Hey there! October 14, 2013

Im living in a country in a different continent, speaking a different language, where dogs freely roam the streets and do whatever they want, doorbells are rare, people owning their own personal car is rare, and taking jampacked buses is the normal way of transportation. People buy food and supplies for the day instead of for the week, and they buy from the corner store, which is legitimately on the corner. And theres one on EVERY corner. If you want the internet, youve got to go to the nearest cyber because not many people own their own computer (with internet) and internet on phones isnt too common or great either. Is that a house? Oh wait no, its just another church. Along with the house/church 4 doors down. Who has more minutes left on their phone? You? Okay you call me or else the phonecall will probably cut out after 30 seconds... Sometimes I just never get over what life is like right now haha. I love it. Viva Chile.

Hey friends and fam! How is everyone? Im doing great. I didnt have a super exciting week, so i dont have too many updates. Haha it was a good week, theres just not anything great or grand that happened. So i dont have any good stories or anything..... But here are a few things from the week!

On Friday I did a mini cambio with one of the sectors in my district... and it led me to a couple conclusions. One is that my district needs lots of help... haha. So that will be a new challenge for me. We`ll see how that goes.

Another was that it was cool to be able to do a mini cambio and actually see with my own eyes that the inspiration and ideas that ive had for district classes and to teach to my district, really are the things that my district needed and needed to hear. So it was cool to gain a testimony about that. that the lord is guiding me and helping me, and that i get to be an instrument in His hands! Made me feel alot better about that. Because sometimes its hard to think about what my district needs and what I can do/teach to help them. And sometimes I honestly just feel like im guessing haha. But its good to see that the Lord really is guiding me with His spirit! yayyyy!

But lastly it led me to the conclusion that... I need to help my district put into practice what im teaching them............. ahhhh. haha. 

So it was a really good experience and a learning experience for everyone. I enjoyed it and learned alot And i hope the other elder learned alot as well haha. 

The other thing to note from the week was that also on saturday we did divisions! Thats the first time ive really done divisions during my missions (as in split up between members instead of just splitting up with other missionaries). And it went really well and was effective! haha. I went with a member who is older and a really good friend of the missionaries. It was alot of fun. and Elder Gonzalez went with a recently ordained elder from the ward. so that was a good experience and helped the work a little more in our sector. I liked it and hope to keep doing it. Its alot more effective to have 4 missionaries in the sector instead of just 2! :D

and thats about it from the week haha... We`ve been having a rough struggle with some of our investigators. Nobody came to church on sunday :`( so that was rough. But theres still hope with them and we`ve got the faith for them to keep on progressing. So its not over yet! But we would appreciate all the prayers possible :D

Question: Is my english understandable when I write? Obviously its understandable, but do i mess up a bunch or sometimes say weird things? Some days I have good english days, and some days i have bad english days where i just cannot talk at all. Y es igual con español. Algunos buenos días, y algunos malos. Sometimes its weird speaking 2 languages. haha.

Anyway. Thats the update for the week! I love you and miss you all alot! Youre all the best ever. Have an awesome week. Im doing what the Lord wants me to be doing right now and im receiving SO many blesses for it. Learning and growing LOTS! haha. The priesthood is restored! hasta la proxima!

CHAUUUU!

Elder Heyman

It's Monday! October 7, 2013

Hiiii everybody. How is everyone? I hope all is well. Things are well here. I dont have much to update on this week. so ill probably be short! 

On Thursday we had interviews with president! So that was good to see president and talk to him a little bit! haha. And also my companion and I were the last ones to be interviewed, and all the interviews took a longgg time. So by the time we got finished up it was way late and there wasnt any time to get back to our sector in time for lunch. So we got to eat lunch in Presidents house! AND IT WAS SO DELICIOUS. We had like a taco/taco salad thing. It was fantastic haha. Some tortillas with chicken and beef and beans and lettuce and tomato. AND we had ranch dressing! That was the first time in over a year i ate ranch dressing. It was really really really good-tasting. hahaha. That was a highlight from the week.

And basically the other highlight from the week was general conference! Woo hoooo!!! It was wonderful! I really enjoy conference nowadays. Its a great way to feel the spirit and learn lots and whatnot. Two of my favorite talks were 1. by President Eyering about the good samaritan haha and 2. the talk by Edward Dube. I really liked those two talks alot! 

