Hey Family. It’s me. Elder Parker L. Heywood. I forgot what I wanted to say because I left all my email notes at home. Yesterday we had our district meeting in Polson and...there’s a grandpa talking in gibberish next to me reading a newspaper.... anyway, our zone leaders ( Elder Ashton and Elder Greenhalgh) had team-ups with us. I spent most of the day here in Polson with Elder Ashton and Elder Tanner and Greenhalgh went down to Pablo; that’s where the magic happens. Not. Elder Ashton and I had an awesome lesson with Earl and Emy Atchley AGAIN with the Burninghams. We set a baptismal date for June 13th. I hope all goes well. I can’t even explain how great the lessons have been with them. Sister Burningham used to be Catholic and told Emy and Earl of her experience. Emy was in tears saying that Sis B was describing exactly what she had been feeling all of her life; and the term "missing" fit her life perfectly. no bragging but she absolutely loves us. I love going over there and answering all of their questions. We will keep you updated on them.
side note: Elder Ashton is my favorite missionary. We also together had a prediction. We predict that Elder Tanner will be made a zone leader for next transfer and I will be transferred. I believe that this will happen.
Forgot to tell you but we had dinner at the Lloyds house Saturday/memorial weekend. IT consisted of the annual family chicken dinner and cow branding. it was awesome. At first I couldn’t believe how brutal they were to those animals. they send them down a chute and one by one trap them in this gate-type cage thing and rotate them onto their sides. We give them two shots on either side of their necks and clip the left ear with this massive hole- punch. then,( for the bulls) they take a band and wrap it around their testicles so that they lose blood supply so that they will eventually fall off.(like a baby belly button) some of the testicles are smaller so they straight up just take a razor blade to the scrotum and rip them right out (it makes me hurt so bad) the calves just start screaming. after that you take a brand and burn it into their hide until it makes a nice leather looking orange color. You couldn’t believe how loud those calves yell. They go absolutely nuts. after about 30 minutes of that you don’t really feel for the buggers anymore. I got so bloody and had cow saliva everywhere.
Other than that things are just normal. The ward members are treating us well. Elders me, Tanner, Quiocho and Morris are singing for zone conf. next Wed. I got my handwriting analysis done the other night by Sister Burningham and she was pretty accurate on my personality. I am a handwriting analysis convert. I believe. I wish you guys could come up here and meet some of the members. At the end of this month once all the summer families have come up, we plan to go out to their multi-million dollar homes/hotels for dinner. there is this one home out there that is crazy. State of the art computerized everything and a full out copper roof.
I can’t tell you how much being out here has strengthened my knowledge and testimony of everything. I have such a deeper knowledge of the scriptures and the grand scheme/picture of everything. Its sad that I couldn’t be like that back home. I would have done a lot of things different in my life but its too late. I hope that I can just keep on doing better and let others know, feel and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. There has been no greater joy than to teach people and let them see the light (earl and emy) and the truth that the world needs/has been searching for. I am in love with it.
Its good to hear that people are doing well back home. I love getting the pictures that grandma sends.
love from your Elder out in Montana
ps. I will have Pday next Tuesday. Update me on the camping trips
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
1st Baptism
Well, all sounds good and great and lots end of the school year stuff. For Jared: now that school is over you better be reading your scriptures and PMG everyday. 20 mins BofM. 20 mins new testament. and 20 mins DC. everyday. feast on your scriptures so that you can hit the mission field running. if you read just 5 pages (in the Bom alone) a day you can read the entire BOM 3 times a year. Get to it and don’t lay around. Also, don’t let anyone throw any gatorade bottles today. Sounds like an interesting group you have going. You guys also better send me pictures of when you go to Lake Powell. By the way, what is Austin up to?
Questions answered: the CDs can be burned or whatever. I just want some music to listen to. In the mornings here in Polson we usually do some kind of service and/or go visit all the alcoholics who are usually on hang overs. Its great and then we tract and then we teach.
