A super quick update ...

Family -

I literally have 2 seconds to write this so here you go...

Last night our zone had a missionary birthday party because like 5 people have birthdays this week. That was fun! Then we got back to the house and found out our basement has a plumbing issue and everything was all flooded.... so I had to go use the B's shower this morning. Anyways they are a lifesaver. Side note on them - Jason came to church again this week and paid his tithing! Yay! Kim was out of town this weekend so she couldn't make it.

The top secret meeting I went to on Wednesday was with the mission department. They have changed the way we're supposed to teach all the lessons! Basically they want it all super short and sweet and basic now, We teach with the pamplets and each lesson has to be 7 minutes of teaching. So SUPER short and sweet. I really like it though... we got 2 new investigators this week- a husband and wife.  Taught them the first lesson with this method and it went so well! No glazed over looks like we usually get with the first lesson... yay!

Have to go- sorry, doing a bunch of hair today.. which is a good and bad thing.

Have a good week!

PS Here are some pics of some visual aids I made to help teach the lessons ...

Still March ...

Family and Friends -

This week..... on Tuesday we had a mission meeting with Elder Ballard and Elder Marriott of the 70. It was very cool! I know this is bad but I love missionary meetings mostly because I get to dress up and get ready like a normal human being and be around other missionaries, not just my companion...... sorry that's terrible but it's the truth. I'm praying for patience and long suffering right now- even though I know things could be about 50 times worse and I'm grateful they're not! It's still just really hard to be with the same person 24/7..... much less a girl. Especially a girl who I have nothing in common with. Literally nothing. But it's okay! I'm learning to expand my my friendship circle.

Anyways- Sister H (my trainer from Layton) is now in my district and is the STL so I got to go on exchanges with her this week! Technically.... she's supposed to go with the junior comp... but she really wanted to go with me so we made an exception, haha. I'm so glad she did, too- I needed that break! We had so much fun together and I realized how lucky I was to have her! Plus she likes clothes- can I just say I never realized there are girls who don't like clothes? We worked so hard that day! We did yard work for a nonmember we are trying to teach. As we were working the yard, of course we tried to direct conversation towards the gospel. We ended up teaching her the first lesson- right there in her front yard! It was awesome! We haven't set up another lesson yet but the door has been opened. Service work opens so many doors! Also that day- we found a new investigator down at South Davis Hospital. It was an awesome day! We need investigators SO badly... we technically only have 1 or 2.

Wednesday I have been asked to attend a top secret, 9 hour leadership meeting..... I was told to find someone for my comp to go with because she's not invited. I have no idea what that's about- we'll see!

So Delaney B was supposed to get baptized on my birthday or sometime close to that.... But the bishop said her dad won't be ready by then. Kim and Jason didn't make it to church yesterday :( they got caught up painting their basement or something. Jason also needs to attend more than just sacrament meeting to get worthy so it could be a while. That's a bummer..... Btw, Bountiful's basketball team won championships and I am hearing SO MUCH about Jordan B... (Nathan's brother). Kim and Emmy (15 year old) are out of town this week and Kim has asked us to stop in on Delaney and help her with homework and make sure she's eating and stuff because she'll basically be home alone..... Hopefully we can have some good 1 on 1 church conversations with her.

Saturday I spent ALL DAY doing hair for service. it was for a less active family we're working with. They have so many different people living in this tiny house and are really struggling with money so it was neat.... but holy cow, was I exhausted. I did 5 hours straight- 4 little girl haircuts, 3 mom haircuts, 1 set of highlights and 2 little boy haircuts. Lets just say I'm out of practice! It was fun though. I cut the mission president's wife's hair last Monday and that was fun... she's quite picky but I think she likes it? Also President Hansen told me I can't cut elder's hair anymore- even if it's in a church with a bunch of other sisters. I'm kind of relieved, I don't like cutting nasty sweaty boy hair anyways!

