Well I will start off with the news everyone supposedly is waiting for. We did have a pretty cool earthquake on Tuesday morning. We were actually in a district meeting in the church with six other elders and Elder Russell was teaching us. He is a very funny and intense teacher so we didnt get too surprised when the ground started shaking haha. We booked it out of the church and felt like we were surfing on the tectonic plates because instead of oving up and down it seemed to move side to side. So it wasnt too bad, actually kind of fun! I didnt see any damage anywhere, expect for our house!!! In our house we already had a cracked window and about two days after the earthquake, the window fell down and shattered! Luckiloy nobody was downstairs because we live on the second floor. We think it came loose during the earthquake and then fell later. But ya, everyone is fine! Supposedly we havehad a ton of small earthquakes since but we havent felt any of them. We had a pretty crazy week as far as the work goes. We were preparing a family to get baptized all week. We also used about two full days planning a wedding for the parents because they werent married. (I am never going to work for a wedding business or anything related after that experience) Unfortunately, something came up with the law and long story short, they were not able to get married nor baptized. The two teenagers were ready as well to get baptized but chose to wait until their parents get baptized for them to get baptized as well. The bad news is that the proccess will take 6 months at least and it costs a lot of money (and this family has nothing). But I know that someday they will get the opportunity to be baptized because they are ready to do it and Heavenly Father gives everyone a chance to accept the Gospel, whether in this life or the next. We are preparing a few people right now to get baptized in April so we are excited about that. I am also excited to recieve some modern day scripture this weekend from our beloved prophet and apostles in General Conference. I would like to share something that I have learned throughout the mission through the scriptures, prayers, leaders, and other experiences. As missionaries, we use goals a lot. We have monthly, weekly, and daily goals. When we make these goals, we promise to Heavenly Father that we will do all we can and focus completely on our goals in order to achieve them. Sometimes, the monthly goals look hard to complete. Sometimes we lack faith or action. I have learned that when we do our very best and focus on the DAILY goals, the goals are met. Heavenly Father sees our DAILY efforts and rewards us within weekly and monthly results. In this life we have a purpose (or a goal). That purpose is to return back to our Heavenly Father to live in perfect glory and majesty forever with Him and with our families, or in other words, eternal life. How is eternal life achieved? What can we do to secure that amazing gift for us and our families? I have come to realize that eternal life is something we gain on a daily basis, decision by decision. As our investigaters are preparing to be baptized (the first step to achieve eternal life), they need to read the scriptures and pray daily. They also need to go to church every Sunday. By doing those things, a change of heart occurs within them and that desire to follow Jesus Christ grows and grows. That journey to eternal life continues after baptism and we must continue on that path to make it to the presence of our Father. As I have seen missionaries come and go, I realize that many of them quit doing the daily things before or after they leave the mission. I know that if we are to achieve eternal life, we must continue reading the scriptures and praying with faith everyday so that we can grow and progress; so that that change of heart can continue to occur in our hearts. When suddenly, one day, we look back at all we have done and more importantly, what we have BECOME. I feel my heart changing on a daily basis and I continue to feel a strong desire to obey the commandments and keep the covenants I have made with Heavenly Father so that I can arrive at that day sometime in the future. Remember, the choice of eternal life is a daily one, and if we make that choice everyday, we will be just fine! Love you all lots!!!!
Elder Stutz
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