Family History and Birthdays

Love you more than...A good game of floppy sock! :)

All the sisters at the Zone Conference

I hope that you had a fun pioneer day! I have the best pioneer story for you! So go to familysearch.org/campaign/pioneers and when you sign in, it will tell you allll the pioneer ancestors you have! The new family history mission couple is here and they were helping us last night. We found one of my pioneer family members is Joseph Knight Jr. who came across then was in one of the rescue companies. Turns out he was baptized in June of 1830 so he was one of the first members of the church! And get this! D&C 12 and 23 are written for his father Joseph Knight Sr.! How cool is that! Be sure to let Grandpa/Grandma Sheffield know!

Ward member with us Sister Missionaries

One more family history miracle from last night. Background story is that back in Jr. High the Young Women went to a family history center and did so researching and I found someone who didn’t have their work done and I reserved her name so I could do the work. Well years later I remembered that I had saved someone’s name but never did the work. But I couldn’t remember who it was or how to find her and the program had changed so much, so had my email address… I felt soooo guilty! Someone’s eternal salvation put on hold all because I had been so naïve and forgotten! So I have spent years feeling like I messed up big time and just praying that Heavenly Father would magically make the internet break and accidentally release her name again so someone else could do her temple work and she could progress! Well guess what… last night I FOUND HER! Margaret J. Holloway! But after finding her, Sister Lewis and I felt like there was some misinformation there so we spent a couple hours just researching old records and data and going through. Turns out they had connected her to the wrong Elisha Holloway, aka we aren’t actually related! But we were able to clear up the relationship and sent her information to the temple! Her work will be done, and done with the right husband! I can’t tell you the amazing feeling I had getting that all sorted out! I never slept better :) But now I want to ask Grandma Anderson since it was her grandparents. Elisha Holloway and then his first wife passed away, Louisa Florence Quick. So then he married Nora Mae Williams. But I just want to double check that Margaret J. was not one of those wives. Also you should go in and update Grandpa Anderson! Add some pictures, stories etc. I had a blast last night with all of this and I’m on fire with the spirit of Elijah right now haha. I love my family!!!!!

Zone Conference with Sister Suriyani

OK so now for the week. I had a really rough time last week. I was feeling so down about myself and about the work. But this week we had a zone conference and I was able to have an interview with President like we do every 3 months. He said the kindest, most encouraging things. Basically he said, “whatever self-doubt or discouragement has gotten into your head, throw it out the window. Go back out and be your happy, faithful self! Don’t beat yourself up! Don’t worry about the work, just let the Spirit guide you when you go out the door.” He also said a few other things that just really touched my heart. It was just what I needed and this week I really did let go! Sister Allred’s aunt shared an analogy a few weeks ago that I really took on this week. She explained that we are riding through life on a tandem bike with Christ. For me, the last few weeks, I was in the front, trying to steer and pedal as hard as I could but barely making it around the corners and almost crashing the bike. Then Christ asked if He could take the front and I sat in the back and just pedaled my hardest and sure enough it was better than I ever could have done. I felt like I was able to let go in a way, and just get to work and the blessings have come! We had one cool miracle… Saturday we went to a member’s house unexpectedly when another appointment canceled. We decided to talk about missionary work and ask for a referral. Before we even knew what was happening, they already had a friend on the phone and were asking when the missionaries could come over! We didn’t have time on Saturday so we told them we would go with the Brother after church on Sunday. Well Sunday morning we show up to church and guess who is there? The brother, the referral, and the referral’s wife! They loved church and are going to come next week! See what the Lord does? And guess who else came to church for the first time ever….. IBU LELY!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE LOVED IT! The talks, the lessons (I taught gospel principles about Priesthood) and the discussions were seriously soooo perfect for Lely and her needs and she was very inspired by it all. We were able to visit her 2x this week and then to see her come to church… miracles :) I can’t wait for when she gets baptized! I just pray it will be while I’m here to see it!

Mission Leadership Conference

This week a lot happened! We had zone conference and that was a blast! President basically told us to get back to P.M.G. and not just read it but DO it! We truly are sifting through the nations to find the elect and prepared! “We are going to become a mission that sleeps with Preach My Gospel (PMG) under their pillow!”

