Week 31

Hey fam-damily!

So this week was legit. It was crazy hard. but cool, all the same. First off, dang I'm jealous! Haha Mt. Graham seems soooooo nice right now!! I feel like I'm gonna be Rae from Star Wars 7 when I get back! ''I didn't know there was so much green in the whole galaxy!'' Haha but oh well, enjoy your time there! It always seems too short. 

This week we hit it way hard again starting from day one! Last Monday we just went hard with all the people contacting everyone and giving everyone a Jesus card haha! But that mentality just continued the entire week! Our focus this week as a companionship was our attitude. We just went to every cita, every day, every whatever with a happy attitude. We figured it was all a choice, and we need a good attitude and to just be happy, especially because we're missionaries and are here to share happiness! But I think it went really well! We had very good results, and a lot of really awesome lessons! We have also been doing a lot more work in the mornings. We don't really have too many people available in the mornings, but that's ok, because we have just been knocking doors. Which sucks, honestly, I don't know how someone can knock doors their entire mission. Really. I hate it. But, sin embargo (nevertheless), it brings some results! We have found several new people, and some success!

Which brings me to the investigators. I just have to tell you about Cristina. We found her while walking one day. Well, actually, we knocked at her house because I got dis-animated and was tired and hungry in the morning, and, well... she sells Ice Cream! Jajaja it's a real good pick-me-up! So we bought some ice cream, and ended up talking to her. She has a son who is a member, and has always wondered what the church is about and everything. All she remembers is that her son's baptism was really 'lindo' (cute), and she loved it! So we made an appointment with her the next day, and began to teach her and everything! And she has accepted everything perfectly!!! It's so amazing! And what's better, she keeps inviting us back the very next day! Like, that ever happens! But her son is also coming to the lessons, the member one, and he is awesome. He loves the church, loved his baptism, and loves us! We click well with him because he's 19 too, and he helps us a ton. He keeps saying if he was allowed, he would baptize himself all over again just to feel that way that he did in his baptism. So then Cristina keeps saying, I want to feel that, I want that! Ah, it's just music to our ears. But anyways, we taught her the Word of Wisdom, which is usually a do or die lesson with the people here, as I imagine it is everywhere. But she had imagined that we don't eat a lot more than we actually do. So that was good. And she accepted it straight up. She told us that she will never drink tea again, which was the only part she had a problem with. We were excited, but we've heard that before by people saying it just to make us feel good when actually they don't mean it. But then we went over to tecito the next day, which is basically their dinner, but not really... it's hard to explain. It's like eating sandwhiches at night. But we went over, and usually you serve it with tea. So her husband sat down, and this was the first time we've met him because he's never there, and he says, "So where's the tea?" And Cristina straight up told him "We no longer drink tea in this household!" I was like, oh shoot! And I looked at him to see how he reacted, but he just looks at us, and says "Oh. ok then." I guess he knows a little about us, because I think he knew a little about the word of wisdom. But it was just cool to see her say that straight up. It honestly made me laugh. I choked on my tecito. But anyway, she has a baptismal date for next Saturday with her other son and her daughter. It's gonna be great!

We also have a lot of new jovencitas (young girls) that we're teaching. They all came to a youth activity we had in the branch, and we went too, because there were investigators there so we had an excuse! ;) But we played volleyball and it was super fun! But the girls we're teaching, I guess, are good friends with some of the members here, which is awesome! Two of the girls, Dafne and Yarlen, are daughters of a less active member who tells us she wants to start coming back to church. All of my baptisms have come from a part-member family, so I'm excited for this one. 

Elder Barney and I had the highest standards in the mission again. We were above the assistants! I'll send a pic. But it just feels good, and I know it's all God. I feel like Elder Barney and I aren't necessarily working to bring about great results, but working to show God that He can trust us to send us good people. All the success we've had I feel is from God simply because we've shown Him we are willing to work hard and be obedient and have a good attitude. Any success comes from Him, because I know I alone can't make any difference here. I alone am nothing. However, God is everything. And if I'm worthy to be His instrument, my mission will be a success, becuase it's not even me who's doing the acting. But I am grateful for the trust He puts in us. That being said... it felt good to see our faces again on the blog! ;) 

But anyways, that's my week. We are going to hit it hard again this week. I love you all, and want you all to know how much the mission is changing me. There isn't a day that goes by that isn't hard, and tiring. But the results outweigh everything, what happens to the people here, but also what happens to me. It's hard, but possible. I am excited for what's in store. 

Les amo a todos,

Elder Schmid