SAYING GOODBYE TO PEOPLE I LOVE AND SAYING HELLO TO CHULUCANAS!

Shumway Clan,

Happy 4th of JULY!!! Have a super great week celebrating AMERICA!! Always an exciting time!

Also ... TAYLOR CAMP AND FISO ARE HOME!!! No way! I head that Jacob Wadsworth and Jameson are home too! That's so crazy that everyone is coming home from their missions now. Tell them all hello from me!

So the big news is I GOT TRANSFERRED! It definitely was a rough week this week, filled with many tears and saying goodbye to all of the incredible people of Algarrobos. I LOVE THAT AREA SO MUCH! Definitely hope to return again someday to see my best pal Hno. Fidel and all of the incredible people that are now apart of my Peru Family.

This past week went really great with our investigators. Family Alcalde continues to progress!! Hno. Jhon, the Dad, is so accepting of everything we teach. It just all makes sense to him! He and Hna. Maria are still set on their marriage and their baptism is scheduled for the end of July! It was really hard saying goodbye to this family. I love them so much and they literally have grown to be my second family. But I might be able to go to their baptism and marriage! We'll see! 

Hno. Grabiel has had another rough week. He told us he isn't sure if he wants to be baptized anymore. It's crazy how everything changed so quickly with him. But he hasn't been keeping his commitments lately, and we think that may be one of the problems. Praying, reading his Book of Mormon, and coming to Church are going to help strengthen his testimony and help him know if the message is true. So we are focusing on getting him back into that routine! He knows it is true, but just can't make up his mind right now. But ... Percy and his wife ARE progressing! They are sharing it with their family too! Maybe this is what Grabiel needs right now! We just have to trust in the plan of our Heavenly Father for him!

SO ... you are probably all wondering where are you at right now Hermana Shumway??? My new area is Chulucanas. It is an area near the mountains that has a lot of farms, forest-jungly looking areas and I love it already!! Literally there are people driving their old beat down cars, a market of people selling their food in the streets (that's where I bought my food for the week), a mountain that surrounds us, and donkeys walking in the street. That really isn't that great of a description but it is the greatest!! I will send more pics next week. And we walk on the street now. Not gonna lie, I definitely miss trudging around in the sand and dirt of Algarrobos, but it's nice walking on a sidewalk now. 

Oh and my new comp is Hna. Juarez! SHE IS AN ANGEL. She was in the MTC with Christa in Lima ... such a SMALL WORLD! And we have been buddies for a while and now we are COMPS!! Woot woot! Love her!

Our new President comes this week ... President Rasmussen! We have a meeting with him next week and will get to know him and his wife. I will send you all the deets next week!!

Man ... I am out of time and have to go!! I PROMISE I will send more deets next week!

Sorry for the short email!!! 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Shumway

Wearing our twinner classy glasses ... saying goodbye to my pal Hmno. Fidel ... SO HARD!!!

This is how we usually find him ... having a great day in his chair

Our last Sunday together ... with him wearing the white shirt I gave him

One last pic with Grabiel

This is Familia Seguin ... they are incredible!

I have come to love these families so much

Part of my heart will always be in Algarobbos

Me with Claudia, Felipe (leaving in September to serve in the Colombia Bogota Mission) and our sweet pencionista Hmna. Yolanda

ME: "Claudia ... let's take a funny pic ... 1... 2 ... 3"
CLAUDIA: "... "
ME: "Oooohhh look ... this one's a keeper!" Hahaha

My sweet little friend Luana ... she can't talk very well and always called me "Mumway"

Another pic with Luana, a cousin, and Harold (he makes A-M-A-Z-I-N-G bracelets)

Final goodbyes with Jimmy and my little pal Wilder

This is my best little pal Ximena holding a picture I gave her so she could remember me ... she is the cutie that I gave my little Minnie Mouse to (she was heartbroken when she found out I was leaving) ... I LOVE HER SO MUCH!

La Familia Castro ... they are so great!

Saying goodbye to my sweet comp Hmna. Ore ... I will miss her!

My new comp Hmna. Juarez! She is the cutest and we have been buddies for forever!

