Izcalli - #goodlyfe

Las hermanas Heywoodford

Hey madre y fam! 

   This week has been so good! We finally found a map of our area after like 4ish days here jaja and Izcalli is so cool. It is more of a pueblito because it has hills and also because it is not in the districto but its so cool and I love it. This week we were just kinda of trying to meet all the of the people we have in the area book and all the grand stuff. There is some really solid people here and I think I am going to really enjoy my time here in Izcalli! The ward is smaller than my ward in Moctezuma, there is a lot of menos activos so that is something we are going to have to work a lot at! Also we have been just been trying to get to know the area better and all the people! There is some really cool people here.... for example Adriana is a member here who loves the missionarys and owns a sushi resturant and when we don't have a food appt. we just go get sushi FOR FREE! Oh my gosh it is SOOO GOOD!!!!!! She is gonna teach us one of these days to make sushi because it really isn't all that hard you just have to have the materials to do it. But what out, when I come home from the mish I will be making you guys all kinds of good food!!!! Also the stake and ward seem to be really good here... they had noche de mexicana and it was like a performance thing... al the youth from the stake (like each ward) was assigned a dance from a certain region in Mexico and they performed them and went all out!!! I mean hair, make up, costumes and everything and I was dying because I want to dance so badly but I can't... that's all right haha! But it was really cool and then of course afterwards there was tamales and tácitos corn pulsole ahh all the good Mexican food and sorry I don't know how to spell any of it hahah! But it was fun! We went with Lilly who is a recent convert and we are trying to get her dad to start taking the lessons. 

  WE don't have a whole ton of investigadores right now but they will come with a little bit more time. One is named Gloria she is an older grandma of a family in the ward... the whole family is members but her and she does everything like a member she even pays her tithing and never misses church but she doesn't want to get baptized because she promised her mom she wouldn't change religion when her mom died.... so we are gonna work with her and make her realize it is more important to put Christ first! Also we are teaching this guys named Berto y he has a lot of time investigating the church since like may or something but he cant get baptized because he is not married to his "wife" so that is a little problem and he is afraid to talk to her... but we will work with that too! But everything is so good and I am happy and not as stressed as I was when we first got here. WE share the ward with the Elders so they are helpful, and actually know their way somewhat around our area... but I really like the area and it is fun and tiring to have hills but more fun! Hna Woodford is really cool and is a hard worker... she was a soccer player for Weber state, so today at our zone activity she was killing in fútbol and I am determined she is gonna teach me how to play in the mornings for our thirty minutes of exercise because I want to be good at futbol jaja! Her Spanish is just like mine when I first got to the field... good she just needs confidence to talk... because I was the same way, I was always saying to the people... "perdon no se mucho espanol" even though I knew enough to have a conversation, I was just really unconfident so I will help her get over that because that is something I learned... and honestly the best way to learn is just to talk and not be embarrassed to mess up because I still mess up my Spanish all the time but hey people don't care! But yeah is is awesome we will have fun together! Oh also our house is so NICE #fresa (that is what you call it when it is nice) I think it is up there as one of the nicest houses in the mish... we have an OVEN! and even better we have a WAFFLE MAKER! I was so excited when I found that out it is gonna be great here! Sushi, waffles, hills, actual mountains to look at during the day instead of pollution... yeah its great here! 

OH also how are my two cute sobrinos? Oh also sorry mom I forgot to take pics of the house and we left today at 10"30 and still haven't gone home so I will send some next week...sorry love you! 

Hermana Dana Heywood 

New Area of Izcalli

#goodlyfe

ps everyone here is really struggling with our names ... heywood y woodford jajaj

Izcalli

La Trifecta

This last week and a half has been CRAZY!!! First of all our tri was the funnest thing ever... we had way too much fun and had so much success... we committed 7 people to baptism last week in Moctezuma and guess what I have moved..... yes I am now in a different state I am in the State of Mexico... my area is called Izcalli (is-cali) and it is way cool and so it's more of a town-ish and there are hills so that is super cool. Our house is SO NICE!!!! Oh my, I was in shock when we walked in. WE live in an apartmente and there are members that live right above us and they acutally own it so we just pay them instead of the complex.  They are cool the familia Peña! Also my new hija is super cool... Hna. Woodford... yes we are now the hermanas Heywoodford because it is just easier for everyone.! jaja WE share the ward with the elders so that is a little different but everything is really good.  Training and white washing is gonna be really interesting... definitely a challenge but I will take it. Hna. Woodford is from Star Valley and she is super cool, before the mish she was playing soccer at Weber state and is super chill! 

Also the temple dedication was so so so cool! We watched the celebration in the capilla and it was cool; more of a play and not enough dancing but it was really good for all the investigators that were there! And then the temple dedication itself.... so good! WE were in the church for the 1st two and then the 3rd the stake was invited to go to the stake center in Arogon and when we showed up we got word that they might be letting people in the temple because there wasn't alot of people in the temple! SO we waited ever so causally outside with a bunch of people from the stake and guess what we got in!!!! Yes I was in the temple for the 3rd session... we were in the cafeteria... but honestly we were in side the temple so it didn't matter where we were! And then Presidente Eyring and Elder Holland walked in to say hi to everyone... it was so so cool!!!!! So now I have seen 3 apostales in the mish #holla. 

