What's A Seventh Day Adventist??

Hello dear family and friends! 

I seriously can't believe it's Monday again already. This week was crazy busy and super hard but so much FUN. Whoa, we've been so blessed this week.

Last Tuesday I was in Wyoming for trade-offs (Ive been in Wyoming three weeks in a row now). I was with Elder Gledhill, a solid, awesome missionary, and we had bikes that day. We got a lot done, did some door-knocking, saw investigators and less-actives. Good day. My thighs and lungs were tired though, and my butt hurt a ton. I couldn't sit right for a couple days after. 

Wednesday was half-mission training in Grand Rapids. Half-mission training was great- we got to hear the wise words of President and Sister Hess, and the Assistants Elder Snow and Larsen. It was a great day. 

Thursday was amazing. We started the day by going to an appointment that the senior missionaries (the Harris's) set up for us. We went and taught Jake St. Amor, who was in our ward directory but has never been baptized and told us he had only been to our church once or twice in California. Weird. We taught him the Restoration and he really enjoyed it. We're teaching him again this week. 

After that, we went and contacted former investigators. The first house we went to we found that the former no longer lived there, but we talked with the young woman that answered the door. At first she wasn't really interested, but when she mentioned that she had just given birth to a daugher a few weeks ago Elder Reheis jumped right into the Plan of Salvation and she wanted to learn more. We have a return appointment with her later this week.

The next house we knocked, no one answered. As we walked back to our car, two women in a black mustang yelled at us "Are you 7th day adventists?" and we replied, "No, we're the Mormons!" To my surprise, they pulled over to talk to us. The woman driving explained to us that her daugher in Grand Rapids had been "studying" us and really liked us but for whatever reason the missionaries stopped coming. She also said that she wanted to study us as well, because the missionaries had changed her daughter's attitude so drastically about church. So out of this chance encounter, we got a referral for Grand Rapids and we will be teaching two other people, or rather, they will be studying us. Man, what a blessing from Heavenly Father. By looking through the area book and looking for former investigators we found three new investigators within twenty minutes. 

We met with Corey and Kelle twice this week. They are taking their time with the Book of Mormon. They love the discussions of the Gospel that we teach, and they've invited cousins, friends, and parents to come. I think they have already felt that what we teach is true and we're trying really hard not to force it upon them. They are great and I love meeting with them. I'll try getting a picture of them. They call us their best friends and I feel the same way about them. They really like meeting with us and I love meeting with them.

You know how last week I said that everyone in Michigan has Faith in Christ, a dog, and a gun? Almost always true. Corey and Kelle have three beautiful pit bulls, a chihuahua, and a cat. I love them. I want a dog so bad when I get back. 

Funny side note, and I think I might have mentioned this last week: I have been asked twice if I know Mitt Romney. Like, of course, I'm a Mormon so I must know Mitt Romney personally. People love Mitt out here.

Sunday was great, church was very uplifting. Even better, we had seven investigators come to Sacrament meeting. The Jacobs and their mom and brother, Corey, Kelle, and Maijia. It rocked. After church I got a bad headache and so I took a rest while Elder Reheis did numbers. After my rest, we went to the Cardons for dinner. They are a wonderful young couple with two boys and a baby girl. We got along swell because we started talking about Arrested Development when I mentioned I was the "Buster" of my family. Anyway, they were great and we shared a really good message with them after dinner. 

I really love the members out here. Each time we meet with the members I'm reminded of my family in some way. It's really comforting and a big blessing. I love my family.

That's about it, friends and family. I love you all and I've been blessed so tremendously this week. I hope you all are doing well, I love to hear from you in the little snippets you send to me. Read your scriptures and say your prayers, ok? 

-Elder Schmutz