Larissa - Last Week Going Strong!

Dear family and friends.

This past week was super fun!! I don't even know where to start. 

okay well first I was able to go on exchanges with Hna. Huntsman at the beginning of the week. She came to my area and was able to participate in the blizt that we had. I love her so much and she is an amazing missionary and will touch so many lives. We had our amazing member help us out by driving us to and from Kemah where the sisters live (which is about 15 miles one way) so that we could save miles! Gina is amazing:) 

I was also able to go on exchanges BACK TO HOUSTON 1 WITH HNA.HULL:) Sister Calton the other sister training leader has been sick and so I was able to help her with exchanges and one of them was with Hna. Hull:) it was amazing to be back. We talked for so long and it was fun to teach there again. The ward is so amazing, Hna. Hull has had so many miracles and I am so happy for her. It was amazing to see all of the old faces again. A little sad because the ward boundaries changed and now all my recent converts are either back in Mexico or in another ward... haha so funny. but it was awesome. We also went out with Kiko who awesome. totally biffed it on his bike. haha he ran directly into a hole and it flung his back tire into the air and then off to the side. He jumps up quickley and says "did you see that!!!! I fell!!!..... THAT WAS DEEP!!!" haha oh yes kiko we definitely saw. Hna. Hull and I were laughing so hard and so was he. haha goodness I love these people. We went out and taught a bunch of people and also had a Mordida (when you "take a bite" aka get your face shoved into a cake) hna. Hull has all the pictures so I will have to show it later. but when I do mordida.... EVERYONE DOES MORDIDA:) haha it makes it more fun that way. except for the fact that the fact that the frosting died my face:P

After the exchange I went back to my own area and our member had a birthday party for her son and we stopped by and guess who I saw. La familia Castillo:) from Lake Jackson! I was so happy! such a wonderful surprise to see them again before I left. I love that family so much its crazy! 

Miracle!! We went to try a referral and this super nice lady answered the door and was not our referral but let us in. come to find out that she is a less active that had not been to church because she has just moved!! she is in the English ward but still! look at how Heavenly Father was guiding us:) I love it! 

We had the departing temple trip.... WEIRD!! but it was fun because we walk in to start the sesson and Sister Thompson (now Mckayla) was there. She came back and was able to go to the temple with us!! She is so amazing and I was able to talk to her for a while and she helped me so much. I look up to her so much and It was such a blessing to go with her. We were also able to have another training in the temple with President Crane and his wife and President and sister Ashton, which was so amazing. We are seriously so lucky!!! it has been amazing to have so many wonderful temple experiences while I have been here. Such a huge blessing. 

We also got a surprise call from Pico from the old ward areas and he told us that he wanted to feed us. So he brought us food and we ate at a park and we were able to teach him and see how he was doing. We were so thrilled to be able to see him because he has been out of our boundary for so long! what a blessing that Heavenly Father gave us. 

This week we were able to watch Meet the Mormons with Ana and Oscar and there kids:) it was so spiritual! it was absolutely amazing:) we love them so much and are so excited for them to be baptized. We love them so much.

Hope all ya'll have a wonderful week and you receive lots of blessings from our loving Heavenly Father. 

I want you all to know that I love you and I am so grateful for all your support and love that I have received during these wonderful 18 months. This is the Lords work, I have seen his hand in every step. We can do nothing without him. I love my Savior and am grateful for all that he does for us and the blessings we receive everyday through His sacrifice. I know Our Heavenly Father loves each of us. I know that this is the only true church with all the powers and keys to perform ordinances of salvation. I love this gospel, I love missionary work. Thank you for everything.  

Sinceremente, 

La Hermana Heckel

1. Our working with Kiko:) 

2. Edi and Wilson:) I love them

3. Jessica and Hna. Ramos:) 

4. sister Tauasa y Yo at the temple:)

5. Itzel:)

6. temple day

7. we saw PICO!!!!

8. Cute Jesus:) (Jesus is amazing and buys us groceries all the time and loves the missionaries:) we are so grateful for him. 

