Phoneless

Dearest Family-

 

First off- chelsea rosendahl if you're reading this- I just got your letter and fruit leather strip!!! haha thank you!! I LOVE YOU AND LEAH SOOOO MUCH!!!!! you are seriously the best, dearest little friend ever and your "gift" cracked me up haha it was the best worst gift ever :} and by that i mean it was the best!! thank you so much for thinking of me and not forgetting your little missionary haha. I will be writing you a letter today my love, because I also received your other letter detailing about your love life so yeah- you will be hearing from me about that shortly ;) miss you. and Leah- dang girl- your love life is greatness haha I LOVE YOU!! anyways i will save the rest of my little comments for my letter. i just miss you guys!!! and love you tons.

 

     SO as for this week- as you may have guessed from the title- this week we had no phone!! The Lord works in mysterious ways...let me explain- me and my happy little (actually rather tall) companion were doing our usual exciting weekly walmart shopping trip when- i drop the phone! I look down and the battery is NO WHERE to be seen. no where. the back of the phone that popped off was sitting right there- but the battery? gone. we searched EVERYWHERE and even asked the employees to help and after 20 minutes we were all quite dumbfounded but had to conclude- that yes in fact the battery simply wasn't there. well i was baffled. frustrated, maybe even a little mad. why didn't the lord answer our prayers? why would such a dumb little set back happening? we are His missionaries!! we need a phone to do our work!! why would such a weird stupid annoying thing happen? there is no place for us to get a battery- its a special "mission phone" and the mission couldn't get us a new battery until friday! Friday! a whole week of no phone! how were we supposed to set appointments with people? how were we supposed to coordinate the work? How could we do ANYTHING without a phone??

     Those were my stellar impressive thoughts and attitude as we drove home from our happy walmart adventure. Then i thought about my scripture...Hel 3:35....submission...yielding my heart and will to god's..."ok" I thought..."I'll just do it." once I "yielded my heart" my heart softened...my perspective started to change..I started thinking, wait a second this is actually amazing because now we will have to REALLY rely FULLY on the Lord to lead and guide us- after all isn't this HIS work we are doing?? Isn't he more than capable of doing it and leading and guiding us even WITHOUT a stupid phone? YES! I thought, this is actually an AMAZING opportunity and adventure the Lord has given us to really trust in him and witness miracles!! 

      So i told my dear companion, "sis Schmidt! this is going to be the best week ever!! lets see just how capable God is and let Him to some of the heavy lifting and we will just follow the Spirit. I think He wants to show us just how omnipotent He is.This week is going to be the best adventure ever!" we were both phoneless, full of faith, and stoked to see how the week would unfold. well m,y dear family- I am happy to inform you that we were led and guided to be busy EVERY HOUR OF EVERYDAY just the same as any other week when we had our phone to set up appointments with people. some how the people we were guided to see at certain times, were always home, and everything worked out. How grateful I am for that faith and trust building experience from our Heavenly Father! how glad I am that I was able to have a good attitude and put that that scripture I was studying into action in my life- what was initially perceived as a trial and set back- was actually a great blessing and motivator!! The lord works in mysterious ways- but lets trust Him, because His ways are higher than our ways- lets align our will with HIS and just see where that takes us! this small lesson is an experience I will draw from and remember the rest of m y life. The Lord wants me to trust him even when it seems to not make sense to me. I can do that!!

 

       As for our PEOPLE :D great news!! Steve, the man who officially became an investigator after many years is now progressing!! we asked him to read alma 32:21-34 and HE DID! he read it that very night- the only draw back is that he said he didn't feel anything from reading it. we are going to have to pray harder and work harder to find scriptures that will really address his needs and resonate with him, because we talked about it and received the very strong revelation that the Book of Mormon is going to be crucial in His conversion- and also focusing on the priesthood with him- that is another emphasis that will really motivate him and touch his heart. So pray for Steve and for us to be led and guided in how to help him progress! He did make a really amazing statement though- his wife was just saying how he doesn't take the sacrament because he isn't a member- and then he interjected, "yet." :D I COULD HAVE CRIED!! i actually did tear up a little, anyways, what a miracle, how happy we are. I know baptism is near for Steve, we just have to do everything we can to help him access the answers he needs that lie in the gospel, because they do, they're there, we just need to teach him how to access them for himself, then he will be converted and know for HIMSELF that this gospel is true. that is our commission and call as missionaries.

       Some other great news- we have a new investigator!! A very golden one!! he was a member referral, a boy in the ward kaleb was talking to his friend about the church. He then invited him to seminary- well that boym corey is his name, has gone to seminary EVERYDAY this week and LOVED IT!! He came to church this week and said, "I feel like I'm home." :D :D :D :D :D :D

IS THAT AN ELECT PREPARED SPIRIT OR WHAT?! anyways he is 16 and now he wants to meet with us.

