Semana 63 - Keep My Commandments

Hey mom!

There was some pretty big news this week, yeah? First of all I'm SO glad to hear that Aunty Momi and Uncle Tini & family are doing great. I have been praying for them every night and I'm glad my, as well as everyone else's prayers, were answered.

Then, right before I read your email, I read an email from Pres. Satterfield that announced our new mission president and I was so surprised to see they were from Bountiful. I didn't really make the connection until I read your email to me, but yeah, I do remember Brit Harding. Cool beans.


New mission president (Deborah & John Harding from Bountiful!) coming to Georgia Atlanta Mission in July 2012.

They'll be here right towards the end of my mish hahaha. Too bad. I'm excited to meet them!

Well, now I guess it's my turn to give MY boring weekly update haha. This week was a pretty great one actually. Not because we found a golden investigator that wanted to be baptized immediately or something like that--it was actually the opposite. We had no real investigators at the beginning of the week. The other ones kinda dropped off the face of the earth. We worked every single day to try and find, contact, reactivate, whatever we could to stay diligent. People did let us in the teach them, but they had no real interest. However, despite our words falling on deaf ears, we just kept teaching, preaching and inviting. And you know what? I'm happy! I'm happy cuz I am doing what I'm called to do. When people hit hard times like this it's easy to get discouraged, throw your hands up and just say, "You know what? I'm done! Why do I need to follow the rules, be diligent or any of that if I get no results!" A lot of people become less diligent in keeping the rules, the commandments, but I read the scripture in John 14:15, 20 that talks about those who love Christ will keep his commandments.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments...At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

It's that simple. He loved us enough to give us his life, so how hard is it to follow some rules that will acutally make you happy? Yep, so that's what I read and it has stuck with me ever since, keeping me humble and keeping me diligent!

So, I guess the best thing that happened to me was that I have realized the love God has for all of us and the way that we can show it back!

I am doing great out here! I love you guys a lot!

Semana 62 - Moses 1:39

Hey mom!

I'm doing good! I got to write today because we're at a members house. I don't know why EVERY holiday has to be on monday...it's really inconvenient for missionaries. It's funny how stuff like that (holidays, mail, church) mean so much more on a mission.

Thank HEAVENS we got our gas turned on this past thursday. Towards the end of the week I gave up trying to shower, cuz it took so much time, and just washed my hair for the last couple days. Gross. Well, Thursday afternoon the gas got turned on. So when we got back from our 8 hour meeting, I jumped straight into the shower. Oh man, it felt good! Now waking up in the mornings aren't the most terrible part of our day. The weather was really cold (but no snow) during the week or so that we had no gas, but it warmed up Friday and it's been good since then. Go figure.

I finally got the package you guys sent me a few days ago and I just wanna thank you! Haha I'm scared I'm gonna put on a few pounds from all the candy I've gotten, but hey I get to enjoy while it lasts. :)

This past week was just as easy as last week...which isn't so much hahaha. I've been working extra hard these past few weeks and eventhough I haven't seen much "fruit" from my hard work, I know that I'm here to work and I'm satisfied. No investigators to church but we did have our branch conference. DyC 39:7-13 was a scripture that the stake president challenged us to read as a stake. I just liked how it talks of a greater call that we all have as members of the church (not just missionaries). It says "work" in verse 9 i think and I connected that to a scripture Moses 1:39. God's whole purpose is to bring his children eternal life, so don't you think we would find the most joy in doing the same thing? I know that THAT'S true! But like God, we can't force eternal life on anyone we just let them choose for themselves. This is a thought that has been helping me out the past few weeks of "no success." 

Sunday, a member pulled me aside randomly and said, "Remember: Don't worry about things you can't control." I was confused it was out of nowhere but recently I've just been worrying about why I am not seeing success even though I am working hard. She didn't explain why she felt like she needed to tell me that, but I'm glad she did. It gave me the little push I needed to keep going.

Our new place is so cool now that we have heat! But I think I'll only be here for another 2 weeks haha. Sad.

Well, that's all. Tell every one that I love them!

--Elder Heimuli

Semana 61 - Change

Hey mom!

Another week gone here in "Hotlanta" only not so hot. This week is the coldest one yet, and I mean COLD! A few days I thought it started snowing, but just freezing temps. It is crazy cuz only last thursday it was 70's but since friday its hit at about the low 30's.

Oh, another announcement! We moved apartments! So now we have a new address. Yes, we moved thursday into a new apartment cuz the old one was infested with ants and the rent was getting raised.


Goodbye, old apartment...

That took about two days to do: wednesday all day to pack and thursday all day to unpack! The new apartment is good though except for one problem: we have no gas.


Hello, new apartment with gigantic mirror!