Travis - Member Missionary Work!

Well this is fun, transfers happened. Ya my companion is being shipped off. I got a new companion iselleli T. Fa, he is a Tongan from Arizona!!! Haha his parent both came over here from Tonga and he was born. He is a pretty large fellow again. But super cool, awesome sense of humor cracking jokes a lot and full of the spirit. He really can bear intense testimony and leaves me excited to serve more with him. This week was a little chaotic, because I only had 5 weeks to learn the area it was a rough road trying to teach it to him. We ended up not seeing a ton of people but visiting quite a few less actives. We saw miracles though, a few and always exciting, 

  We where able to see a less active who has drifted through this life, not seeing success or happiness so far finally come to realize her God loves her. During a lesson we shared the Easter video from last year( watch it again it will touch you) she kinda broke down in tears. She exclaimed how she has had the church in her life since she was 25, and during her whole life they have always reached out and welcomed her, befriending and helping her. And yet it took till now for her to open her heart, to accept the invitations and truly feel the love this Ward has to offer her. She says she always would alienate herself because she felt she could never be so happy or follow so blindly. But she came to realize we do not follow Christ blindly, and when the trip gets rough, yes we may not see the outcome in the distance, but the lord will reveal just enough to push forward a few steps at a time. 

 Another miracle is kinda funny because this has happened to me most my mission. So we have been praying for people to teach and what do you know, a member calls us up saying that she has a friend she took to lunch who complained of not being able to find a religion she feels right joining. Her and her boyfriend have been searching. So our member extended the invite for her to join us and she graciously accepted. While she was at church she kept commenting on how much she loved the feelings, the people, and the doctrine taught. The husband came out and told us he use to be a active Mormon but fell away when his parents did. By the end of church they where pumped up to come again. They want to learn more which is what we have been asking for. But they live in another Ward in our mission. So we must hand her off to be baptized and taught mainly by those elders. But through the member we still will help with the teaching and preparation for them. Still a great experience to hear the gospel click so well with people at first chance. And it's especially good to know that they have a friend in the Ward that they know well and befriends them. I can't wait to see this progress and move forward in the future. 

           Last small miracle, we have been pushing members to invite and find people for us and through this many of the youth have brought friends to church!! Many young members. Their was 4 different non members their that we spoke with that range from 10-16 in age. It's so cool how easy it is for them to share the gospel and invite someone. Even when they all tell us they only have Mormon friends. 

But yes I am loving this area and the people I am serving. This summer I feel has a lot of promise and many miracles to await. I thank all you for the support you all give me. I had the though of starting to list off some of my favorite scriptures I read. "16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe." (Alma 32:16)  there is plenty of proof of a God in existence who cares and loves us, who provides for us day to day, even the air that we breath. He even gave his son who for years before and after was spoken and prophesied for the gift he has given unto the world. And by those who never saw him. Yet he offers that and so much more unto you and all he asks is that you seek him out and follow him. I love you all and will see ya next week. (Actually two weeks from now) 

Love

Elder Heckel 

Travis - HEY!!

So right away I think I will start by getting a few details out of the way. So yesterday we received transfer calls. AAAANNNNNNDDDD I am staying!! But oh so sadly my companions leaving, and only after 5 weeks! I knew it was going to happen just because he is a brand new missionary and has been in his first area far too long. But Elder Bernhisel I surely will miss. One of the better companions I have served with and I know he is off to elp do amazing things else where now. And I am getting a huge tongan or samoan....something of that life and wow kinda intimidating! His name is Elder fa! Yes Just FA, I cant wait to see what happens this next transfer its a 7 weeker!!! 

Also if you are wondering the ward is Awesome at feeding and helping us. They are missionary minded in all aspects and most of the time will join us for any lesson. they really care for the missionaries (especially since they have 17 missionaries out) and their are a few families here who are gluten intolerant like me! so they know all the awesome recipes and help me to budget and buy gluten free bread...I just had my first sandwhich in over like 7 months! and they also help anyone else who is feeding us to cook. So everyone knows and does a good job, I don't ask for this by the way, but it got ahead of me and the members happily prepared. overall this is like a mini Midway, just more crowded with cars. And very very much more greener! the amount of trees, bushes and plants is crazy and very beautiful.

