Akory Guys. Whats up? Hope you all are doing good! I am doing great! This week was a ballin' week for The Shelby and Shoemaker team. Think we would stand more of a chance against the Warriors than that Lebron guy's team. But anyways, it was great! Found lots of great new people and the investigators we have our progressing great! My favorite story from the week is about a new family we tracted into. We found this couple and taught them with the husband's mother and aunt also. They were cool so we made a return appointment and went back a few days later. Had another good lesson and the husband's aunt said the closing prayer for us. In her prayer she prayed, "Jesus, please forgive us for lying. We are so sorry." (Apostate prayer, I know don't worry we are working on it haha). Anyways, she prayed that while laughing and Shelby and I were so confused. She says amen. And gets on her knees laughing and begging us to forgive her. We were even more confused now. Then they told us that the first lesson they lied about their names to us because they were so afraid of a couple of big, white guys coming up and talking to them and were confused why we asked their names. I thought it was hilarious. Mainly because she prayed for forgiveness. We told her it is ok but we are calling them by the fake names for awhile since they didn't trust us. It was really funny. These Malagasy people never fail to make me laugh. But also on the spiritual side this week we had lots of great lessons. One lesson particularly stood out to me. We tracted into a man and his family who had learned from missionaries in the past. We taught them the first discussion and he had lots of questions. He was kinda fired up about some of them. We answered his questions and he didn't argue any further. He would come up with a new one and we would answer it. Then he asked one that was pretty tricky and I wasn't too sure how to answer. So I just told him, "I don't know that one. That is something you don't need to ask us. Ask God." He said ok. I then realized just how easy our job is as missionaries when you got the big guy upstairs on your team (no I am not talking about Kevin Durant). I told him there are a million questions we can't answer but that is great because there is someone else that can. I thought about how great of a blessing it is to know that God hears and answers prayers. Wow. Think about that...there really is our Heavenly Father that hears and answers our prayers and we can ask Him anything and He will give us an answer we can trust. It may not always be the answer we expect or want but if it is from God it is the only answer we need. I thought about how better off this world would be if people had stronger faith in the principle of prayer. You wouldn't have to go to the internet to find out what is true. You wouldn't have to ask your neighbor what is true. You wouldn't even have to ask your family. If you truly have faith that God answers prayers then just ask. Instead of going to an anti-Mormon website wondering if all that is true just get on your knees. Just ask the big guy upstairs. Pretty simple. There are so many questions we don't have the answers to and that is a good thing. God probably wants to see the people that have enough faith to just ask Him. He may not give us the direct answer but he will tell us what to do about the problem or question we have. I am so grateful for that knowledge and feel it is such a blessing in my life. I hope we all remember to go to our knees before we go anywhere else with our questions or problems. I always tell people we pray to the same God. He won't tell me the Book is true and tell you it isn't. He wont tell me the boy saw Him and tell you he didn't. He won't tell me the Church is true and tell you it isn't. I know if we pray sincerely we will find the truth. I miss and love you all and hope you have a great week!
This is the guy we buy our meat from. A little different then Walmart huh?
The kids remind me that two years is nowhere near a "sacrifice".
We went to Peak St. Louis again! It wasn't cloudy this time and it was amazing!!!
This guy was at the top sleeping when we got there. He said he is searching for Jehovah. He got up there last night at 5 and is staying til Wednesday and he is fasting and praying. Thought a good sign would be that 8 random white guys came up the same mountain but he didn't want to take our pamphlets or anything.
The dolphin tail and the reason the place is called Fort Dauphin.
Some members and an investigator came on the hike with us!
Snack break for our guide. He is a member and has his mission call to the Congo.
A pic of how we get onto the big rock. I was a little worried the big lanky guy wouldn't be able to hold me up but you see the blessings after your trial of faith.
Last pic is the group we had up on the hike! The other white guy that isn't a missionary is a member that is here working for a month or so. He is really cool and from Arizona and we just bumped into him and he comes to church. It is cool having a new face here.
