John: 7/9/2012

From: John Schouten

Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 9:14 AM
To: Julie Schouten.; Jordan Schouten; Mike Schouten; Mike Schouten
Subject: The Usual 7/9/12

 

Well it was another good week in Wilmington.  The weather here was pretty hot.  It got up to 105ish with lots of humidity.  The heat index was something like 115 or more.  I enjoyed it though.  I don't mind the heat that much.  I don't think I would like it tons if I was in somewhere like Paraguay where it is hot all the time with no air conditioning anywhere.  We at least have the refuge of AC.  We a little bit of walking around yesterday but luckily it wasn't too blistering hot yesterday.  It was just in the mid 90's instead of the 100's.  Not too much out of the ordinary happened this week.  We did have a cool story with an investigator named Melvin.  Melvin is a pretty cool guy and is really close to being baptized but he just needs to quit smoking.  We've had a hard time contacting him but long story short we called him Saturday night and he picked up the phone (he usually doesn't answer the phone) and he told us he was planning on coming to church but that he's had a really bad stomach bug or something since Thursday and that it was pretty bad but he was still planning on coming to church.  So Sunday rolled around and he came!  It was great.  So many people, Jordan I'm sure you understand, would let a little stomach bug keep them from church.  It was great to see someone with the attitude of "I'm going to come to church, rain or shine."  He ended up having to leave after the 2nd hour because his stomach was really bothering him.  We were just really glad that he came.  Other than that we've had a hard time finding people who will hold their appointments.  Some people just have no commitment and you set up appointments with them and you almost don't even want to bother going by for the appointment because they never hold but on the off chance that they are actually there and want to learn you have to stop by.  It can be frustrating sometimes but it comes with the job description.

 

Our 4th of July was decent.  We went to some members house for a luncheon thing.  It was like a 4th of July BBQ but with no BBQ so we had some other stuff.  It was really cool because they had a lot of non member friends there and we were able to get to know them and talk to them in a non confrontational way.  No we didn't get to see any fireworks but that's not too big of a deal on a mission.  There are other things that we have to do.  As our mission president said "you are out here to work for 2 years.  You don't get any vacations."  I thought that was pretty cool.  I also heard a really cool analogy thing yesterday in church.  The elders quorum president was about to start the lesson and he was talking about how sometimes your "ox falls in the mire" and you have to get it out.  So sometimes emergencies happen but if your ox is falling in the mire every week you either need to fill in the mire or shoot the ox.  I thought that was funny but so true.  If we are letting things keep us from following God on a regular basis then we need to make a change.  Shoot the ox or fill the mire.  Just as long as you fix the problem.

 

Mom- I would write Elijah but I don't have his address.  Also I'm glad to hear that you all had a good time at the cabin.  The cabin is such a nice place.  Cabin weather sounds really nice... well actually any weather without humidity sounds nice.  Humidity is killer.

 

Dad- I'm glad you enjoyed your 5 whole days with no TV shows.  I bet you would love a full 2 years of it.  Also you got tan legs?  How?  I don't ever ever ever remember you having tan legs.  You always wear long pants except when you swim and then you just get burned.  I'm glad you found some though.

 

Austin- How was the cabin?  Are you alive?  Are you still breathing?

 

Natasha- Jordan is right your letter was a little different but I'm glad you had fun at the cabin.

 

Shaylee- How did you like the cabin?

 

Jordan-  I guess when I didn't write you a section I guess I just forgot.  I got down to Shyalee and forgot to put you on there.  How cold is it down there in Paraguay?  You say it's cold but how much?  I'm sorry you have to be cold.  I would much rather be hot and sweaty than a frozen popsicle.  Keep working hard.  The end of your mission is sneaking up behind you and all of the sudden he's going to smack you over the head with a frying pan.  It's not pleasant.

 

I know the church is true.  I know God lives and that He loves us.  He wants the best for us.  We can find true happiness if we will choose to follow God.  He has set the plan before us and if we just stick to it we will be happy.  It wont be easy but we will be happy.  The Book of Mormon is true.  God has called a prophet today to lead us and guide us. 

 

Love,

Elder John Schouten