Larissa - Texas weather....never can predict it.

Dear family,

This week has been wonderful. We have been working really hard in our area trying to find and build up our area. it has been pretty slow but we have a lot of new ideas of what we could do to help us find. Our usual way of finding is through members but in our area we really don't have any so we are getting super creative. We are starting and English class and are OYMing like crazy. And biking which is fun... besides the fact that Hna.Anderson bike is horrible, she really needs a new one and we are working on that. but you just need to smile through the trial right:) or just bike really slowly or walk:)

Well we got in a little car accident the other day. There was a man who was in a hurry and decided not to look as he was backing out and ran into the back rear of our car. We felt so bad but it was not to much damage and we were fine. we felt bad that it happened. He lives in our apartment complex so we see him every once in a while and he is a really nice guy so that was a blessing. it was cool cause we went to get it fixed and the car man LOVES missionaries and loves talking to us about our work and everything. Missionaries have really left and impression in him so hopefully by the time our car is done we will get the missionaries over to visit him. 

We also had a cool experience going to a Welsfargo this week. Hna. Andersons card said it got stolen so she has to go in and get things all situated with the bank. Well as we were talking the man who was helping us asked who we were. We showed him our tags and he says. "I had a friend who was really mean all through high school..." Not really knowing where the story was going to go.. " I talked to him recently after about 2 or 3 years and he was completely different. I asked him what changed and he said he joined the LDS church" that really left a big impression on him. So he asked us a whole mess of questions and then we ended up giving him the missionaries number for the english ward and he was so excited to contact them. He told us that he had not been able to ask his friend about the church and that he was happy that there was one here in alvin and that he could know more about them finally. SUPER COOL!! talk about being in the right place a the right time. Things definitely happen for a reason. 

Well some cool information. As we have been doing family history, Hna. Anderson and I were looking through our lines and found out we are related (as far as we know) in the 400'ds by a man named "the Long haired king" haha super funny. I think it might come closer then that but that is all we found so far before we ran out of time. Then we each found a line back to Adam and Eve!! super cool. haha that night our district leader called and in my excitement to talk to him about it I kind of mixed up my wards and said "Elder Lowder guess what, Hna. Anderson and I were doing Geneology this today and we both found a line that goes back to Adam and Even, and we're related...." he reply's "so your related... through Adam and Eve..?" I have not laughed so hard! it was so funny. I should not be excited and talk I just get all mixed up. 

I went on exchanges this week with Sister Sanchez! I love that sister so much. she is amazing! she was orginally called spanish speaking but then got switched to English for a time and boy is she doing amazing in that area. She is working so many miracles. we went by and visited my favorite member over there named Shevyn. and then went and visited seriously so many people, the day went by so fast. then a member took us out to Red Robin:) which made my day and we were able to find a super prepared family that came and ate with us. They were super interested in missionary work and talking about the gospel. So amazing! I love this work.

we also got some Tamales from El Salvador and they were SOOOO GOOD!!!! 

Well this week was great! and we have a SUPER busy week this week!! we are excited to see what miracles will come into our area!! thanks for all your prayers and thoughts especially for our Goal of 50 baptisms. we can feel the strength that comes from all of those prayers and they all help! We love you all:)

I love you all so much! I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

con amor,

Hermana Heckel!   

 (I typed fast, sorry if things don't make sense:)

1. not too bad

2. sister sanchez and our lovely member Gina

3. we LOVE Tamales 

Travis - Tracting and a Liger :-)

Hello everyone!!

What a great Monday to be alive today. The clouds are finally receding. Our house finally is all getting healthy to the point of exercising again. And we are Jamming out having fun. I want to first start with some awesome miracles we have had this week. So I take back the idea that tracking is easy to do. I totally thought before the mission it was and NOPE UHHHHH!!!!!! We have knocked doors and talked with people day in and day out meeting rejections. So mid week we changed up are tactics. Instead we started to visit members that are active, not to waste time but to encourage missionary work out of them. We showed a message and had each of them take 1 minute to write down as many names as they could think. Then we told them they needed to share the message we shared(mormon message of sorts) with one of them and we would check up with them one week from now. It actually has gained us a lot of ward trust. We also gained several new investigators this way. We ran into several families that where part member and actually asked us to come teach a son and a father who where not baptized.
 We also taught a boy who came with a friend to investigate the church. He was a very curious boy asking questions and wanting to know so much. We even got him to pray on first visit. The only reason baptism was not extended was because he expressed a fear that his dad (who didn't know he was there) would disapprove and even disown him. That showed me such a great example of courage and a willingness to want to learn and know which of these church's was true and lucky for him he came to the right one ;).
We also ran into a group of high school kids living together without parents. They where just out sitting on cars looking thuggish. We where walking to a less actives when my companion and I decided it wouldn't hurt to cross the street and talk with them. The minute we got over there two ditched, the others just kinda sat there quiet at first, and yes it was a really awkward start. We tired several times to drum simple conversations but it ended poorly so we just simply shared a message of the restoration and our testimonies. Those who stayed actually became curious asking us questions about how this could all be possible and the importance of religion. One even asked 'for a book to learn more about it' so excited we gave him a Book of Mormon and they even wanted to go,to church to see for themselves what it's like (they never went to a religious place before.) and slowly but steadily they grew more open until we felt like friends around one another.

