Note: If you are a returned
missionary and want to continue getting these emails, please email me your new
email address. You can also keep up with
her at hermanaschmidt.blogspot.com. I am starting to get some emails returned
from mid-summer from missionaries ldsmail.net accounts which I guess expire
after a few months.
Bunney
From: Nicole
Schmidt [mailto:nicole.schmidt@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 10/26/2015 10:59 AM
To: Bunney Schmidt
Subject: Fruity Jack-o-lanterns! :)
Sent: 10/26/2015 10:59 AM
To: Bunney Schmidt
Subject: Fruity Jack-o-lanterns! :)
Hola a todos!! :)
Happy birthday to my cousin Amanda! :)
So this week was a lot of SEARCHING.
We have a list of less-actives in our branch that is long. So we have dedicated
basically every day to trying to contact every person on that list. It has been
especially rewarding, not because we've contacted every person and they are all
jumping for joy to return, but because I feel so, so close to my savior. I
always thought that searching for investigators was the most rewarding
experience, but I think it's tied with searching for less-actives.
I've thought a lot this week about the
parable of the lost sheep, and it said that the shephered diligently searched
for the lost sheep. Every step I've taken this week with a list of these lost
sheeps I've felt the shepherd literally walking at my side, and encouraging me to
find his sheep that once knew, but are now lost. It has been INCREDIBLY
spiritual and motivating. I thought a lot about this quote by Dale Renlund
:
“I now realize that in the Church, to
effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through
Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we
begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul.
Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His
children. Only then can we sense the
Savior’s caring concern for them. We
cannot completely fulfill our covenant obligation to mourn with those who mourn
and comfort those who stand in need of comfort unless we see them through God’s
eyes. This expanded perspective will
open our hearts to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others. Only when we see through Heavenly Father’s
eyes can we be filled with “the pure love of Christ”. Every day we should plead
with God for this love. Mormon
admonished, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the
energy of heart, that ye may be filled with thus love, which he hath bestowed
upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” With all my heart, I
want to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.
I love Him. I adore Him. I witness of His living reality.”
I just know that, that's what
it's all about. Helping, lifting, loving our brothers and sisters and helping
them to be faithful. As Neil A. Maxwell put it ''True that wickedness never was
happiness, but neither is lukewarmness full happiness. Failing to be valiant in
christian discipleship will leave us without significant happiness. Therefore
our active avoidance of wickedness must be followed by our active engagement of
rightneousness.'' What are we doing to be more valiant? What are we doing to
help others to be valiant? From all of these less-actives I've seen a missing
part of their souls. They have normal lives, many of them, but many of them
have found themselves to be unsatisfied, unhappy, and filling in the gap with
anything BUT the gospel and expecting it to last, but it doesn't, and they are
even more lost than before. What are we doing to help them?
I know that true, valiant,
christian discipleship is what makes us happy. A happiness that actually lasts!
Hurrah For Israel! :)
-Hermana Schmidt
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| It's the beginning of Christmas in the DR |
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| Carved pineapple since no halloween there |
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| Decorating |
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| More decorating |
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| Still more decorating |
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| Nice tree and nice kitchen |
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| Even more decorating |
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| And yet more decorating |
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| Happy Halloween |
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| Celebrating halloween DR style |
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| Soaking wet |
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| More wet photos |
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| More soaking wet |
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| Tags in the Christmas Tree |
