letter#70 November13

Another letter to the president.

I hope you have had a great week. We sure have. We were way excited for our investigator to get baptized. I felt like we really did our homework with this one. I try really hard always to have the transition from the missionaries to the ward a very smooth transition. This time was pretty good. She had all the ward missionaries on lessons with her, as well and the Relief society President. She was also able to meet the ward mission leader. We then had the ward pre-plan her visiting and home teachers. So we had one home teacher (Alexander Polyakov the recent convert) baptize her and the other teacher give her the gift of the Holy Ghost. Her one visiting teacher was at the baptism and the other one was sitting by her at sacrament meeting when she got the gift of the Holy Ghost. We put so much work into getting her into the ward yet we are still worried about her. She still is a little shaky on her testimony. She has so much desire to know everything which is incredible. I just hope she really works at strengthening her testimony.

President, I feel like in some areas of the work we are really succeeding and others we are SO far away from fulfilling our purpose. I want to go out of my mission sprinting and just really give it EVERYTHING that I have. Which is what I feel I am doing, but yet we are really struggling to find new investigators. We try to talk to a lot of people. Even everyone that crosses our path but maybe it's my lack of faith that is holding us back but I feel like I try. Also I confess I judge people and see if the ward would accept them. We don't want to bring someone with a load of problems that will weight the ward down but we also don't want to deny anyone salvation. We are not the judges. That was me just rambling on. Sorry. Well anyways, I think I need to restrengthen my faith. I know that there are people out there ready to accept our message I just need to do it with more love and faith. Thank you for always being a great example of those two attributes for me. I really do feel your love for us and for this work and it makes all the world of difference. Your faith is admirable. I really want to have as much faith as you have. Thanks so much for all that you do for us and for the mission. We are grateful for your sacrifice.

Letter #69 November 7th

Lauren's Letter from this week was mostly business, but I really liked her letter to the president. So here it is:

Dear President,

How are you doing?> I am doing so good. I am loving the pretty weather. It is beautiful and fresh outside. We have had a few days inside this week so I am especially grateful for the opportunity to be out and about. We will see how long we will be out. Sister stiles has been sick and the poor thing had the greatest drive to get out and work but she still isn't feeling great. We hope that we can figure things out so she can be out an about at 100 % again. She is a trooper.

Last night I found myself awake for an hour and 40 minutes or so. I was not wanting to be awake I just couldn't get the work out of my head. I was wide awake with thoughts of our investigators. I was racking my brain to see how we could get them baptized. I was even going through the lessons with them and what I would say in order to help them progress to a date. It was the weirdest thing. I didn't want to be doing that I wanted to be sleeping I just couldn't stop myself from analyzing every part of the work and all of our investigators and less actives we are working with. I then realized how much I really love this work. I love it so much. I really want to help these people because I love them for who they are, my brothers and sisters.

This week my best friends got married and I didn't know it until the day before when I got her announcement. I was pretty bummed. Not going to lie before that point I was pretty excited to go home. Not because I was sick of missionary work I was just feeling myself preparing for the change that is going to take place. I would say I was almost trunky that it would effect the work because I would have random thoughts of things I wanted to do when I was home. Well when I got my friends announcement. I started to think about what I was doing. I was wasting time that is a very limited time on thinking about going to a place that I will be for the rest of my life. I can think about home when I am there. Because I will be thinking of Ukraine when I am home in Utah. I know that my time is ticking down. And I know that I want to give it my everything before I get on that plain. I was fueled with the love of the work and I am really pumped to keep going. I am excited to live in the moment and really focus on these people here that I love so much. I want to help them as much as I can and truly give my all to this work. I am so grateful for your example to me. I learn from you all the time. I love this mission and all that is happening. I can't wait to hear about all that happens after I leave it will be incredible. Thanks again!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #68 October 31

Hi the coolest people in the world!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Well this week was great we worked SOOOOOOOOOOO hard for the party Saturday was the longest day of my life! So 9 AM we were at the church helping with this wheelchair event we gave agway 30 wheelchairs and we were there till 4 and it was way tiring we in the middle of that event had a baptism and the a wedding all going on in one little ward building. Then at 3 the YW showed up to help decorate and then the party started at 5 and went till 9. It was crazy. I was SO tired by the end. SOOOOOOOOo many people came and it was a blast! I can't wait to show you pictures when i get home and talk all about it. I am sorry. Well yeah I am sorry this is lame I am trying to figure more of my stuff for school. Um yeah sorry that I am distracted. I love you all so much!!!! Have a good week!

Well love you all.

Sister Schmidt

Letter #66 October 17

This week has been good one. We went to a church for P-day it was pretty crazy we saw all the mummified priests it was pretty creepy watching all the people kiss these glass boxes with the "saints" inside of them. My heart went out I just wanted to yell at them all they just seemed stuck in this trance and I wanted to shake them and be like this is wrong don't you know! There is more1 The true church is on the earth today and you can find more joy and happiness then you ever though possible! but of course that would have been completely inappropriate SO I refrained!

