Monday, March 28, 2016

LENEXA!!!

Area:  Lenexa, Kansas      
Companion:  Elder Torrico


This past week has been a really hectic one!  We had our emergency transfers on Monday night so we didn't really get to much of a p-day, so we were given permission to p-day on Tuesday for a little bit so that we could have some time to relax and what not.  The reasoning behind the emergency transfer was because the Elder that I swapped out with had some feelings for one of the Sisters in the zone that he was serving in...  I promise, it wasn't my fault!  Haha.

When I got to this apartment I wasn't surprised with how dirty it was...  It seems that no missionary knows how to keep their apartment clean!  My new companion likes to keep things clean like I do, but his past companion just didn't really seem to care to much about cleanliness so it was hard for him to keep the apartment clean all the time.  We spent probably about 6 hours this week just cleaning our one bedroom apartment from top to bottom!  We ended up throwing away about 10 bag of garbage along with other boxes full of crap that missionaries leave behind that no one ever uses.  It feels so much nicer to have a clean apartment, I don't know how people live in filth all the time.

I'm loving it in Lenexa!  It has been such a blast getting to know everyone.  Lenexa is definitely the rich part of Kansas and it is so much cleaner than Missouri!  There is actually a trash system here in Kansas, in Missouri everyone just throws it on the side of the road in trash bags.  The people over here are just a lot nicer as well and it is just more pleasant to be here.

I feel like now I kind of understand how to do missionary work, it sure has taken me awhile to somewhat understand what it is all about. On Tuesday, my first full day in the area, we went and played capture the flag with the youth of the ward so that I could get to know the youth and also get to know all the auxiliary leaders and the bishopric.  It was a great opportunity to build some trust with the ward and to also have a good time.  We are really going to put an added emphasis on the youth and doing missionary work as it seems to go a lot better with them.  They are a lot less fearful and love to talk with their friends about the gospel all the time!  They are great examples to the wards and the members of the church.

I haven't really had much of an opportunity to meet many of the investigators in this area yet, but I am looking forward to meeting them.  Sorry I don't have to much info about that for you all.

This week we also had a ward party/fundraiser for the young woman in the ward for girls camp.  It went really well!  It was a spaghetti dinner with a silent auction and the youth also performed some of
their musical talents for everyone.  It was a great opportunity for me to meet a lot of the ward and there was also a lot of non members there so we got to talk with some of them.

Sunday was really great!  I loved meeting all the ward members and getting to visit with a few of them.  It is always a slow process getting to know everyone's names and which family each one of them belong to.  I was able to bear my testimony this week during fast and testimony meeting.  As I was reading in the New Testament during the sacrament ordinance, I felt the need to turn to where the Savior is actually resurrected seeing as it is Easter!  In Matthew 28:6 we read: "He is not hear, for He is risen..." I shared this with the congregation and what it means to me.  The Savior truly did rise again on the third day!  What a wonderful message that we have and one to rejoice over!  We know that because the Savior Jesus Christ was resurrected on the third day, all of us who have ever lived on the earth will also be resurrected!  That truly brings joy into my life, and it also brings joy into the life of others just as much.  HE LIVES!

In 2 Nephi 2:8 we also read: "...how great the importance to make these things known unto the
inhabitants of the earth..." It truly is so important to spread this message with all we know, love, and care about.  I have found so much happiness as I have shared this message with all we have come in contact with, it is amazing how by sharing this message with others it in turn brings joy into your own life.  God truly does want us to be happy and to bless us!

I love you all!

Elder Shoemaker

ps.  That is pretty cool that part of one of my letters was in the ward bulletin!  That was pretty cool to see.

My new companion - Elder Torrico and me!




It snowed again Sunday morning!  Then, by the end of the day it was
about 60 degrees... Kansas and Missouri weather is absolutely nuts!


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