Amoebas, Parasites and blessings of an LDS Doctor

and mom... The picture of me screaming is supposed to be quoted ¨Magnesium in my veins!!!!!!!!!¨ because of the medicine they had to give me. IT BURNED MY WHOLE ARM! lol (Note from mom: when I was pregnant with Elder Hefner I had to be in the hospital 7 times and they put magnesium via IV in order to stop him from coming at 28 weeks. I always joke of how much pain I suffered before I delivered him. Looks like he now understands...LOL) 

Sick for months and the blessings of a Mormon Doctor

Hey mama! I am here! I am emailing in this one because the other emails are huge! WHAT´S NEW besides the family being sick?? I am just going to be completely honest I have a mix of Amoebas which is a bacteria and Parasite eggs in my system... LOL I´ll be fine in a week!!! I just have to finish my medicine!! But their is a point where we have to put it in the Lord´s hands and say let what happens happens... 

They have everything and that is all that is going on! AND THAT LADY IS THE DOCTOR!!!! lol She´s a member!!! I was only in for a total of 8 hours... / hours on night and I came back the next morning for another round of medicine... But that is a thing is that I have been treated with SO MANY medicines that I am worried a little about my Kidneys lol Luckily I drink a lot of water!!!

And me in the hospital! Got to stay a couple days trying to pump out the Parasites and Amoebas in my stomach! hahahahaha Doctora Peralta is a member and a SUPER sweet lady. She got me back out and preaching in no time! 

Mom if you keep praying for me to get healed I will NEVER be healed. You are praying for the wrong thing. Pray that I have the strength to support the trials and have the strength to go out and preach everyday! The mission president told me I have had a rough mission. I told him to not even think about sending me home. lol Only way I am going home is in a casket or with honor... Pretty simple lol My comp is great! I am a missionary and I have the hosts of Heaven on my side....

OK SO who´s this Jose Smith that you guys believe in?

Ok so this week we came out of an awesome lesson and my comp has the impression to go to a certain investigadores (investigator's) house, so we went... On the way we realized that he was still at work and wouldn't be there... So on the way we pass a family and  they look pretty normal... BUT the Spirit came and told me to go back and talk to them... We started talking and the guy just starts off OK SO who´s this Jose Smith that you guys believe in? So we taught the restoration and it WAS AMAZING by the end of the lesson 13 people had shown up! THEN The miracle was that during the lesson one lady just stops us form talking and asks us ¨Elderes can you guys sing hymn number 81?¨ Our mouths just dropped... We said sure but really confused. She saw our confusion and said that her best friend is the secretary in a ward and she was talking with him right then and there! He explained that that was the hymn of his conversion... So with huge speakers in the street blaring I began singing ¨Secreta Oracion¨ After that they all accepted to read and pray on the Book of Mormon and all accepted return citas (appointments) !!!!

My zone here in Bella Vista (A LOT OF NEW GUYS).

Yea I read the email! It was super spiritual and I was actually thinking about the same this week! I wrote a really good talk for a zone conference that I may use when i get back! BUT You have to wait to hear it lol we have a TON of new families! And I have a baptism the 13th of February!!! Rossi and Leonardo! Rossi reminds me of a young version of you! She has short hair and has the same laugh and bubbly personality but also doesn't take junk from anyone!!! hahahaha She has 4 sons and has INCREDIBLE FAITH!!! :)

So This is what our service projects consist of here in the DR!!! We were digging out the foundations of a house for a church family.. The whole zone of missionaries were there! TALK ABOUT A WORKOUT!!!!

So we are right in the middle of planning and this MASSIVE guy comes out right from were my companions foot was.. LOL he was almost 2x's bigger than the size of my hand... I FOUGHT THE BEST FOR MINUTES with my machete and finally came away victorious. My boot finished it off... I hope I don´t see him in Heaven. I´ll have to ask forgiveness for that brutal death lol

But Hey I have to go now... It is 6 O Clock!!! TIME TO PREACH!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!! Talk to you later!!! Talk to you guys next week! MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!!!

LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Hefner

Christmas, New Year's and Three Kings Day

Building the house on Christmas... 

We had something AMAZING happen on Sunday! :D

We have found like 8 new families to teach! Ok so we are working with a less active family who hasn't come to church in years...Well every time we went over we never had a plan on what to teach and just kinda went with the Spirit... Well the last time we went over was Friday before church. They weren't planned but as we sat down I received the clear impression that we had to talk about being examples and use 3 Nefi 12... Which btw is  one the favorite scriptures of Sister Rowland. We began to talk and told them they HAD to put an example for their old daughter who was going to serve a mission. Then I talked about dad and the Powerful example he set for me. The next Sunday they were at church! And then the miracle was that it was fast and testimony meeting and now one got up to share for a good 3 minutes. Bishop got up and invited this family to share their testimonies as a pair FROM THE PULPIT saying that we haven´t seen them in church in awhile and he was overjoyed to see them. The brother got up and said ¨Brothers and Sisters it´s time for me to be an example especially for my oldest daughter¨ He then looked right at me and smiled. The whole congregation was in tears. He then shared a very simple but sweet testimony as well as his wife.

