A Visit from Elder Anderson

Area:  Leavenworth, Kansas    
Companion:  Elder Tuala

This has been a really great week, full of lessons and teaching.  It has been awhile since I have had a week this busy, the Lord truly did bless us this week.  This was my first full week of walking in 15 months because we are now on part time car.  It has been good to get to know more of the members in this area and to build those relationships.

The weather has been super crazy this week for walking.  It has been in the 90's every day with 80-100% humidity which makes it around 100-120 degrees.  The humidity just makes you sweat a bunch so that by the time you make it to your appointment your shirt is completely soaked through with sweat, but it's all part of the experience!  Haha!

This past Monday Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve came to the mission and spoke with us for a couple of hours.   We all got to shake his hand which is always an awesome experience.  What he talked about that made the biggest impact on me was about doing the right thing.  He said that we need to be OK in life with not knowing.  Not knowing what happened to the guy that you shared a message of hope with, or the lady you helped down the street, or the guy you gave that pass a long card to.  It can be easy to get discouraged when we don't see results and we can give up.  He talked about how it is OK to not know what happens, our faith will grow as we have these experiences.  This week I have been trying to have more experiences that I will not know and it has been going great.  :).

We had such an amazing lesson with a lady named Debra this week!  She lives just below us in our apartment.  We went over and had dinner with her and then she started asking questions.  At the end of the 2 hours spent over there, we needed up teaching the whole restoration, plan of salvation, and even went into the temple!  She committed to come to church and she showed up!  :D.  The only thing is, is that we will be passing her off to the Leavenworth 2nd elders because she is in there area.  But she is an amazing lady!  We are excited to see where she ends up.

We also have some fun opportunities of service with a guy named brother Lee.  This week I took out his fuel filter on in 77' Chevy and next week I will be putting in a new one for him.  Nice to get my hands dirty every now and then!

That was about all of our missionary experiences this week!   Hope you all have a great time and enjoy the last couple weeks of summer.

Love,
Elder Shoemaker