Austin: 10/21/2013

Subject: Before I forget WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY COUNTRY?????? I`m not trunky, but I keep hearing random things about how our government is shut down and I`m just confused and I know I can`t trust a word a latino says because they`re full of crap

 

So what is the deal with the US? Someone said in a letter last week that the government is shut down, but nothing more. So I`m confused. I`ve also heard that the stock market crashed and we`re at war? Anyone want to fill me in? I`m kind of a few thousand miles away without access to news...

 

So I had my first interview with President Erickson this Tuesday, other than a super quick one my first day. If I`ve never mentioned it, I officially love that man. He is pretty much Daken with a different name. My interview was with my uncle, and I can tell he has the real love of Christ for his missionaries. He helped me a lot on ways to study. He`s great. I don`t really have more to say about it than that, but it was cool, he`s awesome.

 

Tuesday night was kind of interesting. We had a family night in the house of a member with the Salazar family, the family we baptized. We were on divisions before with youth in the ward, and Elder Giacoboni didn`t show up. About halfway through the opening song, I realized I was going to have to teach solo. The mom of the house taught a bit, but then I had to, solo. Usually we have a mormon message to show of something, but not Tuesday. But I`m here to say that the lord blesses his missionaries. I was able to teach, and tie my completely unrelated subject into the subject the mom taught about. The Lord blessed me. It was a cool experience. 

 

Thursday morning was incredible!!!!!!!!!!! We had a mission conference with Elder Uceda of the Seventy and the Area President. (He has the same calling Elder Nash had in peru.) Elder Uceda is the Latino version of Elder Holland. The first thing he said was a call to repentance. I have never been chastened with so much love though. Wow. He taught with the spirit. The second it ended, Elder Giacoboni and I both said "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Quiero mas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It was such a lift. He gave us 7 invitations (well 8 but one didn`t apply to me) They really aren`t important, but for the RMs I`ll list them 1. never be alone 2. never be an acomplice 3 have patience with the local leaders 4. watch a video of The District every day 5. fight to work with the members 6. study the scriptures with love, enjoy them, and study for your investigators and 7. prepare for the day everyday in your personal study. All 7 were things that I already knew, and I already do, but it was powerful to hear them stressed again through a general authority. His wife taught a bit about obedience and elder G and I looked at each other and we both knew we could be more obedient. It`s not that we`re super terrible, but it`s the difference between good better and best. we`re at good, or maybe better. But we can reach best. After the conference, we were best. We just need to keep that fire. Because we can`t have a conference like that everyday, though I would love it. It was so powerful. 

 

The 8th invitation didn`t apply to me because it was for the latinos to learn english because it`s the language of the resturation. We can learn more from the scriptures in English than spanish. One thing he suggested to help them is to ask for a priesthood blessing. After the conference, Elder Baca (an elder in my district who lives right across the hall from me) was super against learning english. Everything I said to him about it, jokingly, he got mad. But then Friday he came to me and asked me to give him a blessing for the gift of tongues, in english. He asked me, as well as E` Giacoboni and E` Urzola (the comp of E` Baca). It was a really powerful expierence to bless them with the priesthood that I hold. Priesthood blessings truly are from the Lord. When I gave the blessings, I said things that surprised me after I said them. I know I didn`t speak my words, I spoke the words of God.

 

Mom - Yes, I was able to sing. And did I ever say I did end up singing this is the Christ in The CCM? Because I did. But the song Thursday went well. The lord blessed me with a voice once again. It was a pretty powerful song. Was in the Centerville 20th ward? no, but for a bunch of latinos, it was good. So as for conference, I can`t print out 20 pages of conference, so the two sessions you`ve sent already is good for now, becaues I can only print a couple talks a week because it would cost 6 fortunes to print it all. But thank you. I need it

 

Dad - A birdfeeder? Really? Interesting. Have any owls living in your little house yet? Thanks for your letters. I really appreciate that you always remind me to keep my head up.

 

John - how cold is Rexburg?

 

Jordan - I really loved that you said even the Savior had problems and he was perfect. That really helped me a lot. Thank you. And how was it weird?

 

Tashita - Your jokes kill me. Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooo much. Latino humor is so dumb. I understand the words, but it`s just not funny. And I love how your letters are like a school report. Hahaha. It`s funny.

 

Shaylee - You wrote a letter to santa. In October. What kind of a person are you? and who in the world is mrs. Clayton?

 

We really only have one investigator, the wife of an inactive member. We taught her last night about repentance, chastity, and restitution through marriage. When we taught that sexual relationships outside of marriage is a sin, she turned to her husband (though not really her husband) and said "we`re living in sin!!!!" and then she turned to us and asked how she could change it. It was awesome!! The Lord truly does prepare people for his gospel. At the beginning of the lesson, she looked really tired because she and her kids are sick, but by the end of the lesson, she was glowing. The Light of Christ is in her eyes. It`s so incredible to see that light. I know that the savior loves us, because we have that light. I`m so grateful for this mission so I can help people discover the joy of the gospel. This truly is a gospel of joy, peace, and light. I wouldn`t trade experiences like that for anything. I know I was called to serve in this mission, in this area, with this companion, right now for a reason known to God. I really feel pointless 99% of the time, because I can`t do a lot. But I know, I know that there is a reason and I will bless someone. I like to think that I`ve already blessed someone, and lessons like we had last night confirm to me that I am helping. I`m so grateful to my savior for this blessing. Because sometimes, we all need to see a result of our labor, and the Lord is kind enough and loves us enough to show us.

 

Love, Elder Schouten

 

Also, if you dont know what the work of salvation is, get on LDS.org and look it up.