Preaching in the Panhandle: September 2014

"Dear God, you have been working on me for a while now God, and I haven't listened, but you sent these two through the side door, you got me this time God, I will listen to these two. Amen."

Monday, September 22, 2014

Whats good, family!

How is everyone doing today? It is always great when Mondays roll around, always love to hear from ya'll! Here it is for you!

Monday - We always play basketball now, that is our new thing, it is a blast! It is fun to be in Tallahassee, so there is missionaries around! My ankle felt really good while we played, I was wearing the ankle brace.. but it was slowing me down, so I ain't about that life. But it was good! Then we came back home and we got into our zone training planning... just finishing everything up!

Tuesday - Zone Training day! We arose and got ready for the day... we were planning on showing a video, so we ran to the mission office and got the stuff that we needed. And then came back, ran to the church, got the church all set up.. got our video stuff all set up. Then we got to it.... it ended up going really, really well! I was anxious before hand, but once up there.. it all went away! Cooper conducted.. and we opened up by asking 2 questions. We wrote them on the white board and asked, "What does the Savior want me to learn today?" & "Heavenly Father, wilt thou accept the best that I could do this day?" Just talked about those two with them.. 2 questions we wanted them to keep in rememberance throughout the meeting! We opened up with the Atonement.. specifically something called Teach the Atonement. So we opened with having everyone stand and recite the missionary purpose --> "Our purpose is to invite and help people receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and endure to the end." So after that was said, we wrote Our purpose is... The Atonement. Then we all listed everything we teach and do and drew it around the Atonement and drew arrows to it. Just connecting everything back to our purpose.. what we have come to realize is... Our purpose is to help people use the Atonement. Simple as that, so we taught that. The fulness of the Atonement can only be accesed in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. People can't endure to the end if they aren't taking the sacrament each Sunday, they can't repent if they haven't talked to a Bishop in some cases and so on! It is super cool, and so what we have been doing, is when we do our HTBT points right off the bat.. we have been using this and just teaching/testifying of the Atonement.. After that the Sister Trainer's spoke on Unity and they did awesome, gave us 9 points for a happy companionship. Then we invited 4 recent converts Joanne Reints, Taylor Wilhelm, Angy Vasquez, and Sister Miller to speak. Each of them took the time to share their conversion stories and spoke on the things that the missionaries did that was effective, what they really liked.. what they maybe didn't like as much and it was super powerful. Then all of them after they were done we asked them some question and they answered, about things the missionaries did... or how we can improve. Just certain aspects! It was cool.. I received a lot of mini revelations, for things that we can do to improve in our work! The spirit was really strong in the meeting, from the beginning all the way through! So after they were done we talked about the principle "Simplify and Intensify" that Elder Zwick had taught us, and what that means in terms of our teaching, how can we improve as teachers. After that discussion, we broke off into 4 different role plays.. one using pamphlets, one drew a principle out of a hat. They had 1 minute to find 2 scriptures, one on using short powerful statement, and the other on a role play Elder Zwick taught us. Then, we just bore our testimonies and closed the meeting! It was pretty awesome meeting.. We had planned to show the video, Because of Him.. the Church's easter video at the end.. It is my favorite video, I watch it every P-Day at least once. So after it was all done, we had all the stuff to clean up... After that we went to our correlation meeting! Then we went and we caught the tail end of Institute class, Eric came, so we went and we were with him for the last few minutes of it! The institute is right behind the church, and it is a D&C class.

Wednesday - We went on a tradeoff with the other 1st Ward Elders.. so a tradeoff to our own area. I went with Elder Collett, and Elder Harding, came here with Cooper. I was in the MTC with Elder Collett, and this is the first time that I have seen him on the mission. So I was excited to go with him, and we had a pretty awesome day! We went in the morning and our appointments fell through, so we just spent the time finding! We visited a member Brother Stanley. Then we saw a member named Brother Peddie. Then we taught a man named John Lewis. But then we went and we visited with a lady named Rebecca Rybicki. She introduced us to a friend of hers named Greg and we just began to talk to him, just getting to know him.. and he asks who we are and what we do.. so we tell him about the mission, so on and so forth, and then he asks, Why?? Why in the world would ya'll do that?? -Million Dollar question, so we said, will you let us tell you why? We would love to tell you why! So Elder Collett and I taught him the restoration, and all along he kept asking, how do you know this? It was fantastic, really was. And after we finished we said, What do you think? and he said, It is beautiful, it really is a great story. And I said, Well either what we told you is a really, really great story, or it is true! He said, I wish that it were true, but it is completely illogical. I say, How so? He says, There is no proof of what you say. So we then told him, scripture, and the spirit testifying. But he still wasn't sold, and then we told him if you try it out, your life will be better and you will be happier. He said, Dangit, you got me, that is it, that is the proof. So I said, Alright are you in? And he said, I'm in, what do I have to lose, I drink too much, I smoke too much. Lets do it! So we closed with a prayer and after I had said it, he said, "Alright, I got a prayer for ya. Dear God, you have been working on me for a while now God, and I haven't listened, but you sent these two through the side door, you got me this time God, I will listen to these two. Amen." And Sister Rybicki, was balling.. it was super powerful, it was so cool! So they are headed back to teach him!! Then we ate dinner at the Porter's home.. super awesome family, I love them a whole lot!

Thursday - We traded back this morning. Then we get a call from President Smith, and he says after the Hellos, Elders I have got 4 missionaries that I need to place, where could they go? So we told him some spots in the zone. We now have another set of sisters on campus, because they were up in Opp, Alabama and the sheriff was having their car towed for no reason, so President took them out and sent them to us.

Friday - We did service in the morning.. And then we got cleaned up.. and we went on an exchange with the APs, I went to their area with Elder McPherson, Elder McPherson is the absolute man, love him so much.. so it was great to be with him.. he has been AP for like 11 months, he goes home next transfer. So I was with him, and the day was spent chasing down formers and potentials, and just doing some finding... we were able to find this super solid girl named Chelsey and her son named Braxton, just talked to them in this apartment complex. She really needs the Gospel, as do all, but it was super cool! Then the Mill's the senior couple in the office took us out to dinner at this Thai place. It was delicious!

Saturday - In the morning we went with Elder Cooper, Elder Welch, Elder McPherson, and Elder Ashcroft and we went to something called the coastal cleanup.. it was a big clean up effort in Crawfordville... So we went down there and worked with the Crawfordville Branch, and did this cleanup.. so we picked up a bunch of garbage and cans from all over the roads, got free t shirts!

Elder Ashcroft, Elder Cooper, and Elder Hintze

Elder Ashcroft, Elder Welch, Elder Hintze, Elder Cooper, Elder McPherson, and Elder & Sister ??

Elder Welch and Elder Hintze

Elder Hintze

The Crawfordville gang!

Elder Ashcroft, Elder Hintze, and Elder McPherson. Just can't quite reach it!

Elder Ashcroft, Elder Cooper, Elder Hintze, Elder McPherson, abd Elder Welch.

And then we were fed lunch, then loaded up and headed on a back home! Once home.. we went to do some finding.. and found a ton of awesome people, we are headed back to see this next week! So we found some cool people and then we taught Gonzalo and we read from the Book of Mormon with him! Gonzalo is still the man!!!! Then we ran to teach Christina Hamilton, remember the lady that had lived in SLC for 3 weeks with Skywest airlines, anyway... this is the highlight of the week!!!!!! We get there, and she is expecting us, we couldn't go inside, so we walked to this gazebo in the apartment complex to teach her... and just started teaching her, and getting to know her a little bit more... and we shared with her the HTBT, and the Atonement and God is our Loving Heavenly Father, and she was already crying... the whole lesson as we taught her, we were encompassed by the sweetest most powerful spirit, we taught her the Restoration. At the conclusion, she said, I know that all of this is true, I feel it, and everything for me right now is just coming together. It was easily one of the most powerful lesson/experiences of my mission. Christina is awesome, and so prepared. She kneeled with us in prayer afterwards, and said a wonderful prayer in which the spirit was so strong. Family, this whole experience it was just so beautiful, we have just been so grateful for it! We got Christina a ride to church, from Sister Stroud.

