Week #38 Letter

Hello everyone!

So we haven't got the transfer call yet but I am 99% sure I am staying
here. I'll let you know later if I am staying or not. But it was a
good week. We had Shaheed's baptism and  the mission tour with Elder
C. Scott Grow of the Seventy come and speak to us. Everyone liked his
so much better than Elder Bennet's visit as Elder Bennet rebuked the
mission and gave all the rules while Elder Grow came and inspired all
of us to be better. That's what it felt like to me. So here is how the
week went:

5-9-16
"Wait, Steve!"
*smooch
...
"I'm not gonna kiss ya!"
Preparation day! It was a fun day today as well. We did personal study
but didn't get to companionship study as the elders already started
showing up at our apartment... Dubs. Jk, but they started talking and
we got distracted so no companionship study but we went shopping while
they emailed and got stuff for the district activity. We then drove to
the park and played tennis, waffleball, and basketball. I got tired
and sweaty. Haven't had that feeling in a long time! Then went home
and emailed until we went knocking. We taught a lesson at the first
door we knocked on and then just planted seeds afterwards. Then we
drove to the Sidoways and taught her. It was a nice an peaceful lesson
actually. No one was screaming or fighting like usual. Just a nice sit
down and catch up and teach. Then contacted by the church to plant
more seeds and then went home! Simple day.
5-10-16
"Look at him, he's making me cry!"
Pretty average day today. We did some service in the morning with the
friends of Rockaway and painted a room! Fun times. Had some lunch at
home and did deep clean. Our apartment needed it too. Not too bad but
it needed a good clean and scrub. Then had some dinner as that took a
little over 3 hours and went knocking! Taught a lesson at the first
door we knocked on and then just planted seeds the rest of the time.
Visited the Dure family and then went to a lesson with Shaheed with
Brother Romero. Taught Shaheed about the temple and solidified plans
for his baptism this Sunday! Exciting times for him!
5-11-16
"Cause I got a blank space baby, and I'll write your name😉". Today
was a good day. We had our lovely studies and went to a potential
lesson but wasn't home. Like usual. Sad but it's the truth. So we
picked up some Spanish elders and went to district meeting. It was our
last one as a district most likely which is sad. But fun to see new
faces and missionaries to meet. Afterwards, we picked up brother
Thompson and taught Michelle and her friend Lois. Not the best lesson.
But they will come to church soon hopefully, maybe, ... I'm in an
impulsive mood tonight, don't judge me. Afterwards, we dropped brother
Thompson off and had lunch. Went and did some look ups and knocking
until we picked up brother Thompson again and went to Mya's. Now she
is amazin. She read the restoration pamphlet, and all the way up to 1
Nephi 12. How awesome is that? I love it when investigators go above
and beyond. But now all she needs to do is pray about it. So that's
what we talked about and went and taught Clifton afterwards. We taught
him with his 5 siblings there as well and they are all under the age
of 13... Mad house! Hard to teach but finally got there and we went
knocking some more afterwards. That led up to the end of the night
when we went home and had dinner at 9 cause we didn't have it earlier.
5-12-16
"With our backs to the wall, darkness will fall, we never crossed how
we could do it all. Ready, aim fire! Ready, aim fire! An empire falls
in just one day. Close your eyes and the glory fades!" Interesting day
today. We had a mission tour! Elder C. Scott Grow of the Seventy came
to speak to us today and it was awesome. We left at 7:30 to get there
and we did personal study there while we waited for him and the
leaders to get done with their meeting. Then the tour started. I'll
include my notes here:

Sister Reynolds
* Spiritually self reliant
* We had to make the transition from our parents testimony to our own
   * We are here to share our own testimonies, not anyone else's
* DyC 18:10 - worth of souls is great in the sight of God

President Reynolds
* 3 Nephi 27:27- what manner of me ought ye to be? Even as I am.
* True measure of our life is how close we can come to the Master
* Lord, what would Ye have us do? Ask your self this
* Take up your cross and follow Me
* Missionary takes us out of our comfort zone in every aspect we can imagine.
* God has not give us the spirit of fear but of love
* We will use something from our studies that same day at some point
* When you give a little, you will receive a little, when you give a
lot, you will receive a lot
* God wants us to succeed, if we give our all, He will give us His all

Sister Grow
* Ezekiel 18:21
* We can be the best missionary we can be
   * We have guts we can use and some don't have those gifts
* It doesn't take a gift to be obedient and it doesn't take a gift to work hard

Elder Grow
* It doesn't matter what you've been but what you are going to be
* We are called to NYNYS to serve with President and Sister Reynolds
* Study the scriptures as a family but also work on their personal study as well
* Study as a companionship every single day here to study with your
family every single day when you have a family of your own
* Invitation: to study as a companionship every day

* Teach Repentance, Baptize Converts
   * Knowing the gospel is true brings a testimony but the action of
it brings a change of heart
   * Convert is someone who is going to keep going through hard times
   * Conversion is willing to sacrifice anything for it
   * The Book of Mormon mixed with the spirit is the most powerful
tool in conversion
   * Best way to teach repentance is to use the scriptures
       * They feel of the spirit more
   * Guilt is a gift from God as it is the light of Christ or the
gift of the Holy Ghost working in us to be better
   * DyC 88:74 is clean (repentance)
   * 3 Nephi 9:13 is healed (conversion)
   * Mission rules are not an obstacle but a vehicle for greater conversion
   * Principles of conversion
       * Prayers are critical for others
       * Desire to repent and gain eternal life
   * Working With the Members
       * Bishop is the key
       * Best referral source are less actives
           * Ask for referrals at every meeting
           * They have nonmember friends most of the time

