Well Jordan it sounds like you've been having one crazy experience at the MTC. It sounds like you're companion is just a bundle of fun. The advice I would give you with that whole problem is don't just hold it all in and just "deal with it." That doesn't work very well. If you were in the MTC for only 3 weeks then it would probably get you by, like it did me. I didn't have a problem with my MTC comp. but there was another Elder in our room that bothered me quite a bit sometimes and just holding it in doesn't help anything. It just makes you mad. Also don't be afraid to speak up. If you've got a problem with something he's doing talk to him about it. You don't have to be rude but tell him that he shouldn't be doing that or that something he's doing is bothering you, but don't word it as "YOU are doing this wrong," or "this is YOUR problem" but it will make him less defensive if you use a phrase more like "I don't like it when this happens," or a I don't think WE should be doing this" and then tell him why. Talking things out makes it a whole lot better. Trust me I've had problems with companions before. If Elder Baker and I hadn't talked things out previously things probably would've gone bad. Something would've happened that would not of been good, but since we've talked things out it's been A LOT better. But also just because you talk things out doesn't mean that you're all good for the rest of your time together. You might have to talk things out on a consistent basis. It's not fun or easy to talk things out like that but it's worth it. It's kind've like repentance. It isn't any fun to repent but the end result is a lot better. Set some goals that you both want to work on that will help your relationship. PMG ch. 8 at the end of the weekly planning section there is a little section called "Conduct Companionship Inventory" follow those guidelines. The Lord knew companions would have problems with each other so he put that section in there. One last bit of advice and then I'll get off my soap box. Try to get to know you're companion really well. Know what he likes and dislikes. Know about his family, what he likes to do for fun, if or where he went to college, his favorite color, his favorite movie... etc. etc. Basically just talk to him a lot about who he is. Get to know him. The better you know a person the easier it is to like them. If you don't know anything about them then you'll probably only see their faults because faults are really easy to see. The good is harder to look for but if you get to know him you'll have a whole lot more stuff to focus on than just the negative side. This helped Elder Baker and I a lot. Well you probably don't have a lot of time so I'll stop talking. But one more thing. You probably thought I was weird when I'd ask people if they had died when they hadn't written me for a while huh? See what it's like when someone (AUSTIN cough cough) doesn't ever write you? And Jacob Bruderer, he's the kid we played basketball with a lot during lunch at school right. He was braydon's friend and he had hops like a black man? I don't know who Austin Anderson is. I'm sure I've seen him but Anderson is a pretty generic last name and I've been out of high school for 2 years. Do people butcher your last name a lot like they do mine? It seems that it never ceases. People are always calling me Elder Shouten (shout- en) It's kind've obnoxious actually. Anyway I'm done. Have fun on your mission. Enjoy it while it lasts. It fly's by, well at least the first year does. I don't know about the second year, I haven't gotten there yet but I assume it fly's by as well.
Well this last week was interesting. Angela's baptism didn't happen. I repeat did not. That wasn't a typo. But never fear she didn't back out. They are putting in a new hardwood floor in the church and they are putting varnish or whatever you put on floors to seal them up and it stinks pretty bad and the bishop cancelled church in the Harrington building yesterday (Sunday the 19th.) But she will be getting baptized July 3rd, assuming church isn't cancelled again. The reason she isn't going to be baptized next week, the 26th, is because she has to start work at 12 on Sunday and church starts at 10 so she will only be able to stay for sacrament before she has to leave to get ready for work. But I think this will all turn out for the better. Now her son will be able to be there. Angela and her ex-husband have joint custody of her son Alan and since yesterday was fathers day Alan wouldn't have been able to see the baptism, (The father is an atheist) but she will have him July 3rd and she wont have to work so it looks like God has it all under control, yet again. But she is still strong and still excited.
Wes is still doing well. He wasn't able to be confirmed last week because of the church floor so he is going to be confirmed on the 3rd of July as well. The reason he's waiting till then is because a girl that he knows really helped him out a lot wants to be there and he wants her to be there but she can't next week but can on the 3rd. So Wes is going to have to wait as well.
We found another awesome investigator. The Lord continues to bless us WAY more than we deserve. Her name is Jenny Stacey. I only got to meet her the first time we've met with her because I was on exchange the 2nd time but according to my comp. and the missionary he was with she is awesome and is eating it up. She comes from a Jehovah's Witness background. Her whole family are in that church and her dad is a big wig as well and told her that we, Mormons, are the anti-Christ. (That's a real christian thing to say) But she wasn't ever baptized into that faith because of two reasons, 1. she smokes, and for JW's that's a no no. and 2. She said that faith just never "clicked" for her. It just never made sense but what we share really does. She apparently is okay with how the church used to practice polygamy also. According to Elder Baker and Darley, the missionary that was in my place, she said that "well they practiced polygamy in Christ's time." Something like that. Long story short she's been fed some anti junk and it hasn't phased her. We gave her a Book of Mormon on Tuesday and on Sunday night she was already in Mosiah. She's eating it all up and is doing awesome.
We also have another new investigator named Tim. He's met with missionaries before down in Seaford (the area just south of us) and he just moved into our area. I don't think you want to have to read the extent of his story so I'll abbreviate and give you what you need to know. He has had some life changing experiences (he hasn't really told us what), he was a hard core alcoholic and then went to jail and he's been clean from alcohol since he got out of jail 14 months ago. He wants to be baptized but his parole isn't up until Sept. 8thish. So we set a baptismal date for the 18 of Sept. He is super quiet so he's hard to judge where his desire is but we think he's sincere.
Dad- A mellow week? Wow that's a rare occurrence for the past while. The ward is getting a new bishop!? I thought Mom said a month or so ago that they weren't planning on changing Bishop Daines out for a while. So did you, Austin, David and their friend just help out with the relay? You didn't run in it right? That was just Phillip and Tony? How long is that race and how long does each person have to run?
Mom- Your week has been busy. An 18 hour car ride? Ick that's brutal. I'm glad that wasn't me. Being a missionary a 18 hour car ride would be horrible. Reading in the car is getting hard to do and I can't listen to music or anything like that really. That is a long ride. I'm glad you didn't die. To answer your question about the Haitian guys we teach and the whole language thing. We haven't really found anyone yet who speaks their language. We have a couple Spanish speakers in the ward but that's about it. That will have to do for now.
Austin- I repeat what Jordan said. Are you alive? and also who won the NBA playoffs?
Natasha- What are you doing to my room. Painting it pink and green? Who said you could do that? I didn't. Just kidding. I knew Jordan and I would get officially kicked out of there sometime so I'm not too surprised. That's really cool that you can draw all that stuff.
Shaylee- That stinks that you've been sick. Don't die on me. I have to see how big you get after two years of not seeing you and if you spend the whole next year puking your guts out you might die before I get home or you'll just be super small and skinny and about to die and that wouldn't be good. (I'm just teasing you about all of this.) I hope you feel better. How is summer vacation.
Well I attached two pictures. One is some crabs that I ate that some members gave us, crabbing is real big around here. So I now know how to eat crab. (he already sent that (crab) picture last week so look at last week’s email) The second one I'll let you guess what that is. Hint: It's a close up of something.
I know God lives. He loves us too. He restored the gospel so that we can repent and return to live with Him again. Jesus Christ is our Savior and he loves us and everything He does is for our best good. The church has been restored. God had given us the truths we need to know to return to Him again. I'm so grateful for that. I know God loves us. Joseph Smith was a prophet and Pres. Monson is the prophet today. Following Christ is the only way to happiness.
I love you all and hope you have a great week. Until next time.
Love,
Elder John Schouten
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