Branden arrives on August 20th around noon at the Pasco Airport
He will report his mission at 1 pm at the Hansen Park Building in Kennewick on August 25th, 2013.
Please feel free to come support him:)
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Best Two Years...last E-mail of Branden's Mission
August 12, 2013
The Last Letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the last e-mail that you will all need to send me. My plane is scheduled to leave at 3:30 in the afternoon the next week, but Presidente And Sister Fusco want to do something special for us, so I don’t believe that I will have any computer time. That is really weird to say... the last e-mail. The same thing that you explained is running through my head. I am So Excited to run off the plane and to be with you all again, But I feel like I am leaving all of my Brazillian family behind. But until now, I have only had about 5 min to ponder about all of that so it isn’t weighing me down too much. Don’t worry mom, you have the first hug!!!;)
Yesterday a missionary that arrived together with me met up with his mom here in Brasil. He lives together with me, and his mom came to visit Brasil for one week together with him. While we were waiting for him mom to arrive I began to get butterflies... and it wasn’t even my mom haha. I think it is a glimpse of what I will feel here in a week. It has been interesting to see the missionaries that are going home and watch their behavior. Everyone with their head high, and strong testimonies getting on the plane. Putting myself in their place I am very grateful for my mission and everything that I have passed, because now I can walk with my head high and my testimony and not look back. Last night my first companion (Elder Cornwell) had his last dinner! He had to go home a week early and so we got to dine with him and Presidente Fusco. While we were there they also had the dinner for the Brazillian Fathers day... HAPPY FATHERS DAY AGAIN DAD!... We were in the presence of Elder Torgan an area seventy, and Elder Godoy´s parents (a member of the seventy). To hear their testimonies was incredible, and also to hear my first companion’s testimony and to see how much he has grown is great. He Lives in Richland WA so we will see each other a lot after the mission ;)
This week was CRAZY!!! We are working on transfers... and we are helping Presidente with some changes that need to be made in the mission. So until Thursday we were in meeting all day and all night! The good thing about that is every hour that I am with Presidente Fusco I am learning. We also get to eat with him, where normal missionaries can’t afford to eat ;) We then had an assignment from Presidente to do a division with another missionary on Friday to see if he is ready for more responsibility. So we arrived on Saturday for the first time in our area! Our numbers were horrible, and three of the numbers that presidente looks at the most are baptisms (we called our baptism every day, and taught her through the phone and she was baptized on Sunday!), Investigators at church, and new investigators. We went out inviting everyone to church and teaching new families. We taught 20 new investigators and we were able to get 7 people at church too! That is completely with the help of the Lord! I am very grateful that He is watching over me. So even with all the meetings and tasks we were able to have a productive week!!!
I have been praying for experiences to strengthen my testimony, and also I have been praying for energy and power to finish my mission on FIRE!!! Sunday I received my answer. When I entered the waters and put my arm to the square I got a feeling very strongly in my chest. I looked around at everyone that was watching the baptism, and I saw the real reason of why we are here as missionaries. Not just to baptize everyone, or teach as many people possible, but to build a big family in the church. Help others work together, and grow together until they reach the Celestial Kingdom! It was a great feeling.
This next week is going to be even more rushed then last week! We are going to finish the transfers with Presidente Fusco, and We are also going to have 5 zone conferences!!! Today we are here preparing the training all day on our P day, so we can give trainings all week to the missionaries at the zone conferences. Then we are going to have dinner with the families that are visiting their missionaries Saturday night with President Fusco. Then we are going to have out last interviews Sunday afternoon and dinner Sunday night! We are not going to have time to breathe!!! But that is exactly how I wanted to finish my mission Sprinting!
I Know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know that The restoration happened and that Joseph Smith Saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Every time that I hear the words of Joseph sited I feel that it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient Prophets for our days like Nephi explained at the end of his writings. I know that My life has been changed because of this church, and I know that our family will be together forever!
I love you all!!!
Elder Heath
The Last Letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the last e-mail that you will all need to send me. My plane is scheduled to leave at 3:30 in the afternoon the next week, but Presidente And Sister Fusco want to do something special for us, so I don’t believe that I will have any computer time. That is really weird to say... the last e-mail. The same thing that you explained is running through my head. I am So Excited to run off the plane and to be with you all again, But I feel like I am leaving all of my Brazillian family behind. But until now, I have only had about 5 min to ponder about all of that so it isn’t weighing me down too much. Don’t worry mom, you have the first hug!!!;)
Yesterday a missionary that arrived together with me met up with his mom here in Brasil. He lives together with me, and his mom came to visit Brasil for one week together with him. While we were waiting for him mom to arrive I began to get butterflies... and it wasn’t even my mom haha. I think it is a glimpse of what I will feel here in a week. It has been interesting to see the missionaries that are going home and watch their behavior. Everyone with their head high, and strong testimonies getting on the plane. Putting myself in their place I am very grateful for my mission and everything that I have passed, because now I can walk with my head high and my testimony and not look back. Last night my first companion (Elder Cornwell) had his last dinner! He had to go home a week early and so we got to dine with him and Presidente Fusco. While we were there they also had the dinner for the Brazillian Fathers day... HAPPY FATHERS DAY AGAIN DAD!... We were in the presence of Elder Torgan an area seventy, and Elder Godoy´s parents (a member of the seventy). To hear their testimonies was incredible, and also to hear my first companion’s testimony and to see how much he has grown is great. He Lives in Richland WA so we will see each other a lot after the mission ;)
This week was CRAZY!!! We are working on transfers... and we are helping Presidente with some changes that need to be made in the mission. So until Thursday we were in meeting all day and all night! The good thing about that is every hour that I am with Presidente Fusco I am learning. We also get to eat with him, where normal missionaries can’t afford to eat ;) We then had an assignment from Presidente to do a division with another missionary on Friday to see if he is ready for more responsibility. So we arrived on Saturday for the first time in our area! Our numbers were horrible, and three of the numbers that presidente looks at the most are baptisms (we called our baptism every day, and taught her through the phone and she was baptized on Sunday!), Investigators at church, and new investigators. We went out inviting everyone to church and teaching new families. We taught 20 new investigators and we were able to get 7 people at church too! That is completely with the help of the Lord! I am very grateful that He is watching over me. So even with all the meetings and tasks we were able to have a productive week!!!
I have been praying for experiences to strengthen my testimony, and also I have been praying for energy and power to finish my mission on FIRE!!! Sunday I received my answer. When I entered the waters and put my arm to the square I got a feeling very strongly in my chest. I looked around at everyone that was watching the baptism, and I saw the real reason of why we are here as missionaries. Not just to baptize everyone, or teach as many people possible, but to build a big family in the church. Help others work together, and grow together until they reach the Celestial Kingdom! It was a great feeling.
This next week is going to be even more rushed then last week! We are going to finish the transfers with Presidente Fusco, and We are also going to have 5 zone conferences!!! Today we are here preparing the training all day on our P day, so we can give trainings all week to the missionaries at the zone conferences. Then we are going to have dinner with the families that are visiting their missionaries Saturday night with President Fusco. Then we are going to have out last interviews Sunday afternoon and dinner Sunday night! We are not going to have time to breathe!!! But that is exactly how I wanted to finish my mission Sprinting!
I Know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know that The restoration happened and that Joseph Smith Saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Every time that I hear the words of Joseph sited I feel that it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient Prophets for our days like Nephi explained at the end of his writings. I know that My life has been changed because of this church, and I know that our family will be together forever!
I love you all!!!
Elder Heath
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
The Best Young Men's President!
August 5, 2013
Family,
There is a feeling that is passing through my heart after reading this e-mail... EXCITMENT!!! These next couple of weeks are going to be some of the best weeks in my life!
Thanks for the marriage tips, I will defiantly pass them to our couple that are preparing to be baptized! It’s not that I am tired of being single... because I am 19.... wait 21 years old!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?! ha I just love seeing married couples and seeing how they are so happy with their families. It is my goal, but this goal is not rushed... I have until Christmas ;) They are doing better every time that they go to church and participate of the ward activities. We have marked their weeding for the 16th of Aug, and the baptism on the same day!
Family,
There is a feeling that is passing through my heart after reading this e-mail... EXCITMENT!!! These next couple of weeks are going to be some of the best weeks in my life!
Thanks for the marriage tips, I will defiantly pass them to our couple that are preparing to be baptized! It’s not that I am tired of being single... because I am 19.... wait 21 years old!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?! ha I just love seeing married couples and seeing how they are so happy with their families. It is my goal, but this goal is not rushed... I have until Christmas ;) They are doing better every time that they go to church and participate of the ward activities. We have marked their weeding for the 16th of Aug, and the baptism on the same day!
On the 17th there will be a ward activity happening where all the members are going to the beach to have a picnic. Then the 18th while I will be having dinner with President Fusco and his family, They will both be confirmed as members of the church. Thank you so much for the prayers and please continue. We are doing our best to have FHE at their house and send member couples to visit them. When we passed there Sunday morning, I was very happy to see a member there already reading the Book of Mormon together with them. The ward where we are is great! Our bishop works really hard and our leaders are amazing! Our young mens leader is such a great example for everyone. I took a picture of him because I will send his story to the liahona! He was a leader in the baptist church but when he said a prayer and asked if the church was true he changed everything. Everyone rejected him and he continued the happiest man on the earth! He shortly after was called to be a young mens presidente! For three years he gets on his bike 2 hours before church and gets every young man out of bed and brings them to church. He goes around getting more and more people until he has a group of 25 bikes following him. Some members have trouble getting to church 5 min before, and Brother Luis gets there early every week, after waking up 25 young men which is not easy.
We had several missionaries that are getting ready to go home because of injuries, and it is very easy to get sad and depressed. We are calling these missionaries every day with a scripture, or a how are you? to help them.
About the next assistant, I did a report for Presidente Fusco about the missionaries that I feel are ready and why. He said thanks and took the report. It is tradition on the mission to only know who will be what, and who your companion is the day of transfers. So I don’t think I will find out who the next assistant will be. But I have a good feeling about who it will be. This week is full of meetings!!! I am at President Fuscos house right now for the whole day!!! (it is very nice here!!!) We are going to have meetings all day, and eat lunch whit his family. We are going to prepare a mission training for the zone leaders, and then we are going to have three zone conferences this week where we will train the missionarios as well. I have a feeling that his week is going to FLY BY!!!
This last week we did divisions with the missionaries and we had a week full of WORK!!! We wake up in the morning thinking about who will be baptized this week, and go to bed thinking about who will be baptized the next week. Elder Sampaio is helping me a lot with the work and staying focused. He sings ``the end is coming`` every day and tells all the members that I am going home tomorrow. haha
Yesterday I was able to bare my testimony to our ward. I felt really good being able to see my testimony grow so much in these two years. I think before my mission I had lots of beliefs and hopes. But here on the mission I have gained a testimony that these things are true. I have seen them work in my life and the lives of others. More importantly I have felt the truth of the church and the doctrines. I didn’t even cry ;) Following me my companion Elder Sampaio bore his testimony and it really touched me. He isn’t the type to say thanks, or share his feelings with me. But he began to cry and said thanks for everything that I have taught him and for everything that we have done together. I was very surprised and happy to hear his testimony.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!
Elder Heath
We had several missionaries that are getting ready to go home because of injuries, and it is very easy to get sad and depressed. We are calling these missionaries every day with a scripture, or a how are you? to help them.
About the next assistant, I did a report for Presidente Fusco about the missionaries that I feel are ready and why. He said thanks and took the report. It is tradition on the mission to only know who will be what, and who your companion is the day of transfers. So I don’t think I will find out who the next assistant will be. But I have a good feeling about who it will be. This week is full of meetings!!! I am at President Fuscos house right now for the whole day!!! (it is very nice here!!!) We are going to have meetings all day, and eat lunch whit his family. We are going to prepare a mission training for the zone leaders, and then we are going to have three zone conferences this week where we will train the missionarios as well. I have a feeling that his week is going to FLY BY!!!
This last week we did divisions with the missionaries and we had a week full of WORK!!! We wake up in the morning thinking about who will be baptized this week, and go to bed thinking about who will be baptized the next week. Elder Sampaio is helping me a lot with the work and staying focused. He sings ``the end is coming`` every day and tells all the members that I am going home tomorrow. haha
Yesterday I was able to bare my testimony to our ward. I felt really good being able to see my testimony grow so much in these two years. I think before my mission I had lots of beliefs and hopes. But here on the mission I have gained a testimony that these things are true. I have seen them work in my life and the lives of others. More importantly I have felt the truth of the church and the doctrines. I didn’t even cry ;) Following me my companion Elder Sampaio bore his testimony and it really touched me. He isn’t the type to say thanks, or share his feelings with me. But he began to cry and said thanks for everything that I have taught him and for everything that we have done together. I was very surprised and happy to hear his testimony.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!
Elder Heath
Stopped by a Policeman in a Humvee!
July 29, 2013
Clark, Becky, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor,
Thank you for the wonderful letter this week. Sounds like everything is calming down a little, the last couple of weeks of summer are coming up! I am very excited to see the new Josh. I was in the MTC together with him at the beginning of the mission. I have changed a lot here on the mission and so I just imagine everyone else as well. I heard this week that Caleb got engaged too!!! That is crazy! I have lots of work to do when I get back from the mission.
This afternoon we arrived in the office and Presidente said, I hope you haven't eaten lunch!!! I already knew that was a good sign. He took us to a Steak house that was REALLY NICE! We went together with his family. I have not been to a place like this in so long! I am so used to the restaurants that sell all you can eat for $3, When they brought hot towels for us to clean our hands before we ate I knew something was different! I tried for the very first time sushi too! Wow it was GOOD!!!!!!!! I can still feel the burn of wasabi on my tongue! We arrived there and Presidente Fusco explained why he took us to eat with his family. He told us that our work this last week was worth a trip to Disneyland(Here in Brasil that is a BIG thing) haha. We worked our tails off this week, President Gave us a goal and we Passed it in our numbers of baptisms and all of the other numbers. I didn't know that our work would result in this kind of treatment! By the time I get home I will have gained some pounds eating at this restaurant! ;)
We had a wonderful meeting with Elder Godoy this week. It inspired the missionaries and he was able to explain in more details about the missionary and member work. We are working as a team now and the results are a lot higher. After the meeting Elder Godoy called me to have a personal interview which was very special. It was great to learn from him and see his example.
