempiterno,

Élder Hill

Fotos: algunas cosas que hicimos durante la semana al ir paseando, mi último P-day, y mi funeral.

Elder Hill's "funeral".  Note that he is draped in the Argentine and Nebraskan flags

Last Letter, Part 1: Long, Long Way to Go

I have written this "Pt.1" to be full of all the sappy stuff I have thought of saying. "Pt. 2" is my normal letter, and is VERY much better, but this still has some good stuff. Read both at your own pleasure.

________________________________________

Family and friends,

"These were days never to be forgotten" (Oliver Cowdery).

"The time passed away with [me], and also [my life] passed away like as it were unto [me] a dream" (Jac. 7:26).

"And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked... and stoned... and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us" (Alma 26:29-31).

I have had His name over my heart for two years, but now it is written in my heart, so I can take the tag off without shame. I failed when I came home before, and I easily went back to my old ways, ducking out of the extra mile; but this time I have regrouped my strength, and I will not fall back to the lower roads. God be praised for what He has done for me, and even more so for what He will still do for me.

I testify of what is called the Gospel of Christ, which details the importance and function of faith. True faith, undefiled by fear, will always lead to true repentance, and the striving for perfection that Jesus speaks of in His "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt. 5:48). That striving for perfection through the grace of Christ and the mercy of God will always lead to baptism, as Jesus said that no man can even see Heaven without being baptized by water and by the Spirit (that is, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost, both of which can only be done for eternity by those who have authority given them to do so; see John 3:5 and Heb. 5:4). After that, true faith will still drive one to improve his life forever, learning constantly to trust better in his God, learning "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little,  and blessed are those who hearken unto [His] precepts... for unto him that recieveth [He] will give more" (2 Ne. 28:30). I tell you that I know, without doubt, that this is true, because I have truly been born of the Spirit, and I can see now as never before. He has shown me the meaning of faith; and I am eternally grateful to God for His being One who is so constant and unwavering that I CAN have faith in Him! God is so good to me.

I testify of the power of sacrifice. I have sacrificed so many parts of my life that are not in alignment with God's plan for me, and I feel better than I ever have before. The Gospel of Christ is saving me, bit by bit, from a lower life, and I fully trust that He will continue to raise me as I trust in Him. There's a very "long, long way to go, but what are miles across the ocean to the heart that's coming home?" ("Long Long Journey", Enya).

I also testify of the power of charity, without which I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Granted, that means I am extremely often nothing, which I'm trying to improve in; but every time I feel God's love flowing through me, it feels like light filling my soul. It is pure. If you want to know one of the deepest doctrines I have learned in these two years, it is this: we are all children of God, and He loves us all infinitely. Yep, that's it, the deepest doctrine I know. If I understood it perfectly, I would never sin again, for love of my Father, who first loved me (1 Jn. 4:19).

And now, after the many testimonies which I have given of Christ, this is my testimony, last of all, that I give of Him: that He lives! I have spiritually seen Him, sitting on the right hand of God, and I know He is the divine Messiah. (See D&C 76:22-23.) He has redeemed me from ignorance, and will redeem me soon enough from all sin and weakness, according to my faith and diligence. God is so good to me.

It's a quiet, misty morning, and the Moon has gone to bed. Now the sparrows stopped their singing, and the sky is clear and red; now the summer's ceased its gleaning, now the corn is past its prime; now adventure's lost its meaning, and I'm homeward bound: it is time. [Lyrics to "Homeward Bound" by Peter Hollens]

I know God has a plan for me, and that I will do great things for His children as I remain close to Him. A greater thing I will now do, than I ever have done; and a greater Rest I will eventually go to, than I ever have known - thanks to Christ. God is so good to me. I hope that when I am released from being a full-time missionary, God tells me, "No, it's okay, keep the change."

"And again, verily thus saith the Lord: Let... all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts... For all this there is a reward in heaven" (D&C 127:4).

Thank you all for joining me on this wonderful journey. Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a good start.

Love,

Elder Hill the Elder

P.S. Don't cry for me, Argentina. The truth is, I never left you.

