Provo MTC Celebrates 50th Anniversary?

We thought he was long gone to Atlanta on Tuesday -- at least his 5-minute phone call from the SLC airport, then his 10-second phone call later that day from Atlanta, combined with the quick email from his Mission President led us to believe he was gone...

We have met your son and love him!  He is doing well and we sent him to his first area which is in Marietta Georgia in the greater Atlanta area.  His trainer is an Elder Jones.  We are counting on him being a real leader for us!  Thank you again for all you have done.

Pres. Satterfield

...but Wednesday night, KSL aired a news piece on the MTC's 50th Anniversary and there was Elder Heimuli -- where else? -- in the cafeteria (sitting next to the bald elder)!  See if there's a missionary you recognize at this link:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=14504817

The entire story unfolds between General Conference sessions on Sunday, April 3rd at 1pm on KSL.

Semana 10 - Leaving on a Jet Plane

 

 

Hey family!

 

So i thought i'd write just a quick little note for you all! I am just starting to wrap up my final day here at the MTC. Today is really different and really weird, but good none the less. I spent most of the morning packing. I have to fit everything i got into two suitcases under 50 lbs and one carry one backpack (thank you so much for the backpack! You really didn't have to buy me a new one, i would have taken the trashed Nike one). Because i am such an expert traveler, this wasn't a very difficult task:) I did all my laundry and have it all ready to go! Tomorrow I wake up at 3:25 so we can leave here at about 4 or a little before. I am so excited to go!

 

Today has been a little lonely becuause me and Elder Haight are the only ones left from our district. Elders Otteson, Cartwright, Carlisle, and Aledo (he was adopted into our district from distric E last week) left this morning at 4. We said our goodbyes last night and it was kinda trippy. Oh! Our Sunday was good too! It started out normal and like any other Sunday--and instead of a district meeting like usual, Elder Haight gave me a great idea to have everyone recieve a blessing. So, we spent the next hour giving each of our companions blessings. We all participated in the circle but each companionship gave each other the blessing--so you can imagine how tired our arms and shoulders were after hahaha! We took a lot of breaks! Anyways, so that was good experience. Today, Elder Haight and i have just been getting ready. Our class and our residence halls are now vacant...but we left some good stuff in the Narnia holes so other Elders can remember us.

 

I did meet Elder Eric Nelson! I actually met him about a week ago, i just forgot to mention him, my bad! I met a couple of the Elders who will be traveling with us. Elder Asher is our travel leader. He is a big black, samoan, tongan elder. It's a crazy mix, but he's really cool. I took pictures with all of the Elders that i knew here, so you'll like that! And Elder Bushman said that you have to send a copy of mine and his picture to his mom.




I'll see if i can email the pics in the field!

 

I don't know what else to say. Things here are doin good and i'll soon be in Atlanta! I hope you got that MVR form cuz it was a real trick to get that signed. I spent all day waiting for this notary to show up on Friday, and when it was time for him to show, I guess they mixed up the times and he came in way early in the morning. There are 3 notaries here but i guess everyone of them was on vacation until Tuesday...what a drag! I was freaking out! We ran around and luckily there was one of the directors (or something) who was an official notary. Really close call but i got it out to you as soon as possible! Hope it all goes well! and i have now idea how they didn't recieve any of the papers from before--I sent them!

 

Well, i guess the next time you hear from me i'll be in Georgia....well, in the airport first...then Georgia! Oh, and i don't know how long i'll actually be able to talk for tomorrow, but i'll for sure talk to you!

 

I love you all and i pray for you every night! I hope all is goin well! and let me know about the family meeting!

 

 

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 9 - Crazry Crazyness...For Everyone, There is a Time To Go

NOTE: Here are some pictures taken in the MTC, finally sent to us by Elder H. Also, this letter -- being probably his last in the MTC -- mentions some tender farewells: a Tongan elder who will not see his sister again in this life; a Districto D elder who will see his family sooner than expected; and Elder H who will part from his new "brothers" as everyone goes into the 4 corners of the earth.

Apparently, one of the first things they teach in the MTC is "how to walk on walls" -- Helam's oldest brother Hema sent us a similar photo 5 years ago!  A lesser-known fact:  According to Elder Heimuli, everyone in the movie "Matrix" is an R.M.!

Elder Heimuli LOVES packages filled with letters and food!  What he doesn't love, obviously, is running out of Easy Cheese when he still has Ritz crackers left...yes, that is the worst.

Speaking of letters, Elder H's younger brother Houston likes to write letters on unusual surfaces.  Here's Houston's first "t.p." letter to his brother...followed by letters on a green apple, paper towel roll, packing puff, candy bar label, etc., etc.  Oh, junior high-schoolers!

Que tal familia!

