Monday, February 21, 2011
Art's Conversion
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Art Heffelfinger was baptized in the early 1960's but knew little about the Church. His reason for joining was that the woman to which he was then married was a member and he felt that joining the Church would bring harmony to the marriage. However, the marriage ended soon after that and so did his interest in the Church. Over the next 40 plus years, his contact with the Church was sparse, but he did have some contact through Priesthood Leaders and neighbors. However, in recent years he and his wife and daughters had begun an affiliation with another church which was very liberal and expected little from them.
In the spring of 2009 our Relief Society Presidency made a visit to the Heffelfinger home. (See Preparing the Heffelfinger s.) It was the first contact that had been made with the family since they moved into the Townsend Ward. The Presidency met with Sister Heffelfinger and their youngest daughter Leah, and although the meeting was brief, there were good feelings and a report was made to that effect at the next Ward Council meeting. As the Ward Mission Leader at the time I listened carefully and then asked the full-time Sister Missionaries to make a visit to the Heffelfinger home, which they did. Their meeting was also warm, and they talked again with Sister Heffelfinger and Leah. However, owing to a busy schedule, summer vacation, and such, there was no follow-up meeting.
In the early fall the Sisters were transferred out of Townsend and there were no full-time missionaries for awhile. As the Ward Mission Leader, I tried repeatedly to make contact with the family, but to no avail. When Townsend did receive full-time missionaries again the Heffelfinger family was at the top of the list to visit. However, it was not until Elder Lanham and Elder Roerdanz came that contact was made.
It was a Saturday afternoon in January of 2009 and the Elders were just new to Townsend. They dropped by our house for a visit and to discuss potential investigators. As per my request they had contacted Sister Heffelfinger, finally tracking her down at her work place in Helena. (See The Reason I Came) However, they had been unable to make a concrete appointment with the family. I suggested to the Elders that we jump in my vehicle and that we make the twenty mile drive to see the Heffelfinger s. When we arrived, the family were all home including Art and the eldest daughter, Erin. This was the first contact with them. We were treated very hospitably and left with an appointment, feeling very good about our initial meeting.
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| L/R: Me, Sheri, Leah, Erin, Art, Elder Davis |
I remember one experience which we had early on which proved to be very pivotal for Art. As we met on a particular night the elders asked if there were any questions. Art began asking questions about some of the reading he had done in the Book of Mormon. It was obvious from his questions that his purpose in reading was more about disproving the Book of Mormon than accepting it. This had been a theme detected over the course of the previous meetings we had had with Art. After we answered his questions I extended to Art the invitation to let the Book speak to him rather than trying to critically prove of disprove the Book. From that point, he opened his mind to receive the divine doctrine contained in the Book. He quickly gained a testimony and it began a change that was tremendous to behold.
In our discussions with the family, Art would frequently refer to some poor decisions that he had made. However, we did not pursue a discussion of those things with him. We explained that it was not our place to discuss these matters with him and that he was welcome to explore them with the Bishop, which he did. However, many of these things became public when Art was arrested and placed in jail for some of these poor choices.
From the time that Art led his family to begin attending Church there had a been a tremendous outpouring of love shown to the entire family by the other members of the Church. This was something that affected the Heffelfinger s very deeply. Despite Art very public arrest, incarceration and subsequent trials, this outpouring of love was never withdrawn. It was a great strength to Art and his family.
In retrospect, was it coincidence that the sequence of events unfolded as they did. Absolutely not! It is obvious that the Lord's design in bringing this lost sheep to the fold was to demonstrate His love and support. As Art's testimony of that love, of the truthfulness of the Gospel and of the Plan of Salvation grew so did his strength and commitment to change the things in his life that he needed to. His desire to make restitution for his wrong choices increased, but so did his capacity to do that.
