Back in Tennessee!

 Sorry for missing yet another week, but here we go on a mother double weekly! 

 

Saying goodbye to all the wonderful people in Brevard was so sad but they are in good hands! Transfer day was very bitter sweet but I got to see a lot of my old companions and met a lot of new missionaries as well! My new companion is Sister Isaacson and she is the sweetest!! She has only been on her mission for three months but she is already an amazing teacher and I am so excited to be working with her. We actually live in a house with another companionship and all four of us are constantly laughing out seems like. I love it! The last two weeks with them have been so busy and have flown by!! 

 

This area has quite a few recent converts that we have been working with and I love them all so much! Hearing their testimonies and hearing about how much they have changed and improved their lives through the Atonement of Jesus Christ brings me so much joy and hope for this world! I love being on the front lines of the Lord's work!!! 

 

We have also met a couple of really wonderful friends to teach and we are more than excited to be working with! The Lord has been blessing us so much and I am ever so grateful for the people and experiences that fill my life right now. 

 

I love you all! And I love the Lord!

-Sister Shumway 

 

P.s. we made a balloon Christmas tree because #poor

And our friend Joe that we met like three weeks ago got baptized!!!!! 

But Wait! There's More...

 Last week was so good and I knew I should have written a weekly for it, but I never got around to it. So brace yourselves for this 2-in-one weekly email!!! 

 

We had interviews with President Graham last last Thursday. They were a little bit different because President Graham had SO much going on this transfer and 240 missionaries to interview that he just didn't have the time to travel all around the mission, so interviews were on zoom! That's better than not having them at all - technology is such a blessing!! At first I thought it wasn't going to be as good, but I was quickly corrected. I am so grateful for my mission President. He knows me much better than I had been giving him credit for. I kind of assumed I'd be lost in the crowd (240 missionaries is a LOT). But he knew exactly what to say to me and I feel loved, understood, and valued by him. He is an amazing mission President!! I know that every missionary probably says this, but in my case it's actually true: I HAVE THE BEST MISSION PRESIDENT IN THE WORLD! 

 

How amazing is our prophet??? I think he is pretty fantastic. His message to the world was literally a life changing experience to me. I learned so much! From his actual message to the experiences of applying myself 100% to his challenge. It was the first time in my life that I got to hear a prophet of God pray. I learned something critical (to me at least). Do you realize that the prophet prays the SAME way you and I do? He communicates with God in just as simple of a way as we do. God loves all of us, from the prophet to the homeless guy outside of Walmart, we all get to communicate with Him through prayer. I have found so much joy this week as I've focused on gratitude and been flooded by all the other grateful people on social media. I LOVE IT!!!! 

 

This video posted by President Nelson also led to a huge miracle!! Sister Foster and I had just sent a friend request to a guy on Facebook, we will call him Joe. Sister Foster had shared President Nelson's message to her page and Joe watched it and took the challenge and even shared the video to his own page! (And this was all before we had really started a conversation with him!). And then he messaged US asking US if we could teach him about the church!!!!! Ummm YES! We met him the very next day and taught him the message of the restoration and I can honestly say that I have never met someone SO prepared to receive and embrace the restored gospel! He came to church on Sunday and after the service we taught him God's plan of Happiness and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was so excited about it all and so eager to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost that he wanted to be baptized that afternoon! Unfortunately, he actually doesn't live full-time in Brevard, he just "happened" to be in town on some business the week we reached out. God is in the details!!! So we connected him with the missionaries down in Georgia where he does live, and they have continued to teach him and now he is going to be baptized on December 5th! My heart is so happy at how much joy he has found in the past two weeks. He has a LOT on his plate right now, but he told us that he is happiest he's ever been because he now knows the purpose of his life. We love Joe!!!!!!

 

Sister Foster and I also had a plethora of service opportunities this week! (I am grateful for the person who came up with the word plethora. It means a lot). On Thanksgiving we got to volunteer at the local soup kitchen and help feed all the families in need of a hot meal. It was by far my happiest and most exhausting Thanksgiving!! There were about 5 other service projects that popped up throughout this weekend last and we have been SO happy helping meet people's needs. We even got members involved in helping and Sister Foster and make it on the front page of the newspaper!! Hahaha. I absolutely love serving people. It makes me happier than I know how to describe. 

