James letter 3-26-12

Lets see this week has been a lot of up and down. Monday started off good, until the end when our lesson cancelled on us, we taught a lesson at dinner, but that was the only one. Tuesday we tracted for 3 1/2 hours in the rain. It was really cold and miserable, and no one wanted to talk to us. We only were able to teach one lesson that day too. Something great did happen though, we found out that we are now in a car-share. So every other week we get a car. So tomorrow we will have a brand new Mazda 3 to drive around until next tuesday.

Wednesday was better. We got three lessons in, two of them unexpected. One while leaving a investigators house that couldn't meet with us. The guy waved us over and said we could share with him. The other came as we were walking home from another cancelled appointment, it was starting to snow(super wierd for Oregon), and we walked past a Jack-in-the-Box, and a member waved us in, bought us dessert, and introduced us to their nonmember friend. She had a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon.

Thursday was weekly planning nothing exciting there.

Friday we went on splits with the priests, well we went with one of them anyway, we took him to our lesson with one of our investigators with a date. She baked cookies for us, and bought us matching pen/pencil sets. They are really nice. She does too much for us, but you can't say no to someones heartfelt gifts. After our lesson we went and tracted, we got 1 potential investigator.

Saturday was a long day. We did more tracting, taught a couple lessons. At dinner we got to know the ------- really well. They have a couple kids, and they both love me. I certainly do enjoy homes with kids. It is a nice way to relax.

Sunday was fast sunday, and I was way hungry. We had a good meeting, but none of our investigators were able to make it. We had dinner with the ---------, an awesome family. He is from Fiji, and she is from Samoa. After dinner we had a lesson with our other progressing investigator, we taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The lesson went really well, and he is still doing great. Also that night we got a referral from the zone leaders. they cover the YSA ward, and they had a lesson with a young man, they said they probably could have set a date right there, but they found out he wasn't 18, so they turned him over to us. And of course we won't complain.

So one of the ----- kids got baptized? Thats cool. I am aware how long fonts take to fill, and I also prepared a talk while waiting for it. After our baptizm there was another one, and the font was accidently emptied, we filled it up in 45 minutes with buckets and pitchers.

I got a email from ------- finally. Its good to hear from her. It has been forever.

Thats exciting that ------- is leaving. Tell him he needs to write me a letter, he'll understand when hes out in the field. If all else fails, give me his mission address, and I'll write him one.

james letter 3-17-12

Here are some quick insights from the week:

"Men not unfrequently forget that they are dependant upon heaven for every blessing which they are permitted to enjoy, and that for every opportunity granted them they are to give an account. You know...that when the Master, in the Savior's Parable of the Stewards, called his servants before him, he gave them several talents to improve on while he should tarry abroud for a little season, and when he returned, he called for an accounting. So it is now. Our Master is absent only for a little season, and at the end of it He will call each to render an account." --Joseph Smith Jr.

Each of us needs to ask ourselves the question, what are we doing to make a difference. In the Parable of the Stewards, each was rewarded for making a difference upon what they were entrusted. The amount of difference was not important, but the fact that they did what the could was. The Lord requires each of us to do what we can to make a difference, and He will help us as we do our part.

2 Nephi 2:24

The Lord knows what he is doing, and as we trust Him, we can accomplish what we need to. He has given us the tools to make a difference. He has given us scriptures(prophets of old), and modern day prophets. In D&C 1:38 we read that, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

As we approach General Conference we should realize that the Lord has given us these tools to help us get back to him. As we listen to conference, we should pay attention to how we FEEL while the prophet and apostles speak. We can recieve our own revelation as we focus on the Spirit. The revelation recieved may not be pertaining to the talks given, but it will be what the Lord wants us to know. I know that as we focus our thoughts on the Spirit that he will speak to us. Take notes, and listen to what He has to say.

Love,

Elder Schultz

james letter 3-12-12

So I want you guys to know what I went through today in order to get to the library to send you this email. First I will tell you a story of something that happened a couple weeks ago.

The P-day a couple weeks ago when we went back to Tigard to the mall there, while we were coming back we met a guy on the bus, and started talking with him about our church, and God. In the course of our discussion he mentioned how he had dreams that sometimes came true. He told us that he had a dream that the wind was really bad, to the point that it was blowing cars off of the ground. When we left him we were thinking he was a little crazy.

We woke up today to gray skies. Nothing unusual for Oregon. Then the wind started picking up. It has since been very windy, to the point that small branches have blown off and hit the side of the house. So when we left to bike to the library we were biking against the very strong wind. During the course of our travels a tree broke and covered the entire half of the road we were one, causing us to bike around it into the oncoming lane. Luckily for us there was only one car, and he was a long ways down the road.

