Dear Family, (letter received Mon. Nov. 9th)
I just had probably one of the coolest experiences happen to me so far on my mission. So let me start from the beginning. Elder Tabor and Elder Robison (the Elder I took the place of) had a lady drive up and say “Hey come over to my house sometime.” This was before Elder Robison left, so then Elder Tabor and I go over there and finally set up an appointment with her. So we go over and she had heard about Joseph Smith, but knew nothing about him except his name. So I decide to show her “Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration.” While she is watching this movie (the natives are really in tune with the spirit) she is saying how remarkable the things that happened were. And saying, God gave him the power to head people, etc. By the end of the movie this lady (Rosella Archdale) says her heart is overflowing with emotion. We then we tell her there is a way that she can know for sure that these things are true. So we pull out a Book of Mormon and she has never heard about it before. So we spend about 20 minutes explaining the background of it. We then tell her that if she reads and prays about that book she will receive an answer from God that it is true. She then says “I already know it’s true! The feeling I have right now is unlike any other.” We then tell her that the child she lost at birth she would see again and live with. We found out she lost her oldest son when Alvin Smith died in the movie. She said, “I lost my oldest son to death also.” By now something kicked up in me and said to commit her to baptism! I’m like hey hold on now, this is the first time we have taught her and it told me again “commit her to baptism.” So I did. And she said YES. I then start telling her that she has to come to Church consistently and we have 4 lessons to teach before the baptism can happen. Then something kicked up in me and said “set a date” so I was like alright, I flip open my planner and it lands on Sunday , Nov. 22. I think to myself we usually have baptisms on Saturday. Then it kicked up in me again and said, “ask her if she will be baptized Sun. Nov. 22, so I did. She then is taken back and says “Oh my, I would love to, that is my birthday and that would be the greatest birthday present ever.”
How flippen cool is that?????? It was way awesome, oh ya, we have it scheduled to teach the rest of the lessons and have the baptism interview with 2 weeks. It was a way cool experience. It was way awesome. I love you all. Thanks for the Halloween package.
Love, Elder Hinton
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
November 7, 2009
Dear Family, (Letter received Sat. Nov. 7)
I decided that I better write you a letter before I get killed by one of you. Haha Well life is going great. Out here in Wolf Point is fantastic. We are 1 of only 7 companionships in our mission that are still in an apartment. The natives here on the Fort Peck Reservation are way awesome. There is a ton of history here in the Wolf Point area. 5 miles out of town is a city called Oscwego. That is where Chicken Hill is. If I were you I would look up all the things that happened at Chicken Hill by Melvin J. Ballard. He performed mighty miracles and prophecied of great things. 100 years ago he prophecied that one day a temple would be built at Chicken Hill. I am here to tell you that I am going to be a major part of that prophecy. We have enough members for 2 wards in Wolf Point, 1 in Frazer, 3 in Poplar, 1 in Plentywood and 1 in Scobey which are all on the Ft. Peck Reservation. We have enough members to have a Stake here. We are so excited to get this work going and to reactivate the members that we went to Pres. Gardner this past weekend when we were in Glendive for Stake Conference. We told him our feelings and how we wanted to make this work blossom and how we were going to be a defining factor for this prophecy to come to pass. We asked that we get more missionaries in Wolf Point and Poplar. Pres. Gardner loves this sacred ground especially since his father served a mission here 70 years ago. So he told us he would do whatever he could. He called me yesterday and told me he was going to make it happen. We are so excited. You don’t understand the amount of work we will be able to accomplish now. Right now we have a branch building that at like maximum capacity holds 50 people. I plan on reactivating flippen everyone. I am going to see this building overflow week after week so that the First Presidency will have to step in and start building us full-sized ward buildings and eventually a Stake Center. These natives are the most kind hearted, gracious people I have ever met.
The BuckElk family also knew and loved Grandma and Grandpa. All I have ever heard was by far they were some of the best missionaries that have ever been here. To hear stories about Grandpa Hinton driving over peoples lawns cracks me up. Haha Sister BuckElk who's maiden name is Headress was saying they were laying sod in their front yard and here comes Elder Hinton driving up over the sidewalk and across the lawn haha.... she said he was a hoot. To see pictures of them and the people is a heart toucher. There is still a seminary program here today but they only do it once a week on Wednesday night. Hey mother, this is something that will freak you out. 20 miles away in Poplar where Elder Beck and Elder Searle are serving (they both came out with me and I go over there a few times a week) anyway it has the highest stabbing rate in the country! How cool is that. Haha But you don’t need to be scared. We are loved by everyone and people don’t mess with the “God men”. I am completely in love with Wolf Point. By far it will be the best place I will ever serve on my mission. Every person we talk to invites us back and sets up an appointment. We have too much going to focus on both our investigators and reactivation so that is why we are getting more missionaries.
