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!