Dear family,
Haha it surprised me how short your letter was to me this week but it's a sign that things have slowed down a bit over there? You guys get a break haha?! It's the opposite for me over here in Marietta! Elder Anderson and I have been working really hard this past week. We just finished with our area map (updating members, less actives, investigators and potentials and pinning a flag where they live) about a week ago and it has really helped make our work more efficient. It also helps when there's no one home to tract into from 1-5 in the afternoons, so we start tracking down less actives and visiting members. Our branch currently has over one hundred members on record, but only about 30 are active. Needless to say most of our work this week was tracking down and teaching less actives. Our message to pretty much all of them was that going to church is one of the most essential parts of maintaining a testimony and recieving blessings. By about the third person we taught, we were SO sick of the "I can't go cuz I work" excuse. We were hoping to get 5 less actives to church yesterday, but none showed up. We'll keep working with them as the transfer goes on.
We spent the other part of our time just contacting and finding (trying to at least) investigators. We did find quite a few people that would listen to us, but whether they progress or not is totally up to them. We hope that they do. Carpenter (Spanish ZL) just told us that the whole zone is going up! Anderson and I just pray and work everyday in faith that we will find those people that are elect. We're both getting a long great and both share the desire to work hard! It's crazy how this transfer is already half way over!
Let's see, you're questions...the best thing that happend would probably be our interviews with President Satterfield. He is so amazing. I learned a lot from what we talked about and I have been applying the things he suggested to me like focus my studies more and other stuff like that. Everyday I learn SO MUCH MORE than I have just doing random studies. Yes, it's still super hot and humid and I don't like it at all! But i'm drinking lots of water! I did recieve your package you sent me w the food (thank you guys so much) and Harrison's letter with the pictures. I will try to send hand written letters soon! We had to wait ANOTHER week to hear word about the divorce...so tomorrow we will see. Pray for us! It's cool though, cuz Juan is one of the strongest people in the branch and he's not even a member! Such a stud. I love him. I did get the primary letters...well, 3 of them. If that's all, then cool:) I'll sent a thank you soon!
The reading has been going well for me. I am in 3 Nephi and he is such a good example for missionary work. Nephi does the whole thing with the crowd of people and predicting the murder of the chief judge (starting at Helaman 8:27), and despite that everyone just ends up going their own ways, unchanged. Nephi is walking home alone when god speaks to him and tells him since he was such a faithful missionary. If you see how the scripture is set up it shows that God actually gives him a blessing! God says Nephi's name, states his authority ("I am God") and tells hime that everything that he binds on earth will be bound in heaven and so on. This blessing came about because Nephi labored without ceasing. This is how missionaries should be. Makes me feel like not such a hot shot missionary hahahah but I know that that's something I want to achieve. Pretty cool, I thought.
Anyways, everything is going well out here! Hope you all have a great week!
Love, Elder Heimuli
ATLANTA GEORGIA TEMPLE
Monday, July 18, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Semana 30 - People Wanna Talk About Jesus More When They're Plastered, Adios Elizabeth, Alma 24:30
Dear family,
I'm so glad to hear that everyone is doing well! I'm doing well out here too! For the BEST thing that happened to me this week would have to be...Elder (Scott) Anderson and I finished making our map for the area. Now, hopefully, we will be able to work ten times more effectively and maybe see 2 baptisms this transfer! Anderson and I are getting along great. We are actually very similar in a lot of ways and we are working hard to bring some people to baptism. No I didn't get the box yet...I actually haven't gotten anything for more than a week, but I'm waiting!
We spent all Sunday night walking around finding and talking to as many hispanics as we could. The majority of the people we talked to were drunk, but they were really nice and we got some good contacts and set appointments. (It's gonna be funny when we go back in a couple days and they're sober, wondering why we're there wanting to teach a lesson--people just wanna talk about Jesus more when they're plastered.)
This past week we have just been working on that map, trying to contact referals that we've recieved and visit less actives. We haven't had much success on any front besides the map but we're gonna kick it into gear this week.
Recently we've been having some members move back to their native countries--fear of that law is probably what drives most of them. This past week our good friend Elizabeth and her son Alan left to Guatemala. We will miss them!
(Front: Elizabeth & Alan; Back: me, Anderson, Prince, Wood, Henderson and Quinonez)
In the scriptures I am reading the war chapters, so not as much spiritual stuff as there are action stuff. Some things it talks about is the different degrees of wickedness of certain peoples. I believe it's the Zoramites and other dissenters of the Nephites. There is a scripture that says something to the effect of how ones that have recieved the light and knowledge but then fall away are even more hard hearted than those who have never known it.
"Alma 24:30 And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things."
The most destructive people to the church are those that have gone apostate. There are so many examples of this in the BoM and you can look around and find it still applies today. The ones who go less active or stop going to church are hard to bring back into the gospel. This doesn't mean that I'm not gonna try, but it makes it that much harder. FAMILY: I pray that whoever recieves a testimony of these things and are members of the chruch fortify themselves and stay in the strait and narrow path always.
Well, thank you so much for all you do and I'm sending pictures! Love you all!