Art's road has not been an easy one. He is presently incarcerated in the Montana State Prison serving a ten year sentence for his crimes. Yet his faith remains strong and his hope for the future remains bright because of his testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For some this may appear to be a sad account, but for those of us involved in Art's conversion it has been a wonder to behold the hand of the Lord as He has reached down from the Heavens on High and shown his love for one of His sons. Art knows that he is a son of God. He knows that he has worth. Even when the world is telling him what a hopeless cause he is, the Lord has shown him just the opposite is the case.
Art continues to do those things that he knows are right. He reads and studies his scriptures daily, he prays, and he looks forward to better day because of the Atonement of Christ which he understands now because of the teachings received at the hands of inspired full-time missionaries and the love shown by the members of the Townsend Ward.
-Rob Oliver
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Julie's Conversion
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| Kalispell, MT. L/R Elder Lanham, Bonnie, Julie, Elder Henricksen, Bishop Klingensmith |
I grew up in what would now be called a dysfunctional family. When my mother took legal action to separate from my abusive father, we (mother, brother and I) were suddenly treated as outcasts by the people in our church at the time. This attitude soon carried over to school as well. Thus i learned early on, that religions preaching the doctrine of tolerance etc, did not necessarily have members willing to practice that doctrine. As a result, my childhood was not a happy one. As a young adult, I had concluded that religion is like a pair of shoes--that you have to find one that fits if you are going to keep walking in them. And so I began a journey of looking for a church that fit--i.e. one whose doctrine was not only aligned with what my heart told me was "the way things should be" but was also one whose members were more inclined to practice what was preached in their daily lives.
In hindsight, I came to understand that while I was still growing spiritually, I would outgrow more than one "pair of shoes." I reached a point where I felt I had outgrown organized religion altogether.
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| Elders Wixom, King, Henricksen, and I help with Julie's sheep. |
I began to attend the investigators class and a couple general conferences in order to learn more. I watched and listened with a critical eye and ear and over time concluded there were more people in this church who were really trying to "walk the talk" on a daily basis than any other church I had attended. In addition, I discovered that the church doctrine had many concepts that I had not heard of (in the other religions I explored) but that I had in my heart of hearts long believed in. In part, these pertained to being less judgmental and more graciously tolerant of our individuality and differences--all very tangible testimonies of Christ's compassion and inclusiveness.
I have also been very impressed with the fact that this church doesn't just hold up Christ as a role model for how we should live, but also has a wealth of well-thought-out educational programs, as well as a viable support system and compassionate accountability process, to actively assist any member in becoming a more Christ-like person tomorrow than they were yesterday. The more I learned and observed, the more I felt this church could be the right fit for me.
It is my belief that you spend your whole life growing up without ever reaching the goal of being "all grown up." Last year, I was baptized and joined the church. I have continued to learn and grow, and feel that this is for me, a very good fit indeed.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Kenny's Conversion
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| L/R Elder Lanham, Elder Miner, Richard, Kenny, and Wendy Johnston |
So all that week I was getting texts and calls from Kyla saying you should wear this, this and this and be at the church at this time and do not be late. So Sunday comes along and I get ready to go to church. I actually get their 5 minutes early. I walk in and I do not know what to do. I can not find Kyla. She was a little late to Sacrament meeting so I sit in the very back so no one would see me. Then Kyla walks in and sees me and we go sit right up front where I did not want to sit. But oh well.
So after Sacrament I felt pretty good. We went to Sunday school, and then I went to Priesthood and Kyla went to Relief Society. When church was done I found Kyla and as a joke she invited me to go to seminary and again she did not expect me to walk in 5 minutes late to the Senior seminary class the next day. Everyone was really surprised that I got up that early and came to a church class. Anyways, I really liked seminary so I went back every day 'til graduation. But before graduation, Sister Guest (The seminary teacher) asked me if I would be willing to meet with the missionaries. I was kinda iffy on it because I had heard some good and very bad things about the missionaries but I thought to myslef, "If I have been to church and seminary, what would meeting with the missionaries hurt?" So the next day I gave them my number and right after school I got a call from them asking if they can come over that Saturday. I said "Sure why not."
