Pictures of My 1st Christmas out in 
the Mission Field!!!

The assistants stopped by early Christmas Eve to give 

Elder Irwin his package!

My 2nd Christmas Eve Breakfast..... hahaha

 

 My Christmas morning attire!

 

Tell the Flora Vista  Ward "Young Women"

Thank you!! I loved it! 

All the scripture quotes made me laugh!!!    =)

My companion Elder Irwin... yes he is a character...hahaha 

On the back of the cape it has a big 

"I... try not to judge too much"

There are stories to the cape and hero shirt!

 My "Christmas Gift" to myself...a Type Writer..
so I can send letters faster!!! 
(Sheepish Grin)

We spent Christmas Eve with the Long  family!!!

 Dear Family and Friends,

 

When I said it was going to snow Wednesday... I didn't realize how much! We got 10 inches of snow!!

Our Mission President banned driving that day because of the roads!  Now, 10 inches might not seem like a lot, but for Ohio... who are not the best drivers in snow...it was a lot!!!

That morning we walked 4 miles...in the snow...to the library… just to find out it was closed!!! When we found out that it was closed I suggested we go shovel out a less active, older ladies home, who lived behind the library. She was so happy that we shoveled her snow!  =0   I felt so good! Then we walked back the 4 miles to our apartment… hahahaha…and had lunch! 

  

After lunch we started walking to an appointment and on the way we saw this young lady shoveling out her driveway with her car parked on the curve. She had stayed some place else for Christmas and so when she got back home she couldn't get her car into the garage until she shoveled off the driveway. She only had the one shovel so I offered her help and started shoveling the snow. While I was shoveling my companion started talking about the church. We were able to get a teaching appointment for Saturday!    =)

The Lord blesses those who serve… that’s a for sure thing!   =)  

Later that day we walked to another lesson, this was with our investigator who works at Wal-Mart. We haven't been able to teach her a lesson since we invited her to live the Word of Wisdom. A member came with us, who once had a Word of Wisdom problem. He shared a powerful testimony of how it changed his life when he committed himself to live it. Wow…it was a very special lesson! We also shared with her about how the priesthood can be used for giving blessings; then we asked her if she would like to have a blessing. My companion did the anointing and I gave the blessing. I have only given a few blessings... and only to family members... I was a little unsure of myself, but I was able to feel the spirit as I spoke the comforting words to her. I hope that she can now continue to progress.  She did share her testimony of how she knows that the Book of Mormon is true. She said that when she had stopped reading the Book of Mormon she wasn't as happy.

So I committed her to read the Book of Mormon every day!    =)   She said "yes I will”.

That night our dinner appointment was at 8:00pm. We didn’t have any other teaching appointments, and because we could only walk to wherever we went, we decided to go to some near by streets and started knocking on doors, offering blessings and prayers for people.  We weren’t accepted that well, but we were able to share the warmth of kindness with others. At 8:55pm we decided we should walk back home…hahaha..

Because of it being dark and with all the snow, we found ourselves a little lost.  So for the next 30 minutes we just walked around our neighborhood trying to figure out where we were. We finally stopped at someone’s home and asked where our street was…. Hahaha…. it was just the next block down!

Man… if we lived back in the West we would have had mountains as points of direction …but here, we have no such thing!   hahaha.

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas week and will have a Happy New Year!

I love all of you!

Love,

Elder Henke!

Christmas day at 10:00 am MTS time, 2012, we were able to speak with Elder Henke!!! 

We were soooo happy and excited to speak with Robert on Christmas day!!! We did a three way call with Richard, Celeste, and Krista up in Idaho. Cammy, Dad and I were listening down in New Mexico!!!

He was quite over come with emotions of love and joy! He said that he would “cherish the love that we all have for each other and not ever again take it for granted.” And that “I had never felt such powerful emotions as I did this Christmas!    =)   If that is just a little of how Heavenly  Father feels about us,  then I can't even imagine the importance of sharing the gospel to others  so that Heavenly Father and all of us can return to Him and live together forever as a family!!!”    =) 

Robert said he loves being on his mission, being taught by the Holy Ghost, and hopes that soon some investigators will come into the Church!

He thanks everyone for the Love, prayers, letters and packages that he has received!!! 

Thank you all so very much!!!

Dear Mom , Dad, Family and Friends,

Thank you for the packages and Christmas presents =D I love you so much!

