Pictures I forgot to post

New area and new companion

This is Jess and her new companion Hermana Alvarez from Mexico. They are serving in Valle de Bravo, which is about 2 hours southwest of Mexico City and next to a beautiful lake.  She says it is warmer and has cobblestone roads. From what I have googled it is a vacation town. Very different than Mexico City.  Hopefully she will give me more details this p-day. 

Pictures

This Friday, November 14, 2014 will be 100 days

We had a big meeting with a bunch of the areas and Elder Ortiz and an area 70  came and talked to us! it was great! I understood some of it! we woke up at 3 to get ready and me and hna were the best looking hermanas, President came up to me and said i thought we had the washington county queen here you look so good! We had to ride the metro which is super scary but we were early enough that it wasnt crowded but traveling with 26 missionaries is hard we all swagashed into the cart and i was pressed against the wall pinned by 3 elders just to fit us all in and we RAN everywhere 4 flights of stairs! and we got there at 7 the meeting didnt start until 9 and no one was there to let us in until 830! haha its was great and it took an hour to get there 2 combys and one metro ride! good fun!

This was all of her email. Not sure I understand it all but it sounds like she is having the time of her life! Only 15 more fast Sundays to go!

Transfers

Exciting news me and hna magaña get another 6 weeks together to cause trouble and we already got so much done! We live in the cutest wettest apartment.  I wipe mold off my english scriptures daily and my spanish ones got wet two weeks ago and still arent dry and are growing mold! So we are scrubing all our walls of the mold and hopefully that will be better. Because hna magaña is a STL (sister training leader) she does exchages which leaves me in charge of our area. Well I've done that 3 times now the first two with hermanas that speak no english so yeah that was hard the 3rd time she was from mesa arizona so yay english! 

There was a lot of crying and screaming when we found out we were staying together. hna magaña has never been with a companion more then one change and cause she is my mission mom and im staying with her i become a princess if you get a new companion your second change you get a step mom so im hna magaña´s frist princess!!

This is Moise even though we didnt have a baptism sunday Moise got the preisthood. We reactived him and some of his family. We were so excited we were screaming and crying in the halls of church when we found out! 

And this is my district hna Dagua (Colmbia) Hna Marroquin (Mexico and she goes home today!!) Elder Bradshaw (St George he is leaving this area and getting a companion that only speaks spanish) Elder Goodrich (Utah) Hna Magaña and I!! 

con amor 

hna heinz

October 13, 2014

Lots of pictures this time. She looks so good and happy.  Warms a missionary momma's heart. 

Jessica writes:

First Yell at Tracee for not emailing me about this boy im very upset. And no Tyler Wrigley wasnt engaged! Also the Ward is not spliting i dont allow it!! This week has been crazy, monday i was on exchages, tuesday was zone conference i cried baring my testimony i get so much anxiety when i have to speak spanish, wednesday was mini pday for hna magaña, thursday all the new missionaries had to go to the embassy for visa stuff and got to see president, me and hna toone also chased the churro man down. hna Nelly the wife of hno carlos is teaching me to make these treats and we are basically best friends she comes again tomorrow to help me and she is sharing her récipes with me that she keeps hidden, friday the familia Reyes made me scrabled eggs refried beans AND FLOUR TORTILLAS! cause they know scrabbled eggs are my favorite they are a recent convert family and are so cute instead of telling my companion to tell me something they ask how to say it in english so we can talk more its really cute and their kids always give us hugs. Saturday we helped Jose and his family clean the forest pulling all the brushes and stuff it was fun now i have tons of bug bites this week has been crazy!! 

Well the first 3 weeks were horrible i was so sick my body wouldnt keep any food in right after i would eat it would come out the other end. The skirts Juli put darts in are a little to big again but my body said food is okay again so yay!

con amor

hna heinz

These pictures are of her apartment. 

She says "You want me to walk where?"

Jess says she loves her companion. Doesn't she look so sweet?  It makes me feel good to know that someone is looking out for her. Oh and look how beautiful the scenery is! Gorgeous! The next picture is what was waiting for her one morning last week when it was her two month mark from her companion Hermana Magaña.  What a sweet hermana. 

Just so proud of Jessica for being so strong when times are tough. Also so thankful for all of you that prayed and fasted for her. I think our prayers were heard and answered. Only 16 more fast Sundays. Not so bad when you say it like that! 

