Hello everybody!

Yes mom I am fine! Sorry we had to do a funeral yesterday which ended up taking all DAY! We got to the church early to set up chairs and make sure everything was cleaned up, and so that the church would be opened. Its a good thing that we were there, because family started showing up about an hour early and nobody else was there to open the building. It was a pretty good service, but it was a little different. It was for a lady that married a Laguna Indian man, so they did a more traditional Laguna type funeral. So first of all that entails that they don't use a casket, they just wrap the body in a blanket and put it on a board. That was different to be sitting on the stand with a body just laying on the floor in front of us. Then when the service was over before they took the body out they spun it around in a circle four times. Not quite sure what it was symbolic of, but they messed all the chairs up in the process so we had to fix all of them. Then they sprinkled some weird stuff on the ground in front of her so we had to vacuume as well. It was a little different but it was a good service. The reason it was so long was because the Husband talked for over an hour, then they had to dig the hole by hand and bury her by hand so the grave site service took over two hours alone then we had lunch after so by the time it was all over the library was closed so we couldn't email. So that is the story of how we spent our P-day. But we met some really nice people and some that we might begin to work with.

So we had a very good week though. This past weekend we had stake conference. There were some very good talks given. I really enjoyed the talk by the member of the Temple presidency and his wife. Obviously they both talk about the temple but their were some very good comments given. I really like the sister talked about how if everybody in the world worthy held a temple recommend how the whole world would be a better place. She said wives would not weep, children would not shed tears and their would be no room for misery. I really like that line because I find it to be so true. As the scriptures say "wickedness never was happiness" the blessings that come through attending the temple far out way the misery and temporal joy that Satan thinks he can bring to us. I wish I could not go two years without attending the temple. Seven months seems long enough. In the last zone conference we were talking about temples and the only ones that were answering the questions were the greenies that just came out. The temple president (I think he was the president) made a very powerful comment that really hit me. He said "salvation is a personal matter, exaltation is a family matter." he talked about how the temple is the only place and where the only men hold the keys to seal families for all eternity. What a great blessing that is! To know that we can all live together in the life to come where the greatest happiness is. President Redhair of the mission presidency also spoke. To be honest I had no clue as to who he was untill this past weekend. But, he spoke on preach my gospel. He said every family should have a preach my gospel in their home, and should not only read but study chapters 8 and 13. I really liked his talk, he talked to the members about their role in missionary work. He said to many times we see new converts become converted to a missionary and when they bring them to church member don't welcome them or befriend them. then when the missionary leaves so does the new member. that is true all to often that happens. He gave some ideas on what to do as a member. So I challenge you all to take that challenge if you don't have a preach my gospel get one, and then study it. It is Preach my Gospel. We all have that responsibility, not just the full time missionaries.

We had another really good week of missionary work here in Crownpoint as well. We found four new investigators this week. We knocked into a family that is really nice. Their last name is Sam, and they are awesome. They have a son who's ten years old. He rides steers, and seems to be pretty good just before we met them he broke his arm but won some money. After he got off the steer steped on his arm and broke it, but he must have got some money because he had just bought some chaps and they were pretty nice. we are excited to work with them. They were all very excepting and understanding. Their is a little word of wisdom issue but nothing that the spirit won't be able to take care of.

It is hard to believe that this is week 6 of the transfer already. From the sounds of things, I might be getting transfered or we will both be staying. I hope we both stay. We are making such good progress and I really want to see some of these people progress. This week we set a date for the 22 with a really awesom investigator. Her name is Corletta and she is ready to be baptized today. We are excited for that. Then we have a baptisim this week for a little girl named Jalin. So the work is definatly picking up and we are so excited to see it. Our work is paying off.

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

Love,

Elder Schmidt

 

Baptism of Sister Cowboy September 2011