James letter 4-29-2013

This transfer has gone by so fast. I can hardly believe that it is already week 6. I have mixed feelings about the speed that time is going by because on the bright side it means we are working hard and getting along, but on the down side, it means that I am going home too soon. I hope time starts to slow down a little, but I know this cannot be as long as we are working, and I will not stop working.

Again we had a terrific week. Our first night we were able to teach Andy A. His girlfriend Jackie wasn't there, but plans on attending this week. Our lesson with Andy was great. We were able to teach the Restoration, and help him to understand what our message is. He had read all that we left him, plus a little, and he also prayed for the first time in his life. He says that he had a hard time focusing, but the fact that he was willing to do it is a testimony of his desire. He didn't come to church this week, but we hope that he will begin attending soon.

Tuesday we had our district meeting on the use of scriptures. That is something that I really have a testimony of. I have seen countless examples of how the scriptures can help others. In our sunday school this week we talked about spiritual gifts, and I made a list of the gifts that I have, and I would say that the knowledge, and ability to explain scriptures is one of my strong suits, however, I think I could improve on my application of scripture in my own life. It is interesting to note that while it seems so easy to apply it to others, sometimes it is hard to apply it to yourself. We had a lesson with Meron afterwards. We read through Alma 32, and talked about humility. The Spirit was there strongly, and we were able to help here understand where humility plays in to receiving an answer. If you are not humble, then you think that you don't need to change, and the answers that he gives us cause us to change. At the end of the lesson she brought up a scripture that I had actually read that morning. It talks about how there will be many in that day that will come and say "Lord, Lord, have we not done many great works in thy name?" and He will turn to them and say "I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity." She realized by this that the claim of every church is that they are doing it in the name of the Lord. She also realized that clearly some of those would not be accepted, and she wanted to know which one would be. I was so happy that she finally discovered on her own the thing we had been trying to teach. There is only one church with authority, and to find out if this is it, you must read and pray about the Book of Mormon. We were also able to meet with the Rivers, and talk to them about prophets. What a great blessing it is to have a prophet on the earth today. We also had a lesson with sister Lowe, and Coltrane. We taught them the Plan of Salvation, and had a large emphasis on repentance for her. She has come from a dark place in her life, but is trying hard now to repent and change. They have both been reading and praying everyday.

Wednesday we were able to spend time in the temple. I always love going to the temple. It is such a great place to be able to sit and ponder, and come closer to God. I can't say all of the things that I learned, but I can say that it was a great experience. That night we were able to teach the principle of faith to the Cub Scouts. to do so we turned off the lights, and explained while being in complete darkness that to have the lights on is to have a "perfect knowledge", but to have the lights off is to have no faith. We then turned on a flashlight, and it gave us a small beam of light, by which we could now see enough to take a few steps forward. We then explained this to be faith. It is still not a "perfect knowledge, but it is enough to be able to see a few steps ahead. We then explained that as we take those steps our faith grows, and so does the light by which we see. It continues this way "until the perfect day", when we no longer will have faith, but a knowledge.

Thursday we were able to meet with Clancy, and talk with him about the Temple. He wants to return, and knows what he needs to do to get there, and he wants to wait until he is there to talk to the bishop. We told him that the bishop can help him to know what else he can do to get to that point. We also were able to meet with Coltrane and his mom again. We taught them about the Gospel, and again focused on repentance. The Gospel really is meant to help us change. As we live the Gospel we become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is not a checklist of things to do to get back to heaven, but it is a list of things you can do to help you be heavenly. I am grateful for it, and the opportunity I have to change.

Friday I had a great exchange with Elder Perkins. He is a great missionary. He is friendly, and talks to everyone. He includes the MIT in all his teaching, and he is focused on helping others. Throughout our day together we were able to have fun, and fulfill our purpose as a missionary. During our exchange we were able to teach Dirk about scripture study, prayer, obedience, and following the prophet. Obedience is really central to everything. Scriptures and prayer help us align ourselves with God, and give us a desire to be obedient, and the prophet helps us to understand the scriptures and the doctrine, and stay on the "straight and narrow". We were also able to meet with Rebecca L, we read through the Book of Mormon with her, and talked about the Atonement, and the Sacrament. She said that she is waiting until she is keeping all of the commandments before she partakes, in other words she is waiting until she is better to take the medicine. The Sacrament is what is going to help us overcome our weaknesses and become clean. We can take it as long as we are repentant, and have not committed serious sin. What a great blessing it is to be able to get an extra boost every week.

