Letter #24 December 13th

Hello loved ones!

NEWS: NADIA GOT BAPTISED!!!!!!!

Okay now I will explain! Nadia is the 40 year old woman that just showed up to the temple interested in knowing more. She is the one that had the vision and new that Joseph Smith wasn't lying because she also saw Jesus Christ. So she isn't actually crazy! People here are just really in tune with the spirit! I moved out of her area but Sister Robinson still met with her. I found out on Monday they set a date with her! YEAY She asked me to say the closing prayer at her baptism. Not a lot of people were there but it was so great. I loved it so much. She came running at me when she say me and hugged me and said "my little angel" I almost cried! She is so great! I feel such a connection with her! I love her and she makes yummy food! :) There are so many baptisms here! Which brings up the next thing!

The mission already has over 30 people with baptismal dates on Christmas day! How cool is that!!!! Hopefully they will all go through. and one of them is ours. There will be 9 in Borshahivskiy at 12 aka right before I call home! We are going to have a white Christmas for sure! I am so excited! So her name is Baba Lilia (baba is for baboosya= grandma) she is 75 and a little crazy she tried to get baptised a year ago but lets just say it went really wrong and she came up to us and is ready for a second dip! We are trying to have some others commit to the 25th so keep praying!

Have I told you I love center? Oh yeay I already have a million times but it's true! Missionary work is so much fun! I love being a missionary. Plus in center I keep warm because the Metro is warm. I swear my body is so confused! I start sweating with all my heavy clothes on for the cold when I am in the metro but then I go outside and my sweat freezes on me and makes me even colder. ha ha its weird but I am just grateful to be warm at some points in the day! Which reminds me Yes mom I did get a winter coat! It's warm (ugly but warm) Let's just say it's not the 1,000 dollar coat that I had my heart set on :) Sister Larsen and I am having lots of fun together! It cracks us up all the things we do! It's so great. She is an amazing missionary! I am learning so much from her! It's weird if you go out with her family after Christmas she could come with you! ha ha I am so sad she is leaving on the 30th. I will miss her! She is helping me be a better missionary. It's really good to serve with other people so you learn so many different ways to be a good missionary!

Well I love you all so much thanks for your e-mails, love, support, and prayers! You are all so great can't wait for next week to hear your updates. (I think they are cool even if you think they are lame still let me know whats up) LOVE YOU! Sister Schmidt

The Video from conference

Lauren referenced the conference video several times 2 weeks ago. I found it online. It took a while to load, but is totally worth watching.

http://www.byutv.org/watch/2037-100

Letter #23 December 6

So this week has been AMAZING again! The mission..... Is great. This week I dyed my hair darker :) It looks good too.... I think. But we went to the Kiev Ballet again and saw the Nutcracker. It was great I loved it! The mission officially dropped English practice so that was good! We are now just focused on teaching the gospel. Problem is I don't know how to talk to people and contact without English as a crutch. I went out to dinner with Alexis Mallet and that was interesting. It left me in a funk from Babylon and I hated it. So my comp and I decided to "burn Babylon" We drew all the things that kept us in Babylon and not focused on the work and then burned the paper. It felt really good and get me out of my funk. It was a blessing to meet with her though because it made me SO grateful to be a missionary. I never want to come home. Well I do to see all of you. But I just want to be a missionary forever because it's the only important thing in life. Well There are others like growing up and having a family of my own that I really look forward to. But it made me so grateful for what I was doing and all the blessings that come from being a missionary. Life would be so lame if I was just home going to school nd never got this amazing opportunity! I love it!

So best news of all! We had a baptism this weekend. Her name is Jennya she is a sweetheart. Even though everything went wrong everything turned out great. A lot of people were there and she is great and smiley and happy! I wish that I could have been a little more involved in the work but I will be here to support her and help keep her active in the ward. So Our goal is to have a baptism on Christmas day! Will you all pray for that gaol too? We want to help Natalia, Ira, Anya, Larica,and Lydmila get baptised this month! Pray for them to accept the commitment and us to get them ready!

I Love you all! I got the Christmas package! I think you might want to send a list of what was in it I won't read it till after Christmas but It got opened and re taped so some stuff might have gotten stolen. Like I saw an iPod charger and it's possible its wrapped but if you didn't wrap it I think it got stolen :( Well LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the prayers and support!

Sister Schmidt

The pictures are one time I was a bandit and scared

Letter #22 November 29th

HEY FAMILY!!!!!!Guess what I just realized it's my half birthday! Holler! Life is GREAT!!!!!!!!! I Love my new area and my new companion. We already have way too much fun together. But in a good way. We are determined to be the best missionaries we can be. I bet you are dieing to know where I am. Ready.... I am in center Kiev! and I love it so much. I wanted to serve here so bad and with Sister Larsen (The one the Kiev thing was about during conference) I am the happiest girl. They whole mission was there when we got announced and I was expecting somewhere else and was not excited about it. So when President announced it the two of us flipped out. Everyone laughed. Ia m so excited but super bummed because she goes home this transfer. So I am nervous to learn all I need to about this area in 4 weeks. She is going home the 30 which is before transfers end so she can start school up at byu again. She is totally awesome. We are so much the same and our teaching style is the same and we have knock your socks off spiritual lessons. I feel the spirit with her so much when we teach. I am so stoked! This week has been incredible! Sister Robinson and I had the best last four days together. We worked so hard to see lots of people and have good lessons we then almost died (I can't tell you the story till I get home because Sister Robinson's parents would have a hard attack if they heard this story.) I know you would be okay if you heard it but I will tell you when I get home. Or maybe another time. Don't worry it wasn't that bad :) Then on Thursday we had a great thanksgiving! President had everyone come in from the entire mission! We all got together and had transfers and then we were able to have President Galbraith The Kiev temple President come talk to us. It was so sweet! He really drilled into us the importance of temples. It wasso cool to hear him and everyhting he had to say. He is an amazing man. I am really starting to the catch the vision of it all. I am so slow to realize something but wow! The temple is amazing. So after that we ate THANKSGIVING DINNER! All the Senior missionary couples worked so hard and cooked a great meal for us. We had chicken and stuffing and potatoes and grav. I was in heaven and then every one brought a pie. It was so great. We then got to watch the Kiev temple thing from conference. wasn't that cool!!! You need to re watch it! I know everyone from the video. All the kids singing are everyone from my ward. They interviewed my bishop and the two churches you saw were my old area and the elders were in my district. Elder sorenson is my buddy! We are tight! and then all about sister Larsen and her mom! Oh man! Family! That is my life right now. You can watch that and honestly see everyone I talk to and work with through the week! That is the closest thing to knowing what I am doing! Watch it again! :) The pictures I sent were taken 10 minutes ago! That's whats going down in Kiev! It is so cold! I still haven't bought my real winter coat! So that is what is on the agenda right after this because I think I might start to freak soon. It's been great weather before today! I apologize for spending money. My companion said that it will be about 200 dollars for a coat! Please forgive me! You can go to my bank and take it out and put it in my account. I got your package!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks I was so extatic when the first thing I saw was PB! Oh how my heart swelled! I am using the hair stuff so that will be good. Is the little bottles just supposed to go on my scalp or all throughout my hair? I love the sweater. Its the only thick thing I have. i think I am going to have to buy somemore. Did you not find my underarmour in my bag? If you forgot its okay I just woundered. And sister Larson has great music. I am so happy! I have missed music! I am getting behind on my readying! How is everyone else doing? Is anyone doing my challenge? This week I was at the coolest baptism ever. It was a husband and wife. young couple just found out about the church 4 weeks ago. The rule in the mission here is that they have to come to church 3 times in a row before they can get baptised so that is exactly what they did. They got baptised the earliest that was possible. He is going to be a 70 when he gets older. We are all convienced! He sang at his own baptism. he sang the song that I had at my baptism. The "I want to be the best I can to live with God again" I don't know what it is called! But he sang it in Russina it was beautiful and his wife played the piano! He is a professionall singer!!!! Have I mentioned how happy I am!? I love my life, I love what I am doing, the poeple around me, my companion, Kiev, all of it. It's all so amazing! I couldn't be anyhappier! I thought of one thing that would make me happier.. a baptism... which we have this weeked. she is 15 her name is jennya her mom irina got baptised two weeks ago. I went to her baptism. I haven't really done anyhting for the baptism so I don' really claim it. But I am excited for her! Will I goota go! Thanks for the love and prayers. Oh and Yes I am learning Russian right now! Ha it is way hard!!! But we laugh because we are so mixed up in languages! Ha I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thanks for the prayers and love!!!!!Sister Schmidt "We can do no great things, only little things with great love" Mother Teresa

Pictures

Lauren sent pictures. I am posting them on the side bar.

ENJOY!

Letter #21 November 15

So what's new! LOTS! As always!

