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

Sunrise on top of Haleakala

Area:  Pukalani, Maui
Companion:  Elder Niemann 

Hey hows it going? That's good! I was able to get my license stuff all worked out I think. I still needed 2 documents that stated my residency in Utah so I sent all of the stuff back to you guys. I think that should work shouldn't it? I hope so, cuz its annoying not being able to drive.

This week we had the interview with "K" to get baptized, he's solid and will definitely be baptized. He was even talking about quitting his job as a bartender which is good. haha.

 Its a little hard for me as well to hear the news about Jake. That's really no good.

 ummmm..... I don't have my cord with me so I cant really send any pictures today, so sorry.

We went up to watch the sunrise on top of Haleakala again. We had to wake up at like 2:40am to get there in time. It wasn't as cold this time on top of Haleakala, I had like two jackets on and sweats and jeans and my blanket.

We had a cottage meeting up at the Pulehu chapel, the one that we live at. So that was pretty good.

We are gonna play sand volleyball at Kihei later today as a Zone so that should be good.

And yes Grandma I did get the package, those little sticky guys are hanging by strings right by where I study.

We went on exchanges this week, I went with Elder Temuhuki. He's a big Tahitian guy, So that was pretty sick.

 Just weighed my self and I actually lost weight so that's always good.

O ya and officially missionaries can now email anyone they want pretty much, so I could email my friends now. But I'm not really sure if I would have that much time to do that.

Ah heck I'm trying to think of things that I need to type. I think i kinda miss reading books, and my bed, but whatever.

I really hope everyone in the family is doing ok, its really sad that Jake passed away.

 I hope the Easter box thingy is super cool, I haven't read anyone else's emails in a while.

My tans going pretty good, I got a pretty good watch tan going on my wrist. Next week for P-day were going to Hana, so they say that I might not be able to email, but we will see, because the road there takes a little while like you might know.

Its also pretty sad that Blue passed away too.

We have Zone conference this week on Wednesday. I wish that I had more profound things to say but really I don't got much. So yea, I pretty much gotta go.

Love you guys
Elder Shoemaker

Sleeping under the stars!!

Area:  Pukalani, Maui
Companion:  Elder Niemann

Today's email was a little different!!  We ended up emailing each other back and forth, so it was a little bit more like a chat session. 

 Elder Shoemaker:  Hey hows it going, ok I'm pretty sure I need my social security stuff and my birth certificate and like 2 things that state my residency in Utah if I want to get the document notarized. I'm also pretty sure that I'm gaining weight. It kinda sucks, but you really cant choose what your eating every night because your always eating at a members house every night and they usually go all out for the missionaries.

Elder Shoe's Mom:  Are you still on the computer? 

I will email the Mission Office and let's see if we can't get this thing resolved.  It will work out okay honey. No worries.  The pictures you are sending are sure amazing!!!  We love the one with you on the rock and the ocean splashing!!!


Elder Shoemaker:  We went on another hike this morning to some more waterfalls.  It was pretty cool, we had to climb down the roots of some trees to get to some places.

Elder Shoe's Mom:  Are there any parts on the paperwork that you don't know and need me to tell you why your on the computer?   The pictures are sure amazing Tanner!!  As far as the food thing goes, just try your best to eat in moderation.  Eat slowly and take your time so that they can't continue to feed you more if you eat fast!!  Just keep active, you'll be alright.  

Elder Shoemaker: Then we drove around and chilled on some sweet rocks that sent the water shooting up. we had to wait forever to get those cool shots with the water shooting up behind me, but it was worth it. I'm no longer one of the newest missionaries either.  Yeah, Im kinda a little stressed about the whole drivers license thingy, they wont let it be notarized unless I have those things. O man I'm also kinda stressed about getting fat if you haven't noticed yet.

Soooooooo ELDER SHOEMAKER right here!!!!

Elder Shoe's Mom:  Yes, I've noticed both things!!!!  OK, let me contact the mission office and let's see what needs to happen.  Did  you try to go in and get it notarized?   They told you, you need your birth certificate and SS#?  Would any other ID work?   Let's see what the mission office says.  Don't worry so much about the weight thing, try to let it go bud....cuz it will disrupt your missionary work.  Just pray for STRENGTH....so that you can let it go and keep focused.  Like I said before eat in moderation, eat slowly....We sure love you!  Kinda fun to chat with you real time!

Elder Shoemaker: Doreen's baptism is getting pushed back to the 13th of April.  I think its so her family can be there, but Kalei is getting baptized still on the 30th and they are both rock solid.  I got the paperwork thing all figured out I think, but I also think that I need my license number also so kinda don't know what to do with that. Just to let you know I really like all the emails {his missionary friends and cousins} that your sending me in the mail just keep them coming if you want.

Elder Shoe's Mom:  HEY...lucky day!!  I have your driver license number!!!  Dad's going to send you a little note while I look it up.  

Elder Shoe's Dad chimes in:  Hiya, Buddy.  Don't stress too much about the eating thing.  I gained a few pounds when I went to Georgia.  When you are at a dinner, just take small portions, eat slowly, and it's okay to say "no thank you - I'm full".  Allow your brain to realize your tummy is full by eating slower.  Maybe start some basic exercise daily too.  That's where I started some good exercise habits in my mission.  

 Love, Dad!

Elder Shoemaker: I only have like 15 minutes though and sending all these pictures slows me down. And my brain is kinda in a thousand places at once right now. They told me that I needed a state I.D. or something.  Things are going pretty OK here. It's not even hard to budget our money I have like a boatload left over every month.  Elder Niemann and I slept outside like last week. haha. Behind the chapel it was nice, except the freakin cat was annoying. {meow}

Elder Shoe's Mom:   Here is your DL # {insert blah blah blah}.  Here is the plan.  I'm going to email the Mission Home and see if they can't help you directly.  If we still come up against a wall, then I'll mail the documentation that you need.  It's very frustrating I know, but there has to be a way to do this without having a DL!  So sorry for the mess.......just be strong and it will work out.   Have faith. Hey what about the USB thing?  Answer that question for me.  Music, talks and stuff that you want me to send?  Good job on the money!!!  That's awesome.  We sure love you!!!    Love the pictures too.  I'll be sending and Easter box soon.  HUGS --xoxoxoxo MOM

Elder Shoemaker: About the USB some cars you can just plug it straight into it but not ours. Just send it to me in like MP3 or something then ill just put it on the ipod shuffle i think that should work. I have short time I cant think what I should say. Umm I guess I love you. Ya that work.

 

Maui Zone!!

Maui Zone -- end of transfer picture