Just another day in Paradise

 Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark 

Hey hows it going again? Today, I guess, was just another day in paradise. Drove up to Haleakala, the sunrise kinda sucked this time. You couldn't even see it because we were actually in a cloud and its kinda wet when your inside of a cloud.

Its cool hearing Josh talk and stuff. You should have just sent me the whole video that would have been nice.

Sorry I wasn't able to face time either, but it sounds like everyone is doing good. It was a good Mothers Day over here, had lamb, turkey, pork, and lots of salad.   There was just a lot of food last night. Oh man and they also had guava cheese cake mmmm yummy that was pretty dang good.  I don't really even know if I was able to answer all your questions.  It didn't feel like we had a very long time to talk and stuff.

Ran into a preacher this week who wanted to Bible bash.  Elder Clark and I were like were not here to argue we just want to say a prayer.  The preacher said he would say it and he talked about ripping our hearts out and washing it.  It was pretty weird, but I was able to hold the preachers daughters hand for like 2 minutes because we were all holding hands, so I guess that's a plus!!

Sorry I wasn't able to speak Hawaiian, its a hard language ok. I have a Hawaiian B O M and read the words but i don't understand what its saying. Some people actually pray in Hawaiian and that's pretty cool to listen too.

We had to teach Elders Quorum yesterday because  most of the Elders were teaching in Primary because it was Mothers Day.

Last night at like 8pm, Elder Clark and I had to go back to the church to do some stuff.   I just decided to look at the view last night and watch the clouds eb and flow as they traveled across the sky. It was quite relaxing. Looking down at Kahului from Pukalani at night reminds me of driving out of Sardine Canyon at night time and seeing the lights of Logan as we drove out. I don't know if you understand, but we've got a killer view from up in our area. I think are pad is like 3,000 feet above sea level.   Last night I was sleeping in a cloud literally.  The clouds are different here I think or maybe its just me I dunno.

O yea, I'm also learning how to play the Ukulele.  I figured it was only right as so many people play those things around here. Even some times as a musical number and stuff.

We're teaching Donna and Juliet later today at like 5pm.  We have set up a baptism calendar with them. So if they stay on track they will be baptized sometime next month. So Shoots (they say that a lot over here) I guess I'll see you guys around.

Love, Elder Shoemaker

Keeping Steady

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark 

 

Hey Mommy and Daddy and family how the heck are you guys doing?! Church is at 1:00 PM Hawaiian Time, so plan accordingly for Mother's Day. 

 

This week has been pretty good, we didn't have a whole lot of progress but things are still working out. I got that package with all the clothes in it, it was really sweet. I'm glad that you guys had a good time at that women's conference thingy ma bob. 

 

We got a new Bishopric last Sunday because the current Bishop is moving to Arizona.  So now we got Bishop Keala, and the brother Van Zweeden as first councilor and Brother Birtch second councilor. 

 

We were going to go up and watch the Haleakala sunrise again today but its too rainy and cloudy it would probably garbage up there. 

 

They cut back the amount of miles we can drive, so now the work will be going a lot slower for us, because now we have to be constantly trying to conserve our miles. A lot of times we just park our car and walk where ever we need to go, because we don't got no bikes. 

 

Dad I see people hang gliding and para gliding off of Haleakala so I thought you would be interested in that.

 

I hope that Grandpa starts doing better! 

 

Things have been going good just a little slower, nothing monumental happened this week. Most of our lessons fell through and most of our with dates are not following through, but its still all good! 

 

I can't think of much else to say...... so much Aloha.

 

Elder Tanner Christian Shoemaker

A bit more in charge.....

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark 

Hey how’s everyone doing? Good, I’m glad that everyone is doing okay. This week has been a little bit of a change because now Elder Niemann is way the heck out of here.  So now I'm here with Elder Clark! He’s from the Ogden area and has been out for like 20 months or something. So ya were like on the exact opposite ends of our missions.  Its all good though. 

