Glasses

Hey hey hey!!!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

Elder Heath

ZL

September 24, 2012

Hola familia! 

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

Elder Heath

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

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

October 1st, 2012

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Elder Heath

 

What a wonderful Missionary

September 17th, 2012

Hello everyone!

Thanks you so much for the letter!!!! It is the best thing in the world reading your letters! Some weeks that is what keeps me going, Knowing that I have a family letter coming, and e mail, and family letters from siblings and the whole family! Thank you so much!

Danielle, what are you going to do to answer your homecoming date? That is going to be so much fun! what is the homecoming theme?

This week was amazing! I have been studying the introduction of the Book of Mormon and the very beginning of Preach my Gospel and I read over and over and over about meditating about what we learn, and to stop and think about what we read. I had a really interesting experience. I read about this and I started thinking about my mission. Way at the start, and I was thinking of all the blessings that President Meyer gave me when I was set apart. There is one blessing that I always think about, which is that I will not overlook anyone.... And I was thinking... have I been completing that? And I realized that many of the people that I have helped with baptism were because of that. Many times it took two or three weeks for the people go to church and the baptisms were a little slow but...without even noticing I stuck with them and every single person that took time like that to become a member is firm in the Church. It was a really rewarding feeling. Another testimony that when we do our part... when we work as hard as we can the Lord will always help us with what we need to do. I was thinking about a man that was baptized about four months ago. He didn't want to go to church... didn't want to read the pamphlets, didn't want a Book of Mormon, and always forgot to say his prayers. And now that I think about it.... why did we keep going back there when all this was happening? But one day a miracle happened and he turned everything around and was baptized. He has not missed a Sunday since. It is a huge comfort to me to know that we have the guidance of the Lord in our work.

I know this is the true church of Christ and I know that the scriptures are for us to read... and better our lives. We need to read and analyze them in our busy schedule, and never miss a day.

Elder Heath

P.S. I have been thinking a lot about College this week and I think I am wanting to apply to BYU Provo, Utah State... and I was wondering if someone could do some research for me on colleges that have a good physical therapy program. Do you know when I need to apply for them? If you could let me know that would be awesome.

I am also going to get an x ray this week of my chin. I will send a copy to you to give to Bishop Packard, to see if my tumor went away and healed up well.

Over Halfway!!!

September 10th, 2012

Thank you so much for the E mail! 

I love hearing about everyone every week! Sounds like you all had a blast going to Spokane and getting out of the house a bit. Was it the big shopping trip? How is Dad doing? I will definitely pray for him everyday to get better. You have to tell him to stay away from that kryptonite. It doesn't help with superman. :)

I got Danielle's letter this last week! I jumped for joy when I got the letter! Danielle has a talent writing letters! Every word that she writes, I can imagine her saying. I got it together with moms letter!

But this week was awesome! We had a couple changes here in our mission. We had some missionaries transferred out of an area and so now we are looking over two areas! This last Sunday was crazy!!! And it just so happens that the church meeting are at the same time! So our Sunday was full of running back and forth, directing people to their classes, getting everyone a member friend. But we were very surprised this week. We helped an old woman carry her sacks to her house on night and we shared a litte message with her. She listened and we said bye. We returned to talk with her more later in the week and invited her to go to church.(2 weeks ago) We waited Sunday... she didn't show. So we went to see what happened. We arrived and she came to us begging forgiveness.. but Saturday night she fell and broke her arm and was in the hospital Sunday. But we continued ti teach her this week and while we were walking to church on Sunday we found her on our way. All ready with the pamphlets that we gave to her. She had the biggest smile on her face! She loved the church and She reminds me a lot of Grandma Miskho. Because she is the happiest person alive. With her broken arm and all, she couldn't be happier. 

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints is the true church. I know that Joseph Smith and Emma Smith did so much to establish the church that we have today. I know that The Holy Ghost is Heavenly Fathers messenger to testify and teach us what we should do. I know that Faith can save lives, and make miracles.

Elder Heath

p.s. Danielle or Trevor can you get on my facebook and accept everyone?

September 3rd, 2012

Hello Everyone!

