Happy Easter 4-9-12

Dear family, I have about 8 emails from this past week that I just finished reading finally. So I apologize if I cannot write as much. This past week was a truly amazing and hard week of missionary work. Elder Payne and I were able to teach so much and it was crazy and stressful all at the time when we kept meeting all of these new people. It however really opened my eyes to how much talking to everyone helps missionaries to grow and learn. This Saturday we had the baptism for Jerry Boykin. It was a baptism that was not scheduled, but we met the set goal this week of 1 baptism! We are excited because we have baptismal dates lined up and we are working to help them meet those dates along with other investigators by emphasizing how important a true conversion is. Not just getting baptized for the missionary, but to be baptized to come closer to Jesus Christ. One amazing spiritual experience this past week was through fasting. An investigator that we are teaching named Mario is getting ready for baptism but needs to be married first. He had been having complications with his girlfriend and she did not really think he was changing. He fasted along with us on Saturday and he said she was shocked by what he had done and really changed her perspective and we may even meet with her tonight! Gospel study has been so amazing and I have been focusing on more focused studies and it has really been effective for me as a missionary. I am doing fine on the aspect of the tornado as it did not effect Stephenville, and there has not been one here in a long time. I will not be helping to clean it up but I am sure others will be there to help. Anyways, I will try and answer questions I remember and then talk about some experiences from this past week. I did get the package- it was like Christmas getting it. And yes dad, I got your letter. Thank you also for the part from Stake Conference. We had one here recently and it was just as awesome. I do get the Ensign. We actually have a huge stack in the apartment. It is awesome to read all of the past talks. They truly are more scripture for us today, so it is important to listen to the direction given. I love conference because it really helps, especially revelation for this day and time. Thank you so much for the package and sending the email letter. I'm not sure why I did not get it. The Easter treats are awesome. I really have enjoyed holidays on my mission. Not saying I would not want to be with family - it's just that as missionaries we are isolated from the worldly parts of holidays so we can focus on the true meaning of why we even celebrate them. Even 4th of July, but especially Easter. I want to let y'all know that I truly do know for myself that this church is true and thank you mom and dad for giving me the environment and the ability to find out for my self. I know truly that the Savior did suffer specifically for me and that helps me to try and do what's right because everything I may do wrong is more that he had to suffer. I have also been keeping a constant journal daily. It is hard to include a whole week in letters home, but I try to at least talk about the awesome experiences in email. There are the hard times out here and I do have them, but I really cannot remember the details. I do remember the amazing experiences I have and I can remember them well. Anyways just real quick - another awesome experience and great spiritual builder for me. We went in to teach a lesson and one of the people in the home did not really want us there but kind of forced himself to be because he wants Christ in his life. He said he wanted to kick us out but did not. We started into the lesson and really it was not what we said but the spirit which was so strong that it touched him along with his girlfriend. All the credit goes to the spirit and it ended up turning the guys view around and he ended up with a big smile on his face and did not want us to leave. It was so awesome and shows how strong the spirit works! Hope y'all have an amazing week. Love, Elder Shoemaker