WARNING

WARNING: THIS IS A LONG ONE.

Well this was quite the week! It was definitely one of learning and growing. My already firm testimony of the Book of Mormon has been fortified and refined. I love the Book of Mormon. I know that anything we are going through we can receive peace and tranquility as we turn to the Book of Mormon. It is my rock! I know that the promise that is in it; that if we read it we will find more peace in this life than by reading any other book, is true. I know because I have done it over again, and each time my testimony of that truth grows :) Ahhh I love the Book of Mormon! I know that it is the reason that Benji wanted to get baptized. The Book of Mormon and pray is how he had a change of heart and literally beliefs!! He claimed that he was "atheist" But he now know that there is a God in Heaven who love him so much. With his permission I enclose a text message that he send to us the night of his baptism:

"The day of my baptism, I focused all my mind on all the positive outcomes. Thinking about change usually scares. So I knew this was only good. Though, I was aware this weren't gonna get any easier, deep down I knew Id be lent some strength, a more sustainable amount of strength to keep me going when life gets hard. Before the initiation, everything seemed so surreal. The nerves all the anxiety completely went away. To the point where it seemed as if I had blocked out, and I wasn't actually there. AS If I were an out of body experience. Reflecting upon all the drastic changes I had gone through in such a short period of time, the person I was, am and the person I want to become. How only a few months ago I had convinced my self that there was absolutely no God, as if I had figured it all out. I was extremely wrong and I am amazingly happy I was. Labeling myself as an atheist was something I had picked up to rebel against what I thought to be the norm. As I saw before, all the corruption and chaos in this world was now so ordinary. And so I saw it all with one name, and that was God. So I'd thought my intentions were always good, but in reality , I was only rebelling against positively, the main power source, God. AS I was submerged into water, I come back, and I felt so light when I emerged out breathe. I knew I was now part of something, something bigger than me. I feel like I have a purpose now. I know I did this one thing right and it feels great. There's thing feeling in me, like an everlasting fire that was once burning dim, and now it flame is burning stronger than ever before, and bright, like the phoenix rising, I felt the helping hand  if the holy spirit, bringing me out of darkness just as it was about to consume me whole. There's these emotions my heart can't forget, but there's  this new and somewhat irrational joy, that I know, can overshadow then, and so out of ll the ugliness in my life I can focus more on all the blessings I have. All the negativity was dragging me down, this experience is only once, and short lived, I want to live off God, I want to live right for everything seemingly, unfortunate event. I'll pick out spec by spec the beauty that will came from it. So i actually know, that that irrational sense of joy is God inside. I know this church is right for me, It was one of the best decisions I've made, and I'm actually excited about it. I know that perhaps I seem unappreciative  or even come of rude sometimes, but in reality I have somewhat of an extreme shyness, ha ha if that's even a thing, but I really distorts how I try to express my self, and it's always being an obstacle. But I'm stoked I met you guys, because I don't know if I would've kept squandering in denial still. seen just how strong your faith is, gave me hope, and made me realized just how weak I've been. So I really admire the both of you :) and my faith  is growing even stronger with each prayer." -Benjamin Vera 

Sorry for the huge email but I just wanted to share with you. This is why people go on missions. This is why we stay. This is why it's "the best two years" Or year and a half :) Because we have the amazing opportunity to be instruments in the hands of God in leading His children back to the fold of Christ!
Seeing hermano Vazquez and Benjamin receive the Holy Ghost this past week was amazing. I felt a difference come into the room when they received it. I am so grateful for Holy Ghost "a member of the Godhead, bears witness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He is the source of personal testimony and revelation. He can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger. He is known as the Comforter, and He can calm our fears and fill us with hope. Through His power, we are sanctified as we repent, receive saving ordinances, and keep our covenants. It is through the influence of the Holy Ghost that we receive knowledge of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and feel Their power, goodness, and love." We must always remain worthy of it's Divine power.One of our members bought Benji a white shirt and tie so he wore it!! He looks like he's been a member his whole life! They were both blessed with the ability to share the gospel with their families and those around them. I love the priesthood and am eternally grateful that we have been blessed by a loving Heavenly Father who loves us enough to allow us the blessing of having his gospel once again on this earth :) 

We are blessed!! I love you all! Thank you for your love and prayers sent on my behalf! I feel it! Devy, keep working hard and finish strong! I love you!! 

-Hermana Shea McCartt

Aka your favorite Californian missionary

My girls :)

Crazy dog that jumped the fence.

I AM A REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS CHRIST

I am a witness of the statement that TIME FLIES! Time is truly is flying! Ohhh this past week was so good :) This work truly gives you true happiness!! 

Benjamin and Hno Vazquez were baptized!! The Lord truly helped and bless us this week to prepare them. 

Benjamin: He has always had doubts about life, who he is, who God is, does He even exist? BUT slowly but surely I have seen those doubts of Benji's wash away. Looking back at who he was almost 4 months ago I can hardly recognize him. He has a hard life, so different the one that I have lived. Benji comes from a part member family, he lives with his mom, who is a less active. She unfortunately has never been very supportive of him, especially when it came to his decision to be baptized. And not having the support of his mother made Benji doubt his decision to be baptized. An incident happened yesterday happened in sacrament that made him get upset and leave. 

