Love you more than...

cheeggybrowns!

(editors note: something we eat at the Sheffield house, cheese (che) egg (eggy) hash browns (brown) hence che-eggy-brown)

Us with the 2 new sisters and their trainers

Well we have been having a mixed up week. There are 4 extra sisters in Jakarta right now so we have been doing exchanges and trying to plan 2x the number of appointments. But these last few weeks we are running low on people to visit. Well Sister Allred and I decided that it would have to change really quickly as these 4 sisters were coming in on Thursday and instead of a week worth of appointments, we now needed about 2 weeks worth! 

I remember sitting at my desk on Wednesday just thinking and maybe grumbling a little. "I'm not a good missionary. Why can't we find people to teach? What are we supposed to learn from this? Wah wah wah." Then I stumbled upon a note in my planner from weeks ago to read D&C 31:5. Heavenly Father knew that I needed that scripture right at that second. 

Here is the scripture with a few verses before too.

D&C 31:3-5  "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation... You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned. Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire..."

Doesn't that seem like a weird blessing, to be forgiven of your sins and laden with sheaves? But that is exactly what I wanted! I wanted to feel lifted from my guilty feelings of not giving my all and be given a load to carry in this work! I wanted to be laden! And I decided right then and there to start over. 

 

Jakarta at night

Oh the glory of the Atonement that I can just say, "Ok I want a do over, sorry I screwed up the first time!" And the Savior will give me fresh start. Then on Thursday we had the 2 new foreign sisters and their Indonesian companions come and start going with us. We also got 3 referals that morning. I have given away a Kitab Mormon every day since that. We have seen miracles in every lesson... Ahhhh I love this gospel! 

 

Our first and last Jakarta district picture before the moves

Saturday we had Stake Conference Adult session and it was packed full. Sis Allred and I were sitting in the farthest row of chairs in the back of the gym and there were people standing even behind us. But a lot of elders went and sat on the stand because there wasn't any other room. But as our Mission President, President Donald, was speaking, he asked all of the missionaries to join him at the front. I will never forget seeing all of the missionaries from our zone crowded around the pulpit with President Donald in the middle. And as we turned to look at all the members, tears were just streaming down my cheeks. I am so proud to be a missionary! I don't ever want to leave this sacred calling behind. This is my mission! This is a foundation of faith for me and for my family. I will be telling stories about this for the rest of eternity. That's what made me cry. Seeing the 30+ missionaries and 300+ members and knowing someday I'll have to leave.

It makes all the long bus rides and annoying investigators and crazy appointments and headaches from schedules disappear. I love the power and light that you see in the members here. Amen to that! 

Favorite's from stake conference. "Look for the perfections in others, even if you have to squint." 

 

In Solo with these 2 cuties again, K and R

Update on our investigators...

Vita is normal. She couldnt come to stake conference but she has been loving the Liahona and Kitab Mormon. 

Leli is doing sooooo well! We have seen her testimony grow so much in her times of trial. I think she really trusts us now and has found a lot of answers to life from the Book of Mormon. She came to all of stake conference.

Heny: we started teaching her last week and even though she goes back home to some far away island in another couple weeks, she already asked how we can teach her once she goes back. She is opening up to us and to the church as well.

We have had some success in old investigators and referrals. Keep praying for us. This week will be insane with these 4 extra sisters since no one knows their plans... but we will go and do!

I haven't read your email yet but I'm sure your all doing well!

A few last things:

1. Would you send me a picture of me and Tay-Tay? Just a really good one of us together

2. Just been thinking about a BYU sports pass... could I get one? Maybe I don't need it with the football included but I still would like one :)

 

Airport in Jakarta on the lay to Solo

PS I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Selalu,

Sister Sheff

"Read like a missionary would. Pray like a missionary would. Think like a missionary would. Serve like a missionary would. You can be a missionary without wearing a name tag." 

United again! (MTC companion Sis. Jibson)

           

I love you more than...