As for missionary work my heart really went out to Lena and Nina please pray for them. We went from these lessons back to back they are both less active sisters. Lena is the one we showed up to and let us in and always introduces us to members of her family. Well, her husband is agianst the church. She really wants to come back and she misses the feeling of church and the people but her husband won't let her come back. She doesn't have a super strong testimony because she only got baptized about 2-3 years ago and went inactive a least a 1 ago because thats when she got married. Well it was so sad so we meet with her to help her iwth english and that is the way the husband will allow us to come over and that way we can share a spritualy though with her. We then immediately went to Nina's this one really broke my heart. Her mom and two brothers are active but her bhusband always makes her stay home when they all go to church. well she crie and asked us to come more often because when we coe more often then her husband lets her go to church. So we are praying for her. Please pray for them both especially for Nina it's really hard for her. I just want to be able to help them! We are also working on finding a new investigator everyday on the street and we weren't able to do it last week. Please pray for us to get new investigators.

Tonight we are meeting with a way cute girl we have fhe with tons of members and her her name is oksana and she is 23 she loves the church she has already come to church 5 times! We want to committ

Letter #65 October 10th

Hello the most amazing family in the world!

How are all of you!? I am doing great! Nothing has changed still love missionary work still love Ukraine, still struggle with the language, still eating and attempting to get a good work out. YUP Still me Sister Schmidt. I would like to take this time to apologize for the previous e-mails. I am always so distracted when it comes to writing you all. I am really sorry. Ha I remember how it was when I first got on the mission. I would write you as fast as I could in order to give you the most information about my my companion and the work. It's crazy how a couple a month change things. I really do love you all and want to write you and tell you everything it just becomes difficult when my mind has so many things going on and as you all know STILL struggle with focusing ha ha.

So this week was great I was on exchanges for 3 days with a sister from Latvia It was great! Her name is Sister Pliha. She is 26 and is a recent convert. She is new to the mission and unfortunately doesn't ever hear from her family. It would be way cool if you want to send her a postcard from Utah and tell her you are grateful for her service. Or one from Virginia. Just a little something to support a missionary that has no support.

Well today and yesterday it rained all day. Yeah bad news oh we watched conference Saturday and Sunday. It was great. So we Saturday was great weather and we w2atched conference with the English international branch at 10 and 2 it was great with pizza in the middle then Sunday we had a took the sacrament at 10 and they started conference at 10 15 so we couldn't watch it because we were trying to have meetings in the Russian ward. So we had a full long sacrament meeting at 12 (missed all the first Sunday session of conference) and I couldn't focus at all during sacrament because I wanted to watch conference. So instead I wrote down all the foods I want mom to make when I get home. Yeah way to go me huh ha ha oops! But then We went and watched conference in English with the Americans and then we went as finished it in Russian. We were inside till 6 doing conference. Then we went out tracting to find a new investigator because president challenged ever companionship to get one that day. So we went tracting and met a woman who thinks she met me a year ago since then her son dies who was meeting with missionaries and wanted to get baptized. She never let him get baptized and now wonders what would have happened if she let him get baptized. We then went running in the rain for fun passing the building that we had our meeting in that we were already 45 minutes late 5 times while our “fun run” ha ha Yup we totally got SOAKED! It was hillarious she just saw us and snicked we were so wet we didn't have umbrellas and our coats dripped water all over her floor during our lesson. Ha ha funny right. Well then we ran home and found a new investigator on the way. Had a quick lesson in the rain prayed an plan to me this week.

Another way cool story. I called president to come on a lesson and help our investigator set a baptismal date. Well we talked for 10 minutes and he got me pumped to have more faitha nd to start praying with people on the street to help them feel the spirit and want to meet again. After getting me pumped he committed us to doing it that evening and calling him at night to tell him about it. Well I toook his promise to heart and prayed to heavenly Father tto help our companionship to really do it. Well we were almost home and it was late and dark and my faith was dwindling I want to give this family a proclmaion to the family but I didn't have any so I walked past and I heard the spirit call me a chicken So I had to go back. I just tried to start a convo with them It was great I was talking to them and they were way nice After 15 minutes I asked to pray so that I could ask them to bless there family. So He said yes and I prayer and HE ASKED ME to meet again! COOL HUH! So I think we are meeting with them tonight! I am excited! I really hope it goies well. I called president Extact and we talked for anther 15 minutes. I love President Klebingat so much! She is a man of God I really do love him so much! I am so gratefult o be able to work with him in this mission and to learna nd grow from his experience!

I love missionary work I love the gospel! I love you all so much! Keep the Faith!

Z Lovem

Sister

letter #64 October 3rd

ell Iwas so excited to watch some conference while i typed youbut unfortunately my head phones are being weird and not working. So unfortunately .oh just kidding the elders are aweosome and made it work for me!!!! Iam listening to Elder Hollard in Priesthood! Ican't wait to watch tomorrow! Oh hey I heard that the ensign for october is out about the book of mormon. could you sendin to me in a big envelope? If its comfortable. If not no big deal! I LOVE CONFERENCE!!!! I am so excited to watch it! okay so Jen asked for some details!

well I don't even know what to tell you!