--Elder Heimuli
One more pic (above): Elder Heimuli & Elder Charlesworth (he's the greenie in the district, but Helam affectionately calls him Prince)
I'm so glad to hear that everyone is doing well! I'm doing well out here too! For the BEST thing that happened to me this week would have to be...Elder (Scott) Anderson and I finished making our map for the area. Now, hopefully, we will be able to work ten times more effectively and maybe see 2 baptisms this transfer! Anderson and I are getting along great. We are actually very similar in a lot of ways and we are working hard to bring some people to baptism. No I didn't get the box yet...I actually haven't gotten anything for more than a week, but I'm waiting!
We spent all Sunday night walking around finding and talking to as many hispanics as we could. The majority of the people we talked to were drunk, but they were really nice and we got some good contacts and set appointments. (It's gonna be funny when we go back in a couple days and they're sober, wondering why we're there wanting to teach a lesson--people just wanna talk about Jesus more when they're plastered.)
This past week we have just been working on that map, trying to contact referals that we've recieved and visit less actives. We haven't had much success on any front besides the map but we're gonna kick it into gear this week.
Recently we've been having some members move back to their native countries--fear of that law is probably what drives most of them. This past week our good friend Elizabeth and her son Alan left to Guatemala. We will miss them!
(Front: Elizabeth & Alan; Back: me, Anderson, Prince, Wood, Henderson and Quinonez)
In the scriptures I am reading the war chapters, so not as much spiritual stuff as there are action stuff. Some things it talks about is the different degrees of wickedness of certain peoples. I believe it's the Zoramites and other dissenters of the Nephites. There is a scripture that says something to the effect of how ones that have recieved the light and knowledge but then fall away are even more hard hearted than those who have never known it.
"Alma 24:30 And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things."
The most destructive people to the church are those that have gone apostate. There are so many examples of this in the BoM and you can look around and find it still applies today. The ones who go less active or stop going to church are hard to bring back into the gospel. This doesn't mean that I'm not gonna try, but it makes it that much harder. FAMILY: I pray that whoever recieves a testimony of these things and are members of the chruch fortify themselves and stay in the strait and narrow path always.
Well, thank you so much for all you do and I'm sending pictures! Love you all!
--Elder Heimuli
One more pic (above): Elder Heimuli & Elder Charlesworth (he's the greenie in the district, but Helam affectionately calls him Prince)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Semana 29 - Transfers?...Oh, Canada...Look Out, Refrigerators!
Hi family,
Well, it's Tuesday now and I'm writing this today because we couldn't get to a computer during the 4th of July! Everything is going good here down in...MARIETTA! That's right, I am here for yet another transfer hahaha! It's my 4th one here in the same area and I was positive I was out. Actually, everyone in our district thought Henderson and I were the ones leaving--turns out we were the only ones that stayed haha! Everyone else in our district left. I'm excited to be here and continue the work that I've been doing since the start of my mission. My new companion is Elder Anderson. He is from Cardston, Alberta, Canada. He says it's about 15 minutes from the US border? Anyways, it's kinda crazy because he is only one transfer ahead of me. So, that means we are both terrible at Spanish...that also means we'll learn a lot this transfer haha! I am really excited for the challenge and I've actually been hoping for something like this just to see how well I can handle it! Pray for me!
Elder Anderson from Cardston, Alberta, Canada
4th of July was really great! P-day was extended until 8:30 (usually 6:00) and we didn't email either, so we had a lot of time to do stuff. We went thrifting and I got a super cool grey suit and some skinny ties (if you guys find any cool skinny ties, send 'em my way!). We had a barbecue with everyone in our ward which was also a going away party for one of the members who is moving back to Guatemala. Sad but very exciting at the same time! Then we just played sports to end the night. I am very sore right now. We played with a kid named Angel who is an Atheist, but he likes hanging out with us so we'll see what happends with that!
The whole past week Anderson and I have just been working our hardest. We have been doing a mixture of less active work and visiting members. We recieved a referal for a guy named Jorge and taught him the other night. He was worried about the second coming and what he needs to do to be ready for it. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the five steps within it in our broken Spanish...we think he understood everything ha! It went well and we are going by again toinght. Sunday night we planned a whole 3-4 hours to travel up to Ackworth (30 minutes away) and contact 7 referals we had up there! We were so excited! It turns out we only spent one hour because NO ONE answered the doors! Frustrating!
Still working with the court for Juan. Still not even close to being fluent in Spanish. Bummer.
Houston is getting ready to ball it up in conditioning, huh? The only advice I have is to work hard. Try everyday to improve YOURSELF. Run faster than you ran the day before, beat one more person than you did the day before, lift harder than the day before, slack off less than you did the day before :) You want to be able to look back and say, "that's what I did," instead of, "that's what I could have done." Listen to Dad. He's old, therefore he knows (I'm joking Dad! You're the best!)
Everyone is so busy and growing up so fast! I feel sad I'm missing it haha but I know I'm here for the best reason in the world and I'm still here in Marietta for a reason! Houston driving? Oh no, tell all the refridgerators on the roads to look out! Hahaha get it? Cuz that one time that Houston drove...hit the fridge...ha...it's funny.
(Note from Mom: Actually, it was our deep-freezer. When Houston was 13, his 16 year-old sister decided -- without our permission -- that it was time for Houston to drive. He was trying to drive into the garage...got the gas and brake pedals mixed up...and drove into the freezer...with his sister/driving instructor in the passenger seat...nice.)
