Hey Family!

 

I hope y'all are doing well because it sure sounds like ya are.  You're officially a senior now, Emily!!  How does it feel to almost be done with high school...only one short year left.  Boy does time just fly by or what.  Haha and Sarah you locked the keys in the car, classic.  Mom in answer to your question you don't need to buy bug spray, shampoo, or conditioner online.  I got plenty of it right here and I'll be fine.  You can send the powder stuff if you want.  Thank you so much!!!  How was sheparding yesterday Dad?  Seriously I absolutely loved it!  Don't call the doctor, I'm fine.  Tell everyone back home I say hi!

 

It's been a good week here in Baton Rouge and time just keeps racing on.  Sister LaPorte is flying back to Temple Square this wednesday which means I get a new companion.  Definitely a bittersweet moment but all is well.  I'm gonna miss her so much!!  So please go visit her and Sister Olden on temple square.  There's still plenty of work to do and I'm excited.  We're dropping off Sister LaPorte and Sister Olden tuesday night at presidents home and then Sister Seegrist and I are gonna be companions for the night until we pick up our new companions at the airport wednesday morning.  There's only two week left until transfers and President makes it sound like they're only gonna be with us for the two weeks but we shall see.  And since we already know who the temple square missionaries are I'll either have a companion from Brazil or the Philipines...I'll let y'all know next week! 

 

Stake Conference was this past weekend and I really liked something our stake president talked on and wanted to share it with y'all.  So here it is  :)

 

Make Everyday Count:

1. Evaluate your time and what you're doing with it.

2. Prioritize what's most important.
3. Spend time together as a family

4. Work at it.

5. Never give up.

 

I like it because everyday we have here on earth is very short compared to the whole idea of eternity and we need to be making the most of our time.  Sister LaPorte always says that we need to use our time not make plans to fill our time which is so true.  Time is one of the most precious gifts we've been given and so we we need to sacrifice our time for the Lord.  And yes, families are together forever, but today is part of that forever and we need to spend time with our loved ones. 

 

I think one of the greatest things I've learned while on my mission is the idea that you're either converted to the church or you're converted to the gospel.  I never really knew what the difference was but here it is.  If you're converted to church you attend church, read scriptures, participate in your calling on sundays, just the basics.  But to be converted to the gospel means that you sacrifice your time outside of church to helping those around you, study scriptures daily, and doing all you can to strengthen members.  I guess it really took me to getting out on a mission to see the real difference.  It's the exact same way with our ward here.  20% of the members do 80% of the work because they're that dedicated.  So a big part in what I do is helping members become truly converted to the gospel so they will give so much to the Lord.  I could keep going on and on about members who are truly converted to the gospel because of all I've seen them do, but the stories would be endless.  So I invite y'all to think about it.  Are you converted to the church or the gospel?  If someone offends you at church would you still come or would you stay away?  Would you give up time of sports and laziness to see struggling members?  Are you willing to sacrifice right now for the Lord?  And if you are just converted to the church, it's not too late to become converted to the gospel!

 

Another sweet thing I've been able to see is how missions can change your life.  Before my mission I never really thought I'd learn a lot about myself while on my mission, but it's true.  You learn a ton about yourself as well as others.  I think I've told y'all about her before but way back when I first got here Miranda moved here from Denham Springs.  She's the only active member in her family and she's surrounded by hardness and yet here she is deciding to serve a mission.  When we first started visiting with her she didn't want to go on a mission.  Elder Burch always tried to convince the youth that they should go on a mission even though they don't want to.  A couple weeks went by and when we came over she told us that she wants to go on a mission!  In no specific order things have happened that have tried to keep her from going but here she is just an interview away from her mission papers turning in!  We recently found out that her mom has cancer, her dad doesn't approve of her going on a mission, and she has no way to pay for it.  But miraculously, but as always, the Lord provides.  She didn't have insurance to get the medical papers done but she called them up and they said they'd do it.  Plus she was sick and had to see the doctor anyway and they filled out her papers.  Her mom isn't active but she's real excited for her.  And her aunt is offering to help pay for her mission!  They haven't had a car for the past couple months but she's been able to find rides to mission prep and to church.  Seriously the testimony she has is such an example to me and I can't wait for her to get on a mission!! 

 

I absolutely love all the people here so unbelievably much. 