My new piso ... I love this area already

Walking down one of the streets in my new area Chulucanas

MY BIRTHDAY, TEMPLE DEDICATION, AND MORE MIRACLES

FAMILIA,

Well … I AM OFFICIALLY 20 YEARS OLD!!! I CANNOT believe it! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your birthday wishes!! You are all so incredible! It definitely was unforgettable. I feel so blessed for all of your support and love from the USA and also for the love shown to me from the incredible people in Algarrobos! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

A cool fact of the week is the people here are so into Soccer! We know what is happening in the game because EVERYONE SCREAMS and SHOUTS as we are walking down the street if someone makes a goal or does something bad! I think it is an international cup or something right now in South America and everyone is showing off their futbol spirit! It is too great!

So this past week a few super exciting events happened! First off, THE TEMPLE IN TRUJILLO WAS DEDICATED!! And what an incredible experience that was. Saturday we watched the broadcast of the youth from our stake performing for President Uchtdorf at the Temple Cultural Event. OUR YOUTH started off the event and were amazing!! Youth from our stake and other youth from all over Peru showed off their incredible dancing talent and it was so special to be part of that experience. They sure know how to dance!! Our pal Jimmy was a spectator during the show, and many youth from our ward went!

And then Sunday, we got to participate in the dedication of the temple. President Uchtdorf dedicated the temple, and the whole experience and emotion from everyone here in Piura and Trujillo was amazing.  There are now TWO TEMPLES IN PERU!!! It is an incredible blessing and it brought me and my comp to tears just to be a part of this historic event.

This week we are struggling a little with Grabiel. We thought that everything was going alright, and he even had his baptismal interview and it went perfectly! But after his interview, we have passed by many times and can never find him. He is also going to his friend’s church and is struggling between the beliefs of his friends and our lessons. His baptism is in two weeks, and we are worried we might have to move it out. This week was a little rough for him and us. We honestly can’t figure out what we need to do. We are going to be praying a lot for him this week! Oh and we are teaching his brother-in-law Percy again! 

Family Alcalde is just amazing! They came to the broadcast of the cultural event for the youth and they also made me a cake for my birthday! It was so sweet of them! We have been passing by a lot these last few weeks and our relationship has grown so much! I think I have transfers next week, and will have to say goodbye to this incredible family! But they are set on getting baptized, and have started working on their wedding papers. They love the church, and we are working on helping them to get to know members! But the story of how we found this incredible family and where they are at now just blows my mind. It all started one SUPER sunny day, the second door we knocked, we found Hna. Maria and presented us as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She timidly invited us to pass by another day, we passed by, and now they have a baptismal date and we have fallen in love with their family! We love them, and it is going to be hard to leave them.

Also this past week I had an experience that I wanted to share. A few days ago we were walking down the street, determined to get to our other appointment. We passed by a chica that was watering the dirt, we said hi and kept walking by. I felt so strongly that we should talk to her, but disregarded it, listening to the story my comp was telling me. About 10 steps more, it hit me again that I needed to talk to her. I said to my comp, "Wait one sec", and turned back to go talk to the chica. I told her I just wanted to present who we are, and as we got talking and I asked if she had time right then for a quick message. She invited us in, we met her mom, and her mom told us that in the city where they lived before, they had listened to the missionaries, but when they moved they lost contact with them. She told us she will always be grateful for everything they did because they helped her through a lot of trials. She told us she had been waiting for more missionaries, and it is a miracle that again, we are in her house teaching her and her family! We set time for another appointment, and will pass by later this week. But when my comp and I left, we couldn’t believe it! We had been looking for families, and found one!!! They are incredible, and are very excited to listen to us! IT was a miracle!!

This next week I am about 99% positive that I am going to be transferred. I will let you know how it goes, but this transfer is going to be really tough. I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE with this area, and our investigators, and the dust and dirt! We’ll see what happens, and I’ll let you know in my next email.

I know this church is true, I absolutely know it. Every day I feel so incredibly blessed for the opportunity to trudge around in the dirt, sunburned from head to toe, teaching about this incredible message. It is something I LOVE now and I LOVE BEING a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you for all of your support, have an incredible week, and do what’s right! It is so worth it, I promise!

Until next week,

Hermanita CHUMway!

The long awaited pic … Happy Birthday Hermanita Shumway!

The elders and ward members surprised me with a little fiesta!