Okay, here is a cool experience that happened last night. We went over to an investigators house. They both will be baptized but we are waiting for them to get married. Well Cynthia’s soon to be husband is not home for our appointment, but her brother Karl from Hardin is there. So we start talking and visiting with them a bit. And pretty much our attention turns to Karl who is telling us that his kids have been taken away from him (who mean the world to him) but we find out it is because he smokes weed. He is explaining to us he does it to solve his problems for a temporary time. I then proceed to tell him that I have something very special that could solve his problems for life and even for eternity. He turns to me, crying, and tells me that is what he wants and that is what he needs. I end up teaching him about 2 lessons and I give him 2 chapters to read and pray about from the B of M. We are coming back today to see how his reading last night went. He is coming to Church on Sunday and we are bringing him to the addiction recovery program. It was way cool. Oh, this Sunday I get the opportunity to talk in Church. That will be great. We have a new branch President, who is native which is awesome. We have so much going for us. It’s funny when everyone else who doesn’t live in Eastern Montana and the rest of the missionaries do not understand the things they are missing. This will become the most coveted spot in the mission because of what happens here in the next few months. I really think this is my last area. It would be 10 ½ months but stranger things have happened. I told Pres. Gardner in my President’s letter about how I always knew I would serve in Wolf Point. It was only a matter of time. I love you all lots. Now send me letters and names of people Grandma and Grandpa taught.
Love, Elder Hinton
I decided that I better write you a letter before I get killed by one of you. Haha Well life is going great. Out here in Wolf Point is fantastic. We are 1 of only 7 companionships in our mission that are still in an apartment. The natives here on the Fort Peck Reservation are way awesome. There is a ton of history here in the Wolf Point area. 5 miles out of town is a city called Oscwego. That is where Chicken Hill is. If I were you I would look up all the things that happened at Chicken Hill by Melvin J. Ballard. He performed mighty miracles and prophecied of great things. 100 years ago he prophecied that one day a temple would be built at Chicken Hill. I am here to tell you that I am going to be a major part of that prophecy. We have enough members for 2 wards in Wolf Point, 1 in Frazer, 3 in Poplar, 1 in Plentywood and 1 in Scobey which are all on the Ft. Peck Reservation. We have enough members to have a Stake here. We are so excited to get this work going and to reactivate the members that we went to Pres. Gardner this past weekend when we were in Glendive for Stake Conference. We told him our feelings and how we wanted to make this work blossom and how we were going to be a defining factor for this prophecy to come to pass. We asked that we get more missionaries in Wolf Point and Poplar. Pres. Gardner loves this sacred ground especially since his father served a mission here 70 years ago. So he told us he would do whatever he could. He called me yesterday and told me he was going to make it happen. We are so excited. You don’t understand the amount of work we will be able to accomplish now. Right now we have a branch building that at like maximum capacity holds 50 people. I plan on reactivating flippen everyone. I am going to see this building overflow week after week so that the First Presidency will have to step in and start building us full-sized ward buildings and eventually a Stake Center. These natives are the most kind hearted, gracious people I have ever met.
The BuckElk family also knew and loved Grandma and Grandpa. All I have ever heard was by far they were some of the best missionaries that have ever been here. To hear stories about Grandpa Hinton driving over peoples lawns cracks me up. Haha Sister BuckElk who's maiden name is Headress was saying they were laying sod in their front yard and here comes Elder Hinton driving up over the sidewalk and across the lawn haha.... she said he was a hoot. To see pictures of them and the people is a heart toucher. There is still a seminary program here today but they only do it once a week on Wednesday night. Hey mother, this is something that will freak you out. 20 miles away in Poplar where Elder Beck and Elder Searle are serving (they both came out with me and I go over there a few times a week) anyway it has the highest stabbing rate in the country! How cool is that. Haha But you don’t need to be scared. We are loved by everyone and people don’t mess with the “God men”. I am completely in love with Wolf Point. By far it will be the best place I will ever serve on my mission. Every person we talk to invites us back and sets up an appointment. We have too much going to focus on both our investigators and reactivation so that is why we are getting more missionaries.
