A Wonderful Book Review

Hello!!!

GOOOOO JEFFREY!!! WOOOOO!!! You graduated and are now free from high school forever more!! Yeah!!!!! Good job! I'm very proud and happy for you.

I'm glad to hear that Jeffrey's graduation party went well and that a fun time was had by all. I would have loved to have been there, but...I'm a couple thousand miles away. Next time! (Rather, I really hope that Jeffrey doesn't graduate from high school again, though that'd be a story, now wouldn't it?)

This week was fairly good. We still haven't found many people that are willing to listen, but we did manage to baptize our "abuela" Hilda Salazar. It was a wonderful baptismal service, and her daughter was able to fly out from Utah to see her baptism. Hilda was so very excited and happy to be able to be baptized. I definitely teared up a couple of times. I would love to include photos, but the computer doesn't want to read my memory card, so next week a photo will be included.

This week has been the same as last week in terms of teaching people. We try and try to find people, but when we set up a date to go back to see them, they're almost never there, and if something comes up and we have to set up a different date because we can't make the first one, they're still not at the second appointment. It's a tad frustrating. It'd be nice to be able to find someone new and be able to teach them, but that doesn't seem to be happening. We're going to be working with the less-active members a bit more to reactivate them and then see if they have any references. A few of the less actives with whom we've been working say that they have some people that they're working with. Now to just see if they'll let us work with them.

The attached photo is of my greatest eating "fail" for a very long time. I don't know how well you can see it, but my tie and part of my shirt are covered with syrup. Here's the story: I was eating a very lovely breakfast of pancakes and vanilla syrup. My desk was a bit crowded (I was reading some letters from awhile ago), so my plate wasn't completely on the desk. I had been doing my absolute best to not move any of the pancakes to the part that was off of the desk, but I was cutting one that got away from me and, yep, to the part off of the desk. The result was a horribly effective catapult of a whole pancake onto my tie, which promptly rolled onto my pants and onto the floor. I had to completely change, and both my companion and I laughed for a good 5 minutes. So let this experience be a lesson to all!




I have a book review to give! It's just about my favorite book in the whole world, and it's been the most helpful book to me ever. It's the Book of Mormon. Many, many people have read it before and have feelings similar to mine. It's held for good and evil in every part of the world. Many, lacking information, believe it to be written by Joseph Smith and is nothing more than one man's thoughts on religion. Many criticize it for not having correct grammar, and many say that there is no possible way that it is scripture because "the bible says there can't be any more scripture" (side note: it says that for the first time in Deuteronomy, which would mean that everything after that book in the Bible is false). I give my fervent testimony that this book, the Book of Mormon, is truly inspired of God and proves that God loves all of His children in all parts of the world. The Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets of the Americas and "contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel". It contains the history of the people who inhabited the Americas from 600 BC to approximately 421 AD, and it's purpose is to prove to people everywhere that Jesus is the Christ. I know that Jesus is the Christ because of this book. This book has helped me more in my life than anything else. I know of its divinity not because I have read and studied it several times. I know of its divinity not because someone told me that it was inspired of God. I know because I asked God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if the Book of Mormon was true. He responded to my prayer, and I know with my whole soul that this book is inspired of Him. It does not try to replace the Bible; it complements the Bible. The Bible testifies of the Book of Mormon (Ezekiel 37:15-20), and the Book of Mormon testifies of the Bible. Without the other, neither of these books would be able to truly be the word of God (1 Corinthians 15:1). I would urge everyone to find a copy (missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints give them out for free) and put it to the test. Read a little bit and then ask God if it's true or not. And if you don't receive an answer the first time, read a bit more and ask again. Do so until you receive an answer, because it's impossible that you don't receive an answer. I promise that whosoever does this will not only find a good book, but will find the fullness of the everlasting Gospel.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week and that you are all happy, healthy, and busy! I love you!! Have a wonderful, marvellous week!

Love,
Elder Schomburg

Still in Santa Ana!

Hello everyone!

