HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Family!

Happy New Year and hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! It was a pleasure to talk to you all. The rest of Christmas was nice and I enjoyed it! We were even able to go caroling with a couple other companionships in our district which resulted in me seeing "P"! That was definitely one of the highlights of the day and good to see she was still learning and progressing.

We have been well-fed. We had a whole drawer in our room full of the sweets and goodies people have given us this week. We will not starve, that’s for certain!

Congratulations to Mark for winning the annual Hedelius Christmas Rumble and for all the participants!

The wish lanterns sounded cool! I think that would be a great tradition! Hopefully you were all able to stay warm!

To answer some questions: I haven’t heard any news if I’ll be helping with the Iditarod again this year, I’d imagine if I stay in the area I will. That will be just at the end of next transfer so it’s about a 50-50 chance probably. No northern light sightings L although, it is on my bucket list so I’m hoping sometime soon! And I haven’t noticed the light much, we’re so busy I hardly even notice the cold!

The work is still going well! Next week is transfers (can you believe how quick that one went??) So it would be rare for Sister Dill or I to be transferred, but it’s possible so I’ll let you know!

Well I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Hedelius

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!

Things are good in the great North state! We’ve had a fun week and we’re looking forward to Christmas. Christmas time is a great time to be a missionary because Christ is on people’s mind more this time of year. It’s always a great way to start a conversation!

Like I said before, we’ve had a really fun week! We’re meeting lots of people and that always makes missionaries happy. We’ve recently been challenged by our mission president to strive to talk to 10 people a day per PERSON (not companionship, but person!) So we’ve been bundling up and walking and searching more and more trying to find people to listen to us. We’ve had a couple good stories as a result that I thought you’d enjoy!

Story 1: This story actually happened last week here in the library as I was finishing up emailing! I had like 15 minutes left but the guy next to me started talking to me so I just kind of stopped paying attention to emails (sorry guys, it’s not like I won’t be seeing ya’ll in two days anyways!) and asking more questions about missionaries and the church. He mentioned he’s been going from church to church and trying to find something he liked and felt was true. Cool part to was when we asked him where he lived he’s in our ward boundaries! We exchanged numbers and we’ve been able to talk to him over the phone a couple times, he wasn’t able to make it to church yesterday, but he does want to meet with us so hopefully this story continues to be awesome! His name in "M"- so stay tuned!

Story 2: This one was kind of funny actually, I was in the post office line last week mailing the package home and so I just started talking to the lady in front of me asking her if she was excited for Christmas. She told me she feels overwhelmed and then made the comment, “YOU seem excited for Christmas though!” And so I just told her I loved Christmastime because everyone is thinking more of Christ and trying to be like Him. She just rolled her eyes and said, “I’m sure glad I’m atheist!” haha I was sure to wish her Merry Christmas one more time before she left the post office, and she smiled a little back. Hopefully she’ll think more about Jesus this week!

Story 3: So this story actually started back on Thanksgiving! We were trying to contact a less active member and we just said hi and started talking to a guy that was going into the same apartment complex and he was super friendly but told us he wasn’t interested so we just gave him our number and asked him to give us a call if he knew anyone who could use any help. So, this past week we were up in a neighborhood walking around because there are usually quite a few people out and guess who we ran into! The same guy! He waved us over and started talking to us and said, “well why didn’t you invite me to church?!” So we invited him and he called us Saturday and left a message telling us he would be there, at least that’s what we thought he said (he’s Pilipino, so it’s hard to understand him especially over the phone)- but we didn’t see him L so we’ll have to give him a call back again.

His name is "O"!

"B" is on date to be baptized January 25! She’s doing great! She’s dyslexic, so we got her the Book of Mormon reader to help her to read and she’s just loved it. She’s read up to the vision of the tree of life and she was just telling us how she just has a hunger to learn more! She went to church yesterday (in a different ward, but we were glad she went!) and we’ll be seeing her Wednesday afternoon. As for now, she’s just taken off and is doing great though!

I think we mentioned M & R before, "M" is scheduled to be baptized January 10, but we haven’t been able to see her since last Monday and have been struggling to get a hold of her… Hopefully we will be able to soon. We had an awesome lesson last Monday. The spirit was strong and "M" mentioned how she wanted to change some things, so we’ll let you know more next week!

