Obeying the little things

Arrived June 27 2016

Love the family more than fireflies! I had fun reading about Jacob seeing fireflies for the first time on the back east trip, it is weird to think of when we used to live in Kansas and I would go out catching them. I saw one the other night I think. I am not sure because I have only seen like two now and it was the size of a bumblebee. In my area everything is cement, grass yards are weird to see, so fireflies aren’t common but exist here.

Starting out with some more funny things. The daughter in a family we are teaching is a soon to the teenage mother and the other day we were talking before the lesson and she wanted to share some big new with us. When the baby is born in August she is going to name it after us.....Elder! Hahaha I had to hold a book up in front of my face to hide my laughter, not that it isn’t a good name, it is just interesting. She loves the name and we tried not to tear down her dreams in telling her it means old and or wise. For both my companion and I the smell of sunscreen and bug spray is making us a little home sick. Smelling those smells makes you think of the beach, camping, sports and its weird how the smell triggers all these feelings. My companion is finishing his mission next transfer and I will soon be at all out war trying to keep him and us focused.

It is fun to hear about things going-on back home like mission calls and friends getting engaged and people going on trips etc. It doesn’t make me home sick so don’t worry about that. 

Planning for my year mark this week I bought cake mix and frosting. I am also cheating missionary tradition a little bit by planning on burning an old shirt I found in the house instead of my own, for the ceremonial close and start of a year I need all the clean white shirts I can get my hands on.

This has been an interesting week with our investigators. Last week felt like we made some big head way, and this week it felt like we kind of lost some ground. Sunday’s kind of sum up your week of work because if people don’t come to church they aren’t progressing. Sundays aren’t relaxing or very enjoyable at times. We had two investigators show up, Yanela and her daughter Casey, but it wasn’t the expected four who we were hoping for. Just in case anybody is interested, we have three people with baptismal dates, we taught seven lessons with members present, nineteen other lessons, we received one contact and taught five lessons to less-actives. These are kind of our average numbers for a week.

Our recent convert Wadri has been slacking a little bit since he has been missing church for a little while. We are implementing a point system for him to gain waffles or brownies etc. by reading the scriptures, coming to church and praying. He is animated but needs the foundation. Our best investigators Ignacio and Paulino, are progressing but didn’t come to church so kinda arent. Both have baptismal dates but Ignacio needs to read more and Paulino can’t read, so he needs to come to church. 

We had intercambios with a district leader and it shocks me how far I have come in my spanish, teaching and abilities as a missionary. 

Some new investigators we have are Blanchi and Eddi and also Confesor. Blanchi and Eddi walked up to my companion one day (while I was in another area) and like something out of the Saratov Approach movie asked if we were the Mormons and if we could go to their house sometimes and teach them. We haven’t been kidnapped yet- like the movie, which is good, but these investigators are never home so I think they might have, who knows. Confesor is an older fellow but one of the only Dominicans I have seen that has a book collection or somewhat of a library. All his books are religious too, which got me excited. We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and he said he would read it. Of all the copies I have given out I think this one has the highest possibility of being read. People here usual aren’t the type to read, unless they are rich and very catholic. 

In one of our lessons, a member did an amazing job helping teach and also offered to pick up the couple for church. I couldn’t believe our luck since I have never seen a member have a car and be able to take an investigator to church. Even though they didn’t come, it was a good first time.

On Saturday us four missionaries, two tiny Peruvian sisters, a medium sized American and a super tall American, cleaned the church. The members went to the temple so it was our turn. Without any carpet, the church is nice since you sweep it and the hose it down. The members had a good time even though the Sica virus is sweeping through the area. Our church is very nice since we have air conditioning, but it makes Elder Oldroyd and I sleepy to be at normal room temperature. 

I have been studying the Doctrine and Covenants lately and so my thought comes from section 88 verse 22. By the way reading this chapter in the mission has blown my mind. Basically the verse talks about how we will receive according to our obedience, and we will be able to support the glory we will receive. I love to imagine that as obedience strengthening us to bear the innumerable blessing promised to us. Not only does obedience protect us but without it we would not be able to bear the greatness of our Father. Life scares me a little bit. With every advancement of days, of position in life, loque sea, I get nervous. I worry a lot. But I feel like if we worry ourselves about obeying the little things. Read the scriptures. Pray. Going to church. Then the big things will fall into place. If we cannot obey the little then we cannot obey the big. If we are unable to obey and have instruction then there is no way for us to work independently and for ourselves. Christ and his atonement enable us when we obey. I hope we can all be strong enough to submit and wise enough to obey. Obedience with understanding. 

Elder Sheffield

Primera foto: Limpiando la capilla en Sábado

Segunda foto: El río cuando llueve mucho