This salutation comes from...Santa Ana, Quito! No transfer for me, nor for my companion, so unless more funky shenanigans happen like what happened at the end of the Riobamba tour, I'll be here until July 1. I guess the Lord has more for me to learn here. I'll just try to plug along as best as I can and hope that that's what the Lord wants of me. 

Wow, my little brother is all growin' up and stuff and is going to be graduating this week. That's crazy. Congratulations Jeffrey!! I knew you could do it. And congratulations for graduating from Seminary! That's awesome, and you're certainly more prepared than I was for your mission. Just don't decide to get all lazy and stop the preparing. You should prepare for your mission right up till the day that you leave, because if you don't keep preparing, you'll lose all that knowledge that you've gained. Remember to read the Scriptures daily (that's italicized, bolded, and underlined, so it's really super dupe hyper immensely important) and to say your prayers daily. Endure to the...well, beginning, in this case...!!! I know that you have huge potential. Don't be afraid to unlock it. 

Mmmmm, rootbeer floats......if someone finds out how to send one of those over here without completely destroying the package in the shipping process, you should test out that method with me. 

Well, the man who randomly showed up at Church last week didn't show up for his lesson nor for Church this week, and we don't have any way to get in contact with him. Hopefully one day he'll be able to come back and truly begin the repentance process. But Hilda Salazar did come to Church!! She's so amazing. She's basically my "mission grandma" because she's 74 and always feeds us when we go over (twice she gave us candy corn, which doesn't exist in Ecuador, but luckily she has offspring in Utah that love her enough to send her candy corn, which she shared with us!!). She's such a sweet lady. She has a baptismal date for this Saturday, but she has to have an interview with one of President Ghent's counselors first. We'll be praying that she passes her interview and doesn't have to postpone her baptism for a later date. 

I think that you (meaning my parents) will be very glad to learn that I have learned obedience fairly well (I'm known in the mission for demonstrating exact obedience), so at least one of the attributes that I need/ed to learn has been learned. Now I just have to work with my patience, and I do believe that will take the rest of my life to develop. It'd be better if it came sooner than later, but patience never, ever works that way. With time and practice it will come. 

Well, that's about all that I have to say for today. I hope all is well with all at home. I love you guys very much, and I wish the very best for you! 

Love, 
Elder Schomburg

Crocodile's Prey

Hello to all!!

So, I am basically super-duper grateful for mothers, especially por la mía [for mine]. She is wonderful and amazing and incredible and every wonderful word that one could think of to describe a mother. Thank you for being mi madre, Madre!

In case you hadn't guessed, I got to hear from my wonderful family yesterday! My madre sounds healthier and happier than ever, as well as does mi Padre, Jeffrey's voice is almost as deep as mine I think, which really throws me for a loop, Elizabeth is growing up, something that is strictly forbidden, and so is Robby! Madness!! But it was soo good and reinvigorating to be able to hear to them. Also, in lieu of the photo which I recently received in the most recent email, ZZ Top wrote "Sharp Dressed Man" while in the spirit of revelation, having seen Jeffrey and Robby in their suits and ties (bow-tie=class).

This is the photo to which he referred.

So I had planned on writing something really spiritual about the Atonement, but then my Madre wrote to me and got me all to thinking (not to mention she stole my topic, so surely I can't write about that now, can I?). I really liked something that she said about fighting emotions. This is something that I've been doing my absolute best to do throughout my mission, but turns out that I'm the "crocodile's prey". She explained...well, Imma just copy down what she said, for she said it so well!


"The more you fight the feelings (which are natural and normal), the bigger they will be and the more likely you will be to get distracted from your purpose and your mission.  That is what Satan wants... he wants you to fight and fight and fight until you feel that you have to give up.  Then he wins. I call that the "crocodile death roll."  :)  A crocodile will grab its prey by the neck and try to drag it under the water.  When the prey begins to fight, the crocodile starts rolling over and over and over in the water in the attempt to drown its victim.  It continues to roll until the prey dies.  The only thing that will save the victim is for it to stop fighting and float to the top.  The crocodile isn't interested in prey that isn't fighting (usually) and they will just leave it alone.  The only way to stop the struggle is to allow the Savior to take it from you.  Just let go of the fight and float to the top where He will rescue you."

