Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I have never been happier and more content.

Hola Familia Mia!

Im sorry I didnt have time to write last week, it was a lil cray cray. The past two weeks have been soo good! I am learning so much every day and how to listen and recognize the spirit.

We went on exchanges with El Iman and Trujillo! I absolute fell in love with Trujillo our last exchanges and even more this time! I worked with Hermana Vergara this time and she is absolutely amazing! She has 10 people in her family and she is the only member. She was baptized 3 years ago and is so strong! She has a deep love for missionary work and can make an impact on peoples hearts within minutes! I learned so much from her!  We taught the same house on the beach that Hermana Trujillo and I contacted last month and turns out the family is attending church and praying for a baptismal date!

We had an amazing zone conference tuesday. Hermana Munoz and I taught about keeping our houses clean and taught how to bear testimony in english. We were surprised when President Klein walked in the chapel and we got the treat of learning from him for a little while. I am so grateful for President Klein. Every missionary here loves and respects him so much. He taught about covenants and I had the opportunity to study a little further in depth this past week and learned that covenants received and honored with integrity and ordinances performed by proper priesthood authority are necessary to receive ALL of the blessing made available through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Elder Amado also challenged us to study the atonement for a month, and it has been changing my life. The atonement enables us to do good and become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities. I just love this gospel!! I have never been happier and more content. I love you all 

Dios es nuestro Padre Celestial se que somos hijos de El. Amo Jesucristo y se que el me ama. El sufrió por cada uno de nosotros. Tengo esperanza que puedo vivir con mi familia para siempre gracia a la expiación de Jesucristo.

Love,
Hermana Sherman
Pday in La Ceiba!





Trujillo!

Our sweet investigator Ashlee has a pink chick! 
Sometimes I get lazy at ironing my skirts
 

Monday, July 14, 2014

when we obey with exactness, we will see miracles.

We didnt have transfers! But we kind of already knew that. Hermana Munoz and I were so excited to finally be able to work in our area for most of the week and it turned out that the power went out 4 times, each time starting at 6:30 pm. Most of our important appointments are at night and when there isnt power, we immediately have to go home. which is a bummer so we had to cancel a lot of appointments. Maybe we didnt get everything we wanted done. but we didnt miss out on having miracles this week. 


Derian had a set baptismal date for last Friday. We had his interview Wednesday with our District Leader, but something held him up. It just happened that the Zone Leaders passed by the church and they were able to give Derian his interview. During his baptismal interview, he felt like he needed to wait to be baptized and when he came out of his interview he was a different person. The other ZL took him and did another interview and when he came out Derian was a completely different person. We gave him space for a couple days so he could think about his decision to be baptized. Ever since the first time i met Derian, I honestly felt like we were pushing way too hard and the only reason he did things was because we wanted him to. This past Sunday, he ended up going to church on his own and his attitiude completely changed. I know it wasnt just a coincidence that the ZLs were passing by the church and our DL was held up, but that Heavenly Father wanted Derian to talk with Elders Larson and Montenegro. 


While Hna Munoz was sick, I got to look through our entire area book. I was looking at the old investigators from past missionaries that they had dropped. I came across one man named Homer. He was taught everything already and kept saying how awesome he was and that he already had his baptismal interview, but didnt end up getting baptized. It didnt really explain why or anything so we put his name on a list to contact. It turns out Homer lives 2 houses down from us and passed his house probably 4 times, but he was never home. One day this past week, all of our appointments fell through so we felt like it would be a good idea to pass by Homers house one more time. We said a prayer asking to find someone prepared to hear the gospel on the way to his house. We called out in front of his house and he immediately ran out and greeted us. It turns out he grew up with the Bishop and used to be really active in the church, but there was a misunderstanding with a member. He told us about the experience when he received his answer that the Church was true. What a tender mercy to have found him! We now have been visiting him regularly and its been a major blessing. 


I have a talk in Sacrament meeting Sunday and it was on Elder Zivics talk "Lets not take the wrong way" One part I really like is when he says,"It would be wonderful to have a desire deep in our hearts to keep the commandments without anyone constantly reminding us and to have a firm conviction that if we follow the right path, we will have the blessings promised in the scriptures."