Saturday we were able to meet with our WML, and our bishop. Our bishop is happy, and grateful for the work we are doing here, and he mentions it frequently. I am glad to have his trust. That day included several visits, and some tracting.

Sunday was a great day. It was our ward conference, and our bishop spoke about "small and simple means". What a gem of truth! It is by small and simple means, especially in missionary work, that great things are brought to pass. It is by several small things that a person is prepared to be taught, and receive the Gospel. The stake president also spoke about missionary work, and how it is the missionaries job to teach, and the members job to find. What amazing missionary work would come about if that is exactly how it worked. However, there are many who don't understand this, and so we are left to try and do it on our own, and we yield far less results that if we work together with members. In sunday school we were able to talke about spiritual gifts like I said. I made a goal to discover the ones I have. Learn of the ones I'm promised in my Patriarchal Blessing, and then use the ones I have, and develop the ones I'm promised. In priesthood meeting we talked about ministering. That is something I don't think I am very good at. I am currently a one sided leader, which is fine by the worlds standards, but not enough by the Lords. I will work to improve. We also met with sister Lowe again, Coltrane was out of town, and so we are going to have to move his baptism back one week. We talked with her about scripture study, and also about the opposition that comes during repentance. She talked to bishop to begin that process, and she is grateful for our support to her during this time.  

That is about it for this week. I have really enjoyed the time I have spent with Elder Pugmire. What a great example he is to me of a dedicated, obedient missionary. He is a great teacher, and a great missionary. I can see him doing great things soon. I hope, for my sake, that I am able to stay as his companion for one more transfer, but "be it according to the will of the Lord". I will do whatever He asks of me. Its taken me a long time to get to this point, but it is a good point to be at.

 

Love Elder Schultz

This week could hardly have gotten any better, well I guess that's not entirely true, but it was a great week nonetheless. Monday we started off on a good note. We were able to meet with Nathan and Brian, they also had a friend there whose name was Jeff. We taught about the Gospel. It didn't go over well, because you don't work your way into heaven. This is true, but you still have to work, or you don't get there. Turns out Jeff was actually a member, who is inactive. They all seem to believe in each of the individual points, but they don't believe that they form the Gospel, and that that is what will help you enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and that there is no other way. After our lesson with them we drove up by OHSU, and met with a young unmarried couple named Andy and Jackie. We found Andy a few weeks ago, and were invited back. We taught them about God. They are more agnostic than anything, but they are willing to find out for sure, and they want to learn. We told them that that is all you need. Just like Alma said, even if you can no more that DESIRE to believe. If you have a desire you can progress.

Tuesday we had our district meeting on commitments, elders Palmer and Perkins taught us about the importance of following up. I think that is an easy thing to overlook if we are not careful. That is why writing it down is so helpful. If we write it down we can look back and remember what we have asked them to do. We had several lessons fall through that day, but we were able to meet with Howard, we went over some of the commandments with him, especially missionary work. We also met with sister Liliquist, with her we read through 2 Nephi 4, and talked about receiving strength through the Atonement.

Wednesday we also had several appointments fall through, but we were able to do some tracting, and find a member, who we didn't know was there, and are working on pulling her records. We also met with Clancy. We read through a section in D&C with him again.

Thursday we met with Lyle, and were able to go over the Restoration with him. He graduated with a degree in Protestant religion, and has since become very skeptical about religion in general. He said he was uncomfortable with praying, and coming to church with us, but that he would read and pray on his own. We also met with Jenny. We had a really good lesson on the Plan of Salvation, but at the end we weren't able to get a solid return appointment. I'm not sure what, but there may have been something bothering her that she didn't tell us. We also met with the Rivers that night. We shared a quick message on the Atonement. They didn't come to church Sunday, but they did meet with the Bishop.

