June 11, 2013‏

From: Elder John Christian Hein

To: dmhein89@msn.com

Dear Family,

Wow, that's a ton of bad news for one week.  The Thane Goble baby thing is just heartbreaking.  I can't imagine how hard that must be.  They'll definitely be in my prayers.  I hope Mom gets feeling better!  Shingles sound pretty terrible.  Sorry about last week's email, I had very limited time, so I wasn't able to send too much information. I'm in the London North Zone, London North Area.  It contains HighGate (that's where we live), Archway, Muswell Hill, Angel, Camden Town and just that general area.  It's pretty cool.  There is tons of diversity.  We run into all sorts of different people.  We have the Jew central of London in our area.  

We had a pretty successful week.  We have two investigators on date for baptism, but neither of them are mine, they were Elder Baker's and his old companion's investigators before I got here.  We found a couple of really great people this week though.  One of them is Thez.  He's a really really funny black guy who is super open and receptive to us teaching him.  I really like him.  A lot of lessons we teach feel like a waste of time, but he's really great.  I feel like we actually accomplish something with him.  We also got to visit a hippie house this week.  It was super bizarre.  There were 3 brothers living together in this house that has no back wall.  From the front it looks normal, but you go inside and realize that there's not really any distinction between their back yard and their living room.  We didn't really get anywhere with them, but it was an interesting experience.  

I and Elder Baker live with two other Elders, Elder Hutchins and Miller.  Elder Hutchins went to PG, so it's fun to be able to talk with someone about home every once in a while.  He was a grade ahead of me, so we didn't really know each other in High School.  It's fun living with a bunch of more experienced missionaries.  I can ask them all different questions about missionary work and learn from more than just my trainer.  Our flat is one of the better flats in the mission I think.  Apparently we had a bunch of lazy missionaries that got in a bit of trouble this week, but Sister Jordan just told us to keep up the good work.

Now for the band.  I just sing for now.  There are two guitars, a drum box thing and occasionally a piano.  Calling it a band is a bit of a stretch.  Basically it's just a little music group we have.  We do firesides and missionaries can bring investigators and stuff.  It's a lot of fun.  We've had two performances since I've been here.  I sing Hallelujah with Elder Baker, Homeward bound and a couple of other songs.  It's really nice to be able to do something that's familiar to me once a week.  There's a crazy member in my ward named Adrian Raducan who stalks the missionaries.  If you want to see some pictures of me and some videos of the band, just look him up on Facebook.  He's a lot of fun, but likes to waste our time a lot.  I think he feels like the role of missionaries is to be his friend.  He's a great guy, just a little crazy.

Last Tuesday we got to go see the BYU ballroom team perform with one of our investigators Shyian.  It was really good.  It was a lot of fun.  Elder Baker was a folk dancer, so he really enjoyed it.  They did a dance to Come Thou Fount that was really pretty.  It was pretty great.

So, the reason I didn't send this yesterday was because we had a surprise visitor in our mission and we all had to go to the mission home.  Elder Ballard decided to drop in on us.  It was really cool.  He spoke for like 2 hours about missionary work.  It was really helpful.  He gave some great advice that hopefully will make me a better missionary.  He talked a lot about how to teach with the spirit and the role that the spirit plays in our teaching.  Among other things, he told us that we aren't the teachers; we're the instruments the spirit teaches through.  It was just really cool to see an apostle that close up, not on camera.  He was a lot looser, if that makes any sense.  He didn't have to put on the General Conference appearances.  He said we were the best group of missionaries he has ever seen and apparently he knows President Jordan really well.  President Jordan is a really great man.  I'm getting a lot better at teaching and street contacting and all of the other things we do as missionaries.  It's becoming a lot more natural.  I just kind of want to jump forward about 6 months to the point when I'm a lot more comfortable with all of the lessons and material and stuff, but I guess I'll just have to work towards it.  Study, study, study.  I honestly wish I had more time to do it.  One hour in the morning just doesn't seem like enough time.

