Dominican Costco day

Arrived 16 Mar 2016

Love you more than….The little kid in the church movie called “On the way Home”. We watched it with my favorite family and every time I love the little kid that shares his French-fries. For some reason it’s been ingrained in my head since I was little and we would watch that for family night.

We went to Dominican Costco today and I got a membership. We split a pizza and sat next to our grocery cart loaded with huge bags of cereal, containers of peanut butter and 10 pound bags of pancake mix. Exactly like Costco at home, there is the electronics section that plays new movies coming out, video games, go pro’s, movies etc. I was dying. I forced myself to not look at the tv screens; Satan knows his stuff.

Well I am getting worse at knowing what to write in my emails, and my English continues to get worse since we only talk with other missionaries so we have sloppy teenager English and sloppy Dominican Spanish - which I love. I never have to worry about saying things wrong because everyone is used to it, haha. We went on splits the other day and Elder Bouwhuis improved a lot literally overnight and is getting a lot better teaching and contacting. 

We taught a lesson to a few younger kids who have part member families and have gone inactive. It can be really hard to get people to continue in the church, since people have a kind of “go with the flow” feeling sometimes and they make such a great bond with the missionaries that when the missionaries who taught them leave, they lose part of their animo (excitement). It can be super discouraging sometimes when it feels that even if you have a great convert, they will go inactive, not true but hard. We have several new investigators, which is nice, but we are always in the search for those that are prepared. The infamous “palabra de dios” or word of god means people will receive you pretty simply, yet they don’t act upon it or can’t really grasp the concepts. We have been doing a lot of contacting to keep up with our zone goal, which I don’t mind very much any more, but sometimes I freak out since it feels like we are running out of houses to contact! Big areas are nice, but we can’t really go to all parts and still be effective with time. One contact and new investigator told us that lots of people think we are spies from the CIA but he would listen to us even if we were because its about God. Having Elder Bouwhuis has been nice because people assume he is Dominican and so it is easier for them to feel comfortable around us.

Our amazing investigator couple Danny and Licey aren’t home a lot to share our lessons but I still have hope. Danny is curious and always asks questions about the church like about tithing, resurrection, marriage, etc. Testing us. He understands that the Church of Christ had certain characteristics that churches should have which is amazing! He knows what he is looking for and so as we tell him things he accepts it pretty well because he sees we have the same things, we are the same, as the church of Jesus Christ back in the day. He admitted the Bible isn’t perfect and he was so genuine with reading the Book of Mormon. Licey the wife told us she will not read the Book of Mormon until she finishes the Bible. I estimate it will take her for time and all eternity, but she has potential. 

Lately I have realized that the power of missionaries really is in the relationship we make with people, they see Christ in us, so they gain interest. The Holy Ghost works through us to touch the hearts of the people and help them to gain interest. Then the gospel takes it to a homerun. Depending on if they read the Book of Mormon (really really really really really really key), their prayers and if they’re coming to church, they get converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We have a teenager and his mother, not married to the dad but that’s the usual story, who has been saying his prayers and things even though he is a new contact and we didn’t think much would come of it. The mom isn’t interested in marriage and is a casual investigator, but he really warmed up to us as I asked about his interest in dirt bikes and NBA basketball. I love the innocence and willingness of younger people investigating. We have the challenge here, of not teaching children (they are perfect investigators), but their parents aren’t ready yet. Everyone needs to be like children, for such is the kingdom of God.  

Cristain and his less active wife, and the two kids Heydi and Junior continue to be my favorite family here. Cristian loves the happiness we bring to the house and family, and we just love them. His mother is big into her religion and doesn’t want him to be baptized. He said she kind of scares him, but he is talking with her to get her to visit and have a lesson with us. I am so happy that he suggested us talking with her, but another sister, Isabel, suggested a family night at their own house! It makes me feel like we are in the states on a mission haha. We have members helping!

We had stake conference this week and President Castillo gave a talk. As soon as he got up, I just had an amazing love for him. I think he kind of intimidates me a little, because I just want to de everything right and please him, but he is an amazing guy. He is so loving and hard working. He has the gift of prophecy and revelation, which helps us so much to know what to do and not be tigres because we know president will know, haha.

