Week 7

Dear Family!  Hey!  So being in the Salt Lake City Airport for so long, we got the chance to talk with a lot of people. The guy that took the picture had a son on a mission, and he was really cool. Apparently that's a normal thing to take a picture of missionaries then send it to their mother's. 

I wrote a poem when I left the MTC. I actually really liked how it turned out:

"My bags are all packed, I'm ready to go.
My soul feels attacked. Time's moving so slow.
I'm sitting here, not knowing how to feel.
On one hand fear, and the other hand zeal.

Hands that are idle, are the Devil's plaything.
Keep my feelings bridled, for the time being.
I'm torn between thoughts, of purpose and life.
I'll love the Lord lots, through all of my strife!

Do I know it's true? Do I think I'm ready?
I try to push through and hold myself steady.
My spirit feels poor. Whay can I say?
I kneel on the floor and begin to pray.

I begin with thanks, but it feels half-hearted.
My mind's drawing blanks, I'm back where I started.
I humble my heart before my Father above.
Those feelings depart and I feel His love.

I'm filled with a joy that's knows no bounds
I feel like a boy, as weird as that sounds
By Angels am I backed and my light will I show!
My bags are all packed. I'm ready to go!"

I love you guys, and I pray for you daily. My first few days here were a little rough because I really felt like I should be in Ecuador. Satan's really not happy I'm here, let alone going to Ecuador. I still really want to be there, but we've been biking a lot and the people here are nice. My Spanish is still awful, but I can pray and testify of the Church's truths. I'm okay with that for now. My companion's name is Elder Treviño, and he's from Mexico. He's been out for about 9 months. He's really fun, and we're excited about our plans for Hemet, California. We're teaching a few people now and just got more potentials. I love seeing the work happen up close and personal.

By the way, it's so hot here. Like 115° hot. I'm glad we didn't move here. I got thing of 40 water bottles last Thursday, and it's almost gone hahaha

Love you guys! If you could send me y'alls prayers, that be amazing!

¡Nos Vemos!
-Elder Sharp

WEEK 6 - iUltimo Dia de Preperación en la CCM!

iHola!

I will be serving a temporary assignment in the California Riverside Mission until I get my visa.  Here's my mailing address:

900 Grand Ave
Riverside CA 92504-1328

If there's one thing I've learned in the MTC, it's the power of prayer and scripture study (with discussion). Also that Satan truly is a sore loser, and because of that he will take all the time in the world to get to you. We had a discussion last night about why God gave contradictory commandments to Adam and Eve. We talked about how it could've been thousands of years before Eve and Adam partook of the fruit. Then I realized that Satan could've been tempting them all that time to eat the fruit. That's how he works. Slowly and patiently. But another thing I heard was a Joseph Smith quote when he conferred the Priesthood keys upon the Apostles: "Now the Church can grow faster than the Devil can tear it down!" Another Quote by Brigham Young is: "If you have a bad thought, tell it to go to Hell because that's where it came from."

This week went by so fast. I can't even describe the feelings I feel. I'm scared, but excited, but wanting to be in Ecuador. I've learned a lot and learned how much I need the Lord in my life. I'm constantly trying to better myself, and I know I can be great with the Lord by my side. The only pictures I have for the week are pictures of my district and with my teacher. I'm gonna miss them.

I love you guys, So much. And I pray for you daily.

¡Nos Vemos!

-Elder Sharp

Week 5

I got my travel plans yesterday! If I get my visa before next Saturday, I will be in Ecuador by the 17th! I have one last week in the MTC,  and I'm ready to go! This week we our district chose patience as the Christ-like attribute to work on. I've got great patience with other people, but I'm not very patient with myself. So, as I prayed for better patience, I was of course given opportunities to be patient. So, all week I felt "out-of-it."  But I got the MP3 player and was able to listen to "Float." I'm not too proud to admit I teared up while listening to it hahaha. I had also kinda hoped you had put the "singles ward" soundtrack on there. Because that music would be really good to work out with hahaha.

So I have one P-day left here. In my time here, I've learned how to have a conversation En Español and have become WAY better at Volleyball. I've had Kolob explained to me and have become pumped with the Spirit in ways I've dreamed about. This past week I shared this story:

A man is sitting on a fence. To one side he is being called over by God, Christ, and everyone he's ever known and loved. On the other side sat Satan reclining in a lawn chair sipping a glass of ice-tea.
The man says to the Devil, "these people really want me over there."
Satan replies, "Yep."
"Why aren't you trying to get me over to your side?"
The devil took another sip and said, "Well, I own the fence."
I love that story.

I'm glad I chose to go on a mission so long ago. I look forward to serving the Lord and blessing my hermanos y hermonas in Ecuador. It will be hard, but the best things are worth fighting for.

I love you guys and look forward to y'all's emails every week.

¡Nos Vemos!
-Elder Sharp

Week 4

This week flew for me. I only have 2 more p-days in the MTC (missionary training center) then I go! I was only able to take one picture this week because my batteries died Monday. The picture I did take is significant, however, because at the beginning of this week we had a Mission President conference and All 15 General Authorities were here! From Sunday to Tuesday they were training the incoming mission presidents and in our Sunday Devotional they all attended! I can't accurately describe the feeling that hit me when they all walked in... It was like a wall had slammed into my very soul.  Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke, and the first thing he spoke about was referring to the church by its proper name instead of "Mormon" or "LDS church" to investigators. He also spoke of when he was on his mission and about how he and Jeffery R. Holland were Companions! I hadn't known that. At the end of the devotional, while we were waiting for the New Mission Presidents and their wives to leave, we all started singing "Called to Serve" together. No one told us to, and it was powerful. I took the picture to capture the date.

In the choir here, we have over 750 missionaries every time. Tuesday for Choir the Director took us through a bunch of hymns and told us the meaning behind them. He told us a way understand Kolob (Abraham 3:18), about how the tune for "We thank thee O God for a Prophet" was originally for a funeral song; "The Spirit of God" talks about priesthood keys, and why "Come thou Font" isn't in the Hymn book (it was one of the least sung hymns, so they took it out to make room for new hymns. He said he was pretty sure it would be in the next edition).  "I am a Child of God" and "O my Father" talk about both our Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Mother. It blew my mind. I didn't realize how many people didn't think we had a Heavenly Mother. The director also pointed out that the reason we are here is to become as God is. It is the eternal cycle. When we do become as He is, we will create worlds of our own and have Heavenly children of our own.  That's why we must be married to get to the Celestial Kingdom! Heavenly Father wants us to be as He is!!!!!

Something he said was "We are all gods in training right now." that puts a smile on my face every time I think about it.

The Tuesday devotional was focused around trials and faith. In it, the speaker shared a poem that was carved into a wall by Jewish refugees during the Holocaust:  

"I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

And I believe in love,

even when I don't feel.

And I believe in God,

even when he is silent."

I really liked it.

I'm happy to be here... Earlier this week I realized truly what a sacrifice it is for investigators to give up so much. I felt a little of that when I wanted to talk to you, or Dad, or Davin, or Dakota, or Jessica, etc. That hit me harder than I expected, how much I am going to miss you guys further down the road. But I chose to come here. Agency is an ENORMOUS part of our Plan of Happiness. No one knows us better than our Heavenly Father, and I know I was called to be a missionary, and I know for a fact that God qualifies those He calls. So who can stand against me, right?

I pray for y'all, every day. And I know y'all pray for me. It will be hard, I know it will. But all things are possible through Christ. He is our best example and I know I can't even come close to Him. But I'll try ;)

Love you guys! Nos vemos!

-Elder Sharp