Different Elder Shaker ... 3 years later

It's been 3 years since I've blogged.  I have a lot to say, and much of it will be about my kids, so I thought it would be appropriate to start where I left off ... with another missionary letter.  Jake has been serving in the Roseville, California mission for one year this week!  He is a fantastic missionary and a pretty amazing kid.  Here is his letter from this week.

"Hello,

I love Citrus Heights!  We have seen so many miracles this week, the ward is very supportive and the whole zone is very on purpose.  I love it.

It is crazy weird being in a YSA Ward.  It's just trippy being around so many people my age.  Especially so many returned missionaries.  It's doing some psychological damage.  This Friday is my year mark.  I cannot believe it.  At the beginning of my mission I had dreams about going home, now I have nightmares about going home.  Not joking.  I keep having this nightmare where I go home and I wake up crying.  I literally cannot remember how it feels to not be on a mission.  Those who have served know the feeling.

I love being a zone leader.  It is so fun being able to help other missionaries.  When I wasn't a zone leader I always thought all these ideas I would do if I was a zone leader and now I can actually do them!  Under the Mission Presidents counsel we have been focusing a lot on finding and the results showed for sure!  Every time I saw someone from the zone I talked about their finding with them and we went from 2 new investigators to 7 new investigators this week!  That felt really awesome.

2 of the new investigators were from us.  We found John and Sandra.  They are ex-spouses who still have a good relationship.  We were walking to the door of a ward missionary to introduce ourselves and John was outside sitting in his garage and we felt prompted to talk to him.  At first he tried to bible bash but we got him to simmer down and then his ex wife drove up.  She naturally said to us "Hi Elders!"  We started talking with her and turns out her grandpa was a Bishop!  She even told us one time without knowing it was wrong, she wore her Grandpa's garments to sleep!  She has a member friend in our ward who told her she shouldn't do that so she understands now.  However, within the past few weeks she said she has seen so many signs pointing her towards the church and she agreed to meet with us!  John also agreed to meet with us.  Sunday night we had a lesson with John and after a little resistance he accepted the invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, so please pray for him!

Also, we are now assigning preparation day activities to each companionship which is way more fun than just playing basketball each week.  Last week we played with nerf gun, this week we are having a crepe party with soccer and next week we are going to a park to launch stuff with a catapult that a member has (we will be safe, I'm an Eagle Scout).

The mission life is great!  I am so thankful for this past year in my life.  I cannot express in words the love I have for my Savior.  Every day He and His Gospel grow more and more amazing to me.  I know our Father in Heaven loves us all so much and I'm happy to proclaim His love.  I love these people more and more each day and I can't imagine His love for us if mine feels so grand and He is glorified and infinite.

Jesus is the Christ.  No unhallowed hand can stop His work.  Hurrah for Israel!

Jesus is the Christ.

Love,

Elder Shaker, III"

I'm very proud of my boys and their service to the Lord.  They are so much stronger and braver than I am.  Go, fight, win Jake!!!  Go, fight, win.  If you have any questions about this letter or the Mormon religion, please feel free to ask!