Sunday, April 5, 2015

WE GOT HIM!!!!






We are having an amazing time here in Puebla. It was so amazing to meet the Mission President and his wife. They had incredible things to say about Shane. He was always a hard worker, and the President could always count on Shane. We got to meet many of Shane's investigators and converts. One lady described Shane and his companion as Angels sent from God who saved her family.

We are lucky enough to be here in Puebla during Holy Week... Which has been incredible to see their traditions during this week. We also got to visit many Catholic Churches, Ruins, and go inside a pyramid!! The only bummer has been, on the third day I got food poisoning. I ate the same food as Brian and Shane, and I ate much less than them.... and I was the one who got sick. Such a bummer (and not fair)! Oh well, what would a trip to Mexico be without someone getting sick, right?

Well, we will be home on Tuesday! See you all then! Shane will be giving his homecoming talk on Sunday, April 12th, all are invited.

Week of 3/30/2015

Well, the end has come. It´s weird thinking that I´ll be home in a few days. Two years have gone by fast. The mission really has been the greatest experience of my life. I learned so many things that I will use for the rest of my life.

These last six weeks went by faster than any other six weeks in my mission, which surprised me. We worked hard for the first five weeks of the transfer and then during week six, I got sick! I ate what´s called a "torta cubana", which is a Mexican sandwich with just about everything on it (ham, cheese, hot dog, peppers, chicken, tomato, avocado, onion). It is just a huge good tasting, but terribly unhealthy sandwich and my stomach hasn`t been the same since. I think that I lost all the muscle weight I gained from the all the exercises I did these last couple of months. That is something that I have missed from the home, being able eat at any restaurant without having to worry about getting sick.

I made a plan and schedule of the places and people we can visit during the week. Just one recommendation: this last week it rained just about everyday, so to those who are coming to mexico with me, I would recommend bringing an umbrella or something for the rain.

I also have my talk written out... but in Spanish because I had to give a talk yesterday at church. So all I gotta do is translate it.

I don`t know what else to say because I´ll see you soon! I am excited for general conference at home eating cinnamon rolls! I am excited to see my family! I am going to miss the mission field a ton! I am excited to learn how to be a member-missionary! This is really a bittersweet moment with a lot of mixed feelings!

Anyways I am excited to see everyone. Mom and Dad, I´ll see you on Wednesday, everyone else, see you onTuesday!

Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Week of 3/23/15- WE GET TO SEE SHANE THIS WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

Well, Ia now entering into my last week in the mission field! It´s exciting but a little bit wierd. I think that the wierdest part is saying that my mission is already ending, because I really don`t feel like I am leaving yet. But I intend to make this a good week.

I am writing early today because later we are going to go and visit some people from last areas.

This last week we had a great week. We found a good amount of new people to teach. We started teaching a family that seems very receptive: Lidia and Fernando. And we also started teaching some active members´ friends, an old guy that owns a thrift store, and another very receptive lady. So we are going to teach them the best we can and see if they make the decision to progress.

I think I told you guys a little while ago about Rafael, Jesica, and Maria Karina. They have been progressing well and going to church. Rafael is just about ready for baptism.

Last week I thought up a bunch of places and people that we can visit and a bunch of different foods to eat when mom and dad are here.

I love the mission! I love the gospel and know it´s true! This is truly the Lord`s Church!

Until next week,
Love,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, March 22, 2015

pictures from 3/16/2015- We will see Shane 1 week from Wednesday!!!



Week of 3/16/2015 shane's birthday!

Hola familia, thanks for the birthday wishes, so far it´s been a good birthday. Today we went out to eat domino´s pizza. And then afterwards I took a power nap, which was one of the best naps that I have taken in my whole mission, because I have been kind of tired lately. The next two preparation days I am planning on visiting people from my old areas

This week we had a fun week talking to a bunch of people. We contacted more people this week than I ever have in my mission. So that was pretty fun, and we contacted everyone in the streets/stores/park benches etc. But we going to keep talking to everyone we can this week and we hope to find more people to teach this week.

Mom asked about food that I am craving... I think that I am craving the pasta that mom makes (chicken alfredo, pesto) and a burger from Blondie´s. If anything else come to mind I´ll let you guys know. Foods that I want to avoid when I get home are beans; potatoes, because they use a lot of potatoes here, but I would like some nice mashed potatoes because the mashed potatoes that I have had here are a joke.

