OCTOBER 25 - TRANSFER WEEK AKA "THE REAPING"

I am sorry to be typing this, and I don't know if it is true our not, but I think I am leaving Manteca!!..... 

THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LONGEST TRANSFER WEEK OF MY ENTIRE LIFE.  

I have my transfer board out and ready to predict. I like your prediction though mom :) haha for that to be true I would probably have to be switched to some English work.  I wouldn't put that past President either because he likes switching everyone around.

I wouldn't mind some cold though!  I now own a nice pair of sock-able to wear boots!  And tights!  It is still so warm in Manteca!  It was definitely colder in Sacramento I feel like.  But my predictions as of now... training a newbie in Manteca, or with Hna Porter in Lodi as Sister Training Leader.  Who knows.  We call transfer calls, "The Reaping" haha. I think that is the closest feeling to the reaping that will ever happen in my life.

We are teaching Mxxxxy Hernandez the older sister of Cxxxxs Jr.  She is really involved in her church, but she always asks really good questions.  She is definitely an amazing person, and I hope that she will be able to recognize and follow the spirit.  She is a single mom of two young boys, and she is a powerhouse.

Lxxxxe can't get baptized still, but she is coming to church no matter what!  Her husband doesn't want her to change religions.  So we are aiming for a date in December, Christmas Miracle, to be baptized and we are working with her husband.  I just want him to like us.  Our apartment got selected as apartment complex of the week to have cheap Domino's pizza!  So we went and got pizza to share with Lxxxxe and Rxxl for when he got home from work!  We got there with the pizza and 5 minutes later Rxxl came home from work with pizza to surprise his wife with........ he walked in, saw us with the pizza, and then was like ppssshhhhh.  Haha I am sure we will all laugh about this someday.... But he is just the sweetest person.

Another miracle that happened this week!  We were out with Exxxxo visiting his family members and we met a new cousin of Exxxxxo that lived there.  He said things like "Hola hermanas" and "How long have you been on your missions?" and Mormon talk basically.  You could kind of tell there was something different about him. So we were super surprised, and I asked him if he was a member and he said YES!  He was a convert, served a mission to New Hersey, was active until he got married, and it has been 10 years since he got married. 

WHAT??

EXXXXO HAS MEMBER FAMILY!  It was a total shocker, and he was married into his family, but they still have each other!  He is less active, but he still reads his scriptures every day and has the app and he shared the most beautiful testimony of the restoration of the gospel.  He is still a convert to this church, he is just going through his own thing.  I know that God knows his children and what they need.  Elder Hamula said that just because less actives don't go to church doesn't mean they are less active from the gospel.  I want to always think about God's plan for every person we see and not worry so much about them, unless they are like seriously denying God and stuff.  

For English class this week we learned I/you/they/we with the vocab of clothing.  So we went out into the halls and told everybody what they were wearing:

"You are wearing a boy scout shirt" 

"He is wearing shorts with socks and sandals" 

"He is wearing a BYU shirt" 

"You are wearing very modest skirts" just kidding haha but it was really fun to just get them talking.  

Exxxxo I swear is going to be fluent soon.  It was really funny because we do our English classes on Wednesday night in Manteca and the Elders do theirs on Thursday.  During our class Exxxxo received a text from Elder Griffin reminding him to come on Thursday.  So I texted him back in perfect English on Exxxx's cell phone, "Wow thanks for the cordial reminder Elder Griffin, but I feel like something really just clicked with my English, and I can speak it without a problem.  The Sister's English class is really spot on and I have learned so much.  But I will be there, thank you very much!" 

hahaha

Later that night Exxxxo texted me and was like, "Elder Griffin got mad at the message!" 

.... crucial plot point Elder Griffin is never mad.... 

So we called Elder Griffin and he said he had answered back in English, "Those Sister missionaries!  I am going to come after them and whoop them!" He was totally just kidding but sarcasm doesn't transfer very well through text haha, especially if English is the second language.  Exxxxxo was like warning me, beware Elder Griffin is coming after you!  He was seriously concerned haha.  It was a fun experience. 

 Something I hope to always have in my mind to do, well first Visiting Teaching, and second always ask my Bishop if there are families he would like me to visit and fellowship.  I know that those Bishops receive revelation for the Ward, and want to be able to help him out.  I think Bishops have the hardest jobs ever.  

I told somebody about the Manteca Car theft show dad watched, and they explained why.  Manteca has 4 different freeways surrounding it so the robbers could go so many different directions and never get caught.  So they have some reasoning!  

