Friday, July 31, 2015

WOW I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU!

The Motoconcho lol (I can't even translate this...all I know it is a small motorcycle taxi) This is us three on the bike lol we had many strange looks as we passed... While we were riding my feet could touch the ground no problem hahahahaha

A message to dad

Hey dad... So Mom gave me a heart attack when she called the mission LOL All I hear from the Office sister is that ¨Elder Hefner your mom called¨ My heart hit the floor lol Next time let her know that ¨No news is good news¨ when you are a missionary lol So I love my area... the area is HUGE. It is the size of about 3 or 4 areas.. We walk anywhere from 10-45 minutes in between lessons......... Needless to say I have lost another inch on my stomach and my size 17 shirts have a nice loose fit lol We have already found 7 new investigators that show promise IN ONE WEEK. The Lord is definetley here. I know you will recover very quickly so that you can get back to serving others. Love you pops. Speedy Recovery
Elder Hefner
 
Pictures of the Area......... We have A LOT HERE... LOL JKJK


A message to mom

FIRST QUESTION! ¿¿¿Do you know a Miguel Iglesia and his wife who live in Kissimmee... they are members and well the name has been ringing in my head... I feel as though we had them over with the missionaries once??? I AM TEACHING HIS FAMILY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY LIVE RIGHT BEHIND THE APARTMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had an Awesome Family home evening we had ¨Noche de Hogar¨  en Spanish... I Barbecued hot dogs for everyone and I found my new best friend... lol He is the dog of the family. Every time I come over he breaks his chain and tries to play... he is REALLY THE BLACK KENAI...  same energy and everything! 
¨You can take the Barbecue away from the Elder, but you can´t take the elder away from the Barbecue¨ lol
 

 
We had a man stop us asking for a Book of Mormon.. He wants to take the lessons... His brother is the stake President of one of the stakes in the mission... lol ummm We found 6 more people to teach who are really strong.. And the work is progressing really fast!
My comp is from Orem Utah but his dad is from Argentina and his mom is from Chile... He´s about the same Spanish Level I am lol ... and WOOOOO My boots have seen a few miles... The apartment sucks.. We only have water once every 3 days or so. So we have those huge storage tanks of water in the shower and a pitcher and we take ¨Bucket Showers¨lol It is more like the climate of Florida here... Pretty hot.. I am taking my shirts in to be fixed.. They are just way too big now lol
Yes there is one Colmado (small market) close by but it only has rice, beans, salami and eggs... lol the town has two ¨ Supermarkets¨ It is a building with three isles of food.. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I am in the middle of nowhere.. To go to zone meetings we have to hop a bus for 45 minutes !

And me and my comp on the back of a motorcycle! We have to use them in one part of our area because it is just too big... Don´t worry we have permission lol But it is a bus ride at 50 mph 15 mintues then on motorcycle at 40mph another 15 minutes to a recent converts house.. If not we´d have to walk about 4 or 5 hours in total just to visit her lol I personally hate motorcycles but Ya gotta do what ya gotta do . Down here they are called ¨Motoconchos¨ Three men... One Tiny 200-300 cc Dirtbike... talk about a sore butt lol

BTW Tono called me on the phone of the missionaries... He asked me if I was going to come back and Visit him for Father´s day.. since he always called me his son I thought it was figurative but he really meant it.. It cut me pretty deep when I told him I had to help the Lord´s Children here and couldn't return for a while...

WE USE GAS STOVES... And we have enough electricity... The power is actually fantastic! I have had a VERY stable diet of Pancakes, Eggs, bread and water... lol But I did go all out one day and cook Rice with eggs and Salchichas ! hahaha My comp,he makes really good Corn Flakes con Leche!(with milk)
Hey I have to go now...Love you guys more!!!!!!
Elder Hefner

A message for you

I do have a scripture for them... JUST POST IT WITH GIANT LETTERS and put it as my message for the week! :) 3 Nefi 18: 18-21.
 18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satandesireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
 19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;
 20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.
 21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.




Sunday, July 19, 2015

Saying goodbye to Cristo Rey...Esperanza here I come... a Badge of Honor

The Zone of Santiago Sur!!!! 

