Well... Remember how I said my new comp Elder Cowden wasnt too great at riding a bike?... I was serious. This week he got NAILED by a car... haha.
Sooooo.... In our sector where we work, the road we travel on is just this longggg highway, with turn offs every once in a while onto dirt roads to what are called "poblaciones" or in english, it basically neighborhoods... haha. So anyway. We were riding back to Longaví from "La Tercera" and we were on the side of the highway. One side of the highway had a sidewalk and extra room for bikers, and the other just BARELY had any shoulder to ride on, with a canal on the other side. So it was super sketch whenever a car would drive by. It would be super close and we´d have the canal on the other side we were like almost falling in haha. So, we were on the small side of the road, so I looked back really quick, saw that I was good, and crossed both lanes (2 way freeway) to the other safe side. Since Elder Cowden isnt super fantastic on a bike, he usually just follows what I do with a little bit of hesitation (as in theres a few seconds between before he goes too). So I crossed, and then when I was good, looked back over to see what Elder Cowden was doing/going to do to make sure he was okay...
Well I didnt SEE anything, but I heard a car coming... And I saw that Elder Cowden kind of just went for it and didnt look behind him too much first... So I could hear that the car was close, and coming fast, so I started yelling at him "¡¡¡Cuidado cuidado cuidado!!! THATS when he finally looked back, and saw the car coming, so he tried as fast as he could to swerve back to the side of the road towards the canal... but didnt quite make it all the way. So the car hit the brakes but still just nailed him. Elder Cowden was SUPER blessed, because he DID get out of the way enough the the car didnt hit HIM, only the back of the bike. But still, the car wrecked the back tire and the bike just flew out from Elder Cowden and he hit the ground hard...
So I dropped my bike asap and just ran across the road to go grab him wondering what damage was done... so i picked him up off the ground and was like "are you okay?!" and he said "yeah yeah im fine!" So we checked him, and his right side was pretty scratched up from the fall and hitting the ground so hard (he DID have a helmet!) he cut his hand bad and had blood, his shoulder was scratched up and his knee was scratched up and bloody too... haha. But then the stupid car that hit him kind of started to drive off, and had like 20 seconds of confusion driving forward, then backwards trying to decide whether to run or check on us... So they finally DID come back to check on him, but we just said "yeah yeah hes fine! Dont worry, just go. Well be okay." and they were making us mad because they had these teenage girls in the back that were just saying "sorry! sorry!" in TERRIBLE english the whole time, and then when they left they were like "bye bye! bye bye!" with smiles on their faces the whole time. I was like "you just hit my companion with your car this isnt funny!" except in my head.... ha. but so we just told them to get away from us haha. (ps they were all on their way to church... hm.)
So anyway. The car drove off and a bunch of people came outside their houses to see what happened and one lady knew the missionaries and let us in to wash off Cowden a little bit. But so after that I carried Cowden´s bike for forever down the freeway (cuz he just got hit by a car haha wasnt letting him do that) and we were trying to call someone with a truck or find a way back to Longaví. But Cowden the whole time was just telling me "we have to go visit Oscar and graciela! Im fine lets go!" and I laughed and said "Elder Cowden stop. Youre just running on adrenaline right now. We´ll at least past by their house to make you happy but were getting back to longaví asap" hahaha. So we past by our cita but they werent home, and LONG story short somebody we knew saw us and had a son with a car so we packed the bikes in the car and he drove us home. hahaha.
So we got back to longaví, got ourselves tranquilo and check Elder Cowden out and then had decide what to do/who to call. And Elder Cowden refused to call Pres Humphrey so i said "Okay fine were calling the branch president then." so we called him because we didnt know what to do haha. And he had the first counselor in the branch presidency come over and escorted us to the doctors office to get Elder Cowden checked out, and then to the police station just in case there were any legal things we had to deal with (there were none... haha) Once we finally got back to the house Elder cowden reported "yeah you were definitely right. I was running on pure adrenaline. I hurt really really bad now." hahaha. BUT. So were counting our blessings and are extremely happy hes doing alright, the bike is fixed, and hes in functioning mode. We just had a good scare and now hes much more careful on the bike :) It was quite the day haha... I will send pictures.
Okay second story. This is a funny one. So on Sunday we had District Conference in Linares!! So we had to travel to Linares by bus Sunday morning... So Elder Cowden and I got on the bus, and Sunday locomoción is reallyyyy slow. Theres barely any buses that pass by and nobody even really travels. So its only us two on the bus, waiting for it to leave...... when we had a friend join us. Named Roberto. Who was EXTREEEEEEEMELY drunk and wasted and smelt SO bad and it was just pathetic but VERY funny... but so he decided to start up a conversation with us. And refused to talk in spanish. He only would talk in his 10 words of english he knew, and kept getting mad cuz he wanted us to talk in english to him too... and he kept talking about "old music" that was on his phone that he had... and would start EVERY sentence with "I am..." no matter what he wanted to say. For example, he told us probably about 12 times "I am... like da old music." or "i am... you son de the states?" he would also mix spanish and english alot too. And he also introduced himself and shook our hands and told us he was "roberto, robert in english" about 15 times too. So anyway he sat next to us the whole time on the bus and it was just funny but annoying and yeah idk haha. BUT. Were missionaries. Soooo this is what happened. I said something to him (we talked to him in spanish the whole time) about how we were missionaries and he could really use some help. He then asked if we had "one of those books" for him to read. We didnt, but i gave him a pass along card and said "hey but were actually going to linares right now to go to church! You should come it would really help you!" and I was just being a missionary, and didnt think he would accept... but he accepted. And we just laughed cuz we didnt think he was serious. BUT... the time for us to get off came and Elder Cowden said " alright were going to church now! you can come if you want!" And he said "yeah yeah! im coming!" anddddd so he got off the bus with us... and came to the church with us... haha....
