1-29-2018

HOLA

So this week was good! The weeks go by so fast. It’s like a week feels like a day and a day feels just like a few hours. It’s crazy how fast time goes by and how grown up everyone is getting. Even me. It’s gross. 

I went on an awesome exchange this week. It was actually on Saturday. I went to the richest houses I’ve ever seen and the filthiest RICHest people and I felt sooo out of place. I was like wow I’m too poor for these people. So if you ask me one thing I learned on that exchange, is that I’m poor. I’m just poor. 

I will send pictures! We ate dinner with one of the missionaries that is in the missions mom too. She came down to visit her friend that lives in Mesa and it was weird. I wouldn’t want family that close to me!! So we ate with the husband and wife, and then the missionaries mom. And it looks like my mom received a picture from her! Hahaha.

The work is good. We just did work this week! We are working a lot. We’ve got a lot of investigators that look promising and that makes me so happy! Sometimes or maybe all the time the work is hard here. Almost everyone has heard about missionaries. Like yeah basically everyone. They’ve basically all talked to missionaries. But it’s all good! This is the lords work and we just need to do all we can and it’ll all be alright. 

Today I hiked Flatiron for the 4th time. Yeah... it doesn’t get easier. I’m so exhausted!! But i hiked it in an hour and 45 minutes. Maybe that’s some kind of record?? Hahaha 

Well I hope you’re all doing alright. Love you all! 

Élder Hepworth 

 

 

 

1-22-2018

Hey everyone!!! 

It’s been a good week! It went by super quick too! 

So as you all know, we just had transfers. And I got transferred!! It’s been a good week. Always a little stressful because getting to know people isn’t my favorite thing, but at the same time it’s alright. I just like knowing everyone  so after the first Sunday in a new area, it’s all good. Cause you see everyone at church and then you “know” everyone. 

The first week of getting transferred you always get asked the basic questions. How long have you been out? Where are you from? And so I got that Spanish down  nah jk that’s stuff you learn in the first week in the mission cause those are just the default questions that members ask. 

So our área is huge! And I’m like lost all the time. I guess that’s always what happens with a new area. But we have some good work going on! We can easily find people to teach. Which is good! Duh. 

And Elder Ghormley is awesome! He’s a good missionary! I mean he only has 3 months in the mission so his Spanish isn’t top notch, but I can say that because I was in his shoes too when I had been out that long! So no that wasn’t rude! We’re two white boys learning a language!!! You can’t expect anything but that worst 

But Elder Ghormley is awesome and he really knows how to do missionary work. 

Yesterday when we went to church they had me bare my testimony and say a few things in sacrament meeting. Didn’t know that they were going to do that so luckily I have a testimony! Hahaha jk. I always like to tell a little story or something like that and not just bare my testimony. So that’s one thing missionaries get good at!! Just making stuff up and then baring testimony at the end  

Oh and our living conditions are fantastic. We have a really big room, with a bathroom inside. The shower is huge and the hot water lasts forever (in the other house I lived in I took a few cold showers. Yeah I know that’s not something i should complain about, so I’m not complaining. Just stating). And it’s super clean too. Oh and it’s brother Michaud who is giving us the room in his house and he is awesome. He’s a super sweet little old guy 

Well that’s how my life is! It’s awesome! Really can’t complain. 

I hope your guys week was amazing and full of fun and laughs. Love you all!

 

 

Élder Hepworth 

 

 

1/15/2018

Well hello everyone!

Wow. This was a week. It was a tiring week and just a lot of stuff going on.

So, last Sunday we fasted. We had a mission fast like you all know. Fasting is exhausting right? Yeah it is. So I was just SO tired because we also fasted as a zone on Wednesday. So fasting twice in three days isn’t the best thing. But it was the best because miracles came out of it! But like my health didn’t like it. Cause after the fast Wednesday night, I woke up on Thursday and I was IILLLL! I was all shaky, stomach hurt, felt nauseous, and my bowels were not agreeing with me if you know what I mean (it’s life, don’t get grossed out). And then on Friday I felt better, but still had stomach problems and was suuuuper tired. And Saturday and Sunday I was just trying to live the life of a missionary. And I still can’t eat very much. My body just doesn’t want it. And so I basically haven’t eaten anything for a week. Talk about a terrible way to lose weight  I haven’t weighed myself, but yeah I’ve definitely lost weight. I’ve just been so exhausted too. Like not tired, but EXHAUSTED.

But from these fasts, the mission has seen a lot of miracles! So it works! But it’s a whole lot of sacrifice.

Oh and more news! I’m getting transfered! Not good, not bad. I’m sad to leave everyone here in Liahona 1 because I’ve had like 6 months here and the people are awesome. But then again, it’s a mission. What am I gonna do? Being sad is just tiring and it’s not like I can change it! I’m going to the Valencia ward. It’s where all the rich white people live and the Spanish ward is huge. I’ve heard there’s like 200 or more members that attend. That’s super good!!! 

