Week 13

Querido familia y quienquiera que lea esta cosa (Dear family and whoever reads this thing),

Oh my goodness, it feels good to do something completely in English again, lemme tell ya. This whole week has been nothing but spanish, it was insane! But good. But hard. But helpul. You know, everything you'd expect. 

That's awesome that you guys got to go to that show (The Illusionists)! I'm sure all the kids enjoyed it, and I'm sure Bronson liked his kitkat haha! I've never been to a magic show like that before, but I bet it was awesome! The tricks you described sounded pretty cool! And it seems like it was a good idea to go to that women's conference. I loved that story too! Actually, it's especially good for me too because that's one of the things I struggle with most: receiving personal revelation or feeling like I received answers to my prayers. I've always had trouble with those, but in the CCM it was magnified. I was struggling hard, but then I was emailing Christiaan and he told me something very true and very important. Everybody receives personal revelation differently. You can't judge yourself and become frustrated because you haven't recognized how you receive it for yourself! You can't compare your 'ability' to receive personal revelation to that of other people. That lesson really stuck with me...

Anyways, this week has been super crazy, but super fun. Working with Elder Reveco has been really different than working with Elder Crabtree. Different personalities,different ways of working. I need to acostumbrar (accustom) all over again haha! The biggest change is that, of course, he is Latino. His english is virtually nonexistent.. woooo... half the time that he talks, I have no idea what he's saying. But I have also been learning a lot! Mi español is improving way more quick than before. It helps too that the others in my house are Latinos. There is no more english. It was super hard at first, but I'm getting used to their accents and the way they speak and everything, so I'm able to have normal conversations with them in español. I can't exactly say the same with the other people in Alto Hospicio. Por ejemplo (for example), we were with a man just yesterday who, I don't know how, but can talk for literally hours without anyone else saying a word. I know that, because we were with him for hours haha! It would've been alright, except for the fact that his accent is the most strong out of anyone here. I legit did not have a clue what the heck he was talking about at any point of the conversation. He just kept going and going. I besically spent 2 hours and 24 minutes listening to a guy say words in a completely foreign language. Like, I was trying to figure out and think about what he was saying. And I thought I was headed in the right direction. At one point in the conversation, I thought he was talking about eating at his mom's house when he was a kid. Then when he paused, I had Elder Reveco clarify. Apparently he was talking about walking around Alto Hospicio a few days ago. So, maybe that gives a clue of how things are going haha. But no, my language is super improved. I now know generally what people are talking about, but my vocabulary isn't large enough yet to understand everything. But I can have a normal conversation now if their accent isn't horrible haha! 

It was hard getting used to Crabtree being gone. Harder still though was thinking that he was going home, saying hello to his family, relaxing, and playing in the snow, and everything I want to do so desperately right now! The little ding dong made it even harder! Before he left, he put alarms in the phone to go off at specific times on specific days! The first one was for Wednesday, at the time when his plane landed. It said "Elder Crabtree esta abrazando su mamá ahora!" (Elder Crabree is hugging his mom right now) Even off his mission, he knows how to make me trunky! But oh well, I just hope I don't have to kill any more of my companions while here. 

Things with my investigators are going well! I don't know if I told you about Valentina earlier, or if you recall, but she's a contact of mine and Elder Crabtree's. She had her interview yesterday, and we are going to baptize her this week!! Woot woot! Hay bautismo (There is a baptism)! Taa taa!! It was hard, because she wasn't sure if she was ready, but we were patient with her, and tried to answer all of her questions simply and with a strong testimony. We tried to have the spirit lead what we were saying. I guess he did, because she's getting baptized! To celebrate, I'm making an oreo milkshake. Mostly just because I want an oreo milkshake. But I'll say it's to celebrate. ;) We also have a few new investigators. Elder Reveco and I, basically all this last week, contacted antiguos (old contacts). They're the investigators of past missionaries in our sector who... stopped investigationg, I guess. Basically, it's a lot of contacting, and a TON of walking. But we found Alicia! She's super cool, and receptive. She's older, and seems to live alone. But we taught the first lesson and gave her a Book of Mormon that she promised she'd read! So we have a cita (appointment) with her later. And then there's Emilia. We found her because she has a mota stand, and well... Elder Reveco was thirsty haha! But hey, habla con todos (talk to everyone), right? Anyways, basically the same story with her! But we're also still working with everyone else!

