Elder - Teaching

So this has been one of the craziest weeks I have ever had! A mission is seriously the place for everything on a schedule to go nuts!!! You know as a missionary you meet so many different people, some you get close with and others you simply are a walking step in there life.  But your greatest friends and those you come closest to are other missionaries. I love many of those I have had a chance to serve around, and I have come very close with a few. One in particular is a missionary in our current home who earlier this week jut lost his father in a plane crash.......that was hard, me and him have kinda been shy and just hung out with each other a lot. And to see this come crashing down on him was hard. I spent all day and a half with him listening to all his cool stories of his dad. It honestly killed me to not only have that happen to him, but to see how positive he was being! He never asked why me?? Or anything negative like that. We eventually took him to the church where a member took him to the airport to go to the funeral, He should be back today! But this thing during the week left me thinking a lot about my family and friends. I seriously love all of you guys and appreciate all you have done! I really do love you guys and would do anything for you. I don't know what I would do without you guys. I seriously am so blessed to have you guys in my life! This is the second time that a missionary I knew well has lost someone close to them. It's kinda crazy because a mission is seriously the best place for that. I don't know any missionary who has gone home permanently because of it. This gospel can do amazing things I could never have imagined or describe. I didn't even have a sliver of understanding before my mission.

        Also this week we have been able to visit so many different PMF and investigators. As I got to know them, I realized melt these people are mormon, they live the life style, they join family and friends at church. They give service and follow the word of wisdom. They do everything except baptism!! It gets frustrating sometimes seeing how close they are and yet they deny really believing and knowing. 

One of the families we visited was the Daniels........the father is an example of a extreme gamer....he has majorly slacked on his family duties.....he decided to put everything into world of warcraft...he lost his job forcing his wife to work...and doesn't care for kids to much. We go over a lot trying to encourage him to break free and take on his responsibilities.....especially since there being forced to move. It really makes me sad, I have met a lot of gamer dads out here and this is the first time I have seen one who has seriously fallen into it. NONE OF YOU will be like that....but it amazes me people are like that in this world. But he does have a very wonderful 8 year old daughter and crazy smart 10 year old son. I enjoy going over and playing with them and showing them all the "cool" Book of Mormon adventures. 

     We also visit another family, the Hawkins, they are currently divorced and we are teaching their daughter who is going back and forth between there homes. It amazes me how positive she is being in this situation, and the divorce has not only helped the mother to find a new husband, but to also return to church activity again. They absolutely love talking to us and having us over for dinner....hey watch a lot of tv, haha you can connect and start lessons over the craziest things you saw before the mission. We first met.....connected of the walking dead.....and now we are teaching her and preparing her for baptism. It is funny and exciting to share stuff that they seem to know nothing about. 

    there are many many more families and individuals we are teaching but those two are the biggest priorities right now, I really do enjoy going and teaching.....even though I hardly say anything at all.....I feel like I'm going insane because I don't talk a ton anymore. But YA know! Well and here are two funny things that have gone on this week also, one is that I awoke to.....ants!! Everywhere!!!!! They got in all the food and dishes and everything, I've spent a whole week scrubbing and eradicating the ants, yet every morning they seem to appear in increasing numbers. They had gotten all over me when my bed was near the kitchen so I had to move away....gosh those demon pests never just die! There are pictures down there of the first small group that appeared. Since then it gets bigger and bigger, so I'm going nuts trying to find an exterminator to help me in the apartment.

We are having a blast with the many things we do out here, I do take a lot of pictures...I'm just lazy at posting them ;) but I love all you guys and will post a ton more....another surprise is the fog here is so thick....you literally can only see thirty feet in all directions, kinda scary pulling into our home since we can't see the garage. But it's way fun to see it....its zombie weather. I have a ton more to say but I'll cut of for now.....here's one last surprise that will start of my letter next week. Just check out the picture on the bottom. I really love everything we have done, I love the support I got and can't wait to hear from you guys. Peace to you sirs and mams!! 

Love elder heckel "echo" 

-Elder Heckel