Fotos: la primera foto de mi misión, y luego la foto que saqué al llegar al CCM; y las últimas fotos de mi misión.

The last picture of Ben's mission

The first picture Ben took on his mission

Taken when Ben had just arrived in the CCM (Missionary Training Center in Mexico)

I Had COVID-19

 Family and friends,

Today is day #700 of my missionary service. Tomorrow I begin week #101.

This is my penultimate weekly letter, and this one's a doozy.

On Tuesday night, I suddenly lost 80% of my sense of taste. I realized it when I bit into a Cosmic Brownie and it was just clay to my mouth - many people have reacted to that, saying, "well, that's exactly what a Cosmic Brownie IS!" I thought that was funny, but I was still supposed to taste something. I was so surprised that I just stared at the brownie, dumbstruck, knowing I had to tell my companion before we went to our lesson in a bit but having not even a tiny notion of how I was supposed to breach the topic. He eventually noticed me staring and asked me what was up, and I explained it. In testing my symptom, I even drank straight vanilla and I tasted nothing at all - it was just like water that happened to be black. Strangely enough, I seemed most unable to taste processed sugar, but some other things weren't affected so much, though it all worsened as the evening progressed. I truly believe it was COVID-19 because I have never experienced that symptom before for any reason, and the only other explanation anyone ever offered was that maybe it was a cold - I've had a lot of colds, and I know what they feel like, and I didn't have one, and I have never been prone to such a drastic symptom as losing taste even if it were a cold! On top of that, it seems too much of a coincidence that I lose my taste during this pandemic, when one of its trademark symptoms is exactly that. What conclusion should I have come to?

I realized that, even if I were put into a two-week quarantine, I would still be able to go home on time, because I started feeling symptoms on Tuesday night, and my flight was to leave two weeks later on Wednesday morning. That was astounding. It was the last possible perfect moment for me to get that trial.

I asked my companion for a blessing, so he anointed me and blessed me. After the ordinance, a scripture came to mind: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15). Of course, I was never expecting to be "slain" by that experience, but the sentiment filled me to the brim with strength and resilience of joy. I was able to go to bed that night rejoicing more than I ever have before and having no fear that all would be well. I knew it, and I was prepared to face my judgement the next day to see how my fate would turn out for two weeks. I was at peace.

The next morning I awoke in the same attitude of praise and gratitude filling me to the brim, and I could not stop praying and giving thanks in awe of God's goodness. I knew with every fiber of my soul that it would turn out well for me.

I prepared a simple bowl of granola for breakfast, and I prayed very earnestly over that meal, pouring out more thanks, and also asking that, if it were His will, I would be able to taste it - my implication being that I knew He could heal me. Especially in that moment, so full of beautiful gratitude, I had no doubt that I could be healed.

Then I tried it, the moment of truth... and I tasted nothing. I was slightly disappointed, but gratitude quickly rushed in a filled me back up, and I remembered my promise to trust in Him. So I just continued eating... but then the second bite had flavor. My taste had come back from 20% to 80%, and I was astounded again. I immediately prayed again, asking God simply, "How do You do this? Even if I still have COVID, how did You suddenly give my taste back?!" I heard the answer instantly: "Son, this is how it is to live with the Holy Spirit 'from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same.'" Again, I was dumbstruck. I ate the rest of my granola in awe, and with even greater joy - because, you know, I could TASTE it. I don't know how it's possible to have more joy than overflowing, but I somehow managed it.

Then I went and got the test done, and the results came back in a few minutes - VERY surprisingly fast - saying I had tested... negative. Negative? How did it show up negative when I had expressed one of the clear-cut, telltale signs of it? To celebrate not being in quarantine, we got a Little Caesars pizza and I could taste it 100%. I have not had any lack of taste nor any other symptom since.

Guys, I was healed.

It's literally a miracle.

Science can try to explain away what I experienced, but in my mind I know what happened, and it was a miracle like the healing of the woman with a disease of the blood. To me, both my experience and hers are on par. To say God is good to me is the biggest understatement I could ever say. But I'll say it again anyway, for lack of vocabulary powerful enough to express it. God is good to me.

