Hermana Schmidt: April 2015

Monday, April 20, 2015

Hermana Schmidt Week 30 Letter 04/20/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 04/20/2015 1:16 PM
Subject: Living the BEST (and robbed) Life!

Hola a todos!!

Oh my goodness. This was the CRAZIEST, BEST, most WONDERFUL, and TRIAL-FILLED week ever!! But it really has taught me that God really is in the smallest details in our lives, during the hard and good times! Oh man. Where do I even begin?

First of all, I better start with transfer news (How am I already writing transfer news again!?) and it's totally heartbreaking. I am leaving Los Frailes. So I am ''Robbed'' of my first area. I have enjoyed 6 wonderful months here but the Lord needs me somewhere else! However, I am lucky because it's actually not too far away!! :) I am going to an area called Mi Hogar, in the zona Oriental. I know that probably means nothing to you guys, so to be simple, i'm leaving my area for a new area! My new companion will be Hermana Cabos and she is from Peru! :) She has a tiny bit more time than I which is great, because this will be my 2nd comp in a row with the same time as me! We will have a lot of fun i'm sure. :)

Oh man. Then the sad news. Hermana Hernandez, my STL, and one of my best friends, went home early this week. We had to help pack all of her things and help her leave. It was super sad, but it's for health. If she gets better, she'll come back in 3 months!! She is incredible though. I know that the Lord has great plans for her in her house. It's so hard sending a missionary home, on the missionary side. It's hard to see for sure. However, Hna. Given and I made up a song for her (the same one we did at the baptism of Smith) but this time on piano. Many tears were shed. I will miss her a lot. So I was ''robbed'' of Hermana Hernandez. :(

Then an another robbed note, our water pump got stolen and we have been out of water for 2 days!! I will send pics of us dragging water out of a well. What a blessing.

Other than that, I was not robbed anymore. But I forsure was GIVEN a huge miracle this week. I think when you all read this, you might die (well if you've kept up with my emails, if not... it's okay!) But we had an interesting contact this week.

With Smith's grandma.

The Grandma.

THE

GRANDMA.

So here is the story. We are passing the street she lives on, and I got the strangest prompting EVER. I felt so strongly we needed to go to the Grandma's (Now we know her as Nina) house and talk to her. Now, if you don't remember who this is, this is the woman who yelled at us and told us never to come back and believes our church is founded my the devil and yada yada yada. Well, I was freaked out by the prompting and just knew it must have been from God because that would have never been my idea. So I stopped dead in the street and turned to Hermana Greenstreet and told her of the phantom prompting. Immediately, she agreed and said it must be from God. So we start walking down the street, and every step was like 1000 pounds on our feet. This is how Harry Potter must have felt before meeting up with Voldemort in the very last book. Seriously. Like walking to our deaths. Well Hna. Greenstreet suggested mid street that we say a quick prayer, so we did, and begged for his help and a miracle if this was His will.

So we walk up to the Door and thankfully, see Smith's dad who knows us and says ''Smith isn't here!'' To which we say, not knowing what to say, ''We are actually here for his Grandma, Nina.''' Well he told Nina and she came out and as soon as she saw us yelled ''Í don't have time for this!!'' and started storming back inside. I called out, '''Just wait! I just wanted to tell you something. I just wanted to thank you for my time with Smith!!'' Interested, she turned back. She actually started listening to what I was trying to tell her, which was really just how incrdibley grateful I was for Smith and to see his change. Slowly, she welcomed us into the house. I thought it was because there were probably guns in there. I thought it was my last moments of my life. Literally.

Long story short, we are best friends now. Was that too fast of a plot twist? Like a slap in the face? Well hopefully it was a good slap because that's how it felt to me!! We acutally bought and had juice with her, and Hna. Greenstreet and her new comp. will be cooking with her soon. WHAT!?!? Miracles my friends. Miracles. I just know God is more powerful than anything, and he will help us complete that which he asks us to do. How incredible.

Other than that we had a great lesson with Juanito, our old friend. He came out in short shorts and no shirt, so we asked him to find some clothes, and he came out with a button up shirt with one button, buttoned. Typical. We taught him the Plan of Salvation ahd he thought the spirit world was an alien planet that would evade ours. Woops. No worries. He's all up to speed now and understands! I will be asking permission to come back for his baptism in may. How cool :)

I also got a cool Jersey this week, pictures will be sent! I love it!! Ah. I will miss Los Frailes. But I just know that great things are ahead and I will go WHEREVER the Lord needs me to go!! I'm so incredibly happy to be a missionary. This work is the best work in the whole world!!

