This week was a good but stressful week

Love you more than…Tamboril mountains!!! Everyday as we leave the house I look up into the mountains with clouds at the top and it feels almost comforting. It is nice to see mountains even if they are covered with palm trees.

Well it sounds like the family´s week was kind of like mine. Weird how I feel like we had parallel days, feels like we are together even though its a break from each other right now.

In truth this was a really good week on paper. We have set some good goals and commitments with ourselves and also with investigators. The week began with us setting a date or goal with eight investigators to get baptized. It was exciting to plan for it all and think of all the potential and everything. Even though it is really scary to set dates with people, it was the right time. Cristofer (the teenager) is learning and getting ready for the 23rd. He wants to get baptized and it looks like a straight path. Marelyn, is a 11 year old with a less active mom, but her grandparents are strong members and often bring her to church, she wants to get baptized by her Uncle. With 20 year old Leo and his friend Jose, we were teaching about the restoration and we set a date with them. They said if they come to know if it is true they will get baptized. Leo is like an eternal investigator and always comes to church but it’s difficult to get lessons with him since he says he is always working or at school. It’s frustrating a little, to see how much he knows and how great of a person he is, but he does not really commit to one way or the other. With Heydi and her Dad we set the date, and they also said if they come to know it is true, then they will also get baptized. We were super excited since the mom is a less active and we wanted to help the family so much. But the other day we visited them and the dad said he had called his mother, and she doesn’t want him to get baptized since they are catholic. Heydi still wants to get baptized and she has her parent´s support, but she has to be strong and prepare, to be ready. Angelina and her husband Luis, who work is the us, were super good in our lesson the other day. He loves reading and is almost like a member. We planned to set a date with them to get baptized and we taught them about baptism. It was a great lesson and they both knew so much, about how infants don’t need to get baptized, baptism by immersion and everything and it was going great. We challenged him to baptism and he gave us a mediocre yes, we challenged her and things got hard. They are both less-active Catholics and have strong religious family. They said that they didn’t know if they-she wanted to get baptized because they got baptized as Catholics. It was confusing and a little frustrating to hear it after they talked about how we should have agency to get baptized and babies don’t need baptism, yet they feel like they already did that so its alright. He said he would read and pray about it and she did to and then they’ll decide. We passed by their house another day and she didn’t seem to even remember that challenge and he was out with friends. Its hard to have hope when we haven’t been able to teach them much and she doesn’t have much desire to do the commitments, like read and pray. I love them so much and they have an amazing religious family, yet it’s hard to be so close and yet there doesn’t seem to be much chance anymore. On the bright side our investigator Patricia came to church the other day for the first time! We have taught her almost everything yet she hasn’t come to church and doesn’t read a lot. It made my Sunday! Besides these people I mentioned,we haven’t had a lot of progress since we don’t have many other investigators. 

The week was good but stressful and this next week could go either way. The hardest things in the mission are when you can’t find people who want to be taught, when you aren’t sufficient enough to help other and when people are so close to reaching our-their goals and don’t make it. These things seem to be starting this last week and are looming ahead for this upcoming week. 

I have felt, more than ever, the spirit in me as I testify and teach. I have felt myself being an instrument to help others. However, I often feel insufficient for what needs to be done. I feel like I’m able to do what is necessary to continue forward, but not to help others flourish. Elder Jeppesen and I haven’t been as obedient as I had planned, and it is hard. I want so much to help others, to be a good second comp (step-dad in mission language) to Elder Jeppesen and prepare this area to progress, but I am stressed it isn’t enough. I feel like I imagine Joseph Smith felt a year or so after the first vision. I feel young and inexperienced, when others need my help. Also with the position of my time in this area and comparing other factors of the mission, I feel like I will get another companion that is younger than me, this next transfer. I get scarred sometimes for things.

With all of this however, I know my Father loves me and my Savior is with me. Even if I can’t be the best Elder in the world, and even if I can’t help everyone in this destiny-changing progress. I know things will work out. I know I will be all right and things will continue, however I just want so much for things to be more than average. 

A scripture I have for the family is 2 Nephi 5:27 (Here is my rough translation from Spanish into English) “And it came to pass that we did live in a manner of happiness.” Even with all the trails and failings of Lehi´s family, they lived happily because those that had faith tried to be better. If we try to improve we will slowly realize we are happy. I love looking at the difference between Nephi and Laman/Lamuel. They went through the same experiences but had different outcomes. It’s about perspective and obedience. I think it applies to life and has been magnified in the mission. I had a great week. It had it’s trails, but I was able to share the joy and knowledge I have. I am on the lords errand and I am able to become so much more because I have his promise that I nothing is to hard when I allow him to help. Would we give our lives for Christ?! If yes, then why is it difficult to say we would read our scriptures for Christ or do what he asks! Life will never be easy but we can find happiness if we try to do what he says, then we receive the promise to have a light burden and happy life.

We gave a blessing to a good friend, the young woman’s president, this week and I felt the spirit really strong as we helped to help her find comfort in some trails she is going through. 

Cristofer really opened up to us the other day and said he feels dirty spiritually and wants to feel clean and how he feels the church is true and how baptism is the next step. He feels like a little brother almost. And I want so bad for him to keep working on his testimony so he stays strong for the week leading up to his baptism, and doesn’t stumble after. 

I emailed cousin Nate and we talked about the mission. I got a lot of advice, he’s such a good example. Hope its nice seeing him again this week.

We had a fun time playing dominos this week with a few families, even though I’m not expert like Dominicans, its turning into a hobby. We had a big Zone Meeting the other day, where I got to see more of my MTC group. It was amazing to see everyone but nervous as they predicted this next transfer of me having a new comp. I’m just relieved  I didn’t get chosen to be a trainer this current transfer like a gringo and latino from my group. Not sure if it’s a thing in the states, but here there is sour apple soda that I think you guys would love. 

Jacob I used your baptism story in a lesson I had the other day, thanks for helping me teach buddy. Hows basketball? Samuel how’s school doing!! Junior high felt scary at first, but we felt so grown up and cool! What’s your favorite class. Joshua- I had some of the exact same stuff with the jeep. I once spun out at 6:00 driving down skyline for seminary. I once forgot to put the parking brake on and the jeep rolled and hit a car. I was so depressed and upset but everything worked out. Also once the jeep problems led to a Brother getting reactivated. “Why do we fall Master Wayne, so we can learn to pick ourselves back up”. Emily you are and always will be one of the greatest examples and teachers I’ve ever had, how’d I get so lucky. Mom and dad you guys are the greatest. I see broken and complex families and see how lucky I am to have the sturdy foundation you guys are, you guys sacrifice so much for us when we are very often undeserving. Cool story: Deborah Belnap, who went to Ogden High, has a cousin here in this mission who is in my zone, its such a small world. I am starting to get a reputation as the Elder with the waffle iron.

“We are not the ordinary, fearlessly extraordinary, working righteous harry carry in our humble way. Bearing swords of truth we plunder slicing wicked men asunder we are something of a wonder in our humble way.”

Como me apenas a verte lloras, tomo mi mano sentila. En mi corazon tu vivirás. Desde hoy y para siempre amor.
Love Elder Sheffield