...the smell of bookstores and new books!

May 18 2014

How's it goin? Apa Kabar?

Sounds like school is almost over which means crazy tests, fun parties and long nights of work! Home work and trek work and work work. I'm praying for you all!

We went to Solo on Monday and it was a blast! It felt like going home or "pulang kampung" if you're Indonesian. We went to one of my favorite families for Family Home Evening on Monday with a ton of members from the Banjarsari ward! Tuesday I went with Sis. L Fisher on splits and we got to visit Kartika and Reza! They look more beautiful than ever and I think they are still doing so well in the gospel. It was fun to be with the Solo missionaries again at Pak Jon's (our favorite eating place after English class) since I used to be in that district with them all! There are moves this week so everyone has been gearing up for that. But being with Sis Fisher was seriously awesome! Her language has gone leaps and bounds and I just love talking to her. She always says things that just stick so well for me :) and technically I'm her mission nenek (grandma) haha

Wednesday when we flew back from Solo we were both feeling a little under the weather so we took a quick nap before heading out to visit Vita. She is still doing well so we just did a follow-up with some of the church standards and commandments.

Thursday was our legit sick day. Sis Allred and I keep going back and forth who is sicker since Manado. That was 2 weeks ago! So finally on Thursday the Mission Presidents wife, Sister Donald, told us that we just needed a day of rest and recovery so that we could heal already! It was like a cold/flu-ish sickness. We were so bored of our little 1 room apartment but we were oh so obedient and stayed in all day. That is seriously killer as a missionary, but I did get some letter writing done. And we have felt so much better after that day!

Friday we had our last DDM (District Devotional Meeting) or according to our District Leader "District D Mccleary") before this district gets split up. Elder McCleary and Johnson are going to different cities but in our same zone. Sis Edwards is going to open a new city for sisters in Surabaya! Can you believe we have more sisters than areas?! She is going to have a blast. Sister Simon will have to return back to the Singapore mission sadly. And coming here... will be (drumroll please....) SISTER MANURUNG! Haha she will be companions with Sis Suryani (her mission grandma) and also Elder Barrus will come replace Elder Johnson as Zone Leader and Elder Rogers will be our new D.L. and our facebook techy. P.S. theres a "Mormon Indonesia" facebook page now! And our A.P.'s have a facebook account... how cool is that?

Another fun thing on Friday is that we tried to find a referral that was given from Mormon.org.  So far we have been given 4 and none of them have actually worked... but we kinda maybe found this address of the apartment and there was a Harry Potter sticker on the door! We are so hoping she will call us back when she finds our card :)

Saturday- we had one of those days where our plans changed every hour. People in Jakarta are so busy and usually can only meet on weekends. We went out to our farthest appointment (Sister Bella) so it was a lot of shifting plans and riding busses. We also ended up teaching the oldest daughter of a member family. The was all baptized except for this one daughter since she lives out on some island with her husband and daughter. Hopefully she will be curious about the church... We also met with Mima, our 7th day Adventist investigator. Haha she likes to teach us and so we didn't have a lot of time to teach. Hopefully next time.

Sunday we had a member of the Seventy come to our Sacrament meeting and President/Sister Donald came as well. It was a full house in our ward with a ton of the  investigators the Elder’s brought, all our new members and quite a few less-actives. Sister Donald even said something like "oh it was nice to see kids in your ward. That's the first time I've seen so many!" We had a pretty spiritual day at church with the “Finding Faith in Christ” video. Then meeting with Vita (who keeps pushing her baptism farther and farther back. She now wants to be baptized on the date of her mothers passing away. But that is in October! Sheesh!). Another highlight for me was teaching that daughter from the member family (her name is Heny) about Pemulihan (restoration). Sometimes I feel like the spirit is so strong and you can just look them in the eye and bear simple testimony like, "I know and I promise that Joseph Smith really saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father." Even if they don't feel anything at times like that, I feel it. It's like my testimony is getting strengthened the second the words start to appear in my head and come out of my mouth. That is the power of truth coupled with the Holy Ghost. Oooo gives you the chills! :) Funny part of the day was when we were heading off to find a referral and we ran into Sister Bella and a newly-active brother from our ward. So they invited themselves to be our guides and went with us on the 4 hour excursion to find this referral. Well we couldn't find it, but they were running around asking all the neighbors and getting into arguments with the community leaders and it was hilariously awkward and endearing. It is hard to contact while we have members with us but they were so kind to help and they got so excited about being with us. I love missionary work!!!

