Sunday, April 26, 2015

BROKEN HANDS

Spiritual message of broken hands

I have come to realize that there are times in this life when the Lord calls us to serve with broken hands. I mean this in the Physical and Spiritual sense. I took a good fall this week and road rashed my hands with rocks and all. I had to scrub and pick the rocks out with my shoe polish brush and leaves because I had nothing else available to me. My hands were completely bruised and bleeding and it was a very tough situation for me. I wasn´t able to hold anything or make anything without re-tearing open my hands. The same day it happened we got a call from our good friend Carlos that he was in the Hospital, he had Dengue. He requested that I give him the blessing. As I put my hands on his head the Spirit Whispered ¨I have called those with broken hands to serve.¨ The next day our investigator Miguel (who is huge and has a massive scar next to his eye from a broken beer bottle from a bar fight) had a lesson with us. I testified of the Power of the Melchizedek Priesthood that we hold. He has to wait 5 more weeks to be baptized but is a super strong member already. He teaches us out of the books of the teachings of the Prophets. He desires the Priesthood more than anything else. After the Spirit filled the meeting he looked at me and asked me ¨ Elder Hefner will you give me a blessing. You have the Priesthood keys the door that I am trying to walk through and I need help.¨ As I placed my broken hands on his head I pronounced a blessing that I could never forget. I forgot about my difficulties with the language and I received the gift of tongues. By the time the blessing was complete tears streamed down my face and the Face of Hermano Miguel and he said a soft Thank you and embraced me in a hug. I thought of this experience over and over and I have come to realize that the Lord needs those with broken hands to serve. He asks for a broken heart and a contrite spirit. After all we are Born To Serve after the example of our Great Exemplar even Jesus the Christ. Was not the Greatest act of service and love ever performed done with Broken Hands? With the concluding words being ¨Father Forgive them for they know not what they do?¨ He is The Way, The Truth, and The Light. All who seek to serve him first must ask ¨How too can I have Broken Hands?¨ I ask all to ask this question. Please search for the truth. He is there. He is waiting. With hands out strecthed asking us to Leave our Nets and follow him. His foot prints are there in the sand. Will We leave the Boat? Will we walk or run? Will we one day stand before him and weep and behold his hands and feet on bended knee with exclamations of Hosana knowing we have given him all that we are? I ask you to search these things and if any find fault He will be there to help you back into the path. In the Sacred name of our Lord and Master Jesus the Christ.
Elder Hefner
My first agua de Coco (coconut water)straight from the Coconut 

Thanks to what I learned at OCSA (Osceola County School for the Arts)

Also I was asked to judge a singing competition of a school of 600 kids!!! President referred me by name specifically to his first counciler and it was beyond amazing!! I felt like I was back home. I was to judge intonation, pronunciation because it was in ENGLISH! And stage performance and conection with the Audience. After they had me give an improv speach to the kids about my music backround and were I have performed. I then talked to all the kids after.. it was so amazing I felt so loved. I also now teach classes of music to the members and non members on how to read music, direct it, sing it and soon how to play piano! it´s so amazing!! And I got invited back next year to judge by the Principal and Head authorities!! and I am learning how to now since I AM THE WARD PIANIST.... lol Only because I read music!! lol
Helping move a house!! The Elders of our District! Elder Olalere is doing all the Heavy lifting.. AND of coarse the Apartment was on the Third floor with stairwells that were so small my shoulders rubbed the walls lol We then road in the back of the ¨Truck holding eveything up and on Dominican streets it was.... SCARY lol
Also how we move furniture in the DR... Try walking like this for a kilometer... Talk about shoulder muscle workout!! lol 
How we defrost our meat... With a hose and in the Washer... 
And The most healthy dinner ever!!! Bacon and French Fries at 10 at night lol
We splurged and went into the city to eat a mexican pizza and Burrito supreme!!!
Ok love you mama!!! I will talk to you next week!! STAY STRONG!!!
Elder Hefner



Sunday, April 19, 2015

Hey I am here but I can´t write much because...

Me with two little girls of the family with the baptismal date... So funny story, the daughters are all members but the parents no!!! So we are working with the parents...

The reason for no blog last week - previous week message

Elder Hefner had been very sick, flu, gastrointestinal infection (send him to the hospital) and food poisoning. He could not leave the apartment for a week and had the mission doctor, and a couple of members stay with him during the day. 