I was on splits this week in the area of our district leader. Elder Bouwhuis does crazy well when I’m gone, that I sometimes feel like the area goes better when I’m away. Elder Hola from Logan and I talked a lot about mission life and home and stuff. Elder Hola and I talked about if there will be a mission in Cuba soon? I didn’t think there would be during my mission life, but Elder Hola thinks differently. If Cuba does open soon that will be amazing. Right now it is technically in our mission boundaries, and we think a good group from our mission would be transferred there, so that’s cool. It was hard to hear about some of Elder Holas family story and stuff. 

Josue cuidate con las chicas. Hay cosas que pasan a veces entonces recuerda quien eres. Familia deben leer el Libro de Mormón cada día. No hay una mejor vía a acercarse como familia y mantenerse su testimonio. Oro mucho por ustedes, quiero que seamos ejemplos al mundo de amor eterno. Jacob siga siendo su praparation para el sacerdocio. Samuel recuerda Jesuscristo termino las final momentos de su vida con la santa cena, este es sagrada y ayuda a otros a realizar esto. Josue como esta su processo con la bendicion patriarcal? Queire una mapa a su vida, este bendicion. Emily como tu ta, (como tu estas? in dominican) ayuda a los nuevos misioneros a sentir la necesidad de diligencia porque yo se todos piensen que van a aprender el idioma entre el mtc jaja. Madre lo siento por su cabello, entiendo que seria dificil, gracias por su luz espiritual en la casa y en la familia, corazones en personas cambia cual es el mayor milagro posible. Padre no conozco un mayor ejemplo de dedicacion, gracias por manteniendo su llamamiento a ser un misionero aun después la placa se quito. Graciasth por todosth aun en su raro vosotrosth. 

We have a big zones conference tomorrow with Elder Cornish, of the 70, coming which is super exciting, we also get food which is always a bonus.

I was really thinking about the Book of Mormon this week. We have been giving many copies away and explaining it a lot to people. I know one cannot fall away nor forget their covenants with God if they read the Book of Mormon. There is no bag of answers or box of “problem solvers” for immediate help, but this is the book God has sent to fix our broken souls. If you will read this everyday you will find joy, comfort and most of all hope. There is hope for you. Christ lives and loves us and there is not better way of coming closer to him or becoming like him than through the Book of Mormon. Members read it everyday, less actives pull it out of the dusty cupboard, and all of you others test my testimony and that of thousands of others. This book is correct. The Church is true and the book is blue. Amen.

Love Elder Sheffield

Food=3 Elders=1

Arrived Mar 9, 2016
Love the fam more than….Peanut Butter and pancakes! It was a great day today breaking our fast, funny story, with a pancake and peanut butter lunch. I introduced it to Elder Bouwhuis and he loves it to. We always buy peanut butter at our grocery store even though its 200 or like 5 bucks -so expensive. I’m almost out of my creamy but I still have a jar of my favorite chunky.

So with fasting this week it was crazy. We began fasting like normal on Saturday after lunch but Satan was working overtime. Saturday a member forced us to eat yucca and eggs, half way through, it hit her that it was fast Sunday and she told us that we could just begin again on Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoon we started again but De Nuevo, another member, forced us to drink some juice she made! Monday we started again when member number one, the super star of the branch, invited us to a family night and so we invited a investigator family, again we got forced to eat the food which was cake and soda this time. Attempt four was Tuesday and we made it to 7:00 fine and then a new investigator and his inactive wife tried to give us juice. This time I saw it coming so we were out the door and on the front porch as soon as we finished the prayer. They yelled for us to get back in and drink some juice but we weren’t gonna lose four times in a row. I think we kind of offended the family. The people are super nice and I get nervous to turn them down, but it was for a good cause.

