Hermana Schmidt Week 40 Letter 06/29/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 06/29/2015 10:29 AM
Subject: The Prince of Peace! My Lord and King!

Hola a Todos! 

First of all, Happy birthday to my good friend Briana Hopkins!! I hope it's a great 20th!! (p.s. you're old ;) ) 

I also failed to wish my daddy a happy father's day (worst daughter ever award!) but I hope you know dad that you are the BEST dad in the whole world!! (sorry to the rest of you dad's, you're all great, you're just not the Brad Schmidt). I'm sorry I just re-learned how to use cool font tools in email (mission probs) and thought it would only be fitting to use for my dad's name because well, he is the best. So I hope you don't feel too bad that I forgot dad, because your name is big. And bold. And Italicized. And I love you. :) 

Also. Happy USA day to all! My companion and I will be celebrating by painting our nails red white and blue (even though my comp is from peru, she is very supportive) and ordering KFC (yes, they have KFC by our area, and Yes, they do delivery-- hollah! 10 points for ''DR''yffndor. 

This week I finished the Old Testament for my first time and the Book of Mormon in Spanish!! They were both super great!! My testimony of the Book of Mormon grew a ton and reading it in spanish made it even better! It's helped my preaching of the book in spanish improve and my love for it as well. I just know it's true! The Old Testament, though hard at points, was also super intersting and I was able to develop my own testimony of the truthfulness of the stories therein.  I invite you all to study the book of the mormon and bible more! :) There is power in those books- especially when studied together! 

So this week we saw lots of RAIN. Finally! It has been a sauna here with basically no rain and we finally saw rain. But, it meant lots of knee-deep running adventures. Which is always fun. Lots of prayers for no crazy underwater creatures biting me. So far, so good. :) And, i've never felt cleaner. At least from the head, to the waist.  

So we saw HUGE miracles this week my friends! HUGE HUGE HUGE. And they all have to do with YSA investigators. Which is so rare, and so so so special! 

Jose Miguel is doing just fantasic and super set for his baptism on the 11th. The RM that has been on the reactivation cycle has been doing great too, and now they are BEST FRIENDS! And The RM will be baptizing Jose Miguel! The RM has those rights renewed to him so that was such a sweet blessing for the week. They do everything together. Visit our other investigators, play basketball, plan activities.... Golden Investigator/Member right there! So cool! 

We met with a 19 year old investigator Jesica this week and she said, ''You know what. I don't want you guys to come here and waste time. I'm going to start actually putting in my part to know this is true.'' She starting reading the BOM like crazy and praying and she told us, ''I know it's true!!'' And she wants to be baptized on the 11th as well!! How cool!!

We are still teaching Lizbet who is also 19 who is progressing like crazy, and her only set back is coffee but told us she has such a strong testimony of Joseph Smith that she is willing to do anything to be apart of the true church. She will be baptized in August. 

Lots of YSA investigators who will be baptized super soon!! How wonderful!! :) 

We also have a lot of kids who are progressing around the ages of 8-10 who's families are part-members or inactives who are reactivating or learning about the church. One family has two kids named Jorge and Pablo. We taught the family about the temples and said, ''Nothing unclean can be in the temple.''And Pablo, 11 years old said, ''But I haven't showered.'' We committed him to shower more, and to read the book of mormon. What a blessing. :) 

The members are just INCREDIBLE in this ward. They are working with us a ton! The area is picking up so much speed and I feel so lucky to be a part of it. The Lord is just so good!

To finish I just want to share a little bit of my study from this morning. I was reading about the story of Peter walking on water (like I am basically doing with all this rain! jokes, jokes). towards Jesus in Matthew chapter 14. Well, he looks around and sees the waves and starts to panic, and drown. We truly live in troubling times and it's tempting to look around and see the problems in the world and the immorality and the wickedness and be tempted to feel despair or discouragement. But the lord teaches us in this story that his hand is outstretched, ready to catch us in these moments and lift us. But, we need not fall in the first place. We can walk fearlessly through life with our eyes on the savior, trusting in our Prince of Peace. He is our Lord and King! If there's one thing i've felt stronger than anything this week it is that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Lives and LOVES us! He will not leave us alone to drown in the troubles of life. He will come for us. He will strengthen us to be able to walk about the problems and have the strength to be an example for others. 

We can do it, 

We must do it! 

