I'm in the Jungle Baby!!!

I took a plane to a far away land called Trinidad. 
I got here and WOW its hot here! There's pure jungle with hundreds of motorcycles all over the streets! There's like NO cars, just motos. We see crazy stuff on the streets like snakes and dead animals with larvae and nasty cool stuff.

My new comp is Loco but hes a great missionary. We get to teach a lot of people because there's a LOT of families here and they're really spread out so when we come they're happy to receive us which is a HUGE change from the city that I love.
They gave me a huge mango called a durazno mango (Peach mango) and wow its soooo yummy!
The people here are really nice and they're pretty receptive to the message of the restoration which makes me really happy and excited to keep sharing the gospel with everyone for the rest of my life.

We have a white night planned for the 9th of January where were going to baptize 3 or 4 families. Its going to be a huge blessing to see peoples lives change thanks to the gospel. I've seen that if I show confidence in the fact that the gospel changes lives and causes happiness, the people are more likely to act on the invitations, but if I'm timid or show doubt, they wont act. I've also seen countless times on the mission and before the mission and in my own life that if we read the book of mormon every day, we´ll never fall away from the truth, but if we stop reading, we will fall and it will be hard to recover. 

I love the gospel, I know that its for everyone. EVERYONE. The Lord doesn't forget about anyone. Well I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

Elder Hilton

Ultima Semana en la Ciudad

This week Ill be leaving the city and heading out to a faraway land called Beni. Its a place of poverty with humble people and a lot of dirt in the air. But Im looking forward to meeting the humble people that I feel will be more receptive to the message of the gosple than those here in the city. Ill be the District leader of 8 missionaries. Im not ready or prepared, but Im willing. Thats what will allow me to tap into the power of the atonement so I can be strengthened and perfected as an instrument in the Lord´s hands. 

We knew it would be the last opportunity so we had lunch with the bishop and he had a great time joking around with Elder Valdez (The black one). 

I tasted Mango for the first time here in Bolivia and it is SO delicious. It gets all stuck in your teeth but its sooo yummy. We stuck a straw in the Coco and drank straight out of it and its soo good. The first time ive done anything like that. 

I had a great experience finding people that were prepared this week. I know that the Lord had them prepared because we didnt find them until after we prayed to find someone prepared. Prayer works and God does miracles. So why not tap into that power by following the advice of Nephi in  1 Nephi 15:11? 

This is a message for the fathers: I know that if you make sure that your family gets together to read specifically the Book of Mormon and to pray every night, youll NEVER fall away from the gospel. I also promise that if you stop reading and praying as a family, you and your family will fall into an apostasy. 

I love you guys and I desire the best for each one of you. Every day, we can do whats right, and thats what brings us happiness, is choosing the right in our everyday decisions. If you havent done so, dont get discouraged, rather, trust in Jesus Christ who will forgive you and heal you, then start choosing the right from now on
Love 
ELder Hilton

November 9th

This week 

I learned this week that I have a lot of changing to do internally to become the man God has in mind for me. I know that through patience and willingness to follow God and his commands, Ill be able to arrive to that point. The missions worn me out but I'm realizing each day that this is the point when God is going to be able to make big and long lasting changes in me.

I'm doing a lot of ward activities. I realized that if I want to get something done I just need to do it with all confidence and I'll be able to. We did a fireside with activities and not a lot of people came but each time we do one well have more people and eventually people will start to bring their friends and family to get to know the church and I feel that it will be a great way to find new investigators.

I want to be a more consecrated missionary and I know that only one person knows how I can be. God will help me to recognize how I can change to be a better more focused missionary. I'm willing to give up everything. But the only thing I fear is the loss of some friends. I don't want any of you to stop being my friends. I love you guys and you mean so much to me! 

I challenge you all to look up with the word ponderize then do it! :)

Elder Hilton

The Longest Week of My Mission.

I have no idea why but this week lasted FOREVER: I had parasites but I'm better now. It was scary. We carved pumpkins! They don't have that tradition here in south america so the latinos were super surprised when they saw a pumpkin with a face and candles inside. They thought it was like evil or something and thinking about it now, it is a pretty weird thing to do haha!

I learned something really important this week. That we don't LEARN patience or humility or charity. They're gifts that only God can lend to us if we search them and if we let him give us these precious gifts. I felt patient then I got prideful thinking like oh look at me and how patient I am. Then I lost my patience and I realized that they're just gifts.

I have a testimony and a conviction of the fact that Christ has established his church once again on the earth, and for all those that have God as number 1 on their list of priorities (by simply taking care of your family before anything else, completing your calling, being obedient, and taking steps of faith by sacrificing worldly things to follow Christ) God will forgive your sins and you will feel a real peace and hope in this life and you'll have a true faith that after this life, we´ll meet God and be with him. 

I invite you all to read a vision I had that a friend helped me to type up and learn the principles of the gospel from it. I you like it you can share it with anyone and use it to teach the gospel.

Love Elder Hilton

We fall to get back up

I loved an experience I had this week learning how to repent as a missionary. I was getting lazy and focusing more on enjoying than working hard and I lost the spirit. I felt bad after every visit and that night, I realized that it was time to change.

I went through the process of repentance and at the end I said a sincere prayer promising I would be obedient. I felt strengthened and the influence of the spirit again. I know that if we talk to God, He will hear us and if we have faith in Christ, his son, he´ll answer us. And if we listen, We´ll hear him.

Elder Hilton

Mi semana favorita

I've grown in ways that I haven't imagined these last few weeks. God takes us in our weaknesses and trials, and through those that are true, does his work. I love being an instrument in his hands to bring people such a great joy in their lives of the Gospel. 

I've loved my time with Elder Vallejo, and feel like I've matured more in this time than any other time in my life.

This week was great contacting and finding new families that seem like they'll progress. A family came to church. I'm excited to keep working and hopefully set up some baptismal dates.

If God is the person we want to please most in our lives, including ourselves, he´ll always protect and guide us. I know that prayers are answered, maybe not in the way one expects, but in the way God knows will help us most. I know this life is tough, but its SO worth it. 

Elder Hilton

Be a Man Dude

I felt a little frustrated this week, noticing that a LOT of people don't look beyond the name tag and the dress clothes when we contact them. They tell us they're Catholic or that they're busy before we even get a word. I wanted people to be able to see that the gospel is all they need. But i soon realized that only the Lord can help people see that so all I can do is try and be like Christ, serve people, love people, and live the example. 

My comp is super cool. He was with another Gringo before me that was really strict so hes trying to be more relaxed. I know from my experience in the mission that little mistakes that everyone makes aren't meant to fill us with guilt and remorse. If we let that happen, that's like satan gaining power over our hearts. But if we turn to God in prayer and study and pondering, hell turn our weakness into a strength and we wont have this endless guilt trip from something we cant really control in the long run.

I know that this work is the most important thing we can participate in. Its like thinking about the eternal perspective, we realize that the worldly things don't really matter and that sharing the gospel even if were scared now has so much value in the eternity. 

I love this time to just escape in the service of the Lord to learn and grow. The only thing I would change is my bed. Its so hard and I never get good sleep!!!! haha 

Love you guys I really am excited to tell you all my adventures and share my strengthened testimony with all of you

Elder Hilton