Week #10 Letter

I got my 12 days of Christmas package mom!

I have a funny story of the week but it is on Wednesday so you will
have to read the email to hear it. That woman was crazy.

11-30-15
Happy 2 month anniversary!! "Welcome to the jungle! We got fun and
games!" Oh how I love preparation day. Studies and then went shopping.
Tried to find presents for people but nothing that unique that I have
found yet. Then did laundry, ate lunch while it was in the wash. Then
went to the laundromat to dry it. Then went to the church to email.
Just as I was leaving, D got on. I was devastated to not be able to
talk to him. I felt so bad that he got on only to see me leave. Sorry
D! I'll send you an email just for you to make up for it. We went to
eat dinner and then went to a members home to pick up a referral but
it wasn't filled out and the mom wasn't home so we taught Sandy. He is
in high school and in the young men's program. Showed the video and
then went contacting by the library. Showed the video to a total of 6
people and handed out 15 cards between elder Reese and I. Pretty good
for a day's work with only 3 hours of proselytizing time. Also, I got
5 letters in the mail today! Thank you family!!!
12-1-15
"Up-town funk you up. Uptown funk." It's December! And it rained. We
did studies then went to see Jay. He talks a lot. We talked about
prayer, New Testament, and fasting. Then went to Hunan Kitchen for
lunch and then district meeting. I gave a workshop at the district
meeting on humility. Then went to Valeries home but she forgot so we
went to dinner. Then went to Roberts and talked about family history.
Thank you Kent Leary for the family history as I was able to share
some stories from what you sent! Then went contacting at Dunkin and
showed the video to 4 people. I have now seen the video 14 times. I am
starting to memorize it now.
12-2-15
"Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me? J-A-R-E-D
H-E-A-T-O-N, Jared Heaton, Jared Heaton." Haha, I remember you singing
that sometimes dad! Today started off not very well. I didn't want to
get up. I didn't want to wake up. I didn't want to talk to anyone, and
I especially didn't want to teach a lesson. But I pushed through it,
did everything I was supposed to and had to even push harder to go
knocking. It wasn't easy as not too many people answered the door and
those that did didn't want to hear our message. Contacting is the way
to go. So we went contacting for a little bit before a lesson and it
felt so much better. We even were able to teach a lesson! Then we went
to Valeries home and taught her about the Holy Ghost and how to
receive answers to our prayers. It was a good lesson. Went to Taco
Bell as it is right around the corner from her home and then went
contacting at the library. Showed the video 5 times there and then
went to go to a lesson but it got cancelled so we went contacting at
Dunkin. Showed the video again so we showed the video 7 times today
and gave out 21 pass along cards! Pretty good day after it started out
not so well. Satan was really working me this morning trying to make
me not spread the message to everyone. So tonight some kid kept
calling us with a private number. Apparently we called him. He called
4 times. But we didn't know who it was so we asked for his name or his
phone number so we can look it up but he never told us and would hang
up. He also we super quiet so we couldn't hear a word he said anyways.
Then he would call back and repeat the same thing over. He kept asking
why we were calling him when first off, he kept calling us, second, he
wouldn't answer our question so we could figure out why we called him,
and third, I'm not even sure we did call him in the first place.
Finally, as we were in bed, we got another call and we answered it and
it ended up being the kids aunt. She is African American. She was
screaming and yelling why we were calling her nephew and she would ask
who we are. We would say we don't know who we are calling as it is a
private number and we want to know who it is. She would start yelling
again as soon as I said who it is as she would say you called us why
didn't you know who it is.. We repeated this process 5 times and
finally I said, "ma'am, this is going no where as you are yelling at
me. Please stop yelling at me." That made her SUPPER mad. I pulled the
phone away full arms length and I got hear perfectly well what she
said. It was louder than speaker volume. It basically got no where and
ended with her rage quitting and hanging up on me. Still no idea who
they were or how we called them as they actually called us first. Idk.
But another funny story for the week. Enjoy:)
12-3-15
"Where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came!"
Mega Zone Conference today! We got  at 6 to leave our apartment today
by 7. Went to the mission office to get picked up by the assistants to
go to the conference in Lynbrook. We first heard form a representative
from Salt Lake about safe driving. He introduced the "black box" that
monitors driving of missionaries. No one likes the idea of it but it
is for our safety. Then we had lunch catered by Subway. Then we had
workshops given by the assistants and President and Sister Reynolds. I
liked Elder Young's and President Reynold's workshops as I walked away
with the same message. Do your best, the Lord will do the rest. What's
holding you back then? Very powerful. We went back to the mission
office and back to Flushing. Didn't get back to Flushing till 7 and we
ate dinner then. Then went to Anthony's home but he wasn't home so we
taught Hermana Valdez on Family History. Something cool about today
was Elder Joo from another area was talking to me and he mentioned how
Elder Ko talks about me a lot ever since that time trip day. That was
really cool and how some other missionaries were like, "oh, so you're
elder Heaton!" It was pretty cool. Fun day!
12-4-15
Package day! I got the 12 days of Christmas package! The song I heard
today was this, "Say you'll remember me. Standing in a nice dress,
staring at the sunset. In you're wildest dreams!" Heard it today at a
lesson at Dunkin and it was so distracting I almost missed some key
points out investigator shared. So we had a lesson at Dunkin with a
new investigator named Hill. Very nice lady. And then we went to lunch
and then weekly planning. Went to visit a potential from an online
referral. She is right next to George so we stopped by his home. They
were on their way out but we shared the video with them and they gave
us Pepsi. Went to Pizza Hut for dinner and on the way there, got free
chips on the street at Kettle was giving it away for free. Then got
free pizza and soda for dinner. Went contacting at Roosevelt and ran
into the Halal guy that gives us free soda. And he gave us a free soda
again but we shared the video with him and gave him a Book of Mormon.
Even trade I think:) haha then went to correlation. Today was just a
really fun day and I had a blast. These are the days everyone talks
about and how much fun a mission is. That was today. Just pure
awesome. A funny story from today. The Spanish elders were contacting
at the Library and talked to a guy for 1/2 an hour u till our zone
leaders showed up and started talking to him as he is Chinese actually
so the Spanish elders left and 2 hours later we see the zone leaders
getting done talking to this guy! He talked to the zone leaders for 2
hours and the zone leaders talked 2% of the time they said. They were
exhausted from standing there and listening, but he is supper cool.
Just told his life story really. But really funny.
12-5-15
"I can't see your wings but girl you're an angle!" To share some
thoughts I have on the mission, I think two steps ahead and always
have. In high school, I thought of college, in college, I thought of
the mission, now on he mission, I think of my future wife and kids a
lot. When ever I have down time and I sit and think, that is what I
think about. It is just crazy to me how some missionaries are already
getting married or engaged when they left a couple weeks before I
started my mission. It's crazy to think about and especially as I have
never had a girlfriend. Half of me is excited for that, the other half
is going back to my old self with that being a big distraction to
school and work. Crazy stuff. Anyways, we have a lesson with Robert
and then went knocking today. Had dinner, and then contacting by
Dunkin, until we went to Anthony's for a lesson. Jelly, Anthony's
girlfriend, was there so we taught her as well. Really good. We showed
the video 11 times today and gave out 20 cards!! Really successful
day.
12-6-15
"Worlds apart, we're broken in two! Two! Two... Someday, love will
find you." Pretty good day. It is Sunday and we went to a members home
for dinner. Sister Duncan's. It was nice. They fed us dinner and
dessert, then we shared the video with them and showed it to another
member family that was there. We got 6 more people to add to the
growing number of people we showed the video to. We got 8 today and
handed out 7 cards. We tried to get Anthony to come to church but
because it was his girlfriends birthday today, they celebrated last
night till 4 am and so he was too tired. Bummer. But we were able to
set up a lot of lessons this week and were able to get in contact with
some people again that we haven't talked to for a week.

