Week 27: Harlingen-San Benito

What a week!

The highlight of the week was the meeting that we had With Dallin H. Oaks, Lynn G. Robbins, and Elder Wright of the seventy.

Elder Wright talked about his grandpa and how he was willing to give up everything to serve the Lord. It touched me a lot being a missionary.

Elder Robbins, talked about how we need to love our companions. That was super awesome because that is one thing that I have been working on a lot lately!

Dallin H. Oaks, was amazing. He walked in and we all got to go and shake his hand. It was amazing. Despite the face he puts on at conference he is a jokester! He is amazing! He talked a lot on things we need to do as missionaries. The part that helped me the most was talking about receiving revelation. One thing that he said is if we have a thought and we don't usually want to do it then it is most likely the spirit talking to us! I can't count how many times I've had a thought like what if the spirit told me to go knock that door. But I think I didn't get the feeling so I'm not going to. I need to repent!!!! Who knows how many people didn't get the chance to hear the gospel. Also he said that we are not going to receive more  revelation until we do what the spirit has already told us to do something. In order to receive the most revelation we need to be commited to do what the spirit prompts us! That helped me so much.

I'm excited to apply what I learned to my missionary work. I love you all so much.

Love, Elder Hurst

The burning of the tie to celebrate 6 months in the mission.

Meeting up with Elder Curtis (Previous companion) at the mission meeting.

Week 26: Harlingen: San Benito

What a week!

Elder Davis and I both stayed in SanBenito! So we will be here for a while! Things are going pretty well! This week was pretty cold and rainy but we survived! Plus the end of the week was worth it.

On Friday night we got a text that we were going to have interviews with President the next day! I was pretty excited because I love interviews with President! Mine was really short. It was all in Spanish and he only had to say one thing to me in English so that was pretty good! We said a prayer and then he just looked at me and told me that I need to stop making decisons based on fear! It was crazy because I realized that that is what I do! He told me I need to replace the fear I have with love, which is something I have been trying to work on for a while so it was perfect for him to say that to me! He also said that I need to always have an amazing attitude! So that is what I'm working on lately!

Also this weekend was stake conference! So we had two members of the seventy come and visit us! It was pretty cool to listen to them speak. I just wanted to mention one thing that they talked about. The main reason that they were there was to reorganize the stake presidency here in Harlingen. They explained the process of how they do it and it really strengthened my testimony on how our leaders truly are called of God.

They start by calling members of the stake in and just talk with them for about five minutes. They say they really just get the feeling when they talk to them who it needs to be. Then they said that they go and pray until they know who they have picked is right! It was pretty cool to hear it. I know that our leaders are called of God and are here to help us. I love this Gospel so much and love waking up every morning and serving the Lord.

Love, Elder Hurst

The kids still love Elder Hurst and he loves the sunsets.

Week 25: Harlingen-San Benito

Well this was the last week of my third transfer. It went pretty good!

We are still waiting to find out who is leaving and where we will be going. It's a little stressful because usually we know on Sunday morning and we still don't know what is going on. But most likely we are both going to stay. Hopefully we will find out soon.

Last P-day we got to go bowling! It was pretty fun! It was weird I felt like I was back home for a second!

On Tuesday we had a really good zone meeting. There was a lot of things that were talked about that helped me out a lot personally. It gave me a lot of strength to keep on going.

This week has felt pretty regular. We found a lot of new people though and found some less active members that we didn't know were in our area.

One of our investigators that we have had for a long time has started to do missionary work for us! He has started to talk to his family and gave us their addresses and we were able to visit them and they liked our message and we have been teaching them! It was super cool to see that!

On Sunday the Harlingen stake is getting a new presidency, so there will be two 70's coming down to reorganize it! I just hope I'm here to see it!

Also on the 23rd there is going to be an apostle coming to the McAllen area! We are going to have a special missionary meeting on the 23rd! I'm super excited to be able to listen to an apostle! Elder Davis got asked to play a special musical number for it! So that is going to be super cool!

This week had a lot of ups and downs. Sunday was really frustrating because we didn't have anyone at church and on top of that there was the stress of not knowing if one of us is going to get transferred but that is okay! It will all work out. We just have to trust more in the Lord.

We realized that have been praying for the wrong thing. We would always pray to find people. We realized that we need to pray for people ready to act on our message. We have tons of people that we are teaching right now but none of them are willing to act on anything.

I know that the church is true! I hope you are all doing amazing!!

Love, Elder Hurst

Bowling at Outdoor World

Favorite breakfast. French Toast.

Harlingen Zone

Elder Hurst and Elder Davis

Week 24: Harlingen-San Benito

Man this week was super crazy/hard.

On Monday night we had a lesson with some potentials. So we went to the lesson and started to get to know this family. There was about 6 of them. Right when we were done getting to know them two more people walked in. They said they weren't family just some friends so we thought nothing of it. We started to teach the message of the restoration and the two friends were hanging on all of our words. They were asking the most random questions and just belittling every thing we said. So we some how made it to the end of the lesson and invited the father to say a prayer. But the father said that he would rather have his friend say the prayer.

Before I continue I want to tell you guys a little about the friend. It turns out him and his wife are Pentecostal pastors. The son of the family had been in the hospital and when he was in the hospital the pastor and his wife had gone to visit them. We just happened to go to the family's house the same day the Pentecostal pastor went.

Okay back to the lesson. The Pentecostal pastor stood up and started "Praying" he started yelling and before we knew it he was speaking in tounges. The spirit left so fast!! It was such a weird moment. We didn't know what to do so we just sat there and listened to this blasphemy. It was crazy. We got up and shook everybody's hand and left. We didn't even try to teach them after that. But we have plans to go back and teach them more without their friends there. But that night I was a little shaken up and didn't know what to think. So that night I knelt down and prayed and just asked to feel the spirit again and it came! This was a crazy experience but I think it helped me grow so much. I know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints is the true church. I will never forget the experience of looking a Pentecostal Pastor in the eye and bearing my testimony that I know this church is true. It was a crazy day!!

Later this week Elder Davis got a little sick so there was a couple of days that we didn't leave the apartment. That was pretty rough as well. I got to do a lot of studying which was pretty nice. But other than that this week was pretty good! The church is true!!!!

Love, Elder Hurst