So that Saturday, the Missionaries Elder Miner and Elder Baumgarten, and then Elder Lanham, gave me a lesson about the church and Joseph Smith. After the lesson we had a word of prayer and I asked them if they could come back over, and of course they said yes. So actually the next few weeks they came over and gave me the rest of the missionary lessons. Around April I started praying about if the Book of Mormon is true, if this is the true church of Jesus Christ, if Joseph Smith was really a Prophet, and if Thomas S. Monson a true prophet today.
Then on May 26, 2010 I finally got my answer through a dream. I was in this big house, and a young lady came up to me and said, "Isn't it time to teach the Book of Mormon to your children?" I said, "Yes it is." So I started reading the book to them and after the last few verses in the Book of Moroni, one of my sons asked me how he can get baptized, get a Patriarchal Blessing and get his priesthood. Then I woke up and asked Heavenly Father if that was my answer. I went back to sleep and had it again and again and again. Then I woke up and said "Alright Heavenly Father, I get it. This dream is my answer." The next day was the last day of seminary, that's when I told everyone that I decided to get baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
On June 19, 2010 Elder Miner baptized me into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ever since that day I have felt renewed and reborn. Now I am almost 19 and I got my Patriarchal Blessing, my Melchizedek Priesthood, and I have decided to go on a MISSION. I am so grateful that the gospel came into my life. I am so excited to go on my mission because I know in my heart that I will teach the gospel to people that are eager to listen just like I was.
I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true and is another testament of of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Thomas S. Monson is the True Prophet today and I know that he will not lead us astray. I know that my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ lives today and he loves me and knows me by name. And I says these things in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sheri's Conversion
Please see The Reason I Came.
And something amazing did happen.
In the last few articles, I've written briefly about the conversion process of the two Heffelfinger Daughters.
This is my perspective of the conversion of their mother.
I had been prepared to meet Sheri long before our meeting.
The first area in which I served in Montana was Livingston. Just south of Livingston, in beautiful Paradise Valley, live a group of people referred to as members of C.U.T., or Church Universal and Triumphant.
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| Yellowstone River and Emigrant Peak |
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| Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley |
These visits prepared me to meet Sheri, who had formerly belonged to C.U.T. When She was eight, she was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father was a strong member of the Mormon church. Shortly after her baptism, her parents divorced, and she went with her mother to California, where they joined C.U.T.
For twenty years, she was raised in their beliefs and practices. Finally, she removed herself, when the feelings in her heart could no longer allow her to accept what she was seeing and experiencing there.
When we began to teach Sheri, she was naturally apprehensive. She had come from a background where a prophet dictated much of her life. There was a lot of control, and fear. Of these apprehensions, Sheri said, "Because of my experience there (in C.U.T.), one of my biggest fears was about commandments and all the 'rules' of being Mormon. How would I know that I'm following the commandments of the Lord and not the dictates of a false prophet? How can I be sure that I would be following the commandments out of love for the Lord and not out of a desire to conform and be accepted and viewed as a 'good member'? What happens if I can't keep the commandments perfectly, will I feel guilty or ashamed?"
I can still remember the feelings in those lessons. Often, when teaching as a missionary, the Spirit helps us to feel a portion of what our investigators feel; to understand some of what they understand, at least for a moment.It was amazing, how the lessons would progress. Each day my companion and I would prepare our lesson for our evening lesson with the Heffelfinger s. Very often, as we prayed to know what we could share, nothing would come to mind. We knew on those days that we would need to rely on the Spirit to tell us what to say.
The lessons would begin. We would just open our mouths. And somehow, the things we shared were exactly what Sheri and the rest of her family needed to hear.
She had many questions.
We answered them one by one, as they came.
We talked about faith.
Can we really let go of our fears, and follow Christ? What is true faith? How do we strengthen our faith? What do we have faith in?
We talked about priesthood authority.
What is the role of the leaders of the church? How can we trust that our leaders are inspired of God? Why do we need to be baptized by proper authority?
We talked about prophets.