Our Christmas dinner with Bishop and his family...

Our Christmas tree... TINY BUT MIGHTY lol

SO that cord you see tied to the bucket is the bracelet mom sent me.. IT´S REALLY STRONG Parachute cord that is strong enough to lift up 5 gallons of water from our ¨Well¨ .. It didn't fit my wrist anyways lol It was 3 sizes to small hahaha. 

 Me with Elder Memmot and Hermana Hernandez...My new area...

About New Year's

Ummm we went to bed early and preached the whole day?... lol and I am celebrating in the bathroom LOL They are having me go see a gastroenterologist this week... I got sick again. It´s honestly a miracle that I am even writing you right now lol And we should have water by the end of the week!!!!!

Three Kings Day]

The children welcoming the Three Kings

We have another family that is AMAZING!!!! They should get baptized next month! :) The Spirit is always super strong and they both are listening and reading and praying!!! The wife came to church only after going over twice and the husband is going to come this Sunday!! Wow I can´t explain how strong the Spirit is every time we are there!

But Hey i g2g I will write more next week when i am not sick! :) HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

I LOVE YOU!!! Check out the email I just sent you of the CLASSIC Hefner Flex!!! lol

Elder Hefner

INSPIRATION TO GO HIT THE GYM!!!! Me doing the classic ¨Tim W Hefner Flex¨ at a ROUGH Service project digging the foundation for a house!!

 ¨COW! ... ANOTHER COW.. I am pretty sure that was the same one.. WE GOT COWS!!!¨ lol

 I MADE SUNDAY MORNING BISCUITS!!!!!!!!!! WOW I LOVE BEING IN THE CITY AGAIN!!!

I HAVE A COOL MIRACLE YOU HAVE TO SHARE... wanna Hear it??

Us together on the canal for water that supplies a good portion of the area with water!

YES! Thanks for that.. I needed the Spiritual uplift... BUT WOW WE HAVE HAD A GREAT WEEK!!!! And please don´t worry about me being tired.. If I wasn't tired I would be worried. Being tired just means I am doing my job right and serving with all my ¨Heart might mind and strength...¨ 

I am in the stake of my first area so HERE IS LUIS!!! MY first baptisim!! HE AND HIS WIFE ARE GETTING SEALED IN FEBRUARY AND INVITED ME TO THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Another Baptism is Pricel!! She´s still going strong and thinking about serving a mission! :D

SO I am using my gift of cooking in the mission work now!!! It has helped A LOT with Less actives! I am making brownies for every less active family we have and doing Family home evenings with them... The last one we did the Father of the family who is incredibly less active ended up in tears saying sorry that he wasn't a strong member like he used to be but that he wanted to go to church this Sunday...! 

Our bishop making food for about 400 people...

Cooking for my companion... He was really happy he has a companion who can cook :D

The worlds biggest Pilon!

I HAVE A COOL MIRACLE YOU HAVE TO SHARE... wanna Hear it??

So before the mission we had a chance to talk with President Hoglund in the Sealing room... There he impressed an eternal truth upon my soul, well in reality fueron dos. (Well in reality it was two) El primero es no sea el misionero de 6:35... (The first is that I would not be the 6:35 missionary) (Note from mom: Missionaries start their day at 6:30 am) El segundo es la importancia del Garment de Dios... (the second is the importance of the garment of God) Entonces yo he tratado a cuidar mis garments lo mejor possible durante TODO mi mision. (I have tried of take care of my garments the best way possible during my mission) NO dejandoles en el piso.. (never leaving them of the floor) Bueno ahora en este area tenemos que reusar nuestro ropa dos or tres veces durante la semana. (Well in this area we have to reuse our clothes 2 or 3 times a week) (Note from mom: His new area barely has water...sometimes they are a week without water and the electricity is often gone...the water they have in a 55 gallon and they use 20 cups of water to bathe themselves every other day and the rest is to flush the toilet) PERO Yo prometi El Señor que no reusare mis garments! (But I promised Heavenly Father that I would not reuse my garments) Entonces hace 3 dias yo tenia tomar una decision y reze. (so the last 3 days I had to make a decision and I prayed)  La lavadora estaba haciendo vueltas y yo sali el baño donde esta la lavadora... (all of the sudden the washer was working and I got out of the bathroom) Y mi compaéro salio nuestro habitacion y me pregunto... Compa! Estas lavando?! y yo dije que si... (My companion got out of the room  and asked if I was washing and I said yes) Me dijo... Compa pero no ay electricidad... (he said, "Compa" there is no electricity...) Y seguro NO HABIA LUZ... (And right on THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY) Y atras escuchamos la lavadora funcionando... (and we could hear the washer working in the backyard) Nosotros dos miramos al cielo solo sin palabras porque tenemos un inversor pero no esta connectado a esto lado de la casa y tampoco tiene la fuerza para dar a luz a la lavadora... (We both looked to the sky without words for we have a small generator but it is in the other side of the house and it is not strong enough to power a washer) En la noche yo regrese a casa y sin luz otra vez trataba a lavar mis camisas y no funcionaba!!!! (At night we came back home and there was still no electricity and I tried to wash my shirts and the washer did not work) Pero nuestro vecina nos consigio sufficiente agua para la semana cuando estababmos predicando!!!! ( Our neighbor found us enough water for the week while we were preaching) QUE MILAGROS (WHAT MIRACLES) Tambien tenemos 6 nuevos familias... (We also have 6 new families) El mas deficil la prueba el mas grande la bendicion!!! (The harder the trial the bigger the blessing!!!!)

