Jenessa - Week 49 - Its been a GOLDEN week!

Happy "Fall" Ya'll!! :-) 

Its cooling down here in Waycross.....but the missionary work definitely is NOT!!! 

This week was really great! Honestly, one of the greatest weeks of my mission. We had so many miracles and I have never felt so good or been able to work so hard without physical issues. Its been amazing. I think this is just going to continue to be a wonder to me for a while, how a shift in mind set just really truly can change everything. I told you last week a bit about my thought process changing (maybe?) I have been continually examining my thoughts this week and have come to realize that about 90% of the time my thoughts are negative (or at least have a negative tone to them), and I decided that was no way for a Disciple of Jesus Christ to be thinking. I went to my Heavenly Father in prayer and asked for his help to change my thoughts that I might be able to be a better Disciple of Jesus Christ, and help me he did. As I have been able to think more positively and continually fill my mind with thoughts of Christ, the scriptures, hymns, happy memories, happy future memories (having a vision of future Goals being accomplished), and focusing on those things that are the most important in life my whole life has changed. The way I wake up and get out of the bed in the morning, the way that I exercise, the way that I go about each day with purpose in my step, the way I talk to people, EVERYTHING has changed and continues to change daily! I have not had a single headache this week (ok...I had one, but it was because we had FIVE lessons in one day and because of complications with scheduling.....you know how plans change.... we ended up having to go without dinner and so the headache came on because of not eating....but my usual "tension" headaches that I seem to have on a consistent basis have not happened this week). My back has not been bothering me hardly at all, I have more energy and more of a desire to work each day. I feel like their is more purpose in my work and as we have been diligent we have seen miracles! This week we picked up 10 new investigators (1 we gave to the elders and another has already dropped us), but the others are really great and having us back to teach again! Its so wonderful! God truly is blessing us so much! 

Let me tell you about some miracles from this week! First off, our investigator Alisa came to church again!! YAY! She is the sweetest thing, she came to church two weeks ago and then came to the General Women's meeting with us last night. She had a mini miracle happen in her own life because of coming to our womens meeting. This may seem like a very small miracle to you, but to her this was the world and she started sobbing on our ride home. She was just so full of the spirit and the love of God in her heart, and I believe was really filled with HOPE....something she hasn't felt in a long time! She has a son who she has not talked to in years. He never comments or likes anything, even on facbook, but he is her friend on facebook. She posted a picture of us at dinner before the Women's broadcast and her son LIKED it :-) She was so overcome with emotion. It was such a tender moment. :-) Its amazing those little things that bring us joy each day. I wish I was more receptive to those little things that the Lord gives me each day that would bring me that much joy and happiness. :-) I'm working on opening up my heart to that. Anyways....Alisa came to church and it was wonderful. After church is when a HUGE miracle happened! Sister Boucher and I had gone out to our car to get our study stuff so that we could do our studies. We saw a member who had come back and was sitting in her van, so we decided to go over and talk to her for a min. After a few minutes this car pulls up, and I here Sister Boucher say "is that our neighbor?" Guess what? IT WAS. Our neighbor decided to just come to church yesterday. She did not make it to our church services that start at 9, but we were able to get the last half of Sacrament meeting and the rest of the meetings in the Waycross 2nd ward with her. It was incredible! We asked her after church what had prompted her to come to church and she said "you ladies." How sweet! We had hardly even talked to her about the Gospel. We had tried to open up that conversation up once and it was received alright and she took a Book of Mormon, but did not seem all that interested. Apparently we made an impact on her and also another member. She was in contact with one of the Brothers from our ward and one day (a while back) he gave her a sticky note with the directions to the church. She said that yesterday she woke up and was thinking about us and then saw the sticky note and said to herself "I'm going to church." AND SHE CAME!! How amazing is that! There's more.....after church we were able to sit down with her and have a lesson with her and at the end Sister Boucher so boldly invited her to be baptized on November 1st and she said YES!!! How amazing! She made a comment at the end of us talking, just before we had to leave, that was music to our ears. She said that she had been to many churches and she just never felt comfortable, but she was so surprised that she felt comfortable hear...that is one of the reasons she was definitely coming back! How amazing is that! We confirmed to her, that not only did she feel comfortable because the people here in Waycross are incredible and have such big hearts, but that she felt comfortable because this is CHRISTS CHURCH and His spirit is here....that she knows him and he knows her and that is a the familiar and comfortable spirit that she feels! Isn't that amazing! :-) 

Having Elder Golden (a member of the Seventy) come here this week was WONDROUS!! I absolutely loved it. I learned so much! I loved how he talked about how "We are not training you up to be good missionaries but to be true disciples of Jesus Christ who desire to share the gospel throughout your lives." This is so true. Yes, we are hear to bring souls unto Christ as missionaries, but this is a way for us to learn how to continue to share the gospel and be true disciples of Christ throughout the rest of our lives. I have thought about that statement a lot and have thought about that in terms of my investigators and then the members here in the area. How amazing that would be to focus on investigators (and even our own family members)
​with the intent to not only "save them" but to help them become TRUE DISCIPLES of JESUS CHRIST throughout their lives...by helping them make and keep commitment, and eventually make and keep covenants. What an interesting perspective shift. We are hear to help others become disciples of Jesus Christ as we are trying to become. Baptism is only the beginning, we have to see a bigger picture and look beyond what their current situation and character is! :-) 

I loved that he talked about following your first impression. If you are living righteously you should trust your FIRST thought and distrust the second thought. If you are not living righteously you should trust the SECOND thought and distrust the first. Isn't that an interesting concept. Our first thought is from the Lord, when we live righteously. We should not question it, we should go and do. I have been trying to apply that to my work this week and it has worked miracles! Absolute Miracles to just pray, listen and then DO....no questions asked! 