Zone Conference

One other cool thing he talked about, D&C 51:16-17. “When you get somewhere in life (a new area in the mission, moving to college etc.) act as if you will be there for years and make it like your permanent home. Unpack and settle in. Be where you are until you are not (not up in Bear Lake skiing).” Kind of like the bloom where you’re planted thing.

Birthday celebration

The birthday kids

Sister Allred's birthday with Sister Donald, the Mission Presidents wife

It was also the announcement of the new Presidential elections on the 22nd! That caused quite a bit of confusion and made it hard to find people to visit, but all is well and we still had a fun bay celebration for Sister Allred. I made her breakfast [not] in bed: crepes w/ nutella, strawberries and homemade whipped cream. An Eggwhite, spinach omelet and a strawberry, banana, yogurt, spinach fruity drink! Of course I threw flour on her too. I waited until she started to shower and then asked if she would hand me my deodorant and when she opened the door a crackle, I floured her! But she couldn’t chase after me because she didn’t have a towel on yet! Hahaha sooo good. I filmed it all. Then later we went out to lunch with Sister Donald and it was such a treat to just sit and chat. Her life has been seriously guided! Amazing to see such an amazing woman and yet most of her family is inactive, siblings, kids. Did you know President Donald is the only member in his family? Not even his parents or siblings have joined. But that just makes them even stronger! We also found a place that has REAL cheesecake and so I would say it was a great day. P.S. still no idea who my next companion will be but I am most likely to stay in Jakarta

It is the biggest Muslim holiday of the year right now so Jakarta has no people! Everyone has “pulang kampong” gone home! So we are loving empty streets and no macet (traffic). Today we are going to Monas.

TRAFFIC

OK so basically this week was revelatory for my life plans. On Monday for Pday we were at a member’s home and Sister Paul sat me down, just me, and started asking about my major. Well it was such an inspiring chat and she gave me some really great advice about what my TRUE purpose is on earth and how to pick a major that will support that and still go inline with the advice from my patriarchal blessing. Then last night with the mission couple, the Lewis’s, they were talking about their story of meeting and she said that you should pay attention to your “mind’s view” of your future spouse when you read your patriarchal blessing because it is the spirit letting you know something from an eternal perspective. “I’ve heard your voice before, I’ve seen your face before, it’s like we’ve talked like this before…” Also an extremely inspiring chat! Haha but sorry I’m not trying to scare you. Still lots of time right?

OK well I just wanted to let you know how much I love you all! Families are eternal and ours is the greatest one of them all! I love learning so much here on the mission. 1 Cor. 9:9 I will become who I need to be in order to help and bless people here.

Love you to the moon and back x1,000,000

<3 Sister Sheff

Clean-up AFTER Mission Leadership Conference (Pizza is such a treat)

Love you more than….

chesscake bars! Mmmm :)

Arrived July 20 2014

What to write, what to write... haha I never know what to write about. We had another rollercoaster week. Seriously mission life is like that, every day is full of the highest highs and the lowest lows. I guess when we spend so much time serving others, and trying to fine tune ourselves, that a little thing can seem immensely intense. When others cancel appointments, when you talk to someone amazing who really seems interested your message, when you didn't reach your goals, when you miraculously run into an old investigator. The hours are so varying from amazing and terrible that if you ask me to sum it up now, it seems to mush into an "average week" even though this week was full of good stuff!

Some of the stand-out moments/highlights:

~Me and Sister Allred designed a new pass-along card and it looks so great! It was seriously an inspired design because the first day we worked on it and got no where. Then we were praying about it and the next day it just fit, like a puzzle and was so quick! It's like our baby. We give away hundreds of cards a day as a mission so we really want to make something that will represent the Lord and His Church well. I'll send you a picture when it's all done :)

~Funny quote: "I think Indonesia is like Jamanji"

~I have this random rash. Not itchy or sore or anything but I am just red speckled. So here's me and Sister Allred playing Dr. and trying to diagnose myself. I think I have cancer... haha teasing! But you know how self-diagnosis goes 

~Ibu Lely is going to come to church on the 27th! Hooray!

