I am really loving it out here!

Area:  Parkville, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Jones


Yeah, you so may have seen all my expenses in the last little bit hit my account.....haha!  Elder Jones has got me really into soccer and so we both ordered a really nice street ball from some members and we also went and got some nice new indoor soccer cleats.  So I guess these will be my new shoes for p-day?!  I'll pay for them, they were a bit pricey :)  hehe

Nice skateboard pic huh??  An Elder out here that I went on exchanges with has a board so I've been messing around on it, it has been toooooo long!

Yep, transfers are this Thursday.  We figure out if we are being transferred tomorrow night.  I think we both will be staying here, but you never know!

Being district leader definitely has its challenges, but it has made me grow so much!  I actually really love being able to be so close to all the missionaries in the district.  

Conference out here is amazing!  Really uplifting and very spiritual.  We have set a goal as a companionship to try and watch each session of General Conference at a member, less active, part member family, or and investigators house rather that watching it at the stake center this time.  

A scripture that has given me an "ah ha" moment since I have been out here is 2 Nephi 22:2.  "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."  

Also, one chapter of Pslams that Elder Jones and I memorized in Psalms 23.  My favorite verse out of that has has really changed me is verse 4.  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."   

These scriptures are just really good reminders to me of how much support Christ is to us if we just let him in!  He is always there during the toughest times of our lives and the best times of our lives!  He is always there.  

We had a pretty great week!  We had an interesting experience with a guy who was extremely paranoid.  We knocked on his door, Elder Jones had been there one time before, and this guy just goes off for about 30 minutes as we are there on his porch about how there are pest control guy shooting bugs at his house with air guns.  Their whole goal is to try and get him to sell his house for cheap so they can buy it and make money.  This guy was crazy!  

 

We also came across an old lady who went out to go and get her mail and a big dog came and knocked her over and she dislocated her hip!  I felt so bad for her.  There was another lady there who had just pulled up about 2 minutes before us and was on the phone calling an ambulance.  All we could do was put a cushion under her head and put a jacket on her to keep her warm until the ambulance got there.  She was OK, just in a lot of pain.  We are going to go and stop by here house probably Wednesday to see how she is.  

We had a fun ward party on Saturday on the bank of the Missouri River at a park called.... Crap we can't remember haha!  It was really fun though!  There were some long boards there so we got a nice ride in and were able to play baseball with some of the members.  

I am really loving it out here.  I feel like sometimes I am just having a hard time getting though the slow part of the day and feeling like I am being productive and using my time in a useful way.  But at the end of the day in my nightly prayers, I feel like I have given all I can that day (most of the time).  I guess that's all that Heavenly Father can ask of us, right?  Give what we can and he will help us the rest of the way. :)  What a great promise! 

That's about it for the week!  Glad to hear that all is going well at home and you are getting prepared for General Conference. 

Love you all!!

Elder Shoemaker 

 

New Soccer Shoes for Elder Jones and Elder Shoemaker!

 

Great Week in Parkville!

Area:  Parkville, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Jones

What a great week here in Parkville!

We were able to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders this week which was amazing!  They helped shed a lot of insight and light on what missionary work truly is about.  It has changed my focus and views as a missionary and was much needed.  It was like a tune up for a car.

We have one of our investigators on date for April 11!  yay!  Her name is Bobbi and she is amazing.  She is a great person and really has a want and a desire to follow Jesus Christ.  She is working hard to meet her date and really in tune with the spirit right now.  

The weather has been beautiful here for the whole week.  In the 70-80's with a few days of rain.  

Today we decided to go to Independence for P-day so that's where I am at right now.  We are hanging out with my last companion, Elder Thompson and doing some shopping and sports over here. 

To answer your question, what has been my biggest learning experience thus far into my mission?  I would have to say it has been as a trainer and a district leader.  Having to teach others what seems be simple daily activities proved to be hard and a big learning experience.  As district leader it has been amazing to receive revelation for other missionaries and what needs to be shared during district meeting each week.  I have loved it!

 I don't have anything else really to say, so that's about it!

Love you all!

Elder Shoemaker

Sportin' our new WRANGLERS!!!

Elder Shoemaker's travel companion makes an appearance

Hi Gingy!!!

Holding steady........

Area:  Parkville, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Jones

Hi Mom, Dad, Family and Friends!

Thanks for your copy of the talk you gave, Mom, it was amazing!  I see why everyone keeps complimenting and contacting you regarding it. :)

Tuna, Tuna, Tuna...  Are my light grey vans with the leather tongue chewed up?  If not I would love to get those out here, I need another set of P-day shoes to chill out in.  Oh, and Cadbury eggs, I'm addicted to those!    

