Good Wednesday‏

email 6/2/10
We couldn't email on monday-it was memorial day and all the libraries were closed. Yesterday, we were in zone conference all day, so I didn't have any time then either. I hope you enjoy your wednesday email this week.
I attached a picture of my district at the baptism of Daniel Ferrufino. We baptized him 2 weeks ago, and he received the Aaronic Priesthood this last sunday.

 He will be able to baptize his mom, who we've been teaching and will be baptized this week. The church is so awesome. The other picture is a picture of us at Brown University, struggling to find where our referral lives... Elder Russell is the one with the confused look on his face and the map in his hand.

My mission president is a pretty funny guy. You may all remember the story I told this last week about our little midnight 'excursion' to Vermont on accident... President Pehrson was never mad at us-he laughed the whole time about it. He gave us a pretty hard time this week in zone conferences though. We were the butt of every single joke. He just smiled at us the whole time, admitted that we deserved the jokes, and reassured us of his love and sense of humor. I don't think I'll ever live this one down.
This week was a very productive week. We taught tons of lessons, and we're constantly busy in and out of teaching appointments. I've never been happier in my entire mission, yet I'm also working harder than I've ever worked. It's funny how that works, huh?
I was teaching a woman last night who is just cruising through the Book of Mormon. She's read from the beginning to Alma 7 or 8 in 1-2 weeks, and she has a baptismal date for the end of June. We taught her along with one of her friends who was visiting her at the time, who is a devout Jehovah's Witness. Her friend came with her New World Translation of the Bible, willing to listen, but was really confused when we pulled out the Book of Mormon. Throughout the course of the lesson, we used scriptures from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and her whole attitude about this foreign volume of scripture gradually changed, particularly as we read from Alma 7 about the Atonement. She really enjoyed verses 11 and 12 in chapter 7 of Alma as it described how Christ would suffer pains and afflictions that He might now how to 'succor' or help us according to our needs. She's not interested in reading the Book of Mormon for herself as she declined our invitation to do so, but her perception at what the Book of Mormon actually was changed a lot, and we planted a seed there.
I've had lots of opportunities similar to that, to teach people of many different faiths and backgrounds about Jesus Christ, and I'm absolutely convinced, more so now than ever, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ satisfies every need, fills in every gap, and is the power of God unto salvation to all ends of the earth; furthermore, that mankind will grow closer to Jesus Christ by reading and abiding by the precepts found in the Book of Mormon than any other sacred tome or volume or writ know to the world. The Book of Mormon is true, and stands as a solid, undeniable witness to the divinity of this latter day work which the Church of Jesus Christ, through its members, the Latter Day Saints, engage in. Jesus Christ lives and guides this church, and we invite all ends of the earth to learn of their Savior and Redeemer, and to 'drink freely' from the living waters and partake of the bread of life.
I echo the response that Nehemiah had to those who wished to do him harm and halt the progression of the reconstruction of Jerusalem when he defiantly exclaimed, "I am doing a great work, and cannot come down." I am engaged in a marvelous work and a wonder, and I serve to fulfill my duty to God, to bring to pass His will upon the earth. I couldn't possibly be happier doing anything else right now.
Life is good, the work is hard, and I'm happy. Thank you for the prayers offered in behalf of the missionaries and our investigators-we feel your faith sustain and lift us. I love you all.
           -Elder Shepherd