I am working with sister stiles we have LOTS of fun and work hard, we don't eat very well though. we eat chicken nuggets and ramen its not that yummy but the other day all i ate was zuccini it was so yummy! we work outinthemorning shower and study and then eat and we then we are out on the street at 12 until 9 we try to have 3 lessons a day. e try to contact 100 people on the street and get 7 investigators a week we can't get 7 investigators yet. we only got 2 this week. So please pray for us to get new investigators.

Okay I am so distracted this is what dad is talking about in his e-mail :) ha ha

so quick though. Iam way sorry but i totally don't want to come home. e had the international branch come to our building and it was in english and i fely SO awkward it restated that i don't want to come home. I just want to see you all and have you come here and play for a week and then serve another year do you think that is allowed? ha ha well

SO DISTRACTED!!!!!\

MOM AND DAD are yougoing to serve a mission! plan it now!!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!

Sister schmidt

Letter #63 September 19th

Well this week was a little long. I felt a lot of pressure to get great numbers for the wrong reason. I got distracted from my real purpose and why I came on a mission and why I am here. I found myself with less energy and not as happy all the time like before. I gained a testimony again that this is the work of the Lord and HE qualifies us for the work. Everything we have an do is because of his love for His sons and daughters and we are just here to be His hands in this work. It is nothing that we do or say because all we do and say should be led by Him through the Holy Ghost. I feel this weight of the work and I am not sure why. It's frustrating because I really want to be all pumped and ready to go but something is weighting me down. Please pray for me to be able to refocus and truly do this work the way the Lord wants me to. I want o be the best missionary that Sister Schmidt can be. I know that I am here for a purpose but if I am not fully in tune with the spirit then I will not be led to do exactly what he wants me to do exactly when he wants me to do it. I am grateful for the atonement to help me start anew and try and tray again. Perfection is a long processes that we don't fulfill on this life but we have to be active in our attempt everyday. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the only way to do it.

This week we were so excited our less active members is not active and we had the opportunity to help her into the temple to do baptisms for the first time. It was cute to see her so excited and happy about the temple. She has made a plan in order to go every single week. I really hope that the ward is ready to accept her and support her. I feel like sometimes members in the church (myself included) are like the popular kids in middle school they analyze who they like and who they want to accept. If people are a little weird they find themselves slow to accept them but as soon as someone great comes a long they open the door for them as soon as possible. I hope by seeing this happen I will be more aware of myself and more open to take in EVERYONE. Well her mother sae the change in her and noticed that she was becoming active and going to church every sunday and this sunday morning she said hey alexandra I want to come to church with you this morning. Her mother is also a less active but she will be active soon.

We also had out recent convert get a calling yesterday and the other recent convert that just got baptized last Saturday already had her interview with bishop[ and has a temple recommend. There are some grat things happening here. It's a blessing and a privledge to be here and see then happen right infront of my eyes.This week was also Yulia's birthday. We were able to go out to dinner with her and wish her a happy birthday. She is so dear to me. We will be friends the rest of our lives. I can't wait for you to meet her.

This week the assistants called us and asked us to do an experiment for President. He told us to be missionaries all the time to tlak to every single person that crossed out paths and count each person. so it was interesting to really see how many people cross our paths everyday. we attempted to talk to 115 people and we had 42 conversations and only got 7 peoples numbers. But that was all in a time frame of being out on the street inbetween out meetings so we were out on the street for about 3 and a half hours. maybe four. It was interesting. I think President had some other missionaries do it too and he will be reporting this experiment in the next zone conferences.

I am loving this work I was bummed to notice one morning during study that it was my 15 month marl o the mission. time is just flying past. I am scared to realize how fast these last two transfers left will go by. I am not ready to come home I don't think I ever will be. Hey maybe I just won't come home! ha ha you can just come here! Thats a great plan! Just kidding! Well I love you all so much . This is the greatest work ever. I love being here I love it all. Most of all I LOVE YOU!!!! Take care!

Я вас люблю ця церква істина!!!! Бог живе! удачі!

з любовю

Сестра Шміт

Letter #62 September 12

Well Ukraine is amazing yak zavjdiy! (as always) Ha it looks like a made an accident on typing yeay for Ukrainian.

So this week we had a BAPTISM! What a great week! Well First off it was a little slow we were doing a lot of tedious work but it was okay. We were doing what we could it just wasn't feeling as outstanding as we always hope for. But we had some great lessons with potential investigators that are referrals from a young RM they are her roommates we had FHE and made brownies then met some members now that I think about it we were running around a lot because we were busy but then Thursday came and we went to the TEMPLE! It was AWESOME! A group from Romania was there! Talk about warming my soul! I loved it but we couldn't communicate at all Well get this! So I say what I thought meant how are you that is what the onisimus boys taught us and her eyes got all big and was like NO NO NO and put her hands in a X and I was like whoops I totally said something bad. So i think the boys must have played a trick on us but she said baptisty baptisty so maybe only the baptists say it ha ha i repented for saying something bad in the temple i just don't know what i said. ha ha i felt bad. So then we had a great lesson with these disables members and they were so excited to see all the new pictures of Charlotte! Heather and Chard she prayed the most beautiful prayer about your daughter she blessed her to be happy and always active in the church and full of charity it was cute!

