GOODBYE CHULUCANAS ... HELLO TALARA!

Shumway Crew!

MERRY EARLY CHRISTMAS from the Piura Mission! This last week our wonderful President and his wife threw a Christmas Party for the mission. It included the classic movie “It’s A Wonderful Life”, many classy and hilarious Christmas games, and a delicious Pollo a la Brasa. We all made Christmas ornaments for them and it was just a blast! We sure do love them. Also on the mission blog there are videos from us missionaries! Go and check them out! There are five in total videos and I am in one of them.

Well ... I got transferred and am currently in my new area. It’s called ... drum roll ... TALARA! Not sure if that’s how you spell it but it is right on the coast by the beach. It is a cute town about two hours out of Piura and I love it already. My darling new comp is Hermana Valencia. She is from Lima and will end her mission this transfer. She is my pal who has been in many pics throughout my mission. I will take a pic and send it to you next week. And if you can even believe it ... I end my mission the transfer after her. ONLY TWO TRANSFERS LEFT!!! This is going way too fast ... it’s heartbreaking ...

And leaving my last area was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. But I want to let you a few of the blessings and sweet moments this last week. To start, 80+ people came to church this last week. That is the highest church attendance I have seen in my entire six months in Chulucanas. It was a miracle, and many were less actives that finally returned to church. I honestly could not believe it! Some of the people who came included Hermana Carola, the kids of Familia Febres (the ones we made a Christmas tree with), Danuzka (a 13 year old less-active that decided to come to church alone, because her family didn’t want to come), and my convert Leandro and his darling family. I wanted to tear up. We took a big pic of the branch. Also I gave a talk about "Being A Disciple of Christ" as my final goodbye. My comp and I then sang a mix of Christmas hymns, starting with "Cantan Santos Angeles" (I FORGOT THE NAME IN ENGLISH ... sorry!), then "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", and ended with "Silent Night". It was a great way to finish off all my adventures in Chulucanas. Later that night I said my final goodbyes and we just all cried. It was most difficult saying goodbye to my convert Leandro. He has come leaps and bounds from when I first met him six months ago. He is now a faithful member of the church that has a goal to be sealed for time and all eternity to his wife next August. I am sure going to miss this Chulucanas Crew.

Also, we celebrated an early Christmas before I left. Stopping by many members homes and giving them a small present from the missionaries. One of the most special experiences was bringing presents to Family Febres and their kids. Wenefel, Jairo, and Eileen were jumping up and down as they waited for the presents. They will not be receiving presents this year due to financial problems and we surprised them with a few Christmas decorations and some presents! We bought two soccer jerseys for the boys and dolls for sweet Eileen. It made me want to cry with how overjoyed they were to open up the one present they got. This family has taught me many things over these months and I will sure miss them.

And the Noche Blanca was this last week too. Sadly, we were not able to bring anyone to be baptized. It was heartbreaking ... but we went to support the other missionaries. And was I in for the biggest surprise. Three people ... THREE ... that I had taught in Los Algarrobos got baptized this day: (1) Diana, a sweet little girl that has wanted to get baptized for a long time, (2) Zoila, someone who has truly applied the atonement in her life to get baptized, and (3) Christian, whose wife has always wanted for her husband to get baptized. I sent you a pic with a few of them. Honestly, I could not believe it and it just made me feel so much love for this work. This work is done in the Lord’s time and what a joy it was to see those I have taught get baptized!

It was a great week ... and we even found a new family this past week! Guillermo and Liliana have been married for many years and Guillermo has always had a drinking problem. It is his addiction and he feels he has tried everything and cannot give it up. We shared with him that everything is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. No matter how far down the road we are our Savior provided us a way out. He is so willing to learn more and wants to change. It was an incredible first lesson and honestly it was a miracle he even opened up to us so fast. I think the sweetest part was when he said the final prayer and he started to cry. Afterwards he told us he has never felt that way before and we promised him that this is what he needs.

