Love Thy Neighbor

Everyone has a favorite neighbor, right? You know, the neighbor you wish you could take with you everywhere you moved...for the rest of your life! Ask any Heimuli -- we will tell you that the absolute BEST neighbors in the entire universe are Berwyn and Virginia...seriously. We've missed them every day since we moved to Woods Cross, and that was 4 years ago. Why?

! We moved in next door to the Andruses when Houston was 3 days old (he is now 5,508 days old). Immediately, we were treated just like one of their grown children.

! Because we had only ever lived in apartments previously, Lakei and I attempted to learn to prune our roses by imitating Virginia's every move as she lovingly cared for her beautiful flowers.

! Countless times we came home, or emerged from our home, to find our driveway cleared of snow, trash cans neatly put away, lawn mowed, and roses pruned-the-right-way!

! The dark-haired Heimuli kids grew up playing basketball in the Andrus' driveway, swinging in their backyard, picking their vegetables (when their delicious home-grown produce wasn't already hanging on our backdoor knob!), and playing with the many ginger-haired Andrus grandkids.

! Berwyn was Hema's Primary teacher when we moved in. Berwyn also became Helam's and Hevynn's Primary teacher when they each turned 9, but I encouraged him to consider retiring from Primary before Houston got into his class...because I loved our dear neighbors, and wanted them to still love us! Haha, Houston's really not that bad...anymore.

So, two "Elder Heimuli letters" ago (yes, that is how I count the passage of time these days), Helam informed me that he was feeling sick, in a new area, and having very little success. I prayed something good would happen. Imagine my surprise to get a call from the lovely and gracious Virginia, telling me her granddaughter Emily had just let Grandma know she was driving down the road when she spotted two missionaries walking in the heat of the day. Emily stopped to give the elders some apples and noticed Elder Heimuli's nametag (read Helam's previous letter re: "Mmmm, apple juice").

I believe it was an answer to prayer. The last I knew of Emily was her family lived in another state -- our neighbors visited them at least once a year. Since then I guess she grew up, served a mission, married her wonderful husband who studies Robotics at Georgia Tech, had 3 beautiful children, and now lives in the area Helam serves.

Last night, Berwyn and Virginia's granddaughter went above-and-beyond by getting special permission for Helam and his companion to come over for dinner. It's exactly the neighborly type of thing her grandparents would do. And I am so grateful.


The adorable children with Elder Shumway and Elder Heimuli

See why we love our neighbors so much?

Semana 37 - When Someone Comes Knocking...Then I Will

Dear Mom,

I'm sad I didn't get to read the looong detailed letter you wrote haha but I bet God knew I wouldn't be able to write a long enough response to do it justice so there:)

I'm feeling better this week, so that's good. It hasn't hindered our work one bit, though. Work, work, work and walk, walk, walk are starting to sound the same to me now ha! I actually got home one night and there were holes in my socks! Not just shoes (that happened 2 months ago). It's great!


Ewwww...

This is a good area. There are a TON of hispanics here and since we just opened it it hasn't been touched! We do a lot of both Spanish and english lessons though. It's crazy how not good my Spanish is and it's disheartening at times but I'm still working at it--blessing of being in a english-speaking country! We've just tracted and tracted and tracted. The interesting thing is that we've found more less active members that have moved from other countries than investigators haha.

One of the coolest things was that one of the less active couples (Tony and Juliana) came to church yesterday. We went by their house only twice. The last time we went, Friday, we talked to them about church and they said that they'd come back to church someday. Not this week, but someday, so we just settled on that. That's why it was such a shock but a happy moment when they walked through the chapel doors! They're wasy cool and have such strong testimonies. We had dinner with them last night too and they told us something interesting. A couple weeks before we knocked at their door, Juliana asked Tony if they were ever gonna go back to church and Tony answered her, "When someone comes knocking on that door to tell me to, then I will." Then they thanked us for bringing them back to church and called us their "angels" hahaha I wouldn't say that cuz we didn't really do anything! It's just a testimony builder that when his children need help, God sends his angels to help them--in what ever form they may be.

