Sixth Letter! July 30 "I'm an Idiot"

So. Just to start straight off, I'm an idiot. hahaha.

 

Earlier this week I got out of the shower, and had just shaved my face. My sideburns weren't lined up to straight, so I grabbed my eletric razor to use the trimmer thing and line them up. I did that, then decided I wanted to trim up the width of the sideburns as well... It's too complicated to describe and explain through email, but with the trimmer I tried to get just a couple hairs.... and shaved off half of my eyebrow. hahahahahaha. I was SO mad. I threw down my razor and said "Are you kidding me?!" and then just walked away. I was so mad hahaha. So I have about 1 and 3/4 of an eyebrow right now (It's grown back). and ALSO luckily, it somehow wasn't noticable at all unless I pointed it out and showed people. Which I of course did because it's a really funny story. But so... I won't be trying that again. I think its really funny though haha.

 

Well this week has been a good one as well! I've learned ALOT this week and had some fun!

 

We had some good devotionals this week. I couldn't even tell you who the speaker was, but I remember the good parts! haha.

 

My companion and I have really improved in working and teaching together. We're doing really well and it's fun to see it all come together.

 

This sunday I played a musical number in our sacrament meeting! So the older districts that are leaving this week sang, and I accompanied them. They asked me to play for them, but when they did they told me "We were arguing over which song to do, Come Thou Fount or How Great Thou Art... But we couldn't decide. They're in different keys, but could you improvise a thing in the middle and make them blend together so then we can just sing both and make everyone happy?" hahaha So that's what I did! It was awesome! I used some extra study times during the week to go to a piano with my companion and practice the songs/make something up to make the songs work. It was alot of fun and turned out really well! I looooove playing piano haha.

 

I can't remember if I explained this already, but when we have districts leaving, that sunday night we do what we call the "Hasta Ver". Which is we all get into one of the classrooms and sing "God be with you til we meet again" together (except in spanish (Hasta Ver)) and we do it this special way blah blah blah. But it's alot of fun. So we did that for them this week and I'm sad because after they leave we will be the "oldest" district in the zone (which will be fun) But it will be weird not having them there because we were good friends with them all since they were our examples! haha.

 

MACGYVER MANN COMES IN THIS WEEK AND I AM SO PUMPED. I'll be sending you an email, Jen, to forward to him por favor. I did some research/ P.I. sluthing (sp?) and found out he wont be in my zone :( Although there was a really good chance he could've been since we always have missionaries going to Nicaragua. Dang. Oh well. But I'll be waiting for you MacGyver!!! I need to get some more info though so we can make it work...

 

We finally got to go to the temple again this morning! It's been closed the past couple of weeks for cleaning so it was awesome to be able to go back today!

 

aaaaand I can't really think of anything else right now.... Sorry for not sending the card, I'll send it after MacG comes and we get pictures, I promise!!

 

Oh and apparently Bub you're interpreting at our devotional Aug 7th????! I'll be seeing you for sure then! I will hunt you down! haha. It shouldn't be too hard getting seats close by! I'm really excited!!! Woo Hoo!!!

 

Uhmmmm well I can't think of anything else. Keep the emails, letters, dearelders, packages coming!! They're fantastic and make me really happy and excited! haha.

 

I love you all and know this church is absolutely true!! I'm loving the work and can't wait to get out into the field! (Which I leave the MTC August 20th p.s.)

 

Con muchisimo amor,

Elder Heyman

 

p.s. It makes me laugh when people send me spanish notes in their letters and it's either obvious or I can educatedly guess they used google translate to figure out how to say it hahaha. Thanks everyone!

One Month down! Fifth letter from MTC

Hola! Como estan ustedes? Estoy bien, pero estoy muy cansado. Yo tuve una semana muy loco!

 

Once again, the days/weeks just FLY by. It's crazy. Can't believe I'm writing another email already. I honestly can't even remember much about the weeks any more haha. It all just blends together since I do the same thing each week haha. But I have officially been on the mish/in the MTC for a month! 23 more to go! haha. I'm still loving it though! Some of the highlights for the week...

