Feb 1

This week the snow has melted quite a bit. It's still everywhere
though. I hope everybody heard that the Philly temple dates are out. I
was so excited when I found out. It's amazing to think that by the
time the temple is dedicated I will have been out for over a year. The
temple will be such a blessing to this area. Hopefully I'll be serving
in Philly when it's dedicated, I think that would be sweet.

This week has been good and bad. On Wednesday I got to go on exchange
with Elder Andrus. He is the companion of the district leader. Elder
Andrus kind of sticks out like a sore thumb because he is six feet
eight inches tall. He is super tall, he towers over everybody. He is
super chill and such a hard working missionary. While we were on
exchange we were walking around talking to a lot of people and we come
across this porch and the roof of this porch has fallen down because
of all the snow on it. We found this couple who's names are Jason and
Nancy. They are awesome and said that they had been thinking about
coming to church. They told us that not even a minute before they were
talking about it and then we find them. Coincidence? I don't think so.
They have had a really hard life and we want to try and make it better
by sharing the gospel to them.

We also found another man this week who's name is Larry. He is a
little slower than most people because he explained to us that in the
past he's had a lot of seizures. So he is a little slow at talking and
doesn't really understand a lot so we have been taking it pretty slow
with him. But he has a good heart and wants to follow God.

The Gonzales family who I said were super solid and want to get
baptized told us that they don't agree with the plan of salvation and
said they are going back to the Pentecostal church and don't want us
to come over again. That was super frustrating and confusing cause in
the previous lesson I sure felt the spirit and if I feel the spirit it
has to be ten times more powerful to them cause they aren't usually
feeling the spirit. But what do we do? We had to respect their agency.
But we were talking afterwards and thought that the reason for
teaching them was to find Angela who is more prepared. We haven't seen
her yet since last Sunday. She works a lot, hopefully we can get in
touch with her.

On Sunday we were planning on having about seven investigators come to
church and we were really excited about that. We even got rides for
them, unfortunately most of them got really sick, Jason and Nancy
daughter is going to have a baby that day and it was a pretty big
emergency cause the baby had its umbilical wrapped around it neck a
few times. I'd like to ask if you would pray for them, from what I've
told you about them I haven't even given you a little bit of what they
are going through. They have a really hard life.

One good thing that happened was that we taught the most lessons that
we've ever taught in any week that Elder Selby and I have been
together. I'm trying to make this the best time Reading cause I've got
a bad feeling that I'm going to be transferred soon. I don't want to
be though, I want to say. But I will go where the Lord wants me to go.

Oh and I also spoke in church on Sunday. So did Elder Selby and our
ward Mission leader Brother Bruchez. We also sang as a trio, we sang
the hymn because I have been given much and we all spoke on missionary
work. That was kind of an easy topic. I think we did pretty good cause
we got a lot of compliments from it.

Anyways hope everybody is safe and having fun. The church is true,
Jesus Christ lives, and the temple is coming!!!

Love Elder Shumway

Yeah I did that fast. We now have wifi in our house, that's why I sent
it super fast. Ah man, I kind of liked him. Dan tony might work. They
do need better players though. Is there anymore Morris brothers drama
going on? Yeah that's pretty bad losing to the sixers. That linger
longer is a really good idea I think. I guess your still at 2:00
church still. Elder Selby and I are going on a diet starting today so
I can lose some weight. Wow Emily Sorrell is going on a mission?
That's awesome. That's the mission where all the sisters in my
district went. Yep very big football game next week. I wish the
cardinals were in it though. I hope the Broncos win too. I'd like to
see Peyton retire after this season too. Glad to hear work is going
good. People are still not keeping commitments for the most part. But
we do have a few good things that have happened. Satan is really
working hard out here, but we are going to work even harder.

Love Elder Shumway

Hey Carson. Sorry not much happened this week. Good job focusing on
grades, those are pretty important. Keep working on that math grade.
I'm pretty confident you'll get on varsity too. Just do the best you
can. I don't know if trace is going to make it. Let me know how that
goes. I am having a great time, hope your having a great time too. I
like writing my email.
Love Elder Shumway

Wow that sounds like a lot of fun. I remember going to one of those.
Was it really loud? What are you going to do your science report on?
Sorry it's really annoying and confusing. It was for me too. Have a
great week.

From Elder Shumway

Hey Lila. It did not snow this week. But we are supposed to get more
snow around Valentine's Day. Sorry you got sick, I don't like being
sick. I remember making those sugar cube temples. It was a lot of fun.
That's to bad you didn't get to mow grandpas yard. At Least you got
some oranges and lemons. That linger longer thing sounds like a lot of
fun. This Friday there is a social for the ward, but we aren't allowed
to go because it's also a dance. So that stinks. Hope you have a great
week too. Have fun doing homework.
Love Elder Shumway