New Missionaries...Part Zwei

Zwei...that's Two in what language?  No, it's not Chinese -- who said that?  I received more good news about MTC Day.  Looks like Elder Heimuli was busy.  Another good friend/teammate/awesome BHS running back -- and now headed for Frankfurt, Germany (yes, zwei is German) -- Elder Mitch Johnson got Elder H as his first companion.  This quick note from Elder J's mom, Cheryl:  "Helam was standing there at the first stop.  We asked if we could stop there, but they sent us down to the end.  Helam sprinted clear down the long sidewalk following us.  It was very comforting for us to have a friend there to greet Mitch.  He was so excited!!  He couldn't wait to see his friends that he has missed."

Have I mentioned how grateful I am for very good friends?

...And this just in!  Elder H was able to welcome another new missionary/fellow BHS student body officer Elder Joe Leishman headed to Philippines Angeles mission (pictured below)!!

New Missionaries at the MTC

A dear friend & sister, Salamasina Ioane-Sione, went to the MTC yesterday to drop off her nephew, Elder Lee, who is headed to Kennewick, Washington.  Sala was in the passenger's seat when they rounded the corner at the MTC, and she noticed Elder Heimuli right there at Stop 1.  "No jacket, just there in his white shirt, so he stood out.  Of course, he's tall, too, and he had a scarf wrapped around his neck.  So debonair!" 

Sala's window was locked, but she was waving like a maniac.  She said Helam smiled and waved back, but she didn't think he even recognized her.  Then he was gone...and she was pulling up to the curb at Stop 5.  Suddenly, Elder Heimuli's face was at her window!  He had followed their car, so Sala jumped out, ready to give him a big hug.  Elder H must've been thinking ahead because -- just as quickly -- he stuck out his long arm for a hearty handshake!  (Does he know us Polynesian women, or what?)  The two elders were introduced, Elder Lee was whisked away, and Elder Heimuli told Sala, "Well, I've gotta go do some missionary stuff.  Tell my mom I'm doing great!"

And it sure looks that way.  Thank you, Sala, for making this mom's day!

Semana 5 - Holland, First Grade & Romans

Note: What's worse than waiting all day for your missionary's letter? Nothing. When it finally arrives at 6pm, what's better than that? Absolutely nothing, especially when it mentions special people who have unknowingly impacted Elder Heimuli's life, even from a very young age. Yesterday, Elder H met his first grade teacher -- the beautiful, gracious Nancy Woodbury and her wonderful Utah Man Bruce Woodbury. Elder & Sister Woodbury just entered the MTC on their way to the Mormon Battalion Visitors Center in San Diego (coincidentally, Helam's birthplace). Elder H hadn't seen Mrs. Woodbury since the Hall of Fame banquet in April, and before that he hadn't seen her since his Meadowbrook Elementary School days!

Hola!

Sorry that i'm writing so late! We didn't get any mail until just barely so i got your letter! I'm glad everything is goin well over there! It's cool to hear about all the missionaries that are coming out here and i hope that i do host when Elder Bushman comes out here!

Well, since i didn't get your letter til just barely i couldn't plan out what i was gonna say, so i'll just wing it. Don't get mad at me if it's too short.

My week has been pretty good. It was a little longer than it usually is, but it's ok! Last Tuesday Elder Holland came and spoke to us! Pretty sure i was gonna wet myself cuz i was so excited! i've wanted Elder Holland to speak to us the whole time i was here and it happened! His talk was amazing! it was centered around missionaries (of course) and how the missionary program has changed. President Hinckley was the one who proposed the change from memorized lessons, to Preach My Gospel. He noticed that missionaries who would come home after serving a full time mission and fall away from the gospel. They wouldn't live what they spent 2 years preaching about! President Hinckley said that the missionary program had failed and that we needed to do something about this. They realized that the MISSIONARY needed to be converted before an investigator could ever be! Therefore, Preach My Gospel was born. Elder Holland stressed the importance of learning this gospel and applying it to ourselves. He also said that all of us need to be a MILLION times better than he was as a missionary, that's just how it's got to be. This talk was one of his machete's in that he told us 3 things missionaries lack--study, preparation, and teach to commit. Even though we all felt like terrible missionaries for a bit, we all knew what we needed to do to become better! Hooray!

