Hey! This was such an amazing week. We had a fantastic Christmas week. So to everyone I have been given a new companion, Elder Hudson! He has been put only 4 months! Transfers pulled a total 180 on us, but it was fun with Elder Ramos! Elder Hudson is cool, he has greens fire which has kinda remotivated me a lot. He is a tall athlete, plays a lot of basketball and loves music, especially making it. He is really goofy like me and we enjoy going back and forth making funny comments and apologizing like funny men. I swear I am laughing 24/7 with him. But I also feel the spirit so strongly in our studies and teachings that I absolutely love it. He has a very strong testimony and has helped me dramatically to grow and change. I hope to serve with him for a very long time. Especially since I am a stubborn man, very it takes a good walk to the head to teach me something. :)
The miracles this week are amazing, unfortunately we didn't meet with that many people. But those we did meet with gave us a chance to really teach them and help build their testimonies.
I think Christmas opens everyone's hearts to learn and grow, these are the times when they more patient and willing to hear what we have to say. Sometimes.
So we where able to visit the Daniels family. Their are 3 daughters and one son. Athena who is 12, Austin who is 9, Aulivia who is 6 and Aurora who is 3. They are so adorable and awesome! We first met them when we helped them to move from their home to their grandmas. The home they lived in was very unclean and nasty. We noticed to a dark spirit kinda lingered with the family, they always fought and yelled with one another. The kids seriously didn't feel loved and the oldest one has tried to run away a few times. We could plainly see that the family was falling apart. The wife was working constantly and the father was consumed by cigarettes and video games. After the move many meets told us that the family wasn't gunna hold together. Because of their environment they would eventually fall apart. I kinda took that as a challenge, I wanted to change it. We have been visiting weekly teaching them, charity and love. Funny thing though is it took a bit of time, but it slowly started to change. They started to say family prayers, reading scriptures. We challenge them to tell each other each day they love one another and helped them to remove all things which brought contention. We even see the father who (isn't the most positive person) start to kinda get involved and actually smile. Especially this last week each kid ended of our lesson by saying what they we thankful for and who they love. They each started just going on a hugging spree. And it amazed me to see how happy and Geary eyes the mother and grand mother was getting. I've never felt such joy to see a family broken, start to mold back together again.
Another awesome lesson we had was with Jaden Gray who we met again. This was possibly one of the funniest lessons I have ever given. Everyone there just thought I was hilarious...my companion and I decided we would teach the Law of chastity. It turns out that I would be the only one to teach. It was my first time really teaching it and instead of just beating around the bush I drove straight into it. I spoke on its importance and gave the swim suit example....which I guess not everyone knows and brought out the Immature Part of us that made this lesson not tense at all. And I think it went over well. He really is enjoying it and likes going to church. I think he is ready and we are planning on inviting him this next lesson.(he was to scared first time)
Well I do wanna say one thing(I'm sorry I'm a little lazy in closing here) but I am so grateful for all of you. Skyping home reminded me of many things, especially the reason I wanna be out here. I know I came out here childish, prideful and stubborn, but I have a chance to do good, to change someone's life for the better, I know that through God I can help people find that hope that took for granted. And I'm loving every second.
So those are my first to miracles with many others following. But a cooling I wish to ask is has anyone seen a falling star? Because during our tracting Sunday night, we kept hitting door after door slammed on us! But then as we walked across an intersection we happened to look up to see a falling star plummeting down. It was one of the most amazing things ever. It kinda just made us super excited and happy. It was so beautiful and big enough to see rocks and color, it is amazing the world God has really created for us. We live in such An amazing place and unlike what the news portrays we are living in a thriving and growing world. There is wonders I know God has created for us to yet find. It makes me so excited to see what not only lies in this world but the next. I love my Heavenly Father so much, he has put us here with grand families in whole we can love, cry, fight and laugh with. I was reminded of that this Christmas and I am so happy to have this chance to bring that happiness to others. But not only me, I know many of you have had wonderful blessings, you have great families and friends, Homes to live in and cars to drive! This is your chance to also spread that happiness. And you don't have to go door to door preaching, but simply tell your parents you love them. Hug your sibling today! Give that friendly letter to a old friend......just remember God gave us this one chance to show our love and gratitude for all we have and all those hat we meet. So don't wait any longer! I hope everyone has a great holiday season. And what a better goal for the New Year then to jut simply BE HAPPY!
Elder Heckel
P.s. To all I thought I sent letters out to...I found them under some blankets...so I'm gunna have to make new ones!
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