Hey everyone!
I can't believe that this past week I hit my year mark. I feel like it hasn't been that long at all. Looking back I can definitely say I have grown so much from who I was. I know that only through the power of Christ's atonement are we able to make those changes. It is an incredible miracle that our weak, mortal frames can be slowly molded into a beautiful, divine person. I certainly have so much farther to go and I am so grateful that I have one more year to give to our Father in Heaven.
As always, I want to thank those who show me so much charity by supporting me through gifts and letters. Thanks to Grandma Lorraine for the letter and gift card! That really goes along way in helping me not only be sustained through the hard work, but also gives me an opportunity to serve other missionaries that don't have as much. Also I wanted to send a shout out to my Aunt Bertha who is turning 91! You have been such blessing in our lives and I hope to see you continue on in good health and happiness. What a blessing to have that example of strength and optimism in my life. Love you so much!
This past week has been great. I have enjoyed doing a scavenger hunt with the zone this past P-day and building stronger relationships with the other Elders in my district through exchanges and meeting the people they serve and love dearly. I had a wonderful opportunity to speak with a recent convert of Elder Stanley and Dominguez's on one exchange who is struggling really bad with depression. It was very difficult for me to see, since I know how excruciatingly tough that can get. I was able to have a very spiritual conversation with her and testify in and through the strength of the atonement Jesus Christ. We then gave her a wonderfully powerful blessing of comfort. This made me so appreciative to have the power of the priesthood in our lives to see the light of hope in her eyes after.
It was then surreal this past Thursday burning a shirt for the year mark and thinking about how far I've come and how my difficulties in the past year now pale in comparison to the joys I am currently experiencing. I testify that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us. Though we may not see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is there if we trust in the Lord and endure well. In the meantime we can do so much good in others lives during our struggles. The true power of good character is the ability to look outwards when it is so easy to focus inward. This is something that I have really learned to appreciate during my mission. Truly the antidote to a bad day is serving someone else. Lastly I want to share a quote with you from Elder Corbridge of the seventy who recently visited our mission. It is a very simple quote, but I have found so much truthfulness to it here in the mission field and know that it applies to all:
"Selflessness is in your greatest self interest."
The church is true. Love you all and hope you all have a spectacular week!
Love,
Elder Sheehy.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Hump Week
How's it going everyone!?
My week has been busy, but very enjoyable once again.
First off, thank you so much to Grandma J. for the Valentines package and letter. I really appreciate all the charity you show to me.
So it's hard to believe that I'm going to be hitting my year mark in a few days. It truly seems like just yesterday that I left, but at the same time it feels that i've been gone for a long time. It's a very surreal feeling.
So this week was filled with great food like going to a delicious place called Fat Daddys with the great recent converts the Cuellar family. We got a delicious thing called a botana which is basicaly just a platter of delicious mexican food (sliced chicken and steak, nachos, rice, beans)and after that a free ice cream cone with some of the most delicious soft serve I have ever had. I also had a super spiritual lesson on an exchange with my zone leader Elder Cannell from Logan, Utah. We met a super cool lady that we came to find out that had just days before lost a very close friend. It gave us the opportunity to bear our testimonies of the plan of salvation and how I truly know that we will see and have the opportunity to live with our loved ones once more after this life. I also had the privildge of getting to know a return missionary that just returned from Chile. He had some crazy stories that made me glad to be serving stateside. I know it was still a great experience for him. Saturday we had a fantastic visit with the whole mission present to hear a mission training from Elder Corbridge of the 70. I was really impressed at how strong his vocabulary was, but everything was taught so simply and to our understanding. I wish you all could have been there as I learned so many great things to apply to the work here.
That's about it for this week. I'll send some pictures from last week.
Have a great one!
Stay classy,
Elder Sheehy
My week has been busy, but very enjoyable once again.
First off, thank you so much to Grandma J. for the Valentines package and letter. I really appreciate all the charity you show to me.
So it's hard to believe that I'm going to be hitting my year mark in a few days. It truly seems like just yesterday that I left, but at the same time it feels that i've been gone for a long time. It's a very surreal feeling.