As far as letters go, I will most likely be in the same area for the next 10 weeks or so, so you can send letters or packages straight there.  It makes it easier than picking them up at the mission office.  Just don't send anything to my flat towards the end of those 10 weeks, because I might not live there anymore by the time it arrives.  The mission office is also a good place to send letters to.  I go there at least once a week for band practice or other things, so I'll get it, just not as conveniently as getting it at my flat.  Just use your better judgment regarding where to send letters and/or packages.

Flat Addresss:

Elder Hein

12B Hillside Gardens

High Gate

London

England N6 5ST

Mission Home Address:

Elder Hein

64-68 Princess Gate

Exhibition Road

South Kensington

London

England SW7 2PA

Hopefully next week I'll actually send emails on Monday!  Love you all!

- Elder Hein

Finally writing!‏

From: Elder John Christian Hein <john.hein@myldsmail.net>
Date: June 4, 2013, 5:27:08 AM MDT
To: dmhein89@msn.com

Dear Family,

I'm so sorry it's been a while since you've heard from me.  Typically I will be emailing on Mondays, but yesterday we spend over 5 hours in band practice.  I'm in a missionary band!  How cool is that?  Let me backtrack a little though.  

The MTC was great fun.  My teachers were great, my companion was great, my district was pretty great, and it was just an all-around great experience.  Unfortunately, though, I feel like I would have gotten more out of just studying in preach my gospel the whole time.  I was amazed at how little I knew when I got to the field.  

My new companion is Elder Baker.  He's from Burley Idaho.  He's basically the best missionary in the mission.  He's kind of the favorite, so that comes with its perks.  We got free food from Sister Jordan one night.  President and Sister Jordan are great.  I really like them.  I'm learning a ton from Elder Baker.  Being in the real world of missionary work is much different than the MTC.  It takes some getting used to.  I'm getting more comfortable with everything every day.  Street contacting is the hardest.  I can start a conversation; I just have a hard time bringing it back to the gospel.  In Utah if you want to have a conversation about the gospel you just start talking about it.  It's really easy.  It's much different talking to people who know nothing about the Book of Mormon or the Plan of Salvation or anything.  I'm getting much better at it though.  The other day we found a man from Nigeria who just talked and talked and talked at us.  We were barely able to get him to stop talking long enough to set an appointment with him.  We weren't really too excited to go teach him, because we thought we were going to have to really try hard to keep the lesson under control without him just talking at us some more.  I guess the Lord wanted to teach us something though.  You can never see the whole picture right when you meet someone.  When we went to his home to teach him we found out that he has two kids and a wife that live with him.  It was a pleasant surprise.  Our ward really needs more families.  We have like two real families in the ward.  Also we don't have a bishop.  The last bishop left a few weeks ago and they haven't called a new one.  It's a little crazy.  So anyways, the kids?  They were amazing.  They were 9 and 11 but they acted like they were 40.  They were the most intelligent, well behaved, courteous kids I have ever met.  They just sat on the couch like perfect little angels with their bibles open and reading the scriptures we asked them to.  They gave the best answers to questions I have ever heard.  We left super happy.  Church on Sunday was interesting.  One of the investigators brought her 2 year old son and we ended up just being baby sitters during sacrament meeting.  We found another one of our investigators taking a smoke break outside between sacrament meeting and Sunday school.  Anyways, I'm loving the work.  It's hard, but it's good.  I wish I could write more but I'm about out of time.  Take Care!  I love you all!  It sounds like you've had a fun couple of weeks.  I'd love to get more letters from friends or others.  I did get your package and I got a letter from Dad today.  Thanks!  In the future though, don't send those Noni candies.  They aren't as good as they used to be.

Love,

Elder Hein

p.s. The missionary band.  We get to put on performances for members and investigators.  I've got a couple of solos.  It's really fun.  I'll tell you more about it later. 

p.s.s. Tell Grandpa Pugh and Hein Happy Birthday for me! Sorry I missed them

We're shipping out

From: Elder John Christian Hein

5/28/13

To: dmhein89@msn.com

We're shipping out tomorrow morning!  I'll hopefully be able to send you an email after I've arrived.  The MTC was great.  Love you all

Elder Hein

IItt''ss ssttiillll ddooiinngg iitt‏

From: Elder John Christian Hein

5/22/13

To: dmhein89@msn.com

Hi Family!