Well, it has been nine weeks and what an exciting 9 weeks it's been! I've learned a lot here and i am ready to go to Georgia! First of all, i just want to thank you all for the Valentine's package! My zone is the most thankful though haha! They all loved the bags of treats! We got a HUGE amount of candy this week and i feel ashamed...i've been eating nothing but chocolate for the past 3 days. Your dream of getting me fat might come a reality real soon! This past week has been good and it has actually flown by pretty quick! I hope i can remember everything that has happened!

Well, there is an Elder Tomasi that's here. He is from tonga. He is actually Elder Joe Leishman's companion! Anyways, so Friday he got a letter from his family that told him that his sister had just died. I don't know too many specifics cuz it's not my place to know. The whole day he just sat and stared off during lunch and dinner and he was just really tired. I tried to talk with him but he was just so quiet and didn't really react much. I can't imagine how hard this must be for him. I just told him if he needed anything just to let me know and i left. So later, i got together with Elder Ho'ching (this was his idea) and the other polynesian elders that are here and we all got some money together to send to Elder Tomasi's mom. None of these numbers matters, but Elder Ho'ching and I both gave 100 each (it was my birthday money, and i don't need it) and the other couple elders gave money too. It ended up being a total of over 400 dollars. All of the poly elders took the money to Elder Tomasi (i couldn't go cuz i had class) later that night. The next day Elder Ho'ching told me about it and said he was really grateful. I've been praying for him every night since. I've actually seen him smile a couple times since then when i talk to him and i know that he knows that he is loved--most of all by his father in heaven. He will see his sister again and i know that has been such a testimony builder for me. I love being polynesian and having that 'family' connection even though we're not even related!

Another thing that happened is that Elder ______ went home yesterday. I don't know what happened exactly, but i know that he made that decision on his own and that takes a lot of courage and trust in the Lord. I was able to interview him cuz i'm the district leader and we talked for a little. He just told me how he has seen such good examples since he's been here. Everyone that he's come in contact with has made him want to be the best he can be. It was really sad. We were in class (we'd known for a couple days) and Hermano B came in. Before class started, Elder _____ stood up, took a picture with Hermano B, said a few words, hugged all of us in our district, and then walked out the door.

The last couple days have been CRAZRY cuz things  have changed so much. Our district is down to 5 elders. The other district that came in with us on Dec. 15th left. There is only one Elder left from that district and he is staying with us. He should be leaving in the next couple days so we'll just be a small group. I've gotten so close to everyone here and it's a bummer that we all have to be split apart! CRAZYNESS! This is my last real p day. i think i'll write on monday before i leave tuesday.

I got my flight plans! So i leave next tuesday morning at 4 in the moring! My direct flight to Atlanta leaves at 7 in the morning and i get there at around 1! So I am starting to get things ready to go! I am so excited it's ridiculous! i am so not ready, but then again, the Lord qualifies us for his work! If you want me to call next tuesday make sure you're up early hahaha! if you want to sleep that's cool too:) Just before i forget, sorry, but if my black nike backpack isn't being used, can you please send that to me? i don't have a real bag to carry my stuff in and i need it to be my carry on bag for the flight! Thank you for doing that!

I just want to bear my quick testimony...I know that i am here for a reason! I know that through my hard work and dedication here my family (present and future) will be blessed more than we know! Hema is such a good, nice, thoughtful husband because of it (Norma can testify of that:)) and i want to be just like him! I know that him and the other men in our family have set that example so future generations can continue to follow in their footsteps and represent the Heimuli name with pride! I know that God loves us and i know that if we just move forward in just a little bit of faith, we can do all things! There is a teacher here that served in the same zone as Hema in Ecuador, (Hermano Palmer) and even though he didn't know him personally, Hema's reputation of being a hard working Elder preceeded him! i want to be that!

I love you all! I pray for you all! sorry for this letter being short....they'll be a lot longer in the field, i promise!

Love, Elder Heimuli

New Missionary - Elder Garrett Bushman (Florida Jacksonville)

I received this wonderful email from a dear friend, Julie Bushman.  Her husband, Marty, was Helam's line coach all through little league, and the Heimulis really admire the Bushmans.  Their handsome son, Garrett, was Helam's teammate and good buddy.  It appears that Julie may also be related to an elder in Helam's district.  This from Julie last week:

Guess who was Garrett's first MTC comp?  Yep - your son.  He looked so great!  And Garrett was so thrilled to be greeted and taken care of by him!  What a sweet blessing!......  I think Elder Hemuli thought I was going to hug him or something - I said "hi" and my arms were wide open - but I wasn't even thinking of hugging him - I was just so excited to see him there and thrilled for the hug Garrett was giving him.  Anyway - he looked at me and said, "I'm not allowed to hug you....."  ha ha ha ha ha  He is so cute!  He looked happy and wonderful!  Mission life is treating him well!  Here is the only picture I got of him. 