We are having dinner with Berwyn's grandkids, Jake and Emily Huckaby, tonight actually! So we're super excited for this chance to actually talk to them and get to know them! They're so nice!

I got the package and thank you guys so much! Now I don't think I'll get dehydrated for the rest of my mission! Shumway and I celebrated with some spam and rice that night.

Yay! Go Bountiful and Go Houston! That boy is such a beast! This makes me SUPER excited to come back and play ball too! Speaking of which, I met another Bountiful Brave yesterday at church. He's a member of the stake high council here in Atlanta but he graduated in '90. Super old! haha oh and there are some solid Lakei Heimuli fans that are on the high council as well.

We had Zone Conference this week and our guest speaker was Elder Clarke of the 70. It was such a good meeting, and Elder Clarke is an amazing speaker! He also just returned from a five year mission in Guatemala so his spanish is good. He just spoke on different ways that we can improve the work around here by improving ourselves first. It was really great and I am definately implementing all I can to make myself better.

There was a cool talk I read called "And Peter Went Out and Wept Bitterly," by Gordon B. Hinckley (i think...but not sure.) It's really good but I can't really paraphrase it here. Just look it up and read it if you have time.

Well, that's all for now! I love you mom and family and hope everything is going well. I'm sending a few pictures.


(LOVE this pic of Elder Heimuli and Elder Shumway as they work, work, work and walk, walk, walk.)

Luvs, Elder Heimuli

Semana 36 - Cockroaches, Japan, Never Ever Ever Bible Bash

Hi Mom!

Well, another week down. It's hard to believe that it's been a week already, and at the same time looking back at everything that's happened, it's hard to believe it all fit into one week! Ah, mission! I love it!

I'm doing ok! I'm actually slightly more sick than last week but i'm doing good!

We're finally here and it's been crazy! First of all we spent ALL DAY wednesday just moving. It takes a lot of time and energy to move out here on the mission--we move EVERYTHING out, clean the apartment spotless, move things to our new apartment and set them up. I'm just glad it's done now haha! Besides the hundreds of cockroaches we room with, it's just Elder Shumway and I.


(In the new kitchen -- holy cow, look at the dishes in the sink!)

The last week our car has been in the shop and we are out of our monthly allotted miles, so we have been walking EVERYWHERE! I know it's not a super huge deal, cuz missionaries in other countries walk everywhere but it's terrible! We have just been walking and talking to everyone and knocking like crazy! We get home super tired and super dehydrated haha but it's for the experience, yeah?

I think I remember Emily Huckaby...she drove past while we were walking in the Georgian sun and gave us some apples? Well, we were super grateful for that cuz I was dying of thirst! Mmmm, apple juice. Anyhow, it's been a little difficult cuz we meet a lot of rejection or what not but it's all good and fun! We do meet some interesting people and frustrating people. We kinda got into a bash with a lady yesterday, but we won! Missionary motto: "We never ever ever bible bash, but if we do, we win."

That's so cool that Kastle is AP and better yet, met Evan when he arrived! That picture is going right on my fridge hahaha:) (I'm joking, the cockroaches would steal it...)


(Elder H's cousin Soliai Choro and Elder H's buddy/brother Parry Choro met on Kastle's 1st day as AP and Evan's 1st day in Japan!)

Houst team captain? What a stud! Stop telling me these things, you're making me jealous! I knew that boy had it in him!


(Houst is #35, if you couldn't guess)

Harri is gonna love first grade! He's growing up so fast, it's crazy! Hev is bein a teen, it's what happens. Everything has their time, when she is in high school, that's what she should be in, when she's in college that's what she should be in. When she grows up then she'll be ready to do all those things as well--and she'll be good at it hahah I have faith!