I saw Elder Hamilton the day he came in and that was really cool. I've seen him a couple times since then too and it's trippy seeing everyone in suits all the time! Sunday night we all watched a movie together (Elder Hamilton, Elder Allen, and myself) and spoke Spanish the whole time. We're excited to see what it's like when we're all home and super fluent! Elder Lemon didn't join us because he sat in the front with his district...lame sauce! hahaha jk jk! Oh, and yesterday i saw Brother and Sister Woodbury, how crazy! i was eating dinner and they just walked in! They had just arrived that minute and i talked to them for a while. They're serving in San Diego as....something...i forgot...but that was cool to see them!

This week has been a pretty good learning week. I've learned quite a bit more spanish than i knew last week and i am slowly beginning to speak and understand easier. This saturday we teach our first lesson all in spanish and i'm way nervous for that! i know that no matter what, i'll be able to learn from it...but still, i don't wanna fail like i have before hahaha.

One thing that i've loved is being able to really study the scriptures and take so much away from it, a lot more than i have before! and studying in two languages really opens your eyes to things. I read in Romans 8:31 and studied it out. If you read throughout that whole chapter it talkes of how we can prevail through ANYTHING and the way to do it is through God. In verse 35 it lists things that MAY overcome us and in 37 it tells us why, in the end, we are given strength to overcome them. It's through Jesus Christ the one that 'loved us' that gives us the strength to carry on. It is because he suffered, died, and then overcame both so he can stand there and hold out his hand for us to grab on to. He knows what each of us go through. He knows how much we can take. I know that through him, i can do anything. i can sit in class for 12 hours a day. i can teach in Spanish. i can fly to Atlanta and preach for 2 years. I know that you all can recieve the strength and the help through the one who had to endure those things alone, just so we don't have to. i know that this is true and i'm so grateful for it in my life and for that knowledge of it.

There is a short story titled "The Room" that i want you to read. It was such a testimony builder for me and i have such a big appreciation for the Atonement.

Our Hermanas left on Friday so now we have 6 Elders in our district left. I was made District Leader on Sunday, and we had a meeting that a Branch High Councilman sat in on. I had to conduct and teach a lesson on the Atonement and i had only been a DL for 20 minutes hahaha. it was good and President Hacking told me he appreciated the lesson. Cool Sunday huh?

I can't email pictures from these computers so i will try to mail some soon! Sorry about that! Oh, and i'll send that paragraph too! I'm glad you guys liked the tape, pretty sure my district is so random! And fun. The letters this week might arrive a day late cuz today was kind of a busy day!

I love and pray for you all every day! Thanks for all you do and thanks for the support, i can really feel it here! Take care! Stay sane!

Love, Elder Heimuli

THE  ROOM

  In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files.  They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order.  But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings.

  As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read, Girls I Have Liked.  I opened it and began flipping through the cards.  I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.    And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.

  A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
  A file named Friends was next to one marked Friends I Have Betrayed.  The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird: Books I Have Read, Lies I Have Told, Comfort I Have Given, Jokes I Have Laughed At.

  Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: Things I've Yelled at My Brothers. 

  Others I couldn't laugh at: Things I Have Done in My Anger, Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.

  I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.  Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards?  But each card confirmed this truth.  Each was written in my own handwriting.  Each signed with my signature.
  When I pulled out the file marked TV Shows I Have Watched, I realized the files grew to contain their contents.  The cards were packed tightly.  And yet, after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file.  I shut it, ashamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

  When I came to a file marked Lustful Thoughts, I felt a chill run through my body.  I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card.  I shuddered at its detailed content.  I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.  An almost animal rage broke on me.  One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards!  No one must ever see this room!  I have to destroy them!"  In an insane frenzy, I yanked the file out.  Its size didn't matter now.  I had to empty it and burn the cards.  But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card.  I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.  Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot.  Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.  And then I saw it. 