 

We also had transfer calls this week!! With 4 weeks left on my mission, I figured they would leave me here in Brevard, but no!!! I'm going back to Tennessee! Go Vols!!!! I will be serving in the Poplar Creek ward and I am SO excited because there are two sets of sisters living in that apartment and I have been in great need of more socializing. IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!!! 

 

I love this mission SO much you guys!!! It is the most wonderful thing that's happened to me. I love North Carolina, I love Tennessee, I love my mission President, I love you all, but most importantly, I LOVE THE LORD!!!! 

 

-Sister Shumway

Clean Cars and New Friends

 Hey hey hey hey!!!! I hope y'all had as marvelous of a week as I did! We met a bunch of new friends this week and even reached out to some old ones again. (One of them had blocked us on Facebook, so we just wrote him a snail mail letter instead). I know that the Lord loves these people because I sure do!!! 

 

We also had zone conference this week! Zone conference is always fantabulisticly marvelous. And Sister Foster and I once again earned a free jar of nutella for having one of the two cleanest cars (weird flex but okay). But on a more spiritual note, I learned some pretty amazing things at zone conference. I had this realization (more like revelation) that I have been carried through the past couple of months. There have been challenges and obstacles that normally would be causing me so much turbulence, but looking back at it all, I realized/the Lord showed me that He had strengthened me, even that I could not feel the burdens upon my back. Like the people in Mosiah 24!! I also connected this miracle with your prayers. Thank you for praying for me and for every missionary out there! It does make a difference and I felt it this week. My testimony of prayer has strengthened tremendously from this experience. I know that if your prayers are making a significant difference in my life, then my prayers will also make a significant difference in the lives of the people we love and teach. 

 

I know that the Lord loves His children! I know that God wants His children back and I'm doing everything I can to help Him!! 

 

I love you all, I love this work, (and as much as I wanted to be on that space shuttle this weekend, I would not want to be doing any other work than the one I'm doing now, there is nothing greater!!) I love the Lord!

 

-Sister Shumway 

Our pretty church building

Muscles

 I had a lot of strength training in the past two weeks. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even though there were uncomfy moments, I know I came out stronger (even if I can't quite tell yet). I'll start with the physical ones 'cause they're the funniest. 

 

We get to serve at a local food pantry/soup kitchen once a week and last week we were given the task of getting the lid off of a 5-gallon bucket of oats. Now this bucket was military-status bunker food storage and it was indestructible. Sister Foster and I wrestled with it for literally 20 min before we FINALLY managed to get the lid off. The funniest part is, for the next three days my HAND muscles were SORE. I DIDNT KNOW HAND MUSCLES COULD GET SORE!!! Who knew?! 

 

Just about the time my hand muscles were recovering from last week's trauma, Sister Foster and I decided to utilize the can of bear meat that one of our friends gave us after bear hunting a couple weeks ago. Well, it turns out our friend is WAY stronger than us and screwed the lid onto the jar so incredibly tight that we could NOT get it to budge! But we are not quitters. So we tried everything. Rags for better grip, tapping (or smacking) the ring with utensils, hot water, etc. It just wouldn't budge. It wasn't until a little bit later when I was waiting for the red (almost purple) half-circle mark in my palm to fade that I noticed I had given myself a BLISTER from trying to unscrew a can of bear meat!! What the heck?!?! Eventually we did manage to get the water hot enough and wait long enough for the lid to loosen, but BOY was it a process. (For those of you wondering, bear meat just tastes like beef. I couldn't tell a difference). 

