Hello Family,
I got to Spokane on Tuesday and we were stuck at the stake center for almost 4 hours because it was not safe to drive in the wind. The wind here was like hurricane winds. Let me tell you skirts and hurricane winds don't go well together. There was a lot of walking where I was having my legs together to hold my skirt down. Unfortunately, it didn't always work.
SO this week, Washington was under a State of Emergency. So that was fun! My apartment was out of power for 2 1/2 days and we were instructed by President Dymock that we (the whole Spokane area) were to move in with members that have power. So we were calling around and we called the Relief Society President and asked if she knew a family that we could stay with and she said that we could come to her house and that we were an answer to her prayer. She told us that she was praying to know who she could invite to stay at her house until they receive power back and then we called! God answers prayers. So we stayed with them for 2 days and it was a blast! Their four little kids are adorable and their oldest, Kylene loves Sister Griffith and I. She is the little girl between Sister Griffith and I in the picture that Sister McCune sent to you. Their little boy, Andon, who is 4 loves me. He kept following me around and he kept telling me jokes that didn't make sense. I only laughed because he laughed and his laugh is contagious.
I love being in a family ward but it is a hard transition from a singles branch especially when that is all I know. I feel like a new missionary again. But oh well, the Lord knows that I need to be here right now at this time with Sister Griffith. Do you have any tips for me to adjust to a family ward? It is hard to teach a family with little kids and to stay on topic and to stay focused and to keep them entertained. I am just lost. (We apparently live in the ghetto and it is kind of dangerous I hear.) So this will be interesting.
My new companion is awesome. She is still learning like me. She is a hyper redhead. Sometimes I can't keep up with her. We are similar and then we are different. We get along so that is all that matters.We are almost the exact person but then we are also complete polar opposites. She is the youngest of 10 kids and she is from Salem, Oregon. Her family died of laughter when she read her call because it is sooo close to home.
On Sunday I went on the U.S. Air Force Base and it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I thought it was awesome. It is like its own world. No one would have to leave the base if they didn't want to. Before I could go in, they had to do a background check on me and they looked at me like I was a criminal. It was pretty intense but it was out of this world at the same time. I love the base. I love military people, so I am excited to be here.
So my area is huge. It is very rural and I am still having hard time figuring out where the heck I am all the time and I want to know where I am going. So I think this week I am going to become the designated driver so I can figure out my way around. Loomis is less rural and more beautiful. I am liking it here though.
The members are very welcoming and Sister Griffith said that the bishop was kind of mean to the sister missionaries, but from what I have seen he is really nice to us. He might just like me. haha.
I just had my first dinner in Spokane in the dark. At least I had a flashlight. It was fun and memorable.
Lydia Bjornn who I helped reactivate, is engaged. I was unable to say goodbye to her because she was in Seattle and the boy, Jordan Richter, who is her roommate, proposed to her. I thought she didn't like him, but apparently not! SO I am having to get details out of her. I emailed her to find out. He is a less active member but I think he is coming back since we kept coming over to see Lydia. So I was blown away when Sister Lovell told me that.
My companion loves to take pictures and I am hoping that she sends them to me soon so I can send them to you. I am being fed tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. I left two scheduled meals in Lewiston and I am only getting one here. :-( Oh well, I am grateful that someone wants us to come over.
It is going to be snowing here tomorrow. I am going to die. I don't do snow and the roads get icy here as well. YAY, black ice. I almost slipped on some the other day. It was hidden by something. So thankfully I didn't slip.
Something cool is that an Elder that was in my last district is my new district leader here. We left at the same time and came here. So I have one familiar face.
On Sunday a speaker didn't show up so the Bishop asked three people to bear their testimony and I knew that one of them was going to be me because I am the fresh meat. I was right. I apparently did a good job. The ward is huge and I have a lot of names to remember. A lot different from a branch.
Oh something cool is that we have a baptism this week! Her name is Dalaina Dalton and she is 10 years old. We are super excited and she is as well. We taught some people this week and we have some investigators. One is Phillis. She is from Germany and she is awesome. She has been through a lot and she loves having us over. We went over the Restoration and she believes it and she says that she will give the Book of Mormon a try. Another one is Stephanie. She is 33 and she will be moving to Montana really soon. We shared with her the Plan of Salvation or the Plan of Happiness and she agreed with all of it. She recommitted to read the Book of Mormon and to come to church. We also ran into some deaf people and Sister Griffith and I know sign language. We got permission from President Dymock that we can study sign language during the week. We are super excited and I am excited that I am no longer going to lose my signing skills.
There are 20 missionaries in my zone and half are elders and the other half are obviously sisters. So this is really different from my last zone. So many elders that I am friends with are leaving this transfer and I am so sad. You know how sentimental I can get. But such is life.
I love you all and miss you all!! Toodaloo.
Sister Schmidt
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