Yay!  Josh is getting started on school again and a profession, good to hear.  That sounds like something he will enjoy and fits him well.  From the pictures, it looks like he is in really good shape!  

 

I can't wait for conference coming up!  It seems like conference was just barely here.  Mothers day is coming up pretty soon too :D

This week was pretty great!  The weather has been great and Elder Jones and I have too much fun I think. haha!  A lot of our lessons canceled which made it hard but overall it was great.  We did a lot of service, basically tore up a ladies back yard and re-landscaped it with shovels and rakes.  We dropped one of our investigators who turned out to be a pill, haha.  

Nothing to abnormal about this week!  Loving life and living it up!

 

Love you all!

Elder Shoemaker

PS  The iPad thing is legit this time! :D

 

Elder Jones and I at Sunset

 

Behold.............

We are winning the bird feed contest!  Haha!

 

A visit from the Member of the Seventy...

Area:  Parkville, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Jones

Hello hello hello!

Sorry I didn't email yesterday, we had Zone Conference in Liberty.  Elder Renlund of the Seventy was there along with his wife.  It was really cool to hear him and get to shake his had and talk a little with him.  He really focused of the concept of "true doctrine understood, changes people."  I really enjoyed the whole meeting and learned a whole bunch.  There was a special training afterword for DL,ZL, and STL on how we can make correction in a good way.  Very helpful!

Aaron's baptism went so well!  The ward really pitched in and helped out a bunch when we didn't expect them to.  It was a big blessing.  He has a little 6 year old daughter who said right when they walked into to room, "Dad, I'm so excited that you are getting baptized!"  The innocence of children always amazes me.  He has had quite the change.  He was also ordained to the office of priest on Sunday.  

That was about it for this week, nothing to out of the ordinary.  I just feel really blessed to have been able to be a part of Aaron's conversion and baptism. 

Elder Jones and I are having a party!  We were talking about the prior months in our missions and we both agree that this transfer has been the quickest.  It has already been 3 weeks together!  Crazy! 

Just so you know Mom, I'm buying some wranglers today!  Good ole butt huggers!  haha!  Elder Jones talked me into it so we will see how I like them.  

The family seems like it is doing well.  Sounds like a good week for you all.  Glad to hear that Dad is spending so much time in the temple and outside, that is going to help him so much as I am sure it already has.  Tanner looks like he is having a fun time!  He wasn't to far from me when he was in Oklahoma and Texas!  .....about 2 hours away actually. haha!  Did he wave?? \

Stay sweet family!  Love you!

Elder Shoemaker

Homemade bird feeder -- "Landon Style" 

We're being stretched.....

Area:  Parkville, Missouri
Companion:  Elder Jones

Well hello over there in Utah! 

The weather over here is so weird.  This week it snowed two day out of the week and the rest of the week it was really warm.  I don't get it.

 

The GPS is very handy!  Our area is pretty big so we use it all the time.  Our investigators are awesome and have already grown a love for them.  We have a baptism this Friday!  His name is Aaron.  His wife is a member and he has been investigating for over a year.  He is making a big leap of faith and we are so happy for him!

 

Glad to hear that Dad, Josh, and Tanner are able to spend some time together.  I do miss the hiking!  How are the pups??

 

I got the video of you and your sisters!  That was hilarious!  Elder Jones thought is was really funny too! :D

 

Sounds like you made quite the impact in stake conference Mom!  Glad to hear that it all went so well.  Sounds like the Lord is blessing our family in a way you weren't expecting.  I don't know about you, but I see the blessings that are coming every week as I read your letters and out here in Missouri as well.  I'm excited to read your talk. :)

 

This week for us has been hard and stretched both Elder Jones and I.  Almost all our appointments canceled, we can't find anyone who wants to listen, the guy below us smokes weed like crazy and it comes up through our vents (haha), and there is a growing feud between the old lady across the back yard from our balcony with feeding the birds and getting animals on our deck! (haha!) 

 

We have learned a lot about ourselves this week and have had to depend a lot on the Lord and trusting him.  We were trying to figure out what we were doing wrong and why things weren't working out.  We haven't quite figured that one out, but I know the Lord is teaching us something. 

 

So, word on the street again is that we will be receiving iPads in May!  This came from the mission president and general authorities.  I guess we will see if it actually happens this time!

 

That's about all I got! 

Love,

Elder Shoemaker

 

 

The Missouri River, it borders our area

The University here in Parkville!