july

Hey Family!

 

It sounds like y'all had a wonderful time up in Rexburg this past weekend.  The places y'all went sound pretty sweet..you're gonna have to take me when I get back.  Swimming, sand dunes, frozen yogurt, and family, nothing sounds better than that.  :)  Seriously I can't believe it's already July.  Time is just flying by so stinkin fast. 

 

A random picture of my desk for y'all!

 

Thank you for sending back the flashdrive this coming week!  I haven't gotten the shoes you sent yet mom probably because the office is crazy busy with transfers this past week.  Also my ear is all good now.  :)  nice haircut Emily!  Haha and I loved the pictures of y'all.  Thank you for sending them!  Sarah, go onto facebook and add Wana Lee Mills as your friend.  She's the sweetest lady in our ward and I told her to go find you but I'm not sure if she did or not.  And then tell me what she says and everything, you'll love her. 

 

It's been a really good week to say the least.  Our district is completely changed now with transfers but it will be good.  

 

Here's our district:

Office Elders: Elder Jessop, Navitakula, Gilbert

Zone Leaders: Elder Foremaster, Ageda

Tiger Bend: Elder Morrow, Sun

Prairieville Sisters: Sister Seegrist, Thornley

 

All of us there helping the Tate's move...that's our whole district but the office elders are missing.

 

All the companionships changed except ours but it's sweet.  Our biggest focus for this transfer is getting to know everyone in the ward better.  We have a huge list of members but hardly any of them are active and the majority of them we've never met.  Plus tons of them have moved and their phone numbers are disconnected so we're gonna try meeting as many people as we can and helping our ward.  I'm real excited for it because there's so many people that we need to see! 

 

Church yesterday was awesome!  I'm not gonna lie though, it's stressful coming to curch as a missionary because you're constantly thinking of the less actives and investigators that are attending that haven't attended forever.  Wondering what they're thinking of everything and if they understand everything.  But yesterday Brother Born came to church for the first time in forever!  We've been working with him lately and he keeps coming up with excuses to not be there.  But he came yesterday and stayed for two whole hours which is pretty sweet considering he's in a wheelchair and it took a lot to get him there.  Plus Miranda's sister, Tasha came for the first time in a long time as well and she stayed for all three hours!  Their cousin Leila came also!  We even got all three of them to come to a fireisde last night and Tasha said she actually enjoyed coming to church!  At first I was worried because it took a couple weeks for Tasha to start talking to us and then once Sister LaPorte left Tasha wouldn't come into the lessons again.  But we've built the trust back up again and we're getting through to her!  Miracles do happen.  :)  Our next step is to get her and Miranda both on missions, and Leila as well!  Seriously they are the sweetest family.  They've been through a lot but they're doing great despite the set backs.

 

Praireville Sisters and us helping the Tate's move.  That truck was completely packed full by the end of the day.

 

This week we also got to help some members from the 3rd ward move which was awesome.  Haha seriously we've helped so many people move and clean their houses I've learned that I'm only gonna give my kids one toy and we'll keep the house reasonably clean.  I love doing service though and finding little ways we can serve those around us.  Sister Andrade and I also cleaned Sister Easley's home.  She's 93 and the sweetest lady you'll ever meet.  Since she can't really do much, and her daughter that lives with her doesn't really clean that much either we went over and dusted everything which she absolutely loved. 

 

Birthday Breakfast!

 

In Alma Chapter 32 of the Book of Mormon, Alma goes about teaching people but no one seems to be listening to him.  But "they began to have success among the poor class of people"(v.2) these poor people were cast out of their synoguges and couldn't worship because they weren't dressed nice and what not.  I love this story because in North BR there's tons of people struggling to make it.  Majority of the people have multiple jobs and they barely make it through the month.  The story goes on to say that they were cast out so they could be humbled, "he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word."(v.6)  I know that this is true, we're all put through things so that we can become humble.  So many people I've met here and humble and willing to give of everything.  People feed us when they hardly have enough food for themselves.  But here's the problem, "blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God."(v.16)  Everyone was compelled to be humble because they have no other choice.  But in reality they hardly have enough money but here they are with their fancy iphones and nice cars.  So yes, people are humble but they aren't humble because they choose to be.  I wish everyone could just understand how worldly things don't matter at all.  This probably makes no sense at all...but it made sense in my head this morning.  The people in Louisiana are crazy but I absolutely love them!     

