I love being a missionary!!!

 ALLLLLOOOOO!!

Ok, I don't have very much time at all today, this week was full of its ups and downs, but right now I couldn't be happier. Hermana T was sick this past week and I think it was also a sign for me that I need to have more patience. I had to sit back for a while and put my companion first, which I made me feel closer to her and because we have a stronger relationship, we are able to teach stronger. 

I have never been more excited for conference! We get to watch it in English too!! I have been praying so hard to be able to watch it in English and after exchanges we inherited 3 new gringos. so we are now able to watch in English! I cant wait to hear the words of our Prophet Thomas S Monson and His worthy Seers and Revelators. We are so blessed to have this technology at our fingertips!

We have been working with a girl named Vanessa, she is 12 years old and she is the best. We committed her to baptism a couple weeks ago and she has so much determination and faith. We are also slowly but surely reactivating a couple  less actives and it has been so fulfilling as we are starting to see the fruits of our labors. I love being a missionary!!! I am so happy and have really built a testimony towards service. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people here in Tela and already have started to call them family. The church is true!

Love,

Hermana Sherman

For Pday we went on a hike in Progresso and found the Goblet of Fire in the middle of the Jungle.

When we put limits on ourselves, we put limits on God...

What a week! In the beginning of the week, we were wrapping everything up for Hermana Barrios to take off and made sure I knew how to do everything in order to train my new companion. Hermana Barrios and I were clinging onto each other for the past week because we knew cambios were coming up. I am so grateful for Hermana Barrios and her example of service and compassion. I couldn't have asked for a better trainer. We took off at 6am Wednesday morning and arrived in Progresso for cambios! That's where I said goodbye to Hermana Barrios and said hello to Hermana TAMANI, fresh off the plane! I could easily relate to her emotions because that was me only 6 weeks ago. Hermana Tamani is 20 and is from Lima, Peru! She has known her whole life that she wanted to serve a mission and the age changes in general conference was an answer to her prayers. She is strong. I found out that this whole time she hasn't been able to talk to her family because only her sister has email and she doesn't have it. It took us two days but we finally figured it all out for her. It made me so grateful for the technology we have now and I have been so blessed my whole life with this technology at my fingertips. I love her energy because we have been able to pick up the pace a little bit this past week and further this marvelous work! I've already seen miracles!

I have felt the strength from everyone's prayers and have never relied on my Savior more. I am not alone. I am now starting to understand the true meaning of faith. I know that I cannot do this alone so as I have handed everything over to the Lord, He has filled what I lack. I am being stretched and molded into the person my Heavenly Father wants me to be. I am a daughter of God. When we put limits on ourselves, we put limits on God. 

Thank you for your support! The Church is true!!

Love,

Hermana Sherman

Saying goodbye to Hermana Barrios (trainer)

Last district photo

New companion from Lima, Peru!

Teaching the RS sisters how to braid their hair and learning how to make Baleudas

 

Leches, a weird fuzzy fruit that is so good!

The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.

Last week with Hermana Barrios :(

 Hola!

This week has been pretty excellent! It was Independence Day yesterday, so all week there has been parades in central. Every school participates and it's pretty crazy. We got a lot of contacting done :) On Saturday was National kid day and everyone makes piñatas! We worked pretty hard this week trying to get everything prepared for campios Wednesday. We found a 12 year old girl named Vanessa and she is the sweetest! She gives me hope that there is goodness in the world!

This week I have been trying to focus on loving the people here. They always seem to amaze me. Some of their trials are incredible, but they always are so strong. One the Abuelas, Margarita we teach is 82 and she's disabled. She struggles in feeding her family and raised her grandaughter at age 60+ and now is raising her great grandaughter. She made us tortillas yesterday and it may seem small, but I know it was a great sacrifice for her. I almost started crying when she handed them to us. She is a great example to me. I am starting to understand and feel a small portion of how much love Heavenly Father has for His children. 

"Remember the worth of souls is GREAT in the sight of God." -D&C 18:10

Love,

Hermana Sherman

Making friends

Reunion with the Hermanas from the Guatemala CCM

Before

After

First bout with the "Dragon"

Ready and willing...