I AM SO SORRY!!! I WROTE THAT WHOLE THING IN SPANISH!!!! It´s because I just wrote someone in Spanish too!!! SORRY MOM you need to translate... lol

No se cada vez cuando estoy cocinando para muchos y puedo ver muchos feliz es algo increible para mi.. (I don't know every time I cook for many and can see their happiness, it is something incredibel for me.) Y despues cuando invitamos el Espiritu estar en el hogar es la perfecta combinacion... (And then when we invite the Spirit to the home it is the perfect combination...)La gente sienten nuestro amor y despues el amor de El quien etamos representando... (The people feel our love and the the love of HIM who we are representing)

Elder Stanisclause from my group!                Elder Faalogo! ... You can´t imagine how much this Elder Eats...

Lilly's blessing

Si estaba orando para ustedes... Y mi cancion fue muy bueno.. WOW EL ESPIRITU FUE FUERTE!!! Fue La Oracion del Profeta... Yo creo que estaba cantando en casi lo mismo timepo que la bendicion. (I was praying for you guys and my song was great. WOW THE SPIRIT WAS REALLY STRONG!!! It was the prophet's prayer... I believe I was singing at the same time Lilly was being blessed. )

I forget what it´s called in English but it´s about the first vision of the prophet... lol Starts with ¨Oh how lovely was the morning¨ Or something like that... The hymns are better in Spanish lol

New Year's and health

Well I say to you both to knock it off and start eating right! That´s what I am doing and I have lost a ton of weight! DO IT WITH ME ! SO WE CAN ALL LOOK AMAZING FOR THE CRUISE!!! I am doing 100 crunches a day intermixed with weighted work out routines! GET IN SHAPE TOO... Because honestly some of the people we are going to visit here are hard to get too and a car cant go and visit the house we HAVE to walk so if you guys aren´t in good shape it is going to REALLY be hard.. I am talking about REAL mountains...our goal of getting in shape.. Honestly I am dead serious... IN order to visit the people here you have to be in good shape..... So GET TO WORK!!!! Alright by mothers day I expect you to lose 30 lbs.... What is your plan to get there? In the Mission we always have goals and plans and that goal is COMPLETELY possible... Sound good? GOOD! :) Ok if I don´t see a difference mother´s day YOU ARE IN TROUBLE!!!! FOCUS ON YOU AND DAD!!!

GREAT!!! Love you guys!!!! Talk to you soon!!!

Elder Hefner

The meaning of $40 dollars

MERRY CHRISTmas TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Elder Hefner y Santa Clause (AKA Elder Lester) 

I am making it... Really I am fighting to keep going.. This week I went to Santo Domingo.. That was a huge Stress Reliever... We met a group of Puerto Ricans who are here helping out! They are from the University of Puerto Rico! We are going to build a house with them Christmas Morning!!!! We are building a house for a 100 year old lady on Christmas with the Puerto Ricans so I am pretty excited!!!

My new companion Step Kid Elder Pickett!            I'M A CITIZEN!! (Look at expiration date)     

So Grateful for $40...

Ok Soooooo I am grateful for the 40 Dollars grandma and grandpa sent... We aren't going golfing with it. I gave it to Alex and Jenny. Alex got laid off of his construction job right before  Christmas... They live in an all concrete stone house smaller than the size of our Kitchen at home.. Literally. They have had no money for milk for their two babies but still have done everything possible to keep the faith. They read the Book of Mormon twice a day and have assisted faithfully EVERY Sunday ... Even though it means walking an hour to church carrying two babies in their arms. I am pretty sure I have already told you how I found them by guidance of the Spirit... BUT They have reawakened the ward in Esperanza.. The ward is helping pay to get them their papers and me and Elder Torres are putting in the rest. It costs 70 dollars to get married and because of Grandma and Grandpa´s gift to them it will only cost 30 dollars for my companion to help out ! They should be getting baptized within a week... The incredible part is that they already asked when they should start paying tithing. I finally understand what it means when the Widow throws her last mite into the Treasury... I am sure the Windows of Heaven are just waiting to pour out blessings on Alex and Jenny.

My group form the CCM!!! THE BOYS ARE BACK!!!  In front of the Immigration Building... TALK ABOUT A NICE VIEW!

Zone Christmas Celebration

IT WAS SO GREAT!!! All the zones performed something(we did  drama and sang the cup song but using hark the herald angels sing and  Angels we have heard on high).. and we watched a Christmas Carol.. (Kind of creepy the new one) and ate AN AMERICAN/DOMINCAN FEAST!!!

My Ex-District!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!! SEE YOU IN TWO DAYS!! Love ya!!!!

Elder Hefner