So we went in........

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey Mom and everyone else!!  How are you doing today? That's nice how you guys had the missionaries over.   Life has been good over here.  Our week was busy sometimes and then it wasn't busy sometimes, but it was mostly good.  Recently we have been tracting in an area called Pakala, which we haven't really tracted in the past because were not supposed to go in there I guess?   As we are driving into the area there are like signs that say that you will be prosecuted by law if you come in.  So we went in.... and no one even cared!!   They have those kinda signs all over Hawaii because they don't want the tourist to visit those areas.   Its really dirty down there and most of the houses are really friggen old.   Not much there, but dirt roads and old plantation cottages they call them.  The land there is owned by a two families and they used to grow a lot of sugar cane in Kekaha and stuff. Kekaha has a really old mill that they used for the sugar cane.  Kekaha was originally a camp where the people who lived there worked in the sugar cane fields.  So Pakala is just one of those old camp places that hasn't been owned by a hurricane or something.   There's a lots of Filipinos that live there. We talked to the crazy guy over there named "R".   We come up to his gate and we usually yell something towards the house if there is a gate.   We yell and a kid answers the door.   Then he gets his Grandpa.   He sees us and my first impression was that he was Santa Claus or something.  He tells us to come over to his porch and that hes gonna get a shirt on then talk to us.   Man this guys was pretty nice but he was also pretty crazy.   He liked to swear a lot at the government.   He told us how he got drunk one day and fell in this bush by his house and then he takes us on a tour to show us the indention in the bush where we fell over drunk and slept.   He told us that he wanted to go to every single church on the island before he is dead.   He went to this Hawaiian church.   This church is actually right next to where we live and they sing loud during sacrament meeting on Sunday nights. They also have band practice on Tuesday nights and they sing and stuff again on Thursday nights. They can sing pretty loud.   Anyway, but "R" said that he went to that church and some lady told him that he was going to be a prophet.  He was sure crazy, but he's actually pretty nice too.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said, "Yea I'll read this book but I'm not gonna change!"  

I think our most busy day was Wednesday.  We had like 7 lessons that day it was pretty nice.  Our investigator Kam'lin is super nice.  She's getting baptized soon.  

We went hiking this morning, I think it was called the Kukui trail.  I thought it was gonna be a short hike, but man it was long.  My body is hurt.  Yea saw some goats and we were trying to find a wild pig!   I think that where doing a slip and slide today too. 

It has been really kinda cloudy over here lately.  The ocean is pretty close to our house so we get to see the waves everyday and the waves were getting really huge!  Some people were surfing on them and stuff.   I think someone told us that they were getting like 40 ft high.

Mom, I'll try to sent the pants soon. I sometimes struggle to make time for stuff like that.  Yeah the year mark is nice, but I really actually haven't even been counting that much how long I've been out.  Just trying to keep focused.  The camel is pretty nice too.  

I don't have that much time man. So I included pictures of a fish I caught, a dirt road in Pakala and one of us hiking.  I love you guys and I hope you guys have a good week!!

Love, Elder Shoemaker

Busy Missionaries

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey whats up everyone! This week has been pretty dang good, it was so busy that its kinda hard to remember everything that happened this week.  I think I went on exchanges, yea I think so....with Elder Temahuki, that was pretty good.  We have found a good amount of new investigators this week.   This one kid named "Z", who is getting baptized on the 22 of February. We're also teaching one of Kaimana and Pakis cousins, her name is Kam'lin.   She's getting baptized on the 8 of February.   We are also working with a girl named "K".  She's set to be baptized on the 16 of February but she still has a long way.   She lives with her boyfriend and she smokes, so we are working on those things with her.   The other day we found Jared, Jassy and J-cey.   Jared is 11 years old and Jassy and J-cey are 15 year old twins.  They want to be baptized, but the parents are kinda being difficult about it. 

We are going fishing again today so that should be fun.   That's about it!  

I have to go cya and love you guys.

