Sunday, March 29, 2015




Curtis sent some pictures home from the MTC

Curtis's MTC district

First care package from his Aunt and Uncle Kim and Bryan

Curtis and Trevor McLaws in the MTC.  No better feeling then
seeing a friend in the MTC

Prove Temple

Curtis Schmidt licence to preach

MTC emails. March 27th 2015


Hey,

I sent a letter to dad that was for the whole family, but I got more time, so I will write some more to you. Ha Ha.  The MTC is awesome as always.  Oh yeah, I forgot to say who is all in my district.  I will send pictures after the MTC if I can.  My companion is Elder Nelson.  We are staying in the same room as Elder Green and Elder Martin who are awesome.  Elder Green is super smart but can get annoying and Elder Martin is pretty cool.  He just has been on edge being companions with Elder Green and all.  Oh yeah, and they are serving in Gilbert, AZ so that was cool to hear...I forgot to tell you that.  Ha Ha.  I always tell them how much I wanted to leave Arizona for two years.  Ha Ha.  But then there are the Sisters.  Sister Zalaya who is going to the same mission.  She is companions with Sister Bishoff who is also going to AZ, and then Sister Harman who is going to Canada, and Sister Lawrence who is going to Los Angeles.  That is everyone in our district, but as a Zone Leader I am sort of over our branch along side Elder Nelson and I am over the new 8 Elders and Sisters in our branch/zone.  It was crazy when they came on Wednesday and I got to kind of see how much I've changed.  Anyways, life is good.  Let me know how everyone is. :)  I love you all.  Ha Ha.  Not really but sorta.  Ha Ha.

Love,

Elder Schmidt


___________________________________________________________________________________

Hey Dad,

Thanks for all your letters and emails.  First off, can you send me like everyone's email that you can, so I can write everyone in the family and stuff?  Ha Ha.  I am so pumped to get to New York though.  I can't wait to embrace the cold.  Oh, and I think this is just gonna be an email for everyone, just so I don't have to worry about writing two and when I get out to the field I will make sure to write real letters too, because there is just so much I wanna send.  Ha Ha 

The MTC is awesome!  We have our last lesson with Ben, our MTC investigator, that we have been told COULD BE  a real investigator or just a member.  We have gotten pretty far with helping him see Christ in his life and teaching him the doctrine.  I told him that we weren't there to just teach him and that it was up to him to put in the effort and make this something that he wanted.  He yelled at me and told me that I could just leave.  It was so freaky, but we got it turned around and he started to listen to us and HE PRAYED.  It was awesome.  He ready some of the Book of Mormon and prayed about it.  He said he didn't feel anything but he promised to keep praying about it.  We are going to be teaching him the gospel of Jesus Christ and ask him if he will talk to the missionaries in his area because this is our last time teaching him.  We want him to be able to keep progressing.  

Anyways, at the devotional last Sunday the head of missionary work talked to us and it was awesome.  I wanted to share something his wife said.  She related life to a piano and how the black keys represent the bad things and the white keys represent the good things.  The important thing to remember though is that even the black keys make music.  Ha Ha.  I just loved that little metaphor.  At the devotional Elder Hamulah of the Seventy came and spoke to us.  He was the Mission President of Kyle's Mission before he served there.  He talked a lot about faith and how without faith, hope is impossible, because there is no want.  Sorry, I just keep jumping from topic to topic.  I'm just super excited.  Ha Ha.  Um....tell Kyle he is lame and he will never be as cool as me.  And tell Lexi that I didn't cry once.  Ha Ha Ha. JK.  I cried a lot!  Ha Ha.  Um, but anyways, I am learning so much and I can't wait to learn more.  I will get back on in a bit to talk more, I just have to get my laundry.

