Little promptings of the Holy Ghost

Love you more than....
Rice Burgers! Oh Asia, I love you! I had a Korean Bulgogi flavored "Rice Burger" for P-day today... I think a bun still wins haha. But an A for creativity!

Taking shortcut through the field. I love Jakarta's contrast!

I'm at a blank! I don't know where to start! Every week emailing, my mind just explodes like Pandora's box... if I could just write it all down I wouldn't feel so scatterbrained! Basically I just left my planner at home which in missionary world is like leaving your entire brain home. I feel so lost w/o it! So I will try to remember the week on my own (own my own... pretending he's beside me)

So we had one great miracle this week. I think missionary work is all about persistence. I am the kinda person who feels like sending a letter once every 6 months is enough but I'm learning that when it comes to the gospel, consistent persistence is key! We met with an inactive sister on Tuesday. She was baptized in Hong Kong but before she had the chance to take out her endowments, she decided to come back home and marry her Bhuddist boyfriend. Now she has 2 kids under the age of 2, owns a little clothes shop and usually shows up to church 1x every 6 months. We go over there about once a week but this week when we went over there on Tuesday, something felt different. We shared a short scripture from Moroni 10:32 and a thought but right at the end just started to ask if there was something she wanted to share. This sister broke down and explained how she feels so far from the Lord and that she see's how happy everyone is that goes to church yet how come now that she has a family, everyone is trying to make her stay away from church? She feels like everyone is pulling her away from the Lord and she is not happy anymore. She asked for a priesthood blessing. We testified of God's love and how true happiness is truly found in the gospel. We told her to just focus on the small things for now: praying more sincerely and come to church. The next day we stopped by her shop (for the first time ever) and just shared a follow-up message about prayer. The next day the elders went to her house and gave her a priesthood blessing and shared a message about the Plan of Salvation. Sunday she was at church! 2 little kids in tow! And they are CRAZY!!! Haha our ward has 50 people, only 2 primary kids, a few YW and no YM so they have not had little kids in a while and I think they about went into shock to see these little kids running around. But Sister Manalu (now Sister Nita) was an angel and a lot of the members rallied around this sister to help her kids. I wanted to cry just to see the whole loop. Her sincere desire to feel that closeness to God. Sure Sundays are the best profit for her little shop, but she left that and brought her 2 hyperactive kids to church all alone. That is bravery and faith like none other. And side note, the temptation was killer since missionaries aren't allowed to hold little kids, but we wanted to just hold her kids and play with them. Someday... 

What else? We had a missionary leadership counsel this week at the same time as a whole new group of elders came in and the same time Sister Olsen's entire group renewed their kitas. Seeing all these reminders of when I was new, makes me feel "mission old" and yet so happy at the same time. I have come a LONG ways. I can see how you all have come a long ways too! 

It's amazing the desperation that comes with running out of time. By the time Friday morning's Missionary Leader Counsel meeting hit, I was feeling so anxious and desperate. I have to read everything and relearn every thing and perfect everything and contact everyone and teach everyone and find everyone and yet time keeps ticking away. I feel like there is no time ever! Even just to write a letter; do I read the Book of Mormon or write in my journal or read conference or write a letter or fill out pass-along cards or study mission books. SO then I usually don't get done any of those. (PS I can't even imagine what "real life" is going to be like! How do you do it all? How? haha) But that desperation to be the missionary I always dreamed of, has brought blessings. I have more sincere, real prayers with my Heavenly Father. I am learning so much more behind the why and how of the Atonement. I am finding so many more miracles, little promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Every neighborhood has an official chill spot - How cool!

You know the best feeling? Being at an Sister Lely's house and having her say, "that verse you sent last night was EXACTLY what I needed. How do you always know?" Well I don't! But the Lord does! And through his perfect little web, he sends the Holy Ghost to prompt me to pick a verse and send it to everyone. You know, after I texted that verse to all our investigators (Philipians 2:12) one person responded back and said what a terrible verse. We shouldn't "work out our own Salvation" but should rely on the Savior, and I thought, guess that was a bad idea to send. Yet the next day seeing how it blessed just one person... WOW! It sounds like you were learning the same things this week. About how the little things to us are big blessings for someone else.

Funny stories : 

~We have a facebook love triangle with a now "ex" investigator, a new member and a old-time member who lives in Canada. It is the funniest little drama playing out between these love-stricken Indonesian women and this only-trying-to-be-a-good-missionary member. So our old investigator decided to mail back the Book of Mormon. Too bad! She was so entertaining!

~Sister Olsen went to the doctor and the doctor would NOT let me go in the same room! The doctor was like "what are you her chaperone?" ummmm Yes!? But nothing was wrong, she just wanted to check a rash. 

 

At church with our Investigators Ariel & Alyssa

OH! I WAS STUDYING THE GREATEST THING THIS WEEK! Sister Jibson sent me the talk "The Atonement" by W. Cleon Skousen. And then I happened to be in the Alma 40's for my personal study. I learned so much about Mercy and Justice. Without mercy we are not saved but without justice, God ceases to be God. It is the perfect balance. Repentance is the only way to obtain mercy. Mercy can only claim the penitent. Christ's request is for those who believe on his name and no one else can be saved! We can obtain that mercy because Christ suffered the worst humiliation and pain of anyone to every come to this earth. How grateful I am for a Savior who would relakan... what is that in English... like "give up" His life so that justice wouldn't destroy our chance at eternal glory.

OK so I am super dee duper out of time but I need to desperately send pictures and email president. Take Luck! I love you so much! AND I AM NOT TRUNKY! But... I can't wait to go to the temple with you too :) and eat Sunday dinner with you too and all those other things you mentioned. 

Make me proud! Keep listening to the Spirit! The more you do, the better you get at hearing.

Tresno selawas'e!

Sister Sheffield <3