We have several missionaries that are on a list for my replacement :( . through Prayer and the divisions I have been able to narrow that list down to three missionaries that I will pass to Presidente Fusco with a description about every missionary. He will Pray about it and Choose who it will be. On the divisions the missionaries only ask me trunky questions... haha. What is the first thing that you will do when you get home? Did you know you will be able to date in 4 weeks? I had a missionary ask me, What does it feel like to end your mission? I haven't even thought about these things, and on the divisions I was thinking.... hmmm what is it like? What will I do? haha
This week we have Zone Conferences. We are going to do it a little different this week. We are going to pair up twio zones and do a smaller zone conference instead of everyone together. So Elder Sampaio and I are goin to prepare our training to give to the zones. We learned from Elder Godoy about teaching principles to the missionaries. If you want a missionary to teach more new investigators you don't tell the missionary in his face to do more new investigators, but you teach about Work, or Diligence and so while he is listening the spirit can touch him and guide him to what he really needed to change.
We had a pretty crazy experience this week too. We were walking in one of the more dangerous areas of town and while we were walking, a police car (humve) screeched to a stop at our side. They rolled down the window and yelled, Where are you going!. I was thinking alright, these guys are going to try to send me back to the states! My companion was thinking, they think we have drugs in our backpack. Elder Sampaio answered quickly I don't know where we are going. haha The police man said, you don't know? They in a calmer voice he said come on in, we will give you a ride. I looked at the man in the front with a shotgun in his hands and thought.... ok. haha We found out that the driver is a member that always gives rides to missionaries. It is a hobby to scare missionaries haha.
We have a special couple that we are working with that are very dedicated to the church. They are going to all of the activities and going to church. We planned their weeding for here in a couple weeks. They are having some troubles with fighting over little things though. If you all could pray for them that would be great. But they have gained a testimony that when they go to church they don't fight, but when they miss church the little fights start.
There is another couple that will get married after I leave. They are very in love with the other, but we are helping them to stop smoking. We bought everything that we could think of to substitute the smoking and we found a cure!!! Oranges!!! Everytime that they hae the urge to smoke they drink orange juice!!! It is working too! They have been praying a lot and eating lots of oranges and the want to smoke is passing! WOO HOO!!!
I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful week!!!
Elder Heath
P.S The money was perfect, I am learning how to go a long way with little money. And Elder Sampaio is the expert in negotiating too so that helps ;
Clark, Becky, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor,
Thank you for the wonderful letter this week. Sounds like everything is calming down a little, the last couple of weeks of summer are coming up! I am very excited to see the new Josh. I was in the MTC together with him at the beginning of the mission. I have changed a lot here on the mission and so I just imagine everyone else as well. I heard this week that Caleb got engaged too!!! That is crazy! I have lots of work to do when I get back from the mission.
This afternoon we arrived in the office and Presidente said, I hope you haven't eaten lunch!!! I already knew that was a good sign. He took us to a Steak house that was REALLY NICE! We went together with his family. I have not been to a place like this in so long! I am so used to the restaurants that sell all you can eat for $3, When they brought hot towels for us to clean our hands before we ate I knew something was different! I tried for the very first time sushi too! Wow it was GOOD!!!!!!!! I can still feel the burn of wasabi on my tongue! We arrived there and Presidente Fusco explained why he took us to eat with his family. He told us that our work this last week was worth a trip to Disneyland(Here in Brasil that is a BIG thing) haha. We worked our tails off this week, President Gave us a goal and we Passed it in our numbers of baptisms and all of the other numbers. I didn't know that our work would result in this kind of treatment! By the time I get home I will have gained some pounds eating at this restaurant! ;)
We had a wonderful meeting with Elder Godoy this week. It inspired the missionaries and he was able to explain in more details about the missionary and member work. We are working as a team now and the results are a lot higher. After the meeting Elder Godoy called me to have a personal interview which was very special. It was great to learn from him and see his example.
We have several missionaries that are on a list for my replacement :( . through Prayer and the divisions I have been able to narrow that list down to three missionaries that I will pass to Presidente Fusco with a description about every missionary. He will Pray about it and Choose who it will be. On the divisions the missionaries only ask me trunky questions... haha. What is the first thing that you will do when you get home? Did you know you will be able to date in 4 weeks? I had a missionary ask me, What does it feel like to end your mission? I haven't even thought about these things, and on the divisions I was thinking.... hmmm what is it like? What will I do? haha
This week we have Zone Conferences. We are going to do it a little different this week. We are going to pair up twio zones and do a smaller zone conference instead of everyone together. So Elder Sampaio and I are goin to prepare our training to give to the zones. We learned from Elder Godoy about teaching principles to the missionaries. If you want a missionary to teach more new investigators you don't tell the missionary in his face to do more new investigators, but you teach about Work, or Diligence and so while he is listening the spirit can touch him and guide him to what he really needed to change.
We had a pretty crazy experience this week too. We were walking in one of the more dangerous areas of town and while we were walking, a police car (humve) screeched to a stop at our side. They rolled down the window and yelled, Where are you going!. I was thinking alright, these guys are going to try to send me back to the states! My companion was thinking, they think we have drugs in our backpack. Elder Sampaio answered quickly I don't know where we are going. haha The police man said, you don't know? They in a calmer voice he said come on in, we will give you a ride. I looked at the man in the front with a shotgun in his hands and thought.... ok. haha We found out that the driver is a member that always gives rides to missionaries. It is a hobby to scare missionaries haha.
We have a special couple that we are working with that are very dedicated to the church. They are going to all of the activities and going to church. We planned their weeding for here in a couple weeks. They are having some troubles with fighting over little things though. If you all could pray for them that would be great. But they have gained a testimony that when they go to church they don't fight, but when they miss church the little fights start.
There is another couple that will get married after I leave. They are very in love with the other, but we are helping them to stop smoking. We bought everything that we could think of to substitute the smoking and we found a cure!!! Oranges!!! Everytime that they hae the urge to smoke they drink orange juice!!! It is working too! They have been praying a lot and eating lots of oranges and the want to smoke is passing! WOO HOO!!!
I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful week!!!
Elder Heath
P.S The money was perfect, I am learning how to go a long way with little money. And Elder Sampaio is the expert in negotiating too so that helps ;
Monday, July 22, 2013
Elder Godoy to Visit the Mission
July 22, 2013
Hello!!!
Those slurpies look delicious!!! And Dad, you are TAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are already ready for the Bahamas!!! I am very excited for this trip! Mexico was a blast, and now we are all older and can do more things!!! Just imagine how much fun it will be! Grandma miskho always has the best ideas!!!
When you said that you took Kylie to church and she was flipping through the hymn book that reminded me a lot of my Sunday too. We had a family visiting the church and they have two little daughters (2 and 5 years old) The cutest little things ever! And I was trying to help the parents have the best experience at church and so I was taking care of the kids. It is a rule that we cannot pick up children, so I was doing all that I could inside the rules. haha the hymn book was a life saver. We sang hymns quietly and that occupied them for a while. haha
This week we only had one division. We focused more on our area to get lots of families to teach, so our area would be the example for the other missionaries. This week Presidente Fusco gave me an assignment to find the next assistant, so this week I will be going on divisions to see who will be the next assistant. I love assignments!!! There are many excellent missionaries in our mission, so I will be praying a lot to feel who should be my replacement ;)
I think that my companion is more trunky than I am. I avoid talking about home, or thinking about going home. But the other day my companion left the message at lunch about ``me going home``. haha He shared some scriptures about the end is coming, and we sang the song ``o fim se aproxima`` ( The end is arriving). But don’t worry about me, I am staying focused ;)
We had a baptism this week of a lady named Conceição. We reactivated her daughter, and she was really excited to be baptized. We saw the doctrine of Jesus Christ work in her life. She lives a very rough life and has had lots of deceptions happen to her. But when we taught her that all these feelings and everything that she has done wrong would be clean, she was asking to be baptized. She stopped drinking coffee the same day and was doing everything to be baptized. Presidente Fusco came to watch her baptism too!!! We are working with her son to be baptized this week, to complete the family!!!
We also went and started a marriage process this week. We have a couple that will be baptized on the 16th, and baptized on the 17th, confirmed on the 18th, and I will grab the plane on the 19th!!! We are going to mark one more wedding on Wednesday too and try to mark the same days!!! Woo Hoo!!!! BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!
We will have a special visitor, Elder Godoy who is a member of the seventy on Wednesday! I am very excited to meet him, and hear his words! I am also excited because this will excite all of the missionaries and we will all progress together!!! Elder Godoy is Presidente Fusco´s brother in law! I think we will receive several of his visits here on the mission!!!
I love being a missionary and I love being able to serve others!!!
I was thinking about my Portuguese class this week. What is the advantage of taking Portuguese class at college? Because I already speak Portuguese. I am thinking about taking Spanish instead. I know that dad uses it at work and it would help me communicate with the people from Mexico so I would be able to work in more places. It would make my resume better too speaking three languages. I have heard my whole mission that it is easy to learn because I already know Portuguese. I am thinking about switching my Portuguese class for Spanish. What do you think mom and dad?
I love you all so much!!!
Elder Heath
p.s. I have been trying to send a letter for three weeks but we don’t have time enough to send... if I send it now it will arrive together with me haha I will have get home ;)some hand written letters for you all when I get home:)
Hello!!!
Those slurpies look delicious!!! And Dad, you are TAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are already ready for the Bahamas!!! I am very excited for this trip! Mexico was a blast, and now we are all older and can do more things!!! Just imagine how much fun it will be! Grandma miskho always has the best ideas!!!
When you said that you took Kylie to church and she was flipping through the hymn book that reminded me a lot of my Sunday too. We had a family visiting the church and they have two little daughters (2 and 5 years old) The cutest little things ever! And I was trying to help the parents have the best experience at church and so I was taking care of the kids. It is a rule that we cannot pick up children, so I was doing all that I could inside the rules. haha the hymn book was a life saver. We sang hymns quietly and that occupied them for a while. haha
This week we only had one division. We focused more on our area to get lots of families to teach, so our area would be the example for the other missionaries. This week Presidente Fusco gave me an assignment to find the next assistant, so this week I will be going on divisions to see who will be the next assistant. I love assignments!!! There are many excellent missionaries in our mission, so I will be praying a lot to feel who should be my replacement ;)
I think that my companion is more trunky than I am. I avoid talking about home, or thinking about going home. But the other day my companion left the message at lunch about ``me going home``. haha He shared some scriptures about the end is coming, and we sang the song ``o fim se aproxima`` ( The end is arriving). But don’t worry about me, I am staying focused ;)
We had a baptism this week of a lady named Conceição. We reactivated her daughter, and she was really excited to be baptized. We saw the doctrine of Jesus Christ work in her life. She lives a very rough life and has had lots of deceptions happen to her. But when we taught her that all these feelings and everything that she has done wrong would be clean, she was asking to be baptized. She stopped drinking coffee the same day and was doing everything to be baptized. Presidente Fusco came to watch her baptism too!!! We are working with her son to be baptized this week, to complete the family!!!
We also went and started a marriage process this week. We have a couple that will be baptized on the 16th, and baptized on the 17th, confirmed on the 18th, and I will grab the plane on the 19th!!! We are going to mark one more wedding on Wednesday too and try to mark the same days!!! Woo Hoo!!!! BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!
We will have a special visitor, Elder Godoy who is a member of the seventy on Wednesday! I am very excited to meet him, and hear his words! I am also excited because this will excite all of the missionaries and we will all progress together!!! Elder Godoy is Presidente Fusco´s brother in law! I think we will receive several of his visits here on the mission!!!
I love being a missionary and I love being able to serve others!!!
I was thinking about my Portuguese class this week. What is the advantage of taking Portuguese class at college? Because I already speak Portuguese. I am thinking about taking Spanish instead. I know that dad uses it at work and it would help me communicate with the people from Mexico so I would be able to work in more places. It would make my resume better too speaking three languages. I have heard my whole mission that it is easy to learn because I already know Portuguese. I am thinking about switching my Portuguese class for Spanish. What do you think mom and dad?
I love you all so much!!!
Elder Heath
p.s. I have been trying to send a letter for three weeks but we don’t have time enough to send... if I send it now it will arrive together with me haha I will have get home ;)some hand written letters for you all when I get home:)
Monday, July 15, 2013
New Address!!
Branden's new Address:
Our new mission address is
Missão Brasil Fortaleza Leste
Rua República da Armênia, 765
Agua Fria, Fortaleza, CE 60821-760
Brasil
Our new mission address is
Missão Brasil Fortaleza Leste
Rua República da Armênia, 765
Agua Fria, Fortaleza, CE 60821-760
Brasil
The Secret is Out!
July 15, 2013
BAHAMAS CRUISE AT THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I was so confused with that hint..... I couldn’t remember what I asked last week. I began to write the letters Bahamas..... wait...... WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is going to be so much fun!!!! Is the whole Miskho family going? You two are very sneaky!!! haha That is the best birthday present ever!!!
Thank you so much for the gift too, to know that my family was playing tennis and drinking 7-11 slurpies makes my day!!! I have not been able to go play tennis here yet. It is a little expensive, here is Brasil tennis is the rich person sport. We are going to contact the owner, and teach him and after he is baptized I am planning on playing tennis ;) The $100 was perfect too! I have learned where and how to buy things cheap here!!! Give the money to my Brasillian companion, tell him what I want and when he asks the price it usually is $20 cheaper haha
I am feeling very good as a 21 year old!!! I am very happy that I am able to share everything that I have learned over these past two years with the other missionaries too. There are many missionaries that are on fire too! I feed off their fire!!! And those missionaries that don’t have so much fire and energy, I am putting all that I have in them during these last couple of weeks!