  The title bore, People I Have Shared the Gospel With.  The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused.  I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands.  I could count the cards it contained on one hand.  And then the tears came.  I began to weep.  Sobs so deep that they hurt.  They started in my stomach and shook through me.  I fell on my knees and cried.  I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all.  The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes.  No one must ever, ever know of this room.  I must lock it up and hide the key.  But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. 

  No, please not Him.  Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.

  I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards.  I couldn't bear to watch His response.  And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.  He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.  Why did He have to read every one?  Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room.  He looked at me with pity in His eyes.  But this was a pity that didn't anger me.  I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again.  He walked over and put His arm around me.  He could have said so many things, but He didn't say a word.  He just cried with me.
  Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files.  Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

  "No!" I shouted rushing to Him.  All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him.  His name shouldn't be on these cards.  But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive.  The name of Jesus covered mine.  It was written with His blood.

  He gently took the card back, smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards.  I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.  He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."
  I stood up, and He led me out of the room.  There was no lock on its door.  There were still cards to be written.

                                                                                                   John 3:16

Very Grateful for Parry Good Friends

You've seen this pic before (below:  Elder Evan Parry -- yes, I said Elder -- and Elder H)...when Helam entered the MTC on 12/15/2010.  Yesterday (1/12/2011) was another wonderful missionary day...and lately, there have been many!  Another high school friend/teammate/brother, Elder Thomas Hamilton, entered the MTC on his way to learning Spanish to serve in Tallahassee, Florida.  Elder Heimuli has been looking forward to Thomas' arrival.  Hope they crossed paths yesterday!  If not, they will soon.  

Thomas lived with Evan's family until 1pm yesterday, when Craig & Becky Parry dropped him off at the MTC.  Last night, Evan opened his much-anticipated mission call.  Here's the fun part:  Thomas already knew where Evan was headed!  The Parry's received the thick envelope yesterday morning.  Evan (who's at BYU) gave long-distance permission for Thomas to take a peek and then seal it back up before he left.  By the time Evan opened his call at 7pm last night, it is likely all the Bountiful boys in the MTC already knew where he was going. 

Hevynn and Houston went to the Parry home for the exciting event along with tons of Evan's family and friends.  Are you ready?  Nagoya Japan!  Evan's father served in the same mission just a few years earlier, haha.  Helam's cousin, Elder Kastle Soliai from Hawaii, is currently serving in the same mission and will be out about a year by the time Elder Parry lands in Japan.  Another tender mercy for us all who are so grateful for the influence of very good friends and very good family members who have made such wise decisions to go wherever they are "Called to Serve". 

Elder Evan Parry (Nagoya, Japan) & Elder Helam Heimuli (Atlanta, Georgia)

Semana 4 - Testimony (& Testament) of Family

Disclaimer:  Mom has 100% editing liberties, but 0% time so you will probably see Elder Heimuli's letters just as written, punctuation-lacking, intermediate Spanish and all (with the help of my excellent copy-and-paste skills, of course).

Hola!

This week has been really cool so far! well, cooler than last week hahaha. It's P-day and that's way nice and i'm just doin some laundry right now. It actually came really fast, it seemed just yesterday that i was here doin laundry last tuesday. Anyhow, i'm glad to hear that all you guys are doin good. I put all your names on the prayer roll last week cuz i just felt like it, and i think i'm gonna do the same today. I hope that you're feelin better, madre, sorry that you have the flu or somethin--but you're a trooper for goin to work!

I got everything that you sent me last week. i got the package, the tape and the newsletter! they were all great! tell the family that it was nice to hear from them and that their words of encouragement! Hopefully Hema and Norma will get my letter cuz i wanna know how my spanish is doin!

Speakin of Spanish, we hit it hard this week. We've had a Spanish lesson everyday since last Tuesday and it's been great! We learned preterit, imperfect, subjunctive, adjetive claus, direct and inderect object pronoun, reflexive, and a bunch of other stuff. English is such a messed up language, spanish actually makes sense when you speak it. There are a lot of rules and things like that to learn but it's ok cuz it's actually fun to be able to speak in a different language. We also learned how to effectively study the scriptures and it's so much cooler to do it in two languages--you get so much more out of it.