"S.S"! Anyone remember her?? Black lady that is Pentecostal and we served food at her church event? I was teaching her in my first area, even though she lived in the Inlet View ward boundaries because all of the ladies that were fellowshipping her lived in Rabbit Creek!

So I got her number and we visited her and it like made my whole week.

Poor Sister Dill had to hear how excited I was to see her like every five minutes! We’ll be seeing her again tomorrow! I like cried when I saw her I love her so much…

"J" & "L" had us over a couple times this past week and had friends so that was a cool way to introduce more people to the gospel!

We talked to both families about what we do and gave them a Mormon.org card with our number on it. It will be interesting to see if anything comes from it! It’s difficult to know what direction to go because they’re not really progressing so hopefully we’ll be able to help them to see the importance of the invitations we leave with them. The elders were teaching them but handed them off to us to see if that would help them progress. We’ll see where things go though.

We watched the restoration with "W" this week and the spirit was strong. She kept the DVD and wanted to watch it again. I definitely felt like it was the most spiritual lesson we’ve had with her so far.

We’re trying to help her progress as well. She told us this is the first time she’s actually wanted to keep commitments, so now it’s just a matter of her actually doing it…

Kind of crazy, I was on an exchange with Sister Claspell clear back in August and we stopped by a part-member family’s home and the wife started taking the lessons after we made that first contact! Well we contacted them this week and I didn’t realize it was the same family until we got up to the door and then I was like… wait a second- I’ve been here before! So that was fun to see them again! That’s happened a couple times with people here in Inlet View that I’d met already!

Did I talk about Sister Lawson before? We just love her so much. She take such good care of us. We’ll be spending most of our day today over there with her baking stuff for our investigators and people we see a lot. Sister Lawson is actually a convert herself and is returning but has been less active. She is just a sweetheart. She is a huge Seahawks fan so unfortunately their games are about the same time as church these next few weeks L lame…

Well Merry Christmas! Continue looking for those searching for the light of Christ and share His light with others this Christmas season!

Love you all so so so so much! I’ll talk to you in two days!

Love,

Sister Hedelius

Merry Christmas!

Hey all y'all!

Happy nine days till Christmas! On that note, if you all don't mind telling me the time frame (Utah time) that works for everyone as well as if skype or google chat is preferred that would be great and I'll make the arrangements after I get all your emails Monday! Thanks!

Wow so it's been a great week! We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders as well as Zone Meeting so several exciting happenings! I went on an exchange with Sister Platero and she came to Inlet View which was perfect because she served here previously! We were able to contact four different people that Sister Dill and I haven't been able to get in with including two investigators (R and M)! R and M had been found by Sister Burbank and Platero earlier this year and hadn't been in contact with missionaries for several months, but we stopped by their place and they let us right in. Sister Dill and I stopped by again a few days later and we had an amazing lesson. Sister Dill invited them to be baptized-M said yes, and R said maybe.. :) so that was exciting! They didn't make it to church yesterday ( :( :( :( ) but we'll be seeing them tonight and hopefully that will go well!

Another family we just started meeting with a lot this week is the L. It's been a long time since they've been to church and Sister Platero and I were literally driving to their house when we got a call from Brother L! He was in tears and asking for help and spiritual strength! We weren't able to go in because his wife wasn't home but we prayed with him on the doorstep and left a scripture and set up a time to come back that evening. That evening was incredible. The spirit in the room was so strong and it was easy to tell they were very moved. We read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon together and they committed to coming to church (and they CAME!) as well as reading the Book of Mormon together every day! Sister Dill and I went back the next day and it was like night and day. Brother L had cleaned the house and the spirit was there in their little home. We went back again the next day and the spirit was there even more so. It was like the light of Christ got a little brighter every single day as they read! I feel that in my own life too, the more I put into my personal and companionship studies the more effectively I feel like the spirit can work through me!

We were able to stop by B's again this week. She's been really sick and we can never contact her over the phone so we just dropped by. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. She was sick so she wasn't up to having to much of a lesson but she asked as to pray with her, and as we concluded the prayer she told us she just felt a burden lifted from her shoulders! I could see a brighter light in her eyes than was there before and it was such a testimony of the enabling power of the atonement.

L and J are doing well! They were having a bit of a bump with several things in their life but things are starting to smooth out which was great! At the conclusion of our lesson we invited the family to having a kneeling prayer and to have one every night! I just have such a testimony of kneeling prayers and the power that comes from them especially with families. We'll be seeing them again tomorrow night and hoping things go well! We're just struggling getting them to church so that's the next step!

