Letters April 27, 2015

Hey mommsi! So you know what I was randomly thinking about this week? Do you remember when you and I went and saw "Wicked" after my graduation. I don't know why but I remembered how much fun we had and I just started busting out with wicked music in the middle of the street. My companion thought I was crazy, but when your Dashing Through Life, then No one mourns the wicked, if ya know what I'm sayin. 

Anyways, I want you to try and guess what the big surprise is!!!! haha I'm not going to tell you:) 

That is so cool that dad is in the High Counsel!!!! Good for him.

Nathan, this part is for you buddy. just wanted to say how proud I am of you. but more than anything, how proud your Father in Heaven is that you stood alone. Go check out the Mormon message of President Monson when he had to stand alone when he was in the navy. It reminded me of your story amigo. You will be an awesome missionary. The best part is, now you never need to fear to share the gospel. It is kind of like brushing your teeth if somebody grows up their whole life without brushhing their teeth, when they see you doing it, they will think you are weird!, but then once they realize how much better life is with clean teeth, they will thank you eternally for not caring what they thought at first! Good for you little bro. (By the way, one of the girls in the branch, was totally crushin on you when I showed her a picture of my fam.)

So I have some very good news. A couple of weeks ago, President Cordova had interviews with everyone. But since we are so far out in the middle of nowheresville, we didn't have them.  Apparently he asked everyone in my district and the zone leaders about me. I guess they told him good things because he told them he needed to move me somewhere, (to an area that is very difficult, because he trusts I will get the job done.) So that is why I pretty much knew I would be changed today. He told them all I would. Nevertheless, I knew I wouldn't leave because I still had work that needed to be done here. They all thought I was crazy when I told them President wouldn't change me, especially since I hadn't even talked with him. Well needless to say, changes came on Saturday, AND I AM STAYING IN HUATUSCO! 

I was soooo happy and everybody was soooo surprised. This Sunday we had stake conference. President Cordova came to our stake conference and afterwards we had our interviews, (because we didn't have them a few weeks ago). He told me that he was certain he was going to change me, but then he saw our numbers, with 10 investigators in church last week, and he felt like I was the one who needed to be here teaching them. He said he wanted me to be the one at their baptisms. It was super cool!  I knew I wasn't going, but nobody ever believes Elder Hackleman! He also told me that this would for sure be my last change though, because next change a ton of zone leaders are finishing their missions. He said he needed me as a district leader in this area, so that he could replace the zone leaders! I'm pretty excited about that. He said, 'you have like a year and a few months in the field right?' and I said no I just completed 8 months. His eyes got huge and he started laughing. He said my Spanish was so much better than anybody else that came out at the same time as me, that he couldn't even tell. haha that made me feel pretty good.

Anyways, stake conference was super cool! Elder Salinas from the 70 was there! He spoke very very strongly and very animated. He pretty much chewed out our entire stake. It was awesome! I have never seen anybody talk like that before! I loved it. Afterwards, the branch president had us all over to his house for dinner, the entire branch of 50! He fed us all! He seriously does so much for this branch it isn't even funny.

Well I am pretty happy that I am still in Huatusco! This week will be hard though because of Carnival. We may not be able to even leave our houses....

I will let you know how it goes next week!

Love you,

Elder Hackleman

P.S. cant wait to skype on Mother's day!!!


On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 7:20 AM, Amy wrote:

Dear Elder,

Good Monday morning. What in the world were you thinking last week, dropping a teaser and not giving us the answer. You made me crazy all week wondering what you could possibly be talking about you crazy boy. What is the big thing that is happening in July? Don't even think about going another week without telling me.

Your dad was put into the High Counsel yesterday during Stake Conference. It was really a special day. The new stake presidency did such a great job.

Jaren flew out to Saint George on Saturday and came back on Sunday so he could attend xxxxxxx's brother's wedding. It was a quick trip but at least he met some of the family now.

Nathan is back into saying he is going to play football this year. He is so funny. I think he just needed to come to the conclusion on his own and he has decided it is something he wants to do.

I am so proud of him. Friday some of his friends on the bus were joking around with him about playing football and told him it would never work because he didn't bother learning the plays. Then they started in making fun of his religion. He was laughing it off with them for a while, but then decided he had had enough. He got very serious and told them it was enough and they had gone too far. He wouldn't listen to them slandering his religion any more. This really had a big effect on them. They changed their tone and started asking questions about his religion instead of making fun of it. He said by the time they got home he had born his testimony and taught them a bunch about his beliefs. They asked him not to forget where they left off and asked if they could ask more questions on Monday. I am so impressed with him. His Patriarchal blessing says he will be put in positions in his life when he will need to defend his faith and at times he will need to stand alone. This was certainly one of those times.

He is really has a strong testimony and realized for the first time there was a power in sharing it.

I sure love you!

Love mom