Hey everybody! 

     Do not have much time...its been a wonderful week. Gabby was baptized Saturday night and confirmed on Sunday! It was so much fun. I love that girl...she was so ready.When Gabby came out of the water she says "I'm really wet" and Renee said she could hear her and she was towards the back.(we were cracking up) Her mom gave a talk and she is not her birth mom but she gave the talk on the Holy ghost and it was amazing! A little background on Tiffany, she was la for most of her life and giving that talk was a first for her. The spirit was super strong. Gabby told us that it all really didn't sink in until she heard her mom give that talk. It was cool. 

     We had dinner with the Davis family last night.......i. love. them. Then we had a mini mtc in there home we did some role plays for missionary situations (it went really well)...before that we had a very spirit lead conversation about the Holy Ghost and how Bro Davis, who is a convert, opened up about how he struggles to know what the promptings he gets are from the Holy Ghost..Sis Davis reassured him that he is good at it. once again i love that family..i can not adequately describe the fun, spiritual, crazy experiences we have with the members and people here! I esp. feel like family when i go into the davis home..it reminds me of when the elders would just come into out home and start shooting us with nerf guns!
     Oh we had thanksgiving at the shelsdons....it was delicious!!! Got a bunch of leftovers!:) We were in bend at that sports complex right before for zone pday..it was amazing, felt like i was in Disneyland. Deprived as a missionary entertainment wise haha
     Had an amazing exchange with Sister Mower! I got to go Bend and it was so fun had some amazing amazing experiences. I know... Amazing right?! Should have been here! Taught some super prepared people. Im really excited right now because we have a ton of stuff to invite everyone to!!!

Dec.13 Ward Christmas party
Dec. 15 Missionary(choir) Christmas Devotional!
Dec.20 Live Nativity

Love Sister Heywood! #Heisthegift 

Hey Everybody!! 

   So Tuesday morning we text Renee and say we haven't forgotten about you but we just figured we would give you a break and start the new member lessons next week! She responded and said that "I don't mind starting asap. I really needed it and that the adversary didn't give me a break. So i need my back up ladies. so if we could schedule something soon that would be great." No problem of course and so we text sis riding and ask if she could be there if not no worries. We let her know what was happening. she said "i feel like i have been in the car all morning but Renee is more important. ill be there asap."  Of course we were thinking the worst and even though it was still not good it wasn't horrible. Her family was just giving her some hard time about the Prophet Joseph Smith and how he is this and that...you could imagine. Renee said it took her about 5 hrs to calm down so she could respond to her mom in a Christ like way. It was impressing. Every time i see Renee now after she as received the Gift of the Holy ghost she has a different light. We read Joseph Smith history the next morning at sis Morrison's home and it was amazing. Renee is just even more excited and the spirit is testifying even more to her that it is true. i love these people.

    We have been teaching a family idk if i have talked about them yet. A single mom named Hiedi and she has two kids named Brittany and Matthew. Actually i think i have talked about them. Well we were able to finally have another lesson with them and we brought Sis DeStefano with us a recent convert of about 2 years. It was amazing. We have already gone over the restoration but then asked them if they had any questions...there was a little confusion but we basically re taught it! It was so awesome to have Sis DeStefano there...she has a major testimony of the book of Mormon. She also related a lot to them and the questions they are having. Ah it rocked. Matthew is high functioning autism and is really knowledgeable of the bible he is very close to the spirit and all of is starting to make sense to them. Heidi says that he holds there family together and told them that's how my brother Cody is, without him the whole Heywood family just wouldn't be the same. (ps happy birthday Cody..."i don't know about you but your feeling 24 or 25? i lost tract" haha) 

      Then Heidi and Brittany came to the "Fabulous Friday" which was in place of the super Saturday. They has so much fun met a lot of people and did some Christmas crafts! Stephanie a La member asked them what they have thought about meeting with us and Heidi explained that something told her not to shut the door when we knocked a couple months ago and that they have has some questions that are being answered. Gabby Davenport who we have been teaching and is getting baptized this Saturday was sitting right there started to explain that she is a convert and is getting baptized this Saturday. She asked them if they have come to sacrament and that when they come to church that's when it will all make sense and she explained that the gospel is like a puzzle and it has all the pieces. It was such a sweet moment. I know that they are so prepared to here the gospel right now! Then Sis Widing the Relief Society Pres. had us give back the 20 dollars to Heidi that she paid for the crafts. And told us that they had plenty extra so glad they could come and hope to see them again soon! aaaah i love these people. haha  

        I love the gospel and the wonderful knowledge we have of a loving Heavenly Father and Savior that are so merciful are just waiting for us to open the door or walk there way. I have learned something this week through scripture study that is important to have "faith unto repentance" Alma 34:14-16 we need to have faith that we can be forgiven. I love this time of year where minds and hearts are directed even more towards Our brother Jesus Christ! That means people are more willing to listen to our message and people around you are more prepared. Open your mouths and share the good news...people need this.They so need what we have to share, to access the complete joy that we feel when we can repent and forgive and love and serve and have a relationship with a God that loves his children so much. Its up to us to tell them about it. 

     Have a wonderful thankful yummy thanksgiving! I know i will, Spending it eating with the bishop Sheldon's family, playing football with Redmond and bend zones combined at a sports center in bend. reserved just for the missionaries. Serving others. 

 

Love Sister Heywood! 

Renee little boy thats 7! 

Xavian: Sis heywood are you married?

 

Me: What?

 

Xavian: Are you married? 

Me: No, Xavian I'm not married haha why? 

Xavian: cause i like you!  

Me: What?

Xavian: I like you!! (runs out the door)

Hello family and friends!!
     Im so thankful for the 10 in. of snow we got this week! Its been so fun
walking around everywhere getting all bundled up and trekking across Redmond.
Its crazy that last year in "the valley" when it snowed i thought it was crazy
living in the snow but that was my first time "living" in it...but here they get
a lot more! We have spent most of our days shoveling snow for people that we are
teaching and some la. As a mission our cars are parked when it snows but as of
now we are aloud to drive! We shoveled Renees walkway and then she said we had
to come inside and have some mexican hot chocolate which was so good! We have
been wiped out from all of this so when i go to sleep at night i am out so fast
and my body aches in the morning! But its good! Its so beautiful to see
everything so white and sparkly. We also have been able to meet some awesome
people walking around, i love it.
    Tuesday we had an amazing Zone Conference with President and Sister
Samuelian and this was before the snow fall! But still sooo cold. It was also my
last one and i didn't realize this until sister sullivan said something at lunch
time and i was like no way and she was like yes way! It was an amzing revelatory
experience and took lots of notes. I was able to bare my testimony at the end a
long with the other missionaries that are going home this transfer.
   Renee was baptized this saturday and it was sooo awesome...so many people
came that we had to move into the chapel. It was very spiritual and i cried. The
people she asked to speak and the people who welcomed her like the bishop and rs
president did amazing jobs. The bishop welcomed her to the ward and related Matt
Cain pitching the perfect baseball game and his comments after of how he didn't
pitch the perfect game alone but that he had a field of professional baseball
players helping him, to how the church works and how we will all help out along
this journey. i LOVED it. She was confirmed on sunday by Bro Schofield and it
was beautiful. Renee was asked to share her conversion story in relief society
and it was so sweet to hear from her! She talked about how she has been stubborn
along this whole process of coming into the church...the ladies were so sweet in
telling her that it is that same stubborness that will help her endure to the
end and when she gets offended by someone in the church that she should use that
stubbornness and not let someone else ruin her faith and run her out of her
church and the blessings of the gospel. i love these people and working with
them.
  We have been working with Gabby still and she will be baptized on the 29th of
November and she is getting really excited! We love her! She also attended
Renees baptism. We go every wed at 4pm and teach her!
We are seeing lots of miracles and i love being apart of this work. God loves
us! He really does! Im happy to have heard about the Phoenix temple being
dedicated like 4 different times today through email! This Gospel is such a
blessing.

Love sister Heywood 

Hey Family and Friends!

     This weekend we had stake conf. and its was so amazing! There was a
special broadcast from Salt Lake to the state of Oregon to all 36 stakes.
Saturday we were invited to the Priesthood leadership meeting and it was
amazing!! Mind blown. Then the Saturday night session happened and we were asked
right before to be on a panel and we said sure and so the second half Sis
Sullivan and I, elder parkinson and frakenberry, a senior couple that just got
home and a couple that has a daughter out. We were asked questions from the
congregations and it was so awesome. i dont have words to describe..you just had
to be there! Then sunday at 830am we had a breakfast for returning less actives,
recent converts and our investigators! It was yummy. Art and Rebecca came they
are returning LA and Renee Hugo and there cute little boys came. Then the
broadcast it was wonderful.

