(No pictures came with the email as noted in his letter. I will post them once I receive them)
I'm going to start off with a little gratitude. You all are probably going to shoot me but here goes. I'm thankful that I was born at a time so the BYU football years that I miss on my mission get to be this one and that they aren't super good, well I'm not thankful that they're doing poorly but I'm glad that at least one of the years I'm not missing much. I'm glad that I'm not missing a year like the last few years where we've been really good. Basically what I'm trying to say, because my point hasn't been very clear, is that if I had to pick a year to miss on my mission it would be this year because they aren't doing very well yet. Maybe they'll do super good next year and I'll miss out but only time will tell.
Well I figure I should get on with my letter. I have now been out for a transfer. The first transfer just ended. My companion is staying and this will probably be his last transfer here because he's been here for 6 months and after this transfer it'll be 7 1/2 months. I'm glad he's staying because I don't know where lots of stuff is and if I had to take over the area after only being here for a month and a half let alone only being out for about 2 1/2 months. Basically it'd be hard and I don't think it'd be as effective if I was the veteran in the area. Let’s just say we'd probably spend more time looking at maps trying to get places than we would doing other stuff unless the place I was going I already knew where it was. Well last Monday we went down to Scranton to play basketball. It was really fun. We only had 3 on 3 but with only being able to play half court that's good and it's not too crowded.
These last two weeks have been good weeks. This week we got 5 more new investigators. One of them is a super depressed lady and she's depressed because she made some stupid mistakes. I think she cheated on her husband but that's not a 100% fact. We're pretty sure that's what it was but either way she's beating herself up over it and we taught her and basically taught her about the Atonement and in a nutshell told her to read and pray a bunch. Two of the other investigators are the parents of Judy, the lady who had all that stuff happen to her. (like the brain problems) Fred, the dad, used to be really bitter toward God. Ever since his Dad died like 10 years ago he was really bitter at God. But just recently his wife almost died but she ended up living and that turned him around and now he says that he's always known that God is real, now for a little tangent.
If anyone ever tells you they don't believe in God THEY ARE LYING! Everyone knows that there is a God deep down inside. If God was something someone decided to make up it would've died by now. Fred used to be an atheist. He said that he said he didn’t' believe in God but deep down he knew God existed. No matter how thoroughly someone has lied to themselves and thinks they've convinced themselves that there isn't a God they still know deep down that there is a God. Anyway back to the story. Fred now is on board and has a baptismal date for Austin's birthday. (For all others reading this who might not know what Austin's birthday is it is November 13th). We would put it sooner but they have a lot of health issues that they have to travel out of our mission boundaries for so they won’t be able to come to 4 consecutive Sundays and that is probably the soonest they will be able to come to 4 Sundays (one of the requirements for baptism is they have to come to church 4 times) so the baptismal date is then for him and his wife.
We also have two other guys that stopped by our hot dog stand at the restoration site. They sound pretty cool and one of the guys said when he was at the site that he could feel something strong inside him but he didn't know what it was. THE SPIRIT! GET BAPTIZED! Funny story about him. He thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses and they still stopped. Pretty much from what I gather no one really likes Jehovah's. I just thought it funny that he still stopped by when he thought we were Jehovah's. (Totally random request but I have to say it now or I'll forget. When you send me CD's could you send me some mapeline (or however you spell it) I'm sick of thick, clog up your guts for all eternity, store bought syrup. The other stuff is much better and a ton cheaper. Please and Thank you!)
Well I think we almost died. Mom before you freak out. Stop it's nothing to freak out about. I'm exaggerating. We were talking with an investigator. His name is Chris. I think I told you about him last week. We helped him with his wood. Well he was trying to set the timing on his old truck on his own because he can't afford the 2 grand that it would cost the shop to fix it. He was twisting the distributor cap to try to fix it. The first two times it didn't start and it gave a little backfire and the third time it didn't backfire at all but still didn't start and then the fourth time he adjusted it again and tried to start it but instead of a little backfire again KABOOM! (I wish I could do double capitals) His muffler blew. His father in law who lives next door come over and asked what the heck had happened and he said it sounded like it happened at the body shop down the road. His kids came out of the house and asked what had happened because it shook the whole house. We didn't get hurt or anything but it was really loud and we felt a shockwave.