6 Months in Cristo Rey - Memories for Eternity

Me with my first baptisim ask! Luis Duverge he is going to receive the higher Priesthood soon!
 With one of my favorite families in La Cebita... I planted deep seeds there...
Me with Familia Rosario... They were the family I was with when I received the call from dad about his heart... 4 of them are completely reactivated and Hermana Luisa and her husband Luis will get baptized next transfer!
And me with Jorge and Pepin from the ward
Saying goodbye to Tono was rough...  But he is happy and one of THE MOST FAITHFUL MEMBER OF CRISTO REY!
With Hermana Teresa... She promised me she would be reactivated in the next year...
Me with all the kids at our Noche De Hogar! 
And Me with Familia Cruz and Frankairo my other baptism! While I have been there Hermana Cruz, Milagros, Vianessa, Betico and Beatriz have all been completely reactivated and Vianessa's husband is being baptized next transfer... They are working on their papers to be married!!!! Also we have 3 other baptisms happening next transfer in Cristo Rey that I will return for...A lot... Alot of Goodbyes... We have 3 people ready to be baptized but they shut down Cristo Rey B so Elder Olalere has ALOT of work now... As it was we couldn´t pass by everyone..All the Baby Boom missionaries from the age change are leaving so they have to shut alot of areas... We have 26 leaving and only 8 coming in... I will return for the Baptisms this next transfer!! 

Esperanza - New area, new companion, new responsibilities

Wow... I am overwhelmed right now honestly... All this at once has been crazy.. From Junior Companion to a bunch of responsibilities at once... So.... I am in more than just a new area... I have been called to be Senior Companion and District Leader.... I don´t know what the Lord is thinking but I am going to need your prayers. GOOD NEWS IS MY COMP IS AWESOME! He has 3 months in the field... My companion's name is Elder Galleguillos ! My area is a campo (the country)..... I have huge mountains in my backyard and the house never has running water and hardly electricity... MY AREA IS HUMOUNGUS.... It is INSANE!!! lol 
Me and my new comp Elder Galleguillos...I am his ¨Step-Dad¨ in mission Terms... his first companion after his trainer!

Dad's surgery on Tuesday...WHY ARE YOU EVEN WORRIED? lol He´s going to be perfect LOL Don´t stress over that ! The Lord will provide as he always has and always will as long as we are obedient and Faithful in Keeping his Commandments. Please rest assured that your missionary has NO WORRIES! ALSO NO ELECTRICITY hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha :D and don't worry all the stoves we have run on Gas... And there are parts of our area where we actually HAVE to ride a motorcycle... President said so hahahahaha This is so different from home... This area is as hot as Florida... But imagine living in a house in Florida without AC at night... needless to say I packed away Grandmas blanket for a little while......... lol

A badge of honor


I want you to know I have found my Purpose as a missionary. It came the morning right before I was called to this Position... I was Reading and It hit me so hard when I was reading the Scriptures. I read IN Doctrine and Covenants 64 It says 

 25 Wherefore, if ye believe me, ye will labor while it is called today.
 29 Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord’s errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord’s business.
30 And he hath set you to provide for his saints in these last days, that they may obtain an inheritance in the land of Zion.
 31 And behold, I, the Lord, declare unto you, and my words are sure and shall not failthat they shall obtain it.
 32 But all things must come tpass in their time.
 33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doingfor ye are layinthe foundation of great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
 34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days. 

That For me is the Door... The Key To open it was found in D&C 121
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men,anto the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thconfidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companionand thy scepter an unchanging scepter orighteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.
These Scriptures have forever changed my mission... And when I knelt down to pray after having found them. I gave thanks and I distinctly remember telling the Lord... ¨Ok Lord I know you have been waiting to call me to lead... It is time for me to lead. I will do thy will and be thy Instrument¨  Mom and Dad I am so happy to be here. I am learning through the toughest of trials but IT IS WORTH EVER MINUTE. Just for Tono everything I have gone through does not have a comparison. I have discovered what Hope through the Atonement is.. Now i am searching to really know my Savior. I want to know him more than I know myself. I truly feel as though I am loosing myself in this work. Leaving Cristo Rey was honestly harder than leaving home. These people are my family. I would give anything to make sure I see them once more in the first Resurrection. One of the 12 said in a devotional to the Missionaries that ¨One of the badges of Honor you will wear as you kneel before the Savior will be the Badge you wore while you were a missionary¨ Now my only goal is to be able to walk hand in hand into The Celestial Kingdom with these people... I can´t imagine Eternity without them. I love you a ton. Dad, the Lord will bless you with a Speedy recovery if your goal to recover is because you want to build up his kingdom faster before his coming. Always remember that and it will go super fast... Love you a ton mom and dad
Elder Hefner









Monday, July 13, 2015

New House Service and New House for US!!!

Giving Service!!! Building a house! We were preparing the  foundation..They don't have machines here.... lol This is one reason your son is losing weight so fast! lol




New house!


 No, I didn't get transferred I am here still... This is about 6 and a half months in Cristo Rey  and I love it!!! I will probably only  get to live in the new house(BTW we are so blessed!!!!!) for another week  because I am the Oldest one in the area so to speak and everyone says I am getting transferred... To me it isn't that big of a deal but I feel like there is still more work to do in Cristo Rey! 

