Wingin' it by the Spirit

Area:  Pukalani, Maui
Companion:  Elder Niemann 

Aloha Family,

Ok, well yesterday was Presidents day so I wasn't able to come to the library, but we were able to find some time today. I don't actually live in Pukalani,  I live in Kula just letting you know - so thats that.

We got to feed some cows when we went up to the Akinakas house the other day it was pretty cool. Their house is up on this steep hill so we had to have four wheel drive so we had to get into Bro. Akinakas car. They got a pretty sweet view from their house. 

We also have a a baptism coming up on this Saturday, her name is Kim, so that's pretty sweet. Elder Niemann will be doing the baptizing and I get to confirm her in church on Sunday. I'm pretty scared but you know, you cant go wrong with a blessing. As a mission we are supposed to be baptizing one person a month as a companionship. Our goal for March is like 200 baptisms, its quite a lot. 

On p-day yesterday me and elder Niemann went to the Iao Needle it was pretty good view, but a little cloudy. Then we also went up and hiked the Waihe'e ridge trail. It was a pretty sweet hike and I got pretty dang muddy, and almost died like 5 times right next to a cliff.  {Mom's reaction-ahhhhhhhhhh!}

We went to go teach the H family the ten commandments the other day, and this family is just crazy off the walls. We went over all of them, then we had the H family translate them all into Pidgen. We also taught the T family whose kids are complete atheist, the little girl thinks that we came from aliens. O yea and there's this one guy from our ward whose name is Lad Akeo, he was football captain for BYU, thought maybe you might have heard of him?  He's my Elders Quorum teacher. We also went where some ancient Hawaiian dudes made human sacrifices, pretty messed up. 

Elder Niemann is a good companion and trainer though, he helps me out with all the stuff I struggle with and all that. Its weird to say, but I have actually been away from home for a whole month plus change. Its hard to really see 23 months into the future, but I know I'm gonna be here for a while.  I'm not very good at really making up stuff on the spot and most of mission work is just wingin' it by the spirit. 

I think I have that letter with my license stuff in it but I haven't open it yet so I haven't done anything with it yet.  And that's so cool that Matt R. is going to Guatemala, Thomas will like that. 

I'm trying to think of more words to say so bare with me.

Its kinda nice living up in Kula because its not to hot like down in the city but not really all that cold. Its only kinda cold in the morning because we don't have heaters and the house we live in has like no insulation. 

I'm still not that best teacher but I am trying, I guess that's why we have a companion to pick up your slack. We have exchanges later tonight, I'm a little nervous about who I'll be with. I seem to wright in my journal a lot, its a good way to relieve stress. 

We also didn't hike to the top of Haleakala we just drove, if we would have hiked we would have had to wake up at like 1am in the morning to see the sunrise. 

O yea and thanks Annie, Jackson and Charlee for all the stuff I really loved and appreciated it! 

Gots to go cya later I guess. 

Elder Shoemaker