And ... yes ... I have a video to show how this all came to pass. But let me tell you ... it was TOO GREAT!

My comp hiding the balloons the night before (she didn’t think I would notice)

My sweet comp decorated the room while I was sleeping

And then put notes on every balloon! She is a doll!

Jimmy LOVED his ring! He was always telling us how much he wanted a HLJ (CTR) ring and right before he traveled to the youth event in Trujillo, for the dedication of the temple, we gave him his ring! He literally was beaming!

And in this photo of our hands Jimmy told me he would turn his hand over to the whiter side so that I don't feel so white! I just about died of laughter because I still stand out like crazy. HA!

Oh … I just had to include photo of his Jimmy’s cousin Wilder … MY LITTLE BEST FRIEND. This kid is nuts, but adorable!

Our sweet pencionista Yolo

 She made me a cake for our lunch!! She is the cutest!! WE LOVE HER!!

 Look how incredibly beautiful!

Celebrating my cumple with Family Alcalde ... I love this family so much!

They have the "Family - A Proclamation to the World" we gave them in their living room. And they also have their photo of Jesus Christ front and center. So great!

 I had to snap a quick pic with their doggy Tom

Looking outside of our room ... I love it here!

Snapping a few pics with my comp

We definitely have fun together

Starting off our P-Day with some jumping pics ... woot woot

BIRTHDAYS, BAPTISMS, AND BLESSINGS

Family!!!

First ... I don't have a lot of time so I am going to try and write REALLY fast. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY DADDY!!! LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!! You are officially the best Daddio in the whole wide world! And … HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARITON!!! Love you champ and I hope you have the greatest B-Day. You are a stallion and are going to do incredible things in your life!! LOVE YOU!!

This week was great!! First off, we had a lesson with Family Alcalde that went really well. We finished teaching the Plan of Salvation, and we were so nervous for this lesson. It has a lot of new principles that many people have never heard, or are a little confused about when they listen to us. But with a lot of prayers said in my head during the lesson, THEY LOVED IT, and have set a goal that they are going to do everything they can to be a eternal family. It went so well that we felt the urge to place a baptismal date and marriage date with them this lesson. We had mentioned it before but we officially placed a date this time!! They have set a goal to be married at the end of July and baptized the following day. Such a miracle!! Also, they came to church Sunday!! And that was a miracle because, the Dad, Jhon, told us he couldn´t come, but he ended up coming with his whole family! We took a pic too that I will send it to you!

Also, Grabiel has a new baptismal date for 5 de Julio. I probably won't be here, which is going to be a little hard, but I am so excited for him! I am almost positive that I will be transferred the next transfer. But he has progressed so much and is set on getting baptized this date.

Also, the son of our pencionista got his mission call!! Felipe will be serving in the Colombia Bogota Mission and leaves in September!! We are thrilled for him and he could not be happier! He will be an incredible missionary. 

This week is the dedication of the Trujillo Temple! Saturday we will all be watching the Cultural Event in our Stake Center, and then Sunday we will be part of the dedication! It is so exciting and everyone here are sooooo thrilled! It is such a blessing because now they will have a temple so much closer ... only 5 hours away compared to the 16 hours to the temple in Lima.

Want to hear a miracle? It is colder here!!! And now I am even using my cardigans. If that isn’t a miracle I don't know what is! Ha - that is definitely a Gee Whiz fact!!!

Well, I love you all and just wanted to end by sharing a scripture with you that I love and really touched me this week. It's in 2 Nephi 26: 24. I love my Savior so much and I can't even comprehend all that he has done for me.

I know this church is true! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!! Thank you all for your support!

Hopefully this week I won't have too many pics with eggs in my hair! Hahahaha ... but if so, stay tuned for next week, it is going to be great!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

XOXO Hermana Shumway

Happy Father's Day Daddio ... I love you so much!

Last picture as a zone with Presidente Rowely and his wife before they leave in a few weeks

Well lookie who I found ... my old comp Hermana Salamanca!

Me and my comp Hermana Ore posing for a pic

Our final room inspection with the Rowleys

Look what we did to our wall ... Yo trato de ser como Cristo (I'm trying to be like Jesus)

My comp was dying laughing and had to to take a picture of me with my orange backpack on while I was in the middle of planning

I just love my orange backpack ... it's nifty

The Alcalde Family ... they are so wonderful!

