Semana 41 - Goodbye Shumway, Hello Stockman

Hi mom!

So I have another transfer here but I got a new companion, Elder Stockman. Shumway got transferred somewhere with Elder Haight, my MTC comp. It was a surprise cuz we were POSITIVE we were gonna stay together another transfer, but God has other plans haha.

It's good though, Elder Stockman is cool. He is a super good missionary and I'm trying to learn a lot from him. He came out with Elder Shumway so they have the same amount of time. Stockman is from Sandy, UT and went to Brighton High School. There are SO MANY Utahns here! This past transfer we had about 8 or so new missionaries and all of them were from Utah, except one who was from Idaho...close.

The transfer so far has been pretty ok. We are back down to one solid investigator (the others just disappeared) and we had to push his date back so hopefully we can still pull it through. One crazy thing was that last transfer we barely had any food, and only a few dinner appointments a week. So far, in the first week, I think we've had a dinner appointment every day and there were two or three days where we had two dinners in a span of two hours--oh man, I thought I was gonna die! Hispanics are like Polys: you eat EVERYTHING on your plate, and then get seconds. You have no choice.

This week was just full of planning for the transfer and trying to teach whomever will let us. Stockman and I are speaking Spanish the WHOLE TIME and it's great! I'm learning a lot faster this way. Thus far, we've spoken more spanish to each other than english. The week has just been full of me learning and improving and I have a feeling that's how it's gonna be for the whole transfer. I'm super excited.

Church was good. We didn't have any investigators or less actives come but it was still good. I forgot that it was fast sunday cuz of conference! How lame am I? So yeah, I'll definately be fasting extra...soon!

I'm super excited for General Conference and it's crazy that it's here already! I remember last conference I was just a greenie! I don't really need any activity things for conference seeing as we have no investigators, but when we get some, I'll be sure to make a maze or somehthing for them to do hahaha!

This week we've taught a lot about profets and how they are God's messengers. They are here to guide us and to warn us. Theirs words can comfort us, heal us, help us, and may other things that I don't even know. The only way to know is to experience it yourself. One cool thing I've been doing during conference (since Thomas told me to do this last year or so) is I write down questions I have or things I need answered in my life, and pray for guidance and council. It's amazing that every time I've done this, and paid attention during conference, every one of my questions have been answered by the talks given. They really are the words of God and He is there to help us in our lives if we just seek him and heed those answers.

The weather here is still pretty hot but it's been cooling down. Maybe not cool enough to break out the sweaters but maybe in a month or so. It's crazy how fast time flies by...and how slow it seems to limp past as well...it's all a matter of perspective. My perspective is that I'm here to help others, and in the process learn a whole bunch of stuff myself. There's never enough time to learn everything.

Thank you guys for all that you do and tell everyone that I love them. I will talk to you all later!

--Elder Heimuli

PICS! A few weeks ago, Elder H mentioned seeing his uncle in a missionary article in a church magazine. Today he scanned and sent it.


At Coke World with Comp #5 Elder Shumway who was transferred last week.


Having smores on Elder Shumway's last night as Elder Heimuli's comp.


District photo at the Atlanta Temple.


Elder Heimuli enjoying a cold one with the founder of Coca-Cola (disclaimer: neither the drink nor the founder seated at the table are real).

Semana 40 - Great teams, Happy families

Hi Mom!

So, yeah, super confusing what happened last week. I hope you got my replies to your emails last week as well, I think they were scattered over two letters or something. No worries, I got the letter today with no problems!

That anniversary story is so cool! Totally worth the $100 steaks, yeah? I know that what you learned in FHE is true. The bonds we form here on this earth with our families are supposed to last forever. That's the way God intended it. This is how we obtain the greatest happiness here on this earth, and when we are reunited with our Heavenly Father with our families we experience infinite happiness (Mosiah 2:41). That's why Satan tries so hard to destroy the family with all of the evil things we see in the world today. The only way to stay strong and endure to the end is through obeying the commandments God gives to us--ITS TRUE!!!!

I'm glad all the kids are doing great! Sound busy but great! I'll send you a cool conversion story for Harrison...as soon as I get one haha! And speaking of stories, did they stop making the NEWSLETTER? I haven't seen it for a while.

