Many people in our mission have been affected by the tragedy in Haiti. It is very sad. I haven't heard word from Sister Petit regarding her family there. Our house is by the coast guard airport. They have been constantly coming and going since the earth quake. Prayer is very important in times like this. Sometimes its the only thing that we can do.
I truly am in awe and at a loss of words to try and even describe this last week. I have grown more and "found" the Lord more in the last week than in any other week on my mission. There ar two experiences I wish to relate to you, one full of anguish and another the greatest joy I have ever felt in my mission.
Some of the most precious spiritual experiences I have had have been while testifying to and teaching Georgia. I have grown to love her so much and have gotten so close to her. There has been a special spiritual bond I cannot describe. I was the first person she ever prayed out loud with in her life. The last time we were at her home teaching her, we could tell by the spirit that she was closing her heart. Sister Murray and I both felt that we needed to testify boldly about the need for a restoration and about authority. It is the boldest I have ever been. "Georgia, you know that I love you, and this is why we're here. We are not here just to help people become better or feel good. We were sent as missionaries to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that people can have eternal life and return to live with Heavenly Father." She insisted that she felt the spirit when she was baptized previously. I testified again that in order to be baptized, that the person needs to have been given that power from God by the power of the Priesthood. We left Georgia a little frazzled, but I felt very sustained by the spirit in every thing that we said.
The morning before our next visit with her, Sister Murray and I were planning, and said, “What can we teach Georgia today?” I thought and thought, then the talk from the last General Confernce by Elder Tad R. Callister about Joseph Smith came to mind. So we decided that it would be good to read it with her. When we came to her house it was very different then before. Her husband wasn't as pleasant with us and Georgia was acting a little different. She invited us in. We sat at the table, had an opening prayer and then I said that we had something that we wanted to read to her. So I pulled it out and started reading. Many things in this talk addressed every doubt that Georgia had. She said, "So what you are telling me, that I was pretty much just dunked in water before, because this person didn't have authority?" We calmly said, "In order to be baptize, the person must have the authority given to him from God. Then we went the rounds of, “Well how do you know.” At this point we knew that she was closed but I felt like I should keep reading.
The next part was about how God the Father and His Son are two separate beings. That really got her. This concept wasn't an issue before. In our prior meetings, we would address her concerns with the scriptures and the doubt would be taken care of. But now that her heart was closed it wasn't possible. Georgia kindly and sweetly let us know that we were always welcome in her home, if we ever needed anything we could call. She said she has prayed on it and feels that God is pleased with her choice not to continue with the missionary discussions, but she openly acknowledged that she feels the spirit when we are there.
I had the biggest ball in my throat. :-( I was so sad that I felt like my heart was ripped out. We asked if we could have one last prayer. She said it. She thanked God that he placed us in her way. After the prayer, under her breath and tearfully said, "Why didn't I just shut the door like I usually do." We got up and Hermana Murray gave her a hug. I just stood there. She then walked up to give me a hug. I always have given her a huge bear hug and she always comments on it. She gave me a hug. Then buried her head in my shoulder and started crying. She said, "If I hugged you as hard as a I want to right now I would hurt you." She then stood and said some very sweet things about me and what she thought about me. I had a smile on my face, but I was really hurting inside. With a tearful glance as Sister Murray and I rode our bikes away the tears really started to come down.
We rode down the street and pulled into another street and parked. I kind of started pacing and praying to Heavenly Father. All I want from Heavenly Father is to find one family that will except the gospel with all their heart and be sealed in the temple. We had a mighty prayer together, then I took a few steps and said "Hermana, let's go find a family to baptize." We wiped away the tears, worked fervently, and not 45 minutes later we found another family that is ready to except the gospel! Heavenly Father pours His blessings on us if we but ask and have the faith that we can receive it. I felt the dews of Heaven pouring out over me!...
We have been working as hard as we can getting the branch ready. Visiting the numerous inactive members, tracting, inviting, and getting less active members excited! Sunday morning I must have been lacking in faith, because I was really worried and nervous that not that many people were going to come. We heard that some of the solid Spanish members in St. Petersburg ward decided not to transfer to the branch. I was so worried that we wouldn't have enough priesthood holders. We got there early to get everything set up. We were in the relief society room for services. It is a large relief society room. This particular stake center is the biggest model that the church builds. We had all the chairs set up and anxiously awaited the arrival of the members.
I stood by the stake presidency translating as we welcomed people in. Ten minutes before the start of services, I peered in the room and there was only about 8 people. For a moment, those feelings of despair that I had that morning crept in. So I said a silent prayer that Heavenly Father would prepare a way for those that wanted to attend to be able to make it. Well, I did have a lack of faith. I leaned over and asked the 2nd counselor. So how many is the stake presidency expecting. He shrugged his shoulders and said 25 would be good. I felt the pressure, but oh my... I went into the room to get the organ ready (apparently I'm the music person now. Funny how that works out :-) … good thing it is electric) as I stood up and greeted more people, I watched as one person after another came into the room. The same counselor came and stood by me and asked me, "So how are you feeling right now?" I was overcome by the spirit. My heart was full of so much gratitude for Heavenly Father I thought it was going to burst. I leaned back and couldn't even speak a word. I think the tears let him know. that room was not only filled with the spirit, it was filled with faithful Saints!
As I watched active families, less actives and many inactive people come into the room, I can't even describe how it felt. I poured out my heart to Heavenly Father thanking him. Everyone had a huge smile and was so eager to worship! We had 59 Spanish members in attendance and 3 investigators that have a date for baptism. One will be baptized next Sunday, and that one is Eddy from Cuba! :-) I am so grateful to be blessed with this opportunity to serve them. I want to earn the trust of these members and let them know that we work as hard as we can. Relief Society was in the High Council room. They are some of the most faithful women I have ever heard. Many of them coming from South America they have such amazing stories of how they have found faith. They even asked me to share a little bit about my story. I experienced a first in relief society. I was having to translate from Spanish to English!!! That is soooo cooooolllllll!!!!!!!
There is one women that I'd like to write about real quick. she is an amazingly strong woman. She is a returned missionary and I could tell she was a little skeptical towards us at first. She kind of gave me the, "Are these sisters hard workers? Should I trust them? Stand offish." look. I could tell she was watching me like a hawk and wouldn't really say anything to me. After I stood up and told a little of my story and bore my testimony she gave me a little grin. I was surprised. During our amazing potluck supper after our services, she came over by me and looked at my name tag. She wanted to know why I had two names. So I told her. :-) She smiled more. Hermana Murray showed her our planner. She commented on how we were really busy and teaching A LOT of people. She smiled at me. Slowly we have gained her trust. It was amazing. She will be instrumental in the branch. She's having us over for lunch on Friday. Oh how amazing this work is!!!
con amor,
Hermana Vaughan Schultz
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Semana Magnifico! St. Petersburg Week 14
I love love love being a missionary! Love it! It is really hitting me this week. The other day I woke up from a dream crying. In the dream I had flown home, and was sitting in President Southworth's office. I remember feeling so sad to be sitting there. All I had running through my head is all of the people that I had taught. Those that accepted the Gospel and those that didn't. I also saw many people that I have never seen before. In the dream I was removing my name tag, then I woke up. I thought it was so real, and I woke up devastated like it was all over and that I wasn't a missionary anymore. I was pretty shook up, but I soon realized as I opened my eyes. I AM STILL A MISSIONARY! Whew! I have definitely worked with a little more energy since this dream. Both Hermana Murray and I have been working very hard this week, and boy have the blessings poured out upon us!