Well this week was very relaxful for me!  I am studying in 2 Corinthians right now and I love the New Testament.  It is like reading General Conference talks!  I pick up a lot of cool stuff!

I can't say I have been fully vegetarian (not for lack of trying) because member dinners are hard.  But I avoid it when I can, and I am still loving it!  

Well until next week!  THE WEEK OF DECISION

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN MY FAVOR

Hna Sheffer

OCTOBER 19 - BACON

Hi family!

Where are the Thalmans moving to??? Where are the Andersons moving to?  How dare they leave, 5th ward is their last name.

(Note from Sonja – I told Emily about our Ward Roadshow)

Hahaha missionaries on a cruise ship that is the most hilarious thing I have heard of.  I do admit I have thought of that before though... It probably wouldn’t be very effective.  #TRUNKYALLTHETIME.  That’s what would happen.  

That is so weird that Craig Blake is my bishop.... haha.  Well he will do super good! He will never get his beard back. 

WHERE IS LIZZY WORKING?

We only had one exchange this week, but it was 2.5 days long.  President gave us permission to have a sleepover basically!! Parrrtttaayyy (except you had to tell everybody to go to sleep at 10:30 and wake up at 6:30am.  Haha. its no fun correcting people).  We got to sleep on air mattresses. Then one of our missionaries went home because she crashed on her bike and broke her leg, and now we have another set of sisters who are training themselves :) woot. 

We are having a meeting on Tuesday with President Palmer to talk tactics because we are getting 7 new Spanish Hermanas this next transfer and seriously everyone will be training after only 6 weeks or training themselves and ya..... We have had to train on so many things because nobody knows what they are doing.... So hopefully tactics are inspired to help this mission out.  I am the oldest Hermana now - weird huh?? 

I had a panic attack Sunday.  President asked us to accompany him and Sister Palmer to a single adult fireside to help speak.  I was like GREAT.  Also I had to teach the lesson on Sunday about eternal marriage.  It was only us and the Elders and Lxxxxe soo.... but then Exxxxo came from his library duties. 

So I was a stress case with both assignments.  But the lesson was good and Lxxxxe said that her parents watched Mxx and for the first time in 3 years she and her husband had 5 hours to themselves.  They went to Red Lobster and to the movies (3-D) and he bought her a watch when they were shopping. Aaaahhhhhh it is so cute.  Seriously I can't even imagine how much she goes through every day with Mxx.  Mxx is one lucky kid to have his amazing mother and dad. 

At the fireside I thought that it was going to be a bunch of young single adults, and so I wasn’t expecting a bunch of old single adults.  But it was a little less stressful!  So I had prepared something, and I tried going off of my own knowledge/self and I kind of did it!  I kept repeating myself and then I would think (ya dije) in my head and got a little lost and didn’t share all I wanted to, but I consider it progress:) Then they fed us cinnamon oatmeal cookies.  But we got to carpool with President and we talked about dating... He said we shouldn’t compromise and if we did he would hunt us DOWN downdowndowndowndown!!

(Note from Sonja – Elissa told Emily that if she is ever having a bad day she needs to replace all the nouns or verbs in her sentences with the word Bacon)

I am going to start using the bacon thing haha.  I can't get out in front of my head :(  My mind is pretty powerful to bring me doooowwwwnnn.  That seems like a perfect solution haha. 

Sister Palmer is just the most beautiful person ever.  She is pure of heart if you know what i mean.  I think you do.  I want to be pure in heart too.  I want to be pure in bacon and love bacon and everyone around me and conquer my bacon so that I can be happy and have bacon all the time and just do what the (Lord) would have me do and have joy in my bacon because it is all so beautiful this bacon living life and I can do it!!!! hahahahahhahahahahahahaha that was good.  I laughed writing that. 

But some amazing things happened this week.  Exxxxo received his Patriarchal blessing!  yayayay!  He is amazing I tell you people.  He is going to be put to work that is for sure!

Lxxxxe is still amazing, and we are all going to fast and pray together that her husband will let her be baptized. 

I am breaking down Romans chapter 12.  It spoke to me so I am studying that part of the New Testament.  That’s where I am.  I also made potatoes in french fry style but round (i am going to open up a Rrench Fry In-N-Out) with coconut oil and they were great:)

I learned that Modesto got its name because a man founded it and gave his life to establish a good city, and the citizenswanted to name it after him, but he gave all the glory to God, and wouldn’t let them name it after him, so they named it Modesto :) Too modest.  Fun stories! 