Honestly, just 4 digits and everything could have been solved. And she
obviously wasn't listening at all to what we were saying. Lesson to
learn here kids, don't judge so fast. Be open minded to the other
persons point of view. Life will be happier that way.

But it is crazy on my mission as I don't even feel like I am on it. I
still feel like I am at a camp or something. It hasn't hit me yet that
I am already done with 2 months and have 22 to go.

The other thing I have for this email is the electric scooters that
are the segways but with no handle. The skateboard thing but it moves
on its own. They are everywhere here!!! I see like 5 a day with people
riding around on them. I have decided I want one when I get home to
use at college and I will be the laziest student ever. #yolo

Merry Christmas everyone. And remember the true meaning of it. As it
is Him whom overcame the sins of the world and suffered the pains and
affliction for us.

I love you all and miss you, but I am having the time of my life here.
Serve a mission to anyone that can. It is worth every penny, every
tear, and every drop of sweat. It doesn't seem like it but I promise
you as you serve a mission, you will never regret it. I feel a remorse
for those that have decided not to serve for now, but I pray your
hearts will change and you will accept the call to serve. It isn't
easy, but that's what makes it memorable, enjoyable, fun, exciting,
and worth it. But don't take my word for it, ask anyone that has
served a mission. Learn of their experiences, their trials, their good
times. And you will have the desire to have experiences of your own to
share with others. I plead with you to serve. It is not too late.

Love you all, and I will see you in the next email! Bu-Bye!!!

-Elder Heaton