Well this week has been very disappointing, and very promising, and very fun. We dropped every single one of our investigators cause none were doing what they were supposed to. I got a fish bone stuck in my throat so its been a tough week there and we got destroyed with snow. We still drove in it and it was a blast sliding, pulling the e brake, and almost dying by a semi, other then that, this week was a little troubling for me. I know it's short but nothing I want to bring up.

Package is in the zone leaders place but fish bone, still working on it. Doc is sending me to a GI doc he doesn't think its the bone but hey if they go through with the endoscopy again and find the bone there I know I was right but I didn't want to argue with the doc so I am trying to set an appointment up with the GI place.

HEY YA'LL!!!

“This is my prayer for all of us—'Lord, increase our faith.' Increase our faith to bridge the chasms of uncertainty and doubt. . . . Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future. . . . Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequence follow.” 
-Gordon B Hinckley-

Man this week has been crazy!!!!

MONDAY- dodge ball!! We had a tournament with the youth from the Clinton ward and North Branch and all the missionaries. We played in an enormous gym and we played ultimate dodge ball. It's one verse all and there was like 40 people there!! Not including the leaders that was just YM and YW and the Elders and Sisters. It was crazy, 10 balls were on the line and we started and I was myself running along the outside of the game dodging and trying not to get hit, But nevertheless Elder Hintze, Maddox, Jones, and Hicks all gang up on me. I am so thankful for my skinny body, it is a blessing when it comes to sports like this, why you ask? Cause I am a hard target to hit while I am moving!! All I have to do is turn sideways and I'm like a twig. Long story short I got punmbled by the end!!! Hahaha great day!!

TUESDAY- Tuesday was a very interesting day!! Went to District meeting till 1 and then did an exchange and that was 1.Awesome, cause I got to drive Elder Fredrickson to the Dr.s in Newark 2.It was awkward the rest of the night  3.Awkward voice mail!! We go to the docs and it took and hour to get there and find a parking spot and then get in to see him!! Well we get there and I wait for like 6 hours till he is done, by this time I'm starving and he has to give the doc a stool sample (if you don't know what that is good, but if you do this will be funny) He tells us to go to McDonalds and have Elder Fredrickson  order 20 bucks worth of stuff. He did, he threw it all up, went to the house did his business and I was seriously going to throw up. We drove to the docs house to give the sample to him. He wasn't there so Elder Fredrickson calls him and leaves a very funny voice mail.  It goes as follows, "Hey Brother Tomas this is Elder Fredrickson and no one is at the house, so... um... don't take this offensively, but... um.... the  sample is... um... on your... um ... porch.... um well wait ... um sorry. um.... I ... um... bye!!!" I was laughing so hard I could not breath and then the doc got home!!  We talked and left home!

WEDNESDAY- we went to some steak house and got some sandwiches then went to appointments and had mormon.org time and watched a lot of uplifting stuff it's great!!!hahaha not to exciting 

THURSDAY-weekly planning and all that jazz ooohhh so fun, 3 hours of planning!! hahah no it really is though! We had to clean the apartment and car since it's transfer week! Din din at the Stevens was awesome and hilarious and so spiritual. We saw Tom and had to move his baptism to the 15th so we could do what we needed to do and also get him to pray. So if ya'll could pray for him to feel the urgency to pray so he can know the truthfulness of these things that would be amazing and helpful!

Friday- we got locked up in the apartment cause of the snow storm!! 

SATURDAY- Went to Isabella's house taught her about the gospel of Jesus Christ and then went to Tom's again and told him how he could know the truth and what he needed to do to gain that knowledge. We went to an all you can eat Asian restaurant and met with a less actives there, taught a lesson and we might have gained a new investigator! We will see!!! 

SUNDAY- Testimony meeting was amazing, open house for the Thomsons and a baby blessing also for the Thomsons and then class and getting told I was speaking in 2 weeks... ugh... this will be the longest 2 weeks of my life!! Hahah nervous, Stake President is coming, wahoo!! It snowed again and so we had to shovel and push cars out to get out of the parking lot!! Then went home, studies, dinner, more studies. 

