Family!!! :)

Thanks so much for the hump day package! It came right on my hump day the 16th! I loved it!!!! Such an awesome idea! I loved the t shirt and the story! So cool! Everyone in the house was jealous. I didn't do anything special except missionary work, but as always it was so much fun! :)

Hey Mike, Mike Mike

Hump Day Camel

Hump Day!

Thank you thank you so much for giving me a play by play for the Seahawks game!!! So grateful!! We went into to Costco not too long ago for dinner. First time since before I left. Churro never tasted so good. So I told myself if they have football on the TVs I won’t look. As we walked in they did, so I didn't look with all of my will power. Costco was crazy though. So packed so I knew something big was happening with football. I was dying but I knew I would be blessed for being obedient and I was

Okay, back to missionary work. This week was a miracle week!! We had been having trouble finding investigators the last couple weeks but we knew that we were going to be blessed. This whole transfer we had been praying for a family of 4 to baptize and on Tuesday of last week we got a referral for this guy named Oscar.  So we decided to go see him since some of our appointments had fallen through. So get to his house and knock on his door and his wife answers, Nicole. We tell her that we received a text saying that her husband wanted to know about our church. She was really kind and inviting. They are from the Dominican Republic and had just moved here. We asked her how many kids she had and she said we are a family of six! We asked how old they all were, and two of her kids are baptism age. Which means with those 2 kids and her and her husband it equaled 4! Just what we had been praying for! We were really excited and happy! We scheduled a return appointment with her and her family and are so excited to teach them! They really want to be united as a family and we know the gospel can help with that. We have no doubt that they will be getting baptized!

Another miracle this week was another referral we received from some elders. It was for another family, Nuvea and Teo and their son who is 23. We went and visited them right away but only got to meet the wife Nuvea. They are from Columbia and just moved here as well. She is amazing and so elect. We love her so much. She really wants to learn more about the gospel and baptism. They have never been religious so she and her husband are excited. They are struggling with work and financial problems. They live in a trailer park. Yes there are many of those but not as scary as the one Brent was assigned too haha. They know that God can help them. Nuvea really wants to learn English so we told her we could teach her for free. Every day we are going over there and teaching her Spanish. First lesson is tonight and we can’t wait!! Such a sweet family. We can totally picture them in white. We are working with some awesome families and we know we will just keep on finding! :)

Our Bishop and his wife

           An awesome experience we also had this week is with our bishop. We and the elders in our ward realized that we know nothing about our bishop and that we don't have a relationship with him and his wife at all and we decided that we were going to fix that because if we wanted to help our ward we needed to start with the head. On Sunday we asked the bishop if we could come over and visit with him and his wife and he said yes of course! So we went over and it was amazing. Such a spiritual experience. We learned that he is a convert of 7 years, never would have guessed! He shared with us a lot of spiritual experiences as well as funny stories. We were laughing all night and really bonding. Right before we were about to leave we asked if he could give us all a priesthood blessing. The blessings were amazing so powerful. The spirit was so strong. We didn't tell him any of our problems but he addressed them all. He even said some stuff that was in my patriarchal blessing! After he had given us all blessings he and his wife were in tears. He said I am so touched that you would ask me for a blessing, we haven’t had missionaries here for two years and I have been praying that you would come. He said we needed you so much. It was such a great experience. I have never felt so much love for a bishop before as I did then. I know that as we keep strengthening that relationship and trust that it will help our ward trust us and they will get excited about missionary work as well.

So some big events that happened this week! First off the mold in our bathroom is gone!! One of the senior couples, (the ones from Seattle! Their names are the Harttzels. Elder Hartzel grew up in Lynnwood and went to Edmonds high school. He says he knows some Carters but not sure if it is Grandma and Grandpa Carter. They are also good friends with the Williams.  Anyways, they came and got all the mold off, so our bathroom is clean. Now we are not scared for our lives when we shower! 

Less active doing my nails

The next event is on Sunday. I have my first talk since the MTC! It was about prayer and we got asked at 9:30 pm the night before haha. I talk to people in Spanish everyday but I was still nervous as ever, but it was fun and it went better than I thought! Such a good experience!

