Moroni 7:47

Moroni 7:47  But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Good Morning! This week was awesome! We taught 22 lessons, XXXXX came to church, and we picked up 3 new investigators! The first new investigator is XXXXX. We tracted in to him earlier in the week and when he came out and started talking to us he started crying! He told us about how his mom died two years ago and he has been having a really really hard time dealing with it. So he invited us back. We had our first lesson with him on Thursday, we invited him to be baptized on October 19 and he accepted the invitation! He has some obstacles that he has to overcome before he is ready to be baptized but we will do our best to help him. Please keep him in your prayers! 

The next new investigator is the XXXXX family. We tracted into them the same day (same street) we met XXXXX. Turns out their daughter used to be taught by the missionaries. She passed away unexpectedly earlier this year however. When we knocked on the door and started talking to her father, he also started crying and told us how they had really been struggling and the had been thinking about going and talking to a preacher or something and they would love to have us come over and help them though this hard time. We had our first lesson with them on Saturday and we taught them about the Plan of Salvation. We talked about what is happening with their daughter and how they can find peace and joy and comfort through this terribly difficult time in their life. 

Then the third new investigator was XXX and XXX XXXXX. A younger couple that really just loves to study religion. We met with them on Saturday also. We taught them about the Restoration. Their concern of course is not uncommon. Probably the most common concern we get down here is the idea that "God's grace is sufficient" aka "you can't work your way in to heaven". Unfortunately no matter how many times we try to explain the doctrine of grace, the conversation goes nowhere. 

Ya, it was a good week! And now the new transfer begins! I love being district leader! The first night all the new missionaries got to their areas I called all my areas and got to know each one of the missionaries a little bit. And just to let them know that I'm here and that I want to help them with whatever they need help with. I love that part of being a district leader!

This Wednesday I have my first District Training Meeting as District Leader. I have to instruct our district, which consists of 3 sisters in Elm Creek, 2 Sisters in Claremore, and 2 Elders in Pryor, on the fundamentals of missionary work! I started planning some of the stuff that I will be training on this Wednesday. I'll let you know how it goes next week! 

Life at the Johnson home is pretty good too! I'm pretty excited to wake up Sunday morning and make some beignets or scones or whatever and watch some General Conference! I'm so excited. General Conference is so awesome as a missionary. We are hoping to have some investigators watching this conference! 

This has been such a wild ride. The funniest, weirdest, most awkward, coolest, happiest, and most spiritually uplifting moments happen out here. I love serving a mission. I love serving the Lord. I know that he lives and that he Loves us. I now he hears our prayers. I know that the Lord has called a Prophet on the earth today that helps to lead and guide this church. And I know that this is the Lords church again established on the earth. It is the most important message in the world. I am humbled every day to have the opportunity to share it. 

I love you all! 

Love,

Elder Sherwood 

Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through ^aChrist which ^bstrengtheneth me.

Good Morning! This week was a pretty good week. Nothing too crazy or super eventful happened. We taught our new investigator, XXXXX, again last night. She's awesome. She's not a huge talker which makes things somewhat challenging. The last thing we want to do is just sit there and talk at people for half an hour. The whole exchange works best when a discussion or a dialogue is happening between us and the investigator or who ever it is that we are teaching. So we are working on figuring out how to discern what her needs and concerns might be. It's gonna take lots of study and prayer but it's ok, that's what its all about right? 

XXXXX is still doing awesome, he's still going to seminary and trying to go to church when he can. I told him a couple weeks ago that I was looking for some cheap basketball shoes. So last night at the XXX’s house, he was there, and he gave me these beautiful brand new nike hyperdunks! He said his coach gave them to him last year, he wore them once, didn't like them, so they've just been sitting in his closet for a year now. So he gave them to me! He is so awesome. Just shows what kind of a person he is. Such a great guy.

On Thursday we had a crazy night tracting. We went to this neighborhood that we hadn't been to in a while, and we starting knockin doors. The first guys we talked to was really friendly, listened to our message, then when we went to give him a Book of Mormon, we realized we didn't have any. So we said we would come back later to give him one. This same thing happened at the next four houses! So we have all these great potentials to follow up with now. One lady said that she was actually searching for a church. We told her how our purpose is just to help people come closer to Jesus Christ and to teach them about his gospel and to overcome their trials and challenges. She said that was part of the reason that she moved out here was to get away from some things she was struggling with. She kept saying stuff like "this is really good timing guys". She was amazed that we had just shown up at her door to help her with what she was struggling with. I really love doing this. I love helping people! I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and that He loves us and is mindful of us. In every trial that we go through, he is always ready to aid us. I cant imagine living without that knowledge. The burden's of life are made easier to bare through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This week we got transfer calls! We are both staying here in Ranch Creek. But I will be district leader again. Sorry I don't think I mentioned this last transfer but I was only the district leader for those two weeks when we first got emergency transferred here. So for the past transfer I've just been training. But now I will be training and I will be the district leader again. Which means I will be in charge of collecting key indicators (numbers) every week, running and instructing our district training meetings, and conducting baptismal interviews. Among other responsibilities to uplift and strengthen the missionaries in my district of course. It's awesome. Lovin it. 