Our other investigators are hanging in there. We have challenged many of them to baptism but so far everyone has said no. Even though I won’t be there to help them feel the truth of this message, I know that a seed was planted, and someday they will know it is true!

Overall I am excited to be in my new area. Man I am going to miss mi familia de Chulucanas. A lot of tears were shed these last few days but I am excited to take everything I learned in Chulu and help the people of Talara! I only have two transfers left of this ... and it goes by so fast!!

I LOVE THIS WORK!!! Love you all so much ... and have a wonderful Christmas!

ALWAYS choose and stand for the right!!!

XOXO, Hermana Shumway


Me and the cutest comp on planet earth

We made our own snowman ... hahaha

Our dinner as a mission to celebrate Christmas

Everything was so delicious!

Merry Christmas from two defenders of truth

Our President is awesome!

Photo op with the President and his wife ... I am so fortunate to serve with them

We had a white elephant gift exchange as a district ... my gift for someone was chicken feet

It was so much fun

Only in Peru can you give such awesome gifts like this ... I love this place!

Noche Blanca

My beautiful surprise ... it was so wonderful!

These little kids are all my bestest buddies

  
My Chulucanas friends are just the greatest

The family – these sisters are MY OFFICIAL SISTERS!!! Their Mom got baptized in the Noche Blanca too! I am going to miss all of them so much!

Oh how I love them!

They will always be my lifelong friends

My heart will always be in Peru with the people I love

Oh man ... I am going to miss them so much

They have forever changed me and have shown me the most incredible love

My comp and I trying to be awkward but cute

Hahaha … we crack ourselves up more than anything

My convert Leandro and Andrea who we rescued and brought back to church

This is my miracle family

What am I going to do without them? I LOVE THEM!!!

Merry Christmas for my sweet Familia Febres

We bought them Christmas presents because we found out they weren't going to receive any this year

New soccer jerseys and dolls ... they were so incredibly excited and it was the cutest thing. This is what Christmas is all about ... such a special time of year!

RUNNING, MILANESA, AND LAST WEEK IN CHULUCANAS

Shumway Crew,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKS AND CASS!!! Love you to the universe and back and hope it is the most incredible day!!! Sounds like the fam is just doing superb! Lovey ... send me a pic of the new classy haircut and have fun with Syd at the dance! Good luck in finals! That time of year is always a little stressful but I know you are all going to kill it!

Here we go with the Gee Whiz Facts for the week:

1. Cooking in the Piura Mission

-        Toasters do not exist ... which means if you want a delicious toasty bread you need to butter it in a pan and cook it on both sides until it looks crispy or burnt.

-        No time to make scrambled eggs people, so what do you do … crack it open and cook it for minute and a half in the microwave. Not too bad.

-        We eat Yogurt and Cereal together. The milk doesn’t quite have the Costco milk taste.

-        We wanted Betty Crocker muffins so we put the batter with water in a cup and put it in the microwave ... it’s ready in 26 seconds!

-        Dishwashers don’t exist here.

2. Ran up a mountain today and realized I am out of shape! But took some cool pics of Chulu!

3. If you want to read an inspiring missionary chapter ... ALMA 26. So powerful!!! 

4. One more week in Chulu … so sad!

5. Paper Christmas trees are the best idea - THANKS MOM! A sweet, humble family (recent converts) that we love didn’t have a Christmas tree so we made them a paper Christmas tree this last week. Their reaction when it was all done was unforgettable. They love it!

Well my darling family it was a busy week. We had ups and downs like any missionary … but we are working hard and always learn something new each week.

To start with our investigators:

Rosa is nowhere to be found. Our darling mom that we found and her kid Byron are never home now. We have passed by many times, even Sunday on our way to church, and our stellar investigator has disappeared. Cross your fingers that we will find her this week. 

