Travs- New companion.

Hey everybody!

       Hey! This was such an amazing week. We had a fantastic Christmas week. So to everyone I have been given a new companion, Elder Hudson! He has been put only 4 months! Transfers pulled a total 180 on us, but it was fun with Elder Ramos! Elder Hudson is cool, he has greens fire which has kinda remotivated me a lot. He is a tall athlete, plays a lot of basketball and loves music, especially making it. He is really goofy like me and we enjoy going back and forth making funny comments and apologizing like funny men. I swear I am laughing 24/7 with him. But I also feel the spirit so strongly in our studies and teachings that I absolutely love it. He has a very strong testimony and has helped me dramatically to grow and change. I hope to serve with him for a very long time. Especially since I am a stubborn man, very it takes a good walk to the head to teach me something. :) 

   The miracles this week are amazing, unfortunately we didn't meet with that many people. But those we did meet with gave us a chance to really teach them and help build their testimonies. 

I think Christmas opens everyone's hearts to learn and grow, these are the times when they more patient and willing to hear what we have to say. Sometimes. 

  So we where able to visit the Daniels family. Their are 3 daughters and one son. Athena who is 12, Austin who is 9, Aulivia who is 6 and Aurora who is 3. They are so adorable and awesome! We first met them when we helped them to move from their home to their grandmas. The home they lived in was very unclean and nasty. We noticed to a dark spirit kinda lingered with the family, they always fought and yelled with one another. The kids seriously didn't feel loved and the oldest one has tried to run away a few times. We could plainly see that the family was falling apart. The wife was working constantly and the father was consumed by cigarettes and  video games. After the move many meets told us that the family wasn't gunna hold together. Because of their environment they would eventually fall apart. I kinda took that as a challenge, I wanted to change it. We have been visiting weekly teaching them, charity and love. Funny thing though is it took a bit of time, but it slowly started to change. They started to say family prayers, reading scriptures. We challenge them to tell each other each day they love one another and helped them to remove all things which brought contention. We even see the father who (isn't the most positive person) start to kinda get involved and actually smile.  Especially this last week each kid ended of our lesson by saying what they we thankful for and who they love. They each started just going on a hugging spree. And it amazed me to see how happy and Geary eyes the mother and grand mother was getting. I've never felt such joy to see a family broken, start to mold back together again.

Another awesome lesson we had was with Jaden Gray who we met again. This was possibly one of the funniest lessons I have ever given. Everyone there just thought I was hilarious...my companion and I decided we would teach the Law of chastity. It turns out that I would be the only one to teach. It was my first time really teaching it and instead of just beating around the bush I drove straight into it. I spoke on its importance and gave the swim suit example....which I guess not everyone knows and brought out the Immature Part of us that made this lesson not tense at all. And I think it went over well. He really is enjoying it and likes going to church. I think he is ready and we are planning on inviting him this next lesson.(he was to scared first time) 

Well I do wanna say one thing(I'm sorry I'm a little lazy in closing here) but I am so grateful for all of you. Skyping home reminded me of many things, especially the reason I wanna be out here. I know I came out here childish, prideful and stubborn, but I have a chance to do good, to change someone's life for the better, I know that through God I can help people find that hope that took for granted. And I'm loving every second. 

So those are my first to miracles with many others following. But a cooling I wish to ask is has anyone seen a falling star? Because during our tracting Sunday night, we kept hitting door after door slammed on us! But then as we walked across an intersection we happened to look up to see a falling star plummeting down. It was one of the most amazing things ever. It kinda just made us super excited and happy. It was so beautiful and big enough to see rocks and color, it is amazing the world God has really created for us. We live in such An amazing place and unlike what the news portrays we are living in a thriving and growing world. There is wonders I know God has created for us to yet find. It makes me so excited to see what not only lies in this world but the next. I love my Heavenly Father so much, he has put us here with grand families in whole we can love, cry, fight and laugh with. I was reminded of that this Christmas and I am so happy to have this chance to bring that happiness to others. But not only me, I know many of you have had wonderful blessings, you have great families and friends, Homes to live in and cars to drive! This is your chance to also spread that happiness. And you don't have to go door to door preaching, but simply tell your parents you love them. Hug your sibling today! Give that friendly letter to a old friend......just remember God gave us this one chance to show our love and gratitude for all we have and all those hat we meet. So don't wait any longer! I hope everyone has a great holiday season. And what a better goal for the New Year then to jut simply BE HAPPY! 

Elder Heckel 

P.s. To all I thought I sent letters out to...I found them under some blankets...so I'm gunna have to make new ones! 

Larissa- Wonderful week of Miracles!

Hola todos de mis amorosos amigos y familia,

I hope you all had a wonderful week of Christmas:) I know we had a wonderful week of feeling the spirit and  remembering Christ.

