The 7th Day of May, Missionary style

 

Monday, May 7, 2012

 

Hello world,

 

I never know how to start these entries. So much happens every week that I never know what to exclude, because I don't have time to say it all.

 

First of all:

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, JAMES!!!!!

 

Congratulations to Beckie and Aaron on your new baby! Unimaginable blessings and learning experiences are headed your way!

 

Second:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KRISTIN!!! (my sister-in-law).

 

The world is a better place because you are here. Our family is a better family because you are in it.

 

Third:

I'm a missionary.

 

A lot of things happen as a missionary that would never happen at any other time in one's life. I often realize the situation I'm in and wonder why I would ever be in this situation if I weren't a missionary. There are experiences I have everyday now that I didn't even think would happen.

 

And I'm not just talking about being excited to find trailer parks full of Spanish speaking people, but that's a good one.

 

Here are some highlights:

Tuesday we counted how many prayers we said in a day: We got to 35 before we lost count/forgot to keep counting. It's pretty fun. You should try it.

We wondered from a neighborhood that made us feel like we were in a foreign country into a normal, American street with white people who call the cops on you. Luckily we got to meet a devote Buddhist and blessed her home before the cop got there to tell us these people don't like us even though we are doing nothing wrong.

 

Sometimes, days don't go as planned and you end up sitting in an old Cuban woman's home for an hour while she talks about nothing. I still can't understand Cuban. Take the marbles out of your mouth!

Or, you take a member out with you for 4 hours and only have one lesson. Sorry, Danyela!

 

We had a pretty great Noche de Hogar on Thursday. Laura, Inocente, and Venanio came. We watched the video of the debtor and the creditor which explains the laws of Justice and Mercy. It is great and I love it. Venancio had a great time and was even more excited to get baptized on Sunday.

 

He was still excited when we brought Everardo to his house on Friday. But somehow, he still got scared and didn't come to church on Sunday. Thus, we had no baptisms, again. That's okay, we have 4 people set for baptism this week and 3 more possible. Hopefully at least ONE of them will make it all the way to the font this week!

 

Actually, we're having a baptism on Wednesday! Because Santos is super awesome and wants to be baptized but might be moving to North Carolina on Saturday! So, we'll just get it done before that! It's going to be great.

 

We had 2 less actives at church this week! It is such a great accomplishment for these people! I wish we could document it somehow!

 

Really fast, The negative thing that happened this week was on Saturday. Mayda wanted to take us out to eat. So she told us to go to city place. City Place is large and we happened to park at the wrong end and had to walk in the hot crowded streets only to finally get to the destination and realize it was a sports bar and grill. We had to tell Mayda that we couldn't go in there and she took us to Five Guys instead. It also happened to be Sunfest. I can't explain the whole thing, but by the time we finally got out of there, sister Keyworth described it as thus:

"I could have worn my bathing suit and been more modest than those people! . . .  It was like Nephi walking through the Great and Spacious Building!"

 Needless to say it was not a pleasant experience And we will never be going anywhere near there again.

 

So, there were some other fun details of this awesome work I was going to include, but I am going to be obedient and leave now.

 

Have a wonderful week! Enjoy the warmth! (it is only about 90 degrees everyday here, with 60%+ humidity everyday!)

 

Go tell your mothers that you love them!

 

Love you Mom!

Love, Hermana Sheffield