Elder Rhett Aaron Shaw

Hey all!

Mt. Hood

Wow! I can't believe a week has already pasted! It looks like you guys are being hammered by rain! Yay!! Maybe it can help us get out of the never ending drought...Arizona is stealing all of Oregon's rain! It has been toasty up here! It has only rained a couple of times since I

have got here, but come winter we will have loads of rain so I can enjoy the sunshine now! :) (I also heard that it snows in Estacada...maybe I'll finally have a white Christmas?!?) Anyway, I simply love it here! I love the people so much it's creepy! I love teaching, helping, and inviting (spirit does the teaching thank goodness!). It is also very beautiful...I never thought I would love the country more than I do the city. I can't wait till fall so I can see all of the beautiful colors!

Last p-day our district went "larping" 

(live action role play). 

It was so much fun!

The work here has been...work, and I love it! We are preparing Mary to be baptized, we are working with some other investigators, and mostly working with less-actives. It is crazy how a testimony can be strong at one point, but then also fragile at another. WE NEED TO BE

CONVERTED TO THE GOSPEL or we will fall! We need to have a thanksgiving heart always and strive to see the best in people and in ourselves. We need to pray and keep the faith in Christ when life gets hard OR easy! We can't just go through the motions of life and lay back by doing what is least expected of us because that is how Satan gets us! If he sees your door to your heart opened just a crack he will slowly, but surly get himself in. We CAN'T let him do this! He may have power to bruise our heel, but we have power to break his head! I pray that we continue to study the scriptures, pray alone and with our families, come to church and the temple as much as we can so when life gets rough we will be able to stand firm in the gospel.

There have been so many miracles that I have been blessed to witness on my mission thus
far. I have been able to see how the atonement transforms and blesses lives. I have seen families once apart, come together by the feelings of the Holy Spirit. I have felt so much love

that our Heavenly Father has for each and every one of his children. I am so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be a part of the Lords work. Thank you all for your love and support...I can feel it!

P-Day at Mt. Hood

Yesterday we had fast and testimony meeting. I felt the spirit so strongly and I remembered why I wanted to go on a mission...to share that I know that The Lord lives and loves us and that his atonement is real! The spirit prompted me that I need to always share my testimony

of the savior, and my heart started to race and I knew that I needed to go up and bear my testimony. I couldn't say no. I was overcome with so much emotion that tears started to stream down my face (dang genes). I know that our testimonies are one if the strongest things we have to share the gospel with others and although it isn't easy to share it sometimes it is always worth it! My testimony is simple: I know that our Savior lives and loves us! I challenge each and every one of us to share our testimonies. It is the greatest anchor and weapon we have!

I love each and every one of you! Keep doing what is right! The Lord is always there to help! I hope you all have a great week!

Lots of love,

Elder Shaw

P.S. Sorry I don't have a lot of time to respond to everyone's e-mails this week. I love them so much and I appreciate hearing from you!  Add me on Facebook! We are at Mt. Hood for p-day!  ;) Love you all!