THE SIGNING

Well everyone this is it. It has been two years out here. I still remember everything from the MTC in Guatemala, to my first area in Valle de Sula and my first companion Elder Chapeton. That was 2 years ago. My Companion Elder Vasquez in Las Flores. That's when I felt like my mission really started cooking. That's when I got the language down a little better as well. Oh man did I love my time with Elder Vasquez. Two of the best changes from my mission from Elder Vasquez to Elder Olaveson. He will forever be one of my best friends and we just happened to serve in Copan. "The Dream" 3rd Nephi 11. Those 2 areas, Las Flores and Copan will always be my favorite areas. I fell in love with those people. Just like my other areas as well, but there is just something special about those 2 areas:) Next up Elder Lorenzana and Elder Toolson, two other amazing companions. In my personal opinion I think Elder Toolson is the best missionary who has ever passed through this mission. I learned so much from him. He really is the man. I love this country. I love these people. I love San Pedro Sula. The best two years…. They were the hardest two years, they were the most trying two years, they were the two years where I was stretched the most, they were the two years in my life that I was focused and dedicated to something like no other in my life! I have tried to  help others change their lives and in the process I have been changed also! I have become sanctified as promised in the oath and covenant of the priesthood. That sanctification comes as we selflessly serve and faithfully obey the spirit as it reveals, guides and directs us. During these two years I went from a boy trying to become a man to becoming a Man of God! A man who knows who he is, where he is going and most importantly how I am going to get there from here. “there” is any place or endeavor I decide to embark upon and the paths that God will call me to. How we do things is more important that what we do. God will reveal to us how we are to do the things he asks us to do and inspires us to do. I know this church is true. I know God lives. I know this Gospel is his. I know he owns and directs this work. I have loved these past 2 years. I love My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He Lives. He is the Christ. I testify of all these things. In the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

For one last time, Elder Hess

GOOD WEEKEND

Well I had a great weekend this week. I love General Conference so much. I received answers to questions that I have been having for awhile now. Now I can just say that I feel at peace. I went into Conference with a prayer in my heart hoping that I would get an answer. And just like always I did. I know that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God. He is the only man on this earth that has the keys to all the powers of the Priesthood. I also know that the 12 Apostles have been called of God. I love our leaders in this Church, but more than anything I sustain them. They are all servants of God. I know that Jesus Christ directs his Church through his Prophets and Apostles. I testify that all of the men who talked to us during this last weekend are called of God. I love this Church so much. It is insane how a testimony can constantly grow in these things. Little by little we all can get closer to Our Father and His Son Jesus Christ if we follow the Savior. I know this Church is true, I don't have one doubt in my heart about it. I didn't bring my notes that I took in Conference but my favorite quote was this. "God knows ALL of the things that we don't want anyone else to know. Even so, he keeps on loving us with a prefect love." When I heard that it really hit me how much our Father in Heaven loves us. We are all imperfect people trying to live such a life that we´ll be in the presence of a Perfect God. "Life is not fair and I am thankful for that because if life were fair none of us would even be close to living with our Father and his Son."  Christ suffered for all of us. So much that he bled from every pore of his body. He made it all possible for all of us. That is why He is called the Savior. Christ has done his part. Now it is our turn. I Love my Savior, I know that He lives and that if we live life in his Gospel we will all be saved. We will see loved ones that have past on to the next life. But more importantly we will walk and live with The Creator of all things, with perfect peace and with perfect joy. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, He is at the head of this Gospel. God is the author and Director of the Plan of Salvation. We are all Children of a God who has all Power and all Knowledge. I love you guys. Remember to serve our savior as often as you can. It will put a smile on his face.

Just so everyone knows. My favorite part of conference was the end of the Saturday morning session. When the Mormon tabernacle choir sang Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I had tears flowing down my face. When the Hymn was over I looked at everyone else and everyone was crying. It was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. Everyone go look it up when you have a chance.

Love Elder Hess

BROTHER MANUEL

Hey everyone:) So good news! Brother Manuel got baptized on Saturday! It was an awesome service! Like 50 people showed up too!!! Manuel is so awesome! He was a reference given to us from his sister:) His sister was baptized 6 weeks ago in a different ward! But now they all live here in San Pedro Sula! We met Manuel 3 weeks ago, and now he's a member of the Church of Jesus Christ! It is so crazy how fast this work grows when everyone works together! We visited Manuel 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Now we are going to focus on his Dad. He doesn't really like us but we are going to see what we can do with him:) This week was "Semana Santa" and holy cow did everyone leave San Pedro. There was nobody here all week... It was kinda a hard week on us but it all paid off because we had the baptism. During Semana Santa the whole world here goes to the beaches to relax. Oh and another thing... It is so hot.. I can't even sleep at night because the heat is so strong. I showered 3 times in the middle of the night the other day because I was so dang hot. It's insane.. I have never gotten use to the heat down here haha!! Well I love you guys! That was my week!!!! Everyone Watch conference and take notes!!