We had an amazing conference this week in Sarasota. It was for the Spanish speaking sisters. There are only 12 of us. We won't get any more sisters for 6 more months. President kind of threw this together last minute. It was absolutely the funnest day ever. We were picked up early by the AP's and the Tampa sisters and we had the long drive south. My stomach hurt all day from laughing!!! The conference gave us all the opportunity to share things that have worked and not worked as far as language, companionship unity, finding, teaching and baptizing. We have an amazing group of sisters! Just rock stars! I am so excited to serve with them. Sister Petit and I will be the youngest sisters for the next 6 months. I came away from this conference absolutely excited for the work and completely re-energized. I especially got a new fire for study techniques and ideas. It is sometimes hard to sit for three hours and stay completely focused, so I am REALLY excited for studies next week!
The work is exploding! Since Hermana Murray and I have sacrificed a little "fiesta" time to go that little extra mile, blessings have been poured out upon us like we never expected!!! Right now we have 6 amazingly solid people on date for baptism. We will work ever so hard and diligent to make sure that Satan does nothing to stop those from happening. A new excitement and enthusiasm has started in the Spanish members as we prepare for the new branch. Many of them are eager to help us with lessons and visiting less active members. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY INACTIVE PEOPLE ARE HERE!!! It is just amazing. Many of them are coming to activity again because of the new branch. it was just so difficult for them to attend church and feel edified because they didn't understand the language (English). Families are now excited to attend the branch. We have gotten so many referrals from visiting these inactive members that we literally don't have enough time to get them all visited! It is amazing! Just yesterday we had to do a lesson ON THE PHONE while driving in between appointments, and it was amazing!
The most amazing thing by far on the mission is to see people change. My eyes have been opened to a new understanding of the atonement as I watch others apply it in their lives. I don't understand how it works but it does. Eddy is the most amazing example of this. We have been teaching him since the first part of the first transfer. At the time, his family was chaotic and not very happy. He liked it when we came over, but he wasn't very patient with my struggles with the language and he kind of ignored me. We had him committed to baptism for the 17th of December, but he said he wasn't ready. He said for him to be a Mormon he would have to read ALL of the Book of Mormon. Slowly and slowly and little by little we have seen a change in their family as a whole, and a HUGE change in him. We visited them before Christmas and it was the happiest I have seen their family. In the following lesson with Eddy, we had planned on teaching him about family and the blessings from the gospel. He has been having struggles with his family from Cuba and with his health, so he was really not in the mood to talk about family. So instead, as I held the Liahona in my hand, I searched in the topics for something that might help him as Sister Murray was talking to him. I found a discourse about covenants and the strength we gain from them. Perfect!!! As we read he just kept nodding his head up and down, agreeing with everything. It was amazing. He started to have a little bit of a smile on his face. By the end of the talk he seemed so much calmer and relaxed. He said "this guy (the author of the discourse) knows what he is talking about". In my head I was thinking, "It is amazing the power the Lord's servants, the apostles, have in bearing witness and teaching with the Holy Ghost." Eddy said the closing prayer, and he thanked Heavenly Father for us, the lesson we taught and that he feels a lot better now. We parted ways and Hermana Murray and I were jumping up and down as we ran to our car for our next appointment.
We met with eddy again this week, and we couldn't believe the change! He was an entirely different person as we talked to him. He sat eagerly on the couch waiting for us to start the lesson while we said hello to his family. He sat at the edge of the couch intently listening to everything we had to say. He expressed some concerns in the last visit that has been keeping him from baptism. We never got to teach him about tithing. He has been having trouble with his immigration papers and needs money for it. Money he doesn't have. He knew he had to pay tithing, but he thought tithing meant that he would have to pay 1/10 of everything he had ever gotten. and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to do his immigration papers AND pay tithing. Oh he has so much faith. Needless to say, after we cleared up this little misunderstanding, he was pretty much telling us what day he is going to be baptized. :-) He is soooooooooooo happy!!!! Sooooo happy! What gave him the strong testimony was that he was reading that conference address in the Liahona from one of our beloved apostles. He has a very strong testimony of priesthood and authority. I know that only through the atonement could Eddy have this change. He is a new person. I truly have come to know that the atonement of Jesus Christ really can heal without a scar.
The more I understand the atonement and learn and apply it, the more I want to share, just like Lehi. On my planner this transfer I have wrote "Be as Lehi.” At every door I testify more boldly and take every opportunity I can to teach and testify. I would challenge any person that if they have but the slightest desire to share the gospel and are afraid, study the atonement of Jesus Christ. As you apply it and feel it work in your life, you can't help but want to share. I have never repented more in my life as I have as a missionary and it is amazing.
Have a wonderful week everyone! Te querro!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
We just had our last week of English services. Yay!!!!
We had an amazing conference this week in Sarasota. It was for the Spanish speaking sisters. There are only 12 of us. We won't get any more sisters for 6 more months. President kind of threw this together last minute. It was absolutely the funnest day ever. We were picked up early by the AP's and the Tampa sisters and we had the long drive south. My stomach hurt all day from laughing!!! The conference gave us all the opportunity to share things that have worked and not worked as far as language, companionship unity, finding, teaching and baptizing. We have an amazing group of sisters! Just rock stars! I am so excited to serve with them. Sister Petit and I will be the youngest sisters for the next 6 months. I came away from this conference absolutely excited for the work and completely re-energized. I especially got a new fire for study techniques and ideas. It is sometimes hard to sit for three hours and stay completely focused, so I am REALLY excited for studies next week!
The work is exploding! Since Hermana Murray and I have sacrificed a little "fiesta" time to go that little extra mile, blessings have been poured out upon us like we never expected!!! Right now we have 6 amazingly solid people on date for baptism. We will work ever so hard and diligent to make sure that Satan does nothing to stop those from happening. A new excitement and enthusiasm has started in the Spanish members as we prepare for the new branch. Many of them are eager to help us with lessons and visiting less active members. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY INACTIVE PEOPLE ARE HERE!!! It is just amazing. Many of them are coming to activity again because of the new branch. it was just so difficult for them to attend church and feel edified because they didn't understand the language (English). Families are now excited to attend the branch. We have gotten so many referrals from visiting these inactive members that we literally don't have enough time to get them all visited! It is amazing! Just yesterday we had to do a lesson ON THE PHONE while driving in between appointments, and it was amazing!
The most amazing thing by far on the mission is to see people change. My eyes have been opened to a new understanding of the atonement as I watch others apply it in their lives. I don't understand how it works but it does. Eddy is the most amazing example of this. We have been teaching him since the first part of the first transfer. At the time, his family was chaotic and not very happy. He liked it when we came over, but he wasn't very patient with my struggles with the language and he kind of ignored me. We had him committed to baptism for the 17th of December, but he said he wasn't ready. He said for him to be a Mormon he would have to read ALL of the Book of Mormon. Slowly and slowly and little by little we have seen a change in their family as a whole, and a HUGE change in him. We visited them before Christmas and it was the happiest I have seen their family. In the following lesson with Eddy, we had planned on teaching him about family and the blessings from the gospel. He has been having struggles with his family from Cuba and with his health, so he was really not in the mood to talk about family. So instead, as I held the Liahona in my hand, I searched in the topics for something that might help him as Sister Murray was talking to him. I found a discourse about covenants and the strength we gain from them. Perfect!!! As we read he just kept nodding his head up and down, agreeing with everything. It was amazing. He started to have a little bit of a smile on his face. By the end of the talk he seemed so much calmer and relaxed. He said "this guy (the author of the discourse) knows what he is talking about". In my head I was thinking, "It is amazing the power the Lord's servants, the apostles, have in bearing witness and teaching with the Holy Ghost." Eddy said the closing prayer, and he thanked Heavenly Father for us, the lesson we taught and that he feels a lot better now. We parted ways and Hermana Murray and I were jumping up and down as we ran to our car for our next appointment.
