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