RAIN, SERVICE, AND THE JURASSIC PARK HIKE

FAMILIA!!!

I cannot believe another week has flown by in the mission. Holy smokes! I am so happy to hear that you guys are doing so great! LIZZY - I am already in love with that sweet puppy!!! 

Gee Whiz Facts of the Week -

1. The language is coming - I said a prayer in one of our lessons. The investigator commented, "Did you say that in English?"... Nope, my prayer definitely was in Spanish. Have no fear people, the language is coming!

2. Sunday my comp and I had a special musical number for sacrament meeting. Here is how it went: About 20 people were present in the meeting in the start. The electricity went out in the meeting, so we had no light and the microphone didn't work. And in the end, they forgot about our musical number (no worries, we are singing next week). 

3. It RAINED during our Service Activity. THIS is one of the greatest gee whiz facts I have ever written!!!

This week was definitely not one of my best. We didn't end up having all the success we had hoped for. We had A LOT of appointments with the people we contacted last week. But almost every appointment fell through (I don´t know how to say that sentence in English - but overall the people either were not home or didn't want to have an follow-up appointment). BUT ... we did find a few people that were home and have a lot of interest in the message which we are really excited about! One of them was a husband and wife that we contacted in the street, who had a lot of questions and wanted to learn more about the church. SO, we stopped by their house and they told us they were going to move, so they gave us their new address. BUT, we went to their new house it was the wrong address, and so we honestly thought that we wouldn't find them again. Then ... as we were walking to an appointment one day (this was a backup appointment, so honestly it was a miracle we had this experience) we found the husband who was buying something in a little store. He gave us his new address and they are our new investigators! Their names our Cesar and Patricia and they are wonderful!

Cosme, our investigator with a baptismal date, moved to a different area. So, we had to pass him on to the missionaries in that area. This was a really tough for me. He was my only hope of a baptism before I transfer to a new area (I think this is my last cambio in this area), and he is absolutely wonderful. But, the missionaries in his new house will continue to teach him and I hope and pray he feels that this message is true!

Diego wasn't in town this week. But we have an appointment with him today! He continues to have a lot of questions for us every week, but he has progressed so much! We are teaching about Joseph Smith tonight, and I LOVE this lesson! The spirit is always so strong, and I love testifying of him. And then I have the opportunity to testify of the Book of Mormon. I hope, hope, hope he feels the spirit and feels that it is true! Also we want him to come to church too! Please pray that he will come this week. But overall, he is so great!

Service Project - We had a service project cleaning the streets this week! Yes, I did wear suncreen - hallelujah (I have no idea how to spell that). But we were blessed and it ended up raining during the project. THIS IS A MIRACLE!! But ... it was really fun to have a bunch of the missionaries cleaning the streets together! Service is just the greatest!

P-day - We hiked a mountain today! IT WAS AMAZING!!! Honestly, it was like the movie Jurassic Park. Seriously. The trees were huge, there were vines everywhere, mango trees, goats and donkeys, and in the end a BEAUTIFUL waterfall. It was gorgeous!! I sent a bunch of pics. Also, you know Hna. Stringham (I was following her blog before the mission), she was there too! I LOVE HER SO MUCH. She seriously is the cutest. And she is studying nursing too at BYU. Small world!

Overall, we have been busy. And even though we may not have had the best week, we have a completely new week to turn things around and to witness miracles! I absolutely know that everything happens for a reason and I can´t wait to see what this next week brings!

I love this gospel. I have grown to absolutely love sharing my testimony. And I know the Book of Mormon is true. 

We all have rough days, but I think it shows how strong we are with how we react to the rough times. Trust in your Heavenly Father always!! Make every day count!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! Have an incredible week!

XOXO – Hna. Shumway

P.S. I almost have 5 months!!! WOW!

Cleaning the streets with our district

Taking a break making some faces

It seriously was a blast ... I LOVE SERVICE!!!

At the end of the day ... good times

On our way to Moripon as a district with another district

The scenery was so picturesque

I love my missionary adventures

The waterfall at the end was gorgeous

It was such a fun P-Day activity

Me and my comp ... Hermana Salamanca

I love this picture of the waterfall ... so pretty!

