Happy Valentine's Day

Saturday night we got a call asking us to speak in a Sacrament meeting. They said we had the whole hour so talk as long as we possibly could. Well, that's dangerous to tell me because I literally could talk all day, haha! So Sister Costa talked for 15 minutes or so and I talked the rest of the time. But remember - not gonna lie - I give pretty dang good talks. So it was good! No one fell asleep- I was watching!!!  Afterwards a little 10 or 11 year old boy came up to me and gave me this ... so either my talk was so boring that he had nothing better to do than draw, or he really liked it because he quoted me on something. I LOVE this and it made me so happy. how cute is that??

Hello beauties. Life is good - the week was good. I don't really know what else to say...
This cute little girl preparing for a mission came and shadowed us this week. She's so good- she's already a better missionary than I am... haha, it was fun though- I really think she had a good experience.

We started teaching this guy named Dennis. He's in his 50's and his wife just died- he's really been struggling. He's not active and hasn't been for years. He lives in this SUPER old house and likes to collect really expensive antiques and like, renaissance art and stuff... his house really looks like a museum.  I really kinda like it - other than the smell. He's just a weird guy though - he's always kind of given me the creeps.  Since he's a single guy, we need to go there with another female according to mission rules.  But this past week I really just felt like we should bring a guy too ... like I said, he kinda gives me the creeps. As we sat down and finished teaching the restoration- he admitted he hasn't prayed in 30 years.  We asked him some questions and tried to find out why ... he got really stubborn and said he thinks prayer is only for weak people who can't deal with their problems on their own.  Then I asked for his spiritual goals and he said he has achieved all of them and feels good with life.  He got really defensive and kinda mean and scary ... actually really mean and scary.  And he started saying why his house feels different - it's because he has the "real spirit" in it.  Uhh ... creepy, haha!  So I took lead - testified nicely, asked to leave with a prayer ... and we were out of there.

Afterwards my comp and Anna (girl shadowing us) were all frustrated and wondered why I didn't set up a return appointment. Then I realized how much the mission really has changed me. You can't change people who aren't willing to change or help people who don't want help.  Arguing doesn't bring the Spirit, so move on folks!  It was an interesting experience and I know the rest of the day they were both kinda upset ... but I just shook it off!  Glad I have learned how to deal with things like that.

I also realized this week that I have really learned to love people. I used to really struggle with being happy with some companions ... not like, trying to get along with them - I can get along with pretty much anyone. But being happy and having fun with someone I have nothing in common with ... I used to really struggle with that!  I think a lot of people do.  I liked my friends who like shopping and clothes and watches and nice things and hair and exercise and art.  Well I have recently realized that having things in common with people doesn't really make a difference ... me and Sister Costa have absolutely nothing in common.  She's a biologist, for goodness sake.  But when it comes down to it - we are all God's children and we all have our challenges and things we struggle with and are working to overcome ... so that can bring us all together!  It makes me wish I would have given some people more of a chance and gotten to know them better before.  And I also wish I would've done my visiting teaching in college ... note to everyone - do your visiting teaching.  And don't just do it once a month.

Had dinner this week with Jessica and Peyden.  Jessica is our investigator that we have a hard time meeting with, and Peyden is her boyfriend - they live with his family who is active. They are literally my age ... and have a 2 year old (weird).  They really have the desire to be sealed in the temple and that's something that's really important to them.  But for some reason they feel no urgency to get married or have lessons with us so Jessica can get baptized ... they go to church and read their scriptures though! As we were talking with them over dinner - I was looking at Jessica and just thinking.... okay- what's her hold up?  What is she struggling with?  I didn't really figure it out, but I saw how much she ate and how she was watching people to see if they were paying attention to what she was eating.  And I see the way she acts around people and how skinny she is and know deep down inside what she's struggling with, and that makes me really sad. I'm not gonna lie- she's really hot.  And so is her boyfriend.  And they are on the right path - but she needs to understand that the only way to get over something like that is by learning about the Savior's atonement and applying it.  Until then ... there's nothing we can do.  So we're praying for them!
This week we went on exchanges with our STL's (my 2nd STL's my whole mission) I was with Sister Payne and we had a party.  We were teaching a little boy with ADHD about the 10 commandments ... we said: "Caleb, the 7th commandment is don't commit adultery ... do you know what that means?" Caleb: "No. But I know what Dollar Tree is!"
HAHA

Also yesterday we went to a girl's mission homecoming and it made me really realize the things I will and will not do at mine ... we sat in the back with all of her friends and by the end I was choking from the smell of perfume. I hope my friends don't cake on makeup and wear bucket loads of perfume and be all over their boyfriends the whole time at my homecoming, because that's not why we go to church, folks ...

Speaking of going to church - guess who went to church?  Tressa. Not sure if I told you about her ... she's a member but is super stubborn and believes in God but not Jesus Christ.  She's super cute and funny and is into alternative medicine and organic food and could go on all day about how the world is coming to an end because of how terrible flame retardant mattresses are.  Not to mention she still breastfeeds her 3 year old. Sorry, TMI - just had to paint you the whole picture of her life.  But anyways- she came to church!

Someone this week at a dinner appointment said when their daughters were engaged - he asked the fiance about his favorite part of the Book of Mormon so he could tell how active they were and how strong their testimony was ... good idea, but I thought about it and it kinda made me panic because I didn't know what I would say ... haha, but then I thought about it and realized without a doubt - my favorite B of M chapters are 3 Nephi 11, when Christ is resurrected and comes to the America's, and 3 Nephi 18 when Christ institutes the sacrament.  I have really found a love in teaching people about the sacrament ... I have a strong testimony in teaching at least one lesson to investigators and less-actives about the sacrament.  It works every time with getting people to church, I swear!  And my all-time fav chapter in the Bible is Romans 8.

Here's a good valentine's scripture:

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:39

-Sister Shields

Me and Sister Payne, one of the STL's.  We went to BYU-I together, so it was fun to go on exchanges with her!

Valentine's Day with our STL's - we made a group decision to name this picture "4 chubby Salt Lake sisters"

With Anna, our cute missionary-in-training