5/20/15

Hey everyone,  How are you all doing?

The Bronx is still the Bronx. It's hard to actually describe what the Bronx is like, so we came up with our own adjective to describe things here. The word we use is bronxy, like our apartment is bronxy or  the people that walk around here are bronxy.

I'm doing great here. I found out that I know my area pretty well.
It's weird to have a missionary look at me and ask "what are we gonna
do?". I can't wait for elder Holtom to learn the area so that we have
two inputs for plans.

The other day we tracted a 6 floor building with
like 60 doors in it. It's a pretty small building here but it felt
like it was taking forever to knock all the doors, mostly because no
one was answering. We got to the bottom floor of the building and we
almost decided to not knock the floor because that is usually where
the super is, but we did it anyways. Almost half the doors opened and
were people who were pretty interested but one of them was my
favorite. 

A lady answered and immediately told us to come in and talk
to here daughter who was having a hard time. Her daughter was about 21
and her grandpa had just passed away. We taught her the plan of
salvation and she lit up. It is awesome to see all the little miracles
that are happening. 

The work here is picking up slowly but surely. We
are constantly finding new people to teach and to serve. I know that I
am supposed to be here in this mission and in the Bronx. I know that I
was called by a prophet of God to share the gospel with the people
here. I know that everyday I walk outside the lord is going to put
people in my path who are ready to hear the message of the restored
gospel. I love seeing how important the gospel is to everyone. Every
time someone speaks to us they bring up something that is related to
the gospel. I love the feeling I get when I teach and I love seeing
people when they begin to understand the importance of everything we
teach. I love it here and I wouldn't change a thing. 

Hey we have a family moving to Gilbert and university. Could I give them your guys
email or phone number? They are super cool. Let me know how you all
are doing. And let me know if I can do anything

       Love,
       Elder schmidt

Letters from Elder Schmidt 5/20/2015



Hey, I'm doing pretty good getting around my area is super easy now. I
wouldn't say I've mastered it though.

 Training is just a twelve week with it and I'm training my companion and

 helping him learn the area and our district.

 I can go through Jesus the Christ in my studies, but

we've been told to focus our studies on the Book of Mormon and preach

my gospel.

 I am loving it here though. I found the perfect way to

contact people on the street here too. You just stand in front of them

and offer them a picture of Jesus. Everyone here loves Jesus. 

The other day I got dared to approach these three dudes that looked like

they just got out of prison hahahah they all had the tear drop tattoos

and stuff. They turned out to be super nice and they loved

missionaries and what we do. They unfortunately we're to "busy" to

have us teach them but it's cool to see how everyone pretty much

recognizes us. Well I'm gonna end now we're going to Manhattan to do

touristy stuff. I will talk to you guys later. I sent a few emails to

mom and one to kyle. Check his out its pretty funny. If he won't show

you tell me and I will send it to you.

May 13th 2015,

Hey everyone!!!
 I just got out of transfer meeting it was awesome my new
companion Elder Holtom is pretty cool, I think we will get along well.
I'm so excited to take my area over. It's kinda scary because I don't
know as much as Elder Sorenson did, I mean it's only my 2 cycle in the
mission.

 I think that it will all go well though my companion is
awesome at working with people I can already see. I know that this
transfer was inspired,  I could feel it as soon as I met my new
companion. I'm so excited  to get to work and start tracking and
contacting. This week was so much fun we met with a ton of members who
are moving and helped them take care of some stuff. But yeah I'm sorry
this email is short I will try to send more next time but we are
really busy and we still need to go shopping. Oh but Matta's hot sauce
would be nice but not necessary and if you do maybe the habanero  one I
don't know anything will be accepted 

Sunday 5/10 The Call

It was so great to hear this voice in our home again! And him being able use his iPad to use face time was like having him in the room. And it is so neat feeling like the family is one having a conversation rather then passing the phone around. He has grown so much but still is the Curtis that can make us laugh. He went to his first Yankee game last week. And on Saturday he had the special opportunity of all missionary's in his mission having a chapel session with Elder Quentin L. Cook one of the 12 apostles of the church. Curtis said you could just feel the change when he walked into the room.He made is a point to shake each hand and he said he loved to look into there eyes were just by  looking he could have a spiritual look into there lives. The rest of what was taught and learned in that meeting I can not do it justice and bring the spirit of what was said. But has he was talking about Saturday you could feel the spirit feel the room.

Next month at Mormon night at Yankee Stadium his mission gets to join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the field to sing part of a song. And my worse fear will be coming true the want them to weary Yankee caps on the field. 