So then after that we were on a bus and President called. I always get nervous when he calls but then he was answering a question about speaking in tongues ( I don't know how to answer when people ask about speaking in tongues when it talks about it in 2 nephi 31 feel free to answer your feelings) and he told us that Sister Stiles and I have been leading the whole mission every week of the transfer. I was shocked. I knew we were doing good but leading the mission!? WHAT!? well that was all then he laughed and said Stay humble ha ha and then that was it. I love President Klebingat he is so funny. So that crazy but a little bit of cool info!

Well then we had a lesson in a bar! yikes I was so bold I think I was more bold than EVER This lady was so sad her son dies and has refused to let herself be happy for 3 years. She cries and says she wants to change and we happy then her mind immediately changes and she says she doesn't want to. It's weird Her soul is aching for the gospel but her mind won't let her. Pray for her to overcome that and be truly ready to do all that is required to embrace The cleaning power of the Atonement and gospel of Jesus Christ. Her name is Volya.

Saturday BAPTISM! President's letter explains the main parts of the day. EXCEPT! We had a recent convert who is a professional singer going to sing at the baptism well he couldn't come so his wife just said for us to sing (SISTER SCHMIDT IS NOT A SINGER) so I ask the elders to sing with us and they say no. So then we had to sing pretty much soloed child's prayer did terrible almost cried then then no one was leading so i jumped up to lead because i felt the responsibility on my shoulders and then had no clue how to lead right then i look int he back and sister klebingat (SO intimidating) and her two sounds were leading trying to have me follow them I really almost cried then after she told me not only how to lead but how i should learn how to sing better oh also did i mention i have a cold and couldn't breathe? yeah it wanted to DIE! but its okay though because WE HAD A BAPTISM! Ha well anyways I ran out of time wish me luck writing my essays! LOVE YOU ALL!

Keep the faith

Sister Schmidt

Letter #61 September 5

Allo moya cimya!!!

Oh how much i love all of you! Mom you are the best! you answered all my questions (well at lest the one you knew the answers to) So It's September! How did that happen? Time is quick! Time is weird though. Days are long weeks are fast and the months don't even exist! :) well This week has been good. I am a little tired. For the first time we didn't go running. It's weird i think I'm more tired if i don't go running. HA that's a good thing. sister Stiles has been feeling under then weather all week so that's unfortunate but she has worked really hard! This week we had a lot of crazy things happen. I think this week i am going to give a play by play :)

Monday- P-day Spent with Sister Zenger and Sister Little I love sister Zenger nd miss her so it was good. We saw all these amazing flowers in center and ate yunny Mexican food! we then went to FHE with cute little member

Tuesday- The L'viv Sister came to our apartment at 5:30 because Sister Kekauoha is going to Bulgaria. Little sleep but it was okay. Then sister carpenter went on a hunt for my lost Ukrainian outfit that ws specially handmade for me and ws 100 dollars that the sister left it on their bus. We called the taxi nd went to the buses and never found it. I m super bummed. The worse part is the member hand made it for 3 months. Then we had meetings it was good. Then that night we went on exchanges with the RS president and this sister that is from cherkasii and got set apart and needed to be with sister because she was going to the mtc the next morning. So I went with the RS pres and it ws incredible we really bonded and she was great with this member that got baptised with the first members of the church 20 years ago but is inactive. It was a great lesson nd evening. Then we went home with our new companion and got things ready for her then at 3 in the morning we Had to help her out and get her to her taxi. It was really hard going back to bed after that.

So Wednesday we worked hard and didn't feel very successful. We were a little tired.

Thursday the sisters came back ad we were on exchanges till their train left t night but their plane got delayed so Sister Whitney and Carpenter were with us. Sister Whitney and I were together and she TOTALLY trunked me out. Ugh but I got over it just took day boooo to trunky topics. then Sister Kekauoha came back and we spent ll evening finding less actives. It was good to talk to her. I think she is struggling in L'viv little. It makes me sad for her and sister Carpenter I just love them both so much.

Friday was good we weekly planned forever!

Saturday We were bust finding more lost sheep but found a family that wants to practice English. BOOO to English but hopefully we can get them into the gospel.