Holly is going through her drug detox this week... I think she's doing okay. She's been really hard to get ahold of! We can't lose her though, she's one of our few investigators! Sio is now being taught by us and the elders in his area where he lives in SLC. Since he has 2 sets of full time missionaries now...... he HAS to get baptized soon, am I right? Fingers crossed! We're still trying to figure out what's holding him back.... Tina talked to her bishop and had an interview with him. There's some drama with her "partner" not being supportive.... and she has to have an interview with a gen authority so she doesn't have a set baptism date. Hopefully that happens soon!

Can't remember if I told you this but our mission is starting to call a full time senior couple in each stake. So they live in the stake, but are called to our mission. I'm so excited to use them! Also they have more lenient rules so they can leave the area and go visit our investigators in other areas like Tina and Sio, and drive people in their cars! We aren't allowed to drive anyone and that sometimes causes major issues..... sometimes we are okay'd to drive Delaney because she's not old enough to drive herself places... but that's it!

I'm learning so much about the scriptures and whatnot- I don't even think you guys understand.... I love being a missionary and I love helping people find the gospel and be happy. A mission is definitely NOT the best 18 months of my life.... but the best 18 months FOR my life. I'm not going to lie- somehow everyday is still miserable and a major struggle, haha. Like I have to pray 50 times a day just to get through the day.

So I'm following up on the challenge I gave everyone in December.... how are the missionary efforts going guys?! Everyone who gets this email better be working on someone!!
Thank you for being awesome, have a wonderful week!
xoxoxoxoxox

Heidi

A handout I made up to give to investigators

It's March!

Family,

What a week this has been! Guess who came to church the second week in a row? Kim and Jason B. Again- I was shocked. Especially because Kim was up all night sick and normally she would use that as an excuse. They only came to sacrament meeting but I'll take what I can get. The best part is- I think they're really going for themselves, not for us. We didn't even have to remind them this week- they just came! And brought Chandler, their daughter who's my age and hasn't been to church in years and years. She's the one I'm trying to hook up with the YSA elders (not actually hook up.... by that I mean hand her over to them so they can try to get her active, haha. But I mean, if she likes them, that will work too.... one's from Germany/England and has an accent so that def helps the situation). It was just wonderful. Kim wants to baptize Delaney on my birthday weekend- that week will be a big deal with them. Kim's planning a HUGE party and getting me a shirt that says "Agent Shields." That's what she calls me- still don't know why....... oh well. Anyways- good things going on in that house.

We were able to have a lot of investigator lessons this week- normally we only have 3 or so a week.... this week we had 6! Don't know how that happened because we're only teaching 3 nonmembers....Sio- our Polynesian investigator- is really struggling. We taught him yesterday and he was just being weird and quiet and distant. At the end of the lesson we asked if we could do the same time next week and he didn't answer and looked at the ground.... he KNOWS the church is true and wants to get baptized; I think Satan's just working really hard on him. He lives in Rose Park and so I talked to the Elders down there and they're going to start daily visiting him... Prayers are needed for him please!

I don't know if I've ever told you about Tina before... She served a mission years ago and has such a strong testimony and knowledge of the gospel. She struggles with same gender attraction and lived with a girl for the past 10 years and was excommunicated. We're teaching her the lessons to help her get rebaptized. She's seriously so wonderful I can't even explain it to you..... She is so strong and wonderful, she doesn't even realize it. She has really low self esteem and struggles with bad depression.... It breaks my heart. My comp doesn't like teaching her and used to kind of laugh at the situation. Like yes- that is an interesting situation but I LOVE HER. I think the mission has really helped me see people the way Heavenly Father sees them.... I just want to throw my arms around her and tell her everything's going to be okay (of course I can't though- she keeps things really formal and all we do is shake hands). She's going through some of the hardest things you could possibly imagine..... we've been teaching her for 2 months and she finally got up the courage to call her bishop to get a baptism interview. She has to go in front of a church council and meet with a general authority and she's scared to death. I asked her the other day what made her decide to come back. She said she misses the Holy Ghost in her life and needs it. I try to keep her story on the DL (that means down low, Mother) for obvious reasons. But she's such an example of strength, some people need to hear it. I told Kim B and she cried and cried and cried..... HAHA.