We are at a new internet center and It has many problems... I am sorry...It took me 20 mins just to sign on to my email lol  I think I will find a new place to write next time... IDK if I am getting transferred next P-DAY so it is a possibility that I won´t be able to write and I will have to write on Thursday... I am sitting in this internet center without AC Using a COMPAQ Computer that is the same model as THE FIRST HOME COMPUTER with a keyboard from 2001. I have had to switch machines 3 times. UGH!!

Thank you for all you are doing and sending... I really feel spoiled with all you guys send...Hey I need to go soon... I am sorry I couldn't send anything this week... I really tried but every time I did it got erased...

lol i have to go... Love you both a ton!!! Talk to you next week!!


















 Also eating with the zone in  wendys!! 
 

TO WHO MUCH IS GIVEN...

We helped this family find a dead rat!
Check out the ladder I used!!! HAHAHAHAHA the funny thing was we watched Facing the Giants with this family before so we all had a really good laugh!! Talk about a Giant rat!!!

¨To who much is given, much is required¨

We have about 25 investigators and over 30 less actives... We haven´t stopped... BUT WE are going strong... your son has turned into a bold missionary. If the members of the ward aren' t doing there part the missionaries can´t bring more people to Zion. It is the same as if The ward is a boat and the people missing and the callings not being fulfilled are holes. What good does it do bringing more people into a sinking ship? How do they expect us to retain recent converts if they don´t give them callings or at least FELLOWSHIP THEM. To prove what has been said, That night we sat in a lesson with a once strong member of the Church. She said ¨Elders with all respect you guys are awesome but you shouldn't be the ones here.¨ .... Talk about an ow... Brothers and Sisters as members of the Church you affect the blessings received. A law as been irrevocably decreed in Heaven before the Foundation of this world. THERE we promised that we wouldn't let our beloved brothers and sisters fall into forbidden paths. We would do EVERYTHING possible to find them and bring the lost sheep home. If we are not we WILL NOT be found Spotless before our Savior at the last day and we will ask ¨ whose blood is this on my garments?¨ and THERE we will be shown all those who could have been saved if only we had put the things of the Lord first before the things of the World. I testify that Jesus the Christ lives and that this is his work. If we are not doing his work we are not fit to carry the title Disciple. To be a disciple means we have to walk the path. This week I have rolled the same ankle three times. There were days where I thought I couldn't leave but everyday I left and saw miracles. Christ walked some-odd 80 kms JUST TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST. If we want to be disciples we must not just Hold on to the Iron Rod we must WALK along the path as well. Through the Mist of Darkness and through the ugly parts of this life. We have been given THE KEYS TO ETERNAL LIFE, yea even the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Baptism. ¨To who much is given, much is required¨ Let us walk. Let us go to work. There are people waiting and hearts yearning for this gospel. It is time to lift up the broken hands. It is time to comfort those who stand in need of comfort. If any of you have thought of one person In particular while reading this, leave right now and GO TO THEM if anything at least CALL THEM. They are ready to return to the fold. I love you all and I know this to be our call. We have not just been called to serve, we should not need a reminder to do our duty. We are all children of God with a Divine Birthright. We have been Born to Serve our fellow brother and in doing so Ultimately we will be serving our Beloved Father in Heaven(Mosiah 2:17). In the Sacred name of our Lord, Savior and Eternal Friend Jesus the Christ. Amen.  Elder Hefner
Me with best friends Elder Christensen and Elder Taylor

Getting Dental work done free...: AT THE BEACH!!! lol It was a great day! I went to get a free check up and check to see if i had 10000 cavities again and the doctor laid me down on the church tables we used as dental chairs and said my teeth were perfect and that I didn't even need a cleaning! BLESSINGS OF THE MISSION #PowerofthePlaque

Some of the families we are teaching!! We have about 25 investigators and over 30 less actives...




Playing Paintball

Me with Elder Christensen at paintball!!!

A message to us

I love you guys! Please tell dad that I am sorry I couldn't write but let him know I was incredibly blessed by the 5 page note he wrote and put into one of my packages! It really helped me today and the Lord led me too it! Also that his example has led me EVERYDAY on this mission. Mom you really can´t fathom how much respect I have for my dad. You married the best man I have ever known on this planet. Patriarch Gasque wrote me talking about the two of you and the example you are putting as a family. I could not be more proud to call you both my parents. I love you both SO MUCH. There is a very special reason that my Patriarchal blessing says my parents will never lead me astray. KEEP WORKING AND PREACHING! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!! Love you!
Elder Timmy A. Hefner