Christmas is Coming!

   Christmas is coming up quick! Not too many people are interested during the holidays to even bother with mormon missionaries. But this is the perfect time of year to share our message that is centered on Jesus Christ. My new comp (Elder Fransen) and I have been trying to use catchy phrases to catch people's attentiion, such as: "This message will help bring that Christmas spirit into your home."

   We have also done what we call the down town walk, where we walk the entire two blocks of Elk City's down town area while people are out shopping. We just OYM (Open your Mouth) at everyone and we and hand out Mormon.org cards. It's fun but we've noticed that if we do it for too long, then people walk in and out of stores when we walk by to avoid us on the sidewalk. haha!

          I just found out that our mission is "the belt buckle of the Bible belt."  Apparently it is the hardest mission in the States. President Taylor also told my comp, who is district leader, that our area is the hardest area in the Oklahoma City Mission. And I've been here my whole mission so far! jeez. At least this areoa will make be a better missionary because we have to be humble and have Faith. We plan on getting at least two baptisms by the end of this transfer. 

     We had a cool thing happen this morning! While we were doing comp study, the phone rang and we didn't know who it was. The man on the phone said that he had a son who is 11 years old and was baptized into the Mormon faith when they were living in Hawaii. They have moved to Sayer, OK and it is in our area. The man is not a member but told us that every church he has investigated has always made him realise that the LDS church is the one he knows is true. He gave us his address and number so we set up an appointment to help him quit smoking and baptism may be near! It is awsome!  My comp and I were freaking out after the call. haha!!

Merry Christmas! Luv y'all!

--Elder Shumway

1st Transfer and a New Companion

On Wed I recieved my new comp! I didnt go to transfers in the city. Elder Naisbitt and two other elders in the district shoved all their luggage into our little truck and went to the city leaving me and Elder Yu in Clinton for most of the day. When my new comp and Elder Yu's new comp arrived it was very exciting! My new comp is Elder Fransen. He is from Idaho Falls. He is a district leader as well. He reminds me a little of Alex Harris and we're already good friends. We're having fun.
    Elder Naisbitt went to the Norman first ward, about one mile away from the OU campus. He's excited to serve there, mainly because there are cuter girls in the city to look at. (haha.) His new comp is one that was in my MTC district. If you look at my MTC pics and find the Elder with glasses and a big head (kinda looks like the kid off home alone). His name is Elder Hansen. Elder Naisbitt will learn a lot serving with him. I hope the do well together.
    Elder Fransen is a very good missionary. He's always looking for opportunities to teach anyone and every one. Always.  He is a very fun guy to serve with. I enjoy making him laugh.
  I'm still in Elk City and have tracted out almost the whole town! We're hoping and trying to have two baptisms this month! And maybe one or two next month.
    I want to corrdinate a time where you would like me to call on Christmas. That way it'll be a lot easier to fit it in with plans. I'm sure you know. Well I'm excited for Christmas! I was gently transitioned into a slightly different pattern of life by getting a new comp. After getting used to how Elder Naisbitt and I did things it is a little hard adjusting to someone who likes to do things a little different. But it's all well.

   So through Christmas (hint, hint) and possibly until February I will be at the following address:

220 Ridgecrest Dr #E-59
Elk City OK 73644
    Hope y'all are doin' well. Luv ya!
                    -Elder Shumway

Dear Little Cousins...

Being on a mission is a lot of FUN! It is also hard work. I don't ever get to sleep in or play video games, but that's OK. I get to ride my bicycle every day and that is fun! I also get chased by dogs a lot. The other day a dog almost bit me, but my companion rammed it with his bike tire and we got away.

Oklahoma is as flat as a pancake. If you ever get up high, you can see for miles and miles. Oklahoma is also covered with RED dirt! The people here are very proud of their red dirt.

On Thanksgiving we ate a meal with some members. It felt like a normal Thanksgiving, but there weren't as many people as we have at my house. But last year I was so sick with the flu on Thanksgiving that I didn't eat anything all day. This year it felt great to enjoy a nice turkey dinner.

Our Mission President didn't want us to do any tracting on Thanksgiving so we wouldn't make anyone angry by disrupting their family holiday, so my comp and I bought a Pumpkin pie and some Cool Whip and ate it all Thanksgiving night. YUM!

 I can't wait for Christmas! There is a big park in Elk City that has lights everywhere in it. We drove by it a couple days ago. There are a lot of people that walk through the park and ride on a double decker bus around it. There is also an awesome carasell that people take rides on like the one we rode with Donovan in Seattle.  We're thinking about walking through the park and talking to people and getting some of the free hot chocholate they give out in the park this time of year.

