My novel‏ :)

This week was amazing. Probably one of my craziest, but a good crazy. haha

I got to see Hna Bennett perform her first surgery in the mission. She popped the biggest blister/boil I have ever seen. I was there giving support and filming it all. I'll give you guys a picture of it. 

We ate lunch at a recent converts house Sunday and we walked in to the smell of BBQ! Ive never been so excited about food. We each had a nice slab of meat on our plates. After blessing the food, I cut a nice big piece of meat and set it in my mouth... as I chewed, I immediately knew it was not normal meat. This meat tasted kind of like body odor and was mushy. My mind kept running about what it actually was and debated asking what type of meat it was. As I was choking the rest of it down,  I was thinking of the worst thing it could be and finally just asked what it was. It was cow liver. It probably wasnt the best idea knowing that I was eating cow liver, but here i am today, still alive. I just hope i never have to eat it again. 

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So we weren't able to work in our area for 4 days this week and it's amazing to see how only 4 days gives Satan all the time in the world to work with our investigators. We visited H. and he was a completely different person. In these times we know that there will be more good and we will overcome things we weren't able to in the past. We also know that Satan will have more power, which breaks my heart when people are blinded and cant see how easily they can be pulled away from the truth. I know we hear it so much but honestly- 1. Prayer 2. Scripture Study 3. Church are so crucial in times like these.

We were buying something at a pulperia (tiny stores in peoples houses that are on every corner), we were talking to the guy and he said every time he goes to the states, he attends church and his brother was a member, but just recently died. We had an appointment with him, but he had something come up so we started down the street. We met a man who ive never seen before. He had a pretty nice house and here in Honduras people lock themselves in their own house with bars on the windows and barb wired fences and multiple different gates. This guy just has a huge wall in front of his house so its really hard to contact. He was outside picking up grass when we asked to help him and he immediately accepted. He also invited us in! Turns out he was a multi-millionaire who got sick with 14 different sicknesses and was robbed and lost absolutely everything. Hes also a pastor... and had a dream that he was in a group of pastors and the Lord told him to get out and leave his church. So when he woke up he stopped preaching. He said he never lets anyone in his house except people he pays to clean his yard, but liked how we offered service. We taught him about the restoration and the organization of the church. He said he has friend that's a member and gave him a priesthood blessing and the next day was when he had his dream. Miracle!

We also had a cultural night with the ward on Friday where every organization performed a dance or sang. We then ate typical honduran food and at the end had a tour of the church and there were members in different rooms explaining what we do there. There were different groups and after 5 minutes the groups rotated to a different room. We had a feeling we should randomly stop by an inactive after 7 years and invite her to the activity. She said she had been thinking about returning to church all week and that God sent us to help her. She showed up to the activity with her two girls! We were just as excited as if an investigator would have showed up. 

This week has been interesting. Every week has its themes of what Heavenly Father wants me to learn. This past week was about His perfect son Jesus Christ. Ive learned that there is a difference between believing and knowing. I definitely believe in Jesus Christ, but do i know him?

Story I heard. 

3 men died. 

The 1st man goes in a white room with a man looking into the book of life. Asks the man a couple questions about his life and lets the 1st man through.

The 2nd man walks into the room with the man and he starts reading the book of life and asked the 2nd man a couple questions and lets him through.

The 3rd guy walks into the room and immediately falls on his knees and starts worshiping the man. Only the 3rd man recognized that the man was Jesus Christ. 

I want to be the one who recognizes my Savior and Redeemer. So how do we come to know Him? We study His teachings in the scriptures and live by following his perfect example.

I have a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and know it to be the only church with the power and authority of Jesus Christ. The only way we are to know if something is to be true is through prayer and receiving a witness from the Holy Spirit. If you haven't received your own answer, i would invite you to seek one. I think and pray about you guys everyday and hope you guys are able to find true happiness. 

The blister/boil thing

Primary kids after the cultural night

One of the sisters went home cause of knee problem so we got permission to have a slumber party for her!

Pday with Zones Miramar and La Ceiba! We played baseball!

Love,

Hermana Sherman

You can't have faith in Jesus Christ, if you dont know who He is...

Today we have a little time to write, so thought I'd write a little more. 

We went to San Pedro Sula to pick up the new missionaries at the airport and than got to hang out with them all day on Tuesday as we gave orientations. Today we had the transfer meeting, which is always fun and exciting to see everyone, and where they're going for the next 6 weeks of their lives. We got 3 of the new sisters that just arrived in our area, so we´ll be able to do exchanges with them this transfer. Im so excited cause they are all so awesome! The past couple days Hermana Bennet and I have been a little slap happy, which makes everything more interesting. I have been finding everything funny and cant seem to stop laughing at the littlest things. Ive laughed so hard Ive cried so many times and over the dumbest things. 

We found a bag of cool ranch doritos for the first time since ive been here in Honduras and we bought them. We then realized the expiration date was in 2009...we ate them anyway and they tasted just as good. 

Last week while working, we definitely learned how important it is teaching through the Spirit. I remember being in a lesson and the Spirit was not there. It seemed like we were talking nonsense. We were trying to talk, but it wasnt going anywhere. Its amazing to feel the difference when our investigators truly have a desire to learn and the Spirit is there, or when it seems like we are just talking to ourselves. I realized how much the Spirit has helped me as a missionary, you literally cant teach without it. When the Spirit is there, it just carries the conversation for us, everything that we need to say just comes to our minds and we just have to open our mouths. So many times scriptures that i had no idea i had memorized just come to my mind at the right moments. Ive also learned that the Spirit cant bring something to your mind that you havent studied before, just like you cant have faith in Jesus Christ if you dont know who He is and what He did for us.