So the weather here is getting a little hotter. At least, that's what I thought. Apparently, the people here are dying! Everywhere I go, the're fanning themselves, using ice packs, everything! They're complaining of how hot it is, how it's never this hot, and I'm just sitting there like... what? This is nice! They need to feel AZ heat! I will admit, the sun is worse here. I get burned easier. But the air is cold! Compared to AZ air, which is like an oven, it's so nice! The people here don't think so. Basically, it's 75 degrees, maybe 85 at the highest! Yeah, I don't know, it just makes me laugh. 

But anyways, that's my week! Still going strong, if not stronger! 

Les amo a todos (I love you all)!

Elder Schmid

Week Twelve

Oh my goodness, este semana era LOCO (this week was crazy)! It was Elder Crabtree's final week in his mission, so we were running around trying to say his last goodbyes and doing everything he needed/wanted to prepare to leave. It was one hectic week. It was a very bittersweet thing for me, preparing my companion to go home. Apparently when you spend 24 hours a day with someone for six weeks, you become really close to them! Haha, no, but it was actually very hard to say goodbye to him. 

This week started out normal. We tried to hit up all of our investigators that bailed on us with coming to church, but there were a lot of people out of town. And that's a scary thing here. Here, when they're talking about vacations, they don't mean a couple days, or a week. They're talking months. Here, according to Elder Crabtree, the average vacation is about a month long! Compared to ours, at the longest, week long trips. So we'll see when everyone comes back. I'm hoping that they were just quick trips to Iquique or something, because I really wanted to talk to them! I was hurt when they didn't come to church. I knew that Satan was working his magic. I want to talk to them again, smack some Gospel into them, and see them through to the end! Fortunately, I feel like I'm gonna do just that with my new companion.

The last day with Elder Crabtree was completely insane. It was yesterday, Sunday. It started out pretty tranquila, but just continuously escalated until I could barely keep my mind straight! We went to church at 11:30, and after he took a lot of pictures with members in front of the plaque out front. Then we had lunch with la familia Blanca. This family knows how to eat! I leave every time overly stuffed, barely able to walk! It's crazy! I think Elder Crabtree had a second stomach, or something. I have no idea where he was putting all the stuff! This time, it was rice with a piece of carne and a piece of pollo. Then she prepared corn, tomatoes, and these weird hashbrown/tater-tot-ball sort of things. Then, she gave each of us half a watermelon and a spoon. So of course, after this, I'm almost throwing up I'm so full, but then she brings out dessert! It was a ton of food... but delicious! Anyways, after lunch, was basically just us sprinting from house to house saying goodbye to all of Crabtree's better friends in the branch. It was hard, because there was a meeting for all the parents at 6:00 that lasted a while, so we had to hit up all those people before the meeting. Each house we went to, Elder Crabtree had them sign his Justin Bieber notebook, which he used as his mission yearbook sort of thing (I'm gonna get myself one, it was awesome), and took a picture. But we got to everyone we wanted to, which was great, and ended the night at la familia Quiroga, nuestra favorita (our favorite). We stayed there until 11:00! When we got home, it was tranquila again for a little, as he finished packing and whatnot. However, he had forgotten when his ride was coming, and so at 12:20, we here OH CRAP, and he starts panicking, throwing all of his crap into bags. He had told mamíta to take him and Elder Chang (another elder who died yesterday) at 12:30. So basically, our last goodbyes were hasty hugs and good wishes. It was kinda sad, but like ripping off a band-aid. Really quick and painful. So now he's gone. I'm definitely gonna miss him, he's a good friend!

So I got the call from the President Assistants on friday telling me who my nuevo compañero will be. His name is Elder Reveco. (Pronounced like Rebeckah, but with and 'oh' at the end) He is Chileno, and carries about a year in the mission. This was good news for me, but also scary! And both for the same reason. He's latino. Meaning: no english. I've gotten off easy with Elder Crabtree, because we spoke a lot of English, but now that's not possible. I'm going to live with 3 Latinos now. It'll be all español from here on out. I'm freaking out, but also rejoicing. I'm sure by the end of this cambio, my spanish is going to be so much better, and I'll be able to talk and understand on such a better level! I'm so excited! So today I went down to Iquique with the other Elders in my pensión, and picked up the new elders for our district. We picked up Elder Reveco last. He seems really awesome! He doesn't know any English (wooo....), he's about as tall as I am. From what I can understand from what he's saying, he's a pretty funny guy! Hopefully I'm understanding him correctly haha! But everyone I talk to about him says that he is super awesome, and super obedient! So I have a very good feeling that this cambio is gonna rock! I can tell he likes to have fun, but that he also knows how to work. I think we'll make a good companionship. I'm still a bit nervous about leading the sector after only being a missionary here for a month, but I have just adopted the mentality of 'come what may'. Like you said, mom, all I need to do is give it my all. That's what is expected of me. I'm sure if I do that, any slack will be taken up by the Lord, if not by my new companion. 

