AUGUST 3 - ooooook VAMOS!

Hello family!  

It is funny that you mentioned in your letter that everyone loves President and Sister Palmer, because of all the feelings I have about this week, the most prominent is how much I love my President.  He helped me feel really good, and he always values what I have to say.  He says he will never finish a meeting without listening to me say something because I don't speak just to do it, what I say is what I feel like really needs to be said.  He said that is an amazing quality and hopes I never change it.  I was like wow, my being a quieter person is being seen in a positive light.  He said if I want to change, I can, but it has to be between me and the Lord.  I really don't want to change, only when I am around other people.  So I am working more on being confident and acting on what I really want to do/have done in my life instead of being a pushover just to be pleasing.  It was an amazing moment and empowering to want to be myself, but change because I want to, not because I am getting pressured into it.  I love how much he loves every missionary. I love how much he has the spirit.  

This week Exxxxo sang us a song he had written about the church.  He wants to do it for the church, but I am not sure it is Sacrament meeting appropriate haha.  It has a nice beat :)  But he and Hna Cuesta sang it, and I tried to figure out the chords on the piano.  It was the first time he sang in front of us and he was belting it haha.  He said he used to be better but alcohol ruined his vocal cords.  He was like, that word of wisdom though ha.  I also got him to share his testimony this Sunday.  Every fast Sunday I ask him if he is going to do it, and he doesn't.  But this Sunday when I asked he was like, "I will see how many people go up first", I was llike, "nooo just do it" and then he said "have yoouu shared your testimony?"  So I was like, "oooook VAMOS!".  So I headed up there and he didn't come! Right after I sat down up there the ENTIRE Young Women's group stood up to share their testimonies of girls camp.... haha.  But after I sat down he waited a bit then did it too.  It was an amazing testimony of the scriptures.  I had gotten a hold of Our Heritage for him because I love our church history, and he had already finished the entire standard works (good grief) so that was something for him to read.  He talked about the sacrifice of the ancestors of this church and that he loves HIS CHURCH, it was awesome.

  

We are still working with Lxxxxe, and she is amazing.  We had a lesson in the house of a member, while another member watched her son so we could really talk.  Go members!  She is reading in the Book of Mormon and everything we give her and is just glowing.  I love how easy it is sometimes to have that in your life.  All you have to do is have a desire to do it and then just do it.  I want to establish a scripture reading schedule for my entire life.  President Palmer no matter what gets up at 4:30 every morning to pray and read the scriptures for an hour.  WOW.  I want to do that.  Start my day right!  I am studying right now the BOM en espanol, and the New Testament Gospels.  

But we are really in a finding mode, like a lot of the time, but it is good.  It hasn't been super hot but yep some good stuff going on in Manteca.  Speaking of which we receive our transfer calls this Saturday.... I feel like I am going to leave Manteca!  I hope not, but I just had a little feeling to prepare myself - haha so we will see!  We only have 5 Spanish sisters after this transfer so I might be in a trio or something!  It will be interesting, and I will let you know next Monday (not Tuesday).

 

This week has been extremely hard in a lot of ways.  I wish I could talk to you all the time for advice and stuff.  But I am beyond a lot of points.  Oh well haha :)

That is funny you read the blogs of Sister Carpenter and Sister Allen and Sister Porter and now Elder White. Elder White was here in Manteca with me for a bit.  Also Hna Skidmore emailed me about ROTC and everything and I think that is what i want to do!  She LOVES it.  

Say hi to Roman and Kellee for me!  

I love my mom!  I love that you have 38000 pictures uploaded to FLICKER now. haha.  You should really be friends with Leilani because she takes pictures just like you.  Whenever I tell her that she is like YAY your mom is amazing, and she wants to be like you haha.

I know you are all full bodied awesome people.  Keep being full bodied, and keep being awesome.  I hope you have a great week.

LOVE,

Your Friend Hermana Sheffer