 

The next experience from this week strengthened my patience. And you're gonna need patience to read this next paragraph, cause it's gonna take a sec. At 3:00 in the morning last Wednesday, I woke up to an obnoxiously high-pitched beeping noise. My first thought was the CO alarm, but after listening again I only heard two beeps, not four. But there was no way I was going back to sleep with it chirping like that every minute or so, so I went to investigate. After checking the two OTHER alarm systems on the wall, I found the culprit: a box-thing plugged into an outlet in the kitchen. I had noticed this little box before because some previous missionaries had left a stickie note on it that read "do NOT unplug this unless you plan on destroying it" so I had never paid it any more attention. Turns out this little CO box only lasts for 7 years before it gives up and needs to be replaced, and we just so happened to be lucky two who were there for it's tragic end. After looking a little closer (and losing some of my hearing in the process) I discovered a catch 22. In order to get the beeping to stop, you have to take out the batteries, BUT the battery compartment-thing was not only screwed shut, but it was also only accessible by unplugging the box from the wall. So what happens when you unplug it from the wall? It doesn't beep anymore. Instead, it SCREAMS ONE PAINFULLY LOUD AND OBNOXIOUSLY HIGH PITCHED SCREECH. I literally sat there on the kitchen floor at 3:00 in the morning glaring at this thing for a good 20 minutes. Finally, I resorted to a temporary fix until morning when my thinking skills were less asleep. I wrapped the box in about 4 layers of packing tape and added two rags to top it off. Less shrill, but still loud. Unnecessarily long story-short, in the morning our landlord brought us a new one and we figured out how to get the batteries out of the old one to shut it up. I learned how to be patient with things that aren't in my control (or at least things that are taking me a really long time to figure out how to handle). 

 

I don't have the time or space to write all of the little spiritual learning moments I had this week, but I want to make sure y'all know how much I LOVE being a missionary!!! My heart has been bursting this week with gratitude and love for my Heavenly Father and this gospel. The way people's faces light up when you tell them that Jesus Christ visited people in ancient America and that they recorded it! The direction and confidence that people find in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! The happiness and JOY that gets magnified in people's lives when they start living it!! I have firsthand seen each of these examples this week and IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!!!! 

 

I love you all so much! I LOVE the Book of Mormon, I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I love laboring in the Lord's vineyard, and most of all, I love the Lord! 

 

 Sister Shumway

I LOVE to See The Temple!

I don't even know where to start! I am literally SOO blessed!!! In the entire mission, I was the only sister missionary that got to accompany the other missionaries to go through the temple for their first times. Wow. I feel so undeserving of such a miracle!! But I will never ever stop cherishing the memories and moments I got to spend in the temple this week. Because we were on the opposite side of the mission from Nashville, we got to spend TWO nights in the mission home with the Graham family! I LOVED seeing the Grahams in their own family atmosphere as parents and real people, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! 

 

The other sisters we got to go to the temple with are SO kind and energetic and I really needed the social re-charge this week. I know that the Lord knows me and knows exactly what I need even better than I do. 

 

Sunday was pretty sad for us this week. Our friend Jacob was going to be getting baptized, but he had some last-minute doubts and fears and decided he couldn't do it. It was quite heartbreaking. But we have a wonderful and supportive branch who are so understanding and still willing to work with us after all the effort they put into planning and organizing Jacob's baptismal service. 

 

Sometimes the Lord asks us to do things and sacrifice things that we aren't really willing or wanting to. But He knows us. He knows what's best for us. He loves us and everything He does is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I know He lives! I know He loves! I know He is very involved in our lives, whether we know it or not. I love the time I have to serve as a laborer in His vineyard, I love Tennessee and North Carolina, and I love the Lord!!! 

 

-Sister Shumway

The Anticipation is Killing Me!

 This week I saw very clearly the miracle of conversation happening with some of the people we are teaching. I know with my whole being that I am not the one who convinces or converts people to the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost does! It was when our friends were studying on their own when they had some of their most Spiritual experiences. When they took action on what we shared with them and decided to try it for themselves. I cannot describe how happy it makes me feel when they are so excited to tell us about the experiences they had studying the Book of Mormon or how much their testimony grew when they found themselves defending their faith to other people. Bearing a testimony they didn't realize they had! It was such a happy week!!!! I love these people with my entire heart and soul! 

 

We got to soak up the last little bit of warm weather this week before the chill really sets in. I am so grateful for this beautiful planet that God has blessed us so generously with. As much as I want to go to Space, there is breathtaking beauty all around us, sometimes I just have to open my eyes a little bit more to see it. 