I love you all so much! 

Love,

Elder Sherwood 

Elder Sherwood's Birthday

We got the following e-mail on Elder Sherwood's birthday!! Made us happy!!

Hi Sis. Sherwood,

I just wanted to let you know had your son over for dinner tonight.  We didn't know his birthday was today until they got here or I would have made him a cake so we put candles in his ice cream cone.  :)  You have a great son.  He is an awesome missionary.  He even helped clean up after dinner.  You would be proud.

A few pictures from Elder Sherwood...

"I'm cooking! This is kale and bacon sauteed (?) in a pan! I also made some tortellini with this :) trying to eat healthy."

"Caught this little guy last monday, we got to go fishing at this little pond near a members home here in Owaso. It was awsome. I caught two fish!!! First two ever, haha."

 "Picture taken yesterday. very common scene in the Oklahoma countryside."

Matthew 10:39

Good Morning!

This week was a pretty good week. Not as amazing as last week. But still pretty good. We were on bikes this week. And it was hot. But it was fun as always. On Wednesday we had a district meeting and I went on exchange to Pryor OK with Elder White and Elder Gallegos. It was awesome. I love going on exchange to different areas. I was with Elder Gallegos for most of the day. We visited with some less active members and some investigators, taught some good lessons. It was a great day. Then yesterday we were on exchange with the traveling assistants. I was with Elder Vanroosendaal. He's crazy. Not crazy like weird, but crazy like an awesome missionary. He's going home at the end of this transfer. So he's got some experience under his belt and it was awesome to learn from him and teach with him.

We acquired a couple new investigator families this week. The XXXs and the XXXXs. The XXXs are this older couple that we tracted into. They do not like church. But they are looking for a church to like haha. They are super friendly and very open to hearing our message. The other family, the XXXX's, we tracted into as well. But they know several members of our church. They are actually good friends with our ward mission leader haha. So we set up an appointment to teach them. They are a family with just a single mom and three kids. The kids are so awesome, so well behaved, they sat there listening intently to what we were saying! The kids actually wanted us to come back and teach them haha. SO awesome.

The work here is super hard still. We get out there everyday and just work all day. We try our best to find people that are prepared. People that are willing to hear our message. People that we can help. The work here in Owasso is definitely still picking up a lot, we have several members of the ward that have friends that are interested in meeting with us, so we are working on making that happen. Also XXXX is doing really good! He is going to seminary now! Please keep his mom in your prayers!

I love this work so much. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to help the people I meet. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are all in my prayers every day. I promise there is nothing more fulfilling in this life than true discipleship. I know that these things are true. Through study and prayer, God answers us. He knows our every need. He knows our trials and questions and he wants to help. It's up to us to seek him out.

 Thank you for all of your support :) I love you all! 




Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ e-mail from 9/2/13

Good Morning! How are you all?!

This week was another fantastic week here in beautiful Owasso Oklahoma. We taught 24 lessons this week. A new personal and companionship record for myself and Elder Welburn haha. We acquired 2 new solid investigators this week. Let me tell you about them. The first is XXXXX. She is golden. We tracted in to her, taught her, and found out her kids are friends with members of our ward and our ward mission leader lives a block away and they are already good friends as well! She's so prepared. She loved our message. And her kids loved listening to us too! It was so sweet. The next is a lady named XXXXX. We also tracted in to her. I taught her while on exchange with Elder Beddes one of our Zone Leaders. She is so awesome. She loves our message as well and is currently on the search for a new church (very common practice down here in the good ol bible belt). We also acquired 4 or 5 really good potential investigators but we still need to follow up with them. This place is a gold mine!

On Friday I went on exchange with Elder Beddes.  He was drafted by the Yankees right out of high school and played AA ball with the Yankees organization. He's an awesome guy. Amazing missionary. Look him up haha.

Also recently we've come in contact with a lot of people that are going through a lot of hard times. Whatever challenge, what ever trial, what ever problem you face in this life, the gospel of Jesus Christ can help you bear that burden. When we learn to rely on the Lord for strength, our trials and challenges do not disappear. But our ability and strength to carry them is increased. We experience more joy and happiness and peace through our adversity. This is the plan we have been given, the Savior is aware of every person’s needs, and concerns. He stands ready to rush to the aid of the soul that seeks His divine help. This is my mission as well, to find those in need and to help them receive the peace the Lord offers.

I cannot believe that 10 months has already come and gone. But time has never meant less to me. I try every day to lose myself in the work. I love being a servant of the Lord :)

Love,

Elder Sherwood