 

Something sweet I learned from the Book of Mormon this week was in Alma chapter 8.  Alma was commanded to go to Ammonihah and preach to the people calling them to repentance.  When he got there no one would listen, and like it says in verse 13, "reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city hich was called Aaron."  He was called to go there but no one would listen so he was depressed and just wanted to leave and turn around.  When he's walking away an angel appears to Alma and says, "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou has been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him.  Behold I am he that delivered it unto you." (v. 15) So the angel commands Alma that he must turn around and approach the city from a different entrance.  And when he does this Amulek was there and took him in, fed him, and went out teaching with him and they were successful.  The moral of the story is that when things don't turn out the way you want them to be, try approaching things from a different perspective.  At times I feel like nothing we do is helping others and we're forcing them to read the scriptures when they don't want to.  But just like the scriptures say, we must try things from another way. 

 

 

Anyways I love y'all so much!!  Be looking forward to something coming in the mail this week...  :)  also the picture is of Brother Maughan our ward mission leader and his wife. 

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

june

Hey Family!!!

 

Sorry I don't have much time to email this week again either.  It's a long story but it's been a crazy p-day from eating at a buffet with some members for three hours, to teaching a lesson in the middle of our p-day, to having two dinner appointments tonight and we have to cut our p-day super short.  I'm writing as fast as I can though because I need to still write President Wall and my district leader. 

 

The first picture is with Sister Coleman.  I know she looks super pissed but she's the greatest lady ever and one of my all time favorite people we visit.  She's a hard one to understand because of her accent.  :)

There's been some pretty sweet miracles this week though:

 

numero uno: We were in an area trying to see a potential investigator and decided to stop by some members homes that were nearby.  We usually only stop by the woman's homes because the Elders see the men and we do the woman but we stopped by anyway.  We met Brother Born and he's the sweetest guy ever.  He's paralyzed and no one has visited him from the church for a couple years because I guess he used to be very angry.  But he was really nice and friendly.  Later on in the week he forgot about an appointment he had with us but he called later saying he was in the hospital with kidney stones and we asked him if he would like a blessing and he said yes so we brought the Elders over.  Then on sunday he called and just said thank you repeatedly over and over again because it means so much to him to see that we can searching out for him and willingly love him so much.  Seriously it was a tender moment hearing that phone call. 

 

numero dos:  Our ward has been slacking on ward missionary correlation (basically missionaries meet with ward missionaries and discuss people to talk about in ward council) but we finally got it started two weeks ago and had another meeting last week with some members from the bishopric and our ward mission leader and it was awesome.  We talked a lot about visiting/home teaching and the importance of it because everyone in our ward needs a friend.  Then on Sunday practically all of the testimonies were on friendship and visiting/home teaching, plus in Relief Society our teacher felt inspired to talk about that and everyone is up and ready to do it!  Super sweet how the Lord has a hand in all that we do. 

 

numero tres:  Yesterday Sister LaPorte and I did our first sheparding with members from the ward!  The Elders do it once a month and you just split up with members and go visit people for a couple hours so we finally did it yesterday for the first time and I absolutely loved it and learned so much.  I went with Sister Eackels and Sister LaPorte went with Sister Brown and it was awesome because I learned so much about the people we went and visited and was able to help the members feel these missionary moments that we see everyday and often take for granted. 

 

The second picture is with a couple of the young women.  From left to right goes Weddin, Erica, Anya, Sister LaPorte, me, and Kimberly.  I love them all so much!!

Mom in answer to your questions my ear is fine but my hearing isn't completely back to normal.  I haven't taken the allergy medicine because allergy season is already done and over with.  Do you think the allergy medicine will help with bug bites?  Because I get at least a couple everyday and they swell up fast.  Don't worry about sending any liquids, I'll get them when I can.  And don't worry about going and finding more clothes.  The ones you sent me were all perfect and are doing wonderful jobs!  thank you so much!!  Oh but hey y'all can send me more pictures through emails.  I finally got a library card and I can print up to four pages of colored everyday and twenty pages black and white for free. 

 

And the last picture is of our current district.  From left to right the Elders go Jessop, Gilbert, Ageda, Foremaster, Franke, and Gates.  And then the Sisters are Olden, me, LaPorte, and Seegrist. District = Family.

Emily that would be sweet if you got a job teaching swimming down by Oly.  It would definitely be a fun summer job and that's what it's all about.  I miss work a lot!  Sarah send me some pictures please...and tell this guy I say hi as well.  I've got a sweet package coming home to y'all soon but it might be a couple weeks...just be patient with me, there's so much to do here! 

 

Sorry I have to go!  Enjoy the pictures.  :)

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

New Orleans

Hey Family!!

 

Sorry I didn't get to email y'all yesterday.  It was memorial day so all the libraries were closed and so there was no way to email.  Sorry and it's gonna be super short because we've got district meeting in an hour so I'll try to write as fast as I can. 