I went to the Kyiv ballet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think I put
enough ! but I loved it. It was amazing! I can't even express the
love I have for it. The opera house was beautiful! Ah We took time
off of P-day and went thursday night. We are able to do that once a
transfer. Our mission president is the coolest man ever! It was
awesome! But we didn't get hope till 11 oops! and then we were locked
out of our apartment. It was crazy for about ten minutes then we
realized we had another lock and the landlord locked it so we got in
and went to bed at 11:30 needless I was a little tired the next day!
But it was incredible. I WENT TO THE KYIV BALLET I can't think of
anything cooler. (besides missionary work... of course)

We had a girls day! Last P-day we went to luch with the other sisters
in Kyiv and we had mexican food! Sister Zenger and I spent 140 greven!
aka like 16 dollars which is a TON!!!!!!!!!!!! OOPS But it was so
fun! Pictures are coming!

We have had AMAZING weather! It is totally confusing! I complained
about how cold it is but now it is hott. Its been about 60 degrees
all this week and last week! WEIRD! I am loving it though. I just
hope the weather doesn't come back with a vegance! Normailly Ukraine
doesn't see the sun for all of november and december. But its been
sunny everyday. but it gets dark at 4:30 which is scary!

Speaking of scary yesterday a poor drunk man came into church and he
told us all about how he killed his brother. I have never sat next to
a murderer before. Bless his heart he wants to change. But he
deffinately changed the feeling in the church it was hard for me!
There are a lot of creepy men here. We have had to run away from them
a lot. This week was especially bad. Right after the drunk man left
another one of the elders investigators hugged me and kissed me. It
was so awkward. I am going to be an awkward missionary when I get
home for sure! Physical contact freaks me out!

This week missionary work was really hard for me. I have been
struggling with the language. I thought I was going to break down and
cry at church yesterday. But I toughened up and didn't/ I kept my
composure. Wow It's crazy how we can do such hard things! I am going
to find a lot more hard things coming my way in a week when I get
transferred and I am terrified! But I can do it. But I will need the
prayers for sure! Thanks!

I am starting an exchange today. I will be in a different area for
the next three days. My companion is going home in a transfer and
rocks at Russian. I am excited to be with her!

I am reading the Book of Mormon in one month. I challenge all of you
to do it too! I know that all of you will be able to do it! You just
have to commit it it. So commit right now. From the time you read
this, a month from now. It's inly 20
pages a day! It makes it so much cooler! I started on wednesday and
I am already 100 pages in! So You can do it. It's about 20 pages a
day! Good luck! Let me know How it goes!

I don't know how to be a missionary! I need all the help I can get.
I am struggling to know how to be the best missionary and help people
come unto Christ. I don't know what to say and do to help them. I
don't always feel that the spirit is guiding me in the places I should
go, the people to talk to or the things to say. I don't want to waste
the Lord's time! I know that I am doing the Lord's work and I wan to
do it the best I can. Tomorrow I hit my 5 month mark. That means I
only have 13 months left. A year and 1 month! WOW! Time flies. When
elders come to that point they are already seasoned missionaies and
know what they are doing! Me I am still green and I go home in a
year! How to a take advantage of the time I have to do this great
work!?

Well I am out of time! I love you all! Hope to hear from you next
week! LOVES!
Sister Schmidt

Letter #20 November 8

False alarm, I just sent a none written e-mail! OOPS! Oh my this is annoying my e-mail says every word is spelled wrong because it is in English and not Russian. That is frustrating. Anyways! HI! I sure love to e-mail you all. It is the greatest thing ever. I think I am going to cry the next weeks because mom and dad are going to be gone so I am not going to get any e-mails. By the way I will be getting transferred (probably) Technically I don't know but there are two Ukrainian sisters coming in on Thanksgiving Day and there are only two other Ukrainian speakers that have been here longer than S Carpenter and I. So they will both have to train so I will be transferred to a different area with a Russian Speaking companion. I am nervous. My Ukrainian is going to get thrown under a bridge because now all I really will hear is Russian. Maybe I will learn Russian faster than Ukrainian. That could be neat! .

Update with me last week we went to Lavra the huge church here. We didn't go into the catacombs but we will soon I here they are freaky. Then we went to big mama the huge woman statue. It has a HUGE WW II museum. You will have to come back to Ukraine and go to it. It is so sad and interesting. It showed a map of where a huge war was and it was all the way down the areas where i am serving. Like along streets that I walk all the time. It was so interesting. I want you all to be able to see it.

So I had a cool experience! S. Robinson and I were outside at night waiting for a member to come down for our lesson and this little boy that was only 1 year old came walking over to us (with the help of his grandmother) When I put my hand out to say hi he instantly let go of her hand and grabbed mine. He then continued to walk over closer to S Rob with my help. Keep in mind he is the cutest baby/toddler I have EVER seen. He then reached up because he wanted her phone and when she bent down saw her name tag and just caressed it. His mom and Grandma then tried to pull him away and he just started to cry. They let go and he leaned closer to us and stopped crying. They then took him away from us and he just continued to cry. It was so neat. S. Robinson and I after both looked at each other and said That we think that little children know who we are and who and what we represent. The veil really is thinner for children. It was so neat. It is so sad that the older we get the thicker we choose to make the veil. We make choices to pull us farther and farther away from our Heavenly Father. We can choose to do all that we can to come closer to him. It was so amazing and spiritual.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go visit a lady who reminded me a lot of Paula but she can't even sit up any more. Her mother is always at home taking care of her. They were so strong and spiritual. I really do think that Ukrainians are so much more in tune than Americans. They talked about their baptisms and the Holy Ghost. Irina the daughter said after her baptism she could feel the Holy Ghost from her head down her spine and it lasted for 5 days straight. She said I don't feel is as much anymore sometimes I can feel it taking up the whole room and sometimes I can feel him right in front of my face. How would it be to be able to be so in tune with the Holy Ghost. I wish that I was as in tune as this mother and daughter. It then reminded me other the story mom told me about seeing Paula as her resurrected self in the temple on day. I just wish We could all see each other the way Christ sees us. The world would be such a different place. I think of Pres. Monsons talk is RS conference about not judging others. We need to look at the world with Jesus glasses on. And see people the way they really are with true love in our heart.

We also had the opportunity to go to Zone Leaders conference and tell all the zone leaders what things that have worked well for us to have the success that we do. It was really crazy because sister Robinson and I don't feel like we are even good missionaries. There a few things we can do alright but we focus on all the bad.but then to have President call us and ask us to answer questions and give advice to all the zone leaders and district leaders was awesome. This week we got 17 lessons which is awesome our goal was 15! We have been blessed to be able to meet with a lot of people and use our time wisely. We still have a lot of work! LOTS! This week we are trying to work on being happy a lot. I am happy but I am such a greenie I am annoying. ha ha did any of you ever have to train? I can only imagine how hard it is. I am so annoying. It's funny because I don't even know how not to be annoying!

I love being a missionary. I talk with S Robinson about it sometimes and I can't imagine not having the opportunity to be here. I would hate to be home just going to school and just not know about missionary work. It's sad that more girls don't go. I have learned so much and I have only be out for 4 months. I can't imagine how much more I am going to learn in the next year. I think that all girls should go on missions because the experiences that I have had and the things I have learned I wouldn't have learned by being home. Plus a mission helps you have so much more patience and become so much more mature. I am still so immature, but I think about how I was before. I am just so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. Why don't more girls go on missions? A year and a half is such a short time! Will you personally tell Nat for me that going on a mission was the best thing I have ever done. ( to Nat) And that even if you do have a boy that has potential that this is more important and he can wait. Because the things you will be learning on your mission will make you a better wife and mother. If you don't have a boy that don't even hesitate. Start your papers now. You won't regret It I promise you. It's hard and when you get out there will be times that you want to yell at me and tell me I lied to you but they go away fast :) It really is awesome. Boys will tell you that girls shouldn't go on missions just slap them and go! ha I promise you will love it! That goes to Kestri Jackman too! and Erica and any other girls that is thinking about going on a mission. Just GO They are so cool!!!! I sound like mom! but its true! :)

Well I am out of time I love you all! Thanks for all the prayers and love! You are all so great! Can't wait to hear from you next week!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #19 November 2

Good morning to the greatest people in the whole world!

First of all what happened to October. It got lost and all I can find is November! AHHH! So in two days I will have been in Ukraine for two months. time is so crazy here! It totally confuses me! I love all your e-mails! I was so excited to hear from you all I can't wait to read them later today! This week was great because I got e-mails from two of my best Friends Steve and Elder Gates! It would have been complete but TAy Tay forgot about me because he got a girlfriend. Yeay I am excited to get McKell's wedding invitation. I wish I was there! (well sorta) if I wasn't here :)

This weeks theme was GROWTH!

I was able to grow a lot. My patience, love, language and attention span was all tried this week. And I think I won because I grew a lot from the experience.

Patience and Love- Sister Robinson was still sick this week. We only spent one day doing lessons. It was a long day and she was such a trooper I was so proud of her. We did service and then had two lessons. It pretty much killed her (not really) and we spent the rest of the weekend inside except once to get food at the store and then church. I didn't love being inside in silence. It was really hard for me. I wanted to be out doing stuff but we just couldn't. I learned to have more love in my heart and to serve even when it was hard for me, because I don't matter. It is important to love your companion and serve her with all you have because she is so important and if you don't have a good relationship with her you can't be a good missionary. So I made soup two to three times a day cleaned a lot and learned how to be a better mommy. I think I will do alright when I have little ones. I can handle being a nurse.