We went to the temple last week cuz it was finally open! we just hit up a session and that was awsome. pretty sure that it was super fun cuz it's when we can actually kind of leave the MTC and have a little bit of freedom to interact w people that aren't missionaries. i learned a ton from the session last week and i'm way excited to go today! our time is at 1 in the afternoon, and it's probably the best time cuz it's right after lunch and long enough to go right until dinner!

Sunday was pretty much the best day of the week. It all went as it normally did in the morning--we went to priesthood, then to sacrament where we are all nervous cuz we don't know who's gonna give the talk in spanish until the president calls our name over the podium, luckily it wasn't me! After words we had our district meeting where we teach lessons, but this week was different. Since the Hermana's were leaving we just had a big district testimony meeting. I gave a testimony about how family is important, and it was funny cuz i really didn't even think about it before hand, but while i was sharing my testimony the spirit testified to me and the district that it's true. i talked about that quote in the Miller's house that says, "a missionary is someone who leaves their family for 2 years so other families can be together forever." I think about not only you guys, but the family that i want to have when i get home. It's all very important to me and that's one of the biggest reason's why i'm here. I hope everyone can realize that for them selves. Then after that meeting, the Hermanas asked if they could get blessings before they left. Hermana Lopez asked if i'd give her one. i was surprised a bit, but i was really excited. It was a really cool experience to be able to use the priesthood that i hold to bless other people and how i could feel the spirit guiding me and telling me what to say.

That night we had our devotional and that was cool as always. i actually really like devotionals now.... But after, every sunday we watch a movie, and we watched the Testiments. I forgot how good that movie is! My favorite part is the very end where Helam is blind and he spent his whole life searching for Jesus. Jacob (his son) is sad that Jesus had finally come but because of his selfish actions, his dad can't see the Lord. Jesus appears and calls Helam by name, and blesses him by restoring his sight and then Helam cries and falls to his knees and really awsome music plays and it's really happy. Don't worry...i didn't cry at that part...ok, i did. But that's because i know that Christ knows each of us by name, and when he comes again he will say my name just that way, and he will know exactly how i've lived my life. i know that i want to cry when he comes again, but not becuase of my guilt, but becasue i'm happy that i finally get to see him after searching and believing in him my whole entire life. I know that this is true and i know that he will do the same for everyone on earth.

TJ left yesterday so that was a bummer, but all of us bountiful alum got pics before he left.

Below, Elder Kevin Allen (Mexico Merida), Elder Ben Lemon (Texas San Antonio), Elder H, and Elder TJ Farr (North Carolina Raleigh), together in the MTC.

So the Hermanas in my district were supposed to leave last night. we spent all day writing letters and stuff to them from each one of us elders in the district. We didn't see them all day until later that night, and it was way funny cuz i guess there's a huge storm in Atlanta so they had to shut down the airport!  what a bummer! So they are stuck here until further notice. TJ left in the morning so i don't know if he left or not...hopefully he did.

I would like it if you guys sent me a pair of my blue or grey levi shoes please? That's pretty much all i need. My scripture is D&C 98:12..i forgot why it's good, but it is.

Thank you for your prayers and love. i can feel it every day. and i pray that you can feel my prayers too.

Love, Elder Heimuli

Week 3 - Happy New Year

Hola mi familia!

Well, all i can say is that this week was a lot better for me. Not because a lot has really changed from the previous week, but i just decided to just try my hardest (oh, and it is really hard sometimes). I'm glad to hear everyone has had a great past couple holidays, so that's good. Thanks for all the letters and packages, it's pretty much what i look forward to everyday and they keep me goin!

Last Wednesday i did see Elders Lemon y Winters, so that was nice. i gave them all some spiritual missionary advice (like just make it til sunday, or don't drink the orange juice).

Below (from Left to Right):  Elder Connor Winters & Elder Ben Lemon (Texas-San Antonio Spanish-speaking) with Elder Heimuli

I talk to Elder Winters almost everyday, him and his comp are really cool...even though i keep forgetting his comp's name hahaha. I've only seen Elder Lemon a couple times but they both seem like they're doin really well.