The next day, I enjoyed a wonderful district Thanksgiving dinner, unquarantined and able to taste it! My heart goes out to my sister Aileen and her family, who couldn't taste theirs. Now that I know how that feels, I know it must have been a depressing Thanksgiving meal, as Thanksgiving meals go. But they're chugging along, taking life as it comes. They seem to be doing very well, considering their nervous systems' interface with the universe is like 40% not working. 😅

Then today was AMAZING, too! We were going to have dinner with the district, but then when we got to the Institute building to do it someone appeared and told us that we couldn't use the kitchen. The Hermanas, living in a house that has its driveway leading to literally the exact same parking lot as the Institute building, offered to just make breakfast for us! So we had waffles, eggs, and a strange tembleque-like jello that a member gave us. It was fun! (Don't worry, we obeyed the rules - there was not an even ratio of Elders to Sisters; the third Sister took the photo.)

Right after that we went to Top Golf for free, taking up the offer of a member who works there (the same one who gave us the jello!)! Yesterday we met with her, and she just randomly mentioned that she works at Top Golf, then suddenly offered to get us in for free! Then she asked how many missionaries there were in the Branch, and she agreed to get all ten of us in! And then we found out after planning it that the Zone Leaders would also be joining us to drive a bit! It was a grand ol' time for the two hours we had, especially when I accidentally sniped the ball-collecting car as it passed, at short range. We all guffawed for a good moment after that.

Oh, and I also finished this week reading the Old Testament with all of its accompanying Institute textbook commentary! I definitely have gained a better appreciation for those ancient books, now. It's great.

One last week, hermanos. Let's get this bread. God is good.

Love,

Elder Hill the Elder

Fotos: todas son obvias, y la mayoría son de las actividades de hoy o del día de Acción de Gracias.

A Prophet Hath Been Among Them

 Family and friends,

As of today, I am beginning week 100 of my missionary service, and I have 16 days left. It's going quickly.

This week was quite slow and difficult, as the large majority of our planned lessons fell through, one of them even being rescheduled multiple times before the person went silent again - and that was one of the most promising people. The other man who has been set to be baptized this Saturday, was working hard this past week, and was only able to meet with us once, and he went completely silent before and after that. We will have to move his baptismal date, because he still has not been taught all the required material. And we can't re-plan the baptism because he suddenly works so much that he doesn't even respond to our messages. We'll see how this turns out.

But the definite highlight of my week was the message from the prophet, President Nelson. I cried as I saw it, and one thought filled my mind as I listened: "Now, this is a prophet." A scripture also came to mind from my recent reading in Ezekiel:  "And when this cometh to pass,... then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them" (33:33). I was filled with the overwhelming testimony, by the spirit of prophecy, that all people who do what he recommended - giving thanks and praying daily - would see the blessings he promised. If all people in the world would do it, all people in the world would know surely "that a prophet hath been among them." Please, do what he said. You will not regret it.

This ties well into my next thought. Much of my spiritual progress recently has been simply an extremely long succession of realizations that "God really wasn't joking when He said..." One of those things is that God certainly was not joking or exaggerating when He said that the prophets speak His words, as though they were Him speaking, and with no less authority than He has to say it. I know God has given His power and wisdom to His children in these days, just as He did in times past. I know that the words of President Nelson will all be fulfilled, as certainly as will all the words of Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Nephi, Alma, and Joseph Smith, and all other prophets, especially Christ Himself. I am grateful for the certainty that brings to my life as I grow to understand it better.

Today, for P-day, I read the second half of the book of Daniel and its commentary in the Institute book; then I wrote in my journal to catch up on the fourteen days I had not yet recorded. After three hours, I have written nearly nine pages, and I am finally up-to-date. I'm glad to get that burden off my mind; now I just need to KEEP it updated for the two weeks I have left.

God is good.

Love,

Elder Hill the Elder

Fotos: yo y mi compañero comiendo un meme, la conferencia de zona de esta semana (no sé qué estaba mirando yo), ¡y la NIEVE hoy!