Language- while she slept all day I manned the phones. I told you about last Monday, my first phone call. Before that I never touched the phone,not even to the elders. Then all of a sudden I was in charge of phone calls not only English but Ukrainian and Russian as well. I grew SO much! I was SO happy! I can't even tell you. I a confident on the phone! It is SO hard. But I can do it!!! I laugh and sometimes have NO CLUE what they are saying to me but some how we can communicate. It just makes me so excited. I have a 16 minute conversation with on of our investigators. It was so awesome! I really am going to survive in this country. It might be in broke Ukrainian for 15 months and a lot of laughter and crying but I am going to make it. i have really felt your prayers. They strengthen me SO much! I really feel your love and it lifts me up when I get down! We also had three Russian sisters stay at our apartment last night. They are serving in Siberia and are here for a visa trip. They are all Ukraine natives. We did a split and I went with two of them and sister Robinson went with one. I lucked out and got the ones that didn't speak an ounce of English and knew a little Ukrainian. It was awesome and hard. I wanted to get to know them more but I just wasn't completely able to in Ukrainian. They are so cure. It was a success I got them safely to our apartment and went shopping. It was way awkward when they left me by myself in the store. I didn't know what to do. I had never been alone before (in the last 4 months) I survived tho. i didn't to anything illegal! :)

Attention Span- I can't sit in an Apartment for 6 days. That was way hard. I don't know how to be effective with so much time! It was rough. i really wish I would have been better. I studied a lot but wanted to study more. I don't feel like i learned as much as I should have. I read a ton of talks and am cruising through the new testament! I love it. Christ is incredible and if you ever forget it just read the new testament! and the book of Mormon of course! But WOW! . I wish I would have really worked harder while I was studying. Or actually just studied smarter. I struggle with that. I need to study better. Any suggestions family friends RMs? So that is where i am still working on growing! There are a lot of areas I am still trying to grow in!

I am so greatful for this opportunity to be a missionary. I am loving the ways it stretches me and helps me grow to be a better person. I know that I will be a better freind, mother, daughter, sister, and wife because of the experiences I have had here. I am so grateful for all of you and the love I feel from you. I am love Ukraine. It is an amazing place with the most amazing people. I love the work and I know that there is nothing that would be better than being here doing what I am doing. What a blessing! I love you so much! I am sorry this is a boring e-mail. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #18-October 26th

Yesterday I sat for 13 hours straight it was the longest most
pointless day of my life. Actually I think I have had worse but
sister robinson was sick and slept all day and I sat and wrote letters
and more letters and more letters and read scriptures and cleaned. It
was rough. I spent the whole day in completer silence and you know me
i love music or even talking. It was really hard for me. I did my
best to be a good mother and nurse. Soemtimes its frustrationg the
way didfferent people react when they are sick. You just need
patience and love and then its okay. :)


My comp and I get a long good and we have a lot of fun together but
its also really hard. This week we had a lot of little frustrations
and I am a terrible persona nd need more patience. As we know I am
one that gets angry fast and then is happy fast and it doesnt work
that way with others. SO we had comp inventory and we both cried and
nbow things are working better. But things were never bad!

You all need to read none were with him by Elder Holland this week and
then read Mark 15. Wow thats what I did yesterday and wow! It was so
incredible. I am reading the old testiment and It is so amazing to
me! The Savior is incredible. The atonement is so intense and He did
it all for us. I cant even imagine the love that he has for us and
especially for his father in Heaven. What kind of love do we have for
OUR Father in Heaven. Would we be willing to do what th Savior did?
I think we all have the opportunity to show our love by serving His
children.

I have notice the people in Ukraine really do serve one another. This
week I was on a marshootka and I witnessed the smallest act of service
and it made me want to cry. There was a crippled man getting out of
the marshootka and was sdtruggleing to make the step on the the curb.
One random man just grabbed his jacket and lifted him up in order for
him to make it over the curb. So simple to watch one man help out
another but its so important. We are all here on the earth together.,
With the same goal. We want to come closer to Chirst and return to
our Father. Some forget this and thats why we need to help them
remember and also serve them daily. Look for services to help your
fellow man and you will find them.

WOORAY! I made my first phone call in Ukrainian. I thought it was an
english speaker we knew so I answered and this lady spoke to me in
Ukrainian. and I UNDERSTOOD the whole thing. spoke back schedualed
our meeting and hung up! I am super excited but didnt show it! but
yeay! I am going to make it in Ukraine even if it is in slaughtered
Ukarainian. then Yesterday sister robinson was sleeping and I
answered the phone and talked to some more people. Those ones were
rough because it was russian. Heavenly Father blessed me to have my
first phone call with the ONLY ukrainian investigator we have in order
for me to gain the confidence needed to do it a lot later in the week
in russian. YEAY for blessings!!!!

We had 5 baptismal dates and unfortunately have watched them go to 2,
for one reason or another they are not ready. I want to help these
people but Its way hard. I have this love for them and cant express
it at all. and I cant understand them enough to know hopw to help
them. I think thats why memebers are so important!

Ah no time!

Here is my letter to President:
Dear President Steinagel,

This last week has been a great week. Sister Robinson and I really
focused on planning better. One thing we focused on was set our goals
then planning how to achieve them and THEN scheduling our week/day.
It was amazing how much better our week turned out. We set a goal to
relook at our lesson goals evernight and see where we were at and what
we had to achieve our weekly goals. Everything we did focused on
putting every effort to achoeving them. Are our goal was 13 lessons
this last week and we got 16, Mid week we caught fire and committed
ourselves to talk to EVERYONE. It was amazing the people we found in
some of the most random places. We even had a lesson with a bathroom
attendant, in the bathroom.

I have really caught fire of wanting to be a better planner and I want
to become a master planner. Not just for now but for the rest of my
life. When you really focus on the time you have and plan right you
can do great things. We had a miracle on Sunday. We really wanted to
reach our goal for meetings and prayed for Heavenly Fathers help in
order to do it. As the day went on it felt like time stood still as
we travelled and met with people. We truely felt Heavenly Fathers
hand in our work slowing down the clock in order for us to have the
time to meet with His children and help them come unto him. The
longer I am hear the more my eyes open to this amazing experiences.
As I recognize them in my life more Heavnely Father blesses me with
more. It is an endless cycle. I love this work its so fun.

We have been able to set a lit of dates lately but have struggled to
keep them going. It feels like as soon as we set one date another
falls through. Our investigators our so fragile and it is important
to focus on every single one of them but I feel like its not fully
working. I dont know how to help our investigators progress to their
date and be ready if they arent meetings as often as beeded. Its also
difficult to get them to understand the importance of coming to
church. We are really working with them to understand. Sister
Robinson is amazing. She has so much patience with me. I struggle to
pull my wight in the companionship because I feel incompitent in my
language abilities but I do my best to keep my head up and just keep
smiling and doing my best. She is a great example. Its amazing how
the harder we work the more fun we have. I do have a question. I
understand it might take a while to reply but we were wondering if it
is acceptable to have meetings on the temple grounds. A lot of our
dates have come from lessons where the investigator is on temple
grounds and can keep the power of the spirit even stronger. I know it
is preferred to have lessons in their homes but if its not possible is
the temple grounds an acceptiable place?

Thanks for all you do. We love you and your family!
Sister Schmidt

Letter #17

Okay so for the good stuff My week has been crazy we had sister carpenter and sister Murphy with us till Monday then sister carpenter and ellellian Monday night and then sister Zenger till Friday. WOW it was so nuts! but we love all the sisters and were excited to have them with us but it was nice to have our apartment to ourselves after a week of visitors. During that week I was with Sister Zenger I wanted to cry the whole time because her Russian is outstanding. She was being chatty Cathy on the phone and with everyone around her in Russian. It was a huge slap in the face to realize how crappy I am at my language. But I was way bummed about it and now I am okay again. Sister Carpenter is a lot better at the language too. But before that sister Murphy, who is now home said that it is impossible to learn Ukrainian in Kiev and just wait to get L'viv till I can really learn the language.

Well I figured I would give you the low down on all of our investigators so you know what is in my head 24/7. Elena is a 40 year old woman that wants to be a 17 year old. She wants to change but is struggling to make the changes necessary to change. She reads on occasion and prays but doesn't normally come to church. But she made a huge step and came to church. We are having to move her baptismal date back and Svetlana's too. She has a boyfriend/husband and has to get married before but doesn't want to live with him forever. Its a little difficult situation.Then we have Hadia that is amazing.

I wish that I was able to tell you more but I have to go. We have been on crazy errands because sister robins ion's credit card and passports all have been stolen so I don't have anymore time. Oh but I went to Dominno's this week! It just opens McDonald's just contract just went out. so now we get to go there I will send pictures soon!

Love you

Sister Schmidt

Letter #16

Are you ready to know what Sister Robinson and I did that is totally funny and retarded! We went to this story to get winter coats and they were so nice and only 100 dollars we were so excited they were even nicer then ones on the Rinok (street shops) well S.R. bought hers and Mine wouldn't work. I took it as a sign I shouldn't get the coat but needed to figure out why my account wouldn't work. Well The next morning we realized that the coat was actually 1000 dollars not 100. OOPS! yeah SR bought a 1000 dollar real fur and leather coat for her mission. No worries we took it back and everything is fine. I am sorry you were in a panic trying to figure out my account. Thanks! I hope this hasn't been too crazy! Uh I just laugh because I honestly feel really bad for being so stupid SORRY!!!!!! So yeah that is the funny story of the week that is only funny now because she has all her money back!

