Semana 27!

So, I hit my six month mark this past week! Super crazy. Unfortunately we have been sooo busy this past week that I have literally had no time to take a minute and burn a tie and take pictures to celebrate it. So hopefully now that we are entering into a new month it will be better and I can do that. Boy it will feel so nice to have miles again on our truck so that our area can be a car area again and not have to bike every single day in this weather. It's been nuts, but I love it. Thanks to grandma Jeri for another letter! You are so wonderful to me to be constantly sending letters like that.

Well so this week has been kind of a pure grind. Just trying to help not only our investigators get ready for baptism soon, but the other companionships in the district as well. A lot of praying and fasting and putting forth our faith.  Not a whole lot to talk about other than that. It went by as a blur.

I guess an update on the Rivera family is that the son named Carlos is listening to us now and he is awesome! Super funny kid and has strong desires to follow Christ just like his older brother Eliseo who was baptized awhile back.

Probably one of the coolest stories of the week was definitely last night. So we returned home from Laredo super late and we got a call that a very cool recent convert named Enrique needed a blessing. Well we weren't going to have enough time to bike down there so we decided that we had to take the truck even though we had less than three miles left on it. So we went there and gave him a blessing and returned just as quickly as we could, but as we were heading back we were right on the line to going over on miles. I honestly thought we were definitely going to be over. So I told Elder Chacin to say a quick prayer and hope with me so we don't go over. We literally stopped in the parking lot right on the exact number we have been given to use for August. Elder Chacin and I were freaking out and were so happy. Just a cool little tender mercy miracle God gave us to remind us that he cares and knows that we were doing what we had to and used the truck for a good cause.

Sorry that I don't have much more to talk about, but I hope everyone has a great week! Love and prayers are always being sent your way, be sure that you are returning the favor and spreading that love to all those around you.

Stay Classy everyone!

Love,

Elder Sheehy

Sunset biking in El Cenizo

More pictures of the zone meeting fashion show

House in West Abundancia area

Elder Castillo hiding from the rainstorm during the three day exchange

Semana 26

Hola y'all!

So it's been a crazy busy week with working in a different companion while Elder Chacin was down in McAllen for three day training and biking hard because our truck is out of miles for the month. It's been a lot of fun, but I sure hope this next week is a little calmer. Another crazy thing is that I am going to be hitting my six month mark tomorrow! What?!!!! That seems so unreal. I feel like I just got here still. So for this week it will mostly be pictures because i don't really know how to explain this week a better way.

Monday and Tuesday- Craziness trying to get Elder Chacin on the van to McAllen and Elder Castillo and I back to Rio Bravo since our miles are shot on our truck. It was a little nerve racking running our area by myself for a couple of days, but we ground hard and it went overall very well. It's been super hot and actually on Tuesday was hands down the most biking i've done in a day on the mission so far so my white shirts were so nasty after all the sweating, haha, thank goodness for stain remover.

Wednesday and Thursday- Moved over to work in Elder Castillo's area called West Abundancia. Really cool area in central Laredo. A lot of traffic and craziness so I was glad to go back to quiet Rio Bravo again after all that. It was a ton of fun for a couple of days though with some really good tortas (Mexican Sandwiches with carne asada on them) at a little taqueria, A really cool abandoned hospital (see pictures) and riding hard on the bikes up and down the hills. Thursday we got rain!!! I was so happy to see rain after so long. I loved it. They have a couple of streets with super nice homes on them as well which was strange to see since i've been working in very poor areas my whole mission.

Friday- Sunday- Not much to say other than back to the grind. Working hard to get some of our investigators ready for baptism.

Well I love you guys so much and all you do for me. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Love,

Elder Sheehy

Parrot wall in West Abundancia area. As you can see I was a sweaty mess as usual that day, haha

Graveyard run with Elder Castillo

This poor turtle, haha. Sweet paint job though.

Great buck! Too bad these people didn't want to talk to us :(

Missionary fashion show for zone meeting, haha. I'm looking very "derelict" but there is more in life than being really, really, excruciatingly good looking. :) 

Abandoned hospital. I felt like I was in The Walking Dead or something.

You know you're an old missionary, when you have this many planners. 

Will send more pics next week. Super slow internet sorry :(

Semana 25

Hello everyone!

Sorry another really short one. This is going to be a crazy week because of three day training which Elder Chacin will be going down to and I will be with another Elder Serving here for a few days. So not a lot of time to email this week.

So first off, thanks so much Grandma Jeri for the letter with pictures! I really enjoyed it.

Things are going wonderful here. Another transfer in Rio Bravo with the great Elder Chacin!!!

I am really learning more and appreciating more the atonement every day. Everyone needs it and it works in everything in our lives. It's so indescribable how much it means to me that our Savior would come here and die for us so that we have the chance to not be lost as imperfect as we are. I hope everyone uses the atonement more in their lives because that's really what it's there for.

Currently just biking hard because of all the meetings our car is out of miles for the month, but I love biking, even as hot as it is.

Love you all and thanks for all you do.

Love,

Elder Sheehy

On the road to Bravo

The man. The legend. The Venezuelan Sensation. Elder Chacin

The Eskelson. So fun to have him as a zone leader after having him as a district leader in La Joya. Super funny guy.

Rio Bravo

Old barn on the road between Rio Bravo and El Cenizo.

Semana 24

Hello everybody!

First, thanks so much to Grandma Jeri and the Browns for the letters. It's seriously great to hear from you.