  Renee is getting baptized this Saturday and we taught her this past week in
sis Widings home about the law of chastity and word of wisdom...and it was
awesome! It was even more awesome that we know she is living it. haha So we
applied it more to her and used some mormon messages that relate to what we
could help her with at this time in her life. We really wanted to apply it to
her, And it was so good to have sis widing with us. We met her sat morning at
the church to fit her for the baptismal clothes and figure out her baptism
program. She is super prepared and a lot of people are excited and have been
waiting for this day for a long time. Especially her Heavenly Father!

Love Sister Heywood!

Hey Family and Friends!

   Im so excited to be writing you all this week! Last week I didn't really feel like it which was dumb cause know I have so much more to update you all on!! I cant share everything but I will share some of the favorites...which is all my favorite! First off I love the people that we serve within the Centennial Park ward! They all rock and bring so much joy into my life and the great thing is its the gospel that brings us together!! I love teaching with them. Also the people we are teaching have changed my life, they have taught me so much.

  A couple weeks ago I talked about the Robins family and last Monday we were able to give them a church tour. It went so well and the spirit was very strong. It was cool because Bro Robins who is the member was so excited cause all these memories were coming back to him. From the smell to the chairs...haha! It was really cool when we walked into the chapel and Lena grabbed Bro Robins hand and she was just smiling, you could tell she was feeling the spirit. They are so cute. I love this family. They have a fat chinchilla for a pet! They came to church this sunday for the 1st time and loved it! They were welcomed by the ward very warmily. We had a lesson with them that night and they talked about all their different experiences and we were laughing at the different things that happened! Like the 81 year old Faye 'baring' her testimony about Halloween and how wild it was..the wildest one she has seen her whole life!!! And then preceded to tell a story about when her kids were little, one halloweeen there candy was laced with Xlax. Oh we were laughing and you should have seen the bishoprics faces. it was AWESOME. We love Faye! anyways Lena and Elizabeth one of the daughters plan to be baptized! :) We will probably help them set a date this week!

 We taught a lady named Theresa and when she opened the door she was in her hello kitty footy pajamas and struck a pretty cool pose. We taught her while she was in those pajamas... it was quite the experinence! Her and her husband tim and two kids came to the trunk or treat...idk if we will get anywhere with them...but the gospel changes lives I know it! Its very hard to be in their home..it smells to high heaven!! she has a pretty awesome laugh too! oh its fun.

Last sunday the whole relief society and primary presidency's were changed! Change is good! I love the way the church works and is set up. So organized and ran by a loving heavenly father. Sis Widing is the new RS president and they have only been in the ward for a few months. We have been taking her to teach Renee with us and its been so good! She also teaches zumba every Monday morning at the church for the women. We cant go, already asked....otherwise I would so be there. I love her testimony and lets just say I look up to her a lot. Great role model for sure! They have us over for dinner every so often. They have lived lots of places and they have 3 kids that are so well rounded. one of them was born in Hawaii her name is Kahau! The other two are Braille and Ansen! I could go on and on about this family and every family here.

 Renee is doing really well! She is being "BAPTIZED" (nacho libre) Nov. 15th! And its going to be one of the best days ever! We have been going through the lessons again and we have been (literally) throwing scriptures at her like no other! And she loves it! ;) No but really! She and her husband Hugo went out with the Spanish elders and Renee was sooo excited cause she used the scriptures that we have been using in our lessons! She is so ready. The Lord needs her. She loves missionary work. Its cool to have an "outsiders" perspective about the gospel and why we share it! Renee just says that it makes so much sense and she is so part of it! She is a true disciple of Jesus Christ! but she is not perfect..thats why I love her so much! Same with Sis widing and everyone here.

We are teaching a couple named Jess and Laura! I think I have talked about them before but anyway we brought Sis Destefano with us and they have a crazy thing in common...they both have a son that has been taken from them named Colby! and they total connected and had sympathy for each other. It was crazy cool.

I love this Gospel and this life that we have been given to gain experience and grow close to our Savior and a loving God. We have a lot to learn and to do here! Have a wonderful week!

Love Sister Heywood!  

Hey Family and Friends!

  Can I just tell you how fun it is to be a missionary. I LOVE it with all my heart. This time is priceless and there is nothing that can compare. I would not trade it for anything.

  Ok so I don't have all the time in the world. But a couple stories for the ride...

We were visiting some less actives yesterday to see if they knew about the ysa activity and when we go to leave and get in the car...all the sudden we hear this amazing rapping and we turn and look and see this guy strolling down the street in this electric wheel chair...throwing some sick beats down. And Sis Sullivan and I look at each other and were thinking the exact same thing..we have to meet this guy! So I flip and "U" and go around the corner and we find him and had to wait for the other car to be finished talking to him...so we pull up and just start talking to him and he said he goes by T-baby and we told him we heard him rapping and we had to come meet him. We invited him to the ysa activity and told him what we do as missionaries..said he never talked to "us" before and he told us he needs something to do and that he as been looking for a church...he was a pleasure to meet. And then I asked him...because to me it looked like he didn't need to be in the wheel chair and so I did and he just laughed and said noo I don't need to be in this I can walk, its my moms! I was just bored so I went for a little stroll. Haha I love him...basically for those who know Mark Thomas..he is his twin, along with making you feel like he is your best friends from day 1. We got his info and so hopefully we can teach him soon!

We went to go visit a potential that we had talked to on the street randomly the other week. We wanted to follow up on the Book of Mormon that we gave her. She invited us in and we started to invite her to general conference. She starts to break down in tears and she had explained to us that she has really bad depression and so we offered to help clean her kitchen and family room..that were in really bad shape. It didn't talk to long before it looked much better. It was really sad to witness and watch her break down in tears a few times. Then after we had a little lesson and the spirit was really strong. It was an amazing experience.

 We also had the ysa activity and it was a wonderful turn out!! The stake president and his wife planned and hosted it! They had us play games from the jimmy fallon talk show and then there was a dinner. Its a really fun time to smash a raw egg on your forehead.

Conference was the bomb! I loved it all but esp. Elder Bednar's talk on missionary work and why us as members of the church share the gospel. Cause it makes us happy happy happy! Why would we keep that from anyone?!

These amazing events don't often happen in everyday life but they do happen when you are a servant of the Lord and put yourself if those situations and act whether on or off the mission. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

Love Sister Heywood!

Hello Family and Friends!!

   Its been a wonderful tiring week! Full of fun adventures! The Bend and Redmond zones were able to go to the Portland temple on Thursday...it was the best day ever!! Its been six months since we last went. I'm so thankful that we get to go as often as we do cause I know there are missionaries that don't go as often. We rode up with members in the Cline Falls ward..The Schofields they just became active six months ago and they have a "Temple RV" that they take groups of people to the temple with them when needed because it takes 3 hours to get there. Otherwise they just go in there car almost every week. Anyways we met at the church at 6am and they took our district of missionaries! The zone leaders Elders Parkinson and Frankenberry our District Leader Elder Maxfiled and his comp Elder Flinders and then our wonderful Sisters that are serving in Sisters...Sisters Allen and Daniels! <3 It was honestly so fun. Lots of sitting though. We watched the Restoration video on the way up and mountain of the Lord. Then we were at the temple before we knew it. The temple was much needed and being inside is indescribable. So peaceful and the noise of the world goes away! its like time stops. When the session is over I find it hard to walk out...I stall cause I want to be inside for a longer amount of time. We all ate in the cafeteria and that was really good. We took pictures outside in front of the rv with the temple in the background. Then we went to Deseret Book and bought stuff! :) Then we drove home and played all these crazy mind games that made my brain hurt but they were really fun. We were so drained physically and spiritually! Oh man. It was amazing.

  Went on exchanges this week with our amazing Stls Sis Davis and Mower! Mower came here to Redmond for the day. It was only the second time seeing and meeting her and i felt like I've known her my whole life. She is pretty cool and played soccer at some college in Utah..i forget which one! We were able to teach Gabby Davenport...idk if I've told yall about her but she is getting baptized soon! Her step mom is a member and her dad is not and he wouldn't let her take the lessons until just recently and so we have been teaching her. She is 15 and is very smart girl ..I love teaching her. this past time we had the young womens president who she is very close to come, Sis Hodson! Gabby has been coming to church for about 2 years on and off but she is really knowledgeable about the Gospel. But she still has really good questions and spiritual insights that we learn from. She is a wonderful example, a lot of the time in young women's on Sunday she is answering the questions and being apart of the discussion.

Last Monday night we stopped by a potentials house and when we knocked they told us to come in...and we were not sure and a little confused but walked in anyway! They were expecting the (divorced) dad to walk in but they were glad to see us and invited us to sit down. Basically the whole time we were there we kept laughing cause the mom hiedi is goofy and her two kids Brittany and Matthew are so funny! Matthew has autism but its a really spiritually smart kid. This one of the first times and so we were taught a little and asked if they would be willing to learn more and they all said yes. The only huge bareer is that the mom works on sunday and the kids are with the dad on the weekends. But it will change soon hopefully. Also we told them that we would make sure they are invited to all youth and relief society activities! ah I just love that family.