Thanks for your email :) It cheered me up! I don't really need anything, but I was thinking about Christmas.... I was thinking don't send me anything! :) I think that would be better because it is so soon after that I am returned and I might need start up stuff again.... my thoughts right now.  

But ya I love you a lot, and I love you a lot and hope you have a good week down in Richfield town!!

Hermana Sheffer

OCTOBER 12 - Cxxxxs is baptized!

( NOTE FROM SONJA: I sent Emily some information about some Study Abroad opportunities that Elizabeth found that she wants to do with Emily this summer. This is what she is referring to)

MOM! I want to go with Lizzy so bad!! Are those from a BYU site?  Because here’s what happened this week… I decided that life is too short to not do stuff you really want to do. You just got to do them, and work hard to have them, and etc. 

SO I decided I have loved the earth too long to not work in something with the environment, with National Parks, with water, with museums, with knowledge and research.  I want to be a crunchy for the Air Force and I want to go and help the world!!!  I should worry about money, but I should do what I like to, and then work won’t be work, and I will be happy. 

Anyway those opportunities sound amazing!  I want to go to both of those.  I also heard that if you speak Spanish BYU will send you to the Dominican Republic really cheap to teach English. Two weeks ago we started an English class here in Manteca and I felt like I was in my prime! It was so much fun! Plus I have 6 credit hours I can use for Biology credit internship hours, and I AM GOING TO USE THEM!  Plus if I want a good job, I will have to an internship anyways is what I’m thinking! 

What are the prices?  I want to do this with Lizzy soo bad!  I will start applying/preparing for those after my mission :) Plus the Air Force pays for your schooling after and I could get a Masters after for free!! It is a genius plan.  

I have also been vegetarian for a week, and I LOVE IT. I just decided to change my life. This week was ROUGH, but now I feel so empowered... I am not telling anyone else though, even members because I don't want to be a burden.  But the second day, for dinner a member bought us cheese pizza... she looked at the box, and was like, “hmmmm I bought 2 pepperonis. Weird!” It was a miracle!!!  

(Note from Sonja: We told Emily that Nathan’s football team won their championship)

WOW!  HE IS A CHAMMPPIOOONN HE IS A CHAMPIOOONNN!! Ya take that Manti (slash South Sevier)!  My brother is awesome!!  I’m so proud! What position does he play?

(Note from Sonja: We told Emily about Nathan being signed up for 3 powwows this month and how he is not that happy about it haha)

He will have fun at the BYU Powwow. I remember at BYU there were always a million scouts running around but I think that was in the summer time.  Fun though. 

This week I was on exchanges with Hna Porter’s trainees and we got called in to do some service in the whole mission-wide size (from Lodi to Turlock) Scout Camp.  There were a bunch of scrawny Nathan’s running around shooting bows and arrows and army crawling and American flags and I am not even kidding I just started crying.  Not like sorrow cry, but Grandpa Taylor kind of cry.  The beautiful life moment thing kind of cry.  It was great and the sky was blue blue which I always love.  Good times.  

(Note from Sonja: We told Emily that Elissa had tried out for her first competition routine of the year and was selected even though her lift group fell )

hahaha Elissa wiping out.  I’m glad that she made it still.  I am excited to see her dance!  She is my motivation to become flexible because I remember she wasn’t and now she super is, and I’m not but I hope to be soon.  

What job did Lizzy end up getting???   I love football!

I am pretty sure my return date is the Wednesday in the early afternoon........ like January 26th or something :) I hit 15 months this week and the 100 day countdown down....... WHAT?!?! 

(Note from Sonja: I told Emily about a show Darren watched where the cops planted cars with keys in the ignition to see how long it took before they were stolen. The show took place in Manteca!! Nice…)

That is super funny about the car stealing show. I want to watch it, too so I can point out all the places I recognize! Manteca can get kind of scary in parts but it’s not bad.  Haha what are the odds…that is so random.  

Good moment of this week we went with Leilani out for some Thai food.  I AM IN  LOVE WITH CURRY.  SERIOUSLY PEOPLE.  IT IS SOOO GOOOD.

