1 Nephi 20:10

1 Nephi 20:10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of ^aaffliction.

Good Morning! 

This week was awesome because of Christmas and everything that we were able to do but it was also kind of rough. The lessons in the zone were kinda down this week just because people are gone and busy with the holidays and such. But we had two baptisms! It was awesome, we are trying to make it to the temple with them soon! 

It was so good to video chat with all of you on Christmas! Glad to see not too much has changed since I've been gone :) I feel like I have changed so much but I'm still the same person. Like I'm still the same person but my goals and desires and purpose in life has changed. I finally feel like I'm beginning to understand what this life is all about. The gospel has a tendency to do that I think ;) So if anyone reading this feels lost, alone, confused, etc, the gospel of Jesus Christ is for you. Really it's for all of us. At all times. But there are people out there that are looking for something but they just don't know where to look. As a missionary I try so hard to find those people. The other night we were tracting. We tracted one side of a street. So much opposition. slammed doors, Jehovah's Witnesses, you name it. We decided that the neighborhood was a bust, so we left. But we felt a strong impression to go back. So we did. We continued tracting the other side of the street and again, more opposition. Let me tell you, there was no love for the Mormons on this street. Until we knocked on the last two doors. One of them was a family, they LOVE Jesus. It's awesome. They are non denominational. We talked with the dad for a while on the doorstep and asked if we could come back and share a message about the gospel and families. Our return appointment last night was really successful. We are going back later this week to teach them more! They are really interested in learning more. They are sincere and have a real desire to come closer to the Savior. Definitely worth the opposition. 

I have learned on my mission that usually before or after great spiritual moments comes the adversary's sad attempt to bring us down. In all of our lives, when miracles occur, Satan always gets his jabs in with something equally powerful in the opposite spiritual direction. It's more of a testimony builder for me now. To know that Satan exists and does everything he can to make us miserable. HE wants us to feel that way. I know that God lives and the he wants to bring us joy and happiness in this life. And He can, if we let him.

Anyways, the work in Springdale Har-Ber Ward is going great! I'm still loving Arkansas, loving being a zone leader and loving Elder Stapley. We work great together. I love you all so much! 

Love,

Elder Sherwood