Sunday was GREAT! So out random investigator Helen who has been in America showed up to church. Our other investigator Alexandra passed her baptismal interview and is getting baptised Saturday. Then we Had great lesson with her to get her excited and strengthened for the temptation that is coming before baptism. We then found a skirt for a less active that didn't have one and she was SO excited to dress nice for church. It's perfect her birthday is next Sunday so she will look all nice and pretty for Church nd her birthday. So the highlight of the week and the day was in Relief Society. The President Who is intense and never says anything nice especially about the missionaries because and I quote "She couldn't ENDURE the missionary lessons with the sisters" But I have been working SO hard to get in with her and it has been working. Well this week she stood up and told all the sister how great we were and ll the work we were doing. She encouraged all sisters to find time to come out and wi\ork with us that it strengthened her testimony by being with us and helping your sisters come back. She was great I almost cried. It was amazing. I am so grateful for her. I love her!!! I love working her It has been intense but I feel like we are really gaining the trust of the members for missionaries to come! What great work! What missionary work are you doing? Are you doing your visiting teaching and home teaching? Are you helping the missionaries recacivate less actives? Are you living as an example so that non members see your light? We live what we preach so get out and start preaching through your actions! You are amazing! I love you and heavenly father loves you even more!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #60 August 29, 2011

Well Once agian I come to e-mail with a huge smile! I love life. Ha ha I think I must be doing something wrong if I am loving my mission this much. I talk to missionaries who say it's hard and that this is the hardest things they have ever doe in their lives but to be honest I am just happy ha ha! So I totally ran my companion to the ground. I think I have more energy and happiness than the normal person (true fact stated in my blessing) because this week I was so gung ho about the work. We were on exchanges and I felt our area just really struggling. So then when Sister Stiles came back we really worked hard. We visited a lot of our less actives and we had some great experiences. Saturday night we had SOOOO much time to go see less actives/ We travels an hour and a half to go see three lost sheep. It was so far away and not a single one would open the door on us. BUT we at least found that one didn't live there anymore. And the miracle was that at least one person was at each apartment to give us the info we needed. I was SO happy that heavenly Father helped these people to be home so we could know what to do with the. So then we had to walk 45 minutes down thi road inthe hot weather. (I think my companion wanted to punch me but she is too nice to say if she is frustrated. she is so sweet) but then we had a great lesson with recent converts then headed out again to find our lost sheep. we went to a house where a year ago we went to her when i was being trained in the same area. She wasn't interested then and was in the processes of moving. So I was just hoping to get her new address well. Her husband/boyfriend opened the door. I was shocked to see him so i asked for her she saw us and with a smile and a happy voice said " OH HI!!!" (of course in Ukrainain) so she told us to come in got us tea and was just nice. So we sat down she opened up and just asked all the questions she had been thinking about. she missed church and her family wasn't supportive. We sat and testified of the church to her and to her family. It was amazing to watch her stand up for the church. I love saving souals. We had 5 of our less actives come to church I about cried at church! I love missionary work and I love you all. ahve a great week! This gospel is true! "Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words."
Sister schmidt

Letter #59 August 22

Hi Family,

Well this week has been a good week. they are all just going by so fast which is just crazy. I feel like everyhting in my life is great and i wish that I could share EVERYTHING that I did so that you can understand but it's just not possible and when i get home life will be going just as fast and I will never really be able to tell you wheat happened and how I felt throughout different times on my mission. And the sad thing is that I feel the same way about you all. i want to know EVERYTHINg you are doing in your lives and I want to know how you feel and all the little details of your lives but it's just not possible. It's just a weird feeling. I hope you are keeping good journals so we can play story time when I get home.

Well this week my companion and i have been successful at running EVERY morning. Yes (minus Sunday) we have gone running in the mornings. 12 times in the last 2 weeks. But I have gotten worse at eating ha ha ha so funny! But It's good fun. So this week we have been meeting with lots of less actives and having success 3 of the less actives on our list was at church this week it was great. It is exciting seeing people coming back and feeling the love and joy that comes from this gospel. I know that this is the happiest I have ever been in my life because I am getting to share the joy that I have found in the gospel. We talk about the amazing temple that blesses the land of Ukraine and I think about the MANy temples that bless Utah. But how many of us really let them bless us personally. I definitely didn't take advantage of the temples when I was home but now i true know how important they are because I see people giving all the have in order to come to the Kiev Ukraine Temple. What it takes them to come is nothing what does it take us at home to go? a 5 minute drive and 2 hours of our time all for the blessings of Heaven to have Heavenly Father to stand with you and strengthen you through out your week. Sounds like an unfair trade yet its what we have and we don't take it. Crazy.

Well We had a miracle where we had a lesson in a park with a friends of a member ( the friend was not with us) ans she committed to church ( and came) and then we were leaving after the lesson and this lady ran to us and recognized us as representatives of Christ and asked to talk to us. So we did. We talk to her and she saw the Book of Mormon and realized that she had a friend that was a member. It so happened to be the exact same member. I called the member that night and thanked her for being a great member and being an example of the believers. It strengthened my testimony of member missionary work that they really are doing their part by being great examples. That can also be an example to all of us. That we want to walk and be recognized as believers whether we have a name tag or not. There are eyes on us all the time. Members and non members. We still want to be seen as true believers of Christ that we live the gospel not just believe it. So I challenge you to look at yourself and see what parts of your character need work so you can let your light shine so that others can see that you walk with Heavenly Father. I know that as we do this Heavenly Father will rejoice and bless us and help us in all aspects of our lives. i love you all so much. Have a great week.

