Siloam Springs

Okay I got quite a few emails to get out; so this one is for you and Dad. Well it seems like everything is going well for you guys except for sickness and crashing the bug.  That is a bummer but the philosophy out here is that cars were meant to crash. Everybody's car is missing a door, or their engine only fires on one cylinder or something crazy like that. So just ship the bug out here and it will be right at home. I haven't picked up a bike yet but we are going pawn shopping today to see if we can just meet some people and look around for junk. I will try to find one.

Man, Nelson left that is so crazy I am sending him an email next. Logan and Colton said that his farewell and stuff was really good, they also said that Bro. Morris made burritos and they were so good. Colton just got his papers in they are being reviewed by Pres. Bluth.  Wyatt! wearing a suit I won't believe it until I see it.

I think about the lake a lot; I didn't think you guys would get out there until April or so, but it sounds like fun. Over here the weather is kind of off and on it will be rainy and cold like in fifties one day and the next will be like seventy and just awesome. Also things are starting to green and in the next month it should be beautiful can't wait. Chris better be able to do something when I get back like Connor says he needs to get on my level haha. You said Parker and Jared wimped out but did you or dad get in hmmmm? I don't think so. President Holland said if you want your investigators to read then you read if you want them to pray then you pray. If you want Parker and Jared to get in then you must get in.

Well, a little bit about my week the one guy comes to church and FHE but he just doesn't seem to grasp the Gospel and what it is really about. Soo who knows on that one. Another Investigator and his Wife or girlfriend are kind of progressing and just started to read so we went over Saturday to meet them and just check up on them and they were throwing a birthday party for their friend's daughter and they had nine kids running around half naked with cake all over them.  The adults were all drunk. He had a question about the Book of Mormon so we did our best to explain but he just didn't understand because he was out of his mind. I guess next time it is the Word of Wisdom lesson.  It was pretty funny he was saying, "God knows I drink, they don't care that I drink what's the big deal I got a good argument for these guys and you are trying to tell me that I burnt the food." That is what he said to his wife, he burnt probably like forty bucks of ribs it was classic.

The Cabbits haven't happened yet but the Cat is going into heat again so we are all crossing our fingers.

Saturday we went and did some service for Bro. M at his ranch we put up fence posts it was good and after we hypnotized his chickens, and Elder Freeman picked a really mean one so Bro. M  was like if you let that thing go I will never catch it so he got some electrical tape and taped it up so we didn't accidentally let it go. When we tried to get the tape off it took off a good thing of feathers it was pretty funny.

I have already faced the fact that I am going to get fat. I have been eating pretty well. Saturday after service I ate five hamburgers and two Buffalo burgers. I was more tired from eating then actually working. It is funny that you tried to have a green dinner, because since I am a greenie I had a green dinner from the Williams everything on my plate was green or died green I thought you would like to hear that.

Hey one more thing can you save all these emails I would like to read them when I get home and stuff like that. I have been writing in my journal everyday since I have been out that is the best I have done ever.

Dana says you laugh when I said "bout dat".  My recommendation is to not come to Arkansas because you would be laughing at everyone and you would offend the whole state.

"lets cha cha"; What movie?  Part of that movie was filmed only like an hour from where I live in Fort Smith.

Oh I don't know if I told you this but if you need a young women's lesson there is a Mormon message called Mountains to Climb it is very good and I would suggest it. Also President Shumway is a big fan of music and he is pretty lax on what we listen too so I can listen to Josh Groban and stuff like that so I was wondering you would like to send me the Hobbit soundtrack?   I live at 250 North Madison Street, Siloam Springs, Apartment D. Not sure of the zip code, but yeah we live in apartments English and Spanish it is fun especially when we get together and re-enact Prince of Egypt songs. If you have a Prince of Egypt soundtrack that one is alright too. See ya family and enjoy your time without me.

Tell Dad Happy Birthday and make sure you have some family bike trips maybe as a family you should go back down to Mexico and do that one race. Well all is good I think that concludes this letter.

Again I love you and make sure your chickens don't die and tape one up they freak out and it is funny, it is not cruel it is just fun.

Elder Heywood

Siloam Springs

This week was good now that I am kind of used to everything. I did a lot better and I feel like I am getting the hang of things. Siloam Springs is an awesome place.  We haven't had too many storms just a light drizzle on Saturday which in Arizona would have been a "good rain".  No snow which I am happy about and in Dad's words outside feels just a little nippy. I can't wait for spring, all the members have been telling me how good everything looks when spring and summer come around. I am excited bout dat. (I am learning Arkansasian pretty well cant ya tell hehaheha).