 Yesterday Sis Sullivan and I taught a couple named Jess and Laura at President Palmers home it was really good. I had taught them about 3 times before and that was when sis ALvey was here and so its been awhile. Last time we had planned to teach the Word of Wisdom but weren't sure that what they needed at this time..or where they were at. But Laura started to tell us about a guy in bend who is a  member and told her of all the things she needs to do to be a member mostly about the wow! And so she says "Can I just get a list of something so I know about the things im not supposed to do! " ....we were like alllright we need to teach the word of wisdom!! haha They loved it and we love teaching with Pres Palmer..he is awesome!

So Sis Sullivan and I teach mission prep ever other sunday night and it was so good. The normal mission prep but then sis sully was impressed to invite the kids to come up and share there testimonies and not be afraid! Almost all of them did and we of course sat there in silence but then the first youth to get up were the back row joes! All boys and they were awesome short powerful testimonies...the spirit was so strong! They are so inspiring! I love this work...its amazing!!!

Explanation to my subject...we drove by a less actives house that I LOVE they have us over for dinner a lot and the mom is recent convert...but I was struggling with whether or not we should stop by because of stuff that recently has happened in the family. Anyways the door was open and so he saw us drive by twice and then we decided to not go and then I was like no we need to go...mind you we had only 10 min till dinner and Bro DeStefano is a talker. but anyway it was really good and needed to happen we really know more fully where he is at and how we can help him. It was funny cause he saw us drive by and so he was texting us..."Was that a Mormon drive by" and we laughed. I love my life.

 Love you all hope you have a wonderful week!!

-Sister Heywoood!

Hey there Family and Friends!!

   This week has been super awesome!! I love being a missionary...have I mentioned that before?...No? ok...Well there ya go. This area is on fire...I have never taught so much my whole mission! We are working with a lot of part member families and it is so fun to be apart of.

  So a couple cool stories from this week! President Samuelian..of course got the hook ups for the whole mission to see the movie 'Meet the Mormons' the day before it came out in theatres and it was  SO GOOOOD!!!! Everyone needs to see this. I cried. And the people that they interview and show there life stories are so diverse....I love it! I wanted it to go for two more hrs because I know that there are so many amazing stories from the members of this church in all parts of the world! Interesting story trying to make it to the building in Bend...first off our zone leaders told our whole district the wrong address and so we all drove to the wrong building and we were already late! Anyways its really interesting to drive in a place you have never been before and just try and find your way...im actually really good at back tracking! haha

 

  We are still meeting with Renee every week and she is doing amazing! She is an all or nothing kinda girl. Her husband is Hugo and he translated for President when he spoke in the Spanish branch and the Spanish elders told us that it was a really spiritual experience and that Hugo started to cry in the middle of translating. So cool.

 We were able to contact a lady named Kathy! She was a referral from the elders and so we went to meet her, she was so delightful to get to know!! We got out of our car and she was smoking, she is a very tall lady and invited us in to talk. She has long pretty gray hair. Anyways we have a return apt with her and im so excited to teach her!!!!! The appt was actually for this morning and we went to sis Phillips the member we invited to come teach, to follow us there and we start driving away and she honks, so I stop and she pulls up next to us and holds up a cat and says "my cat is in the car, I didn't know, I have to take her back home ill be right back!" so we waited there and while we were Kathy called and said that she didn't sleep well and to call her in a couple days to set up another time. It happens a lot in missionary work..you kinda just gotta role with the punches! We will probably see her this weekend:) Im excited.

 So there was an car accident that happened in Bend a couple weeks ago...where the man who was driving was drunk and he had 4 or 5 little girls in the car, taking them to a sleepover or picking them up, something like that. Anyways really sad...one of the girls died and the rest were injured and are still in intensive care. But there was one that walked away without getting hurt..Her name is Isabella and her dad is a less active member of the church along with his mom. They somehow contacted the church and said that they are ready to be back and to have the missionaries come visit them. So we did. And we were able to teach them last night and it went so well...we got to know them and see where there at with there testimonies. The little girl Phoenix that died in the accident was over at there home all the time..and the ward has been bringing meals to that family. It was interesting..so hien sight  we were eating at the Bishops home right after the accident happened and they were telling us all about it for the first time. and I had said that would be really cool if we were able to help out in some way or work closely with some of those people. and here we are! :) We invited Lena and her daughter Elizabeth to be baptized if they were to come to know that its true! They said yess!

 Fast and testimony meeting was so amazing yesterday. I really needed church yesterday...its funny how that works when you are a missionary..cause you do churchy things all the time. But I needed church and I needed to bear my testimony. I love it. When church started we had no piano player or organist so...Bro Morrison was stalling while they were trying to figure out how they would get the Organ to play on its own. It all worked out eventually but it was one of those moments where you wish you never quit piano lessons! haha :(

 

 Oh we had interviews with President and Sis Samuelian on Friday! They went so well...the are just parents away from home I feel like I am talking to my mom when I talk to sister samuelian and esp. when I talk to Prez Samuelian its just like talking to my dad. I love it. They are so wonderful and do so much for this mission! Idk if I have ever mentioned the strengths test that they have had all the missionaries take..but Prez and I share 3 out of the 5; Arranger, positivity and belief. Pretty cool. He also told me that he will never stop calling me "Heyyywood!" even after I am married. I told him "Good because I will always be a Heywood!" haha Then he told me I need to name my first boy Heywood! haha Which Im so down for. I told him about Renee's and the confirmation she received and he started to cry...and said "You cant put a price tag on that. huh?" "Nope!" 

   

 Its so true....you cant put a price tag on any of this. I love to teaching about the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I love talking to people and knowing there stories. There struggles and there triumphs. I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week! 

Love Sister Heywoooody!  

Hey Family and Friends!

  Can I just tell you how fun it is to be a missionary. I LOVE it with all my heart. This time is priceless and there is nothing that can compare. I would not trade it for anything.

  Ok so I don't have all the time in the world. But a couple stories for the ride...

We were visiting some less actives yesterday to see if they knew about the ysa activity and when we go to leave and get in the car...all the sudden we hear this amazing rapping and we turn and look and see this guy strolling down the street in this electric wheel chair...throwing some sick beats down. And Sis Sullivan and I look at each other and were thinking the exact same thing..we have to meet this guy! So I flip and "U" and go around the corner and we find him and had to wait for the other car to be finished talking to him...so we pull up and just start talking to him and he said he goes by T-baby and we told him we heard him rapping and we had to come meet him. We invited him to the ysa activity and told him what we do as missionaries..said he never talked to "us" before and he told us he needs something to do and that he as been looking for a church...he was a pleasure to meet. And then I asked him...because to me it looked like he didn't need to be in the wheel chair and so I did and he just laughed and said noo I don't need to be in this I can walk, its my moms! I was just bored so I went for a little stroll. Haha I love him...basically for those who know Mark Thomas..he is his twin, along with making you feel like he is your best friends from day 1. We got his info and so hopefully we can teach him soon!

We went to go visit a potential that we had talked to on the street randomly the other week. We wanted to follow up on the Book of Mormon that we gave her. She invited us in and we started to invite her to general conference. She starts to break down in tears and she had explained to us that she has really bad depression and so we offered to help clean her kitchen and family room..that were in really bad shape. It didn't talk to long before it looked much better. It was really sad to witness and watch her break down in tears a few times. Then after we had a little lesson and the spirit was really strong. It was an amazing experience.

 We also had the ysa activity and it was a wonderful turn out!! The stake president and his wife planned and hosted it! They had us play games from the jimmy fallon talk show and then there was a dinner. Its a really fun time to smash a raw egg on your forehead.

Conference was the bomb! I loved it all but esp. Elder Bednar's talk on missionary work and why us as members of the church share the gospel. Cause it makes us happy happy happy! Why would we keep that from anyone?!

These amazing events don't often happen in everyday life but they do happen when you are a servant of the Lord and put yourself if those situations and act whether on or off the mission. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

Love Sister Heywood!