Oh and there’s good news about the area change.... I’m in a car!! I love the bike life, but let's be real, there are 100% less problems in car. I know. I’ve experienced it. It’s a good way to stay in shape! Kinda. It’s also a good way to spend 400 dollars, almost get ran over, get to be really close friends with the road because stuff happens and you fall. We’ve gotten super close after these past few months. HA

Oh yeah! And I also go released as district leader. I guess I just wasn’t needed anymore!

And it’s funny because the missionary I’m going to be with just finished his training just like Elder Matamoros did. And so it’s happening as such: my new companion is Elder Ghormley (newer missionary) who currently is companions with Elder Sorensen. Elder Sorensen is coming to Liahona 1 (where I am rn) to be companions with Elder Matamoros. And then I’m going to Valencia (where Elder Sorensen is at) and going to be companions with Elder Ghormley. So we’re just switching companions haha! 

Well, it’s been an interesting week! Love you all and I’m still happy

1/8/2018

¡Holllaaaa a todos!

This week was great! Absolutely exhausting and fantastic. 

So Elder Matamoros and I have set some really good goals for our companionship this week! During weekly planning (that we do every Friday) we set some good goals and we are working hard to achieve them. One of them requires a lot more effort towards the work and we’re both super exhausted, but happy  

Also, for all last week our goals were (our weekly goals -key indicators. If someone doesn’t understand, ask your husband or a friend):

1 baptism (can’t set a goal of 0. That’s dumb)

1 person at church (because we hadn’t had any investigator at church for like 5 months)

3 new investigators 

1 person with a baptismal date 

Well... we didn’t get that 1 baptism (like I said, can’t put a goal of 1. We didn’t have any investigator THAT close to baptism as to be baptized in a week). But! We did have an investigator at church, which was a miracle! We found 4 new investigators and that same person that came to church now has a baptismal date!!! With my experience, it’s eeaassyy to find new investigators. But the other three goals are challenging. So it felt good to achieve some goals this week. Also, the cool thing about it is on Sunday we were doing a mission wide fast. We were fasting for Heavenly Father to pour out his spirit on the people of Mesa so that their hearts and minds would be prepared to receive the gospel. And miracles have been brought from it so far! We are now progressing with people and it’s just awesome. It’s been a little plain in this area for a while. And now the investigator with a baptismal date, her husband now wants to listen to the lessons!!! 

And so on Sunday Elder Matamoros and I were fasting, we got up an hour earlier than usual because we had a meeting with the stake presidency, we were like non stop running around and so we were dead tired. And then yesterday wasn’t our p day (today is... duh) and we were still working super hard and it’s just been a few days or a week of go go go because of the MIRALCES we’ve been having! It’s accomplishing! But maaaaaan we’re tired. 

Fasting works people. Fasting works. 

And during all of this stuff, tiredness, a little lot of stress, we were laughing and smiling!!    Usually when I’m tired and stressed I’m not happy. But how could I not be happy when I’m doing the work of the lord and she’s giving us so many blessings? 

But on a more funnier note Elder Matamoros fell again. He was riding behind me and a car honked at us and so he turned around to say hi and when he did that I had slowed down because there was another trash can on the sidewalk, and when he turned back around he saw that I was slowing down, so to not hit me he slammed on his brakes and he went flying and smacked into this little brick fence wall thing. Super funny! He’s a tough guy. He didn’t get hurt. 

Everything is lovely here in Arizona!! Les quiero a todos 

1/1/2018

¡Hola a todos! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Life is good! I’m happy and you all should be happy. Cause why not? There’s no reason not to be.

Today we had a fun party!! we had a New Years party as a mission and so this morning we had a bunch of sports and food at noon. The food was my favorite part. I’m not the biggest fan of many sports, but I still played! Some. 

I can’t remember if I told you last week, but I think I’m going to start counting the times I almost get ran over. And when I get ran over, the points start over. I’ve now got 2 points!! But I’m safe, I promise. But one truck was like 4 inches from hitting me. Now I truly respect the “check for bikes” thing  I am a supporter

Oh and I’m super good at falling but not falling! I guess my tumbling skills help on bike. Every time I fall, I just walk out of it. So I guess I don’t fall. But the bike does! One time my back tire literally was all the way up in the air and the bike fell but I just walked over the handle bars and my bike fell and I was like awww I hope the bikes ok.  I guess my 8ft long legs do some good!! Jajaja  

So, now that it’s a new year, what are your resolutions?! I understand that resolutions are kind of dumb, cause why wait to change something? Just do it! But I decided to think about what I really need to change. I took some time to really think. I’ve already changed so much, and every day everything is about Jesus Christ and God and I’ve never felt closer to them than I do now! But I’m not perfect. So I decided that I want to work on charity and love. A Christlike love. Cause, I’m not perfect. And neither are you guys! You can’t tell me you have a Christlike love for everyone. I know you sometimes talk badly about people or you think some unkind things. We’ve all done it. But doing that just hurts both people. And it’s obviously not what Jesus would do!!

So I just want to invite you all to think of something that you could do differently this year to become closer to Jesus Christ. How? Well to be like him! You could pick a Christlike attribute or something like that. I promise that you will feel so much more happiness in your life and more content. 

¡Les quiero a todos! Hasta luego 🏽