My favorite thing so far about the area is the ward members there is not a whole lot so it is all kind of like one big family and there are three families that occupy like 80% of the ward. They are all so funny and extraordinary.

This week we taught a lot of people, people who shared no interest in what we had to say except for a couple. Like you said there are a lot of churches here and no matter who you are or your status you belong to a church it just the culture out here. The guy  who I told you about last week is kind of our main priority because he shares the most interest, but as well as investigating our church he goes to the seventh day adventist church, J dubbs, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, and a lot of non-denominational churches. So I am not sure what is going through his head maybe he just has the holy spirit in his bones. I think he'll come around he just needs to sincerely read the Book of Mormon and stop wondering about who's father was who and what state they are in at what period of time, and just feel the power of the book and pray about it once he figures that out for himself then he will be baptized so keep your fingers crossed.

Also everybody here reads the Holy Bible and they don't understand "y we nid 2 of dem" so that takes up most of our conversations. Everybody also has the most ridiculous stories. We talked to a guy yesterday who was in the army at 15, and stole an airplane which sixty years later he is still paying for, and he got a tank stuck in quicksand and he lost it. Also throughout his educational career which spans to college he has never scored lower than a 97% on a test. Yet he lives in a trailer with a narcoleptic wife and has five chihuahuas (don't know if I spelled that right). His wife is truly narcoleptic once she sits down she is out like a light quite funny. Interesting people.

I'll send you a picture of the cabbits when they work out should be fun right?

Interesting fact; we are in the top twenty small towns in the U.S. according to some magazine.

This week a lady in our ward who is a recent convert, well her cousin's house caught on fire and burned down and one of her cousins was injured moderately and the other one passed away in the fire so we spent a lot of time at her house just sharing messages and comforting her and stuff.

see ya,
Elder Heywood

Siloam Springs

Okay first the quote was from Godzilla; I knew it was a good one .

I am in...wait for it... Siloam Springs, Arkansas haha. Surprise! Well, first I left the Airport and got to the mission home.  President Shumway is awesome and is working his absolute hardest. We had a great dinner some Bar B Que Briscuit I sent you a letter not sure when you are going to get it that explains more about that day. Well I am in Siloam Springs and I am with Elder Bunch who is from Phoenix the best way to describe him is hard worker, enthusiastic, nice guy.

Luke draws a picture of Elder Bunch

The ward here is awesome they are fun and a lot of them are really good about missionary work. The Ward Mission Leader is Brother Migliori who is a Ranch Foreman and an awesome guy he is quite a character he tops anybody in our ward ten fold. Just to let you know a little more about him. He reminds as one of the old guys on secondhand lions, he is right now trying successfully to breed cats and rabbits together to make a Cabbit and he has a son living in a trailer behind his house yeah he is awesome. The good thing is that he really cares about Missionary Work and he will do anything for us he cares about us that much. There are few other ward members that are really nice and love us, and it is nice to be a part of this ward.

Everything is going pretty good me and Elder Bunch were shotgunned into the area you might find the more common term as whitewashed but I guess people don't like that term so they use shotgunned instead I guess it makes them feel cooler.  I don't really know so the last few days we have been getting organized and vistitng people. My first lesson we taught this guy and his friend, they are seventh day Adventist and they really care about the Levitical Law and eating clean meats and all that other stuff so both of them condemn all fast food even though they eat it, and then they sit there and tell us about oils and natural healing.  We give them a short lesson because they took up a lot of time.  Then they ask me to pray so I stand up and they stood up and in a circle we held hands and I started praying after everything I said I would get a couple of big Amens!  So that was my first lesson, hooray. We have taught a few other lessons: we taught a guy who is Hispanic guy who is really nice and he has four kids and like two wives and a Girlfriend and got kicked out of his house and lives with his mom and he plays guitar and writes his own songs and is very good. He also told us that he saw or heard a ghost earlier that day he wasn't really sure and that he has seen a UFO.

Everything is going great and I am enjoying myself. Oh and a lady in our ward is related to Steve M., the assistant principal at Gilbert High that was interesting. Also we live next to two spanish elders that are awesome and one of them is Elder Freeman who lives in South Gilbert/ Queen Creek and had an older brother who went to the Billings Montana Mission I was wondering if Parker knew him he got home just about a year ago I guess.