So I'm super excited! This is going to be an awesome 12 weeks with Elder Reveco! I can't wait to see what we do! I love you all, and pray for you, and miss you! 

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid

Week Eleven

Hola familia!!

Haha your emails are always so detailed, it almost takes me the entire time to read it! ;) But that's a good thing! I love reading all about everything that is going on up there! You make it easy to feel as if I was there when it all was happening! I love it!

It is good to hear that most everyone is doing alright! Eksept mom!! Haha, you get sick at all the worst times! But I hope you start to feel better. From what I remember, when you get sick, it lasts for a while. But that's awesome to hear about the snow storm (in Provo, Utah)!! It makes me super anxious for when I finally live there! Here in the desert, a snow storm sounds sooooooooo awesome to me, even though I bet it's making life hard for those actually in it! They just need to know, they're lucky! Water (albeit frozen water) is falling from the sky on them!! Lucky!  Alex must really like me, because even when I'm gone she's celebrating my birthday somehow! ;) A baby shower makes it all seem much more real, I bet! Makes it feel a lot more close, the baby's birth! So exciting!! And yeah, I'm sure Christiaan is nesting hardcore right now... hehehe. It makes me laugh to think about, but I'm sure he's freaking out!! 

Things have been good here! It was a good week! It's getting a little harder to write these letters. The days are sort of blurring, I find it hard to remember on what day something happened. I may need to start writing things down in my agenda. Anyways, this week was good for finding people! We have eight really good investigators right now! And they all seem super excited to learn about everything and get baptized! It's awesome! We have Valentina, who is 16. We met her because we were talking to her mom, who turned out to be un miembro who lives en España. We've been talking to her for a couple weeks, and she's just about ready to get in the font! Woot woot! Then there's Daniel y Johana, a couple who walked up to us on the street and told us they want to talk to us and made a cita! They have two kids, have talked with the missionaries before, but aren't married. So we talked to them, and convinced them to get married!!! Johana seemed super stoked, but Daniel looked at us like "what are you doing?!" Haha, it was great. And they're getting married as soon as possible! It's tricky, though. Getting hitched in Chile is really complicated. So we're working with them. Then there's Victor y Brenda, husband and wife with a newborn baby. They love everything we're teaching and basically begged us to be baptized! And then there's Gregorio. He is AWESOME! He was a street contact who let us talk to him. He's so great because we know he's interested and listening, and he's constantly asking questions. And they're awesome questions! All the ones that one needs to ask! He's progressing really fast! And there is Nicole y Kani. I actually haven't met them, they were contacted during an inter-cambio. But Elder Crabtree says they're great. 

Sunday, however, was super depressing. We had challenged everyone to go to church, and made sure they wanted to. All of them said they would, and seemed super excited to do so! It was really important they did, too, because they have to go to church before they are baptized. So we couldn't pick them all up ourselves, so we had members that they knew go to pick them up to bring them to church. While we were on our way to pick up Nicole y Kani, we began calling everyone else to see if they were ready to go. Nobody was answering, They all went straight to voicemail. That was the first bad sign. We then began getting calls from the members, and they told us that nobody was answering the doors! We couldn't believe it! Nicole y Kani weren't answering either! Of all of our investigators, not one came to church yesterday. It was super depressing! We couldn't believe it. It was kinda a crappy ending to the week. But oh well, we'll pass by this week to see what's up. 

Nothing special really happened this week, we just walked and preached. Which was good! But it's normal, and hard to write about haha! But anyways, I miss you all! I'm trying hard not to count down the days when I get back! ;)

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid (a.k.a. Elder Guapo/Elder Suave/Elder Bautismo/El Mejor Elder en el Mundo)

Week Ten

Familia!

My goodness you guys had a crazy week! I'm sure you're glad all that craziness is over! My week wasn't nearly that insane, but it was still good! But now all the holidays are over and things are gonna start going back to normal. 

Not much happened this week. It was a lot of working now that things are settled down. A lot of walking, a lot of talking! Elder Crabtree is showing me around, trying to introduce me to everyone and memorize the area. Once he leaves, my new companion will come, and he will have no idea about anything in this sector. He will be new, and I will be the one to show him around. Which is kinda nervewracking, but we'll see how that turns out in two weeks. As of now.......... I'm screwed!

My birthday was pretty cool! It was on a Friday, so it was of course another day to work. We eventually made it to the house of la familia Quiroga, the family that I had Christmas Eve with. We were talking to them, and all the lights went out, and the mamá walks in with a cake! Haha, they surprised me good! But I guess, it's not that hard when you can plan with the family right in front of my face and still keep it secret! (Which I found out later they actually did). Freaking spanish... but we ate cake and talked and it was great! And that was my birthday.