Sunday - We had Gonzalo there, we had Eric there, and we had Christina there!! So let me tell you... sacrament meeting, Sister Karlberg is teaching and she is talking about treasures in heaven a conference talk, and talked about what our treasures are.. she talked about her experience as a bread winner in the family, she has had to work and not be at home with her son, and she was really emotional, and it was powerful as she spoke of how inadequate she felt. Christina is a single parent, with a son, and she is having to provide for her family.. and Christina was in tears, it was so powerful.. It was incredible, she spoke just to her! The member was with her and was so awesome, showed her everything on the program and explained all of what was happening. Then we had an awesome lesson in Gospel Principles about developing your talents.. it was phenomenal as well, and during it Christina downloaded Gospel Library app on her phone, so she had it.. which will be important later! Later we head to the apartment place where Christina lives because we have been doing work in there... so we tried to see this guy named "T" who we met.. he wasn't home, so we tried this other guy and he let us in... and I knew right off the bat, it wasn't going anywhere, and he just kept interrupting... so I just assertively told him the restoration and told him that the Gospel has been restored, this is Jesus Christ's Church! Bore my testimony and all of us did. Then we left and "T" chased us down... and we taught "T" briefly in the same gazebo.. he is awesome, so we are heading back to meet with him.. but as we walk back, Christina is out front, so we walk up and she sees us coming, and what is she doing? Sitting there reading "How do I recognize the Spirit?" in Preach My Gospel.. what what what!!! And then she was like this is so real, right as I am doing this ya'll walk up. So she loved church, and we just bore our testimonies to her. We went to the baptism in the 5th ward, a girl named Victoria, great service.

This week has been wild and fantastic.. I have loved every second of it... excited for the week ahead! Things really have been smooth lately with the work, lots of exciting things to come.. we finally saw Eddy Jones too, apparently he has been in the hospital for 2 weeks! I am loving life right now! This mission is without a doubt the best possible thing that has ever happened to me! I love my mission! I love ya'll a whole lot and I miss you a bunch! Love you!!!

Love, Elder Hintze

"I want you to know that Elder Hintze has taken the fire from his red hair and placed it at my back side to create a new level of hard work and desire in my life."

Monday, September 15, 2014

Family, Family, Family!!

Wow you guys are pretty cool.. missing ya'll a lot lately!!! Know that I love you! So we are going to keep on keeping on... just frustrating, when all of our efforts seem to keep coming chrashing down! Can't think of a single reason not to be happy though! :)

Elder Hintze, Elder Smellie, Elder Urquiaga

Monday - So car broken down, so we had to take that into the dealership. And then we played ball for P-Day it was super fun as always.. my foot really, really didn't feel well, so I played with the brace on and that made it feel much better. We ate dinner at the Millers. The Miller's are so awesome, he is the patriarch, so you know they are spiritual giants.. their home just feels so peaceful! Then we taught Gonzalo Mendez with Joshua Reynolds, a youth in the ward. We taught him about the Priesthood and organization of it, preparing him to receive the priesthood! Keep him in your prayers!

Elder Hintze, Elder Urquiaga, Elder Cooper (in bed)

Tuesday - We had to steal the campus sister's car, because ours is down and out.. and we headed out to Madison to go to their district meeting and to do a tradeoff with them. It was a great district meeting! So then we blitzed the area.. meaning all 4 of us took the area, I went with Elder Thompson and Coop went with Elder Butler... So we broke off and they planned to have us both to tract out in this rural area.... so we tracted for 2 hours and literally knocked like 6 doors, and talked to 1 person. We couldn't get any people, but as we went from house to house, we picked up 4 dogs that just followed us every where we went.. hahahahaha, it was hilarious! 2 followed us from the first house, so that was a good treat. So after that we went for a libation at the gas station! So we decided to go see this kid I found when I was there last transfer, we talked to his aunt and taught her about the Book of Mormon, so they are headed back to teach her! Then we knocked a few more houses and this older lady let us in.. and she knew a lot of Mormons and was super lonely, so she loved to talk, Ms. Dobbs. We got to teach her for a little bit, and we shared the Book of Mormon with her and some of the Restoration and we committed her to read & pray. She showed us her baptist church program and on their prayer list it said, "Mormon Missionaries - Madison" We were on the baptist prayer roll... do you know how awesome that is!!! Super cool!!! So then we regrouped with the gang for dinner and then we went to this bible study at this church.. the preacher is somebody that they are teaching, this little tiny run down church... we walk in 3 young girls up singing, 1 lady on the front row, 1 little girl playing the drums, and him the preacher up there. HAHAHAHA it was all his family, his 4 daughters and his wife! IT WAS WILD!! They had the drums, and the girls were singing and Cooper and I were up on our feet, clapping and dancing... they loved it!! We were getting into it, I threw in a couple of Amens, and Yes Lords! :) So then he took over and he talked about Grace, which was super cool.. because it was just open.. so the others weren't chimeing in.. so I took it, and then it opened up for us to talk about Grace, and what we believe grace to be... after the sermon was over I was talking to him about the Book of Mormon and he had read part of it... and I shared Ether 12:27 "his grace is sufficient, strength become weakness" because it went right in with this sermon, I talked to him about hand in hand the Bible and the Book of Mormon teach us so much! And he said, "Let me look at that! Where is that at.. Ether 12:27 huh? Man... THAT IS ON TIME!" Haha, on time, I loved it! He is super awesome guy, he seems humble enough to learn as well, so go get em Madison Elders! Then we drove home... on the way home, we saw some people broken down, so we pulled over to help them... but the tow truck was on the way, so we took the time to teach them about the Book of Mormon and bear testimony, we felt it was the least we could do! :)

Wednesday - So still no car, they said it would be done Monday night, or Tues morning. So we called and they said he will call you, no call. Call again, oh he will call you. They wouldn't even call us back! So we hitched a ride with the other elders to the mission office, because Pres. was giving Coop his temple recommend interview. I just chilled with my girl Sister Mills (mission office senior couple) and input all of our zone numbers! We saw Eric briefly, he couldn't have a lesson. Then we tried to see Eddy Jones... and don't know what is up with him lately, but we can't contact him.. On the way to the car, we talked to this lady named Christina.... she lived in SLC, Utah or was there for 3 weeks, and while she was there she learned a lot about the church.. so we set up a time to go and see her! After talking to her and her telling us why she was turned off from religion, we said a few things and she said, "YES! Please come talk to me, I am so excited for ya'll to come over!" Also we tracted into her son, just the other day, so it seems meant to be! I'm hanging out with my boy Elder Rogers, he says, "I want you to know that Elder Hintze has taken the fire from his red hair and placed it at my back side to create a new level of hard work and desire in my life." Cooper says, "I want you to know that Elder Hintze is super fit, physically and spiritually, because he has to drag me around spiritually and physically!" I haven't talked much about Elder Cooper lately, but he is freaking awesome, we get along and just mesh super well... I feel like he is one of my best friends, so it has been great to be with him. Here are some quotes to sign off the night "You can't be right by doing wrong & you can't go wrong by doing right." -Thomas S. Monson. "Life is 10% what happens to us & 90% what we decide to do about it!" -Thomas Edison

Thursday - We did some good old studying and some good old weekly planning in the morning . So then we got out and we did some finding and didn't find anyone that was interested. We had an appointment with Sister Lamb, and then she fell through. So we went to see our man Bro. Barber, talked to him about family history, he keeps bouncing out on his appointments. We had dinner at the Carroll's home, they are super awesome. Then we went and saw the Mobley's they are recent converts of not very long, we didn't end up staying for very long... but we did share a lesson with him on faith. And when we were outside we were talking to tons of people, it is a apartment complex. So we get tons of people in there... Then we visited with Timmy Morrison... our boy, we visited with him and we controlled the show this time, we didn't let him get off.. and we just talked about the Book of Mormon and told him to cast everything else aside and just focus on the Book of Mormon, read and pray every day, and just focus on that!