My comp and I are best friends. We're having a great time.

Thanks for your support!

-Elder Shumway

Turkey Week

 I came home from a 24 hr exchange and there were two packages and like five letters for me on my desk! It was awsome! Thank you guys SO, SO much! (I NEVER thought I would ever look forward to mail, but getting something in the mail is AWESOME and can make a missionary happy all week!)

I'm going to try to write back to all of the letter writers, but don't know how many I will be able to actually finish and send by tonight.  Grandma and Grandpa Clark sent me some stuff. They are awesome. I need to write them back.

Missionary work is so unpredictable. We have super awesome and successful weeks, and then we'll have a slow week and every appointment will fall through and we won't teach hardly any lessons. The town we are in is full of people who are literaly always working in the oil fields and we can't meet with women unless another male is there but their husbands are ALWAYS working.  We only have three active priesthood holding members in Elk City who work a lot as well. It can be very, very slow sometimes, but we keep on finding things to do like service and tracting.

Thanks for the pictures, Dad. I miss Oregon and the mountians. It is very flat out here. You can see for miles and miles. The only thing that breaks the horizon are oil towers and windmills. haha.

That is very cool about the BOM reading challenge. I'm in Helaman ch 8. I want to finish it before I start over again. There are some cool study techniques that I want to do next time I read it but I plan on reading the BOM throughout my whole mission.

 I will send a longer e-mail next week. We have stuff to do and are always busy. For thanksgiving we have one dinner appointment, but it isn't even in our area. haha! No one feeds us, but that's ok. I plan on having a lot of mac and cheese.
 anyway... luv y'all
      -Elder Shumway          

BEST WEEK EVER!

 This week was the best week of my mission so far. We taught more lessons than we usually do, and we committed three people to be baptized on Dec 3.  It was an awesome week. Last night we had the most spiritual lesson I've ever had on my mission. It was with a lady who knows that the church is true and has been meeting with the missionaries for two years now. We have been helping her try to overcome her smoking addiction and get baptized but she never wanted to set a date because it stresses her out which makes her want to smoke even more. Her smoking has been getting better and we felt like we should set a baptismal date with her and her 10 year old foster child (who reminds me alot of Jackson, the boy that I baptized).
   We watched Prophet of the Restoration with her because she has been taught every lesson multiple times and we didn't want to be repetitive or annoying. That video is very good at bringing in the spirit. At the end of the video the spirit was thick in the air and it was very quiet. We told Michel, her child, that he was old enough to be baptized and asked him if he would like to do that. He seemed like he had been waiting for us to ask him that question and quickly said yes. We committed him to Dec 3 and then turned to Cheyenne and committed her to that same date. The spirit was raging and she committed without hesitating. It was awesome.  My comp was fighting back tears. It was sweet.
  A good week.
        There was an earthquake two nights ago here. I didn't feel it, but all the other missionaries did. Apparently it was kinda big. Today there is an 80% chance for tornados! I'm excited to see a tornado but the weather doesn't look like there is going to be a tornado. But I did see big lightning storms in the distance last night. Pretty cool.

OKLAHOMA CITY — A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook central Oklahoma late Saturday. What could be the largest temblor in the state's history damaged homes, shook buildings, caused cracks and rattled a college football stadium 50 miles from the epicenter.

Chimneys collapsed through roofs of homes.
Area residents reported glass breaking and items falling from walls.
Several roadways buckled, including Highway 62 and other county roads.

The quake was shallow at 3.1 miles deep and occurred at 10:53 p.m. Central Daylight Time. It was centered about 45 miles east of Oklahoma City. Several smaller aftershocks struck early Sunday.
    

Hark Work!

Oklahoma is as flat as a freakin pancake and so the wind just rages across the plains! If you stand on one of the small hills you can see forever!

My area is dead and I'm in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere called Elk City. Everyone hates us but I don't care what they think. We always get yelled at and it's funny because most people are very uneducated and have a southern accent. One guy told us to go back to Utah ..... (but I'm not from Utah. haha!)

 Me and my comp have a good time. He plays sports and grew up on a huge farm in Utah. He likes to go duck hunting. He is cool. We have had our struggles and we often say to each other,"Guys just arent meant to live together for long periods of time." But we have worked through our issues and we have a good time as we work. Neither of us were transfered so we are with eachother for another six weeks.