He is loosing his first trainer at the next transfer and getting a new companion. This is sometimes hard cause they become like brothers to you. He has a neat Mission President he moved their pday to Wednesday because alot of the museums open up free at one time of another on Wednesday, and he wants them to experience that.

It was just so good to see and hear he is happy you can't ask for as a parent.


 

Sorry I have been behind again this should catch us all up



Hey Happy Birthday Mom!   Everything here is awesome.  Don't worry about me getting hurt at all.  The people here are awesome.  This Saturday is going to be awesome!  The entire mission is going to see Quentin L. Cook at the temple, and then we are going out to lunch with him and our Mission President.  It is going to be so awesome.  I can't wait!  Oh and he isn't going on like a mission tour, but he is specifically coming to our mission.  It's kinda scary. 
Next month the mission is going to a Yankees game, and at the Yankees game the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is singing and we will be singing along in parts.  It's going to be awesome!  But, I'm sorry Dad, I will be having to purchase a Yankees hat....ha ha!  They said we can wear hats but we have to be in proselyting clothes because it's going to be a media thing, so they want us looking like missionaries still.  I am pumped for all of the stuff that happens here.  
Oh, some funny news that has happened this week.  Just to set this up, we had 4 sisters living in the apartment next to us, but they are shutting down their area so all of them moved out.  Our ceiling in the bathroom collapsed and water got all over the place.  We are pretty sure there was black mold everywhere.  So we called the Super and the person in charge of mission housing.  We were told we were going to have to go to the zone leaders apartment to sty there for a little while, until the hole was fixed.  Which would suck because that would be 6 missionaries cramped into one apartment.  So, Elder Burr decided to call one of the AP's that he knew really well and asked him if we could stay in the Sister's apartment for right now.  So last night we slept and showered in the a Sister's apartment.   It was hilarious!  A lot of their stuff is still here, like quotes on walls and stuff and just tons of stuff.  It was so funny.  Anyways I will make sure to not tell you guys everything before the call Sunday.  
Oh yeah, email me your Skype account information.  I have one now or if you want, we can do Facetime.  That works a little better.  Just let me know your account info.  We are wanting to call at about  (blank time) here so it's about (blank time) there.  I will talk to you guys Sunday.  Have a great week.
Love,
Elder Schmidt

Letters for the week of 4/19/15 (Sorry was slow this week)


Hey dad I'm sorry to announce that I will be attending the Yankees
game this Wednasday hahah sorry i held out as long as possible lol
anyways we are getting a lot more investigators it's so cool I sent an
email to moms so you can read about one of our investigators hahah
ummm yeah everything is good here I got my package and all mail goes
to the mission office thank you so much I love the matching ties hahah
it came Tuesday. All mail comes Tuesday hahah all the hi chews are
gone and the jellybean so lol it was so funny elder Sorensen was super
excited for the ties lol thank you so much. How's home? I can't watch
videos for some reason but I got like 2 pictures oh yeah umm can you
guys set up a couple Skype accounts or let me know if you want to just
call and let me know the number so I can contact you guys umm I will
let you know the time next week probably if I can alright well I gotta
go hahah

This is Dad(Kevin) talking now. I could not have been more excited then when we found out Curtis was going to NYC. There is so much there and so many things to see and there is such a vast variety of people and cultures. The one thing that scared me about NYC and Curtis was the chance of becoming a Yankee fan and now this Wednesday he would be attending his first game. I think the only thing worse then him becoming a Yankee fan is if he all of a sudden said Dad I am a Cowboy fan. 

I hope those who are reading this know that I am saying this all tongue in cheek. I and Kyle both had mission presidents that allowed us as whole missions to attend different things in the area. There is so much power when you are able to speak to the people in the area in which you are working and being able to say how much you enjoy things in their area and how great they are instead of ya I heard that they are neat or fun or beautiful, you are able to build an instant rapport that allows you to transition into a Gospel conversation cause it is almost inevitable you will be asked why you are there and what you are doing.