Man...... The days just roll over to the next and everyday feels the same, when you are so busy  you lose track of time...

We are planning to call home around 4:oo - 5:oo pm,   our time, Christmas day.  So I guess we will see what happens. I can’t wait to hear from all of you!!!

Every week I come to a deeper conclusion that none of us can fully understand how much Heavenly Father cares and loves us… =)   I also have been really thinking of Alma.... I really want to be like him! Lately he has been my role model as well as the Prophet Joseph Smith! They are awesome!

Here is something that really touched me last week, this is in Moses: 7

33 And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should ^alove one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they ^bhate their own blood;

37 But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?

I love my Heavenly Father and I know that he loves me!... =)  It hit me so hard when I read the part where Heavenly Father talks so personally to his (us) children on earth and that he or the heavens weep over us.  It also goes to show how much love our older brother, our Savior, Jesus Christ must have had... to come to this earth, to give himself, as a ransom, for all of us... imperfect beings... so that we can all come home to our Fathers mansions above.

Alma: 7

10 And behold, he shall be ^aborn of Mary, at ^bJerusalem which is the ^cland of our forefathers, she being a ^dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and ^econceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

This gospel that we can share with others is the gospel of our Lords merciful arms; out stretched ready to embrace all!

Merry soon to be Christmas to all! I love you all so much =)     

           

Elder Henke

My Ohio Columbus Mission (OCM) News Letter for the Month of December!

HELLO OCM! WHAT AN EXCITING TIME OF THE YEAR. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST SURROUNDS US! ITS TRULY A REMARKABLE TIME TO BE ON EARTH. WHAT A BLESSING AND OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO BE HERE AS MISSIONARIES….

ELDERS AND SISTER WE WANT YOU TO KNOW WE LOVE YOU AND ARE HONORED TO BE SERVING WITH THE ELITE. WE HOPE THE BEST FOR ALL OF YOU.

KNOW ALSO PRESIDENT AND SISTER NILSEN LOVE YOU. WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM. WE SEE THE

DEVOTION AND PURE LOVE

THEY HAVE FOR ALL OF YOU. THEY ALWAYS HAVE HUGE SMILES ON THEIR FACES WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT ALL YOUR NEAT EXPERIENCES, AND THEY EXPRESS THE DEEPEST CONCERN WHEN ONE OF THEIR MISSIONARIES IS FEELING DOWN.

STORY TIME:

THERE WAS A MAN NAMED JOHN, WHO LIVED ON THE 5^TH STORY OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING. ONE DAY, SINCE HE DIDN’T HAVE TO WORK, HE DECIDED TO TAKE A MID-DAY NAP. HE LAYED ON THE COUCH AND WENT TO SLEEP. NEXT THING HE KNEW HE WAS WAKING UP TO LOUD FIRE ALARMS AND A SMOKE FILLED ROOM. PANICED, CONFUSED, AND GASPING FOR AIR IN MIDST OF A BLACK CLOUD OF SMOKE. HE MANAGED TO FEEL HIS WAY OVER TO HIS WINDOW. HE OPENED THE WINDOW AND SMOKED BILLOWED OUT. HE COULD NOT SEE A THING, THE BLACK SMOKE CLOUDED HIS VISION. HE STUCK HIS HEAD OUT THE WINDOW AND DESPERATELY CRIED FOR HELP. STILL BLINDED BY THE SMOKE HE HEARD SOME ONE YELL

“ JUMP! WE GOT A NET DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH TO CATCH YOU!”

HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND HE WANTED TO SO BADLY BUT HE JUST COULDN'T SUMMON UP THE COURAGE TO JUMP TO HIS FREEDOM. HE WAS TO SCARED AND COULD NOT MAKE THE EFFORT ON HIS OWN TO JUMP OUT OF THE SMOKE FILLED ROOM, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO HIS DESTRUCTION. KNOWING THAT HE NEEDED TO JUMP BUT LACKED THE FAITH TO DO SO, JOHN SAID A PRAYER BEGGING HEAVENLY FATHER TO HELP HIM. THEN JOHN HEARD A FAMILIAR VOICE,

“ JOHN THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBOR FROM DOWN THE HALL, YOU HAVE TO JUMP THEY WILL CATCH YOU!”