So this week was filled with great food like going to a delicious place called Fat Daddys with the great recent converts the Cuellar family. We got a delicious thing called a botana which is basicaly just a platter of delicious mexican food (sliced chicken and steak, nachos, rice, beans)and after that a free ice cream cone with some of the most delicious soft serve I have ever had. I also had a super spiritual lesson on an exchange with my zone leader Elder Cannell from Logan, Utah. We met a super cool lady that we came to find out that had just days before lost a very close friend. It gave us the opportunity to bear our testimonies of the plan of salvation and how I truly know that we will see and have the opportunity to live with our loved ones once more after this life. I also had the privildge of getting to know a return missionary that just returned from Chile. He had some crazy stories that made me glad to be serving stateside. I know it was still a great experience for him. Saturday we had a fantastic visit with the whole mission present to hear a mission training from Elder Corbridge of the 70. I was really impressed at how strong his vocabulary was, but everything was taught so simply and to our understanding. I wish you all could have been there as I learned so many great things to apply to the work here.
Have a great one!
Stay classy,
Elder Sheehy
Teaching goats
McAllen Day Spa with the zone
Monday, February 15, 2016
Chillin with the fellas
Happy late Valentines day everyone! I hope that everyone was able to have a great day with the ones they love. It was a little different as a missionary (for obvious reasons) but I think we still were able to show a strong love for those we serve and help point them in the direction where they will be able to live again with He who first loved us.
As always, thanks so much to the fam and grandma Jeri for the valentines letters. It always brightens up the night when either Elder Christensen or I have something waiting for us in the mailbox besides the loads of junk mail that for some reason comes to us haha.
So this week was stellar. Probably the most enjoyable, happy week of my mission. While Elder Christensen was gone for three day training I got to spend those days with the other companionships in our district. We had a blast and I feel that I have gained a lot more love and appreciation for them and their abilities. We really have an awesome group of missionaries here in the Donna district.
Monday-
As a zone for our P-day activity we had a little mission spa that we set up. We had mood lighting, candles, and mud masks with the cucumbers to just kick back and relax a little from the normal go,go,go of the mission. It was awesome and super funny to see all the macho Elders chillin with mud masks. Later that evening I spent time with an Elder (Duerst) from the Harlingen zone that came to our apartment for three day training while Christensen had to go with another Elder to interview someone for baptism. We had one of the coolest, specific-prayer miracles of my mission with our members Sister Valdez and her son Isaiah. While out contacting in some apartments in our area, Elder Duerst felt inspired to stop and say a prayer to find someone to teach. We had Isaiah say a prayer asking for guidance to find a very prepared family at the next door we knocked. Right after saying the prayer we heard a fire alarm going off in one of the nearby buildings and Sister Valdez and I smelt laundry detergent from someone washing clothes. Following the sound and smells we came across a cool girl named Desiree that took us to her family in an apartment that was the source of the fire alarm going off (from her mom cooking food that she forgot about in the oven) and when we entered her mom was busy doing laundry. It was so cool how the holy ghost led us exactly to this family. The power of specific prayers are real. This is just one of many examples I have seen in the mission. The Hernandez's are now one of our most solid investigator families who all seek baptism as a goal and I am so excited looking forward to seeing how they progress.
Tuesday & Wednesday-
Moved over to the apartment with the other two companionships in our district. I spent the first day with the Olivarez companionship (Newman and Mason). I had a great time cracking jokes with them and working hard in a spanish area again. Also loved the great food offered by their members. I missed the mexican cooking. The next day was spent with the Donna Elders (Stanley and Dominguez) Great guys that work in the other half of our ward. Highlight of the day was them was taking selfies with random goats tied up around a canal.
The rest of the week was spent at the valentines ward party, and topped off with a real fireside with the district last night in the backyard of Bishop Jess. Sorry to cut it short but running out of time.
Love you all so much!
Have a great week!
Stay classy,
Elder Sheehy
p.s. I'll send pictures next week!
Some pictures a senior Sister missionary sent me of their facials:
As always, thanks so much to the fam and grandma Jeri for the valentines letters. It always brightens up the night when either Elder Christensen or I have something waiting for us in the mailbox besides the loads of junk mail that for some reason comes to us haha.
So this week was stellar. Probably the most enjoyable, happy week of my mission. While Elder Christensen was gone for three day training I got to spend those days with the other companionships in our district. We had a blast and I feel that I have gained a lot more love and appreciation for them and their abilities. We really have an awesome group of missionaries here in the Donna district.