Thanks for all of your support. I love you all more than words can say. I hope you know when I experience success as a missionary, it is ALL your success as well. Because all of you who support me, have carried me more than you know. I love you all!!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL! :) (All of you and I and God make a pretty good team friends, keep on keepin on!)

Love Hermana Schmidt :)

New Jerseys

Hermana Schmidt and Hermana Greenstreet

District

Getting water from the well

Saying goodbyes

Kevin's sister who wants to go on a mission in a year

New Jersey

Another New Jersey Shot

Their last names in Spanish (no change for Schmidt) and their first areas

Her latest purchase

More saying goodbye

Another goodbye

Monday, April 13, 2015

Hermana Schmidt Week 29 Letter 04/13/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 04/13/2015 11:50 AM
To: Bunney Schmidt
Subject: I Stand All Amazed

Hola a todos!!

Well everyone, we are starting to get out of this sickness drop. Thankfully, we've been able to work at least some nights and afternoons! Hallelujah. Staying in has been really hard on Hermana Greenstreet and I, and we are so bummed because we are the bestest of friends, with incredible investigators, and then we get sick half of our transfer!! Ah. Such a bummer. But, we are looking forward to hard work and miracles this week!! And this last week, even with recovering, we were able to see some really cool miracles and have some great lessons! It just comes to show that the Lord really is looking out for us, and the Lord is good.

We had a really powerful lesson with Edgar, (if you don't remember who that is, he is the father of a family we are teaching), who has been struggling with kicking his alcohol problem. But two weeks ago, he was on top of the world and telling us how he hadn't even had a tiny bit of it and felt he was completely down with it!! Well, with being sick we weren't able to visit them for 2 weeks so we were so worried about him. Turns out, we had all the reason to be worried. When we first saw him, he. looked. awful. It looked as if all hope had left, and he had fallen into a pit that was impossible to climb out of. We immediately knew something had happened, besides the fact him and Miguelina hadn't come to church either. We started asking him what had happened, and why he was sad. He told us he had caved and had alcohol and now he wasnt sure if he could ever be good enough to be baptized.

Well, the really powerful moment for me wasn't actually when I was talking. It was when I was observing my companion, Hermana Greenstreet, testifying to Edgar of the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She testified that he really could repent and receive the help that he needed in order to drop this problem and prepare for his baptism. She was smiling, and warm and inviting. I was touched as I pictured my companion as the Savior, and Edgar as each and every one of us. We all have times, I believe, when we think we've gone too far or done something too bad that we can't possible be clean once again. Or maybe we just don't have the hope that we'll be strong enough to conquer our personal trials. But like my companion did, I believe Christ is calling out to each one of us saying ''You can repent! Trust me! There is power in the atonement and I can and will help you! ''. And for me, that made me realize the magnitude of my calling as a representative of him. I really am called to give hope to the hopeless, and peace to the lost, and to say and do that which he would say and do.

With tears in my eyes, the song ''I stand all amazed'' came to my head, and I decided to read him the words of the hymn (in spanish of course). Asombro me da. And the atonement does that. I am amazed at the love Jesus has for ME. and for YOU. He is my christ. He is your christ. He is The Christ. Edgar started tearing up, and slowly but surely the whole lesson turned into a powerful motivation for him to try again. That's what the Atonement can do. Power to give us hope, power to help us repent, and power to help us change! I know Edgar can conquer this trial with the help of him, our savior. As we all can conquer our own trials.

Outside of that lesson, we had a great lesson with Juanito, an older investigator. He was super excited and said he just knows the church is true! He hadn't even come to church but had a testimony, and we set a baptismal date for May 2nd. And guess what!?! HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!! He was so excited that he wanted to meet the bishop. He also loved testimony meeting, which was cool because all 4 of us sister missionaries shared our testimonies as well as the whole bishopric. And he loved it!! He cracks me up. He's the one that almost had a heart attack about the second coming, don't worry, he understands now. And he, thanks to Antonio his friend, is actually very excited for the second coming. He's bummed we don't know when it is. Poor guy.

We had a great lesson on temples with Kevin, Smith, and Kevin's sisters. We talked about personal goals for them with the temple. They are all going to do baptisms for the dead this friday with their own family names!! How wonderful!! Crazy to think Kevin can start his papers in just a year and a half, and Smith well... in 3 1/2 haha.