Keep your chin UP, work hard, and be obedient. 

Hurrah for Israel! :) 

-Hermana Schmidt 

Soaked to the bone

Cachangas a Peruvian Dish she cooked

Hermana Schmidt Week 39 Letter 06/22/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 06/22/2015 11:52 AM
Subject: Rubbing Some Good Old Feet And Going To The Hospital

Hola a todos!! 

Happy birthdays to my 2nd cousins Ellie and Everett, and my aunt Lorelei! I hope you all have so much fun celebrating!! :) 

We had great intercambios with our STLS. I stayed in our area with Sister Curtis, who's family is now in Orem!! She went to Lakeridge but afterwards moved but now her family is back and will have 1 sister at MVHS and one sister at Lakeridge next year. Basically she is AMAZING! And we are also best friends! I am very blessed with incredible leaders. (hopefully her mom is on FB or something, shout out to her family. Your daughter is awesome!)

So this week was full of trials but also FULL of miracles! The coolest part of the mission has been seeing the Lord's hand work wonders in our lives and the lives of others seriously every single day. I can't remember a day I haven't felt the help of the Lord. He truly is wonderful! 

So to start with the bad, and go to the good. My comp. has had some stomach issues and it got really bad one day so we took her to the hospital to get some tests done. While there she ended up throwing up (luckily we were in the right place at the right time!) and getting reallllyyyy sick that day. Thankfully we were only in the hospital for a couple of hours and she got some medicine and is doing a lot better. I also had my round of migranes come back and had to go see some doctors for that, but thankfully have some good medicine to help them. Health has not been my #1 strength on the mission, but it's okay! I have seen so many blessings from all the little trials along the way, and there's always a big miracle that follows these little trials! (sometimes the miracle is just a boost of strength in a moment of need or something like that, who knows! But it comes). 

But! 

We are on an uphill and the Lord is surely showing us WONDERFUL blessings after a couple of hard days. Jose Miguel didn't get baptized BUT HE set a for sure baptismal date for July 11th. He says he is 100% about this date. He also said, ''I just know it's true. And I can feel it is good. I want you to know that when you both leave from this area, you helped someone here who is truly converted to the gospel.'' How truly wonderful!! 

We also met a new YSA aged girl who agreed to get baptized named Lizbet. She just needs to go to church, but she's brand new to learning about the church and says she has always been looking for the truth and always wanted to know which church is true and is finally feeling like she's finding it! 

We also are teaching a man named Juan Enrique who was a reference from a new convert in the church. He has a whole family and he is SO prepared and interested in the church! He loves our doctrine on the family and temples. We had a super powerful lesson with him and he can't wait to come to church and learn more. Yay for families! 

Now for my title rubbing feet. We are teaching an 80 year old woman with cancer named Candida. Well last night we taught her with the RM who recently reactivated that i've talked about lately and we taught her about true conversion and the story of Alma. The RM shared his story of his reactivation and conversion and the importance of hope and helping others (super cool!). After the lesson we sang to her and rubbed her feet with lotion. As we were bursting in song to, ''Gloria, gloria, alelujah, gloria gloria alelujah!!'' (i'm not sure if it's the same in english) but just bursting out, kind of like a bonfire family night or something, I was taken back by how happy I was to be a missionary. Being lost in the service of others. How truly fortunate I WAS to be in a different country, with a wonderful woman, able to see the spirit and service touch her life. It was something so very special. I am so very grateful to the Lord for this mission. I'm so happy I still have so much time left!! 

I just want you all to know that I KNOW the Lord is GOOD. I know life is hard, but ''Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger the wind the stronger the trees''. And he will not leave us comfortless!! I'm finishing the Old Testament this week and thought i'd share two power verses that I love from the end of the OT. One is in Nahum 1:7 and one in Zephaniah 3:17. They are GREAT! 

Keep your chin up, be obedient, and work hard. 

Hurrah for Israel!!! :) 

-Hermana Schmidt 

Hermana Schmidt Week 38 Letter 06/15/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 06/15/2015 11:54 AM
Subject: Never Lose That Sense of Amazement

Hola a todos!! 

Happy birthday to my nephew MICAH this week!!!!!! Felicidades! I hope it is wonderful! 