Friday we were able to meet with Dirk. We taught him about the 10 commandments, keeping the Sabbath day holy, and the law of chastity. We told him that by living the commandments you will have more of the Spirit in your life, and would be more receptive to the answer that God is giving you. We also met with Shawn and Kristian for the last time. We met there with elders Perkins and Palmer, so we could hand off teaching to them. Kristians brother Brandon sat in, but both he and Kristian were drunk. Hopefully as they continue teaching, they will be able to help them to be baptized. We also had another lesson with Nathan. We talked about grace. We watched a talk given by one of the General Authorities, and they agreed whole heartedly with what he said, he worded it better that we could. I also learned a lot from his talk. I learned  that Grace is what does everything, and that that is what enables you to return to heaven by changing you from the natural man to a saint. Jesus Christ when he performed the Atonement helped us all overcome physical death, and our first spiritual death. Everyone will get their body back, and live forever, and everyone will be brought back into the presence of God temporarily, to be judged. The deciding factor is how long we will stay in His presence. If we choose not to live the Gospel, and keep the commandments, then we are choosing not to change ourselves. We remain as the natural man, and therefore remain and enemy to God, and must be cast off, dying a second spiritual death. Being as though there were no redemption made. If we do choose to live the Gospel and the commandments, we will be able to stay in His presence forever. I learned lots more that I don't have time to explain in this email. Needless to say that my testimony of the Savior has grown immensely.

Saturday was mostly tracting. We did meet with our bishop, and were able to report to him all of the work that we have been doing, and report on the status of the names he asked us to see. We have seen all but two of them. In the evening we were able to teach a few member families.

Sunday was amazing. Sacrament meeting was focused on temples, and I was excited because we get to go there on Wednesday. Nathan came, and took lots of notes, and stayed all three hours. He said that he really liked how we broke up into groups, said it made learning easy, by creating a better environment for it. We were also able to meet with the Lowe family. Sister Lowe is a returning member, and her 12 year old son wants to be baptized. They have come the last two weeks in a row. We had a great lesson with them on the Restoration, and were able to set a baptismal date with him for May 4.

That was about it or our week. It was incredible, and it went by incredibly fast. Mothers day is almost hear, and I am excited for my last phone call home. The last few weeks I have grown a lot spiritually, and I have been able to tell. Elder Pugmire has been a great example to me in his diligent study, and faithful prayers. He has a great focus on his purpose as a missionary, and we are doing great work together. I am grateful for the privilege to serve with him.

 

Love Elder Schultz

James Letter 4-15-13

We had another good week this week, we were able to start it off with a trip to the visitors center with Nathan and Brian. We talked a lot about the priesthood, and the family, and they had a lot of good questions and imput. I think that Nathan is a little closer than Brian, but I feel that they are both at least to the point of wanting to know. They have been reading, and they know a lot about the Bible. We are having another lesson with them tonight, teaching the Gospel, we are planning on using a lot of scriptures from the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon.

Tuesday we had our zone meeting, where we talked about the importance of members. We talked about member families, and the auxillary leaders that help to do missionary work, and that know the ward better than you do. We were able to do some tracting afterwards, and we found a single mother who invited us back, we were able to teach her on Thursday, and we is really open to learning, and she asked if her boyfriend could join us in the next lesson.  WE also had a lesson with Merone, we read from Mosiah 13, and taught the 10 commandments, with a focus on sabbath day, and chastity. She believes that you should follow those, and had no problem in accepting the invitation to live them. We are still trying to help her recognize the answer shes received. We also met with Dan C, and Susan H. Susan is a member, and Dan is a Jehovahs Witness. He did missionary work for 10 years, and he loves to talk about God. He thinks we have an agenda, but he really likes us, and invited us back again. We also met with Rebecca L. We read from the Book of Mormon with her. That book has a real power to it to help calm a troubled soul.

