What a beautiful day!

Monday, May 17, 2010
Hello Fam! How are you doing?! I am so looking forward to reading your e-mails and hearing all about your week! I was really thinking a lot about everyone yesterday and the chance you all had to get together to attend Becca´s farewell and support her. I am so excited to hear how it went! Ever since I was able to talk to you on Mother´s Day I have been replaying our conversation over and over again. It is such a blessing because it is not a source of homesickness but a source of strength. Actually, since I talked to you, I have been less focused on missing you all than ever before in my mission. It was such an uplifting conversation! You were all so positive and loving and uplifting and I know that even though the time was short, the Lord blessed us for our obedience!
I had a wonderful week! Last Monday night we headed down to Amsterdam and had Zone Conference on Tuesday. The Conference was totally focused on working with the members (one of my favorite parts of missionary work) and I learned so much that I am beginning to apply to the work here. It was also wonderful to be able to gather with all of the other missionaries and encourage each other with the work.
Tuesday night I came back to Groningen with Zuster Fowler and we had such an AMAZING time working together! I learned so much from her and we saw some amazing miracles as we worked together. One of them was with Swinda. We went and visited Swinda and Joanne came with us. Joanne brought her violin and she played "I Believe in Christ" and Zuster Fowler and I sang along. The Spirit was amazingly strong (I know that I say that every time, but it really was!) and we were able to share Jesus Christ´s love with her. I know that God has a great plan for her and Dave and that we are just so blessed to be able to be a part of that. She didn´t come to church yesterday but she is planning on coming to the RS activity on Wednesday. She is making progress...slowly but surely! We did the sharing time yesterday and made the paper "get well" chain for Dave. The kids were all so excited about it and the chain is so cute! We took a picture of all of the kids with the chain and we are going to take it to Dave with the Primary President this week. I´ll let you know how it goes!
The rest of the week was really busy! Emily and Ying Na called off their appointments but our hopes are high that we will have appointments with them again this week. Thanks for keeping all of them in your prayers! You´re working miracles through your faith!
Today, Brother and Sister De Jonge, an older couple in our ward, took us and the Elders on a p-day outing so that we could all have a chance to see Groningen really well before transfers next Wednesday. I ate herring! It is a kind of fish that the Dutch people love and they eat it raw. We went all of the way to the coast of the Netherlands and I ate a whole raw fish! It didn´t taste bad but the texture freaked me out a bit! At least I can say I am a little closer to being a Nederlander! I will be sending pictures of it soon!
I love you so much and keep you in my prayers! Thanks for your prayers and support....You are all amazing! I hope that you have an amazing week and know that I LOVE YOU! Love, Zuster Sharp
P.S. Brandt, I came in contact with a girl that comes from Romania. Her mom had a lot of contact with the missionaries a while ago. She comes from a little town (maybe Assa) in the area of Moldavia. The name sounds familiar so I got her moms name and was just wondering if by some small chance you know her. We are also planning on taking a Book of Mormon back to her and I was wondering if you could send me an e-mail with your testimony in Romanian so that I can write it on the inside cover of the book. Thanks! Her Mom´s name is Mariana Zaharia. It is a small world!