Week 5 - (08/25/2014) - "We Rejoice in Christ"

Hey Everyone,

First off, thank you again and again and again!

Man I love the packages, letters, emails and cards I keep getting!!  I received several packages and I got tons of letters too! Missionary candy right there! :D.  Thank You!

 

BTW if you see a tie that is super cheap send it my way! Missionaries live on ties haha! There's a lot that happens like traditions and tie trading that goes on xD.  They are basically the only thing we have that makes us appear any different. :]  So basically there's a heritage tie.  Let me try to explain.  When you train someone they become your "kid" and their "Dad".   Once you are done training them,  you give the tie to them! haha  My "dad" and "grampa" are still in my district area.  Once you leave the field (go home from your mission) you "Die" haha  Funny stuff.  So the heritage tie that I will get from my trainer will have been passed around and "Lived" through 5 1/2 years of missionaries here in Reno!  WOW!  If I don't train anyone while I am on my mission, I take the tie home.  If i train a new missionary, I will continue to pass the tie along.  Missionaries also do Tuesday Ties.  There is a specific tie that about 10-12 missionaries in the mission have and they  wear it every Tuesday.  Then of course there's the Tie Trade .  Missionaries trade ties to get other new ones haha!

There's all kinds of different traditions and funny things missionaries do here. 

I am still doing great and loving being able to serve here in Reno!  The work is doing a lot better and keeping us busy.  People are getting to know us and asking lots of questions.  They are also starting to really listen and hear what we have to say!  This week, we taught a whole family!  It was awesome teaching them about our Savior Jesus Christ and how much our Heavenly Father loves them.  They all really listened!  They are a really busy family.  I hope they will be able to read, and learn some this week!

I'm about out of time :\

I would like to share with you all my favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon.

2 Nephi 25:26
"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

Have a great week!  I love you guys so much!

-Elder McSheehy

Week 4 - (08/18/14) - My 1st Small Miracle

Hello Everyone,

This week has been crazy busy!  Like I said before, I am meeting some really interesting people here.  The other day someone actually offered me a weed brownie haha!  I was tempted but I told him I was allergic to weed, it makes me see things :P haha!  Man, I've been having so much fun here though :D I am loving these people in Reno.        

The work went about the same as last week!  It's lots of fun meeting new people and teaching others about our Savior Jesus Christ.  I did have my first small miracle happen this week.  So there was this family we were going to teach but they weren't home.  Then this tall man about 20 walks up to the door with his music in his ears.  We scared him at first (because these two weirdos are walking away from his doorstep).  He is living with this family I guess.  His name is Daniel.  After we talked for a long time, he said he wanted to come to church with us now that he understands that we really do believe in Jesus Christ.  He is super interested in our church and said he wants to serve a mission like us.  The reason being, he grew up in a bad side of NY City.  He said the people hated each other there.  He grew up Christian and this bad environment made him grow closer to God.  We are going to meet with him tomorrow night again and teach him more about The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then he is planning to go to church with us on Sunday.  This wouldn't have happened if we had left any sooner or later.  Wow..The Lord does put you in the right places.

Again, thank you all so much for the letters.  I enjoy reading them so much.  I really like looking at all the pictures too! :D

So let me tell you a little bit about where I am and my companion.  To start with my companion his name is Elder Burgess!  He is a really great companion.  He is our district leader.  He looks similar to Ryan Gosling apparently from what he's been told.

I live in a nice apartment with running water and its in a very nice area.  I have nice neighbors and there's a gym we go to every morning!

I'm about out of time on the computer today.  I want you all to know I love you guys! I hope everyone has a great week!  I'm doing fine thanks to everyone :D!  

