I love you more than...

LISTS. 

I love lists! I like writing them, reading them, looking at them... Sis Allred has a book of lists! I just have a few pages of lists: “reasons I love Indonesians”,  "you know you're on a mission when...", Questions of the Universe/Deep Gospel Questions, what I want to be when I grow up. Any ideas for me to add?

A couple of weeks ago we make paper airplanes out of pass-along cards
and threw them from our balcony window with no success
in making it into the other apartments- another way to share a message :)

You asked my what floor I live on? The 17th! But get this the 2nd, 4th, 12th, 13th, don't exist! (superstitions) So maybe it's technically the 14th floor.

Did I get to see conference in English? Um... no. I am kinda freaking out. I have tried everything. I just borrowed Sis Allred's flashdrive to download the audio track and I hope that works.

HAPPY EASTER! We didn’t have anything special to do on Easter so we ate some of Sis. Allred's candy and read gospel books! OH and we made frying-pan cookies (thank you momio for the recipe! superb!).

I am trying to send my copy of last conference for you (we can trade again like last time!) but long-story short, it is in a member's car and they are out of the country. I'll send it when I get it back! Thanks for sending those things! Would you send some starburst jellybeans too? Hahaha I'm sorry but I am drooling just thinking about those!

What a marvelous miracle! Magnificent! I am so grateful for the missionary blessings here and at home. I have started writing down one thing I am grateful for in my Sheff Book every night and it is kind of hard to pick just one! But I think hearing the talk in conference about Gratitude hit me. I need to find more silver linings!

Sounds like your Easter was great! I loved the new idea you had and don't you love the Christ videos? Have you seen the newest one?

www.mormon.org/BecauseofHim

Incredible! Those Mormons sure know how to make an inspiring video!

Homemade marshmallows too! Haha and just so you know I have told every single investigator about our "ALIVE AGAIN!" saying :)

Speaking of Christ. I really liked this idea that Sis. Allred shared with me from C.S.Lewis. I'll paraphrase. Only those who stand against the wind, understand its true power. Only those who resist the army, knows its real strength. Only those who resist temptation really understanding how strong the adversary is. Those who resist temptation, know the depth of temptation much more than those who give in. And for that reason, Christ perfectly understands the true strength in Satan's temptations and can help us resist as well. I was reading a scripture in D&C 62:1 and that made me appreciate it even more. Oh and did I mention that I have been studying D&C 88 for the last couple weeks? But I haven't gotten very far because there is SO MUCH treasure in that chapter! All about the Light of Christ and how IT governs the universe. The law and being sanctified in the law. Good stuff :)

 

Investigators. Both of them are so awesome! They both want to be
baptized soon

On and last Monday night president gave us the secret to missionary work. "The problem is that we try to do the Lord's work for Him. He can do His own work. All we need to do is be obedient, know His word and try to share the gospel. Don't try to tell the Lord how to do His work. We are just lucky to get to help out with it."

This week we had a lot of lessons but we didn't notice that until we counted them up. It just felt like another great, fun, miracle-filled, Indonesian week! But it just shows me how much the Lord really is in the work here.

A few highlights:

~Indonesians are the BEST story-tellers. Their facial expressions and voices are hilarious.

~For the first time on my mission, I sincerely prayed to live through an ankot (like a shuttle) ride. I thought we might die.

~We rode a Bajai (3-wheeler buggy thing)

~I met an amazing kid named Antonius and he wants to be baptized! We gave him to the Elders to teach though but I am so excited for him!

~We ate at Chili's and it was the most amazing meal of my mission! (and the most expensive... my wallet still hurts haha)

~McDonald's let me make my own ice cream cone just because I'm a bule! Haha and the pictures are quite entertaining.

~Realizing that all 6 of our newest ward members and our 3 investigators that came to church on Sunday, met the missionaries on Busway (the bus system here.) One of the members said, "That busway program is great! ~The missionaries should be more dilligent in riding Busway!"

~Visiting a member's MANSION last P-day

~Listening to President story-tell of meeting apostles and general authorities

~Teaching English class and having 3 amazing investigators show up at once, wanting to learn

~A new member, Tante asking us to send her picture to our uncles and friends back home in case one is single. (She is 50 and way pretty and hip... If you know any single members, she is ready to meet them haha.)

Bowling for p-day and I lost SO terribly

Love you all so much! Sorry if my email is hectic! We are going to go ice skating later today... wish me luck :)

Jesus is the Christ. HE'S ALIVE AGAIN! Go spread the news!

<3 Sis Sheff

I get emails pretty often asking for advice about the mission 

so I thought I would start sending it in general.

Things that you DO need to bring:

skirts... if you go shopping here, you can find some really cute shirts but skirts are HARD to find. Everyone here is so short and petite so that modest, missionary skirts are rare. I have bought quite a few tops and even a couple dresses but skirts are easier to find in the states.

Things you DO NOT need to bring that you thought you really wanted:

shoes... I wear a pair of crocs every single day. They are waterproof, cleanable, SO comfy, durable, easy-to-find in Indonesia and not even ugly :) Allll the Indonesians wear them too. I brought all those shoes that people told me to bring- the mesh shoes, the waterproof shoes, the leather sturdy shoes, the cute flats. But I left them ALL at the mission home. If you are a sister coming to Indo, don't worry, they have tons of rubberish flats for cheap here and I would say a pair of crocs is my new wardrobe essential. Also bring a pair of flip-flops, a pair of running shoes and a pair of shoes to do P-day things in.

bug spray... takes up weight in your luggage. Bring some but you can get bug spray here too and the bugs aren't even as bad as I expected. (well, depends on what you're expecting)

Q-tips... why did I bring these? You can definitely get them here!

Water-purifier... haha Sister Allred said she bought one just for the mission and has not used it once. We just use bottled water here, don't worry.

Blow-dryer/Straightener/Curler... a few words: bike helmets & humidity. Bring them if you are really dying to but they will gather dust on the shelf. I can count on my hand the number of times I have attempted to straighten/curl my hair and in 2 hours it was already a mess. Save the weight in your suitcase for something better.

…to be continued!