Moving on...

Yaateeh,

Well I served in my first area for about four and a half months, and now I'm moving. Tomorrow I will be going to Crown point. It's not to far away it's on the other side of Gallup. I will be in the Gallup Zone. It should be pretty fun. My new companion's name is Elder Akaka I think he is from Hawaii. He has been out one less transfer then me, but it should be pretty fun. I really wish I was staying here but I am ready for a new companion. I haven't heard much about Crown point other then whenever I tell somebody they laugh and say there is nothing out there! So we will see how it goes. However it will be good to meet and work with new people. So I am excited for that.

This past Saturday Joanne was suppose to get baptized but it didn't happen. She was really suppose to get baptized like three weeks ago but keeps pushing it back. We told her how Satan is going to work on her and that he is going to do all he can to keep her from coming closer to Heavenly Father, and she is letting him succeed. It is really disappointing to see people put off what they know is right. I really wish I was staying here we have some new investigators that are really awesome. One family, Marty and Phillacita Wood, are really awesome. They don't have much of a background in religion but they are so accepting of everything. We set a date for them to get baptized on the 16. Then Tex and Kristine who we have been working with for a while got their marriage license. They have been ready to get baptized for a while now they just need to get married. So they are taking the steps and should be ready to get baptized this month. So that is pretty exciting. I wish I could be here for some of these things.

Sounds like the Fair went pretty good. I miss being there. That is unfortunate that Aub's pig got sick. I guess those thing's happen. That's pretty cool that Jimmer is going to the King's. I guess we will See how that goes.

Well I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful day and fantastic week! I will let you know my address as soon as I get it. I love you all!

Love,

Elder Schmidt

Yaateeh everybody!

How was every body's week? I hope it was as good as mine! So Natalie is that how you were expecting to wake up on Saturday. Well thank you, the cake did turn out really good! We did the confetti with strawberry ice cream. I must say I did a pretty good job. I had a really neat experience this week. On Saturday there was a ward temple day with a focus on getting all of the recent converts to go and do baptisms for the dead. Last Sunday we got Terrance the priesthood so that he could go. He and Sandra our two most recent converts were able to make it. That night we went to Sandra's to see how it went. When we got their she had the biggest smile on her face and just had this glow to her. She told us about it and how she loved every minute of it. On Sunday in gospel Principles President Boone asked each of them to talk about their experience and share a little about it. It was so awesome to get to hear each of them talk about it and how they loved it. One of the men said how he hopes that that is how Heaven is. I loved hearing all of them talk about their experience.

This week there was a leadership training meeting in Flagstaff for all Zone Leaders, District Leaders and anybody who had a companion that has been out for less then three transfers. So this week was a pretty crazy week. Elder Chapple and Smith and one of the Ganado Elders went to the meeting. So Elder Ochoa and the other Ganado elder and I were companions from Monday until Thursday night. So we spent a day and a half in Ganado and then a day in each of our areas. It was fun to spend some times and get to know some other elders, but I didn't like not being in my area.

Well I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful week. Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers out there. I love you all!

Love,

Elder Schmidt

Yaateeh!

Well this week flew by! We were just driving back from working out and we were talking about what we did last P-day and it seems like it was just yesterday! The time seems to go faster and faster every week. We are in week 5 of the transfer and there is a pretty good chance that I will be leaving at the end of this transfer, there are six weeks in a transfer. President usually does not leave a companionship together for more then two transfers which is three months. It doesn't seem like Elder Smith and I have been together for three months already. I don't even remember last transfer.

We had an alright week this week. Joseph and Joanne our two investigators who got married last week are suppose to get baptized this week. We met with them on Saturday to talk about some things. Joanne is ready to be baptized but Joseph is still having some problems with the word of wisdom. We told them that he would have to be over it for two weeks before he could get baptized so he wouldn't be able to get baptized this week. Joanne took it pretty hard and told us that if he wasn't going to get baptized then she wasn't. We talked to her for a while about it and she told us how she has prayed about it and it's something she knows she needs to do. I kills me to see someone that has such a desire and knows they need to do it, yet they are going to let one little thing stand in their way. We told her that it's not like he can't get baptized we just have to keep working with him on the word of wisdom and then he can. She promised me that she would ask Heavenly Father what she should do, so I need to call and talk to her. On a better note; this week the ward is doing a temple trip with a focus on getting our recent converts to do baptisms for the dead. Sandra and Terrance are both going. In order for Terrance to go he had to get the priesthood. We set an appointment up for him to meet with the bishop before church. Bishop had PEC so the interview was really early at 7:30, but Terrance made it here before bishop did(not surprising). So during priesthood I had the opportunity to do a first in my life. He asked me to be the one to lay my hands on his head and confer the Aaronic priesthood to him and ordain him to the office of a priest. That was a really awesome experience to have that opportunity. I have stood in on ordinations but never have been the mouth piece. It was really awesome.

This week we helped some members move. They needed some sewer and water lines dug so we went to help them. We started by digging by hand using shovels. If you knew how hard the ground is around here you would realize that it would have taken us all year to complete this project. So, after about an hour they decided to rent President Brown's backhoe. They were operating it at first, but they are some older people and couldn't really get the hang of it. So, they asked if we had any experience running one. I had the most of any of us which was close to none, but I gave it a try. I actually did pretty good. I got the hang of it, it was fun.

Well I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I pray for all of you. I love you very much!

Love your favorite servant of the Lord,

 

Elder Schmidt

Awesome week!

Yaateeh everybody,

 This past week has been a pretty awesome one. I didn't even realize that the second was this week, that means I have been out for four months already. It does not seem like it has been that long. This past Wednesday two of our investigators, Joseph and Joanne got married. That was pretty exciting to see them be obedient and follow the commandments so that they can enter into the waters of baptism. I didn't know this, but ever since we talked to them about the Law of Chastity, Joseph would sleep out on the couch. We had an appointment with them on Thursday after they got married and they jokingly said that we had to bring them a cake now. So, on Saturday we had to go to Gallup to get our oil changed so we bought a cake and took it over to them. I made them cut it and feed each other just like they do in wedding's. It was pretty fun!

So this week I participated in my first butchering. Sandra, one of our recent converts, daughter wanted mutton ribs for her graduation party, so we asked if we could come over and help. I was going to cut the head off but her dad just did it instead. Which is probably a good thing because I most likely would have messed up and cut the wrong spot. So here are some pictures of that. We did eat her later that day. I don't know why they like mutton so much, I think lamb is much better! But if you wrap it in a fry bread then it's not to bad. There was a fair this week with a Rodeo. It reminded me of being home and going to the fairs growing up, except for the fact that I couldn't participate in it.

Well I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Schmidt

 Elder Schmidt still loving the animals! As close to home as he can get!

  Joseph and Joanne cutting the cake!