This week our marathon of divisions was awesome! Elder Sampaio and I were able to train and help many Zone leaders on how to encourage and inspire their missionaries. Together we are going to lift this mission up! I had a really neat experience too! I did a division in an area that I have never been to called Jose Walter. While I was there we went and taught a family. We walked in and I recognized everyone in the house. The mom looked at me and said, Elder Heath??? She ran to give me a hug, and I put my hand out just in the nick of time. ha This was a family that Elder Matos and I began to teach in my first area. They were waiting on a divorce to get married and baptized. But because of some complications they had to move and I lost contact. I found out that the divorce is finally coming through after 2 years!!! And they will finally be baptized! They have been going to church ever since we taught them, just waiting on the divorce!!! I had to hold back the tears. It is incredible to think, how many people that we don’t even know have been changed or have been baptized because of our work. That just makes me even more excited to teach everyone I see!!!
We have been praying a lot and asking for lots of help in our work and in our success. We have little time in our area, but we need to be the examples with the best numbers, and baptisms every week. We have a testimony of miracles this week. We made a contact of a woman that has already been prepared for baptism, and she just moved to our area!!! And we met a couple that is already married, and they went to church and loved it! We are going to hold their baptism this next week! They are such an adorable couple too! They are very humble people but they love each other very much!!! We also met another couple that has been passing some problems. They went to church, and they didn’t fight the whole week! We invited them to get married legally, and they are going with us this Thursday to start the marriage process!!! I can only be grateful for all of the blessings that we are receiving! Faith+ Work= Miracles! We are working the hardest ever, praying for help, and the only thing that we are seeing are miracles!!!
The mission is changing a lot with Presidente Fusco. He expects a lot more of us and is pushing everyone to their limits. I am really grateful for that, I don’t even have time to think about home, it is just WORK WORK WORK!!!! And I LOVE IT! I hope that you all have a great rest of the week! Let’s start working on our tans for the Bahamas!!! I already got from the neck up, and the elbows down, just need a little more! haha
Our new mission address is
Missão Brasil Fortaleza Leste
Rua República da Armênia, 765
Agua Fria, Fortaleza, CE 60821-760
Brasil
P.S. Do they sell turkey in the Bahamas? haha
Elder Heath
BAHAMAS CRUISE AT THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I was so confused with that hint..... I couldn’t remember what I asked last week. I began to write the letters Bahamas..... wait...... WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is going to be so much fun!!!! Is the whole Miskho family going? You two are very sneaky!!! haha That is the best birthday present ever!!!
Thank you so much for the gift too, to know that my family was playing tennis and drinking 7-11 slurpies makes my day!!! I have not been able to go play tennis here yet. It is a little expensive, here is Brasil tennis is the rich person sport. We are going to contact the owner, and teach him and after he is baptized I am planning on playing tennis ;) The $100 was perfect too! I have learned where and how to buy things cheap here!!! Give the money to my Brasillian companion, tell him what I want and when he asks the price it usually is $20 cheaper haha
I am feeling very good as a 21 year old!!! I am very happy that I am able to share everything that I have learned over these past two years with the other missionaries too. There are many missionaries that are on fire too! I feed off their fire!!! And those missionaries that don’t have so much fire and energy, I am putting all that I have in them during these last couple of weeks!
This week our marathon of divisions was awesome! Elder Sampaio and I were able to train and help many Zone leaders on how to encourage and inspire their missionaries. Together we are going to lift this mission up! I had a really neat experience too! I did a division in an area that I have never been to called Jose Walter. While I was there we went and taught a family. We walked in and I recognized everyone in the house. The mom looked at me and said, Elder Heath??? She ran to give me a hug, and I put my hand out just in the nick of time. ha This was a family that Elder Matos and I began to teach in my first area. They were waiting on a divorce to get married and baptized. But because of some complications they had to move and I lost contact. I found out that the divorce is finally coming through after 2 years!!! And they will finally be baptized! They have been going to church ever since we taught them, just waiting on the divorce!!! I had to hold back the tears. It is incredible to think, how many people that we don’t even know have been changed or have been baptized because of our work. That just makes me even more excited to teach everyone I see!!!
We have been praying a lot and asking for lots of help in our work and in our success. We have little time in our area, but we need to be the examples with the best numbers, and baptisms every week. We have a testimony of miracles this week. We made a contact of a woman that has already been prepared for baptism, and she just moved to our area!!! And we met a couple that is already married, and they went to church and loved it! We are going to hold their baptism this next week! They are such an adorable couple too! They are very humble people but they love each other very much!!! We also met another couple that has been passing some problems. They went to church, and they didn’t fight the whole week! We invited them to get married legally, and they are going with us this Thursday to start the marriage process!!! I can only be grateful for all of the blessings that we are receiving! Faith+ Work= Miracles! We are working the hardest ever, praying for help, and the only thing that we are seeing are miracles!!!
The mission is changing a lot with Presidente Fusco. He expects a lot more of us and is pushing everyone to their limits. I am really grateful for that, I don’t even have time to think about home, it is just WORK WORK WORK!!!! And I LOVE IT! I hope that you all have a great rest of the week! Let’s start working on our tans for the Bahamas!!! I already got from the neck up, and the elbows down, just need a little more! haha
Our new mission address is
Missão Brasil Fortaleza Leste
Rua República da Armênia, 765
Agua Fria, Fortaleza, CE 60821-760
Brasil
P.S. Do they sell turkey in the Bahamas? haha
Elder Heath
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Living with the President
July 9, 2013
Heath Family,
This week we had a very busy week! I would like to say sorry for the short letter last week. While we were here in the mission office President Fusco came running in and asked our help with the transfers. He has been very strong this week. President Fusco has had to learn so many things and has so much responsibility. We are doing everything that we can to help assist him, and take that weight off his shoulders. So this week we had to abandon our area and we actually lived with Presidente Fusco and his family. We were able to get to know Sister Fusco, Elizabeth (23 anos), Carlos (21 anos), Wilma(14 anos), Teadora(12 anos). They have such a wonderful family. And being with them so much this week, I felt like I was part of the family. We were showing the family where the markets are, eating dinner together, we even flew in a plane together.
So the week began with meetings with President all day! He had lots and lots of questions about the mission. It helps a lot that he is a returned missionary. When he was a missionary, he was the assistant when the mission presidents were changed, so that helps a lot. I found out that President Fusco works creating businesses. He worked and studied in the United States, and brought his business here to Brasil. He has seen lots of success with this. He works with medical businesses and has given me a lot of advice in the physical therapy field. Dad, we will have to talk a lot when I get home. We planned a meeting Wednesday for all of the missionaries here in Fortaleza to meet President Fusco and his family! The missionaries accepted him really fast and I feel that the transition will be very smooth. We were able to give training to the whole mission too! Our traininig was on INVITES! It was full of ROLL PLAY and applying everything that we learn. That day we got in the car and we headed to the airport together with the Fusco Family. I was so excited to get on the plane and FLY!!! I felt like I was going home. We arrived there in Juazeiro to have the conference to meet President there in Juazeiro. We arrived, and we went to a steak house together, and president surprised us and rented a hotel for us (with a hot shower!!!!!) I felt like a rock star! I was able to see some of the members in Juazeiro again. I found out that one of the people that I baptized, Natalie 22 years old, went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead two months ago!!!! I was so excited to hear that! We then got back on the plane and before I knew it we were back in Fortaleza again! By this time it was already Saturday! Being our first day back, we planned the transfers during the morning and at the afternoon we got to WORK!!! We taught lots of new investigators and we ran around to follow up our investigators!
On Sunday we saw a miracle happen. Knowing that this would be a very difficult week, we fasted Monday to ask for help and guidance in our area. Because as assistants if we don’t baptize the mission doesn’t baptize. If we don’t dedicate everything that we have, and a little more the mission won’t either. So we fasted to have a baptism this week. It seemed practically impossible because of the little number of hours that we had during the week to work. But that is when the Lord came in and helped. We called and taught over the phone, sent messages, and did everything that we could. And Sunday we had a baptism! I know that the Lord is carrying us on his shoulders, and I am very grateful for His help. We had a group of missionaries that were going to their houses Sunday. So they had interviews and the last dinner. Our church is in the evening too! So we were not even there to watch the baptism happen, But I know that the Lord is pressing forward his work and He is willing to help and bless all who will do their part a build His kingdom on this earth.
But this week we are super busy too! We have planned a MARATHON of DIVISIONS! We are implementing new ideas and new methods to teach and baptize. So we are going to divide with each of the Zone leaders this week and the next week (16 zone leaders) to train and help them in their areas! WOO HOO!!! We also have another training to prepare for the Zone Leaders on the mission for this Thursday! We are going strong!
Dad, I found a clay court this week in my area! I am trying to persuade my companion to play with me!!!
About the classes, I concord with you Dad, the AM class would be better for me!
Thank you a lot for the 100$ in the account!!! I have lots of things that I would like to buy here in Brasil! That is exactly what I wanted for my birthday! THANKS!!!!!
P.S. Danielle, I am SOOOOOO Excited to visit you at work!!! I will be there a lot with you ;)
I love you all and thank you so much for the birthday wishes! I am so happy to know that I have such a loving and wonderful family!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, July 1, 2013
Surprise Late Night Visitor
July 1, 2013
Family!
Family!
Really quick, Danielle if you want to make lots of money, you can put a banner BRAZILLIAN desserts! and Make Mousse!!! People will go crazy! It is really cheap too, condensed milk, milk cream, and a packet of juice!!! You put it in the freezer and It is SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOD Especially in the hot weather!
This week has been a blast! We were only able to work 2 out of the 7 days because we were preparing and putting the final touches on everything. We arrived at our new mission office that is VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel very important entering this building! We had to set everything up and clean the place, put the missionaries on the transfer wall. We have transfers this nest Monday, so we are going to meet with Presidente Fusco a lot. We picked him and his family up Saturday and they are such a beautiful and TALL family! Presidente Fusco is about 6´5 and So is his wife! They will live here with their three daughters and oldest son that served in New York one month ago!!! He brought a surf board to hit the Fortaleza waves! We talked very quickly and went to Presidente Souza´s house to eat. It was great. We went home then the Presidente had 3 hours to talk about mission stuff. We were at home in bed and President Fusco called us, and said... how do I get to your house? ha We got up and he wanted to see our house and if it was clean, and he wanted to meet the other two missionaries that live with us. He walked in and said he was impressed with our house (did you like that mom?) haha The other two missionaries were sleeping, and Presidente Fusco went and gave them a surprise wake up call. NEW PRESIDENT!!! President Fusco is a very fast paced man. He is from Sau Paulo and he has a very successful record. He is very direct as well.
We are planning to meet all of the missionaries this week. We are planning to do a meeting with 7 stakes on Wednesday. Then we are planning to go to Juazeiro on Saturday. And all of the other days we are together with President Fusco. He told us that we are going to spend lots of time together doing transfers and responding questions. We now have 8 stakes and 180 missionaries! And we have a group of 10 missionaries arriving this next week!!! ITS CRAZY! And Presidente Fusco just entered to talk to us.... sorry my e mail is a little short but I have to go. If the meeting ends soon I will tell you all the rest!!! But this week is going to be GREAT! P.S. Presidente Fusco gave me some tips with Physical Therapy.... that I should specialize in spine and knee therapy. Because 70% of people that have surgeries don’t actually need it. They just need the right therapy. I am living the mission, and hopefully I will be able to send a little more info later today.
I love you all so much!!!!
Elder Heath
EU AMO SER UM MISSIONARIO!
This week has been a blast! We were only able to work 2 out of the 7 days because we were preparing and putting the final touches on everything. We arrived at our new mission office that is VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel very important entering this building! We had to set everything up and clean the place, put the missionaries on the transfer wall. We have transfers this nest Monday, so we are going to meet with Presidente Fusco a lot. We picked him and his family up Saturday and they are such a beautiful and TALL family! Presidente Fusco is about 6´5 and So is his wife! They will live here with their three daughters and oldest son that served in New York one month ago!!! He brought a surf board to hit the Fortaleza waves! We talked very quickly and went to Presidente Souza´s house to eat. It was great. We went home then the Presidente had 3 hours to talk about mission stuff. We were at home in bed and President Fusco called us, and said... how do I get to your house? ha We got up and he wanted to see our house and if it was clean, and he wanted to meet the other two missionaries that live with us. He walked in and said he was impressed with our house (did you like that mom?) haha The other two missionaries were sleeping, and Presidente Fusco went and gave them a surprise wake up call. NEW PRESIDENT!!! President Fusco is a very fast paced man. He is from Sau Paulo and he has a very successful record. He is very direct as well.
We are planning to meet all of the missionaries this week. We are planning to do a meeting with 7 stakes on Wednesday. Then we are planning to go to Juazeiro on Saturday. And all of the other days we are together with President Fusco. He told us that we are going to spend lots of time together doing transfers and responding questions. We now have 8 stakes and 180 missionaries! And we have a group of 10 missionaries arriving this next week!!! ITS CRAZY! And Presidente Fusco just entered to talk to us.... sorry my e mail is a little short but I have to go. If the meeting ends soon I will tell you all the rest!!! But this week is going to be GREAT! P.S. Presidente Fusco gave me some tips with Physical Therapy.... that I should specialize in spine and knee therapy. Because 70% of people that have surgeries don’t actually need it. They just need the right therapy. I am living the mission, and hopefully I will be able to send a little more info later today.
I love you all so much!!!!
Elder Heath
EU AMO SER UM MISSIONARIO!
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Gospel Can Change Lives!