~We bought an access card to the small gym in our apartment and have started waking up at 6 to work out! Woot woot! It feels so good to actually run or lift or even have room to use a jump rope! We are the only ones that even use it and so we blast church music and tell ourselves that we are getting way fit... bahaha if running on a treadmill while listening to Mormon Tabernacle Choir is what you call "fit"

~We proselyted a TON this week but ended up giving out 5 Kitab Mormons!

~One of the people we gave a Book of Mormon to a few weeks ago has already read until Alma 35! We hadn't even met her again yet! 

~Sister Suryani is no longer a missionary... she is already back in Hong Kong! Her farewell dinner was so nice and small and I think it finally hit us all that she was going to be gone! 

~Theres this phrase in Indonesian "PHP" Pemberian Harapan Palsu (giver of false hope). Let's just say Sister Allred and I found too many people that we called PHP this last week. We have outlawed the use of the word this week in an act to be more faith-filled

~We made pancakes and had real syrup! The perks of SIster Allred having a bday coming up and us trying to eat her bday package and still stay healthy ;)

~Funny quote from a talk in Sacrament yesterday: "Joseph Smith didn't have a beard, neither did John the Beloved and neither do most of our latter-day prophets. The ones that had beards were like Moses, Brigham Young etc. That is a sign." hahaha uhhhh a sign of what?

~And drumroll please....... We didn't find our family of 4... YET! That has become this rollercoaster in itself. I debate all day long between "it's a worthy goal right? Of course Heavenly Father wants us to achieve that!" and saying "Not even going to happen. We haven't seen any progress this week and we must be doing something wrong." I feel like I am going crazing maybe because this sounds like I'm asking and answering my own questions. But here are 2 spiritual thoughts that have been keeping me going this week. The first is from Elder Lucherini, the Humanitarian couple in the office and the 2nd is the talk from Elder Gong in this month's ensign.

Pray Until Something Happens Story

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with bright light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This, the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down with his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind: “You’ve been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You’re never going to move it” —thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

“Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that’ll be good enough.” And that’s just what he planned to do— until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord” he said, “I’ve labored long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which You’ve asked. Yet, after all this time, I haven’t even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What’s wrong? Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve Me— you accepted. I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength— which you’ve done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me— with your strength spent, thinking that you’ve failed. But is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscular. Your back sinew is mighty. Your hands are callused from the constant pressure; and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you’ve grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you’ve done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

At times, when we hear from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants. What God ACTUALLY wants is just simple OBEDIENCE and FAITH IN HIM. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it’s still God who moves the mountains.

P.U.S.H. = Pray Until Something Happens! 

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng&query=gong+2014 

"Becoming Perfect in Christ"

A misunderstanding of what it means to be perfect can result in perfectionism—an attitude or behavior that takes an admirable desire to be good and turns it into an unrealistic expectation to be perfect now. Perfectionism sometimes arises from the feeling that only those who are perfect deserve to be loved or that we do not deserve to be happy unless we are perfect.

Perfectionism can cause sleeplessness, anxiety, procrastination, discouragement, self-justification, and depression. These feelings can crowd out the peace, joy, and assurance our Savior wants us to have.

 Missionaries who want to be perfect now may become anxious or discouraged if learning their mission language, seeing people baptized, or receiving mission leadership assignments do not happen fast enough. For capable young people accustomed to accomplishment, a mission may be life’s first great challenge. But missionaries can be exactly obedient without being perfect. They can measure their success primarily by their commitment to help individuals and families “become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.”

For those who may feel chronically burdened or anxious, sincerely ask yourself, “Do I define perfection and success by the doctrines of the Savior’s atoning love or by the world’s standards? Do I measure success or failure by the Holy Ghost confirming my righteous desires or by some worldly standard?”

For those who feel physically or emotionally exhausted, start getting regular sleep and rest, and make time to eat and relax. Recognize that being busy is not the same as being worthy, and being worthy does not require perfection.

For those prone to see their own weaknesses or shortcomings, celebrate with gratitude the things you do well, however large or small.

For those who fear failure and who procrastinate, sometimes by overpreparing, be assured and encouraged that there is no need to withdraw from challenging activities that may bring great growth!

