I've Grown A Foot Or Two!

Family!! :)

I don't have lots of time to write, but I got white washed into an area! Fresh new start!! Wahoo!! I am serving in Hollywood Hills West or in others words Hollywood because it’s so ghetto. There is all African American people and some Latin areas as well. I am in a Latin ward again!

I missed my Latinos but this area is scary! Our house is in a very sketchy part of town. We hear gun shots all the time and see cop cars every day and drug dealings. We went to Target to get some things and I was the only white person there. They had a police watch tower in the middle of the Target parking lot! It’s scary. We actually have a street that's called Hood Street. It’s crazy.

Watch tower at Target. Must be some serious shoplifting going on

My companions name is Sister Torralba. She is my twin! She lives in Portland Oregon but she is of Mexican descent. We have so much in common it’s scary. ha-ha. I love her to death and so excited I get to spend the next 7 weeks with her!

Me and Sister Torralba

Listen to this our house is so gross! It’s terrible. It is a ghetto box. It is so old. The bathroom has black mold everywhere!! Like everywhere! Mom, how do i get rid of it!! It’s making my allergies go crazy. We only have one closet in our room and it’s so small. We only have one dresser for both of our stuff and two beds. We don't have a vacuum cleaner. There is no heat so its freezing. Thanks for the sweater and scarf! Came in handy!! It is just gross. I will send you pics. It is in a scary part of town. It was a big change coming from a really nice apartment. But we are smiling through it and making the best of it. Ha-ha. Our area is huge and covers half the stake so we do have really rich parts in our area but they all speak English. So we have to teach in the ghetto to find Spanish people. I really do love it here though. It’s a great change! We both are new to this area so we are just trying to figure things out and get in the groove of things

Black mold in bathroom

Teeny kitchen. Remember there are 4 of us in this apartment

Living room

Bedroom

Me outside our scary place

Our ward is amazing. I love them all. They aren't so excited about missionary work so that's our goal is to give them more of a pump up! The ward is super small. It’s like a branch almost but it’s nice and homey. This week, we went to go see a less active. She is an older women in her 70’s or so. Her name is Maria Allen and she is the sweetest little thing ever! She just told us her whole life story and showed us pics of her family. She is amazing and reminds me so much of Grandma Hale. Love her.

Nicer part of our area

We had a miracle this week as well. We were harvesting in a pretty good area and the first door we knocked on we found Sawhani. Sawhani is a 40 year old single man who is amazing. He was so excited to see us. He said he had been looking for a church to go to. He let us say a prayer with him and he asked when our church was and where. He said he would be there for sure. Me and my companion both felt impressed to tell him about a Christmas party that was going on at the church and he said okay I will come! So lo and behold, he came to the Christmas party and he loved it! The members were awesome and fellowshipped him and he had lots of fun. The next day he came to church! He was just eating everything up. It was so cool! He only speaks English though so we have to pass him but we know that he is going to get baptized for sure! He was a great miracle even if he isn't our investigator.

This week I learned how important it is that we serve with our heart, might, mind and strength. We need to give all our hearts (3 Nephi 9:20). We need to have a broken heart and contrite spirit. We need to be humble! Being humble is not a sign of weakness. It shows that we want to be closer to God. It shows we are willing to ask for help. D and C 67:10. When we are humble he will reveal His spirit unto us. Never get to the point when you think you can do it by yourself. Work with all your might doing all you can. Give it your all! D and C 123:12-14. We stand in the way of people receiving eternal life. We need to wear out our lives for this work. Don’t compare your best to anyone else. Alma 26:12, 29-30. Ammon suffered everything and his attitude was, I am going to suffer and save some. He suffered a lot and he baptized a lot. If we know that this is God’s work and our work we will work miracles. We can do all things. We already beat Satan once and he doesn't want us to beat him again. He remembers us and doesn't want us to succeed. Satan knows the people we will convert, who will be baptized and he will do anything to stop us and all he has to do is distract us.

Like I said I love my companion. She is amazing and I am so happy. She is teaching me a lot. We both have been out the same time so we go home together too. She says her dad works in Seattle! Other than the scary ghetto house that I swear is haunted haha. I love it here and I love my mission!! I should of asked for Comet for my birthday lol. But don't worry too much, I am safe. Can’t wait to see all you guys on Thursday!! :))

I love you all so much! Remember to smile!! Have a good week!! So excited to see you all!!

Hermana Heacock

Everglades

Hola Mi Familia!

I am feeling a lot better!! But my companion got sick this past week so guess what I did on my birthday!? I was inside all day while she slept. ha-ha. Crazy but it was good. I was able to get lots done and now she is feeling better too :) And next time I will go to the doctors. My birthday was good! Since transfers was so close they just hold all the mail till then. I didn’t get my birthday and Christmas packages but I will tomorrow!! :) Thank you!! The sisters who live with us were awesome and decorated the house for my birthday. The elders came and ding dong ditched the house and left me cards so it was good :)) It still feels weird to say that I am 20. I still feel like a little girl ha-ha.

