Many years ago, before Tim and Linda Heaton married, had and raised 10 children, and retired, they committed to each other that they would serve a mission together someday. That someday has arrived and Elder and Sister Heaton are currently getting situated in the Las Vegas East, Nevada, Mission where they will be helping support a ward there for the next 18 months.
“We will help and lift and strengthen the leadership in this area,” Sister Heaton said. “We will do what we can to help in the ward and bring people to Christ.”
“We have strong testimonies of families,” Elder Heaton added. “We want to help people know that no matter what they are facing, God is there for you and will bless you in your efforts.”
They have first-hand experience with seeing God bless their efforts. The Arizona natives had moved to Missouri years before to help them prepare financially. When the time approached for their youngest son, Elias, to leave home, the Heaton’s started to prepare for their own, long-awaited mission. They started their mission paperwork more than a year ago, but needed to include an availability date after Elias completed his spiritual and financial preparation and received his mission call. They wanted to go serve and be back while he was serving his mission.
“It was a blessing for Tim and Elias study Preach My Gospel together in preparation for missionary service,” Sister Heaton said. “It was a sweet experience for both of them. We could also serve in the temple with our son.”
The challenge came when their plan for who would stay in their home changed in the 11th hour. Their daughter had moved in with them previously while looking for a job.
“We had it all planned out,” Elder Heaton said. “She was going to stay here and we could leave all our furniture and stuff in the house for her to use.”
She was blessed with a job and decided to find her own place. The Heaton’s were excited for her, but it put a wrinkle in their plans. However, the Lord had already made a better plan for them. A son from Arizona felt prompted to move to Missouri, and will be moving into their home.
“The timing was pretty incredible,” Sister Heaton said. “It was difficult to have so many changes as we were trying to leave but it was nice to see that God had a plan and he was going to take care of us.”
God had also made a plan for their oldest son William to serve as well. William has downs syndrome, and when they explored the option of him serving a service mission, it wouldn’t work out because he couldn’t be independent. Again, the Lord took care of the details.
“President Mayne asked for an exception to have William serve with us,” Sister Heaton said. “This mission fulfills his desire to serve a mission like his siblings.”
William will be their secret weapon in their service. They believe he will be able to help open doors and hearts that they wouldn’t be able to open on their own.
“He doesn’t know a stranger,” Sister Heaton said. “He will go up to people and shake their hands and say, ‘What’s up.’ He is making it easier for us to meet new people.”
They met a lot of new people when they went to the MTC in Provo the first week of September. They were part of 3,000 missionaries that were receiving training that week. Many were senior couples and sister missionaries.
“Being part of that wave of missionaries was humbling and inspiring to be part of,” Sister Heaton said. “We know it will change the world and change our own lives. We are excited to be together and united in the work of the Lord. I am very excited to do this with each other and William. I’ve always enjoyed the missionary zeal in others, and since I haven’t served before I am excited to serve with Tim and have the experience of establishing missionary habits and dedicated missionary work.”
For the couples out there that would like to serve, but don’t know how to make it happen, the Heaton’s suggest leaning on the Lord and not waiting until everything to be perfect to start planning to go on a mission.
“Our goal was always to go on a mission,” Elder Heaton said. “It was just a matter of when. I think the Lord took good care of us in all the preparation to serve. There wasn’t really any major opposition, like what we heard from some of the other couples in the MTC. Seeing all the missionaries in the MTC was a powerful witness that God is leading this work.”