10/14/13

Dear Family,

Happy late birthday Camilla!  I realized that I hadn't said anything last week after I had already sent the email.  Sorry.  It looks like you had a fun day.  Ice Skating with the twins looks like it was a lot of fun, and I'm sure you've been enjoying your iPad. . . probably a bit too much ;)

Mom asked about a band recording.  My answer to that is, I don't know.  Sister Jordan has mentioned it a couple of times, especially because the main female voice is going home this transfer,  but I don't know if it will happen.  It probably will.  I'll let you know if it does.  On that note, we had a performance today for the senior couples in the mission and we have practice again in like an hour, so this email is probably going to be a bit short.

I haven't bought a coat yet.  I still need to do that.  I'm not too cold yet, though.  I have a sweater that comes in handy.  This last week me and Elder Nolan both got a cold.  It was really annoying.  At least we were suffering together, though.  I think it brought us closer together to be sick at the same time.  He's from Manchester, so he came very prepared for the cold.  The cold is a lot different here.  It's not actually as cold, but it feels worse because of the humidity.  I'll be sure to buy a coat as soon as I get the chance.  Thanks again for the extra money to buy one!

Cameron might enjoy this.  I ate some Romeo and Juliet this week.  It was really nice (that's what people say here instead of saying it tasted good, or it was tasty.  They just say it's nice.).  President Jordan had some at his flat that he shared with me and my Zone Leaders.  President served his mission in Rio, so he likes to get little brazillian treats every once in a while.

I think I've been in this area too long.  There are 4 different places I can go to get free food whenever I want it.  I've made friends with some of the local restaurant or cafe owners and they feed me.  It's great.  I do really love this area.  I'm going to be sad when I leave.  I have a feeling this will be my last transfer here, though, so I better make the best of it while I can.

Me and Elder Nolan are doing really well together.  We got a lot done this last week.  Charmaine and Johnny are still on date for baptism.  We're very excited about that.  We have a few other investigators who are progressing as well.  Hopefully this transfer keeps going in the direction it's headed.  We've got a lot of potential.  Being a district leader is really not that much different from just being a normal missionary.  I have it really easy, though.  All of the other missionaries in my district are great.  All I do is report their work to the zone leaders.

I have one quick story to tell this week.  I told you about Margarita, right?  The Greek lady who poked her head out the window and asked to be taught?  She's super awesome.  She loves what we've been teaching her.  The only problem is that she keeps giving away her book of Mormon!  The first one we gave her is now in the hands of one of her roommates who reads it every morning and loves it, and the other was given to a lady in a medical waiting room who got sucked in while she was waiting for her appointment.  I can't really complain.  Her roommate is probably the most solid referral I have ever received.  She's doing more missionary work than most members do.  She accepted a conditional invitation to be baptized in our last lesson.  She'll probably take some time, but she is very open to the spirit and will do whatever she feels that her heart is telling her to do.  That's all I can ask for.  Now it's time to just trust in the spirit to answer her prayers.  She said, "well, I've already been baptized in Greek Orthodox church, but you say I would need to be baptized again?  I don't know.  I need to read first.  I'm open to what my heart tells me.  If I feel I need to be baptized then we will all be very happy together!"  She's so great.  The amazing thing is that that's really all she needs to do:  just read and pray about it.  And as long as she's open to the promptings, the spirit will take care of the rest.  It's funny, I think sometimes missionaries look at themselves as the teachers; The Scriptures and Preach My Gospel are the textbooks and we're here to teach from them.  I think we're more part of the text book, really.  We're just the information.  The spirit is the teacher.  We present the information and the spirit takes it to our investigator's hearts.  It's really amazing to watch someone while they're being taught.  The whole experience is completely different when they are open to the spirit and when they aren't.  If they're not open to the spirit, they don't progress.  If they are, they do.  Simple as that.

Well, I'm all out of time.  I took some pictures of Central London from a bridge in my area called Suicide Bridge.  Hornsey Lane is the road that goes over it, if you look it up on Google Earth.  It's got a really nice view.  It's even better at night. I hope you all have a nice week!  Go eat some Taco Bell on my behalf.

Love,

Elder Hein

Central London from a bridge in Elder Hein’s area called Suicide Bridge

Hornsey Lane is the road that goes over Suicide Bridge