We are teaching a girl named Holly who's 30 or so (not Holly that we live with) and she accepted baptism this week! She's going through drug rehab so it will have to be far in the future but she still accepted! Keep her in your prayers as well plzzz.  Sister H (my trainer) is now the STL over my zone! I get to go on exchanges with her tomorrow and I cannot wait. I LOVE her.

Mission life is hard, I'm constantly worried I'm being too pushy or not pushy enough or not working hard enough or not teaching the right lesson to the right person... giving my trainee too much responsibility, not enough responsibility, not showing her how to teach right. Finding new people to teach, getting people to church every week, nagging people to keep commitments, being loving but not TOO loving so they're dependent on you..... hard stuff.

Did I tell you the basement we live in has a hair room? That's fun. I did my comp's cut and color last week! Today Sister Hansen asked if I'd drive down to the mission home to cut her hair....... that should be fun.

Sounds like the temple dedication was awesome, hope everyone has a good week!

xoxoxoxoox

Heidi
PS Amanda May is serving her 3 months proselyting right now .... she's in Bakersville California! It's very inconvient for me though- I now have no temple square hook ups.

This Week ...

Well, first of all ... let me start by saying the best news you've ever heard .... Kim and Jason B. attended church this Sunday.  Kim went to Relief Society, Sunday School and half of Sacrament Meeting (they do that last here, it's so weird) and Jason came to sacrament meeting. It was seriously a miracle guys- I don't think you understand.  The look on everyone's faces when they walked into Sacrament Meeting..... was PRICELESS.  I couldn't stop smiling, the bishop couldn't stop smiling, Brother Cook (ward mission leader) couldn't stop smiling .... It was just awesome. I know I shouldn't take credit- the Lord should...... But I worked hard, guys. Transfers are tomorrow and me and Sister H are both staying in the area.  Kim started crying on the phone when I told her. I'm like, you really need to get it together babe .... But it made me feel good. When I was sick and puking my guts out and having the chills this week, Kim (she's a nurse) bought all of Walgreen’s- I swear- and brought it over.  Popsickles and Gatorade and soup of every flavor you could imagine .... I was honestly afraid I was going to get transferred because of the B's.  Like that they are getting too attached and it's time to move someone else in.... I'm just trying really hard to get them converted for THEM and not for me. That's hard to do! But Kim said, although she hated to admit it- that her emotions were more stable after church Sunday than they usually are. TOLD YOU.   So now we just need to get Jason paying his tithing and going to church for a couple weeks and he'll be OK'd to confirm Delaney at her baptism. YAY! And hopefully he stays active after that.... we'll see.

I had a lesson with Sio yesterday, he's supposed to get baptized this coming Friday but ..... needless to say, he does not understand the law of chastity. I don't blame him- his English is just not very good! But I did exchanges with a Samoan sister in Centerville and brought her (brilliant, I know) and basically let her go into detail with him the Do's and Don'ts.  He's having a hard time because his girlfriend is a member and she's never told him the stuff they're doing isn't okay. So his baptism has been postponed until further notice because he wants to try really hard to live it. Plus he's not worthy to be baptized this week anyways.... so fingers crossed the Samoan sex talk did something for him because my English one did nothing, haha. So there's that.

Last night we had our first monthly "Social with the Sisters" for the youth. We were thinking at first no one would come so we invited the stake.... then we were thinking too many people would come so we changed it and told youth to only come if they had a friend to bring..... anyways, it was stressful and 11 people showed up. It was really good though, we (by that I mean I) shared a quick spiritual thought and opened it up for questions on gospel stuff/ missionary work. The kids really liked it so hopefully they will spread the word and next month we'll have a better turnout!