I can't express how awesome it is to be able to help people because I was taught a random skill by my parents. It even surprises my companion too! Especially when I helped a guy do landscaping or helping a lady clean her old
apartment before she moves. It is pleasing to be able to watch progression happen and I can't believe how much I fretted over having to do dishes and simple menial chores. Their nothing to me now haha, I hope you all are having fun, I figure things are changing at home and I can't wait to hear all about it when I get home! I love all you family, people persons hahahah!

Well to share some of the success we have been having: We have visited a large variety of people, many of whom are less
active. We even had the chance of seeing a miracles too. So we are preparing for a baptism soon and of course trials are coming up in the life of everyone involved in this baptism. This women is 18, she found the church through her friends and has been learning for about 4 months now! Recently she went away on vacation to visit college and family. There has been some discouragement from family that has left us worried that she may have changed her mind over that reak. But to our joy she came back asking not only when our next lesson would be, but if she could do two more this week.  Her spirit seems stronger than ever and for barley being 19 she has truly felt the guidance of our Heavenly Father. She has pressed forward with faith and to quote her "God may make rules that I do not understand, but I know that he knows everything  and he wants me to succeed. and so I will do my very best to follow everything God gives me." And the fellowship of this Ward is incredible and so helpful.

      We also have been visiting with several less actives, one of these less actives we have visited has been going to the temple daily but won't go to church. We taught her the  lessons, had people fellowship her and everything. We were really nice at times and really serious at others, yet she still wouldn't come. Well a few nights ago, we had planned to visit her that day, but we had no idea what to teach. All day in the back of my head ideas where storming about, when it finally came time.....I had nothing, no inspiration or anything was
hitting me or my companion. We rode our bikes down in silence to her house, we knocked her door and she came out and we sat on the porch. She asked us "so what is the lesson today boys?" And to my surprise my companion said "nothing". Instead we took the time just to sit and talk with her for an hour about her life, stresses, family , job....everything. She actually enjoyed it a lot and invited us back, two more times this week we would stop by for a bit. And to our amazement Sunday rolled around and she came to church!! She even had the chance to bear her testimony in relief society and I guess she mentioned how it felt nice to not only have friends who listen like the missionaries but ones who believe the same thing and aren't trying
to force stuff down her throat. She was really excited and I believe taught me and my companion a lesson. Sometimes the greatest away to connect and help someone is to just be a listening ear. But overall these people we are teaching now are solid and slowly progressing. And we are trying hard to find new investigators but with such a small ward, I think I will be able to knock every door here! So we are encouraging members to Full-fill their full time calling as missionaries, they need to find and we teach. It truly is so much nicer to have someone to teach that already has a fellowshipper who has explained a little of what we teach. Most the time it isn't the full time missionaries that find golden people but the members who teach by friendships and caring. Im glad for this chance I have to serve out here especially in the Small town of Loomis. Like the sign here says its a Small town thats just a big Family.

II love you all and Hope things are going well!! Enjoy everyday, all
day, because whether or not it is a good day or a bad day you still
cannot reclaim that day once it has past.

love Elder Heckel

Larissa - Polga, Hna Ries exchange and EXCHANGE BACK TO LAKE JACKSON!!!! (LOTS OF PHOTOS!!

Dearest people,

So this week was wonderful! I was so blessed to be able to go on exchanges back to Lake Jackson this week;) It was amazing! I missed them so much and it was so good to see everyone before I left. It was amazing to see how everyone is progressing and how the ward is doing. They have about 60 members coming constantly to church!! WHAT A MIRACLE!!! When I first got there a year ago there was about 15 people going constantly including the 4 missionaries that are in the branch:) they are growing so much and all the recent converts are doing wonderfully! it was amazing to see how the Lord has blessed them over the year and I am so grateful for their great example for me! I was suprise that everyone remembered me!! It was awesome. 

