What a week...

First thing first... MY BEST FRIEND IS ENGAGED! Ah Cort I love you and im
so excited... dangggg Stet did a good job at picking out that rock. I knew
she would cave eventually ;) so weird that she will be married when i get
back!

Oh boy this week... so the great thing about here is that I sleep like a
rock. However last monday, at 3:15 I woke up... like WIDE AWAKE! I look
over and see that my comp isnt in her bed... WHAT THE HECK?!
My first reaction is fear, not fear for her but fear for myself. Why? My
first thought was that she could be in another room doing some weird
Brasilian ritual thingy... I dont know why I thought that.
Okay I do, its because of some gnarly churches here that do crazy things.
Anyway, I realized that she was in the other room talking on the phone....
WHAT THE HECK?!
I sat in my bed thinking, do I bust her tonight or in the morning. Well my
dad syndrome got the best of me and I fell asleep before I could decide.
That morning I was like okay WHAT THE HECK?!

Yeah.... thats my life. I feel like I am babysitting... I wake her up, I
tell her to study, she sits on the sidewalk as I run back and forth on the
block, I force her to lessons...im not in NY anymore.
The sad thing is, apparently this mission is a lot more obedient than other
Brasil missions. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! I feel like everything is so
disobedient here! Its probably just because I cling to the rules because
they are the only things that are familiar to me.

On a positive note... she really is a great teacher so once were there its
great. We have been teaching a 15 year old girl named Biance. Her mom is a
super less active. Bianca is SOLID and is reading the BOM and has questions
about it and its just great. She is getting baptized on Saturday! WAHOO!

Im trying really hard to impliment a lot of things we did in NY with
working through the members and strengthening the branch. The work is SUPER
old school here and not the most efficient. So yeah, NY is coming to BRASIL!

This week I thought about where I have lived the past year... Blanding,
Arlington, Brooklyn and Brasil! Super legit right? Im so blessed!

Fran, our investigator who wants to be baptized still cant get her husband
to be legally married so that is frustrating because she is solid. she
comes to everything, and is basically already a member, there is just that
little part of MAKING SACRED COVENANTS! We will keep praying.

This week President Parrela and Sis Parrela came to Rosario do Sul for a
fireside on Saturday. I didnt understand anything but whatever. Sis.
Parrela is crazy but great. She told me chocolate is of the devil... woops.
haha we went and ate after with them and they told me how much they love
the Palmers (the ones who were on the tour with them.)

It rained like crazy on Saturday! Anytime I wear my orange skirt it just
pours... im going to start wearing it everyday! jk... well...

On Sunday we ate with Mari... a member here who is so cool! She reminds me
of Lisa Rarrick in like every way possible and always feeds us. Her husband
is so dang good too. He isnt super interested in the church but one day
that will change. They made Armadillo for us on Sunday... yeah i ate that
sucker and it is SO good! I felt like I was at Rodizio grill... so much
meat... ah i love it!

As far as teaching... there isnt really anyone else who is progressing a
whole lot. We could stop and teach anyone because people are just nice and
friendly here but the church of the devil is really strong here and so we
try to avoid a lot of houses where that crazy stuff is going down. Satan is
very real people and he is trying to gain control over you!

Well with that... dont worry about my blisters... an elder gave me lots of
stuff to take care of them. Brasil is bumpin!

com amor,
Sis Shumway

PS im really glad to hear that dad didnt die of a heart attack in Hawaii...
ill be honest, i still dont really believe that he actually went ha.

Japanese?

Mom, could you forward this to all my sisters? Its exhausting trying to send this to everyone.

 

Happy birthday to denalli and Lsha this week!

 

AHHHH this week... Sag sorry my emails arent as good, I seriously stress about trying to write everyone so chill. Also I have not read Harry Potter.

 

So I havent gotten an email saying dad died of a heart attack yet... thats good news. I can just imagine him on the plane or looking at the ocean right now. HA!

 

Yes, people here first think I am Brasileira and then they ask if im Japanese?? Because I have squinty eyes and Shumway sounds Japanese to all of them. So funny. 

Also, I have a pic of our family in my scriptures and when people see it they ALWAYS point at Sagan and say voce! Then I show them where I am and they laugh and say no and then point at Sagan again... people really dont believe me! Who knew we looked so much alike. 

 

Mom dont stress about my health. Tell Jo I am praying for her... gosh that sucks so bad my heart goes out to her. I cant imagine being ripped away in the middle of your mission. 