Impatience impedes faith. Faith and patience will help missionaries understand a new language or culture, students to master new subjects, and young single adults to begin building relationships rather than waiting for everything to be perfect. Faith and patience will also help those waiting for temple sealing clearances or restoration of priesthood blessings.

As we act and are not acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:14), we can navigate between complementary virtues and achieve much of life’s growth. These can appear in “an opposition,” being “a compound in one” (2 Nephi 2:11).

For example, we can cease to be idle (see D&C 88:124) without running faster than we have strength (see Mosiah 4:27).

We can be “anxiously engaged in a good cause” (D&C 58:27) while also periodically pausing to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10; see also D&C 101:16).

We can find our lives by losing our lives for the Savior’s sake (see Matthew 10:39; 16:25).

We can be “not weary in well-doing” (D&C 64:33; see also Galatians 6:9) while taking appropriate time to refresh spiritually and physically.

I have no clue what is going to happen, if I am doing something wrong as a missionary and that's why we don't have success, or if me and Sister Allred ARE just seed-planters. But I do know that this experience is making me dig in deeper and feel closer to my Savior. That's probably the lesson here. What an amazing time in my life. To have no where to turn but to the Lord and nothing to do but serve His children. I hope that you boys are getting ready for your Best 2 Years someday! Not the best 2 years OF your life but the best two years FOR your life (or 18 months for me haha).

Love you so much! I love hearing about your life and trying to picture the stories you tell. Summer is still going! And then it will be fall! And then I'll be home! And then I'll start school and then Andrew will be gone on his mission and then josh and then Sam and then Jbug and then mom and dad on their mission and then all us kids will all be married with kids too and then we will all be old and happy and still active in the church. Planned out our lives, so don't even worry! :)

You're the greatest! Make me proud! CTR! If you get peanut butter, get smooth! 

 Sister Sheff!

Love you more than...

getting the window seat on airplanes!

Letter arrived July 14, 2014

Headed off to Medan! Woot Woot!

Well this week feels like it flew by! (haha not even trying for that play on words there)

We were in Jogja for almost 4 of the days and so we only had the weekend to work in our area but surprisingly we got a lot done! I love those weeks when we go to total up what we did and me and Sis. Allred are like "hey! That’s not too bad!" what a blessing from Heavenly Father to be able to have only a few days in our area but still be able to find some people to teach!

Playing in the rain after church

Monday we had the most amazing FHE with the Lucherini's (humanitarian mission couple) and Ibu Lely. Her english is much better than I realized and the Lucherini's and Ibu Lely have gotten quite close lately. We had the appointment for 5:30 and it's not very far away but at about 3 o clock it started to POUR and then FLOOD and plus it was time for everyone to get off work and race home to end their fast! So every single taxi in the entire city was being used and with all our laundry and things, there was not a chance we could walk or take a regular bus. We tried for 2 hours to get a taxi and after sitting in the rain for all that time. We decided just to leave our stuff at the mission home and walk. Of course as soon we get going a random taxi comes by but by this time it is already 5 and we are in standstill traffic. But miracle of miracles and we made it by 6! 

Broken down $3 shoes

My 35,000 rupiah shoes were literally in pieces after the first day. I think they made it with water soluable glue. Anyways after a hectic trip, Ibu Lely also finally made it there and we enjoyed apricot chicken and fruit cake! The lesson we shared was from this month's Liahona. Have you read the article by Elder Gong? He is our area president and actually told us about this article when he came and visited last year because he based it on us. Look at the footnotes for our miniscule shout out haha.

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng&query=elder+gong

 

But after such a frustrating ride over in the traffic, it felt like just the thing I needed to read that talk. Why do I have to be such a perfectionist sometimes? Sheesh! It's a gift and a curse. I especially loved the first and last parts of the talk. And then when I was reading in D&C 88 (verse 124) I decided to make a goal to "cease to find fault". In myself, in others, in the work, in whatever! I also feel like I need to be a better person when it comes to serving, and stop thinking so much of myself all the time. After all I only have 18 months where I literally have no school/work/family/friends/life to worry about! Just serving the Lord. That's all I need to do :) Sis. Allred goes home in a month with about a 4th of our mission as well! Soooo its a huge move. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not one of the ones going home next month as well because it feels like we're building up to something seriously big... 