I also went on Exchanges with Hna. Ries:) seriously she is amazing! what a exemplary missionary and I learned so much from her. 

We had another successful week in the Polga:) we tried a new table and it was awesome! we had a lot of interested people come up to us and wanted to talk about the church. We also had a pastor from another church come up and sing to us! it was awesome. He also told us about his church and it was super awesome!! I love the polga! people are still shocked when we speak spanish!! it is great:P haha 

This week Ana and Oscar (our investigators) had a crazy week. We told them they should not get any more pets because they are dying or getting sick and they got their van totaled. Haha so we decided to make them a cake and took it to their tire shop (which they own and are there ALL the time) they were super happy. BUT they came to church this week and we have plans to pass by them alot. They are seriously the best and we are so excited to help them progress and learn more. They have been taking the lessons for a while but we feel like its time for them;) 

We are super excited for this week and all the fun exchanges we are going to have:) sister calton the other Senior sister training leader is sick and staying at the mission home for a couple days to fully get better so I am going to have my hands full this week:) super excited!!! 

Hope all is well with you all:) love you!!! 

Con amor,

La Hermana Heckel!! 

1. Members Hna. Reyes y Hernandez and (RC) Hna. Jenny Almanza:)

2. La familia Castillo and their cousin Christian from guatamala

3. Cecilia Flores:) 

4. mi Sorena hermosa:) 

MORE PHOTOS!!! 

Larissa - Miracle!! Conference!! Revelation!!

Dear family and friends!! 

so this week was amazing and I am not sure where to start. Well first off we found two amazing families this week. Fernando and kathy:) Kathy speaks mostly english but Fernando is all spanish. not really sure how that works with there family but it works for us! haha they have 7 kids, so they beat our family. They are all so adorable and love having us come over and we are excited to start teaching them and helping them learn more about the Gospel. The second is Jorge and Bertha. They are all so cute.  kinda the same situation but Jorge speaks english and Bertha spanish. They are both so cute and I love them all. They are all just wanting to learn more about the church and we are so excited for that miracle!! 

This week was had a BLITZ. never had one before and it was so much fun. Basically all the missionaries in our zone (about 16 missionaries) came into our area and we divided the area and every companionship walked or biked and we just talked to everyone!!! it was so much fun. We saw so many miracles and talked to so many people. Next week we will  be blitzing another area in our zone!  haha funny experience though. we decided to walk up this street that went on FOREVER and didn't really look like it had any houses. but we kept going and eventually decided to turn back. but on our way back, the one house that was on the street had a lady coming out the front door holding a baby and trying to water plants. We offered to help her but she just said not but invited us in. Come to find out that the missionaries had been visiting her only 2 months earlier and they stopped because she had moved!!! haha even  funnier story. I had a little bit of allergies that day and sneezed she turned to me and said "do you need a tissue?" no i said "do you want some honey?" ???? uhhhh what? then she continues "if you eat a table spoon of honey that will help get ride of all your symptoms from allergies!" I said okay.... not wanting to be rude or anything cause she was super excited. She comes back with this HUGE jar of honey and a ladle..... so she gets this HUGE scoop of honey and shoves it in my mouth...... Let me tell you NASTY, but all my allergy symptoms went away. not sure if it was just God being merciful because I had to eat the nasty honey or if it actually worked. But hey I lived:P  

This Week we also Had MLC and we got to go to two Zone meetings. Now I am the Sister training leader of Lake Jackson:) I get to go back there for exchanges to the area I was born in!!! super excited!! Then we went to our own zone meeting as well.... Let me tell you the week goes by so fast when you have meetings almost every day. and then conference on top of that. The week just flew by! 