Well Merry Christmas and keep going strong! The invitation we've been extending to people lately is to find someone you can help this Christmas season! Christ has truly done everything for us and I know that as we follow His example in serving our brother's and sister it is truly the greatest gift we can give Him!

I love you all very very much!

Love,

Sister Hedelius

Watch out for the warm weather!!!

Hey family!

We got "iced in" this week! Anchorage basically shut down completely all Thursday because of WARM weather! The weather got just warm enough to melt the snow and then when it froze again it was like an ice skating rink. Even with studded tires there were lots of cars in the ditches. So school was canceled and the missionaries were instructed NO DRIVING! So what did we do?? Well, those ice cleats came in handy, and we walked instead! :) It was a lot of fun actually! We figured that we spent three hours walking which I realize isn't THAT long, but for someone that's been lying on the couch for a couple months I sure got a great full body work out in. My back was fine (I did wear my brace just to be safe) and we were able to talk to people on our way! We had some appointments we just couldn't cancel ya know?? But yes, it's been very warm here, averaging between high 20s and mid 30s according to our car thermometer!

So what else from the Inlet View ward this week? We had our ward Christmas party which was so cool! It was a "Night in Bethlehem" and the activity committee really did a great job! We are teaching a part member family (the L's) that came! The wife isn't a member, and when we met with her twice now, and the second time she told us for the first time she actually wants to read the Book of Mormon! We talked to her about it in a bit of a different light and that perspective seemed to be all it took! So I'll have to update you. :) I know she's going out of town in the near future to visit family for a few weeks.. so hopefully we'll be able to get her to start reading more before she takes off!

We were also able to get into the B family this week! The mom is a less active member, and her fiance that she lives with has talked to missionaries and taken lessons before but the missionaries have had a hard time getting in contact with them the past few months, but we were able to check up on them and they want us to come back, especially the less active mom. Her two sons aren't members yet either and they would be such a great eternal family! So we will certainly be working with them!

 

Oh! This week we also got in contact with some members in a different ward that has friends (E & A) that live within our boundaries! Eis a member and A isn't but they've been looking for a church and so they introduced us to them and we gave them a church tour on Saturday! They came to church on Sunday and said they like it so that was kind of a fun surprise for the week! Hopefully we'll start teaching them soon!

B has been reading! Yay! She hasn't come to church yet.. :/ but she says she belives the Book of Mormon is true and wants to be baptized if it will help her to be closer to the Savior! We're going to invite with a specific date in mind this week and notes will follow next week!

I love being a missionary and the joys of sharing the good news of the restored gospel especailly this time of year! There is no better gift to give others or Jesus Christ than sharing the knowledge that we have a Savior who loves us and has sacrificed everything for us!

Stay warm, have a great day, and I love you all very very much!

Love,

Sister Hedelius!

December WAHt?!

Hey everyone 

 

To cover everyones concern right off the bat, I did NOT starve for Thanksgiving, it was a glorious feast indeed! A family that lives on the military base here in Anchorage had us over, apparently the sisters asked several months in advance for this family to have them for Thanksgiving because of their exceptional cooking, and so we reaped the benefits.. haha :) we were not disappointed either. Possibly the most excited part of the dinner, however, was when I lit the plastic fork on fire. To clarify: just before the meal started we each had a small candle and we passed the flame around the table saying what we were grateful for, but as the meal was concluding, my fork was just in reach of the flames.. no one was killed or injured.. just my pride.. haha And it was just enough to melt the fork a little bit. :)

Whitewashing has proved to be an exciting adventure once again! We have a rather large ward (geographically) as well so we've been slowly getting the hang of where people live so we don't spend as much time (or miles) driving all over. Sister Dill is a champ with the map so that's been great. We have a GPS but I think too much time in the car has been to it's disadvanage, but hopefully we'll figure it out. :)

I'm feeling lazy so here was our week in a nutshell:

Monday we went shopping a little bit, wrote some letters and made planners. :) My planner matches Sister Dill's.. it's gold spakles.. with our name in silver sparkles.. yeah.. it's a bit over the top but ya know.. it matches my coat so...