Well not a whole lot to talk about, unfortunately. It's been a pretty ordinary week of grinding and working. Lot's of good things, but pretty typical missionary days. Things are going terrific though and I have learned so much this transfer. It has been crazy, frustrating, happy, tiring, and enjoyable all together. I think I have learned more in these last few weeks than the rest of the time in the mission combined. Transfers are tomorrow so we will see if there are any changes. I will miss Elder Chacin if we get a change since he has been such a dope companion, but that's just how it goes and there are a lot of other super cool elders out here.
I did have for the first time a super delicious mexican version of a snowcone or a hawaiian shave ice called a raspa. They are super yummy and the mango one I got had huge, super sweet pieces of fresh mango in it. Perfect for the laredo heat. Other than that just working more with Ana Rivera (Eliseos sister) and running around.
Wish I had a picture, but there is an old sister here whose husband looks like a mexican version of Uncle Si from duck dynasty. It makes me want to laugh every time I see him. He has the beard, glasses, and long hair pulled in a pony tail and everything. It's super great.

Well I hope everything is doing well and I will let you all know how transfers went next well. Love you all so much and all the support that is sent here.

Stay Classy,

Elder Sheehy

Semana 23

Hello everyone!

This has been a terrific week so so many little miracles and blessings in my life. I truly love being a missionary and seeing the change that the gospel brings on peoples lives.

7/27 So while out wandering to try and find a bowling alley Elder Chacin and I ran into a Rudy's barbecue! (One of Steve's favorite places to eat when he travels to Texas) I had no idea there was one in Laredo so he and I of course had to stop in! Boy the brisket there and peach cobbler was super good. It was totally worth it. I totally felt like we were led there by Grandpa Don as he loved barbecue so much and he knows how much I love good food. We were seriously way out of the way in an area we shouldn't have even been in. So that's just one of the great little tender mercies of the lord we experienced this week. This kid seriously gets excited about food! :)

So we have been working with a wonderful family called the Riveras. Eliseo the son has been working forever with Elders to get off his probation and has wanted to be baptized for ever. He is such a cool guy that has an extremely big heart. This last thursday he was baptized! He was so extremely happy and so excited all week leading up to the baptism. He is going to be an extremely strong member and priesthood holder here that Laredo needs so badly. It's been a real privilege serving him. I love this family to death and they are progressing so much. We have also been working with his sister Ana who has come a long way and I would expect her to follow the example of her brother very soon.

This week has been so wonderful and full of so much great little blessings. I feel our Father in Heaven's and our Saviors love so powerfully more than ever. I love being a missionary and hope that all are looking for opportunities to share the gospel and serve others. It is the most gratifying experience you can have in this life, I am convinced.

Love everyone so much and will hopefully have more time next week to update on how everything is going. Transfers are next week so we will see how that goes. This transfer has flown by and Elder Chacin and I have been having a blast.

Love,

Elder Sheehy


And here's mine this week...

Hey Mom,

Things are going great this week. We have seen some great little miracles almost every day and I am feeling great. Time is going so fast! It will be six months on the 25th which is crazy to me. I feel like I just left yesterday. The weather is nasty hot here. Hottest days of the year are right now (100+ degrees this week plus humidity) and the locals say it will get even hotter here in mid August. Glad to hear that you are getting rain. It's quite a bit drier here in Laredo than the Rio Grande Valley so I keep hoping for rain. I have only seen it sprinkle for ten minutes here once.

I hope Em does well too. (at high school soccer try outs) I have been praying for her and I know that whatever happens, it's for the best.

Yeah I read in Em's email that Officer Ashley was retiring which is a bummer for Em. (the Riverton High police officer who was a great mentor for Austin and has become a family friend) I bet working security for the church is a great job for him though. Who knows maybe you will see him at the next conference guarding one of the apostles, or something cool like that. All the cops I've met that work in the Riverton area are super cool so if they hire any of them, I'm sure they will be great. ...not sure why he has met lots of Riverton police officers ;)  Hopefully they hire the one officer I did the ride along with that one time (Can't remember his name). He was a great guy and said he was jealous that officer Ashley had such a cool job working there.

Glad to hear that Grandma is doing a bit better. I've been praying for her in every prayer and I know that she is being cared for.

Yeah I wish that I could help Dad out, but you know duty calls, haha. (at our property in Missouri) It's too bad you couldn't go out and give him a hand, but I don't think you would have liked the heat this time of year. It's beautiful, but really hot.

Yeah for sure get to know the Elders better. Ask them how many meal appointments they get there. I've heard Utah missions are tough because you get fed multiple dinners a night. So don't over feed them and they will be extremely appreciative if that's the case, haha. It's painful down here when we have 2 and sometimes 3 dinners in a night. Of course the Mexican ladys here give huge portions and expect you to take at least seconds as well.       I don't think he hates it too much ;)

Well have a great week! love you so much!

Love,

Elder Sheehy

Eliseo's baptism!

Riviera family. The little girl named Zabrina is so stinking cute. (Ana's daughter, she has the pink hair) She always wants to play peek-a-boo with me when we are at their house.

Carne cook out at the Banda family.

Sister Gonzalez cross stitched the Moroni burying the plates picture all by hand. She had others as well that were incredible. She said this one was a two year project. 

A little closer to show the detail (this is Moroni's ear and side of head) Pictures don't do it justice at all.

Really cool ranch house of the Gonzalez family. Has a super tall ceiling design like they use in Mexico so they don't have to use as much air conditioning.

Rudy's brisket is the bomb! :)