Transfers

Not too happy to be leaving Moctezuma

On Monday I was sad to say goodbye to hna. gantz and olivares! Hna. Olivares is in the CV right now because they were short on sisters there and gantz is in moctezuma training my granddaughter..... isn't that crazy I am a grandma! jaja But today we went and did a session at the temple and that is why I am writing late because it takes 1.5  sometimes 2 hours to get to the temple from our area.... we are at the top of the mission... jajaj   I went from the very bottom to the very top of the mission and getting here was kinda crazy because it is so far but we were in a caravan of taxis because there was like 3 companionships that had to get to our zone ecatapec so that was crazy and the taxi ride was 270 pesos.... most I have ever paid for a taxi! But sorry I don't have my camera so that is why I can't send you pictures but I will write on Monday and sorry I don't really have time to write more... presidente gave us permission to write at this time but he said make it quick so sorry to the other people I didn't have time to write! But love you all enjoy AZ life and I will write more in detail Monday! love you

con amor, 

hermana Heywood

Moctezuma: cue...Miracles Happen Once In A While (Princess Diaries)

HOLA FAM!!

  We also saw a lot of miracles this week because we got a reference for the temple open house and we went and her daughter answered the door and it turns out she is a less active most of the time. She hasn't been to church in like 12 years. Anyways she said she wanted to go to church so we passed by for her on Sunday and her and her son who is 10 and not baptized went to church and it went so well. Her mom couldn't go because she is sick but next time for sure she will come with Gabriela (the menos activa) and Owen (her son who is 10). But that was so so cool to see and help her get back to church. When she took the sacrament I was just so happy for her and the fact that she could do that once again in her life. 

 2 other people came to church that we had never met before so that is super cool and we have citas with them this week too! So yay a lot to do this week in Moctezuma! But sadly I think this is my last week here because transfers are next week and guess what Hna. Gantz is gonna train so I am gonna be a grandma and get a new hija... yeah the mish is crazy with new sisters and also guess what...... WE GOT A NEW COMP TODAY! So on Tuesday, presidente came up to me and was like Hna do you have three beds in your house (and we do) so I was like yeah and he says bueno there is a sister from chihuahua and she is waiting on her visa for Brazil so she is gonna be in the mission here till she get it and she is gonna be with you guys... so YAY we are in a trio! Her name is hna. Olivarios and she is from Colonial Dublan (yes I already told grandma) and she went to the academy in Juarez and actually went to a semester in Thatcher at EA. She speaks English really well and she also is learning portugués so we are gonna learn with her YAY! I cant remember what mission she is going to in Brazil but I will ask again later. 

Also yes the temple open house is done! We had to sleep at the dorms at the temple (where the CV sisters sleep) because we didn't finish working the temple open house till like 1030 and it was too late to go back to our areas... so that was fun. to have a sleep over with all the sisters! The temple open house was also so great. I am so glad we were able to be apart of that! This week they ran short on guides to give tours on the inside so me and hna. Gantz got to do some and it was so cool to be apart of that... and explain the temple in our Spanish ahah! But it was also fun to get to know all the sisters andIi just love them all. Hna Woodard and I the whole week were telling presidente that one day we need to be companions together to open an old sister area called Olivos (the most ghetto of them all) because the last time sisters where there they had a ton of success so kinda of every day we would drop that hint to presidente... ahah one day we will be comps and kill it in Olivios because da ghetto es betto! 

Hermana Rhoten is here with her family and so its been fun to see her... they came to the temple open house. Oh also she bought me a curling iron because mine died so today she will tell me how much it cost and you can move money from my account to Jareds and he can give her the money at school! Also what is Jareds school address I want to send him a letter! And yay for football! I am glad Chris is doing good... and that Jared is off to school to get married and Luke? how is his dating life... he needs to get married... and so does Jared... because literally family Galicia; every time we have comida with them they tell us how we can not progress in life spiritually more unless we are married... so brother GET MARRIED... and don't worry I am praying for you! Also I love all the pictures of baby Cole he is the cutest! 

P-day wont be till next Wednesday and I will probs have a new comp and be in a new area and if I am right, I will be in Escalli and that is in the state of mexico and not in the city but we will see... I love you all so much.  I  will send pics right now! 

Moctezuma - D Todd In Da HOUSE!