This week we had our mission Christmas conference. The one time a year that our Entire mission gets together. It was so much fun. That was my first Mission meeting that happened when I got out into the field. It was funny to think back on how I didn't know any of the missionaries. I didn't know Spanish, and I was scared out of my mind and nervous. The only missionaries I know were the Sister's I was in the CCM with. It was cool to see how many friendships I have created on the mission, How different I have become and changed (SOOOO Many ways), and I can now speak Spanish (kinda:P). It was so much fun to see my old Houton 1 zone and my old companion:) All of my other companions are home now (weird) but it was good to see Hna. Hull:) We had some wonderful trainings by President Ashton and sister Ashton. As well as the Patriarch over the Houston area came and talked to us about the Abrahamic covenant.... still need to study more on that to understand it but it was amazing. The spirit was so strong and powerful. We also made some goals as a mission for the coming months and had the opportunity to pray as a mission. What a cool opportunity to feel of so much faith in one place. We have some amazing missionaries in our mission.

Thank you for all the gifts that I received from family and friends:) We indeed had a wonderful Christmas. It was good to talk to my wonderful family. I am literally amazing at how much everyone has grown. Blew my mind. haha They are all so awesome:) Love you all so much.

This week was an amazing week of Christmas miracles. We found out that one of our investigators husbands wants to be baptized and start taking the lessons. We were not really sure when he would decided to start taking the lessons and have been praying for him everyday, we knew it was the hope of this family to get there dad involved and it is truly a HUGE miracle. We were in tears when his Wife told us. We are so excited and grateful that the spirit has touched him so much.

We also had an investigator that we have not been able to get ahold of come to church this sunday;) MIRACLE. we were so excited because he told us that he leaves every Saturday until Monday for Houston and we were so excited that he finally made it to church and I am sure we will see him around:)

This was a wonderful week of sharing the Christ+mas spirit and talking with everyone we met. It was so amazing to hear other peoples testimony of our savior. I love being a missionary and especially getting two Christmases on my mission:) what more could you ask for. I love this work!

Thanks again for all the Love and testimonies I received this Christmas Season. Special thanks to my Midway 2nd ward family:) I loved all the Christmas decorations. They were wonderful.

Con much amor,

Hermana Heckel.

P.S. Got transfer calls this morning and our entire district is staying for another transfer:) Woohoo:) Love it! Can't wait to see some miracles this next transfer.

1. Four of us together again:)

2. I love them:) Hnas Groves, and Hull

3. Our district at Bishops house for Christmas Breakfast. (Elders. Lowder (DL) Fails, McKinley, and Rockhill)

4.Las Hermanas:) (Yo, Hnas. Anderson, Naomi Hironymous,  y Hnas. Taylor y Wood)

Larissa- Feliz Christ-Mas :)

Hola Mi amoroso familia y amigos! 

This week was crazy! We had meetings and Exchanges! I feel like I have been away from my area for so long and it has been crazy. But we have seen so many miracles this week:) 

Okay so I went on exchanges with the Senor Sister Trainging Leader Hna. Lister. She is in an area right next to my old area. It was good to be in the city again. I miss down town. Lots of people to teach and talk to. It was a good change of scenery and I learned so much from her. She goes home in the transfer after this one and I am so sad that I just barely got to know her really well right before she left. But hey all missionaries are from Utah so its all good:) 

One of the meetings we went to this week was the new missionary Atonement training meeting for Hna. Anderson. This is the third time I have been and I LOVE it so much! every time I have learned something new and I am mind blown! This Gospel is incredible. I can't even begin to start with how grateful I am to have the knowledge I do and to have the leaders I do that help and guide this church. President Ashton is amazing! I mean I can't receive revelation for him but if i could.... future apostle! I also got to see Hna. Hull which was wonderful:) She is the best and is doing wonderful Miracles in Houston 1. 

The next meeting was for all the leaders. President met with all the district leaders, zone leaders and Sister training leaders. Just to give us some extra consejo about some things we can do as leaders to help the missionaries in our areas. It was not like the normal MLC (Missionary Leadership Councel), which usually only has sister training leaders and zone leaders. We were also able to have an ex-missionary come and be in the meeting with us and was telling us about how different other missions are the things we focus on and it was very cool. haha he gave us alot of consejo as leaders as well. :) Seriously just a spiritual high this week. It was amazing! 

We also had a huge miracle this week. We had a whole family come to church today. Christinas family! Her husband had never been to church and was not really interested but said this past week he was coming and the meeting was incredible! the Spirit was so thick you could drink it. and then she also brought her sister and her boyfriend:) we will meet with them alter in the week so see how they liked it:) We were also able to have a lesson with them right after sacrament before they left with the bishop and stake Pres. (who happened to just come to our sacrament meeting and we invited him to come with us to the lesson.) it was amazing! Best sunday ever!! 

I love this work so much. time is going by so fast. I have learned so much and learn so much everyday. We will be having our mission christmas party tomorrow and we were asked to prepare a talk. My topic is "Christ Submissiveness, Obedience, Humility, and relationship with the Father" I have loved studying that so much! I love My savior more then anything. He is amazing and I am grateful everyday for what he does for me. Because of him I have all the blessings I have in my life. I Love missionary work. I love the opportunity to serve the Lord and tell everyone about Our Savior of the World. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas week and I will talk to you all later:) 

con amor, 

Hermana Heckel.

1. Hna. Lister (haha trying to be intimidating) and Hna. Smith (adorable)

2. My wonderful Midway 2nd ward family:) thank you and love you all! 

3. My Mom going home! weird. that means I am getting old. 

4. Merry christmas

Larissa- MIRACLES AND TEMPLE

Hello wonderful Friends and Family!

