it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Hey Family!

 

Looks like y'all had quite the good time down in California for Thanksgiving!  Dinner on the beach, lots of soccer games, and exotic birds at your hotel...doesn't seem like it could get much better than that!  Aw man thanksgiving is just the best, I love this time of the year.  For thanksgiving dinner it was all six of the missionaries and then six total Conlin's at their house because a couple of their kids were away at school and what not.  The food was super good too!  The only new thing was fried turkey and it was delicious!  When you fry a turkey it makes it so it's not dry so it was just real good.

 

Holy cow this week has been full of miracles (little ones and real big ones), truly amazing!  So here's a couple of them for y'all:

 

#1  Monday: We went to the thrift store and I found this awesome skirt.  Navy blue with white polkadots plus it was only 3 dollars.  It was a little too big but nothing a safety pin can't fix.  Doesn't get much better than that!  Haha I might have worn it almost every day this week...  

 

#2 Tuesday: We were seeing some people down in Mandeville and we had this less active member on our list to try to see.  We've been trying to meet her for weeks and she never is home so we had no idea if she actually even lived there or what.  So we just stopped by kinda just expecting Mary not to answer because she never has before.  But low and behold she was home and even let us come in!  We got to know her and discovered she's been having a hard time lately because a couple of her relatives passed away last month and then her husband had a stroke and he isn't able to talk right now.  We didn't go into much detail because you could tell she didn't want to talk about it and she was crying a little bit.  I didn't know what to share with her because I wanted to bring comfort so bad, but then Sister Brady just started sharing the thanksgiving thought we had planned for her.  It was amazing because she said it was exactly what she needed to hear!  And then she told us how her friend invited her over tonight but she just felt like she needed to stay home so she did.  And then we came by and shared a message that was exactly what she needed.  Holy cow is all I have to say...it was a miracle!  We have plans to see her again later this week and I'm so excited!!

 

#3 Wednesday: We always see one of the single sisters in our ward so this past week we stopped by like usual and all her family was home.  Pearl's daughter Vicki was home and was just sitting there while we were talking to Pearl.  (her daughter is a member but less active..she hasn't seemed too interested in the past seeing her) so it was kinda awkward because she was just doing stuff on her phone while we were talking to Pearl and we didn't know what to do so we started sharing the lesson we had planned.  I didn't even think Vicki was listening but after I said something she turned and actually talked about the gospel and was involved in the lesson!  We were able to talk with her more and actually relate to her which was so cool.  I'm hoping she'll be back next time we see her so we can start getting her more involved!

 

#4 Thursday: A couple weeks ago we were trying to visit some less active members that we didn't know and see how interested they are and meet them.  So there was this one sister that Sister Brady said they'd been trying to see forever but no one ever answered.  So we stopped by and her husband Dale answered..and let me just say, he's the sweetest guy I've ever met.  He told us that his wife died about seven years ago in a car accident.  And of course me being me, I didn't say anything about the plan of salvation or what not and we apologized for his loss then left.  For the next week and a half he'd been on my mind constantly.  I knew we needed to go back and somehow share the gospel with him but I just didn't know what to do.  He lives out in the middle of nowhere just by himself and he has no family left...no children, nothing (he's probably in his 50s or 60s).  So I was thinking and President Wall asked us to be ODD missionaries, meaning observe, discern, do.  We had interviews on Wednesday and he said I've got the observe and discern part down I've just gotta do it.  So I just decided ya know what, this could be super awkward but we're gonna make him cookies and bring them to him on thanksgiving to just let him know we've been thinking about him and maybe somehow talk about the gospel.  So we made peanut butter cookies because it was the only ingredients we had and then we drove all the way out there.  He was home and super surprised to see us and it was kinda awkward.  It was cold and he invited us in but there wasn't a woman in the home so we couldn't go in.  We didn't really know what to say and I have this bad habbit of asking people how they are a billion times when I don't know what to say.  So we talked with him for a second and I asked him again and he mentioned to us how he thinks he has cancer again.  He had cancer a long time ago that prevented them from having children and then he had melanoma cancer last year and he believes he has it again.  Oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how bad I wanted to just forget all the rules and go into his home and just talk with him.  I feel like meeting him is the reason I've been called to serve in Covington.  I'm learning to rely on the spirit more and more because I seriously love Dale and want to help him, but I have no idea which direction to take or what to do.  We're planning on going back out with the Elders this week and then hopefully soon we'll bring a sister with us as well.  He is the absolute sweetest guy ever!  So please keep him in your prayers.  :)

 

There's a lot more miracles from every single day but those were definitely the highlights from the week. 