These are such great chances for me to experience serious missionary life. Yes it is hard to do, and sometimes it feels almost like you are wasting time. Yet these moments when someone accepts the gospel makes it all worth it. I love the chance I have to serve here and especially this spring time when its so pretty. I shoulda taken pictures and stuff but i don't have an iPad yet. But however I did get to visit a wild life reservation and I played with a liger through a fence, it followed me back and forth running along the fence and jumping up and down....no it didn't want to eat me and yes I said LIGER!!! Hahahah I love it, I hope all you are doing well; having fun, do crazy stuff and enjoy times with your friends no family. You never know what life has in store for you next.

Elder Heckel

P.s. I don't think I will ever ever ever eat BK or McDonald's again.

Larissa - First week of the Transfer...Suprise!

Hola familia,

Como estan!! This week was absolutely crazy. I feel like we were all over the place. we had Sister Schumacher with us for a couple days at the beginning of the week to wait for her to get her new companion. It was so much fun. sister. Schumacher does not speak Spanish so not very talkative in our lessons:) but she was so funny, I love her so much! 

We went to transfer meeting with sister Schumacher as well, I love transfer meeting and I was really excited to go and feel the spirit hear some testimonies and a training from president and see where everyone is going. As I am sitting in my seat all content and cool, I see president signalling me and mouths "Can I talk to you after?" I said yes..... Oh no. Haha after transfer meeting I found president and he asked me to be the new Senior sister training leader. Haha Well there it is! it looks like I am following in my companionship footsteps! I am excited to serve the sisters and to have weekly studies with president:) lots of miles to keep track of but good thing we love to bike! 

This week was pretty rough in our area. but we are really excited to get things up and going and find those that are ready to hear the gospel. We have found a lot of creative ways of finding and we are excited to put them in practice. 

This valentines day was wonderful. We were able to go to the valentines day activities and our investigator Elvia came and we were so excited to see her with her family. I have never been so tempted to dance EVER!! those Hispanics know how to dance! so we left shortly after that:) but it  was fun that day to share the Love of Jesus Christ. 

Miracle. One day we had our member out with us Amanda. We ended up getting dropped by all of the investigators that we passed by and so we ended up not having any appointments. so we decided to go and talk to people at the laundry mat. We ended up talking to this lady Pam. Who turned out to be the sweetest lady ever! She ended up taking us out to dinner and then we were able to meet our waitress Kristy who really wanted missionaries to come by. All English speaking, but it is all Gods work right? :) it was awesome. God really loves us. 

I have been studying alot about Grace still especially in the talk "his Grace is sufficient" It is amazing I would suggest that everyone read it. 

Well until next week. I love you all:) 

Hermana Heckel. 

1. Hna. Hull has another baby:) family picture!! 

2. Amanda:) my valentine

Travis - Short

Well everyone this week is a amazingly fun week. We hav been able to knock many different doors...but have not been able to catch a single new investigator. this area is a tad tougher than i expected so we are changing up are tactics this time. new approaches and new ways to get in the  door haha. and I hope everyone had a fun valentines day! and presidents day!!!!! oh yes i realize school is out for a lot of people. so we have had the chance to meet with a lot of college kids. wow you never know what kinda people their are out there. but onto funner stuff. one a joke we heard today about missionaries "missionaries! remember how your last valentines day goes out in the mission field. because most likely the next one after that will be just as lonely" haha we got a kick outta that one.(return missionary told us that)
  This email has to be relatively short though because I only have use of this Ipad for 5 min. __long story short i totally broke the software on the iPad and cant  get a new one until march(new batch comes in). so im quickly using another missionaries iPad. But one miracle of the week is that our neighbor who we talk with quite often and befriended came to our first ward event. The pine derby! I didnt even realize it, but he enjoyed it and so did his family. They want to know more of why people can be so happy coming together as strangers. He says he didn't feel left out and was greeted by many of the people. I hope our wards  at home are just as nice and attentive because not only will we teach his family but he wants to bring several other friends and family to come see what we have to offer : D so happy. But the work is just beginning, I hope everyone has a splendid day and does something exciting this monday. As for me and my house....i will probably take a nap while i wash laundry.