So there isn't a whole lot to report this week, but I am sending a lot of pictures so I hope that makes up for my lack of update or stories. :) 

First of all, I just want to tell you all how much I LOVE you! Your emails, letters, and support have boosted my spirits a countless number of times. I am blessed with a wonderful family and amazing friends! Thank you thank you thank you! 

Okay so for the updates! Jose Miguel is doing well. He commited to stop selling hooka, and has agreed to live all of the commandments! (sometimes I swear he knows more than I do! How cool!... then again...I don't know a whole lot :) ) But, he doesn't feel ready for baptism. His date is still the 20th, and he had his interview last night. He passed!!! Woot!! But, he said, he was going to pray to know if this week was the right week. We are praying for him because he is so prepared and it's so clear that Satan is working so hard on him! I truly believe in miracles, and am really hoping his baptism will still go on this Saturday but if not, for sure soon! I am a 100% believer that God's timing is always better than my timing. 

The RM that went completely inactive that I talked about last week is just improving and improving and improving. It truly is such a wonderful miracle!! He even taught with us yesterday... that is a HUGE step for him. Before he said he was never going to teach with the missionaries again. It's just so cool to see someone so far gone, turn completely around and become a faithful disciple. The atonement is GRAND my friends! 

We had interviews (is that the word in english?) with our mission president this week. It went really well and we were able to have a lunch with him and he talked with us about working with an ''eye of faith'', which is basically trusting in the Lord's promises with full faith, that we are promised to find families who can be baptized and later sealed in a temple. He used 1 Nephi 5:5, when Lehi was in the desert but said he had obtained a land of promise... basically he had such faith that the Lord would complete his promise that it was as if it had already happened. Our president is just so inspired! 

During interviews, there was a HUGE rainstorm. I mean, we couldn't even hear each other inside of the church!! Well... my comp and I forgot to close our windows in the house and so we prayed together for a little miracle to protect our scriptures and books and important forms. Well, we got home and there was water all over the floor but completely passed over our desks! That was such a cool little miracle of our week, and another testimony builder that God is watching over us and in the little details of our lives! 

We had a funny story from the week. So Daniela our recent convert doesn't live in our area, but because she goes to our ward with the YW president, we got the permission to teach her. But she lives in basically another world from our house. Well to save a little money and not take a guagua we decided to walk to her house. On the way I told my comp my life story... she told me hers... 40 minutes passed when my comp turned to me and said, ''I have no idea where we are.'' And I said, ''COOL! Let's just keep talking and pretend like we know until we find an exit to this area!!'' (gotta always have that positive attitude right??) Well we were in this super cool humble area and I said, ''Wow we gotta contact this area one day! I bet we are still in our area!'' (our area is pretty big) and my comp agreed. Five minutes later my comp said in a panic, ''We are definitely not in our area!'' And I said, ''What? How do you know?'' I look up and..

White shirts.

Ties.

White boys.

Name tags.

Elders. Contacting. 

Well, they didn't see us so we ran behind them in the most (not) sly way, and no worries, we told our Zone Leaders just in case they happened to see us. I'll just never forget my own personal experience running away from elders. 

So my comp. hit the half way mark (hence the pregnancy pics) and i'm about to hit mine. I can't even believe it. I'm just so grateful for my mission. Today, we went to the caves again in 3 ojos and it was incredible! I was thinking all over again on my mission, and how it's been such a blessing and growing experience. It's been the best decision i've ever made. It's truly been incredible. I'm so grateful I have so much left of it! :) 

I love you all so much. I KNOW the church is true, and that we are guided by living prophets. I know this gospel is the way to true and lasting happiness. I can't deny it one bit. 

Thank you for your prayers and support, I couldn't do it without you. 

And my new motto ''Keep your chin up, be obedient, and work hard.'' :) 

Hurrah for Israel!! :)

-Hermana Schmidt 

Happy 9 month mark

The beautiful caves

Another 9 month photo

Car swimming through the rain

More caves

More caves

Move caves

Companions

Name tag in the caves

New shirt from Hermana Meldrum

She is in the Oriental Zone

Another rain photo

Hermana Schmidt Week 37 Letter 06/08/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 06/08/2015 11:30 AM
Subject: When A Gate Falls On You (at least it's better than bird poop!)