This week down in Manvel has been Wonderful. We are still struggling getting the area starting but it is at least moving and we have some wonderful investigators:) 

Our wonderfull beautiful family finally came to church and Rey and Kayla the kids were baptized a couple weeks ago and finally got confirmed and the mom came and the other kids:) It was seriously a huge miracle that they finally could come to church and they loved it. We went over after church and watched the Joseph Smith movie with them and they said it answered alot of questions they had and that they have some answers for some of their kinda anti mormon family members so that is awesome:) 

We were able to go to the temple this P-day! it was amazing! I love the Houston Temple. We were able to go with our stake presidents wife and daughter and they speak fluent Spanish and travel to Guatemala all the time. I want to travel there so bad. Her Daughter (Tori) is leaving for her mission to Brazil and is leaving in a couple of days:) it is so exciting I love missionaries! 

We were also able to go again that week to the temple on a spontanious baptisms for the dead trip with a recent convert. Pico is what we call him but his real name is Fransisco. No idea why they call him Pico. but anyways we were in a lesson with him on Thursday night and he told us that he couldnt come to the temple trip that we will be having this coming weekend because he is going to California. Hna. Andersen and I both felt strongly that we needed to get him to the temple before the trip. So we asked him if he could go this Saturday if we can arrange everything. He said yes. We went home Scheduled an interview for Friday night with the bishop. that night he called his mom to get all the info about his Dad who passed away so he could be baptized for him. He went to the interview and everything was good and then on Saturday we put in his dads info and then we were good to go. We got permission to take the other sisters Hnas. Taylor and Wood with us because it is hna. Taylor's recent convert and Pico took us and it was amazing. We all were able to bring our own family names to do Ordinances for as well:) it was amazing! Taking your own names to the temple really brings the spirit so strong. haha the funny thing too was that my ancestors name was Melissa. It was an amazing experience.  

We also were able to get in contact with all the members in our area and are really strengthening our relationship with them:) I love them so much already its insane. I am creating a whole new family here in texas:) dont worry family you will NEVER be replaced! My heart is just getting bigger. 

There is a joke that is going around were missionaries come up to other missionaries and say "hey how far away do you think that plane is?" "uhhh I dont know about 15 or 20 miles" then then the other person says "uhhh about 4 and a half months!" haha referring to how long before you go home. CRUEL JOKE!!! for real though! just working hard and moving on. its all good:) just a forever missionary! 

We are working on finding more people to teach but it has been a week of miracles because we have been able to see a lot of people that we haven't seen for a while! I am excited to see all the miracles we will receive this week. 

Hna. Anderson is amazing:) I love her so very much and her Spanish is improving so much! She is a wonderful missionary and I am so blessed to be her companion! 

Gracias por todo,

Los Quiero muchisimo

Con amor,

La Hermana Heckel.

1. Sneak peak at the christmas card:) 

2. Baptisms for the dead.

3.Went to the Chiropractor:) I Love it

4. Guess who I saw at the Chiropractor:) H1 familia!! Hnas. Beltran and Millard and Elder Anderson. 

Travis- Hello! Hello! Hello!

Hello!! Hello hello hello!!!!!!!!

How is everyone doing?? Hope everyone is having a great Christmas season!! Does everyone have a Christmas tree to set up?? We where given a small 8 inch tree for our Christmas ;)  haha I hope you all are enjoying it!! Especially the snow! We do not have any snow here, we get a lot of rain and the coldest it gets is like 55 degrees(not even)  haha so, I guess explaining my area a little better would be exciting. So their are no mountains in sight, it's so flat it's crazy! And most the area is made up of either orchards or rice fields. Luckily right before I got here we got a car since everyone lives so far apart. It's so amazing walking through trees of grape fruit, oranges and every other kinda fruit you can think of. I have done plenty of service helping to pick or set up for winter! Also their are TONS of walnut trees, everyone has them so everyone gives them away for Christmas. Anyways it's a lot like Heber and Midway! Everyone here is Mormon almost and it's two very small towns, Gridley and Biggs. I love the feeling, although everyone is related to one another somehow....everyone knows each other as cousins or something it's crazy! It makes it hard to remember names because so many people have the same last names. But I'm figuring it out!

  There are 12 companionship In this zone, and it's split in half because another larger city is about 30 minutes North-east!  We are the middle main part of the city. I love the area and the missionaries we serve with, not quite as cool of a zone as my last one but we get along good. We are currently in a house with another companionship! The Spanish missionaries are super tight and I've grown close with them over this short period of time. We are in a super nice development with awesome neighbors!  We have a large kitchen and our bedroom is the living room....don't know why my companion wants that, but we have a plain room, a study room, a storage room and the room for Spanish missionaries! I have been cleaning the house though since I got here....My companion is not the cleanest one by any means. But I'm working through it all. It's super aw some and we are so blessed.MMe and my companion are getting along and getting work done.But this still throws me off on the naming of some of these streets....don't they realize numbering them makes it so much easier!! Haha but the area is cool all really nice and really no hobos!! We also have a train that runs right next to our house so I have a pretty accurate alarm clock for me hahahahah. 