 

Okay. This week wasn't super eventful, but NEXT week will be the BEST WEEK OF MAH LIFE  so far. I'm sure there are even better weeks in the future, but ya know, time will tell. Next week will consist of exchanges with the sister training leaders, interviews with President Graham, A MAGNIFICENT TRIP TO THE TEMPLE when we get to spend two nights in the mission home, and a baptism. I LITERALLY CANNOT CONTAIN MYSELF. 

 

So. Stay tuned. 

 

I love the Lord so very much!!!! I hope y'all know that I mean it! 

 

-Sister Shumway 

Life's a filet of fish... uh... yes it is!

 I've had that song stuck in my head all week, probably because life IS a happy song and I do have everything I need right in front of me. 

 

So sorry about not sending an email last week! Our mission has officially entered phase 2 which means we can go into members homes for brief, socially distanced and masked visits, as well as teach in people's home AND gather as districts on P-days again!!! So last Monday was way too much fun to write an email. But now I have 2 whole weeks to catch y'all up on! 

 

I don't normally share a lot about the people we are teaching, (I think it takes waaaaay too much explaining to understand all of their backgrounds and progress, so I usually just skip it) but our friend Chris needs prayers! He was introduced to us by a less active member of the branch because he was not feeling the Spirit at his church and felt that he needed direction in his life. Since then he has gained a beautiful testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and has sacrificed so much to prepare himself for baptism. We are so proud of him and his progress! He is trying to overcome a smoking addiction right now and we would really appreciate it if you kept him in your prayers this week. He has made a lot of progress this past week and just needs one more push to completely quit! 

 

HOW AMAZING WAS CONFERENCE?! Wow. I am so grateful for the living Prophet and Apostles. My favorite quote from conference was from Rebecca M. Craven's talk. She said, "I hope I have changed since yesterday." How amazing is it that change is possible? And even more miraculous: change for the better! Change that brings you CLOSER to God! Change that lasts! We have an indescribable gift from God called the Atonement of Jesus Christ which is the reason change is possible. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to change! Mosiah 3:19 describes just some of the qualities that we should strive to obtain by changing our natural man into a saint through the Atonement of Christ. With a list like that, it's gonna take a while! But God knows that and because He teaches us line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, it will take some time. We must be diligent in changing a little bit every day. I have seen change in myself, it's pretty gradual but it's definitely there. I am eternally thankful for the Atoning sacrifice of my Savior Jesus Christ that has made that change possible. And because I want to continue growing closer to Him, I hope I have changed since yesterday.  

 

On Thursday we went to go visit one of our friends who hasn't been answering our phone calls, and it was actually the first time I've met him in person (lol it's the last week of the transfer! #gratefulfortechnology). He is absolutely hilarious!! He introduced himself to me as "The Reverend Leroy Brown of the church of what's happenin' Brothuh!!" It is so interesting to me that he knows the church is true. He believes it all (he called Porter Rockwell one of his heroes! Never thought I'd be talking about modern-day Samson with an investigator). The only thing that he is letting stop him from uniting with Christ's church is his beer and tobacco. It makes me so sad! But how often do we do that in slightly less obvious ways? We let just that one show or just this one kind of music get in the way of allowing the Spirit to fill our lives more abundantly. The Lord usually asks us to sacrifice the thing we least want to let go. For Abraham it was Isaac. What is the Lord asking you to give up for Him? 

 

We had transfer calls on Saturday! Nothing happened to me and Sister Foster, we both get to stay here in Brevard! 

 

I love this work so very much. I know that it is His work and moves forward no matter what happens to the world. I found a quote that I really love this week: "When God gave you a calling He already factored in your stupidity." He knows us! And STILL trusts us! I love this work, I love you all, and I love the Lord!

 

-Sister Shumway 

The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning

 I didn't think it was possible, but this week was even faster than last!! It's starting to get scary how fast time is flying! We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Conference this week. Both of which are ALWAYS good. 

 

I have been feeling so very blessed this week, but I don't really have any particular stories as to why. We have been finding new people to teach and it seems like we are greeted with another miracle every day. 

 

There was a member family who invited us to have dinner with them at a little lookout they have and I didn't realize how much I missed Summer until I was roasting a hot dog over a fire! The view was breathtaking and I am so extremely grateful for the beautiful earth God has created for us. 

