Week 5 - Missionary Days and Mondays

Thank you so much for the birthday package! Haha!

Elder Heimuli & Elder Freeman made birthday-cakes-in-a-mug. These things are awesome!

  

I was so happy to get some tunes so be sure to tell Helam I said thank you :)

Elder H got a brownie cake mug for him and his comp, some of his favorite snacks, much-needed mustaches, and good church music in his birthday package

Like you said birthdays in the mission aren’t really that special. Even though if I remember right you made it a big deal for all the others when they were serving. jk mom! In fact, I was trying to keep it low-key but eventually people found out and they all started wishing me a happy birthday. The Hydens are one of the Hawaiian families I’ve been telling you about. We went over for dinner and they surprised me with a birthday cake and a cool t-shirt so you could say I’m pretty blessed out here.

The Hydens gave Elder Heimuli a birthday gift "If u can read this you can clearly see how awesome I am"

At the temple with one of the Hawaiian families

However just because it was my birthday and a Sunday it doesn’t mean I slacked off. Freeman taught me that on the mission there are only two kinds of days:  "Missionary Days and Mondays." Haha its so true. Weeks seem to just fly by and the only breaks are Mondays or P-days!

Missionary Day or Monday?

Todd is a recent convert, coolest, most lovable person ever!

But again thank you for the wonderful birthday package. It really did lift me up :)

"Hmm. What else could I use this for besides making birthday cake?"

I wish I could be there to listen to Hema’s concert and see baby Hendrix but I know they’re doing great because Hema and Norma are awesome! Tell Hevynn that I miss her every day and I hope she’s doing well. Nobody has a sis like mine! And tell Bo I miss him too (sorta). Tell Helam and Alyssa, I love them and can’t wait to be an uncle again. And I wrote Harry back in a separate email so he knows I love him, haha. I really am grateful for the family I have and the examples you all are to me!

I’m saddened about _____’s "denunciation." I love my extended family. I know everyone has doubts. It happens to the best of us. The scriptures say even the very elect will be deceived. Heck, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have doubts. But you know what? The Lord always comes through and He will always bless us with what we need when we need it...if we are faithful -- not when we want it, not when we think we need it, or when we think it’s time. God knows us better than we can ever imagine. I remember a line from Joseph in Egypt (I loved that movie), but I remember him saying, "For you know better than I." 

Lean towards the understanding of God and not yourself or your friends or the internet etc. I mean it when I say He will bless us in His time if we are faithful. Being faithful means praying, reading scriptures, attending church and going to the temple. It’s not hard to be faithful but we must make it a priority.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the Church and for the love God has for us. I’m not perfect and I know I have many shortcomings, but I testify that as long as we put forth faith and lean unto God and not man, we will be blessed.

I love you guys so much! I hope Dad’s feeling better and I hope that you are doing well too, Mom.

Ofa Lahi Atu!

Elder Heimuli

P.S. Oh yeah, I ran into another guy who is in love with Dad and Uncle Hema. I should be used to this by now haha. He told me he has a pad that goes on the football gloves signed by Dad in his house haha! And he also played with Uncle Hema in high school, so he decided to talk my ear off about how great those two ancient relics are! Haha! Tell all the family I said hi!