July 25, 2012

Hi Mom and the rest of the cyber-world that will happen to read this letter!  If for some reason you are somebody from the depths of Mongolia and happen to be bored and just reading random stuff on the web, I invite you to visit mormon.org to find out more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  There got my cyber-proselyting in for the day haha :)

Well first thing I wanna do is let everyone know that I am deeply sorrowful to hear about the terrible school and movie theater massacres.  We must remember in times like these the Savior's treatment of the woman adulterer. "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.... And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."  It is not easy to forgive acts like what has happened.  We love the man, we hate the act. 

Well now onto a happy note!  K is still a sweet little angel.  She is so sincere and excited to learn.  We had a lesson with her and her older sister, S, and her mom, K, on monday that went really well.  I made S and K hug each other, kinda like when Grandpa would make me and Amanda hug hahaha.  I know they can come back to the fold and experience the happiness that comes from it.

Shout out to Ben and Dana!  Especially Dana cuz I met someone from Hanksville!  His name is Elder W (don't know his first name).  I asked him where he was from and he said Hanksville so I told him about you too and he knows you! 

Congrats to my cousin Garett who I heard did amazing singing at the Broadway Revue in Monroe yesterday!  That's my Donkey right there, always singing :)

I'm glad Autumn is doing great and working hard, and I'm glad that Dakota has turned into a lacrosse monster! 

Today we visited the National Gallery of Art and it was super cool to see all those famous works that are in there.  My favorite was the one of the she-wolf and Romulus and Remus, obviously from my love of history in general and especially the Romans.  Another cool one was one where one guy was knocking another guy out of boxing ring.  Another cool one was a portrait of Napolean Bonaparte (shout out to my friend Kevin , who I have no idea if he's still at school or on a mission or what.  Somebody please find out!)  There were a lot of pictures and sculptures of scriptural things; lots of crucifixion ones and a really big cool one of Daniel in the Lions Den.

Well the Book is blue, the Church is true.  My testimony is that the Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He true business lived and died for us.  For you and for me.  He set up His church through Joseph Smith, for the salvation and exaltation of all mankind.  (Can you tell I discovered how to change the font? :P )   I lve you, and to the edge, Elder Schoemig

July 18, 2012

Hello Mom! I think that it is worse for Grandma and Grandpa to call all the time, it'll only make them more homesick. I know that if I had that option I would chuck out all the time. ( that means to be lazy) I got a letter from Grandpa from New Zealand though, super sweet he sent an All Blacks stamp and a leaf and a picture. I had to decipher his handwriting but I got it all eventually. It makes it more fun :)

I'm glad dad made it to work ok. Sounds like the car has been giving a lot of trouble lately. Maybe if Utah just had a Metro system like they do here we wouldn't need any cars.

That morning with Autumn sounds like a classic start to any youth camp hahaha :)

Sorry to hear about your ankle. I will be praying and fasting that everyone will get through their injuries/sicknesses and will have no more in the month of August. 

Guess it's time to play "Here's what happened in my week!" We have been doing a lot of less active work recently to make up for the lack of investigators we've had, but had an amazing Sunday where all the people we contacted and asked to come to church, did! That was pretty sweet and satisfying. We extended a b'date to K at church, we set it for August 5th! Hopefully all goes well! I have faith that it will. For transfers (duhn duhn duhn) we have some news. We are both... staying! That's right in all likelihood Elder L and I will be together for at least 2 more transfers. Elder W got moved to Anacostia and will probably be there for two. To be honest Elder L wanted to go to English program to have a change of pace, but the Lord decided that Elder L was needed here. I'm glad to be with him, our companionship unity has grown over the past few days.

The road goes ever on and on, down from the path where it began. Oh boy I better not singing that song, it'll make me trunky for "The Hobbit" this winter.

I love you Mom! AS BIG AS THE UNIVERSE!!! To the edge, your son, Elder Schoemig.

July 11, 2012

Hey! I loved the pictures that you sent! Everything looks so good and pretty and big haha. I love my cat haha. I love hearing about everything that happens each week! I didn't know that Micah and Sarah got in a wreck though! I'm glad they're alright. I got a letter from Elder Harley yesterday! It made me feel so good that my friend on the other side of the world sent that to me. I'm gonna send him a letter ASAP.

The work here goes slowly, but my head does not hang lowly. Unintentional rhyming haha. We got a new investigator, a 9 year old girl in a less active family named K. She is super sweet and gentle. Her desire to learn is unreal. After we taught her yesterday she gave Elder L a hug hahaha and Elder L just looked really awkward haha. She is golden and I can't wait to see her get baptized! I think J got interviewed for the priesthood last Sunday but I'm not sure. I'll check up on that. He's super good. Rides the Metro for about an hour to get to church cuz it's slower on Sunday. He's a boss. Brother A has really been helping us with our storytelling skills lately. Hopefully by the time I get back I'll be a master storyteller.

I love you all and it's time to say goodbye, for now. Keep up the great work, keep fighting the good fight, stay the course. To the edge, Elder Schoemig.
(Mom's note:  Micah is my brother.  His family was in a car accident last week on Thursday, it rolled once but they came out of it fine, Micah was the only one received a very very minor injury when he hit his left hand on the windshield, still sore but fine.  We are grateful that they are okay.  Car is totalled but that can be replace.  I wrote him a letter but apparently it sounds like he hasn't got the letter about it.  :) )

July 3, 2012

Hello hello hello outside world! My first order of business is to wish my older sister Amanda a very happy 21st birthday! Whooooohooooo! Happy birthday Mandi I hope it is the bestest you've ever had! I love you!

Just to let everyone know, those storms we had were awesome! But dangerous and I do feel bad for the scores and scores of people now without power. It was beautiful to watch on Friday night though.

On Sunday John was confirmed! It was super good. Also the famous interpreter, Wing Butler, showed up to church with the Arthur family and I got to talk with him. He said that Mom told him on FB that he HAD to come see me haha. John was excited to meet Wing, since Wing interpreted the Joseph Smith movie and John loves that movie.

I'm hopin and prayin for little Lexie to get better. Also for all the fires to stop.

I'm emailing on Tuesday cuz President Matsumori wanted us to cuz tmrw all the libraries will be closed. I can't wait for tomorrow, it'll be so fun to be here in DC for the celebration of the birth of our nation! Our plans are to go to the Mall in the morning, check out the Folk Festival, go to Red Robin for lunch, the Heath's for dinner, and tomorrow is an all day P-Day so I'll get to watch the fireworks tomorrow!!! I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo pumped!!! It's gonna be sup totes awes and ridic and HA! classic. Tomorrow will be the best 4th of July ever.

 

This morning I gave a workshop on humility in district meeting. That is one thing that I've really tried to learn on my mission, is humility to put the Lord's will before mine, and to serve my fellow man. It was super powerful and I could feel the Spirit very strongly. I talked about Nephi and his Psalm (a very good read, 2 Nephi 4, and thanks Grandpa Jarvis for always talking to me about it) and the 14-0 Lone Peak Knights of last year and how they weren't perfect but they were humble every week and practiced hard and they achieved their goals. Also how spiritual they were, the morning of the championship game I remember going to do baptisms for the dead with about 15 of the guys.

I love you all and wish you the happiest 4th of July you've ever had! And happy birthday Amanda again! To the edge, Elder Schoemig