Our week was good. We have just been working hard to finish off the transfer. Wednesday is transfers and we get calls tonight to find out what's gonna happen. We are thinking we are gonna stay together, but you never know cuz the transfers here are unpredictable.

For right now we have Luis as our investigator with a baptismal date for the 1st of Oct. We have a few other progressing that we have pretty big hopes for: Jose, Francisco, and Anet. The area is really picking up so it's exciting. I can't say the same for my Spanish, though, but maybe you're right...but a big MAYBE. It's really challenging to improve and constantly get better, and I love it for the most part. It is what life is all about.

We went to Jake and Emily Huckaby's home again for dinner on Friday and they were hanging their BYU flag with pride outside their front door...but I don't know if they left it there after that game hahaha. I guess there are no Utah fans back here to make fun. They are doing great and they're super awsome! Their kids are cute and HILARIOUS too! They may be a Handful for them, but they are great entertainment for us haha!

Like I said, I'm doing great! The weather is getting chilly, though. I guess it's gonna be a cold winter. There's not really anything I need--just your love and support and I'm golden! Thank you all so much for what you do for me and I'll talk to you later!

Luv, Elder Heimuli Pic from Elder Pasiaka's website!

Semana 39, Part 2 - Remembering 9/11 & Football

After resending my letter, I finally got a reply:


Yay! Ok, I got the letter! Super cool!

I do remember when the twin towers were hit, I was at school waiting for the bell to ring. I think I was in Mrs. Allen's 3rd grade class too. Wow, that was a long time ago. But it's always good to remember times like that, not dwell on them, learn and continue moving forward. "The future is only as bright as your faith." (Thomas S. Monson).

Oh man, I didn't think I'd ever miss football as much as I do now hahaha! Work first. Play later, yeah? I can't wait to come back and get back into it! Good for Houston. Keep being a stud. I can't believe Bountiful lost to Viewmont, ughhh! Houston better not lose to them when he plays. Boo Viewmont! Boo Hema! (hahaha jk bro, you cool),

Work here is going good. Then it rained for 4 days in a row but now it's starting to heat up again. I like the cooler weather much more. And I did get the box dad sent. Thank you so much! I don't wanna wear the new shoes cuz their so nice compared to my other ones I have haha! Church was good and we only went to our branch.

Well, that's all for this second installment! Love you guys!

--Elder Heimuli

Semana 39 - Where's My Mail?

The only thing that makes a missionary mom sadder than not getting a letter from her missionary, is to get one from him asking, "Where My Mail?" Don't have a clue why it didn't send. From my outbox, it looks like it sent. So here's what he said without the benefit of the 100 questions I usually ask in my email:


Dear family,

Yes, today is Monday. Seeing as I didn't get an email today from you guys I figured it was either one of two things: armageddon is here and it hasn't reached the south yet, or you guys are sending me a SUPER DUPER HUGE package in the mail today and put the letter in there! I pray it's the second one!

Anyways, I'll give you guys a rundown of what the happenings are here in Atlanta.

This week we commited two people to baptism. One guy is Jose who we met last week just knocking doors. It's a pretty funny story. So when we were knocking we weren't having any success, people wouldn't let us in, let along answer the door. So on our last door we knock, I look down and there are two pennies face up on the ground. I just laugh and pick 'em up and hand one to Elder Shumway. I told him that this guy is totally gonna answer the door and want to be baptized. We just laugh and wait a little longer. Well we decide we're done for that complex and turn to walk away but then someone answers the door. He immediately just invites us in and we have a lesson with him. Then next lesson we have with him, a few days later, we soft commit him to baptizm, which he said yes.

Then we recieved a referral from the Yankees (North Missionaries) for a guy named Luis. They told us he's super golden, so we're just like, "Great! Thanks a lot!" We go over to his house and meet him and his girlfriend Kacee. She just moved here from Florida and is a recent convert of 10 months. He is from Mexico. They're both in their twenties, so they're young and super cool. He wants to get baptized and marry her and maybe serve a mission if he's not too old first. So we had a lesson with them and it was good. We set a date with Luis for the 1st of October. Really exciting stuff.

