Week 4

ONE MONTH

Hey Y'all!!

How weekly planning looks after

This week has been crazy!! I hit my one month mark on Friday!! Sister Clifford hit her one year mark on Thursday!

Sister Clifford and I have been planning like crazy here is Alabama! Things I never thought I'd be doing!! Saturday was one of those days that just threw us for a loop!!

One of our investigators is so ready for baptism and is literally giving everything up to the Lord!! It has been so amazing to watch her dedication! Our last lesson she prayed at the end for God to take away all her addictions. It was so powerful and sincere totally depending on her Father and Savior!! I was brought to tears by the end! The only thing that is kinda funny is she lives with her Baptist fiancé...he doesn't really like us!

We've taught her the law of chastity and she isn't fully loving it. We told her that if she wants to be baptized she would have to be married. That was a rough conversation. She says that they would be if they had the means.

We talked it out and she said that she would consider marriage if we could provide a way! So now Sister Clifford and I are planning a WEDDING! haha never thought I would be doing that while on my mission! We even found a church you can rent for free!! We've fasted and prayed so hard and you can just see how much God is directing us. I know that she will come to the waters of baptism one day!

Us Fishing with Vicki

Off-roading to go fishing!

We went fishing this week with one of our investigators Vicki! She loves to fish and we teach lessons while we fish! She is so solid!! She loves the gospel so much and shares it with everyone! She is trying so hard to quit smoking, it's been the coolest thing to watch her give all she has to God and trust him to take it all away! The faith people show down here in Alabama is such a testimony builder to me!! While fishing I stopped, looked around and could not believe my life! If you told me a month ago that I'd be off roading to a pond in the middle of no where, trying to help Vicki put a hot dog on a rusty old fish hook praying it doesn't poke my finger, while she's smoking and hearing the 10 commandments from my companion....I would NEVER believe you! Yet here I was living this crazy life!  Serving in the south is the greatest thing I've ever done! She wont accept a baptism date until her old Preacher passes away!! He is apparently super sick and still preaches every Sunday but the congregation is getting smaller and smaller as he gets sicker. Vicki feels to guilty leaving him now because he's helped her for 30 years! She says " as soon as he kicks the can, I'm coming to your church!" I never thought I would hear someone say that, yet here I am in good ol' Alabama!!

Later that day we had a lesson over the phone with Tyler. He called us and said that God told him to go to the LDS church!!!!!! We were blown away!! I still cant believe it really happened! But it just keeps getting crazier! During the lesson we asked him questions to get to know him better and how we can help him come closer to Christ. He tells us that he has all these questions and the church he goes to now just can't answer them. We asked what he was wondering and he goes "Well first of all, where were we before this life?"

Sister Clifford and I could not believe it!! They always tell you that people wonder that, but I never thought I'd be asked directly! We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he just kept saying how it's so incredible and it all makes sense!!

God truly does prepare his people to find the truth! I'm blown away every single day by the miracles I see here in Cullman! God is so GOOD!!! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the fullness of the Gospel once again restored upon the earth! I'm so honored to serve here and help others learn of the truth that I have learned. I ask Heavenly Father everyday, why am I so lucky to know the truth when so many people don't have it??? Every time I get the answer " You are willing to share it!"

The gospel is meant for everyone! There isn't a single person on earth who isn't deserving of the truth or of Christ's eternal sacrifice! I know he died for YOU!! I know he loves YOU! I know he will walk by YOU, stand with YOU and even carry YOU every day of your life! My Savior means everything to me because I've depended everything on Him! I know that when you turn to Him you will be strengthened. You won't be alone or scared or sad. He takes it all away!!! I always wondered why, why would HE do that for ME? Since being on my mission I have come to know its because HE LOVES YOU!!! More than you will ever know or feel or comprehend! He's never going to leave you, so turn to Him, lean on Him, go find Him because HE IS YOUR SAVIOR!!

I love being a missionary! I love Alabama and all the crazy adventures I see daily! I love y'all so much!

Have a wonderful week, I'll talk to y'all soon!!

-Sister Schultz

Bates kids being baptized on Saturday! We made calendars with tasks to help them prepare! 

Sister Clifford and I Celebrating One month and One Year with Pizza and ice cream