Everything that Elder Golden had to share was just wonderful and I am so grateful that I got to be a part of that wonderful conference! I wish I had time to share more, but I must be off for today! 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love

Sister Heckel :-) 

Larissa - We got lost in the Jungle

Hello everyone:) hope yall had a fantastic week cause WE DID!!!!

so where to start. so on P-day it was Hna. Jaegers last p-day. She extended and she would be leaving the following Wednesday so we decided to go to the zoo. haha the animals were actually awake this time amazingly! so it was pretty fun being with out district. haha and right as we were about to leave it started a down poor of rain so we were stuck in the gift shop for a while and lets just say we had lots of fun:) haha we were able to talk to a couple of the workers that were there and suprized the crap out of them when we started speaking in spanish. then they were so amazed that they would only speak to us in spanish, haha we thought it was so funny. "all you white girls can speak spanish.... and good spanish too!" it was awesome.
Another miracle that happened this week was I didnt get hit by a car. Texas drivers are usually crazy so we are SUPER careful and I was coming to go past an exit from a store. The car was coming slowly and I had come to the cross section first so I just figured he was going slow cause he was being cautions. but nope I realized he was not even paying attention to anything going on the right side of his vehicle and swerved out of the way. I didnt stop to see his reaction I just kept going. said a quick prayer of thanks and we kept going on. Next thing he is pulling up next to me and told me that he was very very sorry. I told him it was okay and he went on his way. After that the weirdest thing happened. I was overcome with the spirit and such gratitude for his apology that I started to tear up. I am not sure why that hit me so hard or meant so much. it was a short apology but very sincere. I was then filled with this immense joy and happiness. It was so strange but a great experience at the same time.

So now some crazy Hna. Heckel and Hull moments.

-we locked out keys in the gym.... at 7 a.m. we had no way of getting back in the gym or getting into our apartment and that day we decided to leave the phone in there as well..... the apartment office does not open till 9 and we have a meeting that we needed to be to at 10..... So we run around asking everyone if they have a key... Pretty sure we are one of the only people with a key to the gym. Finally we decided to say a prayer and go back to the gym and lo and behold someone is in there. and lo and behold number 2 it was a potential investigator that moved into our complex:) oh the love or our heavenly father.

-We decided to go eat at a place call "Michuacana" super good mexican food:) Well we went in there and let me tell you I have never seen so many judgemental eyes! which for missionaries is not necessarily a bad thing. haha and once we started speaking in spanish they were stunned. All these men who stopped for lunch as well were talking about us in spanish so we decided to talk to them as well:) hehe shocked them!! We also made a friend that works there who we are going to invite to a young single adult activity this next week:) 

-so while we were bike riding we went over this huge curb... and me being me I dont feel like I ever need to get off my bike i can just pop the curb. Well it was huge and my bag went flying. didnt think I lost anything so we kept going. Well two lessons later as we go to get the phone to change a phone number.... I realize its gone. my mind immediately flashed back to that curb and we book it back there and it was no where to be found. hna. hull suggested some other places to go check. so we prayed and I had the strongest impression to go look at the office of the complex and what do ya know there it was. The office lady was a little hesitant to give it to us because the phone was in spanish:P hehe so we just started speaking to her  in spanish and described the phone then she gave it to us. 

-Then the most exciting experience. We were on our way to a members home and we were next to the Sam Houston toll way. suddenly the sidewalk turns into a kind of trail.... we thought sweet thats super nice and then about 5 minutes later we are in a forest.... super confused. We asked a couple people how long it would take to get out of there and everyone said oh about 1 mile.... okay so we kept going assuming we would get close to our destination. 2 miles later we asked someone else. same thing 1 more mile. 4 miles same thing.... eventually we figured that absolutely no one new what  they were talking about. haha eventually we found a way out. haha and realized that the trail we found was a super intense nature bike trail... I wonder what people thought when they saw us in our skirts:P haha super funny.

-I have never laughed so much in my entire mission as I have with Hna. Hull! she is the best!

I hope that yall enjoyed General conference womens session. If they didnt say it any clearer! Prepare for the temple!!! It is amazing the covenants you will make there can and will change your life. I want to give a shout out to Diann Bergner who had all of us memorize the living Christ in young womens a couple years ago.... kinda forgot alot of it but I am working on memorizing it again: ) We have some amazing leaders and they love us so much. We need to make sure we heed there councel. After the conference was over, one of the 11 year old girls came up to me gave me a huge hug and said "I am going to the temple!!" I was so full of the spirit, she continued to tell me her plan to prepare to go when she is twelve. I love conference and I am so excited to recieve the counsel we need next week.

THIS WEEKEND!!! The movie meet the mormons is coming out! If you dont know about it look it up on LDS.org. I encourage ALL!!! almost UGRE!! all you to go see it this weekend. If you can bring someone who is not a member with you. but go and see it ASAP!! Family movie night! It is going to be a great film and I encourage all to tell those who dont know about it to go see it this weekend as well as it comes out in theaters!

My other invitation this week is to invite someone to watch General Conference with you!! This is a great opportunity to hear the prophet of the Lord and we should share it with everyone.

Transfers are next week..... WHERE DID THIS TRANSFER GO??????

This week has been full of random spiritual moments, random life stories from random strangers and so many wonderful miracles from our Heavenly Father. I love this work and I love this Gospel.

Love you all,

Hermana Heckel

Jenessa - Week 48 - Prayer is everything!

Hey Ya'll- 

I have been learning a lot about prayer and its power more fully this week as I have been struggling with some personal things and have received such incredible personal revelation as I have been on my knees pleading with my Heavenly Father. Its been such an "awakening" type of experience. Its been so incredible to see the hand of the Lord so directly in my life! I know that he is there and he wants me to excel in all that I do. He wants that for all of us and I have seen that as I have also been praying fervently for investigators and members...I have seen so many blessings come. Its wonderful! 