Friday - We went on a tradeoff in the morning with Elder Kunzler. He is from Nevada, he lives in the shack out back, behind our house! They are in the 4th ward, but he came with me to the 1st ward. So we helped a lady named Sister Byrd, to move this giant doll house thingy into her house.. it was a super cool house, massive! And she fed us some delicious chicken pot pie! So we came back got all fresh, made some calls. Then we headed out for the day. Elder Kunzler helped me to get a good attitude... he got me going. So we started doing some finding... After a door rejected us he turned to me and said, "Christ knows how we feel." And now a direct quote from Elder Kunzler as I type: "If you want them to believe your message, you yourself have to believe that this is the most exciting and fantastic thing you have done in your whole life." Boom wisdom! So we found some semi interested people... and atheist guy said, "I will break down your beliefs in 5 minutes if you will let me." So we were just like alright, go ahead. He just said dumb stuff, so I just let him say his thing and then said, hey man we love you, offered service and then went on. Then we met this Jewish man.. We told him how the Book of Mormon was a record of his ancestors! He then started talking to us about BYU football, then we got into our car and he pulled up and he said, "What is this? Where are the bikes? THIS IS AWFUL! THIS IS AWFUL! You should be biking." He was hilarious! So we just kept in the finding grind, didn't find anyone interested. We then ate dinner at the Southern's home, she is the member, and her husband is super awesome. So interesting with Kunzler, he is a hoot... so we got out of there a little late. Then we were late to teach Eric Erikson with Bro Roberts at the church... when we were hustling there, they texted us and said, "Eric is wondering if your bringing him dinner?" So Sis Southern gave us the left over chinese food, so I brought it to him, to make his joke even funnier. We taught Eric about missionary work and how his studies of PMG are going, he is sold on the Priesthood thing, he is awesome. Then we talked to him about the importance of the sacrament, which ended up being right on time, because he said, I have been thinking a lot about that, that is my next study, I feel there is more to it. So it was really good... we taught that because he hasn't been to church in a while, so we got to get him there! Then we ran and we taught Gonzalo with Dusty Brock.. great lesson, we just talked to him about missionary work and the forms of missionary work, including Family History work, we talked more about that, and how it all connects! Gonzalo is still the man!

Saturday - We went to the Southern's house for service in the morning, she bought us some Hardee's (not Carl's Jr. :) ) for breakfast and then we did some weeding for her... picked a bunch of weeds. I am going to be such a good weeder for you Mother! And while doing that Cooper got stung by some hornets... hahaahaha it was hilarious. We had just barley switched spots too... oops! But I got red ant bites all over my hands... and let me tell you, they are no joke at all. They swell up and get bright red, and fill with juices. Gross! We came home and we got cleaned up and got out, and our appointments were a no show.. so we knocked some doors.

Sunday - CHURCH!!! We had Gonzalo at church... sadly we didn't get anybody else! Some canceled, and then Eric got caught up with his service he does at the other church, he was planning on coming at 1 pm, but didn't show. So that was a bummer. But Gonzalo brought his grandmother, who was here from Tampa.. and she doesn't speak any english. So we had the spanish missionaries come and translate for her during sacrament meeting, it was super cool. Gonzalo called us late at night, when we were in bed, and we answered it, and I talked to him he was stressed about some school work he had to get done and was just wondering what he needed to do (cool that he called us by the way) but he said I want to go to church, but what should I do? So I tell him to get to church at least for the sacrament meeting. And so we are in sacrament and the sacrament is being passed and he leans over to me and says, "I just prayed that I would be able to get all of the things done that I need to in time. And I feel complete peace about everything, I am no longer worried." It was super cool. So after church, we went to the 5th ward sacrament, expecting Eric, but he didn't show up.. that girl Mara came to church, so that was super cool! We had to leave early, to get to an appointment, and all of our appointments canceled on us today.. then the lesson we had scheduled with Christina she was not home.. we were slightly late, and we didn't have her phone number, so we felt bad about that one. So we spent all of the day and our remaining time, trying to figure out what we need to do for zone training and we have it figured out what topics we are going to do and what we will talk on.. but we are far from being ready.. so we should not have procrastinated this long, but it should all come together, we are just going to have to do some P-Day planning. So pray for us that we will be able to get our zone training together in time.. it is on Tuesday from 10 - 1.. so we don't have much time! But I won't stress. We found a lady in the evening named Kathy.. some ladies we just started talking to, giving them my charm.. but they were being hostile towards us, but I just killed them with kindness, and we are headed back to teach them. That is my favorite thing.. my mission has made me super good at not giving it back to people when they are rude (most of the time)! I can't let the bad man get me down you know! By the way, I became a missionary for 15 months this week, how about that eh? Miss you like crazy, love you to the moon and back!
Love,
Elder Hintze

"You know what only this church has and nobody else? THE PRIESTHOOD!"

Monday, September 8, 2014

Hello Family!!!!

This week was a pretty crazy one... last week was the best, with nothing but teaching and meetings.... but this week wasn't our best! We were busy all the time, but we didn't seem to get much done! So we are going to try and regroup this week, and do better! ... alright lets get to it!!

Elder Thackeray & Elder Hintze

Monday - We had dinner with the Grissett's, they took us to Longhorn Steakhouse... super good! Then we helped the Delp's to do a little service project of moving a desk to someone else's house for them! Then we taught Gonzalo Mendez.. and I don't remember what we really talked to him about, he has heard everything, so we do a lot of more little in depth stuff, and read the Book of Mormon with him heavily... Satan is just working on him really, really hard, this week was the first time that I have been worried about him.. so I hope and I pray that nothing happens to throw him off the course that we are on!

Tuesday - We had District Meeting! And then we did a tradeoff with Elder Peterson and Jackman... oh and by the way the food/lunch was the best!!!!!! Really it was so awesome, everyone just loved it!!!!!! It was super cool, thank you very, very, very, very much Father!!!!!!!!! Delicious!

District Meeting lunch! Looks delicious! Gotta love the Red Elephant!

So I went with Peterson to the 4th ward... and it was just a classic day of running around trying to see these less actives and not a single person home... in the evening we did teach this couple, that their son just got baptized down in Orlando... and so they are learning about the church... it was an awesome lesson with them...we talked about the classic reading/praying/ coming to church... and how we can receive answers to our prayers!! Elder Peterson is a really good missionary, so we are excited for him to be the District Leader in our zone!

Wednesday - We did some service in the morning with a member of the 4th ward... putting in this fence... using a big ole auger to drill out these posts. Then we traded back over lunch at Chipotle. Then Coop man and I went and we did some service for Sister Lopez.. it was some good yard work cutting down trees, then we met with Gonzalo again and we did some Family History with him, we think that is going to help him out a lot! So he is on FamilySearch, and we are beginning to get into the searching out! Then the Knudsen's fed us dinner and then we went with Bro Knudsen to a lesson, but we weren't able to teach..