Seventy Times Seven Miracles

 Family and friends,

This week was an interesting experience, with one down but a few distinct ups. To start, I'll say that I am extremely happy finally to have received my custom leather scripture tote that I ordered from Chile in February! The world fell apart right after I ordered it, and then I switched continents and missions, but it finally got to me!!! I am very pleased with the result. See the attached picture. I also ordered a couple of keychains.

We were told that Zone Council would be starting at noon on Friday, instead of 10:30, as we were previously told. That would conflict with service many people in the zone were going to do at 1:00, volunteering at a food bank, so we brought that up, saying many people would be busy at that time, so we should change the scheduling back to what it was before. Nobody paid attention. No matter how many times I asked, nobody answered my questions of why we couldn't change the scheduling, and everybody else in the whole chat just told us to stop worrying and cancel the service as we were told to. It advanced to the point where I was thoroughly frustrated AND it seemed extremely sketchy because for some reason nobody wanted to tell us why we had to cancel completely about twenty man-hours of service in the zone just to have Zone Council at a different time. Honestly, I would have been perfectly fine if the Zone Leaders had simply said, "It's a secret; we're not going to tell you." That would have given it closure in my mind. But instead what I got was just more confusion and people just telling me to be quiet. After hours of that frustrating situation, the Zone Leaders FINALLY called us and just said that someone else in the zone had service at 10:30 (specifically the Assistants to the President, so of course they can't butt into THEIR stuff but they can certainly interfere with ours and that of multiple other companionships), and that answer satisfied me. In short, until that point I felt exactly like I did in Argentina when we were all sequestered in our apartments and the mission offices never told us anything at all, ever, even when we asked specifically. But at least there they were trying to stop rumors (which obviously doesn't work like that,  but at least they had a reason), whereas here there was no reason at all to keep it hidden, it was simply that nobody would even tell me why I couldn't know. That is the thing that bothers me the easiest of anything: pointed and ridiculous lack of communication.

But then, after being angry about that foolishness for so long, I finally had a piercing thought fill my mind. "How can I expect to make it to 'seventy times seven' if I can't even make it to one?" Isn't that the whole message of the Gospel, that there is forgiveness in the world? Who am I to stand in the way of that forgiveness? In forgiving others, we show our love for them - and for God, who first loved us. Frankly, I'm still bothered by what everyone else did, even today, but that thought took me out of my self-righteous thoughts and justification and now I am truly working towards forgiving everyone, just as I talked about in my last letter. God has a way of testing us right when we think we know what we're doing, and I am seeing my faults more clearly again. I'll get back to cleaning myself up, I guess.

Then, on Friday night, we had a lesson with Nayeli, Miguel, and Eva, who are feeling the Spirit very strongly every time we come. Elder Stout had commented a couple of times, but was mostly quiet due to his inexperience in Spanish. But at the end of the lesson, he testified of Christ, for which he knows much of the vocabulary well, and though it came out stammered as usual, it was touching. Then I felt the Spirit come over me, and I was moved to say something I had never even thought to say for my whole two years serving. "I hope that his lack of vocabulary does not deceive you, because he knows what he's talking about - I live with him, I see him every day, and I know he knows it." As I said that, I choked up, nearly crying as I said it, and the room was flooded with the Spirit. For some reason, it had never occurred to me that I could testify about my companion's testimony directly, and not only about the doctrines of which he spoke. That was amazing, and I could see all their eyes glimmering in that moment.

