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









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