Okay, here is a cool experience that happened last night. We went over to an investigators house. They both will be baptized but we are waiting for them to get married. Well Cynthia’s soon to be husband is not home for our appointment, but her brother Karl from Hardin is there. So we start talking and visiting with them a bit. And pretty much our attention turns to Karl who is telling us that his kids have been taken away from him (who mean the world to him) but we find out it is because he smokes weed. He is explaining to us he does it to solve his problems for a temporary time. I then proceed to tell him that I have something very special that could solve his problems for life and even for eternity. He turns to me, crying, and tells me that is what he wants and that is what he needs. I end up teaching him about 2 lessons and I give him 2 chapters to read and pray about from the B of M. We are coming back today to see how his reading last night went. He is coming to Church on Sunday and we are bringing him to the addiction recovery program. It was way cool. Oh, this Sunday I get the opportunity to talk in Church. That will be great. We have a new branch President, who is native which is awesome. We have so much going for us. It’s funny when everyone else who doesn’t live in Eastern Montana and the rest of the missionaries do not understand the things they are missing. This will become the most coveted spot in the mission because of what happens here in the next few months. I really think this is my last area. It would be 10 ½ months but stranger things have happened. I told Pres. Gardner in my President’s letter about how I always knew I would serve in Wolf Point. It was only a matter of time. I love you all lots. Now send me letters and names of people Grandma and Grandpa taught.
Love, Elder Hinton
Monday, November 2, 2009
November 2, 2009
Mon. Nov. 2, 2009 (From email) Kathy writing
Elder Hinton says: “Wolf Point is so awesome… I am in love with it... this will by far be the defining part of my mission.” I don’t know exactly what he means by this but anyway he seems happy, except for the fact that he got a speeding ticket driving from Livingston to Wolf Point. He was 250 miles from WP when a “jerky cop” pulled him over for going 40 in a 25 mile zone. He said he thinks he could have got out of it, but he doesn’t have enough miles on his vehicle to travel back there for the court date, so he paid the fine!!
The first Sunday at the small branch building, he met people who Grandma and Grandpa Hinton had taught Seminary to on their mission there in WP 20 years ago. Kyler was born while they were there serving, we think that is so cool. He met the Birdbills and the Pilgrims (who were baptized back then) and says they all absolutely love Grandma and Grandpa and say they were the best missionaries ever in WP. He says everyone remembers them and says they were so loved! There are like 600 less active members there and about 40 who come regularly. He says he loves the people and that they are going to make prophecy come true. Apparently many, many years ago, Melvin J. Ballard gave some prophecy about a Temple being built there on Chicken Hill. I don’t know all the details, we will have to research this.
Anyway, he sounded good, said they were only in the 40’s with no snow yet, so he was happy with that. He is in an apartment with Elder Tabor who has been out about 4 months, there are 2 Elders in Poplar which is about 20 miles away. He gave us a local address: 321 ½ Eureka St. Wolf Point, MT 59201.
Elder Hinton says: “Wolf Point is so awesome… I am in love with it... this will by far be the defining part of my mission.” I don’t know exactly what he means by this but anyway he seems happy, except for the fact that he got a speeding ticket driving from Livingston to Wolf Point. He was 250 miles from WP when a “jerky cop” pulled him over for going 40 in a 25 mile zone. He said he thinks he could have got out of it, but he doesn’t have enough miles on his vehicle to travel back there for the court date, so he paid the fine!!
The first Sunday at the small branch building, he met people who Grandma and Grandpa Hinton had taught Seminary to on their mission there in WP 20 years ago. Kyler was born while they were there serving, we think that is so cool. He met the Birdbills and the Pilgrims (who were baptized back then) and says they all absolutely love Grandma and Grandpa and say they were the best missionaries ever in WP. He says everyone remembers them and says they were so loved! There are like 600 less active members there and about 40 who come regularly. He says he loves the people and that they are going to make prophecy come true. Apparently many, many years ago, Melvin J. Ballard gave some prophecy about a Temple being built there on Chicken Hill. I don’t know all the details, we will have to research this.
Anyway, he sounded good, said they were only in the 40’s with no snow yet, so he was happy with that. He is in an apartment with Elder Tabor who has been out about 4 months, there are 2 Elders in Poplar which is about 20 miles away. He gave us a local address: 321 ½ Eureka St. Wolf Point, MT 59201.
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