New Year's 2015

The Mexicans get pretty crazy here during holidays, so on Dec 31st we had to got to our houses at 6:30pm. All day on the first of January we couldn't leave the house except to eat with an hermana (Sister in the branch).  On the first of January there wasn't anybody in the streets because they were all sleeping from the crazy night before. So we spent our New Years in the house. We didn't have any water for two days to shower, wash dishes or even flush the toilet! It was a pretty interesting New Year.

They have a tradition here that in the first 12 seconds of the New Year if you eat twelve grapes and think about a desire for each month, then they will come true.

 So my comp and I did that at midnight and it was kinda fun. 

But once the clock hits 12:00 it looks and sounds like the city has broken into WWIII because almost every house top shoots off fireworks and the people also shoot off guns like crazy. You can tell the difference between the guns and the fireworks because the guns are sharper and they shoot them off in a pattern. It's crazy because it sounds like the whole world is just fighting... but for a guy who likes gunfire, it is a pretty awesome way to celebrate the New Year. I could hear pistoles & rifles, but also machine guns. Pretty Funny.

My companion is from Vera Cruz Mexico but he is very young and super scared to be away from his Mom. He was freaking out that people were shooting off guns. But don't worry because it is safe here too. I'm OK and everything is great. I hope all is well with you and the little girls at home. 

 Love ELder Shumway

Eating Corn on a Stick makes me feel like Nacho Libre for REAL!

Christmas 2014

Hola, Familia!

Speaking with you in English via Skype was the HARDEST thing I have done so far on my mission!
I am surrounded by Latinos every day. Once a month, I see other English missionaries at Zone Conference, but when we are together we speak a mix of English and Spanish, often changing languages mid sentence. Trying to speak to you in only English was extremely difficult!

I received my Christmas stockings the Monday after Christmas. My companion spent 10 minutes touching the American Candies in his stocking. He couldn't stop looking at the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Brownies!

Gotta Love POP ROCKS!

(My Trainer....and my Trainee)

My new companion is not well prepared for a mission. He didn't know how to iron a shirt and he has very little knowledge of the scriptures. He hardly knows ANY scripture stories or basic gospel principles...but we are working on that.