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.