Hello one and all!
Guess what?? We had a baptism this weekend! Huzzah!!!! I was so happy to finally have a baptism that was one of my investigators. I went for two changes before that happened. That is way, way too much time, but that has changed! The streak has been broken, and I don't intend on setting a longer one ever. Agustín was baptized Sunday morning, and then confirmed in church directly afterwards. It was really very nice, and I'm so glad that he made that decision.
Oh hey! We found a family that I'm really really excited about! They're Sandra and Gabriela (Gabriela is Sandra's nine-year-old daughter). Gabriela is so cool. The first lesson we had with them I felt impressed to give them a copy of the Book of Mormon, and that night Gabriela read some of it and prayed about it, and when we came back she told us that she knew the Book of Mormon is true. She said she sleeps with it, and she absolutely loves it. Also, she's always really ridiculously excited when we pass by. Her mom told us that she's been looking for something to fill the emptiness that she's felt in her life, and that she feels that the message that we share is doing the job. They both have baptismal dates for the 11th of February, and I am super super super excited about that. Huzzah! New family! Oh, and the really cool thing is that this is the first family that I've found with my new son!
My new son isn't a gringo! But he still looks like a gringo. His name is Elder Miranda and he's from Santiago, Chile. He's actually a bit older than I am, but not too much. OH! And he looks exactly like the main villan from James Bond: Casino Royal. When I first saw him I immediately liked him just because he looked like that guy, but now I like him because he's a good guy. He's a bit strange at times, but aren't we all? Also, being from Chile gives him a different accent and a different vocabulary too, so sometimes it's hard to understand him, but that's okay, because I have no shame at all in asking, "What? I didn't understand." And he doesn't seem to mind too much when he has to repeat himself, which is good. He's a really smart guy too, and he has a lot of experiences to share with the investigators. All in all I really am super excited to be training again. The only difficulty that seems to be presenting itself is that he speaks Spanish, so sometimes I forget that I still need to teach him, but then he does something and I say to myself, "Oh yes, that's right, I'm training him," and the training continues. I'm so glad to be a dad again. OH! And I'm also a grandpa too! Yep, Elder Papworth, my first son, is training this change! How crazy is that! I'm starting to feel old, but at the same time I keep seeing just how much I have to learn still.
Speaking of being old, happy birthday (again) to Elizabeth, who is now officially 16! Crazy!
Also, on the old track, I complete one year this Thursday. How amazing is that? I'm halfway through my mission. It's all downhill from here, and the time is sure to absolutely fly by. I've always heard that the second year is faster than the first, but let's put that to the test, shall we? Hey!! That means that I'll be able to see all of you in a year! WHOA. And I'll especially get to see you, you, you, you, you, you, and you (which you is whom?)! Huzzah! I am looking forward to that, but don't be deceived, because I'm not trunky at all. Nope. There's too much work to be done to be trunky.
Huzzah for mi Madre! 81 pounds have melted away, and she's doing great! That's so amazing! Incredible really. I'm hardly going to recognize her when I see her again. Good job Madre!
Also, I always knew that Robby was (literally) too smart for school. He's always been fairly brilliant, and he definitely deserves to be taught to his level of intelligence. Home school may be a rather good idea for him. I guess we'll see. ....I just read that paragraph again and it says that Robby's in third grade. I think that's a typo. It's gotta be a typo. My little brother can't be in third grade. I still remember fairly clearly third grade! Aaaaaahhh!! The weirdest thing about the mission is that the world back home doesn't stop. There could be some of you in my friend group that are all engaged and stuff! Weird.
Well, my time is running out, so I'll start signing off now. I love all of you, and I'm so grateful for all that you do for me, especially for the prayers. I definitely need the prayers, and I know that they work.
Hopefully I'll hear from more of you guys in pouch this week (last week I only got one letter, but it was almost a month old; darn the holiday season and backing up my mail!). I heard that I have packages in the offices, but I have to pay to get them out, and the package rumour may be just that, and there might be nothing. We will see though. I love you! Have a wonderful week, and always endure to the end, no matter what's happening in your life; it will all be for your good (Doctrine and Covenants 122). Until next week! ¡Chao!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Changes and lessons to learn...
Hello there!
Well, that wasn't the most creative salutation, but I'm not in the most creative of moods right now. One could say that I'm actually feeling rather stressed right now, and of course I'll be telling you why.
So last night we got the information about the changes (of companions: turns out 6 weeks have already passed by since I was named district leader...weird), and the changes were exactly what I expected: a complete surprise that no one could have seen coming. Well, Elder Sotomayor has gone on to a new life in Esmeraldas, and I'm still here in Riobamba, but I'm back together with an old companion of mine, one who was also in my district in a different sector, and neither of us are very excited about that, though I'm doing my best and trying my darndest to be excited. I'm companions with Elder Fernelius again! And he hasn't really changed from the last time that you heard about him! I'm also sorry to say that I haven't done much to establish a good relationship. For these past weeks Elder Fenelius has felt that I don't show him any love and that I'm always macheteing him, and I do agree with him. My first experience with him in Santo Domingo left less than desireable feelings towards him in me, and I believe that that has reflected in the way that I've lead him. Anyway, he told the zone leaders that he has no respect towards me at all, and that even in the nightly check-in phone calls that he played a game to see how short he could make the call. It made me really sad when I heard that I hadn't shown him the love that he's needed, but now I have the perfect opportunity to show him that love. The only problem is...he has not changed since I first met him. So this change will be difficult for that reason. But that's not all!
