James 9-24-2012

This week was great. We were able to teach 20 lessons again this week, and we acheived the mission standard for finding with 21 hours. We are being tremendously blessed in the work here.

So a few cool experiences from this week. Wednesday we did some tracting in Springville ward, only a few hours, but with great results. The first person we talked to was a less-active member that we were asked to find by our bishop, we couldn't set up a time to return, but she seemed open to the thought of us coming back. A few doors later we were able to set up a return appointment with a young woman who wanted to learn more, but wanted her parents home as well. A few doors after that we were able to share a lesson on the Book of Mormon, the purpose of it, what it is, and how we can know for sure. We testified of its truthfulness, but sadly he was not interested in it. We saw him again a few days later, and he waved at us. A few doors down we were also able to share a lesson on the Book of Mormon with a young woman named Aaliyah, she was grateful for our time, and wanted us to return. We gave her the Book of Mormon with a commitment to read and pray, and set up a return visit for this week. A short time later we were able to teach another lesson on the Book of Mormon, we left her with a Book of Mormon, gave her a commitment to read and pray, and set up a return appoinment. In two hours time we taught three lessons tracting, and had three return appoinments. They are all African-American, and in high school. We asked the young men and young women if anyone knew them. We have a couple of people that know them and are willing to join us in the lessons. This week should be a good week.

Also on thursday we went out on a blitz with our ward missionaries in Rock Creek. We were able to contact several potential investigators, and confirm some moveouts, as well as find some new part-member families. We came back that night with several return appoinments with people that we hadn't known about before. We have two appoinments this Tuesday with people that we met while on the blitz.

Friday we had a great dinner/lesson with S and B G. We taught the Gospel, before we started S asked B what thought he would give as a missionary. He replied with I usually made it up. I gave him my scriptures and he shared with us a scripture from Psalms that talked about how walking in the ways of the Lord is THE ONLY WAY the live in the presence of the father. THe thought went perfectly with our lesson. B helped us to teach S so that she would understand. THe Spirit was there way strong. I fully believe that S is progressing towards baptism, but I feel that B being unsure of his testimony is holdin her back. Hopefully we will be able to help her overcome that and help him to know as she comes to know. They came to church again this week as well, but unfortunately we won't be able to meet with them this week.

Saturday we had a less-active member who we had seen previously and who wasn't interested called us and say that he knew that God was there, and that he wanted to come to CHurch, but was nervous about it. We met him at the church and gave him a tour, he told us about what had happened to him. He had really been humbled recently, and there was something different about him. He said he hadn't been to CHurch in 25 years, but he wanted to come back. We helped to reassure him, and shared with him about prayer. The one bad thing though is that he didn't come on SUnday.

Rock Creek ward had their primary program on Sunday. IT was so great to see all of the little kids and their excitement for the church and the gospel. I love watching the primary, they are so full of life and happiness.

james letter 9/10/12

Can you believe that this Friday marks one year as a missionary. Time has flown by. Before I know it it will be over. Because of this I have done a lot of reflecting on myself and my mission. I feel that I have learned a lot, but I'm not sure how much I have changed. Sometimes it seems I have, and other times it seems I haven't. Right now I've been in a slump, and have been having a hard time.

This week has really started us out great. We got up an excercised every morning, we taught 20 lessons, and we have been doing great at loving each other, and being obedient. I'm a little worried though about myself though, as great of a start as it has been I'm not sure if I'm really interested like I should be. I think I have settled into the "going through the motions" groove. I'm not good at resolving concerns, or helping people gain a testimony. I teach, but I think I take it for granted, and it means little to me, and so it means little to those that we are teaching. I've had good studies this last week, but I'm still mostly at the point where I know things, but I don't believe or incorporate them into my life.

Anyways, I'll give you a rundown on our week, and also a few things which I've been working on for myself. Monday, after we got home we met with both of the ward mission leaders, and were able to go over what we can do for them. Elder Crockett shows a great desire to serve, and that is helping to gain member trust back up.

Tuesday after our normal p-day activities we met with K D. We didn't have time to have a long lesson, but we shared with him again the promise in Moroni 10 and the introduction. He promised us that he would be at church on Sunday, which promise he did not keep. There is something holding him back, but I can't figure it out. Elder Crockett tried his best to answer the questions in our comp study today, but from what I know about Kevin the ideas won't work. I'm getting frustrated, and don't know what to do. We met with bishop K that night, and he had us come with him to an appointment, and as a result of that we have a new person to teach, named Josh. He is not a member, and he and his girlfirend were able to come to church yesterday, and we are hoping to be able to start teaching her as well.

