December!

As I have gone through all our photos for the last couple of weeks, I can see that we have had a very festive December! We have made gingerbread houses and attended a Messiah Sing Along at the chapel at Princeton with the young single adults. We also attended a YSA Christmas Dance in Newark where some of our YSA's finally were able to meet.  There was a very special Fireside put on by the missionaries for the community; one fireside for the Spanish speakers and another for the English speakers. It was fun to attend an All Mission Christmas Conference where we were able to catch up with young missionaries that we have worked with in the past.

December always brings parties and activities full of fun. As I write this I realize that there is still another week of December and there are ward dinners to attend and some activities planned with the young adults that will be fun. The fun actually never stops here, especially with our assignment.  During the next couple of weeks we do not hold classes for Institute, but we are instructed to have activities with them.  As of now, after Christmas, we have a pizza and movie night planned, a bowling activity, and an ice skating event planned.

One of our favorite activities recently was with our CES counterparts.  We spent a day together shopping at an Amish market and then stopped by a Fudge Shop. Then we came to the quaint town of  Clinton for lunch.  Clinton is known for the Red Mill that was built in 1812 to mill wool.  There is a museum here, Revolutionary War history, antique shops, and good places to eat.

As we crossed the bridge into town we could watch some fishermen off to the side (below the bridge) as they fished.  It was a cold day, but that didn't seem to bother the fishermen.

We stopped at "Christie's Artisan Bread and Pastry Shop" for a bowl of warm soup and bread.  Then, we loaded up and drove a short distance to Brother Bean's home for the remainder of our activity.  On the way there we saw some deer in a neighbor's yard.

My favorite part of the activity was sitting around the living room and singing Christmas carols.  As we did so, I could see out the front window and see some snow on a neighbor's roof and watch geese fly by.  It made me think that this is what Christmas should feel like:  being surrounded with people you love, singing praises about Christ and His birth, feeling the spirit that comes with the messages from the carols, and enjoying the scenes of winter.

Even though we miss not being with our family and loved ones at home, we are certainly surrounded here with new friends and our great young single adults who feel like family now.

Pictures with some of our groups at various activities:

English and Spanish Institute activity, making gingerbread houses.

After class in Perth Amboy:  Ezequiel, Sheila, Ricardo, Elder H, Benny, Malfer, Sharon, Mikey

Casey Andino was the only one that could come to class one night, so we went out for ice cream.

It is great being one on one with the young single adults.  We really get to know them that way.  

These two sisters (Dalia and Violeta) have birthdays just weeks apart so we went to Eatontown and  took them to lunch at Olive Garden. They are showing off the rings that they chose from our birthday gift basket.

Pictures from the Regional Christmas Dance in Newark:

 Nefi Contreras, orginally from Guatemala, now living in Elizabeth, having a good time at the dance with Jessica Penaloza and Theresa Diez of Newark.

These are our YSA's, some from Perth Amboy and some from Elizabeth.

Left to Right:  Orlando Maria, Yantna Richardson, Sheila Arevalo, Omar Luna (left 3 days later for a mission to Los Angeles), Benny Santos, Loren Romero, and Malfer Santos

Pictures from all Mission Christmas conference:

We have come to love Elder Leon as well as many others.  He is from Virginia.  He is a very dynamic missionary.  

 It was great to see Elders Smith and Martinez, former companions last spring in Tom's River.

MTC Tutoring

I recently completed the six months of tutoring help from the Senior Missionary Training Center.  My Spanish tutor was Benjamin Cuque who is originally from Guatemala.  He has been very patient, helpful, and positive with me.  What a great young man.  He is attending BYU and knows what it is like when an English speaker (professor) gives lots of instructions quickly and it is hard to catch everything.  I feel the same way when Spanish speakers speak too quickly and I have to ask them to slow down.

The tutoring has been a great experience and has helped keep me on track to continue learning.  Now I am to continue being an independent learner.  I can already tell that I have slacked off.  Time to make some goals! 

Benjamin Cuque

Espero que tengan una Feliz Navidad y un Próspero Año Nuevo

Thanksgiving and more

Thanksgiving 2014

We were asked to head up a Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 22 for all the senior missionaries this year.  We met at the Princeton Church Building for dinner, then we took them to the Princeton Campus for a self guided tour and a stop at the Princeton Art museum.  It was a cold day, so we didn't see the whole campus, but we did show them enough to get a feel for the history there.

From L to R:  Vauses, Shaws, Roses, Hancocks, Strouds, Saunders, Fullmers, Gilchrists, Baileys, Toy, Young, Dunns, and Pittsons.

Princeton Chapel - beautiful building inside and out.

East Pyne building courtyard.

The next week for Thanksgiving, we joined with the sister missionaries (Sisters Young and Toy) at their apartment.  They had invited three YSA men (Julian--Singapore, Lawrence--Sierra Leon, and Jonathan--California) that were far from home and family.  We also invited our neighbor, Judi Laguer, who is originally from Puerto Rico. We all enjoyed a very nice traditional turkey dinner and then we all stayed and spent the rest of the day together watching the movie "Maleficent" and then playing some games.