FUN WEEK LOL LOVE IT. #NJMM4LIFE #MISSIONARIESRULE #SNOWSUCKS #ONLYWHENWEGETGROUNDED

HENNEN FAM AND EXTENSIONS

"Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people.... Stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down, live the gospel of Jesus Christ." -President Gordon B. Hinckley- 

It has been an amazing week:

Monday: PDAY best day of the week. I get to email and ZONE 6 SPORTS ^_^ love it!!! We were playing basketball, companions against companions and of course they decide to play man(companion guarding companion). Well everyone else is roughly the same size except me and my companion. I am ruffly 5' 11" without shoes but with my js I am 6', but my companion without shoes is 6' 5-6" with shoes he is 6'7" ya I'm like a fly compared to him!! So we played and he pulled his moves and tricks on me like I was not even there!! So its like 20 minutes in to our game and I am just fed up!! It's time to play my game!!! I tried bouncing it through his legs cause he is so tall and it worked but Elder Hicks got the ball who was on the opposite team then I was, goes for a three and Elder Hintze shoves it back down my throat. I go for a lay up and he does it again. So now I'm like anyone up for a little strobe light ultimate dodge ball? Everyone agreed and so we played. We start, 3 games into it Elder Hintze and I are left, Elder Pocheco shuts the lights off as Elder Hintze throws the ball and what do I do, I just stand there hoping and praying that he misses me but no, in the dark you hear from me "oooooh that hurts" and the light come back on with me in the fetal position, out of breath, trying to be tough!! Then we had dinner that night at the Febricis and we had challenged Sister Fabricis dad to read 1 Nephi 1... he didn't just read that, he read the entire book of Nephi. Omg my mouth dropped and that was one of our best lessons.

Tuesday: This is the day we have DM(district meetings). We went to the church and the sisters drove this time and Sister Mendoza pulls into the parking lot with 5 inches of snow at least. She presses the peddle to the metal, floors it, and pulls the e-break. We went almost 360, we seriously about died. We went and had our meeting till 1 and then went home fur lunch and studies. That night we went to the Handy's for DIN DIN, We had spinach soup and peanut butter cookies, ooohhh so good. We had a lesson and then went to Brother Bobs!! We watched a bible video and then helped him post it on his Facebook and then went home!!

Wednesday: We met with a less active member. It's Sister Bates, we met at the church and we started talking to her about life and then she brought up cruises and I was like I have never been on a cruise. Sister Bates and Elder Hintze both told me what goes on on a cruise and how much fun it is. I am going on a cruise when I get back after I get situated!! After, we went to help out the Spanish Elders in our zone, one was sick and they had appointments all day so we went with them and helped them out. I went with Elder Jones and we went Spanglish and it was quite awesome!! learning Poketo Espaniol!! hahaha fun day that was!!

Thursday:Weekly planning it takes 3 hours to do it!! then we went to Eddie Santiagos house, taught him about the restoration. Then went to Juanita Browns house taught her about obedience, Din Din time. After we went to Brother Vick's home, he went to France on his mission and so did his wife and they have been speaking to there kids in French and English and they are pros at it!! We went home after.

Friday: We got hair cuts and I just was sick of my hair  and told her military cut and my hair pretty much killed her clippers. She said my hair was supper thick! She was pulling hair with those clippers so many times that my eyes were watering up, Lol. We went back home to finish 12 week and then went and saw Brother Smith at a pizza place and we just read from the  B of M, talked a little then left to Toms, we taught Tom. We talked to Tom about priesthood and then missionary work and he is progressing well. We lost Bill that night, sad day but his choice. The Talbot's had us for dinner. We get there and all of a sudden you her Brother Talbot yell, "CRAP WE ARE FEEDING THE MISSIONARIES TONIGHT" Sister Talbot was like " This is the second time this has happened" he answers the door and says "guess what I forgot, looks like we are going out to get you guys something and bringing it back." So we went to a chinese restaurant and got some authentic food, Dog soup is what I got, that was the best soup I have ever had chinese wise!! Went back to the house and had a great time taught them the plan of salvation and what not!! Then home we went

Saturday: We went to Isibellas and talked with her and her parents. I CAN NOT BELIEVE ROMNEY DROPPED OUT BY THE WAY!!!! OK, then we learned that I was a mouse in the zodiac stuff and Elder Hintze was a dog and we both learned that anyone that is born in the year of the dragon, we are not suppose to get along with but if we were to marry one it would last forever!! Hahah to good to be true!!! We then went to Bobs again to help shovel his walk way, taught him another lesson watching "Lord, is it i?" and posted another post on Facebook. 

