Travis - A lot of moving

Hello

Everyone

It's

Another

Monday!!

Haha, this feels so quick for Monday to be present. This last week was
full of a lot of laboring in the work.  We where able to teach James
who really appreciates our messages we bring, he has always been
afraid of going into something fully without a sure knowledge. And we
discussed a lot about faith and how God does not creat a church with
all the knowledge of him ever, but only the things that pertain to our
salvation. We also say again that the lord truly had prepared people,
a girl named Cailey. She has been through the refiners fire and has
been searching many churches. When she came to ours something said
this was right and she keeps asking what she has to do to join. She
reads and loves the scriptures and has actually been dating a in
active return missionary who is coming back now!! It's a mega bonus,
but we just learned minutes ago she is moving out of our mission :(.
But we are excited that she found this and are working to make sure
she meets the missionaries down there.
   Also Most of what we did this week was service, I felt like a
moving company. We helped several non members who needed up moving
into the sisters ward out here. It's exciting as each of them face a
different circumstances, but we helped them move all there oversized
furniture to tiny houses or apartments. It's really cool all the
things people have Collected over the years but I always thought they
had to much stuff....until we had to move our apartment this week. Oh
boy what an exciting time traveling back and forth until our housing
coordinator brought a trailer over. It was exciting to get out of our
old area and into a new one. And it's such a blessing because the
part,net chosen is where several of our investigators moved too! So we
have to only walk, I will say now how thankful I am for cars and
bikes! All you people out walking about, must walk like 20 miles a
day! We are just finishing unpacking all our stuff. A new place makes
all the difference for yourself.(I'm sorry for those in foreign
countries, trust me I'm appreciating what I have) I hope you all are
having an awesome time and we will see you all later.


Elder Heckel

Travis - A week to remember

Oh what a good week!
 We have spent a lot of This week doing service. We are reaching out
to different groups in the community and working at different donation
places and at food banks. It's such a blast being a missionary. In a
million years I would never have guess that I would enjoy spending
time talking to complete strangers. We met with our melt prominent
investigator right now which is James! James is an older retired man
and his girlfriend who just can't help but bust out jokes left and
right. He always loves bringing smiles to people's faces but when the
gospel comes along he seems to be uplifted by the spirit in which his
most common phrase is 'I don't know why more people don't Lenten to
you guys!' Although he has a lot on his plate being retired he does
have a desire to be baptized and we are working word to help him get
to the church...on time :). But another miracle we had is we are doing
a lot of finding and changing in our teaching. Working with a few
wards is quite difficult (I can't imagine the Utah missionaries) but
we are really working with members in the YSA to meet people, we have
done a lot of work of going out on splits visiting less actives. These
people are so AWESOME too because they all grew up together majorly or
they know them from somewhere. So when we teach they get pretty blunt
and really know how to fellowship and answer concerns. Best of all
though is that because we got out working with them, they in turn each
have given us REFERRALS! Getting referrals and good ones are few and
far between, but it makes our day to know that someone trusts us to
teach there friend.
 But you know exciting things keep going on too, I've become more
involved in helping missionaries with there iPads since the majority
of tech people just went home :,(. It's giving me new insight into how
missionaries each work as I view there set up for teaching and who
they are teaching. But it also made me realize and focus on teaching
missionaries that they are the tools to teach in the hands of the
spirit NOT the iPad. Sometimes it seems missionaries and members rely
to much on a good movie or touching story to make them feel the Spirit
and do all the teaching, when in reality the best way to ignite the
spirit is to connect and share your own testimony. So I always
challenge missionaries to go without iPads and see what happens. The
spirit can work greatly simply through us, for it is where truth comes
from. Although scripture and teachers help, the best way to help
someone learn is straight from God.

I'm doing great, and I hope all of you are having a fantastic time!!

Love y'all

Elder Heckel

Travis - Mormon Valentines :-)

