Que onda mis amigos!! This week was amazing! We had a
sluggish start to the week and then a bomb way to finish it. I definitely saw
some growth in myself and in the companionship of Elder Atkinson and I. We are
working so hard here in Nastysota (that's what the College Statioians call it),
and I'm excited to share the fruits of our labors with all of you today.
I'll start on Tuesday. Like I said, the week started really
sluggishly (I'm not sure if that is a word) but I read a talk called Landing
Safely in Turbulence, By Dieter F Uchtdorf. It talked about how sometimes we
can't control the wind that is agitating the plane. All we can do is hold tight
to the controls and eventually reach our destination. The winds of life will
begin the blow harder and harder and unless we don't hold fast to the controls
(prayer, scripture study, church, service, etc.) we will be torn apart and
thrown into the depths of sea. I felt a great love to be able to find that
talk. It is short and brief but gives a lot of great advice. Throughout the day
we continued to work hard. At the end of the day we were talking to one of our
members who is slipping out of the gospel. We tried to comfort him. We shared
our testimonies, but nothing seemed to work. He made his decision to go to
another church with his family. It was sad, but the spirit helped bear witness
to me that everything will be alright. I know that all those who lose their way
will eventually find it once again.
Wednesday: Everything fell through except for 1 lesson. We
got the chance to teach Pablo and Lupe how to teach us the Restoration. It was
hard because I have never taught someone how to teach the restoration in
Spanish. It was an adventure, but they really understood how to teach it. I'm
pumped to be taught this Wednesday when we go see them. Pablo was also helping
with my Spanish. He also taught me some slang words like "Bale"
(Bah-Ley) which means dude. So I have been using bale like crazy. I love
learning the culture and the slang of Mexico. It's really cool being in the
States because we get the chance to learn about the cultures of Mexico,
Nicaragua, Cuba, and Argentina.
Thursday: was a very inspiring day. We had the chance to set
a vision for Navasota. We had set goals but we had never set a firm vision for
our area. As we set it, it gave a new confirmation and hope for the things that
are yet to come. It's time to harvest the vineyard, and now we have the right
tools to do it. I realized this week that we are all harvesting the vineyard in
one form of another, but if we don't have the right tools to prune and graft
back the trees of the vineyard, it will be very difficult to bring forth the
good fruit. Once we had found our tools, blessings started to arise! That night
we had the chance to go contacting. The third door we knocked we met this guy
named John, we were doing our door approach and before we said anything else,
he said, "Hurry come inside and tell me because it's too cold out there".
I was like, Yes sir we sure can do that, haha! We taught the restoration and it
was definitely a tender mercy! He is a pretty good potential and we are pumped
to teach him again.
Friday: we had zone meeting and it was centered on having a
positive affirmation, and also how we can react better in contacting
situations. Being positive is so vitally important. There are so many things
that don't go our way. But that's ok because that was satan's plan, for
everything to go our way. We all have agency, but when the hard times arise we
need to remember the positives. Take five minutes of the day and tell yourself
in the mirror how amazing you are. This builds confidence in ourselves. We are all
children of our Heavenly Father and he has blessed us with so many gifts and we
must give back by showing that we love the gifts he has given us. I loved what
was shared. Later during the day I went on an exchange with Elder Aholelei. He
taught me a lot. He is a great leader, friend and missionary. We were able to
go finding, and we came into contact with this girl named Lena. We invited her
to church and she was so excited. She told us that there was nothing stopping
her from going to church. It was cool to see the excitement on her face. But
what's even better is she came to church on Sunday. It was so cool. It is very
rare to invite someone to church on just an invitation, for them to actually
come. It was increíble.
Saturday: We exchanged back and we got the chance to go see
the Morris' family. It was Richey Morris' birthday and he turned 4. We had
pizza, had a Spider-Man piñata, and had some cake. It was a lot of fun. We also
shared a tree of life lesson, and it was perfect. Later we got go see a less
active named Sister Rhoton. The drive to her house was so pretty. I'll send
send some pics. We shared with her a lesson on CPR: How we are going to revive
our lives spiritually. It was solid. She is still reading and praying every day,
but the next step is to come to church. I know the Lord will touch her heart in
the future and she will partake of the blessings that church brings into all of
our lives! Later that night we ran into this guy. He called us over and he said
his name is Detroit! He got out of prison 4 days ago and he was kind of a funny
bale (dude)! We talked about the Book of Mormon and he kept calling it the "Book of
Baptist" haha. He wouldn't say Mormon. We told him Mormon is a person not a
religion, but nevertheless he still said the book of baptist! He was super
funny! He told us that he would read the Book of Baptist when he had the time! It
was so funny!
Sunday: Before Church, in my studies, I read a talk from
last general conference entitled: What lack I yet. A quote I liked from it
said: "Every one of us, if we would reach perfection, must [at] one time ask ourselves
this question, ‘What lack I yet?’" On his journey through life we are
trying to become like our Heavenly Father. Sometimes there are things that we need to
change, or do differently. Yesterday in my personal prayers I asked this same question. I
felt a wave of the spirit flood over me as I did so. I invite each of you to
ask our Father in Heaven: What Lack I yet? He will make you perfected!
Church
was fantastic!! Like I said earlier, Lena and her mom came to church, and so
did one of our prime investigators named Andrew! Andrew is the son in law to an
active family in our ward, so he is a blessing sent from Heaven above. He has a
lot of knowledge about the gospel and his family is helping him understand even
more! During Sacrament meeting everyone was talking about the temple and how they feel so grateful for the opportunity to live with their families forever. Oh,
how I am grateful that I can receive the gift of living with my family for all
eternity. I feel so blessed knowing that this is my fate! We got the chance to
go by Andrews house and share with him The Plan of Salvation! The spirit was
really strong and it was one of the best lessons that Elder Atkinson and I have
taught in a long time! I could feel the spirit guiding our words as we taught.
Brother Jarvis (a member in our ward who was able to come to the lesson) gave a
powerful testimony of the atonement and how it has blessed him and his family's
lives. As we concluded I was so giddy and excited for Andrew! He is improving
so much and we are so excited for him!
Part of our vision for Navasota is to always remember this
quote "come what may and love it"! Whatever comes whether good or
bad, love it! I love all of you! Have a great week!
Love Elder Heiner
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