HELLOOOO!!!
First of all that’s so awesome to hear about Reid and Ginny's mission calls. Salt Lake City, I'm way jealous. I hear those missionaries teach 30 lessons a week. I'm way excited for both of them and can't wait to hear about their experiences.
Yes, I got both of the packages and I'm was SOOO happy to get them. The pumpkin bread warms my soul. And thank you for the obscene amount of tissues, I actually have a cold right now so it must have been revelation given to you to send me those tissues and antibacterial hand wipes ;).
The scripture I'd like to share with you this week is (click on Mosiah to read) Mosiah 15:4-9. To me it is the most comforting scripture ever. My companion put it this way: Think of a person. The one person who you would want to be your advocate. A person that you know loves you more than anything, and would stand up for you and protect you in any situation. Now think of the Savior, and multiply that love infinitely. And imagine him standing between you and justice, between you and spiritual death, against all opposition and him saying "Well done thou good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." I can't think of anything more comforting than that.
Alright let me tell you about my thanksgiving's. Thanksgiving day we went to Sister XXXXX's for breakfast. She is a member in the ward and she makes suuuucchhhh good food. We had a HUGE delicious breakfast with her. Then we went to the XXXXX's for dinner later that day. Where we again had soooo much good food. I really am so grateful to be in this area right now. It could not be better than this. I'm a brand new missionary living with the greatest family ever, during the holiday season. I am being so well taken care of and I love it so much. I'm so grateful to them and the love they have for us missionaries. Then on Friday we had another thanksgiving dinner with the XXXXX family all 10,000 of them. So we stuffed ourselves again on Friday. Then on Saturday we had yet another dinner with another family of about 20,000 (these fundamentalist families are exceedingly large). So needless to say, I'm ok with Thanksgiving being a whole year away.
Ok so now for favorite two experiences this week. On Friday night we taught a lesson to XXXXX. A young man who has been attending church for a while and approached us asking if he could take the lessons. We taught him the Restoration and we invited him to be baptized and he accepted! My first baptismal commitment. I am so happy for him.
Ok this next story is completely true. I kid you not. Saturday morning we are just doing our companionship study, discussing some pretty deep doctrinal stuff about faith and intelligence and light, when we hear a knock knock knock on our door. We both bolt for the door because this never happens. A visitor to our quaint trailer? couldn't be. So we answer the door and a woman probably in her late 50's introduces herself to us and says she is here to share a message about Jesus. We introduced ourselves as Elder XXXXX and Elder Sherwood. The best part is we were going to do service later that morning so we were just dressed in normal clothes, no nametags, nothing. She continued talking about God and gave us a small pamphlet on the subject. This went on for several minutes at which point she asked us if we had any religion in our life. At which point WE clarified our names. "I don't know if you heard us, my name is ELDER XXXXX" "and my name is ELDER Sherwood. We are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." We had a very good discussion about God and Christ and the Holy Ghost, much of which we agreed about. Sadly, her church lacked many of the precious gifts we hold dearly such as personal revelation, or the correct concept of grace and the Atonement. After much discussion about her religion, we proceeded to teach her.... The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from Christ's earthly ministry all the way to Joseph Smith. We offered her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read it and pray about it. She politely declined and stated "Well we're very strong in our beliefs and you're very strong in your beliefs so it's best for us to just be friends". I promise, you will never hear those words come out of the mouth of a true Servant of Christ. We then shook hands and wished each other well as she departed. We went back in to our trailer, beaming with excitement at the fact that we had just taught a Jehovah's Witness. #nbd.
I'm gonna send another email with some other requests and stuff :)
First of all that’s so awesome to hear about Reid and Ginny's mission calls. Salt Lake City, I'm way jealous. I hear those missionaries teach 30 lessons a week. I'm way excited for both of them and can't wait to hear about their experiences.
Yes, I got both of the packages and I'm was SOOO happy to get them. The pumpkin bread warms my soul. And thank you for the obscene amount of tissues, I actually have a cold right now so it must have been revelation given to you to send me those tissues and antibacterial hand wipes ;).
The scripture I'd like to share with you this week is (click on Mosiah to read) Mosiah 15:4-9. To me it is the most comforting scripture ever. My companion put it this way: Think of a person. The one person who you would want to be your advocate. A person that you know loves you more than anything, and would stand up for you and protect you in any situation. Now think of the Savior, and multiply that love infinitely. And imagine him standing between you and justice, between you and spiritual death, against all opposition and him saying "Well done thou good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." I can't think of anything more comforting than that.
