james letter 7-9-12

Well the 4th out here was an interesting, but enlightening experience. For missionary work there was absolutely nothing accomplished. We aren't allowed to proselyte on holidays, so we spent the day with members. We had a really good BBQ with a member family, the Js, they have a son ready to leave on his mission in 2 weeks. He is going to Australia. We also got to go and watch a fireworks display at the local park. It was a very good show, and it made me think and realize how much this country means to me, and how much I love it here. They played the Army song, and I started to miss home a little. I can't wait to serve.

We were able to go to the temple on Thursday, which was a great experience as usuall. I love the peace and quiet of the temple, and how you can always have a better day after going. It has a great Spirit, and it was good to recharge. I wish we could go more often, but I'll have to wait for that too.

Friday I had an interesting experience. We had dinner with a young family, and afterwards we went to see some members close by. One of the families we saw was an older couple with no children. She is apparently less active, and is antagonistic against the Church. She told us how she would be embarrassed to bring a friend to Church because of how noisy it is with the children. She then started to say how corrupt everyone is, and how she would give up her membership in a heartbeat if it wasn't for her husband. She told me that I only "knew" because I have been raised in it, and didn't have enough life experience to know better. I was able to bear my testimony to her of how I knew, and what it meant to me, I told her that she didn't know what I had been through, and while I may not have as much experience as others, my experience has comfirmed the truth to me over and over. At the begining of our conversation I shared Jacob 6:12, and how its important to do what we know to be right, and "be wise". Looking back I'm sure that I was led by the Spirit to share that, and hopefully it will do some good. Its sad to see people like that that let others imperfections destroy their testimony.

Sunday was a long day, but I learned a few cool things. One is that when adversity comes we need to have already decided how we would handle it. Just like the decision to not smoke needs to be made long before you are offered a cigarrete, the decision to be happy in trials needs to be made long before the trials come. When the time for decision is come, the time for preparation is over.

We also talked about Alma 22-25, and the people of Ammon burrying their weapons of war, and how we need to apply that to ourselves by burying all of the things that keep us from our Heavenly Father, and lead us to sin. Sometimes its easier said that done, but when its out of sight and out of mind, then we will be far less likely to fall into bad habits.

Reverence was the last topic. We discussed the purpose of a white shirt and tie, and how it shows respect, and reverence. The bishop mentioned that if we ever have a question of what we should wear we should look at the prophet, and follow his example.

I'm doing good. I spent $95 at Columbia. I bought a new jacket, and some rain pants, so when it starts to rain again I will be prepared. Right now summer has finally come. We have had blue skies all week, and 80-90s too. Its been nice. They say that it lasts about a month, and then it starts to rain.....until next July.

Thats all. Love you.

Elder Schultz

James letter 7-2-12

Well I don't have much time this week, we are going shopping, and then to the Columbia store. But I wanted to share with you something that I learned form the scriptures. Turn to 1 Nephi 8:21-24. Read through those verses. Now, as we are born into this life we are all started on a path back to our Heavenly Father. Everyone here is making their way towards the tree. In this life however there are trial, temptations, and afflictions. Everyone experiences these. Even those who are able to cling hold of the rod, by following Jesus Christ, and feasting upon his word go through the mists of darkness. Clinging to the rod doesn't eradicate the mists, but instead it provides us a way to get through the tough times in life. As we follow Jesus Christ, we are led through the mists, not around, and we will eventually come out of them and partake of the fruit. Think of those that don't have the rod to cling to, and how they wander and are lost. We have the rod, let us each reach out to them and bring them to it, so that they can have a way though.

I did get your package, and I loved the ties. Its neat to have something of his that I can wear out here to keep him involved in the missionary effort on this side, I'm sure he is swimming in it on the other side. I thought about something this week that I should have asked for in the package, Emily's flag tie. Its the 4th this week, and it would have been cool to wear. Maybe next year. The allergies are still bad, but with the extra supplement its mostly bearable. Pocket kleenex are great.

Love

Elder Schultz

james letter 6-25-12

First off, thanks for giving me Adam's address, I'll be sure to send him a letter. Sorry that you didn't get the letter last week mom, I thought I sent it to both, but I must have forgot.

This week has been much better. We doubled our total lessons, and I feel a lot better about what we did this week.
Elder Awtry and I are getting along great. He is a great guy, and he does want to work, I have been able to see that more this week. The wards here are very missionary-minded, which helps a lot. We have been doing more member lessons, trying to get more referrals. It's working slowly and surely.

Something cool that happened this week: on Tuesday we had a really good training and practice by Elders H and P, they taught about finding when you teach, and teaching when you find. They challenged us to teach a principle to everyone we talk to, and to ask referrals from everyone. As we tried to implement that this week we were able to receive two referrals, while tracting. That is something that has never happened before, and it was really cool. We also asked Sonya, a new investigator, and she said that she didn't know anyone right now, but that she would talk to her friends and let us know during our next lesson. It was really neat.

This week we have also been getting our exercise in, we did some more country tracking, and we had to bike up some pretty large hills. First up one, then down one, then up another, and around the bend. There were some really creepy houses up there. I swear someone was murdered at the one, it just felt creepy, and run down. There were tattered drapes, and flies everywhere. We only knocked once. Whats really weird about that is on the same street as the serial killer house there was an 8 MILLION dollar home. It had gates(which were left open so we could get in) that had roses in them, that looked really cool, it was surrounded by pine trees. It was probably the coolest house I'd ever seen. No one was home.