But anyways READ THE TALK! It is so awesome for anyone, any religion, any age.

OH! Before I forget... I haven't sent you your Indonesian words of the week like, ever! Here are a few random fun words

sebentar (seh-ben-tar)= just a minute

gereja (ge-ray-ja)= church

jangan (jahn-gahn) = don't! Haha or even vetter "jangan dong!" = don't dude!

koki (coke-y)= chef

berjemur (berr-jeh-moor) = go tanning :)

kacamata (kah-chah-ma-ta) = eyeglasses (literally haha)

Tuesday we had some time to work on the mission t-shirt (any ideas for the design?) and facebook proselyting before we left for the airport. 

 

Sad lives of some of the people of Jakarta

Wednesday I went on exchanges with Sis Toegono and it was in my old area of Jogja! SOOO fun but sooo different too! I loved running into old friends; the guy who always filled our bike tires, the lady who sells water, an inactive member and *drumroll please* Pak Widanarto! They never visit him anymore because he wasn't really progressing and I think he still hasn't opened his heart enough to recieve it. But I really liked getting to see all the NEW investigators too. They are working hard!

 

Taking a Becak in Medan with our suitcases and all

Thursday I was with Sister Olsen (she came to my farewell remember?) and we had one really cool experience. I was just telling her that I never once in Jogja met someone and then langsung [(long-sue-ng)= right away] taught them in their house. When bam! We met someone and they told us to come in and teach. But when we sat down, a neighbor walks in and asks if we can teach her family first instead, then come back... uh yeah! SO we go to teach the other family and it was one of my favorite times teaching the restoration. It just made sense when we explained it and by the end, one of the family members goes "can I have a copy of the Book of Mormon?" . That night I ate at Pecel Lele again! And then we played futsol after english and then Sister Reilly taguht me 3 chords on her guitar and it was just a great time in Jogja :) Oh Sis Reilly and I also played legit tennis for our workout both mornings... ahhhh I miss it soooooooooooo much!

Futsol with the Jogja sisters

Friday- funny story! So we had to leave for the airport at about 4 so we set our alarm for like 3:15 but then in the middle of the night we all wake up and SIs Wihanda is saying "Sister! Someone turned off our electricity and they're pounding at the door!" WHAT?! scary! Then as we are all in a half-awake daze someone says "maybe its the taxi driver?" sure enough... it was already 4:15 and he had been waiting so long that he went and got security to turn of our electricity to try and get our attention. So we rolled our of bed, into a skirt and took off but still made it to the airport with plenty of time. Just no sleep, no shower and we looked pretty worn out haha. But we had a cool lesson in D.D.M., met with 2 new investigators, found a new investigator on facebook and then had a good english class. 

 

Eating Durian... nasty stuff

Saturday we were running out of ideas so we did a lot of proselyting and met some really cool people! We ended up crashing a reunion of 4 former exchange students who went to Arizona and 2 of them used to live with Mormons! How cool is that?! Also I tried on a $4,000 watch while proselyting. Jakarta malls are INSANE! haha I was trying to act all rich but the whole time thinking "don't breathe on the watch, don't breathe on the watch." Thank goodness I didn't ask to try on the solid gold watch! (like $30,000! Whewww)

 

This is... like the Icon of Jakarta, Haha

Sunday we had a greattttt day at church! Tante Bella came back! Liz, an RM from Utah, doing an internship here, came! Then we went and visited a new member, Heny, at the hospital and met some fantastic people all throughout the day. I gave a Book of Mormon to one girl I met on the bus and when I went to save her number in our phone, turns out we already had it! Small miracles that make me realize what a hand heavenly father has in this work! 

 

At the hospital with Heny

Today is SIster Suryani's last day! We have her farewell dinner later tonight. This morning we talked to Ibu Lely on the phone- she got released from her old calling in her other church in the choir! Now she has time to come to our church! YEAHHH! And then another investigator called and said she got sick and couldn't go to Bali! YEAHHH she can come to church now!!! Haha the Lord works in mysterious ways.