I would also like to apologize for my tangent on drunk men from last week. That was dumb and a waste of time. Anyways life in Ukraine is INCREDIBLE! I had a great week! Every week is incredible but this one was even better because of conference! Okay so everything that happened before conference was alright but conference just made everything better. We had a great lesson with our baptismal date named Stevlana. We had three members on the lesson! It was like relief society almost! but she is making friends and that is so important. It was also wonderful because they could answer all her questions and concerns. Because they are older have kids more experienced know the culture and last but not least they know that language (Russian) on a level that we only hope we could EVER be at.

On Tuesday we were called by President to drop everything we were doing and go 2 1/2 hours to an area to take a sister to the airport to fly to Russia for emergency surgery and then take her companion back to our area with us until zone meeting the next day. That was intense but exciting. It had been a long time sense I have been in a car other than a marshootka. We then had Zone Meeting. It was awesome President Stienegal is awesome. I love his enthusiasm for the work. It is contagious! I was just stoked to be the best missionary I could be! I love Zone Meetings we talked about the importance of the Holy ghost in conversion. I don't ever want to teach without the Holy Ghost. That is just so scary you are all on your own and not teaching the things they need to hear. Seems terrible! Heather I thought a lot about your blog comments on the Holy Ghost and not having the Gift for you life and making decisions without it is so hard. What a true principle. We are so blessed to have the gift of the holy ghost and we don't even realize how great it is because we take advantage of it a lot of the time. It is so important to always live your life worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost But it takes a lifetime to be worthy of the CONSTANT companionship.

Then on Friday night sister Carpenter and Sister Murphy came to our area. S Murphy is finished with her mission and is heading home. and sister carpenters future companion is the one that flew to Russia and wont be back for a while so she had to come to Kiev and find out what she is doing. Poor sister her life is crazy right now! I was so excited to see her we hugged 20 times in 2 minutes. We acted like little girls! I am so grateful for her. She is so awesome. I had a blast with her in the MTC!

Saturday we got to watch conference in English!!!!! i was so excited when we heard we would watch it in English rather than Russian! We watched it with all the Senior couple missionaries. It was so fun! WOW how amazing is conference it just got me so excited to be a better person. It really helps put you in your place and realized where you are in life and how much more you have to work to become more of the person you should be and want to be. It's such an amazing opportunity to listen to the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint, the ONE true church on the face of the earth, speak to the world. They are speaking the words that our heavenly Father, and His son Jesus Christ would say to us if they we here. WOW So intense and powerful. And it is so sad that people just don't understand. We invite people to come and hear and they just don't realize how great of an opportunity it really is. But its okay that's why I am here is to help them realize how great it is.

Good news. sister Robinson and I totally had the power of conference at our back and went and had a lesson with our investigator and out of the blue she told this story and we just asked her. Do you want to be a member of this church. and she looked at us and thought about it and said yes. She said she felt like she had been led to the temple and that we have the right name of the church and all these things and even thought we invited her at church the week before and she said no she already had, she was just ready. And so we are trying to work out her work schedule so that she can come to church and then be baptised. She want to be baptised the 23 but we don't know if that will work out so well.

The work here is on the rise it is so amazing. Everywhere you turn there is another person that the Lord has just prepared. We are simply here to help them find exactly what it is they are looking for. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here and be a representative of Jesus Christ my Savior and Redeemer. I know that if I do the best I can and rely on him, the spirit will lead and guide me to the elect. I know that they are out there and they are searching for the knowledge that we have it's just a matter of us relying on the spirit to lead us to them and continuously being worthy of that direction.

On Sunday we had another amazing day of conference and... our investigator came! We were so excited. She liked conference so much that she even decided to stay for the next session. I was so grateful for her. She got all dressed up with make-up and earrings and really went all out for the event. She is so cute, but her husband who is 30 years older than her won't read the Book of Mormon. He doesn't believe in the atonement or that Jesus is the son of God. He invites us over and then tries to teach us. The whole time we are there she is excited with questions and thoughts but never gets to speak because he is always talking. It is really sad and I wish I knew what to do better. I am also struggling to figure out the balance of creating good relationships with members and investigators and having the lessons. I want to teach them and help them find the truth but you also need to have a relationship and know each other and not be just there for the lesson. Time just flies. We spend lots of time at their houses and I feel like neither one was accomplished very well. It is too bad. I am working on it.

During conference I was Brett Jorgenson and his two sons in the choir! It totally made me happy! I was like hey I know them! It was a taste of home! I loved it. They showed him about 4-5 times. So you went to Elder Hewett's homecoming. I haven't read about it yet but I saw parts that you said it was really good. He seemed like he was a great missionary I am excited for him. That was really weird to get the e-mail from dad's phone from him. It was nice. Ha he signed it Elder Hewett it made me laugh. Tell him thanks if you see him again. The transformation after your mission seems like a rough one. I home that I am so incredibly awkward and that everyone is embarrassed of me. I think that means I did something right! Sister Howell and Murphy head home tomorrow at 3 in the morning. It's crazy to realize that people leave after being here. I don't think I want to come home. Sorry family I am just going to stay in Ukraine and be a missionary forever. After all they don't have an age limit on sisters serving missions :) But anyways they are leaving and that means it is just sister Robinson, carpenter and me that are the Ukrainian speakers. SAD! Ukrainian is dieing and I see the effects of it. Sister Murphy was born in my area too and she has managed to learn the language well. I think I will be able to do it too! It was nice to hear her say that learning Ukrainian here when all you are surrounded by is Russian is nearly impossible but keep your head up. It was great.

I don't really know the language at all but I am really good and learning from the Holy ghost. He helps me so much. I understand whats going on in lessons and that is what is important. I can figure out what they are saying and feeling. I don't know they exact words they use but I can catch on. OH! I did my first full contact in Ukrainian. I giggled my poor heart out I was so stinking nervous! But I told her about the BOM read the intro page with her and then got her number and we are meeting with her on Saturday! I CAN DO HARD THINGS! yeay! I was totally on a high after that! I loved where I am and what I am doing. I love you all and think the world of you! I hope that you boys realize how awesome missions are and that you prepared everyday till you go on one. and sisters- Prepare to serve one with your husbands. They are awesome and even though you won't get this same experience I promise you will love it and have your own fun experiences. I can't wait to serve a mission with my best friend later on in life. you will love it! I love you! Thanks for the love. Heather I loved the pictures of the ragnar! I can't wait to run with you sisters when I get home! Much love!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #15

I find myself walking down the streets of Ukraine where the sun is playing hide and go seek with me and I am FREEZING! It is 8 degrees right now. I think that is pretty chilly. Its under 50 F. Yeah and it's only October! Oh boy is all I gotta say. I better buckle up because this ride is only getting colder!

Cinnamon Roll Sunday huh? Kinda makes me want to cry. I told my companion about or tradition and my district. We decided we are making Cinnamon rolls. One of the Elders offered to make us some for district meeting tomorrow. :) Maybe I won't cry after all. We haven't seen conference yet. It's next week here because all the translations. I think I get to watch it in English! YIPPEE! I am so excited for Conference. It's like Christmas for a missionary! So much spiritual gifts and up-liftment all packed into a weekend. I don't know what ones we will be able to watch or if we will be able to see the Ukrainian thing. I sure hope so sounds like it was good! That means you got to see my area!!!! Hooray! Now you know where I am! Did the pictures work? I home you got to see a little of where I am! Ukraine is it's own type of beautiful. I love it.

So this week "went to the dogs" Ha unfortunately people dogged us again and again this week. It became a game in a sense. We had to say to our selves we are going to make a record we wanted it to be in the number of lessons we had this week but instead it went to how many people ditched us. ha oh boy. We had 13 lessons this week our goal was 15 but we had 11 people bail on us! Yeah man that's a lot! Oii Why don't people just understand that the gospel is so awesome and that if they want to be baptised they have to meet with us. And if they want eternal happiness that we can help them get there. all the have to do is MEET WITH US! Man stupid agency! hahaha I am kidding! I just say that when people choose and they choose the wrong thing :)

Right now we have three standing baptism dates in our companionship. Which is great... if they would meet with us. This time before their baptism is so hard. Satan is incredible at what he does. I just want to kick him. He knows how to play the game and is really good which means I have to be even better. It's just frustrating when you do all you can to help people and they don't know how to help themselves. Elena is 18 going on 42. She wants to change her life so her 19 year old daughter can see and also find God. She is supposed to get baptised on the 23rd. She hasn't met with us sense she committed to being baptised. She has bailed 3 times and never been to church. Stevlana is a mother of a 10 downs boy and a crazy 6 year old daughter. Her husband and mother are anti. She works all the time and is so busy. Her life is so hard but I know I have seen a change in her sense she committed to being baptised, but she still is unsure. She was supposed to get baptised this weekend and we moved it back to next. I think we are going to need to move it again. The other is Svetlana too she just got married and had surgery and lives out in a village out of Kyiv while she is recovering. I don't really know her but she still has a date. I wish I could figure out how to be a good missionary.

