Landon, forget yourself and get to work!

Area:  Independence, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Tu'akalau

Howdy Howdy!

So, some more housekeeping stuff. :)

I bought a winter coat so that's what that purchase is so I don't know what you wanted me to do so I just bought it.  Its starting to get cold here so I would love my winter stuff and some gloves and a beanie too.  Also I bought a Ukulele so that's what that other purchase is as well.  Elder Tu'akalau is teaching me some stuff so me and Tanner will have to jam when we get home! 

Thank you so much for the package!  Everything made it ok and I love the Walker book!  I would love to have the rest of it as well when you have time to make it.  I know it probably takes some time so don't stress about it to much.  Thank you for the puppy videos too!  They are so cute!  Oh, and I could use a pair of headphones too. :)  I will also be buying a bike soon so you will see that pop up.

OK, first of all I just want to say thank you to Mom and Dad for everything that you did to keep us active in the church.  Out here I realized what a blessing it was to be active my whole life and how that made it a much easier decision to be here on a mission.  As we are out here and have met a lot of less actives I realized how blessed I really am, so thank you. :)  {Aww Mom tears!}

An amazing experience I had this week built my testimony of prayer so much.  I was feeling like we weren't working hard enough and that we were slacking off in some places so I was trying to figure out how we could improve as a companionship and also personally.  I remember a devotional given to us in the MTC that talked about unpacking mentally, physically, and spiritually when you serve a mission and how much of an effect that can have.  I knew that there were some things that was still stuck in my brain and I was missing from home, and it's not a bad thing to miss home, but it doesn't help me when I think about it and then your mind is away from what is really important right now.  So I got on my knees and prayed that I would know how to help myself improve and be a better missionary.  Almost immediately I got an answer, "Landon, forget yourself and get to work."  I have heard that so many times you know, but I guess it didn't ring true to me until this time.  So that was a great experience I had this week.

So this area is pretty much like opening a new area.  When I got here we had 1 real investigator.  So we have been working super hard in trying to find new people who are open to hear the gospel.  As of right now we now have 7 investigators and 4 more referrals we need to go see.  Progress.  Finding through members and less active families has really helped a ton!  We had to reorganize the whole area book in order to even be able to use it because it was so trashed.  On the back of our planners there is an indented stamp that says, "Preparation proceeds Power."  We have found that so true and we have spent the time prayerfully planning, scheduling, and organizing.  It makes a big difference!

Two of our investigators are members of the Church of Christ.  It is pretty hard to teach them because they believe almost everything that we believe.  They took out a couple sections of Doctrine and Covenants and the book is layed out a bit differently but other than that they have the same words.  They believe that prophets should only descend from the lineage of Joseph Smith, but its not about lineage, it's about what God wants. Not us!

Well, that's about everything that has happened this week!  Other than having air horns honked at us, trucks blowing their black exhaust, people yelling and cussing, and doors slammed in our face.  But having the right attitude make a big difference and we just let it roll of our shoulder as we say our memorization's and sing along the road!  

Love you everyone!

Elder Shoemaker

PS:  It is easier if you send packages priority mail because they can forward it to my apartment.  But if you can't that's fine, it will just be at the mission office until I can pick it up. Also, send all letters and packages to the mission office in case of transfers and stuff.  They know where I'll be so they can forward it to me.  517 W. Walnut St.  Independence MO, 64050

Me and Elder Tu'akalau 

 This guy walks by our apartment every day swinging a golf club... Kinda weird!