Hi Everyone!!!

Hi everyone!!!

It has been an INCREDIBLE week! One of the best weeks on my mission so far! 

Annie and Daniel were baptized this past Saturday! It went so well. The Spirit was very strong. They are an amazing couple, and it has been so neat watching them take this step together! They will be great members of the Church. 

This week we had so many miracles come from TALKING TO EVERYONE! It is so fun. I want to share one experience. We had an appointment to see this couple in an apartment complex, and when we got there, no one answered (welcome to the life of a missionary). So, we are leaving and I notice a guy putting his kids in a van. I decide to talk to him because, what the heck! We are supposed to after all! We start talking to him about his faith in Jesus Christ, and he goes, "Wait, what church are you from?" We tell him and he says, "I was baptized in that church about 10 years ago when I moved to California." He is from Sierra Leone, Africa (yes, another African!!!) He has 5 kids!!! They are all under the age of 7. They are SO CUTE! We asked if he had gone to church in a while and he said it had been a couple months, but that his wife wants to be baptized. WHAT?!?!? We freaked out! We met the wife and she said she wants the discussions. Long story short...they came to church...they loved it (they've been many times) and it turns out Beresford and Tiffany are not married, but they want to be. We put Tiffany on date for baptism for December 27, and they are getting married this Saturday by the Bishop of our ward....it will be very low-key. Just us and them. My dream has been to baptize a part-member family and see them be sealed in a year!! WOOHOO!! So hopefully one year from now the family of 7 will be sealed in the Temple :) It is so incredible. I will send pics of the family in the next couple weeks. Tiffany is Egyptian and speaks it to the kids. They are the cutest family. God is so good!!!! What a complete miracle! And they had just moved in a couple days before. No matter where we go as missionaries, we planned that place for a reason. We are always taught that if an appointment falls through, there is a reason you are there, so find that reason! I am thankful for the Lord's hand in this work.

Sister Garrido and me with Annie and Daniel at their baptism this past Saturday!

Aren't they so cute! They have been married only a few months. What a special day for them! 

We have been teaching like crazy. It is so fun! We have been busy, and this time of the year is a fun time to be talking to people. 

Wednesday is Zone Conference with the mission. We go to the Temple with President and Sister Jardine and then there is a Christmas program. Our zone was asked to do a musical number. All the sisters are singing and someone is playing the piano, and I AM PLAYING THE CELLO!! hahaha it as been 3 years. I have been freaking out. I found one to play. It has been SO HARD to get back into it. My fingers hurt so bad! And my brain is so slow figuring out where the notes are on my cello. It will sound good though all together! We are playing "O,Holy Night" which is my favorite Christmas song. I am excited for the conference on Wednesday to see other missionaries! 

My little Hawaiian companion :) 

We have been picking up a lot of new investigators, but it is hard to tell if they are prepared. We decided we have to start just inviting people to baptism right there in the contact. A lot say yes, surprisingly. I used to be so scared, but I actually really like it! Welcome to the life of a missionary, people. Sometimes, I just want my friends at home to shadow me for a day to see what I really am doing. Hahaha you guys would not even believe it. It is the best though. You have to be bold to know who Heavenly Father is preparing! 

I am just so excited for the rest of the transfer! It will be really busy and we will have another baptism for Tiffany :) And we are possibly having another for a couple the same day. It might be moved though, we will see :) 

The Holidays in California is fun! I do miss good 'ol Oklahoma though :)

Good luck to all my friends on finals!

With love,

Sister Hickman 

P.S. Congrats to my girl, Val, on getting married a couple weeks ago! I still cannot believe it! AND congrats to Madisson on the engagement!!!!! Woohooo!!!! I am so excited!

P.P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD THIS WEEK WHO TURNS THE BIG 6-0! Man, you are getting old!!!!!! Stay young, dad, stay young.