Thursday - We met with Val at the church in the morning, it was Elder Rogers and I and a member from the campus ward.. because we were passing him over... so we gave him a church tour and we committed him to be baptized... and he kind of accepted... but not really! Then we ate lunch somewhere and then we tried to see our man Eddy Jones... but we couldn't track him down. And then we were set to do some Fam History, but our appointment canceled on us there... so we ate dinner at the Heir's, they are super awesome! Then we taught Eric Erikson in the evening... our main man is back... he is super awesome, he is out of that Christian housing, so we are going to begin to teach him and get him to church, he didn't come this sunday, because he is sick.... but I committed him to study the priesthood in PMG and in the scriptures and he came into the lesson fired UP!!! "You know what only this church has and nobody else? THE PRIESTHOOD!" It was awesome... so we talked to him about Mosiah 2, serving others and preparing to serve in the church!

Friday - We did a trade off with the FSU Elders... so I had Elder Rogers in the 1st ward for the day! Elder Rogers is the man!! There was an emergency transfer with the sister missionaries on campus so we had to go and help them load all kinds of bunk beds and take them apart and carry them to other apartments all morning.. and in the process I broke the sisters door knob, so it wouldn't lock... and then we finally were able to see our man Eddy Jones... so we taught Eddy about Alma 32, Faith, one of my favorites and related it to the things that he needs to do, read, pray, church... and we taught him the commandment of sabbath day holy! Then we had to go back and do more sister's work to get all of their apartments ready to go!

Saturday - We taught Robert Delmonico in the morning, unable to teach at the Gray's, but it was a good lesson, he is growing and getting more sure everytime we meet.. we talked to him about the doctrine of family history, connected it to the plan of salvation and temples! And it was a really good lesson! We didn't get him at church either... but we will get him again soon!! Then this was just the beginning of our car dying! Our car is broken, something with the battery, so we have had to get jumped by someone at least like 9 times. Then we taught Gonzalo with Montana Carroll, and it was a good lesson again, we taught him about 1 Nephi 13. Then Dan Cosson called us up and asked us to help him with some service, so he fed us Jimmy Johns' and then we had to ride with him to pick up some furniture... so he mainly just wanted company is what he told us after we were in the car! Then on our way back.. the FSU Elders texted us and said, "WE JUST GOT PERMISSION TO GO TO THE FSU GAME!" So then I'm mad.... and then they text us and said, "Marra got you guys tickets, call president!' So Marra that girl Jorg and I found on campus, works in the athletic department got us tickets... so I call President and he was grilling me with questions, but after much anticipation... he allowed us to go.... so that was like an hour before kick off... so we hustled and go there right at kickoff and bought ourselves a good shirt! It was so much fun.... I loved it... not the best game... but it was incredible!

Elder Cooper & Elder Hintze at the FSU game.

Sunday - We had Gonzalo at church, he is the only one... but he is still just straight the man! It was a good Sunday! We taught the youth class, they basically love us! Then we were set to teach Arthur, but his mother in law got taken to the hospital...so we went and visited his wife, apparently she was freaking out, and then went and we spent some time with him at the hospital! Then we attended Cam's baptism, a investigator from the FSU Elders... so that was awesome. Then Ted & Kaityln invited us to attend their Catholic mass that evening, so we went and we attended the Catholic mass with them, and they had their Bishop there, which is the equivalent of an area authority... But then our car died in the parking lot... and we didn't have our dinner appointments phone number... so once we finally got the car, were able to find their number... we were an hour late... and so we missed it and then we went home and ate our dinner!!!

So kind of a harder week! But still good, we were literally running crazy all week! So all good in the hood! I miss you guys like crazy, did a lot this week!!! Can't tell you how thankful I am for all ya'll! Love ya!!!!

Some Pictures from Tallahassee

Friday, September 5, 2014

Elder Milne, Elder Thackeray, Elder Cooper, Elder Hintze at the compound!

Elder Milne (coming out of the door), Elder Thackeray & Elder Hintze. Their landlord put up the signage on the duplex. Elder Hintze's apartment is on the right side. Two more Elder's live in a apartment in the back of the duplex.

Elder Milne, Elder Thackeray, & Elder Hintze on the porch.

Elder Hintze & Elder Jorgensen at FSU?

Elder Hintze outside FSU's football stadium?

Elder Hintze & Elder Jorgensen

That's a good trip to Chipotle! Slow down Elder! Watch those portions! :)

Look what we found!

Elder ?, Elder Cooper, & Elder Hintze

"You know to tell you the truth, I haven't ever felt the need to, I haven't once doubted a single word that you guys have said!"

Monday, September 1, 2014

Hello Family!!

Can't tell you how great it is to hear from you all! Reporting to you live with real time updates from Elder Hintze!

Monday - Today for P-Day we went to this park called Tom Brown Park.. huge park it is awesome, all of the Elders met up and we played sand volleyball and football, super fun! Love all of these guys! It has been so hot here lately... and I got sun burned today.. So our evening kind of came crashing down, our dinner appointment had to cancel on us.. so we ate at home.. and Gonzalo canceled on us, he had to reschedule... so we were left out to dry, so we ate and then got out working the neighborhood, doing some finding, with no luck this time.. talked to a lot, but these people just don't get it.. if they only knew what they were rejecting. But we did meet with Ted & Kaityln.. that couple, it has been a little while, since they have been mentioned, they have been unable to meet, but the super awesome Catholic couple. We prepared to teach the Restoration lesson, and we studied super hard on the Apostasy, so we would know what to share... but all day I just felt so uneasy about our lesson, not nervous.. just an anxious feeling, so I knew something was up... so we met with them and really they are so nice, I love them so much! We got to share the Restoration, and they didn't agree with it entirely, they just don't see why the authority line ended and all of this, so we just went back and forth and they are so nice about it, but they just couldn't agree, and so we just told them, even if we set the gold plates of the Book of Mormon in your lap, you wouldn't know any better now than you did before of the truthfulness of what we speak of, all throughtout times, the Holy Ghost has taken the truth to the heart of man, we invite you to read from the Book of Mormon and pray about it! They are moving this weekend and we are going to help them move.. we have just layed a foundation for them.. because they love us, they have been telling people at the Catholic church about us and they said, the week after you came we met with the Jehovahs Witnesses and it was a complete 180 from when we meet with you guys... we just love you guys and you are so courteous and kind, we just want you to know that you are always welcome in our home! So we aren't going to convert them, and they are moving to another area.. but I don't know what will come of it, but we taught them doctrine and they are going to read, and they said that they will come to church with us and we are going to go with them one time! So it is all good, I want to remain friends with them.. even after I am home, some of the best people that I know! I just wish that we could do more with them, or get them to believe, ahhhh its all good! They have 2 kids and another on the way, we also went over the Family Proclamation with them, and they love that! So whoever they meet down the road that is Mormon, they are going to say, hey we met with 2 of your elders and they are so awesome! Today was also the first day of school here at FSU.. so Tallahassee is literally madness, traffic and people everywhere!

Tuesday - MLC day! We got up bright and early and headed over and we rode the van to Fort Walton, Florida. A good trek over there to see Elder & Sister Zwick.. and it was really pretty awesome.. Elder Zwick just started and he talked to us about Learning by Faith, advancing in faith. He talked a lot about being an Example and being Willing to Change, being Willing to Change is the theme of the whole meeting... It was awesome, the Spirit worked on me the whole time, I gotta be better and more receptive to the Spirit.. he said, "If you are willing to change, the Spirit will be with you!" He talked a lot about Simplifying and Intensifying in all that we do, keep our teaching simple.. make it easy and intensify it! Another huge thing he talked a lot about! Again some more about example... also a lot about what we will become because of our missions "I will be a great missionary, but I will also be a fantastic son, father, brother, and husband." "There is a fine line between discouragement and success." He then took us on a journey through D&C 88:63 the qualifier to be a leader, then in 68 Sanctify yourselves, then 72 take care of your flocks, and then 73 I will hasten my work in its time! Sanctifying is Perfecting us on the Lord's time! Elder Zwick is so powerful..