So I decided I hate Satan and everything he gives the world to get us on the wrong path. Most of all I HATE ALCOHOL. I hate what is does to people I hate the Smell I hate that you can't think when you drink and it just is messy. This week we were on a marshootka and a guy was hammered! I thought he was way sleepy then I just realized he was SO drunk. He was sitting down and we were standing right next to him. He was falling over on us and next thing I know ( I think I realized before he did) He threw up all over himself. then as he realized he did it he got up to run off the bus and almost ran into Sis. R and then passed out right as he got out of the marshootka. then got up and hobbled away and threw up again. I hate throw up. It was all on the floor and it was so gross. I was not a Happy person. Why do people drink. Why do people do things that are not good for them. People purposely choose to do the wrong things in life. Alcohol doesn't make you happy it's not even that fun. Satan is amazing at what he does. He makes sin looks so appealing that you honestly think it would be fun. It seems all fine and next thing you know you hit the lowest of the low and are in a dark pit and can barely see the light above you because it is so far away. Its not a fun place to be but you don't even know you are there until you choose to look up at where you used to be. Even then people choose not to look up and just keep going farther down. I am grateful I looked up. I am grateful that my Savior helped me out of my hole. I want to be there to help others out of their holes. That's why I am here on a mission. I know that we can change that their is better choices and better things to be involved in. I want others to have the joy and happiness I have found. I can't only help others look up but if they do that Christ will be there to help them out of their holes. What an amazing miracle.

Christ is amazing. I love Reading the scriptures about him. I am reading in Matthew right now about all the miracles and things he did for everyone else. Even after John the Baptist was murdered, his best friend. I am sure he wanted to be alone and to mourn his loss but instead others followed him when he tried to be alone and he changed and started to heal people.

Okay I ran out of time I am sorry for my little tangent. That's my story for the week :) I think I found a coat is 130 dollars and I need to find boots still pray for me. I have huge calfs and people here are tiny! They will probably be about 100 or soo too! Sorry! I am really scared for winter! :( I love you! Write me!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #14

Note from the editor: This last week I went on a trip to see my family in Utah. It was awesome and I had a great time socializing with family and friends, hiking, biking, wakeboarding and watching conference. I know what you are thinking, "who cares....I came to this blog to read about Lauren and her mission and Ukraine. Why is this chic babbling on about her vacation?" Well that is my attempt at an excuse for not posting Lauren's last two letters. Sorry, but here they are. In other news...it appears that Lauren has found the spell checker!! This is good because I was having a very serious internal debate about whether I should edit her letters are leave them as they are. I didn't want to mess with the integrity of her work (plus I am lazy) and opted to leave them as they are. Anyway....on to the good stuff.

Lauren's letter:

Yeay I got more e-mails! You are all so great and love me so much. Thank you for all your support, love and prayers! I like that your Sunday family activity can be writing me a little note and sending it to me and I get it 5 -8 hours later. The Internet is so neat!

I hope my spelling is better. I am typing slower because dad said it was rough. Story of my life. I can't spell for beans.

So I decided to give you a summer of things I have learned about Kiev as I embark on my fourth week in the country. I bagged the day by day play by play. If you would rather that let me know but for now this is what you get :)

The smells here..... are ROUGH. For the family they know about Romanian. Its a lot like Romania but worse. I think I am going to try to get rid of that sense for the next year. Bless Ukraine's little heart but it just smells bad. With that said.. my nose gets confused because sometimes you get amazing smells of fresh baked bread or sharma all of which make me so hungry. Then you also have people walk by the are decked out in perfume and it smells great. ha ha I sure do love this place.

Marshootkas.... They have to be the funniest thing I have ever experienced! They are these little yellow van things (like the Romanian one) that has 12-20 seats on it ans sometimes its a metro bus thingy that seats a lot more people. But EVERYONE gets on it. You pack so many people on it that you can't move. I had an itch on my nose one day and couldn't move my hand to my face to itch it. I wish I could take a picture of it but I think people might be offended if I did that. But they have so many people on them that you can't even shut the doors. and then you find yourself in the middle of this smash packed little van needing to get out at the next stop. All I have to say is good luck that is a work out all on its own. Pretty much it is an incredible system. It only costs 1-3 grieven which is like 15 cents in America. America should have something like this its super smart and cost efficient!

Cold.... I might die this winter! Last winter it got record breaking lows for the past 200 years and last night we heard it is supposed to be the coldest winter in 1000 years. Do I think that is exaggerated... Yes! Do I still think I am going to die... YES! Last winter it got to -40 degrees Celsius. That's cold! So I am going to take Dad's suggestion and get a really warm coat!

Downtown Kiev.... is AWESOME! I love it! Its like New York just cooler! There is amazing architecture and lots of shops. and neat statues! I am going to try to include some pictures so you can see what I am talking about!It is so pretty! I can't wait for you all to come see it (hopefully sometime) They clothes places here are so expensive!!!! We went looking for coats are the suggested stors on the main street in downtown Kiev and I wouldn't even be able to afford it in America It was 2,000+ g which is over 250 dollars! Yikes. This coat searching thing is going to be hard!

The People.... are so sweet. They give and give and give. Random people I don't know will give us amazing fruits on the street and make us food when we come over. They are so humble and amazing. They don't have much to give but they will give lots! They dress SO nice. and the women are skinny bomb shells. Its true America is just really heavy. But they all wear crazy heals and nice clothes they spend all their money on clothes, but then don't have very nice homes. Its opposite in America or at least it seems to me.

The language- everyone tells me I should have learned Russian and that the native tongue here is Russian ha ha I never hear Ukrainian. But that's okay I will just do my best to learn both! :)

WE GOT ANOTHER BAPTISMAL DATE! I saved the best for last. That is two in two weeks and is un heard of here! Not really but Close last night we set the mission record 18 baptismal dates in a week. It's nothing we do its just the temple being here and the Lord really is preparing people. I can honestly say the most happiness I feel is when helping others come unto Christ. I know it is so hard to change their lives but all that is asked is that they have a desire. And to let the desire work in them. Last night we sat on the temple ground and it was so cold and windy but as my companion prayed I prayed that we would be warmed by the spirit and that's what happened. We sat and talked for an hour on how she can change her life and God was leading her to this place and time and that she is ready to make the necessary changes in her life. I am so excited for her. It is going to be a lot of work but we are going to get her ready! October 23rd is her date and Elena is her name! We are super excited for her and the work! They work is booming here. we have to stay on our toes or the Elect are going to fall through the racks. They first presidency has asked us to contact ever single person that came to the temple open house. It is a large and stressful task but by far the most incredible one! I am so excited and love where and what I am doing. I love you all and I pity you for not being able to be where I am right now! It is the best place in the whole world. But I love you and can't wait to hear more from you! I love you all!!!!!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #13

hanks for Leslies E-mail I will look into the people she gave us. The work is so great and crazy right now. We have over 550 refferals from the temple. We have so many people interested we don't even know what to do them. We are doing our best to contact all of them. (I don't feel super busy because i can't make any of the phone calls so my poor companion is just getting whipped into shape) Okay well I am going to give you a low down of my life. I wrote my day to day things i wanted to tell you and brought it! Yeay for good thinking!

Tuesday- We had District meeting and while we were spending hours sorting through all the refferalls two random people came into tghe church wanting more info. Sandra is from India and she is visitng her son that lives her and brought his freinds Natia and Sandra only spoke English and Natia spoke Ukrainian so I taught in Rnglish and Sister R taught in Ukrainian. It was so sand because she wanted more info and to come to church but she was going back to india before Sunday. I was stupid and didn't get her contact info but hopefully we can get it through her son. After we taugh another lesson in English to Maria. it was sweet she just wanted to be our friend but as a good friend would helped her by giving her the gospel. It was an incredible lesson I really felt the spirit. I told her she can have help with making decisions throught the Holy Ghost and read moroni's Promise with her. Even though it was outsid eand it smelt nasty and there were limping stray dogs barking and roaming around and the noise of the street and people giving weird looks I still knew the spirit was there. It was incredible.

Wednesday- I WENT TO THE TEMPLE!!!!!! Oh wow! Thats all I can say it was the most amazing experience. I was so touched by the dedication of the Kiev people! The whole temple was full for the session. Of course it is smaller than any you have ever been in but it was outstanding. I had headsets so I could listen in English but wow it was just amazing to see the power of the people here. There was so much love there. The missionaries that serve in the temple are so cute. It hard to run the temple because of the language barrier but they are getting it to work! Its funny though the english ladies are the sweetest! So after the temple we had tons of meetings set up but there was a lady that walked into the church wanting more info too. We gave her a BoM and told her we would meet the next day and them we went off to our lessons. We taught a lady while walking around in the woods while her childern played. It's hard not knowing what is being said and not speaking it frustrates me but I can feel the spirit during the lessons so tha is great. We then called maria from yesterday. She was so excited. She recieved an answer she knew what she was going to do with her life but most importantly she prayed and knows the BoM is true! Wow it was so cool. She said she was feeling so much peace and contentment. :) I was so excited for her! Then we mentioned baptism and she got a little iffy she knows she would have to change her life too much I think. So we are trying to work with her more.