That is basically my first week I am having a good time and learning how to be a better missionary. I love this area I feel like I was meant to come here which I was and I can't wait to go do some work. OH I need a bike we share a car here and we ride bikes every other day and if I get transferred to Tulsa I will only be on a bike so... yeah I need one dangit, I was hoping I wouldn't need one. So just fix any of the beaters in the back and just send it with a helmet don't give me anything gay please I just need something to get me around. If you send it to the mission home I think they forward it to me. So when convenient send one. I think that is all; I'll let you know how the Cabbits turn out. I split wood for about six hours this weekend that was fun. Other than that I have nothing more to say.

Elder Heywood

2nd Email from the MTC

Okay, first things first, by this time next week I will be serving somewhere in my mission and I really hope it is Arkansas because I would like to serve in that corner where the Ozarks are but anywhere else is fine with me.  Yeah, I will call home not sure when since I am leaving at three in the AM but probably when I am in Denver.  The kid from Denver thinks it is funny that you googled the lizard people.

MTC District

Today is kind of sad because most of our District left for Kenniwick Washington and so it is just me and Elder Martin.  To answer your question, I love Elder Martin he is just the best.  He makes me laugh so hard.  The best thing is that he used to work at a petting zoo where he and some others trained camels.  He said that the camels were like Satan in animal form.  He said they are like teenage brats.  I was crying at dinner when he was telling us these stories.  Elder Parker who I really like and was probably my best friend here left this morning along with Elder Taylor and Wallace who were both very funny.

I heard about all the new missions, man that is crazy; I was excited to hear that Gilbert is now a mission. 

Well, last time our district mottos was "that's how winning is done" from Rocky but our District song is "The Misty Mountain" song from the Hobbit; the one the dwarfs sing.  Every time we go outside our district and a couple others from the Zone start singing our anthem.  Best song in the world.  The time in the MTC flew past and I am kind of sad and kind of happy.  I would rather be in Oklahoma somewhere but I like it here it is great.  I have only gained five pounds.  I think that is pretty good; it has been the first time I ever gained any weight.  I guess I need to run more in gym time but I play like three basketball games and have to take a break because I am so tired. 

I will try to send you picture today or by next week.  Tell everyone thanks for the Dear Elders; those letters are like gold and they make me happy.  I liked the story about Brother Skinner and that is pretty cool that Austin is going to Korea.  Tell Pete congratulations on the Winnipeg call, crazy how big that mission is.  A kid from Minnesota says he loves it up there even though it is cold.  I heard Branson got called to somewhere in Oklahoma.  I guess Spencer Wright comes in tomorrow and Cole but I will already be gone before either of them come in.  That is a bummer because the only people I have seen is Colton Shiflet who I have only talked to a little bit and a girl from Gilbert.  I also talked to a kid from Kathy's ward that was in my summer school class, Zach Jackson.  So that was fun also in my zone the new people that are going to Texas came in and one is from Mesa he is nice kid and I talk to him when I can.  It sounds like home is the same old same old though of course it would snow when I leave it hasn't snowed in like sixty years but it snows the week I leave.

Tell Deanna thanks for the package; she sent us candy, chips and queso and every night we have a nacho party in our room.   I was trying to send pictures but the computer was being difficult so I will just try next week.

Answering questions:  I go to the Temple, Tuesday at about one.  I just returned on hour ago.  I do not play volleyball during gym, I usually  play basketball.  Usually nobody good plays volleyball so it isn't that good.  Well, I guess I'll call you bright and early tomorrow it shall be a real treat, a real treat!  Again tell everyone thanks for the dear elders and Dana's spelling was funny.  I met my wife the other day haha, just joking.  Nah I am pretty sure that I will not meet my future spouse on the mission like you think.  Unless...I convert Carrie Underwood then I guess I would meet my wife on the mission.

Grandma emailed me and told me about some storms in Oklahoma, I hope there are tornadoes that would be awesome for my first week, do some storm chasing.  Right now, I am just killing time waiting for dinner with Elder Martin, writing you and watching mormon.org and mormon messages.  If you want to have a good lesson watch "mountains to climb" it is a mormon message and I just watched it.

I am learning lots and can't wait to teach; love it if it was some weirdo who believes in aliens  Being in the MTC I see others learning languages and I wish that was me, but then I see that they are here nine or twelve weeks and I think about Oklahoma and I say no thanks, I'll pass on the foreign stuff.  Well, that is it.  Peace.

Movie Quote:  "The only thing you're going to catch out there is a cold!"  Try that one, my companions do movie quotes but I have the majority.

If you are home just ask me anything in the next 20 minutes before I go to dinner and I'll answer.

Elder Heywood

1st Email from the MTC

Hey Mom,

The MTC is good.  Did you get the letter I sent?  I explained in more detail and it should get there soon.  I sent it today because Saturday when I wrote the letter it was at night.  Sunday I was not allowed to send a letter because I had no stamps and the store was not open, Monday since it was President's day the store was not open so I sent it today; I hope you get it. 

