Missionary work from the Hospital

March 18, 2013

MARATONA!!!!

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

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

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

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

Deported from Brazil??? Yikes!

FEBURARY 18, 2013

Hello!!!

This week was great! I can't count how many blessings that we have received here. This last week I received a letter saying that I would be deported from Brazil because my visa was say overdue. We ran to the federal police and luckily everything was ok. I am good here in Brazil for another year.

Then this week we had a Zone Conference here in Juazeiro! We learned about the importance of companionship study, and our daily planning. These are two things that are so crucial in our work that it was great to have a reminder. I have so many things to learn from Elder Reynolds that Companionship study is awesome! Elder Reynolds is a great example to me. He is the most organized, clean, neat person I have ever meet. And living with him for 4 months has helped me a lot. Presidente Souza explained how he is surprised on how Juazeiro is growing! After the conference Presidente took us to where they make a soda called Cajuina. It was fun to see how soda is made and at the end we drank as much as we wanted! It was really good! I tasted a little and drank water. After the visit, we did a division with the assistants which was great! I love our assistants here in the mission! Elder Araujo, and Elder Santos da Silva! They are so inspired and make me want to be a better person.

I am running and exercising in the mornings, and I feel so good! it is incredibly hard to get up off my bed, but 6 30 arrives and exercises begin!!! We ran sprints at the church the other day and it is a good thing I am starting to work out now... haha I have lots of room to progress.

We had a nice rain on Sunday morning going to church. A light rain scared lots of members from going to church. It is really sad that rain keeps people from going to church. I just imagine missionaries in the US during the winter... it must be a challenge to get families at church. But we had a family of 6 visit the church yesterday. The dad (with one leg) took his family to church. They loved the visit. During the doctrine principles class we explained about Adam and Eve. The teacher drew Adam and Eve (without thinking) and drew Adam with one leg...... The dad of this family said, Its me and my beautiful wife!!! haha they felt really good at church.

Thank you so much for the weekly letters that are written, I can really feel your love through them. Dad, thanks a ton for that quote at the end... I will translate that and give it to all the missionaries at district meeting. P.s. were you a secretary on the mission? Elder Reynolds was a secretary and he was pretty jealous of the car you had. No missionary has a car here. What were your designations on the mission? We have a lot to talk about the mission! I want to swap stories sometime!

Thanks for the tidbits on Grandpa Miskho. I love him so much! It is awesome to hear the stories of his high school life and college victories.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is true. Joseph smith restored the gospel, translated the Book of Mormon and sealed his life with his testimony. The Holy Ghost testifies of the the truth, and is always near waiting to help. Families can be eternally sealed through the restored priesthood.

Elder Heath

P.S. We received a reference the other day of Steve Wonder!!!!!!!!!! It really is his name!!!! We are going to contact him this week!!!! haha

The crazy week of Carnival!

FEBURARY 11TH, 2013

MOM, Will you be my Valentine?

Thanks a ton for the packages! You are right, almost all of the food is already gone, but it was sooooooooooooo good! I am eating raspberry jam everyday. I made some for some members and they loved it! We could totally make a business here making raspberry jam!!! None of the Brazilians had ever heard of such a thing! I loved the story about the drawing hearts in the sand! I know that Dad is quite the artist drawing temples in the sand! I love your romantic story at the Oregon coast! Some members here informed us about some pretty amazing beaches that we have to visit in Fortaleza! There is a beach with white sand surrounded by dunes, and there is hardly anyone there. When are we going to travel to Brazil? Bolivia too? :) I want to plan a sweet trip!

Congrats Danielle on getting in to BYU -Idaho!!! WOOO HOOOO that is awesome! Now we are just in the waiting stage!

This week here was carnival! I think carnival is one of the worst holidays that exists on the earth. It is four days of do what ever you want sinless. It is ridiculous that people actually believe that. The church has a very cool standard, every Carnival all the church and the leaders have a ward camp out. To get away form all the carnival that is happening. So all of our members are protected :) The fun thing when carnival happens is, because all the members are gone, we (missionaries) run sacrament meeting for all who couldn't go to the camping trip. SO I gave a talk, played piano, and passed the sacrament! We usually have 130 people at church and this week we just had 34.... it is a big difference but I still felt great. I am very thankful for the church and the sacrament that we take every week.