Just something cool I found this morning: I read in Ether 12:19, "And there were many of those whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with and eye of faith and they were glad." To me this means that we don't need a perfect knowledge to have faith but through faith we recieve perfect knowlege. As we go through life, we need the faith to move forward and as we have that we can obtain what we work towards, or know for a surety other things. I thought it was cool.

I may need more contact solution and dental floss? but that's all!

Well, pray that we can find SOMEONE in this new area that will be baptized and I'll keep having faith. Love you all!

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 35 - Number 35, Tell Dad I Love Him, Elder Ballard was Amazing!

Hi Mom and Family!

So, this has been a good week for me. Crazy busy, but good. I'll just start of with some answers to your letter and stuff then I'll tell you about my week...

Oh man, 35. What a hashy number hahaha i'm kidding dad...it's...strong looking:) I'm glad Houston is doing so well, he's making me proud and super jealous that I'm not there to watch and cheer him on :(

But holy cow! 227 pounds? we weigh the exact same hahahahaha! Fatboy:) It's a joke, I know it's probably all muscle, unlike me ha. Tell him to keep it up!

I am doing fantastic! I'm a little sick at the moment but nothing I can't handle:) I am in the heart of Atlanta (right next to the airport). Can you say trunky? Hahahaha it's ok, though, cuz we are moving in a couple days. You could just send the package to the mission home cuz I don't know our new address.

"White-washing" is just when a whole new set of Elders moves in to an area. There isn't one who has been in the area and is familiar to it. BUT, what they didn't tell me was that it was more than a white-wash. The area we are currently in is being closed down and we are opening a new area. We just had to wait a week cuz we didn't have the lease to the new house. It has the temple in it, so now you should have a good idea where it's at...I hope.

Oh, I almost forgot! So my new comp is Elder Shumway from AZ. He has about 8 months left in his mission and just spent 7 months in a mostly english speaking area. So we are excited to do some spanish work but we work a lot with english at the same time too...I feel so weird teaching in english...

(According to this photo, Elder H also LOOKS so weird teaching in english! Here he is with his new companion Elder Shumway)


The last week we spent it just visiting some members and less actives here in this area cuz our new area is on the complete opposite side of Atlanta, 40 minutes north. We also took a couple trips up to our new area and knocked around a bit and tried to contact a few formers. It's pretty hard to start from scratch but it's good! We met some interesting english people including an agnostic, a couple muslims, a heathen (who was super cool) and a Bangladeshi all on one street!

Just really random but I wanted to write it before I forgot, tell Dad I love him! Tell all the kids to tell him personally as well. He works really really hard for us, and now I actually know what work is, I can appreciate it more!

The meeting with Elder Ballard was amazing! There were a lot of people because not only the missionaries were invited but all the stake presidents, bishops, branch presidents, ward/branch mission leaders and others like that were invited as well. So first Elder Gay (the area seventy) came back and talked to us again. He was amazing again as well! Elder Gay spoke on how a mission can't reach it's full potential without the help from the members. Then he also spoke of how we need to work in faith, looking forward to success. That's something I definately need to work on. Having the faith to say, "yeah they're totally gonna be baptized," while you're talking about every investigator you meet is chanllenging. You don't wanna get your hopes up, but you don't want to be super negative all the time is a hard balance to find haha. Elder Ballard then spoke on teaching effectively. By that, he meant teaching with power. "Conversion always starts with a feeling," is what he said. The feeling that the gospel is true, that it truly can bless your life, are some of the things we need to convey through our teaching. It was a really good meeting and I took away lots of things that I want to incorperate into my teaching.

Church was good too! It was weird walking in there and basically knowing no one. I'm used to just that one branch I was in haha but that's mission life! The branch is really good and steadily improving from what the other missionaries are saying. It's another full spanish branch just like Cunningham was. The first counselor is actually a guy from Bountiful! He went in '93 so he's not that young ha! Brother Madsen is his name and he served a mission in Spain and he just married a Mexicana! Of course, me and him got along great!

