A Sister on the Yellow Brick Road: Week 79: "I'll be home for Christmas"

Happy Monday!!

Thanks Mom for the package!!

So this week should be a busy one with packing and meetings and
interviews and invitations to baptism and miracles and lots and lots
of hugs...

Last week, I'm super sorry about the email! I accidentally hit send
too early then I guess the other email I sent afterwards to complete
the email didn't send :( I'm really sorry about that. I will try to
find it again and send it out.

I hope everyone got to watch the Christmas devotional! Those are
always very special. If you didn't get to watch, go to LDS.org! We
watched it at the Johanson's house with one of the less actives we are
teaching, Sister West! Jessica and her family were supposed to come
too but they decided just to watch it at home - they really enjoyed it
though! Jessica brought her 5 kids to church all by herself; she is
such an example to me. Oh how I love her and will miss her. She wants
so badly to be baptized and is willing to do everything in her power -
whatever it takes. Last Monday we got to do a little FHE with them and
while Sister Palmer taught Jessica about the Baptismal Interview
Questions, I got to teach the kids "I Am A Child of God". It was just
great. What wonderful simple truths that little song teaches us! They
loved it. We then performed it to Jessica and she loved it. The gospel
is sure for families. :)

iPads are a great teaching tool!!

Also on Monday! (Monday was very miraculous) we got in contact with Brittany!! Finally!! She was upset she missed her baptism, but she had been reading in the Book of Mormon and praying and still wants to be baptized. She came to church yesterday so this week will be full of us helping her prepare for THIS WEEKEND!!! We have lots to do, but we'll make it happen with the Lord's help.

Tuesday and Wednesday were full of meetings....those are always good!

Friday we had zone training and for my last one the zone leaders asked me to give a training on loving the Savior, loving our missions, and increasing faith. I was grateful to be able to share that passion with the other missionaries. I will miss being surrounded by missionaries constantly. There is just a special spirit that comes with that mantle and that calling. We truly are set apart to be representatives of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I think the spirit is just so strong in that company because we repent and use the Atonement every day. Always happy, never content :) I will miss them so dearly!!

Friday we also went on exchanges!! Sister Tafua came with me to Bel Aire and oh the miracles!!! We found 2 new families to teach!! We are excited to help them progress towards baptism :)

Last week we also started to teach a new family that hasn't been to church in a long time. They have let their doubts and uncertainties take them away from the living water of Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel. It broke my heart to see them struggle so much with their concerns. They have a desire to live the Gospel and teach their children, but they are held back by their doubts and they feel they just can't move on. It made me really ponder on the purpose of life. The purpose of existence in general...is to progress. God's plan for us is eternal progression. Damnation isn't necessarily hell fire and brimstone, but an inability to progress. I felt so strongly that this family is experiencing that: damnation in a sense that they aren't progressing. They're stuck. I just wanted to throw out every one liner from every conference talk ever: Choose to Believe! Doubt your Doubts before you Doubt your Faith! Don't chase shadows! Stay on the Old Ship Zion! Haha there's no where else to go. The truth is in Christ and His restored Church.

Sunday was a day of tears and love and pictures with the members. I sure feel so blessed to have dear family in Kansas.

I guess now is the time for sappiness, the reason for my lack of sleep in the past week... I don't have much to say. Well, no, I have a lot to say, just not the words to say it. I guess I can only express my deep and eternal gratitude to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, for seeing fit in their love and mercy to call me on a mission. Every spiritual experience and every trial has been the greatest of miracles. I have come to love the doctrine of Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have felt the reality of the Son of God and His infinite Atonement and also the reality of the adversary and his temptations.

This is His truth. I will forever be grateful for the permanent conversion that has taken place within my heart. I will serve Christ always. "My discipleship is settled!"

Well, I love you all :) thank you for joining me on this trip down the yellow brick road!!

Many hugs and kisses! See you soon!

Con todo mi coraz√≥n y mi amor,

Hermana Shumway