Until the next transfer (Thanksgiving) I will be at:
220 Ridgecrest Dr #E-59
Elk City OK 73644

  The work is soo hard here especially in my area. But I'm learning a ton! I'm nowhere near being an awesome missionary yet, but I'm sure that it will come over time.

  

It's pretty awesome knowing that I have been assigned to be a mouthpiece for the Lord and to bring souls unto Christ. It starts with inviting them by helping them recieve the restored gospel through Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the holy ghost and most important, enduring to the end!! Those doctrines are so important. Everyone, even members can apply these principles into their lives. Our mission prez hits very hard on thoes five doctrines and we teach them through the scriptures to members and investigators.

 

I'm heading into the city (Oklahoma City) where I hope to buy myself a winter coat.

I'm working hard! I love y'all!

Elder Shumway

 As a missionary, I have actually seen situations where the Lord sets up situations or little miracles. One that comes to mind was a time we were in Burns Flat about 20 mins away frome home and a place where only two member families live. We were deciding whether or not to stop by a potential's house before we went home, but we didn't think he would be home because he works as a chef at a restaurant and usually works the dinner shift.

 As we drove by his street we saw his daughter hanging out with her boyfriend on the sidewalk. We passed them but quickly decided to turn around and ask her if her Dad was home. She said that he was supposed to get home any minute. We waited for a few minutes and he came home. We talked and followed up for a little bit and now he is an investigator with a baptisimal date! Little stuff happens like that every day. We just don't notice it all the time.

General Conference

General conference was pretty cool. It does really mean a ton more as a missionary. A lot more applies to a missionary and his/her day to day work. There was a ton of stuff about practicing the priesthood and the Book of Mormon. It also felt like they were warning us of somthing big about to happen. Or perhaps just being more bold about these being the last days. We should all live our lives the best we can to be prepared for trials, and for the Savior to come. These are the last days. I'm glad I'm on a mission.

  My companion had some meeting in the city last week, so I was on exchanges in El Reno with Elder Cobbley, a fellow MTC comrad. We are both still not very strong missionaries, but we were stuck together, alone in El Reno. We were together for two days. One day we tracted for seven hours because an appointment was canceled and so was dinner. That day was exhausting but satisfying because of the work we had done. I became much better at my door approach.

One thing that was super awesome was when we knocked on the door of a methodist preacher. He came out into the hot, sunny day and talked with us. He was very nice but disagreed with some of the things we tried to explain to him. We finally concluded with him not wanting a BOM or anything from us. We kept on tracting down the street and around the corner. As we were knocking on other doors, I saw him drive his truck by us but not seeing us. I also observed him driving around the neiborhood until he saw us. We were knocking other doorsso he parked on the the road by us. He called us over as we crossed the street and wanted to talk to us again. He tried to call us out for mentioning the BOM and Joseph Smith so quickly in our earlier conversation. He told us that we worship those things instead of Jesus because he didn't remember us mentioning Jesus.

We calmly listened and then pointed out that we had introduced ourselves as representitives of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day-Saints and that the BOM is another testament of Jesus Christ. We explained some other things also but I don't remember exactly what they were. I just remember feeling so happy and confident when he started his truck with frustration and drove off. We didn't bible bash but we were close to it. That was the first time I have taught something as a team with a comp. and I was happpy that we, as greenies, were able to awnser all of his questions trying to prove him wrong. You had to be there to actually feel how I did. It was cool!

I love ya!

Elder Shumway

Sept 26, 2011

The first week of being in the mission field was cool. We have five missionaries in our ward. Me and my comp in Elk City and a three-some in Clinton where the church building is. Ever since transfers, the seinor comps have said that they,ve seen the work in our district start to pick up a little. I think it's because there were two missionaries in the district who were a little lazy and didn't want to put any extra effort into the work. They were both fat and didn't want to ride bikes anywhere, which makes talking to people (OYM-ing(open your mouth)) harder because they were in a car all the time. But there were other things that made them not so good missionaries also.
My trainer is a very hard worker and obiedent to the rules too. We get along very well. We are alot like each other which makes everything we do together kinda fun. So companionship is a little easier than it was in the MTC. But Elder Jolley is in Ogden Utah and I hope he's doing OK.
The ward here is very small but not too small...like the ward I went to in Gold Beach during football camp. They had ten people in their ward. But everyone in this ward is spread out in little towns like Burnsflat, Sayer, Clinton, Elk City, Geary and Weatherford. So we don't get fed by members very much because most of them live at least 20-30 min away.
 But I like Elk City. It's a good little town for me.
There are alot of oil towers and most people work in the oil fields. I don't know what they do in the fields but you can tell who works there because they all have huge trucks that are caked in red dirt and mud. It seems like that job would be kinda fun. There are also a ton of huge windmills, like thoes big white ones that make electricity. It's so flat that you can see them for miles and miles. It's cool... I'll have to get a picture of it. The sunsets around here are also awesome because it's so flat that you can see the sun sink into the ground and then the whole sky turns pink and purple.