The guys in my district (I like all of them; they are awesome) were looking at my scriptures.  They loved my facial hair a lot!  They were very impressed and when we get home they all want to see me grow it again. 

The MTC is not bad, I have three meals a day and chocolate milk at each meal so it is all good!  Long days but very good and I have learned so much and grown so much already.  I received my flight plan and I leave next Wednesday at three in the morning.  What???  I was so surprised when I heard that; I didn't know they would do that do state side elders.  First I go to Denver where an Elder I met here is from and he says that Lizard People live in secret tunnels under the airport, and then I head to Oklahoma.  The elder that lived in Denver also says that they have the longest street in America; it is 40 miles.  (Stupid fact).  I tell him that Phoenix is known for child prostitution and he was impressed.  I am known as Elder Wolverine because of my impressive chops so you have to let me grow them when I get back.  "I am a peacock you need to let me fly". 

Well, I hope you get my letter it explains more about my first day and my companion and strict.  In case you don't get it my companion is Elder Martin from Boise and he is a great guy.  The district of guys are awesome; I like all of them a lot.  The sisters in my district are annoying and don't let us have fun....total buzz kill.  Well, I think that is all I have and my letter explains more. 

Peace Momma bear; say good mornin to the fam.  Hurrah, hurrah for Israel.

Elder Heywood

'THAT'S HOW WINNING IS DONE!"  This is our district catch phrase.  Peace.

1st letter from the MTC

To Family,

Hey there...everything is going great.  Long days, good food, blah, blah, blah that stuff is not really important.  What is important is that I like my companion and I like my district.  A little bit about my companion, he is from Idaho a small town south of Boise.  He is twenty and a very nice guy.  I am glad I get to have him for the duration of the MTC.  He looks a little like Steve Buscemi; I do not tell him that in case he doesn't think it is a compliment but once you get him to open up he won't stop talking.  He is awesome and I enjoy serving with him.  I absolutely love my district; it consists of 6 elders and 6 sisters.  My comp and I are going to Tulsa and two of the sisters are going to Tulsa.  We have one sister going to Scotland and she is waiting on her visa then she will go to the England MTC.  There is one elder who is heading to NY, NY North mission.  Everyone else is going to Kennewick Washinton.  Not sure how to spell Kenniwick but that is where they are going. 

Some interesting facts:  on Wednesday when I arrived I was one of eight hundred new missionaries a number which is regarded as one of the highest new missionary counts in history.  The MTC has currently been able to hold 3,000 missionaries and we are currently at 3200 and will probably be at 3600-3700 missionaries by next Wednesday.  The English speaking elders and sisters that came in Wednesday re the first to have a 2 week MTC this includes me.  Enough about facts, I will tell you more about my district.  The six elders are me, Elder Martin, Elder Parker, Elder Sprurub, Elder Taylor and Elder Wallace.  I absolutely love the elders, they are fun to be around.  The sisters are alright but every time we get distracted and have fun they stop us.  I guess this is a good thing but very annoying all the same.  Whatever it's all good in this holy neighborhood.  My first day was so long with about ten minutes of sleep I knew it was going to suck, but it ended up being a good thing because that night I slept like a baby Seth.  Meaning it was good, I slept very well.  When I first got to the MTC I got my paper stuff and a funny looking hobbit-like Elder showed me my room and told me Korean bus stories.  I asked him if he had been to Korea he said that he was going to be there in three weeks.  How he heard the stories I don't know.  I found out that if you go to bed by 10:30 then it is easy to wake up at 6:30.  I though it was going to be harder to get up.  I think you guys told me that once or twice in my life. 

In all honesty, I have learned so much in these last few days.  Days are long and packed with studying because I leave in two weeks so we have to learn more in less time then the average missionary like Jared and Parker.  All is well and when the sisters aren't telling us to be quiet I am having fun.  Thanks for the last few letters; it was good to hear from home and have those letters the first days.  I can't wait to email for the first time and tell you more.  It stinks that the house is quiet when Parker, Jared and Katie were gone it was kind of lifeless also.  Tell hi to everyone for me and make sure you share this letter with everyone because I know how you like to keep them for yourself. 

Thanks to Katie (Jared and Mom) for the scripture covers.  I love them.  The guys all like looking at them and have asked all kinds of questions about the family.  They love my beard.

Peace and love,

Elder Heywood

Luke leaves for the MTC



Luke and his cousin Marie enter the MTC on the same day.



Heywood family saying goodbye at the airport.

Elder Heywood!!