MLC - Elder & Sister Zwick

The Spirit was tangible, he had a way of making me feel like I was the most important thing in the world! Then all of us ZLs and STLs shared all of the things that we have been doing in our areas and our zones... that have increased our productivity. Learned a lot from everyones ideas! We talked a lot about ward councils, how we can best work with them. He said, "I will always replace myself in my area." Meaning we need to find prospective elders, YM or YW, who are going to replace us! President Smith added in a little bit he based it on Follow Me --> And I will Make You! 3 Nephi 27:20-21 We must do!! "We cannot expect someone to do something we won't do ourselves!" "If I change, be the example!" Sister Smith talked to us about prayer, she killed it, it was a huge answer to my prayers. She based it in Enos verse 4 - to be Spiritually Hungry! Followed with 5 steps v. 4, v.9 pray for self and others, v 11 pray for hearts to be softened, v. 16 Pray for the FTM, and v. 17 & 18 our soul can rest! Sister Zwick talked to us about asking questions.. their oldest son has special needs, they talked a lot about him and told many stories of him.. They said he is always talking, always asking questions.. one day when they were traveling, he was particularly quiet for 20 minutes in the car... and after all of that he says "Mom and Dad do you know Jesus?" In Alma chapter 5 there is 41 questions asked! The question we need to ask ourselves is "What is it that the Savior wants me to learn?" Then Elder Zwick came in and finished it off with his agenda he just barely created... "When you receive help, in any form--> Give Thanks!" Talked a lot more about connecting us to the members and to the ward councils! He said, "Success is when you can kneel down and everyday say, "Heavenly Father wilt thou accept the very best I could do this day?" Family I can't describe to you how powerful this meeting was, and it only got better and better, tangible Spirit... the theme for me was I need to be willing to change, moldable, I need to purify myself and lead by example!! Can't leave anything behind! So after the meeting we drove back home and rolled right into the chapel in Tally and arrived a few minutes late for the broadcast all over the mission by Elder Zwick, all the ward councils were invited and he just told them we needed them, we needed their help, we needed them to help us find! Sister Zwick told of a missionary that arrived in their mission when they were Mission President and wife, a new missionary ran to her in the airport and shook her hand and said, "Sister Zwick, I can't tell you how long I've waited to meet you.. Sister Zwick, you can count on me!" Then she said, You can count on these missionaries! Elder Zwick told us of his mission in Argentina, he and 3 other missionaries opened up the work in Bolivia, not a single member in 4 cities.. he spent 17 months there, built a chapel and organized a branch. Just incredible people!

Wednesday - We had just another awesome day... the Lord really is richly blessing our work as of late. In the morning we had to run around and go do some building set up, we had to get the mission truck and cart a white board over to the other chapel. Then we taught Eddy Jones, he is the man.... we taught Eddy out of 2 Nephi 31.. so we talked to him about baptism, talked to him of the importance of it, and we committed him to begin to work toward his baptism, we then taught the Word of Wisdom! He drinks coffee and tea, but promised and committed to live the word of wisdom! "If God commands it I will do it." Then we taught Tim Morrison the returning guy... Then we taught Robert Delmonico in the Gray's home.. it was an absolute awesome lesson, we taught him the Plan of Salvation, the spirit was so strong. I keep saying that, but unlike ever before on my mission, ever lesson we have, the Spirit testifies so strongly! No problems, he loved the plan of salvation... the Grays were really great, they always bring the spirit! I asked him if he had prayed about the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith.. He said, "You know to tell you the truth, I haven't ever felt the need to, I haven't once doubted a single word that you guys have said!" Then we had dinner at the Brock's home, super cool! Then we taught Gonzalo at the Knudsen's home, we talked quickly on the Holy Ghost and then we watched the Prophet of the Restoration. Super good, he liked it! Then we got home and all of the other missionaries from Dothan and Panama City, were there and so we had a houseful, it was a good sleepover!

Big party at the Compound! 10:30 bedtime boys!

Thursday - Quite possibly the single greatest day of my mission.. for real though!! So incredible. We got up early and we got over to the other Tally Building for the Half Mission Conference, it was held in the chapel, we were all there very, very early and so we had a lot of time to see everybody and then to just sit and get into the zone of the Spirit.

Elder Zwick came in and he just got right to it, he is a constant teacher he said, "Reverance invites Revelation!" Also got this one for you: "If you ever need a helping hand, look at the end of your arm!" -Bryan B. Gardner eh? Any whom, he took us to D&C 107:34,35,38 talked about his job as a Seventy and how us and him are the exact same thing, we are here to preach and administer the Gospel. He told so many neat stories of the Apostles and Prophets, he spoke of Elder Eyring's first experience as an apostle assigning missionaries to their areas, he had Elder Richard G. Scott there with him and he watched as he did it for about an hour.. it was then Elder Eyring's turn and he said, "I can't do this, I just cannot do this." Elder Scott said sure you can and you will. Elder Eyring said the first young elder came up and as he sought for revelation, he saw that young man on a corner in Bucharest, Romania talking to someone with his companion, the next he said he saw that young man walking the streets of Mexico. Pretty fascinating how we are assigned our missions! I know more than ever this is where I'm to be! He also spoke of President & Sister Smith, he said they are consecrated and devoted.. he said, "I watch how they pray for you, I watch them late at night as they think of you." Then he went into a role play thing, where certain companionships went up and they said a principle, shared an experience and then doctrine, and then testify! Keep it so simple and keep it within about a minute or so.. from that he then critiqued each one and talked about it. I learned a whole lot from it, I was hoping we would be chosen! But we need to keep things simple, don't confuse people, he taught us how to use scriptures more powerfully! "Teach true principles the same way that you learn them!" He talked of Elder Holland when he gives his conference talks, he has watched and he has run a count on how many words he says a minute, he says he runs about 160 words per min, but then at times goes to 80 words per minute.. He slows down and he really grabs you! Then Sister Smith took over and she talked a little bit about marriage, told of President & her marriage. She said, "When we let ourselves learn, change, & strengthen we are preparing to serve as righteous companions." She showed us a picture of the 1st missionaries to the south, talked about the things we have that they did not. She referenced Alma 26:22 and said the things that we do have are Repentance, exercising Faith, Good Works, & Pray continually without ceasing. Just another one about changing ourselves! Throughout this whole experience the Spirit was tangible, it was nuts, I was brought to tears many times. President Smith went up next and I have never seen him emotional. And it was that way the whole time that he talked, when he spoke the Spirit was so strong. "He is turning us into what we must become." "The Lord expects us to do these hard things." "But, it is okay to not be okay." President just killed it, he talked a lot about Sister Smith and he told a story of an Elder McCallister, who does not have any legs, who is in a wheelchair, and who did absolutely fabulous things as a missionary, walking with his hands on the Arizona blacktop, ran the Boston Marathon he said, "My stub hurt a lot, my arms were exhausted, my lungs were shredded, but I had fun." President was my favorite! Sister Zwick came back at us and he talked about Prayer! She told of Clayton Christensen a story he told of his kids and him building this marvelous tree house, his kids would run home from school to help build, soon neighbors got involved, everyone was so excited for this tree house. Once it was completed, he watched day after day as no one came to use it... it wasn't about the tree house, it was about building the tree house! She also spoke of their first day in the mission as President and wife in Santiago Chile.. they received a phone call from a missionary who said, Hey President I am calling you from a phone booth and I am only wearing my companions trench coat, we were in the church building giving a baptismal interview, when 7 terrorists with maching guns came in and put them to our heads, they made me take off my clothes in front of the seminary students that were there and then they poured floor wax on my clothes and lit them on fire and now the church building is burning to the ground, what do you want us to do? .. Hahaha, how about that eh? She talked about her experiences and how she relied on prayer, referenced Enos and said, "Pray for things of Eternal Consequence." Then Elder Zwick came in and he finished us all off, just a straight KO with the Spirit throwing punches!!!! He told of some cool stories from the Apostles. One time they were in the room with the Twelve and they all stood just to stretch and Elder Nelson just said, "Yes, Brethren lets stand for something!" So he went off that. He told of being with President Hinckley at the Hill Cumorah. (Pres. Hinckley is my favorite!!!) And how he ran up the Hill Cumorah and then he stood there and he made the same pose as the angel Moroni statue... and Elder Zwick said he watched it all in the silhouetter of the sun, said he would never ever forget it! Told of when Elder Packer and him rode home on the plane, he called Elder Packer the "constant teacher." Elder Zwick had just spoken at the Palmyra temple dedication and Elder Packer said to him, "Ya know Craig you just did alright today, you could have done better and I will tell you how!" Then he drew on a plane napkin and told him that he told a story, shared doctrine, and then testified, and then he did that again, he said, "your talk would have been much more powerful if you would have stopped after the first time!" Pretty cool lesson there, of how to give a talk... experience/story, then doctrine, then testimony! We have 2 missionaries from Sierra Leone and he said it is not very often that the prophet prays for a mission by name.. but yours was in his prayer in the temple... are you kidding me, that just gives me chills thinking about that!!! The basis of his thing was sanctifiying ourselves and what are we willing to change, it was the best thing of my life for real though! Afterwards I was with Elder Uriquaga, and he said, "I think that I need to ask him a question." So I went up with him and he asked, 'How can I overcome pride?" Super awesome question. Elder Zwick said, "You need to do hard things. You need to raise your expectations. You need to force yourself to be humble. You need to rely on the Lord, then you can overcome it." Super awesome answer!!!! So I am going to work on doing that as well!!