Tuesday was transfer meeting, so much fun! It was great to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while! We had some time in between transfers and sisters training to start working in our area but our phone had been hauled to the temple with the previous sisters and we didn't know what our combination for the door was.. it was a whirlwind of events but we ended up finally getting our ducks in a row later that day so we could start making appointments and blowing up the phone and seeing people. :) I think I mentioned this before, but we live with the Alborn family. The Alborns actually live within the Turnagain boundaries so it's been fun seeing them.

Wednesday we started seeing some people and like got permission to go shopping etc.. we share the ward with elders and they called usWednesday morning to let us know that there was a lady that wanted to be baptized! RIGHT?! She has a future daughter-in-law that is a member and living with her but she's talked to missionaries before so they were passing her over to us. We stopped by and she is just the sweetest lady, her name is B and she's been through a lot but has the most sincere heart. Sister Dill invited her to be baptized and she said yes, so she's praying about a date! She was sick Sunday or she would have come to church :( but when we called her she mentioned she's been praying and reading the Book of Mormon and that she likes it and is feeling good about everything we've taught her so far! So that's cool!
 

We also met with Bishop Petersen Wednesday and he is just awesome. He is super missionary focused and had the area divided with lists of people in each area that he was able to give us which has been very helpful in learning where people live! We'll be going over to his home for FHE tonight to teach the new active member lessons that our mission is implementing that I've never taught since I had back surgery instead... haha so wish me luck.. :/ I might have to struggle through it a bit. ;) His wife actually served here in Alaska so that was neat! I've heard of so many people who just can't stay away from AK after their missions, I can't blame them because it is just stunning here!

We had dinner with a lady named K and oh my heck I just love her... We had MOOSE burgers. Yes you read that correctly. She has been coming back to church and making some great progress. If we have time (crossing my fingers) we might stop by and make cards with her! She has such a talent with designing the most beautiful cards and she offered to teach us, so eventually we'll make it over there!

Thursday was just crazy.. first of all because it was Thanksgiving, and second because we had no idea who lives where, so unfortunately we weren't able to see as many people as we would have liked.. :/ but we did stop by an older lady's home (L, she's less active) in the morning and her son who also lives in the ward and is less active happened to be there! The elders hadn't had the opportunity to meet him so it was perfect! As we shared our Thanksgiving message it was so apparent on his face that it was exactly what he needed to hear. The spirit just filled the room and tears were present. It was amazing.
 

I mentioned dinner as well so I won't go into to much detail! :) it was fun though and great to meet more people in the ward!
 

We also had a dessert social with the wardThursday night which was a great way to meet more people! :)
 

We were asked by President Beesley to count how many people we met and we met at least 28 people that we could remember names at the end of the day! Kind of crazy, I would have never realized!

Friday had a couple exciting happenings, we had dinner with a man who was recently baptized, Thanksgiving turkey and the works :) And they after we were introduced to a part member family that has been kind of investigating the church that the elders are passing over to us! I tried muck-tuck (spelling???) and it wasn't that bad! Everyone that has tried it before always tells me it's gross but I didn't mind it! We were able to set up an appointment to meet with the tonight, so the plan is to have dinner tonight and kind of see where they're at! :)

Saturday we were able to meet more people on the ward council as well as an appointment with an investigator in the ward that I actually started teaching a few months ago! Laura from the Turnagain ward referred us to this lady (K) and I recognized her information in the area book so were able to contact her again! She is hilarious, loves to knit and has a great testimony of the Savior, oh and a little dog named Nana! :) She's been reading her Book of Mormon and wants to come to church but was sick as well.. :( I guess it's that time of year when everyone gets sick.. :( But we'll be seeing her again this week, which should be great. :)

Sunday was CRAZY. Of course, no surprise there :) haha meetings, church, studies, oh my! We were able to continue meeting a lot of people! We have a great ward council that I'm really looking forward to working with!

So things are going swell! The Alborns made breakfast for us this morning! Eggs, toast, bacon.. the works. So good! So that was pretty great! Probably the most exciting for the day.. which is lame but it was still a great surprise...

BTW Apparently my allotment card that I had to return before going home has been lost.. so the office had to order a new one which means I haven't had one. So, mom if you notice I've been spending money, that's the story behind it.. I'm hoping the card has come in by now, but it might still be a few days.. :/

Oh and my back is doing fine. No worries there. :)

Well I love you all and you're in my prayers! Thanks for the love and support!

Love,

Sister Hedelius