 

Another reason I have felt so especially blessed this week is the knowledge of this gospel that we are SO blessed with. For the perfect Plan of Salvation, for the Restoration of Christ's church with its organization and order that make so much possible, for the scriptures that have helped me come to know my Savior more than anything else could have. Most importantly, for the knowledge I have of who Jesus Christ is and what He did for me. I know He lives!! 

 

I love this life so much! I love you all, and I love the Lord.

 

-Sister Shumway 

The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up

 We had quite the rainstorm this week! On Thursday morning we woke up to the pouring rain. Which isn't totally abnormal for NC, but it didn't let up for hours. It was probably 6:00PM by the time it finally stopped!! Luckily the flooding wasn't too bad for our little Brevard and everyone has found ways to get around the roads that were underwater.

 

We had another surprise on Thursday too! Interviews with President Graham!! We didn't find that out until Wednesday night! Communication in the mission is sub-par, but we get things figured out! As always, President Graham answered a lot of my questions, but this time was especially significant to me. Just the night before I had offered up the desires and questions of my heart, but didn't feel or hear an answer right then. Well, in interviews the very next day, without knowing about this prayer or the questions I'd asked my Heavenly Father, President Graham very directly and specifically answered them. I know my Heavenly Father is aware of me. I know that He answers prayers. I know that He loves me. He is just as aware and has just as much love for each and every on of you as well! If you haven't talked to Him lately, please do! He wants to hear from you!

 

We are seeing miracles around us every day here in Brevard, and the biggest blessing is how busy we've been! We have put in an extra effort to find people to teach and the Lord has blessed us with opportunities! I've met so many new people this week, and I love them all!!!!!!!!! 

 

I absolutely love being a full-time missionary for the Lord. There is nothing like it! I love the work, I love North Carolina, I love these people, and I love all y'all! And I love the Lord! 

 

-Sister Shumway 

Seniors and White Squirrels!

 Hello from North Carolina! As of Wednesday I am now in the absolutely gorgeous state of NC. It is BEAUTIFUL. It reminds me of the Oregon coast with all the fog and evergreens, but it's way more hilly and, believe it or not, the roads are waaay windier. Brevard is amazing and I love Sister Foster. We have been working hard and having fun! The little branch we are in is mostly older people because this is a retirement community, but they are all so funny and so sweet to us. But it also means church is back to zoom. Thank you for technology!

 

The last day in Lebanon was so sad but so busy and we saw a TON of miracles. I know that the Lord is blessing us all the time. I was feeling especially grateful for technology on Tuesday because we taught so many lessons, and if it weren't for Facebook or zoom, none of them would have been able to happen, even without this whole social distancing thing! 

 

One of our friends here in Brevard that we are teaching is Chris. He is so wonderful and working towards baptism! The only setback is his smoking addiction. On Sunday Chris joined us at a member's home for zoom church and the sacrament, and afterwards received a priesthood blessing to help him with his determination to quit. The Spirit was so strong as we heard such a unique a beautiful promise to Chris from His Heavenly Father. I know that the Priesthood is real!! It has blessed my life in more ways than I could ever imagine. I am GRATEFUL!! 

 

My heart goes out to my little valley back in Oregon. I want you all to know that my heart has been poured out in prayers for each and every one of those families and individuals who lost their homes. The fire has devastated so much and from the video I saw, those streets that I know so well looked so strange and foreign to me. But my sadness has been overwhelmed by the gratitude I feel for this gospel and for the church's organization that will help us all get back on our feet and for the miracles that saved so many people from physical harm. I know that Heavenly Father was with you all for every single moment. I know that He loves you!! We had the opportunity to listen to a face to face with Elder Rasband yesterday and he asked a question that has really stuck with me. I would like to ask all of you the same question, especially in this moment that seems so devastating. Why do you choose to stay?

 

Take this question however you need to right now. But I've been able to apply it to a few different areas of my life. I choose to stay out here on the mission because I have found joy in the gospel and I want to share it! I choose to stay close to the Lord because I have found the peace and love that the world cannot offer through Him. I choose to stay a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I know that it is the Lord's church. We are led by the Lord himself through a living Prophet on the earth today. I wouldn't trade the world for that. 

 

I love you all and I will continue to pray for the Rogue valley!! I love Tennessee, I love North Carolina, I love this gospel and I love the Lord. 