I think we set a new record for "shortest" drop off time...... the MTC told us we could have up to 90 seconds (oh wow)...... but honestly - it was so quick - I think we were only there 30 seconds at the most.  I kind of felt "cheated" as we were driving away........ But Garrett was so excited and happy to be there - what could we do - he didn't want to stand around and say goodbye again....... so that was that.....

Hey - in your next email to Elder Hemuli - can you ask him if Elder Rinderknecht's grandpa's name is Odell Rinderknecht?  Just very curious........  

Semana 7 or 8? (Note from Mom: It's Semana 8)

Hola familia!

Everything is goin good here! We got a new district in our zone last wednesday: 5 elders and 3 sisters. They're all really nice missionaries! It's crazy cuz i feel like they're are so young, but at the same time i know that i am the youngest missionary in our whole zone hahaha! Don't worry, i'm being a good example to them, like always! Just like how i was such a good example when i was home! It's been two months already and it's felt like 6! I am glad i've had the opporitunity to be here and learn, but i am so excited to go to Georgia! I just talk to more and more people from Georgia and they all say it's amazing! If it's true, i might just have to move back once i'm done with school and everything huh?

Funny story from Saturday...so i was teaching the plan of salvation and i was talking about the three kingdoms of glory. I didn't know the word for 'kingdom' so my comp told me it was 'reina' and since he is so knowledgeable in the ways of Spanish (and the word for 'king' is 'rey') i just went with it. I explained to the investigator that we will be seperated into three 'reinas.' I told him we have the 'reina de celestial' the 'reina de terrestrial' and the 'reina de telestial.' I told him that our goal is to live with God again in the highest 'reina' and that we will be blessed. After our lesson my evaluator came in laughing and said that 'reina' means 'queen' and 'reinO' means 'kingdom' hahhaha i felt so stupid. Other than that incident i am still working hard on learning and teaching with the spanish language and atleast i know the difference between 'reino and reina' and i probably won't ever forget that.

When i heard about the car accident and how the holy ghost gave that prompting, i immediately knelt down and gave a prayer of thanks to God. It was funny cuz it was in the middle of choir practice and i told everyone to shut up, but i was so grateful for that. I know that prayers are answered and that even though i pray for the same things everyday, it's for good reason. Thank you for being such a good family and doing what is necessary to recieve that counsel from the spirit. I am working harder than ever now so you can all continue to recieve blessings, this calling has become that much more important to me.

(Note from Mom: The pic of the car running into the building is actually from my work -- I'm not THAT bad of a driver!  Just wanted you to see that it could have been worse.  Below, is my car...yeah, it's still pretty bad.) 

Now, as for dad and not being able to run on a treadmill for two seconds without dying, i don't think the spirit can help you with that much. Maybe it'll prompt you to eat a salad instead of a steak, but who knows;) I pray for Dad every night and every morning! I can sympathize though, cuz even though i have lost a ton of weight (and you will never fatten me up cuz my zone eats the food before i can touch it) I run 100 yards and my lungs feel like they're gonna break! I am so out of shape, but my spiritual is so much better...that's all that matters right?

I hope i receive my flight plans this week! Its crazy that i only have one pday left and then i'll be on a plane to Atlanta! I can't even explain how exciting it is! My district is slowly imploding from the outside. Everyone's nerves are frayed. I try every day to talk to each elder individually and figure out how to resolve problems. Thats pretty much my responsibility: not to have them kill each other before our departure date. Thanks for the offer to help my district. I will let you know if we need anything but as of now, we're good. They all love the food you send so that's all they need ahahaah!

Oh, side note, i am sending pictures really soon! Sorry for the lateness! Oh, and i also got a picture with Elder Young yesterday cuz he left early this morning! He's supposed to send it to his mom so...yeah!

(Below:  Elder Ethan Young - Missouri St. Louis...he has a GREAT picture-sharing mom!)

Can you tell Dad that he needs to translate when he writes in Tongan! I can't even understand his english let alone his tongan hahahaah jk jk...but seriously:)

Our Superbowl Sunday was good...we at some chips and queso at night and celebrated the downfall of the Steelers! Hooray! The fast and testimony meeting was a great experience and i wrote more about it in my letter to the Heimuli clan!

We watched the Testaments again that night and the ending always gets me! Why did you name me Helam? it's all your fault! haha im kidding! We learned about the importance of our names and i am working hard to represent the Heimuli name well. It's crazy how many people know dad and Hema here! I hope i don't shame them by playing for Weber haha!

Sorry i don't have a scripture, i'll send a good one in the letter to the whole family! Rememeber that through Christ we can do all things!

You're all so busy now and i can totally relate!

Love you all! i pray for you all!

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 7 - Elder Heimuli is 19!