Till next time!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #58 August 15

Hey it's me again!

Well I just want to say how much I love you all. Oh man I just opened up the sister missionary new grooming site and I am such an ugly missionary! Yikes you will die when you see these beautiful sister missionaries. :( That just brought my spirit down. ha ha check it out but feel pity for me being stuck with the old dress standards! ha ha

http://missionary.lds.org/dress-grooming/dress/skirts/

Okay so what a great week! We have been blessed SO much I can't even tell you how great this week has been. i truly feel like I have been an instrument in the hands of the Savior to help investigators, active members, less/non active members and missionaries come unto Christ. First of all out numbers were great but we all know we feel like we work harder than our numbers show. So this week we spent hours trying to find our lost sheep in the ward. This ward has 300 less and none active members. So we have been doing a lot. We are in charge of 106 people. We spend hours trying to find them and see what happened and in all the hours we found one. But oh haw great is the joy when we bring but one soul unto Christ. Saturday we stopped by over 10 people trying to locate and bring back our brothers and sisters and we found Alexandra. We met with her Saturday and then went and picked her up for church Sunday. We introduced her to members and to the bishop and Relief Society President. They were all shocked when they saw a non active member come to church with us. Least time she was at church was over 8 years ago. We have helped 3 less active members come back to church in two weeks. It as been a great thing to see them to church. We are also doing good work with investigators but its not has great. Oh but I told you we set a baptismal date that's good.

I can truly see the members starting to trust us. I am so grateful for them to feel like we are trying to work with them and do out best to help this ward. I sent you my President's Letter about the otter miracle of helping the members. I just wish Could explain all of my thoughts and excitement about the work. I actually love being in Borshahivskiy again. I love being around the mission President. He is a man of God I think he is so incredible. This week He got mad at me because I didn't say hi to him so I stood right at the opening of his door and waved in and he got more mad at me that I felt like I couldn't come into his office it was really awesome. I just have so much on my mind and can't spit it out. So mainly this. I Love this work I know that if I do all that I can Heavenly Father will make up the difference of where I lack. I am grateful for my family doing all that they do for me. You are amazing. This work is the greatest thing ever. I love it! i love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Schmidt

letter #57 August 8

well Are you all dieing to know where the sent me.... I will give some hints....

1- It's in Kiev

2- It in Kiev West Zone

3- It has a temple and the office and the assistants in the zone...

I am sure you are thinking wait... Borshahivskiy? She has already served there.... Op guess what you guess right I am in Borshahivskiy my first area again! Crazy huh! I will begging and end my mission in the same area! CRAZY right! To be honest I was actually really bummed at first but I was luckier than Sister Carpenter! So We were in Bulgaria for it all and didn't know so when we came back a few hours after transfer meeting we were just off the plane and Elder Park the Senior couple financial Elder called us and told sister Carpenter where she was going and told me too so sister c was like okay and was super quiet so I found out I was going back and told her and she was like I am going back to my old area too craziest thing was that she was going to lviv we switched places and she served with sister k in borshahivskiy so they are together a second time. Interesting transfer huh. Also we got 12 new elders and randomly we were supposed to have 13 but one booked it out of the airport in Amsterdam and no one knows what happened to him! crazy right!

Okay Bulgaria was awesome it was quick nd successful while we were there we went to the Apple store so much technology has come out! I want to get an IPhone. I am going to get one when I get back and then we can all talk on Face time have you heard of it? Mom dad jen and heath who all have iPhone ipads or an itouch we can do Skye all togher at the same time for free cool right! So I already decided I have to get an I phone ha ha ha worldly moment oops!

So I got home found out where I would be serving and then drove to the office and we exchanged companions which was super funny! and then we got to work. This week we have worked hard and had some great things happen. Oh before I tell you I have GREAT news!

Andri Recent convert from Center is serving mini mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great huh!!!! I hope ina year he serves a full time mission then comes home and marries Yulia! After her mission of course!

Okay back to Borshahivskiy So Sunday was great I saw so many people I knew from a year ago oh and funny thing... Thursday the 4th of August was my exact 11 month mark in the country 11 months ago i flew into the same airport i was ine got in the same car with the same driver to the office and found out i would be serving in the same area same exact date just 11 months ago! weird! Sorry that this e-mail is so ADD. I guess somethings just don't change! That should change though ha ha oh well. So Sunday... talked to a lot of people some remembered my face so that was cool other still good friends. It is neat how together sister stiles and I know a ton of members there is a lot of work here to do And we set a date with an investigator that has been investigating for 7 months and never had a date we finally set a date with her she is geting baptised next month on the 9th please pray for her her name is alexandria! oh and it is super intimidating because president and his family attend this ward. So I get nervous around him that I am not doing everyhting perfect! but Lets be honest we already know I am not doing everything perfect anyways! I keep having really really weird deja vu I just think sister Robinson should be behind me in the kitchen or studying its weird! Well I love you all so so so so much! I am sorry this is all over the place but I love you all hope to here from you soon!