Oh mini funny story, so my mattress has a dent in the middle of it where I curl up in(no choice). Rough housing around lead to my companion being body slammed onto my bed braking the box springs. So I gotta get a new mattress and boards......gosh dang it haha they chose my bed for it! But messing around always leads to something braking right?? Anyways it's really fun at our place and lucky for us we are on a hill. So this week a massive storm hit us flooding most of the streets. So we have been sand bagging places and hanging out inside as this storm is going fast. Surprisingly we haven't had to bad of winds but we do have non stop rain that's clogging everywhere!! It's crazy!! 

We had a zone conference where we talked a lot about goals and shooting for a higher standard. We talked a lot about what goals we wanted for December and January. We ended with the idea of 4 baptisms and had a really long motivational talk about that goal. As of today we have 6 people ready for baptism in the next two weeks. We had no one on date to start of with but now we are overflowing with the blessings of the lord. I am so thankful for this opportunity! We are so close for two of our investigators to take that first step into ever lasting peace. We are trying so humbly to teach and help each of them at their own pace yet I wish I could just baptize them now!! Haha but it's the lord time not mine. It's crazy also how many missionaries I only got to know for a short time and are leaving. These people had such a major impact on my life and will forever be thankful! I love you all and I am so thankful for the letters and support you all give me. I am blessed beyond belief and hope you all can feel the light of Christ in your life. 

Love elder Heckel 

Larissa- Moved and Progress

Hey everyone,

This week was pretty great:) we were able to go to the temple today and I loved it so much and I am so gratful that we have a temple so close that we can go too.

This last week we have been trying to get a hold of all our members and then we gotta another area of the ward so we have a little bit more work to do so that will be good. We don't have any investigators at the moment but we are praying for a miracle:) we know when we do all we can do we will be blessed in the way God knows we need. We are focusing a lot on the members anyways to help them grow and progress:) I love them already they are all amazing! 

We switched to an apartment that is in our area!! FINALLY!!! it is a very nice place out in Alvin Texas. haha we are so excited to finally be in our area instead of driving 20 miles everyday just to get into the area. Our apartment corrdinator is amazing! Thanks so much to Elder Nilson for everything he does for us. He even came with a trailer for all of our stuff... (my stuff) instead of making us jam pack it all in our car like last time. haha Elders had lived in the Kenton before we did so we had some cleaning work to do on the apartment before I felt truely comfortable. haha my cleaning bug definitely got worse since I have been here. But now we love it:) it is amazing and we love living there. 

Hna. Anderson is amazing. He Spanish is coming along amazing! she is so great and I am so grateful to have her as my lovely companion. 

We had zone conference this last week and we learned so much more about consecration and sacrifice. It was amazing. I learned I have a lot to work on and I am so excited to get moving:) I love this work so much. 

I love this Christmas season so much and I I love being able to teach people during this time. I have learned something on my mission that I will never forget. A representation of Christ is light. I always think of him every time i see Christmas lights now. it feels me so much with the spirit and I love it. I was able to see the Christmas devotional this last week. It was amazing! I love how much I have learned about my savior and how much I continue to learn and grow and become better all the time. Through him we can do all things. I love my savior. I know he lives and will come again. he loves all of us. His birth is a miracle and that is the true meaning of Christ+Mas.

I hope you all can find a gift that you can give to Christ this year. I am still praying about what mine should be:) Ill let you know when I figure out what it is. 

I love you all and thanks so much for all the love and support you give me. I am so blessed. 

Hermana Heckel. 

Travis- THANKFUL

I am so thankful this year. I am thankful for the chance I have to serve a mission in California. I'm thankful for the family and friends that I have supporting me while I am out here. I am honored to be able to teach this great gospel, whom I've had to rely on so heavily upon, to all Gods children. It brings me great joy to know that those people who I annoyed, teased, laughed with, and love; Enjoy this gospel just like me! I have had such a humbling thanksgiving week! I seriously believe I will bleed mash potatoes and gravy though :O hahahahaha but this week we where able to finally teach the gray family.

So I mentioned only a little about them before. But Jaden Gray is a 16 year old high school football player. He is super tall and quite shy. He has light brown hair and blueish hazel eyes. He is an awesome guy who's investigating and learning about the church. He had lost his dad, who was a soldier, about a year ago. It has been very hard on the family. We have had a couple lessons with him and his older sister.  Who works at the military base as a special kinda nurse, she is about 4 years older then him. She was a less active member, now active and helping Haden to learn for himself. They both live with their mother, who is a member , she took it really hard and isolated herself somewhat from people. But she made a stunning turn around she the missionaries showed up at her door again (I don't know exact time) but she now is frantically going through school trying to get a degree , so that she can get a better job. It has been difficult getting them all together until Tuesday, We showed up for our appointment and caught her home. She decided to join  us as we taught him about the plan of salvation. She was so happy and asked us many questions, she said told us at the end of the lesson, that she wants to sit down more often and listen. She really believes she needs to learn this again. What a blessing to see a family rebound and build up in strength through the lord. 

 We also had the chance to help a less active family move called the Daniels. They are a struggling family, the mother works all day while the father stays home. The issue here is that both parents are addicted to video games. So the children are pretty much neglected somewhat and the house is in disarray. The land lord evicted them this week for that very issue, There are many reasons for the way they act. But while we moved them we really taught them about the importance of church and family. I kinda scorned him and really drilled into him the effects he is having on the family that way. During the clean out....we ended up just shoveling stuff into trash bins there was so much!! And honestly we kinda thought we drove them away, but after the 8 grueling hours of work. They sat us down and talked about needing to change and wanted us to come teach them more at their new home. It made me so happy to see them humble themselves and wanna learn. 

