February 28, 2011

Family,

   Dearest family i love you all so much, and I am so grateful to be part of our family!!  Well I'm now in Dallas Georgia, in the Burnt Hickory ward, my companion is Elder Stephens he has been out for 10 months.  He is a really quiet and humble kid, he is a football player i guess he was recruited by UCLA to play corner but decided to come on a mission and he only joined the church less than 5 years ago, so he is definitely a strong soul. I don't know him all that well yet but i am excited to get to serve with him. So the Burnt Hickory ward is awesome, this area is very wealthy, lots and lots of big houses.  The work here in the past has been really slow!  Which is awesome because that means there is lots of work to be done, i am really excited for this challenge, I know there are people in this area who are ready to receive the message, i don't exactly know how we are going to find them but the LORD does and hes on our side.  I know that this is a great opportunity for me to learn.  OH and our ward mission leader, who was just called, is so awesome and a real go getter, and he has already been a great help.  Well to be honest leaving McDnonough was tough, I really loved that place, I was able to meet some great people.  The worst thing about it is that that area is going over to the Atlanta North mission, which is crazy but there are all sorts of changes happening within the Church here in Georgia. There are all sorts of rumors about the missions/stakes changing so keep a look out in the Church news for information about those changes there will be lots in the next six months.  So i will probably most likely not be able to see anyone in McDonough till after my mission and there are definitely some people I want to see.  I am so grateful that the LORD answers prayers. I am grateful for the LORD answering the prayers of the boy Joseph Smith, i know that he did.  I think about how Joseph was simply reading the scriptures, and was simply inspired to pray after reading James 1:5, he was a simple boy from a simple family, and started out by reforming the church of Christ with a small band of 6 members, "by small and simple things GREAT things come to pass".  We should all keep this in mind, and do the small things. Keep being member missionaries, please tell me of your missionary experiences. Follow the words of the living prophets! I love you all.

 

 

Elder Hendrix

 

Julie, 

   You are awesome, keep doing what mom and dad tell you. Ask how you can help them. Give Darren a hug everyday. I love you way too much.

February 21, 2011

Family,

    Sorry don’t have time to write, this week has been pretty crazy. I get a new companion and area most likely, on wed. Love you all, be good, do missionary work!

Elder Hendrix

PS: Julie is crazy!!

Happy Valentines Day!!! February 14th 2011

Dear Family,

   Hello everyone, I'm so thankful to have such an awesome family.  I love getting letters and e-mails from y'all.  This last week flew by i cant even hardly remember what happened. Yesterday was kinda a bummer because we were expecting 7 investigators to show up to church and 1 did, so that wasn't that cool.  But that's why our Heavenly Father created next week:).  I'm pretty bumbed because we are probably going to have to quite teaching Kasheem. He has a really good heart, hes an awesome person.  He just cant see that what God wants for him, is right in front of his face.  There is no doubt that we were lead to him and he was lead to us, and that the LORD had been preparing him, but he still has his agency to accept and act on the message (ie read the Book of Mormon), he just isn't doing that right now.  We will see, i know if he starts reading the Book of Mormon every day with a desire to learn from it then he will know the gospel is true. But not all hope is lost, we keep praying.  You know Agency is so cool. The LORD can take anything from us but he cant take our agency, he gave it to us for us to keep and it is truly the only thing we can give back to him. And if we give it to him, he gives us eternal life.  I am blessed to be companions with Elder Stricklin i am grateful for him.  Everything is going great, we are sharing the gospel with lots of people who have never heard it. Keep being great examples and I love you all very much.
Elder Hendrix

 

 

Julie,

  Hey bud. Way to go in the talent show! that is awesome, i think next time you should tell jokes instead. What is your root beer float joke? and tell me some other funny jokes.  Tell me what you do to help mom and dad out around the house. tell Darren to do the dishes after dinner too, but you have to help him too. I love you Tons.

Elder Hendrix

 PS: Your a silly goose, and your a goof too!

February 7, 2011

Dear Family,

   Hello Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the snow, ill bet its pretty deep by now, i kinda miss snow, but the sunny, 60 degree days in Georgia are pretty nice.  Make sure and let Nannette and Kurt know that i love them and I'm praying for them. Mother you are right the experience of the crowd is just something special to be a part of. Grandpa is a funny guy, and he's probably right about the temple not being busy on game day.  I miss the Temple but the Atlanta Temple opens up on April 9th till the 23rd, and we will get to go to the open house one day. I really think it would be cool to go to the cultural event though, and Pres. Monson is going to be at the dedication.  Its going to make for great missionary opportunities, with the open house, and its also a great opportunity for Satan to "stir up the people in anger", Its so sad to see something so good be persecuted, like the church is around here.  The members say that there will be all sorts of anti-Mormon rallies and stuff like that as the dedication gets closer, but as in the words of Joseph Smith "Persecutions may rage mobs may combine and armies may assemble... but the truths of God will go forth...Until the Great Jehovah shall say, "the work is done"."  But I am really excited with the opening of the temple the spirit of the LORD will be stronger, and I'm excited because the work will increase as people start going back to the temple.  The Temple is awesome, it is the Pinnacle of our faith, it fulfills the work we do as members of the church in Gods Kingdom.  Study the words of the Prophets and Apostles, share them with non-members, their words are for the whole world! I love you all  Very much.

 

Elder Hendrix

 

 

Julie,

   I am not crazy and i never ever was or will be, ya goof.  I hope you get to be in the talent show playing your violin.  I'm glad that you are still playing the Violin, I wish mom would have made me play the piano :), haha.  I'm glad you fasted for 23 whole hours, that is great, Heavenly Father is happy, its hard being 8 huh.  Make sure you don't let your other hermit crab die, ok.  How is Darren doing are you keeping an eye on him for me? I love you Julie and think of you a lot. Be good and do what Mom and Dad tell you every time.

 

 

D-bo,

   Hows things going, Thanks for the letter the other day.  Let me know how prep for baseball is coming.  Fill me in on whats been going on, High school basketball, snowboarding etc. Don't fight going to Mutual....ever!! Start reading the book of Mormon again, this time asking for you Heavenly Father to "manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the holy ghost."  The book of Mormon is the Keystone of our religion and the keystone of each members testimony. Every time you read it, pray about it, ask God for a testimony of it. I love you man, keep up the good work!

 

Elder Hendrix