A few weeks of updates

October 15th, 2012

 

Hey hey hey!

 

Thanks about the glasses. I was worried that you would all laugh at me. :) I have to admit to mom... you were right. I should of got glasses before the mission! I am loving them! And because I moved areas, everyone here thinks that I have worn glasses my entire life, and people think I look weird without them haha.

 

But yes I am very ready to start college life and hit the books after the mission. I have really learned the importance to study and how to study effectively. The only thing I am worried about is my spelling and grammar in English. as you all have seen there are lots of misspelled words...  I am actually forgetting English. But I am sure that the Lord will bless me to remember English after the mission.

 

So the bus experience almost killed me last week and we are doing it again this week! Last week we were on high class buses that pretty much turned into beds (in one of the pictures) But this week we are on school buses for 6 hours heading there and 6 hours coming back! We are going to visit some missionaries in our zone that live in a place called Trinidade. We are traveling outside of Ceara! We are headed there Wednesday and we are going to teach and help them for a day, and then we are going to head back at 4 in the morning Thursday! I'm super excited! The missionaries said that we will see lots of armadillos and vultures! In my area now... we have lots of vultures that fly in circles! They are huge! Their wing span is bigger than mine! These birds are enormous! The take dogs, cats, chickens. I will try to snap a picture close to one this week.

 

In our zone our challenge is to baptize men. We are not allowed to baptise women without men, or children without their fathers! Because here the missionaries have baptised so many that we have members sufficient to make several wards. But we don't have enough priesthood holders. So that is our focal! We are getting testimonies from all the missionaries that have baptised men and we are doing a little news paper of our zone and posting these stories to get everyone excited!

 

This week we had a miracle happen. We went to a house that we found in our area book and what happened.... the house doesn't even exist! so we kept on going and we felt that we needed to talk with a man in the street. we went to him and he turned around with a huge bottle of beer and we hesitated a little but followed the feeling. We talked to him and he invited us to his house to talk with him and his wife. We went and left a short message with them and invited the to go to church. They accepted and what do you know.... they showed up to church before us! They came thirty min early on Sunday and they loved the meeting. The wife cried the whole time and told us she had never felt so good in her entire life. And we had two babies blessed, and the husband loved that. They told us that there was nothing stopping them from coming back next week! It was very special, to see the power of an invite. It is so simple but can change lives.

 

We had two other men at church too, and one will be baptised this next Sunday!

 

I am loving Juazeiro, and I am loving being able to serve others! It is incredible, this week we spent 3 of our 6 work days in other areas helping other missionaries. And working just three days we had seven investigators and we have baptisms set up for next week! The lord is really helping us with all we need!

 

The Church is True

 

Elder Heath

 

P.S. Here in Juazeiro we only get packages and letters at transfers.... so I hope here in 4 weeks the package gets here. I will let you know ;)

 

October 23rd, 2012

 

Hey familia!

My testimony is a burning bonfire!!! and everyday that passes wood gets added to the fire!
I am loving this new area! This week was a traveling week for me too! I traveled to three different cities to do divisions! Crato, Barbalha, and Pirija. It was pretty crazy! I got to interview some amazing people and see some amazing stories. It is incredible the miricals that happen every day! There is a father of a family that drank everyday without stopping and he was smoking tons! He prayed and the urge to drink and smoke went away! We also had a mirical happen in our area. We were preparing Bruno for baptism yesterday and then we had two emergency divisions where we had to leave our area. So we had only taught the restoration and the book of mormon to him and we saw him saturday night!!!!!! We got there thinking we would have to move his baptism back a week for him to learn and apply the commandments. We taught the commandments and he was already living all of them!!! He was not even drinking coffee!!! IT is crazy! We were truly blessed in our area. I am learning a lot about sacrifice. When we sacrifice ourselves for others the Lord will always take care of us in any situation.

So we had an amazing baptism and the spirit was so strong! I love so much seeing the conversion of someone that really has changed. We had 9 men reactivated or baptized in our zone this week! These missionaries are awesome!!!!!!!!

So a little more about Zuazeiro.... I thought Fortaleza was hot.... no way!!!! Here is 120, 125 degrees easy!!!! And there is absolutely no wind!!! When we are walking to appointments after lunch we have vultures flying about us, just waiting for one of us to faint. ha There is lots of jungle, and that means spiders! Also on the telephone wires there are monkeys!!! Little foot tall monkeys! The city of Juaeiro worships a man called Padre Cicero. He is everywhere! There are lots of exotic fruits like ATA and Jaka here! Basically I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is one of my favorite areas to serve!

I love you all and I can't explain how much all of you mean to me! Thanks for everything!