June 24, 2013
Family,
This week was fantastic!
On Sunday I was not able to attend the training because we had the last dinner for 18 missionaries at Presidentes house. I have only heard good things about the video, and Presidente said that we can look it up on the internet when we get home. ha It was a very special moment to be together with the missionaries that will go home this transfer. Many of them are my best friends on the mission and I felt very privileged to be there with them. We had a dinner at Presidentes house and then we had the best meeting of the night. Each one of these spiritual giants bore their testimony. It is incredible to feel the spirit of these amazing missionaries that have about finished their mission. I was called to bare my testimony too, because I will be going to the other mission. I love baring my testimony!!! We found out too that during the training that passed my companion appeared twice!!! Elder Reynolds! He is from Toppenish, Wa. He appeared with his suitcases, and also when he received his name tag!!! What a stud!
This week we had a spiritual experience that I would like to share with all of you. We met a woman and her son through a member two weeks ago. We went to teach her this last Friday and while we conversed with her she said with tears falling down... she had just returned from a burial of her oldest son that was killed because of drug involvement. She continued to explain that just four months earlier her husband was taken too because of the same problem with drugs. She was desperate to find comfort, and when we opened the scriptures to 2 Nephi 9 the feeling in the room completely changed. We explained about the atoning sacrifice that happened 2000 years ago and her tears ceased. We told her exactly where her son and husband are, and why this has all happened. But the real change happened when we spoke of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that he died for us, and that his eternal love is felt through the challenges in our lives. He suffered the sacrifice that we couldn’t, so we could have the life he didn’t. Because of that sacrifice we all have the chance to return and live with him.
I love being able to share that message with others! I love being a missionary!
Elder Heath
Family,
This week was fantastic!
On Sunday I was not able to attend the training because we had the last dinner for 18 missionaries at Presidentes house. I have only heard good things about the video, and Presidente said that we can look it up on the internet when we get home. ha It was a very special moment to be together with the missionaries that will go home this transfer. Many of them are my best friends on the mission and I felt very privileged to be there with them. We had a dinner at Presidentes house and then we had the best meeting of the night. Each one of these spiritual giants bore their testimony. It is incredible to feel the spirit of these amazing missionaries that have about finished their mission. I was called to bare my testimony too, because I will be going to the other mission. I love baring my testimony!!! We found out too that during the training that passed my companion appeared twice!!! Elder Reynolds! He is from Toppenish, Wa. He appeared with his suitcases, and also when he received his name tag!!! What a stud!
This week we had a spiritual experience that I would like to share with all of you. We met a woman and her son through a member two weeks ago. We went to teach her this last Friday and while we conversed with her she said with tears falling down... she had just returned from a burial of her oldest son that was killed because of drug involvement. She continued to explain that just four months earlier her husband was taken too because of the same problem with drugs. She was desperate to find comfort, and when we opened the scriptures to 2 Nephi 9 the feeling in the room completely changed. We explained about the atoning sacrifice that happened 2000 years ago and her tears ceased. We told her exactly where her son and husband are, and why this has all happened. But the real change happened when we spoke of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that he died for us, and that his eternal love is felt through the challenges in our lives. He suffered the sacrifice that we couldn’t, so we could have the life he didn’t. Because of that sacrifice we all have the chance to return and live with him.
I love being able to share that message with others! I love being a missionary!
Elder Heath
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Happy Father's Day!
June 17, 2013
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!! I hope you had a wonderful day, and that you are able to see all the fruits of you being a father! There are lots!
It looks like Danielle, Mom and Dad are my color now! A little red. ha The pictures that Danielle sent are beautiful! Hawaii is such a beautiful place! I’m glad to hear that all the activities were a success! Dad, if you are still wanting to open a clinic there in several years... Hawaii is a great place to send your son! ;)
I am very excited to see Kylie and see all of the funny things that she does... Picking up batteries for an hour.... Kylie is just trying to work out, pump some weight! haha In the last family letter, I loved the picture of Dad and Kylie, where Dad is holding her in the kitchen! That picture is ADORABLE!
Go Dallin!!! Learn how to drive that boat, and get the tips from your dad on how to pop me up high in the air!!! I am very excited!!!
So this weeek was MADNESSSSSSS!!!! I am learning more and more about my responsibilities here in the mission. We had three missionaries that arrived from the US this week who needed trainers, and we also have three missionaries with knee problems, where two of them will have to do surgery. We had to do an emergency transfer with several missionaries. So Tuesday we sat down with Presidente Souza to look at everyone and decided who would go where. It was a very neat experience. Presidente Souza let it be up to us where, when, and how to do the transfer. We advised all the missionaries to pack their bags and to be here Wed. after lunch. We held a meeting and did the transfers. Right when they all left, these three missionaries arrived. We gave them a training to start their mission really motivated!!! It was all in English which was good practice! My Comp Elder Sampaio also used his English to speak to the missionaries. It was a very interesting feeling baring my testimony in English. We ended and it was about 8:30 at night just in time to grab the bus home!
We are preparing everyday to receive Presidente Fusco! I am very excited to meet him and his family. Elder Sampaio and I will get him at the airport and bring him to Presidente Souzas house. We are going to meet with Preidente Souza tomorrow to learn even more to help him.
This week we ran around to teach our recent converts and also to teach a young man that was baptized on Sunday. We had a miracle happen on Thursday night. We had found a couple on the street and marked to teach them. They were ready waiting for us which is a good sign. They listened and had a very spiritual lesson! It was great! They accepted to be baptized on the 30th thin month. They had been searching for the truth and found it. Sunday morning rolled around and where they live is a pretty dangerous place. Sunday morning there were some confusions close to their house that made lots of members stay inside their houses, but this couple arrived at the church. They said that they didn’t want to miss the church for anything. They said a prayer and used their faith! They have a little baby that is very cute! All the members (relief society) were right there to hold the baby.
We had a baptism of a young man named Alan which was very spiritual too! There was a man baptized last week that is in the army. He had to go to train Sunday morning and when his sargent said he needed to stay, he said no, that he needed to go to church and left! I was very happy to see his dedication to the church, I hope nothing bad happens.... I’m sure he will be blessed!
I received two packages this week!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for the goodies! I miss American food a lot! I hope I don’t get too fat when I come home!!! haha
So I won a camelback backpack here on the mission, that isn’t new but in good shape. It is small (a daypack) will someone want it?
With lap tops, I was told today that mac books don’t have windows installed... I think I will need to buy windows to install too... is it true?
And is my cell phone still at home? Will I be able to use the same cell phone or should I buy a new one? I never thought that coming home would be so expensive!!! I think I will have to start donating plasma to pay for all of this haha
I love being a missionary!!!!
Good luck in the tennis tournament!!!!
Elder Heath
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!! I hope you had a wonderful day, and that you are able to see all the fruits of you being a father! There are lots!
It looks like Danielle, Mom and Dad are my color now! A little red. ha The pictures that Danielle sent are beautiful! Hawaii is such a beautiful place! I’m glad to hear that all the activities were a success! Dad, if you are still wanting to open a clinic there in several years... Hawaii is a great place to send your son! ;)
I am very excited to see Kylie and see all of the funny things that she does... Picking up batteries for an hour.... Kylie is just trying to work out, pump some weight! haha In the last family letter, I loved the picture of Dad and Kylie, where Dad is holding her in the kitchen! That picture is ADORABLE!
Go Dallin!!! Learn how to drive that boat, and get the tips from your dad on how to pop me up high in the air!!! I am very excited!!!
So this weeek was MADNESSSSSSS!!!! I am learning more and more about my responsibilities here in the mission. We had three missionaries that arrived from the US this week who needed trainers, and we also have three missionaries with knee problems, where two of them will have to do surgery. We had to do an emergency transfer with several missionaries. So Tuesday we sat down with Presidente Souza to look at everyone and decided who would go where. It was a very neat experience. Presidente Souza let it be up to us where, when, and how to do the transfer. We advised all the missionaries to pack their bags and to be here Wed. after lunch. We held a meeting and did the transfers. Right when they all left, these three missionaries arrived. We gave them a training to start their mission really motivated!!! It was all in English which was good practice! My Comp Elder Sampaio also used his English to speak to the missionaries. It was a very interesting feeling baring my testimony in English. We ended and it was about 8:30 at night just in time to grab the bus home!
We are preparing everyday to receive Presidente Fusco! I am very excited to meet him and his family. Elder Sampaio and I will get him at the airport and bring him to Presidente Souzas house. We are going to meet with Preidente Souza tomorrow to learn even more to help him.
This week we ran around to teach our recent converts and also to teach a young man that was baptized on Sunday. We had a miracle happen on Thursday night. We had found a couple on the street and marked to teach them. They were ready waiting for us which is a good sign. They listened and had a very spiritual lesson! It was great! They accepted to be baptized on the 30th thin month. They had been searching for the truth and found it. Sunday morning rolled around and where they live is a pretty dangerous place. Sunday morning there were some confusions close to their house that made lots of members stay inside their houses, but this couple arrived at the church. They said that they didn’t want to miss the church for anything. They said a prayer and used their faith! They have a little baby that is very cute! All the members (relief society) were right there to hold the baby.
We had a baptism of a young man named Alan which was very spiritual too! There was a man baptized last week that is in the army. He had to go to train Sunday morning and when his sargent said he needed to stay, he said no, that he needed to go to church and left! I was very happy to see his dedication to the church, I hope nothing bad happens.... I’m sure he will be blessed!
I received two packages this week!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for the goodies! I miss American food a lot! I hope I don’t get too fat when I come home!!! haha
So I won a camelback backpack here on the mission, that isn’t new but in good shape. It is small (a daypack) will someone want it?
With lap tops, I was told today that mac books don’t have windows installed... I think I will need to buy windows to install too... is it true?
And is my cell phone still at home? Will I be able to use the same cell phone or should I buy a new one? I never thought that coming home would be so expensive!!! I think I will have to start donating plasma to pay for all of this haha
I love being a missionary!!!!
Good luck in the tennis tournament!!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, June 10, 2013
Getting ready for the new Mission President
June 10, 2013
Heath Family!!!
I think I am on the same track as you about the all season pass. I would like to have the pass that moves around and is cheaper. Who knows I will be able to meet lot of new people and who knows my future wife! ;) ha
Sounds like you all are having a wonderful time at Hawaii! Danielle isn’t it worth it to finish high school? ha Take lots of pictures to send of your beautiful faces on the beach!!! The reason I am not sending pictures is because my memory card has a virus.... oh well
This week was a blast and I will tell you why...
Tuesday we had a meeting for 7 hours with Presidente Souza where he told us everything we need to know to help Presidente Fusco when he arrives! While we were in the meeting President Fusco called!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Presidente Souza let us hear his voice but we couldn’t talk to him. In this meeting I realized how much work it is to be a mission Presidente and How inspired this work is. Presidente Souza is a great example to me. Elder Sampaio and i are going to pick up Presidente Fusco and his family on the 27th at1:30! Presidente Souza will be at his house making lunch, so we are going to receive them at the airport and bring them to Presidente Souza´s house! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, we prepared our training for the zone leaders. Every transfer we give a training to the zone leaders and they pass that training to their zones the next week. I was with Elder Sampaio, Elder Reynolds, and Elder Wadsworth and we all prepared the training together (the other two are assistants in the other mission) There were lots of inspired ideas floating around.
Thursday we gave the training and it ended up being better than we thought!!! After the training Presidente Souza got up and said, I am happy that I can always count on my assistants. That made my day. After we returned home and taught a couple lessons, and marked two baptismal interviews.
Friday we had a normal day in our area!!! Hoo Hoo We were able to work form 1:00 till 9:00! It was so nice! We found a new family to teach through a contact on the street. And we had one of our interviews, and he Passed!!! Baptism on Sunday!
Saturday we got a normal day too! WE had another interview that, he passed too! Two baptisms on Sunday!!! We taught many lessons and invited everyone and their dog to church! ha Walking home we saw some members from my first area!!! It was so nice to see them again! They all asked if I had grown..... (Watch out dad ;) ) ha maybe it’s just because I was on a curb. ha
Sunday we woke up and i wrote in my journal and played a little guitar. At about 7:30 our bishop called and asked if we could give talks today!!!! We said OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!! I based my talk on Elder Eyrings talk in 2012 October ``Help others aim high`` and it was a privilege to give that talk! We had lunch at the other end of our area, which took about 1 hour to walk to. We found out that where we were you walk 30 more min and you are at the beach!!! The beach is part of our area!!! At night time we had the baptisms and a very interesting experience happened. We invited two members to baptize the two men and the first member that entered put his arm up and the power went out! (we are in a rented mansion and the baptism is in a pool) The power box caught on fire and that didn’t stop the member from baptizing this man. haha luckily there was lights from the house that let the testimonies see the baptism. The fire got put out and the next baptism happened perfectly. But that first member has POWER!!! haha
June 6th, 2013
Heaths!
Thanks for the e mail after the Crazy weekend! So many good things happened, and I am very proud of each and every one of you! Danielle congrats on graduation!!! How do you feel to be done with high school!!!! WOO HOO!!! Was it fun walking down the Aisle? I bet you looked just like a model on the red carpet!
Did you all like the Bragadeiro? That is defiantly something that we eat a lot here! It is a fun easy treat to make! And now you all are going to be in a climate very similar to me!!! The sun shining bright! But you all can jump in the ocean, so that is a plus!!! I just take lots of showers! Today on p day I took 4 showers to stay in the cold water. I almost felt like I was swimming! ha
This week all 25 missionaries arrived. We called a bus to pick us up and it was a lot of fun to welcome them all to Brasil! It is incredible how well the missionaries are speaking Portuguese already! They only have six weeks and they are fluent already! We have a special room where the new missionaries meet their trainers and with fifty missionaries in that room it was so excited!!! Elder Sampaio and I gave them all a training about the rules and how a missionary’s life is. Elder Sampaio in Portuguese and I was translating. It brought back so many memories of when I was in their place thinking... how do those missionaries speak so well?! How can they understand to translate?! It was a big privilege. One of the sisters that arrived roomed with Kimber Hayden at BYU! Cool ehh! What a small world!!!
