Another Transfer in Providence‏

Transfer calls are in and I'm staying in Providence again! Yay! I'm keeping my greenie, Elder Hansen, as well. At the end of this transfer I will have spent the same amount of time in Providence that I spent in New Haven. 2 areas, and 5 companions later, and I'm in the 14th month of my mission. I'm sure I comment on it every single email, but time really does fly faster that Superman to the rescue. Time especially flies when you've got a great companion like I do. Elder Hansen and I are Zion.
We're receiving 2 new Spanish missionaries into our ward this week which is going to help us out a lot! There is a lot to do here in Providence, and it will be nice to let the other 2 elders focus on Central Falls and Pawtucket (2 neighboring cities to Providence) so that we can focus on our teaching pool here.

However, this new transfer does bring some bitter-sweet changes. My district is getting split up into 2 smaller districts to make it easier for us to do exchanges with our missionaries. My new district has only 6 elders in it, but we're all speaking Spanish and/or Portuguese, so we'll be a language speaking district. I'm stoked for that, because that means that I can do our weekly District Meetings in Spanish again. I am really sad to lose my old district though. This was a really special group of elders and sisters for me. This district has been the favorite of my entire mission. Just look at the picture I attached--don't we look so great?
 I got to speak in church again yesterday. I was really impressed to talk about love and service. We should always be striving to live the first great commandment to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." and to fulfill the second to, "love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 22:36-40). No one should ever be left to struggle through this long journey of mortality alone. We are all members of God's family, and we should treat one another as such. This involves more than merely being conscious of others around you, but being willing to help!  When we see a fellow brother drowning, we shouldn't just yell, "Hey! Stop drowning!" and watch him go under, but we should jump in after him. See a need and fill it. Oftentimes, in and out of the church, we wait to be asked, compelled, or required before we take action, or we wait for a curriculum to be drawn up, debated, and accepted before we do anything about the problem. We even use our callings to serve as excuses for doing less than we should by reasoning that we are solely to check off our checklist, and leave the rest undone because someone else should pick up the slack. This doesn't mean that we should be over-accountable and not hold others accountable, but it means that we should adopt the attitude of President Hinckley when he said, "Roll up your sleeves and just do it!" This becomes natural as we develop a Christlike love for our brothers and sisters, which, in turn, cultivates the desire necessary to motivate us into action (Alma 32:27). Alma and the sons of Mosiah exemplify this principle when, after their conversion, they let their love and desire motivate them to preach the gospel to the Lamanites (Mosiah 28:3-5) We could develop the love of Alma that he showed to a sinful, hard-hearted, and stiff-necked people, entrenched in terrible traditions, by recognizing that the poor, down-trodden, and even sinful are still our 'brethren', and that their souls 'are precious' (Alma 31:34-35)
Elder Hansen and I taught a really good lesson on faith yesterday by using the picture of Jesus Christ knocking on the door as our example. What is Jesus doing? Knocking on a door. What's interesting about the door? It has no handle. How will Jesus get inside? The person inside must open the door. Would  you open the door if you knew Jesus was knocking? OF COURSE! Opening the door is called exercising faith. When we exercise faith, we act upon true and correct principles. What's the difference between 'belief'' and 'faith'. Faith is belief in true things put into action. How do we exercise our faith? Open the door. Real-life application: KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, and your faith will grow and blossom. Obedience yields all the blessings of heaven, and an obedient heart is manifest in faith, and faith is manifest in action on truth. (James 2:17,26) What's the first and great commandment? Love God. How do we love God? Keep His commandments. Thus, our love of God is manifest in the faith we have and exhibit, which yields promised blessings and brightens our hope for future fulfillment of promises by acting in faith, interlinking the three great virtues of faith, hope, and charity (the greatest of these being charity, Moroni 7:42,48)
I'll get off my soap-box... sometimes I get carried away. I could go on like this for hours... And I do every day here in the mission field!
Let me sum-up my experiences and thoughts from this week: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: [Love] God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Eccl. 12:13)
I love you all, and I pray multiple times every day for you.
              Much love from your favorite elder,
                   -Elder Shepherd