OK, so the next big event that happened this week is.... are you ready for this!?!? We got a new addition to our mission! Yup our mission just got bigger. This week we got a chunk of the Tampa Mission added to ours. So know we have everything from Cape Coral down. We inherited a whole zone. Which is called the Fort Myers zone. That zone includes 30 missionaries that are now a part of this mission!! Crazy right!?!? Yeah we were in shock too!! We are all still in shock but excited for this big change! So as you know Tampa is an iPad mission, so the poor missionaries had to hand in there Ipads and in return got a blank area book and was told to transfer everything to it. That must be hard to go from a tech mission to now a normal, no Ipad mission.

A cool personal experience I had this week: If I could choose a theme for this transfer it would be trust. This transfer has been all about trusting the Lord and just giving everything and not worrying about things that will happen after the mission. So when me and Branden write to each other, we send each other scriptures that we liked and what we learned from them. Well, last week Branden sent me some scriptures and I didn't have time to read them so I took a pic of the email and decided to read them during personal study the next day (keep in mind Branden doesn't know what my theme has been). So the next day I look up the scripture he sent, Philippians 4:6 and I read it and I was like okay? It didn't make much sense to me. I saw that there was a footnote for the verse so I decided to read that and it was amazing. The footnote said "don't be unduly concerned about anything" just like that. I was like oh my goodness. My mind was blown because it was what I needed to hear! There were some suggested scriptures as well so I decided to read those. The next one was in Psalms 55:22 and it was awesome as well. It talked about giving our burdens to the Lord. The next one I looked up was Matthew 6:25 and there is a Joseph Smith Translation for that verse so I decided to read it. It was also what I needed!! It was amazing! It talked about not having a care about the world and how Heavenly Father will provide for you whatsoever thing we need after we preach the gospel. It was amazing. Such an answer to my prayers! I have learned so much about how important it is to trust in the Lord. Because of this, I feel like my relationship with God has been strengthened. He is my best friend and I know he will provide. :) So many good lessons. :)

Well I hope you all have a good week!! I love you all sooo much!! Keep smiling and having faith!!! You guys are the best thanks for all your love and support!! :)

Love,

 Briaunna

   

Hey family!!!

I would like to start off my email with some words from Bon Jovi "Wahoo, we are half way there ohh oh, living on a prayer, take my hand we'll make it I swear, wahoo living on a prayer" This song, along with my Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been the theme song of the month! Cannot believe that I have hit half way. I don't want my mission to end! I have been trying to enjoy and live every moment and just have fun and get lost in the work. I love it. My mission has taught me so much and I can’t wait to be a able to apply what I learned when I get home but at the same time I wouldn't mind extending at least right now. Might change in a few months but I am so glad 4 years ago I was told to go on a mission. Remember that day! My eyes flew open during the Patriarchal blessing and I was so scared and thought Heavenly Father was crazy! Didn’t he know my plans? ha-ha. But I am so glad he knows us perfectly and what is best for us! So grateful for that!! :) 

tTshirt from one of the most popular stores here located on the beach! Salt Life!! :)

I have lost so much weight since being in this area. I was 134 and now I am down to 122. All muscle! So glad Sister Torralba loves working out! We have been doing lots of hill work outs! Reminds me of XC and track. Miss racing. I have been her personal trainer this transfer and it made me realize how much I love coaching and helping her improve. She has made such progress because she never worked out before her mission so it’s been fun creating work outs for her and teaching her new things and techniques. Makes me really want to be a coach or a private coach some day! :) Been lots of fun! 

Matching!