Love you all,

Elder Schmidt
First Emails from the MTC. March 20th 2015

Hey Dad,
I'm doing good.  It's awesome here.  My companions name is Elder Nelson, he's awesome.  We are starting to become friends and its awesome to teach and learn with him.  The Dear Elder thing is working fine.  I got your letter.  The MTC is awesome and teaching is so easy here because the spirit is so strong here.  It's hard and I am super tired all the time, but I'm learning so much here....and I can't wait to go share the gospel with people.  I was mad a zone leader last night and I get to help next week introducing the new elders and sisters in our district.  I got my flight plans today I leave on march 31st,  I will be landing first in Georgia and then transferring to a flight to NEW YORK.  Ha Ha.  Sorry this email is all over the place.  I just have been having a lot of things happening.  Oh yeah, I SAW TREVOR MC LAWS!  He is doing awesome!  I might be able to  get a picture to you guys some time, but he is doing awesome.  He was so happy and It's awesome to see someone I know here.  We started teaching lessons and stuff the first day and we haven't stopped.  I didn't know they had real investigators here that they let the missionaries teach.  Well,  I'm gonna write Mom and anyone else I can now.  Ha Ha.  Thank you for helping me get here.  I am so happy to learn and to grow as a missionary, and sharing God's purpose with others and helping to bring them to Christ.

Love,

Elder Schmidt
AKA: Curtis

P.S. My P-Day is Friday.  Ha Ha
Hey Mom,


 How is everything at home?  Everything here is awesome.  I'm learning so much about how to share the gospel and I'm learning a ton about how to listen to the spirit.  It's awesome to see just how much I knew before the MTC.  I'm so excited that i get to share this amazing gospel and teach them about the atonement because that is really what the gospel is about.  And to see how anything you teach someone revolves around Christ and His atonement.  We learned today that the purpose of a missionary is the same as any general authority and even the same purpose as our heavenly father.  It's amazing to see just how important missionary work is and that we are literally acting on gods behalf.  I told Dad about all my info and those things so he should tell you.  Mom thank you for all the outstanding things you do for me.  Another thing we talked about is that a parents purpose in the gospel is the same, to help your children receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end, and that's exactly what you and dad have done.  Just like missionaries you couldn't force us to go on missions or read Scriptures or any of those things, but you taught us the importance of doing those things.  Mom thank you for all that you have done for me, since I got into the MTC I feel like I would be making you proud. I have started so many habits that were hard before.  I read my scriptures, pray (all the time), and I have cleaned up my language to be more missionary like.  I can already see the blessings of these habits.  I feel the spirit everyday when I teach and do the things missionaries do.  Again, thank you mom.  Ha Ha  I've been saying that a lot but, that's because I mean it.  Let me know how home is and all that stuff,



Love, 

Elder Schmidt

Kyle posted this on his Facebook page... It sure got quiet fast around the house.
Curtis was picked up in SLC by
his Uncle Victor and Cousin Ashlee
They took him out  for lunch before
going to the MTC
Approaching the MTC
Unloading at the MTC



Curtis with his Uncle Victor and Cousin Ashlee
in front of the MTC
Walking through the doors at the MTC

We found a spot in the parking garage were we
could watch the pland
Next stop Salt Lake City
``


At the airport. Look at all the excitement
Curtis's bud Jose Hinckley came with us

Danielle's life long friend came to airport with us.

The family all smiles now...Things would soon change.
So here is a picture of Charles Barkly. When Curtis
started to make his way to security a man stepped
back and said go ahead. Everyone was convinced
that it was Sir Charles, except for me. It did help
re-leave the tension as we said goodbye to Elder Schmidt
This is all of the family that came when Curtis was set apart
In the middle of the table is the dreaded box of tissue that
made it around the room twice.
.Everyone had allergies had allergies that caused there eyes to water 

Sondra had to show Curtis how all this plus more
was going to
   
Fit into these
Sondra took some pictures of Curtis the day of his Farewell
March 15th 2015

Come on you know you want to hug me!
You wanna get baptized!?
This one is not going to be so little when Curtis gets back
Only at the Mesa Temple Petrified wood
Such a nice boy!
Curtis went through the temple on Feb.13th 2015


Curtis opening his mission call
New York New York City North Mission
Reports March 8th 2015