Transfers week

AMAZING NEWS!!! Katie is on date! For both Baptism and for the Temple! As a mission our goal is to try and get all new members to the Temple within the first 30 days after they were baptized and Katie is going within a week! She is so great. We love her so much and she is just soaking up everything that we teach her. This past week we taught her all about temples. Just as usual with every lesson we teach, there is so much to learn! The bible dictionary has the best definition of temples ever. 

Also, Sister Viehweg and I will be together for another transfer!! We're both super excited but I think that Sister Viehweg is ready for a change. She's been here for almost 8 months and by the time this transfer is up, she'll have spent half of her mission in Bay City. How crazy is that?! However, We do have a lot of really amazing things happening soon so it's a good thing she's staying. Katie's baptism, Paul and Katie are going to the Temple for the first time... and we have some really great potentials. We have a lot of hope for this next transfer and a lot of goals as well. Hopefully they can all be accomplished in these next six weeks. 

Alajuwan.. is doing really good! We have been trying to better integrate him into the ward and make sure that he makes a lot of friends, but, wow that kid has a lot of energy! On Wednesday we were at the church for Book of Mormon study and he was running up and down the halls like a mad man! Haha He was at cub scouts for the first time and just didn't get that he would need to listen to those in charge. But he'll get it. Everything just takes time and patience right?

This past week has been really great and we've seen a lot of blessings. I am so grateful that I an on a mission. I have learned so much about myself and who I want to become, as well as learning even more about this gospel and how to really live it. I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to serve and especially here in Bay City! The people are amazing and the work is growing more than ever before! I love you all, know that you are in my prayers!

Sister Sheppard

WHAT. A. WEEK.!

Wow. so much has happened this week that I can't even remember what did happen this week and what was last weeks news!

But I'll start off with the best news of all. ALAJUWAN GOT BAPTIZED!!! It was so so special. Although for a while there we weren't sure if it was going to happen. His baptism was at 6 pm on Saturday and we got a call, at 5:30 from his mother saying that she didn't know where he was. We were freaking out! We sent the elders, one of the ward missionaries and a couple of other people out to look for him and no one could find him. Luckily though, he remembered that he was supposed to be baptized that night and ran home. They all made it just in time and he was able to be baptized. We were so relieved!! 

We were also able to go to the Temple with the Campbell's and brother Campbell was called as our new ward missionary leader! We are super excited to start working with him and see how we can help the work progress during this next transfer.

Also, we had Zone Conference on Thursday and were able to hear from both President Jacobsen and his Wife! We learned so much and I am so excited to start implementing the things that we learned from them in our lives! Sister Jackson, and Sister Palmer were both there as well and it was so fun to see them and get to know how their area's and how they are doing. I also ran into Elder Thompson (Related to the Thompson's in our ward) and Elder Valentine (Tauni's really good friend)! They both say hello!

Other super exciting news.... JESSICA is officially a non smoker!!! She stopped cold turkey last Saturday and hasn't smoked since! The stop smoking program that the church provides in so good! We've used it with a few investigators now and have seen it work time and time again.

Love you all!

Sister Sheppard

Left to right--- Bay City/ Saginaw District

Elder Fairbanks (District Leader), Elder Hartley (Bay City), Elder Warton (Bay City), Sister Viehweg, Me, Elder Hoover, Elder Laaksonen (came out with me!), Elder Caldwell (going home the same day)

Well, we finally hit the NEGATIVES!

This week has been quite the adventure! We had trade-off's on Wednesday and Thursday which was really fun. It was so weird being away from my companion but it was really nice at the same time. Just to be able to get to know another missionary and see how she teaches and what her approaches to certain situations are. I learned a lot from Sister Watts! She's so great. While she was here we met this lady named Laurie door knocking. She has Thyroid Cancer and has seen a lot of tragedy in the past year in her family specifically. But although she has been going through all of these things, the one thing that she kept with her was her strong belief in God. And she doesn't blame God for what she has been going through either. Which is so amazing! As we were talking to her at the door she said, "You know I really have to go but I really want to know more about your church as well. Can I get your number and can we set up a time for you girls to come back and teach me more??" How cool is that?!? It took us a second to register what she said and then we got all excited and a little flustered trying to figure out how to say Yes!  It was pretty funny for her to watch I'm sure. Coolest experience ever though! Also, Alajuwan had his Baptismal Interview as well! When we were going over the questions with him the night before his responses were so hilarious. They were the typical 9 year old responses, so as you can imagine, they were great:) And then when he saw Elder Fairbanks for the first time (That's who gave the interview) he just looked up slowly and said really quietly, "wow." Elder Fairbanks is 6'9 so to this cute little 9 year old he was a giant! 

Alajuwan's baptism is going to be this Saturday the 16th at 6pm and so we have a lot of work to do in order to have everything ready by that date. But we are so excited for him and their family and the blessings that this special day will bring into their lives. 

Also Sister Viehweg and I get to go to the Detroit Temple on Friday!! We are going with the Campbell Family. They are going for the first time in 7 years and we are so so honored to be able to go with them! I have missed being able to go to the Temple every week and so this will be so fun and special to be able to go this week.

I hope you all have a Wonderfully Fantastic week! 

I love you!

Sister Sheppard

P.S. Did you know that Saginaw is the 4th highest crime rate city in the U.S.?!

P.S.S. We got 7 inches of snow Saturday night and Church was cancelled for the next day. First time that's ever happened for me! It was the weirdest thing!

One Month!

It's already been a month. Wow. I can't even believe how fast the time flew by. Only 17 months left:( It is really weird to talk about with the Elders since Elder Hartley and I will go home the same transfer and he's been out 7 or 8 months and Elder Warton will go home 3 Months after me and he's been out 4 months!                                                                                                                                   Wow This week was so short though. Partly because we had so much happen! On Monday, right after I sent out that last email, we were walking down the stairs and all of the sudden heard this huge POP! And down to the ground I went. After what seemed like days in Urgent care we got the verdict. Sprained Ankle. Ironically enough it had just started snowing really hard outside right around that same time! Needless to say, this past week has been so interesting. From being let into houses out of pity for the crazy girl on crutches to, being given cookies from some random people walking by on the street!(we didn't eat them don't worry) 

But that's beside the point. Alajuwan is getting baptized on Sunday!!! Oh My Goodness we are SO EXCITED!!! So this past week we've spent a lot of time helping prepare him for that special day. It's so cute though, he's really scared that he's going to break his back in the water. Luckily the Elders have been helping prepare him so that he won't be scared any longer.

In other news, we followed up on a referral that we were given from a friend that actually lives in Midland now and when she opened the door and saw that we were missionaries she immediately let us in and we were able to teach her on the spot! How cool is that?! That never happens. Obviously she was being majorly prepared by the Lord and we were able to be there in that instant. We are super excited to go and teach her and her family on Tuesday.

 Also Sister Chatman left last Tuesday. And although it was really sad that she left, it's been really nice at the same time because it's given the ward a chance to get to know me and I've really had to step it up in the lessons. I been learning so much! There are days when I wish personal study was 2 hours instead of 1 because there just isn't enough time to study everything!! 

This next week we have a lot of exciting stuff planned so keep your fingers crossed that neither of us get hurt! Jk we'll be careful:)

I hope that you all have an amazing week and enjoy the warm weather! (This morning it was 9 degrees when we walked outside!!)

Love ya!

Sister Sheppard

One day of snow!!! How crazy is that?!?!?