That is awesome that everyone got home safe and that dad took care of everyone! Even cooking!!! That is something I have been practicing a lot of. I see lots of husbands that pretty much starve to death here because they have to wait for their wives to make something. I think that is ridiculous! So Elder Young and I are learning to make lots of Brazilian food! I cant blame you mom.... just looking at the pictures of Kylie.... I wouldn't want to leave either! She is SO Adorable! The pictures you sent me of her smiling!!!!!! oh man!!! It is super Cute!!

Sounds like everyone is doing great! Danielle as the big Senior, taking fun classes, and Trevor running track. P.S. Danielle did you get my letter yet? I want to make sure it didn't get lost. :)

This week was very very special! We meet a woman named Fran three weeks ago. We have been teaching here and I don't think I have ever taught someone that has received so many answers to her prayers and so many dreams! We had been praying about when her baptism should be and we felt really good about the 1st of September. We asked her to pray to see if she should be baptised on the 1st of September and she went and prayed that night, and the next day she said.... My baptism will be on the 1st of September! It was a very spiritual meeting. I played a special musical number on the guitar, with one other member and another member sang as well. IT is a BEAUTIFUL SONG! Num Queto Bosque. You should look it up. But everyone was crying in the meeting and the spirit was very strong. Fran told us thanks for changing her life in just three weeks. She said she would never forget what we had done and how she felt. I love when things like that happen. The next day was fast Sunday and so we had testimony meeting as well! I leaned over to ask Elder Young when he wanted to bare his testimony..... we looked up and we saw Fran walking up to the pulpit!!!!!!!!! She went up just ten min after being confirmed a member of the church and gave her Testimony in front to everyone! It was very very special! A very pure testimony! Things like this make our work, and sacrifice worth it.

I know that this church is true and I know that Conversion really happens when we open our hearts and let the Hold Ghost into our hearts.

Also this week I grabbed a bunch of Conference talks from lds.org and I have been listening to them everyday, while getting ready and it has really lifted my week as well! I love the words of the prophet and his apostles.

Elder Heath 

August 27th, 2012

Ola minha familia!!!!!

It is awesome to hear how good everyone is doing! Sounds like Kylie is still the most beautiful thing on the earth and that she is getting lots of love! It is good that she is getting to hear dads Bolivian song too! I don't know if I ever said anything but one day I started singing that famous song that dad always sang for one of my companions. I don't know how many time you sang that to me day but 20 years later I still remember it! Vive me patria Bolivia!!!!!!!!! It is good I know that so I can sing it to my kids one day, because I think the national anthem of Brasil is more of a wake up song! haha

This week was very very special. We were able to see a miracle happen here in Brasil. Over the last couple of weeks I have been talking about a family that we have been working with. Where the parents were sealed in the temple but they fell away form the church fifteen years ago. This last Saturday we were able to see the father, who is now worthy, baptize his two children. They were then confirmed on Sunday by the father and we were able to participate in the confirmation. But we went to their house after and this is when the touching part happened. The Mother of this family (Sandra) she said the closing prayer and she Told our Heavenly Father how she was so grateful for the two angels that were sitting at her side. And that because of them her family is saved. I couldn't help but to cry. It is crazy what miracles happen here on the mission. She then told us that she would never ever forget Elder Young and Elder Heath ha It is such a blessing to be Our Heavenly Fathers hands here on earth and to have the opportunity to find all of the people that are lost, and bring them the fullness of the Gospel. 

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church, e eu sei que Joseph Smith restarou a Igreja juntos com o Sacerdocio do Pai Celectial. I know that Families can be sealed for eternity, and that we will be together with Our Savior again. Eu sei que a obra do missionario é muito importante ajudar todos os Filhos do Pai Celectial.

Eu Amo voces muito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

Glad to be an uncle. :)

August 13th, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIELLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you like the pictures :) I wanted to get a little creative to show how much I love you two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Cassie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is the week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have the whole mission praying for you.... I sent a e mail for all the missionaries pray for you! So you have another 183 missionaries praying for Kylie!!!!!!!!!!!! and Presidente Souza You will do great!!!! Just take a deep breath...................and HIKE!!!!!!!! :) haha But really I am really excited for you! Everything will be awesome.

Kylee is serving a mission?!?!?!? Really? Do you have her address so I can write her a letter?