We also where able to teach a six year old boy. His name is Aidian Louise, he wale,d up to us and told us he wanted to learn about Jesus! Such a a amazing experience. The mother is very strict Methodist. So she was very reluctant to let us come over and teach. So we met him at the park and taught him a few times. But eventually an issue came up which allowed for us to meet her at the home. As I went about teaching him, my companion in his feminine way connect with the mother and finally spark her interest which turned into a two hour Q&A time. It was super exciting to see her open up. And the six year old is already super smart and understood a lot of what we where teaching. Honestly I'm super excited to teach them, she said if they got baptized at she would be the first one in a very long line of ancestors who wasn't Methodist, she also believes from what we told her that her family might accept the choice if not investigate :D ha hahahahah 

We also taught many more lessons this week, visits families and leaving with food. All week people have given us pies, potatoes, turkey, candy....everything. It is insane how much we get, I feel that they think we starve haha, people feed us pretty good here! Their are only a few days a week we don't eat. But we enjoy it! Especially on thanks giving we went to three different thanksgiving dinners! I'm gunna die, never ever stuff yourself on the first one....and never let people serve you....BECAUSE THEY WILL LOAD YOU! Haha but I met many different families and enjoyed my time. 

So this next week I will not be emailing out or anything. I am doing a blackout week. I won't be reading emails, sending emails, posting on Facebook...or using any technology that I don't need to. It's my own personal way of getting closer with my Heavenly Father. I feel that I can make a deeper connection, especially with the holidays here, with the spirit. I love all that you guys do for me and still encourage you to write me. But I won't be answering for a bit, I will definitely answer the next week to anyone who writes me. Or texts me, either one! I hope everything is going well and can't wait to hear from you all later!! This is a time to remember why we celebrate Christmas....and please Cherish the times you have with family and friends because that can seriously disappear in a moment. I would also ask that you each please watch the latest church video out. Go to Christmas.mormon.org , I would challenge you to check it out and find why Christmas means so much and why is important. Also a package or two will arrive as soon as I send them. DO NOT OPEN! There names will be on there and I want you all to wait till Christmas to give them out. I love you all a lot and I am so thankful for the help and support you are. Even when I haven't been the greatest. Have a good day and see you in a few weeks! 

Love Elder Heckel 

Larissa- Getting things going

Dear loved ones,

This week was a great week. We are really starting to get things moving. We visited all of our members FINALLY!! and have found a couple of potential investigators MIRICLE. We are so excited to get out and get the ball rolling with our members and with the investigators. We had a wonderful lesson this Sunday by our bishop about missionary work.... too bad non of our members that live in our area went to church this Sunday. looks like we will have to go teach it to them ourselves:P

Thanksgiving was super fun. We didn't know if we would have any appointments for Thanksgiving but thanks to the wonderful blessings of our Heavenly Father, we ended up having two. One was with a women named Gritza Ramirez. We went by because her mother is a member but she is not. That day her friends only son was killed in a car accident. We were able to help her feel some comfort and get to know her better. As the conversation went on she knew a little about missionaries but thought we would go home to be with our families for thanksgiving. When we told her know she told us. "You will come here for thanksgiving and eat with me and my family." haha not really know anything about he family we said yes. haha when we came back on thanksgiving there was her whole family. haha turns out they are in a very weird situation, as we came to talk to everyone we found that her "husband" (or the man she is living with and the father of her children) actually has another family as well... and this was the first time that they have all come together EVER!  talk about awkward. But we didn't let that stop us. We talked to every member of the family, they soon started talking about a lot of other relatives that were members as well. half of her family knew a lot about the Mormon religion. We got into a really good lesson about he word of wisdom with her 33 year old son and his friend. They were mind blown that we didn't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Everyone once in a while during the lesson he would just blirt our "Really!! you really don't do that stuff?" haha it was really cool. We were also able to answer some of their gospel questions. I love when people have questions about the church and what we believe so I was in heaven and having so much fun answering their questions.

After that meal we went and ate with a recent convert. Pico! he put together all the Thanksgiving goods and was cooking for hours. the other sisters, Sister Taylor and Sister Wood came as well and it was so fun. Pico got baptized about a month ago and has been going strong every since and loves the church and loves the missionaries.

I have been studying a lot this week on consecration and the spirit of prophecy and revelation. I finished the book of Mormon again and I am starting over studying those two topics. I have already learned so much just in the first few chapters of 1 Nephi. I love the scriptures and I have really been diving into them latterly. and reading Jesus the Christ in my "free time". haha I wonder when my comp will get annoyed with me saying "Oh my goodness did you know that...." while reading. I have been learning so much this past couple weeks and I am so grateful to have been taught so strongly by the spirit.

Oh this week I also remembers that I am allergic to cats. Fun experience. I also learned that Benadryl makes me very loopy and knocks me out. Haha let me tell you how great that day of proselyting was haha. Hna.Anderson had a good laugh. Haha all I remember was laughing at anything and everything. apparently nothing was funny.