Ok, so you almost didn't get an email today.  I got on one of the computers and it was doing the double thing again so I switched computers and then the internet broke.  But it looks like it's working again, so I'll hurry and get an email sent.  It looks like you guys had a good time with the canal opening!  Adults should be just fine with candy flying through the air at them.  Whoever complained needs to be more childlike: meek and submissive.  ;)  wweellll,,  iitt  jjuusstt  ssttaarrtteedd  ddooiinngg  tthhee  ddoouubbllee  tthhiinngg  aaggaaiinn.    DDAANNGG  IITT!!!!    IItt''ss  iinnccrreeddiibbllyy  oobbnnooxxiioouuss.    II  ggoott  aa  lleetttteerr  ffrroomm  EEllddeerr  CChhrriissttiiaannsseenn  tthhee  ffiirrsstt  ddaayy  II  wwaass  hheerree.    TThhaatt  wwaass  rreeaallllyy  nniiccee.    IItt  wwaass  ggoooodd  ttoo  hheeaarr  ffrroomm  hhiimm.    II  ggoott  aa  lleetttteerr  ffrroomm  ddaadd  tthhee  nneexxtt  ddaayy  ttoooo.    EEllddeerr  GGrreeeenn  wwaass  aa  lliittttllee  bbiitt  jjeeaalloouuss.   HHee''ss  ffrroomm  CCaannaaddaa,,  eehh??    HHee  ddooeessnn''tt  tthhiinnkk  hhee  ssppeeaakkss  aannyy  ddiiffffeerreenntt  ffrroomm  tthhee  AAmmeerriiccaannss,,  bbuutt  hhee  ddooeess.    IItt''ss  rreeaallllyy  ffuunnnnyy.    MMyy  ddiissttrriicctt  iiss  pprreettttyy  ccooooll.    II''mm  tthhee  ddiissccttrriicctt  lleeaaddeerr,,  wwhhiicchh  hhaass  iitt''ss  ddiiffffiiccuullttiieess.    GGeettttiinngg  eevveerryybbooddyy  ttoo  ddoo  wwhhaatt  tthheeyy''rree  ssuuppppoosseedd  ttoo  bbee  ddooiinngg  iiss  ssuurrpprriissiinnggllyy  hhaarrdd.    YYoouu''dd  tthhiinnkk  aa  bbuunncchh  ooff  nneeww  mmiissssiioonnaarriieess  wwoouulldd  bbee  mmoorree  oobbeeddiieenntt  aanndd  wwiilllliinngg  ttoo  hheellpp.    MMoosstt  ooff  tthhee  EEllddeerrss  iinn  mmyy  ddiissttrriicctt  aarree  rreeaallllyy  ggoooodd,,  bbuutt  hhaallff  ooff  tthhee  SSiisstteerrss  aarree  pprreettttyy  uusseelleessss  ssoo  ffaarr.    TThheeyy  jjuusstt  ddoo  wwhhaatteevveerr  tthheeyy  wwaanntt  ttoo  ddoo,,  aanndd  ccoommee  ttoo  mmeeeettiinnggss  wwhheenneevveerr  tthheeyy  ffeeeell  lliikkee  ccoommiinngg.    IItt''ss  aawweeffuullll.    AA  ccoouuppllee  ooff  tthhee  EEllddeerrss  hhaavvee  hhaadd  ssoommee  ppuunnccttuuaalliittyy  iissssuueess,,  bbuutt  nnoott  nneeaarrllyy  aass  bbaadd  aass  tthhee  SSiisstteerrss.    II  ssttaarrtteedd  oouutt  jjuusstt  ggiivviinngg  rreemmiinnddeerrss  aatt  tthhee  bbeeggiinnnniinnggss  ooff  ccllaasssseess  ttoo  bbee  oonn  ttiimmee  aanndd  wwhhaatt  nnoott,,  bbuutt  iitt  wwaassnn''tt  wwoorrkkiinngg,,  ssoo  II  ccaalllleedd  tthheemm  oouutt  oonn  iitt  oonnee  ddaayy  wwhheenn  tthheeyy  ccaammee  iinn  llaattee.    