One of the biggest events this week was a party called Dia de las Naciones. It's a big party the branch holds every year. It's a celebration of all the Latin countries where we do a tour of the chapel, eat food (dishes from every country) and they put on a show made up of all the dances from the different countries as well. It's really successful and we get a lot of non-members to come to it. This year, one of the people in charge, Sister Saldana, blackmailed us into singing a musical number. She said if we didn't sing, she would stop feeding us! Well, once the whole thing was done she said we did great and then added, "you guys didn't really think I'd stop feeding you, right?" We performed a song called, "How Can I Be?" and I played the uke. We only practiced twice and half the singers didn't even know the song haha. It was fun though!


(Elder H in the middle playing the uke)

Luis and Kacee came to the party and cheered us on haha! We met a lot of cool people at the party, got a few referals, and ate a lot of good food. I'd say it was a success!

This is the last full week of the transfer so we're just gonna finish strong. Oh, and I heard Juan has a date for the 20th of Oct or something so that was cool to hear!

Well hope you are all doing great and I'll send pictures in a separate email!

Luvs--Elder Heimuli

Semana 38 - Football season? Saved...

Dear Mom and family,

It was a weird feeling when I found out a couple days ago that the NFL and NCAA had already started their seasons, I feel out of the loop now haha. I guess I just have to get used to it, right?

I'm glad to hear Houston won and did great, that Boise State won, and surprised to hear BYU got past Ole Miss. Weird. I don't imagine Bountiful will do too well until Houston starts playing Vars hahaha, not gonna lie. But all is well. How's Weber?

This week was good, as always. Shums-face and I are still working hard everyday, but this week we've had a car! So that was really nice! It's good to be able to work further than a 5 mile radius from our house but we still are looking for those golden investigators! We're bound to run into them sooner or later, right?

Good news, though, I was 'saved' last week! We went to an appointment that fell through, so as we were leaving the door step, this guy comes over to us and says, "Ya'll must be rich. Ya'll must be rich cuz it's a $1,000 fine for what ya'll doin right now." We just stare at each other...no it's not. The man points over to this tiny sign on top of a mailbox that says 'no soliciting' and he tells us that they have a neighborhood watch and that he'll call the cops. We started explaining to him that we were ministers and he says, "you know what, we're strangers so there's no point in me lying to you. I'm gonna tell you a story." So he goes of on this huge long story (keep in mind we're standing in the middle of the road) about how he was a millionaire but lost it all and his family so he commited suicide and had an out of body experience. He tells us that an angel took him to hell where there were different levels that got gradually worse the further you went down. There were gremlin like creatures punishing the spirits of the sinners by doing to them the sin they commited in life. Towards the center they were giant beasts that were holding up the earth (i don't know). Then he came face to face with Satan, a 7 headed dragon -- all the different heads were blasphemeing God, giving orders, other stuff. One of the heads turned to him and spoke (which the guy told us in a Golem of Lord of the Rings voice) that he had tricked him and took all his family and money and called him stupid. Then as Satan lunged for him he called out Jesus' name to save him and the angel immediately took him up from hell up to the clouds to heaven. There the guy came face to face with Christ who asked him, "Did you create life?" The man says no, then he said Christ tells him that he can't take what isn't his and if he does it again then he'll go to hell. Then he came back to his body or something like that. Longest story ever right? You're telling me. It took a whole hour for him to tell us this. Then he told us that all he had to do was call on Jesus' name and he was saved, and he wanted to save us (which we told him it wasn't that easy!) but we let him lead us in a prayer and kinda crazy stuff like that. After, he asked us if we felt something, and of course Shumway and I just looked at each other and were like...no. Hahaha anyways, so I'm saved now! Cool, yeah?


(Heimuli & Shums-face express their feelings about being saved...which took a whole hour...in the middle of the road...on a hot, humid Georgia summer day)

Tony and Juliana are still going to church and they plan on staying active, they told us. So that is really great! I didn't hear anyting about Juan, so I don't know.

But we're doing great! We don't need anything at the moment. Thank you so much for worrying about us! It's great to be loved. I'll definitely write Ben and I'll pray for the family.

Well, love you all and I'll talk to you later!

Love, Elder Heimuli