Hey Friends and Family!
> 
>   Last Monday....I had no time to email because Sis. Alvey was saying goodbye
to the lovely people of Redmond that she was able to serve for 71/2 months! :(
It was sad and she is missed here...Its been a CRAZY busy week!!! On Tuesday
within 24 hrs I had 3 companions and it was so fun!!! I have never been so tired
in my whole life and its great. Ahh I cant wait to talk about some of the
miracles we experienced...I don't know if I will be able to adequately describe!
> 
>  I want you all to know how much I loved serving with Sis Alvey..it brings
tears to my eyes as I start to think about it. When our zone leaders told us the
news and then drove away I completely broke down in tears! I was being kind of
selfish cause I wanted her to stay...she should be the one that is crying she
was leaving people and a place she served for 71/2 months and I know what that
feels like (Bville) I didn't just want to serve 6 short weeks with her! But the
Lord has a reason and a plan for everything, even if we cant see it! I know
this. We were supposed to cross paths and we had so much fun together...I got to
know her so well in only six weeks, when it has taken much longer with other
companions. Not saying they were bad...everyone is different. Missions are
bittersweet. :)
> 
>  I LOVE my new companion! Her name is Sister Sullivan and she is from the
north east part of Iowa! She has been out a transfer less than me and she is an
AMAZING missionary...I love her! So grateful to be serving here in Redmond with
her. Her last area was in Lincoln City on the coast and she was there as long as
sis alvey was here in the centennial park ward. Sullivan told me she knew she
would serve with me someday! Another cool fact is that she trained Sis Alvey
last year! Sis Sullivan has 2sisters and 6brothers one of which is serving in
California, she is 21 and the oldest of all her siblings! She cheered and danced
like me and we both broke off an engagement haha ;) Its like we are supposed to
be on missions or something? Its like the church is true or something? ;)
> 
>   While I was waiting for Sis Sullivan to come to the "Celestial" part of the
mission (so they say) I was in a temporary companionship with Hermana Ahlstrom
she is a Spanish sister in bend and she was also getting a new companion. We
spent the day in Redmond! This day was directed by a Loving Heavenly Father. So
we drop off our loved and missed comps at the stake center which is like 2
seconds away from our apartment. Went back planned for the day and then started
to study with the time we had left...(my mind was going crazy) We had texted
Renee to have a lesson with her and she is always usually available in the
mornings, so she said sure! And this whole past transfer we had tried but never
had been able to get a member to come teach with us. She basically is friends
with everyone in the ward, so almost anyone could come if there schedule aloud.
Anyways so we texted Sis Riding (I love this woman) She rocks. And you will see
why soon! She said she was able to come. Awesome. So now what does Heavenly
Father need us to teach Renee?...hmm Started to study faith! Called the Spanish
elders to ask what the taught them as a family on Sunday (the Spanish help teach
them cause Hugo speaks Español) It was confirmed to me that we needed to talk
about...FAITH! Simple as that. Hermana Ahlstrom agreed and we correlated
together on how we would go about it. Side note: God was making this lesson with
Renee happen and the adversary was trying to not let it happen not that there
was anything horribly wrong but you could just tell.
>    We asked Renee what she has faith in...and then what she doesn't have faith
in...we read faith out of the bible dictionary, sis Ahlstrom shared a scrip she
studied that morning, Sis riding speaks her mind....:) And helped clear up a lot
of things Renee was bringing up, for example the mark of the beast...im so glad
that sis Riding was there haha She helped us keep it simple. We followed up
about her reading in the Book of Mormon and she told us that her and Hugo have
been slacking in there reading and that she has seen and felt a difference, that
when they were reading there was more peace and not so much contention and
things were working out more often. Sis Riding responds and says "So what your
saying is that the Book of Mormon is from God"... she couldn't deny it. So it
came to the end Hermana asked Renee if she would "pray to know if Joseph Smith
was a prophet of God tonight?"(not the first time either) Renee starts to
explain things and eventually she will give you a straight answer it just takes
her awhile to get there. Sis Riding totally cuts her off and says..."Renee don't
dodge the question! Did you hear the missionaries?? (as she points at us) Are
you going to pray about Joseph Smith tonight?!" ....there was a moment of
silence and Renee just starts to cry and she said I don't need to pray about
it...I know..I know that he was a Prophet of God."
> The spirit filled the room and we all started to cry...kind of like what I
feel like doing now. The spirit did all the talking as we sat there speechless.
Renee says "I guess I just need to pray and thank God for the answer I just
received." Without saying anything, we all got on our knees and Renee said the
prayer we were all in tears and sis Riding proceeds to tell Renee I could see
your family all in white at the temple.
>     I don't know what I did to deserve to be in the room that day...or to be
part of these peoples  lives but I am so grateful. I will never forget that day.
There are more miracles that Sis Sullivan and I have experienced this week but
that is all I have time for. I'm extremely grateful to have the experience of a
mission! And for all of you that love and support me! I know that as we put our
faith and trust in the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ that all things are
possible!
> 
> ps sorry for the horrible grammar.
> 
> Love Sister Heywood!
> 
> Part of our email from President Samuelian;
> 
> "Although many of you did not know this, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Elder Richard
J. Maynes, And Bishop Gerald Causse conducted a priesthood leadership training
for all our Stake Presidencies, Bishops, Ward Mission Leaders and Elders Quorum
Presidents on Saturday. (Ask your Bishops and WML's what they learned from it.)
Then yesterday, Elder Oaks and our Area Seventy, Elder Richard Hansen held a
special stake conference in the McMinnville stake, while Elder Maynes and Bishop
Causse presided at a special stake conference in Monmouth.
>
> I am sorry that time did not permit these brethren to meet with all of you.  I
wanted dearly for each of you to meet them.  I did get to spend time with all
these men.  Elder Oaks asked me to send his love and best wishes to each of you. 
He asked detailed questions about you, we discussed openly our break from
technology, and the distraction caused from mis-use of the devices and Facebook. 
Elder Oaks opening remarks in the priesthood leadership session were about
building faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He exhorted us to help our members and
converts to have their testimonies based not upon the church, or missionaries,
but upon the Savior.  (Indeed we all must build upon the Rock.)"

Hey Fam and Friends!!!
>    
>      Well after getting emails and pics of my moms blue hair, dancing videos
from paige and shae, labor day videos from my dad, pics of my moms new car
(finally), a little sneak peak of the house that i don't think i was supposed to
see and Hiking Tumalo falls right outside of Bend today with a whole bunch of
Elders and Sisters....i would say I'm pretty pumped right now and exhausted!!!
>
>  So something that i love about my mission is that it has helped me to be in
the scriptures everyday and it has not always been that way before my mission
and even on the mission as much as i have wanted or should. It has been a
complete paradigm shift and i look forward to studying every morning and esp. in
the Book of Mormon! Its kinda like i get lost and just so into it that nothing
else around me matters and i love marking them up and its just me and my
scriptures and the spirit! Sis Alvey and i will get so much out of one chapter
and get so pumped about the truthfulness of the Gospel which in turn helps us
want to share it more! Preach my Gospel talks about just that. This has been
happening a lot :)
>
>  A little update on Xena! We have decided together that we are going to take a
little more time teaching her which is so good and needed esp because she just
started school. She is living with the Davis Family and learning a lot there
which she has really needed, they are so good for her! She really has not had
much stability in her life...like at all!! So she is learning so much and came
to church on Sunday and came to mission prep that we taught Sunday night!
>
>  Another thing i love about my mission is working with the youth and helping
them to see how fun being a missionary can be!! And that they are very capable!
Ah! I cant even explain it.
>
>  So i mentioned Damian in my last email (but called him damon) and talked
about how he has been coming to church and he came yesterday for a third time
and stayed for all three hours! We got to sit by him cause we were sitting in
the very back and he walked in late and so he sat by us. He tried going to
different churches and didn't feel comfortable and so apparently his aunt
suggested he come to the LDS church and so he did. We asked how he feel and what
he like about it...he said he liked it and he wouldn't come back if he wasn't
comfortable and we asked him why he thinks he is so comfortable and his response
was because we are like minded people. And is cool to not only hear that but to
see it. Bro. Schofield has really been fellow shipping him and...seriously he is
such an awesome member missionary...invited him over for dinner and sends him
Mormon messages and invites him to stay for more hours at church...participates
like heck in gospel principles class. So we are hoping to teach him this week
because we know he has questions!
>
> ps. in the gospel principles book in the chapt on the sacrament there is a pic
of a congregation, y'all should spot someone church famous and email me and let
me know if you found it! :)
>
>  Bro. King a less active member also showed up to church and we were seriously
so pumped about that..we visited him and he was only baptized about 5 years ago
and a missionary that taught him is now married and living in this ward, named
Bro Mercker which is also cool cause they will see each other around and will
tease him about getting to church! So he came and it was funny cause after each
hr he was about leave and we would say no chuck you gotta stay and basically
bribe him and say no no so and so is teaching you don't want to miss out! But i
know if were not in the right place at the right time he would have snuck out
haha but we still gave him is agency! Otherwise we would be going against
heavenly fathers plan ;) but i know he felt blessed for staying. It was also
interesting he said the first time he ever came to church it was a fast Sunday
and yesterday was fast Sunday! I know there is power and blessings that come
from fasting and that goes for all of Gods Commandments :)
>
> I love this Gospel and thank my Heavenly Father everyday for the opportunity i
get to be out here and be a missionary and meet so many amazing people that i
learn and grow from! Theirs nothing like it.
>
> Love Sister Heywood!
> 