We were in meetings with Presidente Souza all week and Elder Sampaio and I are getting the hang of all the responsibilities as an assistant. Slow and steady we are getting there! Presidente Souza said that tomorrow from 2 till 9 30 we are going to have a meeting and he is going to show us everything that Presidente Fusco will need to know to run a mission! After we got that call it was a little shocking but like Presidente said, this well be great preparation if we are ever called to be Mission Presidentes. :)
Then after on Wednesday we are going to meet up with the other two assistants to prepare a training for the zone leaders, which we will give this Thursday. It is going to be a very busy week but I would like to share the tender mercies that the Lord is giving us as a big help.
Monday night we were passed a reference of a young man that has already visited the church a lot and he received an answer and will be baptized this next week. Another young man has been going to church for 5 months and we went and taught his family and they will all go to his baptism this next week! Something changed their hearts. And also a man has been taught by missionaries for 4 months. His family is baptized but he couldn’t give up smoking. We taught his twice and invited him to pray and in 3 days he completely stopped smoking!!! That was a clear miracle that Heavenly Father is carrying us along the way. This man Luciano will be baptized this week too!!!
I am very excited to learn more and more and more!!! I am very excited to meet President Fusco too! He arrives this month on the 27th! And I have been very humbled this past week.
I know this church is true and I know that Heavenly Father is always watching over us and guiding us to do what is right! I am very grateful for President Souza and all that he has taught me. I am very grateful for my inspired leaders and the counsel that is given to me. I love being a missionary!!!
Elder Heath
Heath Family!!!
I think I am on the same track as you about the all season pass. I would like to have the pass that moves around and is cheaper. Who knows I will be able to meet lot of new people and who knows my future wife! ;) ha
Sounds like you all are having a wonderful time at Hawaii! Danielle isn’t it worth it to finish high school? ha Take lots of pictures to send of your beautiful faces on the beach!!! The reason I am not sending pictures is because my memory card has a virus.... oh well
This week was a blast and I will tell you why...
Tuesday we had a meeting for 7 hours with Presidente Souza where he told us everything we need to know to help Presidente Fusco when he arrives! While we were in the meeting President Fusco called!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Presidente Souza let us hear his voice but we couldn’t talk to him. In this meeting I realized how much work it is to be a mission Presidente and How inspired this work is. Presidente Souza is a great example to me. Elder Sampaio and i are going to pick up Presidente Fusco and his family on the 27th at1:30! Presidente Souza will be at his house making lunch, so we are going to receive them at the airport and bring them to Presidente Souza´s house! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, we prepared our training for the zone leaders. Every transfer we give a training to the zone leaders and they pass that training to their zones the next week. I was with Elder Sampaio, Elder Reynolds, and Elder Wadsworth and we all prepared the training together (the other two are assistants in the other mission) There were lots of inspired ideas floating around.
Thursday we gave the training and it ended up being better than we thought!!! After the training Presidente Souza got up and said, I am happy that I can always count on my assistants. That made my day. After we returned home and taught a couple lessons, and marked two baptismal interviews.
Friday we had a normal day in our area!!! Hoo Hoo We were able to work form 1:00 till 9:00! It was so nice! We found a new family to teach through a contact on the street. And we had one of our interviews, and he Passed!!! Baptism on Sunday!
Saturday we got a normal day too! WE had another interview that, he passed too! Two baptisms on Sunday!!! We taught many lessons and invited everyone and their dog to church! ha Walking home we saw some members from my first area!!! It was so nice to see them again! They all asked if I had grown..... (Watch out dad ;) ) ha maybe it’s just because I was on a curb. ha
Sunday we woke up and i wrote in my journal and played a little guitar. At about 7:30 our bishop called and asked if we could give talks today!!!! We said OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!! I based my talk on Elder Eyrings talk in 2012 October ``Help others aim high`` and it was a privilege to give that talk! We had lunch at the other end of our area, which took about 1 hour to walk to. We found out that where we were you walk 30 more min and you are at the beach!!! The beach is part of our area!!! At night time we had the baptisms and a very interesting experience happened. We invited two members to baptize the two men and the first member that entered put his arm up and the power went out! (we are in a rented mansion and the baptism is in a pool) The power box caught on fire and that didn’t stop the member from baptizing this man. haha luckily there was lights from the house that let the testimonies see the baptism. The fire got put out and the next baptism happened perfectly. But that first member has POWER!!! haha
That was my week! I think I will leave my diary with you when I am at college so you can read more about my mission. I have done my best to write everything in my diary and you will be able to learn more about my mission that way. ahha
I love you all so much!!! Have a great time in Hawaii!!!
Danielle you are beautiful! I got you graduation card today!!! I loved the colored pants too!!!
Elder Heath
I love you all so much!!! Have a great time in Hawaii!!!
Danielle you are beautiful! I got you graduation card today!!! I loved the colored pants too!!!
Elder Heath
June 6th, 2013
Heaths!
Thanks for the e mail after the Crazy weekend! So many good things happened, and I am very proud of each and every one of you! Danielle congrats on graduation!!! How do you feel to be done with high school!!!! WOO HOO!!! Was it fun walking down the Aisle? I bet you looked just like a model on the red carpet!
Did you all like the Bragadeiro? That is defiantly something that we eat a lot here! It is a fun easy treat to make! And now you all are going to be in a climate very similar to me!!! The sun shining bright! But you all can jump in the ocean, so that is a plus!!! I just take lots of showers! Today on p day I took 4 showers to stay in the cold water. I almost felt like I was swimming! ha
This week all 25 missionaries arrived. We called a bus to pick us up and it was a lot of fun to welcome them all to Brasil! It is incredible how well the missionaries are speaking Portuguese already! They only have six weeks and they are fluent already! We have a special room where the new missionaries meet their trainers and with fifty missionaries in that room it was so excited!!! Elder Sampaio and I gave them all a training about the rules and how a missionary’s life is. Elder Sampaio in Portuguese and I was translating. It brought back so many memories of when I was in their place thinking... how do those missionaries speak so well?! How can they understand to translate?! It was a big privilege. One of the sisters that arrived roomed with Kimber Hayden at BYU! Cool ehh! What a small world!!!
We were in meetings with Presidente Souza all week and Elder Sampaio and I are getting the hang of all the responsibilities as an assistant. Slow and steady we are getting there! Presidente Souza said that tomorrow from 2 till 9 30 we are going to have a meeting and he is going to show us everything that Presidente Fusco will need to know to run a mission! After we got that call it was a little shocking but like Presidente said, this well be great preparation if we are ever called to be Mission Presidentes. :)
Then after on Wednesday we are going to meet up with the other two assistants to prepare a training for the zone leaders, which we will give this Thursday. It is going to be a very busy week but I would like to share the tender mercies that the Lord is giving us as a big help.
Monday night we were passed a reference of a young man that has already visited the church a lot and he received an answer and will be baptized this next week. Another young man has been going to church for 5 months and we went and taught his family and they will all go to his baptism this next week! Something changed their hearts. And also a man has been taught by missionaries for 4 months. His family is baptized but he couldn’t give up smoking. We taught his twice and invited him to pray and in 3 days he completely stopped smoking!!! That was a clear miracle that Heavenly Father is carrying us along the way. This man Luciano will be baptized this week too!!!
I am very excited to learn more and more and more!!! I am very excited to meet President Fusco too! He arrives this month on the 27th! And I have been very humbled this past week.
I know this church is true and I know that Heavenly Father is always watching over us and guiding us to do what is right! I am very grateful for President Souza and all that he has taught me. I am very grateful for my inspired leaders and the counsel that is given to me. I love being a missionary!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, May 27, 2013
Prayers are Answered!
May 27, 2013
I have truly been humbled today. I have been praying for a transfer that would push my limits and give me spiritual experiences to grow my testimony and that prayer was answered today at our transfer meeting. We all get together in a church and President Souza gives us a motivational speech and sister Souza spoke about the cleanliness of our houses. Then Presidente Souza announced the new district leaders, zone leaders, secretaries and assistants. I received the call last night that I would be leaving my area, going to another. With my bags packed, Elder Harmon and I head off to the transfer meeting. Today I was called to be the first assistant to the Presidente of the Mission Brazil Fortaleza East. When Presidente called my name and I went to the front I felt the spirit very strong, and I know that my prayer was answered. My companion is Elder Sampaio from Brasil. We have been great friends through the mission and we are very excited to help the growth here in the new mission. So my mission Presidente is President Fusco. He is about 50 (your age dad!) and he is from Sao Paulo. Tomorrow we are going with the other two assistants to get training and we will go to get the new missionaries from the airport tomorrow afternoon. (25 missionaries) But I am really feeling humbled and all of your prayers would be lots of help. I am very excited for this new adventure!!!
We were in a meeting with our old bishop yesterday and he called us over with a very big smile on his face. He gave Elder Harmon and I a great big hug. We were thinking what happened?..... He explained that 5 weeks ago we made a goal to get our frequency from 115 to 150 until august. The ward had divided when I arrived with Elder Lopes, and they were wanting growth. He told us that yesterday we had 151 people in the church!!! We passed the goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a very exciting announcement. We had to then tell the bad news, that Elder Harmon and I would be leaving the area. We were both transferred, and Elder Harmon is a Zone leader in another area now. There was a member of the bishopric (Fabio) that cried when we told him (the man that gave us the shirts) It is sad to leave such a great area with such great people. We then ran around to say bye to the recent converts which was really really hard. We had a very interesting experience too. We taught a family and the wife Arleide and her son Vinicus were baptized and we did everything for her husband to be baptized and go to church, but nothing ever happened. They called us and while the husband called us he began to cry. He said sorry for never going to church, and while he was crying he promised us that he would go to church this Sunday. I did not expect that, but transfers are inspired.
Yes, I would like to get the macbook instead of the other macs. I really like the organization that the macbook has, it has really good feedback on how long it lasts, and I have been talking to Elder Harmon who has one and he has convinced me. That 13 incher is great!!!!
How was the marathon Dad? Cassie how was the 1/2 marathon? I am very proud of you two finishing the marathon!!! You two inspire me to be better!
I love you all very much!!!!
Elder Heath
I have truly been humbled today. I have been praying for a transfer that would push my limits and give me spiritual experiences to grow my testimony and that prayer was answered today at our transfer meeting. We all get together in a church and President Souza gives us a motivational speech and sister Souza spoke about the cleanliness of our houses. Then Presidente Souza announced the new district leaders, zone leaders, secretaries and assistants. I received the call last night that I would be leaving my area, going to another. With my bags packed, Elder Harmon and I head off to the transfer meeting. Today I was called to be the first assistant to the Presidente of the Mission Brazil Fortaleza East. When Presidente called my name and I went to the front I felt the spirit very strong, and I know that my prayer was answered. My companion is Elder Sampaio from Brasil. We have been great friends through the mission and we are very excited to help the growth here in the new mission. So my mission Presidente is President Fusco. He is about 50 (your age dad!) and he is from Sao Paulo. Tomorrow we are going with the other two assistants to get training and we will go to get the new missionaries from the airport tomorrow afternoon. (25 missionaries) But I am really feeling humbled and all of your prayers would be lots of help. I am very excited for this new adventure!!!
We were in a meeting with our old bishop yesterday and he called us over with a very big smile on his face. He gave Elder Harmon and I a great big hug. We were thinking what happened?..... He explained that 5 weeks ago we made a goal to get our frequency from 115 to 150 until august. The ward had divided when I arrived with Elder Lopes, and they were wanting growth. He told us that yesterday we had 151 people in the church!!! We passed the goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a very exciting announcement. We had to then tell the bad news, that Elder Harmon and I would be leaving the area. We were both transferred, and Elder Harmon is a Zone leader in another area now. There was a member of the bishopric (Fabio) that cried when we told him (the man that gave us the shirts) It is sad to leave such a great area with such great people. We then ran around to say bye to the recent converts which was really really hard. We had a very interesting experience too. We taught a family and the wife Arleide and her son Vinicus were baptized and we did everything for her husband to be baptized and go to church, but nothing ever happened. They called us and while the husband called us he began to cry. He said sorry for never going to church, and while he was crying he promised us that he would go to church this Sunday. I did not expect that, but transfers are inspired.
Yes, I would like to get the macbook instead of the other macs. I really like the organization that the macbook has, it has really good feedback on how long it lasts, and I have been talking to Elder Harmon who has one and he has convinced me. That 13 incher is great!!!!
How was the marathon Dad? Cassie how was the 1/2 marathon? I am very proud of you two finishing the marathon!!! You two inspire me to be better!
I love you all very much!!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, May 20, 2013
We were able to Skype with Branden!!
May 20, 2013
It was incredible to see all of your beautiful faces on Monday. I feel like it was just a dream being able to see the most beautiful family in the world! Thank you so much Grandma Miskho for being present too, that made my day! Also the presence of Cassie Dallin and Kylie! I am very anxious to hear Kylies voice!!!
So I will pass the news about the mission change. This week we had a conference with the whole mission and President Passed the division. Where I am at right now is officially the Brasil East mission! We are going to have transfers here in one week. So if in the transfer I stay here I will be with President Fusco on the East side! 8 stakes will stay with Presidente Souza and 7 with President Fusco. I have passed in areas that are in both missions so I will not be able to visit some areas. Also Juazeiro do norte will be part of Brasil Natal mission!!! So this transfer next Monday will officially decide everything!!!
