Hola!

  Well I nearly died this week, but that's okay. I'm alive still and keeping myself busy with all of the visits we have had. On Tuesday we had interviews with our mission president in Bilbao, and of course that day the bus decided to stop at every pueblo making us 40 minutes behind schedule, but the scenery was beautiful. We arrived in Bilbao at 2:30 and my appointment was at 2:40. It takes about a half hour walking to the church so we started speed walking/running to try and make it in time. I was a little ahead of my companion, but received a distinct prompting that I should slow down. Just as I did so, a very large stone fell from a 9 story building, where they were doing construction, right in front of my face. Glad I was not under that rock. So advice for all: follow the spirit. It saves lives. 

   Last week while coming back from Bilbao I lost my last chappa (name tag) because my last companion wanted my other one and I only had one left. I am now stuck wearing Hermana Jorgensen's chappa until I receive more. We get a lot of confused faces sometimes when people read our chappas and see the last names are the same. We just say that we are cousins to joke around. The members find it funny. I am now called "the false Hermana Jorgensen." 

     We visited a lot of the members this week so that my companion can get to know them. I absolutely loved it. People are really missing out whenever they don't do their visiting/home teaching. I found that all of the members that I have visited have really amazing/funny stories to share about their life. I love making the widows 

In our ward smile by passing by for a short while and leaving some chocolate with a note on their table before we leave. We always shared a spiritual message at the end, and it was neat to see how grateful some of the members were for the message we had shared because it was exactly what they had needed. The members also like to feed us LOTS of food. We are trying to still show them that we are not like the elders, but that we are normal girls. The food is very good though.

     One day while talking with a person in the street we got a thumbs up from two other people walking by. We finished talking with the person we were with already haven shared a short message about the Book of Mormon and getting his information to meet with him again. We noticed that the other two people that had walked by were walking slowly, so we went and spoke with them. The seemed very interested in what we had to say and we were able to teach them a little right there. I'm glad that my companion is observant and saw that thumbs up. 

     Alba, our amazing Cantabrian investigator, said that she has a cello that she doesn't ever use. Whenever I found that out I was shocked and she laughed at my expression. She will be bringing it on Thursday and said I can borrow it until I leave here. She is the best! 

     The mission is so much fun. I don't think that I have ever been so exhausted in my life, and I sometimes I don't know where I get the energy to keep going, but the people here are amazing and there is always someone who needs help. In John 21:15-17 it says-

15 ¶So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

  We are all disciples of Christ trying to follow his example. He is the great shepherd. We have the opportunity to be shepherds and lift those around us. I love the example of our Prophet Thomas S. Moms on who goes "to the rescue" to find those lost sheep. They may be our neighbors or may even be family members. I know that as we serve and lift others we will also feel lifted.

Love you all!

Hermana Schmidt

P.S.- cow tippin does not only happen in the states!

Hola todos!
     Another week has gone by with fun adventures and learning
experiences. This week, while visiting different pueblos in our area
to try and find people there to teach, we found a yellow sidewalk
reminding us of the yellow brick road, and I thought that it would be
very fitting for the topic of this week. 😃 As we are obedient and
stay on path that the Lord has shown us, we will be able to overcome
any obstacle that may be our way and receive the blessings that the
God has prepared for us.
     On Monday my companion and I arrived a little early to a visit
with our recent convert, and were surprised to see that the mom of the
husband was at the house. She was a bit upset that her son had been
baptized and become Mormon. But, after talking with her, we were able
to help her see how this decision had blessed her son. Then the niece
came, and our recent converts being smart, invited them both to pray
with us before they needed to leave. The niece talked with us a little
and we were able to get her information and set up an appointment.
Taking the opportunity that was presented us was a blessing.
         We received another reference from a member, and yesterday we
were able to visit them with the member to accompany us. They were an
elderly couple that had been married for over 50 years and their
friend. The elderly couple was so sweet and kind, and the friend was
very opinionated and liked to interrupt a lot. We explained very
simply the plan of salvation, but that was a struggle with the friend
interrupting every five seconds, but it's all good. The elderly couple
loved it and want us to visit again, and I hope that the next time we
will be able to actually talk with them...
        I was reading in Matthew 14 this week and was reminded about
the importance of partaking of the sacrament and where our thoughts
are focused as we do so:

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith
to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be
sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death:
tarry ye here, and watch.

35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed
that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take
away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou
wilt.

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter,
Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly
is ready, but the flesh is weak.