So I really enjoyed conference and learning this weekend. Here in the mission everybody has to go to the stake center to see conference. So the whole stake meets up there, but they always have a tv set up in a different room so us gringos can watch conference in english instead of spanish! woo hoo! haha so thats a blessing. and we always buy a bunch of snacks to enjoy as well while we watch haha. 

And the last highlight is that today we had a zone activity! And it was fun and successful. We all went out to eat together at "Mamut". Its basically just the chilean version of Applebees! So it was delicious. but so the catch was that we all had to bring photos of our families and friends or just recuerdos from home. So we brought that and passed them all around to look at and ask questions and just kind of get to know everyone better! So THAT was actually a really simple but fun activity. It was super interesting to see a little bit more of everyones background and what they were like before the mission! And i was super happy to show off my family :) we have 4 hermanas in our zone and they were of course dying over all the neices and nephews! :D I HAVE THE CUTEST NEICES AND NEPHEWS OF ALL TIME! And i miss them very much. Give them all huge hugs and kisses for me haha. 

And those are basically the highlights of the week! I loved conference! What a blessing it is for us to be able to hear the words of prophets hoy en dìa. The church is true, the gospel is restored and is the only way to eternal life and exaltation! I love you all and miss you! Have an awesome week.

-Elder Heyman

Pictures sent September 30, 2013

So... After finally finishing the cleaning of the font, we had to fill it up again! And using hot water so its nice and cosy, it usually takes about 2 hours. Well we only had 1 hour... So heres what we did! 

We turned on the hot water to fill up the font and let it run. Meanwhile...

1. I dont remember if we have these things in the USA. But this is a water heater that boils water pretty quick so that the people can have their cafè y tè. They HAVE hot water faucets here... but they dont work. Only cold water comes out. So that wasnt an option. But so we had to fill this thing up, wait a few minutes til it got hot, then carry it over to the font, and add it to the water to help speed up the process! 

And... after ALL that (and lots of prayer) We got it all good to go for the baptism. Nobody had any idea, there werent seen any webs or spiders, and there were no complaints of cold water from the baptizer, or baptizee. Smooth. Go us.

2. Elder Gonzalez y Maxi!!! hahaha. Maxi is so funny. He was really excited but really nervous. 

3. The family Solis Barker! woo hoo! Theyre all coming back to church and now theyre all baptized! yayyy. Progression in life! 

4. Bonus pic. One day we taught a woman who was just asking a TON of nada que ver questions, and we were trying so hard to leave but she just kepting asking questions. So one of the questions she asked was the classic"Well why are you all called elder? And whats your real name??" So being tired of the questions and just needing to leave i said "It just basically means Missionary. So Im missionary heyman and he`s missionary gonzalez. And Im taylor and he`s cristian." Mistake mentioning my name. She then sent us this message a few days later to cancel our next visit. (we`ve never gone back to visit haha...)

5. Double bonus pic: Elder Scott and I off to work in our "Sexy sweaters" hahaha. 

The Highest of Highs, and Lowest of Lows... September 30, 2013

Hiiiiii family and friends. Quite the week we had this week. We had lots of highs! but unfortunately we had some pretty lows too....

But were just gonna stay positive, so ill share the highs with you! :D

So this past week.... We had the first baptism ever of Tierra Bella B!!! :))) Yayyyyy!!! Maxi got baptized this past week! so we are all VERY happy about that! The family was very happy and had lots of support there, so that was great! In the end, Elder Gonzalez got to baptize Maxi! So I was excited that it all worked out so he could baptize his first baptism! So that was good...

But ñalskdjfwñoeifjñabl it was a challenge getting the baptism all set up... we had some baptismal font problems... And were were definitely racing against the clock. Oh it was stressful and crazy but in the end we pulled it off :) so were all good! haha. Ill send some pictures to tell the story a little better...

Other high from the week. I SAW ELDER TENGBERG TODAY!!!!!!!!¡!¡!¡!¡¿1¡sdfjlkjdag!!! 