This week was a trial of my faith again. I actually gave up at one point and wanted to go home. I have learned that what my patriarchal blessing says is true. Satan is doing absolutely everything in his power to stop me from serving a successful mission. I haven´t slept in almost 6 months and I live in Babylon. The Lord is helping sustain me though. I have seen his hand and he is revealing his hand everyday to keep me going and to make it over the next hill (Literally.) I am tired and my physical body is at it´s limit. I have been sick almost every single day for two transfers straight. I am standing in the Refiners fire and The Lord is pushing on the billows to make this fire hot. He is hammering out all the imperfections and I am learning to stand in the flame, and the only way to do that is to kneel. I learned what it is I need to do through and investigator. He taught me by sharing a scripture I have heard and shared countless times, Heleman 5:12. 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty stormshall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.  I have lived through trials before but none like this. I lost track of everything that is truly important and my new goal is to make a huge coarse correction. I have taken my eyes off the Savior and looked inward and I have been selfish. If you have a problem ESPECIALLY as a missionary you can NEVER turn inward only out. I must now learn who my Savior is all over again and build my foundation on a sure foundation.
Elder Hefner

Needless to say he was very down and tired of being sick. On Friday, Apr 10, 2015 at 1:37 AM, Tim Sr. wrote:
Elder Hefner, 
Son,
I was lying in bed just about to fall asleep and the whisper of the Spirit awakened me and told me that I had to do something that I've never done before or even thought of... I needed to email you and while praying record my prayer to you ...we always say that we are praying for you but the extent... the words...the emotion of the prayers are never conveyed clearly or precisely... Glorianne and Ben put your name in the temple tonight ... Your mom and I are going tomorrow night then we'll add your name to other temples. I'll begin my prayer now...

I love you son. Return with the Honor that comes from knowing you served your God and Savior to the best of your abilities.... trying times .... and overcoming them .... is why we are here.
God bless your every footstep, thought and action against the adversary.
Love, 
Dad

Elder Hefner's response:

Dad I can´t tell you how much I felt the Spirit while reading this.. I needed this so bad. I just fell and messed up my hands now with rocks embedded so deep that I can´t get them out... I am being STRETCHED hard but the Lord is turning me into something. I was feeling so spiritually low and this helped me to recharge my Spiritual batteries. Thank you so much for your prayers. I feel your love from here. Thank you. I am trying so hard everyday to remember all my covenants I made in the Endowment. Thoughts of the Temple keep me going. It keeps me moving and it gives me strength to walk. Go as often as possible please. For me and for those who you do the work for. I miss the Temple so much... I love you a ton thank you for this..
Elder Hefner

A better week

Hey I am here but I can´t write much because I messed up my hands today and can only finger pluck the Keyboard... But I have a lot of pictures for you.. my new comp is Elder Olalere from California. The virus was healed by a miracle... but 2 days after I contracted severe food poisoning... And the week was good.. And All I can say is that the Lord is giving me signs to know that he is still here. It helps me get from day to day

Conference was amazing. I went in with many questions and The Third Session of Conference answered all of them. I was overcome with joy that I wept when I found out Haiti is getting a temple. Everyone gasped at the same time! Now my Hatian Brothers finally get to go do ordinances in the temple!!!! WHAT A MIRACLE!!!!
Our old District 

Looking skinny... lol Making cookies at 6 am for the Zone... They were fantastic and everyone loved them.. Made them with a silver rice spoon to mix and the pot for rice lol... I was making cookies for about 4 hours! 

My new scripture cases... Just because they are a MUST HERE or else your scriptures are destroyed in 6 months.. lol

Me with Elder Flores on his last day with Hermana Gonzalez photo-bombing lol  It was a very hard good bye.
Me with Elder Hudson my former Zone Leader... He´s a great guy!
Me and Elder Clase... He ended with Elder Flores and was the comp of Elder Henze!

Me with Elder Dickson .. He is gone now

 Me with one of my favorite families. They are the best. We helped her son before he left on his mission and now he is serving in Mexico. We really helped her with the transition. We stopped by often and just gave them lots of love. I figured it is what you would have done.

My new comp...Elder Olalere.. he is from Anaheim California and  his dad is from Nigeria and his mom is from Utah.
The bus was literally dug into the ground stuck and it was hilarious lol

This is Elder Olalere. We forgot we were frying tostones and wellllll lol

When two elders know how to cook ... SO GOOD!
And the guy messed up my hair so bad at the barber that We literally had to shave it all off... It was horrible. I LOOK LIKE AN EGG!!! And my hands ... BUENOO (Well).... lol

I love you and I´ll talk to you next week! Please send Sister Pratt the Link to my blog! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!

Love you !!! have a good week and keep up the missionary work!!!!! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS!!!! WOOOOOO

Elder Hefner









Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Thank You for following the Spirit...

Playing Dominos at the Iglesia (the church)with my two converts Luis y Frankiro..they trashed me... Dominos here is insane lol They play Professional rules and you know how Tio Wilberg takes a while to think and is really good? They do the same but play 30x faster so that a 200 point game ends in 10 mins.. lol Luis stopped by our house at 10 pm when I was sick just to check on me... 