Christian Courage and love‏

OK, I attached 2 pictures: One is of our baptism last Saturday, and the other is of the lunch that I made last Saturday (I thought it was really clever).
Our wonderful friend Mirian was baptized this last Saturday! Yay! She is a sweet old lady from the Dominican Republic that we've been teaching for quite a while now. She has gone to lots of different churches in her life in search for something that 'felt right'. She came to church and immediately noticed something different about it, and she felt like she'd found that 'feeling' that she was looking for. She will be a faithful member of the church here, and her decision to be baptized and be faithful will greatly influence her life and the life of her family.
This next week will mark another 6-week 'transfer' that I've spent here in Providence. I sure hope that I get to stay here, and chances are that I probably will, but you never know. I've been here almost 6 months now. I've seen a lot change here since I came-I've split the area into 2, combined the areas again, split them again, and then combined 2 other areas into mine, and probably will have to split off another portion of my area in a week as we'll have some new elders coming in. Things are constantly changing and life is constantly hurtling onward without slowing down. I can't believe that I've already been a missionary for 14 months, and that next summer I go home. I'm glad that amongst all the changes and curve-balls that life throws at you that there is something that always stays constant: Jesus Christ as our 'rock' and 'sure foundation'.
The world has changed a lot, and the problems that we face today in the world are very different than those of old, but the manner in which we face those problems has ALWAYS been the same! We must confront adversity with hope and unwavering faith in God. We must learn to be obedient and thereby enjoy the only true and lasting happiness in life. If you don't know what it's like I dare you to see what having an obedient heart feels like. God's laws remain unaltered, and this 'very old' notion of 'obedience brings blessings' remains unaltered as well. No matter who you are or what your circumstance, obedience to God's commandments is ALWAYS the right decision, ALWAYS. Christ's teachings of love and acceptance are never old-fashioned or out of style, no matter how much the world changes. There is a lot of hate and anger in the world, and the best way to fight it is to love your neighbor as yourself and treat them how you would like to be treated. What this world needs is a generation of Christians who will stand up for what they believe in, be respectful and loving to people from all walks of life, and be firm examples of the believers. God taught us to love everyone, including the sinners and outcasts, and bigotry and anger, no matter who it's aimed at, is never acceptable. Remember, the worth of every soul is great in the sight of God. (D&C 18:10) Let us reach out in love and service to those who despitefully use us and oppress us, and may we have the courage to choose faith (for surely it is a choice and not merely incident). Choose the high ground. Choose the path of a disciple of Jesus Christ, remembering as well that the hard thing to do and the right thing to do are usually always the same thing.
I love you, and pray for you with 'all the energy of my heart' (Moroni 7:48)
       With much love from your favorite elder,
               -Elder Shepherd

