Because I'm HAPPY!

Lots of laughs this week! Lots of tears too, but more importantly: lots of laughs!!!

This wasn’t the most eventful of weeks, the work is going pretty slow. This is a difficult season for a tourist area because all of the locals who work with the tourists (which is just about everyone) are on vacation now that all the tourists are finally gone. 

We met two deaf people this week! I wished I'd had Chloe, Ethan, Olivia, or Aunt Stacy, anyone who could've signed for us!!!! But it was great experience trying to communicate with each other.  

We had interviews with President Pickett on Friday :D He told me that sometimes the work is going to be slow. It could be that Heavenly Father is trying to teach me how to fine-tune my ability to work by faith. There is a talk that all of the missionaries love called the Riccardi Letter that tells the story of the world's hardest working missionary, and the work was even slow for him sometimes too. I'll be honest with y'all, it has been frustrating and sad. But you gotta love agency. 

Our wonderful District leader, Elder Sowby gave the perfect training on Friday about finding joy in the work. I have no doubt that the reason I am happier now than I have ever been before is because I am serving the Lord. There is no other reason that being 2500 miles away from home and everybody I know would make me so happy.

It's also no coincidence that my Book of Mormon reading this week has been all of the "happiness chapters" in Alma :) If you ever want to know how to be happy, just read Alma 26-29. 

Miracles do happen!! We came home on Saturday night to the most wonderful package from the most wonderful Gramma Bear!!! There's nothing better to boost your spirits than Gluten free pretzels and the sweetest letter from Gramma Bear! 

I love the Lord, I love my mission, I love the scriptures, and I love all y'all!!

Sister Shumway

P.S.! The new Book of Mormon videos are out, and 10/10 would recommend watching!!!! And not just because Nephi is beautiful, they are super powerful and literally bring the scriptures to life!!! 

I found Jojo's street! (I miss her!)

The most beautiful clouds I've ever seen!

It's beginning to look a lot like Autumn!

Guys, I LOVE My Mission!

This week started out pretty slow. It just seemed like no one we talked to was interested or cared about the message and testimonies we have to share. Luckily, Wednesday was Zone Conference! And there's nothing more motivating than a pep-talk from President Pickett!! 

His overall message to us was to keep our expectations high and distractions low. I think it was so important for me to realize that distractions don’t have to be evil to be effective. I also loved one of the trainings we had about pushing ourselves to be better. We might be doing good, but there's always room for us to be doing better. "If good enough isn't your best, then only your best should be good enough."

So with our spiritual boost, we pushed forward, and miracles happened! 

We got a text from the Zone leaders on Thursday asking about a lady that they used to teach and who had moved into our area a few months ago. We looked up her record, and the previous missionaries hadn't been able to find her because the address was written wrong in area book. Sister Rackley and I spent almost 20 minutes looking at any and every street in Pigeon Forge that could possibly be the intended address. We finally found a promising address, and when we got there, it was a street that we had felt prompted to tract about a week ago, but didn't because the area was a little sketchy and there wasn't anywhere to safely/legally park the car. When we got to the door, no one was home BUT in the window, she had a Book of Mormon pass along card facing out! We are so grateful for the Lord's guidance so far and we can’t wait to finally meet Robin! We know that Heavenly Father has great things in store for her and won't let the silly mistakes that us 19-year-old missionaries make get in the way. ;) 

Sister Rackley caught a pretty bad cold on Saturday, but she was determined to keep working, and I am amazed at how strong and willing to work for the Lord she is! It is amazing to see how the Lord blesses you for your efforts because we found another woman who was fascinated by the fact that God has called a prophet to lead His children today. We taught the whole restoration on her doorstep and she drank it in! We invited her to watch General Conference with us and she said she wouldn't miss it!

In church yesterday we learned a lot about personal conversion. It reminded me of a thought that Sister Hansen shared with our MTC district: "You can't invite others to come unto Christ unless you're already there." 

I used to worry about being able to love the Lord. I knew what He had done for me, and I knew that He loved me, but love is a strong emotion and it doesn't just happen because you know some facts about a someone you have never personally seen or heard or met. I knew that I should love my Savior, but I just didn't understand how. It scared me. But I have learned so much. I want the world to know that I love my Savior Jesus Christ with all my heart. 