Two weeks and all is well! September 29, 2014

Jessica had two baptisms her first Sunday in Mexico.  She said "Im in the strictest and highest baptizing misión every companionship should have a baptisim a week". Wow! She also said they don't go house to house because there are gates up so you can't get to the front door, and they have so many investigators that they don't need to.  What kind of mission is this? Totally different from my mission in Japan. She is so lucky and obviously "the field is white all ready to harvest". 

Looks like Jess and her companion came down with the stomach flu.  But for having the flu she seems upbeat. I told her it was that time of year.  Each one of us here just got over something a cold or whatever. She is out there all the time so she is bound to catch something, especially in a new area. But she looks so happy! Which of course makes me so happy. 

Asked her how her shoes were hanging in there with all the rain they have been getting.  It's their rainy season right now. She said send more crocs she loves them. They have holes in them so the water drains out and they are foamy so they don't get ruined. It seems like it's a little chilly, every picture she has a sweater on.  Send crocs, sweaters and waterproofing, and she's still thinking of more things for me to send. I haven't sent a package yet but I've heard it's hard to get thru customs.  I guess we better give it a try.

This is Cucu he is Adan's grandfather. Adan was baptized a week before Jess got there.  So they have been visiting Adan.  I guess Cucu fell asleep while they were visiting.  They would yell "otra" which means other and he would wake up and change the channel on the TV.  Poor guy, just trying to rest and these girls keeping bugging him.  It makes me so happy to see her out making friends with all these great people. She has said several times that she loves the people.  I think that is the most important part of being a missionary is loving them. She's doing a great job!

"we are teaching this Little family they should be baptized next week they live in a tiny shack but have a great spirit and the prettiest view!" I think I would live in a shack if I had this view.  How beautiful the area looks. Unfortunately for her knee it looks hilly. I asked her how her knee was, but I didn't get an answer. Not sure what that means. I'm so proud of Jessica, she had me worried at first but it looks like she is working and forgetting herself.  I miss her but the time is going by so fast.  Next week will be two months.  I can't believe it. I now live for Monday's, I worry all week long until I get to email with her on p-day even if she only has an hour.  After that I'm walking on cloud nine. Love her so much. 

Monday, September 15 2014 She made it!

Got a phone call from Jessica while she had a 5 hour layover in Atlanta. Only got 5 minutes but I'll take it. She sounded good. Got a second call the next day from Jessica at the mission home. Their flight had gotten delayed in Atlanta and so they didn't get to Mexico until after midnight.  She called on the mission Presidents cell phone! I like them already. She was struggling.  I would ask that everyone pray and fast for Jessica. I wish it was just the language she was struggling with but she has had some pain in the knee she had surgery on.  The doctor here told her that it wasn't damaging anything but that some cartridge had probably built up and would need surgery to remove it. Really!  I just spent $6000 to fix it and he wants me to spend another $6000 to fix the fix!  Great! So when you add the struggles with the language, new culture and the pain and of course missing your mother, it makes one weak and want to come home.  I never expected this from her. She has always been so tough and independent.  I will admit I am a little worried.  But as a family we have decided to pray morning and night for her, and fast and attend the temple weekly.  I can't be there to help her but I can petition Heavenly Father to help her.  Please pray and fast for her as often as you can.  I also got an email from the Presidents wife Hermana Whitehead explaining how they have taken care of her.  The name of her new campanion (Hermana Magaña) and new area (Cuajimalpa, Chapultepec) Along with pictures. Thank you so much for your prayers. I know Jess appreciates them.

Hermana Whitehead, Hermana Heinz, President Whitehead

Hermana Heinz and Hermana Magaña

All the new missionaries and their new companions at the mission home

Wednesday, August 27th Oh how the days go!!

This week has been crazy! I love the new girls and the week has been full of ups and downs apparently mondays just seem to be hard for me. That night in class I was really struggling with spanish and was upset and hide in the bathroom and cried when i came out elder gravley stopped me and basically said You need a blessing all the elders got together and gave me a blessing and told me they were there for me. It was really sweet of them! We went to brighams landing and had great harvest and jamba juice. today we are going to supreme burger with our district! THE REAL WORLD IS SO MUCH FUN!! Did i tell you i went to the consulate of mexico for my visa thursday? Well I did we rode the trax up to SLC and it was so much fun! I love the trax! I don't even care if i have a car when I move up to SLC!! Its kinda random who gets to go when.. I was the only sister so I went on "splits" with Elder Gravley and Elder Brooksby they are both in my district! Haha they were so cute of keeping track of me! I found a really cute skirt at the bookstore here and it has pockets so I'll probably get it! You know I love to shop! I'm probably forgetting some stuff but I'll be back on around 3 to email for an hour! We have a loop hole in the system!!