If you look at Oklahoma from Google, you will see how many swampy rivers wander through the State of Oklahoma. They say that the shorelines of rivers in Oklahoma add up to be alot more than the coastline of California.
 Anyway, I'm doing good and working hard.

Happy Birthday, Janelle!

-Elder Shumway

My New Area

The MTC was a blast. I met missionaries that will probably be close
friends with me for a long time. We learned how to have tons of fun
and focus on work and learning at the same time. Work hard, play
hard. I learned SO MUCH in the MTC. Information was pouring into my
head and coming out my ears. But coming into the mission field feels
like I don't know anything. There is so much more that I need to learn!

The food at the MTC was really good some days and horrible other days. But I'll guarantee anyone who is planning on going to the MTC that all
of the food will give you the worst bowel problems ever! And don't
drink the orange juice!  But looking back, I now wish I could just have a
full meal handed to me every time I ate. I gained like 5 pounds at the
MTC but now I feel like I'm starving. When we don't have dinner
apointments, I just live off of chimichangas and I'm trying to get
used to not stuffing myself with two full plates at every meal like I did at
the MTC.

My teachers were awsome!! Brother Blunck is a guy who has been off his
mission for about three years. He is a great teacher. He reminded me
a lot of Sean Russel but a little less happy. haha. Another teacher we
had was Brother Anderson. He was hired to be a teacher at the MTC the
third day we were there. He served his mission in the Portland OR
mission. He loves Oregon. He was a very sincere, spiritual and focused
teacher. The third teacher was Sister Rosenvall.  She
was loud, funny, cute and spiritual. I don't know how she brought the
spirit in the room when she was teaching, but she did. She would also
throw her shoes at you if you were falling asleep in class.
One night , at a fireside, Elder Jeffery R. Holland came to the MTC
and spoke to us. I was kinda bummed that I couldn't get a seat in the
gym where he was because of how packed it was. I sat in one of the
overflows and watched it on a big screen like general confrence in the
church. His talk was the best talk I have ever heard. I loved it so
much because it was specifically to us as missionaries. The biggest thing
in his talk that probably stuck out to everyone who listened, was when
he started yelling over the pulpit. He was saying that the one thing
that "pushes his buttons the most" is when missionaries go home after
their mission and forget everything. They stop living the way they''re
supposed to because they think they can get away with it off their
missions. I learned how important it is to stay focused and endure to
the end.

Being a District leader made me feel like the bishop of my district. I
had to interview all of the elders to make sure the companionships
were working well and effectively. There were two companionships
that had issues. One worked out their problems but then one of the
elders in that companionship had issues with a girlfriend at BYU (just
down the street) and he felt like he was in jail being at the MTC and
resented having a comp by his side all the time.

I loved being a leader though. I taught lessons to my district every sunday and it made me become more
comfortable with it.
But now I'm out in the field with my new comp Elder Naisbitt (Nez-bit).
He's a good trainer as far as I know. He is also the district leader of
our tiny district. I'm serving in a small, redneck place called Elk
City in the Western side of Oklahoma. Our area covers Burnsflat and Sayer.

Our area is dead. People
are so protective about their religion too. Our church building is in
a city called Clinton, a 20 min drive from our apartment. We are
trying to bring the area back to life but it is soooo hard to do that.
The other day a man saw us tracting and stopped his car in the middle
of the street to Bible bash with us. I love oklahoma! But tracting on
Friday nights or on Saturday or Sunday when a game is on during
football season, is usless. There are a lot of hard core football fans
around here.

Anyway, I'm havin fun.
-Elder Shumway

The Elder has Landed!

"I'm at the mission home and safe. Love you guys!"

Elder Shumway

Best Birthday Present EVER!

This morning we received a phone call from Elder Shumway. The missionaries are given permission to call home from the airport. (Imagine this.....Bryce said he arrived at the SLC airport with an enormous # of missionaries. EVERY payphone booth had a missionary in it.)

Bryce sounded changed and grown.

He said being at the MTC was truly as others have described...like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. He said he had numerous spiritual experiences in the MTC and it feels like his testimony has doubled in size!

Being District Leader gave him confidence as a leader and as a missionary. He also felt like a mini bishop at times because he held interviews and needed to counsel with missionary companions that weren't getting along.

