Semana 54 - Christmas, Wedding, Baptism

Yep, this may be a little short because I did just talk to you guys:)

[Note from Mom: We waited an hour for his call on Christmas morning. Hema & Norma came over before they had to head to the airport for one of their fun day trips -- this time, to San Diego. The rest of us were packed and ready to go to Hawaii. After we talked to Helam, we rushed to the airport only to find the flight overly full, so we switched last-minute plans and flew to San Diego, too. Our married ones met us there and we had a blast. The Mormon Battalion Visitors Center is amazing...and free...a must-see! The zoo, on the other hand? VERY expensive, but Harrison still loved it.]


The family at the Mormon Battalion Visitors Center. Harrison at the San Diego Zoo.

This week was really great! We didn't get as much done lessons wise because there was a lot of administrative work that we did this week, but hey, numbers don't matter. What matters is that Luis Figaroa was baptized last week!!! That day was crazy cuz there was so much we HAD to get done before the baptism. First of all I had to prepare a talk with very late notice and study 4 hours cuz I'm training. Then that afternoon, even though I'm not a DL, I was the one that interviewed Luis because everyone that could speak spanish taught him, including me. I was just the one that taught him the least amount of time haha. Not gonna lie, it was my first one so I was stressing a bit. If he would have surprised me with a deep dark secret during the interview I wouldn't know what to do...but it was all good haha. That night they got married, he was baptized and we had our branch christmas party all rolled into one.


This is what it's all about!

Christmas eve and christmas day we just spent the whole time house hopping. We had an appointment with members just about every hour and every appointment was to eat...oh man.


The missionaries enjoying Christmas Meal #5.

I survived and so did Padawan.


Elder Heimuli & Elder Bakes

The members here are so awesome and we also got a few gifts. I got this awsome sweater and beanie.



Nayeli bought us all these matching sweaters...except for mine.



She couldn't find a black one in my size, but I just figure she did it cuz I'm her favorite and she didn't want to let everyone else know. It was a good last christmas on the mish. I went out in style. ha.


Playing home-made ghetto ping pong -- creative.

Love you and I'll talk to ya'll later!

Love, Elder Heimuli

"The Lord Will Provide a Way"

Found this Elder Heimuli original on YouTube...cool.

Semana 53 - Padawan

Hey mom!

It's true, Prince headed up north! Transfers was kinda crazy cuz we were sure we were gonna stay together for one more but Charlesworth was called DL only 6 months out and I am still here and TRAINING!!!! What the weird?



I'm one of the youngest trainers in spanish for years hahaha so I didn't feel ready. It's going well though, haven't totally failed in spanish yet haha. My padawan's name is Elder Bakes. He makes my job easy, though, cuz he's not scared to talk and teach. Super legit.



So everything here is going great! We just had another investigator, Sonia, go with her 2 kids! Then we had Norma and her daughter! Rosana didn't go cuz her baby got sick the night before. She did tell us last monday that she wants to go every week cuz she knows it'll be good for her baby. So in total we had 4 inv. and 4 less active members attend! Yay! I just have a big testimony of service and that it goes a long way! In the meeting we had with Pres. Satterfield at transfers, Sis. Satterfield said, "you don't serve someone because you love them, but you love them because you've served them."

I have been really trying to serve everyone and I can truly say that I have a greater love for everyone here. It's a good thing I didn't get transfered or I'd be a wreck haha. God won't give us something we can't handle:)

So for calls this sunday we're gonna only go to sacrament which ends at 10:30. So I guess whenever is good for you guys after that I can call? Just let me know! And I'm just gonna call your phone this time?

Everything here is going well and I'm doing good! There's not too much to say since I'll be talking to ya'll here in a bit, and all there is to do is work, work work--but I just wanted to say that I love you mom! I love you all and I'm so happy I have such a great family! I'm so blessed!

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 52 - Hump Day, Half-way, 1 Year

This week has been so great!!! Which is a good thing cuz we have transfers this wednesday so we ended it in style! We are thinking that we won't be transfered but who knows, we get calls tonight so I'll let you guys know what happens later!

Anyways, I just wanna say thanks for the packages! I got all of them, I believe. I'll send a thank you to Grandpa and Grandma Murray soon. When I got the "Hump Day" one I kinda tripped out. It's been a year already?? It's SO INSANE how quickly time flies by!

First off, the lesson we had with Rosana and Silvana and their family Monday went great!! Thank you for your prayers. We met them with Nicolas and that first lesson Rosana commited to come to church! Her sister wanted to come too, but she couldn't because of work but said she will ask for the next Sunday off so she can come! That was Monday. Then we went over again thursday and taught them the BoM. They were all very interested and S said she would read it and everything by the next time we come over (which is tonight). Rosana was ready to go to church and everything, as long as we got her a ride. Gladly.