Now that we are officially in the holiday season, it is already evident that we will be playing and partying more with the YSA's.  On Black Friday, Institute class was not held.  We went instead to the theater and watched "Big Hero 6" with some YSA's from Piscataway.


New York Magic

On Monday, December 1st, there was a "cluster meeting" for all those working in CES in New York and New Jersey.  This "meeting" is the annual Christmas Social. We met in the Ambassador Room in the building where the Manhattan temple is. There was a nice lunch provided and then we each shared Christmas memories.

This was a beautiful day!  We enjoyed very pleasant temperatures.  Shaz and Mike Kramer and David and Natalie Bean took us on a walk through Central Park and then headed towards Fifth Avenue. Along the way, Shaz pointed out the "Plaza Hotel" where Kevin stayed in "Home Alone".

Elder Hancock didn't know to come in a white shirt and tie... thus the casual look...

The ice skating rink in Central Park

                 The Plaza Hotel












Fifth Avenue is the most expensive shopping street in the world!  We walked along the street to see the holiday window displays.  It was very festive.  We walked by Gucci, Prada, the Trump Tower, Tiffany & Co., and others.

We stopped and went in to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  There was signs of construction inside, but we enjoyed listening to a choir singing nonetheless.

Our whole purpose of walking down Fifth Avenue was to end up at Rockerfeller Center.  Much to our dismay, the tree there had not yet been lit.  The tree lighting was scheduled for two days later on Dec. 3rd.  It was probably best that we missed it though because then we missed the crowds that come with it, and we were able to find a place to eat without a line.  We found a restaurant right next to the skating rink.  It was fun to watch the ice skaters.

Sights as we entered Rockerfeller Center

The climax for the day was going to the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular.  Their performance was at Radio City Music Hall.  More senior missionaries from our mission and from NY joined with us for the show.

As we entered Radio City, they gave us each a Santa hat to wear and 3D glasses for part of the performance. This is what it looked like in the lobby.

The Rockettes were truly spectacular!!!  Every part of the show was perfect including all the lighting and special affects.

Dancing rain deer...

Floating snowflake globes...

Rockettes video sample


At the end of this beautiful day as we walked to the subway . . . .

Classes

Some of our Institute classes are going well and even growing.  But, in Eatontown and New Brunswick, the numbers have decreased due to the marriages of last month.  The married couples can still attend Institute, but they don't come all the time.  In New Brunswick, the students depend on rides to get to class. Paul and Liby (recently married couple) always picked everyone up for Institute each week.  Now the group is struggling. Partly due to ride problems, and also due to Friday night conflicts of weddings, ward parties, Black Friday shopping, etc. on the same night. We are trying to sort these issues out.

In Eatontown (below) when no one shows up for class, we meet with the sisters and attend the English class.  This photo was taken after class and Violeta and Wilfrido were in the building but had not attended class.

Back Row:  Violeta and Wilfrido De Leon, Brother Swindler, Alex Courter
Front Row:  Sisters Toy and Young, Emily Kerr (nanny from England) and Attorious


The Elizabeth class (below) is going well.  A couple of students left prior to the picture taking.  We attend the Sunday School class for the YSAs when we come to Elizabeth on Sundays so we know all the YSAs.  More will be joining our class when fall semester is over.

Left to Right:  Nefi Contreras, Giovanny Arredondo (newly married - wife in DR), Paulette Pinargote, Isabel Romero, and Elder Hancock


Perth Amboy (below) keeps growing and we have older members that attend class also.  Again, we know all the YSAs in this ward since we come here also on Sundays.  We may change and have class on another night so more can attend. We celebrated Ezequiel's birthday this night.  See the birthday hat? Ezequiel is home for a few months from his mission while he mends from knee surgery.

Left to Right:  Sheila Arevalo, Benny Santos, Malfer Santos, Ezequiel and Mikey Vazquez.


From this week's lesson...

 There are many ideas, attitudes, people, organizations, that can deceive. Perhaps not intentionally, never the less, if one is not very careful one can be deceived and led to think or do that which is not pleasing to the Lord. D&C 50 and 52 provide means to detect people or attitudes that are "...not of God..."

Also, as depicted in the image below, we can become trapped like a monkey who puts his hand into a tight place to grab a nut or fruit and then won't let go to escape. He is thus trapped and can not progress. We must learn to let go of sins, ideas, tendencies, attitudes, etc. in order to be free and progress.

Wedding Week

Perth Amboy Primary

The Primary Sacrament Meeting Program is a BIG DEAL with the Hispanics in New Jersey!  When we first started attending the Perth Amboy Branch this summer, it was obvious that those with musical ability were lacking. When I asked the Primary President, Hermana Vazquez, if I could help, she was overjoyed. The music director was imported from another ward also - she is here visiting for a few weeks from the Dominican Republic. This picture was taken during a practice.  Can you see the white CD player near the podium?  This is what they would have used to accompany their singing.

