General Conference

SO... is Tanner going to go on a mission right after high school?  That is the craziest thing I've ever heard announced in General Conference. Is Sheralyn going to go on a mission? Or is she going to get married?

       I loved Elder Eyring's talk in the Priesthood session. It helped me know some other methods of helping others as a leader.  I also loved Elder Hollands talk. He always uses the Bible and I think that is awesome!

       I recieved permission on Saturday to go to the baptism of one of the investigators I had started teaching in Norman.  She was the investigator we had that had a tornado go right through her apartment comlpex. She also had to wait for her LA member boyfriend to get divorced and active and married to her.  So it took a long time.   Since I was with Elder Guinto until now.   

When I showed up to the baptism, I noticed that my name was on the program to give a talk on baptism. No one had told me about that. Hahaha!   but luckily I had studied repentance and baptism in PMG that morning.  I gave a nice, short talk before she was baptized.   

I loved my short visit in Norman. I was able to see many of the great members in the Norman 2nd ward. I love that ward.   I was able to talk to Brother N. I helped his wife get baptized when I was in Norman.  I love that family and I could see the Love all over his face when we recognized each other.  It gave me a small glimpse of how the Gospel brings people together in unity. Especially when you work hard together to help someone make changes in their lives, repent, and follow the Savior's example.   Our mission has been focusing on finding and baptizing families and future families and I feel very accomplished because Brother & Sister N. just had a baby girl. He showed me pictures of her. It was AWESOME.

       Elder Ali'ifua and I are having a lot of fun together. He goes home in about 6 weeks so we've got to work hard for the last bit of his missionary life.

       The weather has cooled way down. It is actually cold now. This morning there was Ice on the windows of the cars.  

       I've been sick for the last couple of days too. It's not fun.  Hopefully I get over it soon. I think this is the first time I've ever been sick on my mission though.

      

    -Love Elder Shumway

       I was transfered to Moore OK. It is a city that has been nailed by many tornadoes  Including the famous May 3rd Tornado. This city is blended in with the South part of the growing Oklahoma City.  Elder Ali'ifua and I are the zone Leaders for the South Zone. Elder Ali'ifua is Polynesian and the most MASSIVE elder in our mission. When he goes home he will play football for Utah State. I think we will have fun together.

     Our mission has emphasized finding Families and future families. When Elder Callister came and gave a training, he said "Go to the mini-vans!"   We focus on finding families and future families.  We cover a ward and a singles branch. The family ward starts at 9 and we leave a little early to go up to Midwest City where the singles branch starts at 12. I've never been to a singles ward or branch before. It is super fun to be a missionary there.  We had a baptism yesterday in the singles branch. It was great! 

       A cool miracle happened on Saturday. We returned a missed call from an unknown number Saturday night while we were planning. Andy, the young man on the other end of the line said to us  "I'm thinking about converting."   We were shocked to hear this. People don't just come to you and ask to get baptized. You have to go out and find them. So this was a huge shock to us. We invited him to church and arranged a ride for him. The members of the singles ward are great member missionaries.  Andy came to church and stayed for the baptism afterwards. We called him that night to ask him how he liked church and he said that he loved it and that it was better than any other church he had ever been to. We felt like we should set a baptism date with him over the phone right there....so we did.  He has a baptismal date for Oct 28. The Lord Has blessed us.

               Love Elder Shumway