Sister Allred and I are telepathic twins this week. We seriously are on the exact same brain wave for everything: investigators, food, ideas, stories, scriptures, lessons... gotta love companions!

A scripture for mom since she loves little things (AKA Indonesia mission!)

Isaiah 60:22 "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time."

A scripture I found and love about the blessings of restored gospel!

D&C 128:19 "Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy...."

Mother's day

I am so impressed by the Book of Mormon this week. It has got to be the best story book ever. But its all true! To think that Joseph Smith made it all up is insane. Only the Lord could have had a hand in this book. If all I knew about our church was that we used the Book of Mormon, it would be enough to convince me that this IS Christ's church and there is none other like it anywhere. I KNOW this church is true and I know for a surety that the Book of Mormon is evidence of our church's divinity.

Why does the time feel so short that we get to Skype? I wish I could have heard more from you and explained more to you but it made me more anxious to send some letters your way!

We are still trying to find some really solid new investigators but the ones that we do have are doing so well. Vita is progressing (SHE CAME TO SACRAMENT!) and we challenged her to pray about a baptismal date again this week. She needs time because she has some major trust issues from her past life, but I think she is past the point of no return (if you know what I mean haha). I truly believe she will be baptized in the next month. Ibu Lely has been hard to meet with but after a series of major promptings and guidance* from the Lord, we stopped by her house the other day and still can see the light of Christ in her eyes. She is anxiously awaiting the new Liahona Conference edition. (*So we both thought of her in the morning during personal study, then we got a referal that we need to find who lives in her area and has the same name AND then the elders from another city called asking about Ibu Leli because her brother is a member from that other ward. Basically the Lord was shouting at us to drop our other plans and go visit her!)

The few let downs have been the people that we have met, loaned a Kitab Mormon to but then they become unreachable or ignore us. I shouldn't be so worried because I know the Lord is watching over them. I guess Sister Allred and I are just planting a lot of seeds out here! We have made a lot of goals to focus in on what are most important responsibilities are. A lot of it focusing on seeing Vita, Leli and others get baptized soon.

Oh one more thing, HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!

So good to hear your voice and see your smiles!!!!! Sis Donald said she could see where I get my excitement from. (does she just mean my loudness? haha) but also that our family looked so good. Tell the Andersons I love them again since I didn't get the chance to say goodbye. Jus, Alyss, G-money and Teresa too! Give Grandma an extra hug for me!

Also do you have the new ensign yet by any chance?

Keep loving eachother and serving the Lord. It is so much more important than we realize. And Andrew, I'll be praying for your AP test :) cram the day before and then get lots of sleep haha. You will rock it Bro! I mean BRAE!

I GOT YOUR PACKAGE TODAY!!!!!!
After skyping for mother's day, she received the mail in the mission office,
and in it was a package we sent with her favorite spring treat...
Starburst jelly beans

Sampai ketemu <3

~Sister Sheff

I love you more than....

mom's drawing/doodles :)

Last week's letter was full of typo's (sorry about that) but Manado was nice. The sisters are really busy out there and that is so good to see! Also it was so cool to fly out there, passed the equator you know :) But it was just like a paradise, kinda what we pictured for the Other Side of Heaven. I ate fish by the ocean with Sis Fisher and it was soooo cool! BUT then we got sick the next day... still worth it! One thing about flying those is that the world is always trying to invade mission work like when all the people around you are watching TV and movies and you try to just ignore it all. 

