Hey Lila! It's great to hear from you. Lucky you get a break. Here it's seems like we never get a break. I unfortunately never saw the blood moon cause it was really cloudy last night😩. Patriarchal blessings are really awesome and I wish I got mine earlier a cause it would have helped me a lot more through high school. Just have that in the back of your mind if you ever feel like you want to get yours. Everything's going great and it's not cold yet, but next week we have to start wearing sweaters.
Love you Elder Shumway

Dad,

Today is a great day. Some other elders have their washer and dryer broken in their apartment so they have to come to our house and do their laundry. But today our washer broke! So we called our landlord and he said he would just get us a brand new washer and dryer! So we get a new washer and dryertomorrow. And the ones we have now are super old and it's only a matter of time till they brake. So yeah so far it's been a pretty good day.

The pope did draw a huge crowd but it didn't get over here though thank goodness. Thanks for updating me on all the sports back home, we never know how it's going. And I'm the only one who cares in my companionship. Elder Lewis could care less if he knows or not. Good luck with the grass.

Love you Elder Shumway

Mom,

I did receive a package from her. I would love to write her a letter. Can you give me address? This week has been interesting. We've been really busy and a lot has happened. Happy to hear that Sam's party went well and he is now ten years old. Firehouse sounds good right now, but I haven't seen one out here yet. There are also no in-n-outs out here either and that makes me sad. And balloon popping brings back memories. 

That's to bad about sis slade. They need to get her better! That's probably really scary when that happens. It's a good thing that she was able to get her sight back that morning. 

The teaching is going okay. We have some people that when they make an appointment and we confirm it with them earlier and we go and knock on their door and they aren't there, it can be really frustrating. But that lady that we found after we fasted is probably our biggest hope right now. My day is like never ending work and now breaks. Especially this week cause I was on exchanges with the district leader and the zone leader on Tuesday andWednesday. And they like to go hard! Yeah I'm never t feeling super awkward anymore.

1: I would love some more winter stuff like a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie. 

2: My shoes are doing just fine, but I can already feel them wearing down.

3: We mow our yard every other week.

Love you too, Elder Shumway

Hey Carson, thanks for writing. Yeah it's different out here too. School isn't the best, i remember just how you feel. Just keep going.
Love you gotta go
Elder Shumway

Sis Slade,

Greetings from 70 degree as the high in reading, Pennsylvania! It is starting to get colder here, but not insanely cold yet. We have to start wearing sweaters free general conference. The leaves to have pretty fall colors, but they're not changing quite yet. I think in about a month or two they will be. I can't wit for that cause I've never seen it before because Arizona doesn't really have fall.

My mom has been telling me a little bit of what was happening with you. I know that this is a huge trial in your life. I'd like you to watch a video that we have been sharing with people lately in our ward because a lot of our wars is made up of older people with health problems and I think it will help you. It's called mountains to climb by president Henry b eyring. It's a Mormon message no it is really awesome. I hope that can give you some comfort. And I want you to know that I've been praying for you and have been fasting for you as well cause I know how much of a great friend you have been to my mom.

And I do have some pretty awesome parents. They both have great hearts. That's funny that you cursed in front of the bishop. If I was him I would just laugh it off too. Good job on going to the temple. There is not a better place in the world to be. It is the house of the Lord. Keep trying to go again. 

the first couple of weeks can be pretty tough on a missionary. But I'm getting better and we are starting to have success in the mission so I will definitely have some good things to say. Thank you so much for writing me, i really appreciate it.

Elder Shumway

P.S. Who is this Brandon guy?

9-21

This past week went by really fast. I can officially say I've been out for a month. It feels pretty great. I can feel that I'm getting more and more adjusted to being a missionary. 

So yeah I have poison ivy. It's pretty bad. I got it because last Friday and Saturday we had a service project. The project was picking up trash along a road. Now this road isn't like one in Arizona. There's the road but you look on both sides and it's just jungle. And sometimes I would have to go in that jungle and grab some trash and because of that I got poison ivy. And it's so itchy and scratching only makes it worse. But it's healing pretty well and hopefully will be gone in a couple of days. 

This week I had a great experience. On Friday we got a referral, we went and knocked
on the door and no one was home, but we left a card with our number on it. And on Friday night we discussed how we have been struggling finding people. So we fasted on Saturday hoping that something would happen. So nothing happened that day and we were really sad so during planning that night we got a call and it was the referal that we tried to visit the other night. She called and asked for a Book of Mormon and also wanted to know when church was. We told her and the next day at church she was there and we were so excited. So hopefully we can get her to progress. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she had a lot of questions about the church and we have scheduled an appointment with her. So I'm really excited about her. 

I love being a missionary. Even though it's hard and awkward all the time the experiences are amazing and I can feel myself changing. My testimony of the restored gospel has strengthened so much. You really find yourself when you are in the service of others.

Love Elder Shumway

9-21

Dad

Where's my pic of the rat? I would love to see it. This week was pretty interesting. On Friday we got a referral, we went and knocked on the door and no one was home, but we left a card with our number on it. And on Friday night we discussed how we have been struggling finding people. So we fasted on Saturday hoping that something would happen. So nothing happened that day and we were really sad so during planning that night we got a call and it was the referal that we tried to visit the other night. She called and asked for a Book of Mormonand also wanted to know when church was. We told her and the next day at church she was there and we were so excited. So hopefully we can get her to progress. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she had a lot of questions about the church and we have scheduled an appointment with her.
See yaElder Shumway

Hey Aunt Jill,
I am just fine. But I do have a little problem. I am allergic to
poison ivy! Last Saturday and Friday we had a service project with the ward. The project was picking up trash along some roads and these roads aren't like the ones in Gilbert. There is a road and on both sides it just looks like jungle! and we would sometimes have to go in that jungle which is full of poison ivy and grab some trash and I had to do that. so like a couple days later i broke out with these really itchy things and at first I thought they were from bed bugs and I got really scared but it was just poison ivy stuff.

It is cooling dow quite a bit. After general conference is when we have to wear sweaters. Then it will really start getting cold in November. Then it will start snowing!!!! Im getting better with missionary life. I am feeling less stressed, that is probably the best blessing. I am feeling more and more comfortable. Ive learned that missionary work will make you exhausted!! I am always just so tired. My mission president is pretty awesome. I have only been interviewed once by him and that was in the mission home. It was really cool cause
he like already knows who I am because of Skyler. Members are feeding us, but not every meal. My teaching pool has gotten bigger since I've been here. We have a few people we feel are ready to receive the gospel and be baptized. I do need some non missionary shoes cause i never brought shoes to do service in. But ill probably get some at goodwill soon. Yeah I have a really big yard. I had to mow it today.
It's just me and my companion living here.

Thanks for all the support and I will keep smiling. :)
Elder Shumway