We finally made it a full 24 hours. Food=3  Elders=1

This week followed the pattern of being a challenge but it changed and finished off great! We had been contacting a lot during the afternoon since people are usually working, especially males and we can’t share without a male in the vicinity. Our contacts were all right, but still nothing promising except for a few, and again mostly women. I always joke with Elder Bouwhuis that we need to either be sister missionaries during the afternoon or just have like a tag team and get some sisters here. One contact was named Licey and she was super friendly and pretty interested, she tried to pay us for the pamphlet of the restoration haha but instead we set an appointment for Tuesday. Sunday it was pouring rain and I got to use my new, used and bought from a sketchy store, rain jacket. We were walking by Licey´s house when she yelled at us to come inside. In the garage/front porch area we shared half of the first lesson with Licey, her husband Danny, and sister Mariela. They were asking tons of questions, like if we paid church leaders, believed in resurrection and about the church, they said they would visit the church (right behind their house) before we even shared the lesson! The lesson went great and on Tuesday we went back and finished the lesson with our ward mission leader there. Their parents were also there and all committed to begin reading the Book of Mormon and for more lessons. It felt like all the long afternoons had finally paid off. 

The other day we went to the new missionary´s 5-week meeting but we showed up late, not exactly our fault. One of the assistants was a little frustrated with me and told us we were going to do a practice of the first lesson in just ten minutes. Of course I got picked. I was super determined to show that I wasn’t just a young missionary and trainer who was lost. We taught a pretty great lesson, even though it was just a practice, you could feel the spirit. My favorite thing is just pausing after relating the first vision and how the Holy Ghost fills the room. I was proud of how me and the Elder did. Afterward, I did apologize to the assistants even though it was humbling and hard. 

We are doing well here. The weather this week was good, cloudy and rainy so it felt perfect for us, and cold for all the Dominicans. Elder Bouwhuis is always hot and hungry, it makes me laugh how at 7 every night he is sweating and starving while everyone else is freezing and we don’t eat dinner till we get home around 9. 

One of our investigators said the Jazz are playing well right now, and I realized its march madness too. How did BYU basketball go? 

With Heydi and Cristian and Isabel and Junior we are working hard. Heydi really wants to get baptized and always comes to church with her grandpa who is a strong active member. Isabel the mom has been coming lately and is close to reactivation because Heydi can’t get baptized without the parent support since she is so young. Cristian the dad really loves the lessons, but loves Sunday baseball games to much, he plays on a fast pitch, but underhand throwing team, called Los Primos which apparently are doing pretty well in the community. I love them so much and we are great friends. They know the gospel is right but don’t have a great effort put into coming to church. They came to the family night and as we sang “Families can be Together Forever” I was super happy. We have been stressing eternal families and I shared the Sheffield legacy of hard work. Even when dad was in medical school and we didn’t have much we had our eternal family and a goal for something more, through hard work and the gospel. Really felt the spirit as we talked. I’ve decided we are gonna be super bold with them and help them realize that they can do this! Heydi has a picture of the Salt Lake temple hanging up in the house. 

We have spent a lot of time this week on our knees in prayer. I love and testify that even if we just have a desire for something or knowledge that the church is true we can achieve that by asking. If we want to find a better job we should pray. If we want to have the strength to improve we should pray. If we want a testimony we should pray. For the truth to be known it has to be spoken and for help to be had it must be asked for. He wants what we want, so help everyone out and ask. 

I did my best to make a Captain Moroni pancake a few times, not very good looking but tastes good

Love Elder Sheffield

A trip to the capital and my 8 months mark

Arrived Mar 2 2016

Love you more than.... Breakfast burritos! 

Elder Bouwhuis and I found a old and kinda sketchy taco seasoning packet in our house that we have been using to make amazing burritos. I thought before coming here we would eat spicy stuff and tacos and burritos but we don’t. Not gonna lie I have grown to respect mexican culture and food a lot. I love my DR and its endless supply of rice and beans, but I would occasionally like hear clear Spanish and eat enchiladas. 

 

At the passport place (Elder Ownsby takes pictures like a 12 ear old girl)

Cool things this week, I found a lost sheep who let me take a picture with her, thank goodness for repentance ;) I hit 8 months in the mission, I continue to feel tall compared to the people here, I still dislike the looks and hissing from women and the glares from men. I am finishing up the last of my beef jerky. Elder Bouwhuis and I continue experimenting with cooking and were wondering if somebody could send us a recipe for “costa vida sweet pork”.