Well, my BoM reading is going well. My favorite part this past little while have been about the missionary work (I may be biased). I found lots of "missionary scriptures" that help me focus on my purpose and continue to work. I don't remember the reference and I don't have my scriptures here but I loved the scripture of Ammon (?) talking about his mission and how at first they didn't have success among the Lamanites and their "hearts were depressed" and they began to go back home. Then, the Lord told them to turn back and continue to work and he will give unto them success. (I feel like I may have written this in my last email home, but if not, then great!) I know that I need to work hard no matter where I am, and as I do, the Lord will GIVE success. Being humble enough to realize I can't do anyting for myself, but that I must rely on the Lord for EVERYTHING, has been the hardest thing for me. I am learning and trying everyday to improve myself, though, with the help of the Lord. I love this gospel!
Some things that I would like to request: spam, cornbeef, and maybe a Tongan grammar book or something like that. I cannot find anything like those out here...we have some white boys here who want to be Tongan (including me haha!)
Anyways, love ALL of you guys! Hope everything is going well and thank you so much for your support, you're amazing!
Love, Elder Heimuli
Well, it's Tuesday now and I'm writing this today because we couldn't get to a computer during the 4th of July! Everything is going good here down in...MARIETTA! That's right, I am here for yet another transfer hahaha! It's my 4th one here in the same area and I was positive I was out. Actually, everyone in our district thought Henderson and I were the ones leaving--turns out we were the only ones that stayed haha! Everyone else in our district left. I'm excited to be here and continue the work that I've been doing since the start of my mission. My new companion is Elder Anderson. He is from Cardston, Alberta, Canada. He says it's about 15 minutes from the US border? Anyways, it's kinda crazy because he is only one transfer ahead of me. So, that means we are both terrible at Spanish...that also means we'll learn a lot this transfer haha! I am really excited for the challenge and I've actually been hoping for something like this just to see how well I can handle it! Pray for me!
Elder Anderson from Cardston, Alberta, Canada
4th of July was really great! P-day was extended until 8:30 (usually 6:00) and we didn't email either, so we had a lot of time to do stuff. We went thrifting and I got a super cool grey suit and some skinny ties (if you guys find any cool skinny ties, send 'em my way!). We had a barbecue with everyone in our ward which was also a going away party for one of the members who is moving back to Guatemala. Sad but very exciting at the same time! Then we just played sports to end the night. I am very sore right now. We played with a kid named Angel who is an Atheist, but he likes hanging out with us so we'll see what happends with that!
The whole past week Anderson and I have just been working our hardest. We have been doing a mixture of less active work and visiting members. We recieved a referal for a guy named Jorge and taught him the other night. He was worried about the second coming and what he needs to do to be ready for it. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the five steps within it in our broken Spanish...we think he understood everything ha! It went well and we are going by again toinght. Sunday night we planned a whole 3-4 hours to travel up to Ackworth (30 minutes away) and contact 7 referals we had up there! We were so excited! It turns out we only spent one hour because NO ONE answered the doors! Frustrating!
Still working with the court for Juan. Still not even close to being fluent in Spanish. Bummer.
Houston is getting ready to ball it up in conditioning, huh? The only advice I have is to work hard. Try everyday to improve YOURSELF. Run faster than you ran the day before, beat one more person than you did the day before, lift harder than the day before, slack off less than you did the day before :) You want to be able to look back and say, "that's what I did," instead of, "that's what I could have done." Listen to Dad. He's old, therefore he knows (I'm joking Dad! You're the best!)
Everyone is so busy and growing up so fast! I feel sad I'm missing it haha but I know I'm here for the best reason in the world and I'm still here in Marietta for a reason! Houston driving? Oh no, tell all the refridgerators on the roads to look out! Hahaha get it? Cuz that one time that Houston drove...hit the fridge...ha...it's funny.
(Note from Mom: Actually, it was our deep-freezer. When Houston was 13, his 16 year-old sister decided -- without our permission -- that it was time for Houston to drive. He was trying to drive into the garage...got the gas and brake pedals mixed up...and drove into the freezer...with his sister/driving instructor in the passenger seat...nice.)
Well, my BoM reading is going well. My favorite part this past little while have been about the missionary work (I may be biased). I found lots of "missionary scriptures" that help me focus on my purpose and continue to work. I don't remember the reference and I don't have my scriptures here but I loved the scripture of Ammon (?) talking about his mission and how at first they didn't have success among the Lamanites and their "hearts were depressed" and they began to go back home. Then, the Lord told them to turn back and continue to work and he will give unto them success. (I feel like I may have written this in my last email home, but if not, then great!) I know that I need to work hard no matter where I am, and as I do, the Lord will GIVE success. Being humble enough to realize I can't do anyting for myself, but that I must rely on the Lord for EVERYTHING, has been the hardest thing for me. I am learning and trying everyday to improve myself, though, with the help of the Lord. I love this gospel!
Some things that I would like to request: spam, cornbeef, and maybe a Tongan grammar book or something like that. I cannot find anything like those out here...we have some white boys here who want to be Tongan (including me haha!)
Anyways, love ALL of you guys! Hope everything is going well and thank you so much for your support, you're amazing!
