Hola everyone!
   This week we did a lot of traveling to different meetings and
lessons. As I travelled to Bilbao, I saw a lot of beautiful country
side and old Spanish houses with red roofs. The flowers here are
amazing with their vibrant coloring and the way they hang over the old
Spanish walls. I'm so lucky to be here.
  We went to "La Magdalena" last week for preparation day and saw sea
lions, penguins and other other animals as well as the castle of
Magdalena. We went with some youth from our ward and played capture
the flag and other games with them. The youth here love to spend time
with the missionaries, and since their are only four missionaries in
Santander we spend most of our preparation days going to the fun sites
that the members know about and can take us there. I love our small
ward and the members here.
    We had our Mini MTC last night and talked about sharing the gospel
with our friends. To finish, we had a little testimony meeting and I
started. I remember how nervous I used to be to share my testimony in
front of an audience, but, as I saw the nervous faces of the youth, I
thought to myself that sharing my testimony is really not that hard to
do. It's what I know to be true. We share our testimonies everyday as
missionaries and by doing so I have felt my testimony grow. All of the
youth shared their testimonies even though they were nervous, and the
testimonies that they have are powerful.
   On Fridays we have a Family Home Evening with the ward where we
read from the Book of Mormon and have a game and refreshments. This
past Friday was the first time that it was going to be outside at the
park. My companion and I were going with our investigator, Carolina,
in the bus and it started to rain. We were almost to the park when the
Elders told us that we would be having the activity in the church. So
we got off at the next bus stop to change buses and go back to the
church. We were there for about 30 minutes before the bus finally
came. Our investigator has a little girl that is almost 2 and she did
not like the long wait. We finally got o. The bus, but it took us all
around Santander for about another 50 minutes. We weren't able to go
to the activity in the end, and we were all exhausted, including the
little girl who had finally fallen asleep in here stroller. We went
and got hot chocolate instead. It turned out really good though
because our investigator asked us some really good questions and we
talked a lot about families and because the power of God has been
restored we can be with our families for eternity. When she came to
church on Sunday we had more lessons about the families and she
participated and after church we invited her to be baptized. She wants
to be with her family for eternity. She and her husband are absolutely
amazing.
   There are many miracles happening everyday here. I hope that you
all are seeing the blessings in your life. Love you all.

Hermana Schmidt

Hola everyone!
   This week was full of miracles I don't even know where to start. We
have three baptisms coming up this next month. My companion and I have
decided that we need to do something about all the weight we have
gained on the mission, we had people come to church, I went on
exchanges in Bilbloa, and I met some people from Scotland.
   My companion and I had a visit with one of our investigators, but
as we rung her doorbell she answered through he intercom and said that
she couldn't meet with us. That was a bummer, but we had a plan B, and
started walking towards the apartment of another building. On our way
we talked with people on the sidewalk, but they didn't want to listen.
My companion and I both saw a man walking down the sidewalk in our
direction. We both felt prompted to stop and talk to him. As we got to
know him we found out that he believed in God and before he used to go
to church, but then work got in the way. Now he doesn't have to work
on the weekends and wants to start going to church again. He started
to ask about what we believe and asked if in the church we baptized.
We pretty much explained the restoration, the plan of salvation, and
the gospel of Jesus Christ as we talked to him, and I felt like I
should ask him to be baptized. My companion felt it as well because
she looked over at me and said "baptism." So I asked him to be
baptized on the 8 of August. He accepted and this past Sunday he came
to church. He loved it. The members love him and have already invited
him to activities.
    Our other investigator that has a baptismal date is the cousin of
a girl who was just baptized on Saturday. She is a lot more receptive
to the gospel and her dad is a lot more accepting of his daughter's
choice to learn about the gospel and get baptized. She is also helping
us to lose weight. Every morning we go running together around 6am. We
are also going to spend time with her and her cousin today and go to a
little town called Magdalena.
    On Thursday nights we have English classes and so my companion and
I went early to prepare the class. While we were there an elderly
couple knocked on the door. My companion opened the door and the lady
asked if she spoke English. Turns out that he was from Scotland and
she was from England. They have been living in the south of Spain for
8 years but don't speak much Spanish. They are members and love to see
missionaries whenever they travel. They were praying that they would
get to see some missionaries while they were here, and lucky for me I
got to meet them. I loved that I got to meet someone from Scotland. He
even said the Scottish phrase that my dad would always say. We laughed
and had a good time, and when they came to church on Sunday I got to
help them understand what was going on.
    Hope you all have had a fantastic week. I hope that you are all
finding ways to share your testimonies with others. I was reading a
conference talk by our Prophet. He quoted the Apostle Peter who said,
"Be ready to give an answer to every man that a asketh you a reason of
the hope that is in you." You are an example to everyone and others
can see the light that is within you. Don't be afraid to share it with
others. :)

