Heyyloo!
      Its been a wonderful week and i hope you all feel the same! We are all
moved into the apt. thanks to the help of the wonderful Branch and esp the
youth! They are all rockstars! Its so much better in our new place the spirit is
there for sure its wierd how after a couple days of being there...well the time
that we actually spend in there like lunch and sleeping but i can feel a
complete difference from the old place! Its nice! Made cupcakes and gave them to
everyone who helped us move in!
    So last week im pretty sure i mentioned our landlord..!? Exciting news we
went to his house and brought his family cupcakes met his daughter Jazzy and
talked for a little bit...its funny cause we found out his address from Pres.
Glenn and its not weird at all to just know where someone lives and show up
because its soo small like i said haha anyway! Found out he grew up in Az and
went to ASU and his daughter is Phoenix right now working and then he asked us
what we do all day everyday and we explained and mentioned "church tours" (which
is the real reason we went over so we could do that) AND he basically initiated
it and said "Maybe you guys can take my family sometime to tour the church" HUGE
BLESSING! So that will be happening this week and i want you all to know i am in
Brownsville for this family..other reasons too but i am here for this family and
i cant wait to start teaching them! His wife wasn't there yet so we haven't met
her...but seriously such a sweet sweet family!
    WE also had interviews with Pres and Sis Samuelian this week..it went
really well and i just love talking with them! Pres Samuelian has had the whole
mission take a "Strengths Test" a while back and he had me talk about mine and
we have 3 out of the 5..It was pretty funny! He said "Sister Heywood you like to
have fun huh? I like to have fun too. I think i have too much fun, do you think
that is bad?" haha i said no! It was funny but he doesn't remember but that was
one of the first things we talked about when he interviewed me for the first
time in July! haha He pulled Sis Chappell and i both in and talked to us and
gave us a lot of good advice for Brownsville like it becoming a ward! We would
need 100 more reactivation/baptisms collectively to make it a ward! In my last
area we did a "40 day fast" if you ever remember reading about that. I brought
up the idea in our branch correlation meeting and they received it really well
and so Bro Isaksen talked about it in Branch Council cause we weren't able to be
there and they are starting in Feb. and i think that will really help this area
and get people more involved with missionary fun/work! Pres Sam also let me know
that my Heavenly Father is pleased with me...which i needed to hear! :)
  So yesterday we went to Lebanon in the Riverview ward to help talk to the
Young Women and our time got cut kinda short so we didn't have much time as i
thought we would but i still cried haha even though i just met these girls not
that much younger than me, I talked about reaching their full potential and that
heavenly father has a plan for each of them and that they need to stay as close
to Him as they can esp during these teen years! I felt really inspired to tell
them what i did and dont remember anything i said i also had all these notes i
wrote down and didnt even take them out to look at them! haha It was wierdyy! I
felt so strongly about encouraging them to find their fulll potential now. If i
knew the things i know now when i was younger i would have done some things so
different but u think that is how it is for everyone haha But im so grateful for
my mission and time here and the eternal perspective i have gained and continue
to grow! I am eternally grateful!
   "I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22!" OH this week was also Sis
Chappells bday on Friday! And it was fun ate lots of cake....too much cake..we
are trying to be healthy gosh dang it and everyone keeps giving us nummies! haha
for realies! It was a fun day we had our District meeting that day too! And our
Dl made cupcakes and sis chappells sweet momma sent me the cutest maxi skirt in
her birthday package! It was almost like my birthday too! Brownsville is the
best place to celebrate a bday cause everybody cares :) Oh one more thing we are
getting Ipads tomorrow! Kbyee!

Sister Heywood! :)

Hey! 

   