Love Hermana Heinz

Jessica didn't have much more to say she sounded really frustrated this week. I just tried to give her encouragement to let her know she can do this. She also wrote this:

I just feel so useless cause I can't say or help in the lessons cause I have no clue what is going on! Its so stupid I should be learning the language and I am not! My companions are going to hate me in mexcio cause we aren't going to be able to speak!

I tried to explain that nobody expects you to learn perfect Spanish in the MTC. Once you get out in the field it's almost like a whole new language because now everyone has an accent and is talking fast. But she is really hard on herself. So if you happen to have time to write or use dearelder.com please give her some good advice, she doesn't listen to her Mom (surprise surprise!).  Thanks for all your love and support. 

District photo in front of the temple today. 

Elder Neilson, Flanary, Hna Heinz, LeSueur, Tameilau, Elder Neves, District Leader Elder Scott, Senor Companion Elder Brooksby, Elder Gravley

(yes we call District Leader Elder Scott the whole title and his companion Senor Companion Elder Brooksby)

got to love some map photos! Cinco hermanas heading to mexcio city

eating cocoa krispies out of a peanut butter jar cause we have no dishes!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Jessica wrote this email:

This week has been crazy I was really questioning if I should even be here. I had a really good talk with my teacher hno Rasmussen and gave me good advice. That night I was reading my parterical blessing and it said if I'm doing whats right and being active I'll have callings in leadership roles. Well, You are now talking to the New Sister Training Leader (kinda like zone leaders but girls..) Sunday I woke up with a sore thort then monday H*** broke loose. I felt like crap we went back to the room after teaching our investigator and i took and nap then came back to class with hno r and he was really worried about me. I got a blessing from Elders Gravley and Neves ( the first blessing they ever gave) i felt better right after and tuesday was so much better! We are welcoming 4 new sisters today and i think two go to pananama city (woohoo) and there is an elder from canada going st george spanish speaking he is in our zone and we ran into him just barely and he said it was hot and i said it was cold here haha he is in for a treat! Please send letters like every day we live for those here!! Elder Flanary has a countdown on his watch for mail time and he rarely gets mail! (I always get the most Yay for Jim!) 

Much love 

hermana heinz

Jessica said this was her twin Sister Best, she was also in drill and they had a lot in common, too bad they are not going to the same mission. 

The iconic missionary picture. I need to find mine and post it. Up to the attic I go. 

Oh how sweet the first email is!

Finally got to email with Jessica on Wednesday. P-day is Wednesday. She said she loves her companions, yes companions, Hermana Tameilua and Hermana LeSueur (see pictures).  Jessica needs two sisters to keep her in line. I asked where they are from but she didn't answer. There are five in her apartment, all going to the same mission as her. They are at the west campus in the Wyview apartments, so they are separate from the main MTC. Everyone speaks Spanish. And they have their own kitchen and bathroom. A lot different from what I experienced when I was there. She hates the food and asked that food be sent. Coca Crispies and Swedish Fish and whatever else we can think of. Not sure if they can cook (I'm assuming no) or if they have a microwave or fridge (I did see a fridge in her classroom, but not sure if they can use it). She loves her district, all going to her mission. That is so nice because then when you're out in the field you get separated and don't see each other except for zone or mission conferences, so when you go to conferences it's fun to see one another. They can leave the MTC to Brigham's Landing (not sure what that is), but the rest of the MTC doesn't have that privilege. She let me know about dearelder.com (first missionary so I had no clue what that was), but it sends same day letters to them. Put you home address if you want her to write back. She said to use it.  This is her official MTC address:

Sister Jess Heinz

SEP 15 MEX-MEXW

2023 N 900 E Unit 841

Provo, UT 84602

Please use this address for letters and packages while in the MTC.  

Hermana LeSueur and Hermana Heinz and Hermana Tameilua

She didn't tell me the names of the elders. I'm assuming this is her district?

Her classroom. 

The sisters in her room at the Provo Temple.

I can finally breathe knowing that she is happy and doing well.  I'm so proud of her and love her so much. It's easier to miss her when I know she is where she is supposed to be. I'm so excited for all the experiences she has had and the many more she is going to have. Excited to see the woman she will become. I'll post when I hear any good news, but it is the MTC and their routine is the same everyday. Drop her a line.