       Earlier this week we met with our potential investigator Andrea (the one who calls me her angel <3) and she told us something amazing- she said, " my son called and asked me if it was true that I was letting the mormon missionaries into my home. He was very upset. Then he asked me, what are they like?" and do you know how that woman responded to him? I just about fell off my seat at what she told him, she said, "listen hear son- first of all yes- I am letting those mormon missionaries into my home, and I will continue to because they have become my most trusted friends. I call to tell them my big news before I even call you. And what are they like? I'll tell you- they're gorgeous. They dress like normal modern women except they're classy. they love God and read the Bible. They're well educated. They're good listeners. They're kind. They're smart, and frankly son, they just get it. They get things- they're mature and they understand both the world and God I've never known anyone like that especially so young. oh- and they wear make up and sing like larks." ha!! that's what she said! then she said that he was just silent and said..."can I meet them?" haha!! I was dying- and she was not kidding- i had no idea that that is what she thought of us!! it was very humbling and crazy to hear her perspective of us. Pray that she can come to church- we need to be more bold and start shifting from just friends to getting her to actually be comfortable to read the Book of Mormon..it will take a lot of faith and trust, but clearly she trusts us, so now is the time to be bold and help her to accept the fulness of the gospel. 

       Many other amazing things happened this week- the Williams ( a less active couple) came to church this sunday for the first time in decades!! we had a really amazing lesson with sis W- we went and randomly talked to just her, and at the end I felt very prompted to tell her that her heavenly Father is aware of here and the difficulties she is going through. He loves her, and that is why He has sent us to her at this exact time- well the Spirit was so strong- she burst into tears!! this was the first conversation I have had with this woman- it was amazing. She then cried through the whole prayer, the spirit was so strong, and at the end we invited her to church and guess what! They came!! they both came! oh what joy- I am so grateful- God is so good, He has such foresight and is so aware of us all. We are truly His children and He is truly our Father. Our Savior is truly the way and the light- I am so grateful to Him and His infinite love and mercy. I love you all so much. I got the skirt!! I love it!! I am wearing it now :)

all my love

sis b

Grandpa

Dear Family-

 I am so grateful I was able to talk to you and to be able to be put at peace to hear about how grandpa passed, and how you all are handling it. I am so grateful he got my letter just in time. I have told so many people about him, and how much I admire him, and the man he was and the doctor he was, his work ethic and ambition, and I will love and miss most of all his little accent and always jokingly telling me "Grandpa is the strongest, and the wisest and the handsomest!" and then he would always bust up laughing- but the thing is that he really WAS all of those things and so i loved always telling him that and seeing how it would crack him up. I am so glad I got to see him and spend time with him and grandpa last spring- i am SO GLAD  i drove up there and had that time with him and hear all of his advice to me on love, marriage, work, school and life. He made me a fruit plate every morning I was there. I will never forget that. with dates. Oh grandpa was the coolest person in the truest sense of the word- one of the most interesting and beloved person in my life. 

   I always gave him lots of hugs and he would always say, "Oh brookie is a President Kimball- always hug everybody!" I think about him saying that every time i hug people...when he did write me that line I remember i cried upon receiving it simply because it was so him- it perfectly captured grandpa- it said, "Do the spiritual work. Heal the soul. Save the soul, as your dad and I we heal the body. Love you, Gdpa" that is exactly what he wrote. I have it cut out and laminated hanging on my study desk. I cry every time i see it but i love seeing it because I love knowing and being able to tell him, ok grandpa, I will do the spiritual work! it makes me feel close to him to know I am doing his wishes. I love him so much. How grateful i am for the members here and their comfort and support- and my sweet grandma i love you i am sorry i cant be there to hug you. I know how much you loved grandpa and his "strong hands" he loves you so much too and you will see him again! in church i was asked to sing- i sang "Nearer My God to Thee" in honor of Grandpa. A sister in the ward came up to me after crying and asked if I would sing to her mother, who is in the hospital dying of cancer- I thought of Grandpa- and quickly told her "yes!!!"

This week we taught Dion the 1st Vision in detail- reciting it to him then bearing testimony and committing him to read and pray and know for himself if Josph Smith really was a prophet- that was a beautiful thing. I will never forget the Spirit there in that room! something funny- we asked him "how do you pray Dion?" (we have been teaching him how to pray) what does he say? "soft voice". It was so cool his response- i was not expecting that response! but how sweet to hear he prays in a whisper- I found that very touching. I love that boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dahhhhh. kills me.

another cool thing- we have been seeing Ann for quite some time- her husband is not a member, they are older, and he never has been willing to join or learn more. for years. well we are in that home 1x a week. we have developed an AMAZING relationship with steve ( her husband) to the point that he buys us groceries every week! well friday we had a powerful lesson with them BOTH- at the end i felt very prompted to really focus on him and speak with boldness- so i told him hopw much i love him, how we all love him, and how i know that if he will just open his heart to the Gospel even greater joys await him!! I told him all that lies in the Book of Mormon and bore my testimony of the joy that heavenly Father wants and has in store for him and his wife- i felt the spirit so strongly I cried. His wife held his hand- he struggles to show emotion (which i know) but he actually took her hand, looked me in the eyes and said, "you know I consider you a daughter" then he cried! again i asked him- then brother t- will you read the book of mormon? and pray to know its true? I wouldnt be out here testifying of it to you all the way in Florida if I didnt know it was true! he said he would. We had the Plan of Salvation lesson last night. He came to church yesterday. He is now, officially, investigating the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. what joy.

