John 3/7/2011

Hello all. Thank you all for your letters.

But before I get started I have to say I don't like the rain. That is one thing that definitely don't like about out here. The rain, I realize I'm not in Washington like Matt so I'm not trying to get sympathy but I'm just stating that I don't like it. It rained pretty much all day yesterday. By the time we went in all of me except my torso was soaked. I would've much rather had snow. Snow doesn't get you as wet and your clothes don't stick to you. This place has way too much water. I think they need to stop being so selfish and share their over abundance of water with the rest of the world that needs it because they definitely have WAY more than they need. Just thought I'd share that with you.

It sounds like the musical is really good. I wish I could be there. I like dumb humor. I don't get enough out here. Nobody gets my humor. They all just think my jokes are dumb. Well there have been a few missionaries that think it's funny, but not many.

Too bad BYU lost to New Mexico, but hooray that they whoomped on Wyoming. How come the one year that I can't watch them they are crazy good. Bummer but oh well. I heard that Davies got kicked off the team. That's a bummer but I hear it's been all over Sports Center and things like that. From all the members out here they say it's been getting the school and the church a lot of publicity, which is good. I hope they get a good seed in the tournament but based on past experiences they'll get placed two or three seeds where they should be but that doesn't matter. We'll see.

Well my week was an average week. We went on exchange with the zone leaders because my comp. is the district leader. It was a good exchange. We found 4 new investigators. One of them ended up being out of our area but it was still good. We also found another new investigator who is the sister of a less active lady. We stopped by last Sunday to see the less active and her sister was there and we invited her to church, and she came! We went back Wednesday to see the less active but she wasn't there but her sister was and she said she was interested in listening to us. Apparently the missionaries had taught her a little bit before. We had a really good lesson. Our area has finally started to pick up. The first 4- 4 1/2 weeks we didn't really have any new good investigators but now we have a few and the work is starting to pick up. It's really good to see how the Lord blesses you when you work hard and are obedient. Oh ya I remember one of the things that happened this week. When we went on exchanges we went over and saw a less active guy. We talked with him and he has some MESSED UP problems. He was talking about all these things that the church practiced or said back in the past or that they do now. Something about blacks, he had an accent so it was hard to understand, and something called polyandry? I don't even know if that's how you say it. I don't even know what it is. I've never heard of it. He was interesting. I was trying to bear testimony that reading the Book of Mormon and praying would help eliminate the confusion that he felt, oh ya he had been on a mission and had been basically the bishop in afghanistan when he was in the army, but he inturrputed me, that made me kinda mad but I didn't let it get the best of me, and said that he had done all those things when he was in the army and such but still had these questions. He was interesting. I think it was just some guy that was looking for a way out of the church and was using those things as an excuse. It just goes to show that even if you go on a mission and do good things that if you don't keep studying and holding fast to the iron rod that you can still fall away, regardless of how strong your testimony used to be.

Mom you know how you said you didn't remember if you told me that Alan and Alexis had their baby? Ya I didn't even know she was pregnant in the first place. That was completely new news to me. (Congratulations Alan and Alexis!)

McGuire is retiring? Really? I figured she'd be retiring soon. I think she's been teaching there since the beginning of time, 5 years. (Little Rascals reference, I didn't know if you'd catch it so I figured I'd point it out. It's at the part where they say "The Blurr has never been beaten since the beginning of time. 5 years.) Anyway, random tangent, Oh well she can't teach forever. Ironic that Austin goes to all these schools to be in choir and the teacher reitres and he gets the replacement. He he he. I think it's kind've funny. Actuall I think it's really funny. Sorry Austin, by the way you still have 4 more dates to go on. Mothers day is coming up.

Dad- Float chairman? Fun. I've heard that that's a lot of work but I'm guessing building the set was probably more work. I assume you didn't crash into any poles? I hope not that wouldn't be too fun.

Mom- If you see Karson's mom again ask her his address. Ushering is a good deal. You don't have to pay and you get to watch the play, sounds like a good deal to me.

Jordan- Your farewell is on the 15th? Sounds like fun. Do you know your topic yet? Is it coming up fast? Has the realization that you're going to be on a mission hit you yet? If it hasn't, don't worry, it didn't hit me until I was in the MTC or later. Well it never really hit me it was just a slow realization. There wasn't one specific time that it hit me. How goes college and your classes? Are you failing? Bah ha funny joke right!? Jordan failing a class? Impossible. (Well technically it's possible but highly highly improbable.) How is it with Kyle gone? He is gone right?

Austin- How do you like the musical? Are you glad you got to do a McGuire musical before she retired? 4 more dates. You better kick it in gear. 4 dates is not a lot. That's about two a month until Mothers day. Not hard. You can do it.

Natasha- Are you done with your play or are you just starting it? I remember Horton hears a who. It was a funny show. Good luck with your play if it's not over already.

Shaylee- The color you did your letter in didn't show up so I had to highlight it so it showed up blue. I read it but you shouldn't pick that color for next time. You're counting down the days until Harry Potter 7B comes out? You must be really excited. What shoes did you find that hurt your foot? What play was Shannae in and what do you mean there was a crash and the door flew off?

I love you all and I'll talk to you next week. Thanks for all the prayers and support.

Love,
Elder Schouten


NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.