Semana 17 - Jajaja, Translados, A Little Glimpse

(Seated: Elder Heimuli's new companion, Elder Morris, from Mesquite NV)

Querido familia

Wow, it sounds like you guys have been kept busy this past week, almost as busy as a missionary hahaha (Just a side note: i'll be using the "hahaha" because "jajaja" isn't really that funny to me. Nobody uses it here...I guess it's just a weird Ecuadorian thing...) And please tell Grams Happy Birthday from me and 'suerte' with the training.

The weather here has been really hot recently, probably mid 80's with humidity. Thank goodness we're allowed to take off our suit coats now or else i'd be dead. I'm glad but sad to hear Pope is goin to Brazil. Why you ask? Well, in about two months the Macon Mission is dissolving and we get a big chunk of it. I was hoping to serve with him...but now, negative!

When Dad comes, do you think he could bring some normal garments for me? I'm dying here in the 100% cotton and spandex. Maybe some good breatheable material? Ask Hema, he has experience in the super humid climates. No Spam thanks, we still have a ton! Thats it i think...thanks mom! Oh, and maybe the book "Jesus the Christ"

So, this week has been a pretty busy one, and very exciting actually. First, TRANSLADOS! This Wednesday we had transfers and I guess it was time for my dad to leave the nest. I'm still doing work in Marietta with my new companion, Elder Morris. If you didn't already know, Elder Morris has been in my same district and I've worked pretty closely with him already during my first transfer, so I was pretty excited to hear that he was just moving about 2 miles from the Smyrna area to ours. He's a cool guy. He is from Mesquite, Nevada and went to high school where their mascot was the Bull Dogs. He played football, basketball and baseball in high school. He has been in the mission for a little over a year, and when he gets home he'll play baseball for SLCC (who is #1 in the nation last time we heard.) Yes, Carpenter left and was replaced by Elder Henderson who is from Pocatello, Idaho. He has been in for 20 months and he's a cool guy too. Elder Haight and have been working around each other for the past 16 weeks, weird huh?

I have a couple cool experiences this week...well, that happened in the last 5 days or so. Thursday we went to lunch with the Celedon family and there was a lady there by the name of Elizabeth. She was cool and while we were talking with them, we shared a scripture thought with them all (sorry, i forgot the reference) but then Elizabeth just straight up asked us how she could be baptized! So, what would good missionaries do? That's right, take her to the nearest river and baptize her! Hahaha just kidding, but we did set up an appointment and we've taught her twice already. When we taught her last night, her son Leo was there and he was very interested in what we were teaching. So, we have two new investigators from that one experience. She came to church on Sunday.

Then Saturday we spent ALL day tracting. Not much fun, but it had to be done (haha i didn't mean for that to rhyme). We found quite a few people and even found this family of 3 women: Eva and her daughters Eva and Claudia and then like 2 or 3 of their kids. We had a lesson with them and them invited them to come to church. Come Sunday, Eva came! Eva the younger (missionary humor...) and Claudia didn't come though cuz they were sick, but we talked with Eva and she said she wanted the two of them to come next week. I hope that happens!

Sunday Me, Haight and the new greenie Benedict gave talks. They told us Saturday night because the family that was supposed to do it couldn't go or something, so that was fun trying to scramble a talk together in no time. That was pretty ok, but at least i found that my spanish is improving, so that was good! Now, one of the coolest things was that (besides the 3 investigators that came to church) Ernesto Perez and his family came. Now, I don't know if i told you about him but here's the skinny:

Hermano Perez is an endowed member. He and his wife had been living together with their kids for like 7 years and they finally got married about a month ago. Ernesto wanted to baptize his family but because he was endowed and had been living together without being married, he ran into some problems. The wife and kids were going to be baptized but two weeks after their marriage, the day before the baptism, Ernesto calls Haight and Carpenter and says that they're getting a divorce, and he's moving to Texas. They were so sad after that.

So, when the Perez family showed up sunday we were all so happy! Ernesto said the opening prayer and even passed the sacrament. He passed it on the stand where we were sitting. When he got to us, Elder Haight was on the verge of tears. I could really feel the love Haight had for the Perez family, and I understand now the deep love missionaries have for their investigators, and maybe even a little glimpse of how Heavenly Father feels when we make the right choices and do all we can to follow him. It's really a unique feeling and I'm glad I get to experience it.

I'm happy to hear about Kalea’s baptism. Good that her dad got to baptize and confirm her and good that Ben was there too. I'm very happy because that means that he is doing everything necessary to be able to baptize others in just a few months. I know Heavenly Father is so happy with him.

Well, I don't have a scripture handy...sorry, but i'll send 2 good ones next week, Cool?

Love you all! I'll pray extra hard for you this week!

Love, Elder Heimuli