Here where I am serving in Juazeiro Carnival isn't that bad, mostly it is just kids that throw eggs and flour at each other. A kid ran up to me yesterday and almost threw flour at us but something made him decide not to. :)

This week we had a baptismal service for a man named Wendle. He has known the church for two weeks and you should of heard his testimony! He was baptized and after his baptism We asked him if he would like to bare his testimony. He said he would like to, and there it started! He said that the first time that he read the Book of Mormon he felt the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. He said that he had never felt that way before, and because of that he knows that this is the true Church of Christ. I was a testimony builder for me to hear how strong his testimony was only after two weeks! He was confirmed at the ward camp out so he is safe too.

I love this church and all the miracles that happen here. I know that Heavenly Father is on my side every min of every day showing me where to go, picking me up when I'm down and carrying me through the hard times. I know this is the true church of the Savior, because I feel it every time I testify of His Church. I am very excited to do everything and more in the next six months to be Heavenly Fathers hands here in Brazil!

I love you all!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Heath

P.S. some mission stats: at the end of 2012 we had 59,000 missionaries serving missions! With all the applications to serve, it is confirmed to have 70,000 missionaries in the field by July! Presidente Souza had already sent us looking for new houses for these missionaries!!!! And this week we had two of the first missionaries (sisters) arrive with 19 years. The very week that Presidente Monson changed the age, these sisters sent in their papers! It is incredible the change that will happen!!!

Also, I have been studying and practicing the piano with Elder Reynolds. I am starting to learn how to read notes!!!!!!! after all these years!!! And I learned how to play Faithfully by journey!!!!!!!!!!!! haha Elder Reynolds is a stud too! He helps me so much as a missionary and we have such a great time together!

This Wednesday we gave a three hour training to the missionaries which was sooooooo good! All about the Book of Mormon!! My testimony has strengthened so much because of the the book of mormon. We taught the missionaries how to only use the Book of Mormon to respond any question! And the awesome thing is, that The Book of Mormon really does have all the answers!!! We also picked up 8 new missionaries this week form the bus station, Wednesday at 3 in the morning! It was an adventure! We woke up and we didn't even think that the bus wouldn't be going at 2 am. So we walked alone on the streets of Juazeiro until we found a taxi to take us! haha it was really weird. We then arrived and found out the bus was late,, so we grabbed a bench slept for an hour at the bus station! haha But all the missionaries got here safely :)

ELDER HEATH AND ELDER REYNOLDS GREAT COMPANIONS!

FEBURARY 4, 2013

RASPBERRY JELLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PEANUT BUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if that explains but... I received my packages!!!!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo!!!!! I am so excited!!!!! I loved all of the ties! I had to defend them form the other missionaries when I was opening them. There is an amazingly beautiful blue striped tie that makes my eyes look really blue!!! haha I wore it on Sunday! Thank you so much for the package! I already made the raspberry jelly and ate a couple too :) It is perfect!!!!!! Turned out super delicious!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

The transfer happened, and I am staying here in Juazeiro With Elder Reynolds! We must be doing something right here. I will complete six months here! I am on my record of six months in every area on my mission! It is crazy but I am very excited! We are receiving eight new missionaries which is great!

This last week some amazing things are happening. Presidente Souza pulled us aside this week in Fortaleza and thanked us for our examples and work in Juazeiro. he said First the zone Juazeiro was known as the zone where the least baptisms happen, because we only baptize men and families. But these last two months Juazeiro has been the zone to most baptize on the mission! and the percentage of men is the highest. He said that has never happened before. He got really excited about the stake that is being prepared. It was very nice to hear that Presidente Souza is happy with all of our work. We had a training in Fortaleza with all the zone leaders, and throughout the training he kept on saying things like, we need to follow Juazeiros example... things like that, that made me feel really good.

Yesterday our Branch president also bore his testimony. The first thing that he said was that he was grateful for the four missionaries in the branch. When we got here the branch president never spoke with us and was not fond of the missionaries. And to hear him thank us, and tell us how happy he was was an honor. All this hard work is paying off!

Thank you a ton for the application to BYU. I am praying everyday that the lords will, will take affect. Do you know the date when I will hear back? and when I will sign up for classes? I'm glad that you all enjoyed the Christmas card..... it was my favorite picture. Did you all enjoy the Brazilian treats too? Any favorites that someone would like more of?

That is sad about the 49ers... but at least they made it to the super bowl and put up a fight! There is always next year!

How is the tennis swing coming along? (Danielle and Dad) Remember we have a rival match against Elder Reynolds family after the mission! :)

I am enjoying the mission a ton and everyday I am learning something new! I am very grateful for your letters and encouraging words that keep me going week after week! You all are the best and I love all of you!!!!!!!!

Yours..... Elder Heath