Six Months Out !!!!!!

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Spokane West, WA

I am doing great!   Thank you for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Monday was one of my hardest days. We had a lesson with Greg Jensen and he told us that he would be moving out once our lesson was over and we were really excited. Then two days later Joyce, his girlfriend who is less active, told us that Greg no longer wants to be baptized. That text ruined my day :(  I figured it was because going back to his house was too hard and it turns out that is the reason why. So we are going to touch base with him today hopefully and just talk to him.  

It was also Sister Griffith's and my last day together.  We got along so well together.  We were basically the same person. We related to each other so much. We balanced each other. We were so sad to no longer be companions. We cried a little bit... (Emotions are not a sign of weakness ~ even though I used to believe that.)  When we got the transfer call I was so sad. I was shocked to get my MTC companion ~ Sister Blackwell. I was a little overwhelmed because I mostly did everything in the MTC.  She told me later that she felt bad that she didn't really do anything to help. 

But on Tuesday when I was at the Spokane East Stake Center dealing with transfers, President Dymock came over to me and told me that Sister Blackwell is doing so much better. She is able to get through her anxiety attacks. That was an answer to prayer. He also told me that I will help build her up, so that was also good to hear. While I was at the stake center I saw so many missionaries that I know. I didn't realize how many missionaries I knew. It was so nice to see them. It felt like a missionary reunion. I am SO excited for those after my mission. 

So we have 3 investigators that are progressing. They are reading the Book of Mormon and it is so exciting!!!!!!!! The Book of Mormon blesses individuals. It has blessed me.  I have grown to appreciate the Book of Mormon. Every time that I read the Book of Mormon I learn something new from it. It is crazy how that happens. But I know that as we read the Book of Mormon with an open heart we will be enlightened and our day will be better. We will be able to get through hard things with a better attitude. Put it to the test. 

So we got a referral and we contacted him but we felt impressed to text him and not see him face to face for our first contact. It was a good thing that we heeded that prompting because when he responded ~ he cussed us out. We just told him God bless. One day he will be ready to hear the Gospel. 

Can you all believe it? On the first was my 6th month mark!?!?! That is beyond crazy. Time has gone by so fast but at the same time it has gone by slow. Life is weird but wonderful. 

So this week we have 6 referrals to contact and I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love bringing others unto Christ. I don't understand why people don't like being religious. I hate it when people think that it is stupid to believe in God or that they care more what the world says about them if they believe in God. It is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength and humility. 

On Sunday Sister Blackwell and I were put on the spot to teach the lesson in Gospel Principles about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and everyone said that we can do it because we teach this. We had to correct them because we don't teach this to investigators. So it was rough but it went okay. I love this mission. In Relief Society we were talking about our loads/burdens that we all carry. I remembered something that I read in an Ensign. It was talked about our weaknesses and Ether 12:27. It says that our weaknesses will become strengths but I realized that not all of our weaknesses will become strengths because we have weaknesses to be humbled and if we don't have weaknesses we won't be humbled and we will tell ourselves that we don't need God in our lives when actually we need Him more than anything. But  we can overcome our weaknesses. We can develop the ability to not act on that weakness but you could still have that weakness. Does this even make sense? I apologize if it doesn't. Life gets hard but just read Alma 36:3 and know that I believes in us and our loving Heavenly Father believes in us! 

I love all of you and wish you all the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Toodaloo :-)

Sister Schmidt