Elder Heath!!!

p.s. Ask Trev bout the fish eye we ate!!! haha the last picture shows our trip.. Fortaleza to Juazeiro!!! 

October 29th, 2012

 

This week we had a special visit form President Souza! He traveled all the way to Juazeiro to talk with all of us! IT was really cool! I felt very special because Elder Queiroz and I were his tour guides here. So we got to spend the whole weekend with President and Sister Souza. I really got to know them and see a different less serious side :) We went to lunch together and President Souza was cracking jokes and everyone was laughing, It was awesome! He also shared some information with us about the growth of missionaries! One month ago, there were about six hundred missionaries applying for missions every week, and now this last month has grown to seven thousand per week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The mission field is growing!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you so much dad for the research that you did! My priorities are BYU and then BYU-Idaho and BYU Hawaii too. Maybe hit up some waves in between classes :) Here we are only allowed one hour a week on the computer, and so I think it would be better for you to send the questions to me and I will write them on paper. Because I don't want to miss a week of your e mails! ;) I would die! I have been practicing with Elder Queiroz, English, and so hopefully I will start picking it up faster. I have difficulties talking fast, everything is in slow mo. Thanks for the English lesson on how to spell miracle! I'm needing it!

 

I think I would like to live on campus at Provo. Where Cassie lived was on campus right? I just know I want to be close to campus and I want a kitchen!  I think that is on campus. Are the new Heritage halls nice?

 

I was thinking this week. That usually there are tons and tons of people applying for BYU Provo but with the number of people applying for missions, maybe this is the right time for me to apply! :) Don't worry... if you want to eat beans and rice everyday, I have mastered how to make delicious BEANS AND RICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will want to eat beans and rice every day!!!!!!!! ;)

But I will definitely work while I an going to School, and so don't worry too much about beans and rice.

 

You all are looking so young in these pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! The pictures you sent and in the family letter, everyone is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! Mom, you are the youngest looking grandma in the world! I looked at that picture you sent, and you are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kylie is too ;) And dad, you looking awesome! You are motivating me to start push ups, because your arms are three times the size of mine! Trevor is going to be taller than me here in no time, and he looks faster than wind! And Danielle, when did you start modeling? Because your senior pictures are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to see the rest! You are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I showed your picture to my president and he didn't believe me that you are not modeling! and if you are, I wouldn't be surprised! Cassie too! You had a baby two months ago??? You are so fit, and so beautiful! I love seeing pictures with Cassie and Kylie, you two are sooooo adorable! I think you two should get some matching clothes or something! And Dallin.... ummmm......you are..... Ò cara! Eu estou muito feliz ver sua familia Hague. Voce è forte, amoroso, e meu Irmao! È ótimo que nos podemos falar portugues e ninguem entende!!!!!!

 

I love you all!!!!

 

Yours, Elder Heath

 

P.S. Could you tell me the story about how we became members of the church? Who was out first ancestor to be baptised? How? When?

Glasses

Hey hey hey!!!!!!

The weather is beautiful and I am surrounded by tons and tons of land! I am loving my new area where I am serving! When I imagined Brasil, where I am now is more like it!

That is awesome dad! You ran that FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is crazy! I am glad that you had a good race! I think that it is a miracle how you can run solo far! I tell everyone here that my dad runs marathons! Now when I tell them your time they are going to be even more impressed! That is one of my goals when I get home from the mission. I will complete a marathon in the first year when I am home. I also want to complete an Iron man in the next couple years... we can train together! :)

But the 11 hour bus ride on Sunday was just the start this week! We gave training to our zone on Tuesday and then we went to work! I got to know my area a little bit.... We took a bus for an hour and we didn’t even cover half of our area! IT IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! While we were coming back.... our bus broke down..... We got back to our next appointment after 6! haha Then Wednesday night Elder Queiroz and I get on another bus to head back to Fortaleza! 11 hours again!!!!! We have a Zone meeting with Presidente Souza! We arrived at 7 in the morning had the meeting at 8. We had an awesome meeting and I learned a ton! Then that night we jumped on the 11 hour bus ride again! And we got here in our area and we were dead! But that didn’t phase us. We took a shower ate lunch and went to work! We had to do a division to help some other missionaries and so I jumped on a bus and for 2 hours to go to a city called Barbalha. Came home the next day and to my relief...... General Conference! I loved every word that was said at conference! It helped my relieve some stress too!  I loved the talks by Elder Eyring and Elder Holland! And Elder Bednar... and The Prophet... :) I am loving being a Zone leader, and having the opportunity to serve the other missionaries here. My vision has opened up a lot just this week!

Sorry, I am trying to send pictures of my glasses, companion, and new beautiful area but this dumb machine isn’t working... Oh well, maybe next week!

