Family and friends! 

Im really excited right now to tell you I've made it through my first transfer! Yay! The time that Pres. Hinckley was considering going home and his dad wrote him and said "forget yourself and go to work". I think about him when times are challenging. Brings me comfort to keep pushing along knowing he went through similar things and i find it easier when I'm going through times of trial by serving others instead of saying "woe is me" serving others truly brings out the best in everyone cause you're not so focused on yourself. That's something I've seen of myself this week. 

Sis Sigmon and I are the only ones to stay the same in the Forest Grove district. all other companionships have changed, alot of the elders had extended six weeks which is pretty cool, Sis Reeder also got transferred which is sad cause i love her. Her comp sis blanchard who came out with me has a new comp sis Sorensen. she is a visa waiter for Argentina and has been out here for one transfer also, so they are basically training each other..It's  pretty awesome with all these 75,000 missionaries out, what they are doing with all of them. Being apart of it is the best feeling ever. I have the chance of training next transfer (six weeks) and thats a whole other challenge in and of itself but i will do my best haha. But I'm glad to be staying here because we are seeing so many miracles in this area Sis Sigmon and i get told quite a bit that we work well together, not to brag or anything..it wouldnt be possible without God on our side and us on His, i can tell you that much.

So do ya'll remember Jon? Last week we met with him on wednesday at the church pavilion which is this ramada area outside the stake center and we brought our friend jessica from the ward who is leaving on her mission to Phoenix Az spanish speaking in about a month, so we take her to lessons with us! (going on mini missions? do this more..i wish i did) We had an awesome lesson on the restoration and he was really receptive to everything. Then we were also able to give him a tour of the church, which was my first experience and it was so sweet. he had a "funny" feeling in the chapel and that funny feeling was the spirit cause i felt it and it was so peaceful esp. cause on Sundays it is a family ward so sundays are noisy and thats why i loved singles ward so much! It was awesome. i love teaching and try to be better at it each time. im not perfect though, wish i could be..oh well! So then we invited him to come to church the next sunday. before that happened, saturday we were able through the bishop to help him buy slacks, tie and a white button down shirt for church which was so much fun and then after we just sat outside and answered his questions he had about missions and how he was thinking about serving and we answered questions about gods plan for him and how he didnt know why he was here in fg, oregon, and i told him "i know why whether it was by us or some other missionaries he was supposed to find the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that everything happens for a reason" i testify of it! He is golden ya'll and at the end he said so my BIG question is "who do i talk to, to set up my baptism?" umm hellooo us!? haha it was fun we are good friends with him and took a picture cause we were happy about his decsion! The Lord works in mysterious ways, k?!..so he came sunday and we also had a lesson with him right before church started on Gods plan for him cause that was his big question and so we taught...you guessed it, the plan of happiness! He loved it and loved church, i felt really prompted to ask why he wanted to get baptized also cause i was curious of how he would respond and I'm telling you it was the most perfect answer, I was not expecting to hear it. He has an interesting life/situation he grew up in foster care and has been all over, he has three college degrees under the age of 20, graduated H.S. at 16, and is over qualified for a lot of jobs. right now he recently has been looking for a job and got one at Taco bell but needs more to get a roof over his head and has been working with whats hes got, i dont want to say too much but things are looking up for him and he is seriously one of the happiest kids you will ever meet esp. with his situation, i will have to tell you about it one day! I know that we have been instruments in the Lords hands, in us being led to jon and him to us, so that he may come closer to Christ and enjoy the blessings that the Gospel brings each of us. (We also taught primary that day)

We have a lot of miracles coming and families we are and will be working with which is so exciting! This past Friday we had our last district meeting and Sis Sigmon and I taught the lesson on "teaching simply and with the spirit" which was perfect cause we had been applying that to our own teaching a lot. And my father in me had to show a mormon message haha they are really good tools! I LOVE them...would watch them all day if i could but ya know kinda busy! It was the "I am a child of God " message and we explained how everyone that we are working with NEEDS to know this and we need to tell them cause it is so important and just like my testimony that i bore on sunday that none of this would be possible if Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ didn't love us...we wouldnt be here, we wouldn't have families or future ones, He wouldnt have sent his only begotten Son, He wouldnt have restored the fulness of His Gospel back to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith and a lot of other important things that pertain to our eternal happiness. He did this all because He loves YOU.

 -Sister Heywood!

p.s. along with everything I'm learning out here..I'm learning that visiting teaching and home teaching is so very important please do yours and stop with the exuses..it really is so sad. Realize that you might be their only friend and connection to the church and they need you! John 14:15 "if ye love me" Do you love Christ?

 

Last Pday- Watched "other side of heaven" with the spanish sisters at the stake center pushed the comfy couch and chairs into a room and the flat screen tv, popped popcorn! and acted like goofs together. Yesterdays pday we hung out with the collins family who we love and they take care of us and make delicious food! haha Sister Collins made us breakfast, came with us to do our grocery shopping and buy boots for winter and helped us find coupons for them, she fixed a skirt for me and so much more, We love their family! Home away from home a little bit! :) They have two awesome kids Jake(16) and Leah (6)