STAKE CONFERENCE, FISH TANK, AND MIRACLES

(EMAIL SENT FEBRUARY 16, 2015)

Hola Shumway Fam!!

I swear these weeks are going faster and faster. I can´t even believe another week has flown by!

Here are the highlights of the week:

First our investigator Jesus. He is 18 years old, and doesn´t believe in God. He came to our Stake Conference this past week!! But the crazy part is we weren´t the ones who had invited him. For about two weeks we have passed by his house many times but he is never home. So we thought he might not be interested. BUT, yesterday we had a Stake Conference and guess who is seated in the audience?? We seriously could not believe it! He came with a member friend that is from Lima. And we now have a cita with him for later this week and we are so excited! Such a blessing for us!!

My sweet 14 year old convert Jorge hasn´t been coming to church these past few weeks. So we stopped by this last week to check up on him. He told us he has felt really far from God lately. But he prayed the other night and recieved an answer that his Heavenly Father really does love him and answers his prayers. This was such an answer to our prayers! We have been praying so hard that he would feel that the church really is true. And he got his answer. So this last week he set a few goals to read the scriptures with his mom, come to church, pray, all of those wonderful things. And guess what? He came to church this last Sunday. This was after many many weeks of not coming to church. I cannot even express how happy I felt to see him there! Also, we gave him a bracelet that says in spanish - Faith in every step. We told him it is his reminder to pray and read the scriptures. But he is doing so great right now! We have a Family Home Evening planned with his family later this week!

So funny fact of the week. I have been saying fish tank instead of pen all of my mission. I guess they are similar words in spanish and the other day I asked my comp for her pen, and I guess all of this time I have been saying fish tank. Oh my heavens, my spanish never gets boring.

Honestly, I can´t say these last few weeks have been the easiest. But this week I felt like Heavenly Father showed me that we can´t lose hope. I have experienced MIRACLES this week, and I can´t even express my gratitude. This is my last week in this cambio with my comp, and we plan to finish it off STRONG.

We will ALL have hard times, but the great thing is also we will ALL have happy times. But the important thing is how we react to the hard times and happy times. Make the best of every day! I have learned that a GOOD ATTITUDE makes all the difference.

I know this church is true. I don´t doubt that one bit!

Keep on keeping on! Read the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY ... PRAY ... and look for some way to SERVE.

No regrets,

XOXO - Hermana Shumway

Shopping in Catacos with two other hermanas