Well that's it, family. Hope everything goes well this week for ya'll and I'll pray for you guys!

Love you all, Elder Heimuli

PICS - Saying Goodbye to Marietta

(Spanish Atlanta Zone)


(Neighbor Eddie who kept an eye on packages left at the elders' door -- he called Elder Heimuli "Big H")

Every missionary has his special families in an area...

(Familia Garcia)


(Familia Perez)

Semana 34 - Goodbye Marietta, You Guys Were in Atlanta, Freaking Out Like a Little Girl

Dear everyone,

I'm writing today cuz we had Zone P-day and we were in Atlanta the whole day. This e-mail may be short as well because I don't have much time today cuz I'M BEING TRANSFERED!!!! Hahaha it's true, little Heimuli is finally out of his greenie area after...a long time:) I'm also going to be whitwashing an area so that's gonna be a little difficult. We got the calls last night and it was crazy! The only ones staying in the district are Anderson and Prince.


(L to R: District elders Hendy, Heimuli, Prince, Quinonez, Wood & Anderson)

From what we hear, there's gonna be a lot of changes this transfer to the whole Spanish side of the mission. I'll let you all know how everything goes next letter! So today I will be saying goodbyes and packing all my stuff! I'm really excited to see new things and see how the other areas are--I am a little bummed because the area is starting to take off but oh well!

I got that one package you sent me! That's really funny how you guys were in Atlanta and didn't even try to come to Marietta...lame sauce. Ha I'm joking! Good job! Most obedient family ever!


(Houston, Hev & Harri at Olympic Park with CNN Headquarters in the background)

The aquarium looks fun, I've never been. I only went to coke world but I'm planning on going some other time.

(Harri...infatuated with marine animals -- I think he wants to be one.)

This past week we just worked and worked to try and get J baptized but that didn't happen. He didn't come to chruch so yeah. Maybe next transfer. That was sad. J and E are still set for the 30th of this month.

We met a Muslim who actually drove up to us while we were contacting on the streets and asked if we had a Book of Mormon is English. We were like, "Yeah we do!" and totally ran to our car to get one. We gave it to him and had a discussion in his house. It's was weird teaching in English but it was really good. He was really studied in the bible and had a lot of questions for us. Eventhough he was raised Muslim he is trying to find the right answer, the truth. He had a 4 page paper of just things he studied in the Bible. He broke it down so well it was crazy! He was really nice and we had a good lesson. We ended up passing him off as a referal to the English but Anderson said he'd try to stop by every once in a while. I was glad I had that one discussion with those other Muslims last transfer so I could understand where this guy was coming from.

You know the family that we made tamales with? Well we went by their house again and I started talking to one of the girls. She is from Alabama and is going to college out here now. I told her that I knew someone serving in Alabama but she might not know him cuz he's english. Then I thought, "wait, Tallahassee is mostly Albama anyways..." so I asked if she knew an Elder Hamilton and she did!!!! Hahaha pretty sure I was freaking out like a little girl when she said that! I was so happy to hear something about Elder Hamilton! Even though it was a little while back when he served in their ward back home, I just got a really cool feeling like when Ammon (with Alma?) meets his brothers again after their missions. He was filled with such joy that they were alive, and better yet still his brothers in the gospel.


(Helam & Thomas before they part ways in the MTC)

Sorry, I can't really think of a super crazy experience to tell you, mom, and I'm running short on time. I'm sure the other letters have good ones! Good luck! I'll pray for you! :)

There was one day when Anderson and I wanted to get some bamboo to make cool stuff out of it. So, we went to a bamboo forest and cut some--we didn't know that the tree was over a hundred feet tall until we actually cut it, by then it was already falling! So we hurried and cut two big pieces and ran outta there! Bamboo gets really big!


(Bamboo Bandits)

Well, my family, I love you all and pray for you every night. I will pray super hard for the WHOLE family this week especially.