The Castillo Family ... they are crazy and I just love them to death!

Our investigator Grabiel and a few of "my boyz"

These little dudes are the hood of the block and are my best buddies ... I am teaching them English and they are teaching me how to be cool. Ha!

PACKAGES, PRAYERS, AND PREACHING THE GOSPEL

Shumway Familia,

Well, it´s always great hearing that you are all doing superb! LOVE YOU ALL!!! Mom, I got your package and I JUST LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Your cards and every single thing in that package absolutely made my day! Yes … I did start crying when I read your cards, and saw the pics of Parks and Cass. Man, I just love you guys!! Thank you!!! I will be giving Jimmy and Ximena their little presents this week!

Oh and I have to know, what’s happening with the NBA Finals?? AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK IS ... MY HALFWAY MARK IS TOMORROW! I literally … like literally … cannot believe it! I still feel like a little newbie in the mission, but I am now on the downhill run. And can I just tell you that I feel like I have learned so much in the last nine months?!! There have been a lot of rough times, even more happy times, a lot of sweat, faith, and tears. But I am so extremely grateful for each day that has passed! And now I have the incredible opportunity to have nine more months of it! I LOVE THE MISSION!!! Time goes by so fast in the mission … so extremely fast! And I love every minute of it!!!!!!!!!!

This last week I mentioned that we celebrated the birthday of my comp. It was SUPERB … and the highlight was the FHE we had with a member family of our ward. We had a FHE in their house and they brought out a cake for my darling compi. And … remember how I mentioned the tradition that they throw eggs? Well, the poor thing blew out her candles and the war commenced. She was DRENCHED in eggs. The photos explain it all! It was a great birthday!

Here is the little update on our investigators:

Family Alcalde - They didn’t come to church yesterday because they went on vacation. We had a FHE with them earlier in the week and the lesson didn’t go as smooth as we had planned. The Dad and Jhon both had a lot of questions and were doubting a lot. It was rough. But the other day we passed by to see how they are doing, and found their son Jhon. We talked with him for a bit, and he is incredible. He told us it just all makes sense, with all of our lessons, and Joseph Smith, and everything. He told us that they had gone to a lot of churches before, and his Dad, Jhon, said that they are set on sticking with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it just all feels right! We were absolutely thrilled to hear this comment. We were nervous that we were losing them and we found out that they couldn’t be more happy! The only obstacle is marriage. But we have a date set for the end of June. And … I think that the beginning of July they are going to take the incredible step of baptism! Anything is possible if we trust in our Heavenly Father, right? Many prayers are being said for this family! WE LOVE THEM!!!

Grabiel told us this last week that he is going to show a little courage, and is set on being baptized. He knows that his family might not be 100 percent thrilled with the idea, but he is set on it! We have almost taught him every lesson, and he had an interview for his baptism and everything. AND THEN... Saturday he left to Lima for a week. Which means, that with the lack of lessons, and no interview, he won’t be able to be baptized the following week. I just about cried. He is so close, and we feel like everything obstacle is being thrown in his path. BUT, hopefully the following week after my birthday. The dedication of the temple in Trujillo is that week … but we are going to try to make it work! 

Also, this week we tried to contact everyone in our path and we found some incredible new investigators! The hardest part is finding them, when they are available and home, but we really found some great contacts! This week are going to contact every one of them! 

Something that really touched me this week was when we were walking to one of our appointments and said hi to a family that were seated outside of their house. We kept on walking and then heard a little kid yelling "HERMANAS!" We turned back and he ran to us with a handful of bananas. We returned to thank his Dad, and he told us that he just had to give us something to thank us for all we do! He isn’t a member, and we don’t even know him, but this little act of kindness melted my heart. The small things really do make a difference, and it motivated me to look for those small moments to serve others. It is totally worth it!

Well, I have to say goodbye until the next week!! LOVE YOU ALL!! Thank you for all of your prayers and support. It means the world to me! 

Have an incredible week!!

Hermana Shumway

My zone ... and my buddies from the CCM Elder Harris, Elder Haws and Elder Hogge

Birthday celebration for my sweet comp Hermana Ore

The egg smashing tradition is so messy and so awesome

She was such a good sport