I am so glad for my chance to be here in Gridley to serve, this new year 2015! It's such an amazing experience to be away from home at this time. I still remember the experiences I had these last few New Years. The time I was able to be with family and the. Late at night be with my brothers and Roy Kohler. We watched movies, laughed and played games. I had some of my greatest times with them. I really had a fun time with the missionaries in our home, we where not to proselyte past 6. So we went home cleaned up, studied a little and just sat around playing a board game and talking. Eventually though a neighbors came by and said that he knew we where alone this new year and wanted us to come out and see this. We came out to find that he had set up a whole bunch of fireworks! He handed me one lighter and me and him both races to light all of them. It was so much fun and such a great time.(also the guy's name is buddy love) we laughed and shouted and had fun as we listened to people all up and down the block came out and started to cheer, and play music. It was almost a block party. U fortunately we had to return to our home at 9:30, exhausted we sat around and talked about what we where thankful for and why we are excited for the new year. Of all the friends I made....most of them leave in about 8 months! It's crazy!!! We did see many miracles though this week.
We managed to go see another family who has denied both the Spanish companions from visiting her several times, saying she didn't want the Mormon religion anymore. I knew this lady as Veronica Munanui, she is a single mother divorced and has 3 children, 2 young young boys and a little girl. Me and my older companion had visited her when I first got here and bore testimony to her and in return she did also! It was an amazing experience and was hard to believe that she would say that. So I determined went with my companion to visit her that night....also with a plate of cookies. When we got their she open the door with a waterfall of tears coming out and to my surprise her x-husband(awesome member) was there. She let us in saying how thankful she was and how she needed some missionaries to really talk to that she knew! We found out that her grandfather had died, She was being kicked out of her home, and on top of that her sisters where battering her with insults for talking to her x husband and going to church. The stress was overtaking her and she felt like she should give in. So at this time we bore testimony and taught lesson on faith and strength to believe in miracles. We shared ether 12:27, we told her God has challenges to make us grow stronger through him and that authoring and everything is possible with him. She cried for a long time and accepted our message. She accept our help and even allowed for the Spanish missionaries to come help her move a bunch of stuff this night to her mothers home. It was so amazing to see her having such strong faith when everything is turning against you.
Another one is we met with a man named Lyle Akin, he has been investigating the church for over 30 years and gave up kinda figuring it out a couple years ago. But recently he had an accident at work where he was injured and can no longer work. So he went into retirement, when he entered he had fun at first, but eventually felt lost and didn't know what to do with his life, he doesn't feel the propose. And he does remember most the gospel but he really wants to know the truth of it. We are so lucky to have ran into him. We have been tracting for so long I felt we would never find someone who would even allow us In...or speak English. Haha either way I am glad for this challenge and can't wait to be able to show him the truth. I love this opportunity.
A super cool thing to is that while I have been out here on my mission I have been a chicken. I bear testimony all the time at dinner tables, on couches, in shacks, even in the rain. But I had always avoided bearing my testimony in church. I would kinda hide away or give excuses, but as of the new year I made the commitment to bear my testimony at least once every area I enter. (Ya not the biggest goal ever but it's a start) And it's super funny the fact that when I bore my testimony I sounded like a twelve year old kid. It was the smallest and simples thing and honestly felt like the scariest thing of my life. But after I felt a good peace fall over me....not of being done with it...but of being willing to go bear my testimony, to not just think of saying it but to tell all. I know my testimony sounded dumb and wasn't some grand speech but it helped me today feel the spirit so much stronger and boosted my confidence the whole day. I realize to as I write this that I had not born my testimony since I was made a deacon. I still remember slot of the attempts my parents made and siblings to get me up their and I would chicken out. But not anymore, I can say with a firm knowledge that I know bearing your testimony is a sure way to strengthen your faith. It sounds crazy but when I doubt bearing what you know reminds you what is true and all the other things we are slowly learning and are gaining a knowledge of.
I love you guys so much and I am so truly glad for my family and friends who support me. I don't know how many of you read and get this, but I want you to know how much I appreciate you all. You drove me to be better and brought me to this point, I wouldn't be here or who I am without it. I am always learning new stuff and every other week their is some new discovery I made. But the one that has touched me the greatest is that God is our living Heavenly Father. He has given us a chance to come to this earth to grow and learn. but the only way to grow and learn is to step out your bubble, push your boundaries and stretch your comfort zone. The only way to truly find a greater happiness and to be come better is to accept change and fan out. Stretch forth and try to be better in life, NOT PERFECT, but better. I always start of most my days asking how can I improve jut a little bit more today. The mission has given me a fantastic chance to meet people, experience new food(cow tongue) and build myself up. I admit that I am imperfect, I'm not the funny one, the strong one, or even the best looking one(who am I kidding, I totally am ;) yup) but really I do no I'm not all this, but through God I can become better, through his guiding power and the saviors example I can achieve not only heaven but also life the best life I can down here on earth. Just know that I am always here waiting and listening. If anyone ever has questions or comments I can answer any questions about ANYTHING.
-Elder Heckel
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