Was Conference AMAZING or what!!! literally I love it! It is better then the super bowl! I am so grateful for wonderful leaders!! what a huge blessing and what amazing messages. My faith was definitely strengthened and I received a lot of revelation this past weekend:) I want to share a story about a women in our ward. Hna. Gomez is an elderly lady in our ward. She lives alone and is the sweetest thing ever. She has a very hard time getting around and can barely see. She came to the church to watch conference which is about a 10 minute drive from her house. Watched the session in spanish alone, and then after the session started her walk home. Luckily the Friendswood sisters saw her and gave her a ride home. but she has walked there and was walking home which for her was really hard. just to hear the prophet speak. What great faith. She is amazing. That reminded me of a quote by one of the general authorities where he asked "if our car was broke down would we walk to church?" Hna. Gomez would! Shes amazing:) I just love her. 

What an amazing and filling week:) I love this work so much! we are so excited to work hard this week. I will be going on exchanges to Lake Jackson and my old area!!! and then back to beautiful Galveston!!! GAHHH I love Texas!! 

Hope you all have a killer week and I will talk to yall later!!! 

Con amor, Hermana Heckel 

1. 1 year left.... 30 days.... AHHHH 

2. Chevy:) cutes thing ever!!

3. hna. Gomez. Sweetest thing ever.

4. say hello to our BIG friend. 

Travis- Easter at the Temple!

Today has been a glorious day, One that I will not soon forget! So today, April 6th, the temple was opened up for a special session for the Roseville California Mission only. Yes all the missionaries got together and over three sessions went through the temple today. I was able to be a part of it going through for only my second time ever in the first session. I absolutely loved it! The Sacramento temple is beautiful and peaceful. There was a special excitement as all the missionaries gathered for a once in a life time opportunity. The rooms where beyond max occupancy as we squeezed everyone in. Honestly this came at such a great time on the mission, as missionaries it is such a privilege and motivation going to the temple. The spirit it brings and leaves you with. It always changes you...even just a little bit. 

    Especially for me and my companion although we are trying our very best, this area is tough and very few people are willing to even give us a second of their time. But going through this has reminded me of the love and compassion our savior and our God has for us. For there willingness to pay and give so much for a soul that is so rebellious and proud as mine. :) seriously though I have had a tough time right there and being in the temple helped so much. I truly felt something, a peace that I cannot fully describe, and it's there I truly prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for all those wonderful people I have had in my life and for the strength to be able to help those who God puts in my life. I'm indeed grateful for a savior this Easter season and the fact is everyone needs him for in this life all our greatest works, our greatest victories and accomplishments would have been for nothing if it wasn't for the Savior. And despite our best attempts our failures, our mistakes would have dragged us under. I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter and general conference weekend. This one was exceptionally powerful and always very great! I definitely found answers to the questions I had. This week was eventful as we where able to help by providing service to several investigators, for a older lady we dug out fat stumps and refilled her holes in her back yard. If you didn't already know Northern California has a large amount of trees. She had quite a few trees she was never able to get to before they got to large. Hahaha it was so funny to watch her try and use a chain saw as we had biked by, so we stopped and we asking and I ended up chopping down the trees for her(thank you Kam Kohler for teaching me by example to cut a tree down) and helped clean it all up. We also helped a girl build a pig pen and bring in several large pigs and piglets, So cute but freakin stubborn!!! I unwrapped a whole bunch of barbed wire and wrapped them around a bunch of poles we had pounded in several days earlier! It honestly is cool to learn this stuff....but I have no idea how they do miles and miles of this across plains and valleys. But we also where able to teach a little lady names Fusae (f-S-I) she is Japanese and Buddhist. It was such an exciting experience to explain God and Jesus Christ.  It is such a different challenge and also so good to see a genuine understanding of the lord and his works. 

   

A lot of the people here are all very wealthy and most of them do not see a need for God, yet it is so amazing to see one decide and choose to find God even though they have everything else in the world. I think if anything this bears testimony that God is important, not for temporal or earthly needs but for eternal and heavenly matters. I love you all and hope you are all well, remember those around you as you travel this summer and see how you can help people!! And I hope you all had an awesome spring break!! 

      Elder Heckel 

    

P.s. Just remember if you have a missionary cut your hair, you must suffer the consequences.