james letter 2-21-12

So first let me apologize for not writing yesterday. The library was closed and we had no computer access. I hope it's not to disappointing for you when your letter is a day late.

In answer to your questions: yes, I do still want the nativity, and yes still send it to the mission office. We are living with members now, and I don't know the address.

So this last week has been crazy. I just found out that an elder in my last district's father just passed away. He went home to see him for a week at the end of last transfer. We called him this morning about something else, and he didn't even mention it. I read it it President Morby's letter. Keep him in your prayers. His name is Elder Adam Manwill.

On a more uplifting note the work here is still going great. We had four investigators at Church on Sunday, and one less active family. We are going to try and set a baptismal date with one of our investigators tomorrow. Pray for us.

We had a really amazing experience on Thursday. We went and had a lesson with and investigator, and he started by telling us that he had gotten an answer. Naturally, we were excited. If he got an answer then he knows its true. That was not the case. He told us that he didn't think that this was right for him, and he didn't believe that it was true. We were very saddened.

As we began to talk to him about his answer, and were in the process of dropping him as an investigator I bore a powerful testimony about the truthfulness of this message, and the Book of Mormon. He had tears in his eyes as I explained that the way we recieve answers is through the feelings of peace and happiness that he had when he became a father. I don't remember all that I said, but some of the things I had never before thought about in that way, and it was a testimony builder to me that I really do KNOW. The Spirit was there so strong.

When I had stopped talking he said he was confused. He could tell that we KNEW, and he didn't understand how he could have gotten a different answer. After some more testimony we commited him to come to Church.

The perfect ending to this story would be to say that he came to Chruch, but that is not the case. He didn't come to Church, which is very disappointing. We are going to stop by again this Thursday, so we will find out why he didn't come.

Friday we had exchanges witht he zone leaders. My companion is the district leader, so we will be having exchanges a lot. Anyway, while we were on exchange we went tracting with the spanish elders. We split up to cover more area. While we were tracting we found a really nice man, who talked with us, accepted a Book of Mormon, and invited us to come back. When we met back up with the other elders, they discovered that their bikes were gone.

My bike, and one of the spanish elders bikes were fine, they were locked to a stop sign. The other elders, including the zone leader using Elder Davidson's bike had their bikes stolen. THey had hidden them behind some bushes, but believe it or not the theives were able to twart that plan, and make away with the bikes. We had to walk the rest of that day, and we have gone without a bike until Saturday night.

RIght now Elder Davidson is using a loaner bike from the mission, which is not very good. He reported his bike stolen to the police, and the elder who lost his bike is willing to pay to replace it. That was the most interesting thing that happened thus far.

Thats about all that I can think of other that one thing that I have learned. You are not alone. No matter what you are doing, or who you are talking to; no matter how hard things are. You are not alone. The Savior is always there to help. THe Spirit is always there to warn, and guide us. And most important we have a Father in Heaven that we can turn to who will always answer our questions. You are not alone. We always have a loving guide to help us, someone who knows what you are going through. You are not alone.

Joshua 1:9, Psalms 118:6

The Lord is with us, and as we do our part, no matter how much we may fall short the Lord is there to pick up the slack, and help us to make it past whatever obstacle we face. We have a wonderful truth. We need to share it. 1 Timothy 4:12. Don't be afraid to share the Gospel. We have a truth that brings happiness into peoples lives. Everyone deserves to find this happiness. Share it with them.

I love you, and I know that this Church is true.

Elder Schultz

james letter 2-13-12

Well I have made it a week in my new area. Hillsboro is really a lot different that my last area. We have been teaching a lot more than my last area. We have ten investigators. One is progressing, and came to church yesterday. We are doing a lot of teaching, and I love it. On the flip side though the ward is wierd in the fact that we still haven't been able to meet with the bishop, the WML seems like he treats his job as a "hurry and get it done" kind of thing, and we have a hard time getting members to come with us to lessons. Tigard was a lot better in that respect, but it didn't have as much teaching. I guess you can't have it all. Who knew?

Anyways, my new companion Elder Davidson and I are getting along pretty well, and I really like the host family that we are living with, Bro and Sis Simmons. Bro Simmons speaks German a lot, and I can reply to most things, with my little knowledge of German and he is quite impressed by that. The are a very nice elderly couple, and they love having us around.

So a crazy sidenote. There is a girl in my new ward that looks just like Julia. I was greeting people before Sacrament Meeting yesterday, and she walked up, and I was like "Whoa" thats my cousin Julia. It wasn't, and I guess she's only 14, but she still looks exactly like Julia.

I am slowly learning my new area. I remember now how to get home, and how to get to the library, and the Church. There are a few other places that I remember how to get to, but most of it we haven't gone to.

We had our ward conference yesterday, and we had a couple of really good speakers. Here are a few things that I got out of it.

"What we see has more to do with US than it does with whats happening to others. The problem is that we don't see the BIG PICTURE. God does."

"TRUE worthiness is not a checklist of commandments followed, it is a SINCERE desire to follow Chirst with ALL of your heart."

"We can use the Atonement to ease our pain, conquer our fears, to overcome our temptations, and to be forgiven of our sins. As we turn to the Lord with our whole heart He can help us through anything." -see also Ether 12:27

"It's not enough to go through the motions, we need to adjust ourselves to live righteously, so that we can take a hold of the Atonement in our lives."

"PLEASE COME BACK. No matter where you are, or what you have done the Atonement can fix it. By using the Atonement you can come to truly KNOW the Savior."

Thats all for this week. I hope you have a better week this week, and the car will start working out ok. Tell Mom that she can do it. Tell Mike and Emily &co. hi for me.

Love you,

Elder Schultz

james letter 2-7-12

Sorry my email this week is late. It turns out that I wasn't staying in Tigard like I thought I was, instead I have been transferred to Hillsboro. Elder Fannin flys home today, it is kind of a sad thing to see him leave. I have loved serving with him, and have learned a lot.

My new companion's name is Elder Davidson. I have only been with him for a day, but I think that we will get along ok. We will have to see how things go, but he seems like a really nice guy.

I was really sad about leaving my last ward, they were so great, and everyone was loving and willing to help when they could. I will really miss some of the people there, and I hope I will be able to go back sometime and see them.

The few people that I have met out here in Hillsboro are pretty nice. Elder Armstrong, who was in my MTC district is in my district out here, and Sister Young, who was also in my MTC district is in the same city, but a different district. It's good to know some of the other missionaries already.

Our house now is in the basement of a member's home. I'm not sure how the mail works with it being a members home yet, but I will find out soon. I also don't know what the address is so please send everything to the mission office, and they will forward it to me.

The area out here has a lot of work going on right now, and I am excited to be able to teach some new investigators. My last area didn't have any. After transfer meeting yesterday, we dropped off my luggage at the house, and then we went right out and started working. We taught a recent convert, and a less active member. We also did some service, and met the WML. Tonight is our first coorelation meeting.

I finally found someone who works at Nike, but the were in my last ward, and I didn't find out intill last Thursday. They did however, say that it I told them the model number that they would get them for me and drop them off. They are such great people to be willing to do that for me.

Also I got tickets to the Columbia employee store, like the Nike one everything is 50% off, so what I'm thinking is this: You go online and look at what they have, then send me money for it, and I can go buy it as a birthday present, or something. The ticket is good until the end of March, so we have a while.

Thats about all for this week, I will have more next week after I have been in the area longer. Hope you guys are doing well. Tell everyone hi for me, and tell Adam congrats on going through the temple.