We had three practices during the weeks prior to the performance. Thankfully, they arranged practices to be on Wednesday nights when we come any way to teach Institute. Just like in Elizabeth when I was helping them with their program, it seemed like the children would never settle down.  But, come the day of the program, everything goes perfectly and the children act like angels.

 

Look at this sweet group! As you can see, they were all asked to wear white.  The teachers and leaders came in white also.  They made cute little bow ties for the boys the wear.  The wall in the foyer that they are standing in front of was decorated to say "Families Are Forever" and then there were pictures of each ward family posted.

After the program the children went upstairs for their classes and then they met in the Primary room for a fiesta.  It was very nice (yet wild).

They served lunch

and then . .  can't forget the ice cream!

Trip to Washington D.C.

There are two couples in our Young Single Adults who became engaged this summer and they both selected to be married in the Washington DC Temple AND they chose the same week to be married. We received permission to leave the mission to attend the weddings.

Since one wedding was on Thursday afternoon and the next wedding was on Friday morning, we contacted our niece, Melanie (Jay's daughter), and planned to meet up for dinner and get to know her and her husband Henry better and meet their son Lincoln, who is just 5 months old.  Melanie knew of this great Vietnamese restaurant "Four Sisters" in Merrifield Town Center, Falls Church, Virginia.  We had a great time!

Weddings in Washington DC Temple

On Thursday, November 13th, Paul Lora and Beviblierka (Liby) Tejada were married. Paul and Liby are both originally from the Dominican Republic and are the only members of the Church in both of their families.  They are also both returned missionaries.  Paul served his mission in St. George, Utah and Liby served at the visitors center at the Mesa Arizona Temple. Both Paul and Liby have been stalwarts and a great support for the New Brunswick Institute.

We worry when we lose Institute members, but, we are told that we are doing our job when the young single adults get married, go on missions, or off to school.

On Friday, November 14th, Wilfrido DeLeon and Violetta Mendez were married.  Again, both Wilfrido and Violetta are returned missionaries.  Violetta served in Virginia and Wilfrido was in Atlantic City, NJ.  Both Wilfrido and Violetta are originally from Mexico.

Sisters Toy and Young, Wilfrido and Violetta, the Hancocks

Both Thursday and Friday turned into cold days.  Sister Toy and I have been working on making Violetta's dress.  Here are some pictures of the front and the back.

Notice all the covered buttons???  I've decided that I'll never make another wedding dress!  After completing the dress, Sister Toy and I looked at it and said "This looks like a simple dress!"  It is hard to see in these pictures all the extras and all the beading on the sleeves and around the neck.

Both of these brides planned their own weddings and receptions and they both had BIG fiestas!  They both began at 6:00 pm and went into the night.  I know that some of our young adults were cleaning up at the Friday reception until 3:00 am.

We have grown to love both of these couples very much and hope they will continue to attend the institute classes, but will understand if they don't. In a sense, they have "graduated".


Great counsel for all from a recent lesson...Lesson week of Oct. 27, 2014
There are three main and associated principles to this lesson.

1. Elect or chosen. References:
    D&C 25:5 - Emma is called an Elect lady. What does that mean to be elect?
    D&C 33:6 - The Lord will gather his elect and those who are elect are those to BELIEVE in Him and HARKEN to his voice. How?
    D&C 35:20-21 - scriptures are given for the salvation of the elect. The elect are those who HEAR his voice, shall SEE Him, shall not be ASLEEP (distracted), shall ABIDE the day of his coming, shall be PURIFIED.
    D&C 29:7 - we are called to GATHER the elect and the elect HEAR His voice and HARDEN NOT there hearts.
The principle here is that if we desire to be the elect we must believe, harken, obey, prepare, repent, and harden not our hearts. To harden ones heart is to NOT do those things in the previous sentence.


2. Alma 12 talks about hardening of hearts. Here are some references.
    Alma 12:10-11 - those who harden their hears will have a LESSER portion of the WORD until they know nothing and are taken CAPTIVE by the devil.
    Alma 12:13 - the state of those who harden their hearts is AWFUL
    Alma 12: 34-36 - there is NO PEACE for those who harden their hearts
    Alma 12: 37 - seeing that we know this, let us REPENT and not harden our hearts.
The principle here is that there are severe consequences if we harden our hearts. So how do we prevent the hardening our hearts? By continually repenting and praying.


3. Pray always. Here is a list of scriptures on prayer with emphasis on praying always. I have found that when one stops praying it is only a matter of time until he or she gets into trouble (sin). Please take time to read, ponder, and discuss these.
D&C 93:49
D&C 31:12
3 Nephi 18:15
D&C 61:39
D&C 19:38
D&C 10:5
D&C 88:126
D&C 32:4
2 Nephi 32:9
Luke 21:36

So, I invite all to choose to be elect or chosen. Choose not to harden your hearts. And choose to pray always that you don't succumb to temptations. Great happiness will follow when such counsel is followed.

Love,
Hancocks