We met with eddy again this week, and we couldn't believe the change! He was an entirely different person as we talked to him. He sat eagerly on the couch waiting for us to start the lesson while we said hello to his family. He sat at the edge of the couch intently listening to everything we had to say. He expressed some concerns in the last visit that has been keeping him from baptism. We never got to teach him about tithing. He has been having trouble with his immigration papers and needs money for it. Money he doesn't have. He knew he had to pay tithing, but he thought tithing meant that he would have to pay 1/10 of everything he had ever gotten. and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to do his immigration papers AND pay tithing. Oh he has so much faith. Needless to say, after we cleared up this little misunderstanding, he was pretty much telling us what day he is going to be baptized. :-) He is soooooooooooo happy!!!! Sooooo happy! What gave him the strong testimony was that he was reading that conference address in the Liahona from one of our beloved apostles. He has a very strong testimony of priesthood and authority. I know that only through the atonement could Eddy have this change. He is a new person. I truly have come to know that the atonement of Jesus Christ really can heal without a scar.
The more I understand the atonement and learn and apply it, the more I want to share, just like Lehi. On my planner this transfer I have wrote "Be as Lehi.” At every door I testify more boldly and take every opportunity I can to teach and testify. I would challenge any person that if they have but the slightest desire to share the gospel and are afraid, study the atonement of Jesus Christ. As you apply it and feel it work in your life, you can't help but want to share. I have never repented more in my life as I have as a missionary and it is amazing.
Have a wonderful week everyone! Te querro!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
We just had our last week of English services. Yay!!!!
Monday, January 4, 2010
St. Petersburg Week 13
Hurrah for Israel!
Oh are we ever busy trying to get everything ready for the new Spanish branch! It is coming up quick. We've spent a lot of time searching through church records finding in-actives and less-actives and visiting them. Many of them have renewed interest in the church because they can now worship in their own language. The new branch really is inspired from God. As we have visited with the members, we have been made aware of what this change will cause. Many of the Spanish members have children. Usually their children speak Spanish and English and feel many attachments to the wards that they are in. We are doing all that we can to try and help them with the transition. We reassure them that Heavenly Father will answer their prayers on what action they need to take. It is humbling to me to see how faithful these members are. Many of them haven't had the same opportunity that we get to understand everything that is spoken on Sunday. They really have to be in tune with the spirit to feel that edification. It is possible. Some of the most powerful testimonies that I can remember before my mission were when people bore their testimony in another language. I know this is going to be a great blessing for all.
It is cold! I know it is colder in Washington, but it is really cold here. I just got used to the heat, now I'm freezing! We're biking at least 10 miles a day and walk a lot! With skirts... Need I say more? ;-) When my feet are cold, I look down I try to imagine the Savior and the shoes he walked in and how he told his disciples that they need not take more then is necessary. They were to wear sandals. When I look at my bicycle and grudgingly think, uhhh, 5 miles... I think of the donkey that Jesus rode, or the 60 miles he walked to find John the Baptist. Needless to say, it isn't as cold after I think of those things :-)
We had an amazing lesson with Peggy yesterday! Oh it was just amazing! the Lord has been preparing her. We talked about other religions for awhile. She has a lot skepticism towards other religions and is kind of against organized religion. She was born and raised catholic. She is a very wonderful spiritual lady. When we saw her she lovingly welcomed us right in. She has watched the restoration DVD. She said, "It was like a good Bible story." we asked questions, and as she described how she felt, she described the confusion that Joseph Smith had. I quickly got my scriptures out and shared Santiago 1:5. I mean James 1:5. I bore testimony on how we really can receive answers from Heavenly Father. that there are people out there that want to deceive us. That is why we need to go to Him. God is not a God of confusion.
I could tell something had clicked for her. I shared Second Timothy with her about the apostasy and explained the significance of that and why we needed a restoration. It was a great conversation and I felt the spirit very strongly. There are some things she said that really stuck with me. She said, "Well, you two are such sweet girls, that your church can't be all that bad." :-) She also expressed how good she feels when we are there. We are planning on a lesson again with her. we're going to paint with her. She is very excited. She said we'll take over the kitchen :-) I still am amazed every time we go over there how strong the spirit is. I put the picture that she painted across from the table I study at so that every day it is a reminder, not only of the restoration but of how important it is to follow every impression. As we were getting ready to leave I noticed a new painting on her wall. She painted a picture of the grove for herself. :-) So for the rest of her life she will have a reminder of it for her. This church is true! :-)
I'm thinking of all of the amazing things that have been happening, I just don't have the time to write it all!
I hope everyone had a safe and Merry Christmas! I love you all! Thank you everyone for the gifts, love and support!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
Monday, December 28, 2009
St. Petersburg Week 12
Well, we thought it was going to be a "normal" Sunday yesterday, but boy were we mistaken. During PEC the bishop told us that President Emery (Stake president) and his counselors want all of the Spanish-speaking members to stay after sacrament for a meeting. Needless to say, immediately Hermana Murray and I had huge smiles! The Bishop didn't know what it was about, but we knew! We have been praying so hard for the Spanish group to be a branch. To be able to grow in the gospel in there own language, so many of our group members are impeded by language that they can't have callings. So we anxiously waited for the arrival of the stake presidency. They needed translation but the first scripture that President Emery shared with us was Doctrine & Covenants 90:15. He asked Sister Murray to stand and read it to all the members. As she read this, I just felt an overwhelming feeling and love for the group of Spanish members. I felt the spirit overcome me with a great amount of fuego (fire) to get to work. I want these members to have this promise, but I know that the success of this is only going to be because of our diligence in gathering the lost sheep.
We are going to combine with the Spanish members that are attending in Clearwater. They are all very excited and we work with them a lot as well. This has been a long time in the works, but we’ve finally got the number of priesthood holders necessary to make it work. Oh my! I am so excited! I was shouting “Hurrah for Israel” ALLL day yesterday!
One sad thing about this change is that Sister Murray and I will be changing buildings. We will be at the stake center, which is actually closer to our house in Seminole. I didn't realize how much I have come to love ALL of the members in the St. Pete ward until we were told that we would be moving. My emotions went from pure excitement, to a little sadness for leaving, then to excitement, then an overwhelming feeling of, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO! There are roughly 1 million people in Pinellas county and 50,000 Spanish-speaking people in all of the stake... and then us! Oh my! THAT’S A LOT OF WORK. Essentially we will be opening a new area! We’ve been here serving in the stake now, but the areas that we focus on will be a little different.
As I sat there on the pew and listened to the comments from all of the members, my mind was flooded with all the people that we have talked to or brought to church that didn't like it because of how much English was involved in the services. Good thing we have kept good tracting records because we are GETTING THEM TO CHURCH AGAIN! :-) The spirit bore strong witness to us that this is the will of the Lord. It will be hard for some of the members (especially those that are bi-lingual) to decide where to attend, but President Emery assured them that they would receive a witness through prayer what they should do. January 17th is the first day.
OH, I don't even know where to begin! SOOOOO many amazing experiences this week! I’m sad that the Christmas time has come and gone away! I loved saying "Merry Christmas!!!" when we talked to people. “Happy New Year” just doesn't have the same meaning :-) Christmas was amazing! A LOT of food! The Spanish people celebrate "noche bueno" on the 24th more than the 25th. So we were doubled on dinner appointments that night. Of course we had investigators there :-) but oh my goodness we ate A LOT of food!!! Tamales! Yakas! From all of over the world! We gathered in celebration of the birth of the Lord with from people from Columbia, Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico and Puerto Rico! We tried all of their traditional foods por la navidad! It was so neat to ask them, “So what do you do in your country to celebrate Christmas?” I’m definitely going to try to incorporate them in my future Christmas celebrations.