and you have to remember this whole time he was just telling us about his old music, and how he wanted to believe in something, that he was robert, and he really wanted to and needed to recharge his cellphone. hahaha
Soooo... we escorted Roberto to church... and he came into church with us... but we showed up early so we had to set up the extra chairs in the back... and we set up a special chair for Roberto in the veeeeery back right next to the door.... Because we didnt know if he was actually going to stay... or what to do haha... But, so since it was district conference, President Humphrey was going to be there! So right when we got a sight of Pres Humphrey, we ran up to him and said "president humphrey we accidently brought this extremely drunk guy to church with us and we dont know what to do with him." hahahaha. So President Humphrey met him, had a quick talk with him, asked him if he could behave himself, and roberto responded with "yes!" so president said "alright... well he can stay I guess." hahaha. So he was like our little pet because we couldnt leave him alone anywhere... hahah so we took him everywhere with us and the members were giving us really weird sketchy looks like "who is this guy???" hahaha.... butttt long story short too, right before church started, he really wanted to charge his cellphone, and couldnt comprehend/remember we told him that we didnt have a computer for him to do that... So we decided we couldnt let him stay. He was too big of a hassle and he wouldnt have remembered the meeting anyways and it was just too risky... so we escorted him out and wrote down his number then told him to go find somewhere where he could charge his cellphone hahaha. I will also send pictures of him haha. It was quite the event as well. hahaha. Just doing our job! Inviting everyone unto Christ!! :) Some are just more prepared for our message than others... hahaha.
Okay also this week we FINALLY got rid of the pulgas/fleas!!! At last! I was DYING. but one of the members came to our house on wednesday and sprayed our house with this liquid stuff... and we werent aloud to enter the house at all during the day because the stuff was super toxic and we had to let the house vent out hahah. So we had temporary headquarters in the church building during the day for our studies haha. BUT the stuff worked! Its been like 4 or 5 days now since ive had any more pulgas... so i am EXTREMELY happy and relieved. and can sleep alot better :)
ALSO awesome news! I finally finished my scripture memorizing thing! "Los Estandardes de Conocimiento!" I memorized them all! So I am SUPER excited and happy because that was a huge feat for me. Im just waiting until tomorrow when I can OFFICIALLY pass it off with my district or zone leader and OFFICIALLY be a "misionero de oro!" ;) hahaha. Its seriously been a huge blessing though. Ive learned so much from it and its reaaaaally helped my teaching improve ALOT. So i am extremely happy! We´ll have to see what challenge comes next! haha
andddd last two things! So thing number one! WEeeeeee had a baptism this week!!! Boris finally got baptized!!!! and it was awesome! The baptism turned out really really well and boris was extremely happy and his family was happy too and everything! Were really excited to start working with him and help him be ready to receive the priesthood now too! Hes an awesome guy. And I was able to baptize him! I dont remember if I had mentioned that before haha. So it was aweseom! :)
Anddddd last thing is an Anny and Enrique update. This is why this email subject was "round 2?" Becauseeee were working really hard with anny and enrique. they want to be baptized really bad... but the marriage thing is the only thing in the way. And so were working really hard with them... and its definitely not even close to official yet... but Elder Cowden and I really think they will end up getting married... we think they will! Thats why its round 2 :) But, if not, we set a goal with them for baptism on the 22 of december, and also set a goal that by the 21 of december, they will either be married OR living seperately so that they can be baptized. We explained to them how that is THEIR decision, but that more than anything right now it is extremely important they get baptized, or they wont be able to enter into the kingdom of god (3 Nefi 27:19! One of those scriptures i memorized :) ) So we told them that they have 3 options, baptism together and married, baptism seperated and living in different locations, or staying in there current situation living together but seperated, and without baptism (lameeee). So we told them that its THEIR decision how they want to go about it, but that were there to help, and that we strongly strongly strongly encourage the marriage route, and that were going to continue teaching them and helping them realize WHY they should get married and the blessings that will come from that! But that one way or another they do need to be baptized because thats the commandment haha. And they wont receive eternal life without it! Being a missionary is so cool :) I would never do this if I werent a missionary hahaha.
But so thats my update this week!!! Pretty crazy huh? I loooooooove being a missionary. I am extremely excited to be working with anny and enrique right now, because I knowwww theyre going to see the blessings of this gospel in their lives, and theyre going to be ready by the 21st to be married so that they can enter into the waters of baptism on the 22nd! Together! IIIII have the faith. I know its going to happen. Were going to work hard so it DOES happen! haha. I love being a missionary!!!
But anyway. I love you all alot. I miss you all alot. Iiiiim working hard to make you all proud! I looooove being a missionary! its been such a blessing in my life and I hope its been blessing your lives as well! I imagine it has been... but I cant speak for you all haha. This church is 1000% true and I love it with all my heart. The blessings that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ are amazing and make it impossible to deny that God is our Heavenly Father and Jesus is the Christ!!! I know the church is true!!! I love you all and miss you. CTR. Be good. Have an awesome december!! Love you!
-Elder Heyman
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