2-18-13

Just a note to you all so you will know what is going on. Last Monday a member took Mackay golfing, I guess Mackay hit a curb and bent something on the cart. They told the golf people and they said if they didn't have the part on hand, he would have to pay for it. Mackay emailed Don last Monday just to tell him what happened and what to expect. On Thursday, Don got a call from Mackay saying that the part had to be ordered and that Mackay had to pay. So Don got to visit with him for a minute and he told Don how excited he is for this new calling. We know he will do well and are excited for him.

Dear Family,

Well I don't even know where to start with this email! HAHA So lets just start with Thursday morning. I am going to start here because I just expect that dad told every one about my golf cart experience! haha Not to happy about that one. So Thursday I got a message on my phone that said I had a voice mail. Usually when the phone doesn't ring, and you still get a voice mail its usually from the zone leaders just sending out a group message to the zone. So we started listening to it but were super surprised when this is what we hear: "Elder Shelley, This is President Meredith. I need you to call me back, there is something I need to discuss with you!" I was in shock when I heard that! Honestly all I could think was that he had heard about my golf cart trip and was calling me about that. So I called him back and he said this, "Elder Shelley, I am calling you to train one of the new missionaries- will you except that call?" HAHA I was so confused and shocked that I had no idea what to say. I said that I would definitely except but that I was super scared and nervous. He basically said ok great! I knew you would except and then hung up the phone! hahaha I was so shocked and freaking out I had no idea what to do. Elder Makaya started laughing and just having a great ole time watchingmy face. And then all of a sudden the phone rang again from a number that I didn't have saved. I answered it like I always do, and said it's Elder Shelley. All I get from the person, is "I have some bad news.." I asked who it was and come to find out that it was the golf course and that I owed a little bit of money... I then called President back and asked him what I should do to pay for it. He told me that I needed to call dad and tell him what happened so that he would understand the situation and be able to take care of it for me. So long story short, I got the blessing of being able to call dad and talk to him for a little bit. Yes I had to tell him that I had some bad news, but I was still able to talk to him and to hear his voice a bit. We had a good talk for a bit and then we had to say good bye. It was still a huge blessing for me to be able to talk to him and to tell him that I was going to be a trainer! I had to go to a training for new trainers this past Friday, and president told us that 3 of the new missionaries that are coming in are 18!!! That three of the 7 elders sitting there are going to be training the first 18 year old missionaries that come into this mission. That scared me a little bit! hahaha President also told us that he has been praying about this transfer of trainers for the past two transfers because this is the begining of the 18 year old increase and that he needs his best trainers to be the one to start it all off. I felt so honored to be trusted by the Lord and by President to be able to be a trainer at this very important time in history of missionary work! I am soooo nervous to train but I know that the Lord qualifies the called and that I will be taken care of! I love this work so much. Elder Makaya is going back to San Fran this next transfer. Different area, but actually into the same apartment that he used to be in! hahah its crazy! Just a side note, Elder Roberts is a district leader now also!

This is going to have to be a short rest of the email. We are going hiking as a zone today so that should be fun! The week has been pretty crazy! Between all the work I had to do as the district leader and the baptismal interviews this week, plus the training meetings and all that, we had a pretty busy week. Sadly we got dropped by Dina and Reina. They text us and told us that they are not willing to make the needed changes in their lives to be a member. It was really hard to get that text especially since we have grown so close to each other. We love that family so much and have gained such a respect for them that it is so hard for me to see them go. It's like seeing Peggy fall off the planet also. We also got dropped by another one of our investigators named Brady. It's all going to be ok though. I have forgot to tell everyone about a young lady named Lindsey that we have been teaching for a little over two weeks. She is soo amazing! She referred herself to us and just wanted a book of Mormon and to learn more. We set a baptismal date for her for the 10th of March! She is progressing soooo fast and so well. She has such a testimony of the gospel it's crazy to watch! We are hoping that through her example that we will start to teach her dad also. She is 17 and so she has to have her dad's permission. He is so supportive and has thanked us over and over again for the change that he has seen in her! It has been awesome!

Jon is actually doing pretty well also. He has been reading still and keeps asking his questions, but has told us that he is praying and that he is still working on opening up to the Book of Mormon. He seems to keep having a better desire and that he is starting to get more and more willing to keep coming to church. We are still praying for him like crazy, and know that the Lord is going to bless him. There usually comes a super strong spirit from new missionaries so I am very excited to have this new elder help me just set fire to our area! It is going to be a blast!

Thanks everyone for their love and for their support! I love you all soooo much! I love this gospel! I love the Book of Mormon and all the truth that it brings. It has changed my life for the better and I will never go back to the person that I was. I love to think back to the past once in a while just to set new goals and make plans to keep on track and to be the person that my Heavenly Father would like me to be. I am so proud to be your son and to have the opportunity to carry the Shelley name here in California. This experience on my mission has seriously changed my life and it has changed it for the better. I have yet to decide about a release date, and probably won't make a decision for a while. There are a few missionaries that want me to come and to be roommates with them which would be way cool, but it all depends on a few factors with money and some stuff. We will see how everything goes. For now though I want to just focus on being the best trainer that I can be and enjoying here while I am here cause there will be no here there, right dad!? Thanks again and please keep writing letters. They are the best! Got a letter from Luis this week and it seriously made my day! I love to hear about all the good times and the things that are happening! Please give Rocky a huge hug from me next week when you see him and tell him to stay in contact with me! Love you all so much!

 

Love,
Elder Shelley