Wednesday we had a DLC. We talked about some things that we could do to help our districts, and set goals to acheive in the month of May. I did the math on what it would take for each companionship to acheive the goals, and it is really doable. We went to have a lesson with Sam P, and it turns out hes crazy. We walked up, and he was outside in a trenchcoat holding a hatchet, and smoking. He told us that he'd been in the psych ward for a week, and that he hadn't read the Book of Mormon, but that he had prayed, and he knows its true, and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. He told us how great we are, and to not let anyone get us down. He then told us to leave. He called us Saturday and told us that he'd read some from the Book of Mormon, and he loves it. We met with David S, and went over the 10 commandments with him as well. We talked to him about his baptism in June, and he was realliy excited for it. He called us the next day, and said that he had been talking with Melissa, and he doesn't want to get baptized that soon. He is willing, but I think that she is hurting his progress. We also met with the Moore family, and taught them about the creation by request. A cool scripture I found in Abraham says " and they watched the things that they had ordered, until they obeyed." It didn't all happen at once, but they keep watching, until they obeyed, I think its the same with us sometimes. We also met with Clancy G. We read through a section in D&C. At the beginning f the day we had 8 lessons scheduled. We only ended up with 4, but it was still a good day.

Thursday we were able to meet with Jen, the single mother, and we had a really good lesson  on the restoration. We were able to do some tracting after that, and we found another single mother, who was willing to learn more. She invited us in, but we didn't have anyone with us, so we taught her on the doorstep. We went over all of the restoration, and gave her a book of mormon, we are planning to return this thursday. Her name is Jenny.

Friday we had an exchange with the Summerlake elders, and I was with Elder Rock. He is very quiet, and doesn't say much, but you can tell that he is trying hard to overcome his fear. He is a good elder, and we had a good time together. We were able to have a great lesson with Dirk. We read through 1 Nephi 3-4, and talked about faith, keeping the commandments, and doing things you are not comfortable with. Elder Rock and good examples of doing things hes not comfortable with. We also had a lesson with Bill S. He is a jew, who's wife had died, and he is very lonely. He talks a lot, and has read all of ALma, and a lot of anti-mormon material. He realized that the other material is no good, and he is open to learning, and to coming to church. I think he will take a long time, but I can see good potential with him.

Saturday we were able to meet withthe stake president, and discuss the missionary work in the wards. The whole district was there. It was a good meeting, and accomplished a lot. We were also able to meet with our assistant WML, because our WML had just had a baby. WE met with our bishop as well, and he gave us a list of names to go see, of which we have seen 4 already. We were able to meet with Shawn and talk about the Atonement. Kristian didn't join us again, and we are going to pass them off to the YSA elders this week.

Sunday was great. We were able to visit a lot of people that our bishop asked us to see, and to do some tracting. One of the people we visited was a single sister who had just moved in from the YSA. The person we were looking for had moved, but we were able to talk to her, and then to her nonmember friend, who is a world champion fencer. We are planning to do a P-day activity with them in the first of May.

Love Elder Schultz

James letter 4-8-13

Well, we had another pretty good week this week. We were able to meet with Nathan and Brian again last Monday, we didn't have a member with us, but we did have a great lesson with them. OUr lessons there have been getting better and better. We taught the rest of the Plan of Salvation, starting at the resurrection and going to the kingdoms of glory. We were able to answer their questions, and to tell them again and again, that they are going to disagree right now, they have been raised a certain way, and the only way for them to know for sure is to pray and ask God. They said they would watch conference as well. They haven't yet, but they did record it, so they can watch it later.

Tuesday we had our district meeting, Elders Rock and Hehl trained us on MRLs. I think that is a good place for this district to start. They aren't teaching a lot, but I have seen in the past that as you commit to teaching 20 lessons a week, whether MRL or anything else, that the Lord will help you do so. In my last area I saw that as I taught the members a few important things happened. The members trust in us grew, they got excited about the work, we were able to find less-active members and investigators to teach, and the work flipped from teaching mostly MRLs to teaching mostly investigators and less-actives. Show the Lord you want to work, and he will help you. We met with Merone that afternoon, and one of her member friends was able to join us. She told us that she believes the Book of Mormon is true, and that there is a prophet, but she doesn't want to get baptized again. She also alluding to her having a dream about it, that she shook off when she woke up. Several of the talks in conference made me think of her. We are not sure, but I hoped she watched conference. We also met with the Moore family. The son there is a convert of about a year and a half, and the mom is less active again. We had a good lesson with them, and the 8 year old son said that he wants to be baptized.