Family and Friends!
> 
>  Holy holy..I can not even tell you how amazing this week has been and the
miracles we have seen!
>
> Last pday we got to go longboarding at the Haydens and they have a down
syndrome daughter named Paige and so we hung out with her and took pictures,
played some bball and did some gymnastics in the grass and she is SOO CUTE! And
really talented at gymnastics! I will send of picture of her..i love her so
much!
>
> I was able to go on exchange with Sis Davis! She is my STL (sister training
leader) and we were companions in Forest Grove for six weeks during Christmas!
We were able to teach Xena for the first time..it was so cool. We had Kali and
Sarah Davis there to help us teach and we were inside the chapel and the spirit
was really strong she shared some personal experiences with us about prayer! We
taught her the Restoration and she really felt the spirit...I said the first
vision and I thought I totally messed it up even though I say it almost every
morning. But then sis davis told me that it flowed so well and that I didn't
mess it up and she was thinking "wow she does this really well" so that made me
feel better haha its not about  me anyways. She really felt the spirit and said
she would prepare to be baptized! We also taught Renee and it was really cool
because for some reason being on exchange with a different sister helped feel
immense love for her and really heavenly fathers love for her. We also were able
to go to the relief society picnic and I got so lost but we eventually found it!
Got to know some of the ladies in the ward better and let me tell you they are
hilarious and it was so funny. We also stopped by a potential that day and as
soon as we knocked on the door and she looked at us and said "come on in!" and
we said are you sure? and she's all "ya im just making dinner!" her name is
Mckayla and she is super chill! She likes to learn about a lot of different
religions and she was totally open to coming to church! Have not taught her yet
but I know its going to happen.
>
> We taught Renee. Sis Alvey and really prayed long and hard about a baptismal
date for her. Even though she had kinda set a date for Dec. 31st. We felt really
good about Sept. 10th so she is praying about it. All I gotta say is that it was
super intense and I know that she feels pressure. She even told us she works
better under pressure and that she is stubborn. But I know that it was from
heavenly Father. She came to a baptism on Friday night for the Spanish branch
(so did xena!) and it was soo good and she was also able to come to church and
her kids were not there..so she was able to focus really well. She also has been
talking to her neighbor Diana about the church and her and her family came on
Sunday it was super sweet! And also there is this guy that has been randomly
coming to church the past two weeks and his name is Damon.
>
> Also there are so many things that happen that I don't write about...good bad
and ugly but I seriously love my mission and wouldn't trade it for anything! im
in love with my mission life haha Today we got to hike smith rock and it was
super fun and I almost threw up but it was so worth it once we got to the
top..we went with the hermanas and our stls! it was so great. Wooo!
>
> Anyways that's all I have time for! I love you all and hope to hear from you
soon!
>
> Love Sister Heywood!

Hey hey Family and Friends!
>
> Hows it? This week has been a really good one!! Full of some pretty sweet
miracles!
>
>
> We basically got to Teach Renee almost everyday this week! She is doing really
well and we have really helped her undaerstand the imporatance of the book of
Mormon in her conversion! They were also asked to speak in the Spanish branch.
They are in our ward but help out with Spanish because Hugo, Bro Lopez is
Hispanic and is fluent in Spanish not so much Renee! They are such a cute
family. The topic she was given was family history and how it will help her get
to baptism! She set a baptism date for December 31st! Which is awesome...we want
to know if she is willing to act if she gets the answer sooner. She has been
meeting with the missionaries for a year or longer but she is now ready to act
and do what it takes to find the answer! We watched Joseph Smith Prophet of the
Restoration and the spirit was super strong that night. It really helped her to
see the details of everything and not only did he see God the Father and His Son
but that he lived and died for it all along with many others. And that the Book
of Mormon isn't just any other book. She did really good on her talk in the
Spanish branch..it was really cool to be in there..but when Hugo got up and it
was all Spanish I didn't get a thing besides something about Pres Hinckley and
Willford woodruff haha but he did great! Also I got sick yesterday and it hit me
like a ton of bricks and so I went home and slept. I am feeling a little better
today. But I was sneazing a 100 times a hr and had a really soar throat and achy
body. But im doing better!
>
> We also had the "Great Giveaway" on sat.! For all of you that don't know what
this is, I will tell you! Its all free and a ton is donated! And it goes to a
lot people in need! We invited a lot of people and also met a 15 yr old girl
that moved from colver and knew no one in Redmond was lookiin for a church to go
to and ended up at the Great Giveaway that she heard about on fb and so we
talked to her she ended up going to the stake youth activity that day and met
lots of great youth and came to church and LOVED it.. and wants to know more! We
are teaching her this week. And she is soo so sweet! And the ward has really
welcomed her in! It was and is super exciting!! Oh and her name is Xena! (Z-na)
We also got to help one of the La that we have been teaching to it and helped
her find and get stuff for her baby girl that she will have soon and she was
crying and so grateful because she had nothing ready for her and now she does! 
(it was so fun)
>
> That's all have time for! hope you have a wonderful week! I loved being here
with SIs Alvey and working together she is so fun!
>
> Love Sister Heywood! 

Family and Friends! 

 

I am over the mountain and in beautiful Redmond Oregon! I love it hear and my new companions name is Sis Alvey she is from Harrisville Utah and oh my heck we are the same person. Everything she does I'm like meee too and vice versa and she keeps saying "i feel like I'm companions with myself and wow i must have made my last companions life awesome" cause i am hilarious and she is having out of body experiences (cause of stuff i will do or say) Im all about having fun while doing the work! 

The people here are soooo nice! It is a whole different world on this side of OR its a little more deserty and the sun shines a lot more and it makes me really happy cause its a little like Az! Last night and today we have been having a monsoon season which has been awesome! I love the rain too! We may or may not have ran in it and got drenched. 

We are working with some pretty awesome people! Like Marty who was recently baptized like a month ago and Courtney who is the wife of a La member and she is so super sweet, we taught her the word of wisdom this week and she texted us after and told us she dumped out 3 beers and said it felt so good and she is so ready and wanting to be baptized. We are also teaching this couple named Jess and Laura who are so prepared, They are patients of (Doc) President Palmer! We are teaching them tonight. We have been talking to a lot of people on the street which has been super fun and always interesting…some potential people for sure! We also have been getting a lot of referrals from the Spanish Elders which is super awesome! One of them being this guy from Ghana named Charles and we finally were able to contact him and talked with him outside his home for an hour…he is sooo awesome!!! 

 

I will give more detail next time and I just want all of you to know how real this Gospel is and how much Heavenly Father Loves each and everyone of you! This morning sis Alvey and i both randomly studied Alma 24 in out personal studies and came together freaking out…1 that we both studied that…2 about how much we loved it and connected it to missionary work, the Gospel and Christ Atonement and how GOOD God is!!! WE received so much revelation for what we both need to do in this area and that we are both here for a reason! The Gospel changes lives!!!! And only if you let it!!! Peace out.

Love Sister Heywood! 

Dear family and friends!

This past couple weeks has been super awesome. I didn't send an email
last week cause we ran out of time because I did 3 sister missionaries
hair:) and the next day was Charles baptism and so we were making sure
he was ready and it was kinda stressful but so fun! If you could
imagine that!

Charles was baptized on Tuesday! It was a stressful day as he had to
be interviewed by the district leader again right before to make sure
he had really quit smoking. He was so excited. His sister who is not a
member came. She is a very nice person and said her husband's
brother's family are members. Charles also invited a friend and his
wife from Sweet Home. A lot of members came to support! The talks were
really good and Sister Farnsworth and I shared our testimonies while
he was changing. We sang I am a Child of God and the young women who
were there sang a descant with it that was so beautiful. The spirit
was really strong there. Charles seemed so different and happy the
next couple of days. His housekeeper got a job in Portland and is
leaving. It was really sad. We came by on Saturday and he seemed upset
and we read with him and had a lesson. He told us at the end that he
had smoked and drank coffee that day and he started crying. He said it
was because of all the stress with his housekeeper leaving him. He
said he prayed and told Heavenly Father sorry. He has gotten emotional
a lot lately. We feel so bad for him, but also feel we need to teach
him more about the atonement and repentance. Like Clayton E.
Christiansen said, " It is easier to keep the commandments 100% of the
time! than it is to keep them 98% of the time." We know Satan is
working really hard on him. We also know that the atonement of Christ
can heal us from whatever addictions or problems we have. It is only
through faith in Him that we can be completely healed. We have been in
contact with him daily! It was really special and he has grown so much
the spirit was super strong. we are still working with him so much to
be able to progress. He needs the gospel now more than ever, it's like
the only thing he is holdin on to. I love him so much definitely know
I was sent here for him.

A lot of our time has been really focused on Charles and so I feel
like we haven't really done much of anything else but we have.

We were able to have a really good lesson with Elliot. I have talked
about him before he has been investigating the church for over a year
now. Has some things to overcome and he also recently split up with
Olivia who is an excommunicated member that is trying to come back
also. But in general this has both been really good for them to split
and not live with each other. They both have been able to get really
good jobs and that was a huge blessing for them separately. So now
they can focus on themselves and progress in there lives.