Dear family,

This week was fabulous. I know I say that a lot, but everyday as a
missionary is truly a blessing. Sometimes it does feel like you don't
accomplish much, but this week we had the opportunity of meeting some
YSA potentials! These people were super NCOs but you come to find out
about all the new religions people have. Like one lady we met believes
when you go out and pray in the forest you connect with God through
nature. Others believe that when you rock out hardcore. It's sad that
they try to force A spiritual feelings. But she was receptive and
hopefully she will want to feel that new spirit as she puts it.  And
this week we also met with another part member couple. He is quite
cool, he loves the gospel and knows a ton about it but doesn't go
because of his wife's wishes. We are helping her to recognize the Holy
Ghost when it speaks to her, she shared with us some amazing
experiences and miracles hat she perceived to be God talking to her.
But she has a kind heart and says she wants to try everything we have
to refer before giving up trying.
  I want you guys to know how great the scriptures are, I've started
new studies in the Book of Mormon really analyzing it. I get made fun
of being so analytical and scientific thinking but there is so many
treasures to be gained from this book. Its the only book next to the
bible to really teach you, not only gods word but his will. I found so
many answers from the Book of Mormon, every time something relates or
straight out tells me things I know I should be doing, things need to
know. No other book truly can change every time you read it like this.
One of the coolest things I noticed in the Book of Mormon is about
Lehi! Reading through you could guess that Lehi was a convert! He
starts of praying to God and truly wanting to know him.  That is also
why Laman and Lemuel murmured so much because they had not had the
opportunity to learn and be converted. We learn nephi's prayer and
conversion also Sams and Sarah's conversion. They all took the
challenge to find the truth. But we learn that Laman and Lemuel do not
have the desire to ask the lord. Multiple times it states how they
rely on there wisdom instead of seeking the lord. It makes it quite
exciting to visualize being there and in there position. I would
challenge anyone to not read the scriptures with real intent and not
feeling the spirit. I love you guys all a ton, sorry for he crappy
emails haha. I'm trying enjoy every second of being a missionary this
pday. We are currently eating in and out and might I say this has to
be the best lettuce burger ever!

Have a happy Valentine's Day.

Love elder Heckel!

Here are some Mormon valentines!!

Travis - A lot of stuff!

Hey everyone!

      What a week it has been. It's been quite the excitement over the
past few weeks, first off the miracles where awesome! So Abbie our
main investigator has now had all the lessons! All we are waiting for
is a few family issues to be resolved and she will get baptized!!!
Yah! The lord has been very merciful in helping us over this week. Me
and my companion traded off two days in being sick, but crazy enough
is the fact that those we had planned for that day called us and
rescheduled later during the week! So we where able to  meet up with
all of them, another miracle was we came across two former
investigators, This older couple had listened to the discussions
before but when we showed up they shared a desire to once again hear
more (go spirit!). We had a fantastic lesson about faith and invited
them to start reading the Book of Mormon together as a couple. They
agreed and said they would also come to church (I'm not sure if they
came, we didn't have time to check after sacrament, cross your fingers
they did!). We had another lesson also with Kenney and his sister! It
was a good lesson as we tried to introduce the gospel to his sister.
But she is a tough nut and is a little resistant in feeling the
spirit. Don't quite understand why but she is indeed willing to listen
though so we are glad. Kenney on the other hand loves it all! He wants
to be a part of it and we are indeed excited for him to make those
covenants, but he is waiting for his sister to want to join as well.
So it will be a great experience for both of them to do this together.
 But this week has been a blast of fun, elder Sanborn is an amazing
companion. He's very real with people. Most those we are teaching have
been learning a long time! So we worked out very deep lessons in which
to establish the seriousness of what we share. We expected most to
push us off and say they where done, but most actually kept us and
said they would take it seriously! Especially our YSA we teach! Gosh I
hope people at home aren't as flaky as them, it's sad the amount of
drugs they get into also. They try to hide it, but even small usage is
visible to people. Overall it's a good time out here being a
missionary. I still feel brand new to the mission haha, we have
exchanges and tie always a humble Experience because these new
missionaries teach me so much that I never thought of. I'm so grateful
to be a missionary and serve the lord out here, there is seriously
nothing better than this! Haha thank you all for your missionary work
updates too! I read all of them and greatly enjoy the spirit you put
into it.

Haha one last funny thing is I had another animal incident (sorry big
cat fans)........ But it was with  a cat. So this thing believes that
it owns us, it lays on the hood of our car, leaves prints everywhere.
And most of all when we go to open the door to our apartment it tries
to run in. It's not scared of us at all, even when we try to chase it
off it comes back. Finally I had it with this cat it's stinky and
gross and so it came in and wouldn't go out of the apartment. I pushed
it with my foot towards the door  and it hissed at me. "OH! No you
didn't!" So I ran over and grabbed my foam axe and walked back slowly.
And like golfing I lined up with the door, pulled up and promptly
knocked it's little butt out the door. I heard it scream as It flew
out the door, it flew further than I thought which left me pretty
surprised! And it obviously ran off, and so we closed the door and
returned to what we where doing. Then a few minutes later we looked at
our sliding door where the cat sat against the glass, stared at us. :O
I gave up, I guess it's our new House pet? Hahaha Anyhow I hope this
gave you a good laugh! I thank you all for your emails! Your all so
wonderful!

-Love  Elder Heckel

-Would you recognize Jesus Christ now?
-For all you missionaries too!
-oh the many cool things you get to see!!