I'm Halfway There!

Hello friends and family!!
It happened! It has finally come! I gave officially been out for 9 months. I've had a lot of time to think back to the first 9 months of my mission. I've made some mistakes, I've learned much, at times I could have worked harder than I have, but I've had the most intense spiritual experiences, I've seen success, and most of all I've seen others come unto Christ. It's amazing for me to be on the other side of the inactive, less active, and investigator. It's cool to be the missionary now; to see the "aha!" moment and the connection made that this church, indeed, is true! What a special moment to witness!! I love to see others come to the knowledge and understanding that Jesus Christ died for US! Heavenly Father is our loving Heavenly Father! Gosh!!! It never gets old. I'm here to share the happiness and joy that I receive from the gospel to others so they may also feel that! It's like trying a new restaurant and absolutely loving it. You, of course, want to share that with others. So what do you do? You yell it from the roof tops! That's what I want to do. That's what I'm here to do. I love this gospel with all of my heart.
      In the spirit of being halfway through my mission, I'd like to share some experiences I've had so far. I guess this isn't really an experience but I've come to love certain foods that seem crazy to me. Aaragus, Brussel sprouts, curry, squash, almond milk, red peppers, pico de gillo, Mexican food, Mexican sour cream, cooked carrots, uncooked tortillas, fry sauce.. I could go on forever. My taste palate has expanded exponentially (sorry dad!).
      There was a man in my first area, American fork, who smoked, was living with his fiancé, was working towards baptism but regressed. One fast and testimony meeting, we were in his ward but he was no where to be found. We had the disappointment of a missionary who thought that this would be the time. We sat listening to the testimonies that others were bearing. A man walked past us up to the stand, it was our investigator!! He stood and bore a strong testimony with tears in his eyes and thanked The Lord for the progress he had made. Even though we thought we hadn't seen progress, it was there. He was moving forward. I left American fork shortly after that Sunday, I'm not sure how he's currently doing but I know that The Lord is taking care of him!
        In Orem, I had a hard time adjusting to the area. I had just moved in from my first area and was feeling pretty bitter about being in Orem. I was being put with a sister that didn't want to be my companion, and we were in a walking area. We met a young girl, 20 years old. She was quiet, reserved, and didn't want to see us, really. Her mom is a member that we visited all the time that quickly became our mission mom. Anyways, so this young girl was a depressed girl who didn't really want to attend church or be sociable. We befriended her one day and she became our best friend! We helped her through certain issues and saw the transformation that Heavenly Father made in a girl who tried her best to avoid us but was now coming on splits with us almost every night! She has a beautiful personality full of service for others, gratitude, charity, and so many more. She has shown me what the atonement is for. She showed me that Jesus Christ died for is each individually that through Him we can obtain eternal life.
    In the beginning of my mission I thought I was here to teach others but really I am here so others can teach me. I used to be shy, selfish, prideful, and bitter. Though I am not yet completely the opposite of those things, I am striving to do so! I am no longer shy (that's for sure!), I am not bitter, I love to do service for others and think of others over myself, and I am learning to humble myself a little more each day. If I had to do this all over again I probably would. My mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life thus far, aside from my baptism. I have learned much! I have succeeded, I have failed, but The Lord has been with me to right me when I am wrong, and to learn a lesson out of my failures. Failures don't bring us down, yet they build up so we have a foundation to lay our success upon.
       I've started to realize more and more that being a convert isn't a bad thing. I've learned that being a convert can be a blessing. When helping someone with the word of wisdom, I can share my experiences. When talking about tithing, feeling the Holy Ghost, praying to know if he Book of Mormon is true, and being on the investigator side of things, I'm able to share my real experiences with them. I was truly sent here as an instrument in God's. Things I looked at in my past to be negative are turning out to be positives in the end because I am able to understand others. At this point in my life I do not regret a thing because it's through my trials that I've become stronger, grown closer to God, and have be one the person I am today. I thank Heavenly Father every day for my trials and for the many things I have come to know and for the things I will come to know in time. I know that through any trial there will be a dawn, there is an end, and there is hope. You may be suffering now but Heavenly Father is right beside you.
      With Christmas being this week, I'd like to share a quote from Dr. Seuss' "The Grinch That Stole Christmas". "It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more". I'd like to change the word "it" to "He". He indeed came without ribbons. He came in a humble beginning, lying in a manager. He, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, our Savior and Redeemer was not met by the finest cloth in Bethlehem or with a majestic bed to lay his head in. He, in fact, was lain in a manager, in a cold stable, with hay for His bed. He was not greeted as a prince but He did, however, make it possible for us to return to our Father in Heaven. It's easy to lose touch with what Christmas really means but let us remember in this time of rejoicing and joy in family, that Jesus Christ started it all. Remember Him always.
    This Christmas I will be spending my time with the family we live with, the Beck's. They are so wonderful and take care of us! We love to spend time with them because they help us to feel at home. It truly is the most time of the year. I am so grateful to be here on my mission in Utah. Some people may think it's a punishment or that we weren't good enough to go anywhere else but guys! I'm in Zion!!!!! Someone needs to help the children in Zion because Israel is gathered. The Utah Provo mission is the best mission in the world (but hey! I'm pretty biased). I love you all and I wish you a very very merry Christmas!!!

Stay awesome!

Love,
Sister Maren Schultz