My heart will break in two

Love you more than...
rainy season! We just checked the weather and it is a wonderful 91 degrees Farenheit with an drizzly, overcast. Um ok Ogden was 18 degrees Farenheit (but its like in the middle of the night there). Yikes!

Well my heart is pounding. A few nights ago I laid in bed and felt like my heart was ripping into two pieces. I am SOOO excited to see you all again and give you a huge hug! But I don't know how to leave this smiling, tropical family of mine here! Sister Manalu said she saw your facebook status and thought it was funny how excited you all are and yet how sad they all are. I think it is the real definition of bitter-sweet. 

Here comes my last full week! WAHOO! Are you ready for some miracles?! I am!

This last week was pretty wonderful as well.

 

Service Project

Monday we played Futsol with the 2 zones near Jakarta, then we decorated Sister Donald's house for Christmas and then went with a member to visit an inactive. However she wasn't home, so they took us out for sushi instead. Which, by the way, I LOVED! I am totally craving sushi now! We had the new missionaries still with us and it is always sooo fun to see their "semangat" (excitement) and hear their funny bahasa.

trying out my "selfie stick"

Tuesday we met with a facebook referral and she is sooo amazing. She really wants this! The other sisters are going to teach her, but I really loved getting to be all together and feel the spirit as we testified about the greatest blessings ever-- the Restoration of the Gospel. You know I may have taught/explained that lesson a thousand times by now, but I am always so impressed by the way the spirit just hits you, like shouts in your head, "this makes so much sense! It has to be true! Aren't you glad God loves us?!" And then we met with that inactive member from Monday night. She was absolutely stoked to have the sisters come by. (It used to be Elders that visited her.) One thing that makes me sad is to see someone who is so loving and kind and sweet, but then to see her make excuses of why she can't come back to church yet. It is never too early or too late to change people! 

Shopping for batik shirts for my brothers, earlier today...pusing (headache)... too many choices

Wednesday we went to visit an inactive, 2 little kids and has a small shirt store. We had this amazing lesson then right before we want to close the lesson, her little son starts screaming his guts out. It was actually a miracle that he waited until we were done though (answer to our prayers!). Then we visited Sister Lely. The Philippino sister that was with us for the week, Sister Baricante, was such a help to Sister Lely. She really understood her position and was able to give so much comfort to her. I think it was just what Sister Lely needed. Did I tell you how Sister Lely's old preacher came around and told her all the things that will go wrong now that she got baptized? Well it has been haunting Sister Lely and we are really worried about her. It is a little bit of a spiritual and financial crisis for her right now and all we can really do to help is pray, pray and pray some more! But we had the neatest thing on Wednesday! Brother (and Sister) Gibson, 1st counselor in Gen. YM Pres, Bro (and Sis) Tanner, 1st counselor in the Gen. Sunday School Pres., Elder (and Sister) Funk of the Asia Area Presidency all came to Jakarta! They had all of the missionaries gather together for a fireside. I received so many promptings just from seeing them interact with us, and with each other. And also from everything they taught. What amazing people! And I got the sweetest compliment after the meeting. President was telling Elder and Sister about when I skyped at Christmas and we had a family cheer and singing and everything. So he was teasing that me and my family are not really quiet people, but Brother Gibson says with a big smile, "Sister, you are just the way I like 'em!" Haha, well thanks! Oh and guess what else happened that day? 2 top Indonesian newspapers decided to make their headline article about Joseph Smith and how Mormons are polygamists and a cult... so we made some good facebook posts that night about how we DON'T have polygamy :)

So then Thursday we went out to visit Sister Bella and her nieces and they were sooo awesome, again! They won't commit to a baptism date yet but it was so great to see them both warm up to us so much. Now we just need to get them to come to church!

My last Mission Leadership Conference (plus a few tag alongs)

Friday we had the MLC (mission leadership council) meeting-- my last one. I've been here for eight of them!!!!!!!! President broke the norm and gave us all this really spiritual training about recieving revelation-- wrestle with the Lord. He said he was reading about it and couldn't sleep later because he needed to study it out. He based it on Genesis 32:24-30 and then just walked us through the scriptures on prayer.

How much do you want it? What are you willing to do to receive it? Are you willing to wrestle for it? (maybe that's the wrong question to ask the Sheffields haha). Are you asking the right questions to the Lord? Alma 8:10.

Well this week the theme has been revelation. I am SOOOOO grateful for this last few weeks that I've had in the mission. I am certain that I was supposed to be here for this extra time because of all the lessons I have learned. This last week alone, I have received so many promptings, insights and personal revelation. I've grown up so much this week! I am in love with this place. I am so so so so so so forever grateful for what I've learned from these people. I am overwhelmed with the loving way they share and give. It is the most humbling thing that everyone has given me trinkets this week to bring home. I really do mean everyone. They have made me recipe books, and bracelets and scarfs and necklaces and key chains. I don't know how I can ever give back all that they have given to me.

 

Me, Sister Olsen and Heny on the way to her kos (like an apartment)

A beautiful spot near Sis. Heny's kos. It's been awhile since I got out of the city

Saturday we had a trip out to visit a new member before she moves and it took up a lot of time. It really helped her feel loved though :)

Sunday we were so blessed to see Tania come to church again and we FINALLY taught her Pemulihan after her 3rd week of coming church. She is so cool and so ready. She langsung asked us, "if I get baptized in your church then marry someone from another church, how does that work?" Then the sisters had a baptism in the English ward and then we had a meeting with our WML... ummm so today, Monday,  I did a little bit of shopping for the 2 oldest boys. What do the 2 little boys want? Welllllll too late! 

Sorry for such a scattered email-- again! But know that I am great and the work is better!

I LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH! PRAY FOR ME! I pray for you always!

Do it. Do it right. Do it right now. -President Kimball 

Kasih selalu <3 Sister Sheff