Love you guys,

Elder McSheehy

Week 3 - (08/11/2014) - Heavenly Father Loves Us ALL

Hello Everyone,
So where do I start?  I met my companion/trainer the first day I arrived in Reno.  My very first day we go to Walmart for groceries.  I get bananas, bagels, and milk.  I some how survived on that all week (due to the bread and peanut butter the other elder left me).  Today is Preparation-Day so I will be going to the store again so I can stock up.  BTW, if you have any good recipes PLEASE send them :)  I have found that most missionary meals rely on creativity!  So if you could find some cool recipes that are great tasting and cheap, I will love you forever! :)
We went back to our apartment and planned for a while.  Two other elders came by and made us dinner. WOW it was so good and it was enough to last us a couple of days.  So this is my new address.  Please only send packages directly to my new address.  For fear of loosing any letters, keep sending letters to the main Mission Office address.

Packages - for now
Elder Noah Daniel McSheehy
Silver Lake Apt.  (31A)
7350 Silver Lake Rd.  #31A
Reno, NV  89506

Letters - always
Elder Noah Daniel McSheehy
Nevada Reno Mission
1146 Prater Way
Sparks, NV 89431

Here is my permanent email address that I will be checking every Monday - noah.mcsheehy@myldsmail.net

Thank you everyone for the letters.
I left my camera on my desk so I won't be able to send you any pictures again this week.  I am taking 1000s of photos for you Mom :)

We literally had no luck this week.  I try to refrain from saying success because you always hear that all missionaries that try are successful.  I didn't teach any lessons till yesterday.  All of our appointments cancelled.  I really am enjoying this though!  It is not weird for me now when I say hi to everyone!  You meet tons of strangers.  I think I've met more people in this neighborhood than I know in my neighborhood at home.

I have found that most people don't want religion but everyone loves to talk.  So we've had lots of conversations with some really good people.  It is cool when you first talk to someone they think "OOOH Great!  More missionaries."  But when you just talk with them they start to relate to you.  Once you talk with them they start to think "WOW!  They aren't some weird freaks trying to push religion on me.  These missionaries actually just want to talk to me.  And they really do care about me."

Well, I have to go soon so I will wrap this up.

I've been serving in an amazing area.  One thing that I have learned quickly is that we should never judge anyone.  I am in a pretty run down area so you see all kinds of different things here.  But the people you see crossing the street are the nicest people around here.  There was this one teenage boy that stopped us the other day.  We were walking in front of this place where a lot of teenagers hang out.  He had piercings all over his face, tattoos on his face and down his arms, and large gauges.  He was talking to us about how God is the only reason he is still alive.  He was a really cool guy.  We should never judge anyone.  Our Heavenly Father loves us all the same, so we should also do the same.

Thank you again for all of your love, support, and prayers,

Elder McSheehy

Week 2 - (08/04/2014) - I'm Safe!

Elder McSheehy left the MTC on Tuesday, August 5,2014.  He flew from Salt Lake City, UT to Reno, Nevada.  He left the MTC that morning at 4:30 am (Mountain Time Zone) and arrived in Reno around 11:00 am (Pacific Time Zone).  He had quite a crew that arrived in Reno together.

He was able to have lunch with all of the current Reno missionaries that have finished their 2 years of service and were heading home on Wednesday.  He met his Mission President & his wife - President & Sister Hermansen.  We have heard wonderful things about this sweet couple serving in Reno.

He was also able to meet his new companion/trainer.  Sorry I don't know his name yet.

He also sent a short email to let us know he arrived safely.

"Hey!  I'm safe!  I'll send my new address soon.  I'm about to meet my trainer!  I hope you all are doing fine.  (It is only 4:00pm here and if feels like 10:30pm 0_0...I'm tired.  I Love you guys so much.  Love, Elder McSheehy"

We did get to speak with Elder McSheehy on the phone while he was waiting for his flight Tuesday.  He was so excited and sounded so happy.  He wanted me to make sure I told EVERYONE that has been writing him - "THANK YOU soooooooo much and keep it up PLEASE"  He won the award for the most mail in his district.  He did say that he felt bad for not being able to write everyone back so far.  He does plan on writing back but just didn't have any extra time in the MTC.  Elder McSheehy reports "eating until I was stuffed every meal and I have been running about 3 miles a day so I don't get fat"  He sounded GREAT!