Love, Elder Heimuli
Monday, June 27, 2011
Semana 28 - I Hope They Call Me On a Mission...when I have killed a pig or two
(L to R: Elder Liuwanga, Heimuli, Morris, Pasiaka & Donnelly with Babe in front)
Hi peoples of Utah,
Of course, I'm doing good! It is a little bit super hot over here, but this week has actually been tolerable. I think it rained almost every day, but the air still feels heavy and hot. Meh, probably the closest I'll get to serving in South America. In a year and a half or so I can look back and laugh at this, but for now I'm just crying.
Good news! I cut my own hair again and this time I didn't totally fail! I have the blessing of learning many things out here: how to cut hair, speak spanish, roast a pig...you know, missionary things! I'll explain the pig in a bit...
Soccer was never my sport back at home, but the longer I stay here amongst the hispanics, the more it grows on me. It's like a algae. Anyways, the finals for the "Copa de Oro" which is a tournament held in America that includes teams from North and South America, was this past Saturday. Me and Morris have been cheering America on as they moved up the ranks, making to the finals, while Mexico (Juan's favorite team) made it there as well. My hopes were crushed Sunday morning when Juan walked into church with a big smile on his face, shaking my hand and saying, "4-2." His grin told me Mexico pulled it out. The night before I was about to bet him my whole next month's allotment...good thing we're not allowed to gamble hahaha. We're still waiting to hear about their situation, but we were told that we shold recieve word this week!
Anyways, on Saturday Morris and I went to Newnan (which is 1 hr 15min away from our house) to help set up and help with a big stake barbecue. All the Tongan Elders were invited to help mainly with the cooking. We left our house at 7 am and stayed out there all day. We set up, cooked a huge pig and a little pig, some chicken, and helped out with it all during the "Island Roast." Elder Teulilo even did a fire dance. It was a lot of work but it was really fun. There were quite a few people the went and they all enjoyed the food. I manned the grills, cooking chicken and pig that didn't quite get cooked all the way. None of us (polys) got to really eat during the party cuz we were working the whole time, but we made sure to grab some food to take home.
(Pasiaka & Heimuli...and a much browner Babe)
The funniest part was when we went home (or attempted to haha). We drove out from our house to College Park (which is 30 min from Marietta) to meet up with Elder Liuwanga and Elder Perkins to catch a ride with them to Newnan (which is 45 minutes from there). Well, when we went were heading home, we arrived at College Park (45 min drive) and Morris realized he left the keys in Newnan. So, we had to drive back (45 minutes). Once we finally got the keys we went back to College Park (45 minutes) and headed home to Marietta (30 more minutes). We got home SO late, like 11:45 haha...I was super tired Sunday.
(Heimuli, Raul & Morris looking chipper after Saturday's luau)
Transfers are in 2 days and I'm excited to see what happens. We all did district predictions and unanimously everyone guessed I was leaving haha. We'll see when we get calls tonight!
(Elder Morris & Heimuli trying to predict who's getting transferred)
Well, as for the BoM, not gonna lie, I fell behind a bit. I guess it's just you and Jessye that are the true saints hahaha! When Alma and Amulek go out to teach among the people, it's a great example of the agency of people. Alma and Amulek had many people come unto baptism and repentance in one land, while in the other, Ammoniah (I think) nothing happened at all. This didn't happen becuase Alma and Amulek were more faithful in one place than the other, but just that the people had the agency to accept their message or harden their hearts and reject them. I heard a saying that goes, "you can't say the wrong things to the right people, and you can't say the right things to the wrong people." Yeah. The people that will be willing to accept the holy spirit will do it, while the others just won't. It's simple hahaha.
Well, i'm glad you guys are doing good! I'll send pictures in a couple minutes!
Love you all and pray for ya'll!
--Love, Elder Heimuli
(Random note from Mom: Before/if Helam gets transferred this week, here's a pic of a Utah get-together with Elder Morris' family, Elder Benedict's family, and the Heimulis. What a privilege for us to meet the incredible families of Helam's comp and housemate...if Elder Henderson's family had been in town, we would have had them over, too!)
Back row L to R: Rachel Morris, Bergen Benedict, Mackenzie Benedict, Riley Benedict, Hema Heimuli (eww!), Norma Heimuli
Middle row L to R: Hevynn Heimuli, Dickson Benedct, Houston Heimuli
Front row: His Majesty Harrison Heimuli
Monday, June 20, 2011
Semana 27 - Cornrows, Krupping, Mosiah
Querido mi familia amada,
I am sending a ton of pictures your way, so I hope you like them! It's so great to hear how everyone is doing and to see the pictures of the two boys!
Houston & Harrison Corn-rowed (Courtesy: Pua)
They look so sick with cornrows! I made up my mind that I'm gonna grow my hair out when I get home haha! Speaking of which, my hair is getting pretty long now but I don't have time to cut it...plus I don't wanna total fail at cutting my own hair again ha.
This week has been pretty good! Yes Juan and Emily's legal stuff was all paid for and in the process of working, so now we are just waiting. I am hoping to hear word back this week so we can finalize everything, but I guess we'll just see how it goes. We're getting nervous cuz the transfer ends in a week and a half! Oh no! The time is just flying by here!
