Zone Training and "Breakout KC"

Area:  Kansas City, Missouri (Fleming Park Ward)    
Companion:  Elder Monroe

Mom Note:  {Elder Shoemaker spoke this email into his iPad and then sent it.  I needed the Urim and Thummin to dictate some parts of this weeks letter.  Hope it all makes sense!!!}


Hello family,

I had an email all typed up but I accidentally deleted it so this will be shorter.  My bad!
 
Can I get Treavor's email address?

This week we had MLC, which is a mission leadership council that we received training's to take back to our zone for zone training. They really focused a lot on loving everyone and uplifting everyone which we are happy to see. Since Elder Monroe and I have been together we have really been focusing on getting to know each missionary individually and what we can do to help them progress in the Gospel.

Zone training went really well!  We did not have Sister training leaders because they were in a different zone this time so we had to give all the training by ourselves!  Zone really received the training well and seems to be doing a lot better this week. We are happy to see their progression and their desire to work increase.

We found a new couple this week, their names are Doug and Sue. The lesson we had with them went really well. The spirit was very strong and we were able to testify of the power of the atonement and our ability to become better.  They had questions about how to have peace in their life and how to deal with the struggles of every day living.  We were able to testify of the power of the atonement and of the Book of Mormon is well.  During the lesson the spirit was so strong, one of the strongest I've ever felt in a lesson, and they seem to be sincerely interested in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We invited them to be baptized and they excepted!  We are working on a specific date.  We also had a newly ordained Elder from the ward with us who is preparing for a mission, so that was really good for him to experience.

We had another lesson that same day with Connie, our investigator, and we were able to have a less active youth with us too.  Throughout the lesson Elder Monroe and myself both felt that we should focus the lesson towards Kevin (less active) with hopes that it would affect Kevin and help him come back to church.

We had a pretty funny experience with a guy name Sam. When we approached him he was hunched over in his black puffy coat.  I approached him and he had a very quiet voice. As we were talking with him he started to laugh and told us that he couldn't lie. He showed us his left hand and there was a bong completely full of that good Kush (weed)!  We had a good time talking with him and set a return appointment in hopes to help him go somewhere in life. At the return appointment he said he would come to church but didn't show up. We will see where this guy goes.

How are you able to see that video of myself and Elder Monroe talking to our zone?  Yes that was just a one time thing.  We have a member of our ward who used to be the news guy at a Missouri station.  He has a recording studio at one of the high schools here where he teaches and we were able to film the video there and he edited it as well.

Today for P-day we are hanging out here in Blue Springs visiting some stores. We got invited by some of the coolest members in our ward, the Ostrom family, to go to downtown Kansas City to a place called "Breakout KC". They stick you in a room that is full of puzzles and you try getting out within an hour, we are excited to go!

Sorry for the somewhat short email, I was too lazy to type out everything so I just spoke it into my iPad.

Love you all!

Elder Shoemaker

Here is our bro zone!  We have one set of sisters but they were at a
different zone training this time.

 

A foggy day at the Community of Christ Temple....

Made it out!!

The room that we were in was the hardest room they had, it was only a
19% escape rate.  You have an hour to get out.  Here is the family we
went with.  Check it out online, it would be a fun time if you have
the chance to go to one.