Hola a todos!

  On preparation day last week, we received a text from Carolina saying that her husband, Cesar, had felt a strong desire to read the Book of Mormon and wanted to know if we could come to their house during the week and read with them. I felt impressed that we should go to their house that day even though it was only 4:30 and we still had more time to rest. My companion and I decided that we were not doing anything important and said to Carolina that we would be at their house by 6pm. When we arrived, Cesar explained how he had been praying a lot and felt impressed to read in Moroni. He didn't know why Moroni, and really didn't even know who Moroni was, but he felt a strong impression that he needed to start reading from there, and so that is exactly what we did. We stopped at chapter 6 and we left feeling very good. 

  Friday came and we visited Cesar and Carolina to read from where we had left off. Cesar began talking with us and said that he knew he wanted to be baptized, but it wouldn't be until December because of some doubts that he wanted to resolve. When he said that we were heart broken because we knew that we wouldn't be there to see the baptism of this beautiful family who we knew were prepared. We began to read in Moroni 7, and the spirit that was there was the strongest that I have ever felt during my time in the mission. The doubts that Cesar had were all answered and he began to share with us his testimony and said that he would be baptized that day if he could. My companion and I looked at each other and knew what we needed to say. We told them that we had been praying for them and had felt that they would be prepared to be baptized on the 20th of September. Cesar looked to see what day it would be then looked at us and said, "Yes, I will be baptized on that day." Carolina jumped up out of her seat and ran to gave Cesar a hug and a kiss. Our eyes were filled with tears and our hearts full of joy as we left their house that night, and what a joyful experience it was when Cesar asked the Second Counselor, who has become a great friend, to baptize him. 

    God really does hear and answer our prayers. I know that the Book of Mormon was written for us and that the spirit testifies to us of the truth. I know that through the Book of Mormon we can receive answers to our prayers. 

      On Sunday a member from California was visiting to do a concert with some friends that he has here. He brought one of his friends, who lives in one of the pueblos we visit, and during the last hour his friend played an instrument called "rabél." It looks kinda of like a viola, but with only three strings and you play it like a cello. It is a traditional instrument here and sounds like Celtic music. I loved it so much. I will send you the video of her playing next week. I am going to learn that instrument I have decided. :) 

       Life is good. Love you all!

            

         Hermana Schmidt

¡Buenos Días!
       Well you would think that, after eight months of being on a
mission, putting my name tag on would be a habit. But, there was a day
this week that we had a day full of visits and would not be able to
return to the apartment until 10 at night, and as we were heading to
our first visit we had to go down in an elevator full of people. While
in the elevator I saw the name tag of my companion and reached to see
if I had mine on. My companion saw my face as I realized I had left
the apartment without wearing my name tag and began to laugh. The
whole day I went without it and tried to resist the temptation of
reaching for where my name tag should have been. Our investigators had
a good laugh too.
      My companion was sick this week again, and for three days we
were stuck in piso. As she slept I studied. Everyone here seems to be
talking about the prophesies that are found in Revelation and are
worried about the end of the world. That stuff has never worried me
before. I have always known that if we do our best everyday and repent
of our downfalls that we do not need to worry, but during this time
that my companion was sick I decided to read and study Revelation and
it was really interesting.
   Carolina and Cesar, our investigator family, are doing really well.
We keep having Family Home Evenings with them and the ward members.
Their little girl, Joanet, has started humming the hymns as we sing
and every time after we say a prayer  she always claps. Cesar had a
dream that he was a missionary with us and that we were in Peru
teaching the gospel to his father. They know that this is true and are
doing there best so that they can be baptized within the next month.
  One day we were passing by some less active members with a young
women helping us. As we passed by an apartment building this young
woman said that she had visited a woman there before with the other
sister missionaries before us. We decided that if the less active was
not home we would go pass by this investigator, and that's exactly
what happened. The less active wasn't home and as we were headed
towards the apartment of the investigator we saw a man with a bouquet
of flowers and was bringing them to this woman we were going to visit.
He let us in and we waited until he came back down the elevator from
dropping off the flowers and then went to visit the woman. She was
very kind and said that she still wanted to learn more. That was a
miracle how it all worked out.
    We have had many lessons this week where we felt like we needed to
read the Book of Mormon with our investigators and it has been amazing
to see how our investigators are learning to apply the principles that
they learn into their life. I am also amazed at the spirit that we
have felt as we have read with our friends. I am so grateful that we
have the Book of Mormon in our days. I know that it is true and that
as we read it we can receive answers to our prayers and feel peace in
our lives.
  I hope you all have an amazing week and that you see the blessings
of God in your life. I love you all.
   Hermana Schmidt

  Hello Everybody,

 There are a lot of fun things that happened this week. One day we were going to a ward activity and our investigator family was driving us there is in their car. The husband seemed really happy, and told us that the night before that he had gone into his room by himself to pray to God to know if what we were teaching him was true and if it was the right path for him and his family. He then said,"I received my answer, and I know that it is true." This family has such a great desire, and are going to be baptised within the month. Next year they want to go to the temple and be sealed together for eternity. The husband had to go to work, so he dropped us off and left. After the activity, we decided we wanted to have some churros and hot chocolate because it had been raining and we were cold. So, with the wife, Carolina, we went in the bus to go look for a churro store. The one that we wanted to go to was closed, and we were a little lost getting there. We then ran to a different churro restaurant to get there before that one closed as well. After all the running we weren´t so cold but still wanted to have churros if we had worked so hard to get them. At the restaurant there was some crazy guy and the police were trying to get him out of there. We just wanted churros though, and finally were able to get them with 10 minutes to spare.

   I was going to give a talk in church, and had my talk prepared and everything, but at the last minute the Bishop changed the schedule and I didn´t have to speak. I´m not going to lie, I was a bit relieved. I had been studying prayer, and that has actually helped a lot in the lessons that we have had this week, so I am grateful that I had studied it even though I didn´t get to share it with the ward. At church we had our three investigators with a baptismal date come. In the gospel principles class we talked about repentance and Carolina participated and really applied the lesson into her life. She has a little girl that has a lot of character and like a normal child, she doesn´t listen. One time the little girl burnt herself on the stove and afterwards ran to her mom more humble and her mom helped her to heal her burnt hand. Carolina applied this to repentance. Sometimes we as children of our Heavenly Father don´t listen to the commandments that God has given us and get burnt, but as we humbly come before our Heavenly Father in prayer and ask for forgiveness He is there to help us heal.

    Today we are going to hang out with our investigators. It´s the birthday of Orlando and so we will be going to eat with him and the missionaries. Carolina and Cesar want us to come over and have brownies and icecream with the Elders as well. The amazing thing is how untied we have become as a ward and as missionaries of this ward. We are all friends here to support one another and help them to come unto Christ. 

    I hope you all have a great week and remember those of your friends who have partaken of the fruit of the Gospel, but right now have fallen away. Please help them to feel of that joy that they have once felt. I love you all.

Hermana Schmidt