TEMPLE IN HARTFORD CONNECTICUT!!!! WOOOO!!!!‏

For those of you who tuned in to General Conference this weekend they announced the construction of 5 new temples around the world. One of those scheduled for construction is the HARTFORD CONNECTICUT TEMPLE! WOO!!! I was so stoked when I they announced that they were building a temple here that I shouted,'YES!' out loud. There was quite a buzz among the members here. We're all so excited that the blessings of the temple will be brought closer to us so that we can be enriched and strengthened by the power of the Lord here and take part in the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy and the mandate that, "he shall turn the heart of the fathers to their children, and the heart of the children to their fathers."  Temples bring SO many blessings! General Conference was really awesome for a long list of reasons: I had 5 investigators who came to at least 1 session with their spouses, the spirit and the speakers answered tons of questions for them as well as me, it feels as though the work has a new energy, and I am spiritually rejuvenated. I particularly enjoyed the talks given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf about simplifying our lives and pride. President Monson's talk about gratitude was great, and I really really liked Richard G. Scott's talk about faith and character. Boyd K. Packer's comments about the family were right on target, and I knew that others who were listening felt of the power of his words. Conference weekend was full of spiritual power, and I can't wait for the November issue of the Ensign to come out so that I can spend some real time studying their words and getting the revelation and learning out of them that I need.
I pondered a lot about how we can deepen our conversion to the gospel and change our thoughts and desires to be more in harmony with God's will, and I received a lot of insight from conference about it. D Todd Christoffersen offered lots of helpful insights about consecration. Consecration is the process by which we are made holy, by which we truly cleanse the inner vessel. We are to offer up our "'bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which sacrifice] is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). M. Russell Ballard was talking specifically about addictions, but his advice about change and repentance applies to all of us regardless of whether or not we struggle with substance abuse or pornography. He said that our minds, bodies, and spirits can be transformed: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).   He said that the key is sincere, fervent, and consistent prayer. There is hope for recovery and change wherever there is a righteous desire to do so. We have to recognize that we can't change our minds or hearts by ourselves--that change comes from the grace of God, and is communicated by the spirit. As we consecrate our time, talents, thoughts, and actions to God, He consecrates and transforms us, giving us, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." As we think about what may be required of us in this process of consecration and change, we may tremble inwardly at what may be required, but remember that feelings of inadequacy are common, so are feelings of fatigue, hence the needed warning of our being "weary of well-doing"(D&C 64:33); but please keep in mind that God has already said that "[His] grace is sufficient for you"(Ether 12:27, D&C 17:8). There is always hope where there is faith, and there is always faith when their is trust in God sufficient enough to put that trust into action and test it. The key to it is to constantly move forward! Like the Apostle Paul taught, "this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philipians 3:13-14) Put one foot in front of the other, and keep going forward! It is not the speed of your pace, but your diligence that wins you the prize! (Mosiah 4:27)
I have so much to be grateful for. I thoroughly enjoy every second I have out here in the mission field. It is by far the hardest thing I've ever done, and I won't sugar coat it by saying otherwise, but it would be dishonest of me as well to not acknowledge that it's by far the most worthwhile thing I've ever done. I'm grateful for all who strive to live in the best way they know how and constantly move forward despite heartache and travail. Their examples of faith and perseverance are a legacy for me to follow. I pray that I will never do anything with my name that would bring it shame; that is, in two senses: First, the name I carry on my chest that reads 'Jesus Christ', as well as the name I inherit from my exemplary parents and predecessors of 'Shepherd'. There have already been several 'Elder Shepherd's' who have served the Lord with all their heart, and I wish to continually bring honor to the name I carry as 'Elder Shepherd' from my father and 2 older brothers. (Thank you for serving and showing me how to do so).
Life is good, and I am happy, healthy, and filthy wealthy (with spiritual currency).
          With much love from your favorite elder,
                    -Elder Shepherd

"Do you play piano!?"

