Write to Me

andrew.sheffield@myldsmail.net

Ave. Estrella Sadhala
#10 2nd Piso, Frente a Univ. UTESA
Santiago 51000
Dominican Republic

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Transfered

Love you more than…
The Christmas presents you sent me!! Thank so much for the rubber band guns and remote control car that I kinda accidently gave away to our district leader De La Cruz who fell in love with it. 

Well big news, Ill let you decide if its good or bad, more just a good challenge. I got transferred to the area Tamboril just outside of Santiago. I’m in the zone of my trainer Elder Coombs and since he is zone leader we will see each other a lot. My new companion is Elder Jeppesen from Taylorsville, I think, I forget now. He is a gringo and has one less transfer than I do so we will be doing a lot of learning together. Also I just found out that I’m the district leader though I feel a little under qualified and a little inadequate. I appreciate this chance to learn and president’s confidence in me and the newer missionaries. I do feel a little grateful I will have extra time to learn before training, if I train, unlike an American and Puerto Rican Elder in my group who are both training this transfer. This will be an interesting time in the mission for many of us.

This week in review.  Dajabon continued to be difficult. Little had changed, just continued contacting and visiting just about every old investigator, inactive and member I knew plus showing Elder Dickson the area which he didn’t know super well. By the way he is training a Mexican elder now and is excited and I’m super happy for him he deserves it. We went to the market for my last time with a zone leader who was there to give the interview to Elder Rojas baptismal candidate. We visited an inactive and she then came to church Sunday which made my Sunday. I also started telling people goodbye since it was really probable I would leave. We helped prepare the church for the baptism Saturday and taught a few lessons and then had the baptism and ate out with the new convert Pedro a eighty year old man. We tried to get the little girl Yamile to bring her inactive mom to church which is the only holding her back from baptism. The mom wanted to come but couldn’t make it. Yamille came though and went to a family search activity later that night as well, she is amazing and i will miss her. I said goodbye to granpa hermano Blanco and Carbonera. We went once again to the family night of Chachi and Marisols family. We watched a great Mormon Message about an old man and his wife who both have disabilities but live together still and it was pretty emotional. We played Uno and ate treats. That night president called Elder Dickson to train and talked to me and told me I was to be a senior companion and he would need all of my knowledge and effort. Monday we headed to Santiago for the training of the trainers meeting. I went on splits with a supper funny elder named Elder Brindley from Saint George and an Elder Hainsworth from Idaho. That night I said goodbye to a few more people and also we ate with Hermana Tati one last time and played  Uno with her. I started packing. Elder coombs called me that night and broke the surprise to me early that I was coming here to Tamboril as senior comp and mission step dad. The next morning our zone leaders called us and told us where everyone was going. Elder Rojas is staying with his companion Elder de la Cruz though they aren’t very close, it was kind of hard for him. I missed saying goodbye to Frammi and Maria Jose and Andri but a member made us brownies and I said goodbye to Yamile and then we went one last time to Chachi and Marisols house where we listened to Christmas music and made pizza. It was really fun but bitter sweet. I stayed up a little late that night finishing packing re packing and deciding what to take or leave behind, hard decisions. This morning we woke up early went to Santiago i saw some of my group said goodbye to Elder Dickson and now I’m here where I found out my responsibilities.

Other stuff: neither me or my new companion have ever done this before so we are learning. My final package was given to some elder in my old zone to give to me at transfers but they forgot it, ill get it soon. 

Happy Birthday to my amazing father and hero. Thanks dad for all you have given me. I see the sacrifice you have made to make me who I am and I cant express to you how grateful I am and how I will never be able to pay that back. I have never heard of a harder worker, team player or more honest man than you dad. Wish I could give you a running jump into your arms hug like those good old days but I’m excited to skype you soon.

Spiritual thoughts. Right now I am thinking about a few things. First as kind of a part two to that one e-mail i wrote about how we as missionaries aren’t heroes, the reason I think that is because this isn’t our work nor are we the converters, solely the means or instruments to the work. Without the heroes of the members, our savior Jesus Christ, the holy ghost and our heavenly father we out here in the field wouldn’t be successful at all. Second how we are given challenges in life but they will never be more than we can manage, alone maybe, but with Christ no. We can overcome all things, make weaknesses become strong and also run our part without worrying about fainting  for lack of energy. Oh how I love my savior. Though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the lord is with me, I shall not want, and I will fear not. 

With all my love  Elder Sheffield 

--
Elder Andrew W. Sheffield

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