Monday, February 11, 2013

When I share the Gospel, there's not a thing I would change

February 11, 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

Febtober. Febril. Febuly. What does it feel like to you?

This week was great! We accomplished things we've never done before! Our area got 37 harvest blessings this week! AND our zone got 317 blessings! New "Capstones" reached all the time here in the Stuart Capstone Zone.  Now it is on to New investigators!

There were several times this week that I wanted to throw the phone at the wall. The first time was when Pierre finally answered his phone and pretty much told us he was too busy for us and wasn't coming to church because it was really different from what he's used to and would take him a while to be okay with it. Boo.

Then we got a text message from Dallas. It said, "After much pondering and prayer I have come to the conclusion that the LDS church is not true." After resisting the urge to throw the phone and yell and scream and cry. I texted her back and said, "I know how much our Heavenly Father loves you and will reward your patience and diligence in seeking out the truth. I know the Church of Jesus Christ is the true church. . ."  I am still broken-hearted that she of all people could come to that conclusion, but I know that one day she WILL know the truth that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is truly the Lord's Church on the Earth today and that there is no other way to salvation and a fullness of joy. I continue to pray that Dallas and her family will remember the things they learned and lived so they too can have the joy that I have felt from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In that same vain, we had an interesting experience this week. We were harvesting early on in the week and we met a girl named Maria. She was getting her mail and was holding the pass along card we had put on her door. As we talked with her, she asked, "What's Mormon?" So we explained a little and she got her sister and we went inside her house so we could sit down and explain more.  We talked with them about the Atonement and introduced the Book of Mormon and then they started asking questions. Maria's main concern was about heaven and she was excited by the idea of the Spirit world. Both girls had a lot of questions and we answered several of them and then had to go. We came back a few days later with Sister Boylston. Unfortunately, Maria's older sister was there. She is VERY active in her non-denominational church, and very bold in telling us about her beliefs (which make no sense to me. I mean, how can three separate beings all be one? and how can we just believe in Christ and then be "saved"?). We barely got a word in at all. By the time we left, Sister Boylston said, "I feel like we've just taken a beating!" And we definitely were glad to be out of there.  Then a few days later, Maria texted us back and said she wanted us to come answer a few more questions that we didn't get to answer before. Thinking it would just be her, we went back over. Unfortunately, the sister was there again. Things went a little better this time and we actually got to teach about the plan of salvation. She of course had some way of disputing every single part of it with scriptures that she doesn't understand at all. 
SO from all of this, I learned that some people are too hard-hearted to accept or even listen to the Gospel. I also learned that Modern Revelation is SO NECESSARY to our understanding of the scriptures and God's plan for us. Meeting with Maria and her sister really helped me to strengthen my own testimony of the Restored Gospel, of the Book of Mormon, and of the Church.  Other experiences I had this week greatly strengthened by testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Now we just need to find some people to teach, so I can share all of this wonderful knowledge with them!

One really great moment with the phone this week was when the Sisters in the newly created Palm Beach Central area called. They told us we are going to have exchanges this week! And I get to go down to West Palm again!!!!  I was literally jumping up and down I was so excited!

That was pretty much it. Of course there were other things that happened, but the important thing is that we be obedient and keep working. So It's time to go and do.

I hope you all feel the warmth of the Spirit as you read or share the Book of Mormon this week. Especially those of you in the cold places of the world.  Don't fret. Don't doubt. Don't Fear. February will be over soon.

I Love you All!!!!
Love, Hermana Sheffield

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