Thank you guys so much for the "Krup Day" package, I decided to re-name it that because "Bump Day" doesn't make sense (unless you can explain it to me) and we were Krupping the night I got the package! It was a good time!
Krupping with Elder Morris (guess there's only one chair in the house?)
Krazy krupping with "Beni & Hendy"
We have been finding a few people to teach and it's exciting! Sometimes it gets kind of depressing when it doesn't seem like you're making an impact, but you really don't know the effect of your work 'til it's all over. I hope to look back and see my efforts made a big difference.
Stake conference was really good! Stake President Parker spoke and he did such a good job. He used to be a baptist preacher (and you can really tell when he speaks to you. Kinda intimidating). When he found out that the LDS church was the true church, he said he was so angry! One because the missionaries had proved him wrong, and two because he hadn't been following the church of Christ his whole life. He's a really cool guy. Then we had a new member of the Seventy speak who happened to be a member of the stake. They all spoke on how important the doorway of love is. Love of God, your family, your spouse, your neighbor, and yourself. Going to the temple 2 times a month will strengthen your family relationships immensly as well as your relationship with God. Most importantly, how doing the small things ALWAYS is better than the big things SOMETIMES. Small things like scripture reading, praying daily, going to church every week, holding family home evening (morning).
I have finally given up reading in Spanish and have just read it all in English. I realized that I won't fall behind as easily haha. Recently I have found quite a few scriptures regarding missionary work. My favorite scripture this week is in Mosiah 23:10-11 which reads,
"no obstante, despue's de mucha tribulacio'n, el senor oyo' mi clamor y contesto' mis oraciones, y me ha hecho instrumento en sus manos para traer a tantos de vosotros al conocimiento de su verdad. Sin embargo, en esto no me glori'o, porque soy indigno de gloriarme."
(Note from Mom: For those who don't have Hema nearby to translate, or are too lazy to look it up - Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth. Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself.)
I only have my Spanish scriptures with me, but it basically says that despite all the trials I have called out to the lord and he answered my prayers. He has made me an instrument in his hands to bring all his children to the gospel. It's not my glory, but his. I have experienced this many times already: feeling inadequate and like nothing is happening despite my efforts, but as I call on the Lord HE will make me into the missionary that I want to be. It's through his permission that I can do this great work. I love that.
I love you all so much and pray for you guys every night before I go to bed...and that the cockroaches won't crawl on my face while i'm sleeping:)
This should keep the really large cockroaches off his face! All other cockroaches are welcome...
Love, Elder Heimuli
If you ever wondered why we need CNN when we have Fox News...here's why -- a great place to stop for lunch!
Elder H designed his own Krup Day (or Bump Day) tie to celebrate 6 months in the mission...which tie is then ceremoniously torched in an intense Krup Day fire!
Uhhhmm, guys? Where's the huge fire? Anyone got a light?
Oh well, back to a fierce game of Krup-football...Heimuli at center, Hendy at Q, Beni on D, and Morris...Morris?
I am sending a ton of pictures your way, so I hope you like them! It's so great to hear how everyone is doing and to see the pictures of the two boys!
Houston & Harrison Corn-rowed (Courtesy: Pua)
They look so sick with cornrows! I made up my mind that I'm gonna grow my hair out when I get home haha! Speaking of which, my hair is getting pretty long now but I don't have time to cut it...plus I don't wanna total fail at cutting my own hair again ha.
This week has been pretty good! Yes Juan and Emily's legal stuff was all paid for and in the process of working, so now we are just waiting. I am hoping to hear word back this week so we can finalize everything, but I guess we'll just see how it goes. We're getting nervous cuz the transfer ends in a week and a half! Oh no! The time is just flying by here!
Thank you guys so much for the "Krup Day" package, I decided to re-name it that because "Bump Day" doesn't make sense (unless you can explain it to me) and we were Krupping the night I got the package! It was a good time!
Krupping with Elder Morris (guess there's only one chair in the house?)
Krazy krupping with "Beni & Hendy"
We have been finding a few people to teach and it's exciting! Sometimes it gets kind of depressing when it doesn't seem like you're making an impact, but you really don't know the effect of your work 'til it's all over. I hope to look back and see my efforts made a big difference.
Stake conference was really good! Stake President Parker spoke and he did such a good job. He used to be a baptist preacher (and you can really tell when he speaks to you. Kinda intimidating). When he found out that the LDS church was the true church, he said he was so angry! One because the missionaries had proved him wrong, and two because he hadn't been following the church of Christ his whole life. He's a really cool guy. Then we had a new member of the Seventy speak who happened to be a member of the stake. They all spoke on how important the doorway of love is. Love of God, your family, your spouse, your neighbor, and yourself. Going to the temple 2 times a month will strengthen your family relationships immensly as well as your relationship with God. Most importantly, how doing the small things ALWAYS is better than the big things SOMETIMES. Small things like scripture reading, praying daily, going to church every week, holding family home evening (morning).
I have finally given up reading in Spanish and have just read it all in English. I realized that I won't fall behind as easily haha. Recently I have found quite a few scriptures regarding missionary work. My favorite scripture this week is in Mosiah 23:10-11 which reads,
"no obstante, despue's de mucha tribulacio'n, el senor oyo' mi clamor y contesto' mis oraciones, y me ha hecho instrumento en sus manos para traer a tantos de vosotros al conocimiento de su verdad. Sin embargo, en esto no me glori'o, porque soy indigno de gloriarme."
