Our report of Sunday August 12- Saturday August 18

It's been a true missionary week- with some great things and some hard things.  That's the way of life and it makes every day an adventure!
Taylor really did have a hernia.  Last Saturday night as that sunk in I began to feel a little stressed.  Our wonderful new ward friend and doctor told us we could wait to take him in until Monday and that he would set up an appointment with a surgeon on Monday morning-  and that Taylor would probably have to have surgery next week.  I could feel the stress rising as I thought about all that needed to be done in the next week.  Monday and Tuesday was Zone Leader Council-  our second one.  I knew it meant cooking on Monday- the Zone Leaders would come in on Monday afternoon about 5:00pm, we'd have a fireside- President Shumway and I would speak.  Tuesday morning I'd need to have breakfast going by 6:30 and the Elders would help me cook.  We'd go to the chapel for training-  they'd come back to the mission home for lunch and then depart.

I was really worrying about how it could all get done.  Saturday night as I was kneeling to pray about it, a scripture came into my mind.  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding...and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)  So many, many things I've had to do in the last 6 weeks have been beyond my "own understanding".  I trust that voice that tells me He will help me do everything that is necessary.  My fear left, and really I could hardly wait to see how it would all work out-  and it did!

Monday morning I took Taylor to football at 5:00am with a note from our Dr. friend saying that Taylor had a hernia and would not be able to play for a while.  Picked him back up just in time to get him home, showered, and ready for our appointment with the surgeon.  Got everything going on the food before we left and my wonderful assistant worked on it while we were gone.
Spent the rest of the afternoon preparing.  ZLC fireside went well.  The Elders helped with breakfast the next morning and I showed a couple of them what to get out for lunch.
Elders left- I cleaned up the kitchen- went to the training to do my part- and left to get Taylor to the hospital.  His surgery was scheduled last- hoorah!  The Lord just worked it all out.  I don't know why I ever doubt.

Another great thing happened for me this week.  Several weeks ago I was at a grocery store late at night.  I honestly was so tired that I think I was walking through the store with my eyes half closed.  I stopped at the meat counter and as I was snoozing waiting for my meat, I began to realize that someone was talking to me.  One of the butchers, a young man,  was asking me, "What is that?", referring to my name tag, and "Who are you?"
The Spirit tapped me on the head and said, "Wake up, Sister Shumway, someone is asking YOU about the gospel!"   That seldom happens.  I came out of the haze I was in and had an opportunity to share the gospel for a few minutes and get a name and address. That is always very rewarding.

We talked about following through with referrals at our Zone Leader Council and a couple days later I got a call from some missionaries who told me they had tried to visit my referral- the young man in the store.  The first visit no one was home, so they left a card saying they would come back in two days.  When they went back, the young man's mother answered the door.  She told them she had felt something special when she had seen their card, and knew that she should talk with them when they came back.  That day, when she looked through the peep hole and saw the missionaries, she said they were surrounded by light, and again she knew she should let them in and talk with them.  They are surrounded by light- I see it too.
The last I heard, the missionaries have an appointment next week to start the lessons.  I don't know what will happen, but I am so grateful when the Lord blesses me with missionary experiences. 

I met another sweet lady in the doctor's office who let me tell her a little and at least explain that we really are Christians-  hence, the name-  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She said she has wondered why people think we are so kooky- I seemed perfectly normal to her!   It's fun to educate people.

I continue to have very interesting experiences taking care of the medical for the missionaries.  Sometimes it scares me-  I'm so afraid to make a mistake with one of these precious young people whose parents are trusting us to keep them safe.  Sometimes I have strange dreams-  I dreamed a few nights ago that huge bedbugs were biting me after one Elder called to tell me he thought he might have them-  he doesn't, thank goodness!   But now our Area Medical Advisor says we should all be worried about West Nile Virus-  that'll be easy for me!  To worry!!!

While I was taking care of Taylor last week, Scott was traveling around the mission training the new missionaries, the trainers, and doing interviews.  He was gone Tuesday night through Friday night and went right back out again on Saturday afternoon, not coming home until Monday night (23rd).  He comes home very tired but he has such great things to tell me-  I love to hear it all.  He is a wonderful mission president-  he loves his missionaries.

So that was last week and here we are in another one.  I'll report about it on Saturday or Sunday.  Every day goes by so fast-  we can't believe we have been here almost 2 months!  We are just starting to understand our responsibilities - we have a long way to go.  But we know one thing- the gospel is true and the Lord runs this Church.  He is absolutely in charge and that is the reason we puny mortals are able to help Him.  We would really mess it up without His guidance.  I'm so grateful to know He is here- and so are the very angels.  We feel that too-  some of them we know well and love dearly.
Hope you are all happy and well.  The Shumways love every one of you!