Earl and Emy Achtley came to church Sunday and loved it. They are ready for baptism. The Saturday before they said that they would get baptized; we committed them to baptism. The only worries they had were that she didn’t think they, as a mason and eastern star, would be allowed into the church. so... we found out that we will be baptizing a mason and eastern star. Wow. Finally after 8 weeks we get someone who wants to join the church and understands that the gospel has been restored, and that their was an apostasy, and that there is priesthood authority etc etc etc etc etc etc. Finally someone has opened their eyes! geez
I just love talking to soo many weird and interesting people. there is such a variety out here and every single one of them have their own unique talents problems etc. There are also soo many awesome people who are so very interesting.
A lot has changed this last week. because of transfers our whole zone has been changed up. Lots of new but lots of good. I also got milk spilled all over my pants at a 6-missionary birthday party/dinner in Kalispell at a Bishops house. It was great. NOT. I was also that same day/ night; covered (all over literally) with white dog hair from a shedding pit bull, bit on the hand by a mule and waken up in the middle of the night by a train because the house we were sleeping in was sooo old that the whole thing shakes. I am tired.
Anyway all has been getting better and better. I can’t believe that only after being out for a little over 2 months how much I have been blessed with; in regards to my scriptural knowledge, etc. its awesome. I feel like Hyrum Wright.
More info on some progressing people: this last week we had some great lessons with some of the natives. Gene Wells: family of 4; has just gotten over an alcohol addiction and is smart. He understands our message and thinks for himself. He likes us and told us to come back Saturday. He has a lot of potential. He is an Indian. Colin & Tish family; 4 kids. 2 that are baptismal age. We taught simple restoration and the mom (Tish) was actually teaching with us to the kids. She understood it and they say that they are simply looking for a church to go to. Colin (dad) was in jail for quite some time and has had some spiritual experiences. He said they were going to try and make it to church but didn’t show up. Its ok. Also a side note: the family that was supposed to come to church because we were singing didn’t show up. But we still sang, and it went alright. I hate singing duets/solos in public.
Random: Can you send me the picture of Lyle and I at the Napoleon festival in Idaho. Thanks for all the pictures you sent me. There are lots of people who like to see that stuff. The pics turned out good excepts for those big banana boats that I had on. All is well here in Polson. Beautiful. Getting greener and greener by the day. I didn’t know tulips were perennial flowers. they are absolutely everywhere around here. the lake is bright blue and the mountains bright green. Everyone tells us that the Kalispell area is the most coveted place for a missionary.
Keep filling me in on different things that are going on. Baja is huge and so are those ugly chickens. Love me do.
Elder PLHEY
Questions answered: the CDs can be burned or whatever. I just want some music to listen to. In the mornings here in Polson we usually do some kind of service and/or go visit all the alcoholics who are usually on hang overs. Its great and then we tract and then we teach.
Earl and Emy Achtley came to church Sunday and loved it. They are ready for baptism. The Saturday before they said that they would get baptized; we committed them to baptism. The only worries they had were that she didn’t think they, as a mason and eastern star, would be allowed into the church. so... we found out that we will be baptizing a mason and eastern star. Wow. Finally after 8 weeks we get someone who wants to join the church and understands that the gospel has been restored, and that their was an apostasy, and that there is priesthood authority etc etc etc etc etc etc. Finally someone has opened their eyes! geez
I just love talking to soo many weird and interesting people. there is such a variety out here and every single one of them have their own unique talents problems etc. There are also soo many awesome people who are so very interesting.
A lot has changed this last week. because of transfers our whole zone has been changed up. Lots of new but lots of good. I also got milk spilled all over my pants at a 6-missionary birthday party/dinner in Kalispell at a Bishops house. It was great. NOT. I was also that same day/ night; covered (all over literally) with white dog hair from a shedding pit bull, bit on the hand by a mule and waken up in the middle of the night by a train because the house we were sleeping in was sooo old that the whole thing shakes. I am tired.
Anyway all has been getting better and better. I can’t believe that only after being out for a little over 2 months how much I have been blessed with; in regards to my scriptural knowledge, etc. its awesome. I feel like Hyrum Wright.