Wednesday Harrison Wardle came in. So we've officially reached the maximum of how many kids in our group of friends will be in here all at once. I think that made sense? It's so fun to get us all together and wait for eachother to walk in and welcome eachother. Esta muy divertido! Although we are missing a few friends and we all wish they were here... :'(

On Thursdays we do this thing called TRC (Teaching Resource Center) where as a companionship we go in and members come to the MTC and we teach them lessons! It's alot of fun and weve been doing it for about 3 weeks now... This week we had a fun experience and we shared some good thoughts to a sister who was having some trouble finding work, and who has a friend in Africa right now for a humanitarian project, but had to go to the hospital for some reason... Can't remember why (or maybe I didn't understand? Did I mention we teach the whole thing speaking in only Spanish? haha) But so that was fun. It was funny because we teach 2 people, and the first person I was struggling to communicate a question to. I tried asking like 3 times, and finally in desperation asked her, "Permiteme hablar en ingles para uno momento??" (Can I speak in english for a second?) and was quickly shut down hahaha. So it took like another 2 tries before she finally understood the question. A chance for me to learn patience! haha. But it was a good lesson overall!

 

On Friday we were playing soccer during gymtime, and my companion went to kick the ball, but NAILED a kids shin with his foot and apparently messed it up pretty bad. He was in a lot of pain and was struggling to walk. He had to hang on to my shoulder everywhere we went haha. But so that night we gave him a blessing and the next morning, although still in quite a bit of pain, he could walk fine! (with a little limp still haha) It was awesome. Quite the improvement from the day before. And I know it's because the lord had his hand in helping him!

 

Nothing cool Saturday. But Sunday was one of my worst days here so far haha. I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something but I was not in a good mood. But speaking of waking up on the wrong side of the bed, it ALL started with my companion waking me up early with his face right in front of me trying to tell me something (I don't even know what./I think something about the showers) and his nasty morning breath was all in my face. It was terrible. I was so mad. So I just rolled over and went back to sleep. Then the rest of the day everything was just bugging me. I don't even know why. But then there was this one kid in our district who was reading a conference talk on the computer and he mentioned how he loves conference talks and would ALWAYS read them instead of scripture study. So I asked "Really? how come?" He then stated that "conference talks are much more relevant to us, and the words of living prophets are much more important than those of dead prophets." (Thats a direct quote) he also mentioned something about how he can't receive revelation from reading the book of mormon. So that upset me, and the rest of the district. And then his companion told me that he even teaches people in lessons that basically all they need to do is first read the book of mormon to know if its true, but then after they dont really need to continue reading it, just listen to the words of the prophets we have today. But so anyway our district was getting in this huge argument with him and he was being so dumb about it and I seriously just wanted to punch him. It was all ridiculous. (okay not really punch him but I was pretty frustrated). So finally we all just shut up and didn't talk about it anymore because it was getting out of hand. So yes. I was very short on patience Sunday. Not a fantastic day for me. But I've repented and am much happier now :)

 

But then later that day at the temple walk we had two friends that had been parked at the parking lot for 2 hours because they didn't know when everyone came haha. So we said quick hellos, shook hands, took a picture or two then walked back. It was exciting! But you're not really supposed to do that... Oh well. haha Then later that night all of the lacrosse/mesa boys/friends from BYU got together at the big old map and took pictures together. It was alot of fun to have us officially all together at the mtc together. I'll send the pictures home!!!

 

But so yeah... and that brings us back to Monday! Just hanging out on P-day writing some letters and stuff. I'm loving it here! The Spanish still continues to come well, my companion and I get along fantastic (except when he wakes me up early... hahaha) and more and more friends continue to come in. It's been an awesome experience. And I'm so excited to go out and teach to REAL investigators out in Chile haha. Except I am nervous for the language change. Even though I'm learning here, it will be alot different in Chile... Oh well! Bring it on! Thank you people for the mail! I love hearing from everyone and anyone haha. It's fantastic. I love you all and I miss you all! I know that this church is absolutely true and I love this work. I can't wait to help people come unto Christ by helping them receive His restored gospel! Write me letters/dearelders/emails! I love them haha. Anyway, love you and miss you all!

 

- Elder Heyman

4th Letter from MTC! July 16th

Hola mis amigos y mi familia!

Esta semana sera la mitad de mi experiencia en el CCM!!! haha Not even sure if that was right. But This next saturday, I will be halfway done being in the MTC! And this wednesday will be one month here! One month. I can't believe it went by so fast haha. It's crazy how fast the time goes by here at the MTC... and then one more month until I head for Chile!

 

This week was an exciting week! I had lots going on. BUT FIRST while I remember:

Jen, I don't know if you've sent that package yet, but if not, I have some requests to add in haha. Socks, the haircutting scissors in that kit thing I had, some BYU lax attire (shirts please!)... and that's all I can think of. If I remember more I'll add it haha. Please and thank you!