This reminded me of a scripture in D&C 58: 26-29


 26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
 27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
 28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
 29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
This made me think of my attitude towards why i do the things i do. Am I obeying mission rules and commandments to the minimum? Or am I giving my whole heart, mind, strength and own free will. When we obey, we will see blessings, when we obey with exactness, we will see miracles. God has everything in the world except one thing...our will. Ive learned that life is easier when we give up our will to do the will of Heavenly Father. I am learning to put my complete trust in Him and when I do, everything seems to work out ok.


I love you all! And hope you have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Sherman

Zone Miramar

Hermana Hernandez, De Leon, Sherman and Munoz (We live next door and serve in the same ward)
It was hard having Hermana De Leon transfered, shes another one of my soul sisters
Ride back from our transfer meeting, it was a wild ride
MANGO!

Monday, July 7, 2014

Roatan!

This week was probably the craziest of my mission, but it was sooooo good!
Hermana Munoz is all better now which is a major blessing.

ROATAN!!!
We traveled to the beautiful island of Roatan this week to do exchanges with Hermanas Harrison, Morales, Baltazar, and Vasquez. We took a yacht ! This yacht was a little bit bigger than the one we took in Mexico haha. The ride from La Ceiba to Roatan is 2 hours long and it was a bumpy ride. There was a guy running around with plastic bags and napkins. Everyone was throwing up everywhere and it just reminded me of the movie the Goonies when the fat boy was telling his story about when he threw up in the movie theater then everyone started throwing up. Before you get on the boat they give you "motion sickness pills", but pretty sure theyre just sleeping pills, so I just slept the whole time haha. I met a guy with the most beautiful dreads ive ever seen. I asked him how he does them, he told me he just started twisting his hair when he was 4 years old. Almost everyone speaks English, but its funny cause they speak English with a British accent and Spanish grammar. Its all kind of mixed but i could understand for the most part. 

I cant even begin to tell you guys how beautiful it is there! Its an island with a lot of tourism cause its so beautiful. I went on exchanges with Hermana Harrison from Utah and it was a blast. Their area is all along the beach line! Such a temptation, but i didnt do anything to regret. We had a couple really good lessons and they have awesome investigators who have to travel over an hour on foot to get to the church! 

We were planning on doing exchanges with the other set of sisters the next day, but we got a phone call from the APs at 10:30pm saying we had to be in a meeting in La Ceiba the next morning at 9am... and prepare a 20minute presentation for all of the new missionaries and their trainers. Our trip was a little short, but amazing. We took off the next morning at 6am and headed back to La Ceiba where we had our meeting. 

The next day we headed out to OLANCHITO. Its a little far out but I got to do exchanges with Hermanas Ramirez and Zamora in a trio! It was such a blast! Hermana Ramirez is one of my soul sisters on my mission. She came to Honduras with me at the same time and when I was the only North American, she was the only other person who could speak English so i was attached to her hip. They are an awesome companionship and I was blessed to be able to go out with them. They work so hard and are a great example to all the other missionaries in our mission. Hermana Zamora is a convert after 3 years and is the only active member in her family. Her Mom didnt want her to serve a mission and hasnt been writing her. The sisters here are so strong and such great examples to me. 

We finally got back to our area Saturday afternoon and taught the cutest couple. We taught the Plan of Salvation and about temples. They arent married yet, but we taught that they could be married for eternity and showed them a picture of a temple, Eliana immediately said," I want that!" Oh man I love this gospel! I get to have my testimony strengthened by the faithful people here in Honduras. I know with all my heart now that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church with the whole truth. Other churches are good and have parts of the truth, but this church is the only one that has the plenitude of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have learned so much about myself during my time and what I need to do to keep my spiritual and physical tanks full. Im grateful for the order we have during the mission. Ive realized i can do so much more and have a greater capacity when theres order and when we have planned ahead.

Mosiah 4:27

27And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order ; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

Love,
Hermana Sherman
Roatan
 
Everyone is poor but they have their cable dishes
A man with beautiful dreads
Hermana Harrison!
A couple of sheep entered our stake center