 

I CONSTANTLY put on hand sanitizer... my comp thinks im stuck up for it but my DL who is also a Brasilian explained that germs and bacteria are just different here and my body isnt used to it. I only wash dishes with our filtered water and brush my teeth with that. I wear flip flops in the shower and close my eyes... dont worry I am a germaphob now. 

 

Mom, could you send my Traces address? I want to send the boys some Brasilian money. 

 

My investigator, Fran is just a gem. She is the cutest thing and her daughter, the autistic one is so dang cute. We are praying for a miracle that her husband will get legally married to her so she can be baptized.

 

Apparently this area is rough for misisonaries because baptisms are hard to come by. After new york im thinking dannnnngggggggg 20 lessons in a week! So yeah, im happy with anything now. 

 

Sag, get on my FB and update it with pics and stuff and accept the friend requests, they are people here in Brasil.

 

We had an activity on Saturday where we watched the Other Side of Heaven, I couldnt understand much but it was fun to chill. I made popcorn for everyone. Dad taught me right. 

 

Sunday, there is this little boy who is 9 named Jao. He is my best bud here. He sits down next to me in Sacrament meeting. and proundly pulls out his own personal hymn book. He shows me and he has words and phrases marked up. Then even more proudly, he pulls out his BOM. Same thing, verses and marked as he has gone through and read it... hes 9! Then even more proudly with the biggest smile on his face he pulls out a picture of his parents, dressed in white on the day they were baptized. I just wanted to start crying right then as he told me about the picture and expressed such gratitude for his parents decision so he could then be sealed to them for all eternity. HES 9!!! People are just amazing. 

 

Okay, so this week as I was fasting and praying I thought a lot about sucky things. (I think it was grandma kathy who told me she hated the word sucky so im sorry for this, bear with me. sometimes there is no other word to describe a situation. Sucky things are just sucky.)

My heart just ached for people who have experienced such hard things. But everyone goes through them. Does that make them less sucky? No of course not? How do we REALLY deal with the trials in our life?

 

i remembered once, Sister Blosil and I were talking about how people think Mormons pay tithing to buy their way into the temple. She said, its such a tender mercy because if people arent willing to do something as small as paying tithing, how are they going to be willing to keep covenants that we make in the temple that are much greater and of much greater value than paying tithing. Tithing, yes it has its many purposes but it helps prepare us for something bigger and better. Same thing with trials. 

The gospel doesnt make sucky things less sucky, it makes it so we are prepared for CELESTIAL GLORY! Because salvation is not a cheap thing. Christs suffering was not small, so the fact that we have to go through a FEW trials too is something very small in comparison. 

If we are not able to go forward in faith with the trials we have in this life, this extremely short life how are we going to be able to inherit all the God has, WORLDS WITHOUT END?! 

I know, that sometimes I forget that Christ was half-mortal. Being perfect was NOT easy for him like I sometimes assume it was. I feel like Satan is attacking me so much because Im a missionary. Think about how much Satan attacked Christ! Christ went through way more than we ever will! 

Sucky things are going to be sucky no matter what. But what the gospel gives us is PERSPECTIVE and HOPE! We know WHY we have to go through these trials... we are being prepared to receive more than we can imagine. 

Brigham Young has a quote that I love, 

Every calamity that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered to come upon the few, to prepare them to ENJOY the presence of the Lord... Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your SALVATION

 

Epic. Also, because God is so merciful doesnt just give us these trials and expect us to endure it he gives us HELP. We constantly are surrounded by angels who are bearing us up. Go read the talk The Ministry of Angles by Elder Holland (you know it will be good) from General conference Oct. 2008

 

Mom, could you send me a recipe for peanut butter?

Also, the address is right, you just put Brasil at the bottom. 

 

Eu amo voces!!!!

Simone's Address

 Sister Simone Shumway

                Caixa Postal 40 Centro-Rosario do Sul-RS

97560-970

Brazil

Fanny packs and American music

Cheyna would love it here... everyone wears fannypacks! Yet, I have not
found one place that sells them. How is this possible?

Also, there are cars with GIANT speakers that drive through the streets
blasting music. American music. I dont even realize it but because its in
ENGLISH (yeah people dont know what theyre listening to here) I start
singing along and then I catch myself rapping along to eminem or something
like that.... ahhh its so bad but i just love english!

