Hermana Schmidt: 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 :)