March 27, 2013 - Temple and new convert

Hey Mom! Thanks for the email! It's always wonderful to hear how everyone is doing and to make sure my thoughts and prayers are with everyone through the week. I'm working hard to try and bring blessings to the people here and to those back home as well.

 

This week has been marvelous getting reacquainted with Elder S. It's funny because although I am his "trainer" I only got to spend a brief time with him and that time was split between focusing on him and Elder W. The most marvelous part of the week however was the baptism of M! She is amazing. Truly the most golden investigator that I've ever had. She reads and reads and understands everything so well! Last night at the Visitor Center it was cool because we got to go touch the temple and look at the cool big doors and stand in the entry way. After the tour at the VC me and her and Elder J got to talk a lot about temples and she asked some really good questions as to the nature of the Spirit World. In the temple interactive exhibit thing we were looking at all of the temples and she was just in awe of how gorgeous they all are. Temples truly are amazing and when she found out there are 16 in Utah she was blown away! We are blessed in Utah to be able to have so many so close, so take advantage of it! This morning she texted us and said, "I was reading D&C 88 and it really helped to clear up the symbolism of the temple doors!" I can't say enough about how thankful I am that the Lord has let me see this miracle unfold. It's shocking to think about.

Well I love you as big as the universe! To the edge, Elder Schoemig

March 20, 2013

Hey Mom! I'm doing great especially with my new companion Elder S! I'm back with my son! I'm sad to see Elder W go, especially considering that we've been able to see each other grow since the very beginning. I will likely never be his companion again on the mission. But I look forward to this time with Elder Ss and all the learning and developing that will be taking place!

 

M is still set for this Sunday! The interview was last night and got everything taken care of in terms of the program, so we are super pumped to be having this great blessing from the Lord!

 

My retainer is doing fantastic by the way. He says hi ;)

 

I love you as big as the universe Mom! Can't wait for cherry blossoms this next week!

 

To the edge, Elder Schoemig

March 13, 2013 - 11 months to go

Hey Mom! I really enjoyed your email this week! I'm sorry everything is getting down to the last of it but I guess that's how it goes when the kids grow up. I am really really looking forward to being able to play sports with my little brothers when I get back! They will be a lot bigger and maybe even be able to rough me up a little bit haha. I think the Easter festivities sound fun! I was thinking this year that if you send me an Easter package it could be General Conference themed too! Be creative I guess :)

Well our investigator M is still super awesome. Last night we followed up on her reading 1 Nephi 8 and she totally drew a picture of the Tree of Life and the Iron Rod and everything. She was confused about the building though but it was easy enough to explain. She stayed for Night of Music and Inspiration afterwards at the Visitor Center and it was really nice. With T and S things are going along very nicely. They are both fully committed to living the Law of Chastity and are praying and looking for ways to live separately before they get married and T gets baptized. With J C she is learning slowly and she seems to enjoy the Book of Mormon Stories book so we read that with her.

Last Monday at the B household we had Family Home Evening and played the Skittle Game afterwards. It's a game where you have a circle of people and they each take turns taking 2 Skittle's out of the bag and they can't look. If they match colors they can chew it, if not they must just hold them in their mouths. You can chew all the Skittles in your mouth until either someone else pulls out doubles or you draw again. You keep on going around the circle until everyone quits or until the bag runs out, in which case you have a chewing contest to see who can eat all the Skittles fastest. I won :) I probably won't eat Skittles for a very very very long time haha.

 

Today was the temple trip! We did baptisms for the dead.  

 

I am going to go play basketball after emailing you. Wish me mad skills and stuff :)

 

Spring forward is getting to me too, super tired! Can't wait til I adjust. But the time change means spring is soon and that means..... cherry blossoms :) Elder W and I came up with a phrase to be sung to "Party Rock Anthem" it is "Everyday I'm taking pictures of cherry blossoms!" we know it doesn't fit very well but whatever.

 

Well I love you to the edge of the universe! To the edge and beyond!

 

Elder Schoemig 

March 6, 2013

Hey Mom thanks for the awesome letter! I'm so happy every week to be able to hear from home. I'm pooped today just like the last three weeks because today we played indoor soccer on the basketball court with two zones. It was way fun, I scored the first goal of the day. There was also a ping pong tournament and I lost in the first round. Oh well! Haha and Elder S from Samoa and Elder V from Tahiti made rice and curry and it was so delectable.

 

Anyway for a quick update on the area of American Sign Language: We watched the Joseph Smith movie with M last night at the temple. She (and the rest of us) were crying and she said, "oh gosh" and leaned on Sister J. She said in her prayer she had a question answered that she couldn't figure out how to ask so that is really good. We're working with T, getting his living situation figured out so he can progress to being baptized. With J C we went on Monday and cleaned her apartment as it was super messy. We vacuumed and threw out trash. We'll go back and clean some more soon. We are going to have a chili cook-off this Saturday that I'm excited for, I hope we can get some folks to attend that. Last Monday we had the K's for dinner and Sister K made Cafe Rio style burritos and I'm eternally grateful for that haha. We also had FHE with K and A, a couple Gallaudet students, and our senior couple. It was a lesson on service, then a Fear Factor activity mwhahahaha. We did searching for pennies in a mysterious substance (spaghetti), using only your mouth to get worms (gummy worms) out of a pie tin full of Cool Whip, and drinking a mysterious liquid (hot kool-aid and Tapatio sauce mixed together). It was awesome and we've got super good ideas for the next Fear Factor.

 

Anyway gotta go now! Love you to the edge of the universe! Elder Schoemig