Austin: 8/18/2014

Hola Familia!!

Welcome to week 4 (I think) of Comas! It´s pretty legit. Time really does fly when you´re having fun, or I could say, time flies on the mission either way, whether you´re having fun or not. I´ve gotten to the point that I mostly have my area down, I know where the people live, some members, it´s good. I still don´t know ALL the people in the area, but I´m doing a lot better.

This Thursday we had a multi zone conference with President Erickson. It was AWESOME! President has really gotten into his groove and every conference is better and better. We talked about the 4th Missionary (the article I talked about last week). He told the biggest key difference betweent the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd missionaries and the 4th missionary. The first 3 say "I want" "I want this" "I want that" but the 4th missionary never says what he wants. He just does the will of the Father, like Christ did. Christ never said "I want this or that" He just did the will of the Father. And as missionaries, and people, we need to work to get rid of our own desires and become like Christ. Satan is smart, he knows how to make us fall. He know that in my case, I will NEVER be the 1st or 2nd missionary. I´m obedient. He knows I´m not going to fall like that. But he knows how to tempt me so that I don´t become the 4th. I´m the 3rd missionary,and he know what to say to me so that I don´t improve. He entices me to make good decisions instead of better or best decisions. And I need to be the 4th missionary, and I will only be able to do it with the help of the Lord, always making best decisions instead of good ones.

This week I was able to identify one of the ways that satan tries to make me be "good" instead of "best" The greatest blessing that I had this week was being able to realize what my problem is. Ever since I got here to Retablo, I really haven´t been all that happy. I´ve been working, doing mostly what I should, but I just haven´t been all that happy. I´ve been kind of short tempered. I haven´t exploded or anything, but I haven´t been calm, and I didn´t know why. I thought about it and prayed about it, and I couldn´t figure out what in the world was going on. But this week, in prayer, I poured out my heart to the Lord, more than normal. I just told Him everything that I was feeling, all the bad, all the good, everything. And as I prayed, I felt Him telling me what I needed. As I prayed, I realize what I needed was patience. Something so simple and basic, that I had looked over it. I had been trying to find the guilt in somebody else, in my situation, in myself, but not in that. I realized that if I was to be happy, I need patience. I need patience with my companion, because he doesn´t have the same background and upbringing as me. I need patience with myself to realize that I can´t do it all alone, I need the help of the Lord and my companion. When I realized all that, I just felt so filled. I felt filled with the spirit and I knew that He had answered my prayer. I´m doing all that I can now, studying and everything, so that I can overcome that trial and get better. This morning, I prayed and thanked my Father in Heaven for the trial that He has given me so that I can be stronger. I thanked Him for helping me overcome my problem. I know He will help me, if I do my part.

This Saturday, we have 3 baptisms, Michal and Patricia, and Lalo. I´ve already talked about all them right? They´re doing good! They all came to church yesterday, they´ve all had their interviews, and they´re ready to go! Paticia gave us a scare on Friday. She was going to have her last interview with one of the councilers of Pres. Erickson, but she wouldn´t/couldn´t go. We don´t know exactly what happened. But that scared us to death! But we visited them, she came to church, and had her interview after (luckily the counciler goes to the same church that we go to). But all should be good this week! We just have to keep visiting them, and praying for them. Please, keep them in your prayers.

Mom - I just realized I didn´t read any of your letters...oops. Did you already go back to school? Or not yet? So that you know, there´s a guy in my ward that is going to utah this week, he might have left last night, and he took a letter thing for me. So he or one of his daughters in Utah should call you guys. I realized after I sealed the envelope, that I forgot to write something to you guys...sorry. If you could just make copies of the article and give them to tato and Jared with their letters. Love you!

Dad - I´ll send you something when I read your letter...

John - see dad

Jordan - see dad. Wait. You didn´t write me. Like I didn´t write you. Karma.

Tashita - see dad

Shaylee - are you alive?

I love this work. I know that through the power of God, the power of the Atonement, we can do anything, and everything.

love you all
Elder Schouten