December 9, 2013 - Rocky Mountain storms is the best!

Hey Mom!  I'm sitting here the day after we had a "storm."  It's in quotations because it was itty-bitty compared to our MIGHTY snowstorms out in the good ol' Rocky Mountains.  Nevertheless it was dangerous enough on the roads for President Cooke to decide that it wasn't worth the risk of having us go out in it, so we stayed in all day and did whatever effective things we could such as studying and chatting with our roommates about how much we love snow.  It was amazing to see everything encased in ice though, and I hope more snow comes our way!

This past week saw us meet with Brother A as planned and it was miraculous!  After a couple months of seeing little to no progressing investigators, we have a man who wants to be baptized!  We went in the lesson on Tuesday, sat down, and the first thing that Sister A (already a member) asked is, "so what's the process for baptism?"  We explained it to her right before Brother A came into the room.  We began with a prayer then without even teaching a single principle, we felt the Spirit and invited him to be baptized! Yikes! I've never done that before!  Just goes to show that when the Spirit tells you to invite, you invite regardless of how much YOU think they know.  The Spirit knows, so listen.  He of course accepted to be baptized on the 22 of December, so we've got a lot of territory to cover in a few short weeks.  But, he's been coming to church for 6 months now, knows most of it already, and kept saying in the lesson, "I know it's the true Church, and I'll never go back."  Score one for the winning team!

We have Zone Training Meeting this week, so Elder Giles and I will spend some time getting a veritable missionary pump-up, pep-talk, give-em-your-best shot lesson ready.  Pray we can inspire the zone to motivate themselves! 

Christmas cheer is spreading itself abroad as we get closer and closer to the happiest time of year.  We can feel it when the wind whips through the air sending that cold, humid chill that cuts at you no matter how many layers you have on.  It's great!

Thanks for the updates on the family, I sure do appreciate them! LOVE you to the EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE! closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

December 2, 2013 - Grandparents home and Ward Christmas package :)

Hey Mom!  The week has been good, I've just been working on making some needed inward changes to affect my outward behavior.  I don't let myself get discouraged, very often anyway, I know that I'm really far from perfect, but there are moments when I become great and there are moments when I become really really well... not great haha.  But this swing on the spiral of life has God's hand guiding it.  The more good we know, the less bad it takes to make us feel guilty, and vice versa.  It's an interesting concept but it explains why Nephi and Alma had such great desires to do the things of God and why people that don't know any better don't feel bad about it.  I guess you could also say the better the lighting in the room, the more you can see the dust on the furniture, the stains on the carpet, and the crumbs on the table.  But all it takes is a little hard work and that stuff is gone and you have a nice, clean, illuminated room.

I can't wait to talk to Grandma and Grandpa in person about their mission experience.  I love love love them.  That investigator who see's the visions typifies so many people I've met.  Dreaming dreams and seeing visions, God's words come in so many ways.  

I'm really thankful for the package, the Christmas tree of hands is now up and on the wall.  Thanks to all who were included on that lovely gift.  I'm looking forward to receiving whatever you are sending to me!  Don't worry about sending me anything else though.  I don't need it.  I have everything I want in my missionary labors.  

Brrrrrr, it's getting colder!  Looking forward to the first snows, I don't know when they'll come.

Yesterday we set up an appointment with a man who has been coming to church for some time now, we hope to have him enter in the gate of baptism soon! 

LOVE to the EDGE of the UNIVERSE! closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

November 25, 2013 - Grandparents' homecoming, changes, ASL program...wow!

Wow Mom! You were up really really really early this morning!  But I was awake before you even still!  We woke up at 6 our time to get ready to go down into the city for some Monday Morning Football on the National Mall.  The games were really fun and we played for a few hours.  It was wickedly cold when we woke up though, the car said the temp was 24 degrees, yikes!  It warmed up throughout the day, however by "warmed up" I mean it's now in the 30's instead of the 20's hahaha.  

Elder Giles and I have seen more appointments be scheduled lately, of which we are really really really really really really really really really grateful.  We've hardly had any this whole transfer despite our lack of trying.  It seemed like no one wanted to talk to/meet with us.  We're really looking forward to the next few weeks and the success we will see.

So we changed up transfers a little bit.  Instead of having a great big meeting where it is announced, on Saturday night we have a conference call where President announces it to the Zone Leaders, and Sunday night we sent the information on where people were going and with whom to our zone.  There was a pretty revolutionary thing that happened, our zone got combined with another zone so now Elder Giles and I are over 34 missionaries!  It's gonna be crazy as we run around like chickens with our heads cut off tryin to take care of everyones needs and stuff.  More responsibility has been placed on us as the Assistants are moving out of the office so they won't have as much to do.  It's gonna be great! And really difficult!

I have some news about the ASL program.  Elder Livengood is leaving on Wednesday, he has finished his mission.  I will miss him, but I know he has done a great job.  He has been a leader and motivator for me.  I've learned a lot from him.  Elder Squires is also leaving on Wednesday, he has medical issues that just won't go away and it's getting to be too much.  I of course will miss him very much too, as he has taught me so much about self confidence and being who you are.  So in one week I lose both my "brother" and my "son."  So that leaves Elder Winkler and I as the only called ASL missionaries.  However, Elder Wood knows sign language fairly well, and will be with Elder Winkler instead of me, but only for one transfer.  The reason only one transfer is because in January there will be a lot of ASL missionaries.  I've heard 2 Elders and 2 Sisters, and 4 of each, but regardless, that's a lot!  President Cooke has really been working hard with Salt Lake to get some ASL out here, since Elder Winkler and I both go home in February and we're looking pretty scarce.  I don't know what will be next transfer, but the ASL work will live on!  I told President that I would love to go back to ASL this transfer, as I have given blood, sweat, and tears to it, and he said my blood, sweat, and tears have paid off with more ASL coming out.  He said he needed me to be a zone leader.  So I accepted that and will continue to serve.  But I am glad we have come out of the confusion over what will happen and into the understanding.  

