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

¡hola everyone!
   This week we saw a lot of success. We found investigators that are
so prepared to receive the gospel, and a lot of our knew investigators
are actually references from the members or references from people we
talk to on the street.
   One these references was golden. We were at church on Sunday,
talking with the members after sacrament meeting, and one member came
up to us and asked if he could talk to my companion and I for a
second. He is a normal faithful member who does his home teaching and
saw the needs of the people he was teaching and asked for our help. He
is home teaching  a lady who was less active for a while, but has been
coming to church for the past six months with her 14 year-old daughter
who isn't a member. He told us that the daughter wants to get
baptized, but just needs to have the lessons. We set up a visit for
the next day, and the home teacher was able to come as well. The
lesson went perfectly and the girl is planning on being baptized on
the 3rd of July.
   I played my cello again with all of the primary children for
sacrament meeting. We had some little children playing their violins
and flute as well. Next Sunday I get to play again! We usually have a
meeting after church and then we go home, but this week we were
invited to a members house for lunch, so I carried the cello all the
way to the members house. As we were walking home, my companion looked
to the side of the road and saw a dead rat. She screamed, jumped, and
clung onto my arm so tight. I wanted to die laughing because of he
face that she made.
    We get to go to English classes now because we have three
investigators who go. One of our investigator speaks perfect English
almost and he has only been learning it for three months. He said he
can teach us the language of the Incas, but when he said that there
were three different dialects and I couldn't tell the difference
between the three I decided that I shouldn't even try.
   I was reading in Alma chapter 50 today and I remembered an object
lesson that my dad gave for a family home evening whenever I was about
14. It's talking about Moroni and how he fortifies the cities so that
Lamanites cannot overcome them. My dad related this to how we can
fortify our homes so that the temptations of the world cannot overcome
our families. I think it's amazing that I can still remember that
family home evening from so long ago. I'm so grateful for parents who
taught me the gospel and made our home a Christ centered home, a place
of refuge from the world.
     This area is growing so much! I'm so grateful to be here in
Barcelona and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone. I would
invite you all to Invite your friends to hear this message. I know
it's true and that Heavenly Father will bless us in our efforts.
  Love you!
Hermana Schmidt

Hola everyone!
    Sorry for not writing the week before! But, this week so many
things happened!!! Our Korean investigator, Shim, was baptized! We had
to go to the church early and start filling up the font at the church,
and while we were waiting we ate bread and chocolate and did the
programs for the baptism. Then, Shim ended up coming to the church an
hour and a half early because he got confused on the time. A ton of
members showed up to the baptism and everything went perfectly. When
Shim was being baptized he sat so low down in the water that he pretty
much dunked himself, and we only waited about three minutes for him to
change clothes. Everyone was super surprised by how fast he was about
everything. That's Shim though.
   I had the opportunity to play cello at the baptism, and of course I
made a face when I messed up a part, but I learned from that
experience and didn't make a face on Sunday when I had to play in
sacrament meeting. I loved it on Sunday, though, because whenever I
was practicing with the relief society president before the meeting
started, all of the primary kids came up to the stage to watch me
play.The primary kids are my favorite! Now that I have the cello the
members are always having me play. My companion now has the music for
"somewhere over the rainbow" to play on her ukulele, and we are going
to be having a Karaoke night at the church and singing that.
   We had a family home evening with some less active members and the
son was playing a song that I recognized and so I just started singing
right along with it. I'm without shame here haha. The mission is
definitely helping me to become less quiet.
   After church, on Sunday, we went to Shim's house to eat paella. It
was paella from Catalunya and had tons for seafood. I've never eaten
shrimp where I had to peel off the shell. That was interesting, and
then when I did get the shell off I noticed that there was some brown
pebbles on the shrimp. I made the mistake of asking what those pebbles
were. I ate it anyways, and kept a cool face about it.
   We are receiving a ton of references from the members now. I'm not
sure what my companion and I did, but the members are always wanting
us to visit their friends and have family home evenings with them and
their friends. I think that ever since our perspective changed about
the way to do missionary work changed, the ward members have changed
as well. As soon as we gave more attention to helping the members feel
the importance of missionary work in their life, they have been more
willing to help and share the gospel with their friends. I love how we
are seeing the members working right alongside the missionaries.
    I was studying this morning in the Book of Mormon and Liahona and
came across a phrase that I liked in a talk given by Linda K. Burton.
It is a proverb that says "Thee lift me and I´ll lift thee, and we´ll
ascend together." I know that as we lift each other up and encourage
each other and our friends to stay on the path that leads to eternal
life, we will all be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father
and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Isn´t that what we all want? That´s
what I want. I know that it is possible as we keep the commandments of
God and fill our lives in the service of others. I know that as we are
serving others we are serving our God.
   Love you all!
Hermana Schmidt

Hey everyone!
  This week was really great! A member in the ward is letting me
borrow her cello and I get to play next Sunday during sacrament
meeting! I actually am playing with the primary as well and with the
missionaries as we do a special musical number. It will be so great to
play again.
   We had transfers on Tuesday last week, and my companion and I were
made companions with the new sister missionaries for one night. As we
brought the girls to the apartment we smelt something really bad and
realized at the bottom of the stairs was dog poop. That was a great
way to introduce the girls to Barcelona.
   Our Korean investigator had to move apartment buildings and we were
scared he was moving into the Elder´s area, but luckily he stayed in
our area. There was no elevator in his new apartment building, so we
had to carry everything up the stairs. It wasn´t too many things, and
Shim, our investigator, got us breakfast afterwards and told us that
he would get baptised on the 13th of June. We are going to eat lunch
with him and the family that helped him move. I told him I could make
cinnamon rolls, and he told me he wanted a tray for himself. I love
seeing how the members are helping us with our investigators.
    We had a dinner appointment with some member, but had no idea
where their house was. When we exited the metro we were saved by
meeting up with some other members. The wife took us to our dinner
appointment. We were so greatful that Heavenly Father placed them in
our path. It was pretty late by the time we got to our dinner
appointment and I don´t think that I have eaten so much food in so
little time. There were other members at this house who were watching
the soccer game, and so it was just my companion and I eating at the
table with a member. That was weird, but we laughed pretty hard about
it later.
    We have received Ipads in the mission. It´s pretty cool, but I
just think it´s funny that I´m one of the most technologically
challenged people and yet here I am using an Ipad. It will be cool to
see the work hasten as we use this technology.
   Lots of things are happening here in Barcelona! Thanks for your
prayers and support. I love you all!
   Hermana Schmidt