This week was super interesting. My comp was sick so I had to stay inside
for like three days just sweating my life away...l its was great. NOT! I
also went to the hospital with her.... yeah not sanitary whatsoever. I will
NEVER get sick here.

On that note... everyone asks about the water. Well when its 115 degrees
you drink whatever. Lets be honest, I saw a worm in the water back home so
this water is great compared to that haha.

We had mega-zone conference in Santa Maria this week... I didnt understand
anything but I got to go to... wait for it.... SUBWAY! but it wasnt the
same unfortunatel.

Sag, to answer your question, on a scale of 0-10 my portuguese is honestly
a 1. Like its BAD! Ive never felt so dumb in my life but its a good
huimbling experience. Also, will you send my Jordan Palmers address. sister
Millett in NY wants to write her.

Mom,. will you send me an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe and crepe
recipe?

Im stoked to have a little Garrison running around. Too bad the thing wont
talk until he is 25 haha.

Okay also a talk I read this week, Swallowed up in the will of the
Father.... its great and totally put me in my place.

Keep it real
Sis Shum

pics: sometimes it rains for 5 minutes and its the best!

blisters...

Omnibus

Okay so I think last week I was so overwhelmed with having some technology I completely freaked out and didnt write much... that and I have about a billion and a half people in NY to keep in touch with... e-mailing is now super stressful. 

First off I have learned more about Gods sense of humor... he sent me to a place where they drink tang... ALL the time... yeah it makes me sick. Dad would LOVE Brasil for that reason haha. 

I still dont know what the heck is going on here but thats okay, im just enjoying the ride... The kids teach me the most Portugues and I attempt to teach them english. My comp and some little girls now say, I feel ya, thats legit and like a boss.... yeah im leaving my mark here for sure.

Ive been wondering how can the work be EXACTLY the same and complete OPPOSITE at the same time? Its weird but true. Obedience is a lot different here, and its kind of frustrating because missionaries constantly say, well things are just different here in Brasil... NO they dont have to be! We can work with the members just as much here. They can fulfill their callings just as much here and we can be just as obedient. 

Im pretty sure im already known as the nazi obedient missionary but thats okay, obedience is the only frequency the spirit operates in... from an apostle. boom.

Okay let me just paint a picture for you... somehow we now have a bus to pick people up for church... its old and ghetto and barely runs. On Sunday  it was about 48 Celcius so like 115 degrees... yeah i know its miserable. We are packed onto this bus, the windows dont open and it is at least 130 degrees up in there. I was just dying at the situation! Honestly, the funniest thing I have ever seen everyone was dripping sweat but just happy because we were going to church. it was epic and we had 6 investigators come! SOOO uncommon here in this mission... we found an epic family that we are teaching.

3 of the girls, Hannah, Rose and one I cant pronounce came to church. Also, a lady named Fra who is like the prettiest girl ever came who has been investigating for 5 years! She wants to be baptized though!!! 

Cool story... we were teaching Fra and she has the cutest daughter that has autism. Anyway, somehow I was able to tell her that she is an amazing mom and that her daughter is extremely special and she came to earth in this body because she is too important to be corrupted by Satan. I had NO idea what I was saying... nada. My comp told me after, but it was like someone was whispering the words to me. After I got done saying this, her daughter looked at me and just started smiling and laughing. I realized though she wasnt looking at me but looking just to the side of me. I know that the spirit world is REAL and it is here on earth. I still dont know who it was whispering the words to me but that lesson was powerful and it was the lesson that she decided to get baptized.

problem... shes not legally married and her husband doesnt want to be. We are having a lesson with him this week though..... he needs to step it up.

100% I know that happiness is a CHOICE! It is miserably hot here, I cant communicate, Im getting super fat, blisters cover my feet... there is NOTHING fun about a mission, nothing. However, if you choose to find happiness a mission  can have fun things. A mission in general is not fun. It may be rewarding and worth it but not fun. But, you can choose to HAVE fun. if that makes any sense? I shouldnt be having fun and be happy in these circumstances but I am... i totally am somehow and its legit. 

Also, Stetlers scripture that he shared with me before I left, Mosiah 5:13 gets me through a lot of things. I am so grateful for all of their examples. 

Dad, you found the right place, it has a huge river here. We eat chicken, noodles, rice and beans for every meal and I freaking love it. Excepts I have never weighed so much in my life. Diet started yesterday. 

Peace out my friends... be good! 

Culture sock? Nahhhh