John: 7/2/2012

From: John Schouten [mailto:john.schouten@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2012 9:31 AM
To: Julie Schouten.; Jordan Schouten; mjs1@utah.edu; Mike Schouten
Subject: The Usual 7/2/12

 

Well I really like Wilmington.  It is a great place.  There is a lot going on here.  We had an exchange with the assistants this week and it went really well.  We were able to get a lot of things done and I learned a lot.  I learned a lot about continuing to work hard and some ideas that I can use in the work.  The assistant that I worked with has been out 1 transfer less then me so he goes home in September so we have been out around the same time.  We had a really good exchange.  My companion Elder Brandon had a really good exchange also.  The assistant that he went with was actually the missionary that trained him so he enjoyed that. 

 

I also went on an exchange with some misSIonaries here in the district this week.  It was a great exchange.  I got to see Wes Sachau.  He got baptized while I was in Harrington about a year ago.  He hasn't really been to church in the last few months because of a lot of reasons.  The main one being he broke up with his girlfriend and there apparently were some hard feelings and he didn't want to accidentally run into them at church even though they went at a different time.  It was actually a really cool story and it's sort of long so I'll abbreviate.  When I got here I knew that he lived in the New Castle ward and so I wanted to go on exchange to see him.  So we went to where he lives and the lady that rents him his room said that he wasn't home from work yet and that he rides the bus.  So we went out the door and we looked down the street and I saw a guy walking down the street and I thought "that looks like it could be him but he looks a little bigger than Wes." So we decided to turn the car around and that then he would be closer to the house and we would be able to tell.  So we turned the car around and we saw someone walk into the address where he lives but we couldn't tell if it was him because we only saw a little bit of him from the street.  So we decided to go back and knock on the door and see and long story short he was there and we talked with him for a little while.  He said it was a crazy coincidence.  He said that just in the past week he's really started pulling back out his quad and reading and also praying.  Then we show up.  Crazy huh?  Coincidence?  I THINK NOT! So ya it was really great seeing him.  I'll probably end up going on exchange again down there and hopefully I'll be able to see him.  That would be great.

 

Other than that our week has been really just another week as a missionary.  We went around to a bunch of people and just like most everyone else in the city they didn't hold their appointment.  Missionary work is hard.  People in the cities are generally humble enough to listen to you and let you come back but they don't hold their appointments and if they do they don't keep the commitments you leave them.  On the flipside if you get someone who would hold appointments and keep commitments they often aren't humble enough want to hear what we have to say.  It's hard.  That is the reason we have to work through the members.  They can get into places that we can't.  They can find people who are humble and will keep commitments better than we can.  Missionary work is hard work but it is the best thing that I could have done with this 2 years of my life.  I've very greatful for the blessing it is to serve God and to proclaim His gospel.

 

We also had 3 church tours set up for this week. (a church tour is exactly what it sounds like.  You take someone around and show them the church.  It's a great way to remove anxiety they might have about attending church and the spirit will really hit them when they are there so it will help them come to church on Sundays)  Anyway... we had 3 church tours set up and every one of them fell through.  It was kind of a bummer.  We were super excited to get people to the church building but they either weren't home or called before and cancelled.  But we aren't giving up.  We're going to get someone on a church tour before I leave here or I'm not going to be a very happy camper.

 

Investigator wise we've been struggling with people holding appointments and our solid investigators have been gone.  So it's been an interesting week.

 

It has also been a pretty hot week also.  It's been in the 100's with lots of humidty so it's getting pretty sweaty.  I wonder if the dry heat will even feel hot when I return because I wont have to sweat so stinking much to stay cool.

 

Jordan- I did write you.  Every email I've sent you have been one of the recipients so if you didn't get a letter from me on a certain week it's probably because the email messed up or something like that.  Also I still write Austin at times when he hasn't written me for a month or two.  Why would I stop writing you because you missed 1 week?  Also just because I get to go inside an air conditioned house every once in a while doesn't mean that I don't feel the heat just like you do.  Walking around all morning when it's 100+ degrees outside with no breeze and high, high humidity doesn't mean that I don't sweat and get hot also.  But yes I do believe that your mission is hotter than mine and that you sweat more.  In lots of your pictures you just look hot and sweaty all the time.  I also like how you said that water has become your favorite food.  That was a good one.

 

Mom- I'm glad that girls camp went well.  That iron rod anoalogy sounds like it was really cool.  Have fun at the cabin.  Also BYU-I got that returned missionary worksheet thing so we don't have to worry about it anymore.

 

Dad-  I'm glad that you had a good time at girls camp also. Enjoy the cabin.

 

Natasha- I'm glad to hear that you had a good time at girls camp.  Thank you for your letters every week.  I enjoy reading them.

 

Austin- So how have you been?  Are you still kicking?  Have you chopped off your hand with a lawn mower yet?  I sure hope not.  That would not be fun for you.  It probably would be sort of fun for me because I would get to call you captain hook all the time.  (If you want to know where that randomness came from don't ask me because I don't know.)

 

Shaylee- Are you excited to go to the cabin?  Have a fun time and enjoy your summer.

 

I know that God lives and loves us.  He is there for us every step of the way.  He knows all of the thoughts and intents of our hearts.  He weeps when we weep and he is joyful when we are joyful.  He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth so we can be joyful together forever after this life.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's church again on the earth.  He has called a prophet to lead and guide us today and has brought about the Book of Mormon through Joseph Smith as evidence of this wonderful truth.  I know that if one will read the Book of Mormon with an open mind, faith in Christ, a sincere heart and real intent then they will know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God.  The church is true everyone.  I know that to be true.

 

Love,

Elder John Schouten