Also Hna.Anderson had her first Road kill experiences. She ran over a bunny. Haha I couldn't help but laugh (hysterically) at her devastated reaction and then at her continuing to tell me that I am a heartless person because I was laughing at the fact that she ran over a bunny.... I just laughed harder. I love that girl!

This area reminds me so much of my first area in Brazoria. I love it. Haha I miss riding my bike more but once we get into the swing of things the bikes will come back out:) no worries.

This week was great and hopefully another great week is to come:)

Love you all and hope you all have a wonderful holiday season:) remember the true meaning of this Christmas season and if you have not read in your Liahonas (ensigns) about the He is the gift project. get on reading:)

We also might be moving out of our apartment into another one this week. Haha things keep changing! so fun;) life of a missionary.

~ Hermana Heckel:)

1. haha my eye only got worse:P

2. A random man talked to us for an hour in the fastest Spanish I have ever heard and then gave us mandarins from his tree in his front yard and an unidentified fruit:) I love these people.

3. haha my taste in food definitely has changed. I love tomatoes and I eat everything with Jalapeño! MIND BLOWN!

4. the trees here blow my mind! I love them!

Elder - Teaching

So this has been one of the craziest weeks I have ever had! A mission is seriously the place for everything on a schedule to go nuts!!! You know as a missionary you meet so many different people, some you get close with and others you simply are a walking step in there life.  But your greatest friends and those you come closest to are other missionaries. I love many of those I have had a chance to serve around, and I have come very close with a few. One in particular is a missionary in our current home who earlier this week jut lost his father in a plane crash.......that was hard, me and him have kinda been shy and just hung out with each other a lot. And to see this come crashing down on him was hard. I spent all day and a half with him listening to all his cool stories of his dad. It honestly killed me to not only have that happen to him, but to see how positive he was being! He never asked why me?? Or anything negative like that. We eventually took him to the church where a member took him to the airport to go to the funeral, He should be back today! But this thing during the week left me thinking a lot about my family and friends. I seriously love all of you guys and appreciate all you have done! I really do love you guys and would do anything for you. I don't know what I would do without you guys. I seriously am so blessed to have you guys in my life! This is the second time that a missionary I knew well has lost someone close to them. It's kinda crazy because a mission is seriously the best place for that. I don't know any missionary who has gone home permanently because of it. This gospel can do amazing things I could never have imagined or describe. I didn't even have a sliver of understanding before my mission.

        Also this week we have been able to visit so many different PMF and investigators. As I got to know them, I realized melt these people are mormon, they live the life style, they join family and friends at church. They give service and follow the word of wisdom. They do everything except baptism!! It gets frustrating sometimes seeing how close they are and yet they deny really believing and knowing. 

One of the families we visited was the Daniels........the father is an example of a extreme gamer....he has majorly slacked on his family duties.....he decided to put everything into world of warcraft...he lost his job forcing his wife to work...and doesn't care for kids to much. We go over a lot trying to encourage him to break free and take on his responsibilities.....especially since there being forced to move. It really makes me sad, I have met a lot of gamer dads out here and this is the first time I have seen one who has seriously fallen into it. NONE OF YOU will be like that....but it amazes me people are like that in this world. But he does have a very wonderful 8 year old daughter and crazy smart 10 year old son. I enjoy going over and playing with them and showing them all the "cool" Book of Mormon adventures. 

     We also visit another family, the Hawkins, they are currently divorced and we are teaching their daughter who is going back and forth between there homes. It amazes me how positive she is being in this situation, and the divorce has not only helped the mother to find a new husband, but to also return to church activity again. They absolutely love talking to us and having us over for dinner....hey watch a lot of tv, haha you can connect and start lessons over the craziest things you saw before the mission. We first met.....connected of the walking dead.....and now we are teaching her and preparing her for baptism. It is funny and exciting to share stuff that they seem to know nothing about. 

    there are many many more families and individuals we are teaching but those two are the biggest priorities right now, I really do enjoy going and teaching.....even though I hardly say anything at all.....I feel like I'm going insane because I don't talk a ton anymore. But YA know! Well and here are two funny things that have gone on this week also, one is that I awoke to.....ants!! Everywhere!!!!! They got in all the food and dishes and everything, I've spent a whole week scrubbing and eradicating the ants, yet every morning they seem to appear in increasing numbers. They had gotten all over me when my bed was near the kitchen so I had to move away....gosh those demon pests never just die! There are pictures down there of the first small group that appeared. Since then it gets bigger and bigger, so I'm going nuts trying to find an exterminator to help me in the apartment.

We are having a blast with the many things we do out here, I do take a lot of pictures...I'm just lazy at posting them ;) but I love all you guys and will post a ton more....another surprise is the fog here is so thick....you literally can only see thirty feet in all directions, kinda scary pulling into our home since we can't see the garage. But it's way fun to see it....its zombie weather. I have a ton more to say but I'll cut of for now.....here's one last surprise that will start of my letter next week. Just check out the picture on the bottom. I really love everything we have done, I love the support I got and can't wait to hear from you guys. Peace to you sirs and mams!! 