(Note from Mom: For those who don't have Hema nearby to translate, or are too lazy to look it up - Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth. Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself.)
I only have my Spanish scriptures with me, but it basically says that despite all the trials I have called out to the lord and he answered my prayers. He has made me an instrument in his hands to bring all his children to the gospel. It's not my glory, but his. I have experienced this many times already: feeling inadequate and like nothing is happening despite my efforts, but as I call on the Lord HE will make me into the missionary that I want to be. It's through his permission that I can do this great work. I love that.
I love you all so much and pray for you guys every night before I go to bed...and that the cockroaches won't crawl on my face while i'm sleeping:)
This should keep the really large cockroaches off his face! All other cockroaches are welcome...
Love, Elder Heimuli
If you ever wondered why we need CNN when we have Fox News...here's why -- a great place to stop for lunch!
Elder H designed his own Krup Day (or Bump Day) tie to celebrate 6 months in the mission...which tie is then ceremoniously torched in an intense Krup Day fire!
Uhhhmm, guys? Where's the huge fire? Anyone got a light?
Oh well, back to a fierce game of Krup-football...Heimuli at center, Hendy at Q, Beni on D, and Morris...Morris?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Semana 26 - P-Day, Early Father's Day, Krup Day?
(Note from Mom: The Heimuli Family has their holidays all mixed up. We celebrated Father's Day on Sunday, June 12, 2011...oh well. On Wednesday, June 15, Elder Heimuli will celebrate 6 months in the mission, a.k.a. "Bump Day" -- at least, that's what we thought it was called.)
Dear Family,
Sorry I'm writing so late, but I'm finally here! Everyone here is doing good, like always! Can't complain about anything, especially cuz it's P-day! Ummm...Oh, Norma has sent me a couple e-mails talking about their trip and it all sounds great! I'm sure their sad that they have to go backk to work but that's life haha. IIt was cool about Hema and Tyler teaching together, I'm sure it went a lot smoother than when they were comps cuz Hema can actually speak Spanish now.
I think it wouldn't be a bad idea for Houston to go to the camps this year. When he goes he should go play the positions that he wants to go out for, learn as much as he can, and play HARD! Especially at his age now, the camps will give him a small idea of how high school ball will be. It puts on display great athletes and the not so great at the same time so he can get a feel for who he should be competing (and winning) against. It's not comletely necessary in order for him to try out for BHS. If anything, at the Poly Camp, the BHS coaches will be watching out for him and how he does. It's a good oporitunity that way.
I know what you mean about Father's Day. I didn't even know it was next Sunday until after church hahaha. It was funny cuz we even had this thing where we ate food in the gym after the block to celebrate it. I was like, "Well, the Father's Day card will be a few days late, hope dad doesn't mind." Then the whole deal happens and Ybarra tells me that it's NEXT sunday but we had that thing because we have stake conference next week. So hey, I actually got a card out to someone not a couple days late, Good for me!! (The Lord provides!)
I love Houston's thing from the scriptures cuz it's kinda what I got out of it. Everyone's gonna burn--except if they use the atonement. We had a speaker come talk to us this past Tuesday at Zone Conference. He talked about how we need to put off the natural man (who is against God) in order to progress in this life. The natural man likes to be lazy, eat crappy food, party it up, get 19 on the ACT, etc...but doing everything the natural man will just get us a one way ticket to Hell. The Atonement is here for us to save us from that impending doom. Like it says in Mosiah 3:19, "...putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the Atonement of Christ..." I'm grateful for the mission because it gives us rules that pushes us towards that sainthood by doing things that the natural man would fight against. Wear boring clothes, go to bed at 10:30, wake up at 6:30, work all day, exercise, CONSTANTLY think of others, etc. It's very hard to do at first becuase all the rules seem lame, but it's all just how we overcome the natural man to obtain a higher plane of thinking in order to preach the gospel.
Like I said, we had Zone Conference this past Tuesday which was really great. We watched the talk that Elder Holland gave when I was in the MTC about missionary work. It was such a powerful talk--I loved it when he gave it in the MTC and I loved watching it again. The rest of the week has been pretty so-so. We're going to the court tomorrow to pay the money and get Juan and Emily's thing all figured out so that was great! (And now me and Morris are broke hahaha, but it's to save a soul!) We also met little boy whose Mom is an inactive member and his step dad isn't, but he wants to be baptized. We set a date for the 22nd of this month. Yay! Church we didn't have any investigators come, but we got Father's Day food...I'd probably have liked the investigators more haha.
As for the best thing, I'd say getting my tooth fixed haha! Sorry that happened, but the filling came out. Hope it wasn't a big hassle. I don't know which one Bree was but I'll tell her hi! As for the thing I need, this is random, but if could send me one of those 3D movie glasses if you just happen to have one of them lying around that'd be great!
Love all of you! Oh, and I don't understand why it's called "Bump Day" so i'm changing the name to "Krup Day."
Love, Elder Heimuli
Dear Family,
Sorry I'm writing so late, but I'm finally here! Everyone here is doing good, like always! Can't complain about anything, especially cuz it's P-day! Ummm...Oh, Norma has sent me a couple e-mails talking about their trip and it all sounds great! I'm sure their sad that they have to go backk to work but that's life haha. IIt was cool about Hema and Tyler teaching together, I'm sure it went a lot smoother than when they were comps cuz Hema can actually speak Spanish now.