Monday-
As a zone for our P-day activity we had a little mission spa that we set up. We had mood lighting, candles, and mud masks with the cucumbers to just kick back and relax a little from the normal go,go,go of the mission. It was awesome and super funny to see all the macho Elders chillin with mud masks. Later that evening I spent time with an Elder (Duerst) from the Harlingen zone that came to our apartment for three day training while Christensen had to go with another Elder to interview someone for baptism. We had one of the coolest, specific-prayer miracles of my mission with our members Sister Valdez and her son Isaiah. While out contacting in some apartments in our area, Elder Duerst felt inspired to stop and say a prayer to find someone to teach. We had Isaiah say a prayer asking for guidance to find a very prepared family at the next door we knocked. Right after saying the prayer we heard a fire alarm going off in one of the nearby buildings and Sister Valdez and I smelt laundry detergent from someone washing clothes. Following the sound and smells we came across a cool girl named Desiree that took us to her family in an apartment that was the source of the fire alarm going off (from her mom cooking food that she forgot about in the oven) and when we entered her mom was busy doing laundry. It was so cool how the holy ghost led us exactly to this family. The power of specific prayers are real. This is just one of many examples I have seen in the mission. The Hernandez's are now one of our most solid investigator families who all seek baptism as a goal and I am so excited looking forward to seeing how they progress.
Tuesday & Wednesday-
Moved over to the apartment with the other two companionships in our district. I spent the first day with the Olivarez companionship (Newman and Mason). I had a great time cracking jokes with them and working hard in a spanish area again. Also loved the great food offered by their members. I missed the mexican cooking. The next day was spent with the Donna Elders (Stanley and Dominguez) Great guys that work in the other half of our ward. Highlight of the day was them was taking selfies with random goats tied up around a canal.
The rest of the week was spent at the valentines ward party, and topped off with a real fireside with the district last night in the backyard of Bishop Jess. Sorry to cut it short but running out of time.
Love you all so much!
Have a great week!
Stay classy,
Elder Sheehy
p.s. I'll send pictures next week!
Some pictures a senior Sister missionary sent me of their facials:
Monday, February 8, 2016
Starstruck
Hey everyone!
Sorry that I haven't been the best on keeping up on mass emails. Things are busy, but no excuses. I hope that everyone had as good of a week as I did. First off, Go Broncos! Secondly, thanks to Grandma Jeri and the Calls for the letters! Wow that Christmas letter came late from the Calls, but thank you so much none the less.
So the reason that made this week so great was the awesome Elders in my district. Elders Stanley, Dominguez, Newman, Mason, Christensen, and I have a great time. A lot of comedic talent in this group and we are always constantly laughing. The work is going well too. It's been a little tough since all of our investigators either dropped or moved out of our area. So we are in the finding stage right now, but we put in a lot of hard work this past week and I feel very good about some of the prospective investigators we have dug up.
Wednesday- I got to go on an exchange up in Edinburgh with a great friend on the mission Elder Ault. He came in during the same time as me and though we have always been away from each other, strangely as I found out we have practically had the same mission with the same successes and challenges. It was great to catch up with him and sharing our passion and stories of hunting and the outdoors. While up there we served one of the members by helping her set up a new beginnings event for the Young Womens. So us outdoorsy guys got our arts and crafts on and helped decorate cookies and the relief society room. Sorry no pictures haha.
Friday- Had fun with Elder Newman on an exchange to go play volleyball with some of their investigators. He serves in a Spanish area and I don't know why, but playing a sport is way more fun when you have to communicate in another language for me.
Saturday- The best day of the week. Had a lot of success with lessons and great times with the other missionaries in our district. The beginning of the day I continued the exchange with Elder Newman and went to eat at one of his members home. They served us some delicious tortas (mexican sandwiches) filled with carne asada. The father of this family looks alot like a younger version of President Maluenda. So whenever we see him at church we crack jokes and pretend to fix our ties and shoes. They are a great family. Later after another dinner Elders Christensen, Dominguez, Stanley and I got in a big cupcake fight. It was super fun, but poor Elder Stanley's camera was lost in the battle as it was flung across our apartment accidentally. I have never seen someone laugh so uncontrollably as Elder Stanley did after this happened. The funniest thing of the night by far was when Elder Christensen was leaving a voicemail for one of our recent converts. Instead of saying goodbye he ends it with "... and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.." and then just trails off as he realizes what he just said. It was so funny. You know you've been on your mission too long when things like that happen.