Now, the next miracle, easily the most massive of the entire month, if not for my entire time in Nebraska. I have still been meeting with Jim Jones (name changed) from Lincoln, because he needs so much support in his mental illness; he had not, however, done anything legitimate on his own part to help himself, but only ever turned to the missionaries, expecting "Mormonism" to solve his problems. He passed through many hard times when he saw no point in continuing in religion, and he just wanted to leave the Church, but he made it through barely and made it to this week. Despite all our urging for him to seek professional help - as well as periodically rebuking him powerfully by the Spirit for not doing it - he never did so, expecting God to save him in only the way he wanted: religion. Then at about 00:30 on Wednesday, he sent me a message with a classic depressed tone, saying everything was hopeless, etc. When I saw it in the morning, I felt to say, "Jim, you're right, it is hopeless, but only because you're not seeking professional help." He fell silent. That was common, though, so I thought no more of it. But then, ALSO on Friday night (miraculous day, lemme tell ya), he messaged me and said he got medical help, and wanted to meet with us again. When we talked with him, I was completely boquiabierto. He was sane. He was SANE. JIM JONES WAS SANE. That was a new experience for me. On bad days in the past, he was a lost cause; even on his good days in the past, you could just feel that his mind was still very broken. One day, he pointed the camera at an empty chair behind him to try to show me the person who was haunting him that day. That's how bad it was. But Friday night, for the first time ever, I saw a spark of life in him, and I felt like his brain was inside his skull - I was talking with a real person, not a messy conglomerate of firing neurons. He was alive. I could cry for happiness. Jim is alive. I've been with him from the beginning of my time in Nebraska, since May, and never did he show any sign of improvement... until now. When he finally decided to do what we were telling him all along. Oh, goodness, God be praised. My anxiety for him can rest.

That leads very well into my last thought: God is my only power for good. I had a revelation after reading a powerful talk last night that my seeming humility has mostly only been external, because I have kept a hold on my own pride. I still think I can do things by myself. Of course, I can, and I have, but the reason I'm not better than I am is that I have not given myself over to the Maker for Him to remodel me. I have been growing my faith to higher levels, and I have come out triumphant over some important decisions, but now the time has come for me to have the faith to stop fighting, stop kicking against the pricks. God has cared for me perfectly for all these twenty years I have lived: how can I still doubt? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is so very weak. Instead of only taking good steps when faced with a decision, I need to learn now to seek out and take good steps always, constantly, and diligently. My next spiritual step will be true, real humility.

To sum up my week, I will say simply that God is good to me beyond comprehension. He as blessed me immensely, and I pray I can have the humility soon to praise Him as He deserves.

Love,

Elder Hill the Elder

Fotos: un servicio en el almacén, cuando realmente queremos los frijoles pero los otros Élderes tienen el abrelatas, cuando Élder Stout está loco y come solamente carne molida con queso, y ¡MI FUNDA DE ESCRITURAS LLEGÓ!

I Swamed

Family and friends, greetings.

Exactly a month from today, I will be home. Das craezi.

Now, for a quick and quippy exchange Elder Stout and I had, from a normal, everyday conversation.

Elder Stout: "No, 'swamed' is the past tense [of 'swim']; 'swame' is just the pas-tense."

Me: "Last night we were discussing trans-dimensional chess boards, and it didn't hurt my head as much as this!"

This week something terrible happened on Tuesday. We discovered that at a gathering of missionaries the previous evening, one of them was afterward tested and found to have COVID-19. Nearly the entire zone was then ordered immediately into isolation for ten days, as nearly all of them had been present. We, the Rio Vista Elders 1 and 2, were, I think, two of the perhaps three unaffected companionships in the whole zone. Consequently, we are taking up lots of service this week that the others have had to drop due to their isolation. They are all doing well, though. The Rio Vista Hermanas are still somehow finding new people to teach and getting people to Church!

While planning for the day on Friday morning, I had a sudden stab of a strong desire to be home, and I felt so exhausted with the stresses of the mission field, like I was being smothered. But as we continued, I loosened up and the darkness faded. The rest of the day was just fine. I certainly needed the excitement of what happened the next evening, though. Read on.