Let me tell you a bit about our week. This week seemed to be mostly focused on our less active and recent converts. It was a wonderful week. We were able to meet with some amazing members who have just been struggling with coming to church. We met with this wonderful woman named Kecia. We had lunch with her and we laughed so hard. She was baptized back in May and just hasn't been to a whole lot of church since. It was so amazing to be able to see her walls come down as we talked with her. We were able to answer some of her questions that she couldn't seem to figure out when it comes to the Plan of Salvation, because she didn't want to be connected to her actual dad when she was not raised by him. We were able to let her know that we didn't have all the answers, but God would never make us be with someone that we didn't want to be with, but the sealing ordinance was what really was important, being sealed by that priesthood so that you can live with God. 

I love the Plan of Salvation....we were able to teach that a few times this week and it was wonderful. One of the greatest and most unified lessons Sister Boucher and I have taught together happened last night (Sunday night) . First off, we were invited to go to church with one of our investigators. We went to the evening service at this Baptist church and it was great. The people were very kind, the pastor spoke truth, but it was lacking that spirit. Sister Boucher and I talked about it afterwards how you could just tell that the Spirit wasn't fully there. We could feel it every now and then because he did speak truth as we were focused on Hebrews 11. But you knew that he didn't have that mantel and his words weren't as "piercing" as you would feel from a general authority or even a bishop. It was very interesting. After the service we had planned on having a lesson with Meagan. We were going to have it in a members home, but her Papa (grandpa) had brought her and so she went back to his house. She invited us over there though and we had an amazing lesson with her, her sister Niki and her Papa...Ronnie! They were so intent on what we were saying. Meagan was a little hesitant on some things, but Nikki (who we have never met before) was eating it up. You could just tell she was feeling the Spirit, her eyes were sparkling the whole time. It was kind of funny, because there were parts that weren't apparently very clear to Meagan and Nikki would turn to her and explain to her what it was all about, like the Spirit world and stuff. She completely understood it and it seemed to ring true to her. We were able to recap the Restoration lesson a bit to help Niki and Ronnie know about the importance of all these things and how they could come to know that all we had talked about was true. They said they would both read and pray about it. We were unable to set up a return appointment because of their crazy work and school schedules, but we will be back as soon as either one of them has a second to sit down ...they both go to school and work 1-2 jobs. Its nuts! :-) 

We were also able to meet this less active woman that we have been hearing about from other members ever since we got here...but she went like MIA for over 2 months, and then just showed up out of nowhere. She is quite the character. She apparently had gone down to Jacksonville to have some surgery done and didn't really tell anyone, she also...from what she told us....was really mad with God for a little bit and was trying to get over that. She is an amazing woman and has been through a lot, but she is also one of the most upbeat people I have ever met. She just exudes happiness and excitement, even when she feels like she is a bit "down." For real. HAHA! She also thinks she is the funniest person you will ever meet and she tells you so :-) I love her confidence and her directness. Learned a lot from her that day, especially since it was a hard day for me. It was good to be around her and to feel of her spirit! 

We had a wonderful dinner and a lesson with a recent convert in our ward Cherry. She and her husband, JH, (they have been married for 2 months) came over and had dinner with us and the Mathis family. It was so wonderful These people are just the best. When Sister Boucher and I had been planning their lesson we just felt impressed to stick with some basics of Prayer and Scripture study, welll the lesson ended up being all about Prayer and it was phenomenal. We were able to commit Cherry and JH to pray together as a couple and we just know that this is going to strengthen the both of them so much, because JH has been less active for years before he met Cherry and they decided to start going to church. They are both progressing right along in the gospel, I love seeing them every week at church! Having member that were able to fellowship them and love them has been so crucial to Cherry deciding to get baptized just two weeks ago and to JH coming back to church. Member missionary work matters!!! Are you doing your part?? 

Oh my goodness I have to tell you that since coming out on my mission I have really come to love the youth. They are so amazing. We had a little FHE at the Boatrights this past Monday night. First of all, let me tell you how amazing Brother and Sister Boatright are.....they are AMAZING! They are in their 70's and have 9 people (including themselves) living in their home. Their daughter, her husband, and their two children and then their other daughters 3 children live with them because she got herself into an interesting situation and cant take care of them right now. So they are raising the 3 grandchildren right now. The FHE was happening because Sister Boatright was concerned for one of her granddaughters, Chloee who is 19. Chloee was talking with Sister Boatright about how she didn't believe that the Book of Mormon was true and all this stuff, so Sister Boatright gave us a call and asked us to come present a FHE on the Book of Mormon. We, not wanting to put this in Chloee's face decided to teach the whole family the Restoration. It was perfect and Chloe was able to get some of her questions answered. We have met Chloee about three times before this and we have NEVER seen her smile, and that night as we talked and discussed we saw it and it was so beautiful. She is such a beautiful girl. I love her. I love all the kids in that house. During that entire lesson I was keeping the 6 year old Wyatt entertained with his match box cars. It was fun, somehow I was able to go between playing with him while my companion spoke to teaching when I needed to teach. It was very good and allowed everyone to really discuss and feel the spirit. I love all the kids in that house. :-) The youth have just grown on me. I love them and I want to be around them more and more. 

We have just been working hard and I wish there was time to tell you about all the amazing lessons and opportunities that the Lord gave us this week to love and serve people here in the Waycross 1st ward. It was wonderful! I have learned so much from being here in the Waycross area. I love being a missionary and I am so grateful that I have had this wonderful opportunity to serve! I feel like I am becoming more and more like the person my Heavenly Father wants me to become each day. I know that I have a long ways to go, but its always a good feeling knowing that you are going in the right direction! I am so grateful for the ability we have to pray and the power that comes as we pour our whole heart and soul out to our Heavenly Father, not only for ourselves, but for those around us. I have seen so many answers to prayers come this week for myself and especially for our investigators and other members. Its been wonderful. I think I have become very relaxed and casual with my prayers and this week as i have focused more on my Savior and Heavenly Father and really communicating with them it has made a huge difference. I am so grateful for my Savior and the fact that he allows me to start over each day, each hour, and even each moment. I can strive to do better and be better each moment. I can partake of his infinite atonement and be filled with peace, joy, happiness and love NOW...not later. I can become a little more like him everyday. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel that I have. I know that families can be together forever, there is not a doubt in my mind about this and once again...this I know because of my Savior. I know that He lives and He loves each and every single one of us....he certainly loves me....because he has brought me through so much with my own silent battles within my own heart. Its been incredible! I know that God lives. I say this all in the name of JEsus Christ, amen!