How can we distinguish between the true and the false? How can we know if Joseph Smith was truly God's prophet? How can we know if Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's prophet today?
We talked about trials.
Trials cannot overpower us if we center our lives on Jesus Christ. (Helaman 5:12)
We talked about listening to the Spirit.
One of Sheri's strongest desires was and is to follow the Spirit so that she can be sure she is following the will of God.
We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Moroni 8:25-26 became one of Sheri's favorite scriptures
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| Jesus Christ |
We talked about Jesus Christ.
He is the Savior of the world, the Source of light and truth, the only person who understands us, and the only One who can love us perfectly.
Each principle fell into place, in the perfect time, in the perfect way. As the weeks passed, the Heffelfinger s I first knew were gone. They had changed so much. There is nothing but the power of God that could have caused such a transformation. Sheri gained a strength that has helped her family immensely as they have passed through many trials since their conversion.
I love that family.
I cannot express how grateful I am for the timing and love of my Heavenly Father for sending me to find Sheri that day, at the capitol building in Helena, Montana.
He is the Savior of the world, the Source of light and truth, the only person who understands us, and the only One who can love us perfectly.
Each principle fell into place, in the perfect time, in the perfect way. As the weeks passed, the Heffelfinger s I first knew were gone. They had changed so much. There is nothing but the power of God that could have caused such a transformation. Sheri gained a strength that has helped her family immensely as they have passed through many trials since their conversion.
I love that family.
I cannot express how grateful I am for the timing and love of my Heavenly Father for sending me to find Sheri that day, at the capitol building in Helena, Montana.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Preparing the Heffelfingers
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| The three visiting teachers who found the Heffelfinger s |
Here is a firsthand account by a member of the Townsend Ward Relief Society, on finding the Heffelfinger family and preparing them to receive the missionaries. The Relief society is the womens organization in the Church whose purpose is to help others. They often meet with members of the church, who, for whatever reason, have stopped coming to church. Here is the account:
Our Relief Society presidency has made visits to women in our ward that we haven’t met since we were called as a presidency. These have tended to be rewarding experiences.
There have been some sisters that we met at their door because we didn’t have a phone number for them. Unfortunately there are a few of these who no longer want to be associated with the church. Even those experiences I do not consider to be negative experiences. And on the other side of the coin there were sisters that we called on who invited us in for a nice visit.
Some sisters we have not been able to meet in person because they will not make an appointment with us, but at least we tried.
When we visit, we try to get to know the sister and her background in the church and then ask if she would be willing to have visiting teachers. There is one sister that did not accept visiting teachers after our brief visit, but when I run into her (about once a year) she visits with me like we are long-time friends.
We have especially enjoyed the times that we have called on sisters who have agreed to have visiting teachers come to their home. Most of the time, we know (through the promptings of the Spirit) who those visiting teachers will be before we return back to the church after the visit.
Being in a ward, we do not have to go on a search and rescue on our own. We have priesthood leaders, auxiliary leaders, home and visiting teachers, missionaries and friends to help us in the Lord’s work. We need not fear making the first move, as there will be someone there to help us. And here I have to give credit to the visiting teachers who kept fellowshipping until their sisters returned to full activity in the church.
And so one evening we were going on one of our visits – to Sheri Heffelfinger. We had never met Sheri. She lived in a part of our ward that worked and went to school in Helena. If she did want to return to church, would she want to drive to Townsend?
Sheri graciously invited us into her home. Erin and Art, the oldest daughter and father, were working, but Leah was home. We started visiting with Sheri. Leah went to the kitchen for something to eat (within listening distance). We were in an interesting discussion about Sheri's background when Leah asked if she could join us. We were thrilled with what an amazing young woman she is. She was like a ray of sunshine, and she said she had questions too. We talked about prophets and following the spirit. We invited Sheri to church and she asked Leah, "Will you go with me? I've gone with you to your church, will you come with me to mine?" We were so excited to hear her say 'my church'. Leah said she would go.