All of us together by the falls

Striking a pose for the camera 

Jumping for joy ... I love being a missionary!

COUNTING IN ENGLISH, CARNIVALES, AND AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS

(EMAIL SENT JANUARY 26, 2015)

Hola Familia!!!!

YOU ARE GETTING A DOG!!!! Ahhhh, I am so excited! PLEASE send me pics when you have some! And sounds like you are all busy,busy, busy! Just know I love you a WHOLE LOT and pray for you all every day! 

Here we go with the Gee-Whiz Facts:

1. I have a hard time counting in English right now. So after 18 months... oh boy.

2. Se llama CARNIVALES - We were walking down the street, and then all of a sudden a bunch of water balloons hit us from different directions. This is what they call Carnivales. Where the youth attack random people with water balloons during the day. GENIUS!

3. Contact of the Week (the great time we have to contact people in the street) - We spotted a couple in the park, walked on over feeling pumped and excited, introduced who we were, and the response was .... nothing. They DID NOT TALK. We kept talking, trying to make it not awkward (testifying, smiling REALLY BIG), and they did not talk. So me, being the awkward person I am, said to girl "You have the most beautiful eyes"... yeah, even more awkward. It was so nuts! So we left them with a card of the church, and walked away. MOST AWKWARD CONTACT I have ever experienced.

4. Most commonly used phrases in English of my comp: HELLLLPPP ME, I am trying ... to sleep, to eat, etc. (in her cute latina accent) It is soooo cute - I LOVE HER!

This week we talked to ...145 people! Our goal was 150 ... BUT ... we were pretty close. We found a lot of incredible families and people that really want to learn more. THIS WAS A MIRACLE! I mean, it is normal for missionaries to contact people in the street, but at times it is hard to find people that truly want to listen to our message. But we found some wonderful people!! We have already had a few follow-up visits with some of the contacts and this week our goal is to have follow-up visits with the others. We are very excited and hope some of these great families will want to keep learning more!

Cosme, our investigator that has a baptismal date, has progressed SO MUCH this week. He says he feels so happy and good, and is still a little hesitant to be baptized, but he says he feels good. The only thing is he hasn't come to church. But he is reading the Book of Mormon and praying and wants to receive an answer. We love his desire to learn and how he seriously trusts that he can receive an answer. And we have so much faith that he will! Overall he is so wonderful, and we hope and pray that he will come to church this next Sunday.

Diego, our new investigator, has also progressed so much. He has a LOT of questions because he studied in a catholic university before, but he keeps on telling us that it makes sense what we are teaching him. We gave him a Book of Mormon in our last visit and promised him that if he truly wants to know if what we are teaching is real and true, he can pray and ask his Heavenly Father. Sometimes it is so hard to leave that commitment to the investigator, because it really is left in their hands to know the truth, but I know that our Heavenly responds to our prayers and I KNOW that he can receive an answer. We hope and pray that he prays and feels its true. He is so great and seriously is a miracle investigator!

This week none of our investigators came to church. That was tough for my comp and I. But a less active family and their kids (we are teaching their two sons) CAME!!! The Dad is an investigator, and the mom rarely comes to church because she works. And the teenager aged sons never want to listen to our lessons. But, we invited them to come to church and this past Sunday ... they ALL CAME!!! It was a miracle. We were so happy!!!

Also, this week I wanted to share a scripture with you all. It's in Mosiah 24:13-15. This is such an incredible chapter to me, and I passed by it the other day and just had to share it with you all! I know that we all have hard times, and maybe we are struggling in something (faith, work, school) BUT, the Lord will never abandon us. And if we trust in him he will strengthen us and make our burdens light. I love this scripture and invite you all to read it. It was a picker - upper for me this week!

Well, I am off to start another work in this incredible work! For anyone doubting whether or not to serve a mission, SERVE. I have grown not only in my confidence as a Daughter of my Heavenly Father, but in my testimony and love for the Book Mormon. I love being a missionary. It is the most exhausting but thrilling experience of my life!

I wish you all the best this week!!! Thank you for your support!

Keep on pushing on. Trust in your Heavenly Father. And have no regrets. 

You are all ALWAYS in my prayers!

XOXO – Hermana Shumway

P.S. HAPPY B-DAY GRANDPA SHUMWAY!