The gas is off and won't be turned on until this NEXT thursday. It's just my luck cuz the coldest temps hit right as we have no heat in the house and no hot water hahaha! It's been an adventure! SO cold in the mornings!


Elder H's morning ritual: thaw out by the portable heater

And we've had to heat up pots of water and kinda sponge bathe ourselves! Never thought I'd have to do that in the states, but its great! But I am excited for this next thursday...


Ahhhh...nothing like a hot shower!

Because of all the moving, extra studies and extra meetings that we had this week, there wasn't a whole lot of time for proselyting. I was kinda mad about that, but what can ya do? I just think of this as kind of a prep period. Once Padawan is trained and stuff the work can go back to normal. Then it's up from there!

Everything is good here. We're both just doing what we do. Church was pretty empty. It's ok, next week it'll be rockin! The BEST thing that happened to me was that I am trying SO HARD to change and become better! It's always difficult to stretch yourself or reach a little higher, but it really is worth it.

I guess one "theme" this week was about CHANGE. We were teaching a less active's husband, who isn't a member. Well, we actually went by to see Leti, the less active, but she was sick. The husband, Jerson, was home though and he let us in and we just started talking. First it was about nothing, but then he opened up about his life. His family, and what brought him to the US. He came because his parents in Guatemala were in debt and they needed help. He came here and worked, starting with nothing but one pair of clothes. After two years he saved enough money to pay off the debt and finally buy some descent clothes. He's been here for 6 years and the parents are debt free with their own car. He was so happy when he was telling us this story. Jerson said that it was hard but he wanted to help his parents more than he wanted clothes, or a new house, or other luxuries like that. He then told us how lately he's wanted to do the right things spiritually (read the scriptures, go to church, etc) but at the same time he wants to keep doing what he's doing. He said he needs help to be more "spiritually mature," and that when he sees us, 19 or 20 year old kids, he wonders how we are able to put off worldly things and do what God wants. I told him it's very difficult.

But this reminded me of a quote by Elder Bednar that says, "Nothing outside can make us move for very long. The only thing that moves us comes from within..." or something to that effect.

I told Jerson that if he is motivated by love of God or family he'll do the hard things, like when he had to work for his parents. He didn't really respond but we invited him to motivate himself and do the little things God asks us. I wish I could say "he jumped up and wanted to be baptized right then" but that's not what happened haha. That experience helped me, though, keep striving to become better this week.

Well, hopefully I get that package today haha! Love you mom! Talk to ya later!

--Elder Heimuli

Semana 60 - Another Car-Fast Day, A Dead Raccoon & Cinco Quemejes

Dear Mom,

Hey! Yeah, I'm feeling better this week. I think this letter is gonna be a short one. Just a quick rundown of our week. So we didn't have any investigators come to church. Lame. But we did have 3 less actives! Yay! N came and they had the temple prep classes that started sunday so he came right on time!

This week we didn't have too much success with our investigators. We are working slowly with the ones we do have, so they can understand our message more clearly. But this week we had another "car fast" and it was funny cuz it was the only day this week where it POURED rain! So, we walked around in the rain for a few hours and found no new investigators.


Elder H & Padawan on Car-Fast Day where, yes, they abstain from driving their car...so of course it will rain that day!

It's ok, though. We did meet a lot of interesting people and find a dead raccoon hahaha. Gross.


Now see, they would have never seen this from their car...

This week, I still feel like it was my b-day cuz we had a few more "b-day" dinners that families wanted do for us. One is actually a dry member named Norma. She's cool. But we went out to a mexican restraunt with them.

Another day we went over for dinner with Luis and Kaessey, cuz Kaessey told me she wanted to make me a cake not one to smash my face in.


A pretty cool cake -- even without the Weber State colors.

We got to the house (all the missionaries) and we ate dinner.


Elders Going, Benedict, Bakes and Heimuli

After dinner they told us they wanted to play this cool game called " Cinco Quemejes." They explained that we had 5 people be quemejes. We lined up in single file order and I was the second one in line from the front. Luis was ahead of me. We all crouched with our eyes closed.


Hmmmmmmm......

One by one we all had to say our number and then jump in the air while the people on the side clapped. This sounded SO LAME but Luis assured us it was fun. So we did it. When it got to me I said "cuatro quemejes!" and jumped up, still feeling there was no point to this game. With my eyes still shut, I heard Luis yell his number, jump up, and then I felt this plate full of whipped cream smash into my face and I realized, "Oooooh, they got me good!"


Question of the week: How many times can people smash food in Elder Heimuli's face before he quits falling for it? Answer: Apparently, as many times as they want!

So know this week we are still hitting it hard. Not much else to say! I'm keeping you all in my prayers and I love yall!

--elder heimuli