Sunday: Church got cancelled and so we went to Scotch Plains chapel after church, this older guy comes out and we start talking and he has a thick Jersey accent!! Omg I was laughing so hard. One of the brothers that spoke walked by and this older guy with the Jersey accent said "your talk was terribly boring" and the brother just laughed then I understanding the sarcasm was just laughing so hard I was crying and he just continued with the comments and I could not stop laughing!!! Gave me some tips on people like him then he left. Sure hope I get to be in that ward soon!!! Then we went home for studies till 5, then went to the Josephs and had dinner, taught them and then went home!!!

BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE!!  (Hahaha! This was is e-mail title, I think it might be cold.)

HEY EVERYONE!!! 

Since it was a holiday yesterday we couldn't email. Oh well we played dodge-ball and then by the time I got a computer at the church we had to get home cause of the snow. 

Well this is what has happened this week on the mission!!!

Monday- We went to Bill's place and he told us that he would not go to church because of Tom he didn't want anything to do with Tom at all, so we asked him is that a good enough reason for you to not receive blessings from God? Bill said yes, so we now have to drop him cause we cant keep coming if  he is not going to progress and we cant waste our time and the Lords time by coming here every Tuesday and Thursday. We went to Sister Fabricis and had chili and its was great. We talked to her father and picked him up as a new investigator!!! WHOOT!! 

Tuesday- We went to our district meeting and talked about "weekly planning" went through all the indicators and the specific points that we needed to go thrrough to make our weekly planning a successful planning period. Then we did a 24 hour exchange with the Spanish Elders. I went with E. Jones and we went to 5 appointments and all I did was sit there and look Pretty. Lol it was pretty great. I learned Poketo Spanish and I don't think that's how you spell it!!! The day went on and we went back to the apartment and planned for the next day and then went straight to bed! My head hurt so bad from listening to all this Spanish that I thought I was going to be sick!! 

Wednesday- We went to a meeting called "Specialized Training" for all us newbies. It was from 11-2. We learned how to better use our planner, but E. Hintze already has been teaching me how to do it this way so it really was just a review. Sister Taggart then talked to us and she started off with "I know you all have had a hard time copping with your new companion and this missionary life still" and I shook my head no and she saw and Elder Hintze yelled "that's my boy" everyone started laughing.  Then we split from our trainers and the 21 newbies were in one room and then the trainers were in another. We went through each-one of us and told about experiences and problems we are having. For the first half hour was all the good things and I shared a couple and added to a couple other things that others said and it was great. Then President Taggart said now lets talk about things that are going bad or not the way you want them to go. Well they started with the sisters and then the elders and everyone up to me had problems with the companion and when it got to me I was silent. I had no complaints, no problems, nothing. President Taggart then said my name and I said "I pass I don't have anything bad about Elder Hintze. He asked me really, and I said I am not looking for things that irritate me at all so therefore nothing he has done for the past 3 weeks has irritated me. We talk like we are buds, we are comfortable with each other, we are open, we take advice from each other granted all the advice given is from Elder Hintze. We agreed that if there was something wrong with what we were doing we would tell each other to fix or do a different way then we told each other but he hasn't told me anything. I really have nothing at all to say about E. Hintze other then I am blessed to have him as my Mission dad!" Then they continued and we went to our appointments and gave Juanita Brown a blessing for health and stuff. Then went home and went to bed after planning for the day!!

Thursday- We had interviews with the Mission President and I of course had to be first. Oh well, we talked about how I was doing and how I was doing physically, mentally, and spiritually, and I was like good nothing at all. He said, I figured I have been hearing good things about you from Elder Hintze and Elder Maddox the zone-leader and President Taggart said "I am expecting great things from you Elder Hennen" and then my stomach went sick because in my Patriarchal Blessing it says I will be a great mission leader and in my mind I was like man I don't want to know what is going to happen in my future!!! After the interviews we went to this girl named Alisia and her grandpa is the coolest black guy ever, he's sixty years old and dances like hes 20. It was the funniest thing to watch and laugh and relax and have a great time, we taught his granddaughter. She is committed to baptism and same with William Suvchuck (FYI), went home planned and bedtime!!