Elder Shoemaker

Four Boys....Four Baptisms

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey hows it going Mom and Dad and everyone else? Its going pretty good over here, ya.  We had a baptism for FOUR boys.  Kaimana, Alapaki, Logan, and Kamalu.  It was last Saturday and it was pretty crazy and wonderful at the same time.

I had the oportunity to baptize Kamalu and Paki.................And oh man, Kamalu's full name is Kamalu J Titus Pomaikai Kauhanehooikaika Aana-Kaohi.  The other was easier, Alapak Kahakai Kade Turalde.  But man it was kinda a mouthful!!!   I was able to get it right the first time though.  It was pretty cool and pretty sweet.  All the kids are cousins and part of the "K" family.   Most of their parents are less active members of the church.   Now Kaimana and Alapakis' Mom has decided to come to church more for the kids, so that's awesome.    Kamalu's Mom has really opened up too.   I feel that this could really help the families.  Their cousin who also came to the baptism said she wanted to be baptized and we are teaching her this Wednesday.   We also just got told from our dinner last night that they have another cousin who wants to come to church and stuffs so we're gonna stop by there.   We're also working this girl named Kimi.   We knock on her door and a guy answers it and we're like 'crap', law of chastity and word of wisdom problems -- check!!   However he's actually a pretty nice guy and they both really want to learn more about the church.   It's very busy.

Okay, well this computer is gonna turn off soon so I have to go but, I love you guys and all that!

cya later .....

Luvs, Elder Shoemaker

 

Ringing in the New Year in Kekaha -- Happy Birthday Elder Shoemaker!

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey hows it going?  Sorry that I wasn't able to write you last week.  Some things transpired. I sent you those pictures then the computer was being stupid so I wasn't able to send the message.  Then our keys got stolen; our car keys, our keys to the church, our key to our house.  They were stolen at the post office!  ohhh man dat sucked!  We had to get our car towed because we didn't want the person to come and steal it, so we walked the entire next day and biked the other days. We just barely got the spare key today.   They had to send it in the mail from Honolulu.

Yes, we did have a baptism last Saturday, the "S" family.  Everything surprisingly went very well. We also have a plan for 4 more kids to get baptized this next Saturday.  So that picture of that brown house is where we usually teach the kids.

 New Years Eve was actually pretty crazy!!!!   There was fireworks going off everywhere, like big aerials and some bombs and stuff.   A lot of people over here like to make like a big line of fire crackers and and put them all up and down the electricity lines and fire them off and man those are so loud! Just boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom for like 10 minutes straight. There was a dance party just down from where we live at one of our investigators homes. When your driving down the street you just hear a lot of popping sounds from all the pop-its that are all over the ground. Then this guys truck caught on fire! His truck was leaking gas and a firework got underneath and the truck caught fire! We talked to the guy and he said the truck would still run. Man it was pretty crazy, the people over here go all out.

Truck on Fire!

Elder Vaitaki also got a bit of an owie.  He had to go to the ER and they had to lance and drain the thing! For his limited English words I think he said it was in his gooch area!

The temperatures have been really nice here. Winter time is a good time to be in Hawaii, because its actually relatively pretty cool. This morning we walked to Brother Karrattis home and helped them calk their walls so as to prepare there house to be painted.  That was actually quite fun and also received breakfast and lunch.

I gotta go!  Love you all, Elder Shoemaker

Elder Vaitaki and I at the church with one of our investigators

Teaching children by the Waimea River just like Jesus (LOVE THIS!!!)

A lot of people go all out with Christmas Lights

Us on the Christmas float for the town parade

Biking it!

Biking through Waimea Valley.

Another biking picture through Waimea Valley

Cake and Stuff for my birthday at the Wright's

Oh man and this is some pictures of me on the "R's" family little bike that  they have.  Man I couldn't resist!!   He has a really big nice Harley too. We were just walking down through Kekaha and really Kekaha isn't that big of a town.  We got to talking and stuff and he asked if I wanted to try I just had too. It was fun man.