More info on some progressing people: this last week we had some great lessons with some of the natives. Gene Wells: family of 4; has just gotten over an alcohol addiction and is smart. He understands our message and thinks for himself. He likes us and told us to come back Saturday. He has a lot of potential. He is an Indian. Colin & Tish family; 4 kids. 2 that are baptismal age. We taught simple restoration and the mom (Tish) was actually teaching with us to the kids. She understood it and they say that they are simply looking for a church to go to. Colin (dad) was in jail for quite some time and has had some spiritual experiences. He said they were going to try and make it to church but didn’t show up. Its ok. Also a side note: the family that was supposed to come to church because we were singing didn’t show up. But we still sang, and it went alright. I hate singing duets/solos in public.
Random: Can you send me the picture of Lyle and I at the Napoleon festival in Idaho. Thanks for all the pictures you sent me. There are lots of people who like to see that stuff. The pics turned out good excepts for those big banana boats that I had on. All is well here in Polson. Beautiful. Getting greener and greener by the day. I didn’t know tulips were perennial flowers. they are absolutely everywhere around here. the lake is bright blue and the mountains bright green. Everyone tells us that the Kalispell area is the most coveted place for a missionary.
Keep filling me in on different things that are going on. Baja is huge and so are those ugly chickens. Love me do.
Elder PLHEY
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Today Instead of Yesterday
Big apologies. The Library was closed yesterday and there was no where else to email. actually, there was but Elder Tanner didn't want to bend the rules
...hey g-ma and g-pa sent me the 2007 newsletter. Is there a 2008?
When we were on team-ups over the weekend in Lakeside we went over to the Newton’s house. They are from Chandler AZ and the oldest girl went to Basha her freshman and soph year. she thought she knew Jared but we found out it was a different Jared Heywood. Weird. She said she knew the Willis family.
So I hear from grandma that there is a blog? I hope that you are editing out parts of the letters before you post them. Did my mission picture ever come out in the beehive?
Also, if you could please send up some cds in a cd case that would be awesome. The music that we can listen to is classical and church appropriate etc. I would like the EFYs too just without the really upbeat songs. just the sacrament type ones. i.e. "abide with me tis eventide" etc. maybe also bro bowmans books. Thanks. I hope I am not a burden. I feel bad having all this stuff come up.
Anyway, good ole Polson is doing great. We have a couple of lessons lined up today which should be awwwesome. its also raining which isn’t awesome and this morning Brother Heskiel shot a Magpie with his 550 dollar German pellet gun that can take down a deer off of his back porch. he says he hates those things because they are just like Muslims from back home. He has shared some pretty interesting stories with us concerning his escape from the middle east.
We have finally found/are teaching an old couple who are most likely going to be baptized. When we first met them she had just gotten a shoulder surgery ( I was able to relate very well) and was disappointed because no one had come to visit her from 'her' church. Every time (emy achtley. earl and emy achtley) she sees a picture of Thomas Monson she gasps and realizes that he could possibly be a prophet of god. everything is going for them. the last lesson, we had the stake patriarch (who is a convert by the way) and his wife join us. Both old couples clicked right away and we had a great lesson. We see them this Saturday. We are excited!!
There is so much that has happened since day 1 here in Polson. Its awesome to see all this happening. Its sometimes slow and sometimes (elder tanner and I have talked about this) We feel/I feel that I want and need to grab everyone up in an armful and teach them and try to get them to understand but it will and won’t ever work that way. We just have to find and teach the people who are ready to hear. Its really frustrating at times because we catch ourselves declaring, convincing and purifying doctrine then making an invitation. Its frustrating but good to know.