Friday- We got up, did studies till 10, then went shopping, took our laundry to Brother mosses apartment and did laundry and while we waited we played pool, stayed and had lunch then took him with us to see a potential investigator at 1. We then went back to companion study and then went to less actives in the ward and then went to the Handy's home and taught them. Elder Hintze and I gave Sista Handy a blessing and then again went home! 

Saturday - VALENTINES DAY. We went to Toms taught him and then that day was another Less Active and Potential investigator finding day. Home at 2100 bed at 2200

Sunday- We had Stake Conference and it was a blast. Tom came!!! Big whoot, it was his third time at church !!!!!! The assistants to the President came up to me cause we are really close! Elder Welborn and Elder Wilcox said they wouldn't be surprised if half we through my mission I was called to be the assistant to the President! I was like man that would be awesome!!! Then one of the brothers in the Morristown ward gave me the handouts for the meeting and told me to stand where I was in the doorway and hand them out and wait till the first speaker talks for 10 minutes and then sit down. So while I was standing there these older women just kept coming and asking me questions and like they wouldn't leave and at one point I think I had 10 older women talking to me and asking questions on how long have you been out? How old are you?, things like that and sports and school and where in Utah. Then President Taggart walks in and sees me and comes in and puts his arm around me and tells the older women they have to wait 2 years and they all laughed and he said cause he's mine and the Lords for now!! Lol Sister Taggart came out of nowhere and said yes he is and I just started chuckling and turned as red as President Taggarts tie!! I just think is was hilarious that I had so many old women around me and talking to me, it was the funniest thing! That night we went to the Hoveys for dinner and the Ponds came and we played darts till din din was ready and then after din we had a lesson and it was awesome!! This ends my 4th week and it's insane how long I have been in Dirty Jerz, man its flying by!!!! hahah. Love all ya'll very much and cant wait till next week!!!!

OH AND I CAN'T FORGET, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUMMER, LOVE YOU TONS. WISH I WAS THERE TO TELL YOU IN PERSON!! HOPE IT WAS A GOOD ONE AND YA.

My week has been amazing!! If you remember Henry from last week, pray for request, well we lost him. Brother Smith kinda opened his mouth and told Henry false doctrine about the church and Joseph Smith and Henry told us he rejected our request to come teach him. So fail!! Oh well. 60 degrees, not cool, it's been either freezing or so cold we have to triple layer up! 

 

Things are going goodish with the investigators. We are trying to figure things out with Tom and Bill. Bill really isn't to fond of Tom, that has been holding him back from coming to church but we are trying to get them to come to Stake Conference Sunday!! Word of wisdom is going to be a little challenging for both Tom and Bill but we are progressing like a turtle!! Hahaha oh well. 

 

William Suvchuck is a little hard to get in touch with but we got him and are teaching him a second lesson so there's one! Brandon Blease is another and I got a cool story for that. Korena and kevin (friends) 2 other investigators. Jessica asked for a bible and we gave her both the Bible and Book of Mormon, there's another. That's about it, so a pretty good week hahah! I have not had to speak yet but I get the feeling that I will be soon though!! I'll just use my farewell talk!! 

 

Brandon Blease, we were walking back to our car from trying to see Leslie (oh she is a new one too) and I look at the house across the street and got a feeling to go there but I kinda ignored it at first. As we got closer to our car which was by that house, the feeling got stronger and stronger. Finally I looked back at the house and it was like the Holy Ghost ran me over with a semi. I was like, Elder Hintze lets go to this house. We went to the back door and knocked and this kid comes out and the first thing he says is "hey elders" Elder Hintze then introduces us and Brandon said "ya I know I am a member down in Somerville North Carolina, I have since kinda fallen away and have gone down my own path" E. Hintze "well we felt like we should come here and there is no coincidence why. God has a plan for you and he wants you to come to church." We exchanged numbers and we are waiting to make an appointment with him!! Best week ever!! 

 

Brother Moses is a goof, he is a serious comedian guy, makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts. We go see him ever Monday after computers and he kills me at pool but I have gotten significantly better.!! 