Thursday- Zone conference. 1st Zone Conference was good. I am not scared of President Steinagel He is so great. I loke him a lot he has a lot of enthusiasm for the work and loves to tell stories. He is wonderful. We are working on the new way to do Preach my Gospel. There was a lot of new stuff we are working on like- teach by reading the BoM together and baptise everyone :) ha ha I guess that hasn't changed but its just being stressed more. We had the best Pizza ever. I love Pizza! ja ja Oh that reminds me Sister Robinson is good at Eating healthy. So I am being more healthy but we do love us some Peanut Buuter. :) ha ha some Americans brought us it. It was the best thing ever. I thnk that will be one of the things i miss the most! :) Well after ZC we were going to meet with the lady fromt he day before. She came in and gave us the BoM back. :( I know sad. But she seemed so perfect it was really interesting. But we told her to keep the book and read and she said she would and left. I am sure it would not be as confusing if I understood Russian and Ukrainian but I don't yet so I just watched and made up the conversation in my head. It is more interesting that way sometimes. ha ha ha ha I feel like a little kid except that I understand I am incompitent and useless. I think I would choose to be ingorant to my incompitance but thats okay. Ignorance is not bliss but neither is not knowing the language you are surrounded by. :)

Friday-I was dead tired and irratated by everything, I wanted to cry, instead I laughed. We got loast and walked around for a hour just in order to get dogged by a lady. ha ha then we went to meet with a lady and it was incredible she read 1ts and 2nd Nephi... the both th e WHOLE books! Incredible right! wow! she is amazing but then half way through talking with her, her friends grabbed us and took us to her apartment upstairs and had us eat and drink and talk but then said she didn't believe in God and it was such a woerd incounter! She seemed nice and then mean. But its funny I always think that the people here are angry and getting mad at us and then I talk to S.R. and she said wow that was awesome they are so nice and I am thinking to myself. This language just sounds mean when people talk fast and don't smile. I get so dang confused! Then we met with a lady and she spoke english she said she had already been baptised and I pulled out the story in john about christ being rebaptised. It was quick and not to hard or mean but sister robinson said i was offensive :( oops

Saturday- I cried of frustration. I hid it though then i took a nap and woke up happy. Yeay for naps they are great! I love naps. We had appointments to meet with 4 people the next day and we got ditched by 2 of them. don't people know we have the key to enternal life and if they meet with us they can too. ha ha joke! but seriously!

Sunday- Good news we didn't have any crazy preachers interupt our meeting or any men hitting on me. HA I don't know if i told you abbout that but oh wow it was weird and funny! I had no clue what was going on but he wouldn't talk to my companion and he would only talk to me but it was my first day and I didn't understand anything. He was an investigator. but yeah. I sat by a member by myself and had NO clue what was being said at church. I still can't figure out if people are speaking in Russian or Ukrainian. ha ha ha Oh man! But yeah after church we went to a beautiful little town and had two lessons with less active memmbers. they were good and short. We met our goal for the week thats was nice. We had 15 lessons this week. I understood 3 of them :) (because the were in eglish) I have never been so quite in my life ha ha

Dad I went to a cute town one day and it made me think of you when we would tavel Europe. It was awesome. We grabbed some food on the street like some wrap sausage thing, Ha it was totally something we would do then we followed it with some ice cream. I took some time to send some love your way. Of course I always am doing that but It was so extra for the occasion.

I love you all so much. I love where I am and then things I am doing. I can't wait to love it more when I am actually understanding what is going on and even talking sometimes! That would be neat! But with time. Its frustrating when my comp keeps telling me I know so uch less than she did when she left the MTC. I am like yeah I know I should have stayed there for 12 more weeks then makybe I would have an idea of what is going on. ha ha oh well I am here and now I got to learn quick and I am not really sue how to do that. Chard and Jordan- What did you do to learn your mission languages? I need all the help I can get. Well iI need to go help with the reffereals. So I love you all. Feel free to e-mail me more about what is going on in your lives. Everyone is allosed to send e-mails and I think what I said about Dear Elders was wrong I don't get throse until 2 weeks later! I love you all so much thanks for the prayers I feel the strength and and using it! LOve you love you love ouy love you!

Sister Schmidt

Letter # 12 first letter from Ukraine

-Guess who is chilling in Kyiv! Yeah thats right I am!!!! Ha I made it! I I am so excited. Great news, I am now given a whole bundle more or internet time! I have an hour and fifteen minutes every P-day So to do that math. I have 45 additional minutes! Yup that means you actually get to know what is going on in my life now. So here is goes.

-We woke up at 3 AM on Friday morning and got ready to go to Ukraine. We were at the travel office by 5 and then on the way to the airport. At the airport I was still over weight with my two bags and two carry ons with an additiopnal BYU bag with my new shoes mom sent me. I totally threw away all my shampoo and something else that had no importance because I can't even remember what it was! ha ha I barely made it.

-I sat next to a man on the way to visit family in Sudan (sp?) He was a muslim. We talked about sugerbeats because he lives in Idaho Falls and does REseard on Sugar beats. Interesting but not as interesting as the islamic religian. We talked all about our religions. I had no idea they are so simillar. I guess I should have talked to Bakay more about that. I am sure he knows the deal. Well anyways that was super stellar. I loved it. I love learning. I think I foget how much I love it because It seems like a chore when it comes to school. But his religion is almost identical. He went to the temple dedication in idaho falls and has bet with the missionaries before. He said that he liked the missionaries but wanted them to tell him something more something that was different about their church. Of course I tried to find out what that difference was and it was kinda difficult. They do so much the same except the authority of a modern day prophet and personal prayers. I am sure there is a lot more but I didn't really get into it with him. He brought up a question/concern and its one I have never thought about..... Why do LDS family adopt black children? WEll that wasn't really the exact question but he felt it was the church recruiting blacks for diversity and by adopting them they are forced to grow up in it and are not adults to choose for themselves. I totally see how that could look bad especially from a black man outside of the church. It was interesting. Soemthing to chew on a bit.

-Then we had our flight to Kiev. That was neat too. We walked on the plane and I had Sis. Zenger switch seats with E Reynolds. SO we could comfortably sleep next to eachother on the plane. E Reynolds walked back and I guy sitting across the iasle asked what his church was and said he had questions for him and then asked if he could by a BOM from him. Of course e all that that was incredibly peachy seeing as we are all new misionaries. Ha ha I am all sorta of excited. They talked for a long time and he got the name of the Elders that "gave him such a wonderful gift" and then asked who he could ta to when he had more questions. Yeah this really happened I know It seems like a dream but it did. He then continued to read all the sections the elders gave him and moroni 10:3-5 and said that he would love to pray and find out if it was true. He was totally awesome! It was insaine. We also made freinds with an 8 year old girl named Vika She was super cute we shared snacks the whole plane ride! dad knows we had a delay and we were pushed back 4 hours which meant we got to kiev 4 hours late. Bummer but its all good then still found us. We only lost 2 bags which is really good i guess the two elders were a little edgy after that.

-We then met everyone and went and had a great dinner at the mission home wich is huge and beautiful. Then we went to the temple and the mission Office which are right next to eachother! It was beautiful. We got introduced to all the info and stuff and then went and met our trainers. As you already know I am with sister Robinson. She is a doll. We are servicing in Borshahivski. i have know I dea how to spell that. Oops. AKa I am in the Area of the Temple! And we get the brand new ward building. The ward is huge with lots of members. I tried my best to talk to everyone . I was kinda quiet. Everyone was very nive and told me my Ukrainian was beautiful. Its a good theng I came in with the attitufde that I wanted to learn both languages because I am surrounded by Russian. Its a challenge but nothing more than I can handle. I am excited to learn. I just smile and nod because I have no Idea what people are saying to be. ha ha Its way funny! I neeed to figure out how to learn the language I don't know how to study I should have practiced more when I was in College. Eh oh well that is passed already/ So If any of you have any suggestions I sure am in need of some help on learning a launguage and studying my scripts and everything!

-Last night we some how stumbled on a member lesson. We thought that they weren't members but the mom and daughter are but her sister, husband and son and other daughter are all non members. Don't worry we will baptise all of them! She spoke russian So I had no idea what was going on. Thank goodness for people that make gestures while they talk. Ha ha that saved me. I had this cool realization while I was walking in a grass area that reaked of pee and some random strey dogs walking around between two huge communist buildings, That I was so happy to finally be there. I just kinda laughed and was like I love it here. It is so much like romania to me that it is a home away from home.

-I am super excited to figure out this language so I can start doing my part in the work. Poor Sis Robinson is having to do all the talking. I soon will get it. I just don;'t know how ha ha ha! I am sorry for all my typos I think that I would be better because I had more time... FALSE I just wrote more. Well I have to go write my e-mail to the president. I don't really know what to say. Uh I am good. I don't speak the launguage. And I love life. Yup that somes it all up. just kidding I won't say that to him that would be bad.