Alright let me tell you about my thanksgiving's. Thanksgiving day we went to Sister XXXXX's for breakfast. She is a member in the ward and she makes suuuucchhhh good food. We had a HUGE delicious breakfast with her. Then we went to the XXXXX's for dinner later that day. Where we again had soooo much good food. I really am so grateful to be in this area right now. It could not be better than this. I'm a brand new missionary living with the greatest family ever, during the holiday season. I am being so well taken care of and I love it so much. I'm so grateful to them and the love they have for us missionaries. Then on Friday we had another thanksgiving dinner with the XXXXX family all 10,000 of them. So we stuffed ourselves again on Friday. Then on Saturday we had yet another dinner with another family of about 20,000 (these fundamentalist families are exceedingly large). So needless to say, I'm ok with Thanksgiving being a whole year away.
Ok so now for favorite two experiences this week. On Friday night we taught a lesson to XXXXX. A young man who has been attending church for a while and approached us asking if he could take the lessons. We taught him the Restoration and we invited him to be baptized and he accepted! My first baptismal commitment. I am so happy for him.
Ok this next story is completely true. I kid you not. Saturday morning we are just doing our companionship study, discussing some pretty deep doctrinal stuff about faith and intelligence and light, when we hear a knock knock knock on our door. We both bolt for the door because this never happens. A visitor to our quaint trailer? couldn't be. So we answer the door and a woman probably in her late 50's introduces herself to us and says she is here to share a message about Jesus. We introduced ourselves as Elder XXXXX and Elder Sherwood. The best part is we were going to do service later that morning so we were just dressed in normal clothes, no nametags, nothing. She continued talking about God and gave us a small pamphlet on the subject. This went on for several minutes at which point she asked us if we had any religion in our life. At which point WE clarified our names. "I don't know if you heard us, my name is ELDER XXXXX" "and my name is ELDER Sherwood. We are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." We had a very good discussion about God and Christ and the Holy Ghost, much of which we agreed about. Sadly, her church lacked many of the precious gifts we hold dearly such as personal revelation, or the correct concept of grace and the Atonement. After much discussion about her religion, we proceeded to teach her.... The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from Christ's earthly ministry all the way to Joseph Smith. We offered her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read it and pray about it. She politely declined and stated "Well we're very strong in our beliefs and you're very strong in your beliefs so it's best for us to just be friends". I promise, you will never hear those words come out of the mouth of a true Servant of Christ. We then shook hands and wished each other well as she departed. We went back in to our trailer, beaming with excitement at the fact that we had just taught a Jehovah's Witness. #nbd.
I'm gonna send another email with some other requests and stuff :)
Alright so here's just a list of stuff I wrote down during
the week to ask/tell you about.
mom- could you please send me my AWE boots (make sure there’s not spiders in them)
Also I'm freezing out here! Could you send my down jacket, ya know the Mountain Hardwear one.
and I would really like some sweaters ASAP :) thanks!
On Sunday I gave a talk about gaining a personal testimony of the Savior! It was so sweet I'll make some copies of it and send it home for you all to read :)
I finally finished the Book of Mormon!! WOOO! Now I'm reading the New Testament and the Book of Mormon again.
mom- could you please send me my AWE boots (make sure there’s not spiders in them)
Also I'm freezing out here! Could you send my down jacket, ya know the Mountain Hardwear one.
and I would really like some sweaters ASAP :) thanks!
On Sunday I gave a talk about gaining a personal testimony of the Savior! It was so sweet I'll make some copies of it and send it home for you all to read :)
I finally finished the Book of Mormon!! WOOO! Now I'm reading the New Testament and the Book of Mormon again.
Is this time going by really fast for you all as well? I
can't believe it's almost been two months already. It feels like it's been one
week. Makes me kinda sad actually. I love being a missionary, it's the greatest
thing I've ever been a part of. I love sharing what I know, this amazing gift I
have in my life. It truly makes me sad when people don't want to accept or
understand what we have to share.
I hope and pray that all is well in work and school for all of you!
Thank you for the love a support you give to me! I love you all so much! I pray for you all every day!
Elder Sherwood
I hope and pray that all is well in work and school for all of you!
Thank you for the love a support you give to me! I love you all so much! I pray for you all every day!
Elder Sherwood
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