We also met someone on that street who went on and on about how Obama is the anti-christ, and other such things. There was a really creepy purple house, with a drunk lady in it, and a bearded guy that told us that he almost joined the Church once, but there was no hope for him now. I told him before we left that there is always hope. He smiled and shut the door. When we were done tracting we biked back around the bend, then down a hill, up a hill, and down a hill to dinner. I was so tired by the end of the day.

I spoke in Church this week for the Springville ward, the first counselor asked me just before sacrament, so the only time I had to prepare was during the Sacrament. It was good though, the topic was easy enough.

Next week we are going to the employee store for Columbia, so make sure that I have enough money in my account to buy the jacket, I'm thinking about getting some rainpants too, they were about 20-30 I think, so maybe plan for that. Let me know in your emails how much I have so I know for sure what I can afford. I'm hoping to keep it under 60-70. I know money doesn't grow on trees.

I'm looking forward to your package, Julie should be sending one soon too. It's a late birthday package from her, but after the cherry pie I got I think I can forgive her.

Love you guys so much. Christmas is around the corner, I'll talk to you then.

Love,

Elder Schultz

PS. Can you believe that I've been out over 9 months already. September is close by, and then it will be a year. Where is the time going???

james letter 6-18-12

Well lets start off with the good things of this week. The area is great. The ward members are awesome. My companion and I are getting along great. The members we live with are sweet, and the have a dog that reminds me of Reiko. I'm learning the area already and it has been warming up a lot. That last one is a good and a bad. Good because it hasn't rained much, and bad because its been hot, and my allergies have been killing me.

Work-wise, this week has been awful. There is not much teaching going on here, and we haven't been able to pick up any extra as of yet. This week I did a lot of following Elder Awtry's lead, as I am new to the area, and his lead is not the best...yet. I guess thats why I am called the follow-up trainer. I get to teach him what I know, and help him to be a better missionary. I have learned a lot on how to pick up lessons, and people to teach, so this week we will do better with that, and we will teach at least double what we did this week.

So I have to confess that I forgot that it was Father's Day, untill the announced it in sacrament meeting. By the way yesterday was a very long day. We were in church from 8:30-2:30. I was so tired by the end of it. It was a little strange taking the sacrament twice as well.

My companion was mocking me on my ties. I have probably 4 or 5 times as much as he does. I wore the pillow-tie that Julie sent me yesterday, and everyone loved it. Keep those ties coming.

Thats sweet that you saw President Monson at the play, you should have tried to go talk to him. From what I've heard from people who have been able to do that, he love to meet people, and always makes time for them. Not surprising considering how he sees the world. Everyone is a son or daughter of God, and he, as God's servant loves us as much as He does.

Thats wierd about the random phone call from some girl. I wonder who it could have been. I guess there is really no way of knowing for sure.

We had a few good lessons on fathers yesterday. I have a lot of really good notes. I'm running short on time though, so I'll have to send them next time. One that I can share now though is this:

We should always aspire to be like our Father, and we should follow the example of our father to do so.

Another thought I had, is to tell Heavenly Father happy Father's Day in your prayers. I wonder how many times hes gotten that, maybe you can be the first one.

Love,

Elder Schultz

james letter 6-12-12

Well you may have already guessed due to the lateness of this email, but I was transferred yesterday. I am now serving in Cedar Mill with Elder Awtry. I am senior companion, and am serving as his follow-up trainer. He has a lot to learn, and I look forward to being able to teach him what I know, and to learn from him what he knows. The work in the new area seems to have been kind of slow, but I look forward to working here, and helping the work to increase.

My last week in Hillsboro was pretty good. We taught 22 lessons, and were able to get along a lot better. Once we found out that I was going it was like there was light at the end of the tunnel, and both of us were happier, and looking forward to the new transfer.

It was hard to say goodbye to the members of the ward, that I had become close to. It was especially hard to say goodbye to Jason. He has made such a change in his life, and his love for the Gospel and the Lord is clearly evident. Sunday he was able to bless the Sacrament for the first time, and the Spirit was there really strong. Unlike most priests who just read it and its done, he read it with feeling, and you could tell that it really meant something to him. We had one last lesson with him Sunday night, and then we said goodbye. He said that he was thinking of serving a mission, and I told him that I would keep in contact, and come back when he goes through the temple.

I don't know what the address is to the members home that we live in, but if you need to send anything, you can just send it through the mission office, which is:

Elder James A Schultz

1400 NW Compton Dr Ste 250

Beaverton, OR 97006

Thats all I have for this week. I hope you got the letter I wrote last week. I sent it out on Tuesday, so it should have gotten there by now I think. Thats awesome about Julia, it would be great if she would tell me. Tell her to write me back, or I'm not going to write her at all while she's gone.

Love,

Elder Schultz

James letter 6-6-12 snailmail

James letter 6-4-12

This week has been awful. The progress we were making with each other has disappeared. He won't listen to me at all anymore. Grandpa died. I'm not having fun out here at all right now. Also my letter to president took up all of my time, so this is as big of an email as you are getting. I'll hand write a longer letter later today.

Elder Schultz

PS. Pray for me. I need it.