So once again happy birthday to my brother Curtis! I hope you had a good one! And happy anniversary to my parents! It sounds like they had a pretty good one as well!

 

Well so Wednesday I had a bunch of friends come into the MTC again! Elder Stoker, Elder Austin Nelson, and I were all able to sneak over to the pick up spot and meet him when he walked in!! haha it was awesome. It was great to see him and see his parents as well. We we're all going crazy and so excited and happy. Sister Lythgoe grabbed some pictures so I'm sure those were shared. Then my companion, Elder Jones, and I stood next to the door where new missionaries walk out of to finally enter the MTC to wait for other friends, and I got to see Elder Brady Tengberg right as he walked through the door too! And Elder Max Ash happened to be walking by at the same time too haha. So it was a quick little freshman lax reunion haha. It is seriously so fun to have all of us together in the MTC. It rocks. And there's STILL even more to come. I love it.

 

Mom, THANK YOU for the cinnamon rolls (again). This time they were NOT demolished by ants, and made me and some other companions very happy haha.

and another shout out to the Farnsworths! I (and the people in my district. No food in the mail is your own anymore haha) were SO pumped when I got the mail and found a box of those Cocoa Bean cupcakes. Thank you guys sooo much! They were delicious and an awesome surprise haha. Made me day. But seriously thank you so much! It meant alot and I really appreciate it! I miss you guys!

 

Then Thursday I did my audition to play a musical number for a devotional! So I walked in the room and sat down and had to wait for a few others to go before me. I was going to play "I'll see you there" (of course) and felt really prepared and that I would do well. The "judges" were the wives of the MTC mission presideny haha. So I played and I played really really well! After I finished they complimented me on my playing and said I played beautifully and with alot of feeling and that I was very good! but.... They want songs that make you think of the gospel. And although it was a very beautiful song and they could feel the spirit as I played, it wasn't exactly a church song and didn't exactly bring your mind to the gospel. So I probably won't be playing at a devotional haha. But she said they really liked and want to use it, so maybe I'll do a prelude or something. And THEN she also asked if it was alright if she put me on the accompaniast (I can neither spell nor pronounce that word. Sorry) list. Which is a list of only 6 of us in the MTC that if anybody needs an accompany-er, she will refer them to us haha. She asked if it was alright if I was put on it, and as I hesitated with my answer, reminded me that she "is very very picky about who goes on this list". So I accepted! haha. So although the end result wasn't exactly what I wanted, I'm still very pleased and think it was successful! haha.

 

One other funny story from the week is that yesterday at Sacrament Meeting was chaotic as the Music Coordinator haha. The easiest calling in the zone and I couldn't even do it right. I don't have any idea what went wrong, but everything was just messed up. All the hymn numbers were wrong, one of the hymn name written down was wrong, so people didn't know what song we were singing. The pianist (not me) prepared for the wrong songs (but still played nicely. so it was okay) The english music for one song was different then the Spanish music so I was freaking out and praying/hoping the music and words would still end at the right time and together. hahaha it was hectic. But in the end it all turned out okay! And the old music coordinator before me kept making fun of me after hahah. It was funny. But I'll be more careful next time and make sure it all gets straightened out beforehand...

 

It was awesome to get all the packages and mail and everything from everyone. I love it! Thank you so much to everybody. I'm continuing to love the time here at the mtc. Although STILL... my least favorite part about the whole experience so far is having to shave everyday. It's TERRIBLE. I hate it. But I do it... Unfortunately haha. I still weigh the same! for those of you wondering (which do exist). I'm continuing to learn the language well and learn so much about this church and this gospel! I love it all so much!

I love you all and miss you! Everybody write me letters because it's the best feeling ever! haha. Serious though it's awesome motivation. Tengan una buena semana!

 

Con amor,

Elder Heyman

3rd Letter from MTC! July 9, 2012

Hola Family and friends!!

 

First, Mom and Dad can I get the siblings emails so I can just email this straight to them as well please? Gracias!

 

But so I'm still alive! The days are long, but the weeks are SO fast, just like you said mom! I'm still loving it, but the excitement and adrenaline has worn off a bit and things are slowing down haha. Some quick highlights from the week...

So July 4th was kind of fun! We had a special, relaxed fireside where we did alot of fun/funny things (well.... things that are only fun/funny because you've been in the MTC for 3 weeks now... haha) We just sang funny songs and kind of had some relax time... Idk it was good! But then afterwards they allowed us to watch the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire!! haha That was a fun highlight too... except we went to bed at 1145 which was SOOO late because we couldn't leave until they were done... I would have rathered just go to bed at 1030 haha.