Elder Tengberg is in the Concepcion Sur mission. And the mission offices are together in the same building. And he was there today for a zone leader conference!!!! AND WE SAW EACHOTHER! After a year of not seeing him! hahahaha. BUT the super lame thing is that they still had an hour left of their meeting, and we had already finished everything we needed in that part of town.... so we had to leave :( So we only saw eachother through the window haha and we didnt get to meet up or take pictures or anything.... ANOTHER week it will have to be. But anyways that was super exciting haha. 

Another high was that we had a good week with the family Paredes Jara. We talked some more about the restoration with them this week and the mom told us that she believed that Josè Smith really was a prophet, that he saw God the father and Christ the son, and that "as of now" she believes this is the true church! yayyyyy! haha so thats super good. But now we just have to help them sense the urgency of why they need to be baptized now instead of just waiting for no reason... haha. but so that was another high! Woo hoo!

But... Thats basically it. Those were the highs of the week! So all is well. Were doing good. Keep these families and people in your prayers! And keep me in your prayers as well! I love you and miss you all! Have an awesome week! Ill be sending the pictures now to tell the rest of the story from the week. This church is true and it contains the plenitud del evangelio! Chauito!!!

Elder Heyman

I Lost a Good Friend this Week... September 23, 2013

Well... this past friday we had cambios. And Im in the same place with the same comp, Elder Scott is still here...... ButElder Ainge left :( haha. Chuuuuuuuuta. De verdad I think im having a harder time with it than he is haha. Him and I have become way good buds while we`ve been here in Tierra Bella. So it was super lame to have him go. We basically kept eachother sane here in this house haha. We had alot fun together (even though we werent even comps) and so we were way sad when he had to go. So the house has been alot different. For his replacement arrived ANOTHER colombiano nuevito. El Elder Alfonso. He`s nice. but... its alot different now. boooo.

So anyway. That was lame. But asì es la misiòn. 

I actually dont have much to update from this week. We had the fiestas patrias this week. Thats the independence day parties. It just made for a slow week haha. Nobody was home and not alot of people accepted us. The hardest part was just the fact that nobody was even home... so it made for ALOT of walking and little talking. So it felt like we werent doing alot haha. But in the end of the week it all turned out alright. so we had a good week! haha just a slow one.

On wednesday (el 28 de septiembre) the only difference was that at the end of the night we were able to go to the chapel for two hours to enjoy the fiesta they were having at the church. they had lots of food and dancing... so we just took advantage of the food! we ate LOTS of empanadas, sopaipillas, pajaritos, LOTS and LOTS of meat, Mote con huesillo and just all the tipical chilean foods haha. And we ate ALOTTTTT. SO MUCH. Thats the biggest thing about chile here... they just EAT and EAT and EAT so much food haha. So we stuffed ourselves and ate very good this week. We had like 3 asados (bbqs) this week for lunch haha. We were all dying. But so it was alot of fun, DELICIOUS, and nos quedamos BIEN satisfecho. (and fyi I still havent gained weight.... nor lost weight... Im basically the same. I probably HAVE gained just a few pounds...) (and I still miss my beard.)

But those are basically the only two updates from the week... haha.  Investigator updates!

Maxi and his fam are doing awesome! Everything is going all good for his baptism this Saturday! So we`ll have a baptism this week. Yayyyy. And yesterday the parents were able to have an interview with the bishop so they can start in right and strong as they return back to church and so they can go through the repentance process the right way! So that was a huge step for them and were way happy they could do that. But that means that unfortunately the dad wont be able to do the baptism... So we`ll see what happens there. But, the family is progressing ALOT and all is going very well! Yayyy!!

We were also to bring the WHOLE family of the family Paredes Jara to church this week! It was awesome. Theyre a family of 5. The dad (menos activo) and the wife, daughter, and two sons. All 5 of them were in church! it was awesome. Things are going well with them too. We just need to improve a couple things with our teaching to help them a little better. But so we`re doing good with them as well. I feel like they`ll definitely be getting baptized. So keep them in your prayers! They need it. 

But thats all ive really got for today... But all is well. Im more tired now than I ever have been in my life before. Thats the only thing I want. Sleep. ha. Im for real SO tired. Hopefully Ill have a little extra time at the end of the pday for a little nap- That would be heavenly. We`ll see. pero BIEN. Thats all for today folks. Have an awesome week and awesome time in life. Live it up and be happy. The church is true, the gospel is true, and the priesthood is restored. YAY! :D haha. Love you all and miss you! 