A full time senior missionary couple just got called to our stake. I'm so excited to use them and be able to split with them for lessons and have them go out of the area to visit all these people we're teaching in Salt Lake- it should be awesome!

Thank you everyone, have an awesome week.

Taking Tina to the Temple Visitor's Center

You'll love this one ...

Hi family,

I did get the Valentine's package, thank you!  That was sweet. For Valentine's day, Elder Clare (creeper) sent me some chocolates and one of his ties... he asked me to sign it and then he gave me some cash so I could send it back to him ... like are you freaking kidding me buddy? Heck no. Does he think we're dating or something?  Blek. BLEK. For Valentine's day- we got to serve food at the stake adult dance. We were there ALL DAY prepping for it and I was exhausted afterwards. I was grateful for the opportunity though- we had absolutely nothing else to do that day.

The work here is slowing down.... we're running out of people to teach and visit! We do like 2 or 3 lessons to nonmembers a week..... that is pathetic. of course the numbers don't matter and every area is different, but still! We do teach a lot of less active lessons though - that's good. Still working with the B's to try and get them to come to church so the dad can be worthy to baptize Delaney. Mom- I totally agree with what you said about getting too comfortable with Kim. I've been trying to avoid that because that's what happened to me with Amanda in Layton. Once you get too comfortable with the people you're teaching- they kind of start to lose respect for you as a missionary and don't take you seriously. We try to limit Kim time now but it's hard because we really don't have much else to do.... Kim came to sacrament meeting this week. Don't get too excited though, she only came because Emmy (daughter, 15) was giving a talk. Then she left right after it was over and I literally got up and CHASED HER out into the parking lot when I saw her leave. I tried to the best of my ability to drag her back in there but....... no success. And Jason (dad) didn't show up. His own daughter gave a talk and he can't find the time to attend, like seriously? We brought the YSA elders to the lesson with them Sunday (we're trying to get the other daughter Chandler, who's my age, to get active in YSA- work in progress but she really likes me and her best friend just left for a mission so it could be good) and they told me to maybe consider dropping the B's. If we are giving them weekly lessons and sharing scriptures/visiting throughout the week then they are going to feel that spirit in their home and not feel the need to go to church. it's definitely a good idea- I just don't know if I'll have the strength to do it! Pray for the B's!

Also this week we were able to go with an investigator (working on rebaptism) to Temple Square for a lesson. Afterwards she took us to the Lion House- that was fun. We had temple day today and Annie Schmidt (Jon's daughter) drove us. She leaves on her mission soon so it was fun to be able to spend some time talking with her. Afterwards we did some shopping- I love that girl!

Sio's still on date for March 1st but the other day his girlfriend's aunt (we teach at her hosue) texted us and said she thinks we need to reteach the law of chastity.... oh lovely. Keep in mind, he doesn't understand much English and I've taught this lesson to him twice so far. I might have to use some slang words or pictures that he'll understand.... HAHA jk. But really.

Dad - do you teach Sunday School now? I didn't know that. I don't know what the Abrahamic Covenant really is to be honest...... I walked in halfway through a Sunday School lesson about it last week but didn't catch very much of it..... sounds neat though.  I don't think your emails are boring or too long- I like it. You should run that marathon, it sounds cool! I've started running every morning while my companion walks slower than a snail and glares at me for making her get out of bed........ she asked if we have to exercise on Christmas and I said if I had it my way- we would exercise all day on Christmas. She needs to get a better attitude about that, haha.  Hey how is Ruth doing?  And Shauna? I just wrote Shauna a really long letter, I hope she doesn't get weirded out.......

Thanks for your emails, wish I had more time to reply to them individually! Have a good week; pray we find meaningful stuff to fill our time!

xoxoxo
Heidi

Creeper!

Helping decorate at the Stake Valentine's Day Dance

Hello

Family -

Hello, how's everyone doing? Want to hear about my week? Okay, if you insist.