     Sacrament meeting is only an hour and the actual sacrament part
is only 15 minutes, but so often I remember falling asleep and not
enjoying the blessings that can come as we remember what our savior
has done for us and starting the week off spiritually refreshed and
ready to do better. I think it was President David O. McKay who said
that he had never been to a boring sacrament meeting. We have so much
we can learn as we are spiritually prepared each week when we come to
church. I love sacrament meeting.

 Well I hope this week you all have fun and have many wonderful
experiences sharing the gospel with your friends.

Hermana Schmidt

Hola everyone!
     What an amazing weekend it has been! Full of inspirational talks
given by men called of God to lead and guide us. I loved what I
learned and the answers I was able to receive as I listened to the
promptings of he spirit. The week leading up to conference was not too
crazy.
   I picked up my companion on Tuesday night and we did not get back
to Santander until Wednesday night. With all of he traveling and
climate change, my companion became sick and with president's guidance
we were told to stay in our apartment... This seems to happen to my
companions. Maybe God wants me to learn something from this. It seems
that almost every companion I have gets sick. Staying in the apartment
is not very fu, but Joseph B. Worthlin said, "come what may and love
it." So I took advantage of the time I had and studied as well as
getting to know my new companion.
    I was nervous to be the senior companion for the first time, but I
was blessed in every moment that I acted with faith. When we were able
to get out of our apartment and go to a visit we had, I was amazed at
how much I had learned and that, through following the spirits, we
could discern our investigators needs.
      I loved the challenges that Devin G. Durrant gave. The scripture
that I chose to "ponderize" this week is in 3 Nephi 5:13 "13 Behold, I
am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of
him to declare his word among his people, that they might have
everlasting life." I know that as disciples of Christ we can have many
challenges in our life, but it is those challenges that help us to
become better children of God who help bring others unto Christ so
that they might have everlasting life.
   I hope we all ponder what we have learned this weekend from our
prophet and other church leaders. I know that what they taught us is
true and that as we apply their teachings into our lives we will find
greater happiness in his life and in the life to come.

   I love you all,
Hermana Schmidt

¡Hola a todos!

     Another week has already past? The time just keeps flying by. We had transfer calls on Saturday this week and... I'm staying in Santander and will have my first American companion, Hermana Jorgensen. We came into the mission field together, but about three months into he mission she was sent home for medical reasons. Santander will be her first area back here in Spain. President called me to let me know that I would have to help her get back into the routine of things, but I'm not too worried about her. From what I remember, she is very sweet and loves the work. I'm sure that I will learn a lot.  

      We had exchanges again with the sister training leader. My companion went to Bilbao and I stayed here in Santander with Hermana Randall, who is actually younger than me on the mission. It dawned on me that I have always been with a companion that has more time than me on the mission, so being with Hermana Randall was a change. It was fun to work with an American that knew less Spanish than me. We had a day full of lessons and a lot of success.

       On Friday the Elders had a baptism, and we had found it strange that they hadn't asked us to do anything because normally us missionaries always participate in the program. So, we sat down and were talking with the members a little, and then the elders came up to us and said, "hey you are going to be speaking while the people are changing clothes." What! Well, I guess we should have been prepared for that. Really quick, we came up with something to talk about, and it turned out okay. Lesson learned: when the time to act comes, the time to prepare has passed.

          Afterwards, we went to the house of a member who invited us over for a midday snack. He is not a very talkative man, but since he lives alone we brought another girl with us. The man told us that he liked flowers and when we arrived at his house we could see that he wasn't lying. There were fake fake flowers in the corners, on the tables, in the kitchen... I don't think I've ever seen a house with so many flowers. It was a bit much, but we sat down and he began to bring out the food. He kept bringing out more food, but after the first little bit we couldn't eat anymore. My companion stuffed some chocolates in her purse for later. I'm going to miss that girl. We were always laughing about the little strange things that happened everyday.

             For the farewell of my companion, our recent converts, Carolina and Cesar, had a little get together with some of the members. As my companion and I walked into their house we were surprised to see a table full of all things minion. Minion cupcakes, minion cake, and minion cookies! My companion is obsessed with minions. They also made an album for her and gave her a book. We related experiences that we had had together, and our hearts were full of gratitude for having had the opportunity to help Carolina and Cesar come unto Christ. I'm so glad that I have a little more time with them. 

              As I was studying this morning, I learned a lot about the principle of obedience: in D&C 130:20-21 it says, 

"20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated--

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

I know that all commandments are given to us to bless us, and that God knows the end from the beginning and if we put our trust in him and truly love him, keeping the commandments will not just be something that we should do but it will be something that we want to do. As we live faithfully, we can have the assurance that when we meet our Father in Heaven he will say to us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant...enter...into the joy of thy Lord." -Matt. 25:21

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Schmidt