On Saturday, we saw a miracle. A man my age to whom we are teaching English, named Ever, wasn't Ever (get it?) very interested in our spiritual thoughts in each lesson last transfer. He had said he wasn't a very religious person, so I guess we didn't end up putting all that much effort into teaching him about religion. That's sad, but I actually saw God's timing in it. Now, it has been two weeks since Elder Stout came and saved this area with me: in the first week, Ever began to look happier each time we talked about the Gospel with him, and his eyes began to light up; this past week, we began assigning him chapters to read for homework and he read intently every chapter we assigned him, even taking notes! We decided it was time to ask him on Saturday to be baptized... and he said he would like to be! We set the 28th of November as the goal for him, and he seemed really happy to have that set up! He had a bit of doubt, wanting to learn more first, but he agreed to work toward that day for now. This is Elder Stout's first time teaching someone who will be baptized soon, as they had nobody at this point in North Platte, where he was before. It also gave me a bit more drive to continue working hard for my last short time here. I can now see in retrospect that it was never God's plan to have Ever get to this point under Elders Linford and Murdock. God surely knows the proper times and the seasons of all things. He is good.

I am in capable hands, and I am loving life. God is good to me.

Con amor sin fin,

Élder Hill el Élder

Fotos: fuimos a caminar en el bosque y sacamos fotos (Élder Stout me sacó una cuando no estuve listo); también exploramos el centro y encontramos una tienda que tenía adentro esta exposición con Mike y Sully; además, "I ain't 'fraid of no ghost."

Elder Beelzebub

Family and friends,

This week was very good. On Tuesday, I hit the 666th day of my mission, which was funny to me, especially because I met my new companion that day. Dad said he'd be named Elder Beelzebub. Luckily, Elder Stout is actually amazing, and he is a hard worker! Funnily, he is nearly an exact copy-paste of Elder Ericksen, a previous companion of mine in Argentina, which is a compliment because he and I had a great time together and we worked hard. Elder Stout just finished his training, and he still has a wonderful amount of greenie fire, which is exactly what I will need as I approach the end of my time serving here. He is a good support.

Also, he is the only companion I've had in Nebraska that is older than I am! He was born just one month before I was. That's a good thing, because he's very mature already, so I have high hopes for him; but it's also a bit sad, because until he joined me I had a perfect record of having 100% older companions in Argentina and 100% younger companions in Nebraska. *sigh* C'est la vie.

My favorite quippy quote from Elder Stout so far is, "Be quiet, I'm trying to listen to the music of my favorite video game: Silent Hill." I respected that pun immensely.

Another thing Elder Stout has done this week:  he may very well have simply traipsed right in and fixed an enormous mental-block problem of someone I was meeting with in Lincoln. Marcus, whom I might have mentioned before, has been asking me for help even since I left Lincoln, and nothing religious I managed to tell him seemed to help. That was always the case, even while I was still in Lincoln: he just can't be helped much more by only teaching him doctrine. Then, Elder Stout agreed to join me on a meeting with him yesterday, and they each found out the other loves skateboarding and they just went off! Marcus suddenly lit up, and I found out something that astounded me: it seems like a huge stumbling block for Marcus all this time was his thought that skateboarding was somehow bad, and that he shouldn't do it anymore now that he is a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ. So, obviously, he was shocked and overjoyed to find out that it's perfectly fine to like skateboarding! I very literally never would have suspected that to be the problem, but there we were, the problem already solved! I hope that becomes the first step for him into a brighter world.

Yesterday, we were given dinner by a member, and we didn't get a good look at it when we received it but we got a huge surprise when we opened the containers: we uncovered an entire marine biome in that soup. It was pretty good, in my opinion, but it was extremely difficult to eat. See attached pictures.

I have been reading in the book Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, and this week I read chapter 34, which discusses the Prophet's teachings on forgiveness. It left a deep impression on me, and I am more driven now than ever before to forgive everyone thoroughly, and to love others as God has loved me - constantly and consistently giving me second chances, whether or not I deserve it. Now, I simply have to be patient while that desire works in my soul, and I will wait all the time necessary to receive the sanctification I yearn for. I'll continue faithful until I receive it. God is good to me.

Love,

Elder Hill the Elder

P.S. There are only going to be four more emails for now that any of you will read from me that will be signed like that, so enjoy it while you can. I certainly will.

Fotos: 

• yo y Élder Stout en un puente en la Universidad de Creighton
• la sopa de criaturas marinas, un almuerzo muy saludable