Week 82 Another 6 Weeks in Coronel Oviedo!

Don´t worry, Kristin, I´m getting your emails! Thanks for writing me.. I love the stories!

QUESTIONS:

1. Did you get transferred? All the typical questions! Where are you? Who is your companion? Where is he from? How many are in his family?
Nope! Still here! Looks like I´ll be in another area for 6 months.. Santa Rita and here! Elder Gull and I are still together :D

2. If you were transferred how is this area?

3. Is there a Ward or a Branch?
It´s still a branch hanging on by the skin of its teeth.. I don´t think I´ve ever been so streesed in my life! Am I allowed to vent a little? Welp, I´m going to..
This is by far the most challenging area I´ve had so far. I don´t even know where to start. I try to keep positive and keep pushing but sometimes I feel like I can´t do anything. All the ex-branch and district presidents are inactive and their families are completely destroyed.. families that were sealed in the Temple. The members never show up on time to church, no matter how often we pass by their houses to kindly invite them to show up on time for the classes. We have a district president with no councelors or secretary or anything.. Just a one man show, and he still doesn´t do anything to help out. No visits to the members, no interviews to help people to progress, no training for the branch presidents.. Nothing. So everything falls on the missionaries to run the show. Do I add to this mess by baptizing more people, or do I keep helping the members out and get them solid? The zone leaders are hounding us for 4 people we can baptize this month, sí o sí.. Because sí o sí vamos a bautizar y ver milagros´íte chera´a. I have a strong hunch that we should "take the house off the sand and build it on a rock!" But of course we can´t do anything like that because Preach My Gospel says.. Teach and baptize teach and baptize.. Sometimes I feel like my companion and I (and Roberto) are the only ones that care about giving a firm foundation to the Church. "But nothing gives more excitement more than baptisms!" Then the excitement wears away in 2 weeks and its back to the same old mess, only worse. Because more people are fallen.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT CAN RELATE?

4. What was your most memorable experience this past week?
When the members tell us, "Gracias por todo." Because then I feel like my efforts aren´t a complete waste. It makes all the stress worth it, just knowing we´ve helped someone in this city. But of course, we can´t count that in our numbers... Because that´s really what matters. Right? No. Forget the numbers. I´m here to help, not be fake.

Sorry for the rant, but I feel like nobody here gets it, and I´m sure someone is bound to be offended by something that I´ve said. But it´s the reality, what do you want me to do about it? How would you handle this situation? I´m not normally a complainer, if you don´t believe me, read all my other emails..

I know the Lord is putting me through all this for something. I know that after all the time and pressure, He´s expecting me to come out like a diamond. Not saying I´m perfect or anythings, but that He´s shaping me into something more than I can see. I´m so grateful I came here on a mission, I have zero regrets. The things I´ve learned here have given me confidence to take on my life. I have learned and grown in so many ways I couldn´t have ever imagined. I know the Book of Mormon is true, it´s changed my life. I know Christ is my Savior and Redeemer and I´ve felt His love. I know our Heavenly Father lives and is very aware of all of us and our needs. I´m glad I have an awesome companion.

I got into BYUI?! Sweet! Did Elder Salinas? If so, for what track? Thanks for helping me out with all that! I´m excited to keep on learning!

Haley´s Halloween pics were awesome! In case anyone is wondering, I was Indiana Jones.. Yes, I use a satchel! And no it is not a purse.

Thanks for all your love and support and prayers. They help more than you know!
I love you all!! Have a great week!
Elder Colby Dane Heiner

I´ve got the pics in another folder comin in hot!

Oh yeah, sorry the email is so late! We just got back from Asuncion.. We had to sign our documents!

Week 81~Elder Bednar Visits in Paraguay!!

Holy smokes! This week was nuts! Get ready..

QUESTIONS:

1. Was it like Old Home Week at the meeting on Saturday? Did you get to see lots of missionaries that you were with at the MTC? Old Companions?
Yeah!! I saw everyone! It was so awesome! It was cool to be in there with all the missionaries that are in Paraguay right now!

2. Tell us the top three things that stood out most to you that Elder Bednar talked about.
He told us that the meeting was going to be different than any other church meeting.. He said, "I know you´re all expecting to take notes.. And that I´m going to do all the talking.. (then everyone started putting all their stuff away!) Now I didn´t say for you to put your things away, you´re still going to take notes!" Then he explained the large plates and the small plates, and that he wanted us to take home a copy of "small plates" because we would never read the "large plates" even if we could find them! He showed us how to be agents and not objects, and to help others be agents and to not treat them like objects. And the whole time, we were involved and it was the COOLEST 3 hour meeting I´ve ever been in!! I sat about 8 rows in front of him, DEAD CENTER, and nobody´s head was in the way! He looked at me! It was so cool! By far my favorite apostle.

3. How did the work go in your area this past week before Elder Bednar got there? I'm sure you all were so excited to get to hear from and apostle!
The time went by really fast. We went to Asunción 2 times this week and we moved.. It was kind of hectic, but it was so nice to just sit and be taught by an apostle. We had to get up at 1 in the morning to grab a bus to get to Asunción by 7. We ended up waiting in the bus terminal for 2 hours and we got to Asunción at like 5:30 haha..

4. How is Venancio doing?
I don´t know.. Roberto said he´s just kind of being a punk. We haven´t been able to find him for like 2 weeks :( But Roberto said he´s stopped drinking and that he feels like he doesn´t want to do bad things anymore. He´s taking into account what God thinks! So that´s good :D

5. Have you found a new apartment yet?
Yeah we found a sweet house! We heard about it, so we went and talked to the neighbors, but they told us to not even waste our time because the owners didn´t even wanna have anything to do with renting the house.. The house has been there for 20 years, and the owners only go there when they´re visiting.. Needless to say its in really nice condition! Its clean and it has a nice homey feel to it. So we got the number of the owners and they said they would only rent it out to the missionaries because they know we´ll take care of it! So we moved in!! And it´s been a great house! Now I´ll probably get changed out of here on Wednesday because I finally got into a nice place..