About the itinerary for when mom and dad are here, I also have being thinking about a lot of ideas of places and people to visit and in these last two weeks I´ll make a more concrete plan.

Dad asked: is there anything we should bring down with us when we come to get you? I think my credit card, a little bit of room in your suitcases for souvenirs, anti-diarrheal medicine, hand sanitizer.

Dad also asked about Public transportation versus renting a car. I think that it would be a lot easier with a car. We are going to be going to places about and hour or two from puebla, and public transportaion here is a chaos. We could do everything we need to do in public transportation, but it would take longer. Whichever one you guys want, we´ll make it work.

Anyways, I think that would be all for now! Thank for the birthday wishes. My companion and I are going to work hard this week! I love you all!

Until next week,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, March 15, 2015

picture


Week of 3/9/2015

Hello everyone! another week down in the mission field and only 3 more left for me... but there is a lot to do in those three weeks!

Not a whole lot out of the norm went on this last week. We worked as usual, talked with people in the street. It was a little bit difficult because a lot of our appointments fell through, so we ended up talking with more people on the street.

One sad thing that happened last week was that our recent convert that was baptized about 2 months ago had a miscarriage. She was about 4 months pregnant with twins but they both died. So we tried to cheer her and her family up this last week but she is doing good and hanging in there.

That is one thing that I love about the gospel; our knowledge of God´s plan helps us understand why God allows there to be suffering in the world. It´s because if there was no trials in life we wouldn`t be able to learn and progress. Whenever we overcome a trial in life, we come out better and stronger than we were before. And God wants us to eventually become like Him.

Anyways, the mission is awesome. Time keeps on flying by super fast. I don`t want it to, but that doesn´t change reality. But as I said before, there is still a lot to do! I attached a goofy picture of our district here. But I love you all so much. Keeping praying for, looking for, and taking advantage of missionary opportunities!

Until next week!
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Week of 3/1/2015

Muy Buenas tardes everyone. I am glad to here that all is well at home.

I learned something interesting this last week. I learned that it is really important to gain the trust of the people that we teach so that they open their hearts even more to the gospel message. So the week before last we had a first lesson with Ana MarĂ­a and her family. In the first lesson we arrived to the appointment and almost imediately started teaching the message and they only seemed mildly receptive. Then in the second visit, before the lesson we talked with them briefly about their lives and got to know them a bit better, and for that reason they started to trust us a little more. And during that lesson they were a lot more receptive, and two of them accepted baptism so this week we are going try to set a baptismal date.

We also had a good experience this week when Abinadi a young man in the ward who is waiting for his mission call to come, was making visits with us. While walking we bumped into to one of his friends Teresa. So as they greeted eachother we learned that her mom had died not too long ago. So we invited her to listen to us, and she seemed very interested. So this week we are hopefully going to begin teaching her. But it seems that the Lord made us cross paths at the right time.

Anyways, I love you all so much. I am going to try to make the most out of my last month in the mission field! Keep working hard yourselves and thinking prayerfully about who you can share the gospel with, and the Lord will inspire you so that you can do it the most efficient way. Thanks for the letters! Until next week!

Atentamente
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Pictures- His Christmas package finally came!




Week of 2/23/2015

Buenas tardes mi querida familia!

First off, I am now with my new companion and most likely my last companion, Elder Trillo, from Lima, Peru (see picture). He is also a new district leader, so I am helping him learn how to be a district leader. Elder Trillo has been in the mission for about 6 months, (so around Kannon`s time in the mission). He is a great companion and a funny guy. I am happy to have him as my last companion. It was also nice having a companion that isn`t sick. We could actually work hard this week without having to worry about sicknesses.

I think I told you guys a little bit ago about a family that we started teaching, things are going well. They are all progressing well, and we think we are going to set a baptism date. They seem to be having a true conversion.

And about the homecoming topic. I think that the topic that Dad suggested me is great, about the gospel changing lives. But I think that I would change it just a little bit and call it Conversion. I can teach the doctrine of conversion using experiences from the mission

Anyways, This week is going to be a good week. Love you all! And by the way, my package got here ¡por fin! about two months longer than normal (see picture). The goldfish were delicious and I like the ties. Thank you!

until next week!
Atentamente,
Elder Davis

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Week of 2/16/15

Hello and good afternoon. So my companion is going to be leaving the area! That means that tomorrow I will recieve my new companion... most likely my last companion!