Love

Sister Heckel :-) 

P.S I love the attached picture about Attitude. This has so much to do with how well things went this week. Attitude is huge! I have heard all the time growing up that Attitude is everything....well this week I found out that really prayer is EVERYTHING.....because prayer shapes your attitude. If you are in the attitude of constant prayer in your heart. Turning your heart and mind to God and thanking him and seeing the blessings in your life....it will shape and mold your attitude which will then bring about an abundance of blessings. So yes...attitude is everything....but having an attitude that can really shape and mold your life into something that is fulfilling and happy comes the best through PRAYER!!! Do a little searching in the scriptures and you will find this to be true! :-) I KNOW! I've done it! 

I love it!

Jenessa - Week 47 - Heckel on Jekyll Island

Hi Ya'll-

This weeks letter will be very brief.

Life is just crazy, but it is good. This week I have learned how much
God truly loves me and how he answers our prayers just at the right
time, when we are ready to hear and listen to what he would share with
us. It is incredible.

Sister Boucher and I have watched a lot of our investigators "fall of
the face of the earth" or just decide to be done with us, it has been
so sad. We are going to be doing some finding this week.

This is probably the shortest letter you are going to get from me
because we went to st. Simons island and Jekyll island today. It was
so fun!

I will have to fill ya'll in on details about the week and the trip
next week....but enjoy the pictures. Sorry :)

Being a missionary is amazing! :)

Love
Sister Heckel :)

Larissa - It Got Cold!!

This week was such a blessing. I really could not be more greatful and recognize Gods hand in the work that we did this week. through he we accomplished everything.

First, It was cold this weekend, It was amazing. We were going to be biking basically all over texas for appointments so it was a huge blessing that it was not blazing hott. We had so many appointments and miracles this week it was amazing:)

We had exchanges and hna. Hull went to an English area for a day and Hna. Green our sister training leader came here with me. I loved it, she is a wonderful sister and I learned so much from her. She was a spanish speaking sister so she was able to speak to all our investigators which was nice:) We saw so many miracles and passed by so many people.

This week I gave a training on Faith in Jesus Christ and anyone who wants to strengthen their testimony in this gospel should do a little study on this. He literally is the center of everything we teach as missionaries and of the church. I love studying faith in Jesus Christ and I was very grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony with the other missionaries in our district.

Hna. Hull is doing amazing. I am literally blown away at how naturally and how smoothly she adapted to missionary life and speaking spanish and doing the work. I seriously was so blessed. She came pre-trained! She has been doing really great at leading lessons and now we established a pattern of teaching that is awesome and works really well for us. She is super outgoing which is super awesome for this area and we have been doing super well at talking to everyone and teaching when we find. It has been a blast and such a testimony builder. today even. We were waiting to leave walmart and we were just standing there and started talking to a man who turned out to be a member visiting and was looking for a chapel, he also spoke spanish! and he had two referals for the missionaries. Not in our area as far as we know but its all gods work:) and we were able to have great conversation with him and weirdly enough I felt the spirit super strong in Walmart.... Weird but super cool.

Lately us missionaries have been hearing about some worldly problems that are going on and things that have happened. I dont need to go in detail about what but me and hna. Hull had a talk and I know that these are the last days. We need to prepare now and not wait. We need to do all we can so that we have the promise of the guidance from our Heavenly Father and his power with us. With him we need not fear.

Anyways on a happier note! this week was a party weekend. We had Fiestas Patrias. which is like Mexico independence or soemthing to that effect. but we had a ward party and everyone brought a different plate of food from their country.... haha but wait Psych! Hna. Hull and I decided that we should go visit some people and found 3 new investigators... still a little sad we missed out on the food and activities but its okay it was worth it:) Because. The next night it was the cumpleanos de un hermana. Let me tell you any party in the spanish culture is a big deal. it was at the church and you would have thought it was a wedding! it was awesome. There was a huge dance as well and we happened to be there (course we didnt dance... but was very tempting and ended up leaving because it looked like way to much fun) but let me tell you. These parties are so much fun Our stake president was there as well and was dancing like no tomorrow. I love it. They really know how to have fun. I love these people and I love this culture! its amazing:)

So blessings, sacrafices, amazing weather, and miracles! dont have to much time left but I just want you all to know I love you and Hope you are all doing well and saying your prayers and reading your scriptures! 

Love, Hermana Heckel.

Jenessa - Week 46 - Let Go of Pride!

Hey Ya'll-

What a phenomenal week it has been. I love being a missionary! We had a train the trainers meeting this week, where all of those who are training and their trainers got together for a meeting with President and Sister Craig. We separated into trainers and trainees and talked about how the training was going. We shared what was going well and what needed some improvement. It was very enlightening and actually quite wonderful. It was so good to get to see where I was doing good and where I was falling short as a trainer and how I could specifically help my companion in her progression out here as a missionary! I am so grateful for this opportunity to train. Like I have mentioned before, this has been one of the hardest things I have done on my mission, but so fulfilling and joyful as well, I love it! Sister Boucher is a wonderful missionary and is going to do many great things here in the Fjm! She is so prepared to share this gospel. She loves goals and planning, which I am grateful for. She really knows how to set inspired goals and then do all she can to fulfill them. I have learned so much from her. My planning has been better then ever before, with her. Its incredible. I have always been the kind of person to read up, study, and work hard, but still kind of just "wing it" sometimes...by the spirit of course.....I don't know why it has taken me till now to really understand the power of specific and detailed planning. Setting up how the whole lesson should go. We still might deviate from it a bit, but its been amazing to see the miracles that have come as we have prepared well. Its a bummer that it has taken me this long to really just accept the fact that detailed planning is so important....and put my pride aside. 

