Monday, November 25, 2013

Love you more than...

...warm chocolate chip cookies with a glass of cold milk! (thank you mom and Sis Allred's mom for sending dry mixes like this!)

Wow another week has passed already. Here we go again- weekly summary!
Sister Allred and I are making rice krispie treats
Last P-day I already talked about but after getting home that night Sis Believe and I had no appointment so we had a mini FHE and I decided to finally use up all those marshmallows you sent from a while back and I made rice krispie treats! No recipie so who knows if they were even legit, but they were SOOO good! One was a PB and the other (since we ran out of rice krispies) was mixed with Sis Allred's corn-flakes-ish cereal and cranberries. I bet no one cares about my cooking adventures but they are a big deal here since we have like no real appliances and western ingredients. So I always feel like letting you know when I make something from no recipe ;)
Tuesday: Kinda a random day. We found a "rumah makan manado" (Manado food restraunt) for Sis Believe and it was fun to see her light up at the menu! And two strangers payed for our food because Sis Believe was talking to them about Manado. That night we visited Pak with a new fellowshipper and Pak opened up sooo much. He started to tell about his son's death and was crying. But he seems to get more sure every time we visit that he doesn't want to change. Oh I am kinda losing hope but at the same time so hopeful that he will change his mind one day! That night after visiting a non-active member, I saw lightning bugs! YA! lightning bugs in the rice fields!
We found a Manado food restaurant for Sister Believe
Wednesday: a rough day. But played soccer in the rain with Sis Mannullang for the morning workout time. We caught another rat in the cage! And a member made this soup and was trying to explain it for us... it was corn chowder! Haha, something so simple but so delicious out here on a rainy night.
Playing out in the rain for our morning workout
Thursday: another rough day. But you know Sis Allred said that in the MTC a speaker said the best lesson you learn on your mission is how to do things when you don't want to. I think that is the secret to life! Love people when you don't want to, workout when you don't want to, say your prayers when you're dog tired, apologize when you don't want to, keep your mouth shut when you want to argue, wake up at 6:30 when you want to sleep forever, have patience/forgive/let it go when you don't want to. Sheffield’s do hard things! I think that's why one of my favorite scriptures is D&C 64:33 "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." Just do those little things. Don't get tired of it! Needless to say, our lesson with Pak was less than anticipated and he did not get along with the fellow-shipper we brought this time. Sis Hastu shared a cool analogy that reminded me of the Mutual theme from 2013: fish swim in the sea but don't taste salty... they are in the sea but not of it ya?
Friday: a much better day except the start of a new adventure. ALL the water in our house died! Just like last week! And we were calling EVERYONE to get someone to fix it but no one could. We visited an old pioneer of the church here in Jogja and turns out he had fallen that morning and it was pretty bad so we called the elders to come give him a blessing and it was the sweetest lesson. Bro Margono was crying and I was and Sis Believe and his daughter (I'm not sure about the elders but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt haha). I LOVE THE PRIESTHOOD! That night we got permission from President to shower at Sis Tjandra's house that night and man what an adventure!
Ist lesson you learn as a bike riding missionary - how to bring
10 pounds of groceries home on your handle bars
(PS things missionaries wish they could tell you "Please don't make us eat seconds. This actually is our third meal we've eaten in the past 5 hours. Yes it is delicious but that doesn't mean I want 2nds/3rds" haha)
Saturday: We had to wake up at 6 to go back to Sis Tjandra's and shower.... haha the grandma kept laughing at me working out in their kitchen and then she bought us breakfast. Donuts and gudeg (traditional javanese rice, cooked jackfruit, eggs, tofu). I love Indonesia! Another hightlight... I tried to watch the restoration video in ASL while waiting for an investigator... I didn't remember as much as I hoped but oooo I love it! Oh and Pak gave us an official answer. He will still continue to recieve us but (after explaining some war movie with ties to Exodus) he knows that he has no desire or need to change his life or habits or beliefs. What a heartache, and if he wasn't so awesome and if we didn't already make a goal to give him a baptismal commitment next week I would probably have been sad. BUT we still have that goal to achieve so bring on the powers of heaven! That night they fixed our water too though.
Sunday: I SPOKE IN CHURCH! They assigned me “Decisions for Eternity” by Russell M. Nelson from October 2013 General Conference. Hahaha wanna hear the funniest part? So I was really nervous because I had studied and planned pretty well in English but using only Indo was daunting. I guess I was more eager than I thought to get it over with because I started to speak then the 2nd counselor in the bishopric tapped me on the arm and said, “Koor?” (Choir). HAHAHA! I had almost skipped them in the program so after everyone laughed a ton and I started to joke about it I gave them consent to sing first ;) But then I was almost embarrassed to start again! Haha but the talk I think went pretty well. I focused on how we have been given the knowledge to know good from evil (Hel 14:30-31) and that we know what we should do in this church (3 Ne 27:21) so just do it! (Mom: That day in RS we were discussing from the may conf. liahona and mom just using your copy makes me feel all emotional inside. Just a lil part of you out here with me). We visited an inactive who told us that they are too old and have already done what they needed to in this life so now they just get on the train and ride to heaven (they are only 53) but they love having us come and love talking about the gospel. 
Cooking adventure--Yesterday night I used one of Sis Barnard’s taco spice packets and had bought some chicken the other day and then a member from Jakarta gave us real lettuce and I used some of my mayo/milk to make a “dressing” and pulled out an attempt at taco salad! It was delicious if I do say so myself! Then sis Allred made broiled chocolate chip cookies (the oven part of the oven doesn’t work so the broiler is the best we can do). The Indo’s were laughing at Sis Allred and I because when we talk to each other it is in like bahasa campur (mixed languages) but both the English and Indonesian are terrible so basically we are the only two who get it.
My attempt at taco salad. Made possible by Sister Barnard
(before she went back to Australia) and lettuce from a member
Today: we woke up to no water… AGAIN! Sheesh who knows… this house is WAY expensive but yet so broken down… The Sister Trainers are coming later tonight to do exchanges tomorrow which means that I will get to be comps with Sis Manalu again! I LOVE HER! Sis Donald (President’s wife) sent me ingredients and recipies to make a pumpkin pie and a pudding pie for thanksgiving so we’ll see how that goes! I wish you all the best thanksgiving ever. When you all say what your grateful for this thanksgiving, tell them that mine is “I am grateful for a family founded in the gospel that supports each other and makes it easy to do what is right (even thousands of miles away)”
The guy fixing our water at the house as we speak (hopefully)
 Tay's farewell sounds so good and you all look so beautiful/handsome. Jacob you look so sharp in the bowtie! I am so excited for her! Ahhh she is going to be a miracle worker out there! Man I love that our surburban is unbeatable! Keep on truckin Yuki! Haha ohhhh Werdna.... (weak and girly). I am going to figure out your question and I'll get back to you! 
 P.S. I have an announcement... I love my family! Period!
Sis Sheff

Remember when we thought those garlic toast flavored chips were weird...check this out!
My front door
View from my front door
(Meredith sent a picture like this from her apartment, so I had to send mine too.)

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