Love elder heckel "echo" 

-Elder Heckel

Larissa - PICTURES :)

1. Hna. Cabezas,

2. Sofia

3. Camyla

4. mama Mariana

5. Graffiti artet? our names Manuel is the best.

6. Manuel (papa) Emilia, and Manuel (hijo) - I made them all smile:)

7. La familia Ramos:)

8. Edi Gonzalez and his 3 kids and Jessica:)

Travis- Transferred to Gridley.

Dear family,

     All is well in California, I was just transferred to the Gridley 1st ward! This new area is fantastic, I kinda feel like I am in Heber City again. It's a small town yet it kinda feels big and there is a ton of farm land! Like ALOT! There is mostly rice and walnuts, but we have a variety of all different fruits and vegetables. Haha but switching to a new area was nothing like I thought. It's kinda a scary experience to have this big of a change and to not know everyone in the ward again. Things function differently in the are here then in Shasta lake but I enjoy this change and I am excited to tackle it. I'm slowly learning to love not only the new area, but also the new companion. His name is Elder Ramos, he is a Texas/Mexican, he comes from a big family of 13 (mixture of two families) he is super intelligent, funny, and loves to listen to music and sing. He enjoys the work and shows more emotion in things then most people do. He loves the work out here and has gone through many different changes. Oh I almost forgot, he has been out about 18 months already! But he is very cool and really pushes me to be a new kind of missionary which I am thankful for. 

 We have already taught so many different families since I have been here. One for example is a family called the grays. They are a smaller family, there is the mother ,who I haven't really got to know yet, who's going back to college to get a degree. Her daughter who is a 20 year old medic in the army and works in California. And there is her son, he is a 14 year old football player, he is very innocent and shy and is the greatest one to teach. The mother is semi-member and the daughter we aren't sure is yet or not. She knows a ton but we have yet to find her records. And the son hasn't really had a chance to see the gospel till now. When his father died, her mother fell into a depression for a while in which she was able to contemplate her life from then on. She decided it would be good not only to go back to school but to also start having the gospel back in their lives. We are teaching many part member families just like them, and it's always crazy how different the situation is, some are arrogant and stubborn and refuse to change, others are humbled and are open for God to guide them. I know that as I get to know them more and more I will love these people and get to know them better.

  I also would like to thank you guys for the package you sent. It was super nice and I was in need of some of that. Although I'm at a loss what to do with the Electric tooth brush I just bought. But I love it......hey did you realize that keyboard is for a tablet? It won't work for my iPad...hahaha it's fine I'll just send it home again. But I thank you for it and the letters, they really do make my whole week a ton better. As hard as it is to believe we missionaries do get discouraged, we do lose sight of why we are out. But the letters give us great motivation to remember the support we have and why we are here. 

Also I love that you sent me cookies...unfortunately I can't really eat them to much gluten for me right now. Gluten I don't think does to much to me rather than a little sleepy, but since I have said this people have fed me so much healthier that I never want to change. It's become a habit to say that I to everyone, Hahahaha but I still love it! And I am thankful for the chance, I seriously don't think I have eaten healthier in my life and I am now doing all sorts of workouts...I'm searching for weights still so I limited to running and push-ups but it's working fantastic.  I'm thankful for it, also the coat you got me is super nice, but since I moved south to a warmer climate I have not been able to use the jacket....I only got to use it twice!! 

So crazy thing. We went and helped a boy to finish his eagle project of planting trees. He was planting them everywhere in town and guess what else was going on to...a spider migration. Their are hundreds of spiders using their webs to fly through the air and land on everything. I freaked out at first and tried everything to keep them off of me. Buying then I got use to it....but they where everywhere!! These tiny jumping spiders ridding the wind with their webs. So their are a million webs everywhere to. I wish I has taken pictures but I forgot my camera. It's all the farm land creates a crazy breeding ground haha. Many of you would freaked out haha.

  I have so much more to talk about and wish I could take the time. But things have changed, work is harder heck I have lessons on p-day now before 6:00 it's insane. But I love it and you guys, I'll tell YA more about those I teach and what goes on. I also will tell YA about the family history stuff I am learning it is quite cool when you have a full understanding of it. I have learned so much especially that I'm a Laban,In the sense that I constantly have to be reminded of God and his miracles all the time. I enjoy it and hope you all are enjoying life. Try learning new stuff and keep me in the loop on what's going on! Anyone have questions tell me I'll be here to answer all week.  

Love Elder Heckel

Travis - Heading to a New area

Hey you there! YA you! Stop messing around and focus! This letter is very important, so give it your full attention. . . . . . It's from Elder Heckel!!! Hahaha it's such a joy this week, I really can't explain why I am happy this day. Of all times it's kinda a crazy time. These past two weeks have been quite crazy. So where to start?? Oh ya, 

Transfers are today and surprise!!! I am moving to a new area put area....and so is my companion! I guess the Shasta lake area enjoys having two new missionaries constantly. Haha oh well it makes me sad to leave this area at such a prime time. I'll start off by saying I am sorry I did not write for the past couple weeks. Two major things have recently happened. 

     One was a ward blitz! A blitz is when the missionaries select one ward(Shasta lake) in the are and all the missionaries (22) go and tract and teach there for one day! I had to plan and carry out this whole operation, and since is was the first time to ever happen in this area. I had no guide lines to go off of. But I took my time and study to prepare and over prepare again. And the result was great success. We where able to more then double the teaching pool, we also visited many less actives inviting them to join us once again. We saw a dramatic increase in the attendance in church after that, we have had much enjoyment in seeing people find that happiness and light in their lives again. 

