2026-07-19_email_heads-up-twist-up
From: jason.heywood@gmail.com To: nheywood@missionary.org (and ladaloheywood@gmail.com) Date: 2026-07-19 (sent Sunday evening MDT; Gmail's UTC timestamp reads 2026-07-20 01:28Z) Subject: Heads up Twist up
I don't know what to put for subjects so I make up stuff.
SISTER HEYWOOD! HIIIIII!!!!
I hope you are enjoying your time at the MTC. It was weird not having you at church today. Guess what you DON'T have to do today? INDEXING! ha.
[image: IMG_1756.jpeg]
Mom is getting ready for Mike and Kari to come over. I guess they are doing Lagoon tomorrow and wanted to visit. I love them, but am happy to just have a quiet Sunday with nobody, like a happy little HERMIT. I have a problem Natalie. I need to get out of my own way and stop being the child proof lid in my medical jar of happiness.
Madelyn had her farewell today. She did good. She did the bobble head really hard at first, when she was talking. It was like an old person with a severe case of parkinson's disease. I tease, but I am proud of her. That takes a lot of courage, and I also do a bunch of things that are WAAAAY more cringe than that. Come on Madelyn. If you're gonna be cringe, do it like a pro and talk about joining a dude peeing in a 1 person bathroom.
I'm excited to talk to you this next week. The Oldhams and Erin Davis was asking about you today. I said I DONT KNOW AND I'M BASICALLY DYING BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HER SINCE WEDNESDAY!
I hope you are loving the MTC and taking it all in. The good, the bad, the awkward, the spiritual, the food, the rooms, all the things. If you were anything like me, you cried yourself to sleep on the first night. Then had passing waves of sadness being homesick. But, really, nothing at home will move you forward. You are where you need to be, and that is good.
So what is your favorite part of the MTC? What spiritual experiences have you had? How is your district and teacher? HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING EMBARRASSING? I hope so. Because embarrassing stories make good talk material lol.
What are you studying? What have you learned that is new?
I went for a walk today in the hills. It was 3 miles. It was the same walk I went with ya'll a few weeks ago. [image: 5AE190C0-A83B-476E-A670-BA3B1C1BF10A_1_105_c.jpeg] Check out my GOAT! It's the GOAT! I almost stepped in what I think was coyote poo.
I'm reading in Mosiah 21 right now. I love the book of Mormon, SO MUCH. Limhi, Noah's son, has been severely humbled and is just starting to plan his deliverance with Ammon. One thing I just picked up here that I missed until today was in verse 33.
33 And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God.
And Ammon declined doing this thing, considering himself an unworthy servant.
WUT??? I WANT TO GIVE AMMON A HUG! I never caught that before. I don't know what was going on in Ammon's life, or what he did, but whenever I've read about his life in the Book of Mormon, never once have I thought "I'll bet he is unworthy to do stuff". I think that's often how it is with us. Sometimes we deny ourselves blessings, which then denies others blessings, because WE CONSIDER OURSELVES unworthy, whether we are or not. I'm so grateful for my Savior that whether or not I am worthy, I can go to my Jesus and have long talks with him. 90% of the time I find I'm being overly critical. 10% of the time he's like, yeah, you're right, but don't worry, you're not alone. Let's solve this together. 100% of the time I can improve and 100% of the time my self worth and value does not diminish.
I love you Nata. Have an amazing time in the MTC. I'm excited to talk to you this week. If there are MTC photos, or Google Photo Albums, please share with me, I'd love to follow them!
Love,
Dad
Filing notes
Jason's Sunday note to Natalie, her first weekend at the Provo MTC. Directed counsel on self-worth, built on Mosiah 21:33 (Ammon declining to baptize Limhi's people, "considering himself an unworthy servant"): we sometimes deny ourselves and others blessings by considering ourselves unworthy whether we are or not, and our self-worth does not diminish even when we can improve. Also a batch of "how is the MTC" questions and the same-day hike photo (the "GOAT" mountain-goat picture, also sent to Kaitlynn in the "Sunday" email).
Sent to Natalie's missionary address and ladaloheywood@gmail.com (the same secondary address that received the July 16 Natalie letters). Photos not stored in the vault. Jason was reading Mosiah 21 that weekend; he also mentioned it to Kaitlynn on the July 20 departure call the next morning.