Christmas day we were with our family…our ward family. We started off waking up early to open presents, studied in our pajamas and enjoyed a cup of “Santa soup” (hot cocoa) while studying. :-) Then we were off to have an amazing breakfast with the Calhoons. It was just so good to sit around with their family and play with their children.
Later, we went to the Hesse’s and we had an authentic Italian dinner. It is their family tradition. I love the Hesse family. Brother Hesse is half German, so we always share our common heritage. Our favorite cakes are German chocolate. At the ward Christmas party he cut me off a piece and brought it to my table to make sure I got a piece. AND…he is having a German New Years, so I’m excited! Sour kraut and sausage! He is so funny. At church he’s like; “We're having German New Year’s for you!” I’m his little blonde German granddaughter it seems like. :-) It’s amazing.
The best part of Christmas was sitting at the table with Sister and Brother Hesse and talking about the temple and the blessings of temple worship. They are temple workers. Oh, they described the celestial room of the Orlando temple and I can't wait to go!!!! Ahhhhh! But to be sitting around a table with such good saints talking about the House of the Lord was very special to me. How important it is to have the temple in the center of our home. The temple is the reason we do everything in the church. There is nothing that can bring us closer to the Lord than to make sacred covenants with Him and live them. Baptism is only the gate. I miss the temple so much. It is the one place in the world where I can go and have the burdens of life taken off my shoulders. It is where I can ALWAYS feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. We should go as often as we can. If there is any goal that anyone should have for the next year, it should be to go to the temple. Get yourself worthy and go! Heavenly father has so many blessings that he would pour on us as the “dews from heaven” from temple attendance, but it is us that keep Him from blessing us. GO GO GO GO!!!
Can you believe I only have a year left? Yikes! It is coming tooo soon and it’s going by faster and faster. It feels like it was just November first, now December is gone.
Thank you everyone for your support! All of the Christmas gifts, cards and letters. It really does mean the world to me. There is nowhere else I would rather be!
Have an amazing week! We have A LOT of work ahead of us!
Love,
Hermana Vaughan Schultz
We are going to combine with the Spanish members that are attending in Clearwater. They are all very excited and we work with them a lot as well. This has been a long time in the works, but we’ve finally got the number of priesthood holders necessary to make it work. Oh my! I am so excited! I was shouting “Hurrah for Israel” ALLL day yesterday!
One sad thing about this change is that Sister Murray and I will be changing buildings. We will be at the stake center, which is actually closer to our house in Seminole. I didn't realize how much I have come to love ALL of the members in the St. Pete ward until we were told that we would be moving. My emotions went from pure excitement, to a little sadness for leaving, then to excitement, then an overwhelming feeling of, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO! There are roughly 1 million people in Pinellas county and 50,000 Spanish-speaking people in all of the stake... and then us! Oh my! THAT’S A LOT OF WORK. Essentially we will be opening a new area! We’ve been here serving in the stake now, but the areas that we focus on will be a little different.
As I sat there on the pew and listened to the comments from all of the members, my mind was flooded with all the people that we have talked to or brought to church that didn't like it because of how much English was involved in the services. Good thing we have kept good tracting records because we are GETTING THEM TO CHURCH AGAIN! :-) The spirit bore strong witness to us that this is the will of the Lord. It will be hard for some of the members (especially those that are bi-lingual) to decide where to attend, but President Emery assured them that they would receive a witness through prayer what they should do. January 17th is the first day.
OH, I don't even know where to begin! SOOOOO many amazing experiences this week! I’m sad that the Christmas time has come and gone away! I loved saying "Merry Christmas!!!" when we talked to people. “Happy New Year” just doesn't have the same meaning :-) Christmas was amazing! A LOT of food! The Spanish people celebrate "noche bueno" on the 24th more than the 25th. So we were doubled on dinner appointments that night. Of course we had investigators there :-) but oh my goodness we ate A LOT of food!!! Tamales! Yakas! From all of over the world! We gathered in celebration of the birth of the Lord with from people from Columbia, Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico and Puerto Rico! We tried all of their traditional foods por la navidad! It was so neat to ask them, “So what do you do in your country to celebrate Christmas?” I’m definitely going to try to incorporate them in my future Christmas celebrations.
Christmas day we were with our family…our ward family. We started off waking up early to open presents, studied in our pajamas and enjoyed a cup of “Santa soup” (hot cocoa) while studying. :-) Then we were off to have an amazing breakfast with the Calhoons. It was just so good to sit around with their family and play with their children.
Later, we went to the Hesse’s and we had an authentic Italian dinner. It is their family tradition. I love the Hesse family. Brother Hesse is half German, so we always share our common heritage. Our favorite cakes are German chocolate. At the ward Christmas party he cut me off a piece and brought it to my table to make sure I got a piece. AND…he is having a German New Years, so I’m excited! Sour kraut and sausage! He is so funny. At church he’s like; “We're having German New Year’s for you!” I’m his little blonde German granddaughter it seems like. :-) It’s amazing.
The best part of Christmas was sitting at the table with Sister and Brother Hesse and talking about the temple and the blessings of temple worship. They are temple workers. Oh, they described the celestial room of the Orlando temple and I can't wait to go!!!! Ahhhhh! But to be sitting around a table with such good saints talking about the House of the Lord was very special to me. How important it is to have the temple in the center of our home. The temple is the reason we do everything in the church. There is nothing that can bring us closer to the Lord than to make sacred covenants with Him and live them. Baptism is only the gate. I miss the temple so much. It is the one place in the world where I can go and have the burdens of life taken off my shoulders. It is where I can ALWAYS feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. We should go as often as we can. If there is any goal that anyone should have for the next year, it should be to go to the temple. Get yourself worthy and go! Heavenly father has so many blessings that he would pour on us as the “dews from heaven” from temple attendance, but it is us that keep Him from blessing us. GO GO GO GO!!!
Can you believe I only have a year left? Yikes! It is coming tooo soon and it’s going by faster and faster. It feels like it was just November first, now December is gone.
Thank you everyone for your support! All of the Christmas gifts, cards and letters. It really does mean the world to me. There is nowhere else I would rather be!
Have an amazing week! We have A LOT of work ahead of us!
Love,
Hermana Vaughan Schultz
Monday, December 21, 2009
St. Petersburg - Week 11
Oh boy oh boy, did we have the most crazy Sunday ever yesterday. From the time we woke up to the time we fell into our bed from exhaustion, it was the best day ever. You know how I said last week that we were going to do whatever it took to get Mercy to church, well, we got her to church but it took a LOT of effort. :-) But it was sooooo worth it! We woke up early, thinking that we might have to drive up to Clearwater to help her get the lady that she takes care of in the car. So we were up, and ready for the phone call. We called her, and it turns out that Satan had worked on her car over night and it didn't want it to work, so we frantically called members that would be able to drive them. What makes it harder, is that she is outside our ward boundaries, but she has to attend our ward because she only speaks Spanish To find a member, Sunday morning that is willing to drive clear up to Clearwater and be able to have room for a 94 year old woman in a wheel chair. I was about to pull my hair out, but we quietly knelt in prayer amongst the turmoil. After the prayer we knew that a way would be prepared for her to attend church, and it was! A member so willingly picked them both up. She didn't have room for the wheel chair so we had that in our car, but oh my was it so special to look behind in the rear view mirror and see them on the way to church. We could also tell that there wasn't ANY conversation in the car since the member only spoke English. Sis Murray had some good laughs on the way to church, but we were all richly blessed.
