I Left My Mission...

TWICE! But don't worry. It's okay, because I had permission. :) 

L

Zuni District

The first time I left, it was to see DAVID A. BEDNAR. Boom. That was way awesome. Really. There are NO words to describe how amazing it was. He's HILARIOUS. My favorite thing that he told us was, "And some of you need to learn that you just need to be good, not perfect. And be happy." Because THAT is what life is about, is being happy and progressing! Also, there's one thing that a wonderful sister missionary told us, "Perfection is progression." So. Just try to be better every single day, and just be happy. 

Lakewood Zone

The second time I left my mission was to go visit the daughter of a recent convert in the hospital. But don't worry, she's okay! All is well! 

There was a lot of stuff that happened this week. 

Sister Noakes and I with BYU Ice Cream

On Wednesday we went to the temple! It was awesome, as always. No one from my district showed up though. Because the roads were bad, I guess? They weren't at all bad for us though. After, we went to Deseret Book. Fun fact: They sell BYU Creamery Ice Cream. So. Happy. And because Sister

Noakes and I both always talk about how much we miss BYU, we bought some. And it was the best. 

Okay, let's be real. My entire district is here emailing right now. And I cannot for the life of me focus. So I'm just going to picture overload all of you! :) 

I hope all of you have a happy week! :) 

Our view of Denver from our Church Building :)

I love and miss all of you a ton! 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Sherilyn Harper

Montana. :) mi amor

Sister Ulberg and I at the temple :)

Sister Noakes with our ridiculous hats :)

My district from last transfer: awkward gap

Less awkward gap

True Chains

Buenos dias! 

This week has basically been the craziest week of my entire life, and I don't even have very much time to write about it! Lo siento. Maybe I can write more about it next week. 

So on Monday night we got a text from our Zone Leaders telling us that transfers would be postponed until Thursday because of bad weather. So Sister Arnold and I got two extra days together. But it was weird. Tuesday was an awkward day, because Sister Arnold WASN'T supposed to be with me, but she still was. Both of us were so mentally prepared for it to be done and then....it was a lie. Ha. But it was good. We had a really great last couple of days together. So much laughter. On Wednesday, we had to have one of the greenies tag along with us so that she wouldn't be stuck in the mission home all day, again. So that was weird. Then on Thursday we had transfers! Sister Arnold left me to go to Glenwood Springs, and I'm still here with Sister Noakes. She's great. She's dying (going home) at the end of this transfer. Soo. I'm a killer now. ;) But not yet, officially. Not until February 10. I think. Anyway. So I was companions with Sister Eldredge for all day on Thursday, and we had to kick some family out of an apartment. And I will tell you this story next week, because it's crazy and I don't have enough time. The transfer train was supposed to get here at 6:15, but didn't actually get here until 8:30. It was so cold and snowing. So we all had a snowball fight. :) It was awesome. Except everyone kept ganging up on the Spanish missionaries. But it was hilarious. So great. My new comp. is a Sister Training Leader, so she had MLC's on Friday, so I didn't get to be with her again. Was with Sister Eldredge. Basically she's my companion and I'm a south-sider now. #false #butalsonot On Saturday we had to weekly plan because we couldn't on Friday. And then it was Sunday, and I got trapped in an apartment because the STLs need to get together to plan things. And now it's Monday. Sorry I can't even fully explain the weirdness that was this week. Next week, I got you. 

This morning, Sister Eldredge and I had a super great companionship study, because our real companions had STL things to do. Soo. Yeah. That's a thing. But we talked a lot about Nephi, from 1st Nephi. And how awesome he is. One thing that we talked a lot about was how specific prayers get specific answers. And there's so many great stories about that in 1 Nephi. Go read them. Also, one thing that I really love about Nephi is that he doesn't pray to have the Lord take away his trials. He asks for the strength to endure them. We have our own trials for a reason. We need to learn and grow for them. And if we're asking the Lord to take them away, we aren't going to learn anything. Pero, if we ask for the strength to endure our trials, we will get that strength and we will learn and grow so much. 