Sunday- So crazy sacrament meeting that you don't usually have. So we are making the usual rounds of greeting all the members of the church when all of the sudden President Maluenda walks in and goes up to sit in the front of the congregation. So we are thinking "woah. that's strange." Already because he doesn't usually ever visit other wards. But get this, then in walks David Archuleta with his friend in our ward that is getting his baby blessed. So this baby has David Archuleta and President Maluenda in the priesthood circle. This kid is going to be a prodigy or something. So I got to meet David Archuleta yesterday. We got to speak after priesthood meeting and he is a pretty cool guy. Kind of socially awkward, but very humble. I would have gotten a picture with him, but he told everyone that he doesn't take pictures on Sunday because that day is not about him (Mad props for that). You can check out Sister Maluendas Facebook though to see a picture of him with their family. What a bizarre Sunday. We were expecting some apostle or president Monson to walk in next.
Well that's all for now. Hope that you all have a wonderful week. The church is absolutely true and I can testify that the savior will carry you through your trials if you just give him a little showing of faith. The power of the atonement is inexpressibly powerful. You guys rock!
Stay Classy,
Elder Sheehy
Sorry that I haven't been the best on keeping up on mass emails. Things are busy, but no excuses. I hope that everyone had as good of a week as I did. First off, Go Broncos! Secondly, thanks to Grandma Jeri and the Calls for the letters! Wow that Christmas letter came late from the Calls, but thank you so much none the less.
So the reason that made this week so great was the awesome Elders in my district. Elders Stanley, Dominguez, Newman, Mason, Christensen, and I have a great time. A lot of comedic talent in this group and we are always constantly laughing. The work is going well too. It's been a little tough since all of our investigators either dropped or moved out of our area. So we are in the finding stage right now, but we put in a lot of hard work this past week and I feel very good about some of the prospective investigators we have dug up.
Wednesday- I got to go on an exchange up in Edinburgh with a great friend on the mission Elder Ault. He came in during the same time as me and though we have always been away from each other, strangely as I found out we have practically had the same mission with the same successes and challenges. It was great to catch up with him and sharing our passion and stories of hunting and the outdoors. While up there we served one of the members by helping her set up a new beginnings event for the Young Womens. So us outdoorsy guys got our arts and crafts on and helped decorate cookies and the relief society room. Sorry no pictures haha.
Friday- Had fun with Elder Newman on an exchange to go play volleyball with some of their investigators. He serves in a Spanish area and I don't know why, but playing a sport is way more fun when you have to communicate in another language for me.
Saturday- The best day of the week. Had a lot of success with lessons and great times with the other missionaries in our district. The beginning of the day I continued the exchange with Elder Newman and went to eat at one of his members home. They served us some delicious tortas (mexican sandwiches) filled with carne asada. The father of this family looks alot like a younger version of President Maluenda. So whenever we see him at church we crack jokes and pretend to fix our ties and shoes. They are a great family. Later after another dinner Elders Christensen, Dominguez, Stanley and I got in a big cupcake fight. It was super fun, but poor Elder Stanley's camera was lost in the battle as it was flung across our apartment accidentally. I have never seen someone laugh so uncontrollably as Elder Stanley did after this happened. The funniest thing of the night by far was when Elder Christensen was leaving a voicemail for one of our recent converts. Instead of saying goodbye he ends it with "... and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.." and then just trails off as he realizes what he just said. It was so funny. You know you've been on your mission too long when things like that happen.
Sunday- So crazy sacrament meeting that you don't usually have. So we are making the usual rounds of greeting all the members of the church when all of the sudden President Maluenda walks in and goes up to sit in the front of the congregation. So we are thinking "woah. that's strange." Already because he doesn't usually ever visit other wards. But get this, then in walks David Archuleta with his friend in our ward that is getting his baby blessed. So this baby has David Archuleta and President Maluenda in the priesthood circle. This kid is going to be a prodigy or something. So I got to meet David Archuleta yesterday. We got to speak after priesthood meeting and he is a pretty cool guy. Kind of socially awkward, but very humble. I would have gotten a picture with him, but he told everyone that he doesn't take pictures on Sunday because that day is not about him (Mad props for that). You can check out Sister Maluendas Facebook though to see a picture of him with their family. What a bizarre Sunday. We were expecting some apostle or president Monson to walk in next.
Well that's all for now. Hope that you all have a wonderful week. The church is absolutely true and I can testify that the savior will carry you through your trials if you just give him a little showing of faith. The power of the atonement is inexpressibly powerful. You guys rock!
Stay Classy,
Elder Sheehy
Post cupcake battle selfie. Courtesy of the Donna Diva District
South Texas house design, hahaha
What is wrong with this picture?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)