New Mission President

Area: Hilo, Keaukaha Area
Companion: Elder Kellogg


How you guys doing?! This week has been pretty good, let me try and remember what happened this week. We now have a new Mission Prez.  I haven't seen him, heard his voice or anything. All of the Zone leaders
are on Oahu right now having a meeting with President and Sister Warner.   All I know is that they are good people from Salt lake City and their probably really rich because you kinda have to be in Hawaii.

Elder Kellogg and I ran in to the Area Seventy for Hawaii yesterday, Elder Auna. I didn't know it but he's our bishop's uncle. He said he was at President and Sister Warner's house just a little while ago and said
that we are good hands.

Uncle JJ, our ward mission leader gave a talk in sacrament and so did Bishop Auna. It was on missionary work.  The ward has had more fire in their veins ever sense this whole month Sacrament was on missionary work and that broadcast thing that was last Sunday night. Bishop went on splits with us the other night he got there late without a white shirt or tie. So I told him he could borrow one of my white shirts and ties he said sure. It was pretty funny because the shirt was way to small for him. But this Bishop is a really good guy. He called our ward mission leader straight out of inactivity. Uncle JJ was inactive until Bishop called him as a ward mission leader.   Now he's a pretty good ward mission leader. He can speak all kind of pigeon.

Elder Kellogg cut his finger open the other day with his knife. We were trying to open the baptismal font and the knife failed on him and closed on his finger. I got a picture of his bloody hand.  I would send it but this computer is too slow.

We have dinner and a lesson with "Chaz" tonight down in a tent next to the ocean so that should be fun, probably get some raw fish. We had a lesson with Alex last night, the plan of salvation. I invited him to
be baptized at the end of the lesson, but he said he would have to think about it. He's been coming to church for like 2 months so I think he will say yes.

Elder Kellogg had a root canal one of these days in the past so that's that.

I was having dinner last night with the Aina's --- rice with beef gravy and all that jazz. They had these knives out to cut the meat and Elder Kellogg likes knives.  So he's like cutco these are pretty sharp knives!! So because I'm me I decide to see how sharp it is and run my thumb down the blade.  I'm like WOW that really is sharp --- as I'm bleeding on their kitchen table. They all just laughed.  It was pretty funny.

So your asking about the change with the media since the missionary broadcast. There hasnt been any changes yet, probably because of the change in Mission President.   President Dalton was just gonna
let President Warner do it.  We don't even actually have texting.

We have a car today because the Zone Leaders are in Oahu, so we get to cruse all day today! It's super nice because it takes a while to bike out into the country where some people live. ......And yes, Grandma I got the box and thank you so much for all the stuff that you sent! It was truly magical.  I really dont know what we will be doing for the 4th of July,  probably watch fireworks over Hilo bay?  I dont friggen know.
So that's really all that I can remember that happened this week. So bye bye.


Love,
Elder Shoemaker

Let's Get To Work

Area: Hilo, Keaukaha Area
Companion: Elder Kellogg

Dear family,
Hows everyone doing? This week went pretty good. I probably won't be sending pictures that much here, because the computers are too slow.  This week I have been battling within my own body. I've been sick,
like with the sore throats and the head aches and the coughs and the stuffy noses, but its all good.

Riding on a bike is pretty fun. There is this one spot that we ride by on our bike called like Harlots Bay and I get to feel the ocean as all the kids jump in. I'm pretty sure Preach My Gospel lies when it says that Sundays or Saturdays are the best days to proselyte, because try places where everyone's at the friggin' beach! Its a lot worse then it was in Pukalani, because we lived a good ways away from the ocean on a mountain. But, here in Keaukaha its right next to the ocean, so they can just walk there. They pretty much live on the beach.

We actually got to teach a lesson inside of a tent next to the ocean. People over here don't know how to keep there clothes on either, O' man.  A lot of the houses over here are pretty old really worn down. 

We were riding our bikes down a really long road with no cars on it looking for a part member family. We find the address and we look down the drive way and its just a jungle road for about awhile. So we just ride down it and we get a little farther and we see that this dude is growing taro and all that stuff.  Then we hear the dogs bark. You need to understand, ever since I got bit by a friggin' rabid pit bull I have been skeptical when it comes to hairy four legged creatures and when five dogs came out of the jungle I was ready to leave. After we had called to see if anybody was home at the shack we rode our bikes out of there.   I dont like dogs.  I was down through Keaukaha and all the sudden a bunch of dogs just charged me I had to lift my legs up off the pedal so that they wouldn't try to bite me.

I finally got to see Mauna Akea.  I seriously haven't been able to see it until just the other day when the clouds cleared up and I could see it.  Elder Kellogg got a picture, but I didnt have my camera.

