03/28/16 - Siler City, North Carolina

What a week, what a week! Welp, I gave a dog a blessing. Yep, that's right. Just going to get it out in the open right now. I gave a terribly sick dog a blessing. Didn't know at the time if it was allowed or not, the handbook didn't say anything about animals qualifying for the blessings of the Priesthood or not, and we were being begged to give one so, we did. I since have realized that Priesthood blessings should be given according to the faith of the individual and no, I don't believe that dogs have a faith in Christ. But hey, it worked! The dog was healed! Oh, one more dog story. So every time we ride our bikes to the library, we ride by this huge dog. And every time we ride by it, it runs out into the street and chases us for about a mile until it stops. Well this week, it stopped at the edge of its yard and wasn't going to chase us! That is until Elder Niko decided to bark at it and then rode off crazy fast leaving me in the dust. It was the worst. He later told me "Hey, all I gotta do is outrun you and I'll be good!" What a kind companion. This week we went on exchanged with the other Elders in our district and I was with Elder Mortimer. He is a beast. We tracted, taught some lesson, ate at a Mexican Restaurant, and found a new investigator! Her name is Connie and after knocking on her door, she came outside and accidentally locked herself out of her house!! We walked all around and somehow helped her get back in (prayer works). She was so grateful for our help even though it was our fault she came outside in the first place and we had a discussion about the gospel! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she seemed very excited to read it. We visited a lot of less active members this week and actually have six of them come to church yesterday! Whoo!!! We also helped a lot of people move this week so needless to say, I'm getting pretty buff. I got a door slammed in my face this week! Literally! By a member. On accident. I think... Haha it made my eyebrow swell up like crazy so I will attach a picture of that. We have been more diligent in spending our time wisely this week. We have former-ed a few less actives that aren't progressing as well as a few investigators. It's very hard to tell someone that we can't come over as much because they aren't keeping commitments, but I suppose it's up to them to change it! It was a great Easter here in North Carolina. My family sent me the BEST package ever and church yesterday was beautiful as always. We are one our bikes again this week, but this time by choice. We still have our car, but very much enjoy the exercise that comes through bike riding! We rededicated our house this week because some creepy things have been happening and it is amazing to see how powerful the Priesthood is! My testimony of that has really grown this week. Elder Niko have begun playing Frolf each week! Also known as disc golf or Frisbee golf. It is really fun and exciting! As a matter of factuals, I believe we are headed to do that right after this. Wish me luck, i'm going to need it.. Well, I hope everyone had the best Easter ever! I am so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Let us constantly reflect on His infinite sacrifice on our behalf and through doing so, strive to become more like Him. I love y'all so much and hope you have a delightful week. Peace!

Still repenting for improperly using his Priesthood and blessing a dog,
Elder Shearer

03/21/16 - Siler City, North Carolina

Welp, that was one of the most exhausting weeks of my mission. Haha in a good way! We took our car into the shop to get fixed last Monday so we were on bikes all the week long. Also, this area is so big that it takes over an hour and a half to drive from one side to the other. Craziness! But the biking went really well. As a Spanish missionary you start to take advantage of having a full time car, so it was good for me to get some exercise! I got some mail from Mexico this week!! It was mail that I should have gotten in the CCM but for some reason it took 6 months to get to me. But it was pretty exciting to open! District Meeting this week was phenomenal. Elder Niko (our District Leader and also my new companion) asked me to instruct with him so we gave a pretty top notch instruction on How to Begin Teaching from Preach my Gospel! We had candy prizes and everything. We got a call this week from a recent convert by the name of Genie and she asked us to come over and help her with her foot. We ended up sitting there for 2 hours picking some metal from out of the bottom of it. I felt so bad for her! We got a new phone this week!! It is newer than our old phone but the same phone I had in Clinton. We spent a good few hours transferring contacts over and having to fix all of the errors that it made during the transition. But alas, we have a new phone. I cut Elder Niko's hair and it looks super professional. We also went to some hispanic tiendas to place some cards, but did not have any luck.. We did buy some spanish candy though! Church yesterday was delightful. I translated for the entire 3 hour block! It was pretty tiring, but at the same time, very enjoyable!! And on top of that, we had 2 investigators come!!!!!! WOOOHOOO!!! I also met this week a MASSIVE dog by the name of Kuma. She weighs over 230 pounds and is the biggest dog I have ever seen. She belongs to one of the members. Elder Niko and I are enjoying the area and are very unified as a companionship both in our teaching, and in our friendship. All is well here in Siler City!! Thanks for reading, have a splendidly fantastical week!! Love you. Yes, you.