So last week we went on splits on Thursday and had an amazing day also on Friday and I was pumped and feeling the spirit so strong. IT ended a little differently but it was a good hardworking week. Elder Hola from Logan is our district leader and came and helped a lot. We got some less actives really animated to share the gospel, got the whole family of Heydi and Cristian and Isabel excited to work as a family toward eternal families and everything. There truly is opposicion (opposition) in all things because the next few days seemed to sink back into slow progression and hard work and then the last days in this week seemed to just stop. Sunday I went on splits and then to the mission home to sleep over for our trip to the capital to work on my residency. My comp and an elder with only one transfer more than him were in charge of the area, I was stressing for my hijo amado (beloved son) but things went fine. Monday I woke up at 4:30 and we drove for about 4 hours to the capital, sat around for like 4 more and then drove back for about 4 more. I really 

Our ride to the capital

enjoyed the trip because most of my MTC group went as well and we talked and enjoyed a little vacation-like break almost exactly on our 8 month mark. We got back Tuesday late in the afternoon. Elder Bouwhuis is a quiet, but solid worker and did a good job. We made it through another day and then had an activity with our district today. We played a little basketball, monopoly and ate out, so like the funnest things you can do on p-day. 

the district

Great experience this week was that we had a handful of lessons fall through, even though we don’t usually have super secure lessons just ¨whenever you can¨and ¨si Dios quiere/God willing¨, anyways the lessons fell through so we thought we would visit a neighbor. As we walked up to the house I heard voices and a discussion going on, we walked close and to the side of the house where we saw Hermano Infante sharing scriptures with a friend! I was so amazingly proud that he had out his scriptures, encouraging the man to pray and read and then we showed up. It turned into a reference and a great moment. The man has been through several churches and can’t seem to stay with them for to long, he is smart and realizes the incongruities between Christ’s church and the churches in the world today. He said we are invited to come anytime and we shall see how things go. It is amazing how we were allowed to have lessons continue to fall through and then get to the right place at the right time. Its like a song “I was given”: ¨what is your blessings come through raindrops, what if your healing comes through tears¨ 

 

More people wearing american shirts! Everyone does, but nobody knows what they say

This week seemed a little more of a challenge for Elder Bouwhuis. We were a few days into the week when Elder Hola gave me a bunch of talks to listen to, church music and church videos which were exactly what we needed. We watched the churches 12 steps to overcome addictions videos, which are amazing! I haven’t ever had an addiction to anything besides waffles and funeral potatoes but it was still great. This coupled with a few talks from Elder Jefferey R Holland everyday seems to make every missionary into Peters, Ammons and angels. 

Something that also amazes me is how church assigned talks and missionary assigned trainings are perfect if not made for the speaker not the people being spoken to. I gave a talk the other week and then a training to the district this week. I admit I am not the best at either of these since I get caught up in cross-referencing every subject imaginable yet I really love it all. Every time I share the Holland talk from April 2015 on the atonement with the two rock climbing brothers, I cry. Whether it be my farewell, lessons with members or a 5 minute talk since the older woman in front of me went on for a half hour on self reliance, I can’t help but feel Christ’s love and break down. 

The other week we were about to start a lesson when there was a big commotion outside next door. A husband and wife got into a huge fight and it got physical. The couple was outside in the front yard area with little children crying and teenage daughters trying to make some space between the two, both the husband and wife hitting one another. It got physical with both the man and woman hitting each other. The neighborhood proceeded to watch the struggle without an offer of help. Elder Bouwhuis and I stood in shock not knowing what to do. I went back inside the house and said a prayer by myself. I think when there is nothing to do the only thing to do is to pray. I prayed for the safety of the family and especially the children and I prayed that all present would feel the love of the savior. Thing got broken up and cooled down when the man went looking for a stick to hit his wife with, but then was calmed down by the teenagers and neighbors.

