This week was a bit of a roller-coaster, but it was great. The total lesson count for this week was 23, and only ten of those were with active members. This tells me that the work itself is increasing, and the members are doing their jobs. This last week we were able to meet with all of our investigators in the Rock Creek ward, and we had members present at the majority of the lessons. Springville ward is coming along slowly, but it should be able to pick up soon.

This Monday started the week off really well, we spent most of our P-day with K, our investigator with a baptismal date, we played volleyball with some members, elders, and him. It was a great time, and afterward we had a lesson with him. He told us that he felt God was telling him not to take it easy on us, and that he was just going along with it, so he asked some really tough questions, like what prophecies have recent prophets made? You have to have a prophecy to be a prophet right? We then explained the role of a prophet, and the priesthood. He said we answered it well. We wrapped up that night by teaching two family home evenings, and trying to get referrals.

Tuesday in District Meeting we talked about how we could make a great district, where we are all close friends. We made a list of things we could do, and promised to do those things. That list includes: exact obedience, district tracting, district P-day, and effective studies. After lunch we went and had a lesson with our new/returning family, the S. They are a really great family, they are fun, and both Elder A and myself have a lot in common with them. They said they enjoyed the ward, and were looking forward to coming to church now. We did some service with a less-active member in Springville after that. We had helped her move some things into her appartment last week, and she called us to help her put up curtain rods. After we were done we taught her about the importance of scripture study. She said that she reads the scriptures, but she doesn't like some of the doctrince/ideas that the Church teaches, like exaltation. She was open to have us come back again though. At 5pm we had our first dinner. We ate with an partmember family in Rock Creek. We had taught the wife before, but hadn't been able to teach for a while now. It was good to get to know them more, and bring the Spirit to them. The food was fantastic. After that we had our second dinner, with a member family in Springville. We were able to follow-up on their missionary work, and encourage them to do more.

Wednesday was a little rough for us. After some miscommunication, and a half hour of wasted time we were picked up for a move. A new family from San Jose, California was moving into the Rock Creek ward. The father is not your average looking member. He has earings and a gauge, dreadlocks, and he ties up his hair, and wears a big black bead necklace. In Church yesterday he looked like a pirate. The really like the missionaries though, and seem like a sweet family. We had our first lesson of the day at 2pm with B and D E, and then one with C G. Then we had some mechanical difficulties, and had to stop at the bike shop. Elder A has had several flats the last few days, and today we are going to buy a new tire for him. I also need a new tire, because after our last exchange my tire was over-inflated, and now the seam is bursting. Thats the worst thing about exchanges, other elders use all of your things. After dinner we went out with our Elders Quorum Presidency in Rock Creek, to see some of the new move-ins, and people on the focus five. We finished the night with a couple MRLs.

Thursday we had a good weekly planning session. There is more and more to plan for now, and it makes it much easier. We had a lesson with K E at 1pm, then another lesson with K at 3pm. We had dinner with K as well, because the Relief Society and the Young Woman were having a mother-daughter dinner/party, so we had no one signed up for dinner. We did some tracting, and finished the night on splits with our ward missionaries in Springville. We had a successful night, and were able to see everyone we had planned for, and a few that we didn't.

Friday we started the day with tracting. We had another lesson with the S in the afternoon, then more tracting until dinner. We ate with Bishop R in Springville. We grilled burgers, and Elder A went back for thirds. It was a great dinenr, and we were able to teach the bishop and his family. He told us that he would be willing to come out with us on friday afternoons, because he gets off work early. We will be taking him up on that this week. We finished the night again with some MRLs.

Saturday we did more tracting until our lesson with G C, a less-active member in Springville. We then tried to drop by some members, with little success, everyone seems to be taking advantage of the nice weather. We were able to see H B though, and I havn't met with him since I've been here. We had some more bike trouble that night too, and after having a lesson with the G, a less-active family in Rock Creek, we got dropped off at our house.

Sunday was great. The Spirit was strong in both meetings. K was called into work, and wasn't able to come, but he called us and told us about that friday night. He will be at Church this Sunday though. After chruch Elder A fixed his bike. We went out to see some members, and his tire went flat again. We then had to walk home, and then call dinner for a ride. We had a few MRLs that night, and then came home. We were both exhausted.

Today we are going to the bike shop, so that we can get new bike tires, so we can avoid mechanical difficulty this week. We are also going on a tour of Nike.

I finished something called the 4th missionary,(I just mailed a letter explaining that more to you guys) and afterwards, Elder A and I were discussing it, I remember something I did with Elder F called the Purification Challenge. I shared that with him, and as part of our commitment to be the 4th missionary, we are doing a 40 day fast for purification. We had each made our list of things that poke at our Spirit, and are fasting from those things for the next 40 days. We started on Friday. It seems like it is going to be tough at first, but it will work out. We are going to be 100% obedient, not just 90%. We are doing great.

I am hoping to be able to write A this week if I have time. Thats all I have time for, we have to go to the bike shop now.

Love Elder Schultz