-Elder Heyman

'Sup September 16, 2013

Hey peeps. Here I am once again. Its still pretty cold here. Brrr. My hands are really cold. I dont have a ton of updates this week, so ill just go right to it.

Well this past wednesday was some national day here in chile. It was the 40th year anniversary of some war... or some president/dictator was killed... Im not 100% sure. But so on wednesday we had to enter the house like 2 hours early because there`s some parts in chile that can get pretty dangerous. It sounded like each year people go crazy and just do a bunch of stupid stuff, and always fight against the police here... Throwing rocks and just doing a bunch of stuff. ANYWAYS. So we had to enter the house early. But it sounds like in our part of town not much happens. But anyway, it was just something different and new. So now you know. haha.

On Thursday we had a conference of the mission. So thats always fun. I learned alot. We talked alot about the libro de mormòn and making compromisos and stuff like that. I learned alot and it was alot of fun to be there and see other missionaries and stuff. Its always a good spirit booster and gives us good animo to have a conference. 

bueno, and to finish off the week before I give other miscealouenkqzoous updates (i have no idea how that word is spelt anymore...) on saturday I got a surprise "hey elder can you talk 10-15 minutes tomorrow in church?" fonecall haha. So, on sunday i gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the importance of sharing the gospel. and it turned out really really well actually! I got lots of compliments and felicitaciones afterwards! haha. I had alot of fun with the talk as well. But i was happy to do it and really liked it. It was also good because we (as a companionship) had alot of people in church on sunday! Were making alot of progress here in our sector! woo hoo! 

Maxi and the family Solis Barker and doing SUPER well. They committed to keep coming to church and see alot the blessing in their lives from the changes theyre making. Theyre all good and maxi is all pumped to be baptized. So the biggest thing we need now for the progress of that family is an interview with the bishop so he can help the parents/family out however they need it... But so we`re pumped because the family is becoming reactivated and maxi is going to get baptized! yay! hooray for not just baptizing the children of inactive families, but reactivating the family too! yayyyy!

Also we had the family Peredes Jara in church as well! Bueno... the mayoria of the family. theyre relatives of the 1st counselor and of our ward mission leader. They were a reference of them. The dad of this family is menos activos of manyyyy years. So on sunday he went and played futbol instead of going to church with his family... and one of their sons was a niñita (haha kidding) and said his head hurt in the morning so he didnt go to church either... Theyre a family of 5, so the mom, daughter, and youngest son went. But we went and visited them sunday night after church and ALL 5 are comitted si o si to coming next sunday! woo hoo! including the menos activo, soccer playing, evangelico dad! haha. So thats BIG progress. And they like church ALOT. so WOO HOO for that family too! Keep them in your prayers! 

Oh the other thing is that this friday (due to the fact that the nuevos gringos will be showing up that day) we are going to have cambios instead of the next tuesday (which would have been the normal day). So were not expecting any changes over here but... its just something interesting haha. So we`ll see how it goes and what changes happen! Cambios are always something exciting to look forward too. Because as missionaries we do alot of the same stuff day after day... so we`re always looking for little things to do to "change it up" a bit just so its at that next level of fun. And we can always count on cambios for that! :D

Things continue to improve slowlyyyy between my companion and I. We still just have LOTS of differences and beliefs and understanding of things... So we still bash heads de vez en cuando... But things are slowly improving. The biggest thing is I think our patience with eachother is growing. Instead of instantly exploding were getting better at talking things out haha. So yeah. Èso. 

Andddd.... theres not much else. Im happy. Im healthy. Im busy. Im learning lots. And Im loving it all. So all is well. No se preocupen. The church is truer than the sky is bluer. haha. I have no idea what that means or where it came from. But it ryhmed. Anyway The true church and evangelio of jesus christ have been restored. ¡Que bendecidos somos nosotros por tener este conocimiento! Si no lo sabe, aprendalo. Cambiarà su vida. I love you and miss you all. Have an awesome week! Chauuuuu. 

-Elder Heyman

p.s. Oh and this week is the "july 4th" of Chile. El 18 de septiembre. Its gonna be a crazy week. Ill let ya`ll know about it next week. CHAUITO.