John: 6/18/2012

From: John Schouten
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 10:51 AM
To: Julie Schouten.; Jordan Schouten; Mike Schouten; Mike Schouten
Subject: One suprise after another 6/18/12

 

Well this week was about as big of a surprise that I've had on my mission for multiple reasons.  First off on Thursday night we get a call from President Schaefermeyer for Elder Taylor telling him that there has been an emergency in the mission and that he was going to be emergency transferred.  So that was crazy.  We went home, because it was around 8:20-8:30ish so he could start packing because the service elders were going to come pick him up in the morning.  So we started packing and at around 9 the assistants call us and say "can you be ready in an hour?  We're going to see how long it would take to get up there and we're going to pick you up."  So they typed it in the gps and found out that they wouldn't be able to make it in a reasonable time and still make it to bed before 1 in the morning so they said never mind, the service elders will be there in the morning.  So on Friday morning my companion got emergency transferred (ET'd).  So I have been with the south Bethlehem elders since Friday morning covering both areas in the ward.  Pretty crazy huh?  Well if that knocked your socks off then I'll give you a second to put them back on before I knock them off again.

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There I hope you have your socks back on.  So then Friday night we get transfer calls, this was the last week of the transfer, and our district leader tells us that I am getting transferred!  None of us believed him.  I only have one transfer (1 1/2 months) left and I figured that FOR SURE that I would be staying, Jordan mentioned in his letter that he was 99.99999999999999999% sure that he was staying, well I was 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% sure that I was staying.  There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to stay.  I have only been here in Bethlehem for 3 months and missionaries are usually in an area for 4 1/2- 7 1/2 months so I assumed that I would for sure die here.  But nope.  It's not going to happen.  I'm getting transferred to an area for 1 transfer.  All of us here in Bethlehem are shocked.  But then again you can never be sure when it comes to God.  The scriptures say that God's ways are not our ways and our thoughts are not God's thoughts.  So I'm heading out to another are for the last stretch.  President was at the other block at our building and we asked him what was going on and he said that they're having a shortage of missionaries and they have to close down areas so they are having the south side elders cover the whole ward of Bethlehem.  Then President called me last night (Sunday) and said something to the effect of "I'm sorry we had to transfer you on your last transfer but we do have need of your special talents and abilities.  I'm going to be putting you with a missionary who has really made some wonderful progress and really just needs a missionary to be obedient and a good example and work hard with him.  I think that you will really get along well.  He just needs someone to set a good example."  So ya I'm getting a missionary who has struggled before and is doing a lot better.  So we'll find out tomorrow (Tuesday) who that someone is and where I will be spending the last 6 weeks of my mission.  So I hope you didn't send anything to my apartment because I probably wont get it.  If you forgot the mission office address is 721 Paxon Hollow rd. ste. B    Broomall, PA 19008.

 

So ya that's been the biggest highlight of my week.  Investigator wise we saw June Smith on Saturday.  She is the 9 yr old daughter of a lady who has been coming back and she has a baptismal date for the 8th of July.  She's a really smart girl and when we went we found that she hadn't been reading so we read with her and we were really able to apply the scriptures to her and committed her to read some before we saw her at church the next day and when I followed up with her she had read 2 chapters in one night!  It was awesome.  I'm going to miss her and her father.  They are awesome people.

 

Kurt has been out of town so we haven't been able to see him for a little while but he's in good hands.  The south side elders are really good so I know they'll do what's best for him.

 

But ya my mind has mainly been caught up in the craziness of the last two days and that was mostly what happened in our week.  It was nuts.

 

Mom- I'm glad to hear your lesson went well.  Forgiveness is a very important topic.  Why else do you think that it is always talked about multiple times at conference?  Because we just don't get it.  If we got it then they wouldn't need to remind us.  I'm also glad to hear that you got some stuff done.  Also, would you happen to have a recent picture of the family and cousins lying around so that way I'm not going to be knocked off my socks when I see them all?  That would be great if you could.  If not then it's not a big deal.

 

Dad-  It sounds like you get to do a whole bunch of phone tracting.  Fun fun.  That's cool that Dan seems to be able to win people over when he talks to them.  Maybe he'll run for president some day.  That would be cool.

 

Jordan- I'm glad to see that you forgot about me. :)  hehe  I'm glad to hear that you have good things going on in your area.  It sounds like you've been working hard.

 

Austin-  I agree completely with what Jordan said.  Have fun.  You'll get later on in life and look back and wish that you had had more fun and didn't stress so much.  Take it from Jordan he was a big stresser too.

 

Natasha- Do you still think that you can beat me in basketball? :)  We'll have to see when I get back.  Have a fun summer.

 

Shaylee- Thank you for your letter.  I'm glad to hear  that you had a fun week.  Keep having fun and listen to Mom and Dad.  They are really smart and know what they are talking about even if you think they don't.

 

I know the gospel is true.  I know that God loves us and cares for us.  He puts us in situations that will help us grow and become the best that we can be.  We most likely wont be comfortable but we will grow.  I've heard it said that there is no growth in the comfort zone and not comfort in the growth zone.  It's pretty true.  God is testing us to see what we really want to become.  He has provided the way to navigate safely through the mine field that life is.  Jesus Christ paved the way.  He has made it possible for us to repent and to become better.  We have been given the Book of Mormon to guide us.  It was written for us in our day.  He has also given us a prophet to give us God's word.  If we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ then we will be truly happy.

 

Love,

Elder John Schouten