-Turns out I do get them when you send them especially when I am here at the mission office as my area. So dear elder me! Especially my thursday that is zone conference! I want to hear from all of you! And everyone can e-mail me. and dear elders too! But I love you all so much thanks for all the love and prayers I sure do need them. But not really because life is good! I love it! Hop to hear more from you soon!

Sister Schmidt your favorite Missaionary ever!

letter #11

Hi family! How are all of you!? I am so great! I just got back from the temple which as always was a great experience! Everyone left either yesterday morning or this morning. It is kinda really boring without them. I am grateful for the extra days we have here but its sad with everyone I spent the last 12 weeks with gone. I am excited for all of them though! We will be doing all of our packing today and tomorrow and then we leave early on Friday! I don't know how to do calling cards so I will do my best to figure it out and call you! I am so excited! But I really an terrified! Yikes!

That is so neat about Sister Robinson! I will have to keep an eye out for her! She will train either Carpenter, Zenger or I but I will for sure meet her! How exciting! Wow We will be in Ukraine in a week. I am freaking out. I am a little nervouse because I am not so hot at speaking Ukrainian. My memory is rough. I learn a lot of words and grammar concepts and I forget them. I think I am going to still blame that on Heather and the Brick! :) ha ha kkidding. But it is frustrating because my teachers tell me "come on you should know this." or "you gotta remember this stuff" As always I smile and giggle (my awkward unfomfortable giggle) and keep going. I am so blessed with optimism its wonderful. I love life and love all the challenges I have because I know that I am only getting stronger! What a blessing Heavenly Father can make even me, the weakest person and make me strong. With his power I can do anything. That gives me so much joy! As long as I am doing His work His way I can do all things! Hooray! I have the best companion in the mission. They Holy Ghost and the Armies of Heaven with me. Ukraine doesn't know whats coming! ;)

Today at the temple I saw Natalia. I am sure I always talk about her. But she started out as the living breathing walking fear I have. She would rip me apart for my language and for my teaching and make me want to cry if I wan't already doing it. But through it all she has made me so strong and for that I am grateful. I saw her int he temple today and waited for her to come over. I gave her a hug and told her how grateful I was for her and that I loved her and would be so excited if she came to Ukraine and I could see her there. Ot see her after. It was a great to see how I literally took on my greatest fear or combination of my fears and concord it. Now We are freinds! (even though she hated me for calling her the wrong name the first time I taught her) ha ha OOPS!

This week has been interesting with everyone leaving. We get to have ALL the Kiev missionaries in our class now. It was 6 and now there are 11 its packed! Its great fun though. Sister Zenger is out companion now and I love her so much! I really do! What a great girl! Her Russian is outstanding! I wish she knew how amazing she was at the language! It's interesting to have a 3some. I need to make sure I ALWAYS include everyone! I don't want anyone to feel left out! Thats stinks!

Mom, I will have more things for you that I don't need the package you will get is my "LOVE" package for the family! I meant to send it last week and never got incontact with Erica! Its great to see her I love her! It was funny I jumped on her the 1st time! But anyways Yes I need vacuum pack bags I think you can get them at wlmart but they aren't really vacuum packed you can rool them up and not use an actualy vacuum. That is what I need. If at all possible three or so! I need to get my coats and towels and robe and packed in my suitcase with all my new books and stuff! So 3 maybe even 4 would be SO helpful! Also this si last minutes so you probably can do it but I heard about "earth shoes" you can get them at University mall. They are for walking and strengthening your legs as you walk. All the sisters have them and there are even some cute ones. I figured that would be good because I really only have 2 pairs of shoes. I have all the cute ones you sent me but those aren't good for walking. and I feel my mission president wouldn't approve of the bright pink :( Let me know what you think

Dad, Can you send me the lyrics to the irish folk song you sang at my farewell. I REALLy wnat them. Dear Elder them to me so I can see them now. I would LOVE that!

Family, I love you all so much. I can't believe I have been gone for almost 3 months! Time sure does fly! I love what I am doing. I am blessed so much by It. I have changed a lot but I sure hope I continue to grow and learn and come closer to the spirit and my savior. I know that in order for me to teach I have to have to spirit with me at all times! The spirit is the true teacher and not me. If I don't teach a single thing but the investigator feels and learns of the spirit i will be happy. I love being on a mission. I hope all my freinds get to come do this. I know It is the best thing in the whole worls. And its only 18 months long. That is nothing in the eyes of God it is the least we can do to give back to our Savior. He has given us everything. He suffered for us. How dare I complain about childish things. My life is easy. We are all living amazing lives. Its our fault if we don't open our eyes and realize how lucky we are. Every night I write in my journal the miracle and blessing that happened in my day. They more you look for it the more you really have. I would encourage you to do the same. As you notice the blessing of Heaven, Heavenly Father will bless you with more.

I love you all so much. Thak you for your love and support I really feel it as I am struggling. Luckily, I know where I am and Why I am here and then it is all great! I am so excited for life. Things are wonderful. I can't wait to hear more about everyones life! Heather Yes you can just e-mail me. Everyone can in fact I would recommend it to everyone. That wya I know what Is going on. I don't know if I can e-mail friends back yet or not but I will find out in Ukraine this week. But I would Love to have e-mails from everyone! I will do my best to respond how ever I am allowed! I love you all. Thanks for helping me do this amazing work!

Your daughter,

Sister Schmidt

Letter #10

-Next item of business, dad is right i have been delayed that means this is not that last e-mail from me in the mtc. We were delayed because pres stienigal needs time after the dedication. We will leave friday the 3rd at 5:00 in the morning. Our flight leaves SLC at 8:40 we land in JKF at 3:30 PM and high tail it to out gate because our flight leaves 45 minutes later. We leave JFK at 4:45 PM and land in Kiev at 9:10 the next morning. Thats right straight flight! I am excited! nervous to not make the flight though.

-Next we actually might not have our visas but they don't tell us till next monday. I think we will but if not we are temporaily reassigned in the states till we get them! Crazy huh. At fist I was bummed but then I got sO excited that would be so a cool experience to be able to teach in english and get used to it then go to ukraine! but one way or another i am excited for whatever happens! Because I kinda want to go state side first i think Heavenly Father will just send me to Ukraine ha ha! I think we find out on moday or this friday we don't know but if ii get reassigned i will call you!

- so this week I got all bummed thinking that no one loved me lol not really but i didn't get any letters all week i went monday to monday without one. then yesterday i got two packages two letters at 5 dear elders. thats love right there! I sure do love hearing from everyone. THANK YOU!!!!!! I know I won't get that kinda love when I am in ukraine. Don't worry i know you all love me i am just saying i won't get as much letters :)

-Sot his week has been incredible. Slowly but surely I got more okay with leaving and feeling ready. to start out Tuesday was incredible. We had the most amazing fireside mainly bit was great for me because of one elder. He is from france and he got up and in terrible broken english said a testimony of one sentence. It was so powerful to me. I don't know him but i sure do love him. I hope that I can be like him and have the spirit just poor out through me from God! It was awesome. he has know idea how much he affected me but it really did. I hope I can be like him and through terrible Ukrianian let poeple feel god's love!

-Wednesday I got to Host the new girls coming in. I made a new friend S Platt she is cute! and Whitbeck came in!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray! We taugh in the TRC I taught with E Smith It was a change but we taught natalia and I am not scared of her anymore we taugh a great lesson. E. Smith is amazing I was glad I could terach with him he taught me lots. Thursday We got nes that SC and I wre invited to teach at this weeks orientations. It is neat only 7 comps in the 1000 that are here get the opportunity. I am nervous we are the first teaching the new elders an sisters see. I am grateful that we are looked at as good teachers in order to have this great experience! I am bnervouse but super excited! I still remember the people that taught my first day so we better do a good job because we will have 100s of missionaries watching us! ah!!!!!

-Friday we got flight plans but knew they were wrong got totally bummed and then had to go back on Monday to get others. We found out some elders are getting reassigned and don't know it yet I have to keep my mouth shut so they don;'t find out fromt he worng source. Its crazy I can't wait to find out if we get reassigned. If we do I got to call you and tell you! :) thats a bonus ha ha Sunday was great It was so sad. my best freinds from the mtc left to croatia and czech they are sister dean and stratton i love them. They make me think about going to BYU VERY strongly after the mission. I adore them. They will be great missionaries. Don't worry tay tay and kest if you are both still at suu and not married then i will still come there. but I really am think byu would be cool but thats is forever far away so i have to stop thinking about it!

I- am so excited and scared and freaked and pumped and ah i have so much emotion in me! It is so crazy I just hope my trainer is ready for me because she doesn't know what she signed up for! ha ha ha I will be a rollercoaster at first! ha ha ha I love this gospel. I have grown so much I love you all please do all that you can to come closer to christ read and pray more it will help

Sister schmidt

Dad they know nate! He baptised her mother not his actual wife. But he knows super well yoou should talk to nate about it! Its neat! PS I saw Court he looks like he is doing reallt well!!!!

Letter #9 Continued

PHEW!! That was a close one, luckily she sent the other half today. Letter #10 will be posted soon.