Wednesday we were able to teach Clancy G, we read with him a chapter in the D&C, and talked about using our talkents. I think that that is something that is easy to overlook. I liked Elder Hollands talk, when he talked about faith. He said don't deny the faith you have. Admit whats there, and then work to improve whats lacking.

Thursday we had dinner with a less-active family, the McQuillins. They used to live in Farr West, we talked a lot about the things that were there, that we both remembered. It was cool, he is in a sad state. He says that he has never had a testimony, and now he is far from the path. I think that deep down he remembers and knows, but it is easier now to keep down the wrong path. I think Elder Hollands talk would be good for him too. We also met with Howard. We read through Alma 17, and discussed the principle of service. Service was talked about a few times in conference as well. Its something that will always help everyone, both the doer and the receiver.

Friday we were able to have another lesson with Dirk. We read more of the Book of Mormon with him. We talked about the role of a prophet, and discussed General Conference. He was excited to watch this weekend, and he did watch all of the saturday morning session. Two of the talks in that session made me think of him, and I am glad he was able to see it.

Conference was amazing. I had previously thought of a few questions that I wanted answers to, and as I watched conference I definitly received those answers, a testament to me that they really are prophets and apostles. There are too many good things to mention from conference, but some of the ones that really stuck with me are Elder Bednars talk on the Law of Chastity, and Elder Perrys talk on Obedience. After conference on saturday we were able to meet with Shawn, Kristian didn't join us. We taught the Gospel. Shawn has a lot of good insights, and knowledge, but he is struggling to apply. I think that is something we can all improve on.

The rest of conference was great. I always love conference, and it seems to have been even better as a missionary. I think that when you are focused on others, and looking for something to help them and you, that you are more open to the Spirit. I hope that I will be able to keep that focus when I return home. It came to me today that that was my last conference as a full time missionary. Time goes by so fast. Also on Sunday we were able to set up a couple lessons with investigators, and also a couple lessons with less-active members that we have found.

This week looks to be just as good as the last few. I am loiving working with Elder Pugmire. We are having a lot of fun, and we get along well. He is a very good teacher, and a great missionary. he is very focused on baptism, and how to help people. He wants to do better, and is willing to do so.

I still haven't gotten your package, I'm not sure why it has taken so long, I will keep watching for it, and will let you know. I did like the tie quilt, but I want to keep my ties. Thats great that Reiko is playing, took her long enough. I think the new Cedar City one is cool. One of the sisters that came out with me, who just went home is from there, I bet she is excited. 

