Sunday, September 28, 2014

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.)"

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