     

This week was crazy. It was filled with meetings because Elder Zwick from the Quorum of the Seventy was here. Such a spiritual week! He is amazing! I love him and his wife so much! Funny story. We had a meeting with Elder Zwick and his wife and all of the church leaders in 4 stakes, and after me and Sister Torralba went up to say hi and get a picture and he asked where I was from. I said Seattle and he was like oh my wife is from Lynnwood and so is Elder Nash!  I said, “yeah Elder Nash is a good family friend and my mom babysat his kids” and he was like no way! He thought that was the coolest thing. Then I went to talk to his wife to see if she knew grandma or grandpa but it’s been 50 years since she was there so she didn't haha but still super cool! I learned so much from them! Sister Zwick told of a really cool story. She said when they were mission president in Chile, they would once a month go to the airport to get the new missionaries that would come in. As they were waiting, out comes all the missionaries and she noticed right away this tall white elder from Idaho. Once he saw Sister Zwick he made a bee line towards her and by passed Elder Zwick and shook her hand and said "Sister Zwick you can count on me!" When we came to earth, we not only came for ourselves but to help and strengthen each other. When we left Heavenly Father we told him, "you can count on me!" A disciple of Jesus Christ speaks of the good news. We need to trust the spirit. He will direct our missionary efforts. We need to keep going and hang in there. 

Before meeting Elder Zwick

She told of another story about her son who is mentally and physically disabled, Scotty. Scotty decided that he wanted to be in the Special Olympics and he wanted to throw the softball. Well Scotty has never thrown a softball before so he started to practice in the back yard. Every time he would go to throw the ball it would just land in front of him. Sister Zwick thought there was no way he wasn't going to be able to do it. But still determined he kept practicing and practicing on throwing that softball and on the day of the Olympics he threw that softball perfectly and got a ribbon. Scotty didn't let anything stop him he was determined even if it was a struggle he had a goal in mind he was going to achieve it! We must never give up because Heavnly Father is counting on us. It was a really good meeting.

A couple days after that we had a meeting with them with just us missionaries. He mentioned something really cool. He told us was that the cumulative hours spent in primary, Young Women, seminary and institute and then the Missionary Training Center, exceeds the amount of hours spent for a person who is getting their master’s degree. Which shows that we as missionaries are 3X more experienced then a person with a bachelor’s degree. Pretty cool stuff. A quote I really liked that he said was “who you are is more important then what you do!”  As missionaries it’s easy to lose sight of who we are and only focus on the numbers. It has happened to me a lot where I have lost who I was and needed to re gain sight of me and not focus on numbers and not to let the numbers determine what kind of missionary I am. What matters is who I am and that I use my personality to exceed because Heavenly Father called Sister Heacock to this mission not a robot. It was a really good reminder. Another quote I liked is "I will never limit myself by what I think my capacity is." We as humans, without knowing it, give ourselves limits based on what we think we can do but in reality we have no limits. In Heavenly Father’s eyes we have no limits or capacity! This reminds me of the quote "what would you try if you knew you wouldn't fail." So good! Got me pumped up and focused. I loved Elder Zwick learned so much from him!

Oh and no we aren't getting iPads yet. Next month he said, but we have started to switch things over so getting ready for them. I would start saving for it because they are going to have us buy them. They should be here soon! Will help so much!!

   

As for missionary work this week, it was slow. Lots of tracting and trying to find people by visiting members and less actives. But our faith hasn't been dimmed. We kept our faith up and stayed happy and positive. My personal study this morning I read Mormon 9:20 and I know that if we trust in god he will give us miracles. This is going to be a for sure miracle week and we are so excited!!! :)

Have a great week!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!! Remember to smile!! :)))

Love,

 Briaunna

   

Hey Family! :)

This week we started off with a miracle! Last Monday after p-day, we were knocking doors in this apartment complex and we knocked on this one door. They didn't answer so we left a card and went to the next door. Someone opened it and we prayed with them and just as we ended the prayer, the door we just previously went to, opened. An older lady, who looked older then she was because of past smoking habits, opened the door. We went right over and introduced ourselves and asked if we could share a prayer with her.  She said of course, and let us in. We were excited because she seemed very interested. So we sat down and were talking to her a bit then her granddaughter came in. She is 23 she said "oh good my grandma let you in! I heard you guys praying with someone next door and I had a feeling that we needed to let you in!" She sat down with us and we prayed for them. After the prayer, the spirit was really strong. We invited them to be baptized and the grandma said she had already been baptized but her granddaughter Sarah said without a doubt, "I want to be baptized, I really do" She said that during the prayer she felt such peace and happiness. She had been going to different churches in search for this peace and happiness and could never find it. So we taught her a about the gospel and answered some of her questions she said that she never talks to anyone this much or opens up so much but she felt like she could do that with us. One of her major concerns was her tattoos. She had quite a bit on her arms and was afraid that she couldn't join the church because of them or that people would judge her and right away I got an impression that we needed to show her the video of Al Fox, the Mormon with tattoos. We pulled out the video and showed it to her. Everything in that video was exactly what she wanted to hear. It was a great spiritual experience. She said that she really wants to come to church especially Young Single Adults. She said she really needs a new friend group. It was so cool. We loved Sarah right away, even though she isn't our investigator. It was a good reminder of why I am out here why I am serving. For people like her who are in desperate need of the gospel, who are hungry for and have been searching for it but do not know where to find it.