Wednesday we had a quick lesson with B J, we read through some of the Book of Mormon with him. Elder Crockett commented later that we should try and set up a lesson in order to bring an investigator, that to just read with them if they don't have much time. The problem lies in being able to find a member that isn't working to come with us. Schedules conflict, and we can't find a member to some people. I would rather have quick lessons with them, than none at all. Also that day we had planned to go to the Visitors Center with a less active family and their nonmember friend, but due to some car problems, we were unable to do so. We had just a regular lesson with them family at their home. That night we went to dinner with bishop R, and discussed what we could do to help him. We had another lesson with Josh that night.

Thursday we had our district meeting, and then we did some tracting. We had a MRL follow-up, and then finished the day with our coordination for Rock Creek.

Friday we did our weekly planning, we had a lesson with a less active member W S, and were able to set up a return appoinment with her. We did some more tracting, and were able to set up an appoinment to come back. We will teach her tomorrow. To finish the night we had a lesson with H B, we went over some of the first lesson, he seemed to be hesitant about commiting.

Saturday we met with N and K G, they didn't have much time, so we read through 2 Nephi 2 in preparation for our next lesson. We also gave them a Book of Mormon for their grandfather. We couldn't find the exact language, but we were able to find the umbrella language that their branches off of, and it was able to work for them. The language we gave them was Tamil. We had another lesson with Josh in the afternoon, followed by a lesson with G C. We also saw the G. The rest of the evening after dinner was spent helping S and B G move out. They are moving from one place in our ward to another. She is wanting to be baptized, but she doesn't want to unless he supports her. He is a less active member, and isn't ready to come back. They did however commit to coming to church next week.

Sunday was great. J R gave a talk about grace, and how that is what helps us to overcome, and that Christ didn't just cover what we couldn't do, he covered everything. He also reminded us that it is Christ that does things for us. He read Ether 12:27, and pointed out that if we turn to him, the he will make our weaknesses become strengths, we don't do it on our own. we can't, thats why new years resoluions fail all the time. We had another sacrament meeting at Rock Creek Retirement Center, and we taught the gospel after the administraton of the sacrament. We finished the night visiting members, and teaching them about the Atonement and missionary work. I shared with the Alma 30,and I asked them the questions that Korihor asks. "Why do ye look for a Christ?", and "How do ye know of their surety?" I think that those are questions that we all need to ask ourselves. Sometimes I'm not sure if I even know the answers to those questions.

One thing that I have been trying to do is find one good thing about Elder Crockett each day, and write it down. I didn't get everyday, mostly due to forgetfulness, but here are some of the things i wrote down. He is excited for the work. He is good at back up plans. He is good at remembering to plan for everyone. He does a good job of relating his studies to our lives. He focuses the lessons one thing that can help them. He wants the members to trust him. Elder Crockett is a really good missionary, and other that the fact that he seems to expect every area to be the same, and to do things the same way, he is ready to lead others. I hope he can help me to rediscover why I am here. At one point or another I knew, I just need to remember. Pray for me.

Love Elder Schultz

james letter 9/5/12

So I have a new companion, though it wasn't the smoothest transfer. When they put us together I stood up to greet my new companion, and.....he wan't there....turns out that he wasn't told that he was being transferred. I had a two hour companion with my companion's former companion's companion Elder Carpenter.(thats a lot of companions) After the transfer meeting we loaded up Elder Carpenter's luggage, and drove to the other missionaries apartment, and waited for them to finish packing. We started our first night together with prayer, and a visit to each of our WMLs. We had great meetings with them, and Elder Crockett has done a great job of showing his enthuisiasm fo the work, and for his transfer to this area, despite how unexpected it was for him. We are going to start this transfer right, and keep it going. I feel that his excitement and Spirit are and will be a great help for me. I was starting to get into a slump, and just go through the motions. He has already rejuvenized me, and helped me to remember why I am here: to serve others. We are going to have a great transfer.

So, the last week of last transfer was great. We taught 23 lessons, including MRL's, an MRL is a Member Referral Lesson. I'll explain more next week because I'm out of time. We also acheived the mission standard of 14 hours of finding time. It was a great way to finish a transfer and a companionship.