At the mission conference I meet two new sisters that arrived in the mission. Their names are Sister Miles and Sister Zeller. Sister Miles roomed with Kimber Hayden at BYU and Sister Zeller was Sister Coleman´s companion in the MTC! ha what a small world. I asked Sister Zeller if Kylee was an organized, neat missionary and she hesitated to respond.... or it’s not true or it is because she is learning Portuguese. ha ha
This week we had lots and lots of work!!! I felt really privileged on Sunday, we had a member invite us to his house from the bishopric. We left a message with his family and he said wait on a minute. He went in the back room and grabbed two shirts. He said that he won these shirts two years ago and wanted to give them to special missionaries. He said he had been impressed by our work and gave them to us. I felt very very honored to be by Elder Harmon´s side.
I love you all and I wish you all a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck Dad, Cassie, Mom and
Dallin on the run this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo hoooo!!!
Elder Heath
May 13, 2013
The Day after Mother's day (May 13, 2013), we were able to Skype with Branden in Brazil. Cassie, Dallin & Kylie were also able to get in on the Skype from Portland which was so much fun. That was such a treat for us. It was the first time we were able to see him since he left. He looks really good, has a heavy accent and tried really hard to speak to us in fluent English. He says that Portuguese is more comfortable to speak than English for him. It was the first time for Branden to see Kylie.
They Skyped us from a internet cafe in Fortaleza, Brazil. They said that everyone in there was wondering why they were speaking English.
We got to meet Branden's companion, Elder Harmon. We also got to hear Elder Heath and Elder Harmon sing a little bit of Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts acapella (at Grandma's request). It was really great. They had sung it at a wedding a few weeks ago. They both have great voices.
They are waiting for the mission to split this next week. The Fortaleza mission will be split in two. It will be interesting to hear where Branden will be serving for his last 3 months.
We each got a few minutes to speak to Branden individually. That was fun.
We are proud of our missionary and his amazing testimony of the Gospel.
Written by Mom Heath
It was incredible to see all of your beautiful faces on Monday. I feel like it was just a dream being able to see the most beautiful family in the world! Thank you so much Grandma Miskho for being present too, that made my day! Also the presence of Cassie Dallin and Kylie! I am very anxious to hear Kylies voice!!!
So I will pass the news about the mission change. This week we had a conference with the whole mission and President Passed the division. Where I am at right now is officially the Brasil East mission! We are going to have transfers here in one week. So if in the transfer I stay here I will be with President Fusco on the East side! 8 stakes will stay with Presidente Souza and 7 with President Fusco. I have passed in areas that are in both missions so I will not be able to visit some areas. Also Juazeiro do norte will be part of Brasil Natal mission!!! So this transfer next Monday will officially decide everything!!!
At the mission conference I meet two new sisters that arrived in the mission. Their names are Sister Miles and Sister Zeller. Sister Miles roomed with Kimber Hayden at BYU and Sister Zeller was Sister Coleman´s companion in the MTC! ha what a small world. I asked Sister Zeller if Kylee was an organized, neat missionary and she hesitated to respond.... or it’s not true or it is because she is learning Portuguese. ha ha
This week we had lots and lots of work!!! I felt really privileged on Sunday, we had a member invite us to his house from the bishopric. We left a message with his family and he said wait on a minute. He went in the back room and grabbed two shirts. He said that he won these shirts two years ago and wanted to give them to special missionaries. He said he had been impressed by our work and gave them to us. I felt very very honored to be by Elder Harmon´s side.
I love you all and I wish you all a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck Dad, Cassie, Mom and
Dallin on the run this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo hoooo!!!
Elder Heath
May 13, 2013
The Day after Mother's day (May 13, 2013), we were able to Skype with Branden in Brazil. Cassie, Dallin & Kylie were also able to get in on the Skype from Portland which was so much fun. That was such a treat for us. It was the first time we were able to see him since he left. He looks really good, has a heavy accent and tried really hard to speak to us in fluent English. He says that Portuguese is more comfortable to speak than English for him. It was the first time for Branden to see Kylie.
They Skyped us from a internet cafe in Fortaleza, Brazil. They said that everyone in there was wondering why they were speaking English.
We got to meet Branden's companion, Elder Harmon. We also got to hear Elder Heath and Elder Harmon sing a little bit of Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts acapella (at Grandma's request). It was really great. They had sung it at a wedding a few weeks ago. They both have great voices.
They are waiting for the mission to split this next week. The Fortaleza mission will be split in two. It will be interesting to hear where Branden will be serving for his last 3 months.
We each got a few minutes to speak to Branden individually. That was fun.
We are proud of our missionary and his amazing testimony of the Gospel.
Written by Mom Heath
Monday, May 6, 2013
Elder Heath & Elder Harmon sing duet at Wedding!
May 6, 2013
Family,
Thank you for one more amazing letter! Eu gostei como a carta começou em espanhol! Eu vou precisar aprender para falar com pai! Eu entendo tudo mas para falar (hablar) é meu desafio.
I learned this week that the word difficult doesn’t exist. But we should use the word challenge to substitute. To run a marathon is not difficult, but it is a challenge!
We had a week of miracles and I would like to share them with you all!!! We planned the wedding and baptisms of two couples this week! On Thursday we woke up at 5:00 to grab the bus for them to get married. The wedding was a success and we came back and that night we had a reception. My Companion Elder Harmon sings very well. So while we were coming back we were asked to sing a song for the wedding. We were brain storming of what song we could sing and we both decided on RASCAL FLATTS! ha Brasil needs to get to know this magical music too! So Elder Harmon on the piano played Bless the Broken Road and we both sang our hearts out! I felt like a rock star! There were more then 200 people and the applause was very nice.
We then had the baptism and We invited President and Sister Souza to come and watch. But, during the interviews one of the couples decided to wait a little more time because they were not sure about the church and were looking for a more powerful answer. I learned a very big lesson with this. When I heard that, my mind automatically wanted to prove to them how the church is true and show them all the changes in their lives, forcing them to be baptized. But it came to my head, ``rely on the Lord`` I held all of that inside and we promised to them that if they would read 3 Nephi 11 and pray they would receive what they were looking for. This was on Saturday night. That happened and we arrived at church Sunday morning and The couple came up to us and said that they received their answers. That night they did exactly what we asked them and while they were sleeping the wife had a dream. She usually has nightmares but Saturday night she had a dream that filled her heart with peace. She woke up and said that someone was calling her name to follow the voice. She said that she felt so good when this voice called her that she knew it was Heavenly Father. We didn’t wait another second and Said, ``Will you follow the Example of Jesus Christ in being baptized on Saturday?`` and they said YES! I am learning to rely a lot more on the Lord and the promises that he has given us and when we do that, we receive the help we need and His will is done!
Just to clarify about skype and the phone call. We can only do one or the other, Sunday on the phone, or Monday on skype. I wrote down the hours and we would love to skype on Monday night 7:00 my time if dad will be home. I would like to talk to everyone, so if dad won’t be home it would be better to call on the phone Sunday about 5:00 my time. Don’t get stressed....... Friday night around 7:00 my time Elder Harmon will call you (521-6781) to set everything up officially. :) You will be able to understand his Wyoming accent really well!!! We are looking for a place with skype still... so Friday night we will call with all the final plans!
I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you all again! I love you so much!!!
I am loving the letters from the new ward members too! Thanks mom and dad for having so many friends that give me that boost on the mission!
Dallin, I loved the part that you wrote in the letter about ending the mission the way you want to start your life after. I have been thinking a lot about that! Thanks,
Elder Heath
Clark, Becky, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor,
Thank you once again for the e mail! I love hearing from all of you every week. I am very happy to know that Mom and Dad are going on dates and having a great time together. I was conversing with President Souza this week, and did you know that as mission presidente there is one day every week that is Date night! It is a rule to go on dates and have fun together. I can imagine how it must be good for them to get away from all the problems in the mission and relax, much like mom and dad getting away from the two rascals of the house:) at least it isn’t four rascals ;)
Thank you very much for the prayers for our families. Everything is going very well with them. They all went to the stake conference this week. Presidente and Sister Souza were present and briefly spoke with us. Preidente Souza called all of us missionaries to stand in the congregation and just gave us compliments on our work. There was a new elder that didn’t understand and stood up a little late, but he told everything to work with the missionaries because they are angles sent to do the Lords wiork. I felt very good. But this week, the families will be interviewed on Thursday, then married on Friday, baptized on Saturday and Confirmed on Sunday. It is going to be a very special week, and Presidente and Sister Souza will be present for the baptisms! Elder Harmon and I are very excited to see the progress in the families. We have been giving lots of emphasis on family prayer and scripture reading, and I realize how much patience you had with me and these two things. I am sorry I never understood the importance of these fundamental activities. To hear the prayer of the two little kids, Otavo (7anos) and Elias(5 anos) is the best blessing I have ever heard, especially knowing that their parents taught them. A tear slipped last night when we visited them and Elias wanted to say prayer like they do every night. So we all knealed by the bed and he offered a prayer, reciting every animal that he saw that day, his whole family and our names. It was very special.
Elder Harmon and I are getting along very well and Elder Harmon sings like an angel! We sang brilha mega luz (lead kindly light) acapelo and it was beautiful! At the pulpit my legs were SHAKING!!! But that is why we have the pulpit, to hide those things! ;)
I love your Idea of the cabin just our family for that week that I will be home!!! That was Inspiration!!! I feel the same way about the trip to Brasil. It would be awesome to come back a little later, to hit up the beaches and all the beautiful parts here. Don’t worry about the trip, it will all work out one day :) Who knows Bolivia too!
Thanks so much for helping with BYU. I have been speaking with some missionaries about lap tops here and I am leaning to a Mac book, because of its organization and how it is very easy to use. What are your ideas on a lap top? Maybe craigs list has some used that would be good to use.
About skype... what would be the best times to skype? I will be able to use skype on Monday and we can call on the phone Sunday. If Monday works for everyone to be home that would be great. What time on or Sunday or Monday would be best to plan? I hope the skype works out too... don’t get down!!! I will see you all!!! And I don’t remember my skype password or anything... can you create one for me?
Danielle,
How was mixed doubles? Did you get some awesome net work done! I bet you had a blast going to Boise to play! I remember how much fun it was watching all the matches and being part of such a big tournament! Did your hotel have a pool? ha How are your serves going? Are you getting aces?
I love you all s o o o o o much!!!
Elder Heath
Family,
Thank you for one more amazing letter! Eu gostei como a carta começou em espanhol! Eu vou precisar aprender para falar com pai! Eu entendo tudo mas para falar (hablar) é meu desafio.
I learned this week that the word difficult doesn’t exist. But we should use the word challenge to substitute. To run a marathon is not difficult, but it is a challenge!
We had a week of miracles and I would like to share them with you all!!! We planned the wedding and baptisms of two couples this week! On Thursday we woke up at 5:00 to grab the bus for them to get married. The wedding was a success and we came back and that night we had a reception. My Companion Elder Harmon sings very well. So while we were coming back we were asked to sing a song for the wedding. We were brain storming of what song we could sing and we both decided on RASCAL FLATTS! ha Brasil needs to get to know this magical music too! So Elder Harmon on the piano played Bless the Broken Road and we both sang our hearts out! I felt like a rock star! There were more then 200 people and the applause was very nice.
We then had the baptism and We invited President and Sister Souza to come and watch. But, during the interviews one of the couples decided to wait a little more time because they were not sure about the church and were looking for a more powerful answer. I learned a very big lesson with this. When I heard that, my mind automatically wanted to prove to them how the church is true and show them all the changes in their lives, forcing them to be baptized. But it came to my head, ``rely on the Lord`` I held all of that inside and we promised to them that if they would read 3 Nephi 11 and pray they would receive what they were looking for. This was on Saturday night. That happened and we arrived at church Sunday morning and The couple came up to us and said that they received their answers. That night they did exactly what we asked them and while they were sleeping the wife had a dream. She usually has nightmares but Saturday night she had a dream that filled her heart with peace. She woke up and said that someone was calling her name to follow the voice. She said that she felt so good when this voice called her that she knew it was Heavenly Father. We didn’t wait another second and Said, ``Will you follow the Example of Jesus Christ in being baptized on Saturday?`` and they said YES! I am learning to rely a lot more on the Lord and the promises that he has given us and when we do that, we receive the help we need and His will is done!
Just to clarify about skype and the phone call. We can only do one or the other, Sunday on the phone, or Monday on skype. I wrote down the hours and we would love to skype on Monday night 7:00 my time if dad will be home. I would like to talk to everyone, so if dad won’t be home it would be better to call on the phone Sunday about 5:00 my time. Don’t get stressed....... Friday night around 7:00 my time Elder Harmon will call you (521-6781) to set everything up officially. :) You will be able to understand his Wyoming accent really well!!! We are looking for a place with skype still... so Friday night we will call with all the final plans!
I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you all again! I love you so much!!!
I am loving the letters from the new ward members too! Thanks mom and dad for having so many friends that give me that boost on the mission!
Dallin, I loved the part that you wrote in the letter about ending the mission the way you want to start your life after. I have been thinking a lot about that! Thanks,
Elder Heath
_____________________________________________________________________
April 29,2013
Clark, Becky, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor,
Thank you once again for the e mail! I love hearing from all of you every week. I am very happy to know that Mom and Dad are going on dates and having a great time together. I was conversing with President Souza this week, and did you know that as mission presidente there is one day every week that is Date night! It is a rule to go on dates and have fun together. I can imagine how it must be good for them to get away from all the problems in the mission and relax, much like mom and dad getting away from the two rascals of the house:) at least it isn’t four rascals ;)
Thank you very much for the prayers for our families. Everything is going very well with them. They all went to the stake conference this week. Presidente and Sister Souza were present and briefly spoke with us. Preidente Souza called all of us missionaries to stand in the congregation and just gave us compliments on our work. There was a new elder that didn’t understand and stood up a little late, but he told everything to work with the missionaries because they are angles sent to do the Lords wiork. I felt very good. But this week, the families will be interviewed on Thursday, then married on Friday, baptized on Saturday and Confirmed on Sunday. It is going to be a very special week, and Presidente and Sister Souza will be present for the baptisms! Elder Harmon and I are very excited to see the progress in the families. We have been giving lots of emphasis on family prayer and scripture reading, and I realize how much patience you had with me and these two things. I am sorry I never understood the importance of these fundamental activities. To hear the prayer of the two little kids, Otavo (7anos) and Elias(5 anos) is the best blessing I have ever heard, especially knowing that their parents taught them. A tear slipped last night when we visited them and Elias wanted to say prayer like they do every night. So we all knealed by the bed and he offered a prayer, reciting every animal that he saw that day, his whole family and our names. It was very special.
