One fish, two fish...

Hello there!!

I am doing fantastically on this wonderful day here in Quito. Today has been interesting, and so has this week, but it's all been good. Very, very good.

So today we were going to go to a zoo, but when we got to the zoo it was closed. A local told us that there was an aquarium nearby, so we went there instead. It was a rather...interesting...aquarium. It was a bunch of the fish tanks like what Wal-Mart has all lined up with some different fish, and it was in a dark hallway basically. It was a bit strange, but there were some cool fish. The really cool and really weird part has to do with the pictures of my feet included in this email. We walked through this "lagoon" type thingy and at the end there were a couple of little ponds with little fish in them. Well, they were there to "massage" your feet. Yep, you put your feet in the water and let the little fish nibble at your feet. It's not nibbling as much as sucking I guess, but either way it was a bit weird. It actually felt pretty good though, though more especially after you put your shoes back on and walk around a bit. Then you realize how soft and relaxed your feet feel. The fish eat all the dead skin cells off of your feet and leave them all clean and new-ish. It tickles a bit, and it takes a bit of getting used to, but it's well worth it. Also, the only time I took my feet out of the water was when we were leaving; all of the other missionaries took their feet out a few times because it tickled too much, but I have crazy self control (thank you siblings). It was definitely a one-of-a-kind experience.  [Little does Elder Schomburg know that women in the United States will pay around $50 for a "fish pedicure" in high end salons. haha]

Now, about my child! His name is Elder Pande (pronounced "panda"), he's from North Salt Lake, he likes basically any extreme sport, and he's my same height. Yep, we are now the Two Towers of Comité. He doesn't speak much Spanish at all, but he likes learning and allows me to correct him however many times he needs. Poco a poco he will learn. He says he is really glad that I'm his companion because I'm so obedient. It kinda makes me feel really good when people say things like that, and it definitely humbles me a lot. I'm being an example to people here, and it's not just the investigators, but the missionaries also. I'm very glad for that, and I plan on keeping it up.

We are being blessed with more people now. We recently found a family, and the father said that he had been interested in our religion because he felt empty in his life. He felt that he was living just waiting for death and that things didn't really matter much for him. He's very eager to learn and to experience the Church and fill that emptiness that he feels, and we are more than ready to help him. We've also found a few other people who seem to be ready to hear the Gospel, so I can testify that those who are obedient and work hard will receive the desires of their hearts.

This week has been super. I even got a package! I have been enjoying peanut butter in the mornings with my bread and the new Men of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD which I got. Thank you so very much!!!

Also, I may or may not have been super excited and amazed to hear that Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy was able to stop by our house Saturday afternoon. That is such an amazing and huge blessing to our family. I'm not saying this to brag or anything, I just know that my family received a huge blessing in the form of this visit. I am so overjoyed for my family that they were able to experience such a thing. I'm positive that the Spirit will be strong in our family for a long time. It's not every day that a General Authority pays a visit to your house. Wow.

I hope all is still going well. I know that the Lord blesses those who are willing to work for those blessings and who are not afraid to trust in the Lord in every instance. I love you all, and I appreciate all that you have all done for me. Have a wonderful week! ¡Chao! [scroll down for a message from Madre]

Love,
Elder Schomburg 

Hello all,

Elder Schomburg has told me that it takes a good month and a half for any kind of package to arrive in Quito.  As this is the first of November, I am sending out this gentle reminder that Christmas is only 8 weeks away, so if you are planning to send him a package of any kind, it would be better to get it in the mail sooner than later.  If you have any questions about his needs or mission rules as far as gifts go, please feel free to e-mail me at lisakschomburg@gmail.com.

Here is his mailing address for those who need it:

Elder Andrew Michael Schomburg
Mision Quito Ecuador
Calles Robles E4-515 y Ave Amazonas
Casilla 17-03-078
Quito Pichincha Ecuador

I also received a wonderful suprise from Elder Schomburg's mission President's wife for my birthday last Friday and I have posted the photos here for everyone to enjoy.  Thank you all for your continued support and love for our son as he does the Lord's work in Ecuador.