 

Mom thank you so much for the package..you're the best!  Seriously I can't believe how fast this transfer has flown by.  It's already transfers again next week!  I asked President on Wednesday what he thinks is gonna happen and he said I'm probably staying in Covington...but that's always bound to change.  I'll be letting y'all know next week though for sure. 

 

 Sarah..goodness Nik sent me a package the last day he was on his mission!  Man, and I thought he was slacking off at writing back.  He's a good guy.  :)  he sent a Duck Dynasty shirt and said to send you a picture and I was going to but then discovered my camera broke.  Don't worry I'm gonna go buy one at Target today.  And then I'll be sending you a picture.  It was funny because I read his letter and didn't even look at the shirt until the very end.  In his letter he said something along the lines of "your family loves you, I love ya, and my family loves you.  family first."  It's hit me lately how important family truly is and how family should always be first.  And then I opened the shirt and it said family first on it.  Be sure to tell him thank you for reminding me how much my family means to me.  :)  hmmm and for spring semester I'd move over to the new complex...or the willows! 

 

Well, here's a question for y'all...what do you want for Christmas?  :)  All I can think to ask for is a collage of pictures from the last year!

 

I love y'all so much!  Each and every one of you.  That means you Mom, Dad, Andrew, Sarah, and Emily!  Also Lucy, Tye, and Moema.  :)

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz

happy thanksgiving!

Hey Family!

 

You are very welcome for the birthday card Mom!  It was definitely hard coming up with 29 memories I could write down in a sentence for you.  I'm glad you thought they were funny too because while I was writing it I didn't think you'd think any were funny!  Thank you for all the memories Mom, I think you're wonderful!  Also thank you for accepting the challenge I gave to y'all last week...I didn't think anyone actually did anything I asked!  Mom always listens.  :)

 

Sarah, aw man I love you!  Thank you for always emailing me and sending those pictures.  Man you got to see Sister LaPorte, Sister Andrade, and Sister Olden!  I love those three so stinkin much.  Goodness I can't believe all three of them are going home this week.  I don't know where all the time keeps flying by to.  I've already hit the halfway mark of my mission and it keeps going by faster and faster, I hate it!  How was Nik's homecoming?  Haha mom didn't say much about it because she said you would, but then you didn't say much about it either.  Are you going down to California with the fam for thanksgiving as well?  Have I mentioned lately that you're amazing? Because you are!!  Hmm and I'm gonna say just leave the box for now, if you feel inspired to take it over then do it, but otherwise don't. 

 

Congrats on being accepted to Utah State, Em!  Mom says you feel like you won't be accepted to BYU which I just have to say is completely wrong.  I believe you'll totally get in!  (after all you're a genius..:)) And hey don't forget to apply to BYU-I, you can always come party up there with me and Sarah.  My best advice is to just pray about it and do what you feel is right, don't just follow everyone else because it's the easy thing.  In high school BYU-I was the last school I wanted to go to and honestly I wanted to go to any school but there, but when we were up there after that road trip I just knew immediately that it was where I needed to be.  I loved it there because of the standards everyone has and the small town feel in the middle of nowhere, and lots of other reasons...  You'll do great wherever you decide to go.  :)

 

So are y'all gonna have thanksgiving dinner on the beach like we did last year?  You'll have to send me some pictures and tell me how your trip turns out to be.  :)  We're gonna be going up to Bush and eating with the Conlins.  I'm super excited for thanksgiving, there's going to be tons of people and we're gonna be out in the middle of nowhere.  I wonder if thanksgiving dinner will be a lot different down here than the traditional ones.  I hear lots of people fry their turkey!  I'll tell y'all next week how our thanksgiving feast turns out! 