Hey fam, 

   One word to describe this week.... freaking amazing....okay well that is two words but this week was so so great. To start off we got to play v-ball with the zone on Monday and I have no idea who is the Baker's friend to talk to him... do you know his name or ..... But Tuesday we were super excited because we finally had time to work in our area and go to district class and so yeah we did all that and then went home to go make food because comida gave us money so we were just gonna make something when.... hna. Chavez, the sister training leader called us and was like "Um Hermanas are you busy right now?... haha so it turns out that Presidente  Anaya called her and said the sisters from the other mission didn't show up for their open house shift so we needed to be there as soon as ´possible... haha so we ran, packed food and ran to a micro (little buses we take here to get to the temple) and we made it there in like 30ish minutes and all of us hermanas made it around the same time.... haha so of course when we get there the other sisters show up and Presidente said, "Well hermanas go get your food and I will drive all you guys home" so we all ate our food together and then Presidente and Hna. Anaya took us all home in the mission mini van. But before we got on the freeway...he stopped for ice cream... yeah that's right Presidente bought us all ice cream all 6 hermanas in the mission hahah. It was so great and then dropped all of us off in our different areas. So that was a fun little detour in our day. 

Ice Cream with the Anayas

   Wednesday we also had time to work in our area because there wasn't a lot of people that had temple reservations so Presidente said we could work in our areas. We did a big contacting thing in our area to find more new people to teach.. and the elders helped us with that and it was just so nice to have time to teach the people in our area. Then Thursday it was just a regular crazy busy day in the temple and our area and then the highlight of the week was this. So we have a massive crazy intersection street that is the exit to the freeway that we have to cross everyday to get to the other part of our area. Imagine me trying to jay-walk the street on like Stapley Rd or something.  So we do that do everyday and walk down the median waiting to cross and this man comes up to us and said in his nice mexican accent "You speak English" of course I said yes because he looked like an interesting man to talk to.  When we said yes... he pulled out his guitar that was on his back and starts singing "There were bells on a hill but I never heard them ringing...." yes he sang us the whole entire song from My Fair Lady, right on the side of the highway street and he was dancing around and singing to us and it was just the greatest thing ever...this old man in his sequin shirt serenading us hahahah but yeah HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK DANIEL SINGING TO US!  Of course after we preached to him he starting singing about Jesus but it was great.... and then Friday.....

   So Friday was really busy and in the morning we heard a rumor that D Todd Christofferson (or how ever you spell his last name) was gonna come. So we were pretty hyped and hoping he would come in the morning while we were there but nothing... so it was like 3ish when we needed to leave and then we got word that security had just arrived and then we saw all these workers taking fancy food into a room and so we were all like...ahhh he's coming. So we got permission from Presidente to stay and work and wait to see Elder Christofferson... he ended coming at around six and it was so great we all shook his hand in the hallway and I even had a small conversation with him... it went a little something like this...

 Elder C "Hola Hermana como esta"

 yo "ah muy bien gracias.... y usted"

 Elder C " Muy bien hermana porque estoy aqui en el templo" 

  ..... yup we had a conversation, yes it was brief but I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH AN APOSTALE! It was so cool and not gonna lie all of us hermanas were freaking out and we were so excited! The photographers got some pics of us shaking hands with him and we are waiting for presidente to email us all the pictures because he has them all! So yeah Friday beat Thursday as far as being great! 

Oh also shout out to Deanna and Maddie for the package; you guys are the best, don't worry we shared all the candy with the hermanas working at the temple and me and Hna. Gantz are reppin AZ with our solid AZ T-Shirts! haha yeah I got the package Friday and then after we met D Todd and were fan girling(editor: I have no idea what she is trying to say here)...we lost our phone in an gas station type of store.... SAD! But you know nothing could phase us after meeting an apóstle! So yeah it was great! 

 Saturday was crazy crazy crazy at the temple but really cool and I have just met the coolest people and loved hearing so many peoples testimonies and experiences! Sunday was good we got a big menos activo family to church so that was good and we just put a baptismal date with their uncle Miguel he is pretty great with his dreadlocks and all! WE cant wait to have a baptismal picture with him in his white jump suit and dreads hahaha! 

  Today we went to the mercado with all the Hermanas and it was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are lucky we were safe because it was kinda dangerous haha but you know when the lord is on your side! WE were kinda lost but in the end we were able to get the hermanas their Mexican dresses because they all wanted one... and yes i invested in a poncho... it is the greatest and sorry I don't have a píc but next week! And yeah that has been my week!!! WE are on week 5 of 6 of this transfer and I think I am getting moved out and Hna. Gantz might have to train.... she will be great! This week is also the last week of the temple open house so that should be fun and we are all gonna wear our mexican dresses to the open house on Saturday the last day! WE are working the night shift and presidente said we might be there till 12 am so we might all have to sleep at his house... yay sleep over at presidentes house! But this week is gonna be great and I am so happy and just love Mexico!!!! 

Mexi Mall!

Also I LOVE my new sobrino COLE... he is just perfecto y muy lindo! also gracias for all the pictures and 

Chris......  FELIZ CUMPLAÑOS! I am glad you are having fun with everything and I know in two ish years you will be a great missionary... also you should get your patriarchal blessing because we were talking about that this week a lot and I thought of you and I can't remember if you have one... but if you don't... GET YOURS!!! But yeah happy 17th.... 

Also much luck to everyone in school I am glad I don't have to think about that right now! But I love you all and here is some pictures... wait this computer isn't working give me some time so I can use hna Gantz computer to send them... 

love you, 

Hermana Heywood