Dreaming in Spanish,
Elder Shearer

03/15/16 - Siler City, North Carolina

First week in Siler City!!!! Wow. What a great week. Last preparation pay we had a district preparation day again​ and we toured a funeral home! We also had my last FHE with the Clinton branch. It was a very rough night and I was trying not to cry! There were a lot of really good friends that I had to say goodbye to last week.. But I suppose it's not really a goodbye, just a TTFN. So funny story with Transfer meeting last week! Last Tuesday I was supposed to meet my new companion and have him take me back to Siler City, BUT! That didn't happen. I went to the meeting and someone told me that he was at a doctor's appointment and I would have to go to Apex to wait for him. So I went to Apex with a different missionary and starting working until Elder Niko (my new companion) came to pick me up. Well long story short, we ended up doing an emergency exchange and I spent the night in Apex with the other missionary and didn't meet Elder Niko until Wednesday at Zone Training. I didn't even get to see my new area on my first day of the new transfer! Haha it was a crazy story. So super awesome fact! Our Stake Center is the church building right next door to the Temple!! And we go there every week for District meeting so I get to see the Temple a ton! Also, the meeting house for our ward is in what used to be a train station! It's super neat! Elder Niko has been making me dinner most nights and they are delicious! We made a homemade pizza one night. From scratch! There is a recent convert by the name of Genie and we go over to her house most days. She makes us food as well and she just loves the missionaries. Elder Niko and I did a tie trade and I guess that is rare for him! This was only his third tie trade of the mission! And I got one of his favorite ties (a tie that he has denied many other missionaries)! It was a good trade. But seriously, my new companion is incredible. Elder Niko is the man! He is a very loving person and serves everyone around him! He is a cancer survivor and is very strong in his testimony. It's a huge blessing, we are already like best friends after only a week! He has been out for 18 months and I am excited to learn some great lessons from him!! Well, thank you all for all that you do for me! I love y'all so much! Have another fantastic week!!

Obtaining unobtainable ties like a king,
Elder Shearer

P.S. My new address if anyone would like it is...

402 B Carolina Ave
Siler City, NC 27344

03/07/16 - Clinton, North Carolina

This has been a good week! It turns out, it was my last week here in Clinton. I received a call late Saturday night telling me that I will be transferred to Siler City tomorrow. I was pretty upset to hear that I will be leaving Clinton as it has become so much a home to me! I will miss all of the people and the memories, but I know more than anything that God has a plan for me! He has a plan for each of us!! So this week we went and visited a member of our branch who is in the hospital for a big sore on her leg. I don't know if y'all remember from my other letters, but she is the burn victim that is currently missing her hands. We went to see her in the hospital and I was so grateful that we did because she was picking at her food with her arms with tears streaming down her face. She was not able to feed herself and was probably so hungry! I asked if I could help her eat and although reluctant, told me that I could. I was able to feed her the meal and help her get situated. It was the most incredible experience. I was so humbled as I walked out of the hospital praying to my Heavenly Father with thanks for that experience. I know that the Lord sends others to answer our prayers in times of need. Even if it is just a goofy 18 year old boy, He will take care of us! We also visited a less active that taught us many a things about gardening! I am pretty determined to start a garden this spring. It's going to be great! :) We went to the Temple on Friday for Elder Foote as he is going home and it was so beautiful!! A little small haha, but still very gorgeous. It was an amazing experience to go through the Temple with so many missionaries and our Mission President and his wife! Afterwards, we went to a few more panaderias (hispanic bread store) and they were delicious! One of them is called "Shelley's Mom's Bakery" and my oh my, it is incredible. We went on exchanges and I got to see some of my old missionary friends so that was fun as well! And yesterday in church, I said goodbye to all of my friends here in Clinton. It was pretty hard, but again I know that I am going where I need to go! The hymn "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" has such a greater meaning for me now as a missionary than ever before. But even though I am a little scared and also a little disheartened to be leavening, I have full faith in the Lord and in His plan for me. I will be reporting back next week from Siler City, North Carolina! I love you all! But more importantly, the Lord loves you too. Have a great week y'all. Stay classy.

Meticulously planning out his gardening ideas,
Elder Shearer