    Life is great! Right? Soo glad you agree!...Cool facts about Brownsville it has a population of about 1,600! And there is a bridge in Crawfordsville that we pass by a lot on our way to lessons that the movie "Stand by me" was filmed! (i love that movie) So i was a little excited about that! Something i forgot to talk about last week i think was on Sunday when we spoke i was amazed at how small this branch really is....like so small, I love it! But i was surprised to see how small it actually is on Sundays...im like nooo really? It doesn't even feel up all the pews! But there is so much love between all the members and the investigators that come feel so loved also! Like family they tell us! :)
     So today we are doing something that we are reallyy super duper excited about!!! And that is moving out of our apartment into another one above the Carlson's hardware store right on the center of main street! Its legit! Like i will come back and live in this apartment after my mission, its soo cute! Well....maybe not after missionaries live in it (esp elders) wanna know why?? Ok ok... ill tell you! This week in preparation for our move we decided to clean a few things that had not been cleaned for well about lets seeee since missionaries have lived here! So i sincerely thank my dad and mom for all those times they had me clean out our nasty fridge! But this was much worse! I have pictures to prove of my bravery in cleaning this thing growing/living inside out fridge! We pulled out the drawers and really didn't even know that it was there but some kind of moldy crap that had built up over a long period of time! I couldn't believe my food had been so close to touching it.....its fine! Everyone is lucky i like to clean and deep clean at that, cause the fridge was not the only thing i had cleaned in this apt! So great! oh my..there are other reasons that we are moving from the apt that i have not wanted to know about, that others know about! It was blessed right before i got here but our new home is a lot more conducive to the spirit! Our neighbor is Boon Ritchter he is an amazing dancer and you can find him on youtube, his family lives in a huge baptist church that will be right next to us! Another cool thing about moving is that the landlord of our new place is really excited about the fact of missionaries living in his apartment that it is perfect for what we do and being closer to the downtown of Brownsville! And he has a good feeling about it! He is a super nice guy and i'm hopeful for the missionary opportunities that will arise from this. The branch president Glenn knows him really well! President Glenn also has a dentist practice here!
    This week has been really a good one! A few mornings we would go over to Shawna and skips to watch Shawna while Skip went out and fed all the cows! Shawna is one of our investigators and had surgery cause she has ovarian cancer and we brought a different member each time to help clean and I braided and painted her nails! We would show up at 730-8 and the members are so wonderful and great to get up that early and come help and to serve and get to know the people we are teaching!
      Last night we had a lesson with Olivia and Elliot and they are some of my very favorite people! Olivia is a hairdresser and has her own little shop and she has trimmed my hair for me!:) She is an excommunicated member and is trying her best to come back and do everything she can, its really awesome to see! Elliot is her boyfriend and didn't grow up in the church but he LOVES it, he totally gets it and soaks it all in...they  are working on things like quitting smoking! They have made a lot of progress and if they can continue to progress together they will move mountains...its crazy how much Satan works on them and the things he throws there way. Its because he knows how much potential and people they will reach with there testimonies cause they are so strong they have amazing missionary opportunities all the time and there not afraid! The members they have and can strengthen! And the things they deserve! satan is trying to stop them and makes me so angry but they are doing so good!!! I love them and our lesson last night went for longer then two hours they opened up a lot about things that trouble them....life is hard, its not easy...its so true! Especially being a parent. We read a talk by Bruce r. Mconkie called "agency or inspiration..which?" and it was so goood such a great talk, it really helped them and we had the Forrest there with us who have also been through divorces and the journey of quitting smoking(which we didn't even know) so they had a lot of wonderful input and advice! Not to mention Bro Forrest is the 1st counselor in the bishopric! One of the best lessons I've been part of out here on the mission!
       Yesterday i learned something very wonderful in relief society! It was so clear to me when this recent convert of about 3 years made the comment...you know when people say "God doesn't give you anything that you cant handle" (I know cause I've said it) but it is miss quoted and it comes from the scripture Alma 13:28 and she talked about how a friend said one time to her that "Of Course He is going to give you more than you can handle, so you can realize that you need Him."  We can't do it alone. Well we can! We just make that much harder...doesn't mean it will be easy, but its up to you! Also if you need to pray about something in public pretend like your on the phone so people don't think your crazy...i tried it today in Walmart it really really works! I prayed about whether or not i should by two shirts that i really liked! He said i could but then i decided not to cause he also told me that was a silly thing to be praying about cause i know the answer...i don't need anymore clothes! Haha oh man my Father in Heaven knows me! He knows you too, let Him in! He cares :)

                                            Love Sister Heywood! xoxo

Wonderful people! 

       Oh myy Goodness...ask me if I love Brownsville?!....YES I love it. Why would you even question that?! It has been a great week and i have learned a lot that comes with transfering to a new area...The people here are so loving and so welcoming its the best...I love this small town and being in a branch! Its pretty sweet because everyone knows each other and cares for each other! Its pretty great. I have made some cool connections with some people...the world keeps getting smaller and smaller...The other night we were having dinner at a members home and towards the end the dad mentions how he served in Honduras with an Elder Heywood and that his first name is Brooks and that he is from AZ and I'm allll...thats my uncle! hello! It was so cool..that is one of the reasons its important to open your mouth and talk to people! 

       Did a lot of service this week....like feeding a baby llama its milk through a bottle and what not! Also met a lot of people! Sis Chappell and i are having so much fun together....its so awesome cause i feel like I've known her my whole life...we have fun doing the work together and i think that is important! Laughing is a great thing! right? I know so great. Haha
       The main people we are working with right now are Olivia and Elliot, Shawna and Skip...some of the funniest nicest people i have ever met! So much fun to have lesson with them! I'm so thankful to be here its cool as a missionary when you have little personal revelations for what will happen...when i got the call to be transfered i knew it would be here and with sister Chapp! :)
        This week our just recently called Branch mission leader's wife (still getting used to saying BRANCH) got sick and was supposed to speak at church and so Bro Forrest asked us! haha of course leave it to the missionaries....hahha jk! But my first time speaking in sacrament on my mission 6 months out haha oh yeah btw i hit my month mark...weird right? Anyway besides baring testimony in my last area i was never asked to speak...its fine! haha I was excited to speak and nervous of course! who isnt? the topic was on service..perfect! I thought it went really well but who knows i'm thankful i had the opportunity! I spoke for at least ten min. That's a big deal right? Like i don't do that i have never done that?! Church was soooo fun! So its a branch right? well ya it is and its small but its the cutest thing I've ever seen! A lot of wonderful older people and solid young families! They all were so excited to meet me and the feeling was mutual! I felt so loved! And It was cool to sit up on the stand and look out at everyone my first Sunday!
        I'm so happy to be here and to be learning the things i am..such a blessing in my life! And it is one of the best decisions i will make in my lifetime! I know that the fullness of the Gospel has been restored to the earth and im so happy about it! Dont hide it from people...that would be mean! Love you all! Have a great week!