 

Sister Andrade and me.

 

Anyways I love y'all so much!!  Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.  The pictures today include 1. Sister Andrade and me.  2. Praireville Sisters and us helping the Tate's move.  That truck was completely packed full by the end of the day.  3. All of us there helping the Tate's move...that's our whole district but the office elders are missing.  4. A random picture of my desk for y'all.  Enjoy!   

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

transfer number 4

Hey Family!

 

So it sounds like y'all think I'm being transfered tomorrow, and here's the big news...I get another 6 glorious weeks here in Baton Rouge!!!  Plus I get to stay with Sister Andrade as well!  We're both stoked and ready to make the most of this upcoming transfer.  I'm super happy to be staying here because there's so much work to do and there's so many people we need to help.  And man I absolutely love it here.  Dad I just have to say that it's crazy that the longest you stayed in an area was for five months or so.  Last night at dinner we were all talking about the longest we've been in a single area and the average was around seven months.  Haha and Elder Franke served in the same area for fourteen months.  It mostly depends on your mission president, but I think President Wall usually likes to keep us there for a couple months at least.  Oh yeah, and Elder Franke is going home tomorrow and I give him y'alls address and phone number and he said he's gonna go see y'all.  It's gonna be weird without him here because he came to BR the day that I got here and now that he's leaving I'll be the one here that's been here the longest.  Everyone's leaving but me..haha but I love the people here so it's all good.  You'll have to tell him I say hi when he calls or comes to see y'all.  He's an awesome missionary.

Anyways a sweet miracle from this past week was a media referral.  Basically if you get onto mormon.org you can type in your address and info and missionaries will come visit you.  So we got one two weeks ago or so for a girl named Valarie and we decided to just stop by because she didn't answer our calls.  Turns out her son Jonathan is a member in our ward currently serving his mission in Vegas.  Everyone always talks about him and how good of a missionary he is so it was sweet to be able to meet his mom.  Jonathan is the only member in his family and we've met his cousins before but they're anti.  We met her for the first time last monday and she's a super sweet lady.  We just talked to her a little about how you receive mission calls and what Jonathan's doing everyday.  And boy you could just feel the love that she has for her son and how much she misses him.  While we were sitting there talking there was just this overwhelming feeling of love that Heavenly Father has for her and how important she is.  She's had a crazy life and she's just super sweet.  It's awesome because we asked her if she ever went to church with Jonathan and she said she didn't.  But she said she'd ask for work off so she could come in two weeks.  It's an awesome experience because we have to teach her from a different approach because she wasn't the one that actually put in her info online.  Haha I'm guessing it was Jonathan because she said he keeps asking if any missionaries have stopped by.  So basically she's not real interested in learning more...but she is open to listening.  So our plan is to just take everything real slow and start at the basics and just be her friend.  Plus what's even better is whenever she's cancelled she always let us know and always reschedules.  That means a ton because even members cancel and don't tell us.  Aw man I see so much potential in her!  With Jonathan serving his mission I think it's softened her heart so much and nows the time for her.  If you haven't read the talk from President Monson during last preisthood session of conference you should.  I hope and pray that Valarie will be like that experience, it would be a sweet miracle!

 

Thank y'all so much for the packages and letters.  Seriously I feel so spoiled for this past birthday.  Maybe I should be away from home for every birthday in the future.  :) but really thank you so much I love everything you sent.  My two favorites are the blue shirt from Sarah and the brown and cream skirt.  Thank you!!  And Emily that sticker and card you made are sweet.  Dude I hope you're taking graphics again next year because you're awesome at it.  I put the sticker on my journal to help motivate me to write more often...so hopefully it will help!  Haha and I think I'll be good on clothes for the rest of my mission.  Thank you so much! 