One of the biggest things that have helped me this past week is a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It was given in the early 2000's but it speaks to every missionary that either has, or ever will listen to it. The talk was titled, "The Miracle of a Mission." I'm sure Hema has listened to it. Elder Holland (who has always been one of my favorite speakers, and now i've just gained that much more appreciation for him" spoke of his mission and how it was the greatest time of his entire life--not teh easiest--but the greatest. The only thing that has been more challenging and energy consuming than his mission was his call to be an apostle of God. He spoke of how we all (us missionaries) need to realize how important our calling is. We need to understand that we are here as representatives of God and we're not doing it alone. It will be hard, and it will be demanding, but it will be worth it. Elder Holland said that he would try everything in his power to keep a missionary in the field for his 2 years, even if it means tying them down into their chair hahaha. Elder Holland also said that if you return home and you take off that name tag, and you realize that something was different about yourself, then that will be very sad. We need to realized that we are different because the Spirit is constantly with us and that it is our duty to bring that to other people.

Scriptures that i LOVED this week are alma 34:40-41 then read alma 32:41-43.

I forgot how wonderful it felt to teach by the Spirit. I am still very eager to leave the MTC and get out into the field, but there's not much i can do now but learn and grow while i'm here. i heard that there is never enough time to study, so that's what i need to be doing.

New Years Eve was the best this year! It was just like i was still at home! We had class ALL day and then at about 930 we celebrated! I'll send some pictures, but we used all of the party stuff and the confetti  and drank the Martinelli's (thanks for all of that btw, it was really cool). We just had a zone party in the hallway! See, just like you guys were doin at home probably, huh? then we all went to bed at 1030 cuz we all had class early in the morning! Best New Years Ever! It was lame cuz we didn't get mail all weekend, so i didn't get that second package until yesterday haha. Oh well, better late than never!

Fast Sunday was this past Sunday (as you all should have known) and all i can say is that it's harder, but at the same time easier. Dinner is at 430, so it's not that bad. I hadn't eaten since dinner Saturday, so i was still hungrier than usual, but i had a lot of things to fast for so that made it a lot easier! We had a good Testimony meeting, but i didn't bear my testimony cuz we had to do it in Spanish, maybe next month i will.

I also had an awsome lesson last night, our Teacher was Hermano Catt (we finally had our teacher back!) Over the break we've had a lot of different substitute teachers so it was kinda hard to learn things. We called ourselves the orphans of the zone cuz we never had anyone to teach us and we were always so lost, just watchin after ourselves. Anyways, so the lesson was really awsome and it was about missionary work again. I guess the Spirit wanted to tell me something, cuz Hermano Catt testified of how important missionary work is and how we are called in this last day to bring God's children back to him. I think, after this week, i have it cemented into my head why i'm here and why i need ot stay here. Pretty sweet.

i'm running out of time cuz i'm slow at typing, but i hope this letter was a lot better than the last few. Tell everyone i love them and thank you for all that you do! i have been blessed by you all and i hope that by what i'm doing here, you will all be blessed ten fold, cuz that's how God works, so we'll just be patient and see. Hema, Norma! Love you guys! Hevynn, Houston, Harrison you guys are the bomb!

love, elder heimuli

Finally...Pictures in the MTC!



(Below) The sacred name of Jesu Cristo -- to be worn over Elder Heimuli’s heart for the next 2 years.



First Day at the MTC:  The easy-to-spot “Dork Dot”…hopefully, he didn’t have to wear that for too long!

“Meet Las Hermanas de Districto D” (left to right):  Hna Lopez & Hna Miles



Hna Howard & Hna Benavides



“Los Elderes de Districto D” (clockwise from Elder Heimuli):  Elder Haight (Helam’s companero), Elder Carlisle, Elder Cartwright, Elder Rinderknecht & Elder Otteson.



“Mi escritorio” (Gosh, I hope that means “desk” – he’s still learning Spanish, after all)



“Mi paqueta primero” (Way back in the 80’s, I took high school Spanish, and even I can tell that’s probably incorrect – feminine noun with masculine adjective?)



“Goggles weren’t necessary. Pretty sure they had me cleaning w/water. Don’t trust the newbies with chemicals.” (Note from Mom to moms: Please don’t think the MTC is placing an unfair burden on the missionaries. Helam always looked this thrilled when he cleaned at home…)