Love, Elder Schultz

James 4-2-13

This week was a great start to the transfer. Elder Pugmire and I have had a lot of fun already, he is a funny guy, and I am enjoying serving with him. Our fisrt day together we taught a lesson to Nathan and Brian. It was probably the best lesson that we have had with them. There was no contention, and we were able to teach, and testify. They did have questions, which we were able to answer easily. Elder Pugmire used some really good analagies to help them understand. He is a great teacher. They all want to watch conference this week. We also met with our bishop, and our WML.
Tuesday we had our district meeting. I talked about being a successful missionary, and had each of the companionships study a group of scriptures that talk about things that they are struggling with. I felt that it was a good way to help them commit to do better, and build up the work that they are doing. I focused a lot on diligence, obedience, love, and service, and tied in each of the scriptures with a bullet point about what a successful missionary is. Later that day we taught Merone. She didn't want to waste our time, because she doesn't think she needs to be baptized again. Elder Pugmire explained well the purpose of reading and praying, so she can know for herself,and she said "If God tells me, thats all I need." She is really excited to learn more and to read the Book of Mormon, she said that its the same teachings as the Bible, and is probably true. She just needs a confirmation. We also met with the Williams and taught them about Scripture study, and prayer, and how to make both of those things more meaningful than just spouting off words, or reading a book. There is real power in both of those activities if we will but use it.
Wednesday we met with Clancy, we watched the Restoration with him, and talked about the importance and role of prophets. He came to church yesterday, and he said that he would watch conference, and come to the priesthood session. We also met with Sam P again. Another interesting visit. He has strange ideas, but is searching for the truth. He said that he doesn't want to come to church untill he reads the Book of Mormon, but he told us that he would read it all in the next two weeks. We were able to have dinner with Jason that night, but weren't able to sit down with him afterwards. We are hoping to see him tonight.
Thursday we did a fair amount of tracting, and were able to find a few potentials. We also met with Moe L. We finished teaching the restoration. He is unsure about God, and a lot of things, but he is willing to give it a shot. He says that he is not going to count out anything. He has read through to Alma 26.
Friday morning we met with Lance Leavitt, and his roomate Kate. We started the lesson together, and then it diverged, and I taught Kate, and Elder Pugmire taught Lance. We wrapped it up together at the end. Mostly we talked about God. Kate asked me at the end what the difference is between ours and her religion, because everthing that we taught was the same as what she believed. We also taught Dirk. Elder Pugmire did a great job asking questions, and we found out that Dirk believes that the chapter he read was true. He wasn't sure of what the meant. We taught about the Spirit, and how to recognize our confirmations, he is gaining a testimony, and he is excited about watching conference as well. That night we had dinner with the Lyons, and we were able to read through a chapter with them, and help them get the most out of it, so that by seeing how to do it with us, they might more effectively study by themselves. We also met with Howard. We read through Ether 3, and discussed faith, how to gain it, how to increase it, and what it can do for us.
Saturday we met with Bill S. We talked mostly about church, and the Book of Mormon, and how he can know for himself. He is an interesting man. He is jewish, and he is tired of the wickedness in the world, mostly violence. He is single, and he is really lonely. He is interested in reading to see what we believe. We also had another lesson that night with Kristian and Shawn. It started with just Shawn, but Kristian came in later. We taught the Plan of Salvation, and Kristian really liked it, said it makes sense, much more than anything else he had been taught. Shawn came to church, but Kristian did not.
Sunday we had a really powerful sacrament meeting. The topic was to Atonement, and Sister Corning spoke. She had just recently recovered from a stay in the hospital where she had nearly died, and they had lost their 20 week old baby after having to deliver the child premature. It has really taken a toll on them, and they have been grieving. She bore a powerful witness of the Atonement, and its uses and capabilities. One of the things that she mentioned in her talk was: "He doesn't want a perfect people right now, perfect people don't need a Savior. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes." She talked about how we don't have to be perfect to use the Atonement, if we did, no one could use it. He doesn't always take away the pain, but because he has experienced it, he knows how to succor us. For our third hour we presented the ward mission plan. We had Bob F talk about his conversion, and how if members had shared more he probably would have joined sooner. Ryan Martin spoke about his conversion, and the great fellowshipping the ward did, and how that was such a huge part of his decision to join. I spoke about my experience with my accident that helped me change and decide to serve, and related it to Alma's discourse in Alma 32, how we can either humble ourselves and be prepared to accept the word, or be compelled to be humble, and how that after we accept it we want to share it. Elder Pugmire also spoke about a few of his experiences from his last area in which members played a key role. I also read Mosiah 12-17, the story of Abinidi, and I'm convinced, he is awesome. He taught so much great stuff, and he did it with power. I really enjoyed what he taught of the Atonement in chapters 15-16. That night we went with Nathan and Brian to their church. They go to a nondemoninational christian church downtown called Solid Rock. They opened with a rockband. It was a good band, and they were singing of Christ, but there was no Spirit with it, it was entertainment, but not enlightenment. The pastor went on for about 45 minutes and seemed a bit full of himself, using lots of big words and trying to be comedic. I'm pretty sure he took a couple subtle jabs at us as Mormons. It seemed more like a history lesson that a doctrinal discourse. I didn't learn much. I definitly couldn't go there every week, but it was a neat experience to see how others worship, and it was a testament to me of the need for a prophet to guide the church. Without that men are left to themselves, and as such will do things the way they want. "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."
It was a really awesome week, and we look forward to another coming. Also I am really excited for conference, and the chance to hear from our living prophet and apostles. We do indeed have a living mouthpiece of God, and we can receive revelation for our lives. This church is definitly true, there is no doubt. It just makes sense.

Love Elder Schultz