     I am so thankful for the chance I have been given to teach and help these people in Shasta lake. This town at first impression doesn't seem to be the greatest place. But as you live here and interact with all the people your eyes are open. These people have there own aura about them. Especially the members here, they aren't like any other ward I have been to. It's always has something exciting going on..from someone getting trapped in the elevator to a hobo that got into the church and was hiding. It always was a fun time and yet there is a strong spirit...there are members here who grew up their whole lives in a small ward surrounded and bombarded by these other churches who dislike and even persecute us. These people have some of the strongest testimonies I have ever seen. They have lived the rough life and yet pulled a 180* spin around into these people that are loving and caring. They are willing to go out and help with no though to there being a reward. I really hope the missionaries cherish the moments they gave here....yes they may not be like every other ward...but it has its own special spirit. I will forever be thankful for the friends I have made here.

      I also got super sick recently. I can't really tell you what it exactly was....a mixture of my companions uncleanliness and my own stupidity. Either way I couldn't have gotten this at a worse time haha, actually I take that back for the lord I know he perfected it. During this sickness we had to move out of our old apartment into this new cottage.(I will post pictures) this new cottage was pretty far away and it happened to start raining that day also....hard! And as a missionary...somehow you take out more stuff in an apartment then you do coming in. It was a crazy two days of trying to get our desks, books, beds...everything to the new place. Miraculously we managed to get it all there without destroying anything. Hahaha(I have a funny sorry for later about the cleaning) it was well worth it, and I also had to get to so many lessons...haha some rejected me for fear of getting he flu!!! But we worked through it......

     honestly right now I'm kinda bewildered about transfers...through my cunning works o figured out early that both me and elder gentry are leaving the area. We are amazed as I am going to gridley and elder gentry is going to auburn! He is going zone leader!! I trained two zone leaders!! Haha but I am building up....but it's gunna be hard....from the people I talked to who served around this guy...I'm kinda baby sitting. He isn't the greatest missionary by any means. I think the lord is challenging me, but I've made my stand last week and don't plan on changing! I love the work I do and have much to overcome. I must cut this letter shorter than I wanted. But know you all are awesome and I pray for you every day.

Elder heckel 

Larissa - BLESSED BEYOND ALL REASON

Hola:)

This week was a AMAZING week. Really I can't even explain. Well I can so here I go:)

First off I had exchanges to the Houston 8 ward with Hna. Call and It was great. We got caught in a down pour as we road our bikes.... there was no where to ride for cover for about a mile.. and we were about 5 or 6 miles away from our car...... so that was fun:) no really I was dying laughing the whole time. We then got fed the greasiest chick in the entire world.... haha life in a Spanish speaking mission! Love it. I actually had my favorite food Pasole 3 times this week. but it was three different kinds:) Kinda happy about that one. 

Second. We went to the temple as a mission again and after the session we had a training in the temple:) better then the first time. We were able to go with elders and so it was good to hear there opinions and comments instead of just all sisters. I know that the temple is the house of God. It was an amazing experience. We also were taught by the temple president President Crane and his wife. It was spectacular. I love the temple so much! I also cant wait to take my recent converts to the temple for baptisms for the dead:) 

THIRD!! Well as I said last week. Manuel accepted the invitation to be baptized this last weekend and everything went amazing. God definitely prepared this family for the gospel! He was also baptized by Manuel his son. It was so special. haha while Manuel papa was in his interview for his baptism Manuel hijo was in his for the priesthood. He received it the third hour of church and baptized his dad that day. What a special moment. I was able to sit next to Emilia during the Ordinance and it was amazing just watching her and seeing how the spirit has touched her life and changed her. She was so overjoyed that now her family was united.

FOURTH!!!!!! So after the baptism we had a Devotional for recent converts and investigators. The Elders in our district were in charge. They asked Emilia and Manuel hijo so bare their testimonies. After the baptism they were a little scared and didn't want to and didn't feel like we could share anything with the people there. I said a prayer because I knew they had something to share that would touch someone there. So after some gentle persuasion they said yes. They both Bore PERFECT testimonies. It was amazing. There conversions are so strong and they didn't seem nervous at all. not ganna lie I was worried it was going to be a "travel Log" but it was perfect. Both of them testified that they new the church was true. I have never been so happy! it was amazing they really brought me to tears. I love them both so much and I am so happy that Manuel papa decided to be baptized and in one year they can be sealed together as a family! it was literally amazing. 

Oh BEST DAY EVER!! I was talking to Emilia (who is full on Mexican doesn't speak any English) and she told me that I looked like I was from Monterrey and  spoke like her too:D What the happy! I loved it! I was literally overjoyed that my Spanish was actually that good! yay:) and apparently there is a part of mexico where I will fit in perfectly! 

Such a great week! literally couldn't have asked for anything better:) So blessed! 

Con muchisimo amor!! Gracias por todo! 

La Hermana Heckel! 

P.S. With possible transfers this week please send any letters to: 

602 Eldridge Rd. Sugar Land, Tx. 77478

1. Which ones real????:D

2. Serious Mexican photo! 

3.me and my comp at the temple

4. My wonderful Zone