Sorry I started typing in Chinese the computer went weird on me! Wednesdat we had the TRC anbd we taught this cute girl I like her a lot. Our Teach Brat Shlyakin said it was the best we have ever taught and he really thinks we are ready for ukraine if we continue to teach like that! I was excited but didn't feel all that different abaout it but it made me feel a lot more confident! So anyways that was great. Thursday I believe I had a break down. I just struggle to understand the launguage and everyone else is just getting it. It is hard for me because I am so competitive I just want to be as good as everyone else but ?I am not. :) Yeah for being compelled to be humble! It works! But I know I am blessed and I am not alone in this work! I am really struggling with my memory. I can't remember all the words I have learned. dumb words that I learned weeks and weeks ago! Thanks okay tho because I am doing my best I am just trying not to get frustrated! and then I pray and plead with the Lord to help me! But its great! I love learning even though I get frustrated! Friday and Saturday were good days Sister carpenter had a few break downs I feel bad I Love her so much I just want to help her but I don't know how to help her. I had a realizationt hat she wouldn't be my companion in two weeks Is that the saddest thing or what! She is so great I can't imagine not being with her! On saturday I taught with Elder REynolds and It was way weird and hard it made me so much more grateful for sister carpenter! She is so ful or love! We also had Sister zenger and sister parker come sleep in our room because the sister in their room was sick! It was way too much fun! I am not joking I love them so much! They are the coolest girls ever! I want to be besties with the forever! So anyways Wow Monday came and so did 2 month mark! Is that crazy or what! We leave two weeks from yesterday. You will only get in one more e-mail before I leave. I get flight plans on thursday or friday. I will email you about it! And I get to call you when I am in one of my stops! Sp that will be great! I can'rt wait! Ah I hate how I have no time to tell you everything i want to! I love the mission I am not even out in the field and I love it so much! I am so grateful for all of you. You are the greatest family ever! I loved the bigg papaer of everything everyone said it is so nuice

Letter #9

I look forward to p-days so much just so I can write home and let you all know how much I love and appreciate you!

Mom, WOah! You are totally on it1 I am so impressed you really did send the gingersnaps and right away! That is so great!!! But yeah They were delicious they elders in the district loved them too! It was so dang funny! Elder tuucker asked for your address so he could write you to ask for more. I didn't it was just a joke but it was funny! They were yummy! Thanks you are so great!

Today I was at the temple and I actually saw Elder Smith's mom she is cute! She said if I need anything she is there for me too! What a sweetheart. I love that you will exchange e-mails. I would love for you to even forward them to me in the feild so I can hear what they are all up to that would be great.

So the update with me I will give you my play by play if I can remember! Tuesday was a great P-day I wrote a lot of letters and then had a great Fireside! I love the spirit it teaches me so much! I want to be the best missionary I can be it is just a journey trying to figure it out! Wednesda I think she got cut off this week. I really don't know what happened here, but I suspect that the end of the letter was all about how awesome her oldest sister is...just a hunch.

Kiev Temple Invitation video_Eng_08 July 2010.wmv

This is the video Lauren was talking about.

Letter #8

To the bestest Family in tho world!!!!

-Wow So It is offciall, As of yesterday my main language is Ukrainian. I hove only been out 7.5 weeks and I only speak Ukrainian. That seems impossible right... WRONG. I can kibnda do it! Key word kind of. On Saturday we had another SYL day don't you worry I cried. Ha ha I swear I wasn't that emptional before the mission. My teachers don't believe me when I tell them that I wasn't a big crier. It has become a joke because I laugh and cry at the same time! I will clearify...,. I don't cry all the time maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks but thats a lot! But it is all good I know "Ican do hard things" One of my sweet elders could tell I was struggling and says that to me in Ukrainian when I get frustrated. What a little stud!

-So bad news! I have shin splints.

-The last few weeks I have been of sugar... because I have an addiction to sugar and I stopped cold turkey in order to gaine a better understanding of how my investigators would feel when I told them to quite smoking and drinking. It was really interesting. I have no clue how hard the other would be because no sugar is supper! hard when ever one is going to town on yummy treats! but I did it! :) on that note I did crave moms gingersnap cookie sandwiches... (hint hint wink wink) just kidding! but if you make them feel free to send them :)

-Yeah the temple is being dedicated in Kiev this month!!!!! So awesome! Its beautiful! Go onto LDS.org and then on the right go to newsroom it will have stuff about the temple and pictures! You gotta look at it! It reminds me of the draper temple so even though i will be on the otherside of the world I will still see it and remember all of you! The neat thing is the mission office is on the temple grounds! It is one of the first opplaces we go when we get there! Isn't that so neat! I want to go throught it but it makes me nervous how that works in a different language. dad feel free to tell me a little bit how you did it when we were in europe. :)

-Did you all watch the video of it and see my teacher! He TERRIFIED me at first. But he is totally awesome! That would be so cool if Nate schipp baptised hise wife Olgia! She is awesome! We taught her as an investigator once! I can't wait to ask him (in my broken ukrainian) I would love to make that cool connection! Hoe often Does Nate Schipp go back to Ukraine?

-Did Leslie Rienhold say if she was going to the dedication of the temple? I wish I was going to be there but how lucky am I to be able to be a missionary after the first temple in Eastern Europe is dedicated! That is so neat and of all places it is at my mission "headquarters" ha ha That sure does tell you something about the people of Ukraine. I already love them and don't even know them!

-This past week we had the russian native's come to the MTC Wow they are the coolest people ever! I love them soo much! I can only speak to them in broke english and russian. One of the sisters is from Odessa Ukraine and she understands Ukrainian. All the others just speak Russian, except one Elders he is amazing! He speaks like 8 languages including Finnish!!!!! Thats like the hardest language in the world! Maybe :) But Its neat to talk to them and play gestures! They are so sweet it makes me so excited for the people of Ukraine!

-So Lately I have been blazing through the Book of Mormon. I don't think anyof you realize what a cool book it is! I sure do love it. Strive to read to Everyday and start studying with a prayer it makes it more meaningful! Also Today I got to the temple and we did initatories It made me think of you mommy! I loved it! That is so neat to recieve all those blessings! Strive to go to the temple everyweek. Boys Baptisms are awesome Braden I know you go lots but take you little bro with you and just go as brothers that would be so neat. I remember when we went as a family! That was such a cool experience. I will come home and do them with you again!

-Family! Apparently Pictures are huge to the people of Ukraine. I know it would be a challenge but do you think you could send me some real pictures I can get a album here to put them in but some of the family and when we were growing up plus I would love to look at them and get a laugh. Also will you save all my weekly emails on the computer somewhere I have a sweet idea after the mission!!!!

-Anyways my time is almost up I am super sorry for the miss spelled worlds. Thanks fo rhte prayers I need them I am praying for you as well! thaks for all the letters! Dad tell bryan Hi for me and thanks for the e-mail!

-And yes Steves e-mails are so powerful! I love them! He makes me want to be an amazing missionary as wellll. I sure his parents are so proud!!! LOVe you all! Thanks for all the letters and dear elders. They mean so much to me you have no idea. I am going to be depressed when I get to Ukraine andd don't get as many!!!! I love you family! Can't wait to here more about the trip and campling!

CETPA WMIT

Letter #7

-So I forgot to mention to you all I did "SYL" all day last Monday. That is Speak Yoiur Language. AKA I sope Ukrainian ALL day no english. Or at least that was the goal. I think I spoke about 10 english words. It was really neat to realize how much I know. (an don't know) It was really neat. It felt like a sin to start speaking English again. Anyways We have continued to do it. We did it on Friday and Yesterday and for the biggest news..... We Go completely SYL next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am TERRIFIED! Hi my name is sister schmidt and I have a problem.... I am addicted to the English Language. Its ture I sure do Like to speak english mainly because Ukrainian is ubber hard! No worries though I am getting it! But SYL strats on Monday where we don't speak anymore enlish. Its hard because I am a social person and I can only talk to 8 people in the mtc my 5 distric members and 3 teachers. But we will see how the rules lay out!

-This week I had a really neat weird experience that I choose to classify as my miracle of the day. It was fast and testimony meeting (which is the coolest thing at the mtc) I got up and was thinking in Ukrainian and I was supposed to be speaiking in english. It was totally funny! I was like " I know that joseph smith saw god the father and his son in the ......... (i totally couldn't think of the word the 10 seconds i was stuck felt like 5 minutes... and then I said..) FORREST. Ha I could remember sacred grove. It was funny! I am a goof. I was stuck on Ukrainian. This makes me seem like I am better at my language than I am but I am going to let you minds think I am great with it! That doesn't mean you should stop praying for my language abilities. ;)

-This morning was wonderful in the temple! I* loved it! I missed the temple and didn't know it. So anyways I had a really cool realization. People are praying for all of us on missions all the time. It was very personal realization that I have angels on my side helping me push through the difficult times and rejoycing with me in the good times! It was neat. They really do pray for missionaries And i forgot I am a missionary sometimes!!! Oh it was great!

Heather when I refer to TAy TAy that is Taylor Brown. He sent me a funny dear elder saying that you hadn't updated the blog and was going to threaten to beat you up. You would like hiom! You should be his freind! But anyways I love you all! I leave in like 3.5 weeks! AH !!!!!!!!!! Tahks for all your support! I really do feel the love and prayers!

Sister Schmidt