Joel is amazing. He is a friend of the Bible genius, Raul that I told you about. We actually tracted into Joel. when walking next to him as he was carrying his laundry. I asked him if he would have time to hear a message about Jesus Christ. He said, "Orita? Yo dijo, por que no?” So we sat right outside the door of his mobile home and started with a prayer. There was something different and amazing about this lesson. Not that we don't have the spirit in our lessons, but in this lesson it was particularly strong. We taught the entire lesson and I was still feeling the spirit really strong and I thought in my head, "We need to act on this." I have never done this before but I knew we needed to. Hermana Murray shared Moroni's promise and then I bluntly asked him, “Do you have these three things (spoken of in Moroni's promise)?” He very humbly said, “I hope so.” Then I said, “Let's pray right now. Will you pray (orita), to know if the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fulness of the gospel." His hands started to shake because he was nervous, but he humbly knelt and bowed his head in prayer, and the spirit touched me in a way that I have never felt. I knew that he knew that it was true. We are teaching him again tonight, and we are really excited. We plan on giving a date for baptism and it is just so amazing to see how people are prepared. It is so amazing. God loves us soo much.
Lately we have been working with a less-active family in our ward. I can't remember how much I have told you about them, but they have been inactive for quite awhile now. Sister Murray and I have been visiting with them since I got here. She is from Venezuela, and her husband is American. They used to be so active, ward clerk, Sunday school teachers, the seemingly "perfect" couple. But after some personal events, they stopped attending. I have loved going over to their home and seeing the difference since our first visits. Sister C. has been a lot happier. Her husband even has pointed out to us that she laughs a lot more. She and I have inside jokes and I usually leave with a stomach ache from laughing so much with her. The last two visits with them we invited the Elders with us and really started to get Brother C. involved in the missionary work. He always says, "I know what I'm doing wrong, but I just keep doing it. I get ready for church in the morning, but I just sit around the house and don't go." So we have him giving our investigators rides. He doesn't speak that much Spanish, but he loves it. He needed to feel needed! This last Saturday we went over there with the elders for an authentic Venezuelan dinner. The dinner was great, but what was even better was the miracle that happened before we even got there. They have been having marital problems. It's personal and I don't need to go into details, but this is what Sis C. said at the dinner table, "I had so much fun with Tom today. We cooked together and just spent time together, and we laughed." Just that time together was so important. They were uniting in the service of the Lord and they were really excited to have us over.
Yesterday, after our hectic ordeal of getting Mercy to church, we arrived at church with about a minute to spare and still had to set up ALL of the translation equipment. STRESS!!!!! As I had my hands full of equipment and walking down the aisle, I felt a hand reach out and grab my arm, and I looked over and it was Brother and Sister C. !!! I let out a little scream and jumped almost dropping all the translation equipment. A lot of the people in the congregation laughed but I didn't even care. I was sooo happy! I put my arms around Sis. C. and gave her a big hug and shook Bro. C.'s hand. Oh it felt soooo good to look back at them in the congregation. I learned many important things from this. Lifelong principles. Members of the church need to know why they need the Savior in their lives. Bro. C. recognized it when he felt the spirit again. Also, they need to feel needed. Bro and Sis C. have united in the service of the Lord, forgotten about their previous problems and they are happier than I have ever seen them.
SERVE SERVE SERVE the Lord in whatever capacity you can. Losing yourself in serving others does "fix" the things that seem daunting in our lives. I know these things to be true. Through my service to Lord and those around me.
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
Joel is amazing. He is a friend of the Bible genius, Raul that I told you about. We actually tracted into Joel. when walking next to him as he was carrying his laundry. I asked him if he would have time to hear a message about Jesus Christ. He said, "Orita? Yo dijo, por que no?” So we sat right outside the door of his mobile home and started with a prayer. There was something different and amazing about this lesson. Not that we don't have the spirit in our lessons, but in this lesson it was particularly strong. We taught the entire lesson and I was still feeling the spirit really strong and I thought in my head, "We need to act on this." I have never done this before but I knew we needed to. Hermana Murray shared Moroni's promise and then I bluntly asked him, “Do you have these three things (spoken of in Moroni's promise)?” He very humbly said, “I hope so.” Then I said, “Let's pray right now. Will you pray (orita), to know if the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fulness of the gospel." His hands started to shake because he was nervous, but he humbly knelt and bowed his head in prayer, and the spirit touched me in a way that I have never felt. I knew that he knew that it was true. We are teaching him again tonight, and we are really excited. We plan on giving a date for baptism and it is just so amazing to see how people are prepared. It is so amazing. God loves us soo much.
Lately we have been working with a less-active family in our ward. I can't remember how much I have told you about them, but they have been inactive for quite awhile now. Sister Murray and I have been visiting with them since I got here. She is from Venezuela, and her husband is American. They used to be so active, ward clerk, Sunday school teachers, the seemingly "perfect" couple. But after some personal events, they stopped attending. I have loved going over to their home and seeing the difference since our first visits. Sister C. has been a lot happier. Her husband even has pointed out to us that she laughs a lot more. She and I have inside jokes and I usually leave with a stomach ache from laughing so much with her. The last two visits with them we invited the Elders with us and really started to get Brother C. involved in the missionary work. He always says, "I know what I'm doing wrong, but I just keep doing it. I get ready for church in the morning, but I just sit around the house and don't go." So we have him giving our investigators rides. He doesn't speak that much Spanish, but he loves it. He needed to feel needed! This last Saturday we went over there with the elders for an authentic Venezuelan dinner. The dinner was great, but what was even better was the miracle that happened before we even got there. They have been having marital problems. It's personal and I don't need to go into details, but this is what Sis C. said at the dinner table, "I had so much fun with Tom today. We cooked together and just spent time together, and we laughed." Just that time together was so important. They were uniting in the service of the Lord and they were really excited to have us over.
Yesterday, after our hectic ordeal of getting Mercy to church, we arrived at church with about a minute to spare and still had to set up ALL of the translation equipment. STRESS!!!!! As I had my hands full of equipment and walking down the aisle, I felt a hand reach out and grab my arm, and I looked over and it was Brother and Sister C. !!! I let out a little scream and jumped almost dropping all the translation equipment. A lot of the people in the congregation laughed but I didn't even care. I was sooo happy! I put my arms around Sis. C. and gave her a big hug and shook Bro. C.'s hand. Oh it felt soooo good to look back at them in the congregation. I learned many important things from this. Lifelong principles. Members of the church need to know why they need the Savior in their lives. Bro. C. recognized it when he felt the spirit again. Also, they need to feel needed. Bro and Sis C. have united in the service of the Lord, forgotten about their previous problems and they are happier than I have ever seen them.
SERVE SERVE SERVE the Lord in whatever capacity you can. Losing yourself in serving others does "fix" the things that seem daunting in our lives. I know these things to be true. Through my service to Lord and those around me.
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
Monday, December 14, 2009
St. Petersburg Week 11
I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love it!