I don't even know how to begin about this week! We went up to Ceiba for a conference with all of the newbies. (All of the companionships with someone training) Ceiba is about an hour and a half away from Tela. I got to see all of the lovely Hermanas from the CCM and we had a grand reunion! President Klein asked Hermana Barrios and I to do a little presentation on how to have companionship study. The spirit helped me A LOT. Normally I don't speak as well in Spanish as I did. It's amazing how that works. Right when we got to the chapel President Klein pulled Hermana Barrios and I aside for interviews and Hermana Barrios went first. Then it was my turn. President Klein is always awesome and energized for this great work. He asked me to train next exchange! When he asked me, I felt a peace and calmness that everything was going to be ok. I trust in President Klein that he hears and follows the promptings of the Spirit and I trust the Lord that If this is what He needs me to do, then he`ll provide a way to accomplish it. We are called to succeed. Normally the training program is 12 weeks. but since I only have been here 5 weeks, we have 1 more week before exchanges to crank it out. If we weren't motivated before, we are motivated now and I can learn so much from Hermana Barrios so I'm going to try and pick her brain as much as i can this next week. 

After hearing the news in Ceiba, I have really felt Satan flip the switch. I've learned that before and after an amazing spiritual experience without a doubt, Satan is going to try and tear you down. I have once again been reminded of why I am here. I am here to further the work and bring others to Christ. Ready and willing to serve Him. Only after the trial of our Faith, can the blessings of the heavens be poured onto us.

This last week we had an activity with the ward called "Combate Mormón" We all first went to a members house to prepare the food, once again I felt ridiculous crying when the Hermana next to me was chopping onions. It's pretty intimidating chopping veggies next to all the Hermanas in the ward. They are pros! I love learning from them! We then all walked to a little field right on the beach. It was GORGEOUS! We played a bunch of games and I forgot what its like to be competitive. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. And I'm pretty sure I threw out my arm chucking a ball at a niño during dodgeball. 

Life is GOOOOOD. I feel like I am being shaped and molded into someone the Lord wants me to be. We all need to start somewhere, sometime. The Church is True! And oooohhhhhh how I LOVE IT!

Cuídense,

Hermana Sherman

...it's all on His timing, not ours.

This week has pretty much flown by! I have no idea where the time has gone! We have learned to have patience that the Lord will direct us to those that are prepared and it's all on His timing, not ours. 

We had a Leadership meeting with the Area leaders and it was awesome. Hopefully, it got everyone pumped so we can all work together. I've learned that missionary work is a team effort. You can't bring new investigators in if they don't feel welcomed or there's a lack of ward unity. So hopefully, everyone can act upon what we discussed and start getting the ball rolling!

I had my first division! We had the sister zone leaders spend a couple nights at our house and I went on splits with Hermana Blanco. I LOVED it! It was fun learning that everyone has different styles of teaching, which can pinpoint certain people.We have a neighbor who is a cute old lady that broke her arm and has been in a huge cast for a lonnnng time. She can't really brush or wash her hair, so I've been brushing and braiding her hair every other day for the past couple of weeks. I felt sorry for her cause I don't know when the last time she brushed her hair or had it washed so I'm going to set up a little washing station for her so I can wash her hair for her. I'm also going to teach a braiding and styling class this week for the relief society to have a nice activity where we can start building unity in the ward!

We were walking to an appointment and suddenly there were thousands of butterflies in the sky and I was all.. "Oh how pretty!" Then my companion started yelling, "BATMAN!!" They were bats...  everyone was making gestures with two fingers that they bite your neck! Holy cow! I'm still not sure if they bite or not, but I had a minor freakout. 

It poured this week and there was water up to our knees on some trails. After it rains all the crabs come out. We do our laundry in a little space and there were 6 giant crabs chilling there and would creep up at my feet every 3 minutes, so I had to sit on the counter to do my laundry. I have a picture and if you zoom in under the door you can see one of the crabs, they're also on the pipes. 

 We live right next to a fútbol stadium and the other day was a game. The whole town shut down and you could hear yelling and horns being blown from miles away. I guess we have to stay away from the stadium when there's a game cause people go pretty nuts. It was crazy! 

This week we have a conference in Ceiba, and Hermana Barrios and I were asked to teach/act out how to study and plan for a lesson for all the missionaries! I'm excited! I have already learned so much while being here and can only imagine the person I can become after 18 months. The blessings promised are infinite!

Yesterday was my first fast Sunday in the field!! This opportunity I had to fast really built my testimony. I immediately felt stronger spiritually, mentally and physically. We have so many opportunities to strengthen ourselves and if we actually take them up, the blessings are incredible. I couldn't be more grateful that I'm here, serving a mission. My eyes are slowly being opened to how marvelous this Gospel truly is. The Church is true!

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you." -D&C 88:63

"...Be faithful and diligent in keeping my commandments of God and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love." D&C 6:20

Love,

Hermana Sherman