Wow, I am glad today is P-day, because it gives me a chance to catch my breath a little. This last week has been incredible with regards to teaching, and total of 32 lessons, but we are struggling to get people to church. A couple of them were out of town this Sunday, but there were several who just didn't come.

So lets start off with Monday. In the morning we went with our WML to see Wendy Manula. We taught her the Restoration, and she fed us breakfast. She is full of questions, and has an incredible desire to learn. She is really concerned with where she is in the picture. She asked us a few times what would happen to her if she died before getting her answer on what to do. She said that she has been praying, but hasn't gotten an answer. We have been focusing on helping our investigators to regocnize the Spirit, so hopefully that will help her to be able to understand what God is telling her. That night we tried to see a few of the names from our unordained list, but we were unsuccesful.

Tuesday I fell we had a really successful District Meeting. We trained on tracting. Specifically Teach when you find, find when you teach. That is something that has really helped Elder Lott and I. As we begin to teach and testify as we meet people on the doorstep we have seen an incredible increase in the effectiveness in tracting. The Spirit touches peoples hearts and they want to learn more. Of the five new investigators we have gotten in the last two weeks all of them have been from tracting. After our District Meeting we went right out and started tracting. In the first 30 minutes we were able to find a potential investigator, and give a Book of Mormon away. We were also able to stop by Theres(Trace). She is someone Elder Lott tracted into while I was at the leadership training. We were able to teach her the first lesson, and set up a return appointment for this Tuesday. She is from Switzerland, and she has a really strong accent. That night we were able  to meet with the R's family again, which was great. We read with them from Alma 7 talking about the Atonement. Her husband is still not interested, but she wants to come back, and he listens in on the lessons. We also saw Clancy G that night. He is still doing well, and even signed up to feed us dinner in a couple weeks.

Wednesday we did some tracting in the morning, and were almost late to our temple trip. I love the time we had to spend in the temple and ponder what I can do better to help my district, and improve myself. We were able to stop by a few of our potentials after the temple, and we were able to get in and teach one of them. His name is Devin, he doesn't believe in God, but is open to learning more of what we have to say. We shared with him part of Alma 22 how King Lamoni's father came to know God, and bore our testimony that He is there, and that he could know for himself. We set up a return appointment for this Tuesday.That night we had a lesson with Howard M, who has in his words, "just been slacking a little". It has been a few weeks since he has come to Church.

Thursday was crazy. After our weekly planning we went to see Tom M, he was home, but he didn't have time for us to teach a lesson, so we rescheduled for this week. Tom H called and cancelled our appointment. We went and did some tracting, and found a couple families that may be interested in hearing our message, we will stop by them this week. The Myers called and cancelled. Bob F called and cancelled, which created a problem, because we had two appointments scheduled at 7 and we needed him to do splits. We tried finding a replacement with no luck, but then the Lyons called and cancelled, and we ended up not needing a split after all. We went to see Jason W at 7, and he stood us up, but we were able to teach his wife Pamela, who was a recent convert. After that we went and saw Dirk R. He is doing so good. He has been reading every week. We asked him again about Church, and he said not this week, but he will come next time. Coming to Church is going to be a big step for him, but it will help him so much.

Friday I had my first exchange as District Leader. It was with Elders Palmer and Hehl. I went with Palmer in Summerlake. We were able to teach a member present in the morning with Erica R, we had a potential commit to coming to Church this week, and we had an other lesson with John. It was an ok day, but it could have been much better. I talked with Palmer about how he and Hehl were doing, and he said that they have been pretty lazy, which is apparent by their stats. He said it was seasonal depression. He has been taking his vitamin d pills, so we will see if that makes a difference. When I called for stats yesterday they had 5 total lessons, and I taught three of them while I was there. I am trying to think of something that I can do to help motivate them more. One thing I noticed that isn't related to the work directly is that Elder Palmer didn't eat his dinner. Apparently he is a picky eater too. It reminded me of my time with Elder Awtry, I talked to him about it a little, because I don't want to see it turn out the same. Elder Lott and Elder Hehl had a great day in Raleigh Hills, and were able to teach three lessons as well.

Saturday we did more tracting. We were also able to stop by Tom H, and teach him the rest of  the Restoration. We didn't have a member with us, and we weren't able to set a return appointment this time, but it seems like Saturdays are best, so we may just stop by again this week if we can't get ahold of him. That night the Lyons cancelled on us again, and so we finished the night working over more of the unordained list. We also took the Bishop the progress record, and he mentioned how he thinks we are doing a great job. We definetly have his trust. We offered our services in training the WC on PMG ch11, and he said that would be great. I am looking forward to seeing the ward misson process get moving.

Sunday we had a great Stake Conference. I have had one in every area. This one had such a strong Spirit. I learned a lot about how to stretch myself, and how to make the missionary purpose to invite others to come unto Christ by having faith in Him and His Atonement, repenting, being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, my purpose. I need to have a greater vision of what I am to do, and help others to do the same. Elder Lott is right there with me and we are going to work on doing better, and having a vision to baptize. Right after the conference was over we went tracting. There were a lot of people home. One lady we talked to, her name was Mary, and she said she was Catholic, and was going to say she wasn't interested, but Elder Lott was persistent, and kept going with the Restoration. We shared the whole thing with her, and after the 1st Vision she said "Wow". She felt the Spirit, and wanted to learn more. We kept talking with her, and found out that due to hard times in her life she has gained a strong testimony of prayer. We left her with a Book of Mormon, and commited her to read and pray. We are planning on following up with her this week. After dinner we did some more tracting before it got dark. By then the superbowl was on, and people weren't very receptive. They were to attached to the world, and didn't want to take time for God. That night we were able to see a less active sister, that the RS president asked us to see, and she was open to have us come back. We are planning on doing so this Sunday.

I read this morning in my studies the parable to the Good Samaritan, and I thought of another application as it applies to missionaries, and talking with everyone. There are people everyday who are spiritually sick and dying on the side of the road. If we don't open our mouths and talk with them, then it is like just walking by them as the priest and the Levite did. We need to be like the good Samaritan, and have compassion on them, and help them to be healed.

Elder Lott is doing great. He has really been working on improving, and has helped me to do the same. He gets letters from his family a lot, and I can see how much he loves them, and misses them, but wouldn't trade his time here for anything. He has a strong testimony, and a commitment to be obedient, and to serve with all his heart. He is a great example to me. I love him so much.

 

I'm glad to hear that Alese's funeral was so good. It is always a sad thing to see someone pass, but I do know that this Gospel, and the Plan and everything that goes with them are true, and so I know that they are happy, and that we will see them again.

 

Love Elder Schultz