Elder Schmidt's letter from 06/10/15

I know this is getting posted a week late. But after thinking about it for a long time I thought it better not to post his letter.

Curtis had quite the week last week in the space of a couple of days he witnessed two people take their lives. One of them was a person standing very close to him as they were waiting for the subway and as it was pulling up the person jumped onto the tracks. Being in Oakland for about 15 months of my mission I witnessed a-lot of things that opened my eyes to life outside of Mesa in the 80's but I never witnessed someone taking there lives let alone two in one week. I could only imagine the feelings he went through. He debated about telling us so we won't worry about him. Just like most missionary's he tries to make us think nothing can happen.  At the end of the letter he let us know in his way that he was he is processing it well, as he was talking about it he let us know that in both cases they were able to make both of their teaching appointments each of those days and were on time. That just made me chuckle a little bit that is what you call focus.

May 27th 2015


Hey everyone,
The Bronx is pretty cool this time of year. Everyone is outside
just hanging out opening fire hydrants and stuff hahah. It is getting
pretty hot now some days are better then others but the humidity  is
definitely the worst part. When we walk anywhere we end up drenched in
sweat. It's pretty awful.

This last Sunday we walked with an investigator to church. He is from Nigeria which I assume is pretty
hot, but he said the weather in New York is the worst he's felt haha.

I am pretty surprised at how well I have been able to adjust here and
just as a missionary in general. We had interviews with president
yesterday and he said that a few missionaries had said that I am one
of the most prepared missionaries that they have seen. It really meant
a lot to here that, even though I don't feel quite that way. It makes
me happy to know that I came out at this time and not a year ago. I'm
happy I'm here now and having the experiences that I am having. I love
you all and hope you have an awesome week
       Love,
       Elder Schmidt

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