One spiritual thought for the week from Sister Lucherini, "Church does not save us. Prayer does not save us. Tithing does not save us. What saves us is Christ. But by going to church, saying prayers, reading the scriptures, paying our tithing etc. we come unto Christ. When we come closer to him then we can be saved." I love that and think that if all members and investigators understood that, they would be much more obedient and excited to follow all the commandments. :)

INDONESIA

We have a goal of finding, teaching and baptizing 4 people in the next month... FAITH! Haha maybe we are crazy but hey it COULD happen! So basically we need to find a family of four THIS WEEK! And give them a commitment for the beginning of August.... I have NEVER taught an investigator family before in my entire mission. Like a mom and dad and kids... NEVER! SO I am praying and so excited to finally find, teach and baptize a family! IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND GONNA BE SO AMAZING!

I loved hearing about trek! I think you guys are rock-stars. Sounds like this might have been tougher than the last ward trek! Now you can sleep right?

Haha but really, I am so grateful for our family. Mom and Dad... thank you for how you have raised us. Whatever you did, you did it so well (if I do say so myself haha teasing!) I am so excited for all the boys to serve their missions. The Sheffield's do hard things. You boys are going to make AWESOME missionaries someday! And did you hear? All the missionaries are going to start using ipad mini's by next year.... whoaaaa that is going to be so crazy cool. 

Give everyone a hug for me! I hope you are having a tan, fun, spiritual, exciting but restful summer.

Sampai nanti!

Kasih selalu,

Sister Sheff <3

My MTC group getting their Kita's

Nais Kuning and Es Campur... party food

My one year mark in Indonesia Celebration Dinner

Arrived July 6 2014

I love you more than....

Muslims love ending their fast! Selamat bulan puasa semuanya! 

I love living in a Muslim country! Sister Allred and I have way too much fun noticing all the things that happen "only in Indonesia". 

Funny story! But first some background. For fasting month, the Muslim people eat like a ton of food at 4 am then don't eat/drink again until 5:57 at night. It is illegal/inpolite to eat food in the open and even restaurants have curtains covering their windows (or they just close haha). Oh also they say "buka" or open your fast is at the end of the fast (easy to get confused but just think of like opening your mouth is opening your fast). So anywayssss the other day Sister Allred and I were on Busway and it was almost 6 pm. You're not allowed to eat or drink on the Busway anyways but we were talking to a few people when the driver all the sudden turns on the radio. It was a commercial for this sports drink called Pocari Sweat and there were people who looked obviously very very thirsty. Torture right?! Well then the door attendant and the driver start announcing "TO ALL THOSE FASTING: IT IS NOW TIME TO OPEN (end) YOUR FAST!" I kid you not, everyone starts opening their bags and pulling out waterbottles and snacks and eating as much as possible as quickly as possible. There was a symphony rattling wrappers and bags. I felt left out! Haha in fact it made ME get thirsty too! But we should've been paying more attention to those not eating since that would've helped us figure out who to talk to. I LIVE IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY! I LOVE INDONESIA! :)

That being said, I am so proud to be an American! Give me anyone and put them in a foreign country over the 4th of July and they will turn into the most patriotic, american-flag-sock-wearing, national-anthem-singing American citizen ever. We happened to have a zone meeting that day and this mission has been increasingly bule. Our zone only has a handful of Indonesians which means that we sang American songs for the opener and we ate at Burger King and Cold Stone (I KNOW RIGHT?!) and yes almost everyone was wearing red, white and blue... except the Australians... those darn Aussies! But it was such a good meeting. We made a lot of goals for these next 6 weeks since there are 10/26 missionaries in our zone going home! Elder Barrus gave us all a good peptalk about how only the Lord and you will know how hard you worked on your mission. You will be blessed in proportion to how consecrated you were in the mission. We also talked about making goals to stretch yourself. We have some high goals, Sister Allred and I, for her last few weeks.

Here I insert my heartfelt comment about Sister Allred so that you know that I'm just teasing about the other stuff: She is seriously such an amazing missionary. I feel so bad that she has to have me for her last few weeks because I am no where near as humble, willing, kind and loving as she is. I just pray that she can be patient with me and the Lord will be patient with me and still bless Sister Allred with the last few weeks she deserves, even with me as her companion.

