Week 88

Hey mom! 

I'm sure Ashlyn is traumatized, but the story kind of made me laugh a bit! I love how she couldn't go through it solo, and so she took Sister Cordova along for the ride! JA! (BTDubbs, did you know it's pronounced CorDOva here, and not COrdova? Had to beat that one into my muscle memory). And dang, I can't believe you're going to be spending this holiday in such an awesome place! Needless to say, I'm very jealous. Take tons of pictures! And yes mom, two more transfers and I'm out of here! You don't have to pay any more! I have forgotten how much money I made for my mission... but I really am grateful for your help in that. It was well worth the money, let me tell you! 

Things here in good ol Vallenar are going as usual. Mílan was baptized this past friday! WOOT! It was an excellent service, very small and familiar, and the spirit was felt. His mom came along and his grandma, who is also a member but doesn't come because she can't walk. So it was fantastic to see her there. The mom's boyfriend was going to come, or at least, he was here, but he kind of disappeared. Don't really know why. But then Sunday comes along, and Mílan doesn't answer his phone in the morning. My comp said ''Have faith, he'll be here.'' But... faith requires actions. I dragged my comp out as soon as the meeting started and went on over to Mílans house, and knocked until he came out in his PJs. ''What day is it?'' He asks us. ''Compadre, it's Sunday!'' Haha we woke him up!! Man, this kid. But he was confirmed all right. We got there in time for that. He had forgotten the day because the kids here are now in their winter vacation! And his mom was working, so she couldn't wake him up. I would complain about irresponsibility, but... haha he's only 11! I certainly was not responsible at that age. Nor for years to come. But don't worry, mom, that's something that I've learned here! ;) I'm not sure about Maritza. She listens, I think, as an obligation because we are teaching her son. But I'm trying to help her realize how the message applies to her personally. But, as we know, those with a worldy life tend to enjoy it some. SO it's difficult, but we won't give up. We just baptized her son! I need to help my convert the best I can, and the best way is helping his mom.

The rest of the week was pretty quiet, pretty good. The converts are all doing well. We are running out of progressing investigators. Hopefully our finding efforts will come out, but honestly, I'm not too focused on that. I want to strengthen this ward through the families that are here, and those who have fallen away. I feel like we are doing ok with that, but we could do better. It's honestly a field of the work I am not familiar at all with, because my mission doesn't teach it. So I feel really alone... its hard. It's difficult trying to feel the support of my leaders with this, but I had an interview with President Ferreira that helped. Oh, speaking of, I had an interview with the pres this past week! Haha, yesterday, actually! He is here in Vallenar. It was a good interview, and he has gotten used to the way I think and my vision for my mission. I told him how I am working, and how in the leadership conference I was not in agreement with anything said (I'll get to that.). But he knows. He told me exactly what is always going through my mind. Every missionary is different. Every missionary has strengths and weaknesses. Not every missionary will have the same strength, nor the same weakness. Not every missionary will be motivated by the same thing. Not every missionary will have the same focus or vision on his mission. He doesn't expect that. What he expects is hard work and diligence, and it made me feal infinitely better, because I know I am giving that. 

We had two conferences this week. The first was a leadership conference in Antofagasta. I had to spend my Monday night in the bus with Elder Muñoz, from Bolivia. It was... fun. -_- The conference itself was focused on the spirit of urgency. We talked about chapter 12 of PMG, which is How to help Investigators to be Baptized. You can tell how much I loved it haha -_-. We spent a large amount of time focusing on the interviews, and whatnot. It is now a key indicator for us, Pres wants us to have a baptismal interview weekly. So majority of the conference set me off, it went against basically everything I want in my mission, so I was having difficulty swallowing it. Actually, I still am having difficulty swallowing it. Oh well. We'll see what happens. I'm as far away from anyone as possible, the most southern place in the mission, so I feel like I'll just be forgotten about haha so I'll be fine. The other conference was closer, in Copiapó. We spoke about how to use the agenda better, but the main focus was Real Intent. Sister and President Ferreira talked about how God works with us if we have real intent. I did enjoy the conference, but it's getting harder and harder to remember them. I've had so many... I got to see my old comp, Elder Carrasco. And my older comp, Elder Bravo. They're doing alright. But it was a fun trip. I played If You Could Hie to Kolob, the rendition from Marshall McDonald. I played all the possibilites for Elder Flores and a member, and they both said that would be best, so I played it... again. Remember, it's the same song I played in the CCM. It went really well. There was a draft in the chapel, and it blowed away all my music while I was playing, but I had it memorized, so I just went on. It was well.

But there's not too much more to say. We played fútbol with President and Hermana Ferreira and their daughter today! I don't know if I said this before, but they have a daughter. I met her when I got to the mission, right before she left on her mission to Brazil. Well, she's back! Haha dang, that makes me pretty old, I guess! (In mission terms). Afterward, we had an asado with everyone. It was fantastic. And oh, I got your package!!! Thank you so much! I loved reading everyones letters!!! I love you all so much! And I will definitely love the spicy salsa, just as much as my Mexican comp will. After all, we haven't had real mexican food in a while. Even if it's just a salsa, it will be fantastic. But anyways, I hope you all have a fantastic rest of your week!

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid

I completely forgot! I have another story. So, last Monday, my hair was... kinda long. I could take the front part and bring it down past my mouth haha! And I was on my way to a conference or council with all the leaders in the mission, and with President Ferreira. But when I combed it, it didn't look nearly as long! So I thought I'd just bring my gel and comb my hair back! It was an excellent plan. It failed completely. I got there, went and tried to comb it, but it was not working. It wouldn't stay, and I freaked out. I walk out, and there's a sister there, Sister Evans. She says, ''Wow, your hair is kinda long...'' So i said I know!!! You wanna help? We went to the mission office, and found a nice big pair of scissors. She then proceeded to cut my hair as she saw fit! Haha it was a disaster! Basically, all the front was cut short, and middle was still ridiculously long, and the back was almost bald. And that's how I stayed through the conference and pictures. But I got back and had a barber woman cut it. She looks at it, looks at me and asks ''Qué hiciste, tonto?!'' Jaja she basically matched it all... AKA, she shaved me almost bald.