 

Since it's thanksgiving this week we've just been sharing lots of thanksgiving messages with everyone and a question I love asking everyone is, if I ask what you're grateful for what's the first thing that comes to mind?  I was thinking about that a lot throughout the week and focusing on gratitude in my prayers and honestly one of the first things that comes to mind lately is the Book of Mormon (don't worry, I'm super grateful for y'all too ;))  I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon because of the power that it contains and the peace that comes from reading everyday.  Of course there's days when I just don't want to read at all and I'm tired of reading all the war chapters, but somehow it relates to life.  If we just keep pressing on and keep going everything gets better.  The greatest blessing from reading is how all my problems seems to just vanish.  My trials and troubles disappear and I'm just happy.  I don't even know how to explain it, but the Book of Mormon is amazing.  The messages it contains are inspired and truly we can come closer to Christ by reading from it daily. 

 

We got to go on exchanges this week as well so I went up to Amite with Sister Maxfield and I learned so much from her.  She came out the same time I did and she's been serving in the same area the whole time she's been here.  It's just a small little town too.  We learned how to cut a hole in the wall to put windows in and just got to see tons of little miracles.  On exchanges we always come up with goals to work on during the exchange and her goal was to make it happen!  And that's kinda just become my goal lately...make it happen...and if I lead others will follow.  I feel like I've got to step up to my plate more and become more diligent.   

 

I love everyone here in Covington, especially the single sisters we get to visit weekly.  Seriously they are all the absolute sweetest and I think I'm learning more from them everyday then I'm teaching them.  I love being able to learn to love others and step in Christ's footsteps even if only for a little bit, to see things from his eyes.

 

Here's a quick scripture y'all can think about this week.  It's just a little part of Alma 7:15 "show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him."  It reminded me of a relief society lesson we had back in BR.  Somehow we were talking about all the different love languages (touch, words of affirmation, quality time, etc.) I can't remember all of them.  But someone mentioned how Heavenly Father has a love language as well.  And the scritpure shows it perfectly.  He doesn't want us to tell him that we love him, he wants us to SHOW him we love Him.  And we show hime we love him by our actions.  So in other words, keeping the commandments, going to church, reading the scriptures, all the physical things we need to do.  So here's the real question to think about...how are you showing God you love him?

 

My dear family, I think y'all are amazing!  Be safe in you holiday travels and don't forget to thank the Lord.  Oh hey and before I forget, the word thanksgiving is defined as thanks go God.  I thought that was pretty cool.  So here's a challenge for y'all, to live in thanksgiving daily! 

 

well, I LOVE y'all!

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz    

happy birthday mamacita!

Mom!  It's your birthday this Saturday and you didn't even remind me like you did for Emily's birthday, what were you thinking?  ;)  I guess it was the real test of whether I'd actually remember your birthday or not.  Luckily I was looking at a calendar the other day and it hit me that I need to tell you happy birthday today otherwise it will be too late!  So, my dear mother, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!  Thank you for being the wonderful example you are to me and for all the sacrifices you put up with for me personally.  I love you bunches.  :)  I'll try to get a card to arrive exactly on Saturday so be sure to check the mail! 

 

Sarah, I must say that I love your skirt in the picture you sent!  Haha and your boots...:)  the blog looks sweet so thanks and you're welcome to do anything you want with it.  Holy cow and Lucy is getting so big, she won't even be a puppy by the time I get home.  Where even is the dog shelter up in Rexburg?  So how's school and classes all going?  Before you know it the semester will already be done!  I wrote Andrew a letter the other week and since he's postponing the isys program for a year to do premed then that means he graduates the same year as you, right?  That's so weird to think about!  I have no idea what I want to do as far as a career goes but luckily I still got a little time.  ;) something I've learned on my mission though is I absolutely love old people.  They're hilarious and share the same stories over and over again but they're the sweetest!  So who knows, maybe I'll find something to do with them.  Be sure to tell Nik I say hey to him!  Hey and asked him why he stopped writing to me.  We were sharing some cool mission experiences with eachother and then he just stopped responding...or maybe I forgot to respond.