 Love Sister Heyyywood!    My address: 151 Spaulding Way         Hollaa at yo gurl! 

                                                                  Brownsville,Or 97327 

Hey everyone!

So i got some exciting news! I am now in Brownsville Or and I'm beyond excited for my new surroundings! One of them being my new companion Sister Chappell :) She is amazingness and has been out about a year and has been in this area for about 3 months and her last comp Sis Matheny was one of my very best friends in the mtc and you all probably could care less about that! haha But i just love it here already! I've heard lots of interesting and awesome things about this place mostly interesting and i like interesting! haha So we will see! Sister Chappell is from Richfield,Utah and is just super great! 

 Of course sad to leave Forest Grove but excited for my new adventures and for just more of the mission experience and more people to love! What i have been told is that we do a lot of service here, which I'm so excited about and to find out for my reason being here! :) Today at the transfer meeting one of the asistants to the president asked me to say the prayer and i was super honored...idk why but it was fun and i just love everything about the Gospel and the spirit i have felt today and for the things that i learned in Forest Grove! 

 Yesterday at church i was sitting there in sacrament and just couldn't hold it together and started to cry and we had our Investigator Dorothe Jangala (if you think your saying it right your not) sitting right next to us and she just put her arm around me and said it will be ok and gave me some tissues and then Dorothe kept urging me to get up there and bare my testimony so i finally did! But i thought that it was so sweet of her to do that! And a perfect last Sunday...and the tears i cry are always tears of joy cause i am happy and just so grateful for this opportunity of a lifetime! And its not easy, but it brings me the most happiness, that's why i love it!

Oh also cool story from this week...well a couple! We ran into Ben Harris again the guy who worked along side walt disney for 20 yrs and he was out walking his dog and i saw him from very far away and screamed and so we went to talk to him..he is the sweetest guy! He told us he has been reading out of the book of mormon again and would love to meet with us and said he was interested in coming to one of out services! It was so awesome...so we got his contact info! (your welcome dad) haha And then also we had lunch over at stake President Richardson's home and he had invited the Baer family over for a "Shahastaria" which is a like a brazillian barbeque! We did it because the wife is from brazil and 2 of his sons served there! The Father mr.baer is one of pres richardsons patients and had questions about the church so long story short it was so fun and they are coming to church next Sunday! It was perfect...Pres. Richardson is a perfect example and practices what he preaches..."How do you like your burgers/teriyaki/taco" Love you all have a good week!  

 

LOVE SISTER LONDON HEYWOOD!

Hey whats up its Sister Heywooood! :)

 

    How was your christmas?? I hope that it was wonderful because mine was! I got to skype and talk to my wonderful family and it was fun to be goofy with them and it seemed as if i was right there in the room with them! But i dont miss them...is that wierd!? Doesnt mean i dont love them..there is just no place id rather be! I heard my Beautiful 8 yr. old sister was baptized this past saturday and that a very good friend of mine Bethany was also baptized! I love you bethany and am so happy for you! I hope i can see pics of that wonderful event soon! So we had the most fantastic Christmas eve and Christmas day with famalies that invited us to be with them on very special days! On the eve of Christmas we spent some time helping sister belden wrap over 200 presents and it had been our second time going over to help and then we spent time with the Sorensons making gingerbread houses and eating home made pizza and holding there pet rats, taking pictures, opening presents and talkin about our Savior! It was a fun time and im grateful we were able to be part of there traditions that we do each year and letting us be part of that means a lot! We skyped and ate at the stoddards on Christmas day and when we sat down to eat the grandkids thought it would be funny to pick ME to be the one that gets the fart machine under them and not to mention i couldnt hear it for about 5 min. as it was loud in there and i defs wasnt going to hear it over my talking haha and everyone was just staring and laughing and couldnt figure it out! I thought something had been on my face and i was so confused and embarrassed!!! I finally heard it and said.."oh sister davis should be used to hearing that from me!" ;) JK 

    This transfer has gone by really fast and its super wierd! Sis rice is back and ive missed her but she deserve a break from her busy life! And we are meeting with wonderful people not to mention we had 4 investigators at Church yesterday and A Less active member named Rebecca that we have been meeting with for a long time!(its a big deal) I just love all of them! And Sis Davis also got hit by the bug when we came in sat for lunch but still gave a talk the next day at church she is a trooper!!!! I might be transfered just because i have been here awhile it will be sad because i love this place so much and the people are wonderful! Its been a really good week and this one will be too! Wonderful things are happening! I hope you all have a safe New Year! Love yaa

 

 Love Sister heywood! http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=910930409001