Words can't express how much I love you all. I pray for you always. And really, I promise next week's email will be better. Also, will have pictures. :) 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Sherilyn Harper

Cambios y Navidad

Hello, happy people! 

This week has been, well, basically the best. 

Christmas in the mission field.. There are no words. It was honestly my favorite Christmas. I can't imagine feeling more loved, more full of love, or more happiness than I felt this year. That is how good it is. :) I'm so stoked that I'll get to have another one. We got to have a District Meeting on Christmas, and it was so much fun. Elder Morales made us sweet tamales. And they were pretty darn delicious. But it was great to be with the wonderful Zuni District for Christmas. I love those 7 missionaries so much. 

I hope that you all had a most wonderful Christmas and that you all had good experiences with the Share the Gift initiative. We sure did. Getting to share the message of Jesus Christ at Christmas time is the best. :) Really. No words. 

We have transfers tomorrow! So crazy. I've already been in the field for two transfers. I can't. Time is going SO fast. Anyway. Literally half of my district is being transferred -- all 8 of us will be getting a new companion tomorrow. Sister Arnold is leaving me, and I'll be taking over the area. And then Sister Adair, Elder Morales, and Elder Marin are all leaving. So..it's going to be so weird this transfer. Our district is going to be so different. But I'm really excited! 

So, I was going to overload you all with pictures today...but we're in the library, and we have a time limit here. (we were all so bummed that the Family History Center was closed. The library is nasty.) So. I'll picture overload next week. :) 

One of our less active members told us this week that her goal is to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Which was super awesome to hear. 

So here is what I propose! As a missionary, my purpose is to invite others to come closer to Christ. And I would like to invite everyone to find some way that they can dedicate this new year to coming closer to Christ! You can do it by reading the Book of Mormon. Or going out with the missionaries (but really. Go out with the missionaries. A lot. Please.) Or studying Preach My Gospel. Studying Christlike attributes and trying to develop them. I can promise you that as you dedicate this year to coming closer to Christ, that you will feel His influence more powerfully in your life, your testimony will grow, and your relationship with our Savior will become so much better and more personal. 

I love you all! I pray for you always. 

Con mucho mas amor que palabras pueden decir, 

Hermana Sherilyn Harper

Happy Christmas

Hello, Happy People! 

Christmas is in 3 days! Soooo. FELIZ NAVIDAD! I hope you all have a most magical Christmas. Because I sure will. :) 

This week..well, it was a weird week. I was reading through my journal this morning and I was just shocked that the things that happened this week...happened this week. It feels like they happened MONTHS ago. It's so weird. 

This week, we ate weird things. Like, pumpkin. Just baked. With a little sugar or something on top. I felt like I was eating baby food. Also, I didn't want to eat it because the actual dinner we had eaten was ridiculously huge. But such is missionary life. Also, we ate part of a palm tree. It was called the heart of the palm tree. The woman who made it made like a salad kind of thing with avocado and it was basically the most delicious thing. Also, this part of the palm tree? It was canned. So weird. But it was delicious. 

Also, you should just all know that my District is the best. We're doing Secret Santa, because we're having District Meeting on Christmas. Also, we had an ugly sweater party at our last District Meeting. And it was great. And there's pictures...but all of the Elders have them. So I'll have to send that to you at a later date. :) 

Update: I'm still singing all the time. I had a special musical number on Thursday with Sister Eldredge for our Christmas party. And last night I had to sing for like...3 hours at the open house that we had at our Mission Home. So..I died a little bit. And couldn't talk afterwards. But I'm fine now. And am grateful as always for opportunities I have to share my talents. :) 

I had a really hard day on Friday. But then I had a really cool experience. And do you know what? God loves us more than we can possibly imagine. All of us. Because we are His children. And He loves us in spite of our imperfections. And that is what I have learned this week. Is that God loves us. And if we just rely on Him, He will help us. He wants more than anything to help us. But we need to ask. 

I love and miss you all more than you can possibly imagine! And Happy Christmas! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Sherilyn Harper