Fernando and Merliy are also impossible to find. They are always selling ice cream or making it, and it has been hard to find them. But we did stop by for the parents of Fernando and they are very ready to be baptized. It is incredible because I taught them 6 months ago when I got into this area and they liked our lessons, but never wanted to be baptized and never seemed truly interested. He had many health problems and we left them after time because they were always in the clinic. Fast forward 6 months later, once again we have found them and started teaching them, and they LOVE it and honestly end up teaching us the lesson with how much they know. We hadn´t even gotten to inviting them to church the last lesson and she told us, “I am going to church and I am bringing my kids with me.” It took us by surprise. They are doing great, and are progressing rapidly. They have become our pals and it’s cute because they give us an ice cream after every lesson.

Found two teenagers that want to learn more about the church. They both danced in our Noche Misional about 2 weeks ago and we happened to find them in the house of one of our investigators. We walked in to teach our new investigator Karina a lesson, and her daughter had been one of the dancers from the show. Her name is Lucia and she is 15 years old! Her friend then showed up and they both wanted to learn more about the Mormons! They are great! The other kids name is Michael. 

Roxana is reading and loving the Book of Mormon. She is praying and waiting for an answer. Tomas also! We gave him his Book of Mormon, came back 2 days later, and he had read 8 chapters. His only challenge is he has not prayed to know if it is true. But we explained the importance of that question and he said he will do it! 

Also, a miracle this last week is we found a new family! It was in one of our newer areas that we are recently getting to know. We were walking around a little lost in the area, and her kids ran up to us asking if we could talk in English. They were so darling and we asked them where there mom is. They brought us to their house, and there we met Ramona. She is a single mom, and her ex-husband was a member of the church. She is going through a very hard time with her family and it was the perfect time for us to pass by! We saw they didn’t have a Christmas tree, and it’s not Christmas without a Christmas tree, so we are making a paper tree with them this next week! 

Also, this last week an area authority, Elder Goddoy, came and visited our mission. It was one of the most powerful meetings I have been in, in my entire mission. He shared his conversion story, and by the end I was in tears. He shared with us about the importance of this work, and taught that the most important part of our mission is to find ourselves and be our first convert. Never thought about that. Of all the people I should convert, it should be myself. He was so sincere in sharing his testimony, and was so in tune with the spirit. He asked if the Latins and Americans could sing “I hope they call me on a mission” in their native language. We sang together and the spirit just swarmed the room. It was such an incredible experience! I just want you to all know this church is so true. I just wish I could help everyone in the world understand how much of a blessing it is. I love this gospel, and I just know it is true. Their aren´t doubts. This last week I truly felt that.

So overall, we are great! I have got one more week in Chulu. It’s been wonderful and I don’t know what I am going to do without my new family members. You just grow to love these people so much!!!

Missionary work is incredible ... hard, but incredible. It is incredible the things you learn about yourself in such a short time. Definitely am my first convert.

Love you all!!! Trust in your Heavenly Father … he loves you all so much!

Stay true and be good!!!

Xoxo, Hermana Shumway

Our run in the morning to the top of the mountain in Chulucanas

Feliz Navidad! 

My gangsta Christmas pic ... hahaha!

This plate is so GOOD … it’s called milanesa

Look who showed up and surprised me! My pal Hermana Lucero ... my mini missionary!

One of the sweet sisters going home gave me this dress … cute right!

At the special conference with Elder Goddoy

Time for a funny pic ... success!

Just another day in Peru ... lots of mosquito bites! 

Typical breakfast for me ... mangoes and granola! 

So delicious!!!

This is Familia Febres. They live in such humbling circumstances and didn’t have a Christmas tree ... so we decided we would make one!

We had so much fun together

Turned out pretty nifty right. I took a pic of what it looked like when we started it and the final product. Sorry the pics are so blurry!

THANKSGIVING PIZZA, A TIKI MAN, AND SLEEP-TALKING IN SPANISH

Shumway Crew,

TURKEY BOWL TIME!! Happy to hear that the Juster Buster got a touchdown. Atta boy! Bet you were pretty proud of the hubs Em! You are all just the cutest! All looking super great! Hope you all ate a whole lot of American food for me and loads of pumpkin pie. Let’s just say that yummy stuff was very missed … but my comp and I tried to make up for it by buying a pizza. Always nice to remember America for a bit.