That is one major thing I have learned from my mission and especially as a trainer.....how important it is to put your pride  aside and humble yourself. I have struggled with that throughout my mission.....it's not always easy to see pride. It causes lots of problems that sometimes you dont even realize is a pride problem. It has been very interesting as I have been learning to recognize pride in its various forms, in my life and in the lives of other....and then realizing how much easier and happier life is when you LET GO of pride!

We had a miracle online this week. We received a referral online from a member to teach his friend Isabelle Kanga (she is from the Ivory Coast), about two months ago. We have been trying to teach her off and on for the past two months, we finally were able to really get into a solid lesson about the restoration this past week, and then Saturday the Miracle happened. We were able to connect her with the member who referred her and he was able to bear his testimony after we talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. While in that conversation he told her that he would be willing to bring her over a Book of Mormon if she wanted to read it, she said Oui (yes)!!  I was overjoyed. She loved what she was hearing and she said she would read and pray to know for herself. She had to go before we were able to invite her to be baptized, but that will happen this week for sure!! :-) Yay for online work and for member referrals!! :-) I wish more people would refer their friends online! BTW....Isabelle speaks french...so i have to use this little translating app on my ipad to talk with her...it is an adventure for sure! 

We have so much going on in our area, I am not even sure where to start. We have a couple, Jim and Deborah, that we are currently teaching. They know a lot of our ward because she was a school teacher for over 30 years here in Waycross. :-) They are honest seekers of truth and are very open to listen and seeking the will of the Lord. We taught the Plan of Salvation this past week and they took notes together and wanted to look into it themselves even further. It was amazing. They talked about how they had been reading and praying and seeking to find answers to their questions. They really want to listen to what we have to say, because as Jim puts it, "Salvation is a no small thing, which ya'll seem to understand....and ya'll are basing your salvation off of these teachings." Indeed we are and they are now praying to know for themselves. We are so excited to go back and teach them more this coming week. :-)

There are so many more things that I want to talk about, like Alisa Williams coming to church and just crying the whole time through Sacrament (and testimony) meeting, SHE LOVED IT! It was amazing! We are teaching so many people and having miracles happen everyday. It seems like every time we go over to  a current investigators home, we have someone walk in (often a friend or a neighbor of theirs) who ends up becoming a new investigator. People are just coming out of the woodwork, who are just prepared and read to hear the gospel it is incredible! We have had that happen to us like 3 times this week. Miracles are happening everywhere and everyday!!

I am running out of time, but I hope ya'll have a wonderful week! 

SHOUT OUT TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOMMA!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week!!! :-) 

Love Ya'll

Sister Heckel 

The picture is a sign that we came across when we went to Zone Meeting this past week :-) Fun fun! 

Larissa - Sick Smiling Sisters and SMALL WORLD

People I LOVE!!!!!!!
HEEEEEEEEYYYYYY

So first off  I have to share this picture first...... GUESS who!!! one of the members that we are visiting and that I absolutely love (Mariana) decided to take a trip to New York to see her mom and while she was on the subway she saw to missionaries and started talking to them and then my name was brought up and the missionary goes.... I Know who that Cute missionary is!!!!! Send her a picture and tell her I said Hello:) Well hello sister. Weyandt all the way from the big city of New York:) What a small world we live in! especially in the church!

Well this week was pretty crazy. We had a killer week on Labor day just out teaching people in the rain and sharing our message with everyone. We made a goal to teach anyone that could hear and we did it:) I love my comp. She is so willing to just put it all in there and work. but then I think she put a little too much into it because Wednesday night.... She got SUPER sick and we ended up being in our apartment till Saturday..... because I got sick on Friday, Not as bad but the medical adviser told us to stay in till we were all better because apparently it was contagious. I actually think hna. Hull had Appendicitis and so does the Dr. in our ward. But she was able to receive a blessing from Hno. Ramos (our ward mission leader) and started to get better. MIRACLE. haha We definitely had lots of bonding time and got to know each other really well so I am grateful for that part:) She was such a trooper, everyday she was so mad that she was still sick and just wanted to be better already! She was a great example of dedication and long suffering that is for sure.

Well because we didn't really go out we didn't have a lot of progress with our area except the wonderful tender mercy we had with Mariana (the member in the pictures) husband. He couldn't come to church cause we worked so late but came to the baptism and was able to see that and make a lot of friends in the ward and told us that he is excited for all the fiestas that we are having this weekend:) Oh how our heavenly Father loves us. That was so amazing, he is so prepared all he needs is to take that leap of faith into the Water :P We love him so much and Mariana and we cant wait till they can start to receive all the blessings that is gospel has to offer.

Well now that we are all better this week is going to be awesome:) we are so excited for all the miracles that is in store and to share the gospel with so many people this week.

I love being a missionary, I cant say it enough, this is the most amazing work. Even in the hardest of times there is no where that I would rather be. Having the opportunity to serve the lord is a blessing and I wish that everyone could know of this blessing and feel of the love that our heavenly Father has for each and every one of us. I think that is something that I have learned to love the most is being able to see people to way God sees us. We are all sons and Daughters of God and he loves us no matter where we are in life or what we do or what we have done. He loves us and that will never change.

I love my Heavenly Father so much for the abundant mercy he grants to all of his children, haha especially to me for all those things I need to better.