One quick story. There was a man who the sisters missionaries tracted into before we got here and set up an appt with him. We went to it and saw that it was a house we had already tracted into. We talked to the wife, who was home, and it was bad... so we were kind of thinking that our appt was just going to be a big bible bash. Which it was. Long story short without some funny details. We knock on the door and there are four people who answer who have a table prepared and are ready for a good session of "searching for truth" (which was what they called it ). PS they were all super ideological/philosophical. Anyway, everyone there was taking notes etc. and using computers for references and they pretty much made fun of the fact that we base everything off of a feeling. we left by bearing testimony and making the statement: it all comes down to the Book of Mormon blah blah blah, which is evidence that Joseph smith was a prophet and that his successors lead the church today. And those prophets and apostles run this church through revelation and are Jesus Christ's leaders in these last days who keep the principles and doctrines of the gospel pure and simple. etc(ps he told us that he had read the BOM and prayed about it)
It was good. those people will be searching all their lives.
Love Me
Your son/brother/missionary in Montana
Elder Heywood
...hey g-ma and g-pa sent me the 2007 newsletter. Is there a 2008?
When we were on team-ups over the weekend in Lakeside we went over to the Newton’s house. They are from Chandler AZ and the oldest girl went to Basha her freshman and soph year. she thought she knew Jared but we found out it was a different Jared Heywood. Weird. She said she knew the Willis family.
So I hear from grandma that there is a blog? I hope that you are editing out parts of the letters before you post them. Did my mission picture ever come out in the beehive?
Also, if you could please send up some cds in a cd case that would be awesome. The music that we can listen to is classical and church appropriate etc. I would like the EFYs too just without the really upbeat songs. just the sacrament type ones. i.e. "abide with me tis eventide" etc. maybe also bro bowmans books. Thanks. I hope I am not a burden. I feel bad having all this stuff come up.
Anyway, good ole Polson is doing great. We have a couple of lessons lined up today which should be awwwesome. its also raining which isn’t awesome and this morning Brother Heskiel shot a Magpie with his 550 dollar German pellet gun that can take down a deer off of his back porch. he says he hates those things because they are just like Muslims from back home. He has shared some pretty interesting stories with us concerning his escape from the middle east.
We have finally found/are teaching an old couple who are most likely going to be baptized. When we first met them she had just gotten a shoulder surgery ( I was able to relate very well) and was disappointed because no one had come to visit her from 'her' church. Every time (emy achtley. earl and emy achtley) she sees a picture of Thomas Monson she gasps and realizes that he could possibly be a prophet of god. everything is going for them. the last lesson, we had the stake patriarch (who is a convert by the way) and his wife join us. Both old couples clicked right away and we had a great lesson. We see them this Saturday. We are excited!!
There is so much that has happened since day 1 here in Polson. Its awesome to see all this happening. Its sometimes slow and sometimes (elder tanner and I have talked about this) We feel/I feel that I want and need to grab everyone up in an armful and teach them and try to get them to understand but it will and won’t ever work that way. We just have to find and teach the people who are ready to hear. Its really frustrating at times because we catch ourselves declaring, convincing and purifying doctrine then making an invitation. Its frustrating but good to know.
One quick story. There was a man who the sisters missionaries tracted into before we got here and set up an appt with him. We went to it and saw that it was a house we had already tracted into. We talked to the wife, who was home, and it was bad... so we were kind of thinking that our appt was just going to be a big bible bash. Which it was. Long story short without some funny details. We knock on the door and there are four people who answer who have a table prepared and are ready for a good session of "searching for truth" (which was what they called it ). PS they were all super ideological/philosophical. Anyway, everyone there was taking notes etc. and using computers for references and they pretty much made fun of the fact that we base everything off of a feeling. we left by bearing testimony and making the statement: it all comes down to the Book of Mormon blah blah blah, which is evidence that Joseph smith was a prophet and that his successors lead the church today. And those prophets and apostles run this church through revelation and are Jesus Christ's leaders in these last days who keep the principles and doctrines of the gospel pure and simple. etc(ps he told us that he had read the BOM and prayed about it)
It was good. those people will be searching all their lives.
Love Me
Your son/brother/missionary in Montana
Elder Heywood
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Another short note...
Wow. everything sounds awesome at home etc. I am going to write Julie but tell her that I loved her goody box. I can never have too much oatmeal. The cookies were also delicious.
