Last Letter from the Mission Field

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman

Well Family.... I guess I'll see you guys later!

Elder Shoemaker

Picture was received via text 1/12/15.  Elder Shoemaker was being treated to a good bye dinner by the Kanahele's

Nice Selfie!

 

SEE YA FRIDAY ELDER SHOEMAKER!!

Missionary New Years in Hawaii

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman


Hey hows it going?? So on New Years Day we the whole mission had a picture scavenger hunt we had to take pictures of us doing different kinds of stuff -- like a picture of us doing service a picture of us giving a pass along card to someone while they are in a car, then like a scenic shot with us and the Book of Mormon. It was pretty fun. 

We had dinner that night with the Kanahele's and we played some games. New Years Eve the zone had planned to watch the best two years. So we had already seen it recently, so we just decided to go to dinner with the Swords that night instead. We dropped some of the other elders off at the Avocado building to watch the movie, but they were actually watching Despicable Me 2.  So were like crap!! So we went to dinner we told the Swords we were missing the movie to come to dinner. So we just watched over at their house while we ate dinner it was pretty cool. 

New Years Eve in Hawaii is a lot different then back home, because its pretty cold back home and its not that cold here. So they have tons of fire works here at midnight. There have been loud booms going off like a week prior to New Years anyways.  The cops don't even care about illegal fire works here.

There was a huge wind storm that took down a lot of trees. This tree was in the church parking lot so I had to try and climb on it. Its kinda funny how when a hurricane comes nothing happens, but when a big wind storm comes everything gets owned.

Well that's pretty much all that I can think of right now, but I guess I'm coming home soon, kinda nervous.  I'm not even sure if I want to come home....well I know that I need to, but I have become very comfortable with living over here. It's going to be quite a big change that I don't think that I will be used to at first.  Well there's not that much that I can do about that, so i guess I'll be coming back soon. 

Ok love you guys. 
Cya later

Love Elder Shoemaker

Christmas Caroling.....

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman

Hey whats up people?  So after I called you guys we went caroling at a hospital.  All of the missionaries were invited but only me, Elder Goodman and the Zone Leaders showed up. It was kinda a funny experience as we didn't even know what we were doing so we winged it.  The first guy we sang too we just couldn't stop laughing, because we walked in and started singing and he was totally out cold with his mouth open....and it gave us the giggles for some reason.  Then like and hour later we were singing to this other guy, he tried to stand up but I guess he wasn't supposed to stand up. but we didn't know that and he fell over and hit the back of his head on the wall.  We kinda didn't know what to do, so Elder Wahlberg had to pick him up and put him back on his bed.  We went and got an assistant.  It was a good experience though to go caroling.

So the Kaaiawaawa's finally actually came to church this last Sunday, which was super nice because I've been trying to get them to church for a long time. I texted him and he said that they might come, so that was pretty cool.  We found this new investigator while tracting the other day. Shes Filipino and she lives with a member. Shes been taught before but never baptized, so we will pursue a steady course with that one. 

so ya I love you guys cya later!

Elder Shoemaker

How about a 7am phone call?

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman
So ya... I will probably be calling home around 10 AM or 11 AM Hawaiian time.  So I'm not sure what time that is in Utah (thats like 7-8am yikes...so much for sleeping in for us!) but just to let you know. 

This week was pretty good. We found some new investigators the Lacio family in the M2 ward and the Worley family in the Waipiolani ward. We were just walking back from the Kaaiawaawa family when Mrs.Worley just called us over asking where her church building was.  We told her and we found out her husband was a non-member.  We thaught him Satuday he has some problems with some pride and stuff that I think is holding him back.  Our ward mission leader in the M2 ward set us up to meet with a Lacios and they are a nice family.  The husband is a non-member and kids as well.  Husband has been through some pretty deep stuff.

Church yesterday was really good!!  A lot of singing, actually the entire sacrament was singing and some how me and Elder Goodman got roped into singing with brother Hoopii and sister Simpson.  