A la that I super duper love is Brenda and she hasn't been to church
since I've been here! She is the one that we quilt with every Monday.
I LOVE her. She has been doing really good and has been learning a lot
about the atonement for herself lately. She is very knowledgable of
the church. But needs to apply it to her life! But we think she is
coming to church soon cause she just keeps saying.."You will just have
to trust me" and were like oookay Brenda. ;)

We went to the stake pioneer picnic and it was really fun! Charles
came and Brenda! There were so many investigators there from the
surrounding areas and it was so fun to meet most of them. People that
are so prepared. Specifically Mike...he is friends of the Meyr family
here in bville and he works close to bro huff Meyr with state patrol
stuff. Anyways I met him at dinner one night for-ev-er ago (like 3
transfers ago) and I might have talked about it before but he is the
one with tazing elk story. You could probably find it on YouTube. And
then the next night we were texting mike about some things he has been
struggling with about God and how he lets little children suffer,
cause he works a lot with that and I was like...yo Meyrs you should
ask mike if he would like to meet with the sweet home sistas. He has
decided to get baptized in October and also his girlfriend that moved
her last week from Texas and her daughter, she was telling us that she
has always had members of the church in her life and has read and has
taking it as an answer from god that it is where she is supposed to be
and that it's true. Esp because her and mike reconnected (they went to
high school with each other) and he has been investigating. I was mind
blown.

Oh and last night we were going to see a la Lori who came to church
yesterday! (yay) and next door are some la members that we have never
met and there was a guy about our age sitting on his car and I said hi
to him and asked if he lived there and he said no! And I told him why
and he said oh are you Mormon?? And said ya are you? And he said he
used to be and that he left the church! It was interesting because it
wasn't really a bash because he was really nice but sis Farnsworth
called it a respectful interchange of ideas haha He had all these
wonderfully sad rumors of Joseph smith and it was interesting one of
the first things he said was that he started to plant this seed of
doubt as he started to get ahold of anti material. It was interesting
but I bore    My testimony of Jesus Christ. And that seemed to do
something..If anything we said did anything. We hope. But I wasn't ok
with walking away until I did, as he told us that Mormons believe that
we have to earn our way to heaven and we don't need to Jesus Christ.
Oh no boy. Not ok. Most definitely not true. I am not perfect and
there is no way I will make it without my Savior Jesus Christ.
Love always and forever Sister Heywood! :)

Picture directory:
Charles Thompson after baptism:)
Killed 5 spiders filling up the Lebanon font
Ice cream from divine on a rainy day for lunch.
Stand by me day. It poured this day.
How much sister Farnsworth and I love Brownsville. Really. So much.

Dear family! 
 
It's been a great week! It's gone by so fast. Time is so weird out here. 
 
The coolest thing that happened this week was teaching Joni the 
restoration and committed her to reading the Book of Mormon and 
praying about it..she is so nice! Also a cosmetologist! It was so fun 
and she has a very strong relationship with God. 
 
Charles is doing so good! Still trying to quit smoking and drinking 
coffee! Keep him in your prayers. We had a really good lesson with 
about satan and how he works which is really interesting to know how 
he works and how evil and easily he try's to trick us. It was really 
important for Charles to know how real that is. Satan doesn't like 
that he is preparing to be baptized. And he doesn't like that we are 
helping him or anything else that we do. He's a meany head! 
 
We also went to the visitors center with charles in Lake Oswego with 
Merlin and Marie Evans, it was really fun! And so good for everyone. 
The Portland mission was getting there new mission president which is 
elder ballards son! So there were no sister missionaries in the 
visitors center and so sis Farnsworth and I got to be the ones to walk 
him through all the different displays. It was really cool!! 
 
My bday was fun starting out with walking in the morning with Marie 
and Debbie Evans and they got me a Oregon ducks shirt cause I always 
wear beavers clothes when we go walking which they don't like haha Had 
zone training meeting and sis Farnsworth and everyone made it a really 
good day...lots of yummy treats and food...oh man! 
 
Fun memory this week was being in by 9 on the 4th and doing our 
planning on our balcony/fire escape while we waited for the fireworks 
to go off! The trees were kinda in the way so we just tried to 
remember some girls camp song and sang them to Brownsville. It was 
funny. Well and before we went in we had dinner with Kathy and Gina 
two la woman in the branch and we had a campfire that we helped build. 
I was laughing a lot because Gina cracks me up! The fire kept blowing 
up cause she put rocks under the wood and we couldn't stop laughing so 
we had our own little firework show! 
 
There are some potential families we might teach this week and I'm 
really excited..so hopefully we can make it happen. It almost happened 
this week..but work schedules got in the way! 
 
Love sister heywood! 

Hello hello! 
 
This week was great!! To start off I will tell you about our very 
wonderful eventful pday we have had today! It consisted of the usual 
quilting at the church win Brenda and other ladies which by the way 
I've finished my quilt while I've been here! It's super cute. Then it 
was off to blueberry picking in Albany with sis Robbins the relief 
society president and they were so yummy and juicy! It was so fun and 
my first time doing it! Then she dropped us off at costco to meet 
sister Glenn and her daughters Grace Ella and alyse! They are the 
branch presidents family and we did some of our shopping there. Oh my 
goodness they are soo cute and fun! I can't even explain how much I 
love them. A lot of people feel like family here. And we have dinner 
with them at 6! 
 
Brother Charles Thompson is plugging along! We have a lot of contact 
with him this week and I got to cut his hair on sat. And was able to 
do some service for him and we brought a less active Kathy with us and 
that was a good opportunity for her! The lesson we had on Saturday was 
amazing we focused in on repentance and feeling godly sorrow and it 
was definitely what he needed to learn more about. The spirit was 
really strong as we talked about certain things and him talking and 
thinking about his wife again. Idk why but all three of us were 
crying. We had already said a closing prayer and then after talking 
more about a gospel principle that needed to be understood. We said 
another one and it was my turn....oh man I couldn't say it without 
crying. It probably was one of the most heartfelt prayers I've said in 
awhile and that lesson was probably the most spiritual lessons I've 
had on my mission..because we love Charles so much!! He is still 
working on quitting smoking and so this week we are really going to 
help him nip it in the bum! He has wonderful Amuleks and lots of 
people praying for him. 
 
We had another wonderful experience yesterday as we went to a la home 
named Sandra! We have visited her a few time and this time we brought 
a member with us her name is Chandra and she is amazing and so loving. 
Sandra told us she has some anxiety meeting new people but it went so 
well! We talked for a little bit and I told Sandra if you want you 
should tell Chandra your conversion story and so she did that really 
helped Chandra to see where she stood with the church which is very 
strong but hasen't been to church in a very long time and is feeling 
really broken and she opened up a lot more and as she cried. Chandra 
just asked if she could giver her a hug and told her that she has a 
light and she has so much to give and then proceeded to say come sit 
at church with me and my family next Sunday we would really love 
that!" Let me tell you this is why member and missionaries work 
together because we went 10 steps forward with Sandra and she really 
has so much to give, her conversion and testimony is unshakeable she 
just says "I know it's true" we never could of done what Chandra did 
for Sandra in one appt! It would have take. Us maybe 10 more if we 
never brought a member. She related to her so well and I was In tears 
watching this happen right before my eyes. And I know it was a very 
good experience for Chandra she just kept saying it's been a good day, 
it been a good day! 
 
We also had exchanges with our wonderful stls=super training leaders 
jk it's sister training leaders! I was in Albany with sister Palmer 
and we had a wonderful day and the main thing I really loved was that 
last time we were on exchange there we had dinner with the same family 
and I felt like I should bring my hair cutting stuff! And it turns out 
the mom is home alone while her husband is doing side jobs in Utah and 
also hasen't been able to find a steady job for three years and so I 
got to give hair cuts to three of five kids! She was so appreciative 
and I know that they really needed it. She is a amazing mom! While we 
were there she asked us what our parents did to strength our 
testimonies growing up! I thought that was a really cool question and 
she wanted advice for her family. It was so sweet. This day was also 
my year mark! Woop woop! 
 
We did service for a family the mcphersons I have talked about them 
before that we always do service for. We are super close with them and 
they are really good friends with Chandra's family and the Glenn's. We 
have all been praying and waiting for his heart to be soften to god or 
religion or general. He is gone six months out of the year. We know 
it's something that Angie has wanted more and more over time as she 
has learned more and expressed to her member friends. Anyways so while 
service was happening she said something that was interesting about 
her 5 and 3 year old boys asking questions about god and religion that 
they can't answer. And so we gave her the idea of us coming over for 
dinner like we have before but with Jason her hubby there so we can 
share a message with them! She didn't seem to excited because she 
knows how her husband would react but she ended up calling Chandra 
later and telling her she wants to take the lessons from us. She would 
be a wonderful member of the church and I know it would bless there 
family so much. It's funny because we heard from Chandra that Duncan 
had said to his mom "mom do we believe in god? And she said yes Duncan 
we do and he said no we don't and she said yes we do Duncan we believe 
in god and then he said no if we believed in god we would go to church 
like Chandra and Sarah's family." Duncan and Tristan are super sweet 
and really close to the spirit I have seen it many times. So that 
dinner thing is happening this week!:) 
 
We weren't able to teach Patricks family but we made another appt. for 
this Wednesday and we are super excited! I hope that it will work out 
this time and we have some good Amuleks set up for them! I love doing 
the lords work and am so glad to be a missionary at this time. Im so 
thankful for the gospel in my life and the many blessing it brings I 
can't imagine my life without it and I know that it is and will be a 
wonderful foundation as the world seems to be going the complete 
opposite way. I love the fact that the gospel is all over the world it 
inspires me! 
Love always and forever sister heywood! 
Best decision I ever made. 

