Happy 4th of July!

Hello Everyone!

This week was crazy! We haven't found any new investigators but that will change.

Not a whole lot to talk about for the week ~ SO I will just write whatever comes to my mind (which is like every week haha!!  :) ).

We did service at Kymm's again and we finally finished the chicken coop!!! It started the day that I got here and we finished it on the 4th of July! The chickens were in the coop but we had to finish the part where they go outside. Kymm said that it was Independence Day for sure for the chickens when they were allowed to get out of captivity.

Kymm!

Kymm's Chicken Coop

Chicken Sideburns!

We also do service for a thrift store/animal shelter every Wednesday now. Our first day was last week. It was fun. We don't play with the animals which is very sad :( But oh well! The Church is still true!

As we all know, Friday (JULY 1ST) was my year mark! I love being a missionary and serving the Lord and his children! It has opened my eyes for the better and I am a better person because of it. I have learned so much ~ I am afraid that I have forgotten a lot of it. The best part is that I learned it and the Holy Ghost can bring it back to my remembrance (John 14:26). We had our district meeting on my year mark and we talked about how to help our investigators make and keep commitments and we were asked to read the chapter in PMG (Preach My Gospel) beforehand to prepare. I have read it so many times but it just really hit me that day. I love learning and understanding so much! I was able to apply what I learned in a later lesson we had on Friday.

We met with one of our investigators, Missy Sanders. We followed up with her to see if she had read any of the Book of Mormon and she had not. So we talked about why we follow up and how we can follow up with her. We then reassigned her a more specific commitment. She liked that a lot better. So we will see how that goes.

For district lunch we had.... I dare you to guess.... PIZZA FACTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have one here! When we drove past on my first day I FLIPPED out in the truck! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their combination special is called the "Badger" special compared to ours which is called the "Golden Eagle" special. I love small towns!

I made our famous family tacos and I accidentally put a full cup of water in it... still tasted good! I miss tacos. But they still taste better at home. On Saturday we met with a less active, Sister Humphreys, and she is a very sweet lady. She is hardcore and she served a mission in Italy.  I learned something from her. Love yourself. I needed to hear it the way she said it. I still have a hard time with that but that is why we have the Atonement. Christ can help us with EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Sunday we had dinner with one of my favorite families in the ward! The McLeish family! They have a red-headed boy! Thought of you Dad! ;) They remind me of our family! I really love that part about being on a mission. I get the opportunity to go into members homes and to be a part of their family for an hour! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! They have two international students. One is from Germany, Daniel, and the other one is from Spain, Rahuel. I love Rahuel! He is so funny and he is leaving to go back to Spain tomorrow. :( Sad day. But I know that the Plan of Salvation is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will see him again!

I got a wonderful surprise Sunday evening!!!!!!!! Crystal Anton had us come over and she told me to come over and to close my eyes and then she told me to open my eyes and there was AMIE standing in front of me and I freaked out and hugged her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love surprises!!!!!!!  :)  It was so good to see Amie!

The fourth was an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We helped Kymm finish her coop and we made a perch, a swing, a ladder and we put a tire in there for the finishing white trash look (that is what Kymm said).

We had lunch with her and we had PORK RIBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob!!! I about died! Then she had cake and you know how much I LOVE cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She baked the ribs and then Sister Lake and I bbqued them and they were so DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then we went over to Bishop Solomons house and we had hamburgers. To say that my stomach was full is an understatement. I was not FULL, I was OVERFLOWED!!!!!!!!!! We watched some fireworks with their family. They have a daughter named Calli and she graduated from BYU-I and she went on a mission and she is the one that sent the pic to you mom! I love her so much! She does not want me to leave this area and neither do I!

Calli Solomon and Sister Schmidt and Sister Lake

Then we got home and we watched fireworks on our porch at 10 pm. I love fireworks. But also, I never really understood this day completely  until Monday night when I was watching those lights flash in the sky. It is because of the freedom of our country that the Restoration of the Gospel was able to happen! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th of July!

I love you all and miss you all! Toodaloo!

Sister Schmidt