I think it wouldn't be a bad idea for Houston to go to the camps this year. When he goes he should go play the positions that he wants to go out for, learn as much as he can, and play HARD! Especially at his age now, the camps will give him a small idea of how high school ball will be. It puts on display great athletes and the not so great at the same time so he can get a feel for who he should be competing (and winning) against. It's not comletely necessary in order for him to try out for BHS. If anything, at the Poly Camp, the BHS coaches will be watching out for him and how he does. It's a good oporitunity that way.
I know what you mean about Father's Day. I didn't even know it was next Sunday until after church hahaha. It was funny cuz we even had this thing where we ate food in the gym after the block to celebrate it. I was like, "Well, the Father's Day card will be a few days late, hope dad doesn't mind." Then the whole deal happens and Ybarra tells me that it's NEXT sunday but we had that thing because we have stake conference next week. So hey, I actually got a card out to someone not a couple days late, Good for me!! (The Lord provides!)
I love Houston's thing from the scriptures cuz it's kinda what I got out of it. Everyone's gonna burn--except if they use the atonement. We had a speaker come talk to us this past Tuesday at Zone Conference. He talked about how we need to put off the natural man (who is against God) in order to progress in this life. The natural man likes to be lazy, eat crappy food, party it up, get 19 on the ACT, etc...but doing everything the natural man will just get us a one way ticket to Hell. The Atonement is here for us to save us from that impending doom. Like it says in Mosiah 3:19, "...putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the Atonement of Christ..." I'm grateful for the mission because it gives us rules that pushes us towards that sainthood by doing things that the natural man would fight against. Wear boring clothes, go to bed at 10:30, wake up at 6:30, work all day, exercise, CONSTANTLY think of others, etc. It's very hard to do at first becuase all the rules seem lame, but it's all just how we overcome the natural man to obtain a higher plane of thinking in order to preach the gospel.
Like I said, we had Zone Conference this past Tuesday which was really great. We watched the talk that Elder Holland gave when I was in the MTC about missionary work. It was such a powerful talk--I loved it when he gave it in the MTC and I loved watching it again. The rest of the week has been pretty so-so. We're going to the court tomorrow to pay the money and get Juan and Emily's thing all figured out so that was great! (And now me and Morris are broke hahaha, but it's to save a soul!) We also met little boy whose Mom is an inactive member and his step dad isn't, but he wants to be baptized. We set a date for the 22nd of this month. Yay! Church we didn't have any investigators come, but we got Father's Day food...I'd probably have liked the investigators more haha.
As for the best thing, I'd say getting my tooth fixed haha! Sorry that happened, but the filling came out. Hope it wasn't a big hassle. I don't know which one Bree was but I'll tell her hi! As for the thing I need, this is random, but if could send me one of those 3D movie glasses if you just happen to have one of them lying around that'd be great!
Love all of you! Oh, and I don't understand why it's called "Bump Day" so i'm changing the name to "Krup Day."
Love, Elder Heimuli
Monday, June 6, 2011
Semana 25 - Car Fast Day (nothing like Fast Car Day)...Eastside Trailer Park...Collection for Juan...Uncle Sifa with hair?
Buenos dias!
Holy cow! Everyone looks so much older!!!! Harrison is looking more and more like me everyday...a super stud muffin! hahaha! First off, I will be sending pictures to your gmail account mom, so yeah.
From the sound of things you guys have been BUSY! It's a good thing everyone is out of school now! So is Hevynn done with high school now or what? Tell her to write me and tell me what's up! Houston better be getting ready to dominate in summer conditioning. I wish I was there to see it but hey, I'll be back soon enough yeah?
I'm not really sure what was the BEST thing that happened this week, so I'll just share some highlights and you guys can decide! The first part of my week was spent in Atlanta on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was up there just doing work with Elder Carpenter.
It can really make the missionaries' day to run into the perfect investigator who listens without interrupting...
Every day this past week it has been 98 degrees and hotter outside, and with humidity that's a huge punch in the face. The best part was that Wednesday was a car fast day (we have one every month designated by the Pres where we can't use the car all day) so we walked in the heat!
Carpenter and Heimuli on Car Fast Day
I felt like a missionary in South America...weird. While we were walking along the side of the road we hear this voice yelling from behind us, "You boys are far from home!" We were thinking, "Oh great, someone else that hates Mormons." When this car passes us, there is a guys hanging out of the passenger window with a Utah license plate in his hands. What the? Anyways, they pull over and we walk over and talk to them. They were both middle aged guys and both converts from Utah. They are working in Atlanta for an alarm system company. So they give us some cold bottled water (the lord provides!) and invite us to breakfast the following day. Pretty cool stuff. Most of our appointments fell through during the transfer, but hey, I'm used to it hahaha! I got back into Marietta on Thursday, but not before Carps and I walked from the MARTA station past the temple to the Liahona in the heat again!