II  gguueessss  iitt  wwaass  aa  lliittttllee  rruuddee.    II  jjuusstt  ssaaiidd  ''''TThhaannkk''ss  ffoorr  bbeeiinngg  oonn  ttiimmee,,  SSiisstteerrss!!''''  TThhee  ssaarrccaassmm  wwaassnn''tt  rreecceeiivveedd  vveerryy  wweellll.    TThhaatt''ss  pprroobbaabbllyy  mmoorree  tthhaann  yyoouu  wwaanntteedd  ttoo  kknnooww  aabboouutt  tthhaat,,  tthhoouugghh.    OOtthheerr  ppaarrttss  aabboouutt  bbeeiinngg  ddiissttrriicctt  lleeaaddeerr  aarree  aa  lloott  bbeetttteerr.    II  ggoott  ttoo  ggoo  ttoo  aa  lleeaaddeerrsshhiipp  mmeeeettiinngg  oonn  SSuunnddaayy  mmoorrnniinngg  wwhheerree  wwee  lleeaarrnneedd  aabboouutt  OObbeeddiieennccee  aanndd  FFaaiitthh.    IItt  wwaass  rreeaallllyy  ccooooll.    II  rreeaalliizzeedd  tthhaatt  tthhee  MMTTCC  pprreessiiddeenntt  ddooeessnn''tt  eevveenn  pprreeppaarree  hhiiss  lleessssoonnss  bbeeffoorree  hhee  tteeaacchheess.    HHee  jjuusstt  ssttaarrttss  tteeaacchhiinngg  oonn  aa  cceerrttaaiinn  ttooppiicc  aanndd  tthheenn  lleettss  tthhee  ccllaassss  ttaakkee  iitt  wwaatteevveerr  ddiirreeccttiioonn  tthheeyy  wwaanntt  ttoo.    HHee  mmaaddee  uuss  ddoo  tthhee  ssaammee  tthhiinngg  ffoorr  oouurr  ddiissttrriicctt  mmeeeettiinnggss  llaatteerr  tthhaatt  ddaayy.    II  eennddeedd  uupp  tteeaacchhiinngg  aa  ffuullll  hhoouurr  lleessssoonn  tthhaatt  II  ddiiddnn''tt  eevveenn  pprreeppaarree  ffoorr.    IItt  wweenntt  ssuurrpprriissiinnggllyy  wweellll.    IItt  wwaass  pprreettttyy  ccooooll.    TThhee  ssppiirriitt  jjuusstt  kkiinndd  ooff  ttooookk  ccoonnttrrooll  ooff  tthhee  lleessssoonn  aanndd  eevveerryytthhiinngg  wwoorrkkeedd  oouutt  ggrreeaatt.    II  gguueessss  tthhaatt''ss  aa  lloott  lliikkee  hhooww  mmiissssiioonnaarryy  wwoorrkk  iiss.    YYoouu  jjuusstt  ttrruusstt  tthhee  ssppiirriitt  ttoo  hheellpp  yyoouu  ssaayy  tthhee  rriigghhtt  tthhiinnggss.    SSuunnddaayy  eevveenniinngg  wwee  wwaattcchheedd  tthhee  PPrroovvoo  MMTTCC  ddeevvoottiioonnaall  tthhaatt  EEllddeerr  BBeeddnnaarr  ggaavvee.    IItt  wwaass  ffaannttaassttiicc.    II  ddoonn''tt  kknnooww  iiff  tthhoossee  aarree  aavvaaiillaabbllee  ttoo  eevveerryyoonnee,,  bbuutt  iiff  tthheeyy  aarree,,  yyoouu  sshhoouulldd  llooookk  iitt  uupp.    HHee  aasskkeedd  tthhee  qquueessttiioonn,,  ''''hhooww  ddoo  II  kknnooww  iiff  iitt''ss  tthhee  ssppiirriitt  ttaallkkiinngg  ttoo  mmee  oorr  iiff  iitt''ss  jjuusstt  mmee??''''    HHiiss  aannsswweerr  wwaass  ''''SSttoopp  wwoorrrryyiinngg  aabboouutt  iitt.    JJuusstt  bbee  ggoooodd,,  kkeeeepp  tthhee  ccoommmmaannddmmeennttss,,  hhoonnoorr  yyoouurr  ccoovveennaannttss  aanndd  yyoouu''llll  bbee  ffiinnee.'''    CCooooll  ssttuuffff.

