6/23/2014

1. This is me standing on a big lookout point on the Canterbury castle wall surrounding the city.  Canterbury is a cool place!

Dear Family,

I'm having a really hard time thinking of what to write this week.  I know a lot has happened, but none of it is coming to mind.  When I think about what I did on Monday it feels like it was a month ago. Maybe it's because I sent an email on Friday.  It's just throwing me off.  Anyways, thanks for all the great emails this week!  I'm sorry I can't respond to them all, especially from other family members, but I hope this one provides a sufficient response for everyone.  I still love reading them all, please keep sending them, I just don't have much time to respond.

First I suppose I'll give a driving update.  Elder Bright is from South Jordan, Utah and comes up on his year mark on Thursday. . . which gives us 4 more days with driving privileges.  We're just going to have to foot soldier it for a few weeks until I can take another test.  All of the driving tests are done through the government agency here.  You don't get to pick your examiner.  You just end up with whoever is on the job the day of your test.  I currently have a test scheduled for the 21st of July, but I'm praying for a cancellation so I can book it earlier.  That's what I was able to do last time.  Thanks for your advice about fasting and praying and receiving a blessing.  I did all but receive a blessing.  Me and Elder Bright though about it, but decided it was a bit odd to give me a blessing before taking a driving test.  I guess we'll have to do it next time.  We both fasted the Wednesday before, and then Elder Bright skipped breakfast the day of in the spirit of it.  I think the only reason I could have failed twice, both times for ridiculous reasons, is because for some reason the Lord doesn't want me to be driving right now. Why that is, I have no idea, but me and Elder Bright are pretty sure there must be some reason.

We did a lot of good Less Active work this week on top of our usual investigator work.  There are a couple of experiences I'll share about it.  The first is about a lady who was brought up in the church, but left in her teens, and then came back about two years ago just to leave again about a year ago due to taking offence at something that one of the members said.  She was very upset that the bishop didn't do anything about it, and decided she was done with church.  We asked her if she ever voiced her concern, and she said that she had not.  Not even to the bishop. . .   It's amazing how badly Satan works at us.  He can make some small little thing seem like a big huge issue, and then convince us that it's worth leaving the church over.  It is NEVER worth it.  Never never never.  I asked her to think back to when she was a young woman going on a youth temple trip to do baptisms.  I then asked her how she felt inside the temple.  She said she felt really peaceful and calm.  I asked her if that's something she desires in her life now.  She said that of course it is.  The negative feelings and offences that we chose to take are never worth missing out on the countless blessings we can receive from full activity in the gospel.  I told this less active sister that the blessings we receive in the temple are the best things in the world.  There is absolutely nothing that even comes close to matching them.  We're going back to see her again this week, and we hope to have her back to church very soon.  She needs the gospel.  We all do.

The second experience was with a less active brother who hasn't been to church for about 6 months.  We called him randomly last week and he said we could come over to see him.  We invited him to church on the phone, and he said he'd think about it.  We went to see him on Saturday and had a great lesson with him. He told us that he's decided to come to church this coming Sunday and he's going to pay his tithing.  He was ready to come back.  He probably has been for a while.  All it took was a simple invitation.  Sometimes we assume someone will just come back on their own when they feel ready, but in many cases they are just waiting to be invited.  Never hesitate to invite.  An invitation with the right motives behind it will never offend, regardless of whether it is accepted.

Before I forget, like I have for almost every other occasion, I 'd better wish Cameron a happy birthday!  I'm not going to lie, I have no idea how old you are now.  23? 24?  Probably one of those.  Whichever one it is, or even if it's neither, I hope your day is fantastic!  Smash something nice over your head on my behalf.  I hope this year brings many amazing experiences with it.  Just wait another couple of months before you decide to have any children, though.  I at least want to be there for my first niece/nephew coming in to the world.  I've already missed my first sibling getting married, and like a thousand birthdays.  I deserve this one ;)

Well, that's it for this week folks.  Sorry if I didn't answer any questions in the emails. It's hard for me to keep track of them all.  I'll do my best though.  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hein

Picture Time!

2. We found Elder Bright in a plant.  It looks really prickly and unpleasant, but upon closer examination it's actually just fuzzy and soft.

3. This is the scariest ride I have ever seen.  At the top there are two seats.  When it's going the whole thing just whips around at a ridiculous speed.  I would get so sick.  We passed it trying to contact a former investigator, and I had to take a picture.  I thought it was the kind of ride Dad might enjoy.