Yes Grandma I got your letter and I’ll mail it soon.  I hope that Grandpa starts to get better soon. 

Were trying to get someone baptized at the moment. We got 2 kids committed to be baptized, now we just got to get them to church...... and hopefully Karen and Josh too! 

We don’t usually cook over here, maybe for breakfast.  We have dinner at a members house every single night. Lunch we just heat up left overs or eat the food Sister Kaui gives us. 

Things have been a little different because I kinda have to be a bit more in charge now. When before I would just do whatever Elder Niemann would do.  I now have to choose who we visit when we do it and basically everything else.  

 I don’t know if you know it but there’s tons of chickens here on Hawaii. We saw some people cock fighting, everyone does it here.  

Mom, over here they only to phone calls for Mothers Day. 

That’s cool how you all are gonna run some more races. Oh man, sorry I kinda got to go!! I love you all! Sorry for the short email.

Love, Elder Shoemaker 

Maui Zone with President and Sister Dalton - (click to enlarge the picture!)

Staying on Maui!!

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark

Hey, hows it going people!

I decided to just write an email today, instead of doing a recording. Elder Niemann leaves tomorrow to go back to O'ahu, and he has been called as a District Leader. I'm staying here in Pukalani, and my new companions name is Elder Clark . I wont meet him until tomorrow, but the people who do know him said that he was winding down towards the end of his mission. Elder Niemann didn't want to leave Pukalani but it had to happen sooner or later. It'll be weird having a new companion after being with Elder Niemann for like 3 months. I think it will be a good change, because being with the same person for that amount of time isn't healthy, I think.

I heard about what happened at the Boston Marathon. Its really sad. It made me a little upset knowing that Dad worked so hard to get there and then it wasn't a totally good experience for him.

I lost my memory card for my camera so I had to get a new one and start from scratch. So, ya haha it sucks. I have to work on replenishing my waterfall pictures to its last status.

I don't have a lot of time I'm very sorry, we have a lot to do today. Elder Niemann wants to say good-bye to some people.  I'm verrrrry glad that dad is ok!  My heart sank when they called and told me my Dad was alright, because I didn't even know there was anything wrong  at the time.

I love you guys! Thank you for all that you do!

Elder Shoemaker

A Genealogy Connection

Hey hows it going, this email probably wont be as long because I've been trying to do a lot of things at once, now that we can email our friends too. It kinda sucks, but I kinda sorta lost my memory card for my camera so I don't have pictures right now, probably get a new one soon. I have been kinda interested in my family history and all that and what they did. When I look at the Shoemaker side on the family history search website there's nothing there! I kinda want to know where Shoemakers come from, because over here everyone asks where your relatives are from.  A lot of people from here in Hawaii are interested in their ancestry because it plays such a big part of their culture.  That would be nice, I might just like a huge family tree that I can print out or just get in the mail that would be cool.

That's so cool how Dad made the Boston Marathon! Good job Dad!

I don't think I have a lot of time to read your emails, so I just printed them off and will read them at my pleasure then reply accordingly in the future. Everything is good here in Maui! Listen to the recording to hear about Doreen's baptism.

Love Elder Shoemaker

Elder Niemann, Doreen and Elder Shoemaker

Doreen's Baptism ---- WOW Doreen is loved!!!!

Elder Shoemaker and Elder Niemann. Could they be more perfect for each other?   Received two 5 minute voice recordings of Elder Shoemaker and Elder Niemann chit chatting together.  Am I safe to say they are two peas in a pod?

Click on each link to open the file.

Voice Recording #1 April 15, 2013
http://www.mediafire.com/?r2jw7uncbq7i2q2

Voice Recording #2 April 15, 2013
http://www.mediafire.com/?afgd67y24r65t04

Remember to click on the green DOWNLOAD button that looks like this below

Then hit the OK button to open the file.

Ohhhh.....that creative Elder Shoemaker!!!

