I am so grateful for children that like to write, this letter made my week! :) ~her mom
Dear Mi Familia y Mis Amigos,
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM. I know this is late, and I
know you were sick, but I hope you still got Diet coke, sushi, and lots of
gifts.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE. Words can not describe my joy
eating goldfish (aka american normal food that doesn't make me feel like i'm
going to contract some weird disease).
Oh my goodness, when they say you have no time to write in
the MTC--THEY ARE RIGHT.
There is so much to tell you.
First of all, I LOVE IT HERE. I love it here so much. It is
the hardest thing I have ever done in my whole life (yes that includes American
Heritage) but it is so amazing!!
so I have my journal with me and I will try and get through
as much as possible.
So mom and dad you already know how the first plane ride
went but I will let you know about the second now. The second plane ride I had
Elder Daniels on my right and a Dominican Woman on my left. I felt impressed to
speak with her, and I panicked because she spoke 0.01% english. But I tried,
and it was the coolest thing ever!!! I totally communicated with her for about
three hours. I let her know what I do as a missionary, and gave her an El Libro
de Mormon and she accepted!! She said she would read it with her husband and
get in touch with missionaries if she wanted to know more. So that was such a
great way to start off my mission. It may not have been so much for her, but it
was for sure a tender mercy for me.
After the plane we got on a tiny bus (I will send a picture
if it works, I hope it does!) and crammed like 40 missionaries on it. Hermana
Jensen and I sat by each other right in the front row and talked to the driver
in spanglish. Because our spanish was struggling....and Dominican spanish is
crazy nonetheless. But we almost hit like 5 BIKERS. It was so scary! I am not
kidding. The drivers, bikers, everyone is crazy on the roads. It made me so
grateful that I am not going to be allowed on the roads anyway.... Ay mi madre.
(A dominican term similar to us saying oh my goodness). It was dark so I could
barely see the city but what I could see was really cool. The people are all
shapes and colors, but mostly I just saw all smiles!! I can not wait to serve them.
I'm guessing the first thing you want to know about is my
companion! My companion is Hermana Triplett from California. She is 20 and
studied at BYU (mathematics and engineering double major). She is way cool, and
basically fluent in spanish. So I feel like I have a native companion even
though she is for sure american haha. She helps me all the time with my spanish
and that's been a lot of help, even though I'm way behind her it motivates me
rather than discourages me- because she is SO nice!! We get along great.
There are only 11 sisters here in total. My district is me
and H. Triplett, and 6 Elders. They are all really funny. I'm pretty sure we
are in some sort of advanced class because they are challenging us to do way
harder things than the other classes. But that is okay. :) It is helping me
learn so it is a blessing!! The hard things we are asked to do are always
blessings!!
So the CCM-- We study spanish all day, and we were are not
studying spanish we are eating (and still really studying spanish) or 1 hour
exercise time (but still studying spanish unofficially) and then at night we
teach fake investigators that are really our teachers. They use our lessons to
tell us how to be better teachers of the gospel. I can not wait to tell you
about those experiences this week- because there were some really funny moments
and spiritual.
Our first two lessons with "Mario Lopez" (really
our teacher Hermano Ramirez) went so bad. And when I say so bad I mean
out of the 15 min. we talked to him, we only talked for 1 or 2 of them. There
were awkward silences because we didn't know what to say. H. Triplett knows
spanish but she didn't really know how to teach, and I know how to teach but
not spanish so we were stuck saying nothing. It was no bueno. But it could have
been worse. Elders in my district told him "somos novios" meaning we
are boyfriends, instead of "somos hermanos" (we are brothers). I was
dying when they told us that. We are all just trying to learn spanish.
But we prayed and fasted and really really focused and
prepared for the next couple and taught him about God, the restoration, and the
plan of happiness. And guess what!?! HE IS GOING TO GET BAPTIZED. (If only it
were real life though). But I told him about when I thought I lost my earthly
father and how that's when I knew Heavenly Father lives and loves me. The
spirit was just so powerful and we were all tearing up. But... he has to
commit to the law of chastity first and he has "four girlfriends" so
um.... we are trying to figure out exactly how to teach him why he can't have
four girlfriends and stay at their houses all the time.... I am so awkward at
that so i'm just praying the spirit will help me.
On sunday they called on people to bear their testimonies in
front of all of the missionaries so no one knew if they would do it- and they
called on me! I was freaking out but said a quick prayer and was totally helped
to remember all that I wanted to say in spanish. It was really a good
experience. There are always haitian missionaries here that only speak french
and they are so humble and full of love, and all volunteered to bear testimony.
Even though I couldn't understand french, the spirit bore witness that they
were telling the truth. That's the cool thing about the spirit, it will always
bear witness of the truth no matter the language!!
The pictures you will get (hopefully) are from sunday. the
best day here!! We got PIZZA AND ICECREAM. Was I freaking out and tearing up a
little bit? The answer is yes. It was so nice. Because I was sick of the rice,
beans, chicken, and mystery meat with huge bones sticking out of it. We got to
walk around the temple so there are pictures from that too.
Okay so some funny/cool things this week....
I told Mario Lopez that we pray to thomas s. monson (meant
to say listen) and he was so confused. My companion just burst out laughing and
explained to him that no we listen (oír) to The prophet not pray (orar) to him.
I also said "HOLO MARIO" Instead of "HOLA MARIO" at the
beginning. Such a gringo.
Elder Page and Elder Milward were teaching a lesson
downstairs, when a real woman staying here at the hotel heard and thought our
teacher was a real investigator and we were really doing a lesson. She thought
the elders were terrible at spanish so she jumped in and taught the whole
lesson for them (lol). Thankfully she didn't do that with us too last night!!
So I got really sick two days ago with a cold/cough/sore
throat. It's a thing going around the CCM right now, so H. Triplett and I
couldn't go to the temple :'(. But that is okay, it was a good morning with
personal study for hours instead. Worms is also going around the CCM so I am
just praying I don't get them!!! I will die!!! (not really, but ya... die).
Okay so quick thought. My MTC president said this:
Faith is the power,
Obedience is the price,
Love is the motive,
Spirit is the key,
Jesus Christ is the reason.
I loved that and it really stuck out ot me. That is why I am
here, and that is how I will live every moment of my mission.
There is so much more, but I am out of time basically. I
love you all so so so so so so so so so much. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I love
the opportunity to be here.
The church is true. I can feel it even more than ever
before. It is so important that we live the gospel, so important. I know that
is true. I know it.
Church is true, book is blue, ctr when a choice is placed
before you.
With love,
Hermana Schmidt :)
p.s. if there are spelling or grammar mistakes i'm sorry I
have to type SO fast. Ayyyyy Mi Madre.
Oh, and on p-days we wear peach.
And the group pictures at the temple is my district in the
next email AH.
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