 I am running out of time.  It was a rough week. I was depressed about Spanish.  Exxxxo was depressed.  I was never in my area.   All the problems of other people become your problems because you are their Sister Training Leader.  We had some fights (not us -  the Sister’s we cover – but everything was so hard as we were not communicating  very well, either).  Waaaahhhhhhhwwwwaaaahhhhh.   My companion and I got really distant from each other.  I thought she was always shooting my ideas down. I felt like I was just getting run over… know what I mean? Like why even try if nothing I say even matters. So I would be suuuper silent. I throw pity parties for me in my head sometimes.  You know how I made that pride reference to how stupid it was and people should just get over it??  Yep … never judging anyone again (EVER) because I behaved in some pretty embarrassing ways due to it.  Then this Sunday the lesson was on pride hahaha. I am definitely learning some better communication skills that is for sure.   I decided NO MORE.  Communication 852 that’s for sure! I’m passing this class! I know I have problems communicating, let alone helping other people communicate.   I have been studying the talk "Come What May and Love It" and sometimes I laugh at myself when I get annoyed haha.  So that has helped.  But my comp definitely deserves a hug.

CXXXXS IS BAPTIZED! SE BAUTIZO! BAUTIZADO!

It isn’t really a surprise because we have been working with him for about 6 weeks now, AND he is totally prepared.  His father is one of my favorite people here in Manteca (Cxxxxs Hernandez Sr.) and he has been baptized for one year now.  He was the only member in his family.  He is constantly studying the scriptures.  He is the father also of Axxxxn who is my favorite kid in Manteca!  He is hilarious.  

 Axxxxn and Axxan (little boy in first picture) were being a bit irreverent so I asked them to draw a picture of Junior getting baptized.  This is Axxxxn's picture.  I gave it to Hermano to keep forever :)

So I was really excited.  But Cxxxxxs Jr is amazing!  When his family wasn’t going to church he went by himself to a little Christian church!  Then his dad really plead with him to come to church with him, and now he says that he knows without a doubt that this church is the true one!  He is really good at reading scriptures.  He doesn’t worry so much about knowing exactly everything that is happening, but is really good at picking out principles that he can apply in his life.  He is awesome!

This is a picture of Axxxxn at the baptism. He was super funny because he was like,"I want to get baptized! I want to get baptized!" He kept saying it over and over.    Then he was like "my dad called me a bad word!"

"What did he call you??!"  

"Callate"  hahahahahahah which means be quiet a little roughly hahaha it was hilarious.  We are so good buds we have a secret handshake.  I love this family!  They are amazing!  He talks so cute.  He sounds like he is from New Jersey if that makes sense haha.  Someday you will meet him too!

Hermana Carpenter and I have done 4.5 exchanges this week!  People there are only 7 days in a week.  I felt like I didn’t even remember who my companion was, or Manteca town, but I am grateful for the beautiful end of a rough week.  We have now done exchanges with all the sisters so now we can start focusing in on what they need.  

On exchanges we were outside talking to people and found a chili on the ground next to the bush........ so we ate it!! hahah #hermanas 

I love being able to get to know so many awesome hermanas!

Not even kidding we need more Sister Training Leaders, or need to become traveling Sister missionaries because it has been rough on the area and everything!  Too many things to do that’s for sure!  I go to bed at 10 every night and still feel tired in the morning. I am learning a lot though! I am so happy with all that is going on in my life! LOTS OF GOOD THINGS!

You are all good things in my life too.  Thanks for your emails!  

Love Hna Sheffer 

October 5 - Time to Meditizar

Conference was so amazing!  I had my little questions and things that I want to work on in my life, and of course who opens up the entire worldwide conference with all the answers I needed?? Thank you Heavenly Father / President Uchtdorf/ Conference!!!

I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU DURING CONFERENCE TOO! Especially the women's session, and then with Elder Holland's talk, and a couple others. 

I LOOOOVVVVVVEEE YOOOOUUUUU.

They voice over the Spanish talks, and it is better that way.  It is fun to hear the people speak in their native language, and I agree that it should be subtitles when they do like the Asian languages, but it is awesome.  They do a really good job translating.  For example Elder Christofferson knows how to speak Spanish, and so he pre-recorded his talk in Spanish, so it was actually him speaking.  That is fun. 

I loved this conference, and I think my favorite was the very first session.  It was so good.  I have a little part that I loved from each talk, so that was a goal I had, and it totally happened!  The only hard part for me was to see our Prophet struggle, but he kept going anyways and I was having a little panic attack for him.  Gordan B. Hinckley and Thomas S Monson.  I love the 2 prophets that I have had.  I am excited for the new apostles as well.

I predicted that Cecil Samuelson was going to be a new apostle, so I was doing, “Swoosh Cecil” all week.  Turns out I was wrong haha. Gotta love BYU traditions.