Wednesday we had our mission Christmas conference. It was so amazing! I remember just after I was baptized I went to a transfer meeting for the Everett mission and remembered how it felt to be in a room full of missionaries singing hymns. It is all the more powerful when YOU are the missionary! We had about 100 missionaries there. I had a part in the program and got to share the nativity. I also got to share my testimony. THIS IS ONLY MY FOURTH CHRISTMAS! Isn't that exciting?! I say that because this is only my fourth Christmas since I have come to know who my Savior is and why we really celebrate Christmas. There is something special about this time of year and sharing the love of the Savior with the people here in St. Pete. Everyone has this glow about them. "The Christmas spirit." They are happier and more willing to listen. Just last night, we had a couple appointments cancel, so we had and hour and a half before we had to head home. It was dark, but the streets were lit up with Christmas lights. we had planned on tracting a lighted apartment complex, because it is late and kind of a not so nice part of town, but we said a prayer and felt like we needed to tract a particular street. We knocked on one door, and as we waited for a response, we both looked at each other and said, "we need to carol." Any one that knows me, knows that I can't sing worth beans, but I had so much fun! I can't wait until Tuesday when we do it again. People were so surprised when they opened the door, then they smile and invite there children to stand at the door. One house last night was amazing. They were a family from the Philippines. They were actually singing Christmas songs when we knocked on the door. Dad was playing the guitar with mom and three daughters singing. They invited us in to join them. It was amazing. We sat on the couch and sang with them. They came here 10 years ago, and it was 6 yrs ago when they "found" Jesus Christ. In their homeland it was forbidden to be a Christian.
Just little miracles every day!
PEGGY! Oh my! I'm soooooo excited. I could not even write the words to express my feelings and experiences with her, but I'll try my best! Yesterday, we went with Sis. Bangeter to pick up the painting. Peggy greeted us with a huge smile! She and Sis. Bangeter talked a lot about paintings and all that stuff. :-) Then she invited us to sit down. Sis. bangeter said, "these girls sure have told me a lot about the painting." So Peggy stood up and went and grabbed it from the dinner table. When I saw it I had that same feeling like I was in the sacred grove and I started to tear up. So did Sis. Bangeter. She felt it as well. Peggy said, "I don't know how you got in my door, but I know that you were supposed to. I know that this is a special place I painted. I believe in miracles and I know you are supposed to be here." My heart was just burning inside. I started to express to Peggy why this painting is so special. I tried to reference everything that she said from before... "The light is like God shining down...." I said, “That that statement is true. God did appear in that very grove of trees.” I referenced how she had been confused about religion, and said that a young boy, was once confused like you and wanted to know the truth. He had the faith that God would answer his prayer, so he walked out of the back of his house, in these woods, and knelt in prayer and an amazing thing happened. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and his question was answered. I told her that I have been to the sacred grove, and have felt how special that place is. I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father was there. Sis. Bangeter also testified and shared her feelings of being there as well. I told Peggy that the last time that we were at her home, when I saw the painting, I felt like I had walked into the sacred grove. I thanked her for that. Peggy started to tear up. The whole time while we were talking, the painting was sitting on a chair across the room, and I just kept looking at it. It is the most beautiful thing I have seen. Strong testimony was borne, and the spirit permeated the room. It was a miracle that Peggy let us in her home that day but I know we needed to be there. I feel so blessed to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. It is what I strive to do everyday, but I'm afraid I fall short a lot, so I am humbled when miracles like this happen. Ahhh, its so exciting! we left the Restoration movie with her, and next week we will teach all of the first lesson, she wants to learn. It is amazing!
Isn't it amazing to have two witnesses of the birth of Christ? Oh how special and beautiful Luke is, but also the testimony of Samuel the Lamanite as he so fiercely testified with outstretched arms on top of the wall of the city. I just recently finished an intense study of the Book of Mormon, and in the spirit of Christmas I moved to prophecies of the coming of Christ. It has strengthened my testimony sooo much, and I have realized how much I don't know. :-) Oh how I long to have been able to go to seminary when I was younger. Those years are precious. I'm having to do a lot of catch up :-) I feel close to the Savior as I have read through Luke. I try to imagine myself there, witnessing the miracles that he performed. I often wonder if I have the kind of faith that the women did who touched the hem of the Savior's robe and was healed. I love how Christ taught those that needed to hear it. Even a Pharisee asked him, (paraphrasing) why do you talk to "these" people... people being those that are troubled or sinning. (I feel bad i'm not doing this justice, but I don't have my scriptures with me). Christ responded and it applies so much to the work we are trying to do. He teaches the people that need Him, and need to know about Him. Oh so amazing! It gives me strength when I think of some of the people we talk to and an added fire to find those that Christ wants to help and that need His help.
I feel so grateful for the Atonement. I feel like the person that was indebted 500 rather 150 (Luke 7) and was forgiven of my debt. I feel a desire to testify more strongly because I feel such a strong desire to have others feel what I have felt.
Speaking of not feeling like I know anything in the Bible, we are teaching this man, Raul that we found. I have never met someone, at least Spanish, that is so literate in the Bible! The first time we taught him we sat in the middle of s shuffle board court in a trailer park. We started with a prayer and I started testifying about God (the usual first lesson start) then I asked him, "Who is Jesus Christ to you?" He asked for my Bible and immediately went to Genesis and said, “That God and Jesus Christ are two personages.” I was floored and shocked! “Golden investigator” rang in my ears and got me sooo excited! We have had two lessons with him, the last lesson was an hour, just on the spirit world. We dove into the scriptures and he likes to teach us too. I'm floored by it. The hard thing is that his Bible is a "New Era" edition, so we spend a lot of time explaining the differences and what the doctrine is and some things get lost in translation. It so amazing! I have a lot of homework to do, but I'm up to the challenge! :-)
We've had a struggle getting people to church, Especially Mercy because of the care for her patient. So next Sunday we're going to be at her door at 7 in the morning and WE ARE DOWN RIGHT DETERMINED TO GET HER TO CHURCH! Should be pretty exciting!
Well, have an amazing week! I know I will!!!
Oh, we find out transfers on Saturday,. I have a feeling that we will stay together for another transfer, but we'll see. Here's hoping! :-)
LOVE YOU! I'm going to try my hardest to get Christmas cards out today, but there are so many that some people might get them late, but hey, its the thought that counts, right?!
te querro!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
also known as "baum-hul" that is how they pronounce it. :-)
Wednesday we had our mission Christmas conference. It was so amazing! I remember just after I was baptized I went to a transfer meeting for the Everett mission and remembered how it felt to be in a room full of missionaries singing hymns. It is all the more powerful when YOU are the missionary! We had about 100 missionaries there. I had a part in the program and got to share the nativity. I also got to share my testimony. THIS IS ONLY MY FOURTH CHRISTMAS! Isn't that exciting?! I say that because this is only my fourth Christmas since I have come to know who my Savior is and why we really celebrate Christmas. There is something special about this time of year and sharing the love of the Savior with the people here in St. Pete. Everyone has this glow about them. "The Christmas spirit." They are happier and more willing to listen. Just last night, we had a couple appointments cancel, so we had and hour and a half before we had to head home. It was dark, but the streets were lit up with Christmas lights. we had planned on tracting a lighted apartment complex, because it is late and kind of a not so nice part of town, but we said a prayer and felt like we needed to tract a particular street. We knocked on one door, and as we waited for a response, we both looked at each other and said, "we need to carol." Any one that knows me, knows that I can't sing worth beans, but I had so much fun! I can't wait until Tuesday when we do it again. People were so surprised when they opened the door, then they smile and invite there children to stand at the door. One house last night was amazing. They were a family from the Philippines. They were actually singing Christmas songs when we knocked on the door. Dad was playing the guitar with mom and three daughters singing. They invited us in to join them. It was amazing. We sat on the couch and sang with them. They came here 10 years ago, and it was 6 yrs ago when they "found" Jesus Christ. In their homeland it was forbidden to be a Christian.
Just little miracles every day!