email 9/27/10
I have a super-awesome-musically-talented group of elders and sisters in my district. Both of the sisters in my district sing very well, and 1 in particular was a soloist and toured Europe. Another elder in my district studied musical theater and opera, and he sings very well and plays piano so-so. Another elder can sing fairly well and he plays piano fairly well. My companion is a great bass singer and he plays piano so-so as well along with trumpet. I play piano and sing, and together we make a really great group. I've never been so deeply touched by the power of good music in my life then out here in the mission field. I'm organizing a mission musical fireside right now, and I'm sorting through music and searching for talent in the mission. I've reflected oftentimes on the inspired words and moving music of the songs I've selected. I did a test-run with one of the songs by having a sister do a special musical number at our weekly district meeting this week. It's a song about the Atonement of Christ called 'For Me Alone' (it's a free download from the Sally Deford Website). Everyone was in tears after the song, and the spirit seemed to envelop us in a thick cloud. It was a really special meeting, and I attribute it to the selection of inspired music that brought the spirit into the atmosphere like nothing else can. Elder Hansen asked me, "Why don't we utilize music more in our proselyting?" I thought about it, and I realized that we really could use music as an effective missionary tool. God gave us our talents so that we would use them to bless His kingdom on the earth. Why wouldn't I be able to use mine to preach the Gospel? We were randomly speaking to one elderly man in front of his house as it started to downpour out of nowhere, so he invited us in. In the first several moments of conversation, I found that this man had a genuine love for music, particularly big band music from the 30's and 40's and crooners like Sinatra. It didn't take long for him to ask me, "Do you play piano!?" He showed me to his piano in his front room, and his impressive collection of sheet music from that golden era of music. I felt like this was way to big of a coincidence to be a coincidence, so I teased him a bit by playing and singing a song or two. He was so giddy that I thought he might die of a heart attack. I then played and sung one of my favorite hymns, I Need Thee Every Hour. The spirit descended and we had a good conversation after the fact. I remember leaving the appointment thinking,"Why can't missionary work always be like this?"
Music is one of the reasons I really look forward to General Conference. The General Authorities of the church understand the crucial role that music plays in worship, and the music for General Conference is always magnificent. It always fills me up spiritually. I can't wait for this weekend to again be richly fed by the spirit in both the music and the spoken word of God. Prepare yourselves for General Conference so that you might be fed as well. Fast and pray that the speakers will be inspired, and that the Lord will speak to you through them. Go into the conference with a prayer in your heart, questions on your mind, a blank sheet of paper, and a soul that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, and I promise you that you will have a miraculous spiritual experience. If you have any doubt at all as to the divinity of Jesus Christ or the truthfulness of His modern day work in His restored church, bring it to the table and prove the Lord at General Conference. I can boldly testify miracles because I have done so and received such in my life. Prove the Lord. He will prove you. (Abraham 3:25, Deut. 8:2, Malachi 3:10, Phillipians 1:29, D&C 84:79, D&C 98:14-15, D&C 101:2-9... just to name a few.)
I know that this church is true, and that this work is so much bigger and grander than I ever imagined it to be. I know that God loves us and will sanctify and strengthen us if we let Him.
  With much love from your favorite elder,
          -Elder Shepherd

"What did he say!?"‏

"Did he say that he saw 11 people get stabbed with a machete!?" exclaimed Elder Hansen, Elder Shepherd's greenie of only 2 weeks. Elder Shepherd couldn't help but chuckle at his innocent companion who was only trying so hard to understand what this strange Dominican man was saying. "No, elder, but he did use the number 11 in that sentence.", replied Elder Shepherd. "Argh! He talks so fast..." complained Elder Hansen. "Don't stress it, elder. NOBODY, including other Dominicans, can understand that man when he talks. I'm pretty sure that without the 'Gift of Interpretation of Tongues' I wouldn't be able to understand him either." As they entered their next visit that evening, a friendly and familiar woman answered the door. (Speaking in Spanish) "Elder Shepherd, how's it going? How's Elder Hansen, can he understand me yet?". "No." Elder Shepherd replied, "but he sure is trying hard. Why don't you ask him some simple questions that he can answer?". She turned to Elder Hansen and asked, "Where are you from?". "I'm from Mesa, Arizona!" Elder Hansen confidently admitted. "Arizona!? Don't they hate Hispanics in Arizona?". She was obviously joking, but the joke wasn't understood by Elder Hansen. It bothered him for the rest of the lesson, and after the fact Elder Shepherd could see the obvious consternation behind his companions smile and thought it would be funny to joke with him. "I don't think you should tell people that you're from Arizona. They instantly hate us when they know.". "Really!? Ah man, I have a lot to learn.". Elder Shepherd laughed and  lovingly put his arm around his new companion, and he consoled his companion on the walk home.