As soon as we hear from Elder McSheehy we will let you know.  For now, you can send letters to:

Elder Noah McSheehy
Nevada Reno Mission
1146 Prater Way
Sparks, NV  89431

or email him at:

noah.mcsheehy@myldsmail.net

He will be getting all of his emails from the past 2 weeks this coming Monday.  He was unable to check his email before he left the MTC and won't have another chance until Monday the 8th.

Look who found Elder McSheehy at the MTC!  Yes!!  It is Elder Littlefield himself :)

Thank You to everyone for all of your support and love for Elder McSheehy.

Week 1 - (07/28/2014) - It's Crazy Fun Here!

HI Everyone!!! 
My P-Day in here is on Wednesdays. It’s crazy fun here. I’m loving it here. It’s so much hard work though ;D My companion is Elder Fisher. He's a super cool guy. All the elders here in my district are super close. We love each other and we never stop laughing.
The very first day we had a room check (which we weren't ready for shhhhh) and we failed it! haha no kidding we flunked that test. We were going to clean up the next morning. Elder Ash is our district leader! He's awesome and amazing all put together. We are all trying really hard.
We have PI meetings daily. This is when we role-play as if we are teaching someone the gospel! (BTW I hate role-play !) It was kind of awkward at first but we are so use to it by now. We sit in classes for about 8-12 hours a day witch is kind of nuts but you learn so much! I thought I knew everything about the gospel, then I try to teach someone during role play and I realize I don't even know how to teach it  honestly. I think it was Monday when I had my most discouraging day  It wasn't home sickness or anything like that. It was the fact that I’m sitting in class for 10 hours trying to prepare a lesson for someone I really want to help! Then I start to teach and it comes out all wrong. I felt like I messed everything up  I walked out of the room ready to cry. So our teacher (actually the one we role-play with) she pulls Elder Fisher and I out of class. She talks to us for a good 30 mins. I felt like sitting there and not trying for a good 15 mins. Then she pulled out the bible dictionary and looked up conversion.
Conversion-
Denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God (Acts 3:19). If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, conversion will become complete and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus (see 2 Cor. 5:17).
OK…This is what got me. It continues...
Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing.
At this point, I realized how difficult this will be. We are never done going through with complete conversion until we meet our Savior Jesus Christ (if even then). So, life will be full of conversion, trails and much testing. I was thinking that through. I realized, I won’t be able to teach this person based off of my own knowledge. (Yes I already knew this before) I started to cry and I felt like one of the prophets (kinda not really). I was feeling sorrow for others that I don't even know because I want to teach them my testimony of Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father. BUT I CAN’T! or they don't want to hear it! *sigh* I guess I saw this coming  But, I am positive about this though!
Living here at spirit prison- I MEAN the MTC is pretty nice! I get fed more food than I can eat! I walk out full every meal. BTW Elder fisher and I have gotten the most mail (keep it up I LOVE the letters ;D) Elder Fisher and I were basically neck and neck. Until his mom sent him a HUGE package that had LITERALLY enough junk food to last him the rest of his MTC life haha!! It was pretty cool!
I have tons of pictures for you guys but they will have to wait until I get to Reno. The computers here don't have a places for my SD card 
So that's my life so far! BTW don't worry our room is clean. We cleaned it after the crazy room check hahaha ;D!
Well I hope you guys are doing well cause I’m doing AAAAAAAWWWESSSSOOOOOOOOOME! Please tell the skating rink staff how much I miss them! Hug yourselves for me! Just wear an Elder McSheehy suit and hug everyone for me!

I got the package our ward sent me.  I LOVED the letters! Thank You FWB!
I don’t have enough time to write everyone back personally while I am here at the MTC. Thank you to everyone for all of the awesome letters. I LOVE the letters!
I love all of you!

-Elder McSheehy