Elder Heckel

Larissa - We are going to be together for our Birthdays!

Dear family and friends,

Lets just say for A LOT of reasons this week has been very emotional.... Probly one of the most emotional of my mission. 

So this week was transfers and let me tell you I have been a rollercoaster of emotions! First thing I found out that Hna.Allen was going home today. I was able to see her before she left but it broke my heart. Literally such a hard week. But I know that she needs to get home and feel better so we can have fun together when I get back. Two I thought that me and my comp were not going to get split up.... horrible. I never thought I would get as close to the people here as I have and I never thought that I would miss them so much. definitely cried multiple times for Hna. Allen and Hna. Anderson. But seeing Hermana Allen go and being able to talk to her I feel good now and me and Hna. Anderson will be together for our double birthdays. I am so excited for it. 

We also hard a huge birthday party for JR. Correa who was turning 4. All the parties here are Huge no matter who. If there is a party it is going to be big!! haha It is crazy:) I love it! 

This week we had a double exchange with sister Rhotan. and with Hna. Lister one right after another. It was so fun. Hna. Rhotan is so funny, We went over to a less active members home where they were making sea food... apparently it is better fresh so everything they were about to cook was ALIVE!!! it scared us so bad. haha but now we know the trick to good seafood:) Then with Hna. Lister we taught one of the most amazing first lessons ever. I love her so much. She is also going home this week with Hna. Allen and Hna. Groves...... GAHHHH it is so hard. I don't want anyone to change or leave.... but good thing most of them are from Utah:)

We had a miracle baptizm for our recent converts 8 year old daughter Eisha and it was amazing:) I was able to give the talk on Baptism (I have been called on alot lately to teach and speak) and it was so fun. We asked her right after church and she wanted to be baptized by a missionary that was about to leave and so we had about 2 hours to plan everything. But it was amazing! the spirit was so strong. 

Well sorry this is short this week. Transfers makes P-day super short:) but I love you all.

I have been studying alot about Grace lately:) it has been amazing! I love it! You all should study it:) His grace is sufficient "after all we can do". 

Love Hermana Heckel 

1. This is a small truck.... yeah texas:)

2. I fought our members pet goat:) haha meet SnowWhite.

3. some of our wonderful ward members;)

4. It's only a "see ya later" (still crying though) 

Travis - Obedience and Service

Hey Everbody,

      Its so nice to be writing to you this monday morning, the rain has finally receded and allowed for us to go visit a duck sanctuary today. Its kinda incredible to see all the different kinds of duck. And the member we brought showed us how to spot out the different ducks and what kinds would be the best to hunt. its pretty exciting to try spotting the difference in birds and its absolutely beautiful landscape. Im not much for sight seeing, but when you do come across something incredible, you can't help but marvel. Anyhow this week has been very solid and good week.

   So this week the mission president and has been sending out many different kinds of letters discussing ways to be more obedient and to receive the most blessings we can get. So we made it a goal to improve 5 things each week. one for me was to start speaking to everyone I can. . . . . . . And I was a chicken! I didn't not completely meet that goal but I did increase dramatically. I started to just chatting with random people, at the store, library, even when getting gas. and guess what?? a man named Brett going to Los Angeles took a card and made a promise to call missionaries(he gave us his information, for if he came through he wanted to meet up maybe). hopefully that turns out good for the missionaries where ever he goes. But this week also has been a busy week. It seems that everyones life has gotten crammed with stuff lately making it hard to meet with people. 