PEGGY! Oh my! I'm soooooo excited. I could not even write the words to express my feelings and experiences with her, but I'll try my best! Yesterday, we went with Sis. Bangeter to pick up the painting. Peggy greeted us with a huge smile! She and Sis. Bangeter talked a lot about paintings and all that stuff. :-) Then she invited us to sit down. Sis. bangeter said, "these girls sure have told me a lot about the painting." So Peggy stood up and went and grabbed it from the dinner table. When I saw it I had that same feeling like I was in the sacred grove and I started to tear up. So did Sis. Bangeter. She felt it as well. Peggy said, "I don't know how you got in my door, but I know that you were supposed to. I know that this is a special place I painted. I believe in miracles and I know you are supposed to be here." My heart was just burning inside. I started to express to Peggy why this painting is so special. I tried to reference everything that she said from before... "The light is like God shining down...." I said, “That that statement is true. God did appear in that very grove of trees.” I referenced how she had been confused about religion, and said that a young boy, was once confused like you and wanted to know the truth. He had the faith that God would answer his prayer, so he walked out of the back of his house, in these woods, and knelt in prayer and an amazing thing happened. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and his question was answered. I told her that I have been to the sacred grove, and have felt how special that place is. I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father was there. Sis. Bangeter also testified and shared her feelings of being there as well. I told Peggy that the last time that we were at her home, when I saw the painting, I felt like I had walked into the sacred grove. I thanked her for that. Peggy started to tear up. The whole time while we were talking, the painting was sitting on a chair across the room, and I just kept looking at it. It is the most beautiful thing I have seen. Strong testimony was borne, and the spirit permeated the room. It was a miracle that Peggy let us in her home that day but I know we needed to be there. I feel so blessed to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. It is what I strive to do everyday, but I'm afraid I fall short a lot, so I am humbled when miracles like this happen. Ahhh, its so exciting! we left the Restoration movie with her, and next week we will teach all of the first lesson, she wants to learn. It is amazing!
Isn't it amazing to have two witnesses of the birth of Christ? Oh how special and beautiful Luke is, but also the testimony of Samuel the Lamanite as he so fiercely testified with outstretched arms on top of the wall of the city. I just recently finished an intense study of the Book of Mormon, and in the spirit of Christmas I moved to prophecies of the coming of Christ. It has strengthened my testimony sooo much, and I have realized how much I don't know. :-) Oh how I long to have been able to go to seminary when I was younger. Those years are precious. I'm having to do a lot of catch up :-) I feel close to the Savior as I have read through Luke. I try to imagine myself there, witnessing the miracles that he performed. I often wonder if I have the kind of faith that the women did who touched the hem of the Savior's robe and was healed. I love how Christ taught those that needed to hear it. Even a Pharisee asked him, (paraphrasing) why do you talk to "these" people... people being those that are troubled or sinning. (I feel bad i'm not doing this justice, but I don't have my scriptures with me). Christ responded and it applies so much to the work we are trying to do. He teaches the people that need Him, and need to know about Him. Oh so amazing! It gives me strength when I think of some of the people we talk to and an added fire to find those that Christ wants to help and that need His help.
I feel so grateful for the Atonement. I feel like the person that was indebted 500 rather 150 (Luke 7) and was forgiven of my debt. I feel a desire to testify more strongly because I feel such a strong desire to have others feel what I have felt.
Speaking of not feeling like I know anything in the Bible, we are teaching this man, Raul that we found. I have never met someone, at least Spanish, that is so literate in the Bible! The first time we taught him we sat in the middle of s shuffle board court in a trailer park. We started with a prayer and I started testifying about God (the usual first lesson start) then I asked him, "Who is Jesus Christ to you?" He asked for my Bible and immediately went to Genesis and said, “That God and Jesus Christ are two personages.” I was floored and shocked! “Golden investigator” rang in my ears and got me sooo excited! We have had two lessons with him, the last lesson was an hour, just on the spirit world. We dove into the scriptures and he likes to teach us too. I'm floored by it. The hard thing is that his Bible is a "New Era" edition, so we spend a lot of time explaining the differences and what the doctrine is and some things get lost in translation. It so amazing! I have a lot of homework to do, but I'm up to the challenge! :-)
We've had a struggle getting people to church, Especially Mercy because of the care for her patient. So next Sunday we're going to be at her door at 7 in the morning and WE ARE DOWN RIGHT DETERMINED TO GET HER TO CHURCH! Should be pretty exciting!
Well, have an amazing week! I know I will!!!
Oh, we find out transfers on Saturday,. I have a feeling that we will stay together for another transfer, but we'll see. Here's hoping! :-)
LOVE YOU! I'm going to try my hardest to get Christmas cards out today, but there are so many that some people might get them late, but hey, its the thought that counts, right?!
te querro!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
also known as "baum-hul" that is how they pronounce it. :-)
Monday, December 7, 2009
St. Petersburg Week 10
Hola familia!!!
Wasn't the Christmas devotional amazing?! Definitely what we missionaries needed to hear! The opening prayer was one of the best I have ever heard at a conference. We watched it (in English) at the stake building in Seminole and hurried home so we weren't late.
We've had yet another amazing week. We have quite a few (brothers and sisters) on date right now, but it has been so hard to get them to church. Many of them don't have cars, and struggle with finances so much that they have to work on Sunday. They don't have a choice,. It's that or not having any food. So we try to help them the best we can. We've made food and taken it to a lot of them using our food storage and the food that we get from members. It's hard to see, and I wish we could do more to help them.
I want to tell you about Carlos and Helen. They are absolutely amazing. They are the kind of family you dream about finding on your mission. Helen is the sister of recent convert, Karen. Helen has been visiting her sister for the last couple months. We've been teaching her, and she wanted to get baptized but the only thing that was holding her back is that she wanted her husband to be taught too. We tried really hard to get missionaries to contact him in Peru. Lo and behold, who would have thought that the missionaries who would contact him would be the son of Hermano and Hermana Ross (members of our ward in St. Pete). Heavenly father has really provided a way for their family to hear the gospel. Well, Carlos has been here for a couple weeks now awaiting the birth of their new baby Angelina, but he is leaving today. That is the sad part. We taught him all that we could with the time that we have had with him. He knows it is true and wants to be baptized. He just has to leave to go back to work. He is a manager for a bank in Peru, so they are fairly decent shape financially. Every time we would stop by there home, he would grab two stools right away, and put them in front of the couch. He would be so eager to sit with his wife and listen to our lesson. The spirit was always very strong in every lesson that we taught them.
Carlos and I really connected. its interesting how that happens. He was very interested in my conversion story and how I came to know of the gospel. Every time we saw him he would have more questions for me until I finally wrote it all out for him. As we parted ways last night it was very sad. When Helen returns to Peru with her new baby in a month and a half they are going to be baptized there. They already have plans for a temple sealing. They live right down the street from the temple in Peru and have always had a "draw" to the House of the Lord. Helen and Carlos want us to be there at the sealing and we plan on keeping communication. He has turned into a father figure for us in a way. I am sooooo excited to go to Peru for their sealing when I get back! Hermana Murray and I are already planning on it!
We had our Cuban feast with Mercy and it was amazing! It was such a special evening. We arrived at her home and she had the table all set up formal, with a bunch of fruit in the middle. She asked us to sit, and said, "In Cuba, we always start a meal with fresh fruit." So she fed us fresh papaya and for the main dish we had Cuban style sweet papas, arroz negro, and a type of shredded beef that I can't even remember the name of and of course Pan de Cubano. the color of the sauce was like a fire engine red. The best part of the whole night was just sitting and listening to her talk about what life was like in Cuba for her. She had a hard life growing up, but it is interesting to see how Heavenly Father has always taken care of her and provided a way. She gave us Christmas gifts too. It is a tradition that if you invite someone over for a "formal cuban dinner" you give them a gift. So she gave us a box of chocolate. Then what was really amazing, she excitedly ran to the other room and said, with a lot of laughter, "close your eyes." Then when we opened our eyes there on the table in front of us was this adorable Santa Claus on a tricycle with a lollypop. We then had a lot of fun playing with him on the table.