The spirit prompted us to ask if they would like to meet with the missionaries. They said they would. We told them what great sister missionaries we had in our ward. :-) The spirit was so strong, we walked out of there on cloud 9.
The missionaries met the family but, unfortunately, some family emergencies took the Heffelfinger s out of town for awhile. Then our ward had to share missionaries with another ward for a month. Luckily Sheri's newly assigned visiting teachers kept track of her. When the Elders came to our ward a few months later I was really worried. Were they going to be as good as the sisters for this family? I needn’t have worried; the Lord knew just who the Heffelfinger s needed to deliver His message.
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That is where the article, "The Reason I Came" begins. My companion Elder Roerdanz and I were the first pair of Elders put into Townsend full-time after the Sister Missionaries left.
What incredible timing.
The Lord is so aware of the challenges that we all face. For the Heffelfinger s, He prepared every detail so that they could be helped through their distress, and become converted to the gospel.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Erin's Conversion
See Leah's Conversion and The Reason I Came.
As we began to teach the Heffelfinger family, we were excited at the progress that Leah and her parents were making. We began to teach in their home twice per week; once for Leah, with her parents present; and once for the parents. Each member of the family was at a different point spiritually, and all had different questions. We were amazed (I'm still amazed) at how they were able to drink in the gospel so fully and deeply. As the weeks went by, they ceased to be the family I first knew. They had significantly changed.
We were very concerned, however because up to this point, only three of the four family members were attending lessons.
Erin, the seventeen-year-old daughter, was still on the outside of this miraculous conversion. We really had no connections to her. There was nothing for us to go on, and no common ground for us to use to invite her in to the lessons. She politely declined her parents' invitations. We met her at the door a few times, and she would say hello, smile, and then excuse herself to her room to do homework.
I remember praying that we would find some way to get through to her. I wanted so badly to have the entire family investigate, embrace, and live the gospel.
We continued teaching the rest of the family, amazed at the Lord's hand in their conversions.
Erin began to listen.
At first she left her bedroom door cracked. We could see the door from the couch where we sat to teach.
I didn't realize it at the time, but as we kept coming over, the door to her bedroom kept opening wider, and wider...and wider.
She would make occasional trips to get some water or something to eat, passing right by us as we taught. She was listening, thinking, softening.
I had no idea.
One day it finally happened.
The door was all the way open.
Erin came out, sat down, and listened, right in front of us.
"Heavenly Father," I said, "I've been praying for this for awhile now. Please don't let me mess it up. Help us all know what we can do or say to make this work."
She had so many questions. Instead of answering them all as they came, we had her ask them all at once, and wrote them down. Then we promised her we would answer every one of them in the order that would best help her understand. We started from the ground, the Restoration, and worked up. We invited her to take the missionary lessons, and she agreed.
Picture: The door on the right is the door to Erin's room, which progressively opened wider through the weeks we taught Leah and her parents. We would teach on the couch on the right side the picture, facing the TV. They would usually sit on the couch we're standing in front of in the picture, and on chairs brought in from the table.
Erin tore through the Book of Mormon. She read, marked, flagged, and digested the Book of Mormon. It was quite amazing to see.
In the future I'll be detailing the baptisms of Erin and her sister Leah, as well as the process of conversion of their parents. This story means everything to me, and is the reason I came on a mission.