1 Nephi 11:17, 22-23

Alma 26:16

Sorry this email was so long!! But let's end on a fun note:

Why did all the Lamanites have sore legs?

-Because of all the knee fights!!! 

Sorry. I love all y'all!!

Sister Shumway 

While we were tracting, a guy gave us each a baby aloe vera plant!

I love my companion!

Beautiful Tennessee sunset

BYU vs UT

Not the most eventful week. . . . But still good!

This past weekend, BYU came out to play against UT, and there were about 375 people in church! More than half of them were just visiting for the game! That's great, right? Sure! Except when you're the one playing organ this Sunday because Sister Carriere is out of town!!!  Needless to say, music was a little rough on Sunday, but we survived. 

We did a lot of tracting and met some wonderful people who are excited to learn more about the gospel. 

I have learned a big lesson from Sister Rackley this week. We were out tracting after P-day last Monday, and I wasn't feeling right. It's not like I was feeling sick or anything, just unsettled. I knew something was off. I kept pushing it off as my own unwillingness to be out there tracting after talking with my family and I was determined to push through. Sister Rackley stopped and had the courage to tell me she wasn’t feeling right about the street we were on either. I really admire how in tune and confident she is with the promptings she receives from the Spirit. We decided to pray about another location and found two new people who were interested in learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ! I know that as we receive promptings and warnings from the Spirit, we have to have the courage to both acknowledge them and act on them.

I have never been more aware of the joy, love, peace, comfort that the presence of the Holy Ghost brings to my life. I want everyone to know that I know my Heavenly Father loves me. I know that I am exactly where I need to be at this time, and I would not want to be anywhere else or trade the experiences I am having for anything else in the world. 

I love my Savior, I love the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I love Tennessee, I love my companion, and I love you all!

Sister Shumway

My wonderful companion!

Shrackumwayley!

Transfer week! It was kind of super crazy and has felt like it was a month long. But we made it!!!! I loved getting to see all the sisters I came out with, but to be honest, the best part was probably seeing all the new missionaries and realizing that I have one whole transfer under my belt! Ha! Only 12 more to go!  

I LOVE Sister Rackley! I mean, it's only been a grand total of four days, but they have been a good four days. She is so funny, great at drawing/painting/doodling, and has a beautiful singing voice! In fact, we sort of accidentally and impulsively volunteered ourselves as a musical number for Zone Conference next week, and have been regretting it since haha! We even came up with our own companionship name: Shrackumwayley!!!!!!! It is going to be a wonderful transfer, I can already tell.

In each of the lessons we have taught the Spirit has been so strong. I can’t wait for everything she has to teach me  

We got to teach the most wonderful couple this week. They have been prepared by the Lord to hear the gospel at this exact time in their lives. It has been a miracle and a blessing. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but sometimes His ways are pretty darn clear. The father of this young family actually grew up in Palmyra New York! In Joseph Smith's home town! Whaaaaaaaat? One of his high school buddies was a member of the church and set a wonderful example for him as he was growing up. Now they have been trying to find a good church for their family, and have been seeking guidance from Heavenly Father to go where He wants them to go. So he called his old high school buddy who told him to call us! We have been blown away at how much faith they have and how well they recognize what the Lord is telling them. We taught them about the restoration and left them with a copy of the Book of Mormon. The lesson was probably one the most powerful and Spirit led lessons I've ever experienced. I love the Holy Ghost and I cannot believe how empty my spirit had been before leaving home. The Spirit really does fill the holes your heart that you didn’t even realize were there. 

On a less happy note, one of the people we have been teaching left his Book of Mormon on the porch with a note saying he no longer wanted to meet with us. It broke my heart because I know how the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses lives because of how much it has blessed mine. I honestly have no idea where I would be without it. Sister Rackley says we just need put him back in the Lord's area book. 

I love my mission, I love the people here in Sevier county, I love my Savior and His gospel, I love the plan of salvation that He has for us, and I love the joy and peace from receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost that even if life is hard, I am where I need to be, and doing what Heavenly Father wants me to do. 

I want to remind y'all that this is a life of progression and NOT of perfection!

I love yuns and I'll see y'all next week!

Sister Shumway :)