 

-Sister Shumway 

SO Much Just Happened!

 We have had so many good lessons this week I don't even know where to start! For the sake of time I will just tell you about a referral we received from the Nashville missionaries: the Elders who are serving over there had been "phone tracting" (calling local numbers from the phone book to find new people to teach) and they called this lady named Gina. Gina normally never answers numbers she doesn't recognize, but she answered when the Elders called and as soon as they introduced themselves she knew that God had sent them to her! She lives in our area so the Elders gave us her number and address and we went over to see her! As we talked she shared some concerns and sadness she has been experiencing with the loss of one of her children. Her son had not been making good choices in his life and he was walking down a dark and sinful path when he passed away. As any missionaries would, Sister Pelky and I began teaching her about the Spirit World and how much opportunity our loving Heavenly Father gives us to repent and return to Him! Through her tears she told us that she had never believed in a God who would condemn so many of His children to a fiery hell to burn for eternity. I felt the Spirit testifying to me that the Plan of Salvation that I have been learning since I was a baby is REAL. God loves us! He wants His children back!! And He has given us the scriptures, temples, our families, and a living prophet on the earth today to help us get back!!! There is so much hope in this life and it is ALL because of the Savior Jesus Christ! 

 

In other news, we had transfer calls on Saturday!!! This Tuesday the TKM will be welcoming 41 new missionaries, and only 4 of them are sisters. With all the Sisters going home, there aren't enough of us to keep all the sister areas open!! Soo Both sister Pelky and I are leaving this beloved Lebanon and being replaced with not one, but TWO sets of Elders, because clearly, they are going to have a hard time keeping up with us! 

 

IM GOING TO NORTH CAROLINA!!!! I will be in the country's largest retirement community: Brevard! Brevard is also famous for their white squirrels. 

 

I really love you all, and I really really love the Lord. 

 

-Sister Shumway

Frank the Turtle

 Hello my wonderful family and friends! This week was a good one! I cannot believe how fast it FLEW by...... I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it's Monday already. 

 

We had a sad moment this week when one of the part member families we have been working with told us they were all going to be stepping away from the church. Talk about heartbreak! It is SO important that we all continue to participate in church, especially during this Covid season. We cannot afford to miss the Sacrament, we cannot afford to get careless or lazy with our scripture study, or with our personal prayers, or with our ministering opportunities! We cannot afford to lose the Spirit in our homes. One of my favorite talks has a quote that says "if you are complacent with your covenants, you must be complicit with the consequences." 

 

On the brighter side of the week, the other family we have been working with has been making such amazing progress! The last member of the family to be baptized is going to make that covenant with Heavenly Father this week and we are all so happy for them!

 

We also found a turtle named Frank this week. He's pretty funny! 

 

I love you all so much!!!! I love this work, I love Tennessee, and I love the Lord!

 

-Sister Shumway 

Rollercoasters are Usually Fun

 Hey y'all! 

 

This week felt like a bunch of ups and downs, but that's okay. A little bit exhausting, but okay. 

 

I don't have much to say, soooooo sorry it's so short!

 

I will say that this area has been one of growth! I have recognized changes happening and they are much more than just surface level changes. I've been thinking a lot about a quote from Elder Oaks that says "In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to learn something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something." 

 

I love you all!! And I love the Lord! 

 

-Sister Shumway 

We are trying to get better at taking pictures so here is a picture of us making lunch!

We're Gonna be Famous!

 Zone conference was so good!!! As always, every single training was an answer to my prayers and questions  One of the most interesting things that President Graham shared with us was the mission's statistics for the past year. In early February there was a significant spike in the number of people being found to teach and then in late February there is a HUGE drop (President Graham called it the Covid Cliff). The learning curve was quite literal as we learned how to use Facebook. BUT as of right now, we are finding JUST AS MANY people to teach through Facebook as we were in January when we were tracting. All of that learning in 5 short months!! That's really quick in the grand scheme of things! The other amazing thing that the average trend for baptisms in the mission HAS NOT CHANGED. At all! Even during the Covid Cliff! People did not let it stop them from making covenants with the Lord. There were several things I learned from this. 