This last week, I thought that Elder Vela was feeling better, then on tuesday, he started feeling super bad again and we went back to the hospital... and then we had to stay the night there. They stuck an IV in his arm again and gave him a bunch of medications through a tube. Overall we were there about 21 hours. I slept on a surprisingly comfy couch; I didn´t have a blanket so I put a jacket on and curled up in a ball and slept like a rock on the couch nexts to my companion´s bed. During the time that we were there, I think I read about 100 pages of Jesus the Christ.

Right now, we have plenty of good people in teaching, but in these last two weeks with a sick companion, there hasn´t been a lot of time to go out and teach them. Luckily Elder Vela feels better now; he is even eating normal food again.

And I have good news, the other day, the secretaries of the mission told me that I have a package that just got here!! So it looks like the package you guys sent me wasn´t lost after all! It just took double or maybe triple the time that it usually takes. Tomorrow at the tansfers meeting they are going to give me the package.

Anyways, I officially have 6 weeks left in the mission. I still don´t feel different. I feel the same as always. When I tell people how much time I have been out in the mission field, they always look surprised. I plan on working hard until the end. I know that the calling I have as a missionary is important, and I can´t justify getting trunky, lazy, disobedient, or relaxed in these last few weeks. I love the mission. I have learned so much, yet I still have much to learn.

I am excited for my package, I am excited for my new companion, and I am excited to work hard this week!

I love you all!
Until next week,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, February 15, 2015


Week of 2/9/2015

Hola mi familia! Espero que todo esté bien en casa! We had a really interesting week

Elder Vela got super sick. We ate tacos on tuesday night, then he woke up super sick the next day (I didn`t get sick at all). On wednesday he was throwing up, he said that his bones hurt, etc. So on Thursday we went to the hopsital to get him looked at (see picture), and they stuck in an IV to hook his veins to a bag of medicine, they took a blood test and he tested positive for Salmonela :0. So he had to take it easy all week. He also has a special diet now where he can only eat boiled vegetables, chicken, and tortillas for 2 weeks (poor guy).

We did splits with the members for a little while where one member stayed with him, and I left with someone else to go out and teach people. It`s a bit hard to work like that because we can`t always find brothers in the ward who are ready, available and willing. Luckily he started feeling better yesterday, so this week he should be good enough to work.

Last week Dad challenged me to do 100 push ups everyday, and last week I did it, except for yesterday, being Sunday. And today I started out the week doing 125. The first day I did it, my chest hurt super bad... but now I hardly feel anything.

Anyways, things are going good in the area. Last week we didn`t have a lot of time to teach the people that we have started teaching because my companion was sick, but this week should be great, I am excited. But this week is the last week of the transfer... and then next week I begin my last transfer :0 !! Time keeps going by fast! In this next transfer, I don`t really care if I´m junior companion or senior companion, I just want someone who wants to work hard. But we are going to work hard this week. I´ll let you know next week who is going and who is staying in the area!

I love you and thanks for the letters!
Until next week,
Elder Davis

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Pictures



Week of 2/2/2015

Hello and buenas tardes. I hope all is well at home. Thanks for the emails.

Today, my companion and I went to a zoo close by. It cost us 10 pesos to get in (which is less than a dollar). It was pretty cool. I am pretty sure my companion took more than 100 pictures. just about all of the animals were asleep. I was pretty excited to see the bears, but they aleep in a position where we could only see their feet. But it was fun.

We found a great new investigator this week. This lady talked to the missionaries of another ward in the street, then they gave us her address. We started teaching her this week. She already said that she wants to be baptized but first we need to get her to church.

One of the biggest struggles with the people here is that they aren´t home when they say they´re going to be home. We find a bunch of good people to teach, and then they aren´t there for their appointments. After that happens we have to spend a couple of days, sometimes more, to find them and to start teaching them again. It`s always fun doing that, but I love finding investigators that are punctual.

Well, time is flying by. But the mission has really been the best two years thus far. I only have two months left to do as much as can, and help as many people as I can. I love you all! Keep sharing the gospel as much as you can by your example and word! Until next week

Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Picture!


