Transfers - I'm moving to....

But first - I Love you more than….

Our favorite proselyting spot
(a.k.a. weekly photo shoot)

Kirby [Heybourne] movies, but “The Best 2 Years” in particular.

Remember that scene when Kirby is waiting by the phone for his investigator to call? Well that is what missionaries look like on the day of transfer calls. But this time President didn't call us on Friday like usual but on Saturday and we were all dying of anticipation! This is a huge move. Every sister companionship is changing and with 12 people coming in the mission... well there is a lot of change comin!

Drumroll please...

I am moving! BUT not until the 24th(ish) of March. So we have a really odd move because a new sister, Sis. L. Fisher, is going to come here to Solo on Monday and then Sis Manurung is going to train her! But I will be here to help with the training and waiting out my move. In the mission I am going from being a mom(trainer) to being a grandma(sis manurung’s training) and I'll get to help raise my granddaughter! 

Then I move to............... JAKARTA TO BE A SISTER TRAINING LEADER WITH SISTER ALLRED! How cool right? I get the best of both worlds. I get to stay here for a few more weeks (and here for at least 2 of my investigators to be baptized) and I also get to move and experience something new. And I'm stoked to be companions with Sis Allred and travel the entire mission. This transfer they are opening Manado for Sisters-- it is like white sand beaches and waterfalls and all missionaries want to go there. So I will get to go visit sometime soon! And I will get to be companions with every single sister (Sister Jibson!!!!!!!) in the mission at some point! I will get to meet everyone and experience everything! And I will get to meet with all the mission leaders regularly to learn from them. I love that idea. 

Elder Wood & Elder Wintolo baptized this darling family.

Not going to lie, Sis. Manurung and I have been fighting off boredom for the past few weeks. Missionary life can feel monotonous and I started parting my hair on a different side just to change up my life a little. But this move is going to be a huge change. Imagine three people in this tiny house! We have to figure out a bike for her too. I will probably live out of my suitcase and study on the floor until I move too. Gila... but I'm always up for an adventure :)

So Mbah Sis. was not baptized this week and might not be baptized in the near future. But guess what! K. and R.have permission from their dad to be baptized and are aiming for the 16th of March! We just have to get them to stop drinking tea first. 

Sister Manurung and I with our 81 year old investigator
and his granddaughter

I'm really learning so much about prayer on the mission. It seems like I had started taking the work really personally. Whenever an investigator didn't progress I thought "what's wrong with me? I must be doing something wrong and that's why they're not progressing/getting baptized etc." But a few weeks ago I was telling the elders how we are going to need some miracles before any of our investigators get baptized and one elder said, "You don't need a miracle, you just need the Spirit." He said we should stop praying that Mbah would understand and start praying that we could teach him in a way that he would understand. Simple changes like that. I got thinking how this really is not my time or plan but up to the Lord. So I have tried to change what I am praying for and it has really changed my perspective. And you know what? Statistics-wise last week was our most successful week so far together! You can't ever have enough faith and hope and optimism in the mission. Yes it will be boring sometimes or frustrating sometimes but I LOVE this quote from a mission booklet we have. It says, "You have a front row seat to the greatest miracle of all: the effect of Christ’s Atonement on individuals and families.” Alma 31:26-38 is Alma’s aweeeesome faith-filled prayer and then the answer came not as success but that they were given the spirit and got to work! Along with prayer is meditation. President said I should meditate before bed to take time to listen to the spirit. Christ himself told his apostles to take a break in Mark 6:31. Whew- so refreshing to take a time just to think. I AM GOING TO BE BETTER AT JOURNALING! Sheesh when the days/weeks start meshing into one then you know I’m in trouble.

http://lds.or.id/abu-vulkanik-gunung-kelud/ This is the article about us helping the firemen clean-up after the volcano eruption last week.

I love you all and hope your missionary work is going well. Don't get sick with all that cold ok? 

Make me proud! Eat some chicken pot pie for me! Oh and tell Taylor Ford hey for me! And congrats to Hailey :):)

<3 Sis Sheff

PS Joshua I found your Indonesian twin in the Solo Jebres ward. Too funny.  Get better ya? Cepat sembuh ya?

(random sidenote- It just hit me this week. Missionary work is like being a perpetual visiting teacher haha.)