Love you all,

I hope that you all have a bless week and remember to

Pray and talk to your Heavenly Father everyday,

and Read you scriptures so maybe he can answer you back:)

Cause I know he will

Love Hna.  Heckel

SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE BIRTHDAY GIRL THIS WEEKEND! THATS RIGHT NUMBER 1 MOM'S HAVING A PARTY THIS WEEKEND!!! FOREVER 21!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  MOM, LOVE YOU!

Larissa - First week of Training. LOVE HNA. HULL

Hello everyone:)

How are things in Utah or wherever yall are? cause things are fantastic over here in Blazing hott texas. 

Well my trainy is named Hna.Hull. She is amazing. she definitely came pretrained. She speaks spanish so well and understands so well. I definitely got blessed on this end because she truly is amazing. She reminds me so much of my Amiga KZ.... like alot. super weird but cool at the same time:)

So as we train we have an extra hour of study time to the day..... which is really hard cause we both want to get out and teach and talk to people but we make it really fun so we can make it through. haha we like what we are learning too.... I am definitely learning alot from 12 week as well. Its good to have a refresure and learn new ways to teach and be a better missionary. So I feel like Heavenly Father is just blessing us left and right.

Oh the last day that hna. Scott was in this area we found another HUGE cockroach in our apartment and she freaked.... we have no idea where they come from but somehow they get in and freak the daylights out of us. but we have cockroach spray so it was easier to get then the other one with Hna. Bonhard.

I am so happy to be able to be in this area for another transfer! I will have been in this area for 4 transfers now:) I love it so much and we are just recieving so many blessings. We are working hard on finding more people to teach which is an awesome oportunity for hna. Hull to just be out and talking to everyone we see and sharing the gospel. Also on her first day we were talking with this women and she invited us in to taste her soap.... Menudo.... and or those of you who knows what that is no we didnt know what it was when she was telling us... and yes it was very painful to eat. for those of you who dont know what that is it is Cow stomach.... she also added in some cow foot. It was the hardest meal I have ever had to eat. So nasty... but I ate it. well at least the part I could cover with rice and swallow whole. but the foot... I just couldn't do it. but the lady Lorena who fed us had no problem with taking out of my bowl and eating it. haha I love her, we are actually teaching her right now and she is so funny.  But I will definitely have to dodge Menudo from now on. I will get full really fast once someone says that. haha It was the best cause that was the first meal that hna. Hull ate on the mission:P haha

We were able to talk to alot of great people this week and we are so excited to see what God has in store for this area. We are teaching a family right now and they are all so adorable I love them. We will be seeing them again and Friday.

Hna. Hull loves riding bikes and is learning the area super fast which is super awesome I am so excited to see all that she can contribute to this area and all the miracles we will see through her faith. She has such a strong testimony and is so intune with the spirit and so I really dont feel like she just got here. We work very well together and our lessons just flow. I really have been so blessed I cant even express how grateful I am for this wonderful blessing.

I figured out this week I only have 8 months left............ where the heck did the time go. Time is like the biggest enemy on my mission I just want it to stop. but like all things in life, we just got to do our best and not waist a moment. Still super weird. I dont feel like I have been out that long. Hopefully it will slow down for the last couple months:)

After these next two transfers I will be one of the oldest missionaries in the mission.... super weird. half the people that where here when I came in are gone and home. all these new faces are crazy and excited. We have had and have so many great missionaries.

I love this gospel so much. I cant even explain but my testimony just grows stronger and stronger every day. especially on those hard days I think is when I can really feel it grow. I really love how much our heavenly Father loves us and shows his love for us everyday.

This week I have seen so many miracles through prayer. I can testify that God does answer prayers. especially when we are open to his answers. He may not answer in the way that we want but he will answer and he will show his love for us but we need to be open to those other answers that he will give us. for me personally and with others I have talked to God shows himself diferently to all of us, we may need to pray to recognize those answers as well.

I love my Heavenly Father and I am so glad I get to share the message of this Restored Gospel and my Savior Jesus Crist. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Remember:

Read your scriptures,

Pray,

and you have an appointment with God every Sunday... don't miss it (church).

Love you all:)

Hermana Heckel

P.s. First year away from Swiss Days.... WEIRD!! I hope you all enjoyed every minute of it.

Oh and i showed Hna.Hull the frozen banana Drizzled with melted peanut butter and chocolate sauce.... yes she is addicted:) I am totally okay with that.

Jenessa - Week 45- MIRACLES EVERYWHERE!!!

Hey Ya'll :-)

 I am just so excited to tell you about our wonderful week!! We saw so
many miracles, God hand is in this 100%. First off, Sister Boucher is
incredible and during our weekly planning session this past week she
recommended that we have mighty prayers every night, as we close our
planning session, for all those people that we saw during that day and
all the people we were going to be seeing the next day. We have been
doing this every night and it has brought about so many MIRACLES!  I
am determined that this will be something I will be doing for the rest
of my mission, even though some nights we are exhausted, that mighty
prayer is amazing. It keeps us focused for the night and even into the
morning. I am find that I go to sleep still thinking and pondering
about the people we spoke with that day and the people we are going to
speak with the next day, it has me contemplating on our goals as I
fall asleep and even has me thinking about them as I wake up and head
out to exercise. Its been incredible. I love what your letter said,
"What you focus on is what you get." I whole heartedly believe that
and I have seen that in action this week. We have even set a goal to
focus our conversations on missionary work or the gospel......that is
a BIG topic.....there is so much to talk about, we never run out of
things to say! As we have focused our thoughts, conversation, and
prayers on our goals and missionary work The Lord has placed person
after person into our path to teach!!!  I don't even think I can even
truly express how the feeling of missionary work has changed for me. I
have served now for 16 months and I dont think I have ever felt this
way so consistently. I have more energy, I have more patience, I am
more able to follow the promptings of the spirit, our lessons are
incredible and I feel so much love in my heart that it could almost
burst!!! I know that my Savior is near and I am so grateful for that.
:-) What you focus on is truly what you get and it is amazing!!!