Love Elder Hess

Baptism of Manuel

SANTOS AND RICARDO

So things are going great down here like always. Still just trying to find new people to teach.. But this Saturday we should have a baptism:) So that's cool:) This week Brother Santos and Brother Ricardo both put the biggest smile on my face... First off in church Brother Santos showed up with his tithing. I helped him with it. He was giving his 10%.. It wasn't too much but it was very special to see a man like that paying his full tithing when he almost has nothing to his name. The members have given him 3 white shirts and a pair of shoes for church:) It's so awesome:) I love him to death. I look up to him a lot. He is a man with TRUE faith. OK so Ricardo was bearing his testimony in front of a class about how happy he is for being a member of this church. He started crying and looked at me and said "Thanks to you Elder Hess I am a member of this Church. I used to be a drug and alcohol user. But thanks to that man right there I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ." I started crying. It was very very special to me. I love this work so much and blessing the lives of the people around me. 

Love Elder Hess

RICARDO AND DANIELA

Hey Guys!! Well we had an awesome week! Ricardo and Daniela got baptized!!!! Ricardo was a huge miracle because he stopped smoking in just two weeks! How cool is that!! It really was a miracle! When people have smoking problems it usually takes them months or even years to stop!! So I was so happy! The only reason that he was able to stop is because he has so much faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I love him and I am so happy that he was baptized! Also Daniela! She is just 9 years old but she is the man! Her whole family was inactive for years and just a couple visits with the Bishop and us they were all activated and Daniela was baptized! It was so awesome! It's crazy how fast this work moves forward when the members support us in this work!!! OK so on Sunday the craziest thing happened ever.. So ALL of Central America had a huge conference with the Apostles from Salt Lake. Instead of having a normal Sunday we all just went to church and watched the Conference with the Apostles. They all talked about how we can grow as a people and as a Church if we CTR! So while Elder Anderson was talking he was talking about a family that was baptized in a small Branch in Central America.. I was just listening and thinking "Huh, that's kinda weird, that sounds like Olga's family" and then he said "this family lives in the Copan Honduras Branch, Sister Olga and Sister Luz!" I literally screamed in front of the whole stake when he said that hahaha! Elder Ola and I baptized that family!! I have no idea how their story got all the way to Salt Lake but it did! I was so happy!!!!! I wish I was in Copan to see the reaction of the little branch when the Apostle said that!!!! It was so Cool! I was floating for the rest of the day after I heard that! After he said that, I got like 6546 phone calls from all my friends in the mission to ask me if I knew that family! Gosh it was so dang cool! Well that was my week! I love you guys!!

Love Elda He$$

Baptism of Daniela

Baptism of Ricardo

 Companion Elder NcNeely, Elder Hernandez, Elder Ledesma, Elder Hess

with a balloon heart found at church

MS

Alright so I had a crazy week........... I couldn't really leave because MS13 was on one. The Police killed 4 of their members so MS13 sent out a notice saying that they were going to kill anyone they saw in the street just to get back at the police. They also killed 40 plus people on a bus on Thursday. So that's crazy! We were working at like 7:30 and everyone was screaming at us to go home because MS was coming haha! We just ran to the nearest member's house to hide for a little bit. Big Joe has our back though so I'm not scared at all;) We couldn't leave for a little bit just to be safe. Also our member were sent to jail for killing a taxi driver. He was cool:( (well I thought he was cool). Also this week we should have two baptisms! So I'm excited! This Country is insane haha!!!! I love it:) All the Members of the Church are really cool! I love them all! They don't have much in their lives but they have the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that is everything! God always protects them as well! I love you guys!!!!

Love Elder Hess

BRO. RECARDO :)

Alright so this week was a very long one until the very last lesson that we had on Sunday night:) I think I've already told you guys about Brother Recardo. Well, he's been going to church and has been progressing very very fast! Well this Sunday (yesterday) he decided that he wanted to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be Baptized:) He called us over to his house at 8:30PM because he said that he wanted to talk about some things with us. Well the news was that he wanted to be baptized. He read the Chapter in the Book of Mormon that we left him:) 2 Nephi Chapter 31 (this chapter is a missionary's best friend:) Well he said that if Jesus had the need to be baptized then he definitely had the need to be baptized in Christ's Church. He even set his own date! So on the 27th of this month he is going to be baptized:) He's a 20 year old so the next goal is to get him out on a mission!!! His Mom was baptized over 6 years ago and he FINALLY decided to get baptized:) He is the man!! He always had the best questions. I love it when people are real with us. I'll give a list of good questions people ask us and AWFUL dumb questions people ask us.

The Good

1. How can I know if Jose Smith was a Prophet?

2. Why is this the one and ONLY true church?

3. Who is Jesus Christ to you guys?

4. How can we know what is the one and only true Church?

The Bad -_-

1. If Coffee is a sin so is Coke. 

2. You guys are Jehovah's Witnesses right-_-

3. Didn't Jose Smith have like 68628 wives

4. My Pastor said you guys are from the Devil..

We get dumb comments like those every single day haha! Usually people just do it to make us mad. SO we've learned perfectly how to respond to them now:) Well I am so  excited for Recardo! He is going to be a great member of this Church:) I love him to death! I'll send you guys a picture of him next week!:)

Love y'all, 

Love Elder Hess