We also had a pwerful lesson with Eileen- who was just visiting her brother- the family to which i am most close to and love deeply!! she told us of her struggles- as we talked we testified to her that she was in fact a daughter of god and He had a plan for her, so if she honestly went to him in prayer to seek out HIs guidance- of course he would help her! to do anything else would be contrary to his nature- as a father and as a god of endless love- he WANTS to help his children- I  felt prompted to share Isaiah 41:10-13 when the lord says he is "holding our hand", and to "fear not, be not dismayed I am thy God and I will strengthen thee and uphold thee"she broke down in tears- because I know the spirit was testifying to her that those words were true, and they were from God to her! she received a priesthood blessing from her brother that night, for the first time, what a beautiful sacred moment that was! I grateful I was to be there and be part of such a personal tender family moment!! what a beautiful family they are. how i love them.

well- other news, i also got attacked by alabama fire ants :( i stood on an ant hill unknowigly, and then intense pain and burning caused me to look down and see ants SWARMING my feet!! I kicked off my shoes and ran screaming down the street hahaha Sis schmidt killed all the ants in my shoes and i got them off but it was funny (and painful haha) I know have 15 ant bites on my feet haha anyways family i love you. My prayers and heart is with you, mom I love you and Grandpa loved and loves you so much as his daughter!! 

all my love

sis b

Sanctification

"Nevertheless they did ^afast and ^bpray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their^chumility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the ^dpurifying and the ^esanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their ^fyielding their hearts unto God." Heleman 3:35

dear family-

thank you so much for the letters they meant SO MUCH to me especially hearing your testimonies. this was a birthday unlike any other i have ever had or will ever have again- i have never felt more surrounded by love in my life. Many members had us over and were so thoughtful and kind- i received many cards and pictures from little girls, ballons, flowers, 6 cakes and 2 pies (most of which were carrot cakes, they were trying to be "healthy" for me hahaha - so sweet =)  most precious of all how ever was being able to spend a full day working and setting a baptismal date with Dion for Nov 2nd!! 

The weather here is now amazing- perfect in fact. the anticipated hurricane passed us by so we were spared of evacuation. We experienced some trials this week. Well this week was general conference- and much needed- nearly all that was said addressed my plea for help. As president Monson said- "will you falter or finish?" and as Elder Bednar stated, "sometimes we pray for relief- but instead god gives increased RESOLVE AND RESILIENCE." resolve and resilience- that is what I need. Richard G. Maynes described "spiritual stamina" and prompted "get into spiritual shape!! run with patience the race of life!" It seems I have traded marathon running and intense physical endurance training for an equally intense training of spiritual endurance. The latter is far more difficult, because it requires ALLLLLL and cannot be feigned, however that is fitting because it is of INFINITE more worth and value in an eternal sense. Meekness was also discussed a great deal- meekness. humility. teachable. submissive. willing to YIELD ourselves to god and his will. That is what i must do, pray for spiritual stamina. 

   And how does one  yield and submit themselves? how do we become sanctified? Helaman 3:35 answered this for me. I am in the throws of a deep doctrinal study of every aspect of that verse- it starts with prayer- then scripture study so "his words can become our words". I now see that when I become sanctified and yield my will entirely to God's- that is the moment when i will be who he wants me to be. that is how he will mold me. As president monson said, "God allows us to be pushed to our extent and to our full capacity so that we can  change. it is when we reach this point but press on that he can change us." Sanctification, purification, comes as we submit ourselves to GODS WILL and are willing to change our character to match HIS CHARACTER. the time is now. my time is now. any lessons we fail to learn the first time will have to repeated in this life or the next so i choose to learn mine now! 

We had 2 investigators watch conference with us, which was really amazing- JC was Sunday afternoon and Dion was Sunday morning. We also had 4 less actives come to watch conference with us on Saturday. I cherish this opportunity to be a missionary during general conference- what a joy that was! and a privilege- I am grateful. We also placed 2 book of mormons this week- one of which is kind of a cool story- we were out driving and saw this guy sitting outside with a little kid on his lawn and felt prompted to stop. As we did we shared with him about the church- our belief in christ- we introduced the book of mormon to Him and he accepted it- that was a sweet moment. This is a great work- of the utmost importance and value. these are god's children! they need what we have just as much as we do! I know that as I sanctify myself and yield my heart even more to god, holding nothing back, the work here will be blessed. we will be endowed with greater power. And that alone is reason enough to do so. I love you all very much. I love this work and I love you all. Most of all I love my Savior.

much  love 

sister b