Sister Schmidt

Redo sorry about the cut off- Letter From July 18th

Hi family,

This is going to be fun. I have news.... It seems to be that my mission call will be changing. this e-mail is not coming from Ukraine, I am in bulgaria..... STILL! Yeah I know. I was supposed to have returned to my mission on Thursday..... It is Monday and I am still here. So I am now serving in the Bulgaria Sofia mission! Wahoo!!!! I am kidding, sorta. I came to Bulgaria with 6 elders and sister carpentar. We had one day in Bulgaria and were supposed to head home. Well Wednesday I get a call from our mission telling us that Sister Carpenter Elder Lewis and I didn't have our visas and that we were not leaving with the rest of the group. So we thought that we would get them the next dat no big deal... False. We are still here and no news about our visas. We have been staying with the Sisters here that ar ina three some so there are 5 of us in a tiny apartment. The day we got here we went out and were seeing EVERYTHING and eating everything. They have Dr. Pepper here subway KFC, pizza hut and other American places. We were loving it Starbucks and all that good stuff. But then we got called and told that we were stuck in the country and we wouldn't be leaving. So we stopped trying to eat at everyplace in one day and calmed down. So then we returned home and we found out that the sisters weren't feeling good. We then figured out what our purpose was here and why we were stuck here. The one sister had a fever from 102-104 and I stayed inside with her for the past few days. The first time I got out of the house yesterday was 8:45 PM because I stayed and took care of her. I wanted to just get out and walk really fast. I am on a day to day basis on when we will return to out mission. I am sorry this is short I wish I could right more. I am out of time! Love you all so much!

Sister Schmidt

Letter #56 August 1

HI!

What do you knw it's me again. I wonder if these e-mails ever get borring after all you get it everyweek and they dont change very much. First off it's official, Dad saw my Elders and what was supposed to be me at the airport. Maybe it's a lot better we didnt see one another. Second of all because of that situation I now have news. As stated previously I have not recieved my visa, SO I got a phone call this morning it's the last P-day of the transfer. We were sure one of us was leaving and I figured it was me but I didn't start packing because I just wasn't sure. okay back to this morning. I get a phonecall from one of the office elders informing me that they just bought my tickets to go to bulgaria AGAIN....best news I fly out from Kiev TOMORROW. So that means we have to put 2 and 2 together I am in L'viv an 8 hour train right away.... YES I hav to hurry and pack tonight. Then he states you will get back on thursday right after transfers... So I thought wait one of us is getting transferred do we come back after transferrs or what? They say uh.... I will have the assistants call you..... So I get a phone call about ten minutes later saying Sister Schmidt I have permission to let you know you are being transferred and you have to pack up all your stuff BEFORE Bulgaria. That means I have to once again pack up and leave in the same day. Last time I at least had 14 hours this time i have ten. I know you are all wondering did I cry? Sure did. I have come to realize that Heavenly Father LOVES to keep me on my toes. I have yet to feel secure when transfers come around. So I am writing this and then running home to pack and be one a train by 8 tonight. I then fly to Bulgaria stay there till Thursday and come back to a whole new life and area where I don't know my companion but the whole mission already does. Yikes its crazy family. Sister K and I laughed and though gee what is heavenly father preparing for in my life. Maybe I will never have a stable place to be. Maybe I will marry an army man and be moving from base to base out of the blue. ha ha Just kidding I don't think I would marry an army man but it's just interesting!

I am sad to leave my area but I am ready. I feel like it is time for Sister K to take over to truly feel the love of L'viv and learn the area. I know that there are more people and places that need to touch my heart and change my life as well as I to them. I had a great last Sunday. President came to L'viv and we had an 8 hour zone conference. It went by so fast and was a great experience for me. I really loved it. Then he stayed and spoke to the branches. I had to speak before him and I was terrified I guess it was the first tie in his life he heard a sister missionary speak. Too bad I batched it and can't speak Ukrainian I just said the same thing just in 7 different ways. Ha then we had branch lunch and it broke my heart as I saw these people get a craze in their eyes because they are all so hungry. people don't have money here! :( and then we all took a few pictures and one member that I have been working with trying to get him to get over some issues came and personally thanked me for the influence I had on his life and that he says I really helped him and he can't explain by words the way he feels. I almost cried because I truly felt like he meant it and I knew all the meetings we had and talks to help him understand things. Then the branch president heard I might be leaving and said that he really loved having me here and that Sister K and I were the best companionship they have had in the branch for a really long time. It was sad but it was such a great Sunday. We took lots of pictures and it was just a wonderful way to end my service in this area. i love these people so much. They have all touched my heart and changed my life. I know that missionaries come and go and they barely remember who serves in their branches but I am just so grateful to been able to work with them an strengthen them and they strengthen my testimony. This work is amazing. I am not here to help these people they are here to help and strengthen me. For that missions are such a selfish thing. We ALWAYS come out of top even though it seemed like a sacrifice at first. I am changing and growing thanks to this work and I am so far away from my potential but it is a progress and that is how we grow and involve is through time as we sit in the hands of our God and Savior and they mold us and shape us. I love you all I will let you know how Bulgaria was for round two and where and with whom I am serving. Spread the word and spread the love.