Anyway, lots of big changes!  And in a few weeks we get the "digital devices"(mini iPads?)  This transfer is gonna be craaaaazy!  

Oh and last notes, welcome back to the United States of America, the greatest country on earth, to my beloved Elder Grandpa Jarvis and Sister Grandma Jarvis!  Thank you for your service with me in the work of the Lord, I was strengthened just by knowing that you two were also wearing the badge as I was.  I look forward to your warm embraces again someday.  And I wanna wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to DAD!  Have a great birthday as you celebrate with turkey and stuffing and pie and football and most importantly, family!  

Happy Thanksgiving, I LOVE YOU TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE, closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

Zone Leaders/Trainers picture

Elder Schoemig, zone leader with the other zone leaders and sister trainers along with President Cooke for the Council meeting. 

November 18, 2013 - Shortest email ever but with love! :)

Hey Mom! I love you, just gotta say that we had a great conference with Elder Zwick.  I am so uplifted and motivated from it.  I'll share more details next week, but I truly do love you!

LOVE YOU TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE! closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

 

(Mom's note:  Apparently my email did not go through to him, tried it 3 times before it finally came through the fourth time so not much to say this week but more will come next week.)

November 11, 2013 - Prayer of faith

Hey Mom!  Gotta be quick like bunny through the bushes today, but we've had a good week.  We did our Zone training meeting, which was very uplifting.  Elder Anderson gave a bomb.com workshop on "prayer of faith" and it really helped to inspire the zone!  We got our best key indicator numbers for the whole year this week!  Lots of good things happening.  I firmly believe we can reach our goal of 100 baptized by the end of the year.  Everyone has to step their game up, from the top down, from President Cooke to the youngest missionary, from the Stake Presidents to the most recently baptized 8 year old.  We can do it!  We are really excited for Festival of Lights coming up!  I will probably post a lot of the pix on Facebook so that you can experience it with me!

A couple things I want to respond to from your email, first is can't believe that Grandma and Grandpa are almost at the end of their mission!  Only a few weeks wow.  Second is I'm excited to see how tall all my younger brothers have become :)  Third is yes to Dad, we will go camp, fish, sleep, freeze, and whatever else we want to do in the beeeeeeauuutiful Utah mountains! Haha.  But first, missionary work :)

LOVE YOU TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE!!! closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

November 4, 2013 - National Arlington Cemetery, sacred experience

Hey Mom!  Another sacred and satisfying experience today, this time coming from Arlington National Cemetary.  All of us missionaries that are going home from now til April went with President and Sister Cooke.   The first thing we did when we got there is go to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  WOW that is an amazing place.  It just sings of the sacred ceremony of the soldiers who reside there.  I was praying while I was there and these words came to my mind:

This hallowed ground

of Tomb Unknown

is guarded by

the world unshown,

and one brave soldier

takes his place,

amongst God's noblest

holy ranks.

We got to watch the changing of the guard and watch a wreath laying ceremony.  The precision and discipline in which they do everything is awe-inspiring.  President Cooke, being the two-star general he is, got us a special little tour with the Sentinel's (the soldiers of the Third US Infantry Regiment who guard the Tomb, also known as The Old Guard)  in their barracks which is underneath the Tomb.  We didn't go into their barracks but one of the Sentinels talked to us in one of the rooms where all of the Sentinels names were put up.  Since 1937 the Tomb has been under 24-hour guard, 7 days a week, all year.  Someone has always been there.  And I'm sure that the Sentinel who guards truly does stand among angel's in defending the Tomb.  Being in the Old Guard is one of the highest honors.  Everything they do is in 21's too.  They take 21 steps, they count to 21 before turning.  It's all because 21 is the highest you can award someone in the military is what the soldier told us.  We also saw the Arlington house where General Robert E. Lee made his home for thirty years.  I stood where he stood, that is cool.  I saw the arch under which he got married, that is cool.  I saw the china where he and also General George Washington ate off of, that is cool.  We saw the grave of President John F. Kennedy and the Eternal Flame.  It was just a really good day to be a missionary here in DC.  I love this land!  I love America!

Ok so the P-Day activities are fun and all, but I gotta tell you about the area.  We are having a rough time kinda with finding.  We need to kick it up a notch because I know there are some prepared people out there.  They're sitting there, in their houses, waiting and listening for  those words, "I am a representative of Jesus Christ."  And I will say those words, and their minds will be enlightened, and God will be glorified.  Perfection!

Anyway, we got lots to do this week.  We have Zone Training Meeting where the whole zone will get together and hopefully be inspired and we have Stake Coordination where we will meet with the stake president.   Wish us luck!

I love you to the edge of the universe!!! closer to the edge, Elder Schoemig

ps Halloween was boring this year :(  better luck next year :)