Hermana Schmidt

Hey everyone!
    My first week in Santander has been absolutely amazing. I hope
that I stay here for I long time. Our ward members love the
missionaries and help us feel right at home, a new church is being
built, we are finding many people to teach, and the weather is
perfect. This area has so much potential and hope that I can be an
instrument in the hands on God to help in this great work.
   Our ward has a mini MTC every Sunday. Yesterday all of the youth
came and we had an object lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Afterwards we separated into companionships and the youth had to teach
us. I was put with two young 13 year old girls and it was so cute to
see them trying to teach the lesson. It's cool to see them learning
how to teach and realizing that we may know the gospel, but we
understand it better as we share it.
   We had lunch with some members and the wife told me that I looked
like Jennifer Lawrence. I am now known as Hermana Katniss. During the
object lesson in the Mini MTC I was the Holy Ghost because I am the
whitest person here. I think it is hilarious how white I am so I laugh
right along with them. We get along really well.
   We have fantastic investigators. One of the investigators of the
elders is being baptized next week and she introduced her cousin to
us. We are now teaching her cousin and are hoping that she will have
that same desire to be baptized. We also have found many more people
to teach and have our schedules filled with appointments.
   My companion is like a little mom. She is always cooking things for
the members and teaching me her recipes. She teaches me words in the
accent of where she lives now in the south of Spain. She laughs every
time I use that accent to talk.
   I was reading a talk given by Thomas S. Monson entitled ' Finding
Joy in the Journey.' He says,"Let us relish life as we live it, find
joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One
day each of us will run out of tomorrows"
   I'm grateful for a Prophet who leads and guides us today. I know
that Thomas S. Monson has been called of God. I know that he receives
revelation to guide us so that we may be able to overcome the evils of
the world and enjoy our wonderful journey of mortality.
  I hope all is well and that you are doing all you can to strengthen
your testimonies. I love you all. :)Hermana Schmidt

7/6/2015
Hey Everyone!

  I have been transfered San Ander! It´s so beautiful here and I´m the 5th sister missionary that has been here. The ward loves the sisters. My companion is Hermana Rica from Argentina. She is so funny and the two of us already get along as if we had known each other forever. 

   Our new Mission President and his wife arrived last week. When we had a conference to introduce them, they sand us a song that they had made up themselves. They are amazing and they already know all of our names. I should get better about that haha. I can sometimes barely remember my companions name. I love my companions though. =)

    I went on exchanges with a different Sister Missionary and as we got on the bus to go to our area, the bus decided it was hungery and ate the Sister´s ticket. I coulnd´t help but laugh. We ended up having to walk everywhere else that day until we could go to the metro station and get her a new metro ticket. 

   We had one baptism this week of our investigator, Maria, who is the daughter of a member that is becoming active in the church again. When Maria shared her testimony she was so happy and her testimony was so strong. I was amazed. I´m so glad that I got to be there for her baptism.      There was also a baptism of a man from the other ward that I got to teach twice because I was on exchanges. He was so prepared and was baptised on the 4th. In his testimony he talked about the three angels that taught him the gospel and I was one of them. I wasn´t expecting that, but I was glad I got to help him learn the gospel.

   We had a Kareoke activity on the 4th as well. All of the American missionaries sang the United States National Anthem. =) I also sang with my companion in front of the crowd. That was embarrassing! I never thought that I would do that in my life. Our Bolivian investigator sang as well and all of the members loved him. They are now inviting them over to have a family home evening in their home. 

    I love that I had the opportunity to serve in Barcelona. I remember that whenever I first got there, there were almost no one that we were teaching, and by the time I left we were seeing so much success. 

   I hope that you are all having a fun summer and that you all find an opportunity to serve and share the gospel with your friends. I know that God loves all of his children and that this gospel can bless each and everyone of our lives and the lives of our friends. 

  Love you all!

Hermana Schmidt

6/29/2015

Hola a todos!

  The baptism that we had set for the 3rd of July was changed to the 5th of July. Maria, the 14 year-old girl getting baptised, is progressing so well. Since her mom is a member that is becoming active in the church again, her home teacher comes with us to all of the visits. All of the youth are so excited for to be baptised and are planning on singing a song for her baptism. 

   While I was on exchanges this week my companion and I had no visits that day so we were going to pass by some investigators and contact people in the street. We have one friend that works at the Churro stand. I´ve known this guy eversince I got here to Barcelona. He has read the Book of Mormon twice, but says he hasn´t received his answer yet. We try to help him. He did me free churros with chocolate so that made the long day of contacting people in the street a very good day. 

   Our recent convert, Shim from Korea, invited us out to eat and even brought his friend with him. He started to talk about church with his friend and his experience in learning the gospel. That was cool to see him sharing the gospel with his friends.

  After our lunch with Shim and his friend, we went to pass by a reference we received from a member. This lady knew that we were coming and brought her other catholic friends. That was a strange experience because they all tried to convert my companion and I to be catholic. We listened kindly, but shared with them what we know to be true. They didn´t know what to say to us after we bore our testimonies. We invited them to church and then left with a smile. 

  While I was in church this sunday I was sitting next to one of our investigators, Franklin, and my companion was sitting next to another one of our investigators. We had a goal to give Franklin a baptismal date and we only had time to give him a baptismal date during the sacrament meeting. So as the first speaker started talking, I leaned over and asked Franklin if he had been reading the book of mormon. He replied that he had been really busy and hadn´t found time. I told him that we wanted to help receive his answer that this church was true by giving him a goal. I showed him the baptismal calender that I had filled out and asked him to be baptised on the 25th of July. He would have to read the Book of Mormon and pray each day and come to church in order to receive his answer, and promised him that he would receive his answer if he did those three things. He accepted the  date to be baptised and we are seeing him on friday to teach him.

    I was reading a conference talk by Thomas S. Monson called "Looking Back and Moving Forward" from April 2008. He says "In the private sanctuary of one´s own conscience lies that spirit, that determination to cast off the old person and to measure up to the stature of true potential." As I´ve studied in the bible and Book of Mormon about the way we can become like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ I have found that the best way is through service. As we read in the bible that if we lose ourselves in the service of our God and fellow men, we will find ourseves. And we will be able to rise to our full potential. 

  I love you all!

Hermana Schmidt