6. Can you tell us more about your doctor's appointment? Why are you having pain if everything is fine?
Well, I went in, he checked me standing up.. Then he had me lay down.. It was awkward, said it was fine and sent me on my way! He told me to not do any strenuous activities for like 6 months. No working out, no heavy lifting.. Nothing. Which is fine with me because I get tired really easily now. I think I´m gonna eat lunch at 10:30 when I get home and take a mid-morning nap.. Then eat dinner at 4 and be in bed at 8. Wait a minute, that sounds like the MTC all over again!

On the way back from my doctor´s appointment, I fell asleep on the bus.. Then I woke up to a guy sitting across the isle staring at me. I was like, what the.. Then I realized who it was! In Caaguazú, Elder Patterson and Elder Shaw and I visited an inactive member.. Ramón Ralón. His wife and 2 kids aren´t members, so we were working on reactivating him and help them have an eternal family. Well, I left and never saw them again. I hadn´t really heard anything about them since. He was the guy that was staring at me on the bus! So we started talking and he told me that he was going to visit his family for the few hours free that he had. He does construction in Asunción and can only go visit his family every few months.. Think about it, the one Monday I go to Asunción to get myself looked at, the short time I was there, and the bus I got on.. I just so happen to cross paths with him on a bus on the very day he has a few hours to go visit his family.. I told him that I´m glad I got to know him and his family and told him how great they are. Then he said, "Everyone is good, we´re all just missing a little glass of something.." So I bore my testimony to him and told him that the "glass" that everyone is missing is the Gospel. And its true! If you´re not happy, or you think you could be happier, talk to the missionaries and do what they say! If you´re having a tough go, talk to the missionaries and do what they say! They are literal servents of Jesus Christ, the man who died for us so that He could know how to help us. The missionaries have what He would give you to make you happy!!! It´s that easy! I know it is, I´m experiencing it, I´m living it. I´ve had a change of heart and I´m SO happy to be part of His work. It´s like Elder Bednar told us on Saturday, "It´s all true. This is all true."
I can´t deny what I´ve felt here. It´s not adrenaline, it´s not yelling, it´s not loudness, it´s not fear, confusion or any of that stuff. Its like Galations 5:20-21. Or 3 Nephi 11:3. I know God lives and loves us. He answers our prayers. He is VERY mindful of us and our needs. He loves us more than our brothers and sisters, our parents, grandparents, or anyone else. We literally cannot comprehend the love He has for us. And I´ve only felt a small portion of it.
Please read your scriptures and pray! If you have a Bible, read it. If you have a Book of Mormon, read it. If you don´t, get one. If you don´t like reading, get over it and read the scriptures. I used to hate reading.. And if you remember, I failed my English class in 7th grade! I´m just saying.. It´s that important. You have nothing to lose, and you will gain more happiness than you can even imagine. Start with a verse a day. I dare you. I promise you´ll be happy.

Other than that, I saw a 3 year old kid carrying a 40 oz bottle of booze to take to his daddy! Count your blessings folks.

I love you all! I keep you in my prayers daily!
Elder Colby Dane Heiner

 

 

Week 80~Elder Bednar is coming!!

Hey! Hows it goin? Things are going pretty well here.. Haley sent some awesome pics of the boys! I cant believe how big theyre getting!! Its nuts!

QUESTIONS:

1. Where did Roberto go on his mission? I can't remember if you told us or not.
He went to Montevideo, Uruguay.. He said he knows Bobby (Elias..) Martinez! Cool huh?

2. How is Venancio doing? Has he committed to be baptized yet?
Not yet.. He`s not ready yet. We`re preparing the branch to receive him too. All the recent converts in this area are inactive and I dont want that to happen to Venancio! He needs to get out on a mission!

3. How are the sister missionaries that were attacked by scary guy two weeks ago? Is the guy still in jail or would you even know?
I think theyre in Asunción now.. As far as I know, they`re doing fine. The guy is still in jail for now.. Chances are he`ll be out in a couple months.

4. Have you made a doctor's appt. yet for your hernia?
Funny you ask! I`m in Asunción right now! I just got out of the appt.. He said everythings fine. I`m still gonna get it looked at when I get back.

5. What was your most memorable experience this past week?
Umm, probably yesterday.. We had 7 people at church! Yeah thanks rain. Our house leaks water like crazy too, so we woke up in the middle of the night to a nice LAKE in our bedroom! We`re looking for a new house..

So yeah, everythings going well! I cant complain, I`m alive. We´re gonna whip this branch into shape dang it! I`m tired of how things are going! There`s no organization in the church here, so we´re gonna fix that. Its rediculous to me that all the recent converts are inactive. So we`re focusing on the members! And Roberto is helping us! Sweet!

ELDER BEDNAR IS GOING TO BE HERE ON SATURDY!! How cool is that?! I cant believe it! I`m way stoked... All the missionaries in Paraguay are going to be there. I`ll have lots of pictures for next week! I didn`t bring any of my camera stuff with me, so no pictures this week.. Sorry! But you`ll get an overload next week! Uhh.. I feel like I`m out of stuff to say..

Hows all the stuff for BYU-I coming? I`m excited to study!! Dan was right.. I didnt believe him. He told me that there would come a time on my mission where I would be excited to go to college and learn stuff! Weird huh..

Welp.. I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Elder Colby Dane Heiner