Wednesday, April 9, 2014

April 9th 2014


Neat experience. Sister Wells and I were trying to visit some people in a wealthy area and everything was falling through. Sister Wells suggested we knock a door with an open garage and a red van. I didn't even remember seeing that house and looked around for it, it was back around a corner we passed heading into the area. We offer the Savior's peace and blessings on people's homes--Us Sisters don't hold the priesthood, but since we're serving under a calling from the prophet who sent us with the priesthood, we have the authority to leave bless homes "in virtue of our calling as missionaries and representatives of Jesus Christ." It's a cool thing. We knocked and a beautiful woman opened, not seeming overly happy that we were on her doorstep. She agreed to let us leave a blessing, but wanted it done quickly and on the porch, so she could keep her dogs inside. As I offered the blessing, I felt overwhelmed by God's love for her. When we finished, she was crying, and through a choked-up voice, thanked us and said that it meant a lot--then ran back inside. We will definitely try to contact her again.

It is springtime, and despite the random cold waves and lots of rain, it is service time! I mowed my first lawn of the season. Still got it. I love to mow. One of my favorite things to do as a missionary. We went on team-ups with a sister from the ward, and after we were through with the appoinments, she introduced us to her neighbors who don't 'get the church,' but seemed to like us. The members from our ward who live next to them are going out of town for a few months, and leaving us with the charge of checking in on their neighbors. Member missionary work is the best! Service is going to soften their hearts, and open the way for them to receive the restored gospel.

One of our investigators was a referral from members who moved away. She is not progressing a whole lot, but has met lots of members from the church, and is getting involved in family history. She loves it! On Wednesday, we were asked to help pitch a Book of Mormon sharing idea at mutual. The activity after was volleyball. When I learned it was volleyball, I remembered these crazy less-active girls who were big into volleyball, and their mom was a coach. I texted them and told them to get down to the church to show the rest of the youth what was up. They did. :) That was cool. I digress, while at mutual I was talking to a brother from the ward, and he said his daughter brought a friend to activity day. I asked about her family, and he told me the last name--Funderburg--the same last name as the family history-loving investigator! Turns out it's her granddaughter who came to activity day, we made it a point to meet her and are working with the member family in getting to know and teach the rest of the family. Member-missionary work is the best!

Remember Amoz? 16 yr old kid. Pretty mature. We taught him again this week. He's the man! We still haven't gotten to meet his parents, but he says he wants his dad to get in on this. He was excited to hear the prophet speak this weekend.

Conference was awesome. So awesome. I can't say that there was one tlak that was my favorite. I loved President Eyring's--he in essence went through the first three missionary lessons, so that was pretty cool. I loved the threads of obedience, and just the focus on the reality of the Savior. He's real and he lives.

We watched the Saturday sessions in the trailer of my favorite sister in the ward. She's awesome! Her name is Elizabeth Schnitger. Special connection. Between sessions, we tracted the neighborhood. I got to leave a blessing in Spanish. I'm rather rusty, but it was cool. We're referring the family to the Hermanas.

Our neighbor/eternalgator Harold came to conference with us. He continues to read the Book of Mormon all the way through, the ensigns, he's still clean from his addiction, and for the first time since meeting missionaries 40 years ago he says he's seriously considering being baptized! He would say that all the time, but as a joke, now he is finally serious. He's come to mean a lot to me just as a neighbor. If he's going to be baptized we are going to have to officially give him to other missionaries since we live outside of our ward boundaries, but I'm glad we're neighbors and will never forget this man or the kindness he's shown to me when I was having a rough time as a missionary. God's plan is so perfect.

The gospel is true.

Steadfast in Christ,

Sister Sheffer

1 comment:

  1. I've been following your post and I love it. Thanks for sharing this. God Bless! tfi the family international

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