 Hi hi hi hi!
> This week has been awful oh my goodness I just hate being a
> missionary! Just wanted to get your attention.... It's been
> wonderfully wonderful, expect miracles!!
>
> To start off we had an hr till dinner out in Halsey at the Haskins and
> so we decided to do some finding and we found an older lady named
> Linda and a family that has really good friends in the church and it
> was interesting that he continued to stand outside and talk to us even
> though they were on there way out to go to there daughters softball
> game. We are planning on following up with them this week!
>
> We had Indian fried bread at the Evans home Wednesday night..let me
> tell you that was a miracle ;) haha (I've never told y'all about
> them?but there from snowflake,az) they are friends with Charles and
> invited him also! The even cooler miracle is that we had our planned
> lesson after dinner and Charles set a BAPTISM DATE for July 22nd and
> tomorrow July 1st he is quilting cold turkey..coffee and smoking. We
> have been meeting with a lot and it's interesting to me that during my
> mission to see that people are slaves to these substances...like they
> have to have them or life will not go on. And to see the difference
> between people and there healthy who do and do not. There is reason
> god gives us these commandments.
>
> We were able to teach this sweet sweet lady named Joni we have been
> trying to catch her for quite some time now. She was on her way out to
> see her dad. We sat on her porch and she lives in one of the oldest
> historical houses in Brownsville. And she collects tons of antiques.
> She had so many questions and has always been curious about the
> "Mormon" religion! It was not in the order that we would of liked to
> explain things but by the end she said said "how about we start from
> the beginning" and we were like yess haha she is so bubbly and
> hilarious! She was telling us all kinds of stories one of them being
> when she crashed her car because she was texting and driving and she
> was really embarrassed to say it and so I started to say it so she put
> the restoration pamphlet up to my mouth and was laughing "shh don't
> say it don't say it" and I couldn't stop laughing!!! She is so cute!
> She is about in her late 50's early 60's. We are going back this week!
>
> We had the branch talent show and camp out in pioneer park and it was
> so much fun it was a good turn out and people that we invited that
> showed up! The talent show was hilarious and there is literally so
> much talent in the branch!!! I have some pictures at the bottom! AND I
> did my back hand springs for everyone...I still got it!! Everyone was
> amazed...and I'm really sore now!
>
> We Are meeting Charles 3 times a week now to really help and support
> him. We went saturday afternoon and before we got there he said he had
> been reading for 3 hrs and he was in alma 45!
> This is when he told us he was going to quit. And it was so sweet as I
> bore my testimony at the end of the Book of Mormon, Joseph smiths and
> the Savior. Charles said the closing prayer and I started to cry and
> it was weird cause I never cry and I couldn't hold them back. After he
> asked why I was crying and I told him it's because I'm happy for him.
> Pray for him :)
>
> Yesterday we were able to meet with Wayne and Mary ough! Wayne is a
> member (I've talked about him) and Mary his wife is a baptist and she
> has been listening to the lessons and has began to pray about the Book
> of Mormon. She has a strong belief in Jesus Christ and has that
> foundation. We have told her we that we are not asking her to
> disregard all of that but to add to it. Which a lot of people think
> it's that way, that we are trying to tear down all that they have
> every known and learn something completely new. They are soo sweet and
> have had us over the past 2 Sundays for lunch.
>
> We got to meet and read out of the Book of Mormon with Kathy! She is
> one of my really good friends even though she is in her 60's! On your
> mission you gain so many friends of all ages:) her dad recently passed
> away and she has been having a rough time. She has us call her an hr
> before church to motivate her to get there. Satan works really hard on
> her because she is a phenomenal woman!
>
> We were able to have a lesson and dinner with the Ragles! We LOVE the
> ragles!!! They are so super sweet! They recently have come back to
> church and have loved it and have really felt welcome. They accepted
> to take the lessons by invitation of president Glenn. Both of them
> felt really judged in there wards growing up. They also talked about
> how they were taught incorrect doctorine growing up? The spirit was
> strong and we know that we will really help them by teaching them the
> lessons. Adam and Mary are very open and share how there experiences
> have been in and out of the church. They have felt the spirit more in
> there lives as they have come back. Adam said he always stayed true to
> the word of wisdom even when he wasn't active. They told us that each
> time they have come to church the lessons taught have been really
> relevant to what they needed to hear. They recently have gotten
> callings!
>
> I told you about Patrick and family last week and they have a super
> crazy work schedule at Walmart! Him and his wife both work there and
> so today when we did our pday shopping he came up to us and said hey
> strangers! and so we set up a time for Wednesday at 4! He is so
> awesome! Really excited to teach them!:)
>
> I love being on a mission and doing this fun work it is not easy at
> times, but it is soo worth it!!!
> Love sister heywood!

Hi family and friends! 
It's been an awesome couple weeks! This week was the last week of the 
transfer and "I really hope I stay in Brownsville....I lovee this 
place and the people here!!! But I've been here as long as ever other 
sister that has served in Brownsville....so idk. I wanna stay. I wanna 
stay! Please let me stay!:)"---that's what I said last week....AND 
guess what?...the dream team is staying #farnswood ;) we are here 
staying for many reasons! :) 
 
This last week was super busy and full of amazing miracles....one of 
them being we had a mini missionary who spent a week with us! Her name 
is Makena Wadsworth..soo sister Wadsworth :) she is from bend,or she 
is 18 graduated from hs just last Saturday! The group of them that 
came out together consisted of 6 girls and 4 boys. Mind you more girls 
then boys...;) go sistas!! Sis Farnsworth and I are super excited to 
have her with us!! She is super awesome super spiritual and super 
beautiful! For the most part all of them are trying to decide whether 
or not they want to go on a mission and to get a weeks taste of it by 
doing everything that we as full time missionaries do :) whooohoo! She 
was such a blessing to us and she honestly did so much for me as a 
missionary...she just brought a different perspective that was 
refreshing! 
 
We had a lesson with bro Charles Thompson and she did a great job of 
helping him recognize the Holy Ghost. It was so awesome because all 
before that we were having a hard time helping him recognize that. We 
had another lesson with him in pioneer park and read where he is at in 
the Book of Mormon...which is mosiah! He wants to be baptized and what 
brother Evans to do it sometime in July the only thing holding him 
back is smoking..so we are helping him with that. :) we love Charles 
he is so sweet. We love his honesty if he doesn't understand something 
he doesn't and he lets us know if he's been reading and praying and he 
will tell us "how bout not" when we invite him to get ice cream with 
us! Haha he totally shut sis heywood down! It was on me! Who doesn't 
like ice cream? He's crazy! 
 
Some Miracles that happened this week: 
On Saturday afternoon, real investigators, less actives, recent 
converts, and other members came and the youth taught them missionary 
lessons. The youth here are amazing. So many little miracles happened 
during the conference. Saturday afternoon, we were talking to the 
Stake president in the church hall way and a man walked in the stake 
center. He had earrings in his ears and was dressed really nice. He 
walked past us then turned and said, " this might be a strange 
question, but do you have a Book of Mormon I could have?" The stake 
president offered to go get him one then remembered that we were 
missionaries and asked us, so we gave him one. He said his name was 
Alex and he was just passing through on the way to his friends 
wedding. He was from Wilsonville which is in northern Oregon out of 
our mission. He said he had to go and started to walk out, and I asked 
him why he asked for a Book of Mormon and he said that a long time ago 
his friend gave him one and told him to read a passage and he never 
did. Now he wants to. So I told him to find missionaries after he read 
it, and he thanked us and left. The night before a young family walked 
in the stake center during youth conference looking for help because 
their member friend told them to find a Mormon church. The sprit was 
so strong there with the youth and it was drawing people in. I learned 
so much helping out with the conference...the youth these days don't 
completely know how powerful they are! 
 