D&C 11:21

Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word , and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men. 

D&C 84:85

Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man. 

I have been able to rely on my Heavenly Father more than I have done so before in my life. He will not let us down. He does hear and answer prayers in the timing which is best for us. I know ALL sin can be forgiven through the Savior and Redeemer of the world. There isnt a burden so heavy or a trial so painful that Christ hasnt already felt. If we rely on Him, He will make our burdens light. I know the Book of Mormon has power just by opening it. It is the keystone of our religion and I know it to be the word of God. I pray for you guys every day that you may also continue to strengthen your testimonies every day. After being here in Honduras, I realized how close the second coming is. We dont know how much time we have left and I sure dont want regrets. I know our family may be together forever, and pray that we may achieve this sacred goal individually and as a family. Please remember your great worth and potential.

Love,

Lani

If you ever want to forget your problems, serve others!

Sooo I honestly dont even remember what happened this week, it was such a blur! I got to work with Hermana Hernández and Hna Alfaro in exchanges and they are both so awesome 

Today we traveled to San Pedro Sula and went to pick up a new sister missionary at the airport! We are going to stay the night here and going to pick up 5 more sisters and 14 Elders at the airport tomorrow coming in from the Mexico, Orovo and the Guatemala MTCs (mission training centers)! How exciting!!! Its flooded back so many memories of when i first got here to Honduras. Sometimes I forget I live in Honduras until I see someone else react to how different it is. haha

We did have a lot of miracles this past week, one was that we got to hear our investigator Ruben pray for the first time in his entire life, thats huge!

Sorry dont have much time to write this week ,but I love you guys! I love missionary work with all of my heart and never have been happier serving others. If you ever want to forget your problems, serve others!

Hermana Sherman

Roatan

Hermana Bennett

This is a new family we found that we teach in English!

Look what I found!!!

A service project at  a local school

Some of the elders were doing the karate kid painting technique

We made Hawaiian Haystacks!

We ate a whole bag of Lechas in 10 minutes

Roaton 2!

Hiiiiiii!!!

Had my first week with Hermana Bennet... Super Pilas! Weve been working hard and have seen so many miracles every day! 

In our area theres a colony where theres always a security guard outside that opens the gate for everyone. A couple weeks ago they switched the security men. We get to know them pretty well because they have to open the gate for us at least 6 times a day. One day, we stopped and talked to the new security guard and found out he is a member of the church, but has been inactive for more than 10 years because of his work! We figured out he has a 14 year old boy that always stays with his grandma. We got his information and found out he lives in another area. We asked if the Elders could pass by for his son the next day to take him to church and he said it would be fine. We passed the reference off to the Elders and they took him to church and just found out he got baptized last Saturday!! The crazy thing is that the security guard only worked at that post for a week and then was moved. I know the Lord put him in our pathway and Im just glad we found him! 

The first day Hermana Bennet and I were together, we contacted 2 women from Roatan and there they speak a lot of English...well its more like Spanglish. We taught a lesson and asked if they understand Spanish or English better and they said English. We taught in English!! It was so funny! We literally had to stop and think after every word and translate from Spanish to English in our minds. The lesson went well though and one of the women has 5 kids! woot woot! We have another lesson with them tonight! 

We went to ROATAN again! This time we only went one day cause Hermana Munoz had emergency transfers with a sister over there and has only been working in her area a week. When we were there everyone started talking about a huge storm that was about to come, and that it was all over the news. We kind of started to freak out cause we were on a tiny island and the other sisters hurried and bought stuff for their 72 hour kit. Hermana Bennet and I left Saturday morning on the yacht with clear blue skies to La Ceiba. It rained for about 5 minutes and that was it... a little exaggerated. We're just glad it wasnt true. 

The power went out alllll day Sunday, so we got to have church on which felt like the hottest day of the year. I had my elbows on my knees during Sacrament meeting and when i sat back up, there were sweat marks on my skirt. ew.

Im still learning so much every single day and cant thank Heavenly Father enough times for the opportunity to serve a mission. The church is true!!

Love,

Lani

My testimony...the most important thing I carry with me.

What a crazy week! We had the opportunity to do exchanges in Orlanchito and I got to work with Hermana Ramirez one day and Hermana Sullcar the next. Its always an adventure during exchanges. During exchanges with Hna Ramirez we were right in the middle of a lesson when a huge spider started crawling on the wall behind the investigator. It started creeping slowly closer and closer and I started wondering if spiders could jump. All of a sudden the spider jumped like 2 feet onto the back of the investigator! Hna Ramirez gasped and i was trying so hard not to laugh. The spider jumped again onto the floor, but i couldnt help myself. I was trying to hold in my laugh so hard when tears started running down my face. Every time i replayed it over again in my mind I would bust up laughing. The investigator thought we were laughing from a funny comment she said so it was all good, but i finally got myself under control. The power went out at 6pm until 9pm so we had to go in early and had another candle light study party. I dont know why but it seems like every time we go on exchanges the power goes out :(

 We got a call from President Klein Friday night when we were in Orlanchito with news that Hermana M. had emergency transfers and was being moved to Roatan Monday! (Today!) A couple sisters received their visas early and another sister went home so we had to do transfers today. I am currently with...... HERMANA BENNETT!!! Shes from Utah and the mission nurse! She is the mission nurse, a sister training leader, and a full time missionary, it just explains how awesome she is. I never imagined having a North American companion, but it will be great. 

All is well! still cant believe how fast time is going. I love my mission and being able to share my testimony all day every day. It has truly strengthened since the day i left home, and now its the most important thing i carry with me. 

I love you guys!

Hermana Sherman

Hermana B & Hna W are recent converts and our best friends here and L. on the left with her son are investigators.