Sister Boucher and I have just been so happy and love this work so
much, even when we have been out in the hot sun on our bikes. There is
nothing like  riding a bike, in 100 degree weather, 80% humidity (at
least), in a skirt, with a BIG SMILE on your face...... and then
watching as people driving by slow down and stare ;-) its the
greatest! I love being a missionary!

We had trade off's this week with our Sister Training Leaders, Sister
Kastellar and Sister Earl....I LOVE THEM!!! It was so great! :-) It
was kind of weird, but also kind of nice not actually being the sister
training leader.  I had the privilege of being with Sister Earl, she
is incredible and it was exactly what I needed and when I needed it.
It was great to take some time and really verbalize and solidify my
goals for the rest of my mission. It was wonderful we were able to go
to dinner with a member and while we were there we were able to share
a bit of the gospel with our waitress, this girl name Deysi (said
Daisy). It was wonderful to see the member Sister Mortorff just reach
out and start talking about the gospel so naturally to our waitress.
That is one of my goals for my life, is to make the gospel a natural
part of my everyday conversation with people. It was so wonderful to
see that and it made it so natural for us to get her information to
now, hopefully have the opportunity to teach her. She was so cute and
thought we were really nice. We have been able to contact her via
facebook and will start teaching her soon. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!! :-)

We have been working hard to get all of our Key indicators up to the
standards of excellence (for our mission is 5 member presents, 5 new
gators, 2 at church, adn 10 other lessons per week) and let me tell
you, with The Lord help we are doing just that. We taught 5 member
presents, had 6 new investigators, 9 other lessons, and 1 (date) at
church. Isn't that amazing! That has been my goal for the whole
transfer was to get our numbers up to the Standard of excellence
because I know that as we focus on those goals, that we will have
progressing investigators working towards baptism...and indeed we are!
We are excited to up that number of people at church next week. We are
confident that we will have more then 2 there! We are so excited! With
this focus on our minds and the fast that we participated in yesterday
for our goal of 70 baptisms in the mission for September to get us to
1000 within the mission, we know that miracles are going to continue
to occur all over the mission as we allow The Lords hand to come in
and do HIS work. I truly believe that we just need to "get out of the
way" so to speak, to allow The Lord to work through us. I have come to
realize that much of my success or failure on my mission thus far has
come from either letting go and letting God take care of things, or
standing in the way and trying to take care of things myself. The
least productive times on my mission have been when I have decided
that I knew what i was doing, when I put my thoughts "above" His
thoughts, and my ways above His ways OR when i just get to focused on
myself and my problems and less focused on what I have been called to
do. The Lord truly does bless us as we lose ourself in His work! :-) I
know this!  Sister Boucher and I are losing ourselves in this work
here in Waycross and we know that for this upcoming month we will be
having 3 baptisms to reach our goal of 70 baptisms as a mission! :-) I
know this and I know it because God confirmed to both of us that is
what he would have us do and we are going to go out there and work
hard, and allow The Lord to MAKE IT HAPPEN through us!! :-)

Ok....enough about us....let me tell you about the amazing miracles
and people that we have had the privilege of teaching this week!! We
have been teaching this one couple Geanie and Elliot that the others
Sister found. After our first visit with them, I wasn't quite sure
about their true desire to continue forward and to do what is
required, but after this last visit it was incredible. We were able to
bring two members with us, the RS Pres and then Sister Taylor (who has
just barely been reactivated after 7 years or more), we were able to
teach them and have a very powerful lesson reading the Book of Mormon.
We read 3 Nephi 11 (one of my favorites) and once we got into the
versus about the mode and manner of baptism, we stopped and has a very
powerful discussion about baptism. We feel like Geanie and Elliot
truly have a desire to know the truth and want to come closer to the
Savior, they still need some better understanding, but they accepted a
baptismal date and want to move forward. They have some
hesitations/reservations about coming to church, which we didn't
really take the time like we should have to work through or talk
about, but that is what we will be  discussing next lesson. We are so
excited. Geanie is incredible. She has really turned her life around.
She is a recovering addict and you should just see the glow in her
eyes as she talks about the Savior and bears her testimony of how she
knows that there is no way she could be where she is without Him and
she never wants to do anything without him again!! She has so much
faith, it is phenomenal!

We had a Sister Cornett come out with us one evening and she was so
perfect for the lady we were able to speak with that night. We
actually had ALL 3 of our appointments cancel, but that is ok, because
that was not where we needed to be. We needed to be on Alisa's door
step that night, especially with Sister Cornett! It could not have
been more perfect. Alisa is an lady that we knocked into a few weeks
ago. When we initially contacted her she was really really sick,
because of a cyst that had been removed from under her arm had gotten
infected. We tried to return back about a week later and once again
she was still sick, well this week when all of our lessons were
falling through we decided that we needed to go try her (she was one
of our back ups). We went there and she opened right up, especially to
Sister Cornett. It was wondrous! She felt of our love and concern and
she wanted to learn more. She said that she had been just recently
thinking about how she needed to get back into church and she felt
like coming to ours would be a good thing. She was unable to come with
us on Sunday, because of a late night she had and she wanted a dress.
Sister Cornett is so great and offered to take her to Goodwill and
help her find a dress so she can come. She wants to come next week and
we look forward to her coming. :-) Sister Cornetts testimony and just
her being there made all the difference with our lesson with Alisa. I
KNOW that it is because we had a member at that lesson that Alisa was
so open with us, because she was able to talk to someone that
understood her and was able to really empathize with her, making that
connection that she really needed! I love MEMBER WORK!! It is so
powerful!