(Note from Mom:  Only 3 more weeks in the MTC -- Elder H leaves Feb. 22nd.  You can see that his Spanish is MUCH improved!  Wish I could say the same for his English...........oh well.)

Well que paso?

How's it goin mi familia? From what i hear everything is goin good...for the most part hahaha! So what's this i hear about everyone cutting their hair? What the craps? I want to grow my hair out when i get home, but how am i supposed to do it when everyone is gonna cut theirs short? I guess i'll see the damage when i see the pics.

Houston's hair (Before)

Houston's hair (After)

Speaking of pics, sorry for not sending any. I'm kinda busy and the moment and the printer for the pictures has been broken, but no worries, i'll be sendings shots of my ugly, skinny mug soon! Elder Hamilton tells me everytime i see him that i'm wasting away. He gives me crap cuz i'll be too small to play football when i get home! i hope not! Everything is goin good here! I'm slowly learning more and more spanish and it's awsome! Oh, and i also am trying to learn Tongan too. I am friends with a lot of the Tongan elders over here and they are slowly teaching me. Apparently it's not as hard as spanish cuz there's no crazy conjugations like spanish, but so far it's a fail. So, padre, if you could help me by sending some things in Tongan, that would be great! i already have a tongan BoM and a tongan missionary handbook. Oh, and i can't believe i forgot to mention this, but one of the elders that i'm friends with here now is Elder Ho'Ching (A'i). We talk about our little league days and how awsome my Viewmont team was hahaha! He said he was so mad when he kept losing to us, he'd throw his helmet at people haha. He's goin to BYU now, so that's way cool!

Thank you all so much for the wonderful birthday packages! My birthday was awsome! (even though i forgot it was my birthday hahaah) All the elders just love all the food and stuff you sent! That picture message was really cool and i had a lot of fun putting that together! How did you get so many pictures?

(H - Houston, A - Jessye, PP - Thor, Des & Baby Thor, Y - Dallan, 19th - Leah, Micah & Jonah, B - Elder Soliai in Japan, I - Terina, R - Dakota, T - Sifa, H - Grandpa & Grandma, D - Noah, A - Dad & Mom, Y - Norma & Hema, H - Hevynn, E - Evan, L - Dallin, A - Harrison, M - Houston again, ! - Elder Pili in Alabama)

I love all the things that were sent, and thank Hema and Norma for their cool presents! I'll send them a real letter today, i've just been really busy, so sorry! fyi, Elder Haight's birthday is on the 27th, so we both turned ninteen last thursday and friday. It's weird being so old. I wake up in the morning and my back hurts, and my knee too and i have no idea how that happened! I want to be a young gun again! Plus, it's lame cuz i can't say that i'm a young missionary anymore...i'm just the same as every other elder here...I'm still getting packages from people! The Miller's sent me some donuts and junior mints, that was a nice surprise! It's reallly nice to listen to real music (compliments of the H/N couple) that is so amazing! now we don't have to struggle to pull the lyrics from our brains of the songs of our former lives...

So G+G sent me a texas sheet cake! So i got called to the main lobby and i was supposed to meet my 'branch president' there and i was freaked out a bit cuz i thought i was in trouble or something...but it turns out that it was President and Sister Laumatia! And they had this HUGE box for me! i was releaved cuz i wasn't in trouble or anything! The cake and everything was in there! it was nice to hear from them! I also got an invitation for Tai's wedding! i felt special!

  

I also got a georgia tie pin from Evan Parry, and a CTR ring from Jessye. Those were cool! I am so lucky to have so many people that care for me and it's a bummer i had to be in the MTC for almost 2 months to realize it! One thing that i've learned out here is an appreciation for all the things and people that are blessings in my life! God has given so many things to us, and we don't even reallize it! The sooner we can recognize those, the sooner we can be happy!

We get some new missionaries this week! Finally! 5 elders and 3 sisters! Hopefully we get to host this week and next week and the next week...then we're gone! Whoo! Georgia! Lessons in Spanish have become easier and easier and i can actually kinda keep up with people when they speak! Hema's letters actually make sense to me and i can actually write back! I know that this is because of the gift of tongues!

The scripture that i though would be good this week is in 3Ne...i forgot the exact chapter cuz i don't have my notes with me...but search 'wiseman' and look for the one in 3Ne. It's the good ol' tale of the wiseman and the foolish man...but i learned something very significant that you can't learn in primary. It's 3 verses, so read them and compare? What was the difference between the two examples? What did they both do? what did the foolish man not do? How can this apply to life? I know that if you study this story and pray about it, you will realize what i have! The word 'hearken' is such an important word in the scriptures and it really does make a differece!

Sorry if  is really short, half an hour really isn't all that long! I love and pray for every one of you guys! i also thank our Heavenly Father every night that you are all a part of my hectic life. sorry i have been so stubborn and i am trying to change! love you! love you! love you!

love, elder heimuli