Last P-day Kim (Mama Bleak) took us out shopping and bought us lunch because she loves us. It was very fun and I know how much it meant to her because she's really struggling right now and doesn't have too many friends. It's kinda weird because she's old enough to be my mother- she even has 4 girls all my sister's ages.... but we're working really hard to help get her back to church again. I can't remember if I told you, but we're teaching her daughter Delaney, who's 14 and not baptized yet. She was supposed to get baptized a couple months ago but it keeps getting pushed back.. Now, the deal is, her dad wants to baptize and confirm her but the bishop said he's not worthy until he goes back to church. The problem is, if we wait for the day he's worthy- and going to church regularly- it might be 5 years from now and Delaney might not even want to be baptized by then! They're a wonderful family and the parents both have really strong testimonies - there's just something keeping them back from going to church- even though their girls go every week! So we took Delaney out to lunch the other day, just us and her, and talked about how her parents really need her support to get back to church. I really just love the Bleaks and Kim is SO blunt- I know I just need to be straight up with her and say something that will get her back on the right track. Anyways, this week at our lesson with them - I knew I needed to be bold with Kim and Jason (her husband). I prayed so hard all day that I could have the courage to be blunt with them! And sure enough, it worked out. Somehow all the kids weren't there when we came over and the situation was perfect to confront them. So I was really bold with them and just said, I love you guys, I love your family, you have 2 older daughters who are not living good lives and I know you're upset about that, but you still have 2 left and it's not too late to be a good example for them. So go back to church, save your family and I PROMISE you will be happier! Kim started crying and Jason was really respectful about it... it went really well and I hope they took it to heart! Fingers crossed they'll be at church next week.

This week we went on exchanges... so I went to Centerville with sister T (from Samoa) and her comp came here for 24 hours. It was so fun and I learned a lot! First of all, during language study trying to help her get better at English, I learned I can't even speak English myself..... like.... hahah, awk. I also learned I need to have more faith about knocking on people's doors. We had a list of less active YSA kids that we were suppose top go see and before every house I'd freak out a little and be like, "what are we going to say?! This is going to be so awkward!" and then I figured out that all you can do is pray and trust that the right words will come out. and you know what? That's exactly what happened.

Sio- the Samoan we're teaching- accepted March 1st as a baptism date! He was concerned last week about that Bible verse- one baptism etc., but we focused the whole lesson last week on addressing that and it worked. This week he said he feels good about it! Awk though- his girlfriend's aunt (she lives in our stake-we do lessons at her house) texted us and said they need a law of chastity lesson... okay lovely, let me sit down with my trainee (who's never been on a date before and barely talks in lessons) and teach Sio (who barely understands English), his girlfriend (who's a member) and their CHILD the law of chastity- no prob. After I taught he asks... "so am I a sinner because we had a baby before we were married?" Uhhhh....... hahaha but it turned out okay- it always does. It was a little rocky beforehand but turned out alright!

This coming week we are going down to temple square to teach a lesson to a lady who's working on her rebaptism and then she's taking us to the Lion House so that should be fun! Holly (daughter of who we live with) may or may not have put blonde chunky peek a boo's in my hair randomly............. oops. We trade hair services and you know me- I was just getting sick of my hair so thought I'd mix it up a little bit. She has a job interview today at our bishop's dermatologist office- please pray for her!

Love you all, have a great week

xoxoxoxo

PS tell Bunny and Didn I met Byron Stubbs- they're in my stake. Apparently they went to law school together? They said to tell them hi! Also, are we related to a Roger Shields who served a mission in France in the 60's?

A Quick Update ...

Hello family and friends!

Sorry I don't the chance to really reply to all these personal emails ... but I do read them and appreciate the updates!