True story.
I just thought that it would be fun to write in third person for a change.
Elder Hansen is doing really well, and I'm actually very impressed by his Spanish ability. He doesn't let it get him down, and he knows that he's still learning. I remember when I was in his shoes exactly 1 year ago. I thought that I would never be able to understand Dominican or Puerto Rican Spanish, nonetheless be able to communicate back. I can speak with several different accents now, and I understand a wide array of Spanish from different countries. The Lord is definitely utilizing me and teaching me what I need to know to be able to effectively preach His gospel in Spanish.
We are teaching a lot of people, and the ward has really rallied their missionary efforts in order to help us to cover our entire area effectively. Members are finding people for us to teach, and we spend all of our time teaching. It's such a blessing to be serving here right now. It's never dull, we always have something to do and someone to teach. It's truly the promised land.

I've been so impressed this week as I did a really in depth study on how to learn by faith. Faith, being the first principle of the gospel, is so vitally important to our spiritual development, but I think it's often overlooked or misunderstood. Every single person we teach is catholic and born with a belief in God, but they don't differentiate the difference between 'belief' and 'faith'. You can believe whatever you want, and it may or may not be true, but faith is a principle of ACTION, requiring the constant application of true and correct principles in our lives. The most common definition of faith I hear from the people I teach is that 'Faith is to believe in something...". While part of faith does indeed require belief that is only a mere fraction of what it really means to have faith. We often use the phrase 'exercise faith' in conjunction with this principle, and for good reason. Faith requires exercise, physical, mental, and spiritual exertion. It requires you to be believing, which spawns from a desire to know truth and the confirming witness of the spirit that something is indeed true. Then you commit yourself and do your part to apply truth in your life and live in accordance with true principles. Faith is the assurance and hope for things to come, evidence of things not seen which are true, and the principle of action. Thus, three components of faith can be placed as assurance (future), evidence (past), and action (present). These three components are simultaneously applied, and we press forward, with the assurance gained because of the evidence of God's truths. I don't have time to write down or explain my entire train of thought about faith in this email, but it sufficeth me to say that I'm refocusing on the first principle of the Gospel, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that everything else flows naturally after someone has truly mastered faith.

I know that God works miracles today, because I am a witness of them every day. God uses His servants to do His work and perform miracles, and I so testify because God has used me in this way many times. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that the only way back to the Father is through His son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
I love you all, and I pray for you every day.
    With much love from your favorite elder,
             -Elder Shepherd

My proselyting area got even bigger?‏

email 9/13/10
This week was a whole lot of bitter-sweet happenings. Elder Hansen is definitely adjusting well to the missionary lifestyle. I'm so proud of him for trucking through that first week of missionary work. Being a spanish-speaking elder is so frustrating initially, because you can't understand what's going on and you can't say what you want to say. Elder Hansen is a pro-he just opens up his mouth and says as much as he can say, and when he runs out of words I take back over. He has come very prepared to the mission, and I'm really looking forward to working more with him. His first week was rough, because he got sick on Thursday, and he was pretty much dead Friday and Saturday. He had a fever, he was coughing, sneezing, vomiting, etc... He was hallucinating a little bit at one point. Poor guy. It's a rough way to kick off the mission, but he's alive and mostly unscathed. We're just gonna get back out there now and work our butts off.
One of my former companions who was serving in Central Falls (A tiny city that borders Providence) went home last Thursday out of the blue. His companion called me and said that Elder So-and-so was in trouble and needed help. By the time I got there, he had already spoken with our Mission President and set his sights on going home. It was a heartbreaker. His companion was sent somewhere else in the mission, and I had to incorporate Central Falls' area into my own. I shut down their apartment and got all the information about their current investigators that I needed, and doubled the size of my already huge area and teaching pool. My brand new companion and I are the only spanish speaking elders in the state of Rhode Island now, so our area is the entire state of Rhode Island. (I'm lucky that it's such a small state.)
Things change and happen so quickly that it seems impossible to be able to get ahead or, at the very least, keep up. However, I firmly believe that all these changes and curve balls that life throws at you are for the better. How very dull life would be without adversity or change... Of course, I don't enjoy suffering, but I am sure grateful for the adversity in my life that has made me stronger and shaped me into who I am today. As long as we know how to confront our problems and trials with the right attitude they will never have the power over us to bring us down. It's amazing to me how simple everything can really be when we don't try to over-complicate and over-analyze everything. It all goes back the same simple steps of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Faith, Repentance, Baptism (Covenants), Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End. There is no program, activity, or system that will ever be able to replace the Gospel of Jesus Christ when it is lived and understood. There is no business or administration that can implement anything that will even compare or come to close the efficacy of righteous/constant living of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel holds the individual accountable and responsible without condemning them. The Gospel promotes healthy and progressive living, and results in an individual conversion that adds to the collective efforts of countless others who live these same principles-this will result in unity far greater than can be achieved in any other way, and it is all because it focuses on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we're angry, frustrated, proud, or depressed, it is ALWAYS attritbuted to lack of focus or obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's at these times when we need to take a step back and assess where our heart lies. When we do, all the sidetracks and obstacles that life puts in our way dissipate, and we see things simply and clearly, as they really are.
I've always loved the analogy that Joseph Smith put into the 123rd section of the D&C. In D&C 123:16-17: "You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
Let us cheerfully do all things within our power (and let God take care of the rest and quit freaking out about it) and 'simplify' our lives by focusing on the things that really matter.
I love you. I thank you for your prayers in my behalf.
         With much love from your favorite elder,
                  -Elder Shepherd

