This last week was an interesting one. I am happy to report that I haven't had any more flats since last Tuesday. The week was cold, the weekend was wet, and today is windy.
Last Tuesday as we walked up to our a members house for dinner, we found him outside talking to his neighbor in the next apartment over. He was able to introduce us to her, and as we went inside for dinner we said we would see her later, to which she replied, "you definetly will." I take that as a good sign. Our member told us that she has been wanting her son to have God in his life, and he has been able to share mormon.org with her. We left him a commitment to follow up on his invitation, and also to leave her another: to meet with us in his home. he accepted.
Wednesday's District Meeting served to strengthen my testimony that God answers prayers. Recently I have been struggling with my prayers, and feeling that they aren't doing much good. I have been trying to search for a way to improve them, and for the training and practice Elder I trained on Prayer. He gave us a talk by Elder Joseph B Worthlin entitled "Improving your Prayers". It was a great talk, that discussed the attitude you have before, during, and after prayer. What you should pray for, how you should pray, it also outlined a few steps to take while praying. It was a great thing to see that an inspired leader could receive the revelation needed to help me, and be an answer to my prayers.
After our District Meeting we were able to meet with a less-active member. This was the first time we have met with him, so the first part of the visit was getting to know him as an individual, so that we could know how to help him. He has a unique situation, that is almost entirely foreign to me. He is homosexual. He doesn't act on his attractions, but that is who he is. He told us how much he wants a family, but that he doesn't feel that he could ever have one, because he wouldn't be 100% commited, or attracted to any wife he could have. He is without hope, and feels that God doesn't love him. We were able to invite him to pray, which he did, but he still feels the same. He did invite us back though, and we also met with him on Saturday night.
That day we were also able to go over a Stop Smoking lesson with T D. The way the program works is it helps to change your habits so that it turns off the desire to smoke. It also helps clear the nicotine out of your system in about a week, so that by following all of the steps exactly for seven days you will be done smoking. The lesson went really well, and we were excited to see it work. We stopped by her on Thursday and she had not started the program, we revieved it with her, and helped her to start part of it. Saturday we got a call from her saying that she couldn't do it, and she couldn't be baptized. We met with her that day as well, and helped to build her confidence back up. She has tried and failed at so many things in her life that she is afraid to do it agian. She doesn't want to blow her only chance. We told her that we would continue to help her, and that the thing that she could do to progress the most is to read the Book of Mormon and pray. We are going to start back at the beginning with her, and take it slow.
Also on Wednesday night we met with another new less-active member. She has started coming back to church on her own, and welcomed us into her home gladly. We shared our first message on the Atonement. She was willing to have us return for another visit, and we will hopefully be able to do that this week.
Thursday started off with some service for a single sister in the ward. She has back problems, and is unable to to manual work. We helped her to prune the plants in her backyard. She delivered us a plate of cookies Saturday night in thanks. We also had a lesson with G that day. We talked with him about the Gospel, and what it means to him. We are still working on getting him back to the temple. We also found out that he has not yet recieved a patriarchal blessing, and we told the bishop Sunday, and will be working on getting him one of those as well. That evening we went home for dinner, I was not hungry, so I took a nap, and I woke up at 8:30 sick. It was an unpleasant evening, and the next morning wasn't much better. I said a prayer, asking to bless me with health enough to work hard that day. As we were going out, Elder C asked me if I was sure. I told him that if I was to pray that I would be well enough to work, and then not try and work that it would show a lack of faith. We went out, and I was fine that day, and the rest of the week.
Friday we were able to meet again with J. Again his wife was unable to join us, but we shared with him the Gospel, and after the lesson he fed us lunch; homemade chicken noodle-Phillipines style. it was great, and helped with my health.
Saturday we met with B and C. We taught the 10 commandments. All of the family participated, we were also able to introduce one of our ward missionaries who shares a similar interest in a card game called Magic. He is going to play with them during the week, to help them have more contact with the church. He was also able to go by Sunday morning and remind them of church. They were able to make it because of that. He is going to do the same every week. Its easy for him because her lives in the next building over in their complex.
Sunday was a great and busy day. We didn't have to bike all day. We started the day at 8 going to meetings before church, we sat through our two wards, then got a ride to lunch with a member family. After lunch we had our sacrament meeting at the retirement center, after which we went to an Interfaith dinner to help usher. We finished the night at coordination for Springville.
Springville ward had their Primary program this week, the theme was choosing the right. Here is one especially funny thought. "I want to be a good football player so I can CHOOSE to throw the ball instead of running it so we can win!" I love hearing the special insights of the litttle ones. They are so pure and innocent, and full of love. It is always a joy to watch. The Interfaith dinner was a neat experience as well. There were about 20 different faiths each gather together to share how they give thanks and worship God. It was great to see all of the different perspectives on religion. Several member families from my last ward were there, and I was able to say hi.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving this week, and well as to finding out what is going to happen at the upsoming transfer. It seems like just yesterday the transfer started. Time has gone by so fast. Hopefully I have a little more time in this area, but if not I have definetliy enjoyed my stay, and am looking forward to what the future holds. My time with Elder C has been great. He is a terrific missionary, and will do great things on his mission.
Love,
Elder Schultz
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