We have this homeless guy named "E" that likes to come to our pad and use our washer and dryer because they are actually outside of our pad.  That dude is creepy man, he came up and asked if he could sleep inside
of our pad like twice. He likes to sell mushrooms to people at church.  He says it helps him see visions. Next time he comes over I'm calling the cops.

There is this huge coconut tree behind our pad and this guy came over and gave us a bunch of coconuts.  It was awesome. Elder Kellogg has a machete and he knows how to open it, so we had some of that. O' man
fresh coconut is good. Elder Kellogg also likes to burn cockroaches with axe and a lighter. O' yea and  I almost forgot about the papaya. We were just ridding our bikes and we see just a bunch of papaya sitting on top of a rock wall with a sign that says "free fruit".  I've never had it before so I just threw as much as I could into my back pack -- because it was free you know.  My back pack has never been heavier and it tastes
pretty good too.

Bishop Auna told us about this kid named "A" who had been coming to church since May.  He now would like to have visits from the missionaries.  So Elder Kellogg and I taught "A" the Restoration. We havent had someone that solid since I've been here.   He has a really good fellowship from the Mortensen family so he'll
probably be baptized next month if not sooner? {picture of us below}

I like to say 'Howdy' to people as I ride my bike by people. It's funny to get different reactions, because Hawaiians can be a little proud about their heritage and about being Hawaiian.  Most people just shaka back that's always nice, but some people just see that I'm a white person who is saying howdy and they laugh at me or say something anti-mainland to me.  I just think its funny, I dunno -- he ho ha.

Sacrament meeting was good. The topic was missionary work. We had the stake mission leader guy speak, Bro Hubner, and he got really emotional talking about how if we had every member of this ward here we would reach halfway back to the stage. Its true there are a less actives in this ward and part member family's. He was getting pretty emotional and the last thing he said was "lets get to work".   It was one of the best Sacrament meetings I have been to for a while and the way that he just said things was awesome.

President and Sister Dalton leave really soon.  It will be sad to see them leave, but they did a good job. It will be President and Sister Warner soon.

Picture of Elder Kellogg and I when we taught "A" at the Mortensens

 and it was also Elder Kellogg's 20th birthday.

This picture is of Mauna Akea taken from Keaukaha.

I love you guys and have a good one!!

Elder Tanner Shoemaker

Just another day in Paradise

Area: Hilo, Keaukaha Area

Companion: Elder Kellogg

Hey how are you all doing?! Thats good. SO cousins camp was good right? Sorry that I wasnt able to make it, I'm in the middle of the ocean.

You guys were wondering a little bit about Elder Kellog. He's from Alpine Utah and has been out about 10 something months. He was Elder Niemanns MTC companion.

Its pretty humid down here in Hilo and biking doesn't help most of the time. It was zone conference this last Friday, so we had to drive all the way out to Waimea. It's about a hour and a half drive. But its so weird how the climates and scenery changes when your on an island.  Big Island has a lot of country and a lot of crazy people. Waimea is green rolling hills while Hilo is all jungle. The zone conference was good.  We have been practicing the Haka Dance so that we could perform it at zone conference. We were looking pretty scary.

It was President and Sister Dalton's last tour of the island  before they are done with there mission - like at the beginning of next month.  It was pretty good.

We have a very Hawaiian ward and the people here are very down to earth.  People just pretty much live in a tent next to the ocean all summer. I love you guys so much have a good one.

Love Elder Shoemaker

Settling in....

June 10, 2013

Area: Hilo, Keaukaha Area

Companion: Elder Kellogg

Hey hows it going?! So you guys are at cousin camp right now? I'm not completely sure, but whatever. My new adress is 1373 - A Kilauea Ave Hilo Hawaii, 96720.  We live right next to the stake center here and I'm still in a two man pad. President doesnt believe in four man pads. Our pad is pretty nice though, we have a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a room to put our bikes in.

My but is a little sore from the bikes, but its all good!! It will take a little while to get used to the Keaukaha ward because I really liked Pukalani ward, but I know that it will all be alright.

We saw some waterfall, I forgot the name, but there is a picture of it I sent you with me and Elder Kellogg.

Its rains a lot here and we are the only Elders on bikes in the entire zone, because President gives the sisters the cars first and the other elders all have really big country areas where they kinda need a car. It's fun because I get to see Elder Jensen from my MTC district here.  I haven't seen him in a while, but I still miss some of the people in the Maui zone - change is inevitable.  I kinda need to be done soon so I love you guys and thanks Grandma and Grandpa Shoemaker for the the box of stuff it was really gooood!....... and I love you guys a lot.

Elder Shoemaker

Chicken's really do cross the road here......

Such a darling picture.  It belongs in THE FRIEND!  Love the chalk Elder drawings.