Let's see... what else happened?

Remember last week we had a rough week with lessons? Well Monday night last week we had already met and taught Vita again, and talked with Isti again! The update with Lely... she is doing soooo well! We had a small fireside again last night with President (I sang a duet with E. Blaser) and Lely and Vita came and loved it. We have a FHE with Ibu Lely later tonight with Elder and Sister Lucherini and we are all so excited! Keep praying for her progress... she needs to get baptized already!

Vita has been doing so great this week. Today she is interviewing for a new job so we hope she will be able to find a job that lets her come to church! I think having facebook has helped her alot too.

Isti has been hard to talk to since she is always busy or something but guess what... she stopped smoking! Without us even telling her to! We met with her on Tuesday and she said that ever since she met us missionaries, she felt like she needed to stop smoking and drinking and now it had been two weeks and she was still holding strong! She is such a golden, miraculous, prepared person. Just hard that we basically only meet her twice ever and she couldn't come to church or the fireside.

MLC was this week! President made it official... INDONESIA IS THE BEST MISSION IN THE WHOLE WORLD! Some new and exciting things: 1. we have a facebook proselyting thing now. It's hard to find the time to get online but we are hoping it will get us connected to people we would never have met otherwise. 2. we are going to start baptizing on Saturday and confirming on Sunday which NEVER happens here, so that was a shake up. 3. missionaries now teach lessons 1-5 before baptism... also a first. President focused a lot on the mission motto againnnn and I felt like he was talking just to me the whole time.

Obedience is the Price= D&C 130:20-21

Faith is the Power= Moroni 7:33 and Matt. 17:20

Work is the commitment= D&C 4:1-4

Love is the motive= John 14:15, 15:9-14

The Spirit is the Key= D&C 50:13-14,16-22

Christ is the Reason= 3 Ne. 27:13-16

One more Contact= D&C 75:2-5, Moroni 9:6

We are going to Jogja this week for exchanges! I feel like I haven't been back in foreverrrrrr so that will be way good! I am too excited. Sadly it will be short time there but will take up a lot of our week. We will have to be on the ball with our remaining time. 

That's about it!

Mom: I've been trying to think about what I would like the Allred's to bring and I'm at a loss! Honestly I would love a pot roast, roast potatoes, a loaf of homemade bread and angel food cake. Umm but maybe some black hair elastics (not head bands like last time, sorry!) or a pair of capris (like jean capris) or just something that smells like home? I don't really remember what there even is in America anymore! Sister Allred is worse, she asks me maybe 10 times a day, "do we have this in America too?" Also, how are your family missionary efforts going with a few certain cousins of mine?

Dad: thanks for the Doctorly advice. I think about you all the time did you know that? I am becoming an avid taxi-rider and airplane-flyer but I just picture you flying all over the world. I want to go on a foreign adventure with you someday ok? No call backs! I always try to picture what you would be like in Indonesia getting around on your own and stuff... What is your next planned trip? Maybe it IS Indonesia! HahaHA! I am so excited to hear about trek! You have always been so good at church history and helping us learn our heritage, I think this is a perfect fit (and you wear a button down shirt everyday so it all works!) I will be praying for you all a lot this week! And I hear you are the pro boat driver these days. 

Andrew: How did school end up? BTW If you're not taking AP Gov next year you are so in trouble! I thought you were teaching swimming alone, is that still right? I heard you're going on a date with Samantha this week, have fun :)

Joshua: How about Freshman year? Is BYU going to be happy with your classes? Did you already start counting your service hours and keeping a resume?! YOU ARE GOING TO BE A SOPHOMORE! AHHHH! How is tennis?

Samuel: Has the Lego Movie already come out? Because guess what... I've seen it! IT IS SOOOOO FUNNY! "Everything is awesome! Everything is cool..." I thought of you the entire time! I know you will love it! Did you have fun 4-wheeling too?

Jacob: How is swimming this year? Are you already in the top level? Did you try skiing again this year?

I LOVE YOU ALL! This email is monstrous but hope it's not too bad! Keep reading your scriptures and having FHE even during the summer :) You will be so glad you did!

Give everyone a hug for me!

<3 Sister Sheff