Next miracle that happened this week happened at Taco Bell of all places. It had been a long day on bikes and we were hungry and decided to take a dinner break and grab something at Taco Bell real quick. When we were done, we went out to our bikes and right as we were about to leave, this lady came up to us and asked if we were Mormon missionaries. We said yes and she said, “hi I am Gisela and I have been to your church before and I love it! The only thing stopping me from going is that I don't have a car”. We asked her if she was a member and she said “no I am not I really want to be but I just don't know how”. Seriously, what every missionary dreams of hearing!! We both were in shock!  We got her info and are now going and seeing her and preparing her for baptism! The lord blessed us with this amazing miracle. We were so grateful! God blesses us when we are obedient!!

Now for something scary that happened. After that Taco Bell miracle, we went to go harvest. We found a street that we both felt good about and went and locked our bikes and started to pray (mind you it’s dark at this time). As I was saying the prayer I heard a voice as clear as day like it was standing right next to me saying "wait!" I thought it was Sister Torralba. So I opened my eyes and was like "what?" She opened her eyes and was like "I didn't say anything". At that moment a man with a very scruffy and scary appearance came towards us. He was carrying a bike tire and pliers. He came to us and stopped and said “hi” and asked if our bikes were okay. We were like “yup they are fine just getting ready to leave to go home actually.” He was like “okay I was just walking home. I found some parts to build myself a bike.” We said, “That’s cool.”  He kept getting closer to us and eyeing our bikes, so we said “OK,well we have to go!” and Sister Torralba hurried and unlocked our bikes and we biked as hard as we could until we were out of that street. I am so glad the spirit told me to wait and stop praying because who knows what could have happened. Never felt so uneasy or my heart beat so fast as it did then. Scary, but glad we are protected.

We also went to go see Jenny and Juan Carlos. We had a really good lesson with them bout the plan of salvation and temples. They enjoyed it but expressed their concern how church has too many rules and how we are too young had have already sacrificed so much and how they don't want to follow the "rules" we have. So we dropped them and told them that they are invited to come to church whenever they want. It was sad. Dropping someone is like a bad break up but we knew that we planted seeds and that they will listen when they are ready.

Because of our great faith, on Sunday we had a miracle investigator come to church! His name is Carlos. He just walked in and we went to talk to him. It turns out that he was actually going to go to another church that day but got lost and came to ours. He loved sacrament and accepted a return appointment and we are going to see him tonight! He is super cool. We are super excited to teach him! So many miracles!!

On New Years it was a blast! Literally, so many fireworks! We had to be home at 7, so once we got home we ordered sushi and pizza and dug a pit in our backyard and had a fire pit and jammed out to our neighbors 2014 countdown music haha . It was a fun night! Not the same without family, but still good :) Latin’s are crazy though. They party hard. So many fireworks! I am sure some of them weren't legal haha, but it was a good night :)

Our backyard campfire

Partied missionary style on New Years!

sushi! oh the joys of ordering sushi over the phone ahaha

Hot chocolate with companion

A scripture that I read that I love is in 3 Nephi 19:25. I love the thought of Jesus smiling. I love to picture, as I am praying, him smiling at me. Brings me such happiness and comfort. :)

Hope you all have a good week!! I love and miss you so much!!

Hermana Heacock