Jordan: 6/2/2011

Hi everyone!  To let you all know, thursdays will be my prep day from now on.  Saturday was just a half p day so we could do laundry to have enough clothes for the first week.  First i have a couple of questions... Did you ever get a letter in the mail from me?  i sent it the first day or two, but no one has mentioned it.  if not, its not a big deal, because it didn't really say much other than my comps name and that i was doing well.  Also I got the mosquito stuff so that was good.  And can you get me Matt's address. I want to write him, so I need his address. Thanks

Dear elder.com works for my letters, but if you all could try not to put the same things in there over again, that would be nice.  Somehow i got two copies of john's letter and they got all mixed up so it was really hard to follow his letter. Also, our branch pres told us to tell you all to use dear elder, because it takes too long to read your emails online, but send them to my email too just in case.

Well this week was pretty crazy.  Spanish is still not really coming well at all, but i'm trying my best so that's all that i can do.  we taught our first lesson in the TRC yesterday, but it was in english, so it went pretty well, but i definately can improve a lot.  Yesterday elder wistison, my comp, told me that he was going to go home.  I tried my best to get encourage him, but i didn't really get anywhere, but luckily, in class afterwards we watched Elder Holland's "Don't Go Home" talk.  I don't know if you can find that anywhere, but if you can, WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was amazing.  And thankfully, it convinced elder wistison to stay on his mission, at least for now.  we had a comp inventory afterwards and we talked about what we can do to help each other and make life easier on each other.  It was really good.  His talk also gave us an idea of what to teach our investigator.  We we kind of arguing about what to teach him and couldn't come to any agreement, but elder holland told us exactly what we were supposed to teach him.  I honsesty think I've only ever felt the spirt stronger two or three other times in my life.  I really think now that elder wistison will stay on his mission and do what he's supposed to do. 

Also, does anyone know a family with the last name Ure?  my zone leader's last name is ure and I feel like I know him from somewhere. Maybe I'm just crazy but... He's from Morgan Utah I don't know why it sounds so similar, but it does.

Dad- mowing RB's is quite the party, isn't it? 

Mom- On sunday, Elder Packer's son, Allen F. packer spoke in our fireside, and he said he was from brigham city. Did you or grandma or grandpa know him by chance. Random question, but...  Also, the other missionaries in my room are in my district.  Everyone in my district is going to paraguay, except for one elder that's going to Uraguay.  I'm glad your square dance thing went well. Also could you possibly send me a couple more of the cloths you use to shine shoes.  The one I have seems to be falling apart a lot faster than it should and I don't think it will last my whole mission.

Austin- how go's high school.  Also, LEARN AS MUCH SPANISH AS YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  even if you don't go spanish speaking on your mission, it will teach you somewhat how to learn in another language.  I have no idea what i'm doing, and its really a disadvantage.  the elders with a couple of years of high school spanish are way ahead of me. So learn it as well as you can, just to help your learning process

Natasha- I hope you're still practicing your punching, cause when I get home, that's the first thing i'm going to do with you. :) Also, it will help you fight off all those crazy boys.

Shaylee- How is school? Are you excited for the summer?

John- what in the world is "anti?"  You told us to never read anti or something like that, but what is it? I hope things continue to get better with your comp. Also did you ever have a comp that wanted to go home, if so, what did you do to help

Actually, that question applies to anyone who served a mission that had a comp that wanted to go home.  If anyone that reads this letter has any advice that would be great, because I'm really struggling with what to do to help and counsel my companion. Any advice would be welcome.

Love, Elder Schouten

Search for that talk by elder holland as hard as you can. it's an hour long, but one of the best spent hours of my entire life.