On a funny note, Hermana Greenstreet and I started off our missions and friendships in the CCM by riding the SKETCHIEST guagua (bus) ever! Well, we had another fun experience this week in an even more sketchy guagua. Literally praying for our lives the entire time. There were holes in the floor, and the seats were caving in, and the car was SHAKING. the whole time!!

Also, Hna. Greenstreet dyed my hair to be darker! And Smith, who is learning english pointed at hna greenstreet and said ''She is blonde!!'' and then pointed and me and said ''She is black!!'' ... that was a fun english lesson.

Well this is the last week of the transfer and I can't believe it!! I am hoping I don't leave, but i'm feeling that I am because i've been in the same area for 6 months. I love Los Frailes and the thought of leaving kills me. But if I go, I know wherever the Lord sends me will be perfect.

I love this work, I love this people, and God is good.

I don’t know why, but now I feel the need to share my testimony of Joseph Smith instead of ending, like I was about to do. I have no idea why, but hopefully someone who is reading this needs it.

I know that Joseph Smith saw God the father and Jesus Christ. That he was given the authority and power to restore the true church of Christ. That he was a good man, and truly was a prophet of God. I know that we can all have the knowledge of Joseph Smith's prophetic role and calling by 1. Praying sincerly to know. 2. Waiting patiently, and hopefully, for an answer. 3. Studying the Book of Mormon. I know these things are true, I know it.

Hurrah for Israel!!

Love, Hermana Schmidt :)

Hermana Greenstreet, Hermana Schmidt and Juanito

Hermana Schmidt and Juanito and Antonio

Antonio

Hermana Schmidt and Antonio's granddaughters

Happy 8th Birthday to Danni

Happy Birthday to Lara

Juanito

Monday, April 6, 2015

Hermana Schmidt Week 28 Letter 04/06/15

(For those of you that don’t know what “Dengue” is like I didn’t, it is “Dengue Fever” and it is carried by mosquitos and is a painful fever that is debilitating for a short time. She has assured me that she is covered in mosquito repellent at all times but also more likely to get it now if a mosquito bites her companion and then her. Bunney)

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 04/06/2015 11:57 AM
Subject: Dengue Home

Hola a todos!!

First off, happy birthdays to my brother in law Spencer, my sister Sarah, and my cousin Lisa!!! I love you all so much and I hope it's great!!

Yes, you read that correctly. Dengue has entered the home, and my poor dear companion has it! But she is getting better. I'm still sick and we aren't sure with what, but we will know shortly!

But oh my lanta, was that not the best conference EVER!?!!! Definitely lifted our spirits after being stuck inside for 2 weeks.

AND HAITI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys that's totally my island. Not my country, but island. AH. Another temple here in the Caribbean!! We have Haitians in our ward and they were just REJOICING. I don't think you can understand how big of a blessing this is without seeing the faithful determination of Haitian saints. Just exquisite.

There were so many things I loved, but first I want to explain how I did conference this time because I did it a little differently. Normally, I am scrambling to write down everything they say but I decided to write the things I love the very most, and focus on my personal commitments from every single talk. That made my conference experience 1000x sweeter! It was like every talk was exciting and truly personal for me, because the spirit was guiding me on things I could do better. Among the many, I am really trying to focus on serving. I think I could do a lot better on shifting my focus on others, so I've been trying to find little ways to serve. I'm not perfect, or near it, but just this little progress has made a huge difference!! I loved (I think it was Sister Burton) what one woman in conference said ''When we seek to complete rather than compete, there is so much joy to be found'' HOW TRUE!! How much different would the world be if we all set out to complete rather than compete!? Ah. I loved it!! My favorite talk was probably the one about the Atonement and how it can change us with the quote ''Twas I, but Tis Not I''. I thought of specific goals I could make and being healthy on what I eat came to my mind. That's my new motivation quote!! How wonderful that we can change and grow in this life, and that the Atonement helps with even the smallest of things!

My email will be short again, however I wanted to give my testimony of the Savior. I have never seen him, but I KNOW He lives. I share my testimony with those given at conference, and I testify that he lives to bless us, to lift us, to heal us, and change us. I am so grateful for his sacrifice for me, his great atoning sacrifice, that he was willing to suffer and die for me. But more, I am so very grateful that He LIVES for me. He is the Christ. He is my Christ. He is your Christ. And his love will never fail us. This is his church, and of these things I testify In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hurrah for Israel!! :)

-Hermana Schmidt