Monday wasn't the best start to the week. We only taught one lesson, and we found out that we didn't have any dinners set up for the week. We also had a lesson call us about an hour before our lesson and cancell on us. We have yet to schedule another appoinment.

Tuesday we had a great District Meeting. We had a recent convert come and talk about her conversion, and we talked about the difference in who the missionaries were who taught her, and how we could become more like Christ to make a difference with thos we teach. We each gave a talk on a Christlike attribute from PMG chapter 6. I gave mine on faith, because it has been something that I have struggled with a lot, and often doubted what I know. It was good for me to be able to look at the principles of faith, and recognize the faith that I have. That day we were able to meet with a less-active member, who was a new move-in. Her boyfriend was also there. We spent the whole first half of the lesson just getting to know them, so that we could know how to apply the gospel to their lives. It is absolutely easier to share when you know who they are. On our way to that appointment we saw Kevin walking home, and we took the time to stop and talk to him. We were able to set up an appoinment, and to share a message with him later that night. We went with him to a mutual activity, and were able to talk with some converts about their experience. It was a great day, and a testimony to me that God does indeed direct us in our work.

Wednesday we had another appoinment fall through, but we were able to teach some of the members nearby instead. We had a great conversation about missionary work, and what they could do to do more. In the afternoon we had another appoinment call and cancell on us, but while we were biking past, on our way to someone else, we saw them outside, and were able to take the time to read through a chapter in the Book of Mormon with them. We saw C McA and her father after that. Brother S, formerly of the mission presidency referred us to him. We got to know them, and shared a lesson on scripture study. They offered to have us over for a dinner this week. We don't have a date set for that yet, but are planning on calling them soon. We were also able to teach two less-active members that night. M F, and the S. The last of which asked us to get a french Book of Mormon for the friend they have living with them who is from France. We did so, and took it to them the next day, along with a Restoration DVD. We are also planning on taking all of them to the Visitors Center on Wednesday of this week. To wrap up the night we helped a member do some yardwork, and then we taught a MRL to him. It was a great night, and the last lesson got us cookies delivered on Sunday.

Thursday we dropped one of our investigators. He is an athiest, who won't accept faith, and doesn't beleive that how we feel could be a way that a god would speak to us. He also spent a fair amount of time trying to discredit the Church, and the Book of Mormon. A highlight of that day though, was our lesson with K D. We were able to have Bishop R come with us to the lesson, and he was a great resource. We talked about prophets; their role, and who they are. We all bore testimony of the prophet today. We also talked about the Book of Mormon, and the significance of it, and what the bible says about it, and how the two go together. That night we went out with Bro C, our WML for Springville, and we were able to have a great lesson with the M, a less-active family who had actually called him, and asked for us to come over. A great sign.

Friday was great. We started the day with service. We helped M F do some house projects. I painted a ceiling and didn't get any paint on me, though I almost bumped my head on the ceiling several times. We shared lesson with him before we left. It was one of the Mormon Messages; "Waiting on the Road to Damascus", by President Uchtdorf. We talked about testimony, and how it comes little by little, not mile by mile. We ran into Kevin again that day, and were able to share the same message with him, about how we gain a testimony. That night we spent teaching members, and we were able to teach 4 MRL's and a lesson to a less-active family. The last of which we found out is having a baby girl. They also came to Church on Sunday.

Saturday started with a cancelled lesson, which enabled us to do help out with the move of some new members...or so we thought. We got there, and they had already finished the night before, so instead we went to the M, and helped them move three pallets full of bricks to the backyard. It was a great way to start the day. We had another lesson with G after that. We read through 2 Nephi 33, and talked about the importance of believing in Christ. He wasn't at Church though on Sunday. We spent the night saying goodbye to members, as we had gotten the call that Elder Awtry was being transferred to a car area.

Sunday the S came to Church, but no one else. We had great sacrament meetings, full of the Spirit. We also had another meeting at the Rock Creek Retirement center. It was a smaller crowd this time, but we did have new people that we met, and who promised to come next time. We had dinner with the Wards, and then spent the night saying goodbye to more members. It was hard for Elder Awtry to say goodbye. I know the feeling. It has been like leaving home everytime that I have left an area. You come to know and love the wards, and it is awful to see them go, but at the same time it is exciting to jump in to something new.

I got the package. and am grateful for the contents. I only have a couple minutes left here, so that will have to do for now. Sorry if I missed replying to a question, I'll look back next week and answer them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!!!!

Love,

Elder Schultz