Adam

Elder Hedin left for the MTC on June 30, 2010.
He will be serving in The Tampico, Mexico Mission.

Update from the Philippines...

Well a new transfer has begun and the adventures continue to be new!  The Lord is pouring out his blessings upon his children and the angels are singing aloud!  We have baptized 5 people this week. Sister Estrellita Luna and the Puentespina Family! 

Partaking of the salvation of a human soul, I could not hold back the smile! The prophet Lehi said "the most sweet fruit." Not just a pretty good one or a regular one. It is the MOST sweet. I know what he meant. Pulling them up out of the water and seeing the light come into their eyes. Seeing their old selves left in the water and coming out anew. How sweet it truly was. And after they were confirmed seeing the light of the Holy Ghost within them. It only adds to my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. The power of the atonement of Christ and what joy it can bring us all. After they were baptized they stood in front of us and bore testimony. They all cried, except the kids, I felt the spirit way strong and know that it's the true work of the Lord.

 Adam is entering the MTC and my cousin Taylor soon after!  What an honor to carry the name of Christ over our hearts to stand and declare salvation to the people of this world. To stand with Christ in the war for truth. " Onward christian soldiers marching as to war!" I am so happy the Lord has given me this calling and has supported me every minute of the way. I feel his blessings being poured out upon me. Those trials and experiences I've had with the language have leaped me forward into a whole new level of understanding. And I know that it is that Lord that has done it for me. "yea I am nothing I do not boast of myself but I boast of my God" he has lifted me when I was weak and has stood by me! I am so greatful for it! 

I love my Father in Heaven and I love my Savior! Without whom I would not be here. I love you all and hope that you all can participate in the salvation of a human soul whether it be by teaching primary or going on a mission there is no difference. Its ALL the LORDS work! Not ours! We have just been given the opportunity to participate! I love you all and will chat with you soon!! 

-- 

-Elder Heaton 

Philippines Bacolod Mission

Elder McGavin Update...

Kallid sugulased ja sõbrad,

This week I had a great testimony building experience about the priesthood, that I would like to share.  This last Saturday, we had Zone Conference in Tallinn.  We are in Pärnu so we need to take a bus up to Tallinn.  We got to the bus station and we were waiting for a taxi to come and pick us up to take us to the church.  All of the sudden a group of four American looking, Mormon looking young adults approached us.  They said, "Hey fellow Mormons!"  They had been in St. Petersburg Russia for the language teaching program and were just in Tallinn for the day.  We talked for a few minutes and we were about to go on with our day, when the young man in the group asked us if we could give one of the sisters a priesthood blessing.  The first thing I thought is, "We are at the biggest bus station in Talllinn, Where are we going to do it at?"  We told them of course we can, we are just going to need to find a  place to do it.  


My companion and one of the other missionaries jumped in the first taxi that came and me and one of the other missionaries stayed to help out.  We decided to walk about 10 minutes from the bus station to a quiet back alley street.  We went down into a driveway that lead into an apartment building, and decided to do the blessing there.  The young man had the melchezedek priesthood but insisted on us doing it.  I had never given a priesthood blessing before, but I thought to myself that there is always a first for everything.  I gave the girl a blessing that her chest pains would subsist, after my companion anointed her with the oil.  After we gave her the blessing, she was so happy and thankful to us.  I think I was even more happy though, and honored that I was able to used the Priesthood power of God to heal her.  After I left, I told the other missionary that I never thought I would give my first blessing to a girl from Orem, Utah, in Tallinn Estonia, someone that I had just met, in a back alley on the street.  We kind of chuckled over that.  


It was a testimony builder to me though that we always need to be ready to use the power of the priesthood to help someone.  I was ready, and more than happy to do it.  I know that her faith and trust in the priesthood will lead to a full recovery and her pains will eventually go away.  The weather is starting to get really nice here in Estonia....FINALLY!  I am starting to really enjoy it more and more.  Its the simple things in life that are the best right?  I am feeling more and more at home everyday.  The language is coming around full circle, and its just a great time to be a missionary!  I hope everyone is doing great.  Remember to always share the gospel.  Every member a missionary!  I love you all.  Thanks for everything.