This week was awesome! We are helping lots of people here in Cecilia and Elder Young is learning so much! I am loving having a companion that likes to work and that knows how to teach. Elder Young and I found a familia of 6 people this week. The parents are members nut none of the kids are members. The parents stopped going to church 7 years ago and sense then never stepped a church. We helped them come back to church and it was really touching to see the whole family together at church again. When things like this happen I remember why I am here on my mission for two years. It is the best and most meaningful happiness one can have.

I love you all and I am looking forward to pictures next week.

Fotos

 

Happy fathers day

 

 

Happy B day Danielle

 

 

Talent show, we sang Para nossa alegria and Halleluha ;)

 

 

August 20th, 2012

 

HI KYLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

She is the most beautiful precious baby I have ever seen in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good work Dallin and Cassie! You two sure have been doing something right to receive such an adorable baby! She is so tiny! I knew that baby borns are small but when she was being held by Dallin she looked sooooooo little! I am so proud of you all! Sounds like mom was living the dream with the baby! I can only imagine! I love the family picture that you all took! The amazing Hague family!!!! And Cassie it doesn't even look like you had a baby! You look super skinny in the picture? Are you at the gym already? But really... I am really grateful to have an amazing older sister like you Cassie! You are going to be the best mother in the world! You have a good teacher (mom) to help as well. And I am grateful for Dallin as well for being such a great example to me, and being a worthy priesthood holder. and good job changing some diapers! haha Did dad... or Trev or Danielle have that experience as well? haha

This week was awesome here! Elder Young and I are starting another Transfer together! It is crazy to think that a month and a half has already passed!!! We had an amazing week this week! I had some of the most spiritual lessons of my mission this week. We have been teaching a woman for one week and she has so much faith, she is a great example. She has been catholic her entire life and she has never even thought about another religion.....until we showed up haha She had tons and tons of questions about our church and about the bible.... then she saw the Book of Mormon and then she had even more questions. I love it when people have questions, so we know what they need. But we left her with the Book of Mormon and with the invite to read the first chapter and to think about what she read... then to pray directly if it was true. She said she would.... we came back the next day, and we planned to read some scriptures about answers to prayers and then ask her if she received an answer. We asked her.... and she started to cry. She said that she had never felt as good in her life but when she was reading the Book of Mormon. She said that she did not expect to receive an answer like how she did. We marked to go there the next day as well. We arrived there and we read another part in Alma 32 about Faith and she started to cry again. She said that everything that we read that night was a direct answer to her prayers. In that very lesson we were closing with the final prayer and while I was explaining a little more about prayer a TARANTULA came crawling down the wall.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The size of a basketball!!!!!!!!! Elder Young and I saw it but the two ladies didn't see it because it was behind them!!!! We tried to tell them calmly but that didn't really work. The spider cam charging down the wall at us!!!!!!!! It is a good thing that Elder Young is a man and killed it because I was on top of a chair!!! haha Elder Young kicked it, the spider got back up and charged again and Elder Young smashed it! CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love being a missionary and I love all of you so much!!!

Elder Heath

 

Branden sure has a sweet tooth...

August 6th 2012

Thank you so much for the package!!!! I know it seems expensive sending the package and having to pay again.... but just the taste of those Reece's cookies, peanut butter, American BROWNIES!!!!!!!!!! SWEEDISH FISH!!!!!!!!!! It is worth all the money in the world!!!!! I have been making pancakes everyday with peanut butter!!!! :) I found another way to not have to pay for the packages. The reason I have to pay is because the price of everything inside. it was about 75 this last time.... But what missionaries are starting to do is.... the family can split the package into two. Because if the packages are separated, individually it costs 35 dollars and it should pass. Anytime you want to test it... feel free ;)

I loved the guitar music as well. Now when we sing hymns I am playing along too! I think I will play a special musical number at a baptism this week too!!! :) Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like everything is going awesomely at our house! With the baby on her way, that has gotta be crazy exciting! We have a member in our ward that has a date for the 22nd of August! It is so crazy to think we will have another family member!!!

This week was an awesome week! I have two highlights that I would like to share with you!!!