During the week we have been working with a lot of other potencials and formers. Had lots of good lessons and even found 9 new investigators this week!!!! We have worked so hard and this week we've seen some of the "fruits of our labor." It's really cool.

We were with N cuz he came with us to help teach someone, and we just asked him when his birthday was, then he said, "I turn 34 on...December 4th (which was two days prior to that)." We freaked out and were like, "You didn't even remember your own birthday?!" Haha he said no. No one did haha. So we told him we were having a party at his house in an hour. Prince and I made cupcakes for the kids and bought him a sweater!



Good time! I love that family!!!!



Sunday was so awsome! We had Rosana and her two month old baby come! The members were so cool and EVERYONE greeted her and asked how she was doing. We were both stressing about how she would feel in church but it went great! The teacher didn't even teach false doctrine in class either, so yay!!! I was just really happy cuz we had her, and the Flores family is committed to getting active. They were all there as well. A was there too, an excommunicated member who was ready to give up trying to re-join the church after last week. But we talked to him and had really spiritual lessons with him and now he is trying twice as hard. I just love missionary work and I can finally see why I'm out here!

Well, the weather is chilly here. Just in time for Santa.



We're doing great here and just excited to do the work. Prince and I don't wanna be transferred cuz we're doing such good work here. It's great. He says he finally feels like he belongs in this mission. I know how he feels. It's great out here.

I just love everyone here. I love the Church. I love the season and the Savior Jesus Christ. I love our investigators. I love the members. I love my companion. And I love all of you at home!!! Take care and I'll let you know about calls, Mom!!

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 51 - December Already?

Hey mom!

I love you!!!

Wow, is it December already? It's hard to remember because it just seems like Fall over here haha. No snow! I'm SO happy about that, but the cold is kind of a killer. It hasn't been too bad the last week, so we'll see what happens later in the month. And i'm almost half way done too. Yep, it's flying by and it worries me a bit to tell you the truth. All I can do is work even harder, like Dad says yeah?

Thanks for the package and all the shaving stuff, man, I needed it. I felt I was shaving off my skin rather than my facial hair. But I got all the letters and I loved them! I'll be sure to write back to everyone.

Quick story: So one night last week we were at a dinner appointment and we were about to leave, then we realized we didn't leave with a spiritual thought. We felt impressed to do that first. So we shared the thought and got home a little late. When we got home, we got out of the car and there were these two ladies carrying a mattress. We ran over and offered to take it from them. Found out they were from Uruguay and their ceiling collapsed so they were moving everything from their apartment to one clear across the complex. They didn't own a car, so they called a taxi to help them move their stuff. Well, we told them that we could put their things in our car so they didn't have to pay for a taxi and then we carried all their furniture for them as well. The lady just had a baby 2 months ago as well. We moved everything and they were so grateful. They tried to give us money but we declined everytime, so they INSISTED that they at least feed us dinner, so we are going over tonight to do that and share our message. Pray for us!

Church was good. We didn't have any investigators but we did have 3 less actives, and Nicolas Flores came and he drove himself! Despite his back problem he still came. That shows me that he is changing and more willing to do what is needed in order to go to the temple. We had a good lesson with Nicolas and his family and then we cut Ivan's hair into a mullet cuz we thought he'd look super cool...and we were right! He's so cute and pretty much one of my best friends out here!


Cute, huh? One of my favorite 'chamacos' out here!


Just us cutting I's hair. I was trying to get him to get the hair out of his mouth so he wouldn't eat it.

So yes, everything out here is good and I am excited to be doing the Lord's work! The more time goes by, the more I realize that I love all the people here so much, and that one day I'll be gone. So Charlesworth and I try our best to do whatever we can to make all their lives just a little bit better.

I love you mom and all you guys at home! I'll see you in a year but it may be a bittersweet kind of deal, ha. Just ask Hema.

Love, Elder Heimuli

Semana 50 - Cardigans, Football & Thanksgiving

Hey Mom!

Prince and I are both doing good! It's starting to get a little chilly again, but I got your "warm" package the other day so I can handle it haha! We both now have matching cardigans that we busted out the other day at a branch activity!


Matching cardigans!

Errbody's jealous! Haha but thank you so much Mom!

This week went by really fast! Time just keeps picking up the longer I'm out here!