Half Mission Conference - Elder & Sister Zwick

After the Half Mission, we did some family history with James and Veronica, brother and sister... they were referred to us, so a member who works here was helping them and so we were just in the back and I was praying the whole time... "please let them ask why we do family history!" And what do you know, he stops and he says, "why do you guys do family history?" So we just began to tell, the member kind of ran the show, which was awesome, and we just testified and we were on a spiritual high from Elder Zwick and Veronica was crying and James was pumped.. so we are going to do more with them and teach them in full why we do it!! We had to get the whiteboard back again, and when we were doing it, we thought that we saw President and Sister Smith pull in. We just talked with him and he gave us a drink, President was just so humble and it was so cool to talk to him, about what had just happened that day! So cool!!!!!!

Friday - We did our weekly planning in the morning! And then we got out and we visited with a woman named Sister Adams, part member family, she has a tesimony, but just does not come to church at all, so we are hoping we can begin to work with them. Then we went and we taught Gonzalo with Dean Delp. And the whole time we were in there, Gonzalo just didn't seem right, so we were reading in the Book of Mormon with him.. talking about Lehi's Dream and I just felt prompted to ask about the Word of Wisdom... and he had gone back on it.. he had drunk Wednesday night. And it turned out to be so good... once we began to talk about it... the Spirit entered the room in great force... we didn't get upset or anything, we just talked about Repentance, bore testimony of the Atonement. He said, he hated drinking again, and he felt sooo guilty as he did it, ever since then he had been praying for forgiveness! It was such a neat experience, when we left he felt so much better. As I spoke towards the end, he just stopped and he said, "I think I feel the Holy Ghost right now!" It was so neat.. so he is doing great!

Saturday - We helped Ted & Kaitlyn move in the morning... and it was the bomb! They are so awesome, turns out Ted plays tennis big time and he loves basketball, so we are going to go play tennis with him! They are really awesome. After that we taught Jimmy and Margie again, this time with the neighbor Bro Gentry. We are going to turn it over to the spanish elders here in the stake, since Margie speaks spanish as well! Then we taught Eddy Jones at the church with Bro Porter... we taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it was without a doubt the best lesson that I have taught on the Gospel. It was killer! And I keep saying the Spirit was strong, but more than ever before on my mission, the spirit is so strong!!! So we committed him to be baptized on Sep. 27th!! Then we taught Val.. a man that we just talked to on the street, he is so cool. We will be turning him over to the FSU Elders, because they teach YSA, darn it! But we taught him the Restoration and he understanded it really, really well, and after words he said, this whole time that you have been talking, I have felt nothing but peace! And then visited shortly with the Leidy's... but it is college football season, so FSU was playing and they were not about to turn it off, so we had to get out of there! :(

Sunday - We had Eddy at church, he came super late and he had to leave after Sacrement though! Then we had Gonzalo there, he is basically part of the ward he is so awesome! I have been feeling bad about him having to wait for baptism, he wants it so bad! Please pray for him. We also taught Gospel Principles. Then Val came to the 1 pm chuch, and so we didn't plan on staying for all of it with him, but we ended up staying the full 3 hours of the YSA Ward. Val is the man, for real, he was just roaming the building, checking it all out, he ended up in the high council room, hahahahaah, he is from Haiti! He has a awesome accent! Then we ate dinner at the Pope's.. and then the Knudsen's invited us over for cake and ice cream!!!!

This morning for labor day we played ball with all of the 1st ward people.. we had Gonzalo there and Val there. Val couldn't play but was just there talking with everyone. Gonzalo is pretty dang good... Cooper, Gonzalo, and I were just out there having a blast. Gonzalo is just like our best friend and everyone in the ward knows him. I love Gonzalo a whole lot! Bishop gave me a bloody nose when we were playing! Family sure do love you to the moon and back!!!!

Love,

Elder Hintze

"I can honestly say that this mission, is the best thing that has happened to me in my life!"

Monday, August 25, 2014

What's UP Family!!

I hope you are all well and happy, and know how much I love you! We had an awesome week this week, super busy transfer week, so we did not get to do as much proselyting as we would have liked, but I guess I am just going to have to live with that, that is the name of the game as a zone leader, it kills me to not be out and in the grind! Had some neat things happen this week. I can honestly say that this mission, is the best thing that has happened to me in my life! This last transfer here in Tallahassee, has been fantastic, I have grown so much!

Monday - Last Monday, we went to the mall and I purchased my self from new slacks from H&M for only 15 dollars.. killer deal! After that we ate dinner with the Schraders, awesome people. After that we went with Bro Roberts and we taught Gonzalo Mendez, we were teaching him about Pres Monson and the commandment to Follow the Prophet, which as we started to explain and as he had done his own research on LDS.org, that we commited him to. He had no problems with it at all, and does believe that he is a prophet.. Gonzalo is awesome for real though, one of my favorite people I have taught, living Chastity, living Word of Wisdom for over a month, accepts everything, so honest and sincere, Gonzalo is the man!

Tuesday - Had our District Meeting today. After our District Meeting, we went bowling and that was a good time, even thought I hate bowling!

The District

Then we were on an exchange, so I went with Elder Hildebrandt and Cooper went with Elder Reyes. So we went and we contacted a man name John Burkes who was talked to on the street corner by a member about the church, and then right then and there the member called us and had us talk to the guy and get his information and all that... it was super cool. But we had not been able to contact him for a long time, so we finally were able to and we sat down and we began to talk and just learn his background, we taught him God is our Loving Heavenly Father, and the Book of Mormon. But later on this week, he called us and told us it wasn't for him... so we have got to go talk to him again! And then we went to our meeting with the Stake Presidency, ate dinner, we were fed by the Flores at the church.