We met this amazing 16 year old girl named Meagan this week. We were
on bikes and trying to contact a less active. It was sooo hot outside
and just in the 20 minutes we were talking to her I got a sunburn LOL
:-) Anyways....she is amazing. We started talking to her and
immediately turned to the Book of Mormon we share Helaman 5:12 and
afterwards she said "Now I would like to buy that book." We told her
that it was free and she was happy to have it. You should have seen
how tenderly she took it and placed it into her car right next to her
bible. It was amazing. We were able to share the restoration lesson
with her and connect with her via facebook. She is super busy going to
high school, doing part time college and working part time at a store
called Piggley Wiggleys just down the street from where we live. We
are so excited to see her at church here in the next week or so. :-)
It was amazing. It just seemed like all week long everything that we
had planned wasn't really working out, but the plans that we really
needed to be doing and where we needed to be was PERFECT!!

We had another THREE miracles happen just yesterday. First, we had set
up for Alisa to come to church on Sunday and had a member all lined up
to bring her, since her truck had just recently got a flat tire, but
on Sunday morning we called and she could not make it. We decided we
should call our other investigator Francis (who we had set a baptismal
date with) and see if she was going to be able to make it to church
and would like a ride....guess what?? She DID!!! Mind you, she had a
stroke just a year ago and so some mornings are really rough for her
to get up and get going AND we found out on Friday that she had been
robbed and could not pay her water bill. We had promised her that if
she would come to church that she would be blessed to figure out what
to do about the water bill, well when we called her sunday morning she
must have remembered that or was having a good morning because she
said yes and 30 minutes later her ride was able to pick her up. She
LOVED church and guess what?? We think she figured out how to pay her
water bill! :-)


MIRACLE #2: We had received 3 different media referrals to our phone a
few days ago and were finally in the area to go and contact them. We
went to this lady named Deborah's home and we told her that we had
received a notification that she had wanted some more information on
our church. She said No she had not requested anything, but that we
could come in and talk. We were both blown away, because she answered
the door with a look on her face like she didn't really appreciate
that we were there, but she let us in. We went in and sat down and
began talking and she told us that she knew many people who were
members of our church and that they were all really good people. As
she started naming them it was clear that she thought highly of each
of these people and their families. Her husband, Jim, joined us as we
were talking and we were able to bring the spirit so strongly into the
room as we opened with a prayer and began the lesson. It was
incredible that even though there were parts that this couple didn't
necessarily agree with, there was never a spirit of contention in the
room, the spirit of The Lord and a feeling of love and understanding
always was there. Through some discussion we were able to share the
full Restoration lesson. It was very powerful and they both said they
would read and pray. We are not quite sure, but for the first time ALL
week, we felt like we shouldn't invite them to baptism just then. It
was weird for both of us because we have made it a goal to invite
EVERYONE to baptism on the first lesson....and we have been
successful, but God knows best so we followed his instructions and
both of us walked out of there feeling like that families life was
about to change forever!! They even wanted us to come back, so we will
be seeing them next sunday and brining back one of those wonderful
members that she talked about! That is two new investigators right
there who sincerely just want to know the truth! :-) We are so
excited!

and finally for the THIRD MIRACLE of yesterday.....we had a lesson
that evening with Francis. We were able to take a cute older sister
with us that had actually taken Francis home from church. While we
were there to teach the Plan of Salvation the door bell rang. This
lady walked in and she looked really familiar....well come to find out
it was Joyce, this lady we had met a week ago on the street and had
taught her the first lesson and gave her a Book of Mormon. It was so
good to see her and she was able to join us for the Plan of Salvation
lesson. It was perfect! We were able to teach both of them and commit
both of them to come to church. At the end of our lesson Joyce said "I
am so glad that i caught ya'll here. I have been thinking about you."
She was really excited to bring her 16 year old daughter to church and
to come to know if this is where she wants/needs to be. It was
amazing! Miracles everywhere. We will be going to help her move into
her new place this weekend! WE LOVE BEING MISSIONARIES!! :-)

God just places people in your path that you are meant to touch. It is
incredible! I love being a missionary, can you tell how much I love
being a missionary!! I just love it! ;-) I know that God lives and He
loves us so much, even when we are struggling as I have throughout my
mission. I know that He continues to teach and guide and bless us as
we are ready for that guidance and direction. I am grateful for
learning to love and to serve. I am grateful for learning how powerful
it can be when your heart and mind are open to the endless
possibilities that are around us as we put our trust and faith in God.
I am grateful for learning to not be quick to judge, to be full of
charity and love towards all those around me....goodness it has made
me happier person. Life is so much better if you just love and serve
versus if you are selfish and critical!!

I know that my redeemer lives. I know that he loves me! I know that I
am where i am supposed to be. That has been confirmed over and over
again. I know that God is aware of all that we are going through and
is there to help us every single step of the way. I know that the Book
of Mormon is the word of God, just as surely as i know that the Bible
is the word of God. Because of this knowledge, I know that Joseph
Smith was the prophet of this dispensation. We live in the "fullness
of times" as it talks about in the Bible. I know that we do. We can
see the signs all around us, we just need to open our eyes to see it.
I am so grateful for the knowledge and understanding that the gospel
brings into my life, to bring peace to my heart in  a troubled world!
I know that we have a prophet and apostles that lead and guide
Christ's church today in righteousness. I have really come to know the
importance of daily scripture study and prayer. Those little dailly
things that we do to continue to strengthen our faith and keep us on
the right path. Faith has a short shelf life, we must keep it alive by
doing! I have yet to know a greater joy then I have felt when I have
served others.....service changes lives, from the person being served
to the person serving, and even the person (that you dont see
sometimes) who is watching. I know that people watch us....we are a
peculiar people. i know that service softens hearts. I know that as we
reach out and touch others as the Savior would do, we will help break
down those walls that will help others to see that the fullness of the
gospel has been restored! Life is so good. God is so good! I know that
he loves us and He definitely answers prayers! I know these things and
I share them in the name of JEsus Christ, Amen!

Have a wonderful week!

Love you
Sister Heckel