HHooppeeffuullllyy  II''llll  bbee  aabbllee  ttoo  aattttaacchh  ssoommee  ppiiccttuurreess  ffoorr  yyoouu.    II''mm  nnoott  ssuurree  iiff  II''llll  bbee  aabbllee  ttoo  wwrriittee  nneexxtt  wweeddnneessddaayy  bbeeccaauussee  wwee''rree  lleeaavviinngg  oouutt  iinnttoo  tthhee  ffeeiilldd  tthhaatt  ddaayy,,  ssoo  hhooppeeffuullllyy  yyoouu''llll  hheeaarr  ffrroomm  mmee,,  bbuutt  ddoonn''tt  bbee  ttoo  ccoonncceeaarrnneedd  iiff  yyoouu  ddoonn''tt.    II''llll  pprroobbaabbllyy  bbee  aabbllee  ttoo  sseenndd  ssoommeetthhiinngg  ffrroomm  tthhee  mmiissssiioonn  hhoommee.

LLoovvee,,

EEllddeerr  HHeeiinn

PP.SS.    II''vvee  ssttaarrtteedd  tthhiinnkkiinngg  iinn  aann  EEnngglliisshh  aacccceenntt.    IItt''ss  rreeaallllyy  wweeiirrdd.    AAllssoo,,  iiff  yyoouu  ffiinndd  aannyy  ggoooodd  cchhuurrcchh  mmuussiicc,,  ffeeeell  ffrreeee  ttoo  sseenndd  iitt ttoo  mmee.    II''dd  lloovvee  ttoo  hhaavvee  aa  lliittllee  mmoorree  iinn  mmyy  ccoolllleeccttiioonn.    MMyy  ccoommppaanniioonn  EEllddeerr  GGrreeeenn  aallwwaayyss  hhaass  tthhiiss  oobbnnooxxiioouuss  CCDD  ppllaayyiinngg.    IItt''ss  aawweeffuullll.    TThhaatt''ss  pprroobbaabbllyy  tthhee  oonnllyy  tthhiinngg  II  wwoonn''tt  mmiissss  aabboouutt  hhiimm.    OOtthheerr  tthhaann  tthhaatt,,  hhee''ss  ggrreeaatt.    SSoo  iiss  oouurr  ffrriieenndd  EEllddeerr  AAuussttiinn.    HHee''ss  ffrroomm  AAllppiinnee  aanndd  wweenntt  ttoo  BBYYUU  llaasstt  yyeeaarr.    II''mm  hhaavviinngg  aa  ggrreeaatt  ttiimmee  aatt  tthhee  MMTTCC.    IItt''ss  lloottss  ooff  ffuunn,,  bbuutt  iitt''ss  hhaarrdd  wwoorrkk  ttoooo.    II  wwaass  rreeaallllyy  ttiirreedd  tthhee  ffiirrsstt  ttwwoo  ddaayyss,,  bbuutt  I''mm  ddooiinngg  aa  lloott  bbeetttteerr  nnooww.    IItt''ss  aa  ggrreeaatt  ppllaaccee  ttoo  bbee.    II''llll  pprroobbaabbllyy  mmiissss  iitt  aa  bbiitt  wwhheenn  II  lleeaavvee.    RReemmiinndd  mmee  ttoo  tteellll  yyoouu  aabboouutt  EEllddeerr  YYoosstt  iinn  mmyy  nneexxtt  eemmaaiill.    II''mm  oouutt  ooff  ttiimmee,,  aanndd  tthhiiss  wwaass  aa  rreeaallllyy  lloonngg  pp.ss.