Elder Heaton

09/30/13

 Yep. My month mark has passed by so quickly! Time flies when you're having fun spreading the gospel! This Week was a little slow. We haven't got much referrals from people and tracting is at 0% success so far. Jessicas about to have her baby boy so her baptism was moved to sometime in Dec. I can't remember if I wrote anything about Toni Filliger in previous letters. She's about 60-65ish Years old and she has been Diagnosed with cancer. She has the bad habit of Smoking, but nonetheless she is an amazing person. She reads everything we ask her to read so carefully so she can get the message. She thinks Jesus is black... But that really isn't important in the long run. She was an investigator that was investigating before I came and she was going to be baptized on the 23rd but wasn't ready. And now she's going into surgery next week so she probably won't be ready until Dec. like Jessica. We were able to give her a blessing of healing and comfort for her surgery. I was able to use my oil (that I keep with me always!) and do the anointing. Bro McCombs (the Ward Mission Leader) did the sealing and the blessing and did an awesome job. Blessings are amazing things. Tonis faith is so strong, but she doesn't understand how there can only be one church that is the right church. She interprets the scriptures of saying that Anybody that doesn't know or believe in Christ is condemned and never will be able to receive the gospel. She interprets that into, anyone outside of a single true church (our church) is condemned and she doesn't think that's right. She's really awesome tho. Shes a really deep thinker.

 Me and Elder Lohan are figuring out our differences the longer we stay together. He's very emotional and dramatic about certain things that really don't matter to me and I don't understand some of the things he thinks. But I wont get into details. He's an amazing person who has accomplished a LOT of things in his life.

 I'm starting to gain some weight... :( But we are also thinking about going running (but that's not going to happen...). Anyways.

 Thanks for all your emails! It's so nice to hear from you all! See you later!

 

-Elder Heaton

09/23/13

 This week was a little slow with the work. We were able to teach Jessica a couple more lessons though! She's 8 months pregnant too so she just started having some contractions and had to miss Church on doctors orders. But, she is still really strong and she has one of the biggest testimonies I've ever seen and she's not even a Member! (Yet).

   There's a less active member named Bill Kelly who has really taken a liking to me I guess haha. He has a little bit of psychological struggles and has mood swings regularly but I've learned to love him. He always brings over treats to each and takes us to get ice cream after a hard days work. He's an amazing man! He just has some struggles. He's very generous and he always drives us to places we are going. He's really funny. He's going through a really hard time right now with some emotional things. The human mind is an interesting thing.

  Elder Lohan and I are getting along pretty well! We've had a little disagreement on some things but as we express our feelings on different things to each other, it makes us better friends. He says I'm one of the easiest missionaries he's ever trained! He's had 4 "sons" (trainees). He's my mission dad and his trainer is my Grandpa. haha It's really funny how they relate trainers and trainees with posterity. But, over all we are becoming really good friends.

   Well, not much to talk about this week. Sorry! But keep on praying, reading, and going to church! Always look for opportunities to serve each other and others as well. Love you all! See you real soon! ;)

-Elder Heaton V

P.S. Mikey!!! I want to hear from you! I forgot your email otherwise I would just email you. Let me know how things are going. School, Magic, friends, girls, anything!

Will be putting Elder Heatons letters here

September 4, 2013
Hi everyone! (ya mom if you could send my emails to everyone that would be awesome!) 

    It's so great to be able to talk to you over email FINALLY! I sent a letter some time last week but I don't know if you guys got it. I'm not used to sending hand written letters yet I guess... Anyways so just in case I'll write a little bit about what I said in that letter. So when I entered they had me go with my host missionary to get my books and then to the bus where he left me to go to west campus which is part of wy view (Y-View?) and just north of Tom and Mckays old apartment. I sent some pictures of our District. In Image#1107, that's me on the far left and then my companion, Elder Zeman (Z-man), poking his head out behind me and Elder Campbell. Then in the front in the black shirt is Sister Carvalho (Carvalio) and in the center is Sister Perelman (pearl-man she's russian Mike! She's pretty fluent, but has no accent because she grew up in California) and then on the right of Sister Perelman is Sister Tureson in the light blue shirt, who I was actually able to give a blessing of comfort for her back. Then our Teacher Sister Pack is on the very right. In the back is Sister Becraft in the red and then Elder Sainsbury is in the back between Sister Carvalho and Sister Perelman. They're all so wonderful and fun loving. We all get along great and our testimonies are so strong when we're together! 

    My Companion Elder Zeman comes from a difficult life back in California. I'm really glad he is here with me tho! He has a hard time talking so while we teach our role-play Progressive investigators, I feel like I dominate the lesson and don't really give him enough chances to talk. He really wants to do better with teaching by the spirit and I think that's great! He's doing so well!

    This is kinda how our days go: Wake up at 6:00 take showers, at 7:00 we have study time for 30 minutes, breakfast at 7:30, Zone teaching till 8;45, then we have classroom study for 3 hours until 11:45, then additional study time for 35 minutes, then lunch followed by some more additional study time until 1:35, the gym time (our gym is just in our parking lot... :( it's kinda boring, I usually take Elder Zeman and practice piano while he sleeps or studies because I'm the piano player for sacrament meeting and priesthood) after gym, it's some more personal study until 4:20 where we have our TRC Progressive Investigator appointment and we teach for 20 minutes and then go back to class and review, then we have dinner at 5:20, and then classroom study for 3 more hours. But, the days aren't all in that order. There usually is that much study time though. Then we go to bed and do it all again! It really makes me grateful for P-day (today wednesday). We went to the temple and did endowments and then we came home for email! 

   So on Wed. last week we all heard Branch President Gerke (Liz Gerkes Dad) was going to call a District Leader and I wrote in my journal that night feeling like is was going to be me. So on Friday we had a meeting and one of Pres. Gerkes Counselors Brother Hobson gave me and interview and asked me if I'd be the district leader! So I said yes. Day 2 and already so much responsibility! Piano, District Leader and all the responsibility that comes with that has really kept me on my toes!

   On Sunday, there was a devotional film by Elder Bednar called "Character of Christ". It was AMAZING. Elder Bednar really puts it into perspective on how important our message is and how important Christ is in our lives and how we should keep striving to have Christlike Attributes in our personality. I challenge you family, to sit down and watch it on sunday night. You don't have to take notes (although I really think you should :) but if you have an extra hour that night and really listen to his words. It should be on LDS.org. 

    Thanks family! For the box of PJs and mints, and thanks for the emails! It was so nice to get on today and see so many emails! We leave on monday at 8:40 in the morning. I might be able to call that morning around 6:00 to 7:30 hopefully before the kids get to school. So just the heads up! 

    See you real soon!

-Elder Heaton V