John: 6/4/2012

From: John Schouten [mailto:john.schouten@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 4:23 PM
To: Julie Schouten.; mjs1@utah.edu; Mike Schouten; Jordan Schouten
Subject: The Usual 6/4/12

 

We had another pretty good week this week.  We were able to accomplish a lot of our goals.  Last night (Sunday) was a little crazy.  We had a goal to get 100 referrals asked for (basically when you ask someone if they know anyone who can use some help or would be interested in learning about the gospel).  Long story short we were coming in on Sunday night and it was 9:20 and we had 99 referrals asked for.  When we realized that we started thinking of ways that we could get one more and reach our goal.  We usually call our Ward Mission Leader at night and talk to him about how the day went and we were going to ask him but when we called him he didn't answer.  We also tried calling a few other people but nobody answered there either.  So we were 1 away from our goal and both Elder Taylor and I wanted to reach 100 really badly so we were racking our brains on what we could do.  We looked through our planners to see if there was any last people we hadn't talked to at church that we needed to call but there wasn't anybody.  So we decided to text a recent convert and see if there was a time that we could come and see him and also asked him for a referral.  But we didn't get an immediate answer so we just resolved to have to talk to someone if there was anybody outside of our apartment complex but there usually isn't anyone at night.  So we hop out of our car at 9:35, ready to go in and we saw someone down the road so we went down and went to talk to them.  So we were able to get our goal.  Then later that recent convert texted us back.  So we ended up getting 101.  It was awesome.  It was definitely a testimony to me of the importance of working toward goals.  Working toward that goal definitely helped motivate us to work hard and do everything that we could to accomplish our goals.  It was a great experience.

 

Other than that we started teaching a less active members daughter.  He has been coming to church for the past 2 months or so and we've started teaching her.  We're going to see her tonight and hopefully extend a baptismal date for the 8th of July. 

 

Kurt- We also were able to see Kurt this week.  He is doing pretty well.  He's been really busy and we haven't been able to see him for a week or two.  So we read with him.  He is going to be a while before he gets baptized.  He has a lot that he is going through and dealing with so he's not going to be as fast as some investigators.  He thankfully has a really good friend who is a member and he knows a couple other members and they have fellowshipped him pretty well.

 

Mom and Dad- Congrats on 23 years.  That's pretty awesome.  There aren't many people in the world that can say they're married let alone been married half that long.  Thank you for your example.

 

Mom- Missionary week sounds pretty cool.  That was definitely something that I didn't understand very well before I came out here.  I think that's great that the ward is doing that. I hope it's a success.  I got that byu-i paper today and I filled it out and just put it in the mailbox 5 minutes ago so it should get to BYU-I in a few days.  Also I don't think the job I thought I could get before is going to be around so if there is anything you can find job wise for me when I get home that would be great because I don't want to just sit around for a month and I can't really do much to find a job out there while I'm out here so any help would  be great.  You did mention that Austin's work might need help or something like that.  I'm going to need money because I don't want to take out loans so really whatever the job that I qualify for is good. (lawns would be preferable but if not it's no biggy)

 

Dad- I really liked your letter.  I can definitely say that what you said is true.  Life goes on with or without us.  We can choose to run with it or get run over by it.  I've definitely learned on my mission that you have to do the best with what you have because you wont be able to do everything that could get done. 

 

Jordan-  Have fun with the work.  That is the only way to be happy.  As I've heard other missionaries say "If you're not having fun you're not doing it right."  Keep working hard.  This last year of your mission will absolutely ROCKET by.  I still remember like it was yesterday hitting my year mark and here I am looking down on 2 months left.  You never feel that it will end and then all of a sudden it smacks you in the head.  So work hard and then the smack wont be as bad.

 

Austin-  How's life with no school?  Are you excited to be the big dog at high school?  Enjoy yourself and exercise a little bit.  You'll be amazed about how much better you feel, how much stress is relieved and the results of you being more attractive don't hurt either. :)

 

Natasha- I'm glad to hear that you liked Avengers.  I think that will be one of the first movies that I watch when I return.  Have a fun summer.

 

Shaylee- We can't go swimming on our missions. Nope not ever.  I plan on going swimming a lot at the cabin though.  I also want to back the car out all by myself. (If you don't understand ask mom or dad and if they don't know ask someone who has been on a mission recently they'll know.)  Do you have a job?  You said you have to work tomorrow.  What do you do?  Also why did you sprain your ankle and how did you do it?

 

I love you all and my time is running short.  I know that God loves us.  I know that as we set goals and really strive to work our hardest to achieve them God will help us and place people in our path or set up the circumstances just right to help us grow the most.  We may not reach them all the time because God might want to teach us something.  We are all here to learn and become more like God. "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God."  (I don't remember the scripture reference and I don't really have time to look it up.  It's in Alma though.  I think it's 34 or 40 or somewhere around there)  God lives.  Jesus Christ came to the earth to die for our sins so that we can become more like God.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and it was written for us in this day.  God leads us and helps us know what will bring us the most happiness through a prophet.  Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.  I know this.  I have felt it as I have listened to him speak.  The gospel is true and has been restored to the earth.  It is what will bring us the most happiness in life.

 

Love,

Elder John Schouten