      But the Fui family this week has ran into issues where the father has disagreed with the family going to our church and wants them to join his. The wife, not wanting to cause contention agreed, so we took this week to meet with him for the first time really.  He is a VERY VERY large samoan man. he was very nice to us and the member we brought and we kinda discussed the reason for him wanting them to stop going and why he has not investigated himself. He explained how in his religion (his father was a preacher) he has seen miracles of healing and of casting out devils. And with his belief and in his culture it is very offensive and a sort of betrayal to change religions. And he feels...scared of reading or even touching the book of mormon...he feels something evil might come from it yet he will listen to us read it. and honestly he believes and thinks everything is good except that Joseph smith is a prophet and that the book of mormon is true. he still believes god speaks to us today, and jesus true church is established today. And the only way to help him overcome that is to get him to read the Book of Mormon....so frustrating but we are working on it slowly. I know time and hard work will help him. But for now he is willing to let them come to church like every other week so we take that as a cherry on top of this experience.

    also this week we where able to meet with a women who we do a lot of service for. Her name is Mary Turner, I probably talked a little about her before but I will just mention more about it. so she is disabled women, she had polio and cannot walk or do anything that does not allow her chair in or around. So we do quite a lot of service for her, and she refused to really talk about gospel or hear lessons until this last time. When we finished cleaning her yard( 5 hour job) we came in and she tried teo give us a fat roll of money. We repeatedly told her no, then finally i took it......hahaha no I told her we didn't want money, but she could pay us back.....by listening to the lessons. she agreed but told us she wouldn't become a mormon. So we went over and shared probably one of the best lessons we have ever done, we talked about the restoration and the special mission each of us are here for and the trials we face are to strengthen us. We also shared our testimonies promising her blessings and that she could be with her daughter (who died of cancer) again. she listened very intently and took a book of mormon, she already scheduled for us to come  back again for a lesson. And during this entire time her husband had been watching tv in the same room, he ended up shutting off the T.v. and turn to us and asked to join in. He also picked up a book of mormon and followed along. The best lesson ever!!! they still suggest they wont be mormon, but they took the book of mormon gladly and promise to do the challenges.

we also had a heck of a lot of tracting!! we where able to get several new people and families to teach this next week. we are very excited. Some of them probably wont show but others seem really promising. Feeling each different kind of spirit has changed how i look on teaching people. you really have to see how the spirit feels in each lesson and let it guide you on how to teach. A very valuable and hard-to-learn lesson. I hope This next week will be just as successful if not more and hey....i promise you learn new things every day, from everyone you meet. see you all next week!!! I hope to hear from you, ill get one out to each of you!!

elder HEckel

Elder SG1

Larissa - Miracles and Meetings :)

Dear loved ones.

How are all of you lovely people???:D Happy groundhog Day! I don't think the groundhog saw his shadow in Texas so bring it on heat. I really don't like biking in this cold weather so I am ready for the heat. haha Hna. Anderson is not to excited about it but I sure am.

I can't believe it is the last week of the transfer!! so crazy. Thank you to all who joined with us as a mission to pray for the 60 people that we wanted to help find the gospel this last month. We were able to achieve 47 baptism. We didn't reach the goal but we did strengthen our faith and now we are ready to work on February's goal of 50. It is going to be a short month so we are excited to work hard and exercise more faith:) This last month has really been crazy. I was studying Humility and I am thankful for everything I have learned and thankful that the month is over. I decided I would study faith again this month as we are all working to exercise more Faith in the mission to achieve the goal we have of 50 baptisms. We invite all of you to pray with us to help all the missionaries exercise exceedingly great faith so that we can find those that we need to find. We prayed about it again in MLC (missionary Leadership counsel) and all received confirmation that we can accomplish this goal by our faith. Hna. Anderson and I have been studying a lot about exercising more faith and it has been incredible. I love the words of the scriptures and the words of the prophets that teach us about how we can obtain faith and how we can bring about miracles. I love this gospel:) SOOOOOOO much:)

I went on Exchanges with the wonderful Hna. Wood this last week. She is absolutely wonderful. She was actually MTC companions with Hna.Anderson! crazy!! She is amazing, she is from St.George, Ut. and is one of the most loving hermanas ever. I learned so much from her.

While I was on Exchanges Hna. Anderson and Taylor were so blessed to find so many wonderful people to teach! It was a wonderful sunny day and so many people were outside and they just talked with everyone! We found an awesome family from Cuba. I love the way the Cubans talk haha they are definitely different from everyone in their accent, and boy do they love there blacker then black coffee. haha We came in for our second visit and they offered and of course we declined and told them we don't drink coffee. They were very kind and later started making jokes. "well I guess if you want to sleep tonight and tomorrow night you shouldn't have any." or "I mean if you wanted to really have energy to go out and do the Lords work today you would just need one sip". Haha they were so funny. We tried to teach them the restoration but them turned into the plan of salvation. I love teaching people when they ask questions and comment and all of this family did. It was wonderful, the spirit was so strong and we are so excited to go back and visit them this week:)

We also have another investigator named Bertha, who while we were talking about the gospel says "you need to be baptized to be saved right?" we said yes and showed her the scripture in John 3:5 and she said "well, I haven't been baptized.... but I need to be huh." WHAT!! how amazing!!! it was seriously amazing! Oh and then after she says ".... yeah I have been trying to do better so I am working on not cussing, and not drinking anymore.." WHAT!!!! God is so merciful!

