Mikayla Ockey: For the Family is of God.

SO MUCH TO SAY. SO LITTLE TIME. seriously. This week was incredible. First off, linds. That video of jobY crawling? Oh my heart. I just showed everyone that video... in appointments. On the bus. Whatever. It was a great convo starter actually. Got people talking about their families right away. I love the family.

Elder Tripp gave a little thought in one of our missionary meetings this week on how the gospel blesses families and it took on a whole new meaning. So often I just kind of sum up that section in like one sentence or less when I am teaching and move on to bigger and better things but that thought ended up directing my studies this week. I just noticed it so much more in my own personal family and in other families that we visited. This message is centered on the family. It really does give us spiritual strength, blessings for now and eternity, values and roots that we can always go back to, a place of refuge and safety, stronger relationships, temple sealings, my own cheerleader squad. Pretty much everything I love and hold dear from my family can be tied back to the gospel principles that my parents taught me. (**note to mom** Made me think back to the days when you had us memorize the family proclamation while everyone is still drooling and half asleep. Morning breath and all. 'Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and WHOLESOME RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES hehe I can hear it now.)

We ate so much this week. I don't know what happened. All of a sudden I felt like I was in America with two to three eating appointments a day... Kill me. BUT because of that we got to see so many different families and how they all interact with each other. How different they are all from each other. But yet the values and core of the family is all the same. One family in particular is from Pakistan and has so little. Literally they pull out the only chairs in their house just for us as they all sit on the floor or random stool. And yet they are the most giving people. The most happy people. The most faithful people. It was one of the neatest things to get a peek into their lives through the stacks of photos and how they were determined to find all of their baby pictures so that we knew exactly what they looked like and everything. Before I knew it I was having my nails painted and my hair done as we walk out of there with a whole container of guava juice, bucket of left over fish and happy hearts. And we were supposed to be the ones serving THEM. Oh man. The dad bore his testimony in church yesterday and just beams from ear to ear as he proudly tells the congregation of his children and their habits of daily prayer and scripture study. Oh man. I love these people. Just one of the many many amazing families we have in our ward. I have the best ward family here. Seriously.

I always have such a hard time figuring out what to tell yall. We teach so many different people from all sorts of different backgrounds and I can just never figure out what yall would actually want to hear about. But we visited Marie this week and got to meet her sweet family and even taught her little sister. She was just so so excited and Marie told us she had been planning what she was going to show us in her room all day long! A-dorable? Yes. I love teaching kids because they always ask so many questions I have never even thought about. And they are just so anxious to learn it all. At the end we taught her how to pray and asked her if she would pray everyday for the rest of the week. Her reply? "No! Forever!" Ah. And then she said the closing prayer and we had told her how she could ask heavenly father any question because if it was important to her it was also important to him. She gets to the end of her prayer and says "I have one last question for you**pause** do you think Halloween is nice?" Closes the prayer and says "I think he said yes. I can feel the warm feeling in my heart." Ah I just about died of cuteness. I love these people. Made my entire day. Now that is praying with real intent. Hehe

There is a member in our ward who was way excited about member missionary work and wanted to schedule a game night at the church to invite her friends to. She invited so many people and the day finally came around and... only one other member family came. I could tell she was super disappointed but we got to testify about the family and just laugh and hug and have fun all evening long. She doesn't really have much family support right now and I think she needed that laughter as we all play ninja and chop each others hands off.

Also complimented this ladies pony tail holder and she tried to give it to me.. But instead we settled on an appointment to learn about how we strengthen our families. Two daughters. Cross your fingers.

I am just amazed at the spirit that comes when people talk about their families. Someone came and told us one time that family history can be something as simple as looking through family photo albums and that the spirit of Elijah is just the Holy Ghost bearing witness that the family is of God. So true. I got to witness that over and over again this week. I am so grateful to know that through this gospel families can be together forever. What a happy thought.

helping to unite families for eternity.

One family at a time.

xoxoxox

s. heywood

Ps: I promise I didn't forget about you Ben! Your birthday card should be in the mail asap. Love you oodles.

Pps: Funny story for yall: Remember that guy I was telling you about from last Sunday? Well... After changing the appointment like 10 times he comes. Hair slicked back with a bouquet of flowers in hand.... And then proceeds to tell me how I am pretty on the inside and how happy he felt when I talked to him and on and on for like 10 minutes. I was trying so hard to keep from laughing (I know. Cruel.) And then he gives me a marriage proposal. Second times the charm right? Hehe but we nicely explained that we do not do that and oh so casually we-would-be-happy-to-give your-number-to-the-elders zone him and teach about the Book of Mormon. #flirttoconvert. We had a nice photo shoot with the flowers before we placed them in the trash can... Hehe but yes just wanted to give you a little taste of the life of a sister missionary. I think I have been asked on more dates on my mission then my whole life...haha something about the tag and the spirit in my eyes right? ;)

Wiesbaden district has talent.

Love them.

Yes. Those are THE flowers.

Cinnamon roll adventures. Note to self: if you try to let them rise overnight they double in size. I have eaten way too many cinnamon rolls that are as big as my face this week...