Although he learned a lot...he still feels unsure that he knows enough to be teaching other people. But he is excited to be leaving the MTC and entering the real mission field.

I wish this blog could relay the changes we heard in his voice this morning. It was the most wonderful birthday present EVER!

2 really cool sisters going to Florida.

A note From Shannon

"We got a letter from Bryce on Friday and it was great hearing from him.  My favorite part of the letter was him telling us how awesome it is to feel the spirit every single day in his life.  I loved hearing that he is enjoying learning from the scriptures and getting excited to leave the MTC for OK.  He is amazing and will help change so many lives out there."

Bryce leaves for Oklahoma on Tuesday, Sept 13th at 5:00 AM.

I'm loving my mission!

Hey fam!!!!
  The MTC IS AWESOME!!! I felt sooooo cool and a little weird when I put my nametag on. I still think it's wierd when I look in the mirror and see a missionary there. Being a missionary is very very hard work and almost frustrating sometimes. But at the same time it's a blast!!!

I was called to be the district leader over my district! That was a shocking experience. I didn't feel like I could do a leadership job this soon. The zone leaders I work with are the coolest guys here. We're like best friends already. Their names are Elder Hortt and Elder Garner. We love to joke and have fun when we're not working.

My comp's name is Elder Jolly. He is very forgetful and kinda slow. It is very frustrating working with him cuz he doesn't know very much at all. But I'm being patient with him and helping him. He has improved a little bit over the last few days though.

Anyway, my time is about to run out so I've gotta go. P-days are almost like any other day, very busy and filled with tons of stuff that needs to get done.

I'm safe and loving my mission so far! Don't worry about me.
-Elder Shumway

1st letter from the MTC, sent after 1 day there.

Dear Fam,

      My first day at the MTC was kinda weird. I will never forget being dropped off at the curb and just walking into the main building. Missionaries were swarming everywhere! I was thinking, "This is the real thing now! I'm on my own, all by myself." It was so weird and a little scary. But the Brothers and Sister who welcomed us and directed me were so helpful and made me feel at home.

   I feel awesome walking around in my sweet, brand new nametag! But all the new guys get an orange sticker on their nametag and all the other missionaries always yell, "WELCOME, ELDER!" It gets very annoying pretty fast, so I took my sticker off.

    My comp's name is Elder Jolly. He is a good guy. He is also very wierd, but I just have to be nice to him. He was a little homesick the first night. The other companions in my room are super cool guys and are also going to my mission. Elder Jolly is going to the Ogden, Utah Mission. But Elder Garner, a little red-headed guy is awesome! And Elder Hortt is cool too. He's a cowboy kinda guy.

    Well today I spent $45 because I needed to get a tetanus shot. They made me get it because its mission rules or something. Anyway, I'm having fun and need/want that money I spent. That would be awesome if you could send it to me. My P-day is Wednesday in the MTC. Anyway, I'm learning a little and having fun!

Elder Shumway

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Bryce arrived at the airport, looking like a

 missionary!

Uncle Mark & Scott immediately went to work getting Bryce checked in to his flight.

Gramma & Grampa Bear

 

A cousin fan club!

Mitch even snuck away from work at Cropper Medical to see his cousin off.

 He hoped his boss wouldn't notice.

When standing next to Tanner in photos,

Bryce is always stretching as tall as he can manage.

A tender moment for Mom.

Sheralyn dearly loves Bryce.

"Come to me, Minions!"

Being hugged by a lurp is an enveloping experience...

After his goodbyes, Bryce quickly turned his back to the family circle as he fought back a wave of emotion. With eyes brimming and a quivering chin, we watched him take a sharp breath and walk with determination to pass through security.

Elder Shumway has enormous support from his entire family.

We are so pleased at the Young Man he has become, and we will be watching with pride as he serves the Lord with all his might.

We love you, Elder Shumway!

FHE: Farewell to Our Missionary

On the Eve of Bryce beginning his mission, we celebrated with a family gathering.
We played an Oklahoma Trivia game....

Did you know that whaling is illegal in Oklahoma?

It is also illegal to spit on sidewalks or take a bite of another person's hamburger.

But most astonishing....it is illegal to open a soda bottle without a licensed expert on hand.

Oklahoma is also the home of Garth Brooks and Will Rogers.

And did you know it has the greatest number of tornadoes per square mile

than any other state?

Finally, the name Oklahoma means

land of the red people.

Tomorrow Bryce will be set apart as a missionary.

Called to Serve...

Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Mission!