Anyways the moral of this story is that I have had an interesting time geting to this library, and I hope that you are apreciative.

So this week has been a really great week. We did something that has never been done in this area, and I have never done before on my mission. We met the mission standard of excellence by teaching 20 lessons in a week. Not only that, but we taught 21. We also got free Thin Mints, which was a very welcome icing on the cake.

So Thursday, which is often on of our slowest days, as we stay inside for half of it planning for next week, we taught 6 lessons. It was a very impressive feat, and we both felt awesome. Of course we realize that it is not all us, and a majority of the credit really belongs to Him, but nonetheless it is a good feeling when you do that well. Pride comes naturally in such a situation.

Friday was also a great day. While we didn't teach six lessons, we were able to set a baptismal dat with one of our investigators. So I am happy to announce that we should be having a baptism on the 5th of May.

Sunday we had a really great Sacrament Meeting, and Priesthood. They talked about adversity and priesthood. I'll add more to that later. That night though we were able to have a lesson with a new investigator. He is dating a member in our ward, and has been coming to Church for the last several weeks. He says he want to be baptized, and he is excited to learn more. We hope to be able to set a date with him soon.

So in Church on Sunday they talked about adversity, and these ideas stuck in my mind.

The way we percieve adversity affects how we deal with it. If we see it as coming from a negative source, then we face it with a negetive attitude. If we see it as coming from a positive source, then we face it positively.

There are three ways adversity come into our lives:

1.As a result of our own agency.

2.As a result of the agency of others.

3.As a result of natural events that are beyond our control.

Sometimes we make decisions that bring adversity into our lives, and while we may not like what is happening, we need to remember that the situation is a direct consequence to our actions. We are free to choose, but not the consequence.

Sometimes the choices other make affect our lives. For example, in the case of an abusive relationship the victim does not choose to be abused, but the abuser does make that choice and it affects the victim just the same. We can't stop others from using their agency, but we can surround ourselves with those that use their agency to do good things.

Lastly some things are beyond any of our control. Things like natural disasters that affect our lives, that we can do nothing to stop. Sometimes bad things just happen. These time especially it is important to remember that all of our adversity will "give us experience and be for our good" D&C 122:7. Trials are part of the plan. We knew that we would face them when we accepted that plan. We should always remember that He is in control, and that if we turn to Him, we can conquer anything.

I know that to be true, and I know that as we focus our thoughts, actions on Christ that, even though trials will not alltogether disappear, we will be strengthened, and our burdens will become light. Alma 24:14-15.

Thats all for this week. As I am almost out of time, and my campanion is waiting for me. Love you guys, hope you are doing well.

Elder Schultz

PS. By the way guess what I had for dinner on Thursday. Cow tongue tacos, and they were way good. Authentic Mexican is the bomb!

james letter 3-06-12

I never really know what to write when I email you guys, I usually just make it up as I go and hope that my emails aren't so boring. Sometimes that is hard to do, especially when there hasn't been anything exciting happening lately.

Well week 4 of this transfer is over. Transfers go in a 6 week cycle; its crazy to think that this one is almost over already. Time flies out here, it seems like i just got here, but at the same time it seems like I've been out here forever. Its a paradox.

Last Monday we went back to Tigard for P-day. There is a mall there, that was in my last area, and we met up with some of the elders from my last district. It was good to see them again.

Tuesday we had another lesson with our progressing investigator. She is doing really well, and she will be baptized soon. Her only concern right now is that she is afraid of water. She told us she wouldn't be in Church this week, but she came anyway. It was really neat. Pray for her, that she can overcome her fear, and act on her testimony. Her name is Mercy.

I did the Training and Practice portion of our District Meeting this week. I did it on MRL/MFA's, which are Member Referral Lessons/Member Finding Activity's. It went really well.

Saturday we took one of the priests in the ward out with us. We helped some people move, and we got lunch. He really enjoyed it, and got to see us give a blessing. Next time we hope to be able to get a couple priests so we can split up and do some tracting, and teach a lesson.

Church yesterday was really good. Fast Sunday, I got to get up and introduce myself to the ward, and bear my testimony. It was a really good meeting.

One thing I learned this week is this:

I am a child of God.

He knows ME.

He loves ME.

He helps ME.

All I have to do is trust HIM.

It reminded me of Elder Uchtdorf's talk about the signifigance of the one, and how even though we are a small and insignifigant being in comparison to the rest of creation, yet are EVERYTHING to Him. It's nice to know that no matter what we matter to Him, and He will help us with even the little things, because if it matters to us, it matters to Him.

Thats about all for this week.

Love,

Elder Schultz