Area:  Pukalani, Maui
Companion:  Elder Niemann

Elder Shoemaker got really creative this week by sending us mp3 files instead of your typical missionary email. He's pushing "the Mom" technology limits! However, it was so wonderful to hear his voice and to hear his humble missionary heart. I'm working on finding a software program or app that will transcribe his files into the written word.  Technology is a wonderful tool when we use it to bless our lives.

Click on the links below and it will take you to a site called mediafire.com. Click on the green button to listen.  It will look something like this:

 It will bring up the file to open in Windows Media Player (hopefully!!).  Click ok and your own your way.

This worked on my computer, ipad and iphone.  Hopefully it will work for all of you too!!

ENJOY!!

Elder Shoemaker voice recording #1 April-8-2013
http://www.mediafire.com/?cc8cbfbq72aeveu

Elder Shoemaker voice recording #2 April-8-2013
http://www.mediafire.com/?r2jw7uncbq7i2q2

Elder Shoemaker's Companion, Elder Niemann, singing the Hawaiian Missionary song on the ukulele.
http://www.mediafire.com/?cebzy70pme8q9ob

The Road to Hana and a Baptism!!!

Area:  Pukalani, Maui
Companion:  Elder Niemann

Okay, so it's Tuesday April 2nd 2013. Yes it was Kalei's baptism last Saturday. It was pretty cool because we had his father-in-law who is the Kona Temple President confirm him. He's such a cool guy. It was pretty funny because Jack was baptizing him. He threw him right into the water like as hard as he could and because we were afraid that the water wasn't going to be deep enough to hold him so we filled it all the way! When he was baptized water flew everywhere and the font overflowed, but he went all the way under so its all good. Kalei is the one on the right and Jack on the left.

Elder Shoemaker, Kalei, Jack and Elder Niemann

  It was a weird Easter Sunday because the chapel actually had graffiti all over it. A lot of people were mad, I was pretty mad too. All of the stuff had been cover with paper as much as possible. But it was actually a really good Easter Sunday for some reason. The Bishop did a combined the third hour. He used to live in the holy land and studied there. He's super rich just like everyone else in the ward. It was really cool because he knows so much about Jerusalem and all that. 

Then yesterday we went to Hana. Its pretty fricken cool over there!!! We went on a hike where we just hike through the jungle, climbed the roots of trees, saw huge waterfalls, going through bamboo forests where its so dark because all of the bamboo blocks out all the light. Then at the end there was the biggest water fall I've ever seen in my life. It was like 200 feet tall and it was the most awesome looking thing I've seen. I took a picture but I wasn't able to capture the beauty of it all.  It doesn't fit in my camera and the water was pretty cold. Aw man it was big and it was awesome. 

Then after that we went to the ward mission leaders house in Hana. He has a house right next to the ocean with just farm land on it. Its pretty cool over there. 

O ya I got my first gun pulled out on me as I was tracting. We knocked on his door and hes like, "Don't you know this is private property, I could shoot you right now."   But he didn't and he said. "Cuz my fingers are moving right now."  So that was nice. :)   We had dinner with two drunk people consecutively. Oh man super drunk!  He was playing on his uke and singing and all that. The other drunk lady was super drunk -- she was just crazy man. 

Our district leader up here in the Pulehu District has pneumonia, so we have been doing a lot of exchanges because me and Elder Niemann have to basically look over to areas now. Pukalani and Makawao. I did learn that chapel were we stay at is the first Mormon chapel on Hawaii.  There have been Apostles and Prophets that have visited the place. There's a picture of Holland with some missionaries in our pad.

Its been a lot greener here because its been raining a lot more and when it rains here it rains cats and dogs. And it is in no way warm rain like you told me. 

Yeah, thanks for the Easter Box it was most enjoyable. O yah,  the zone conference question. Usually for district meeting we skype Molokai and Lanai but for zone conference we had to fly them to Maui. It was at the new Maui Lani Stake Center, which newer then ours. OK, I got to go, so thank you for all the support everyone --- I love you!!!  cya! 

Elder Shoemaker

Zone Conference - March 2013