I know that the gospel is true. What a testimony to see the progression and development of this family as they embraced the doctrine of Christ. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and living Church of Christ today.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Leah's Conversion
Last week, I received this poem from the younger of the two Heffelfinger girls, Leah (name changed). It's difficult to describe what this poem represents to me. I still remember the first time I sat on the couch in the living room and got to meet her and the rest of the family. I remember the eagerness to learn, and the awkwardness in having a Mormon missionary in the home for the first time. I can hardly believe the progression I have seen. She started with a yearning for hope. That desire grew into faith, and as she learned more and more about the truth of the gospel, that faith has yielded joy in the midst of incredible turmoil. She was baptized, and she committed her life to Christ earlier this year. Her seminary teacher asked her to write her feelings about the prophet Joseph Smith. Here is a poem that has inspired me, written from a young woman who has not yet belonged to the true church for even a year:
JOSEPH SMITH POEM
Nearly a year ago I began my journey
To be able to see without my eyes
I learned what Christ really meant,
and how no one really ever dies
I learned about the Atonement,
I even saw it in my life,
With my dad-
and all that strife
And today, in this class
I get to think about the one who started it all
His name was Joseph Smith,
That guy whose picture is on the wall
He was around my age, when he opened that Bible,
Asking for an answer
From someone who was reliable
He was as lost as I was,
Confused about the truth
Wanting that Spirit in his heart,
Even though he was just a youth
A lot like you and me,
Sitting here today,
Just another boy,
Who wanted to know the way.
We make mistakes,
I bet he did too,
But he did something no one else did,
And I think that deserves a thank you.
Because ultimately, without him,
We wouldnt be sitting in this room
Together, with our eyes not so dim
I'm now a Latter-day Saint,
With a new picture that I can paint
A picture of my life,
Because I never thought that I would end up here,
With a newfound strength, and no fear
So here's to that man we know as Joseph Smith,
Who I didn't get a chance to know in this life,
But because of you, it's God that I'll be with.
You changed my life,
And many others too,
So here it is-
My thank you.
I will be writing more, for them, and for me, so we can remember the miracle that took place in all of our lives during their conversion process.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Reason I Came
I will never forget one Tuesday afternoon. My companion, Elder Roerdanz, and I were in Helena for meetings. We were finishing up, and preparing to drive home. We were headed down the State Highway 12, still in town, nearing East Helena. I had the strongest impression: "Go find the Heffelfinger s,"
(name changed).
I didn't know anything about the Heffelfinger s, really. They were to me a name on a page at that time. If I remember correctly, Theirs was the last name on a long list of names we were to try.
I had asked about them to those in Townsend who had met them. I found that they lived way up on the border of our area, near Helena, and that they were often busy with work. Sister Heffelfinger worked at the capitol building. I had already tried to call, but never got through. In attempting to locate the home, I had also failed, for as I later found out, our records had the wrong address recorded.
So, I knew we had to find them, but the only option left was to search the capitol building.
We turned the car around and went back. I still remember walking up to the massive, old building. We entered, and all sorts of stares came our way. People would look at us, and at first they wouldn't seem to care; after all, we were in suits like everyone else; but then they would see the name tags, and quickly glance away, frown, or turn.
Others were busy, involved in heated discussions, or running quickly to get to some other office, carrying papers and pens and looking very stressed out. It was a fairly busy day in the capitol.
The side we went to first was, naturally, the opposite side of the building from where Sister Heffelfinger was working. But having learned her location, we set forward, hoping that we would find her.
As we approached the office, some interesting thoughts began running through my head. "How in the world did I end up here? I'm a missionary, in Montana, wearing this black suit and walking determinedly through the state capitol building, drawing attention and making a scene. I'm going to find someone who I have never met. For all I know, she will be annoyed and disturbed that we would stalk her down at work to try to proselyte to her. I think I felt impressed to come here. I'm pretty sure. Well, whatever. Here it goes."The Spirit filled the room. It was like we understood that there was something incredible happening, even though we had no idea what it could be. She looked up from her desk, smiled, and we introduced ourselves.
We didn't stay long, but we set up a time to meet with the whole family. We left, on fire.
I didn't know then that she had been praying for help, direction, and peace.
I didn't know that she had been searching for spiritual guidance.
I couldn't have planned that perfectly-timed event.
It's hard to describe the feeling of being a tool in the hands of God.
This family has become to me the reason I'm serving a mission. Though there have been many others whom I have loved and known, helped and baptized, finding this family is the central purpose of my mission.
In the next few articles, I am going to recount some of the lessons we had in the Heffelfinger home. I will try to remember the things we all felt as this process of conversion began in their home.
Continued in "Leah's Conversion".