Elder Shoemaker showing off his "proper" skills.

Transfer to The BIG ISLAND of Hawaii!

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark 

I already new that I was leaving because Elder Clark is now training. He was not very excited at first haha, and he was also called as the upcountry district leader. He says "Why couldn't they just let me die in peace?"

Well I got a plane ticket to O'ahu, and the other day they called me and told me that I have a connecting flight, so I will now be serving over on Big Island in the Keaukaha Area, Hilo Zone.  My new companion's name is Elder Kellogg.  I don't know a dang thing about the guy but I will soon I guess. I'm in a biking area though!!  haha!

Elder Shoemaker is transferring from Maui to The Big Island of Hawaii

He will be serving near the city of Hilo

Today for P-day we went out to Kahakuloa again. We had lunch just playing around. Got to look at some of the taro patches that they have up there. So cousins camp is this week or something right? I dunno.

It will be raining a ton where I  am going. Its supposed to rain every day in Hilo. Change will probably be good for me. I am a little nervous but that's ok.

We blessed a few baby's in sacrament.  It was kinda hectic because we didn't know who was going to bless them, but it all worked out in the end. Almost all of the Maui Zone is training next transfer. It's so crazy.

Well that's all I really have time for. So, I love you guys. so yeah.  later.

Elder Shoemaker

This picture depicts me having "the mango fever" as mango season rolls in.

This is Elder Mitton and Elder La who are going home after we sang 'aloha oe' to them. {One of these Elder's is Tanner's Zone leader}

Thats me standing next to the ocean at Kahakuloa village

...a little shindig

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark 

Hey how are all you guys doing? It's weird how cousins camp will be starting soon but I wont be there, but whatever. This week has been pretty good I guess. The people that we are trying to get baptized aren't looking so hot. Everything is just all pretty slow. But its all pretty good. That picture with all the people is when we had dinner up at the Pulehu Chapel, and the Wunders and Kapisi's and Keanini's and Hee's were all there.  It was quite a little shindig. 

Hiked the Waihee ridge trail again this morning.  I really like that hike and at the top we were just up in a cloud. I can't think of much else to say. Makawao had a good baptism, Ikaika got baptized. Sorry, my  brains kinda fried.  I feel like my emails keep on getting smaller and smaller. I love you guys.  Sorry gots to go.

Elder Shoemaker

....A Workin' Missionary

Area: Pukalani
Companion: Elder Clark

hOwDy people. This week has been pretty good, We did a lot of service. We had to help some people dig out some old grass and put in new grass. I was the one manning the pick axe so I got blisters on my hand. I  got so dirty I was pretty much black. Then we had to help our old Bishop with some of his stuff cuz he's moving to Arizona. We had to take out the really heavy table and the couches and the wash and dryer. .......And o' man those were a doozy. We also had to help him to re-roof his house. .......And o' man those roofing tiles are heavy! Especially because we had to take them up ladders to the roof. Then when I was on exchanges in Makawao the other day with Elder Bailey we were cutting cane grass. Cane grass is the devil bro. The dude gives me this old rusty bayonet, Elder Bailey got a cane knife. So we just go at it, they didn't have gloves so my hands were getting all cut up from the cane grass.   The blisters that I had from the pick axe were getting all cut up to so I was a little iron deficient for a little while. Then the other day we worked on the roof some more and that was kinda sketchy.  I was right next to the edge the entire time.

One of the pictures is Pulehu just chillin in a cloud,

 the other one is just a sun set that looked nice

and the other one is the view from the drive down from Haleakala.

I'm on exchanges with Elder King today from Makawao, and we get to go on a Zone exchange also for tomorrow. I'll probably go to Lahaina in the Tongan ward maybe.

Thanks for the video that was pretty cool! ....and good job with the Ogden Marathon Dad! O yea and thanks for the package that you sent me. I liked the CD and the pens and the decoration and the picture. It was pretty nice! That's cool that Landon is life-guarding, it probably feels good to be guarding lives.

Makawao has a baptism this Saturday, they haven't had one for a while so that's cool, His name is Ikaika. O yea and we had President interviews this week and we had an AP with us for a day. President Dalton goes home pretty soon, I'm sure it will be different with a new Mission President.

Its been really kinda cloudy and rainy in upcountry for a little while. I actually think its pretty nice.

The end of the transfer is coming pretty soon, so that means that I probably be going back to Oahu. I think it will be good, because I'll probably be spending most of my mission there, so I should probably start to get to know Oahu and that cities there and stuff. I'm sure I'll be back to Maui for sure.  But thank you guys for everything that you do for me! I Love you guys so much. I'll see you guys when I'm pau hana. {Actual Hawaiian phrase. Means "after work"}

Elder Tanner Shoemaker