Hola a todos! :) 

Wow, another week come and gone on the mission. I just can't believe it! I don't think about my time really and that just makes it go faster :(. But! It's okay. I still have loads of time left to be part of the Lord's Full-Time Missionary Army :) 

Well my friends, the DR sun is OUT. I am like scrambled eggs FRYING. Just thought of a word. Fryding. Frying + Dying. Fryding. But not fryding emotional no worries. I am also as red as a tomato. And who even knew I had freckles!? Also, my friend once said that being a missionary in the DR is like working in a sauna, but I honestly disagree. A sauna would be a nice, cool break! Waking up literally with sweat rolling down my face has been quite a big change. It'll just make me more grateful for my dad's love of AC in the nights one day.  

Okay, so this week we were faced with loads of trials, but we aren't letting it beat us up! We found out Jose Miguel sells Hooka, and needs to change his job before being baptized. The problem is he doesn't see Hooka as a problem (as many people don't) and we tried explaining it in different ways, but really the only thing he can do is pray and feel the truthfulness of what we are saying. Bummer.

 Also, Nicole was baptized in a different church and her mom told her being baptized again is a huge sin, so we don't have her mom's permission, nor do we have nicole's excitement to be baptized anymore. But we had a lesson with her and her mom about baptism using Acts 8, and how it's okay to be baptized again with proper authority. They liked the lesson, but didn't change their minds. But, good came from the lesson because Nicole's friend was there and is now super interested in the church and even came to church!! From trials, come blessings! 

Most of our appointments fell through this week so we were contacting like crazy women. In the heat. Yeah, it's not the easiest thing in the world. But, it sure was cool to meet a lot more potentials who are really excited to take the lessons from us! Like I said, from trials, come the blessings ! I testify of that :) 

Another trial was that we were at the church, opening the sliding gate, when slam!! It fell right on top of my shoulder/head. It was painful, and I was sore for a couple of days, but i'm all good now. But that made our pace just a tiny bit slower as well. 

But on top of it all, we saw the coolest miracle ever. (From the trials, come the blessings, (can't emphasize it enough, the Lord is good)). So there is an RM in our ward who went completely inactive. He grew his hair and beard out, as well as got into Alcohol and smoking. We had a lesson with him for the first time about a month ago and he said, ''I'll be honest. I have absolutely  no desire to go to church. Yeah, you can tell me it's good and all, but I do not want to go. I like the world i'm living in, and I like my friends. If you want to share with me, i'll let you. But don't expect me to come around any time soon.'' well 2 days later, we saw him working at an empanada stand and talked to him. He was actually pretty friendly that time. We both felt we should give him a CTR ring and tell him we missed him at church. It was really something small and simple, and we didn't expect anything to come from it. 

But the next week, he came to church. He only came for a bit, and he was on his phone the whole time, but he came! And that was a miracle. Slowly, every week he started paying more attention and coming to church. Well, he told our Mission Leader that it all changed with the CTR ring. Just knowing that we cared about him enough to show him a little attention made the world's difference to him. He hasn't missed a church yet. This week he told us he was leaving behind his old friends, his addictions, and he even cut his hair and shaved! He got a calling this week for the first time in a long time as the YSA rep. in the ward. HOW COOL! Wow, just a little act of service can go a long way. I'm just so happy to see someone so far from coming back, coming back full-heartedly! He even said he wants to visit investigators with us. It really all started with a prompting from our Heavenly Father telling us to give him a CTR ring. How good is our Heavenly Father!! 

We also fasted for our area and we had a lot of investigators in the church!! It was such a blessing. We also had a great activity watching meet the mormons with members and investigators and it was a great turn out! 

Miracles exist!! 

To finish I want to share this quote (okay two)

''There are 3 types of people in this world. Those who make it happen. Those who watch it happen. And those who wonder what happened!?''

''Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.'' -Thomas S. Monson 

Love you all more than words can say and HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!! :) 

-Hermana Schmidt 

Hermana Schmidt Week 36 Letter 06/01/15

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 06/01/2015 12:07 PM
Subject: The Good That Comes From Bird Poop On The Head

Hola a todos!! :)

I was so sad to hear about Elder Perry!! But I am so grateful for the plan of salvation we have, and to know that this life is not an ending, only a grand beginning! :) I know he must be doing great work on the other side right up there with Bishop Loveless and Uncle Bob. :)

Happy birthday to my Aunt Rebekah, and my 2nd cousins Michael and Karli!!