A new elder!‏

This week brought a whole lot of changes. Elder Cohen got transferred to Bridgeport, CT, and I'm training a brand new Spanish elder called Elder Hansen. He's from Arizona and comes from a family of 4 kids. He's a pretty smart elder, and I can tell that he worked really hard before and during the MTC because he's coming out here very prepared. He and I are going to get along so well! I've got a picture of the 2 of us yesterday at the Mission President's home.

The other picture I attached is a picture of me at the lighthouse in Newport. Life is so good.
We continue to be very very busy here in Providence. The ward is doing really well, our investigators are doing really well, and we have tons of people to teach. We had an amazing fast and testimony meeting this Sunday at church! One of our investigators who is going to be baptized in 2 weeks got up to bear her testimony in church. She bore a simple, sweet testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and talked about how she's been 'church-hopping' her entire life in search of the true church of Jesus Christ. She said that she knows that God answers her prayers because when she prayed most earnestly for help and direction 2 'angels in white shirts and ties' knocked on her door'. She thanked us for being 'sweet young men' and the members for helping her come unto Christ. Another less-active member that we'd been teaching bore her testimony as well and thanked us for 'bringing her back'. I baptized her son several weeks back, and she wanted to thank me for that over the pulpit, but couldn't remember my last name, but, for some reason, remembered my first name... I promised her son a week ago that if he read his scriptures every day and said his prayers, I would tell him my first name. He did, and I told him my name and made him promise not to tell the other youth. The youth in this ward have been trying to figure out my name for the past 4 months, and then she just blurted it out over the pulpit! "I want to thank the elder for baptizing my son-um, I can't remember his last name right now but I know his first name is Luke-so thank you elder!" The whole congregation turned to look at me. It was kind of funny, but slightly irreverent as whispers were heard among the youth,"We finally got him!". *sigh*

I love teaching people about eternal families. The parents eyes light up as they realize that they truly can be 'together forever', and that they can be reunited with loved ones who have passed on. We taught a man this week whose mother passed away a week ago. He was grieving the loss, and he was angry at God for not letting her live longer. We taught about the Plan of Salvation, and we gradually watched as the anger and the bitterness turned to tears of gratitude and understanding. The gospel changes lives, and I see it happen everyday. I get a front-row seat to God's miraculous modern-day work of gathering together His children. I see the spirit work on people and change their hearts. Some people change quickly, and other experience that change over longer periods of time, but all of them enjoy the sweetness of forgiveness and their new-found closeness with their Eternal Father in Heaven. How grateful I am to be a witness of these truths, and to be a messenger of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation.
I couldn't be happier.
             With much love from your favorite Elder Shepherd in the Hartford, CT mission,
                                          -Elder Shepherd