Afterwards we went and found him and he broke down to us. He told us that he wants a family that the gospel promises us that we can have. We told him that if he lived the way that he knows that he should that he can one day have that family. I bore witness of how badly he needs this in his life, and how Satan is trying everything to stop him from going through with his decision to be baptized. Then I looked up and say Hna Duran coming through the door, aka my grandma and an angel in my eyes! I told Benji that this is his family here, that Hna Duran is his grandmother. She came over to us and was just smiling, she recently feel and really hurt her back and wrist. We started talking and she was holding on to her back, we told her that she probably has so much faith in the resurrection. The words she said afterward couldn't have been more perfect, they were an answer to mine, hna Martinez's and I know Benji's prayers. She bore a powerful witness, and just thinking about it right now brings tears to my eyes. She told all of us that we are here to be tested, that Satan tries to bring us down, tries to make us doubt what we know to be true, he wants us to be miserable like he is! She said, if we do everything that we keep all of the commandments, and do everything we need to in this life that we will be happy, not only in this life, but in the eternities. Then she looked and Benji and said, and your decision to be baptized is exactly what you need to do, I am so proud of you. 

I know for a fact that she was sent to us in the very moment that we needed her to testify to Benji. Only God could design that. He is perfect and what was said was exactly what Benji needed to hear. 2 hours later he was baptized. He couldn't stop smiling. I know that his mom's heart was softened as she say him baptized. He said, "I feel so happy". THIS IS HAPPINESS!! 

Hno Vazquez was so ready to get baptized!! He couldn't wait! His neighbor, a current bishop, gave us them as a referral. Bishop Rohm said he has been sending missionaries over to their house for 10 years, and we were finally able to teach them and help them see the truth. After their baptism, hno Vazquez stood up and shared how he always saw something different in his neighbor, bishop Rohm. Hno Vazquez said he wanted what Bishop Rohm had. He told us that he feels new, and that he is starting his new life in the gospel :) We know that his wife and children will quickly follow suite. 

I know that often times things happen in our lives that make us feel like giving up. That we cannot do what we know that we should. That it would just be easier to go back to who we were, what we were doing before. BUT WE CANNOT. There is too much on the line. Our eternal happiness depends on it. The decisions that we make everyday are vital to our salvation. This quote that one of my friends sent me goes perfect with this:

 "Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain." -Elder Richard G. Scott

We can never ever take a day for granted. Our Savior is always here to help us through everything. We must rely on Him fully. "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12) We never are alone when we walk with Jesus Christ :) Of these things I testify, in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Love you and miss you so much my family and friends! Stand strong and immovable. 

Hermana Shea McCartt

1. Benji was baptized!!

2. Hno Vazquez and his family and us :)

 Benji wanted Elder Holloway to baptize him. It was his first baptism ever!! He goes home in 2 weeks. You could say he was honored :) 

Benji is getting baptized

Hno and Obispo Rohm 

Sister Harper and I

My little Isabella and I

Photo shoot with Kendra

Benjamin!

Wow so time flew by this past week! Our roommate sisters left :( Sister Marsh had to go home because she hurt her arm and Sister Swan, aka my twin got transferred :( It's so crazy how close you can get to someone is just 6 weeks!! I am so grateful for the friendships that I have made on my mission :) I know they are friendships for eternity! I love my mission. 

So I have some really exciting news! Patty, one of our investigators we have been teaching for the last 3 months will be getting baptized this next Sunday :) She says she cannot wait to be baptized! She knows that Satan is working hard on her and is trying to stop her from doing what Heavenly Father wants and needs her to do! I am so excited for her to make covenants with God and continue on the path to a better and happier life! The gospel literally is the happy and best choice!! I will forever be grateful for it in my life. It truly is my life. 

Benjamin is still on date for the 10th!! He reads the Book of Mormon like no one else that I have ever taught. He has come such a long way from being "Atheist" to now acknowledging that there is a God in Heaven who loves Him so much. The Lord is truly blessing us right now. All of our hard work for the past 2 transfers is paying off!

We are teaching la familia Vazquez, I know I have mentioned them before. They are so incredible. Hno Vazquez is so ready to be baptized, he eats everything up that we teach him. Hna is a little more hesitant; they lost their son due to a murder years ago and her heart has been hardened ever since, but slowly but surely her heart is being softened :) We had an amazing lesson with them the other day on the Plan of Salvation. I saw a light come into her eyes that I had never seen before when I testified of the spirit world and how her son is learning the gospel right. We told them that their son is waiting for them to accept this gospel and preform their sacred ordinances in the temple. Oh how Hno loves the temple!! She looked at me and said with a smile on her face, "That would be nice if only I knew if it were true." I then told her that she could KNOW!! I know that the Father of all living is the one who answers our prayers, he gives us comfort and loves us unconditionally. 

I received one of the most beautiful blessings the other day. I received so many answers to my prayers and comfort. I know that the Elder who gave me the blessing was only the mouth piece for our Heavenly Father. I felt overwhelming love of our Heavenly Father during the whole blessing. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood. I know that it was restored through a living prophet, Joesph Smith. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and doesn't want us to lost in this world that is slowly dwindling more in more in unbelief. He wants us to know what HE wants for us, so He has given a guide who can help us to know what we as His children must do in order to return to live with him again :) I am so grateful to have a living profeta and to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth again. 

I love all of you and hope you have a fantastic week!! :) 

Your favorite Californian,

Hermana Shea McCartt

Benjamin and His BOOK OF MORMON I don't know if you can see all of the little yellow stickies, but those are all the chapters he has read! He just started from the beginning

 Sister Swan and Marsh leaving me :(

Kathy and I.. She wants to serve a mission!

Our Elders