Letter from Grandma Schulthies 3.4.19

Dear Elder Raven:     

            We were so excited to hear about the Lopez Santos Family getting baptized… what a thrill. We pray that they will continue to be strengthened in the faith.  I will put their name on the prayer roll this Wednesday when I go to the temple.  We loved seeing the pictures.  Along with the young mother you are teaching, Lizeth.  We pray for your investigators as we pray for you and your companion. Joshua and James really get a kick out of knowing that you know another family with their last name.  They are so cute when they think about that.

                       

Our Scripture from the Idaho Meridian Temple Presidency – 1 Nephi 11:2

2 – And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?

Ponder – If asked by the Spirit as was Nephi – What would be your answer? (No Sunday School answers.) (Notice where the question was asked, and the answer given)  

            Yesterday we celebrated Valeda’s birthday and had Tammy’s family along with Grandma Joan celebrate with us.  In the evening we had the Come Follow Me Lesson covering Matt. 8-9 and Mark 2-5. As you know these cover many of the miracles of Christ.  Grandma Joan stayed for the FHE lesson.  It is wonderful having her share her testimony and conviction of the restored Gospel.  Do you remember the acronym WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)? Well the lesson shared an additional acronym HWLF (He Would Love First). Grandpa and I want to find both bracelets and wear them as a reminder to Follow the Savior’s example every day! The Come Follow Me lessons have been such a great blessing in our lives.

            It was truly heartwarming to know that Brady’s priesthood quorum included him in their ski trip last Saturday.  Tammy said that the YM president bore his testimony in church yesterday and said how the Come Follow Me Program has strengthened the YM in their ward.  He said that the first time Brady attempted go down the hill that he fell 50 times (I hope that was an exaggeration but perhaps not) but that the boys were right there with him helping him up until finally Brady was able to ski on his own.  Brady was so excited when he got home and thrilled that he could do it.  Reminded me of your letter Fall 7 times get up 8.  So so thankful for Brady’s YM leaders and priesthood quorum members. 

            Grandpa only has ONE more radiation treatment (March 5^th). We need to figure out a way to celebrate.  He is doing really well. A bit tired more than usual, but thank Heaven he was able to do the treatments before spring farming starts.  WE LOVE YOU so much, Kyle, and pray for your safety and well-being. I love being in the temple and hear the temple workers pray for missionaries and realize that they are praying for our wonderful grandson YOU!!!  Love always and forever, Gpa & Gma Schulthies

"Live well, Laugh often, Love much!"

Preparing for the Temple!

Hey everyone!

So this past week was absolutely wonderful and a special highlight that we had was the branch activity where we literally learned about what we do as members of the church inside the temples (don`t worry, this received approval from the temple Presidency here in Monterrey) where we decked out the casa de oracion in white and explained very simply what we do in the temple and how we can be worthy to enter and receive the blessings personally and for our loved ones!  It was absolutely great because we had some less active families in the activity that have not been sealed and are talking with the branch president to get going on the process!  We also had the Lopez Santos family attend but sadly due to delays with getting the signature of the branch president on their baptismal forms they weren`t able to receive a temple recommend without a member recordship number, but we have plans to go on the 16th of this month so we are really excited for that!

We hit a lot of difficulties this week in people rejecting the message after having taught them, trying to get the second lesson proved to be our greatest difficulty because a lot of people here are nice enough to listen once but then after that Satan has a great way of distracting people from the important messages of the gospel.

Spiritual message:

This past week with the difficulties that we have been facing in the district with being able to have investigators in the church, I really reflect upon an inspirational story or message that could possibly animate the other Elders in my district.  While I was thinking I recalled the story of the elephants and the rope.

Hope this can be of some motivation to you all!

As a man was passing the elephants, he stopped and was surprised to see that they were held back by small strings that were obviously too weak to contain them.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.  The trainer responded that when they are very young and we use the same size rope to tie them and,  it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they come to believe that they truly can`t break free.  And thus believing like that they never even try to break free.

I remember hearing this story a long time ago, and I truly believe that if we can stop listening to the lies of Satan telling us that we can`t and we come to believe in our Divine Natures as children of God, is when we can truly be the great forces of good we were designed to be!

Love you all!

Hope you have a great week!

Elder Raven