Elder Harmon and I are getting along very well and Elder Harmon sings like an angel! We sang brilha mega luz (lead kindly light) acapelo and it was beautiful! At the pulpit my legs were SHAKING!!! But that is why we have the pulpit, to hide those things! ;)
I love your Idea of the cabin just our family for that week that I will be home!!! That was Inspiration!!! I feel the same way about the trip to Brasil. It would be awesome to come back a little later, to hit up the beaches and all the beautiful parts here. Don’t worry about the trip, it will all work out one day :) Who knows Bolivia too!
Thanks so much for helping with BYU. I have been speaking with some missionaries about lap tops here and I am leaning to a Mac book, because of its organization and how it is very easy to use. What are your ideas on a lap top? Maybe craigs list has some used that would be good to use.
About skype... what would be the best times to skype? I will be able to use skype on Monday and we can call on the phone Sunday. If Monday works for everyone to be home that would be great. What time on or Sunday or Monday would be best to plan? I hope the skype works out too... don’t get down!!! I will see you all!!! And I don’t remember my skype password or anything... can you create one for me?
Danielle,
How was mixed doubles? Did you get some awesome net work done! I bet you had a blast going to Boise to play! I remember how much fun it was watching all the matches and being part of such a big tournament! Did your hotel have a pool? ha How are your serves going? Are you getting aces?
I love you all s o o o o o much!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, April 22, 2013
Miracles Do Happen!
April 22, 2013
Family Heath!!!
Thank you so much for the e-mail. It seems like everyone had a very great week together! I am very happy to hear that there were baptisms in the ward and that you all were able to participate! Trevor your a stud for helping your friend feel support at the baptism. It is incredible how much it helps to have families to support those who are being baptized, I know the missionaries were very grateful to have the HEATHS there to watch! (SUPER FAMILY!)
This week we had transfers and I stayed in my new area... but Elder Lopes was sent to another area. My new companion is Elder Harmon! He arrived in Brazil with me, and he is one of the most Chirst-like missionaries I have ever meet! We have become very good friends on the mission and I ran and gave him a hug when he was called to be my companion! He is from Wyoming, and he is one of the greatest musicians I have meet! We are going to start some intense musical numbers in our ward baptisms!!!
If you could all pray for these people I would be very greatful. Olavo, Leonia, Francisco, Sabrina, Francisco, and Nádia. These three couples are preparing for baptism on the 4th of this next month. We are going this week to sign their marriages and the next week they will be married. We need help that they can all stay firm during these two weeks of waiting.
This week we saw many miracles happen!!! A recent convert, Arleide has built such a strong testimony in these two weeks! She sang a special song for our baptism last week, and bore her testimony on how the church is true. We are fighting to get her husband to church. So we did an activity to help. The theater night, where we watched 17 miracles. Amnd her Husband Cristiano came!!! We were so happy that he got the courage to come to the church!!! We are no going to stop working until this man is baptized, because this family complete will be very strong!!!
Thanks a ton for the help with BYU, I love you all so much!!! Is there anything I can do to help you all???
We heard that we will be able to use skype this mothers day too!!! And Now that I am here in Foprtaleza we have lots more options!!! Do you want to use skype???
I love you all and wish you all a great week!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, April 15, 2013
Obey with Exactness!
April 15, 2013
Hello family!!!
I opened my e-mail and I saw one of the most beautiful pictures that I have ever seen in my life!!! Cindy and Tony in front of the temple!!! O man! Thanks for sending the picture, now I can print it off and show off my Amazing aunt and uncle in front of the temple!!!
This week we saw many miracles happen. Elder Lopes has helped me so much to be obedient with exactness here on the mission! Elder Lopes really is a super hero missionary, and I am very grateful to be together with him!!! We were able to go with two complete families to the ``cartorio`,` I can’t remember the word in English to get married. The two families are related and it was very special to see them so excited to get married. It is really funny... you ask them why they are getting married, and they respond, so we can get baptized! ha Francisco is 21 and Sabrina is 16 and they are going to get married. They have been together for a while and Sabrina is waiting to have a child. When we began to teach them marriage is something that is helping them a lot to stay together. Then her aunt Leonia and Olav who are 35 are also going to get married. All of them on the 3rd this next month!!! We taught about family prayer this week... they have three little boys. And we all kneeled at the bedside and said a prayer. Olavo the dad taught his sons to all pray. They all took turns praying and I couldn’t hold the tears when this was happening. If you all could pray for them I would be very grateful, so the marriage and baptism will all work out. They have another sister too that was baptized with her son this Sunday (picture). And in this same family we are teaching the mom (who is a little more difficult) and also another two cousins! It is just a huge family!!! Haha
I had a great experience with my interview with President Souza this week. I learned a lot about my progress and my potential as a priesthood holder. I want all of you to meet President Souza a lot, He is one of my Idols.
Danielle!!!! Way to go at the tennis tournament! I love to hear that you are playing so well doubles! I am going to need a partner when I get back to get back into the groove of mixed doubles!!! The HEATHS!!! haha What are your plans sis, with your last summer in K town!!! Are you getting super excited to go to IDAHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you are going to absolutely love every day of your life there!!! Especially the freshman dance before school starts!!!!! O my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!! It is sooooooo much fun!!! Could you write me an e mail??? I miss my sis.;)
I love you all and I wish you all a great week! Seek to be obedient inside of the house and outside. When we are obedient we receive blessings. When we are obedient with exactness we will see miracles. Thank you so much for your testimony, I love to hear the testimony of my true heroes! Mom, and Dad you two are Angels, and I Know that I was very blessed to be born in your family.
Elder Heath
Hello family!!!
I opened my e-mail and I saw one of the most beautiful pictures that I have ever seen in my life!!! Cindy and Tony in front of the temple!!! O man! Thanks for sending the picture, now I can print it off and show off my Amazing aunt and uncle in front of the temple!!!
This week we saw many miracles happen. Elder Lopes has helped me so much to be obedient with exactness here on the mission! Elder Lopes really is a super hero missionary, and I am very grateful to be together with him!!! We were able to go with two complete families to the ``cartorio`,` I can’t remember the word in English to get married. The two families are related and it was very special to see them so excited to get married. It is really funny... you ask them why they are getting married, and they respond, so we can get baptized! ha Francisco is 21 and Sabrina is 16 and they are going to get married. They have been together for a while and Sabrina is waiting to have a child. When we began to teach them marriage is something that is helping them a lot to stay together. Then her aunt Leonia and Olav who are 35 are also going to get married. All of them on the 3rd this next month!!! We taught about family prayer this week... they have three little boys. And we all kneeled at the bedside and said a prayer. Olavo the dad taught his sons to all pray. They all took turns praying and I couldn’t hold the tears when this was happening. If you all could pray for them I would be very grateful, so the marriage and baptism will all work out. They have another sister too that was baptized with her son this Sunday (picture). And in this same family we are teaching the mom (who is a little more difficult) and also another two cousins! It is just a huge family!!! Haha
I had a great experience with my interview with President Souza this week. I learned a lot about my progress and my potential as a priesthood holder. I want all of you to meet President Souza a lot, He is one of my Idols.
Danielle!!!! Way to go at the tennis tournament! I love to hear that you are playing so well doubles! I am going to need a partner when I get back to get back into the groove of mixed doubles!!! The HEATHS!!! haha What are your plans sis, with your last summer in K town!!! Are you getting super excited to go to IDAHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you are going to absolutely love every day of your life there!!! Especially the freshman dance before school starts!!!!! O my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!! It is sooooooo much fun!!! Could you write me an e mail??? I miss my sis.;)
I love you all and I wish you all a great week! Seek to be obedient inside of the house and outside. When we are obedient we receive blessings. When we are obedient with exactness we will see miracles. Thank you so much for your testimony, I love to hear the testimony of my true heroes! Mom, and Dad you two are Angels, and I Know that I was very blessed to be born in your family.
Elder Heath
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| One of my favorite couples in the ward! I think he looks like President Hinkley!:) |
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| Baptisms |
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| Baptisms |
Monday, April 8, 2013
General Conference Up-Close!
April 8, 2013
Familia,
Conference was amazing! I received so many answers to my prayers and I walked away a better person. We were able to take four families to conference with us too!!! We had a fun time matching all the families with members and we had front row seats.... but we gave our seats to some visitors... we looked at the room and it was packed!!!!!!!!! So, we just sat down in front and watched! It was very special to be so close! ;)
We had a miracle happen that I would like to tell. The Lord is really on our side and has blessed our work so much! We had a family that had a baptismal date for Sunday in between the conferences. We set up the interviews to be Saturday after the first session. The mom arrived (Arleide) and told us that she didn’t want to be baptized, but her son could.... We felt really calm and just walked in to watch conference. We were praying and praying for help to convert this mom. After the session, she went in to be interviewed and it took about five min., then her son went, 5 min. She had tears in her eyes (the mom) and said she wanted to be baptized. It was a very special baptism and I played guitar and Elder Lopes sang to make the baptism even more special!!!
This week I am really gaining a testimony of how the Lord is working and helping us in our work. We are having so many blessings here and it is incredible how much help we are receiving. I know that The Lord gave me you all as an awesome family too to help me stay strong and excited on the mission. I know I can’t send home many gifts and I am slacking on the letters. But I want you all to know that I am working the hardest I can until the last day to make you all proud. Thanks for all of your help in inspiration and motivation, because it really does help!
I got an e mail from Kylee or Sister Coleman this week and her companion is coming to Fortaleza! She loves the MTC and the chocolate Pizza!
This week I was thinking a lot about you all and, how would you all like to have a missionary experience? I have a challenge for all of you! To invite a less active family or recent convert family or someone that is not a member to eat dinner with the family. And during the dinner everyone share your testimony! Try it, and you will see the blessings and miracles!
Dad, if it is possible I would like my line of authority. Is it possible to e mail it to me? That would be great!
Dad, do you want to run the half marathon in Provo? That sounds like a great idea! It will give me something to look forward to! Oh ya!!!!
Danielle, Congrats for completing your young womanhood medallion!!! I want to see a picture of it! and your beautiful face!
Trev you’re a stud! You are running 6 min miles! That is crazy!!!! You are going to be a state athlete! Keep it up!!!
Thanks a ton for the help Cassie and Dallin staying up to register for my classes! You are Angels!!!!!!!!!! I love you soo much!!! Do you know what credits transferred from BYU Idaho?
I love you all soo much and I can’t wait to hear what my family is up to next week!!!1
Elder Heath
We had a miracle happen that I would like to tell. The Lord is really on our side and has blessed our work so much! We had a family that had a baptismal date for Sunday in between the conferences. We set up the interviews to be Saturday after the first session. The mom arrived (Arleide) and told us that she didn’t want to be baptized, but her son could.... We felt really calm and just walked in to watch conference. We were praying and praying for help to convert this mom. After the session, she went in to be interviewed and it took about five min., then her son went, 5 min. She had tears in her eyes (the mom) and said she wanted to be baptized. It was a very special baptism and I played guitar and Elder Lopes sang to make the baptism even more special!!!
This week I am really gaining a testimony of how the Lord is working and helping us in our work. We are having so many blessings here and it is incredible how much help we are receiving. I know that The Lord gave me you all as an awesome family too to help me stay strong and excited on the mission. I know I can’t send home many gifts and I am slacking on the letters. But I want you all to know that I am working the hardest I can until the last day to make you all proud. Thanks for all of your help in inspiration and motivation, because it really does help!
I got an e mail from Kylee or Sister Coleman this week and her companion is coming to Fortaleza! She loves the MTC and the chocolate Pizza!
This week I was thinking a lot about you all and, how would you all like to have a missionary experience? I have a challenge for all of you! To invite a less active family or recent convert family or someone that is not a member to eat dinner with the family. And during the dinner everyone share your testimony! Try it, and you will see the blessings and miracles!
Dad, if it is possible I would like my line of authority. Is it possible to e mail it to me? That would be great!
Dad, do you want to run the half marathon in Provo? That sounds like a great idea! It will give me something to look forward to! Oh ya!!!!
Danielle, Congrats for completing your young womanhood medallion!!! I want to see a picture of it! and your beautiful face!
Trev you’re a stud! You are running 6 min miles! That is crazy!!!! You are going to be a state athlete! Keep it up!!!
Thanks a ton for the help Cassie and Dallin staying up to register for my classes! You are Angels!!!!!!!!!! I love you soo much!!! Do you know what credits transferred from BYU Idaho?
I love you all soo much and I can’t wait to hear what my family is up to next week!!!1
Elder Heath
Monday, April 1, 2013
EASTER SUNDAY...A GREAT SUCCESS!
APRIL 1, 2013
FAMILA!!!!
I love so much hearing from you all!!! I will respond to the questions first then I will tell you all about the miracles that happened here this week!!!
I love the classes that you chose! It is really interesting how you all read my mind on the classes. I have wanted to take anatomy and also a Portuguese class!!! Thank you so much everyone that helped with my classes and housing. It is incredible how much I can rely on you all!!! Thanks a ton! If it is possible to start at 9 that would be better. SO, I can wake up at 6:30 study the scriptures, review class material and then go to class.... Thanks so much!!! And if it is possible to get a p-day (day without classes) that would be great.... Could you send me some pictures of my apartment where I will live? I am super excited to live with DOM!!!!! If I could get in a high (I assume he means advanced) tennis class too that would be great!!! SO I can get better!!!