Afternoon

Sister Grow
* Others want to know how you came to know the church is true, or your
conversion story

District Meeting Example- Baptismal Invitations
* Extend baptismal invitations and include the date with all of them
* Refer back to previous statements or examples to make it more personal
* Use the scriptures when teaching, especially when inviting to be baptized
* Both companions need to work in unity when extending the invitation
   * More power and spiritual

Elder Grow
* Use the videos, preach my gospel videos, and dissect them. Don't
just watch them and be done
* Fail to invite to be baptized is failing to invite them to repent
* Have the investigators write their baptismal date on the pamphlet
* Help them hear the gospel and not have a hard heart about it
* Help them keep commitments and complete them with the investigator
if they don't keep commitments
* Those that don't come to church aren't investigators, they need to
come to church
* Beg the investigator to keep the commitment and address the importance of it
* We need Heaven's help when setting goals
* We need to be accountable to our desire to work to Heavenly Father
* Motivation is worldly, inspiration is spiritual

As you can see, it is a lot of info that you probably don't care too
much about but it was very spiritual and interesting. Talked a lot
about Teach Repentance, Baptize Converts. After the tour, we went home
and had Halal for dinner, knocked around and then went to the Forbes
for our last appointment. We talked with them about church attendance
and the mom said she will come this Sunday! Yay! Progress!
5-13-16
"Band aids don't fix bullet holes. You say sorry just for show. You
live like that, you'll live for cold, oh-oh. Love like that... Cause
baby now we've got bad blood. Just take a look at what you've done."
Happy Friday the 13th! We did studies and had lunch. Then did some
weekly planning for a few minutes until we went and picked up brother
Thompson and went to 2 lessons. The first was with Iderle and the
second didn't happen. It was a good lesson with her! Then we went to
the church and finished our weekly planning. Went to Richmond Hill to
exchange with the zone leaders just for the night so one of them could
interview Shaheed for baptism. I am with elder Selfaison again and we
had dinner at the church as the other elders brought it from a members
home. Then went to a lesson  and I helped as best I could which is t
much at all. Did some look ups and then picked up my stuff and went to
their apartment for the night. Back to the hotel apartment.
5-14-16
"You belong with me. Now baby just say yes." Pretty average day but
not entirely. Actually, not really at all. It wasn't an average day,
I'm sorry. I lied. My bad. I said I'm sorry. Just calm down! Stop
shouting! I'm not shouting! ... 😁 I got to keep these journals some
what interesting. So, on exchanges, elder Selfaison and I did studies
and ordered Chinese food for lunch. Went and picked it up and ate it
at the church and then exchanged back. We went and made the baptismal
programs as Shaheed passed! Then we visited the Sidoways and talked
about them coming to church. Visited Edwin and tried a few look ups.
Went to dinner and then went knocking at what we call the "Prison
Yard" as it looks like a prison yard. It is semi nice there but ghetto
still and looks like a prison. We taught 2 lessons though! The first
was to a spinach guy that understands English but we are going to pass
him onto the Spanish elders. Then we taught a mom and her two sons and
they are willing to be baptized! That was a great spiritual lesson,
but she can't come to church because of school. Her school is right
during church until July so we will continue to teach her until then
and hopefully she will be ready and her sons too. Then we went to
presidency meeting and contacted by the church till the end of the
night! So fun:)
5-15-16
"Welcome to New York, it's been waiting for you. Welcome to New York,
welcome to New York." Awesome day! We had church was ok. Nothing major
but we taught elders quorum at the last minute so that didn't go as
well but ok. But then, Shaheed's baptism. The water was clear, and
people were there! And he got baptized!! Yes! So exciting! Afterwards,
we went and tried to go to a few lesson but no so we took the
sacrament to sister Harvey. Ate dinner and went knocking. So I haven't
said this yet, but I have something that keeps me entertained during
the long hours of knocking. You should see how much trash is on the
street so I collect coins I find. Today I found 55¢ on the ground. 20
pennies and a dime and a quarter. Pretty good intake for the day:)
didn't teach any lessons though, just planted seeds. Went home after
knocking.

So Shaheed got baptized! He is doing great and he had a friend come to
his baptism that was really nice and lives in our area so we are going
to try to meet with him. He seemed interested at the baptism. Iderle
didn't come to church but she did go to the women's conference
Saturday night all the way up in Woodside which is over an hour away
with no traffic. She is progressing well. Then we have Mya which is
awesome like you saw, she read the first 12 chapters of 1 Nephi and
the pamphlet. And that was when we met with her, who knows how far she
is now! Clifton is done with all the teaching, we are just waiting for
his dad to pick a day still for him to get baptized which is what we
have been waiting on for a while. Not sure when that is going to
happen. That is all of our progressing investigators.

The Sidoways were so close to coming to church. They said they were
and had a ride but something happened and they didn't come. Bummer, we
were hoping they would come so much. The Forbes didn't come either
when they said they would, well, at least 2 of them said they would.
We were hoping the others would tag along. But no.

That's the update for the week! Love you all and I will see you in the
next email! Bu-bye!

-Elder Heaton