On Thursday we went to a less active girls house, she now lives in Stroudsburg (south of here). She wasn't there but her parents were. They apparently a couple years ago had the missionaries over all the time. When we went over they were super nice and he has a HUGE trophy room. I hope you can get the picture of the bear. It was 10 1/2 ft. tall and weighed 1200 pounds. It was on about a 1 1/2 - 2 ft tall stand but it was still huge. He shot it in Kodiak Alaska. It is the third biggest bear ever shot. It was HUGE! It's paw was about my hand and a half. It was so big. He also, as you can tell from the pictures that you hopefully get, is a really big hunter. He had a few sheep, a moose a few bears and a whole bunch of deer and elk and a whole bunch of other stuff like a wolf and a cougar. It was awesome. He also fishes as you can tell from the big ole' sailfish (swordfish) he caught. It was awesome.
We had 3 investigators at church. It was really a really good meeting which I was thankful for. One of them is in a wheelchair and another is his caretaker. Then we had an old lady who we didn't know was coming. I was happy we got all those people. Then later on Sunday we had a public relations meeting with a guy from Scranton. His dad used to be the PR guy for the 1st presidency until he retired or something like that. It was really cool. I'm super excited for this place. It is going to grow so much. They are working on plans to have a visitors center/chapel built here and a whole bunch of other stuff I'm not allowed to know because I wasn't here when it was discussed and the church wants to be the ones to announce it.
I don't know if I told you but we got a senior missionary couple on the 15th. They are from Sugar City Idaho (it's by Rexburg they said) he used to work at BYU-I. He did all the interviews for hiring there. Their names are the Johnsons. They are really nice.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You all thought that I didn't know what Austin' birthday was. I was just kidding I really know it is the 14th of November. It's on a Sunday. GOTCHA! I'm just a hoot huh? You are all probably rolling on the floor laughing right now so you probably won’t read this until you can breathe again.
Dad- I remember that talk by President Eyring. It was a good talk. That's how I feel out here and believe it or not I think about that talk often. I often feel like I want to go home and take a nap or just rest or not go out and talk to people for the last hour of the day and then I think of that talk and it gives a little bit of motivation and kind of a rebuke for being prideful. That's cool that they're doing Brandon’s temple work. The temple is an awesome place. I wish we could go there, but to go to the temple you have to have an investigator you baptized going to the temple and they have to have been a member for a year to go to the temple so that ain't happening anytime soon.
Mom- Joke stealer. Just kidding I don't care. You say lots of people have been asking about me. Who? College was definitely a good thing. I think it helped a lot with the homesickness thing. We are really lucky that we've been born into the gospel. I'm so thankful for that every day. You see people here all the time that don't have that background and you see the complete black and white difference between our lives and theirs. That's the reason I'm on a mission. To help change that difference. I have not gotten my shoes yet because I haven't been to a meeting where I would get those packages. I like that thought by Joseph Smith. It's really cool lots of people are not happy and don't know how to find it. If they would only listen to us they would know. But no they have to be so stinking stubborn. I assume it'll be a lot worse in the less rural areas but oh well they have their agency. I can't make them listen to me.
Jordan- Don't freak out so much. I realize I'm just beating a dead dog but... you can still get everything done and do it well and not be such a stress basket. How was it seeing Matt at the MTC? Did you talk to him or did you just see him? Does he come by the lamination place all the time now?
Austin- I heard you sang in church? How did you do? Did you crack at all? Here's a weird thought. When I get back from my mission you will be senior in high school. Weird huh? It's weird to me. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. I'm still waiting for a letter. IM STILL WAITING FOR A LETTER! In case I didn't get the message across beforehand I'm still waiting for you to write me.
Natasha- You're going to learn to play violin? That's really cool. The violin is a really cool instrument if you get really good at it. Have fun in ward choir. It's a hoot. Just ask Jordan if you don't know what I mean. Austin would work too. Why did you spill you're water all over your iPod and thumb drive and calculator? How much longer will you babysit River for? How old is she? I liked your (humor) at the end of your letter. It was humorus. Get it humorus! HA HA HA! I'm hilarious!
Shaylee- Your letter was super funny with everything dad put in it. My mission is good. I like it. The letters that I write to mom are to the whole family, not just mom. You stinkered? Ick. I hope you had fun at the Pitt's pool. Why did you kiss boys you're only 8 years old. No I didn't know Jordan saw Matt. Thank you for telling me. Yes I have taught people who aren't members of the church. Believe it or not there are a ton more people here who aren't members then people who are. Yes sometimes I wish I was at home but I'm not and won’t be for a while so I suck it up. If it's so quiet at the house then make some noise to make up for me not being there.
I love you all. I know this church is true and that I'm doing the right thing being on a mission. I know that through Christ we can all live with God again and be happy forever. I love you all and I'll see you in 21 1/2 months.
Love,
Elder Schouten
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