Week of 1/26/2015

Hey, whats crackin! Luckily this week, everything went well with the family we are working with. They were baptized on Friday and confirmed on Sunday. I had the opportunity to baptize the mom.Elder Vela baptized one of the daughters, and another missionary baptized the other daughter.

the mom, today goes in to get surgery for her eyes. So let`s hope that all goes well, she was pretty nervous. But they three have changed alot since we started teaching them. The daughter (21 years old) was a partier. every weekend she would go to parties and sleep all day sunday. Now she has completely stopped going to parties and has started going to church every Sunday.   The other daughter (16) was starting to follow the way of the average teenager. The mom was a very worried and disappointed mother whose husband died 2 years ago. She is losing her eyesight and therefore can hardly work. So they as a family sell food as a living. The oldest daughter has a three year old son and is a month or two pregnant with another. The gospel brought a new light into their lives. She is now is learning how to be a mother and wants her three year old son to be a missionary one day. And The 16 year old said that she wants to be a missionary when she turns 19.

It`s awesome to see the gospel change lives.

Lately our leaders have started urging us to use family history more especially with recent converts, and they also gave us permission to take extra time on the internet to use the Family Search website to find information. They gave a little booklet called My Family, so today I looked for information to fill out the booklet until at least my great grandparents to use as an example while teaching about family history and temple work. Anyways, I encourage you all to keep working in family history and doing to ordinances for those who did not have the chance to do them for themselves. It is actually a great way to interest some people in the church.

Anyways, The mission is awesome. I love you and miss you all and I´ll talk to you more next week!

Love,
Elder shane davis

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Week of 1/19/2015

Hello and good afernoon everyone I hope that all is well at home. I am surprised that Justine got another job! I had so much trouble getting a job before I left. 

This week we had an interesting change on the baptismal date of the family we are working with. The mom has been having problems with her sight... as in she is nearly blind and getting worse. So she is going to get some laser eye sugery on Saturday, and for that reason she won`t be able to get baptized after her surgery for a couple weeks. She has already attended church 5 times so she can already get baptized, but her daughters, have only attended 4 times. Luckily we talked with President Christensen (the mission president) and he told us that it is better for all three of them to baptized together . So if all goes well in their interviews, all three of them will be baptized this friday, before the mom has her surgery.

My companion taught me how to clean and cook beans, and then refry them (see the pictures). I learned that you can make refried beans in the blender. 

Sorry, I didn`t write that much this week and now we have to go to an appointment. But I love you all and I`ll talk to you more next week. And by the way... I think that the package you sent me got lost in the mail :( I´ll let you know if by some miracle I get it.

Love you all,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, January 18, 2015

pictures



Week of January 12th, 2015

Hello and good afternoon! Justine: don´t get into a habbit of regularly getting fired ok!? This week we had an interesting week.

On Tuesday morning, when I woke up, my foot hurt; it didn´t hurt super bad, but I couldn´t put much weight on my heel. I thought that I could just walk it out and the pain would go away. So after walking it out for two whole days of walking without putting any weight on my heel, the pain got worse. So I decided to get it looked at in the hospital. And they made me rest for two whole days! :( That kind of sucked. I left the house only to go to appointments that were close to the house. But after resting for a little while my foot doesn´t hurt. We think that I only strained a muscle or a tendon or something like that. Neither me nor my companion know what I did... but everythings alright now, Ill be able to walk just fine this week.

This week we are going to have a zone conference with the mission president. It was sort of a surprise to us because we just a conference a little bit ago, but i imagine that he has some important things to tell us. 

This week we had a good experience. In our area, we pretty much never use public transport because the area is small. But my companion had to do a baptismal interview for someone in another ward, and to get there we had to take the microbus (it´s just a van with a lot of seats that acts like a bus), which can fit about 10 or 15 people. So before getting on, I said a little prayer asking God to put someone in the van that would accept listening. So I gave hadnout cards to everyone and talked a little bit about the restoration and asked everyone in board if they would be interested in hearing more. Out of everyone, only the last person said yes and was very interested in hearing more (which is lucky, because many times nobody says yes). But I feel good about it, because many times we need to talk with many people to find a few that are interested. 

