(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!
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