Hola Familia!
This week was really...humbling. It wasn`t one of those weeks that was so hard that it humbled me, but it was a week that through my study I learned some things. My first week here (I think), Pres. Erickson sent a talk/thing-a-ma-bob called "the Fourth Missionary" It`s a talk by Elder Cordbridge of the Seventy when he was a mission president to his missionaries, talking about the four different kinds of missionaries. The first is disobedient and gets sent home. The second is disobedient, but doesn`t get sent home, but doesn`t have success because he`s disobedient. The third is obedient and has a lot of success and has the spirit with him, but isn`t personally changed by his mission. And the fourth is the obedient missionary that has success and is personally changed by it. The talk explains the difference between them all. The difference between the third and the fourth is the heart. The third works, but doesn`t enjoy it. He hates it. He`s truly not happy, because he`s not putting his heart into the work. He gives up everything physical, but because he won`t sacrifice his heart, he isn`t personally blessed. But the fourth missionary changes his natures. He overcomes the natural man and does it because he loves god and it`s "the only intelligent thing to do" He knows that he has to give his heart so that the Lord will make him a masterpiece. It was a fantastic 24 page article. There`s a guy in my ward that`s going to the states and he almost begs me to send stuff with him to give to you guys, so I`m gunna send a copy of it with all my notes for everyone to apply in their lives, but especially for Tato and Jared, the little boys preparing to go on missions so they can hit the ground running when they start the mission. At the end of the article, he says that of 100 missionaries, 5 are the first, 20 the second, 70 the third, and 5 the fourth. I realized as I read it, I have been the third missionary almost all of my mission. I have been working hard, but I haven`t done it with a "sincere heart". I realized that I have to change if I personally want to be blessed. Only through that way can someone become a disciple of Christ, only in that way can I develop Christ like attributes. As he said "he will make you a masterpiece, and you will make of yourself only a smudge". I don`t want to be a smudge. I want to be a masterpiece. Only when one loses his life will he truly be able to find it. I need to lose myself so that the lord can show me and make me who I truly am. I`m so grateful for this opportunity that I have to sacrifice my heart 100% to god. Now I just have to do it so that he can immediantly bless me with a changed nature, so that my nature is like His.
I really loved that article.
So for my investigators, they`re doing...good. Lalo, one that`s getting baptized on the 23rd, is doing amazing. He goes to church without reminders, he had his pre interview, he`s doing great. i love to teach him because he`s so ready. As for Michael and patricia, they`re struggling a bit more. They are going to get married the 22nd and baptized the 23rd. They are fighting a little bit, the two of them. We have to keep helping them out to do it all. They didn`t come to church yesterday, because they slept in (we went to get them 2 times but they never came out) and when we talked to michael after, he had drank a bit Saturday night (the first time since we`ve taught the word of wisdom). So we are helping him out there. He really felt bad, and I think this might have been necessary so he can realize that he really wants to follow the path of Christ, and that it`ll be hard, but will make him happier. Try to keep them all in your prayers so that they can have the strength to follow the path.
Mom - I realy liked that stuff from Lexie. It`s exactly how I felt this week. and I am so sorry you`re going back to work already. That`s sad.
Dad - that hook is legit. I like it. And what is the other screw thing-a-ma-bob?
John - Well, in respect to time, it goes fast. Everyone says two years is a long time. HA. That`s a lie. Two years fly by. so be ready. Like you said.
Jordan- que tal?
Tashita - That joke...goodness gracious bill cosby is hilarious. And Swenson is AWESOME, I loved his class, but I didn`t learn anything. If you want to learn, you don`t want swenson. But if you want to just sit around and watch movies of people mountain biking, get into his class.
Shaylee - how are you? YOu haven`t written me in a long time...
Love you all! I know that this church is true and that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us to eternal life and happiness in this life.
Love
Elder Schouten
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