New years Eve was just as uneventful. As missionaries, we're not allowed to actually participate in the parties, because they all happen after we go to bed. So we had our regular day of work, and returned for the night while everyone else started heading out to their parties. It was fome. (Lame). Come 12:00, I was woken up by the fireworks they were having. So I mumbled "Feliz Año Nuevo" to my sleeping companion and went back to sleep haha! And that was my new year.

Anyways, it was good reading about your week! It sounded like a real roller coaster, but fun nonetheless. But now the Holidays are over and you'll be headed back to normal life! But lots of love from your Elder in Chile!

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid

Week Nine

Hola Mamá!

Oh man, it was one crazy week! But unfortunately, I kinda got messed with my time to email today! I only have maybe 30 minutes at the most! So let me try to get everything in here haha!

So it was pretty normal up until Thursday. All the missionaries got together that night and decided to do a caroling sort of thing! In my sector, there is a little plaza sort of thing that is super decked out with a bunch of Christmas stuff, like a nativity, a Santa's house, a massive tree, and even a little petting zoo sort of thing! Well anyways, a couple Elders went to the city to get permission to sing there, and they were all for it! They ended up setting everything up for us! We thought we'd just stand in the middle and sing, but nope. The city had other plans haha! They set up a stage for us with microphones, intense speakers, and spotlights! It turned into more of a concert than we thought it would be! So we had one Elder read the nativity story, and after every couple versus, we sang all the hymns that applied to those versus! It was super awesome! We sounded like garbage, but that's ok, because it was still spiritual and I had fun. Some other elders were also walking around the place contacting people and they talked to a ton of people! It was a pretty great night!

So the next big thing was Christmas Eve, or La Noche Buena. Apparently, they celebrate Navidad a little different here. Everyone stays awake until midnight, and they have a big countdown like we do on New Years. Then they open gifts right then at 12! So it was interesting. But we went to a house of some members in our branch, and ate with them and spent the night with them. It was a good dinner with some sandwhiches. Then they gave us our very own gifts! We each got a soccer jersey! My first! They are from the Chile team, mine is #8, Vidal, and Crabtree has #22, Puch. It was super fun opening them. And it was a super fun family. The Dad's name is Rodrigo, and I think he's my favorite in our branch. He's a super friendly, super awesome guy. And his family is so great too! His wife and three kids, two boys and a girl. 

Then there's Christmas. It was such an amazing Navidad, one of my favorite, if not my very favorite! To start off, it was a white Christmas! We had a baptism first thing in the morning! It was the family, the Carvajals. Dylan, who is 12, and Estivan, who is 8. What makes it better, it was my first baptism in the mission! And even better, I got to baptize! Estivan asked if I could be the one to baptize him! It was awesome! So we had the baptism right before church, and right after, church started. But this sunday was Christmas, so it was different. They had all the branches come at once and for an hour. So right after the baptism, church started, and we got to confirm them in front of everyone! Crabtree gave the blessings cuz I can't really do it, but I was up there with my hands on their heads, so I did something! It was super awesome, and I loved seeing the happiness that was constantly on Dylan's face! I could tell he was definitely feeling the spirit! Estivan was having fun too, but not the same as Dylan. Anyways, we had lunch this day with a super poor family in our ward. They live in more of a shack than a house. Nevertheless, they are a super awesome family! I can't remember their name, but they are super humble, and super close to God! We had an awesome discussion with them, and they cooked one of the best meals I've had here! It was just Chicken and noodles, but the chicken was cooked sooooooooooooo well, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it! But we then went home to study, and then went to the family we were gonna skype at. Once we got there we just went immediately with the computers, and we called! Oho man, it was sooooo fantastic to see you guys! Definitely the best present I could get! And my best present I could give, letting you guys see my angelic face after being deprived for 3 months! ;) But it was good to really catch up! We definitely went over time, but I still don't think I said half of what I wanted to say! Ugh haha, but that's ok, I still loved it! It made me way more trunky though right after it was done! It kinda made me depressed for a bit, but I got over it... mostly. But then we had a good dinner with the fam, and they gave us gifts too! A bottle of cologne and a nice parker pen! All in all, it was a great Christmas!

But that's my week! It sounds like your Christmas went super great! I never got around to asking, but what did everyone get?! What was everyone's favorite part? I was sad when I woke up and wasn't able to do what I've done for 18 years! But oh well. Thanks for your email, and your call, and everything! I love you all, and miss you!

Elder Guapo

Sent to satisfy my mom