Karen Schultz - Caring for the ONE

My name is Karen Schultz and I’m a member of the Monrovia Ward.  I am originally from Rancho Palos

Verdes, CA where I lived with my parents and two older brothers until I left for BYU at 18. I was raised in the church, but it was mainly my mom and I who were active.  My dad was not a member and my brothers fell away in high school.  I always loved languages and learning about other cultures so it was a natural fit to major in Anthropology.  I had excellent professors and loved my college experience.  Highlights for me were the devotionals, International Cinema, and the general intellectual and spiritual environment there.  Seeing the sister missionaries from the MTC around campus influenced me to think about serving a mission myself.  I prayed and got an “Of course, you should serve!” response, and was later called to the Honduras, Tegucigalpa mission as a welfare services missionary.   

My mission experience really deepened my commitment to the Lord.  Witnessing another person come alive with the Spirit as they come to know God’s love for them was a priceless experience that to this day nourishes my own testimony.   The Honduran people across the board are kind, soulful ,generous people and it was a privilege to serve there. 

After graduating my plan was to go on to graduate school, but I wanted to take some time off to work and travel.  My first job out of school was as a bilingual (Spanish) Eligibility Worker for LA County Dept of Social Services.  You assess eligibility of applicants for welfare funds.  That was an interesting experience, and made me thankful for my blessings and aware of how hard some of God’s children have it in this world. 

   I had studied Chinese at BYU and wanted to improve my Mandarin so after a year working for the County I moved to Taiwan for about a year.  I taught English and took Mandarin classes at Taiwan Normal Teaching College in Taipei.  I met great friends still to this day that were part of a vibrant LDS young adult ex pat community there.  Upon returning to the U.S. the country was in a bit of a recession so instead of going to graduate school right away I took a job at a customs brokerage firm near LAX.  It was a great company with wonderful people and before long I was a licensed Customs Broker and a supervisor and nine years had flown by.  Long story short I stayed in international logistics for a total of 17 years eventually working at Vivitar Inc (camera company) in Newbury Park, CA and then Talbots HQ in Boston, MA.  I hadn’t given up on graduate school entirely so while I was working I pursued a Master in Religious Studies at Claremont Graduate University.  Leaving to work in Boston curtailed my completion of my degree but I cherish the knowledge I gained and learned so much. 

When I was working in Boston my friend, Marge Berkey, who I’d served with in East Pasadena Ward, called and said there was someone she wanted to set me up with.  I was pretty jaded by this time as a single 42 year old who had gone on her fair share of blind dates, but I agreed she could give him my email.  Also, at the same time I was in the process of adopting a baby from Nepal!  Marge said he always wanted more children so that wouldn’t be a problem.  Well, I was matched with my daughter Anjali in January of 2005, got my first email from future husband, Phil, in February 2005, got engaged in June 2005, and we picked up Anjali in Kathmandu, Nepal in August 2005, and married two days after returning home!  Phil was like no guy I’d ever met- kind, no ego, smart, and incredibly nurturing.  He was just the right blessing at just the right time.  He is a practicing Episcopalian.  We  lived in Mar Vista, CA the first year and a half of our marriage, and then moved to Monrovia in 2007 so he could be closer to his work at Kaiser in Pasadena.  He’s a computer engineer.  I resigned at Talbots after adopting Anjali, and besides a part time sales rep job for a few years I’ve been a full time mom.  We had wanted to grow our family and the opportunity arrived when Anjali was around 9 and I met a foster girl that came to one of our youth activities. We welcomed Darla Hernandez into our home in Dec 2013 about a month before her 14th birthday.  Children bring blessings and challenges as do their parents!  I’m glad for this mortal experience where we can grow together in love and tears and joy as a family. 

As the kids have grown and are in college my focus has turned to my aging parents.  My father passed away a year ago at age 95 and we help take care of my 94 year old mother, both bringing her to our home and staying at hers.  My husband, Phil, was diagnosed with Parkinsonism a year and half ago so I’m dealing with his declining physical and cognitive abilities.  We never know what life will throw at us, but my faith sustains me, and the example of an enduring all loving Savior powers me through the hardest times.  I know my Savior lives and that membership in His church, no matter the flaws of its human membership or leadership, is the best way to refine us and help us to be worthy to live with our Heavenly Father again.