Wednesday - We did our studies and then we traded back. And then the Stake President, President Burton took all of the ZLs in Tallahassee out to lunch, so that was cool. Then it was a crazy day of planning and everything.. Elder Zwick is arriving today.. so this week is going to be even more crazy. MLC this Tuesday with him, devotional that night.. then half mission conference Thursday with him... so we have missionaries coming from Panama City Zone and Dothan Zone and they are sleeping over at our place Wednesday night, so we have been coordinating who sleeps where and then coordinating transfers and all that jazz... so we have been crazy busy trying to coordinate everything with the work! So Wednesday night we picked up new missionaries and we got to take them out. I took out Elder Harding, he is now in the Tally 1st Ward with us.. really good guy. We ate dinner with the Johnson's and then we saw Sister Lamb and then did some finding with him. Cooper and his man, saw Tim Morrison!

Thursday - Then it was transfer day.. so we we're at transfers bright and early, making sure that everyone knew where they were headed!

Transfer Day

We took Elder Harding with us and got him all settled in and then he was with us until that night! And then we saw a recent convert named Sister Mobley, they are super awesome, they are struggling a little bit, but we are going to start to help them! Then we we're just knocking doors and we met this man named Eddie Jones, older gentleman, and he let us immediately in, so we just talked to him and did our HTBT and then introduced the Book of Mormon to him and just bore testimony of the Atonement and the Book of Mormon. At the end he said, oh ya I have read the Book of Mormon a bunch before and met with missionaries, so we were like WHAT? And honestly I didn't believe him or think much of it, just because we get stuff like that a lot, so we'll get back to him! But then we went to transfer spot again.. and I had to leave Cooper with another missionary, so Harding and I went back, got everyone situated again and got everyone on the right path!

Transfer Day

Friday - Service day, we did service with Sister Koutz and the Schrader's as well! We did some yard work and then we had to burn a lot of limbs and clean up for the Schrader's... after that we came home and had time for a tiny bit of weekly planning action. And then we went back and we taught Eddie Jones, and we taught him the restoration to him and his granddaughter Nancy who is like 12, and it was awesome, spirit was there. We said a kneeling prayer with him and it was super awesome, he said he knew these things were true! Then we had a lesson with Arthur Harrelson, a investigator that we hadn't seen for a long time. We finally got back up with him and talked to him a little bit about the Doctrine of Christ.. so we are going to get back into the habit of teaching him now! Then we taught Gonzalo in the evening with Bro Bell... and it was awesome as always.. we finally got him settled down about his questions!

Saturday - In the morning we met with Gonzalo. We did some major weekly planning for our area. And then we got invited by the Stake Presidency to attend the leadership stake conference session, so we went to that and it was awesome! Then we grabbed a quick bite and then we had the evening stake conference.. and that was tremendous as well... I am growing so much more lately than I ever have, as far as feeling the spirit.. and Pres Smith told my story of Gloria and our first appointment in stake conference again.. he tells it at all the MLCs, he told it to the new missionaries, he tells it in stake conferences.. and this one got me... I was balling as he told about our first appointment with Gloria... it was really, really neat! I have been thinking a lot about Gloria lately, ya'll should give her a call! Tell her that I am thinking about her!

Sunday - We had our stake conference again, and Pres and Sis Smith spoke and they just absolutely kill it every time it is the bomb! And guess who we had in there Eddie Jones, the dude showed up and he is awesome!!!!!! We are looking forward to teaching him this next week, he is so solid! So then we taught Jimmy and Margie Martinez, they made us lunch.. :) We began to teach them the Plan of Salvation... Jimmy can't understand us entirely and Margie is kind of looking to prove us wrong, but their neighbors are members, so we are looking to get them involved!

Family, sure can't get over how great you all are! I love you all and miss you dearly!

Love,

Elder Hintze

"His date is probably going to be changed to Aug 30th, Sep 6th is FSU's first home game, so everything shuts down."

Monday, August 18, 2014

Hello Family!!!!!!

How is everyone doing!? I don't know why I ask ya'll that, you can't respond, but hope your doing well! I am doing outstanding, we had a really good week this week and it was transfer news today, Cooper and I are staying... and there were a few changes made to our zone, which were awesome! Lets get to it this week!

Monday - For P-Day.. we went to the mall. So it was good! But it was fun, don't know what we are up to today at all... But in the evening we had dinner at the Miler's home, he is the stake patriarch, so they are spiritual giants, they are awesome, delicious food as well! Then Gonzalo had to cancel on us... so we went around and we used the area book and chased down a lot of potentials and then we made phone calls and then we went to Dairy Queen with the Knudsen's!!!!

Tuesday - We had to drive to Madison, Florida in the morning and we went to their District Meeting out there, with the Madison Elders and Sisters, they are the only ones out there, so we were there for the meeting, and then we went on a tradeoff, I stayed in Madison, we played football after the meeting for the district activity and then pizza hut for lunch, so then we traded off and I was with them for the day! Madison is super cool, tiny little place, the church there is so cool, it is on a hill and just a tiny little thing, it is beautiful. We ran around all day trying to see all kinds of different people and doing some tracting, we got to teach one man named King, he is super awesome, they teach him a lot, and we talked to him about the spirit and prayer, he said he had never received an answer to a prayer before, King and I hit it off really well, it was a phenomenal lesson, sadly I am not there to teach him, but he has a lot of potential up in the Madison! I was with Elder Butler and Elder Christensen, they are good guys! They taught Gonzalo while I was gone, and they taught him the law of Tithing, he is the man, and he accepted it with no problems, and has committed to live it!

Wednesday - So then Wednesday morning, we did some finding and found a new investigator for them and then we had to do the exchange reports and then we traded back around lunch time! When we got back, we did service at the Gray's we mowed part of their lawn and then it rained on us.

Thursday - We did our weekly planning session. Then we served Sister Lippen, we helped her to do lots of yard work and then we went back and we finished mowing the Gray's lawn! Then we ate dinner at the Robert's home. And we did some finding around their home and we found 2 super awesome people that we just OYMed. One of them we have taught, but we will get there! We then saw Tim Morrison the less active guy, we have been seeing him a lot and every lesson with him, is so spiritual, he really has led and prepared up to this time, to come back! We taught him about Faith in Jesus Christ and he read Alma 32, he said his faith was weak!

Friday - We got a call and we had to run and help a sister's investigator to move, so we helped them move, it was a super easy move.. so we did that and we got a potential out of it, her brother, ohhh ya! Then after that we saw Bro Barber and we visited with him for a few minutes! We are trying super hard to do Fam History with them.. then we did a lot of finding, and then we had a lesson with Sis Lamb, a less active lady, her house is full of family, that isn't member, she is an older lady, who is super sweet, so we are going to start going back and teaching the whole family! And then we taught Gonzalo with Dusty Brock, the majority of the lesson was on the Word of Wisdom and he is debating whether to have one last hooray with alcohol, and we hammered him, it was so awesome, in such a good way, the spirit was so strong, all throughout the lesson, and by the end he was converted to not do it, he has been clean for over a month now! He is doing so good... and we went over the baptismal question with him, and there was no problems, the only thing that we have to cover is President Monson, and his date is probably going to be changed to Aug 30th, Sep 6th is FSU's first home game, so everything shuts down, they close the church parking lot!

Saturday - Okay I am just going to say the things that are important, we visited with Jimmy Martinez, one of the dudes we found on Friday, he is awesome, him and his wife, they are Pentecostal, he is from Mexico, she is not interested, but we are coming back to teach him, he is so nice, we are coming next Saturday and they are going to make us some good Mexican food, they are really so nice!!! I don't know how much potential they have, but they are awesome! Then we ate dinner at the Gray's home, and they invited Robert Delmonico over for dinner, and we didn't even know, it was super awesome... so we ate dinner and then we had a lesson with him, we have such a good relationship with our investigators, so we taught him the start of the plan of salvation, it got off a little bit, but it was awesome. Then during the day we visited with the Culligan's a young couple, the lady is just like Hadley, like they would be best friends. They are awesome!