I attached a photo of me in front of a place called "Plaza de Toros", a famous place in our area where they do bullfighting with those wierdly dressed guys with red sheets saying "toro toro!!" One brother in the ward told us that in bull fights, they fight the bulls until they kill it... and then they sell the meat in butcher´s shops. I thought that was kind of funny.

Anyways, as i always have said, the mission has thus far been the best experience of my life. I don´t want it to end! I bought some protein powder today; I hope that I can look good when I get home! Keep working hard to share the gospel! Be the type of people that the Lord can trust! and i´ll try my hardest to do the same!

Until Next Week,
Love
Elder Shane

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Pictures


Week of January 5, 2015

Hello and happy new years everyone! I hope that all is well at home.

News about transfers: my companion and I are staying together here in Apizaco. I am excited to stay here for another change. I am pretty sure that I will finish my mission here.

I attached a photo of me on new years eve drinking a Martinelli. I was splits with the another missionary that day so I am no in my house (there was a lot of trash everywhere in that missionary`s house).

Things are still going good in the are... but I want them to go better so we are going to work hard this transfer. Lately there hasn`t been many people at home. We had a few investigators go out of town and they get back this week. So we are going to work extra hard this week

I think I told you all a little bit about the mom, and her two daughters, who are three awesome investigators. They are progressing very well right now. The three of them all attended church on sunday (which is one of the hardest thing to get investigators here to do), and they loved it and they want to make weekly church attendance a part of their life. They are going to be baptized on Jan. 31.

Anyways, things are going great. We are in the search for more investigators like them, we have been finding a good amount of people to teach, so we are going to teach them and see how they progress in this coming weeks. I love you all! Thanks for your support and prayers! Keep being the best missionaries that you can be!

Love
Elder Shane

pictures



Week of December 29th

Hello everyone! Thanks for the letters and the pictures you sent me! The computer didn`t let me see the video :( But overall we had a great christmas. We ate well with a family in the ward. It was great to talk with you all on Christmas. For new year`s I found a Martinelli in a store (which is a rare sight) so me and my companion are going to enjoy it new year`s eve

We found two new investigators that are very interested in listening: Abigail and her mom, Fernanda. We had our first lesson on Saturday and ther want to keep listening, the sad thing is, is that they are going to go out of town for two weeks so we won`t we able to teach them for a little while.

On also on Saturday we did divisions with the members. Before we split up, we agreed on meeting eachother again in the center of Apizaco at 2:00. So when me and Abinadi (the member that went with me) got to the center at 2 o clock, we didn`t see my companion. So we started waiting, and while waiting, we also started talking to people that were sitting down, because there are always a ton of people in the center. My companion didn`t actually show up until 3:00, an hour after we had agreed to meet up. But in that hour we talked to a bunch of people, so it was pretty fun. And Abinadi is preparing for his mission so it was fun to teach him how to contact people.

Anyways, we are entering into the last week of the transfer, and as you may already, I will tell you all next week who will be going and who will be staying in the area!

I love you all a bunch! I love the mission! Talk to you all next week!

Love
Elder Shane

Week of December 22nd

Feliz Navidad everyone, I hope that all is well at home! things are going well here mexico!

Today for Pday some members from one of Elder Vela`s previous areas invited to take us out for lunch, so they took us to a cool place next to a lagoon out in the middle of nowhere. I`d send photos but the computer i am using doesn`t want to sense my camara, so i`ll send them next week.

We had pretty cool ward activity this week. In contrast to many of the very poorly organized activities that I have seen in the areas that I have been in, this activity was great. And the members of the ward  brought tons of friends. Again, i would send you guys some photos, but i`ll do it next week.

On  Saturday we had a pretty great experience. We went to an appointment with someone that we had previously talked to in the street,  (an older lady that is at least 75 or 80 years old), and when we got there she was with her doctor. So we started talking with them, and Leopoldo was super interested. As we started teaching, he told us that he always felt that something was missing in his life. He told us that his daughter died at only a couple months a couple years ago. He told us the message we had was the message he needed to hear. So, he was super prepared to hear the gospel message, the only sad thing is is that he lives in another area, but anyways its the same work.

Anyways, I`ll talk you guys on thursday! I told Dad that 11:15 (9:15 your time) would be fine with me! And one more thing, I want a picture of you guys with th e  christmas tree! Love you all and I am excited to talk on thursday!

Love,
Elder Shane