 

Second highlight is that we got a new district in our zone this week! It's fun to be the older guys now and act like we totally know what we're doing and we're practically fluent in spanish even though we've only been here 3 weeks hahaha. But they're really cool kids. I was seriously so blessed with the coolest zone and Branch Presidency in the MTC. Hallelujah.
SPEAKING of new districts... I am 99% sure the soon-to-be Elder Lythgoe won't be IN my zone... but that he WILL be like 4 or 5 classrooms down from me!!! Yeahhh!!! I talked to one of the presidency members and they said he was coming in. Pretty sure it's him. But so tell Lythgoe to DearElder me when he gets here so I can try and meet him or something!! I'm excited for him to come.

 

Last kind of highlight is we also had a district leave out to the field today. They were all going to MacGyver's mission!! Nicaragua, Minagua Sul! So I told them to keep an eye out for him. But it was sad to say bye. And we do this thing whenever a district leaves that we all circle around them and sing "God Be With You Til We meet again" in spanish all together. It's alot of fun and a cool experience!

 

Since I don't have a ton to highlight this week... I thought I'd give everyone a quick rundown of what a day at the MTC is like. So you either know what I'm doing, or know what to expect ;)

 

6:30 Wake up

7:20 Off to class for Study time until Breakfast

8:20 Breakfast

8:50-11:50 Class Instruction. Here we learn the language, learn teaching skills, and learn planning and goal making skills.

11:55 Personal Study Time. We read the scriptures and study preach my gospel and other things on our own.

1:00 Lunch

1:45 Language Study. Study the language and do whatever you need to progress in the language.

2:55 TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning) Lab. Basically we get on computers and do a "rosetta stone" type thing.

4:00 Daily Planning Session. We sit down and plan out everything for the next day! Always gotta stay busy!

4:40 Gym Time! (I always play softball or soccer)

5:30 Get cleaned up

6:00 Dinner

6:30-930 Class Instruction

9:30 Return to Residency

10:15 Everyone in their rooms

10:30 Lights out.

 

Everyday. That what we do. hahaha. It changes up a little bit depending on the day... but that's basically it. A lot of studying and instruction! It's weird how slow AND how fast it goes by. I've already almost been here a month?! Weird.

 

Well seriously besides that... Nothing extremely special came up this week. The language is still coming great. I just try to speak it as much as possible. I love learning it. My health is good now, although my companion is a little sick now. Elder Jones and I still get along great. Everyone in my zone gets along awesome. I've seriously been extremely blessed. I sure miss everyone! Please keep writing me! It keeps me going and makes things alot easier haha. Even just a quick little hello!

Oh one thing I remembered. We have devotionals with the whole MTC every Tuesday night, and there's always a musical number during it... So I'm going to audition to play for one! I'm excited! Hope it all goes well!

And a shout out to my Mom and Dad celebrating their... 32nd? Anniversary this week!!! And happy birthday to my bro Curtis celebrating #31?!! haha I can't remember the numbers.

But I love and miss you guys! Hope everyone is well and has a good week! Send me letters and notes and etc!!

 

Se que esta iglesia es verdadera y estoy muy agradecido por esta oportunidad. La obra estoy haciendo es muy bueno y se que me bendecirá en mi vida. Los quiero!!

 

Con amor,

Elder Heyman

2nd Week in the MTC, July 2

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

 

I have (nearly) survived my second week here at the MTC! And I'm still loving it! haha it is so fun.

 

Soooo some highlights from the week!

 

We have a devotional every tuesday night, and this last Tuesday since all of the mission presidents were here we had a SPECIAL devotional... In which 10 apostles attended! haha All of them except for Elder Hales, Elder Packer, and The First Presidency were there! (and their wives) What a cool sight and experience that was! haha Elder Perry spoke, and it was a good talk! I unfortunately didn't get to personally meet any of them :( but it was still cool!

Andddd an experience from that fireside I'd like to share...

 

So after the devotional was done, we all stood as the Apostles and their wives left the room. We then continued to stand as the new mission presidents also left the room. Before they all started to leave, they all turned around, and waved goodbye to all the missionaries, whether they be the missionaries they would soon be over, or just everyone in general. Seeing that made me EXTREMELY sad. I thought of Mom and Dad and thought "oh wow this was them last year. This is what they went through and all of that." So basically, I was really sad, and even started crying haha. (yes I'm admitting I cried!) BUT at that same time I was overcome by the Holy Ghost  testifying and reminding to me that everything was, and is, going to be okay, we're all doing the right thing, and that (like you always say mom!) because of the time and things we are sacrificing now, the Lord will give back to us in blessings a hundredfold! (It says that somewhere in Mark 4 I believe). It was a really powerful moment for me, and one that I even shared later with my district and Branch Presidency afterwards during our District meeting! The church is true and serving a mission is an awesome thing to do. I wouldn't change a thing!