Keeping sick companion company on my birthday

Last night of being 19 had a slumber party in the living room!

My Birthday!

Twins

So before I get into anything else, we got our transfer calls last night and drumroll please................I am TRANSFERRING!! And this time it’s for sure. I am excited to go to a new area and have new experiences! I will miss Sister Smith so much. This past week has been a lot better. We have been open and have worked things out and now we are both happy :) I have learned a lot from her this transfer on how to be bold and she has helped me with my Spanish as well. It’s been a blessing even if it was difficult. It was inspired and I am grateful but I am excite from something new. :) This time I packed in record time!! I am already done! I am getting really good!

This past week we had our mission Christmas party and it was so much fun! All the dying missionaries (going home) gave there testimonies, we had a spiritual thought, then we ate food. Amazing Christmas food. Then we did our skits and got to see Santa. It was so much fun. It was so good to see the whole mission and be together. Super powerful. It was such a nice break. We did get some packages which was fun! I got one from the Robinson for Christmas which was a nice surprise :)

Mission Christmas Party with Santa

Frank is doing amazing and I am sad to leave him but he is so strong in his testimony. He is preparing now to get the priesthood which he is so excited about!! Now we are trying to focus on his son Louis. He is just so shy and afraid of us because we are girls but we don’t give up! The other day we brought him a pizza and marched right into his room. He hid under his blankets and wouldn’t come out so we sat there at taught him while he was under his blankets and talked about how the gospel of Jesus Christ is like a pizza. Then set him with a date for baptism. We didn’t see his face but he would nod and stuff. It was a powerful lesson none the less and we hope he felt the spirit. Just last night we had a FHE with them at a members home and Louis came and at first he was shy but at the end he started warming up. He wants to get baptized and go to church. He is just so shy and scared of people. But the Young Men have helped a lot with that. So excited for him to progress and keep learning and strengthening his testimony

Barbie is amazing and just eats up everything we teach her. We teach her with her member friend and it’s such a blessing. Members are so powerful, love them! She will be getting baptized this Sunday! She just has such strong desires and wants to go to the temple with her kids. It’s awesome to see how much the gospel really changes people. It just strengthens my testimony that this is the true church.

Our ward also had a Christmas primary activity and it was amazing! The most legit Christmas primary activity ever! We went because Sister Smith was singing in it as an angel. She was dressed up as an angel and I was dressed up like the people of Christ’s time. It was lots of fun and we had some less actives and their families come so that was super cool. Again another blessing. Lots of milagros (miracles).

Primary Christmas Program

Ward Primary Christmas Activity

This week I was asked the question, “what’s written on your heart?” As I sat in personal study and pondered that question, I decided that after this transfer the atonement has been and is written on my heart. In Alma 7:10-13 it talks about the birth of Jesus Christ and what he has suffered for. One thing I love about these scriptures is that he just didn't suffer for our sins, he suffered for our sicknesses, sorrows and pains. He suffered for all these things. I was taught this transfer that I can use the atonement when I feel sad, inadequate, when I have burdens. I can use it for these things and that has been such a great comfort and strength to me. The atonement is our physician. Heavenly Father is not a silent observer. He knows us perfectly and though He may give us trials and challenges, those trials and challenges are never wasted. It goes to our education. Going through these things brings us humility.

This transfer I have been reading a lot about Jacob and learned that Jacob suffered because of the rudeness of his brethren. But even though it was difficult, he was humble and understood that there must be opposition in all things. Because there is opposition in all things we need the atonement. There is a story about a women who was stuck in a very deep pit, and every time she tried to climb out on her own she would always slip and fall back into the pit. She realized that she couldn't do it on her own, so she called for help and soon someone with a ladder came and she was able to climb out. This can be likened to Heavenly Father sending His son Jesus Christ to bring us a ladder to help us out of our pit of sin. The ladder is the atonement.

Another story that I like is about an older women who said “I am like an old $20 bill, I have been worn, wrinkled, ripped and scarred but I am still a $20 bill. Despite all the wear and tear, I still hold the value of a $20 bill.” Jesus Christ saw and knew of our great worth. Even with all our sins, pain, and scars he still knew of our full value. He thought that you and I were worth it to suffer and die for. When we have the atonement written on our hearts we will become what he wants us to become. The atonement is the greatest evidence of God’s love for us. So now I will ask you the same question, “what is written on your heart?”

Thanks so much for the scripture Dad and all the support and prayers. It has really helped me this last couple months. I have learned so much and i just love being here. Heavenly Father is so good and I love the spirit and power that is here. Such an amazing experience that I am grateful for!!

I miss you all so much!!! Thanks so for all the gifts as well!! Hope you all have a good week!! See you guys in 2 weeks!! :)

Love,

Hermana Briaunna