(Added by Sonja:)

We were able to watch a session of Conference with the Hernandez family, and the Meza family, with Exxxxo, and then one in English at the church.  I watched 75 percent of Conference in Spanish and I understood!! My understanding is great, but sadly sometimes I still have trouble speaking.  But it was fun to watch conference with some of my favorite people ever! 

Axxxxn did the Conference packet that you sent me last year!  It worked really good!  

Also we played a game with Exxxxo where we counted down Conference haha.  He was so excited.  He walked to the Meza’s to watch it at their house!  I loved the Prophet’s talk, and I am totally going to do the ponderizing haha!  I didn’t get it at first because it was meditizar in Spanish and I was like do I know that word?... but now I understand haha.  My first scriptures I’m going to meditizar are the 2 from the Prophet’s talk. 

But there were good times had. 

We did exchanges with the English/Spanish Sisters in Stockton, and I had my first day as an English speaking Missionary!  At our dinner appointment what did we eat?? Rice and Chicken!! It will never escape me haha. 

We were able to help decorate for a wedding, and that was fun.  I was having little mini OCD attacks, but thanks to that tendency the reception tables were lined up perfectly straight with the basketball floor lines, and the basketball hoops were up!  The table clothes were all different sizes and I wanted to put them on the tables according to their length, but refrained.

 

Also I got to use my old desk that I used in my Stockton thug days, and I took a picture of my name I drew inside the drawer (it was a yearbook of missionaries dating back to the 2010’s so that was fun). FLASHBACK!

I hope to have read the entire Standard works before the next General Conference, so that is a goal I set.  Start with the simple, and read it all!  I want to be a servant of God forever!!!! 

This Monday we had some miracles!  When Hermana Carpenter and I were first put together, the Mission President promised us that people would walk up to us on the street and ask to be taught.  It didn't happen really clearly like that until this past Monday!

In that short 3 hours of proselyting time we had 2 people ask to be taught! 

One is the family of Cxxxxs Hernandez, and Cxxxxs Hernandez Jr, and Axxxn, and the other was a long lost cousin of Exxxxo that we met outside haha.  She is amazing, and just lost her 3 year old son in a car crash 3 months ago.  I had remembered Exxxxo talking about it.  So we are teaching them.  I was grateful for that experience because we have been having no time in our area.  We do 4 exchanges a week and it has been hard to feel like we are really getting to work in our own area.  But this experiences shows God will do His work! Just another Miracle Monday!! 

I also received Elissa's SUPER LONG letter.  IT WAS AWESOME!!

I haven't done as much yoga this week.  But I went on an exchange with one of the new Spanish Hermanas from Disneyland basically, and she lives next to Huntington Beach, and a Korean town so she loves Korean things.  She taught me some words, and promised to show me the first pose of TaeKwondo? (dont know how to spell it :)) even though it is illegal, and can only be learned from a master :) So that was a super fun exchange.  It is hard to do all the exchanges, but it is really fun to get to know everyone, and hopefully help them out a bit!

The weather has gotten cooler and it is great!  California weather is the best! 

When I was on the exchange in Stockton I forgot my TIWI card, and Sister Boata can’t drive.  So I called Elder Gilbert our vehicle guy and asked if I could just drive without my card that day, and then get all that happened on my card later,  just this one time.  He was like, “The TIWI is a principle of Obedience and by doing so it is like taking just one sip of alcohol in the laws of the word of wisdom....”. HAHA.  But I am pleased to announce I DIDNT DRINK!!  I told him that too haha.  Poor Hna Carpenter had to drive all the way back up just to give me my login card.  SIGH.

We were able to see Bxxxxo again this week in between his crazy work schedules.  It had been raining that day, so Hermana Carpenter and I both were wearing our new boots.  When we got there Bxxxo was also wearing his work boots so I insisted we take a picture, for my picture of the day! He thought it was hilarious!  

Well Cxxxxs Jr should be getting baptized this Saturday!  One of us will be gone four of the next five days, so it will be a crazy week for sure.

WOW! That is so exciting about Nathan’s game!  CHEER SUPER LOUD FOR ME!  But don't have anxiety for me, because that would also be what was happening.  I love sports haha.

I have invited Leilani to Utah to come see all the National Parks just so ya know :)  Exxxxo too, and Bxxxa and family!  We are planning a reunion in Utah in 1 year!  So yaaaaaaa!

Thankyouthankyouforeverythingyoudoformeeverydayandforbeingmyfamilythatilovealotandiamsoexcitedtotalktoyouragainnextweekthanksforalltheemailsandtelleveryonehiandthatilovethemsomuch!

Love,

EMILY