 

Dad I will definitely find the time to narrate the photos like Andrew did so y'all can see and know some of the awesome people I've met down here.  Hey and while I'm thinking about it, transfers is on Dec 11 and I know Christmas is coming up so please don't send anything before then and wait until I tell you if I'm being transferred because if I am I won't have enough room to take everything with me that y'all send.  thank you!!

 

Emily and Andrew, don't stay too busy with school!  I love y'all.  :)

 

This week has been real good.  We were able to teach the most lessons we've ever taught here in Covington and do tons of service as well so it was really sweet.  It's been a while since I've wrote a couple miracles so here's some for y'all.

 

miracle numero uno: We helped Sister Tapia practically the majority of the day wednesday set up tons of decorations for the eagle court of honor that evening.  Holy cow let's just say the cultural hall looked amazing!  I should've taken pictures so y'all could see but unfortunately I didn't.  We always get to help Sister Tapia with little things she needs help with and I love the opportunity to serve her because she's so grateful!   

 

miracle numero dos:  Way back forever ago President Wall really emphasized using pamphlets in every teaching appointment.  Of course we've studied them and found different ways to use them and it's been cool using them, but this week it was a miracle using them.  We wanted to teach Pearl about repentance and let's just say Pearl could talk for hours and hours on end.  She's one of the single sisters we get to visit and I love her so much!!  Haha she always tells the same stories over and over again and has such a negative outlook on life but she's so funny.  We've tried everything to get her to pay attention but nothings seemed to work.  She talks right through the mormon messages, won't pay attention when we just read a scripture, and with scripture stories she keeps on talking.  So this past week we decided to read just the part of repentance from the pamphlet.  She read it and didn't get distracted (well she still did but not as bad), and then we asked her to read it again and strive to repent daily.  When we saw her on Sunday she said she's read it a couple times and loves it!!  It's a miracle I tell ya. 

 

miracle numero tres:  Yesterday we went up to Folsom because we had a dinner appointment way up there so we decided to see some less actives up there as well.  In the whole time I've been here we've only been up to Bush once, but never to Folsom.  (Those two are the two small towns way out on the edge of our ward boundary) all I can say is the people are so nice up there!  Every single person we met was so friendly and let us come in, it was the absolute best!  It was gorgeous up there too.  If I wanted to live out in the country I'd definitely move there.  The whole town of Folsom only has two stop lights too, so crazy!! 

 

miracle numero cuatro: Since the Covington Elders are on bikes it's our job to visit the less active members that they can't reach.  So we've been going through all the members with an address in Covington or Abita and visiting them even if they're single guys, because usually we just go for the single ladies.  Well we met this one guy this week and he was super nice.  Said he stopped going to church back in college, his wife isn't a member and they have one little girl and another on the way.  They asked us if we wanted to share a lesson so of course we said yes and pulled out a quick scripture.  (first of all that never happens!  usually people just want us to leave)  And then they asked us when we can come back!  I can see real potential with Jeremy coming back to church and potentially Sarah joining the church as well.  So excited! 

 

I absolutely love it here in Louisiana and love the people here.  We always joke that all the crazy ones somehow end up in Louisiana, but hey that means we're crazy as well because we're here!  I love seeing how the gospel completely changes people and how the simple steps of showing someone you care about them will change everything.  Of course we have our hard days, but those days are what makes the good days so much better. 

 

Also here's a challenge for y'all.  In Preach My Gospel it says, "As your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ grows, your desire to share the gospel will increase."  I was thinking a lot about that and how it can relate to member missionary work.  The first thing that came to mind was the story of Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah.  Of course we all know their conversion story where they went about persecuting the church and then an angel appeared unto them and told them to stop, they repented, and completely changed.  Of this experience Alma says, "My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity.  I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God.  My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more." (Mosiah 27:29)  he was able to truly understand the atonement because he had to use it.  And then it goes on to say, " Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites- That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God." (Mosiah 28:1-2)  When Alma and the sons of Mosiah understood the atonement better they wanted to share it with everyone and that's exactly what they did!  So I just encourage y'all to study, pray, and apply the atonement to your life so y'all can have this great desire to share it with everyone.   

 

Thank you for all y'all do!  I look up to each of your examples.  And guess what?!  I love y'all.  :) 

 

Love Always, Sister Schmutz