Love you guys, Elder Heimuli

Semana 33 - Piece of Cake, Tamales, Dang Burger King

Hi Mother!!!

I'm glad everyone got my letters and Houston got my card! Henderson was the one who spit the beat...Quinonez was the one who said "You" a little early hahaha we made fun of him for a while--light heartedly of course :)

This week has been a long one. Probably because we have worked really hard and done a LOT this week. I'm not gonna remember all of it, but here it goes...

We went finding and contacting in a few areas and Ramon came with us to teach. We tried to follow up with some investigators and even contacted a few others. The day was a pretty good day. The next day we were looking at the branch list to find less actives to visit and we found out it was Ramons birthday the day before, and he didn't even tell us! We decided to bake him a cake and take it over to him! It was actually a 4th of July cake with stars and stripes but we figured it would work! Ramon was so surprised and really happy. We ate the cake with him, took some funny pictures, and then wished him a good one. He told us that he felt really good and I was glad to hear that!



Most of our time this week was spent looking for less actives and potential investigators. While we were searching we came to a potential's house named Salvador. We walked up and right before we knocked on the door it just opened up. The family was just like, "Come in! Come in! Sit down!" We were so shocked, we didn't know what to do! Our first thought was, "No, this is TOO golden..." After talking with them for a while we found out that the guy that we were looking for (Salvador) was just renting out the basement from them and wasn't home. The family we were talking to were relatives of some people in our ward! They weren't members but a couple girls who were living with them are members ha! We caught them at a weird time cuz they sell tamales, so every friday they have ALL the women in their family come over and make tamales all day! I asked them if we could learn how and they were totally for it! I failed miserably (it's very very hard to make tamales...who knew?) but Anderson was a pro! We got to be pretty good friends in the end and we'll be going back again this week.



We went to a wedding as well. His name is Daniel who has been a convert for a year and he was gonna go on a mission, but I guess he chose a different path. It's good though, he's a really cool guy! We were excited for him!



We talked with Juan and met his mom (Delilah). I told you she was a member, yeah? Anyways, we finally had a lesson with them and it was awsome! It was a little funny cuz I taught in Spanish while Anderson taught in English, but good. Delilah knew her stuff. She had James 1:5 memorized and The First Vision as well. It was a really big help to the lesson. She has strong desires to go to church but work is holding her back. (Dang Burger King!) We set a date with Juan for the 6th of August which also happens to be his younger brother's birthday. The only problem we had was Juan still had to get permission from his father...we asked Juan to pray and then ask his father's permission.



Anderson and I fasted Sunday and prayed that Juan's dad's heart would be softened. Juan didn't come to church yesterday. We went to pick him up but he kept telling us his dad said he would take him. We're not sure if his dad said he couldn't go to church and didn't want to tell us or what, but we were really sad. We're gonna go over tonight to see what happened. If he gets permission and comes next week we could do a baptizm after church! We're praying that everything will turn out well. Our saddness didn't stay too long cuz we had two less actives (Emily and her sister Rosmery) and a half investigator to church (Rosmery's boyfriend)! We were so excited and they were all excited to be there! That was the second time since I've been here that Juan and Emiliy and their family's been to church together!

Last but not least, we had a pet for ten minutes! (That's how long the car ride was from one house to the other.) We were asked by a less active if we could take her puppy and give to someone who could take care of her so we gave her to Juan and Emily.



The BoM is great! I'm not done but almost. There's so many things that i've read I don't even know where to start. I guess I can just say with assurety that I know the BoM is true. I've taught several lessons about it this week and I can feel the difference in my testimony of it. When I share it with others, they can feel it too.

Thank you so much for everything you guys do for me! I got the packages and everything! Tell grams and gramps that I got their package! They didn't leave me a return address so I don't know where to send a thank you letter! I'm doing great!

Love yas!
--Elder Heimuli

MORE PICS:
Who knew Yao Ming was on a mission in the ATL?


Cute puppy...


Elder Anderson, the giant