Can you believe I'm going through transfers yet again!? AH. I just barely got to Mi Hogar!! But here is the big news....

Hermana Cabos and I are staying as companions here in mi hogar!! I am SO excited! Seriously was praying so hard for this result. We've just had so much progress and miracles in this area it's wonderful! Our zone leaders and STL's told us that this area used to be basically dead, but now is thriving! It really isn't us. We've felt so many impressions and guidance from the Lord, and they weren't lying when they said this really is HIS work! I just feel so lucky to be able to be an instrument in His hands in such a wonderful area with a wonderful companion for at least 6 more weeks! :)

To tell you all some more GREAT news, we are teaching a 17 year old named Nicole (with such a great name! wow!) Well she has been investigating the church for a very long time, but has never really set a baptismal date or been sure. Well, we had an appointment with her this week and we talked about baptism. I said, ''Nicole, would you like to feel closer to God through this wonderful opportunity?'' and she said, ''Yes. But i'm just nervous! I have a lot of friend problems and I want to make things right with them before I focus on a baptism for myself.'' (she has a lot of excuses like this.) I then shared with her a story about my best friend Leda (shout out to you bestie!) and how she seriously sacrificed so much to be baptized, and her example for me, and the blessing she had to be sealed in the temple. The spirit was just so strong as I testified of promised blessings from our sacrifices. She was silent for a couple of seconds after the story and my testimony and then said, ''You're right. I want to be baptized. I want to follow the will of my Heavenly Father.'' and we set a date!! She will be baptized on the 20th of this month!!

Another GREAT news moment. Jose Miguel is progressing SO fast! He has been praying and studying the Book of Mormon. He said, ''I just believe this is so true!'' We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and before we were even 5 min. into it he started teaching us! He is just so prepared and is so cool to see. He too accepted his baptismal date for the 20th!! Woohoo!! :)

We had a great lesson with Jose Manuel this week (the die hard catholic) about the Book of Mormon. We read 1 Nephi 1 really slowly and we were able to answer a lot of his questions. The spirit was for sure helping us by bringing scriptures to mind! He really liked it, and once again is progressing!

Daniela is just the cutest ever after her baptism. She planned a FHE with us and her mom (who is now taking the lessons from us!) and she taught the whole lesson. She started by saying ''Welcome ladies and missionaries (haha, we are not ladies I guess :) ) to this wonderful Family Home Evening. I, Daniela, will be directing the night. Which means that I get to choose who says the prayers this times. Hermana Cabos for the opening, and then I will be speaking, and Hermana Schmidt will close us with a wonderful prayer.'' Aren't new converts just the best!?

So now with my title (I know you are all dying to know) we were contacting on Friday when we saw this cute little house with a family. Normally what happens is that a family will let us in, but only 1/2 the family will care to really listen. But we were outside of a house introducing ourselves when SPLAT..... gooey.........green.......................................................................................................

gross................in my hair.......on my bag...............

Bird. Poop.

I learned a valuable lesson in such a grand moment as this. That opposition always follows a miracle because the whole family wanted to listen to the gospel! Maybe it was out of pity for having a bird poop on a little white missionaries head. Maybe it was out of interest. I don't know. But they were able to listen even with a little bid of bad smells, and even set a return appointment!

Opposition before the Miracles my friends.

Bird. Poop.

Okay moving on to other great moments. Hermana Cabos asked a new investigator while looking at a picture: ''Is that your grandma or dad?'' And she said, ''It's my mom.'' .... The same day Hermana Cabos asked another new investigator, Milta, where her husband is in her wedding pictures, and why she had a bunch of pictures with her grandpa........... because Milta is 30. Well... turns out her husband is basically in his 70s or 80s and it wasn't her grandpa it was her husband! Oh the awkward moments on the mission.

We also had a big mission conference with a 70. We all studied our purpose as missionaries to prepare for the conference. I really enjoyed that and it put my objective really into focus! I really am here to do my Father's will and invite EVERYONE to come unto Christ! :) How lucky! But I forgot our keys when we left for the conference... so afterwards we were locked outside for the whole afternoon in the hot sun. Thankfully the restaurant by our house saw us and gave us food. Forgetfulness for the win!

I love you all. Your support means the world to me. Keep on keepin on. The church is true, and the book is blue, CTR when a choice is placed before you!

Hurrah for Israel! :)

Hermana Schmidt