 

Sarah I hope you had a great birthday as well.  Sounds like some fun times going to the sand dunes and what not.  The zone leaders and prarieville sisters came over Saturday morning with breakfast for us which was super sweet of them.  Then the rest of the day was pretty normal just visiting lots of people and doing the Lord's work.  We had dinner at a members home and everyone sung to me.  And then we went over with the office elders and zone leaders to the Olsen's (the office couple) to sing happy birthday because it was also Elder Olsen's birthday.  And then the office elders and zone leaders surprised me with a poster card with candy for my birthday.  A super sweet day none the less.  Oh and the Banks made me a cake that we ate on Sunday.   :)

 

Elder Franke, Foremaster, Ageda, and Jessop.

It's been raining here a lot so it's actually not too hot out lately which is nice.  Geez and the rain here is crazy.  We were at the Banks on Sunday and it just started pouring outside.  The thunder and lightning here is crazy loud as well.  Haha so when we were leaving Tae said she'd walk us out to the car under her umbrella but the whole front yard was a giant puddle and we were drenched but it was all good. Haha I love the rain!  I can't wait until August and September when hurricane season is really here and will rain a ton more.

Sister Banks, Tae, and Beatrice.

Something sweet I read this week from the Book of Mormon was in Alma where Ammon and Aaron went about being good old missionaries.  Seriously those two are the perfect missionaries and such good examples with perfectly inspired questions, ideas, testimony, and commitments.  Something I loved was in chapter 20 verse 29 when Ammon just found his brothers from prison, it saying, "And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with strong cords.  And they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings."  Some days I feel like no one is progressing and everything we do fails.  But when you look at the brothers of Ammon they were imprisoned and beat for trying to share the gospel.  When you see that, all you can help but think is we've got it pretty good.  And it's true, we are blessed to be able to share the gospel right now at this time.

 

I hope y'all have a nice last week of june!  Time just keeps on flying by. I love y'all so much and thank you for all you do for me!  Oh yeah and President Wall did call about Annie, he apologized for putting it off for so long.   

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz  

birthday time

Hey Fam!

 

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!  The big 20 already...boy does time fly.  Haha I haven't told my new companion yet that it's my birthday this Saturday and I don't plan on telling her either.  :)  no worries though, Sister LaPorte knew I wouldn't tell anyone so she made sure to tell some of the Elders and she gave some birthday party supplies to Sister Seegrist that we didn't use for her birthday and she'll probably do something.  And if not we've got dinner at a members home so it's all good.  Plus I already feel super spoiled with two packages and two letters within the past week!  So....HAPPY BIRTHDAY twinner!  I hope ya have a great weekend Sarah and make the best of the start of a new decade.  I got the picture for ya down in New Orleans. 

 

Oh yeah and Happy Father's Day Dad!  Sorry I forgot to tell you that last week...I completely forgot it was father's day until Saturday when someone mentioned it.  Why is it that no one pays any attention to father's day and always mother's day is such a big deal?  Who knows.  But none the less I hope y'all had a great time all together.  I'm glad y'all enjoyed the package I sent home as well.  I'll let ya know if I want you to print out any pictures as well but for now just send back a blank flashdrive. 

 

I was so sad to hear about Annie but I know that we'll be able to see her again.  President didn't call me or anything so I actually found out yesterday from y'alls letter.  It's definitely hard losing a best friend and I'm gonna miss her so much but I loved the talks you printed out.  Annie will be with us again!  Plus losing a loved one just makes you want to be the best you can be so that we can see them again after we die, right?  So keep being awesome!