Here is a copy of Curtis's letter to Sondra for this week



Hey Mom,
How's home?  The mission is good.  I like it much.  I am having fun.  Just kidding, I am loving it here!  We have a decent teaching pool now and we are still having to actually schedule appointments.  This past week we met with some one named Kamara from somewhere in West Africa.  I think Sierra Leone.  He totally did not agree with anything.  He thought it was a terrible idea to pray to know if one religion was true because he felt that it would condemn the others and he didn't want to sin by judging another church.  But he said that he wanted to meet with us more so we said we could come over Wednesday's and we planned to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ because we felt it was very relateable to him and every other religion.  We were surprise to see that Kamara had company over when we got there.  One of the people was his pastor.  We were so scared his pastor was going to try and rip us to pieces.  He started to understand that our religion and his were very similar in belief so that was awesome.  At the end of the lesson he said that he wanted to speak with us more and that we might have a few converts.  It was ridiculous!  Elder Sorenson and I flipped out that night!  We are going to be teaching him tonight so I'm pretty excited.  We are teaching a lot more people and it is awesome.  
How are all of you?  I hear everyone is having more fun now.  I don't nee anything really here.  I couldn't get a watch in China Town unfortunately.  There were too many cops around, but I can go some other time to get them.  We might get the Bronx pants today, but I don't know.  We are kinda just playing basketball today cuz we are tired.  Send me some questions and I might answer today.  
Love you,
Elder Schmidt

Letter for the week  of 4/13/15

Hey Everyone,

How is everyone?  Today for P-day we are going to China Town, which is supposed to be a pretty hard place to get around but we have missionary that wants to take us on a tour.  So, I might get a $20 "Rolex".  That should be pretty cool.  

This week was awesome!  We had like 4 dinner appointments, which NEVER happens.  One of them was this member named Brother Pepis who lives in a 1 room apartment above some people who I never had met.  We were a little nervous to bring all ten missionaries from the Ward but Brother Pepis insisted.  It turns out that the people who live under him are his family and they were having a huge Greek Easter Party.  It was crazy!  The video I'm sending is a full lamb being cooked over coals.  It was awesome!  IT was an awesome missionary experience as well because none of Brother Pepis' family were LDS.  They were all drinking and stuff, so it was super awkward at first, but we started talking to them and really enjoyed their company.  Afterwards we went upstairs to share a message with Brother Pepis and we talked to him about the Jaradite's boats an how we can be like the stones and be a light for others.  As it turns out, Brother Pepis has made a Jaradite boat that works completely.  It is at 1/60 scale.  He is talking to the church to see if he can make a full size 60 foot boat.  It's insane how smart/crazy this guy is.  He is trying to create a new turbine to make a wind powered/solar powered car.  He use to design boats and stuff....it's so crazy!  

Anyway, this week flew by.  We have found 3 new investigators who seem pretty solid.  We also, in one day, found 10 potential investigators for the Sisters and the Spanish Elders.  It is so crazy how much Spanish is spoken here.  I have already learned to introduce the church in Spanish, but my companion can usually share a brief message and refer them to the Spanish Elders.  It's like I'm in the SPANGLISH program!  My companion says I will learn Spanish pretty well here because a lot of places here have a ton of Dominicans.  In one of the areas English Elders actually ordered Spanish tags because no one will speak to you if you have an English tag on.  

The area I am in is awesome!  The members love missionaries, but there are very few members.  It's about 80% or less and we have five sets of missionaries in the Ward.  Last Sunday I went to the youth class (because they have very few youth.  They all meet in one class.)  The Elder I went with says our job is to make sure no one teaches false doctrine.  I thought he was just kidding, but he was not!  Ha Ha.  The entire time we had to stop the teacher from teaching all these things that other religions do for Easter like Lent and Palm Sunday and all that stuff.  It was so bad.  The teacher talked about Christ like he believed in the trinity and stuff.  Yikes!  

The members here are awesome, but they are just very uneducated in the gospel.  I am loving it here!   The people are awesome.  I've only been kicked out of a couple buildings.  I love knocking doors with a passion.  LOL!  I know this is where I need to be.  I love sharing the gospel.  I am getting a ton more comfortable.  My companion is trying to get me to campaign for AP.  Ha Ha.  We joke about the real purpose of missionary work being leadership positions or numbers.  

It's been really fun.  I'm on the subway right now going to China town and a guy just came in selling stuff.  He calls himself the human vending machine.  There is so much that goes on here.  I love it!  It's impossible to have a repeat of the same day here.  Anyways, I'm sorry this letter isn't super long.  Today has just been really busy and I didn't write any of this in a draft throughout the week.  

Love, 

Elder Schmidt

Here is a video and some pictures

This is a model of the vessel that brought the Brother of Jared and
his people to the New World. This was made by a member Curtis met
Bro. Pepis, he is going to try to build a full size one some day 

Some of the great art work you see on the walls in the Bronx!

I can honestly say I never saw a sign in all the apartments I live in
while I was serving in Oakland, ask us not to urinate in the hallway.
I think this is my favorite picture yet.

Curtis with his companion and trainer Elder Sorenson  

Here is a video with the meat turning on the BBQ spit.