Hi everyone!

   Everything is going very well here in Santander. We are doing all that we can to help others come unto Christ and have fun as we do so. We have set baptismal dates for our investigators and have many other investigators who are so prepared but don't feel so right now. We know that as we give our all and as we are obedient that God is helping us all along the way.

 To make things fun this week, with Carolina and Cesar, we started
our fast after we had a flan eating contest. Basically the flan comes
in little pudding cups and keeps its form when you pour it out. Each
of us, on the count of three and without using our hands, had to eat
the flan in one slurp if possible. César and my companion were able to
do it, but me and Carolina had difficulties. Carolina lost and had to
walk around the house acting like a turkey.

    This week my testimony has been strengthened on the power of pure testimonies. Carolina and Cesar wanted to drive us to an appointment that we had in a little town about 20 minutes away. We asked if they would also like to help us with our visit, and they accepted the invitation. As we were in the visit, we explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Carolina and César bore powerful testimonies of it to our investigator. It helped our other investigator to see two people, who are still not members, to share such strong testimonies of the gospel and how it has blessed their lives and their desire to be baptized and make covenants with God.  What a miracle to have all these people in our life! César and Carolina will be baptized on the 20th of this month. What a wonderful day it will be!

     I went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leader, Sister Een, this week and learned a lot on about how I can become a more devoted missionary and be an instrument in the Lord's hands. We also had fun. Our apartment building has a door next to the elevator that leads to the basement, but there is not light so it just looks like a spooky dark whole leading to nowhere. Sister Een wanted so badly to go down, and if you know me you know that I do not do well with spooky things and scare myself. Well, she wanted to go so badly that I sad okay, but followed behind her. We used the light from our iPad, but couldn't see much. I had the desire to run back up the stairs, but knew I shouldn't leave my companion. It turned out that the cleaning supplies were what were stored down below. Nothing scary! 

      We also had a zone conference this week and I loved what I learned.  We were taught about the importance of prayer. If we really think about it, how amazing is it that we have the opportunity everyday to talk with the God and yet sometimes we repeat prayers or we hurry through a prayer because we are in a rush. I loved the testimonies that wee shared and I have put in to practice in my life to really talk with our Heavenly Father knowing that he is really there listening. I know that Heavenly Father knows us personally and he wants to hear from us and to help us. I have felt closer to God as I have prayed with real intent and used the Atonement in my life to do better each day.

       We had 5 investigators come to church. One of them was César. It was his first time being able to come and it was such a happy day for us. César fasted with us so that his boss's heart would be softened and he would let César have Sunday's off so that he could come to church every week. I know that God hears and answers our prayers and sees our efforts, and know that all things are possible with faith in Christ.

       In Mormon chapter 9 it says:

19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
       

         I hope that you are all able to see the tender mercies and miracles in your everyday lives. Love you all!

Hermana Schmidt