1. The Lord led us to His children who could be found through tracting while we were still tracting because He knew we were going to be switching tactics soon.

 

2. There are so many ways to find people to teach!!! Not just tracting or street contacting or social media or member referrals or self referrals, the opportunities for people to hear about the gospel are endless! 

 

3. NOTHING can stop the Lord's work from progressing.

 

4. He is in control!!! 

 

Okay! Miracle time! Our friend Casey, who has come to church 3 weeks in a row now, keeps missing all the appointments we make with him during the week, so we thought he was sort of ignoring us. But then he told us he has been working his 12 hour shifts (2pm-2am) for 20 DAYS STRAIGHT.  And he STILL comes to church!! We honestly don't even know how he is still alive. The sacrifices he is making are astounding! We moved his baptismal date up to August 30th!! He has taught me so much about faith and sacrifice. I know that the Lord will bless him abundantly for the steps he's taken and sacrifices he's made to come unto Christ. 

 

Okay, the reason we are gonna be famous is because the Stake public affairs coordinator interviewed us and wrote an article for the newspaper. . . So not really that famous. But a little bit! 

 

On Sunday morning Sister Pelky and I decided to go to an early morning service at the Church of Christ right down the road! It was really different but really fun.

 

I love the experiences I am having SO MUCH! Every day teaches me so much!! I know that this is the Lord's work. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church! I know that the Book of Mormon is true!! I know my Savior lives. 

 

I love you all! I love Tennessee and I love the Lord!!!

-Sister Shumway 

Keep it Up!

 The Sister Training leaders came and visited us this week! It's always fun to work with another set of missionaries for a few hours. I always learn so much from the different ideas and suggestions they have.  

 

Our miracle friend from last week came to church again yesterday!!! He is making such a sacrifice to come because he works a 12 hour shift from 2 pm to 2 am AMD STILL COMES TO CHURCH AT 10!!!!!! He is teaching me about sacrifice and how worth it the gospel will always be! He's quitting coffee this week so keep him in your prayers. 

 

Tomorrow is zone conference and it always comes around at the most perfect time. I've been trying really hard to keep pushing myself. The thing I am most afraid of for the last few months of my mission is growing complacent and not continuing to grow. I have cherished the changes that I've seen happen in and around me! I want to keep seeing them! So I am excited for zone conference to learn how I can best accomplish all that I need to. 

 

I love you all! I love Tennessee! And I love the Lord  

-Sister Shumway

This week was so much fun!! It was so sad to say goodbye to Sister Allen on Wednesday, but I also got to see so many past companions at transfers.

 

My new companion, Sister Pelky, is so much fun!!! She was originally assigned to the Belgium Netherlands mission and was in the first group of missionaries that did online MTC. She was released for two months, and then re-set apart and THEN came to the TKM. I'm 2nd half training her (which was a surprise to me because they didn't mention that part in the transfer call) and she Speaks Dutch!! So technically she's Zuster Pelky! I had her teach me how to pray in Dutch and let me tell you, Dutch is hard!!! 

 

Here's a miracle for the week: We found a guy on Facebook like two weeks ago and he was super open to the message! We taught him the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he'd come to church! And then he missed church and stopped responding to our messages. We hadn't heard from him in a week and he wasn't responding to anything we sent him. . . . But then on Sunday morning we get a message from him that said: "I'll be at church today." He came and our members were SO good and provided such a strong testimony meeting and all tried to introduce themselves to him afterwards. This ward is so good! After church we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and invited him to be baptized. . . . HE SAID YES!!! 

 

I love fast Sundays. The miracles and blessing and abundance of Spirit are REAL! 

 

I love you all so much!! But I probably love the Lord more. . . . 

-Sister Shumway 

Sister Shumway and Zuster Pelky

These bumper stickers are very common in the South, apparently even on dump trucks!

In the Blink of an Eye

And just like that another transfer is coming to a close. We had transfer calls on Saturday evening and I will be staying in Lebanon, but losing my most sweetest Sister Allen.

 

In other news, we also had interviews this week! Now that I've had a chance to sit down one on one with President Graham, I am all the more eager to tell you all how amazing he is going to be for this mission! I am SO excited for the miracles and growth that are going to be bursting at the seams of these next 5 months!!  

