BEING HAPPY, FINDING INVESTIGATORS, AND SEEING MIRACLES

Shumway Crew,

Gee Whiz Facts of the Week:

1. You know you have had a busy, tiring week when:
     - You make an egg for breakfast in the microwave and find it at night still sitting there because you forgot about it
     - Can't even sing the closing hymn in sacrament meeting because you fell asleep
     - Everything is funny ... even when it's not funny
     - You love prayers during the lessons because you get to close your eyes for at least 15 seconds

2. I am still the same Sister Shumway that spills on herself whenever I eat. I might have just happened to spill the entire mango juice we had for lunch all over my skirt ... some things never change.

3. Everyone gives us mangoes after the lessons. It's mango season and it's just the best!

4. You should all read the book "How Do I Know If I Know?" by John Bytheway ... it is incredible! It has helped me so much with my testimony!

I don't even know where to start. This week, no joke, was probably one of the happiest weeks I have ever had in my entire mission ... and it is all due to my companion Hermana Thomas. We have laughed way too much and are just thriving off of this transfer together. She is a doll and is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. We are calling this transfer "Cambio de Milagros" because we are just seeing so many miracles. I think she is my lucky charm because it has been an incredible week in our area.

To start ... we have found 12 new investigators ... and that includes a group of three sisters whose mom is member but has been inactive for years. We have just had one lesson with them, but they are darling. Their names are Nayeli, Xiomara, and Angela and they are 15, 13, and 12 years old. They listened to the missionaries before but couldn't go to church for their school. But they can now go so we are very excited for these three darling investigators!

Also, we accidentally contacted family of Raul, our 23 year old investigator. We contacted them, scheduled an appointment, and when we went to go to the appointment we found it was the same house as Raul and it was his Sister and her husband! Definitely a miracle! So now we are making it a family deal, and little by little his family is starting to listen too! Raul is still hesitant because he hasn't received an answer yet, but we told him to not give up, and to keep praying! He said he won't come to church until he receives an answer, which is a major challenge, but WE KNOW IT WILL COME! We just all have to be patient and we are praying it comes soon.

Elva, our sweet older investigator, is still going strong. She hasn't gone to church yet, which is hard, but little by little we are getting her more excited to go. She said she would be baptized, but she is scared too. Still hasn't accepted a date, but loves listening to the lessons. She says she feels different, and happier!

Our new investigator Orieta is also a doll! She is older, and lives alone because he husband passed away. Her daughter is there to help her at times, but she just feels alone. Her son actually listened to missionaries in Switzerland (crazy right?) and she wants to learn more about the church. We have taught her two lessons and she says that she knows Joseph Smith is a prophet ... and she KNOWS IT. She said she also feels happier and more at peace when we come! WE LOVE HER! Next lesson we are giving her a Book of Mormon next lesson. She fulfills all of her commitments and is so sweet!

Overall, many people are accepting the gospel right now. IT IS A MIRACLE! When I said my comp is my lucky charm it seriously is true! But honestly, these are the blessing that comes through obedience. We help each other be as obedient as we can and we are seeing miracles because of it!

Our hardest challenge is that no one is coming to church. We ask them all to come and even go and pick them up, but then no one comes. This last week we fasted that we would know how to help them come and also that we will find more investigators for the 12 of December (Noche Blanca). We went to go pick up about five families and none of them came. It was definitely hard but we aren't letting that get us down! Missionary work was never meant to be easy!

But one of the biggest miracles is that a family we have been teaching, Merliy and Fernando, came to the Noche Misional this last week! They randomly showed up, and we couldn't believe it! We were even thinking about leaving them, but never could do it because it didn't feel right. They are now starting to progress little by little and we just feel so thrilled and blessed. It is a miracle!

So this is the Cambio de Milagros! We are excited, working hard, being obedient, and letting our Heavenly Father do the rest!

This work is incredible! HERE WE GO IN A BRAND NEW WEEK!!! You are all the best, LOVE YOU and never stop being good.

XOXO, Hermana Shumway


Me showing that I am ruler ... which means you are OBEDIENT TO THE DOT. The missionaries took it and I thought it turned out cute. Ha!

My pal that just went home. ELDER VASQUEZ, probably one of the funniest people I have ever met. 

Picture with the branch president and his family

My new companion Hermana Thomas ... I just love her! Here we are at the juice place we go to almost every night. The fresh mango juice is a killer. IT IS SO GOOD!

District Meeting ENGLISH CLASS: This is what happens when you tell every Latin to each say a sentence, draw it, and we create a story in the end! It was so funny!!!

The egg ... oh man we have fun together even when we are super exhausted

Recycling the 8 feet tall Christmas tree you sent me last year ... YES THAT IS THE SAME TREE! It is our reminder of the Noche Blanca that we are doing for Christmas!