This week I want you all to know that you have made a difference. The power of a family was used this week when we were teaching a new family!!! There is a family that wants to be baptized but the wife is fearful of getting married!!! She has been together with her family for 10 years. So I told her that God does not want her to feel fear. I thought, what can I teach her to help her change her mind? So I looked at my bag and saw my pictures! I grabbed the picture that we have where everyone is jumping like in high school musical. I told her to look at that picture and tell me if that is what she wants for her family. She just stared at the picture.... and said yes. And right when she said that her husband (at her side) said Leonia, Will you marry me? It was an amazing feeling!!! And she looked at him and said yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never seen a proposal up close before.... but now I am ready here in a little to do the same :) I’m not going to lie; I was pretty excited to get married after that! But this week we are going to help them get married, because of our beautiful family that is so happy and such a great example!!!!!
This Easter Sunday... O domingo de PÁscoa! had some good points and bad..... we went to get some families to visit the church and all of them were ready to go!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had three whole families and a grandpa that visited the church!!! Elder Lopes and I felt so cool walking into the church and using two rows with investigators! Our members are perfect and helped all of them the whole day! Our bishop was very happy! We had the best feeling because he told us we are transforming this ward. It was a dream come true!!! The bad part is when we got to church... our family where we would eat lunch gave us 20 bucks......... to use on Sunday......... haha. But we didn’t buy anything and another family adopted us to eat with them.
Sunday night we visited another family and we had a very spiritual experience.... with a mom and her son Arleide and Vinicios. They have been visiting the church a couple weeks now and they have been loving it! But they never wanted to accept a baptismal date. We went there and spoke about the Atonement and that was exactly what she needed! She accepted after learning about the love that Christ has for her!!! It was very special!!!
About the marathon... if it is possible I would like to do the half marathon if everything works out. I was only able to run once this week.... no one wants to run at 6 30 haha but I am jumping lots of rope!!!
Dad, This week while I was riding the bus... I heard LUTHER VANDROSS TWO TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was singing inside the bus And I loved every min!!!!
I love you so much,
Elder Heath
Trev, sorry I didn’t have time this week to write ya, next week I’ll give you an update!!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Missionary work from the Hospital
March 18, 2013
Was that a challenge dad? You don't think that I will be able to do a marathon in October? You can put my name down!!! I will be right at your side the whole way!!! :) I am going to leave the computer house running!!! haha But really, I would like to.
About rooming, I would love to room with Caleb or Dominic there. About a house, I would like to live with 4 or 6 people in a house that isn't a mess, where I can study and think. (where everything is in order) If it doesn't work out with them... I can live with strangers... its what I have been doing for 2 years. haha
This week has been crazy! Elder Lopes my companion got the flu and we have practically lived inside of the hospital. We prayed lots and we did so many contacts inside of the hospital, I think that everyone knows about the church now. We were blessed from all this work with a miracle baptism. We worked for 2 hours in our area this week and the Lord put a young man in our path that asked us to be baptized! I almost cried when that happened. I was soo worried the whole week about not being in our area working... and when that happened, I felt like a pat on the back form Heavenly Father.
I know this church is true and I know that My heavenly father loves me and is watching over all of us!!!!!
Sorry I'm a little rushed today, I had to write a little more to President Souza about our Zone. I love you all and I am staring my training for the marathons!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, March 11, 2013
Transfer Back to Fortaleza!
MARCH 11, 2013
TRANSFERENCIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today we had transfers and I left JUAZEIRO! It was very hard to get on the bus and leave. It was incredible, we arrived at the bus station and all the members from the ward were there waiting! We hall took pictures and we gave our last words. We then all got in a circle and everyone began to bare their testimonies, and we ended with a song. The spirit between the members there in Juazeiro is different. I thought a lot about the movie, “The Other Side of Heaven``, it was a lot like that. There was a little problem with my passage, and I had to buy another one but that is all good. A sat on the bus next to a Pastor of another Church, and we spoke about religion for about two hours! I was ready to go to sleep but he just kept on talking. ha It was interesting to hear about another church and their Beliefs. George (the pastor) was very interested in our modern day Prophet and promised he would visit the church.
I left Juazeiro and now I am here in Fortaleza again! My new Companion is from SAO PAULO!!!! Elder LOPES!!!! He is a great friend of mine during the whole mission. He served in the same zone as I when I was in Cecilia. He served in the military before the mission and is a SARGET!!!!! Military Missionary! He is very spiritual and very focused on the work which is great!!! We will be serving in the zone BOM SUCESSO (good success) I like the sound of that!!!! It is literally the neighbor area to Celcilia!!! Our church in on the same road as my old chapel!!!!
I received a letter too that just made the tears run!!! There is a family (Farias) that Elder Mauricio and I baptized. They sent me a letter and said that The dad (Franciso) has a calling in the Church History Center, the Mom(Vera) is secretary in the relief society, and the son is passing the sacrament every week!!! They told me that they are all in preparation to go to the temple!!!! I will show you the letter after the mission.... the mom bore her testimony and said... ``I know that baptism is a promise between Heavenly Father and us, It’s a long Journey. Elder Heath you gave us a message that we will keep with us forever.`` It was incredible to receive that letter and hear the testimony of this family. I feel very blessed to have meet each one of them.
About BYU, I don’t have any plans to live with anyone right now. I was thinking when you sent the e mail.... if Caleb is not married maybe I could live with him? Could you ask him if there will be room? I would like a place that is not very far from campus, and I would like the house to be organized and neat, and a kitchen. Maybe a hot tub? haha I have heard that Y view is not that expensive and is neat. But maybe Cassie and Dallin will know a little better where I can live. I’m not too worried right now with who I will live. I have learned to adapt here on the mission :) Maybe ask sister Anderson too if Dakota was accepted or not... I know he was wanting to change schools too.
I love you all so much and I am the happiest man on the EARTH!!!!!!
Elder Heath
Monday, March 4, 2013
Referrals are the Best!
MARCH 4, 2013
Bom Dia!
Congratulations Tony and Cindy!!! I have been praying for your
endowment to go great all week and it seemd like it was a marvelous
day. I hope that someone took pictures so I can see all of the
beautiful faces at the Temple!!!
I am also very excited that BYU accepted me this next fall. I read the
letter and felt really good about the decision. I just thought... and
now what do I do.... so if there are some steps or something I need to
do for housing or classes that would be awesome to know. My buddies
here on the mission already signed up for classes and housing so I
think maybe I will need to do that. And also see what credits that can
be transferred. I’m sorry that I am just full of work. If it would be
easier I can ask President Souza permission next week and do the work.
Thanks for all the help.
As shown in the pictures this week we invited a less active member to
come and give a capueira class at the church. It was awesome! It is a
lot like Karate but more of a dance. It has a very cool story how it
began too. The Slaves here in Brasil wanting to train and learn to
fight back, in secret made up this dance. They would dance and dance
but secretly they were learning to fight and training. It was a lot of
fun to learn a thing or two.
This week was a little crazy in trio. We are covering the two areas
now and they are not very close. It is from about our house to
Kennewick high. I am learning a lesson on how important planning is,
and being organized with the day.
This week we have a crazy schedule, Elder Hodson and I are going to
travel to Fortaleza for a meeting, and then we come back and we have
Elder Jno an area seventy will talk to us here! I am very excited for
all the things that I am going to learn this week!
This week we had a very cool experience happen that I would like to
share. We have been teaching a family and they have stopped
progressing and don’t want to go to church anymore. So we went there
and asked if they knew any family that would like to hear our message,
or that needed help. We received a referral and went to contact them.
There is a mom and a dad and three children. The parents explained to
us how their kids are never in the house and are beginning to do
things of the world. And that the dad is addicted in alcohol and that
is destroying the family. They said all this and we felt that the word
of wisdom was the right lesson for them. We taught them and while we
were introducing ourselves they were not paying very much attention...
but when we began to teach this commandment they were so alert and
interested! It was incredible, how they changed! We returned the next
day and they were all waiting for us, dressed, and together as a
family to hear one more message! It was awesome to see that through
the gospel people can change!
I love this gospel and the teaching that help me in my life! I am
trying to be more charitable in my every day schedule. This week we
painted a house. And while we were running back and forth in our
areas, we helped several people lift some things into their houses. I
felt so good after!
This weekend we have transfers again so next week it is possible that
I am in another area! Who knows? I have been messing around with Elder
Reynolds because being assistant he does the transfers...because he
knows..... haha
I love being a missionary and I love each and every one of you!!! Dad,
Mom, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor, Dallin, Kylie!!! and the rest of the
family too!!!
Elder Heath
Bom Dia!
Congratulations Tony and Cindy!!! I have been praying for your
endowment to go great all week and it seemd like it was a marvelous
day. I hope that someone took pictures so I can see all of the
beautiful faces at the Temple!!!
I am also very excited that BYU accepted me this next fall. I read the
letter and felt really good about the decision. I just thought... and
now what do I do.... so if there are some steps or something I need to
do for housing or classes that would be awesome to know. My buddies
here on the mission already signed up for classes and housing so I
think maybe I will need to do that. And also see what credits that can
be transferred. I’m sorry that I am just full of work. If it would be
easier I can ask President Souza permission next week and do the work.
Thanks for all the help.
As shown in the pictures this week we invited a less active member to
come and give a capueira class at the church. It was awesome! It is a
lot like Karate but more of a dance. It has a very cool story how it
began too. The Slaves here in Brasil wanting to train and learn to
fight back, in secret made up this dance. They would dance and dance
but secretly they were learning to fight and training. It was a lot of
fun to learn a thing or two.
This week was a little crazy in trio. We are covering the two areas
now and they are not very close. It is from about our house to
Kennewick high. I am learning a lesson on how important planning is,
and being organized with the day.
This week we have a crazy schedule, Elder Hodson and I are going to
travel to Fortaleza for a meeting, and then we come back and we have
Elder Jno an area seventy will talk to us here! I am very excited for
all the things that I am going to learn this week!
This week we had a very cool experience happen that I would like to
share. We have been teaching a family and they have stopped
progressing and don’t want to go to church anymore. So we went there
and asked if they knew any family that would like to hear our message,
or that needed help. We received a referral and went to contact them.
There is a mom and a dad and three children. The parents explained to
us how their kids are never in the house and are beginning to do
things of the world. And that the dad is addicted in alcohol and that
is destroying the family. They said all this and we felt that the word
of wisdom was the right lesson for them. We taught them and while we
were introducing ourselves they were not paying very much attention...
but when we began to teach this commandment they were so alert and
interested! It was incredible, how they changed! We returned the next
day and they were all waiting for us, dressed, and together as a
family to hear one more message! It was awesome to see that through
the gospel people can change!
I love this gospel and the teaching that help me in my life! I am
trying to be more charitable in my every day schedule. This week we
painted a house. And while we were running back and forth in our
areas, we helped several people lift some things into their houses. I
felt so good after!
This weekend we have transfers again so next week it is possible that
I am in another area! Who knows? I have been messing around with Elder
Reynolds because being assistant he does the transfers...because he
knows..... haha
I love being a missionary and I love each and every one of you!!! Dad,
Mom, Cassie, Danielle, Trevor, Dallin, Kylie!!! and the rest of the
family too!!!
Elder Heath
Fortaleza mission will be divided!
FEBRUARY 25, 2013
Oi Familia!!!
This week we have had some changes here in the mission and in the
mission work! As you said in the letter the mission field is
growing!!!!!!!!! And here in June our mission will be divided into
two. To explain a little more President called all the zone leaders
this week to Fortaleza to discuss what will happen. It is possible
that I will change missions for the last transfer of my mission. I
believe that the leaders will all be divided to help build the other
mission! But next week I will have more information!
This Tuesday Elder Reynolds and I received a call that completely
changed our missions!!! One of the assistants had to go home early
because of his college. So our mission was without an assistant. So
President Souza called Elder Reynolds to be the next assistant and he
left of a bus alone last night!!! And now I am in trio with Elder
Hodson and Elder Machado and we are taking care of the whole city of
Juazeiro now!!!!!!!! It is going to be very interesting!!!! But I am
excited! Elder Hodson is from California and I have lived with him for
8 months already! He is a good friend! (football star, that runs with
me) And Elder Machado is from Sao Paolo with 10 months on the mission.
He is a very dedicated missionary! I am very excited to serve with
them! I will miss Elder Reynolds though! We are going to have a family
reunion with his family and our after the mission!
I would like to share an experience that happened this week that
stands out to me. We are teaching a man named Stevie Wonder (you say
it exactly like Steve wonder the singer). We went to teach the
restoration to him and he was very interested in the message. Because
of that, the spirit was very strong and Elder Reynolds was teaching
about the great apostasy that happened after Jesus Christ was
rejected. I had the thought to ask again if the First vision truly
happened. I said a silent prayer and asked Heavenly Father to show me
that it was true. Elder Reynolds passed the lesson to me and from the
very first word until the last I felt the Spirit so Strongly I thought
my Heart was going to burst. `` I saw a pillar of light, exactly above
my head, above the brightness of the sun as it gradually descended
upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, which
brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the
air. One of them spoke unto me calling me by name and said, This is my
beloved Son, hear Him.`` I know that Joseph Smith restored the true
Gospel and I know that when we want to know the truth of something we
just need to ask and we are given. I know even though if we have
already received proof that we would ask again to strengthen our
testimonies.
Elder Heath
Danielle! You are going to REXBRUG!!!!!!! I am so excited! You are
going to love it so much! There are so many activities and clubs that
you will love!!! Don’t worry about the cold.... you learn how to avoid
the outside and walk through buildings with heaters to get to
class!!!! What classes are you going to take???? WOO HOO!!!!!!! Are
you excited!!!! You should be!!!!!
Did my acceptance come?
About the package...... put something in there that I would never
think of! SUPRISE!!!! haha I don’t know.... I love Oreos and peanut butter!!! haha
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