New Pictures and Facetime Chat

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

We did not receive a letter from Elder Shoemaker this week (the Mom is trying to be patient), however we did receive a few new pictures to share with you.  Looks as though Elder Shoemaker and Elder Vaitaki had a family baptism this week!  Exciting.  Wonderful to see your son involved with bringing a family together for the eternities.

We enjoyed a nice hour Facetime chat with Elder Shoemaker on Christmas Day.  For Mother's day we were only allowed a phone call, but with a change in mission president we were able to Facetime for Christmas.  Elder Shoemaker kept us smiling with his stories and shenanigans.  Truly the best gift a family could receive!  Technology is such a blessing when used for good....

I LOVE it here in Kekaha

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey Parents and Family! Sorry that I didn't email you last week, I felt pretty bad that I didn't. That p-day was kinda busy as we drove all the way to the other side of the mountain to hike a trail called Hankapiai.  It was pretty crazy.  We were hiking right along the Napali coast line and when we got done we were really tired.  I then had to drive all the way back home.  When we got back it was pretty late, then Bishop Akita invited us over for dinner so we spent pretty much of the rest of the day over there.  When we got back I was even more tired so I just went to sleep. 

However, the past couple weeks have been pretty crazy.  The Santiago's are getting baptized on the 28th of this month, so that's pretty exciting!!!!   "R" has committed himself to stop drinking all that dakine, so that's GOOD! We have also a committed a little girl by the name of Pohakea for the 18th of January.  Also the Schmidt's to be baptized on the 29th of this month too..... hopefully it will all work out!!   Were also working with this girl named Kimi who we found tracting, she's really nice. And the Watson family who we are currently working with and a older lady named Annie.  We've been really busy, so things are moving along better then they were before!!

There will be a Christmas parade this Saturday in Waimea and the Kekaha ward is doing a float.  It will be centered around missionary work and we are actually going to march in the parade and hand out pass along cards, along with the other missionary's on the island.  It should be super fun. We did get word from President Warner he said that this Christmas we would be able to Facetime or Skype with our families. So just letting you know!!  Super cool.  ...... and yes I did get the Christmas boxes and all the stuffs.  Just picked them from the post office today. .....and no I haven't been able to see the new Temple movie yet, there is no temple on this island.  I think there is about 60-70 thousand people that live on Kauai, so there would need to be more people for them to build a temple or something like that.  They pretty much have the same Christmas traditions that they have back home as I haven't seen much difference, maybe I will as the Christmas season goes on.  Saturday night and Sunday morning there was a big storm with lots of thunderings and lightnings...it was pretty loud.    Because of the storm a lot of things were getting flooded and all that, so a lot of people got called into work on Sunday because the ox was in the mire. So there wasn't  a whole lot of people at church this Sunday. The tree in our back yard is now side ways.

I love you guys thanks your for all that you do for me!  I love it here in Kekaha....

Elder Shoemaker

Beautiful hike!

One of my Zone Leaders

Hiking....

Elder Vaitaki and me!

Elder Vaitaki

Our Christmas Tree...

My Zone Leader

Tender Hearted Missionary

Area: Kekaha, Kaua'i
Companion: Elder Vaitaki

Hey Mom and Dad?! Hows it going? Great! This week was pretty good, there some highs there were some lows.   Ok so lets see if I can remember what I did this last week. I forgot my journal, so gonna have to wing it. This week has been kinda slow, every single appointment that we had fell through and so because of that our numbers kinda sucked. Sometimes its hard for me to know what to do at that point, because its a pretty quiet town and our area isn't that big really. Most of the visits that we had pretty much ended with nobody home or them not really that interested. People don't take us seriously when we go tracting so really tracting is pretty much useless here. I've been thinking a lot lately about how to work hard but not just work hard but to work effectively. For some reason (which I hate) there isnt an obvious answer. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed, because everything is on my shoulders as my companion is brand new and some times is a little insecure about speaking the language everything falls on me. Also being a District Leader adds a lot of additional responsibilities that fall on me. Elder Vaitaki sometimes asks "ok so what are we gonna do next?" most of the time and I'm thinking in my head 'I dunno'. ......But because we have to do something we go out and try, most of the time it ends in failure.  I feel Elder Vaitaki might be getting a little restless because nothing is happening, but he's really a good guy.  I love him, he's a very humble hard working guy.  I think I did feel some discouragement this previous week.