 

 

First big exciting news is that Sister LaPorte, Sister Olden, Sister Seegrist and I went down to New Orleans yesterday with a member from our ward!  All I can say is it's crazy down there and there's some pretty crazy people but it was awesome.  In the French Quarter missionaries are only allowed on St. Peters street and at Cafe Du Monde because there's some pretty crazy things on all the other places...or so I hear.  It's crazy how different it is from Baton Rouge even being just a couple hours away.  The best way I would describe it is a giant tourist trap and also a ton like Europe.  It was an awesome experience though.  We got to eat beignets at  Cafe Du Monde which is famous for them, seriously you should've seen how many people were there.  If you don't know what they are it's like a scone but covered in powderd sugar and delicious.  We walked by the Mississippi and down St. Peters street and that's about all.  Oh yeah and on the way there there's this bridge across Lake Ponchrtrain or something like that and this bridge literally goes for miles and miles across water...pretty awesome.  Who knows, maybe I'll get to serve down there sometime. 

 

 

Oh yeah and something crazy, Sister LaPorte and Sister Calderwood both think I'm going to be training next transfer.  We'll just say it's their "motherly instincts" but we shall see what happens.  I personally don't think I will.  Plus everyone around me is going home within the next couple months and even on sunday the bishop talked about it at the pulpit and mentioned how I've still got a ways to go and will hopefully stay in BR 1st ward the whole eighteen months.  Bishop Smith is the best! and it would be sweet to serve here the whole time, there's so much to do!

 

 

Here's some miracles from this week:

 

numero uno.  We held our first ward movie night this past week and it was a success!  We started doing it so the members can come together and get to know each other more beyond just the normal church activities.  And despite the rain, thunder, and lightning there were about ten people that showed up which is pretty good considering no one leaves their house down here when it's raining.  We watched The Testaments and most of the members hadn't seen it before and they were all very touched by it.  I think next monthly it will have an even better turn out. 

 

numero dos: On Friday night we were gonna stop by the Wleh's home but when we drove by we saw that they were having a party so we decided not to stop and to go see Weddin instead.  When we got over to Weddin's home she wasn't there but her mom was locked out and Weddin had the keys and she was over at the party and was in no hurry to come home.  Sister Swen (Weddin's mom) was super tired and just wanted to go to bed so we offered to go get the keys for her and she said yes.  Just this little act of service was able to soften her heart and the next day she asked us to come over and help her with her resume.  Sister Swen is always super busy and we've never been able to have a full on conversation let alone lesson with her but because of this when we came back over she sat down with us and we had a lesson with her and she opened up to us with her concerns.  Truly a tender mercy of the Lord. 

 

numero tres:  Way back when Sister LaPorte first got here we were visiting Sister Donahue and we met her son, Troy.  We wanted to come back and share more with him except he was out of town for work for a couple months so we never got to see him.  Finally the other day we stopped by again and he was home and he said that he would like to learn more!  So we went back over and taught him the restoration and he said that he will read the Book of Mormon!  We're going back over to visit him today so I hope he did keep his commitment.  He's got great potential!!

 

 

Things are going great here in Baton Rouge.  Sister LaPorte is leaving back to temple square on June 12 so we've only got a couple weeks left together so we're making the most of it.  There's so much work to be done here and so little time to do it.     

 

 

Mom I'm good on clothes for now...honestly I don't think they make too much of a difference for now.  However the shirts from Old Navy are the best!  It's perfect how they're so light.  The blue dress is my absolute favorite as well because it's so comfortable and light.  The pink shirt that was mostly polyester is super hot just so ya know. 

 

 

Special highlights from the week: 

- Sis LaPorte: "Sister Swen I'm leaving my pen here with you so you can finish your resume." Sis Swen: Throws her arms up in the air and says "Hallelujah!" Haha African people are the best.

- Walked into the party at the Wleh's and kids were jumping all over me trying to hug me and saying they saw us earlier and they love us.  Imagine me with tons of little African kids that were way too hyper just saying I love you!!! while I was like "I don't even know you!" haha. 

- Sister LaPorte walked into a glass door.

- Vinegar plus baking soda is the magic formula for cleaning out your grout.

- My arms were literally burning after trimming some trees at the church

- We found the mother load zoo of rabbits at the Lewis' plus we got to hold a baby one. 

 

 

Sorry I've got to go but know that I love y'all so much!!  Thanks for all your emails. 

 

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

 

p.s. the pictures are from New Orleans.  :)