OH GUESS WHAT?! THIS IS MY ONE YEAR MARK THIS WEEK! Yeah that is crazy... 

I've noticed a pattern in the mission. The title is "Mission Cycle: What you Put In is What you Get Out". Basically it starts with no one to teach so you do a ton of proselyting for a week. The next week is following up. The next two weeks are feeling good with some people to meet then the next week after that they alllll disappear/drop us. So then the week after THAT, you are just confused what happened then the next week you start over with a ton of finding. And if you work, you are successful. If not, you just stay at that first week and never progress. So simple but so true! Just do it :)

One of our favorite investigators and her friend Ibu Lely and Sis. Adelina

One more thing- I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. The Book of Mormon alone is all the evidence I need to convince me that this is God's church on the earth today. We had a really great testimony meeting the other day too and it was just so amazing to feel the spirit working in our hearts here in Jakarta. One thing is on my mish I have been learning so much more from the New Testament because I feel like I didn't truly study it before. And that has been great! I have learned SO much about my Savior and come to love Him even more. But this last week I focused back more on the Book of Mormon and WHOA it just hit me! The feeling is so different from the New Testament, but so much better! If anyone, literally anyone, wants to have a more fulfilling life, READ THE BOOK OF MORMON! And if you can, study it with the New Testament... it'll change your life. :)

Asas-Asas Injil (gospel doctrine class - SOOOO COOOL!)

Vita is sincerely progressing leaps and bounds and it is amazing to see. BUT she still doesn't want to make a baptismal date so we are just praying for her to feel ready. Please pray for her too. OUR WARD is SOOOOO cool. I could just gush about our ward forever. It is soooo small but the new members are SO tight. It is just the perfect place for investigators to come and learn. Yesterday we were at church all day just teaching and stuff and we finished a lesson at 6 PM and the members were still there! They just were chatting it up with the investigators and think its no big deal that they were at church alllllll day. They have institute after church and all our investigators love to go too. They are all so supportive of each other! The only thing is that the older members of the ward with families and things, seem a little removed from this missionary fire. We are going to work on bridging that gap. We have one "investigator" that we have been trying to give to the elders but he seriously just follows us everywhere and is always trying to take us out to dinner or have us visit his campus. #sistermissionaryproblems

 

Walking down the street because it was faster than with the buses in traffic

Funny things that Indonesians say: "the weather has been so bad lately. It's probably just because the Lord is coming again soon. Isn't the world just getting wicked?"

"Dang am I going to have diarrhea today? My stomach hurts"

"You are so beautiful! Your nose is so tall!"

"You have a cold... its probably because you drank cold water."

"How often does your church fast?"

My Indonesia Wonderland
Isn't this place amazing? This is a picture from our M.L.C. hike

"Someday I am going to America. Maybe you could give me your address and I'll visit! [oh where are you going to?] New York City!"

"you're from church. can you help me? I have a lot of debt. I only need $100 US dollars that’s all!"

"Is your life like the TV show 90210?" 

"I'm on a diet where I don't eat rice. I just eat cake, bread and noodles instead"

And then just all their hilarious philosophical ideas about the Lord. I love listening to people here. 

They are ALL so religious! Did I ever tell you that you have to list your religion on your license? And people are like challenging each other to see who is more religious. (Sadly Christians are like the scandalous people here)

Really cool random mosque

We have no really other progressing investigators but a few potentials that we are going to work with this week.

PS One deep doctrinal question: what is the Holy Ghost's role in eternity? Will He also receive a body or some sort of inheritance? Would He also need the saving ordinances (baptism/marriage/etc)?

I'm sure praying for you all and I can't wait to talk to you soon! LOTS OF LOVE FROM INDO!

-Sis Sheff

D&C 35:24

MY MTC DISTRICT!!! 

For p-day last week we went ice skating as a district

M.L.C. Hike