THAT SIMPLE FAMILIAR VOICE GAVE JOHN COURAGE, TRUST, ASSURANCE, AND THE FAITH HE NEEDED. JOHN THEN TOOK A STEP OF FAITH AND LEAPED FROM HIS WINDOW AND LANDED SAFELY IN THE NET.

SYMBOLISM OF THE STORY

LOUD FIRE ALARMS: NOISE AND CHAOS OF THE WORLD

BLACK SMOKE: SATAN CLOUDING PEOPLES VISION.

1^ST VOICE INVITING TO JUMP: MISSIONARIES.

PRAYER: PEOPLE ARE CRYING FOR HELP AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND IT.

FAMILIAR VOICE: MEMBERS.

IN TODAY'S WORLD PEOPLE LIVE IN CHAOS, CLOUDED VIEWS, AND UNCERTAINTY. THEY ARE DESPERATELY SEARCHING FOR HELP. WE AS MISSIONARIES ARE THE ONES HOLDING THE NETS ASKING THEM TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AND JUMP. EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING WILL LEAD TO THEIR DESTRUCTION. OUR INVITATIONS AS MISSIONARIES, TO PARTAKE OF SALVATION, STILL ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO GET THEM TO TAKE THAT LEAP OF FAITH. WHAT THEY NEED IS A FAMILIAR VOICE. A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH WHO THEY CAN TRUST. SOME ONE THAT CAN ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THEM.

NUFF SAID.

REMINDERS

COOK BREAKFAST

100% MEMBER PRESENT AFTER FIRST LESSON

EFFECTIVE PLANNING.

WE LOVE YOU ALL! CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YA AT THE DEVOTIONALS!

PLEASE BE ON TIME, EVEN EARLY. BE ORDERLY AND COME PREPARED TO HAVE SOME GOOD OL’ OCM FUN!

Love, Elders Steglich and McClellan

Thank you Mom! I love you!

Yeah I just haven't had a full prep day and probably won't for awhile... =/ Yesterday we had a Christmas devotional which took place instead of our prep day so we only get to email today... so maybe next week I can write back to everyone.

 I have been out 4 months now!!

I'm so happy that Tommy was able to be helped out with my last letter. I've decided that not a lot of missionaries share what they learn or how their mission is teaching them to help improve their missions.

Our Mission President  has also been pushing what we call "No Sad Sundays"  What it means is… we go over to an investigators house and make them breakfast, while they prepare to get ready for church... it also gives us service opportunities…like doing their dishes for them. In so doing, it allows the spirit to be strong in there home… so that the adversary can't temp them to not go to church. It has been bringing success in our mission. We have plans to do this for the upcoming Sunday.

Last week we stopped by a former investigator and invited her and her husband to our ward Christmas party. We also expressed how the ward had been missing her at Church. Since she hadn't been attending…she was touched. She and her husband both came to the Christmas party and the next day she was at Church…. =)… just by a simple invitation!!

We set up an appointment at a members home for our “ministering visits” on Thursday the 13^th, which will be powerful because our Mission President and Stake President will be there to teach her!... =D… Hopefully she will gain the faith to decide to be baptized!! So please pray for us! Also pray that we can get some more investigators for that night!!!

 At the Christmas Devotional

 I was able to be with Taylor at our Christmas Devotional yesterday! …man… he has grown so much!  He is a strong and powerful missionary! He is truly  one of my best friends!!... =D Just in the short time we were able to eat and talk together I could feel the brotherly love from him! =)

I have also been thinking of how I wish I could have been… as prepared as I am now. Which is funny, I remember hearing the missionaries always saying that.  Looking back… I would try for a while to read the Book of Mormon daily and try to do real scripture study on my own but... I never really knew what or how I should be preparing.

So this is some helpful advice:

1. Read the Book of Mormon everyday at least 30 minutes.

2. Learn the Joseph Smith story and memorize his experience that he gives... (The short version)  "I saw a pillar of light... exactly above my head... which descended gradually until it fell upon me..... When the light rested upon me, I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me… calling me by name and said pointing to the other "This is my beloved Son Hear him!"

3. Next learn the 1st lesson in Preach My Gospel.

4. Have a scripture for every principle that you can use, at hand if needed.

5. Especially continue to learn more and strive to broaden your understanding and knowledge as well as simplicity and power in your message.

Well I am running out of time!

 I love you all!

 Elder Henke