Hermana Schmidt: Hermana Schmidt Week 48 Letter 08/24/15

It’s her birthday next Monday, August 31 so if you have a chance, send her a Happy Birthday email : )

From: Nicole Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 08/24/2015 10:25 AM
Subject: I Couldn't Be Happier! :)

Hola a todos!!

Happy birthdays to my uncle paul and my cousin Jarom! I hope you have great birthdays and eat lots of cake! :)

Can I just say that I LOVE being a missionary? I am so so so grateful to be a missionary! It is the good life, that is for sure. :)

So transfers are this week and Sister Jackson and I are staying together in my hogar! :) I will be here for 4 transfers!! I am so happy! :) This has been such an incredible opportunity to serve in this ward, and i'm so thankful to the Lord that he is giving me at least another 6 weeks here! :)

So this week we worked harder than I have in my whole life! (I'm trying to make that my goal, work harder and harder each week!) There is nothing like being able to spend every hour completely dedicated to preaching the gospel! And that's truly when the miracles happen.

One miracle was with Brendi, who finally accepted a firm baptismal date for the middle of September! At first she was super nervous and didn't know if she could make that committment, but she kept reading the Book of Mormon and the next time she came over she said, ''I've never been more sure that this is right!''

This week for me was full of Growing and learning moments. We were in a lesson with a less-active member named Reina. she is the wife of our bishop and hasn't come to church in years. Every time we go over it seems we always try and bring up the importance of church attendance and encouraging her to come, which is good to do. However, as I was sitting there getting ready to (once again) call her to repentance basically and come to church a thought flooded over me. ''You are just as much as a sinner as she is.'' Which is not the most comforting thought you could get from the Lord but it really hit me hard. Instead of correcting her and telling her she just needs to come to church, all I could do was truly testify to her that the Savior lives to clean us and help us, and that he loved her so very much. I've learned it's important to be bold with people (with love) but it's also important to see them how God sees them and follow the spirit on how to help them. There were no dry eyes in that lesson.

Another POWERFUL lesson was with an older woman named Justina. She lives alone in a little cement shack. We felt impressed to go and see her and it truly was guided by the spirit because when we got there she just broke down and started venting to us saying ''I'm so lonely and so hungry. All I have is lunch sometimes from the catholic church and that's the only visits I really get. My house stinks and I can barely shower myself let alone clean the house.'' She can barely walk either and she said, ''I used to beg for years for food, and now I can't even walk to a street where I could beg.'' As tears spilt down her face, I couldn't hold mine back either. She had recently showered and missed completely rincing off her feet so we took off her shoes and helped dry and clean her feet as she cried. In that moment she burst out in prayer to God for gratitude for all she had and forgiveneness for her imperfections. It was so, SO humbling to see someone with so very little, thanking God for the ''MANY'' blessings she enjoyed and begging him for her imperfections. I will never forget that in my life.

On a lighter note, it's Carnaval time in the DR so it means lots of random marching bands and parades around the city. We saw a big one that walked right past the church and it was full of crazy instruments and costumes. I just love this county.

So you may have heard or not but there is a storm comin' our way! I just know that we will be protected and the mission has so very much prepared us for natural disasters. I know the Lord will help us! Woot woot! You can tell God how big your storm is, or your storm how big GOD is! :)

Love you all so much and Hurrah for Israel!! :)

-Hermana Schmidt