We had our lesson after several minutes of silence but only after singing one of my favorite hymns. “Abide with me tis eventide.” I love the simple plea for the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Brother Christ. It has been my goal to help others feel of this love. Whether we are far from home in another country, whether our families are strong or not, whether we have nothing or more than we should, it is of little eternal significance if we can but feel loved by Him and share it with others. Are we fighting for Christ or reluctantly digging in our heels and having him drag us. Are His nail-scarred hands accepted or pierced again by our actions and hopes. The devils lie is that this should and can be easy, the eternal promise of Christ is that this will be worth it.

Love, Elder Sheffield

American culture is like the ruling class here, and there is a lot of advertisements in English for American things

Re-found one on my favorite investigators

Arrived Feb 24 2016

Love you more than…Apostle talks! Elder Bouwhuis (my companion) got a package this week and got a flashdrive with lots of church music and like 100 talks from apostles so we plug in the usb to our little portable dvd player that all the missionaries have #whoneedsipads and get pumped up to work everyday. Because Elder Bouwhuis is in training we spent from 8 to 3 studying and listening to talks.

Well this week was a little hard but good. Or it has been kinda feeling that the area hasn’t really been progressing this past little while which is a little hard for not just us, but the branch. Our investigators never seem to be home and so we are having a little bit of a hard time getting members to come to lessons. I feel bad bringing members to lessons, which then fall through, and our back up plan is to contact. It feels like the members see this and kinda lose confidence/excitement. One thing also difficult is that since there aren’t street sign or house numbers and addresses, it is really difficult to receive a reference and find them or even contact somebody in the street. It seems like our two options are to house-to-house contact or to pass by less actives who are super kind but not willing to come back to church. I love when people go to give you directions to their house and its something like "green house next to the factory of cigars, by the little snack shack (colmado) and kiddy-corner to the lottery shack. If you have problem just ask around for papi" It does allow for the really exciting experiences of sitting down in random houses and sharing a brief summary of the restoration. 

We re-found one of my favorite investigators the other day! Wesley is 19 and after a super spiritual, teary few lessons of the restoration, he disappeared. We found him again and he was like can we read more from the Book of Mormon? Its hard finding people educated enough to read the scriptures well, but then again they are the most humble. The rich people can read well but are not normally interested so it’s a balance. Wesley was a reference from a menos activo who was always reading the Book of Mormon and talking about baptism with him! 

Amazing story:

One experience the other day was a new investigator that lasted two days, but pretty spiritual. He was telling us we can’t just claim things and not follow the bible, even though there isn’t anything we do contrary to the bible. I was pretty bold, maybe a little too much, as I explained that God calls prophets and wouldn’t just stop and never call them again. I felt the spirit really strong as I finished with my testimony. The Church of Christ has been restored. God loves us and has called prophets to help us. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet, this is the true church. This is the Church of Jesus Christ.

We have a new goal/rule that we can only have lessons with people who read or fulfilled the commitment we left with them, or else we just explain the importance of these commitments and go to plan B. It will help a lot to get people to progress, yet at the same time it will leave us a lot more time looking for new people as well. The work goes by a little slow when you aren’t teaching, and when you cant teach-  you look for new people. We are gonna get really good at street contacts, Dominican directions and prayer. 

The Spanish is going well and Elder Bouwhuis is getting super good super fast. The members and investigators will comment how fast he is learning. It’s nice to have such an obedient and hard working comp, it’ll be hard to get a different comp.

I got some new sheets and a rain jacket the other day so that’s cooll. I finished Jesus the Christ and am most of the way through the New Testament, after all these people who know so much about the bible I thought I could study a little more in depth.

Jacob it sounds like you are going loco with scouts and getting a lot of new pins, good job buddy. You look super old its scary. Samuel I played a little basketball today and thought of you; its super cool seeing pictures of you at MT Ogden Stomps haha! Those were the days. Josh I saw that picture of you wearing my snow coat, when I get home all your stuff is mine ;) Neigh how are you? I still can’t stop laughing at the valentines picture! Mom and Dad don’t worry about forgetting to send last weeks email, I never know what to write and I feel bad my letter are getting worse, thanks again for the package and the pictures and everything.

Love Elder Sheffield