Gee Whiz Facts - 

1. Apparently I slept talked in Spanish this last week. Cool right!

2. A random drunk guy walked up to us as we were knocking doors last night. All he said was “I am drunk.”

3. We had a baptism this last week of a little 8 year old kid. They called us at 5:30 in the afternoon telling us that there will be a baptism at 6:30. SO RANDOM! They said it was a last minute decision. So we ran to the chapel, filled buckets and buckets up of water to fill the font, cleaned the whole chapel, and my comp and I prepared two talks for the baptism. So last minute but such a great adventure. That’s just kind of how things roll here. His parents are members so it wasn’t a baptism of ours, but good thing we can do things on the spot.

4. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I just wanted to start by sharing an experience I learned about this last Sunday. So this last Sunday was our Primary Program. It was adorable, and filled with funny moments but what impacted me the most was learning the story of little 10 year old David that directed the program. He is a convert to the branch, and is the only member of his family. He listened to the lessons of the missionaries and wanted to be baptized. Of course he is just a little guy so it was quite a process but he was able to be baptized and has been an active member ever since. He walks to church alone every week, with his huge backpack that barely fits him, shirt and tie. He loves the church activities and most of the time shows up alone. He likes to share his testimony on Fast Sundays and is literally my hero. He is 10 YEARS OLD. That is a true follower of Christ. I feel like so often we make up excuses that life is too hard and then I think of David. This little guy is set on going on a mission when he is older. Talk about an example.

So yes the Primary Program was darling. Always a joy! Also, we had a ward activity this last week that turned out really great! Not a whole lot of people came, but the youth that presented the dances did a great job! Familia Crisanto showed up! It was a miracle! They said they loved it and want to come to the next Noche Misional! They only tricky part is they never come to church … but poco a poco!

We ended up leaving our sweet Orieta this last week. She ended up telling us that she isn’t into this anymore and will let us know when we can pass by again. It was a major blow, and we honestly have no idea what happened, but maybe she just needs a break for right now! 

Rosa is doing superb. She didn’t come to church again for work, BUT she is loving the lessons and is pretty much set on getting baptized. THE only thing is this last week she let us know that she will be moving in January to Chile to live with her mother-n-law. But, she told us that she wants to keep the lessons going and would love to get baptized before. They just aren’t married so we have to get them married before her baptism. She said she would talk to her husband about it. She asked us that if she did move to Chile she wants us to pass her information to the missionaries there. And the great thing is I have many friends serving there so maybe she will be in their area! You never know!

Roxana is doing wonderfully! She is just getting started in her Book of Mormon and loves it. Her mom Elva is not as interested for the moment but Roxana is going strong. She said that she would love to be baptized but is just waiting for an answer! She is praying, reading, and wants to come to church this next Sunday! Her kids are slowly starting to listen to us now. They like when we sing hymns … haha! But they are cute!

Overall everything is good here in Chulu! Transfers are coming up am I am positive that I am getting transferred. I have 6 months here in Chulucanas and usually you get transferred at that mark. It has sure been an adventure! We are working hard to strengthen this branch and I hope I leave it better then I found it!

I love this work! I love you all! I know this church is true! It is the most incredible thing in the world. 

Keep on keeping on and choose the right!!!

Hermana Shumway

THANKSGIVING … AMERICA STYLE!

It was so yummy!

And another pic of me sleeping - this is a typical occurrence

Cleaning the chapel after the activity we had on Friday … our ward mission leader is hilarious!

The famous Eva – she doesn’t like pics

One of the missionaries that is going home this transfer ... Hermana Workman

Food for the birthday of Hermana Nelly – the Peruvian version barbecue

The typical hairless Peruvian dog ... it did not like me so I had to chase it down

A random little girl wanted a pic with me by the tiki man we found. She was so cute! I gave her my saltine crackers.

Our tiki poses

Me and the comp ... she is just the greatest!!!

PDAY selfie in a combi. A combi is a big van that we travel in big groups to get anywhere. It is so ghetto but it is just the best!