C&H wiped out after a long day in the heat & humidity
Pretty big news here. You can look up the story on line, but in the Eastside Trailer Park (across the street from our house where we work everyday) there was a 16 year old kid who shot and killed his younger brother. We taught his mom a few times and we're actually good friends with his younger sister. It happened Wednesday night/Thursday morning and the kid ran away after. We were in the park all day Thursday talking to families and finding out what happened.
We're still working on the divorce situation with Juan. All the missionaries in the zone are giving some money and Morris and I will finish up the rest.
Elder Morris & Heimuli's collection for Juan
We're hoping to get everything wrapped up and Juan baptized this transfer. I've been working with this since I got here. A little frustrating sometimes haha.
As I've been reading the Isaiah chapters in the BoM, I realize that no matter how many times I read them, I'm still just as confused as the last time hahahahaha! Nephi relates the Isaiah chapters in the BoM again because they are so important for us in this day. Remember that when God repeats himself, we'd better be listening. Nephi constantly pushes us to keep to the word of God cuz that's the one thing that will guide us in a world of changing values. Amen:)
Well that's it for now. I love all you guys and pray for you always! Thanks for everything that you do for me, I know it's a lot!
--Love, Elder Heimuli
ps. I was looking through a book of church art and I came across a photo entitled 'Paying Tithing' or something like that taken in 1996. The thing that took me by surprise was that one of the men looked like Uncle Sifa...but with hair! haha I must be crazy:)
(Note from Mom: Elder H sent these pics just for fun!)
Elder Morris & Heimuli having dinner with a family (ahhh, Tampico!)
Elder Henderson & Heimuli (food critics) at the Varsity: "very expensive, not very good!"
Elder Benedict & Elder Heimuli starting a "friendly" game of indoor basketball (then WHY the helmets?!)
Well, no wonder! The ball is huge...deadly...dangerous...puh-leeze!
Holy cow! Everyone looks so much older!!!! Harrison is looking more and more like me everyday...a super stud muffin! hahaha! First off, I will be sending pictures to your gmail account mom, so yeah.
From the sound of things you guys have been BUSY! It's a good thing everyone is out of school now! So is Hevynn done with high school now or what? Tell her to write me and tell me what's up! Houston better be getting ready to dominate in summer conditioning. I wish I was there to see it but hey, I'll be back soon enough yeah?
I'm not really sure what was the BEST thing that happened this week, so I'll just share some highlights and you guys can decide! The first part of my week was spent in Atlanta on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was up there just doing work with Elder Carpenter.
It can really make the missionaries' day to run into the perfect investigator who listens without interrupting...
Every day this past week it has been 98 degrees and hotter outside, and with humidity that's a huge punch in the face. The best part was that Wednesday was a car fast day (we have one every month designated by the Pres where we can't use the car all day) so we walked in the heat!
Carpenter and Heimuli on Car Fast Day
I felt like a missionary in South America...weird. While we were walking along the side of the road we hear this voice yelling from behind us, "You boys are far from home!" We were thinking, "Oh great, someone else that hates Mormons." When this car passes us, there is a guys hanging out of the passenger window with a Utah license plate in his hands. What the? Anyways, they pull over and we walk over and talk to them. They were both middle aged guys and both converts from Utah. They are working in Atlanta for an alarm system company. So they give us some cold bottled water (the lord provides!) and invite us to breakfast the following day. Pretty cool stuff. Most of our appointments fell through during the transfer, but hey, I'm used to it hahaha! I got back into Marietta on Thursday, but not before Carps and I walked from the MARTA station past the temple to the Liahona in the heat again!
C&H wiped out after a long day in the heat & humidity
Pretty big news here. You can look up the story on line, but in the Eastside Trailer Park (across the street from our house where we work everyday) there was a 16 year old kid who shot and killed his younger brother. We taught his mom a few times and we're actually good friends with his younger sister. It happened Wednesday night/Thursday morning and the kid ran away after. We were in the park all day Thursday talking to families and finding out what happened.
We're still working on the divorce situation with Juan. All the missionaries in the zone are giving some money and Morris and I will finish up the rest.
Elder Morris & Heimuli's collection for Juan
We're hoping to get everything wrapped up and Juan baptized this transfer. I've been working with this since I got here. A little frustrating sometimes haha.
As I've been reading the Isaiah chapters in the BoM, I realize that no matter how many times I read them, I'm still just as confused as the last time hahahahaha! Nephi relates the Isaiah chapters in the BoM again because they are so important for us in this day. Remember that when God repeats himself, we'd better be listening. Nephi constantly pushes us to keep to the word of God cuz that's the one thing that will guide us in a world of changing values. Amen:)
Well that's it for now. I love all you guys and pray for you always! Thanks for everything that you do for me, I know it's a lot!
--Love, Elder Heimuli
ps. I was looking through a book of church art and I came across a photo entitled 'Paying Tithing' or something like that taken in 1996. The thing that took me by surprise was that one of the men looked like Uncle Sifa...but with hair! haha I must be crazy:)
(Note from Mom: Elder H sent these pics just for fun!)
Elder Morris & Heimuli having dinner with a family (ahhh, Tampico!)
Elder Henderson & Heimuli (food critics) at the Varsity: "very expensive, not very good!"
Elder Benedict & Elder Heimuli starting a "friendly" game of indoor basketball (then WHY the helmets?!)
Well, no wonder! The ball is huge...deadly...dangerous...puh-leeze!
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