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)