Our district leader elder Lester who is from the Ukraine mission who 
is super awesome and is totally supposed to be here! For example him 
and his companion elder lee knocked on the door of a lady who speaks 
only Russian and when she opened the door and elder Lester realized 
that she spoke Russian he started to talk to her and she started to 
cry! She explained that she needed help setting up her computer and 
could not. Anyways so those same elders gave us a referral. A man who 
was working in the Lebanon Walmart and he lives in Brownsville with 
his family! His name is Patrick and he gave the elders his address! So 
we went Friday night after youth conference with sis Wadsworth! Let me 
tell you I never have been to this part of Brownsville! It was so 
beautiful on the drive up into the mountains/hills! We pull up to the 
gate and just sit in the car and stare at the posted: no trespassing 
sign or we will be prosecuted. But we figured if he was expecting 
us..so we walked up and just stood at the gate and then Patrick 
started to walk down the hill! He was super nice and we got to know 
him and tried to say bye like 5 times to let them get back to there 
evening they have planned but he just kept talking! We are going to 
teach them this week..hes so prepared. It's hard explain how great 
being a missionary is and how fun it is. After we got in the car to 
drive away I got really close to sis Farnsworth face and said really 
slowly I'm. Not. Getting. transferred. And so it is..I am not! I love 
how many different ways there are to do missionary work. I have felt 
and continue to feel the many reasons I am here. And I love it! I love 
Christs church and his work in which uses imperfect people to help 
move forward! Let's be prayerful in everything we do! The Lord wants a 
say in our lives and if we invite him In he will make things known to 
us that are important to us in his time! I love you all and hope you 
have a wonderful week! Do most of makes you eternally happy! 
 
Love sister heywood! 





 

Why hello!
So last Monday I don't think I told you all but we got the chance to
go to the coast with Kathy, Gina, bro bivens and sis bivens! We got
permission to go outside of our mission to Newport! It was fun and
nice to get away from the pollen...Kathy and the bivens paid for all
of us to go to the Oregon coast aquarium! It was super fun! It was my
fourth time going to the beach on my mission yay! It was quite
entertaining cause the people we were with..crack me up!
We were able to meet with Charles twice this week and he came to
church! He slowly but surely is gaining that testimony of Jesus Christ
and his gospel! A key role in his conversion has been bro and sis
Evans!
We had our mission tour in Salem on Friday and we got the privilege of
hearing from a general authority...Elder Martino and his wife! Wow wow
wow. So much revelation and training that was much needed and it was
just so exciting because elder martino is so exciting they are from
Texas and had some pretty sweet accents! It's hard to explain the
sprit that was there and how amazing it was! We learned about how
every person we work with needs to have the perfect Amulek! We read
from Alma 8-10 and how alma who was the missionary taught the people
but that when alma found Amulek the "less active membre" and Amulek
came out with alma to teach the people and the people were astonished
when Amulek spake more so than alma! So as members of the church help
the missionaries teach the people are more astonished by the friend
who can relate to them more and have experienced more of life...then
maybe an 18 or 22 yr old missionary! I invite you all to work more
with the full time missionaries serving in your area and being that
Amulek for helping teach someone the gospel! Also to think about the
sister or elders you know right now and what they have sacrificed to
be on a mission and what it means to them to be there!
So one night the whole branch got together and did a huge cleanup
outside...because apparently someone had asked bro hoyer if we are
moving from our building? And he said no why? And the man said well it
looks like you guys have neglected your building.....WHAT. Not
okay...so basically everyone was there pulling weeds and let me tell
you I love to pull weeds super weird right? They are so much easier to
pull here than Mesa az! The rain loosens them up. It was SO MUCH
FUN...i felt so unified with the members of the branch much like I do
on Sundays when I get to see all of them together:) I want to relive
that night 50 times over! Pulled weeds, spread bark mulch, cut down
weeds taller than me, trimmed trees and bushes that were covering the
"visitors welcome" sign...ahh. It was so sweet at the fast and
testimony meeting Sunday president Glenn bore the sweetest testimony
and said that we buoy him up as we were all together cleaning up and
how he couldn't do what he does without the branch and all that they
do.
That night one of the young women, Kayla hovey came up to me and said
guess what?! And I couldn't think of what...,so she told me! She has
decided to go on a mission! Even though she was planning on going to
the college she was accepted to! (She graduated this week from hs) her
dad is the one that  served with my uncle in Honduras. I was so so
happy and she said the thing that helped her solidify her decision was
when president Samuelian came to speak at the branch and all the
classes that day. She said she had been praying about it for awhile
and that I influenced her life by being on a mission in Brownsville.
Her mom also told me that I influenced her daughters life. It really
means a lot to me.
We were able to find a la named Sandra by following the spirit which
is always cool. Apparently she had asked missionaries to come by
before and they never came. So we really wouldn't have found her if we
weren't out searching. She is super sweet and has a strong testimony
and conversion story and is wanting to come back. Yay.
Charles is doing so wonderfully especially because his Amuleks are
back in town. This week we walked in and he was outback smoking and
reading the Book of Mormon. He seems different and like his
countenance has been changing. We had a lesson on the 10 commandments
and an emphasis on the sabbath day. It went really welll and his
prayers and answers are getting more wordy. In the past he has really
just said very few words or none at all.  We love chuck he is super
great! He has a good sense of humor and is trying his best to
understand. We also explained to him that he doesn't need to
understand everything in order to be baptized which needed to be said.
He is really honest which we love!
One of my very favorite services this week and maybe in my whole
mission was cutting sister Louise smiths hair she has lymphedema and
has been in a wheelchair most of her life and doesn't do anything for
herself besides feed herself. The whole branch loves them. She has the
best attitude about her situation. When you know she is in so much
pain. I got to cut her hair and it had gotten pretty long and we cut
it pretty short and gave her a new style and she LOVED it. And it was
so cute to watch her be so happy about a haircut.
Anyways that is all for now! I hope you all have a great week and are
doing most of what makes you happy!
Love sister heywood.

Hi people who read my emails!
Sorry I haven't emailed successfully in a couple of weeks, been having some technical difficulties! I write something and then It's too big and then I send so many pictures that it all doesn't send! So I am cutting down. There have been so many amazing miracles happening here in Brownsville! It's fun to be part of:)
Before you go on a mission they don't really tell you that your going to fall in love with the people you serve and they don't tell you the amazing friendships you'll make with companions and they don't tell you that you will have so much love for the people you teach and they don't tell you that it will be so hard to leave all of that, all the sudden. Transfers are not for another 4 weeks but that is what I have learned on my mission, it's all about love.
If you remember about 2 months ago...we taught Devon and chandler randomly one night at Randy's cafe under there cover area in the rain! Devon's best friends are Seth and Jo two young men in the branch. They are the ages between 15-16. He has randomly always come to church with them and they handed him a Book of Mormon one day at church. We were finally able to have a second lesson with him yesterday after he came to church! Church was amazing by the way but that will be a little later. So we went over to the Seth's and there were no girls there...Seth is the only boy out of 6 girls...so Devon Jo and seth brought 4 chairs out on the lawn, the weather was beautiful and we had a lesson! We just got to know him better and made sure to ask Seth and Jo questions so Devon could hear there testimonies..at the same time I know we are helping these young men come closer to Christ because they are still trying to figure out there way in this world. The spirit was soo strong and it is all Devon wanting to sincerely learn. We testified about heavenly fathers love for him and how much he desires his happiness and how much the gospel will bless his life. He comes from a tough background father who has been in jail and a mom who is on drugs. It's so cool to see the desire he has and the difference he sees in his friends family because he is always staying over at there homes. His family lives in Lebanon but he goes to school at central linn in Halsey which is part of our area so for now we get the privilege of teaching him and seeing how far he goes with all of this! I know that Devon's conversion will help his friends who are still developing there testimonies of Jesus Christ and his gospel!
 Charles Thompson is doing really well, been coming to church every week reading and praying! Still working on the desire to quit smoking he knows it is something that god wants him to do! We might be going to the ARP meetings with him and bro Evans who actually used to teach them! You can tell he his happy the more and more he learns.
This week we taught seminary....early morning seminary..so we got up at 5 ish and were there by 6 and class started at 630! Props to early morning seminary students. So grateful for release time seminary! Brownsville seminary is a way different experience. Biggest class was on Monday of about 7 kids and smallest was about 3 kids. It was fun to teach them and the Manual makes it super easy! We studied Ether and Moroni. We picked chandlyr up two of the mornings she decided to come and she had not been there for about 2 months. She bore her testimony of the difference of her days when she comes to seminary!:) she is Olivia's daughter.
Went on exchange this week with sis thelin! It was amazingly fun. We got to teach Charles together. Did some service that made both of our allergies go bonkers so guess what? my allergies have been super bad! Apparently they go away after July 4th..that's too long to wait! Ahh I have been sneezing up a storm..the willamette valley is the grass seed capital of the world.
Had zone conference this week and
learned a lot from that, lots of revelation for our area. President and sis Samuelian also came to speak in our branch and it was magical! The branch loved them! I'm so thankful for them.
There have been a lot more miracles that have taken place this week, but that is all I have time for! I love you all and hope that your doing well! I love the gospel I know it's true, I love The Lord with all of my heart!