TWO MONTHS DOWN!

Hello!

This week will be short as I had to email the Mission President and it took most of my time.

It was weird to realize that two months had already gone by.  I've just got to do what I've already done eight more times.  The mail is super slow, I think I won´t get your package until my third transfer.  I am really happy that you are sending me stuff, but if it is really expensive you can just send one for Christmas or something.

This week was crazy long and a bit discouraging.  We had a lot of contacts that didn't exist, and our timing just seemed off.  No one was really home when we came by.  Mxxia Hxxxna, the investigator we were so excited about, told us that her pastor has forbidden her to attend the meetings of other churches and that she´s going to listen to him.  We taught her about agency, and how it needs to be her choice, not her pastor´s, after she has prayed and studied for herself.  We went back later in the week and she told us her decision hadn't changed.  That was a pretty depressing day.

  

My desk

We had zone conference this week, so that was cool!   We spent a lot of time talking about Nephi and how his attitude about the commandments and things God asked him to do is how we need to be.  That was great and stuff, but I had the funniest thought about the story of when Nephi and his brothers go to talk to Ishmael about joining them in the wilderness that I wanted to tell you guys. 

Ishmael:  Hey, did you guys hear that Laban was murdered?

Nephi, kicking Zoram and the sword of Laban out of sight: Whaaaaaat?!  That´s crazy!

Seriously, did Ishmael ever know the details of that story? I wonder if Nephi was nervous about going back to Jerusalem for the second time.  I mean there had to be some suspicion against them.  They go to Laban´s house twice to ask for the plates, get harshly rejected, and the next day Laban is dead and the plates are gone.  Anyways, don´t know if that is interesting to any of you, but that was a random scriptural thought this week.

I also received another letter!  It was postmarked in the beginning of March, so that was awesome but also a bit depressing.  I don´t know how we managed before the internet.

My apartment

I have been reading Jesus the Christ, and holy cow that thing is pretty concentrated doctrine.  An interesting insight that it brought up is that God´s foreknowledge of what will happen isn't based on what he has willed to happen, but on his knowledge of our individual characters and capabilities.  He knew us for an eternity before he sent us here to Earth, and he has placed us where and when we will most likely succeed based on his knowledge of us.  I thought that was really cool, and makes a lot of sense.  

I also read the memoir they put out about President Monson.  I found a copy of it in our apartment, and it just made me really happy and sad at the same time.  It made me want to go out and serve everyone, which I think is the legacy he would want.  We are so lucky to have a living prophet, and to be able to access their teachings so easily.

Also, as to Skyping for mother´s day, we will probably be able to skype at two thirty, or three o´clock here, so about noon for you guys.  I am really excited to see you all and I am sure this week will drag on because of it, but it will be great!

Thanks for all your support,

Sister Sheffer

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