Armastusega,
Vanem McGavin

Victor

Elder Taufui left for the MTC on March 31, 2010.
He will be serving in The Sacramento, California Mission.

Estonian Winter Photos...

Winter in Estonia...

Tere Igaüks,

Another couple weeks have gone by and I am still alive.  It has been bitter cold lately.  On Saturday it was -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees f) and yesterday it was -28 degrees Celsius (-19 degrees f).  One thing I have learned since I have been on my mission is that missionary work does not stop for the cold.  The cold stops for missionary work.  It has been very cold but it hasn't been a hindrance to us at all.  We still are able to press forward with faith.

Some great things happened this week.  About four days ago, we were knocking in an apartment building we hadn't knocked before.  Someone buzzed us in so we were able to get out of the cold and knock on peoples doors verses using the domaphone.  We knocked on one lady's door and she answered and said she couldn't talk because someone was sick.  Her husband was in the background sitting on the couch looking at us like whats going on?  He got up and walked over to the door just in time to hear us say we will come back another time.  He didn't know who we were or anything.  We went up to the next level and knocked on a door where an 80 year old man answered.  While we were waiting for him to answer I heard yelling from below and a big ruckus.  I thought nothing of it.  Right as I got a glimpse of this 80 year old man when he opened the door the ruckus got louder and louder so I stepped down the stairs a little bit to see what was going on.   Meanwhile my companions were talking to the man at the door.  I looked down below us and the guy from the door before was trying to get out of his apartment. His wife was trying to hold him in.  They were yelling at eachother back and forth.  He was grabbing the stair railing to pull himself out of the door. At that moment I realized he was coming after us.  This big huge angry man was going to attack us.  I turned to my companion and whispered, that guy is coming after us.  Right at that moment this old man let us in and locked the door.  I thanked him over and over for letting us in even though he didn't even know anything was going on.  Here is where the miracle comes in.  This guy didnt want to talk about religion for even a split second.  He didnt want to hear about it.  He wouldn't even say a short prayer with us at the end.  His wife came walking down the hall saying there's 3 men in the building, such and such just called, don't let them in.  Then she saw us and was shocked he let us in.  She told him she was sure he wouldn't let us in. We didn't know why he let us in after talking to him, and I don't think he knew why he let us in, because clearly everybody in the situation was shocked.  It was a miracle that we were able to avoid a conflict with this other guy just by being let in the door.  I didn't and couldn't have thanked him enough for what he did.

Another great thing happened just two days ago on Saturday the 23rd.  Our day started out great with a baptismal commitment to a guy that had been taught twice.  He accepted so we were really happy.  The rest of the day went down hill from there.  We knocked the rest of the morning, and no one let us in.  We knocked for 3 hours straight in the afternoon, and no one let us in.  The temperature was -5 degrees f outside so we were all miserably cold.  We knocked after dinner and still no one.  With about 1 hour left in the day, I called into a lady on the domaphone and said, ´We want to speak to you about God, do you have time?´  She said ´Sure, come in!´ We were all shocked.  We went in and thought this was to good to be true.  The first thing she said was that she has really been thinking about God lately and had a lot of questions and that we came at the perfect time cause usually she would never let someone in to talk about religion.  My jaw just about dropped.  I thought this was to good to be true.  It was too good to be true.  It still is because she is the most ready investigator we've had yet. She believed everything and wanted to know how to pray.  After we left, my companion pointed out to me that when I called in on the domaphone I only said we are here to speak about God.  He pointed out that I never say that and that I usually say We want to talk about Jesus Christ and his Gospel, or about our church, or some variation thereof.  He thought it was interesting that I only said we are here to speak about God, and that's what her questions of the soul have been about lately and that is possibly why she let us in.

It is interesting how God works in mysterious ways.  We were out all day long in the freezing cold, and finally we found the most perfect person ever, just from pressing forward in faith.  I hope all is going well and successfully with everyone.  You are all great and I thank you for your support.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.

With Love,

Armastusega,

Vanem McGavin

Elder Heaton and Elder McGavin in the MTC...

Elder Heaton and Companion, Elder Gowey from Arizona

Elder McGavin and Elder Heaton together in the MTC!

Silly Elders!