Muddin', Hypnotizing Chickens and Miracles

Area:  Kearney, Missouri  

Companion:  Elder Hansen

Hello family and friends!  We had a great week full of muddin', hypnotizing chickens, and miracles!!

It was interesting this week being in the trio this week.  They live in Kearney, which is still in our area, just about 20 minutes from where we live now.  It was a good opportunity to help out these two missionaries as one has been out for 6 weeks and the other 12 weeks.  It was also a good opportunity to help the one who is a district leader.  We had a fantastic miracle happen!  Bishop Walker texted me and asked if I wanted to go on splits with him one night.  Of course I said yes because any time I can spend with him you know you will be edifying and you will learn a lot.  We visited a less active returned missionary father who married a non member and she brought in two kids into the relationship.  One of the kids was at the lesson we had along with the father.  This is the Jackson family.  We has a great lesson
with them and they were familiar with both of us because we have been teaching the father for about 2 months on and off.  The spirit was so strong and I felt very prompted to invite the son to be baptized!  So I jumped on that and he said yes!  When I was showing him the picture of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ, he pointed to the picture and asked who He was, I told him Jesus Christ.  It is just amazing to me that a 14 year old, not knowing who Jesus was, but so willing to follow something because he has had good feelings about Him.  That was a great experience and it seemed to rekindle memories in the fathers brain from his mission.

We haven't heard to much from Abigail this week.  We are going to try and watch a session of General Conference with the Walker family and have Abigail over there too.

We had a great experience last night with finding a new family to teach!  We felt like we should go back to that house where we did service on the farm a few weeks ago and just see how they are doing. They let us right in and we had a great discussion about the church and its programs.  They have a deep interest in family history and all that.  We tied in the Book of Mormon and invited them to take the lessons and they said of course!  We have a lunch appointment with them this Thursday and we are very excited!  Right now we are teaching the mother and her father.  Their names are Ken and Monica. They have three teenage daughters as well as a nephew living there who have potential too!

We have a member in our ward who is a green beret and has a ton of useless knowledge.  He mentioned one time how you can hypnotize a chicken and it will stay completely still and soundless.  I asked him how to do it and he told me.  I just had to try it after that!  I have a video to send you of it.  :-D

Elder Shoemaker the chicken whisperer?

We also got invited to serve food at a truck muddin' event!  That was pretty sweet and reminded me of going to the rodeo back home.  I have some pictures and a cool video to send you of that too.  These guys go all out!

Elder Hansen is doing well.  It is great to have him back with me. {Elder Hansen needed to go home for a week due to family circumstances}  Every day he seems to get better and better with a few hiccups in between.  Just happy to have him back out here!  His card will probably be arriving today.  Thank you so much for sending that for him, I know he will be very appreciative of it.

As I was reading in Alma 1 this week, this scripture stuck out to me:
 
25) "Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them."

This scripture was given in the midst of all an apostate time.  They were struggling with what to do and with staying on the right path. But, nevertheless they stayed on the righteous path and prospered just as promised in the Book of Mormon.  Sin brings us temporary joy and happiness but never ending torment.  Following the commandment brings us true eternal happiness!

I love you all so very much!

Elder Shoemaker