Anyways, for the beginning of the week we tried to work really hard cuz we knew at the end of the week we wouldn't have a whole lot of time due to Thanksgiving and other activities. So, we found a few people who were willing to listen to us. We had to sort of start over with our investigator pool, but it's ok. Hopefully these people we found are more solid.

For Thanksgiving morning we played football with an English ward and some English missionaries. The games were really fun. We got kicked off the field, though, by a city soccer team that was having a tournament that morning. So, we headed over to another field to play soccer with our branch.


Us missionaries, after playing sports with Bro. Madsen, the 2nd counselor in our branch (he's from B-town!)

On the way, I saw a bunch of these huge black guys playing football, so me and one other missionary went and played with them. They weren't that good, though. I'm trying to be humble, but I just ran all over them. Disappointing. After an hour of that, we finished and we joined our branch's soccer game in the next field over. By that time I was so tired! I am so out of shape I'm kinda scared to come back and play football ha. So that game lasted another hour and a half.

It was 3 when we finished and we headed over to the S family's house for Turkey Day linner (lunch+dinner). It was really good and we had a lot of fun there. Such a great family! Then we took the MARTA all the way down south to East Point city where we ate dinner at another members house! We were really full but the members are so cool here they just wanna feed us all the time!


Eating "patas de pollo" (yes, that is a chicken foot going into Elder H's mouth)...really gross, not gonna lie...

We took the sketchy MARTA train back home at 930 at night, but no one messes with us cuz were pretty big compared to most people here...unless they have a gun or something...

The Flores family didn't come to church this past sunday, so that was really sad. We went over afterwards though, with the branch president and that was really a good lesson. I guess Nicolas just woke up late cuz he was up all night with his back pain. They still really wanna get sealed in the temple so it'll just be a process but we'll be there every step of the way.

Everything is just moving along here. Thanks for all you do mom! Tell Houston hey and that he's the best! Those football pictures you sent me were so cool, he looks like a beast and bet he plays like one too! Aight, well I'll talk to you next week!

--Love Elder Heimuli

Semana 49 - Praise Jesus & Thanksgiving

Dear Mom,

First off, I'm glad to hear updates on everyone! Everything here in Atlanta is going good!

This past week Atlanta had the priviledge of hosting the Saints Unified Voices choir directed by Gladys Knight and Charlesworth and I were one of the lucky few missionaries who got to help with the shows. There were only 14 missionaries who were picked to proselyte during the shows and talk to the non-members who were attending.

The choir performed a total of 6 shows--Fri, Sat, and Sun with 2 each day. So, we worked ALL day for those 3 days at the show, so we didn't get much work done in our own area haha. It's ok cuz the experience was SO AMAZING!!!! The music was very up beat and soulful and very very spiritual. You could tell who was Mormon during the show cuz they felt a little uncomfortable when someone would stand up, start clapping and yell, "Praise Jesus!" I loved it. All of us missionaries were super excited cuz this was our chance to stand up and start dancing hahaha!


Elder Charlesworth & Heimuli dancing in the parking lot

Really though, Gladys Knight has such an amazing testimony and it could be felt through her music. Whenever she would belt out a solo, I would get chills. Even though I watched the show 6 times, it never got old and the spirit was super strong throughout. I got to shake her hand!!!! Oh man, pretty sure I almost fainted hahaha! It was cool though, cuz even though the show had her name on it and a lot of people went because of her, Gladys refused to sign autographs and take pictures because she wanted the focus to be on Jesus Christ and His restored church.


Missionaries sharing "Gladys Knight and the Saints Unified Voices Choir" music & message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

It was just really cool and we had a lot of success. 1020 referrals (but not really any for Spanish...boo!)! We worked really hard and usually didn't go to bed til 12 or even 1.


Elder Charlesworth & Heimuli pose for a picture while everybody else cleans up after an SUV concert

So, we're super tired but happy from the experience. And we are excited to get back to working in our area!


NOTHING can detract from a missionary's enthusiasm...okay, maybe Wheat Thins...but nothing else!

I'm doing great! A little tired, but nothing I can't handle:) The weather here was really cold, and then the past couple days it's been really humid and hot...so I don't know what's going on with all that.

The Flores family is doing good. The dad's back is still messed up but they were at church again on Sunday! We'll be going over there tonight to have family home evening with them.

I don't get to see the Huckaby's anymore...sad.

For Thanksgiving we're gonna be playing sports in the morning and then we have 3 dinner appointments I think...IDK, I just know that we're gonna be busy ha! You're Thanksgiving sounds great!

Well, I hope all is well and I'll talk to you next week!

--Love Elder Heimuli