Happy Birthday Papa ~ April 26th!

Hello Everyone,

Last P~day we had a zone FHE on base! Putting on the Armor of God!  It was so much fun! Those pictures that I sent you were from that event!

The big thing that happened this week was we taught the black lady that I told you about. Here is her background info ~ her name is Karidja Bamba and she is 30 years old and she is a refugee from Algeria, Africa and she speaks French and little English. Her parents were killed in her country and her brother, sister, her son and daughter and her traveled for 3 months from country to country to find shelter and safety. She has been in America for a year and 2 months and she is going to school to learn French.

The first time we went to see her she was getting put into an ambulance and then we tried her again this week and we knocked on her door and she wasn't home but as we were going down the flight of stairs we saw her coming up. She recognized us and she let us in. We started talking to her, well more like tried to talk to her since she speaks French. But before I go on, I just want you all to know that I am truly thankful for technology. Karidja has a smart phone and it has an app that translates writing and what you say. (But we did pretty well without it.) We got background info and she also told us that she has been a Christian for 5 years. When she told us that her mom and dad died, my companion and I both thought of talking about the plan of salvation. We asked her if she thinks she will see her mom and dad again and she replied, "They are dead." We then rephrased our sentence to, "Do you think you will see your parents after this life?" and once we said that she had a huge smile on her face. We had a return appointment on Saturday and during that time between lessons we were desperate to find someone that speaks French and no one in any of our wards do. So we had to go empty handed on Saturday. Let's just say that that was the simplest lesson that I have ever taught in my entire life! It was a struggle and it took almost 2 hours to teach her. Once again I am so grateful for technology. Who would have thought that describing a spirit and a body would be so difficult? On Sunday we had ward council for one of our wards and a new high councilmen who is over our ward attended and once he heard our dilemma he informed us of a lady in his ward who speaks French. Not only does she speak French but religious French as well!!!!!!!!!!! TENDER MERCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) gotta love them. :) We called her yesterday and she just so happens to be able to come to our next lesson which is this Thursday! The Lord's hand is in His work. 

Korielle is doing swell! We talked about the temple and she wants to come and do baptisms. I can't wait to see her go inside the temple and to have her tell us afterwards what she felt. Ahhh! I love being a missionary. But this last Sunday she went to the hospital to find out that she has a start of a blood clot and if she gets too stressed she will go into cardiac arrest. Keep her in your prayers please! :) She is better understanding the Book of Mormon which is SO exciting! You want someone to stay strong, have them get addicted to reading the Book of Mormon. 

Brandi is doing good! She came to church again on Sunday! She wants to be a part of the Relief Society and she got super pumped to hear that it is the largest and the oldest women's organization in the world. She wants to be baptized but she also wants her husband to take the lessons but he is not interested. I love her.

The temple was spectacular!  

Spokane Temple

Sisters Sherwood, Paget, Worthen, and Schmidt at the mission office!

I love you all and I miss you all!    Toodaloo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Schmidt