For Thanksgiving we watched the sunrise as a zone in Kapaa, then played football with Kapaa 2nd Ward in Anahola.  We then played volleyball with the zone, Elder Vaitaki is pretty good at volleyball, and even though he never played football before he did very well because of his rugby skills. Elder Vaitaki is pretty built. Then after that we kinda chilled and we had dinner later that night with the Lewis'.   I cant tell you how much I love their family.  They are so generous in all that they do.  Brother Lewis jokes around a lot and I know he loves us.  The dinner was a little emotional for Sister Lewis, because they have a son out on a mission right now as well. She kept on saying how excited she was to have us over for thanksgiving dinner.  She's a pretty funny lady, but I know that she meant it. It really was a lot of fun being over at their home and talking with them and joking around with them. Then afterward it was my idea to go around the table and say what we were thankful for. When it came around to Sister Lewis she actually started to cry.  She told us how she was thankful for us doing what where doing and how much she loved us. It really meant a lot to me what she said, I'm actually crying a little bit right now just writing about it. She gave me the biggest hug that I've gotten in a long time right before we left along with all of the Thanksgiving left overs. It really meant a lot to me.

The next day we had DLTM (District Leader Training Meeting). Its where all the Zone Leaders and the District Leader and the sister trainer council together.  There are only 3 District Leaders in this zone, so its just me, Elder Cornum, Sister Curtis and the Zone Leaders Elder Temahuki and Elder Mendoza. We're trying to get 14 baptisms this month in the Kaua'i area.  The theme is "Kauai Vaa Koa" so we're trying and Elder Temahuki is a very driven individual. He's crazy and funny at the same time and also probably one the best missionary's in the entire mission right now.  DLTM also got a little intense because we kinda go over how every area is going right now and I told them how we were kinda struggling now. He kinda new that I was struggling a little. I've known Elder Temahuki for a while now. He was my Zone Leader on Maui and we had gone on some exchanges together, so I know exactly the kinda of person he is. He told me that cares about me and that he loved me in the middle of DLTM and he also gave me a hug afterward.....but that's not that special in this mission we don't really shake hands we just hug....cuz were family man!!!!

Oh yea Saturday night there was a big storm!  It had been raining on and off all that day, but at about midnight I wake up and its a friggen torrential downpour and there was thunder and lightening!!!!  It was friggen crazy.   

Friday night we committed Renwicka and his family again to being baptized either late December or early January.   Sunday we went to church and everything was good, then sister Lewis tells us to come over and he gives elder Vaitaki a new camera.   It was pretty cool.   Elder Vaitaki had said how he didn't have a camera at dinner time so she went and got one for him.  Oh man I love Sister Lewis she's like my mom!!

Pday we went fishing in the morning.  We borrowed some poles from the Acoba family and we went fishing. I caught like 5 fish and Elder Vaitaki caught 4 or something like that, pretty fun.   The whole Zone went with us as well.   Afterwards we went to Lihue and played volleyball and then dakined the rest of the day.

..........And, yes I LOVED the Box!  it was very nice! I liked all the Christmas cheer.  I really liked the J-crew mix (music his brother Joshua sent him) maybe I'll have to get the next one of those albums when they come out?   We do have a Christmas tree.   A member had bought the previous Elders a pretty nice one. And yes I think Elder Vaitaki would love it if you sent him a Christmas present or two as well.   His birthday is on the 16th of this month too.  I think he might like some ties? Maybe a new scripture case as he just lost his other one and really anything else you think he might like....really, I'm sure he'd love it.

Well I kinda have to go. I love you guys!!   Have a good week!

Love Elder Shoemaker