I love you all and I want you to know that I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. I know that he lives. I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith restored the keys to our salvation almost two hundred years ago. I know that the power of our Heavenly Father is here on the earth again.

Elder Heath

ZL

September 24, 2012

Hola familia! 

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful updates and the wonderful news! Dad, Thank you as well for the research that you did for me. I am thinking a lot about college and my future work. I'm am not one hundred percent with anything, just looking at the options. I would love to continue at one of the byu schools. If you could fill out the requirements and send to me what I need to do, the essays, that would be awesome! I really feel like I should go to Byu. To major in what field is another question. I was thinking about Anatomy this week, because I really enjoyed anatomy in highschool. I am hoping that being a returned missionary will help me get in, I will also get a recommendation from President Souza to help :) I think the special forces might be the correct route for me.... I could live a little in hawaii ;) But I just need to find a branch where I will not be forced to stay in the special forces for years and years. Keep me updated on what I can do to get into BYU :)

That is awesome that you marked the Book of Mormon and gave it to your patient. I am very proud of you! That is awesome! Now remember to follow up here this week. With her questions and how she felt! I'm sure you probably have already done that. But that is awesome that you are getting that missionary fire in your bones!

This week we had a really really amazing thing happen. We have been searching for members of the church that have fallen away from the church a little. We found a familia that has not been to church for fourteen years! Some had been a couple times but never created the routine going to church. We had a family home evening with them and we taught them the lessons again, including the son that had never been baptized. We prepared him for baptism and he was baptised and confirmed this last weeked! We were able to reactivate his entire family as well! I will send a picture of him and his family!!! Our sacrament meeting was a little more full this week! ;)

This is the last week of the transfers and I think that I will be transferred because I have six months here in this area. But I don't want to leave, I have my family here and I don't want to leave Elder Young. But we will see... maybe next e mail I will be in a different area! 

I love you all so much! And I know that the church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration and that the book of mormon is one of the most treasurable gifts that we have. 

 

Elder Heath

I also went and had an eye test this week and my vision has gotten a little worse because of the sun here! The doctor explained that the sun rays  are so strong that, walking in the sun all day I need something... So I might be getting glasses.... :) And I will send my new vision to maybe get some new contacts. :) 

I also took the x rays for Bishop Packard. They are simple x rays but I will be sending them next week.

October 1st, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I cant believe that your birthday has already come around the corner! How was the party? I was a little nervous when I heard that you passed out on the floor...... But I loved the part that you wrote to me. I actually understood about the renovations at the temple! I was thinking here, I have never entered the Boise temple. That is definitely on my to do list! What did everyone do for the birthday party? Was there chocolate? Send pictures if you can!

 

Danielle, how was the dance? You are the most beautiful young woman on this planet!!! Your dress looks exactly like a princess dress! Did you have fun? What was the theme of the dance?

 

How did the follow up with the book of mormon go dad? We had a training this last week about what to do when an investigator doesn't read what they said they would. You have to make a sad face, and show them that they are really missing out. (Preach my Gospel) But I'm sure she read it. You are always such an example to me, keep it up!

 

So I have some news....... I am no longer in Fortaleza..... I jumped on a bus last night at seven o'clock and I arrived in my new area at six this morning!!!! I am at the very bottom of Ceará now. A place called Juazeiro. We took a pretty sweet bus to Juazeiro that reclines and It is sooooooooooo different here! I am in the middle of nowhere! It is just desert here, and jungle! My new area is a branch, because the church here is just starting! The church here has the same time as I do on the mission! I am very excited to be here, to help the church grow!

 

Also I arrived at the bus stop and i meet my new companheiro.... Elder Queroz! But I meet him.. then I thought..... last time that I saw Elder Queroz he was a zone leader.... And now he is my companion.... Then he gave me the surprise that I am now a zone leader! t is his fourth transfer as a zone leader here and will be my first! Elder Queroz is from Sau Paulo and he has been here one more transfer than me. He is a surfer and he plays guitar too! We are going to have a blast! In our zone we have twenty missionaries and a couple areas that are out of the state! We will have to travel 4 more hours to get to them! I am very very excited to be a zone leader and to serve the missionaries here in Juazeiro. I have heard that the Catholic religion is super strong here, and there is a saint (padre cicero) that everyone here adores. We entered the market and we saw him, the bank, there was  a statue, a restaurant there he was, in a members house here he was again! Missionary work will be very different here but I am ready for a god challenge.

 

This week I also bought glasses! I decided I didn't want to have my eyes get worse and worse so I got glasses! You should see all the things that I can see now!!!! haha They also turn dark in the sun so my eyes will be protected. Sorry if you don't believe it but I actually like glasses ;) Ill send a picture next week!

 

Elder Heath