Sister Schmidt

Letter #55 July 25th

Hi family!

Where did July go? Everyday I walk out of the apartment and snicker. I keep thinking its the beginning of May. The weather here is so amazing. It has not gotten over about 90-95 degrees all summer. Everyday it sprinkles a little day and keeps things cool and moist. Heavenly Father really is controlling the weather for me on my mission The summer and winter here have been very mild but the years before were very extreme. I am a very grateful sister! (and Aunt) ha ha I love saying that I am an auntie now. Heather and Rich will you start Charlotte now to say Teetka because Teetka means aunt in Ukrainian or teetchka which means auntie (in cutesier form of course) She is adorable! Congrats on the baby blessing. Does she have a middle name?

Well I am back in L'viv. I flew in to Kiev of Tuesday late night and then Wednesday went to the temple and got on a train to l'viv. We normally take night trains from 10:30 to 6:30 but they didn't have anymore so we had to take a train that was ten hours long from 3 in the after non till 1 in the morning. It was really old and gross and hot but I was just happy to get back to L'viv. I missed everyone so much. On Sunday they all ran up to me to ask me how Bulgaria was. It was nice that they missed us. Well we worked rally had and were blessed with good numbers even though we weren't in our area for the first half of the week.

I have great news! One of our investigators, Isabella (a 70 yr old grandma that is a singer) is getting baptized. Our first meeting she said she thinks she wants to get baptized and then we looked at dates she said the 21 or the 23 well having us be gone so long she wasn't ready or wanting to get baptized on Saturday. But we have been working and praying and fasting for her and she i probably getting baptized this Saturday. It is a little crazy of a day and week though. Because it is the last full week before transfers and on Saturday we have an 8 hour long zone conference so we will have zone conference Saturday from 9-5 then 6 will be her baptism. She still has a lot of fears and is worried about the ugly baptismal outfit. Will you pray for her to have the courage and faith it takes to get baptized this Saturday and in your prayer will yo specifically pray for her to not be worried about what she is wearing. (its a big deal to her :) ) So please for her and excercise your faith to help her.

Well We also have a few other investigators. Bogdana is a refferral from the brach President. I love her and get so frustrated with her at the same time. It's funny. I feel the way mom probably felt about me when I was in high school. I seemed to work out okay so I think Bogdana will too. She is cute and accepting but she tries to sell my vitamins all the time but she still wants to know about the message. It's confusing. We also have the twins. The are very active socially but I think that the young members have become a bad exapme for them. They have talked about the different members and that the bad things they do at church. It is stressful because I try to be an example but oh man it gets frustrating. I am learning patience and understanding how my parents had to deal with me and my poor sunday school teachers. Bless all their hearts for putting up with me. Thanks everyone for putting up with me becasue i was so difficult! ha ha I love you all the much! Please remember to pray for our investigators especially Isabella! I love you all!

Sister schmidt

Letter #54 July 18th

Note from the editor: I dont know why this is posting strange....sorry. Hi family, This is going to be fun. I have news.... It seems to be that my mission call will be changing. this e-mail is not coming from Ukraine, I am in bulgaria..... STILL! Yeah I know. I was supposed to have returned to my mission on Thursday..... It is Monday and I am still here. So I am now serving in the Bulgaria Sofia mission! Wahoo!!!! I am kidding, sorta. I came to Bulgaria with 6 elders and sister carpentar. We had one day in Bulgaria and were supposed to head home. Well Wednesday I get a call from our mission telling us that Sister Carpenter Elder Lewis and I didn't have our visas and that we were not leaving with the rest of the group. So we thought that we would get them the next dat no big deal... False. We are still here and no news about our visas. We have been staying with the Sisters here that ar ina three some so there are 5 of us in a tiny apartment. The day we got here we went out and were seeing EVERYTHING and eating everything. They have Dr. Pepper here subway KFC, pizza hut and other American places. We were loving it Starbucks and all that good stuff. But then we got called

and told that we were stuck in the country and we wouldn't be leaving. So we stopped trying to eat at everyplace in one day and calmed down. So then we returned home and we found out that the sisters weren't feeling good. We then figured out what our purpose was here and why we were stuck here. The one sister had a fever from 102-104 and I stayed inside with her for the past few days. The first time I got out of the house yesterday was 8:45 PM because I stayed and took care of her. I wanted to just get out and walk really fast. I am on a day to day basis on when we will return to out mission. I am sorry this is short I wish I could right more. I am out of time! Love you all so much!

Sister Schmidt