 

In one month I have grown to recognize the promptings of the spirit whether it be important or unimportant, pertaining to the investigators and people we are knocking on doors to find. Understanding the scriptures a lot better. It's just so amazing how the spirit teaches us!

 

Love you tons

Got this in the mail today. So unexpected and such a great surprise. 

I love this picture, he looks so happy!!!

The letter was so sweet and my favorite was the part where it said, 

"we consider him as if he were one of our own sons."

Wahoo!!! So happy he is there and doing well.

Dear Hennens and Hennen extensions,

 

My week has been amazing. The storm missed us by 10 miles, we only got 6 inches of snow but its is so cold..., my pea coat is so warm!!! Tom and Bill... well, Bill won't come to church and we can't do anything else so we are going to have to drop him..... Tom on the other hand well where do I even begin... I guess the beginning. Friday morning we start our day at 6:30. I go play some darts, then get ready, and eat breakfast. It's personal study time, I do my reading, learn lots and envision stuff, I started the Book of Mormon from beginning! Next is companion study time, we go through our investigators, members, and less active lesson plans and go through role plays. Then we go through our day and head to the Morristown Stake Center, the stake is doing a mini mission and we got chosen. I was the only newbie there, it was awesome. We went in and just like a transfer conference the members got assigned to each companionship that was there. Elder Hintze and I got a kid from Ledge Wood, his name was Logan Cowley, he spent the next 24 hours with us from 5 to 5. Went back to our apartment and made plans for the next day and he helped. Saturday came, woke up at 6:30 again and he was out of it!! It was hilarious... We did personal and companion study, then hit the road. We went to a meeting for Elder Hintze, we went with some other missionaries and had our own meeting... we did role plays and talked with a member and shared some insights about expectations from a investigators point and how we as missionaries can get that information out of them. It was cool. Me and Logan did role plays while the other set went to a lesson. After we went to go get gas for the car, we turn onto the road by the gas station and the car shuts off....I mean really, come on I'm right here. So I have Logan drive while I push... oh well it was easy. Filled up, drive back, pick up both packages and voila safe. We go see a member named Fred Smith, he is less active and disabled, he doesn't see any point in going because he doesn't have a family to be there with, he feels out of place. We tried to explain to him but he didn't really want to hear it. He is a great man, he understands a lot but won't put forth effort to come even though he knows it's right. While we were talking to him a guy in his early 20's came up and we started chatting with him about Mormons and stuff and then he said he would like to meet one.Smith says, "well you are in the presence of 4 Mormons and 2 are missionaries and 2 are members". His face lit up and that opened up the jar of bottomless questions!!! We seriously sat there for a half an hour constantly answering questions, finally we needed to go see Tom. We gave a Restoration pamphlet and a card to get a free book of Mormon. He was intrigued and we set up an appointment to see him. YEAH A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!!!. Tom's house we go... get there and Brother Jones our team up is there. We go into Tom's house and those two, Brother Jones and Tom hit it off right off the bat. We get to the middle of the lesson and earlier this is where we felt like we needed to ask a very important question... we get to the part where the priesthood is restored and there are really no words that can describe how I felt. I looked at Elder Hintze and he nodded his head, I looked at Logan and nodded my head and he got the message...Logan smiles and says,"Tom will you be baptized?" Tom starts laughing and goes of on a tangent for like 10 minutes and Brother Jones chimes in and says things that get him and Tom on other subjects. It gets all silent and I chime in... "Tom will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized, by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" Tom say's "I don't know"... Elder Hintze says "lets pray right now." I then said "Tom we want you to ask a very specific question, ask if getting baptized is the right thing to do?" Brother Jones then grabs hands with me and Tom and the rest of us do likewise. He prays and says amen and we sit in silence and let the Holy Ghost do his work. Tom asks "Feb 22... that's fine with me!!" Then the Holy Ghost just floods the room with his presence and Tom starts laughing and he says, now that is funny he was feeling all tingly... we talk for a little longer and then leave . It was insane... and now I'm here typing again. Holy cow my week has gone by supper fast!! Love you all and want to thank you for the support I feel, all your prayers helping!!!

Love Elder HeNnEn

P.S. I got the door slammed in my face... it was awesome!! The womans face was seriously priceless... yes I am sad but at the same time I couldn't stop laughing for like 20 minutes after we got in the car!!!!