Area: Honolulu, Oahu
Companion: Elder Carter
Hey mom how is it going? So I forgot to tell you that I need new
glasses probably. The old ones broke, I'm not sure if they where the
right prescription any ways because they always hurt my eyes. I
actually slept pretty good last night! After we did FaceTime I decided that I
needed some sleep so I went back took a nap and all that stuff. The Suda's invited us over for dinner that night, so we went back. They
always feed us. If we ever come over they always feed us. They are really kind to us.
Yeah so none of
our investigators came to church. Boo! Which is kinda sad, but I bet it was
pretty nice for them cuz they got to sleep in! 8am church just doesn't work very well for people in Hawaii.
Elder Carter is pretty nice. He has a lot of patience, which is pretty nice. We're are working with a few more investagtors --- the "T" family, two Marshallese girls named Brooke and Nala, a Chuukese/Samoan girl named Shayan, a Chuukese family named the "I"
family, this kid named NJ , this guy named Pumba, and this guy named
Patrick! Got all that?
The "T" family is a really nice family, they have two daughters and a son that has a disability. We are currently teaching one of the daughters and the son. I don't know if the son is really
accountable for any of his decisions..... They did come to church last Sunday but didn't come yesterday. We have a really hard time meeting with them because the Mom only really likes us
teaching the kids only if she is there and she doesn't do a very good
job at coordinating with us when shes open or not. It makes it really
hard. We always call and text her, but sometimes she doesn't pick up
the phone or text back! I just have to realize that it's completely out
of my control. I know that the daughter will eventually be baptized, its just a matter
of time.
We invited Brooke and Nala and their Mom to church this last Sunday but guess what? They didn't show! (8am church?) The Mom said yea we
will be there, but didn't see them. We will just continue to teach them and hope they change. They are
all Marshallese, but speak English pretty well. Sometimes the girls don't wear modest clothes, but again that pretty much out of my control too! That will come with time hopefully.
Shayan is Zashalynns cousin (the girl we just baptized). She's like
11 maybe. Shes pretty nice and always says hi to me. I asked her if she
wanted to be baptized she said yes. Her Mom is less active Chuukese
lady. They live next to the Suda's. She's already been to church like once
before. We need to get the Mom more
involved with the whole process. Once she's on board then all will be good --
I'm pretty sure. The Mom is pretty nice and seems interested. We also invited them to church for last Sunday. They said they
would come, but they didn't come. 8am church? It's a pattern.
The "I" family lives at KPT. The Mom wanted us to come and teach her children. "J" is 9
and "D" is 12. "D" is already baptized, but "J" is not. Sometimes I feel when we teach "J" he's not really listening. This
family is Chuukese as well. We haven't been able to teach them for a
little while because we have to teach with the Mom present, which is fine. I understand that. I try to call
her though and ask if we can come and she tells me tomorrow.....but she wants to me to call again before we come over. Then she just doesn't answer the phone or answer my texts. Then we try to knock on the door and no one answers the door even though we can
hear the tv on inside. They also said that she was going to come to
church but guess what?!.......They didn't! ......but you know its all G. I
know that Heavenly Father loves all of his children.
NJ is pretty nice kid and he lives in a pretty ghetto area called Banister. We found him while we where tracting. He likes video
games and kendama. This guy lives with him and his Mom. We found out that this guy is less active member that was baptized in Samoa, but
when he came to Hawaii he never went to church. We first talked to him
as he was smoking a dooby by the river. The Mom really wanted us to
teach her son NJ and the guy that lives with them liked it too. We invited them to church and
they said that they would come. We even got members that lived right across
the road to give them a ride to church. .......but guess what?! they didn't come to church - not even in the parking lot. But ya know its
all G. we just keep on trying and I know that the plan of salvation is
real and that someday hopefully they will choose the gospel!
Patrick is this Samoan guy that we met while tracting the
other day. He's really cool and nice. He likes basketball and
rugby and is in his mid 20's. He works a lot, so we haven't really had a chance to follow up
with him. Many of his family are members of the church, so we
will see where that goes.
Pumba is also somebody who we met with once before, but haven't really
had a chance to follow up with him. We met him at a less active
family's house. He's around 18 and loves basketball. He's also Samoan. He's a
pretty nice guy. He said that he would us to come and teach him. We are trying to set up a time with him, but he's at point in his life with
graduation and all that end of the school stuff that he's
pretty busy with a lot of things. We will follow up with him.
I bought a board game at savors the other day. It was Stratego
or something like that. Elder Carter and I played once and I won.
I bought Landon a kendama already so I'll see if I can send it in the mail.
So.............ya...................Boyaaaah!
Love Elder Shoemaker
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| FaceTime Chat with Elder Shoemaker for Mother's Day - May 11, 2014 |