So, Imma own up to it. I miss a lot of people right now, and I'm a tad frustrated with the way the work is going right now. I miss Michelle a ton, I miss all of my family members like I'm getting paid to do so, and I'm really, really tired of hearing the phrase, "I'm busy right now" (the most uttered phrase while contacting and the #1 reason that we don't get in the door). BUT. This is a new week, is it not? Do I not have the wonderful opportunity to commit myself to the Lord again and to gain even more strength from Him this week? He knows that I need the strength, and as long as I'm trying to keep my covenants He will bless me with that strength. And it's all thanks to the wonderful Atonement which the Lord Jesus Christ carried out. If it weren't for His sacrifice, He would not have obtained the knowledge necessary to provide God's children with the strength to overcome the world. But He, the Saviour Jesus Christ, has conquered the world, and we can trust that He will give us strength to overcome the world as well.

As is stated in the third Article of Faith, "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." That last part is importantísimo. If one is not obedient, the Lord has no promise with us to help us, and His Atonement only works for those people who accept Him as their Saviour through obedience to His Gospel. How grateful am I that I can receive strength in the most challenging of my times because I am trying my hardest to be obedient! And we all have the same promise, if we are obedient.

Hey, something super spiritual! Yay!

Well, I think that's all I have for today. We didn't play futbol today because Elder Vega and I decided to clean the house and then be lazy (yay for rest!), but all is well! I shall get my working-out in during the week. Okay, well, I shall be off now. I love all of you very much, and I'm grateful for all that you do for me. If it can be spared, more pouch would be wonderful. I love you!

Love,
Elder Schomburg

The Refiner's fire

Hello all y'all!

I'm doing okay right now. A bit...down, or algo similar, because we currently have no investigators. Well, we have one investigator, but her baptismal date fell through because she wasn't able to attend church yesterday. But apart from her we have no one. So the logical thing would be to look for those people, ¿no cierto? Well, we've been contacting for a few days now, and we haven't had one lesson. No one wants to open the door, no one wants to listen. It's a tad depressing, but I shall keep swimming, for I know that there's someone out there who needs this message, so we just have to endure. It's tough, but the mission can't always be smiles and sunshine. I've gotta be refined here too, and that only happens with a lot of fire. So here we go, another week and another chance to learn.

Ah yes, the all-important Mother's Day phone call! So, I shall be calling this Sunday at...roughly...4 PM my time. I believe that'll be about 2 PM your time, and you should be out of church by then. If that time doesn't work, you should write me back and I'll be checking my email to see at what time will be best. I should be free at about 2:30 PM my time, so anytime after that will work well. But didn't I just talk to you guys the other day? It seems to me that these 6ish months have absolutely flown by. Snaps.

This Saturday we had a Talent Show in the stake, and us missionaries did a skit about when Nephi and his brothers go to Jerusalem to get the brass plates. However, this version had a little twist on it. In Spanish, "plates" is "planchas"; "planchas" also means "irons", as in the irons used to iron clothing...I think that was overly obvious, but oh well. The whole time we tried to make things funny, but the audience never knew that we were going to get the planchas-irons; they thought we were getting planchas-plates. So at the end we revealed that Sariah needed the planchas-irons to iron the clothes, and the audience got a kick out of it. It was really fun, and in the second picture is what we looked like.

And the other picture is a salad, as one can see, and it means that I'm trying to eat healthy now, and healthy is tasty.

Changes aren't for another 2 weeks, which basically means that they're tomorrow with the way time goes by.

So...I don't really have a lot more to say this week. Prayers would be very welcome, and any letters that anyone feels inclined to send will also be welcomed. I love you all very much, and I miss you too. I hope all are doing well and that you are feeling the presence of the Lord more in your life. Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Elder Schomburg