I will probably call home around 1:30 Sunday. I don't know if that is a good time but hopefully. Today we are up again in Kalispell for Pday, actually in Lakeside right now emailing but will be up in Kalispell at some mansion home with all the missionaries. we are having a barbecue because Elder Best is leaving for home on Tuesday and it is his bday today. I guess they have a full soccer field with goals and everything else, etc.
I'm sorry. I don't have lots of time to print and send out pictures and stories but I will try really hard next week. I will actually try to upload some pics right now. Also, one of the members recorded the musical fireside and is getting copies of it on DVD. It wasn't all that great. Kind of thrown together at the last second but you have to hear Elder Best sing. Its awesome. That dvd should probably get to you within the next couple of weeks.
I want to keep hearing about volleyball and everything else. That's exciting.
ON MY Part: Elder Tanner and I have to sing in sacrament meeting in 2 weeks because one of the guys we are teaching( a very large Indian) won't go to church and feel uncomfortable unless we are uncomfortable too. so... we have to sing. I have know idea how that is going to go.
Wrapping up now. have to go. Love all y'all. See ya in a couple three years.
I will probably call home around 1:30 Sunday. I don't know if that is a good time but hopefully. Today we are up again in Kalispell for Pday, actually in Lakeside right now emailing but will be up in Kalispell at some mansion home with all the missionaries. we are having a barbecue because Elder Best is leaving for home on Tuesday and it is his bday today. I guess they have a full soccer field with goals and everything else, etc.
I'm sorry. I don't have lots of time to print and send out pictures and stories but I will try really hard next week. I will actually try to upload some pics right now. Also, one of the members recorded the musical fireside and is getting copies of it on DVD. It wasn't all that great. Kind of thrown together at the last second but you have to hear Elder Best sing. Its awesome. That dvd should probably get to you within the next couple of weeks.
I want to keep hearing about volleyball and everything else. That's exciting.
ON MY Part: Elder Tanner and I have to sing in sacrament meeting in 2 weeks because one of the guys we are teaching( a very large Indian) won't go to church and feel uncomfortable unless we are uncomfortable too. so... we have to sing. I have know idea how that is going to go.
Wrapping up now. have to go. Love all y'all. See ya in a couple three years.
Short note but read the newspaper article ...just past the bridge scores...
Do you like all my pictures and my article? Thought you might like them. Not enough time for me to write. If you could have your friend, Kris Porter also bring up (if we have them) the books: Our Heritage and Our Search for Happiness. Thanks!
Sidenote: You have to buy a grinder that will do meats. The guy we stay with has a grinder. He grinds up onions into almost an applesauce looking substance and then takes pork chops and chuck roast and grinds them up together making hamburger patties and we have them for lunch all the time. They are so good. You can tell Willie Nelson to kiss his cooking days goodbye.
I also forgot to tell you guys about Elder Coleman of the Seventy who came to our Kalispell Stake Conference. We got to have a little private meeting with him afterwards which was awesome. He talked about, once again, finding people who are ready to hear the gospel through members AND also through less-actives and part members. He talked about how the missionaries are not the finders but the resources of the permanent church. The missionaries being the movable church.
Do we know any Heywoods who lived in Salt Lake in the early 20's, 30's, 40's who worked in or owned a candy shop?
...thank you for life.
I still hate Highland High. Dang, I had a dream I was there. It was weird. Gilbert lost the first two games; I was sitting on the bench in my missionary clothes. I didn't get to see how it finished but we were coming back.
Your Missionary, Elder Heywood
P.S. If you could also send me a recipe book that would be nice. I haven't eaten Ramen once since I've been here.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Advice from a letter to Skinny Bones (aka Chris)
...Make sure you read your scriptures and say your prayers or else you will be like King David. Make sure to also brush your teeth. Lots of the people I meet don't have all of their teeth and they have rotton gums and teeth; and stinky breath.
Love your Bro. Elder P. Heywood
(love the self portrait with "sparkly" teeth)
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