Sunday - We had Gonzalo and Robert at church, great meetings! Mama K, got to show me the pictures of the new little shaver... talk about adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When they asked about missionary moments from the week, Robert Delmonico tried to raise my hand to share about him, he is awesome! But the Gospel Principles class was on Word of Wisdom, so Gonzalo got it again hahahaha, it is so awesome! After church we taught Cecil Porter with Bro Jackson, we taught the Restoration lesson to him, he took it a little skeptical, but he is sincere about following Jesus Christ... so he is going to do his research, and Brother Jackson and him really kicked it off! And before that we ran into this guy named Ben Cao, and he is awesome, we got to go in and teach him for a few minutes and we are going back to teach him next week! And we visited Jonathon Leidy, and then we visited Tim Morrison in the evening!

We had a good week this week. We are definitely in a finding mode, and trying to see new less actives to see.. so we are trying to figure it out still! I am excited to another one with Elder Cooper, we have had some neat experiences and we really are striving for the Spirit and it is manifest in a lot of our lessons! So things are good, I am loving the mission right now! I used to hear people say at the beginning of my mission, "I don't want to go home!" And I used to think ya'll are a bunch of crazy fools.. but every day, I learn more and more how harder it will be to end the mish one day!! Sure do love ya'll!!!!

Love,

Elder Hintze

"Raised by members and she has a goal to be a member by the end of the year, pretty cool huh?"

Monday, August 11, 2014

Family!!!

Hello, hope you are well and happy this week! I am doing outstanding as always, just another great day! We had a good week this week, starting to get things rolling this week! So lets get to it!!

Monday - We didn't do much for P-Day just hungout and went to Chipotle.. it is unhealthy, how much that I love Chipotle! :) This last Monday we had dinner at the Pope's home and we took Gonzalo with us, so we ate dinner with them and it was really, really awesome!! The Pope's are super cool, they were great! We had a lesson with him afterward and then we taught Gonzalo about the temple and family history and marriage and all that good stuff, it was really awesome! I love teaching the new lesson 5, they seem to fit in really nice! Gonzalo is so awesome! Afterwards, we visited a new less active guy named Tim Morrison, he said that he wants to get back and take the lessons!

Tuesday - After District Meeting, I went on a trade off with Elder Jorgensen on FSU.... so we just did contacting all day long.. all day long!!!!

The District??

And it was so fun, campus is pretty bare, but we set a goal to OYM 100 people.. we did not quite get that.. but we talked to 43 people... and a lot more we didn't really get to invite! But literally not a single person accepted or showed any bit of interest... but man it was the best day ever, we did work and had a blast, I love Elder Jorgensen! We ate dinner with the Bishop in the YSA Ward. They are super awesome as well, so it was a great day! But not much else.. Oh we ran into this girl named Mara on campus, she is super cool, she is from Virginia and she knows a little bit about the church. We had a super good contact with her, ... I don't really know why we met her, but it was super inspired that we ran into her, so we will see what happens!

Wednesday - We went to MLC all day long!! We left early in the morning and we drove the van with the Tally ZLs and the APs and so we went all the way to Crestview, Florida and then we had MLC which was like 5 hours... It is like a round table open discussion. But it was really, really good! I enjoyed it... I made a pretty big splash at my first MLC... Sister Smith said to me, "I can tell that MLC is going to be a lot more exciting with you around!" Because there have been a lot of cases of what happened to Elder Cooper... So the mission nurse was talking and at the end I raised my hand and I said, "I have a question and I am hesitant to ask, because it is a problem that is only happening with Elders, do you want me to wait until later or just go for it!?" And then President gave me the green light, so I just asked what has been causing it and if it is contagious.. and people laughed so hard, I asked if it was in the water? Or if it was in the air? Anyway but then we proceeded to talk about mission stuff and then we journeyed on home!

The Group - MLC

Thursday - We did some service with Sister Koutz in the morning, we did some yard work for her and got things straightened out for her and then we visited with her and we shared a message! And then I got to call Barbara Phillips from Dothan!!! It was the best... the Dothan sisters asked me to at MLC, apparently she always talks about me, she loves it when you guys send her stuff, absolutely loves it! It was so good to talk to her.. she just needed to hear my voice, I didn't say anything about it, and she said, because you called me I am going to give this coffee up, it was so neat to talk to her! I love her so much! Then we did our weekly planning, our mission is really bad at weekly planning. We ate dinner and then we had a lesson over the phone with Eric Erikson, he is living in a new situation, where he can't leave, it is a Christian place, so he has to go to church there for a month, then he is moving again! So we had a lesson with him, about family history, Eric is the man!

Friday - We did some service in the morning, we took a young man with us Dean Delp, who is hilarious, but we did service with Sister Flores and Sister Daniels... which ended up not going the best, Flores we replaced a toilet, but the wax ring was too big and we messed it up, so it didn't go over very well! But then we sprayed Sis Daniels house with bleach to get rid of mold. Then we got cleaned up and we taught Gonzalo at his house, and we ended up having to cover some word of wisdom issues, he is so awesome, but he is debating whether or not to have one last party with his alcohol and then be done, what the heck? I told him heck no, that is a terrible idea, so we had to do some back tracking, but things ended well. He is a man of many questions, which is so awesome! Then we did some finding out and about! Then we had another phone call lesson with Eric about the Priesthood!

Saturday - We had to run to the church for a youth baptism, they called us 10 minutes before, so we could meet their non member friends, we did that! And then we taught Robert Delmonico in the Gray's home and all we did was we just stressed the Book of Mormon, he hasn't read it, so we taught the Book of Mormon and prayer and how to receive answers... and Brother Gray absolutely killed it! It was so awesome, the best member present ever! Then we had lunch with the Leity family a part member and Jonathon the member is less active super awesome family! We had a lesson and then shared a message... he knows what he needs to do and wants to get back, so we are going to focus hard on them! They are hilarious... so we hit it off really well with them! Then we tried a ton of part members, but couldn't get them at all... we met one lady Lisa B, who was raised by members and she has a goal to be a member by the end of the year, pretty cool huh? So we are going to start working with her! Then Gonzalo called us and had some questions about the plan of salvation, so we went over with Bishop Hargredt and we taught him the plan of salvation all the way through, cleared up all of that, and helped him to further make his decision that he should not drink again! He had been taught the plan of salvation before I got there!! The Spirit was really really strong in the lesson, good one!!

Sunday - Good church!!! We had Gonzalo there, he is so solid, he is getting baptized for sure, but if there is one thing that I have learned, you haven't got them til you have got them! :) He contributes to the lessons during classes, he is so killer! We ate lunch at the Knudsen's afterwards... it was the best thing ever, I love that family so much!!!!!! Then we did some finding, we had some appointments cancel.. then we went with Gonzalo to a baptism in YSA Ward, for the campus sisters... it was the best convert baptism ever, tons of member support and the spirit was so strong, it was awesome!!!! Then we ate dinner, did some more planning. And then we hit out and tried to do some contacting, met a part member, they grew up in Paxton Florida aka Defuniak Springs, so we bonded and are going to try and get them again!!!

Some exciting stuff happened.. we got 2 missionaries in our mission from Sierra Leone Africa, Ebola central... He is our neighbor, so he is super cool! Also, this morning me and my boy Elder Jorgensen aka Fresh, were working out at the track and I went to jump over this metal gate and on the other side... there was a hole, so I ate dirt pretty hard... like it really hurt, it was funny, so my foot is bruised and swollen keep posted for that adventure! Love you all family! Sure do think you are all the best! miss you like crazy!

Love,

Elder HIntze