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