 

I don't really have any stories from this week, but here's a picture of the most beautiful sunset!!! 

 

I love you all! I love Tennessee! And I love the Lord!

 

Love,Sister Shumway

Lots of New People!

We met so many amazing people this week!! I am amazed at the spiritual drive that still exists in the world. I know that the news of the world right now is pretty hopeless and depressing (lol and I don't even see the actual news), but I am here to tell you that there are still miracles happening! 

 

We got to teach a young woman who is only a junior in high school but has recognized that she needs to be closer to God. She is facing the obstacle of unsupportive and un-approving parents as she learns about the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Please keep Abigail in your prayers as she faces the decisions that lay ahead.

 

We have also met and taught an amazing couple who turned their lives completely around. Both of them had serious addictions but have been 4 years sober and are now starting a family and looking for God to be a bigger part of their lives! They have made such a huge impact on me in helping me realize that change IS possible. No matter how lost or dark a life may seem, the power of Jesus Christ can turn it around and bring out the Light of Christ that is in every single one of us. Randi, the wife, was even able to make it to church yesterday!! 

 

I love these people SO much!!! Tennessee has really truly stolen my heart. I don't have too much more to write about, but I do want you all to know how much I treasure the knowledge I am so blessed to have. I know that the Savior lives. I know my Heavenly Father loves me. I know that He has created a perfect plan of HAPPINESS for us. I know that the church that Jesus Christ established is once again on the earth. I know that we are led by a prophet of God! How amazing is that?! I know that we can have hope because of the Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

I love you all! I love Tennessee. I love wearing this nametag every day, but more importantly: I LOVE THE LORD 

 

-Sister Shumway 

Caterpillars, Fireworks, and Zone Conference

Sorry I didn't write last week! But now you get an email with two whole weeks worth of missionary miracles  

Last week we saw a pretty amazing miracle. We started a conversation with a lady who told us she was actually looking for a church to attend and wanted to learn more about what we believed! She asked if we could meet up somewhere and told us she lived in the Hartman Plantation apartment complex. . . . . . . Which is where WE live! Of our entire area, she lives in our same apartment complex!! Now, the complex is huge. There are probably 250-300 units, but this lady messaged us a few minutes after we told her we were living there too and asked, "Do y'all have a picture of Jesus taped to your door?" Turns out that not only is she living in the same apartment complex, but she lives EXACTLY ACROSS from us!!!!!!!!! The miracle part of this story is that even if we were allowed to tract, our apartment complex is extremely anti-anyone going door to door. So if it hadn't been for Facebook finding, this lady would not have been found! We were able to share the message of the restoration and give her a copy of the Book of Mormon, both of which she drank in and was planning on coming to church this Sunday! 

The fourth of July was pretty fun! It felt like it lasted the whole week. People were setting off fireworks pretty much non-stop from the 2nd and didn't stop until after the 5^th. I am so grateful to live in such a wonderful country. 3 Nephi 21:4 says, "For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel." I am so grateful for the freedoms in this country that God has preserved so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored in its fullness! I cannot even begin to imagine my life without the gospel. 

This Wednesday was zone conference!!!! And we finally got to meet the Grahams!! They are both so amazing and funny! You can just feel the outpour of love that they have for the mission already. The conference was amazing (as always), I learned a lot about unity and consecration. One of my favorite take-aways from one of the trainings was "Never doubt that your contribution matters!" and it reminded me of a talk given in April 2017 by Elder Holland, "Songs Sung and Unsung." He can definitely express the principle better than I can so please go give that talk another read!  

Another miracle we saw this week happened when the Sister Training Leaders came by on Thursday and helped us figure out how to take our finding efforts to the next level in effectiveness. We have been having great conversations with people over facebook messenger, but have been having the hardest time setting up appointments when we could call and teach them more. But after the sister training leaders helped us, we've been able to set up an average of three appointments each day! We know that as we get to actually talk and testify to these people, the Spirit will be all the more powerful.

There were 16 baptisms in the mission just THIS week!!! There is no greater testimony that the Lord's work does not stop!!!! 

I love this work, I know the church is true! I love being a missionary, I love you all, and I LOVE THE LORD!!! 

-Sister Shumway