Scriptures vs. Cell Phone - September 3rd, 2013

Dear Mom and Dad,

The progress on our new home is fantastic. It looks amazing and I am excited to hear about the special surprises that are coming as part of the process. I am very excited to see the completion. 

Elder Young is from Monticello Utah he is the youngest child in his family and he loves the work. I will include a picture today.

To answer the question about schooling.  I will wait to get home to work on the BYU application. I had a dream the other night about school and I was at CBC finishing my associates degree and then I will most likely transfer to BYU. Thank you dad for getting things lined up for that. My plans when I return are simple but I know they will be best for my spiritual and educational benefit. I will finish my associates degree at CBC by taking math classes along with others to prepare for a university. I plan to find a job and go out with the missionaries as often as occasion will permit  and of course spend time with my family and little bro!

Anyway, I am so excited for the time that I do have left here as a missionary and I am grateful for the letters of encouragement to help me remain focused on my calling as a missionary. Elder Young and I had a great week. We are still teaching a lot of people and are making focuses on finding others who are searching and looking for those who find not the truth because they know not where to find it. 

Bro. Rongey was at the sacrament table this week participating in the sacrament and his son Ellis was part of the passing of the sacrament. It was so cool to see and it is so amazing to watch their spiritual progression as a family. I love their family and it is so wonderful to be part of their lives! Our bishopric was changed this Sunday as the former bishops son is struggling with health issues and is in need of constant care. 

On  P-day we usually play basketball and volleyball.  Recently, we have not had to pick up other elders for P-day so this week we took some time to relax and take care of cleaning our apartment for inspections this week. 

Here is a quote that really stuck out to me about how important our scriptures should be to us.

• What blessings can you receive from reading the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other scriptures?

  Alex Boye answered...

  It is so easy to get caught up in the rat-race of life, and sometimes neglect that which really bring blessings to 'life' this little article has helped me greatly with my priorities.. THE CELLPHONE VS THE SCRIPTURES I wonder what would happen if we treated our scriptures like we treat our cell phones? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we spent an hour or more using it every day? What if we used it to receive messages? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to other kids as gifts? What if we used it as we traveled? What if we used it in case of an emergency? This is something to make you go...."Hmmm..Dude.. where is my scriptures?" Unlike our cell phones: One Plan does fit all. Unlimited usage. No roaming charges. You always have reception. You can use it in the mountains and in a tunnel. It's free with no hidden costs, AND you don't ever have to worry your scriptures being disconnected because CHRIST has already paid the bill!

I love y'all and enjoy hearing from you every week.

Love Elder Nathaniel Shoemaker

Strong Till the Finish - 8/26/13

Dear Mom and dad,

Sorry for the short letter today. Today has been rather hectic and we have found a little time to email. It is super exciting to see the progress of our new home and it will be wonderful to have Christmas there as a family.  It will be wonderful! I bet that your talks on Sunday were amazing and that there was a lot learned from the expiriences that you were able to share.

Elder Young and I have had a wonderful week. We were able to find many new investigators and others to start teaching. One is the fiancé of a less active member. They both showed up to church on Sunday and we will get to meet her children on Wednesday and begin teaching them too! I have started to crack down on my studies and hope to be finished in the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel before December. It is starting to get real that December is approaching soon and I do not have time to waste. I love serving here as a missionary and I am very greatful for the protection that the Lord provide for his missionaries.

 There is another car in our zone this week so next Monday we will not have to drive other Elders around and we should have more time to email.

Love,

Elder Nathaniel Shoemaker

PS Elder Andersen of the 12 is coming to address us in September!

Countdown begins...

Hello Everyone,

We just received Elder Shoemaker's flight itinerary.  He gets home in 16 weeks.  I guess they wanted to be sure we had plenty of notice for when he gets home.  We're counting the days.

Yipee!!

Denise

5 member family Baptism!!!

Dear Mom and Dad,

It was an amazing week. The Rongey family was baptized on Saturday! It was so amazing. Bro. Rongey asked if I would perform the baptisms for the whole family. 5 in a row. It was so spiritual to see the family take this step all together. Bro and Sis Rongey were the first to be baptized. The children followed. Bro and Sis Rongey both wept with tears of joy. This was definitely a dream missionary moment. They will be going to the temple in a year to be sealed as a family and I will definitely be there for that!

This week we also had a couple break through lessons with those we are teaching so there will continue to be those who make the step of baptism here in the Arlington 6th ward. Elder Young and I are doing great. I love serving with him. He is very enthusiastic and is enduring to the end. We get along great and it is amazing to watch how the spirit takes part in our teaching together. Like you said dad there are heavenly messengers helping with the work of salvation.

I bet Miki is very impressed with the quality work that has been done to make her house a home. It also sounds like our new home is coming along great. There are a couple neighborhoods in our area that are growing day by day. They remind me of where we will be moving and as I see these homes building the spirit whispers to me how the decision of the building of our new home is right.

I am happy to hear about the many opportunities that y'all have to teach and minister and feel the spirit directing your teaching. It is such an amazing feeling. I love being a missionary and being able to do it each day. The church tour this evening sounds wonderful.  I encourage y'all to think of one or two people you can send the missionaries to whether they are members who are struggling or non-members. You should tell the missionaries to go by the Slocombe's neighbor (to the right) who's lawn I mowed. I believe his name is Randy and he lives on the left side of the duplex. I am sure he can use service as he is a disabled vet and I believe he would be willing to listen. I talked with him about serving a mission and he was very intrigued.