I thought that I ate a lot of food at home for Thanksgiving. I have never eaten so much food in my life in one sitting then I did that night and it wasn't because I was putting any food on my plate. Mercy kept putting more and more! :-) I could have eaten four meals with what I ate. I really didn't want to offend her, so I just kept eating. Hermana Murray and I had A LOT of good laughs on our way home talking about how much our stomachs hurt and how that was the worst way to start a fast. We have some great video of it.
This is one of the reasons why I love Florida so much and the opportunity that I have to serve here. If I went anywhere else I would not be able to be engulfed in so many different cultures. We've met people from all over the world. it is amazing!
OK, this experience is very tender to me. I've shared a little bit about the situation with Li. In the last couple of weeks she has really opened up about how she is feeling. Through the experience I am about to share, it amazes me how the power that the Holy Ghost can comfort us and give us strength. We went over to Li's home. When we got there, we could tell that she was just absolutely stressed out and weathered, so we told her, we only want to make you feel better right now. So just forget about your worries, just even for 20 minutes. So we watched the Restoration DVD. I swear Satan's little helpers were poking her daughter because she was so restless, but the spirit was still there. After the movie, we asked her about the last time that we were there. Specifically, how we knelt in prayer with her, and she asked with all the sincerity of her heart if the gospel was true. We asked her how she felt about this experience. This was her response. "I felt a power. I felt confidence. I felt like everything was going to be OK." I asked her how her husband would feel if she was to be baptized and she said "Oh, he would be furious. I would be scared of him." I was so sad. she then said "I really want to be baptized, I want my daughter to be baptized, but I don't want the reason for us to separate to be because of region."
What I want to pay attention to, is that night when her husband came home. She was different. She was strong and courageous. Her situation didn't change, but she has the Holy Ghost with her. The Holy Ghost will be the greatest thing that she can have in her life right now. Having the Holy Ghost doesn't change the ability she has to pay her bills or stop her husband from his bad acts, but it does change how comforted she feels. The Holy Ghost can have the same affect in our lives. I know it has in mine, more so now than in any other time of my life. I remember the first time I recognized the Holy Ghost. I will never forget it.
I love you all! Have a good week! Sorry I can't write more!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
Wasn't the Christmas devotional amazing?! Definitely what we missionaries needed to hear! The opening prayer was one of the best I have ever heard at a conference. We watched it (in English) at the stake building in Seminole and hurried home so we weren't late.
We've had yet another amazing week. We have quite a few (brothers and sisters) on date right now, but it has been so hard to get them to church. Many of them don't have cars, and struggle with finances so much that they have to work on Sunday. They don't have a choice,. It's that or not having any food. So we try to help them the best we can. We've made food and taken it to a lot of them using our food storage and the food that we get from members. It's hard to see, and I wish we could do more to help them.
I want to tell you about Carlos and Helen. They are absolutely amazing. They are the kind of family you dream about finding on your mission. Helen is the sister of recent convert, Karen. Helen has been visiting her sister for the last couple months. We've been teaching her, and she wanted to get baptized but the only thing that was holding her back is that she wanted her husband to be taught too. We tried really hard to get missionaries to contact him in Peru. Lo and behold, who would have thought that the missionaries who would contact him would be the son of Hermano and Hermana Ross (members of our ward in St. Pete). Heavenly father has really provided a way for their family to hear the gospel. Well, Carlos has been here for a couple weeks now awaiting the birth of their new baby Angelina, but he is leaving today. That is the sad part. We taught him all that we could with the time that we have had with him. He knows it is true and wants to be baptized. He just has to leave to go back to work. He is a manager for a bank in Peru, so they are fairly decent shape financially. Every time we would stop by there home, he would grab two stools right away, and put them in front of the couch. He would be so eager to sit with his wife and listen to our lesson. The spirit was always very strong in every lesson that we taught them.
Carlos and I really connected. its interesting how that happens. He was very interested in my conversion story and how I came to know of the gospel. Every time we saw him he would have more questions for me until I finally wrote it all out for him. As we parted ways last night it was very sad. When Helen returns to Peru with her new baby in a month and a half they are going to be baptized there. They already have plans for a temple sealing. They live right down the street from the temple in Peru and have always had a "draw" to the House of the Lord. Helen and Carlos want us to be there at the sealing and we plan on keeping communication. He has turned into a father figure for us in a way. I am sooooo excited to go to Peru for their sealing when I get back! Hermana Murray and I are already planning on it!
We had our Cuban feast with Mercy and it was amazing! It was such a special evening. We arrived at her home and she had the table all set up formal, with a bunch of fruit in the middle. She asked us to sit, and said, "In Cuba, we always start a meal with fresh fruit." So she fed us fresh papaya and for the main dish we had Cuban style sweet papas, arroz negro, and a type of shredded beef that I can't even remember the name of and of course Pan de Cubano. the color of the sauce was like a fire engine red. The best part of the whole night was just sitting and listening to her talk about what life was like in Cuba for her. She had a hard life growing up, but it is interesting to see how Heavenly Father has always taken care of her and provided a way. She gave us Christmas gifts too. It is a tradition that if you invite someone over for a "formal cuban dinner" you give them a gift. So she gave us a box of chocolate. Then what was really amazing, she excitedly ran to the other room and said, with a lot of laughter, "close your eyes." Then when we opened our eyes there on the table in front of us was this adorable Santa Claus on a tricycle with a lollypop. We then had a lot of fun playing with him on the table.
I thought that I ate a lot of food at home for Thanksgiving. I have never eaten so much food in my life in one sitting then I did that night and it wasn't because I was putting any food on my plate. Mercy kept putting more and more! :-) I could have eaten four meals with what I ate. I really didn't want to offend her, so I just kept eating. Hermana Murray and I had A LOT of good laughs on our way home talking about how much our stomachs hurt and how that was the worst way to start a fast. We have some great video of it.
This is one of the reasons why I love Florida so much and the opportunity that I have to serve here. If I went anywhere else I would not be able to be engulfed in so many different cultures. We've met people from all over the world. it is amazing!
OK, this experience is very tender to me. I've shared a little bit about the situation with Li. In the last couple of weeks she has really opened up about how she is feeling. Through the experience I am about to share, it amazes me how the power that the Holy Ghost can comfort us and give us strength. We went over to Li's home. When we got there, we could tell that she was just absolutely stressed out and weathered, so we told her, we only want to make you feel better right now. So just forget about your worries, just even for 20 minutes. So we watched the Restoration DVD. I swear Satan's little helpers were poking her daughter because she was so restless, but the spirit was still there. After the movie, we asked her about the last time that we were there. Specifically, how we knelt in prayer with her, and she asked with all the sincerity of her heart if the gospel was true. We asked her how she felt about this experience. This was her response. "I felt a power. I felt confidence. I felt like everything was going to be OK." I asked her how her husband would feel if she was to be baptized and she said "Oh, he would be furious. I would be scared of him." I was so sad. she then said "I really want to be baptized, I want my daughter to be baptized, but I don't want the reason for us to separate to be because of region."
What I want to pay attention to, is that night when her husband came home. She was different. She was strong and courageous. Her situation didn't change, but she has the Holy Ghost with her. The Holy Ghost will be the greatest thing that she can have in her life right now. Having the Holy Ghost doesn't change the ability she has to pay her bills or stop her husband from his bad acts, but it does change how comforted she feels. The Holy Ghost can have the same affect in our lives. I know it has in mine, more so now than in any other time of my life. I remember the first time I recognized the Holy Ghost. I will never forget it.
I love you all! Have a good week! Sorry I can't write more!
Hermana Vaughan-Schultz
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