So this week, I chose to focus on Kim B.  Who is Kim?  Well okay, so Delaney is our 13-year-old we have on date for baptism ... her parents (Kim) are inactive.  Because of this, her dad didn't get approval to baptize her, which means her date has been pushed back again until he is worthy to do so.  I'm working on Kim though.  She is a hot mess, to say the least.  She's depressed beyond belief, taking 50 different medications and can't even get out of bed most days.  She's super blunt and crazy and fun, I really like her.  She has 4 girls and has a really strong testimony but for some reason just won't go to church.  Kim loves us.  This week we spent a lot of time with her.  I did her hair, we helped her paint her basement, listened to her talk for hours on end ... she just needs a friend.  She always texts me after we leave and says stuff like, "You are an answer to my prayers.  You bring a great spirit into my home and after you leave, I fall to my knees crying to my Heavenly Father because I know you were sent here for me.  I never understood what missionaries really do until now."  "You have no idea how much you will be missed when you leave the area.  You have changed my life and my family's life.  You are welcome in my home anytime; I consider you another one of my daughters." "I want more than anything else for my girls to look to you as an example and not to myself.  Thank you for putting up with me and the wreck that I am."  (That's an understatement, this poor lady ... you have no idea.)  Anyways, she's my project!  She hasn't been to church in at least 5 years and hasn't attended regularly for the past 10.  Her daughters, Emmy and Delaney, are 15 and 13 and they go to church every week without fail.  I've just tried to figure out what the heck Kim's problem is!  She is one of the reasons I love Bountiful so much and I WILL get her back to church if it's the last thing I do!  The ward mission leader laughs when I say that because the ward considers Kim and her husband a lost cause, but I'm going to do it!  And because she loves me so much, I cn be blunt with her without offending her.

Another one of my favorite people ... Lacey P., South Davis Hospital.  Her brain injury makes it hard for her to remember things, but she has gotten to the point where she remembers my name.  We're preparing Lacey to go to the temple and do confirmations (she can't do baptisms in a wheelchair) and she is so excited.

Me and Lacey, South Davis Hospital

We put the Tongan boy we've been teaching on date for baptism yesterday!  March 1st.  He's still hesitant, even though he KNOWS it's true; he's getting caught up on the "one baptism" scripture because he was raised strong Catholic ... we're working on that though.  We brought this girl to a lesson with him yesterday and I spent the whole lesson addressing his needs, then to find out afterwards that the girl we brought is a teacher at the MTC ... oh LOVELY.  Awesome.

We started teaching a lesbian lady who has been excommunicated and wants to come back.  I really love teaching her, she's wonderful.  She knows more about the scriptures than we do (not hard to do with me, HAHA) so during lessons we just have discussions.  The mission has taught me to truly love everyone and see people as Heavenly Father sees them.

I had this brilliant idea to organize a Sunday night youth fireside once a month at one of the member's houses ... just keep it really casual and low key so kids can bring their nonmember friends and friends struggling with their testimonies, or kids who are preparing to serve missions.  Brilliant, I know.  The stake loves me, I'm seriously famous.  So we're starting that in a couple weeks and it should be good!

Me and my trainee started "running" in the mornings ... aka, I slow jog in zig zags across the street while she walks.  After the first day she was SO SORE and complaining about it ... it was funny.  I'm working on improving her self esteem, hopefully I can find an elder to write her because I think it makes her sad to see me get 5 letters a week from creepy elders ... Bro B. (the family we live with) always knocks on our basement door and goes, "Seester Shieldsss, you have a letter from your lover boyyyy!" (you have to know him; he's hilarious.  This week he told us to stay away from boys with "Roman hands and Russian fingers" when we get home or else he will hunt them down for us, hahah).  I used to get all excited but then I realized they're never from Jamison; they're always from creepy elders from the MTC.  It's kinda funny.

Hope everyone's doing well, have a good week!

Heidi

PS  Picture is of me and Holly B.s son, isn't he cute?!  I kidnap him sometimes.  The B.'s would probably really appreciate a thank you card for letting me live with them and feeding me and whatnot.