 

But so yeah that was Tuesday. haha. On Wednesday morning we did our first day of service and my companion Elder Jones and I just did a bunch of mopping in one of the buildings! And while we were mopping I ran into the one and only Pat Matheson! hahaha He's the big guy on the team... one of the captains... served in Fiji... If you don't remember. But yeah he teaches there and we were mopping the floor in his building! It was awesome to see him and talk to him for a few minutes. ALSO, a little shout out to Bub and Sam, I ran into an elder from the Marshall Islands... So I asked him if he knew Sam Nielsen and (through his broken english) he told me that he knew you and Sam is the one that escorted him through the temple! So cool! So I met him. I don't remember his name, but Sam, he says "Yokwe" (I think I have that right?)

I've continued to run into more native spanish speakers and try my hand at talking with them. It usually goes decently well! The hardest so far has been speaking to a Colombian. Holy crap he speaks so fast. And I don't think he realizes I've been speaking Spanish for 2 weeks because he doesn't slow down. Even after I ask him to! "Usted habla muy rapido! Mas despacio por favor!!!" But then he continues flying. So I'm nervous for going to Chile. hahaha. plus I still have 7 more weeks of practice. Whatever! I have faith I can do it :) I know I can!

 

I have been seriously getting more mail than I know what to do with. THANK YOU so much to everyone! I love them all, don't stop them from coming! haha. I'll continue to try and reply to everyone I can, but make sure you send your address in your letter so I can write you back!!! Otherwise I have no idea where to write too haha. However, I have a different suggestion for mail... haha It's really complicated, and you can all still do what you want, but here's my observation. I love DearElder and it's still really great and quick and everything, definitely still use that! But what it does is throws all the letters it can onto one page?... So anyway, it's EXCELLENT for quick messages or notes or little letters or something, but if it's a long, personal letter? I would suggest writing and/or typing and then sending it in the mail to me. Otherwise it gets lost over different pages and is really weird and less personal... But if its a short hello or something, DearElder is the bomb.com. Maybe it's just me being picky. Whatever. Do what you want.

 

In other news! The spanish continues to come along great! I learn so much so fast and I love looking for opportunities to use it! The more I use it the better! It's so fun. I can't wait to come home and order my food in spanish and talk to the spanish workers hahaha. I'm legitimately really excited for that.  But like I said earlier I'm nervous to go to Chile and get REAL spanish thrown in my face. It's going to come so fast I'll have no idea what hit me. True fact. I'll just need time, practice, and patience haha.

 

My companion and I get along AWESOME. He's really funny. Such a goofball. But we work well together and everything, so it's definitely been a blessing. There are other companionships in my district that... Oh man. Bless that Elder for putting up with what he has to put up with. I wouldn't be able to do it hahaha.

 

I've been sick this week. Not terribly sick but a stuffy nose and mucus in the chest/lungs/whatever. I'm on the road to recovery though. I'll be over it soon enough. The Hermanas in my district made me a get well card. hahaha. It's just funny.

 

And last but not least, I was called as the Music Coordinator for our zone on Saturday night hahaha. My musical abilities are already being put to use! So that just means I choose the songs we sing for sacrament meeting and priesthood meeting, and that I can assign who plays piano, who conducts the music, etc. and that includes assigning myself! So that should be fun. But yeah! I'm still loving it! And I'm doing great! (besides my sickness!)

I'll leave you with my testimony in Spanish! :D

 

Yo se que Dios vive, y El tiene amor por nosotros. Se que Jesucristo vivó, y vive, y miró por nosotros. Estoy agradecido por Su expiacion. Jose Smith fue un profeta de dios y veó El padre y el hijo. Se que esta iglesia es verdadera, y el Libro de Mormon tambien. Tenemos un profeta en el tierra hoy, y el recibe revelacion de Dios. Me encanta esta iglesia y esta obra misional. Les quiero!

 

Can´t wait for my friends to start getting here! I love you all and miss you!

 

- Elder Heyman

 

p.s. I haven't figured out pictures yet :/ but I've been taking them! Sometime soon I'll get them to you!