1. We found a family just doing a contact in the street. A family that has stopped going to church for almost five years. We started teaching them and the dad served a mission and the parents were sealed in the temple. But the four children never were baptized. We taught them the restoration and we had a really cool experience. We really tried to involve the father in the lesson to get his missionary fire back. Until we started to read James 1:5 and the father quoted it. Then explained the whole vision and story of the restoration to his children. It was a really emotional lesson to see this father teach his children about what he knows to be true! They all went to church for the first time in five years too!!!

2 I finished my study of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese this week. I finished the last chapter of Moroni and I had this strong feeling to go to my bed and say a prayer about the Book of Mormon. I stopped and thought... why do I need to pray about it if I already know that it is true? But I decided why not :) SO I went and said a prayer. I felt this strong desire to pray... but when I knelt down I did not feel a thing.... I sat on my bed and thought.... why would I have such a strong desire to pray and then not even feel anything during my prayer. But then I remembered that Our heavenly father responds our prayers in his time. So I went back to studying, then we went to comp study. After that Elder Carreira (lives with us) came in and gave me a piece of paper. He said that he felt inspired to write this paper to me. The whole paper was about answers to prayers. This note that he gave to me was my answer to my prayer. It was incredible. I felt so good reading the letter he wrote me. I know without a doubt in my heart that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And that through him we have the fullness of the gospel. I know that our Heavenly Father always answers our prayers, we just need to listen and be patient to receive the answer.

Elder Heath

Quote of the week. ``when the time to decide arrives, the time to prepare already passed`` President Monson

Finally got his birthday package!!

Wow!
Now it sounds like you all had a crazy week! Full of EFY Family visits, baby stories, scout camp, ward callings, taking care of cousins! I hope that you all took lots of pictures to send! I love getting the family letter every month and hearing form all the family, and to also see how old everyone is getting... (in a good way :) ) We have such a beautiful family!

This last week just flew by! Elder Young and I had to do some divisions this last week with our district to help some missionary situations, and we had interviews with President Souza and I also......... GOT MY PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally ehhh? But the swedish fish, brownies, cookies are all delicious! I have been sharing with some good member families and now everyone is asking for more! haha The process to get me package was pretty fun! We learned this last week that for us to grow and become missionaries/men better we need to ask for tests in our life and so we can use our faith and learn a lesson. ha So I did exactly that... and the very next day my prayer was answered! ha The day of the interviews I got a letter saying that my package was here! woo hoo!!! I looked at the date that the package got here in Brazil.. the 7th... and the date it was leaving... the 26th!!!!!!!!!!!!! the same day I got the list! So we went running to the post office to tell them to keep the package! Its a good this Elder young is a good sport! haha We got there and they said.... its a good thing you got here now, because your package was going home in aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa2 hours!!!! ha so I gave them the note and they said I would have to pay a little money to take the package. I asked how much and he said......180 reals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RIDICULOUS! (like 90 American dollars!) I obviously didn't have the money with me so I asked them to extend the date. they said ok.I went to the bank and took out money the next day... so I took 90 dollars out of my account if you can put more in please :) I got the money and went back to pick up the package. I got there, paid for it, they had the package in front of me.... then said oooops we need your CPF for you to take your package out............. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! (CPF is like social security number) But I'm obviously not Brazilian and so I don't have one. They said without the number I cant take the package. We conversed for a while until I was ready to just grab the package and head for the door! Elder Young and I were planning  haha All in all they gave me my package :) haha and now I am happy! When we were walking home Elder young looked at me and said... you asked for a trial last night right? haha we busted up laughing.  but thank you!

We also had a baptism that was really special last Saturday! A young man (27) that we have been teaching for a long while! It was really interesting to see the conversion of Giliarde. He was really excited and during the week he even asked us if we could move his baptism to Friday so he didn't have to wait any longer. There was a church dance Friday so he had to wait... ha But it was really special! I asked him how he was feeling after the baptism and he started crying, saying that he felt so different and so good. I couldn't help it and the tears came. It is so awesome knowing that all our work is really changing and helping others. There is not a better feeling in the world!

Eu sei que o autoridade de Deus fui resturado na terra quando Joseph Smith fui chamado um profeta. Eu sei que o Dom de linguas existe. Eu sei que o poder de um testimunho é um das coisas mais poderosas que temos. Tambem eu sei que Thomas Spencer Monson é nosso profeta que esta aqui para nos guiar e ajudar em nossa dia a dia.

Elder Heath