I bet Justin is excited to be driving and I bet his lesson was great! What did he do for his Eagle Scout project?

I love y'all so much. This is one of my favorites lds.org videos not sure if I sent it to y'all before but just in case. http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#the-will-of-god

Love Elder Nathaniel Shoemaker

August 12, 2013 -

Dear Mom and Dad,

 

It sounds like there are a lot of changes happening at home because of the move. I did not think of all the little things that are happening such as the paper routes and little things like speaker wires. It sound like the house is going up very well and that there are so many choice to customize the home to our liking. 

I did get to see the new video and it was so amazing.  I am grateful for all the things that can be learned in the temple. I am planning to go every week when I get back. I love the temple when it is so close you need to take advantage of it.

 

This last week was so amazing. Bro Rongey called us and asked if he could set a date for their baptism. The whole family is getting baptized this saturday and they are getting interviewed tonight in preparation.

 

Elder Young is my new companion. I will fill you in more next week. the guy on the computer in front of me is watching inappropriate videos and I don't want to be around that.  I know that is what you would want me to do. 

Thank y'all for caring so much for me so much.

 

Love Elder Shoemaker

July, 2013 New Mission President

• 
  Rodney Allen, and Kimberlee Jensen Ames
  Texas Fort Worth Mission
  Rodney Allen Ames, 45, and Kimberlee Jensen Ames, four children, Liberty 1st Ward, Liberty Missouri Stake.
  Brother Ames is a counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, bishopric counselor, ward mission leader, and missionary in the California San Diego Mission. Attorney/partner, Withers, Brant, Igoe, & Mullennix, P.C. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to George Allen and Ulla-Maija Halonen Ames.
  Sister Ames is a stake Young Women camp director and former stake Young Women secretary, ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, ward Sunday School teacher, and seminary teacher. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Russell Winslow Jensen and Ida Delores Kennedy Jensen.
  
  

  Rodney Ames, a Liberty attorney, has accepted a three-year assignment from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be the president of the Texas Fort Worth Mission.

  As mission president, Ames will lead more than 250 missionaries, helping them to build their faith and effectively teach the gospel. He will also help the missionaries to be more involved in community service within the areas where they are assigned.

  Ames’ wife, Kimberlee, and two of their four children, Jessica and Jacob, will accompany him on this assignment. Two older sons, Alex and Isaac, are students at Brigham Young University.

  When asked why he and his family would make such a big sacrifice, both of time and financial resources, Ames said, “Because of my faith in Jesus Christ. If I did not know that it is what God wants us to do, I would not have the strength to make the sacrifice.”

  Ames has been actively involved in many areas of the Liberty community. He is a partner in the local firm of Withers, Brant, Igoe, and Mullenix. He also is a member of the Liberty Ministerial Alliance and Liberty Chamber of Commerce, has helped to organize Liberty Preparedness Fairs, and has been on the Clay County Airport Advisory Committee.

  Ames grew up in the Uintah Basin area of Utah. After graduating from Altamont High School, he was a missionary in the San Diego area for two years. During this time, his parents moved to Missouri, so Ames has lived in the metro area for more than years.

  He received his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

  Kimberlee Ames graduated from Kearney High School. She has worked as a volunteer parent in the Liberty school district.

  Both Alex and Isaac Ames, have spent two years on missions. Isaac recently returned from the Chile Concepcion Mission.

  When he was asked what advice he would give his father as mission president, he had three things to say: “First, obedience with exactness brings miracles. Don’t settle for anything less. Second, remember that it is your mission. Use your inspiration. And, third, help your missionaries to grow by having high trust, high expectations, then train and retrain.”

  
  

Understand the Purpose - Then you have the Power August 5th, 2013

Dear Dad and Mom,

 

I will be staying here in Arlington probably for another three months. Elder Young is my new companion and only has six weeks left so he will come here for his last transfer with me and I will then get another companion and be here 6 more weeks! (most likely) Elder Russell is going to serve in Killeen as a Zone Leader next to the area he was trained in. This last week we also have a third missionary with us - Elder Beckstrand. I will send a picture of us next week. Elder Beckstrand will be training a new missionary and we are very excited for him. I am sad that Elder Russell will be leaving but I know the Lord is in charge of where we go.

'

Jace, Collin, and Abigail Gormley were baptized and confirmed this last week! It was a wonderful baptismal service. Most of their family are members, so there were plenty of friends there to support and encourage them.

 

Thank you dad for all the house pictures. I really enjoy them and it makes me feel like I am part of the progress. I am astonished at how fast it has gone up and I am excited to see how the inside turns out. You can never send too many pictures. That is really cool that you got out on the mountain [Badger] so much this last month and I bet you were excited when you were able to get back into the water.

 

I am so excited for Jacob.  I cannot picture him anywhere else besides Argentina now. Tell him congratulations for me. He will do a great job and he will be a great spanish speaker.

 

Thank you dad for the scripture. One thing that stood out to me as I read what you said is that we must also enlist our Heavenly Fathers help too, through prayer.

 

We had a meeting with President Ames last week and I wanted to share it. He said "Live the rule till you understand the purpose. When you then understand the purpose you will have power" Some times the Lord requires us to do things we do not understand. If we do them though, we will find out the purpose and are promised power. This definitely applies to missionaries and I have seen the power that comes when we live and understand the rules.

 

Thank you mom and dad for expecting me to live a virtuous life.  It has really prepared me to be the Lord's missionary.

 

Love,

 

Elder Nathaniel Shoemaker