Busy Bee!

Hello Everyone,

Well this week went by so so fast! When your busy (and believe me when your a leader you are so busy!) the time just flies. Sister Barrett and I had tons of meetings and a division with another set of sisters (because were sister training leaders, we divide with the other sisters to help them with any difficulties they may have). First we had our leadership meeting with president Reber and that was pretty cool. We were able to learn a lot from him and others who participated. We also participated in two zone meetings and gave trainings in them. One training we talked about our responsibility to help the people in our area feel Heavenly Fathers love. In the other we talked about the importance of being friends with your companion and working in unity so you can invite the spirit into your work. It was a little nerve racking but it was fun when it was over :). Sister Barrett and I also get to give a training in the Christmas conference, in which I will be talking about obedience. On missions Exact obedience is a pretty big deal, I had never really thought about it that much before my mission but I know that its so important, we have to do what Heavenly Father has asked us to do if we want his help. A lot of missionaries think that some rules really aren't that important because they don't hurt anyone if they break them. I admit that I had those thoughts before and that's when I found a talk called temple standard. It talks about how temples are built to perfection and even if there is something wrong that is seemingly undetectable it is replaced, or fixed. The speaker asked why these seemingly undetectable flaws were so important? then he said the temples or in my case my mission is for us to help us but ultimately the temple is the house of God, my mission is Gods time and God is perfect. When we are obedient, even with the seemingly unimportant things we are showing our love and respect for God.

Also this week We did a division with the two sisters that live in the house with us, Sister Andrade (from Sao Paulo) and Sister Haullpa (from Peru). Sister Barrett went with Sister Haullpa and I went with Sister Andrade. Its really neat because when I received this calling I started to feel more love for the other sisters and started to know how to help them but in the division I felt such a love for sister Andrade and Heavenly Father helped me and guided me to know what to say to help her. We became such good friends and really connected. I'm so happy to be able to be back in a house with four Sisters and to be such great friends with all of them. Sister Barrett haven't really had that much time to be able to work in our own area but Heavenly Father has been blessing our area because were giving our all to help the sisters and give trainings. We are working with a couple that are absolutely amazing, the wife Tania is a member but her husband, marcio is inactive, but because someone cared enough to be interested in him and figure out what he loves to do, he's coming back into activity. They discovered that he loves to sing, so through the ward choir he has formed friendships in the church and is letting us teach him. We taught them about Eternal marriage and it was so wonderful! Tania bore such a powerful testimony of her desires to go to the temple with marcio and expressed such a love for him, we all ended up crying, and the result, Marcio came to Church the next day! Another man were working with is named Valmir. He is a recent convert and is honestly one of my favorite people. His wife doesn't like the Church and has stopped listening to the lessons but valmir has continued to learn and grow despite the difficulties with his wife. One thing I love about Tania and about Valmir is that they are so so patient and so happy even when things are so difficult around them. I know that Heavenly Father is walking beside them taking them by the hand, just like he does with all of us. I know he knows us perfectly and he loves us. Well I'm going to have to go now but I love you all! Thank you for the prayers :)

Love,

Shelby

PS. Lina was baptized yesterday! Sister Chile and Sister Pence (the sister who replaced me in coopahradio) worked with her to quite smoking and now she's a member of the Church! :)