Note: My e-mail to Elder Hefner on Monday morning read:

My dearest Elder (Son),


How is my Elder? Do you still have the flu? Is the fever gone? Something is up for I had a dream with you last night and your dad told me this morning that he felt he had to put your name in the Temple at Midnight. He said he did in 9 Temples.... So what's up? We can feel something is wrong...

Thank you for following the Spirit..

So I am so grateful you guys followed the Spirit and putting my name on the prayer rolls of the Temples... I wasn't allowed to Leave the house all week by Order of Dr. Luisa... I got a bad virus that kicked me in the stomach pretty good... As well as every other part of my body HAHAHA. Hermana Grange (The medical advisor) felt so bad because I was so sick. I am sorry if my English is terrible porque (because) it has been decreasing more and more... But yea Sunday I was Driven to the Emergency room because I stood up in church and in the words of my Com "Dude you are white but YOU ARE WHITE." I felt like I had no energy and it was pretty crazy. Elder Flores helped carry me to the Car LOL. BUTTTTT This was given to me by the Lord. While in the Hospital the first time we met a man whose sister is a teacher in the CCM (MTC) in UTAH! He asked us "Can you please explain about life after this one for me?... It is my biggest question"... The next time we were there we met a man who lives 2 mins from us! The Spirit touched me so strong that I needed to talk to him and so I went over by myself and he told me he lived there which is a miracle because the hospital is in a really nice area far away from ours... We taught those two men AND the Doctor. Tambien cada vez cuando (also every time that) we had an activity or a service that was crucial for our Ward or Investigators I felt complete strength to go and work... We now have two people with a Baptismal date as well! Elder Flores did it with a member as another member stayed with me in the house and he went to go and teach... He came back and I was so elated. I was able to build the confidence of two of the most active members in the ward during this time as well. I am grateful for this affliction because it was given to me to preach the Gospel. TALK ABOUT MIRACLES!!!

I am fine now mom it was just a virus. I could have gotten it from anywhere honestly. The Doctor said I will be fine by tomorrow and she reminds me of Titi Silvy so I know she is right. It was just a bad virus lol I am HONESTLY SO much better. I am allowed to teach again and I spent a lot of hours in the office with her talking. You don't have to worry anymore I am back in the game and Elder Flores and I are working HARD and with the Spirit!

YES I GOT THE BOX!!! And a package from grandma and the Fishers at the same time!!!!!!! I am pretty sure I set the record for the mission!!!! JK...JK..LOL





THANK YOU SO MUCH I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AND THE DISTRICT AM. I told them you were sending a package with candy for us and ALL of us were jumping up and down!!! HAHAHAHA

Grandma sent me stuff to bake and I am SOOOOOO HAPPY!!!! I am making chocolate chip cookies for the zone Tuesday! Everone in the zone loves you and grandma now hahahahahaha

I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE PACKAGE THAT FAR ONLY THE TOP..... YOU SENT ME MUSIC?!!!! OMGOSH I AM SO EXCITED!!!! OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

I asked Elder Hefner: Do you get to watch conference this weekend?

OF COURSE and IN ENGLISH hahahahahaha Hey you really should put going out to teach with the missionaries in front of everything else. If you take anything away from today talking with me it is that. Sacrifice any other time you have, besides going to the temple. Sunday naps aren't important. The testimony of members changes hearts and lives. Please ask if you and dad can go teach with the elders and sisters... even if it is just once a week. I promise you as a servant and authorized representative that if you do this the Lord will bless you with a new job and it will be one you will love.
Us with Elder Martinez from the first Quorum of the Seventy !

Us and Elder Dickson today.. I made cake for the Elders! haha

Thanks mom and dad I will talk to you next week!  Love you! :) Please say Happy Easter to the Family and Ben and Glorianne especially from me! :))))
Elder Hefner

Inspiration to Elder Hefner this week (Heavenly Father has a hand on everything...he knows each of us individually...His love is infinite)


The Comforter

Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency
Many are praying to Heavenly Father for relief, for help in carrying their burdens of grief, loneliness, and fear. Heavenly Father hears those prayers and understands their needs. He and His Beloved Son, the resurrected Jesus Christ, have promised help [see Matthew 11:28–30]. …
The Savior described the way He helps lighten loads and gives strength to carry them when He was about to be crucified. He knew that His disciples would grieve. He knew that they would fear for their future. He knew they would feel uncertain of their capacity to move forward.
So He gave them the promise that He makes to us and to all His true disciples:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; …
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:1627).
In just the past few weeks I have seen that promise of sending the Holy Ghost fulfilled in the lives of children of God who were pleading in prayer that their burdens would be lightened. The miracle of the loads being lightened came in a way the Lord promised. He and Heavenly Father sent the Holy Ghost as the Comforter to His disciples to help."