But ya that's pretty much it for right now. I'm kinda getting bored of writing every week haha.  I'll be home soon I guess.  

K cya guys later.

love, Elder Shoemaker

A $3,000 Kirby Vacuum

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman
Yes Family.... I did get the Christmas package, it made it all intact, which is pretty nice. I'll be sending the cousin gift soon, I have it in a  box and stuff.  It's not gonna be super extravagant. 

We had a Stake Christmas concert thingy this last Sunday @ 7 pm.  Our ward sang, the missionaries also sang a song. We also had our other wards Christmas party for the Waipiolani ward.  The young men and young women were in charge of the entire thing, it was pretty cool, lots of good food. 

Some guy came over and Kirby vacuumed our house for free! but then after he was trying to sell us a $3,000 dollar vacuum, we aint got time for that!  Our carpet looks better though for sure. 

So ya our week was pretty good. love you guys and ill see ya later!

 

Love Elder Shoemaker

I SWEAR it wasn't swimming....

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman

Hey whats up everyone!??  

This week was pretty fun, some parts were a little tiring.  We have been having splits pretty consistently with our WML (ward mission leader) and all of our Ward missionaries every Tuesday at like 7 pm for a long time now......so thats pretty cool, if you guys want to come you can.  :)

Man, yesterday we were at church pretty much all day. We got there around like 6:30am and then had church until like 3. We only had from 3 to 4 to do anything cuz we had dinner then we had our mission tour @ 6 all the way till 9.  That was pretty cool.

Elder Johnson from the Seventy came down and slapped some ward mission leaders with the missionary work. It was nice.  All the missionaries on the entire island were there with WML's and Bishops. 

We did some pretty hardcore service for this dudes eagle project. I swear it wasn't swimming it was service! We were de-weeding a bunch of ponds up Waimea valley. It was hard work, my back really hurt after that. Still kinda does.

Mililani 2nd ward had there Christmas party this last Saturday, so we attended.  It was pretty fun with a lot of food, but during the party kids got freaked out cuz this guy walked up and was looking really creepy and stuff.  So we had to go and investigate and look in all the rooms make sure those was no guy creepin' around.  We secured the area only to find that he was cruising in his car.  Later we found that same guy was arguing with one of the other ward members cuz I guess he was drunk.   I went a found Brother Gustaves our WML in M2 and he calmed the guy down. It was pretty fun. 

We have been sharing the He Is The Gift video with a lot of our ward member as we go around. We talked forever with the Gaileys, they are Scottish Hawaiian. We talked about family history work for along time. 

Well that's pretty much it! You guys have good life! 

Love Elder Shoemaker

A Turkey Imu

Area: Waipiolani and Mililani Ward, Oahu

Companion: Elder Goodman

Hey hows everyone doing!?

So transfers are this week and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to stay here in Mililani and just cover both areas until I go home.  Should be fun.  

This last Thanksgiving was pretty fun.   We had dinner with the Kings, a Tongan family that is in our ward. We were at the park and the weather was really good. We helped Brother Jackson out a lot this last week with making an Imu ....which is pretty much digging a big whole in the ground and I was the one that had to tear apart the banana tree's.  The Imu pretty much steams the food with all the water in the banana tree and the fire and stuff.  Pretty cool!  The turkey tasted really good, it falls right off of the bone as its steamed and then soaks in all of the juices so its not dry at all.  Really good turkey!  We also watched the best 2 years Thanksgiving night as a zone, pretty fun. 

Imu

 Our new ward mission leader in the Waipio ward has really been a big help for us lately.  There is a senior couple that works in our stake that has been on 10 missions. I thought that was pretty cool. They talked to us this last Sunday and always come to district meeting and stuff.  

Things have been going good though!  I'm so thankful for all that you guys do!  Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for the box you guys sent!

Love Elder Shoemaker