Then we found Tina who talked with missionaries in Utah and then when she came here was very excited to talk to missionaries and has already been taught everything and needs to come to church. She already knows the church is true.

and Lastly we have Misal. We OYMed him on sunday and started talking about religion and about he Bible and God and Jesus Christ. by the end of the lesson he was asking when we could come back:)

We have been so blessed to find so many wonderful and prepared people to share the gospel with. haha There really is blessings at the end of a trial we just need to push through to the end to find them.

We are excited this week to see more miracles;) and to help more people hear about the Gospel. OYMing (contacting) has become so much fun (now that there are more people outside). We are enjoying it so much and love just telling everyone who we are and our purpose here. :) I love being a missionary. It has changed my whole life and I am so excited for the forever missionary work that I have to do.

I love you all so much and I hope you all had a wonderful week:) I hope you all have a wonderful week as well and that the weather warms up!

All my love!

Hermana Heckel:)

1. WE MADE FLAN:)

2.Hna. Groves is going home this transfer:( Gonna miss her soooooo much!

3. You know you are doing things right when you match with the mission presidents wife:)

4. just us:)

Travis - Weekly Letter.

Hey Everyone- 

You know a big question we get from people who are not part of the church, who don't know there purpose; ask us....why do good things happen to bad people? or why do bad things happen to good people? This is probably one of the hardest questions to answer, because we do not know every detail of Gods plan we cannot understand or see the importance of each event in everyone's life. I pondered this for a long time and during this last fast-testimony meeting i believe I received an answer! We dont understand why bad things happen to good people if you dont know why we are here. We aren't here for smiles and pure joy, we are here to become more like our Heavenly Father. TO grow and become stronger, the trials we face are meant for us to learn and become better. The trial that we face makes us better people, more God like! As we go through our trials we may not see how they will help us, we may not see the importance of it. Often times in those trials we may even be baffled because we may have made the wrong choice in those situations and it didn't turn out beneficial. But God promised us that we can face our trials, and facing these trials we can grow, learn and become better when we choose the right. Parents worry so much about thier kids, as they grow up they wish they could take away the trials or the challenges they face. And most parents realize we cannot help them grow and become stronger to face the world if we take away the trial or do it for them. They know allowing their children togrow and learn from experience will build them into who they need to be. In these situations all parents as is that their daughter or son will turn to them when they become stuck or confused, to get the advice and guidance they need. Our Heavenly Father wishes to help us the same way. He loves us and cares for each one of us, he wants to help us and bless us! And He will not force anything upon us but if we ask him he will pour out his blessings. As children of God, He expects us to try our best and do what we can. And in those times we get stuck or lost, he is their waiting for when we ask for him, and he will gladly help you. 

So this has to be quick....many things happened this week.....so we did a ton of service for new members and non members alike. We used just serve and it worked fantastic!!!!!!! Also transfers came and only me and my comp are staying the same :D hahahaha hahahaha so excited although really sad we are losing a lot of missionaries this transfer...enough that they have to consolidate areas.....we have 8 coming in and 23 leaving! Also the patriots won the super bowl! All Sunday we visited and knocked many doors for investigators or non members and everywhere we go we got an update on it. I didn't even like football but they told us this one was super exciting. We did find a potential that day too. He is 16 and loves scouting. He wants to do more but the scout leader for this area is gone. So he is thinking of looking into the church.

   We also set up a whole new mission plan with our ward. We are getting events and invited and member presents 10 times better than before! We are excited for the upcoming pinewood derby, it's a huge thing in this ward/community! People build freakin massive engines on their cars it's crazy!! But Ya everything is going well, I'm loving my companion, the area, and all those I meet. Yes it is thought to go knock door to door but the potential to meet someone amazing and prepared for he gospel makes it all worth it. Well I got to go, last p-day before one of my favorite missionaries heads home and gotta go talk with him! I love hearing from you all and will reply next week thanks! 

Elder Heckel 

This picture of the Savior is my FAVORITE!!