 

This week has been a pretty sweet one.  Actually there's an awesome miracle I want to share with y'all.  Last week we called the Theriots, they're active members in our ward. We just called because I felt like we should go get to know them better.  Sister Theriot always plays the organ and Brother Theriot always conducts so I've never really gotten a chance to talk with them at church.  So we called them up and they said they'd have to mow their lawn before we can come over.  So of course we asked them if we could help and they said no.  But I wasn't taking no for an answer, plus lawn mowing is the best.  We had appointments for the rest of the day across town so we called the zone leaders because they have a truck and could easily pick up a lawn mower.  Luckily they didn't have any plans so they headed over.  Turns out the Theriot's lawn mower is broken and he's been coming up with ways to fix it but nothings been working.  So long story short they haven't mowed their lawn in two years.  And let me just tell ya, the grass down here grows like weeds...crazy fast.  I didn't get to actually see it but they said it was up to their waist.  After a couple hours they only got the front lawn done and decided to come back.  Oh yeah and people came by and were gonna fine them but saw that they were starting so they said they have until monday to do the rest.  So on Saturday we all went back over and finished up the lawn.  And here's the sweetest miracle.  Now they want to invite us back over for dinner, they have a couple referrals for us, and they want us to help with their visiting teaching!  Truly sweet miracles when you LOVE, SERVE, and TEACH (our mission vision).  They're a crazy group of people but I love them!

 

It's always hard getting used to a new companion but it's going good.  I miss Sister LaPorte so much and all the love that she had.  If you could ask me one thing I learned from her it's that you need to express your love often and to everyone.  Seriously she's the best at that.  Also it's good to act like a fool sometimes because it always breaks the ice and lets others love you as well. :) She'll be back on temple square until november when she goes home so y'all definitely need to go see her.  I don't know which area she's serving in so I'll email her today and figure that out so y'all can be in the general area she'll be.  Plus she's the Relief Society President for temple square so she's always super busy.  But if she has time and wants to, let her take you on a tour of either God's Plan or the Relief Society building.  Y'all will absolutely love her and tell her I miss her so much!!  And then Sister Calderwood just went home last week sooo ya missed your chance of seeing her if ya didn't already. 

 

My new companion is Sister Andrade (pronounced like Andrage) from Brazil and also temple square.  It's crazy how different everyone can always be.  I'm learning lots from her and also learning a lot about myself.  The greatest thing I've learned about myself while being with her is how much I love and care about the people.  Haha if you ask Sister LaPorte she would say I'd never like to talk on the phone which is true, I never did.  But since I'm the one that knows everyone now I feel such a great responsibility for all the people here.  It's hard to describe but just because Sister LaPorte and I aren't together doesn't mean that I can just let these people we've been working with fall away. Heavenly Father has placed me with precious souls in my hands and my biggest fear is that I'll be transfered and the missionaries will stop seeing them and they won't continue coming to church.  I love all the people so much I just pray that I'll be able to help them the most while I'm here.  President Wall said that we might only be together for the two weeks until transfers which I'd say is a pretty good bet since I've only had temple square missionaries.  But then there's also a brazilian lady in our ward that needs someone that speaks portugese.  Last night at their interview President told her he was gonna transfer her but then Sister Andrade told him about Tania and how she needs her.  So he's gonna think and pray about it and then we'll see what happens.  I guess we'll know for sure next week when I email y'all on tuesday.  I can't believe another transfer is already up! 

 

One of my favorite scriptures to use lately while teaching is 1 Nephi 16:28 it's talking about the liahona and how it will work.  "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them."  But something sweet is changing the words to apply to the persons situation or questions.  For example "And it came to pass that I, Jenna, beheld the questions which were in my soul, that the answers I will find according to the faith and diligence and heed which I will give unto the scriptures."  Pretty sweet isn't it. 

 

And then I was also reading in Alma chapter 11.  Zeezrom and Amulek were asking each other all these questions to understand what they knew and in verse 34 Zeezrom said talking about Christ, "Shall he save his people in their sins?  And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he shall not." When I first read it I stopped for a minute thinking how could this be?  It's only through the atonement that we're able to be forgiven of our sins.  But here's the main part, Christ won't save us in our sins but he will save us from our sins.  We must choose now to change and use the atonement and then we'll be able to be forgiven.   

 

Well fam, I love y'all so much!  Thank you for all the love and support.  Keep up the great work y'all have been doing. 

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

 

p.s. the Holloways will be there this week...but possibly next.  They're dropping of AJ at BYU before heading up to Salt Lake.  Brother Holloway said he's gonna be seeing my family soon!  So be looking forward to a call from him!