I'm training again also! Yep, you heard right, I'm about to have my third son, and he'll be born into a trio this Wednesday! I'm excited about that for sure. Somehow I've been deemed responsible enough by the Lord to be in charge of starting off another one of His missionaries. And I'm still district leader. Oh, and Elder Fernelius' old sector is being absorbed by our sector, so we also have to try to take care of all of the investigators that he had and all of mine. I am going to have a very full schedule these next 6 weeks. We're all rather confused as to why this is all happening (the zone leaders had told President Ghent that they thought it would be better for Elder Fernelius and Elder Rodriguez to stay together to work out some problems that they had with obedience, but that didn't happen), but we do know one thing: the Lord's ways are not our ways, the Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts, and He works in mysterious ways. I know that the Lord has called me to this responsibility because He knows that I'm ready to take on such a responsibility, and that I will learn a ton of things from this change. I'm just going to have to really learn and apply Chapter 6 from Preach My Gospel; Christlike Attributes. But I believe very firmly in and try to live 1 Nephi 3:7, and I will go and do what the Lord commands.
And it sounds like the Schomburg children in the States will be taking on more responsibility as well. Yay for jobs! Good job Jeffrey! I'm rather excited for you as well, and I'm sure that you shall do your job with enthusiasm and Jeffrey-like pizzaz! Yay! And yay for being called to help in the leadership of Aaron's Camp! That's pretty darn amazing, and you will learn so much as you are called to lead and be stretched more. You will become so much stronger, and you will grow even closer to your God and your Saviour as you do so. I have faith in you! You can do it!
And, because I won't be online tomorrow, nor any other day until next Monday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH!!!!! The sweet 16! That's ridiculous. My little sister isn't 16. That's not allowed I don't think. Nor is it allowed that she can now date. Nope, I won't have it. But I guess I can't really stop it, and if it's her choice, and Madre, Dad, and even the Bishop think she's ready, then I guess it's her time. ....I feel old now.
So, in response to the question if I've gotten any packages or letters lately, I would be lying if I said I hadn't, because this Friday I got the Schomburg Family Christmas Card! But apart from that, nada. I'm still waiting for the several packages that I was told were on the way, but it seems as if I need to be more patient with pouch too. Entonces, I shall keep waiting and hoping.
I don't really have too terribly much more to say for this week. We have a baptism this week! That's pretty cool because he was an "eternal" investigator, or rather, an investigator that liked to listen and everything, and liked more to hang out with the missionaries, and had been visited by tons of missionaries, and appeared like he would never take that step of faith, but now he is going to get baptized this Saturday, so yay! Sometimes I wonder for how long missionaries should visit an investigator until they have to call it quits. For example, some people could receive a million lessons and never come to the decision to be baptized. Others are able to come to that decision and be baptized in two weeks. I know that there are people out there that have been prepared to listen to the Gospel and receive it and make the necessary covenants, and that we're supposed to be focusing on finding those people, but some people do just need a bit more time. So, the question is, how long is too long to contine with an investigator that doesn't come to church or fulfill some compromises before one calls it quits? I just don't know. It's something in which we need to put our will in harmony with that of the Father, and then we will receive the answer. That's how it works for everything really, so we much always be humble enough that we can recognize and fulfill the Father's will.
Well, I believe it is now time for me to go, so I shall do just that. I love you all, and I am grateful for all of your prayers on my behalf and on the behalf of all of our investigators. I hope to hear from as many as you as possible this week and in the weeks to come! Keep striving to find out what is the Father's will and to do so, and you will be blessed with eternal life when all is said and done. I love you! ¡Chao!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Well, that wasn't the most creative salutation, but I'm not in the most creative of moods right now. One could say that I'm actually feeling rather stressed right now, and of course I'll be telling you why.
So last night we got the information about the changes (of companions: turns out 6 weeks have already passed by since I was named district leader...weird), and the changes were exactly what I expected: a complete surprise that no one could have seen coming. Well, Elder Sotomayor has gone on to a new life in Esmeraldas, and I'm still here in Riobamba, but I'm back together with an old companion of mine, one who was also in my district in a different sector, and neither of us are very excited about that, though I'm doing my best and trying my darndest to be excited. I'm companions with Elder Fernelius again! And he hasn't really changed from the last time that you heard about him! I'm also sorry to say that I haven't done much to establish a good relationship. For these past weeks Elder Fenelius has felt that I don't show him any love and that I'm always macheteing him, and I do agree with him. My first experience with him in Santo Domingo left less than desireable feelings towards him in me, and I believe that that has reflected in the way that I've lead him. Anyway, he told the zone leaders that he has no respect towards me at all, and that even in the nightly check-in phone calls that he played a game to see how short he could make the call. It made me really sad when I heard that I hadn't shown him the love that he's needed, but now I have the perfect opportunity to show him that love. The only problem is...he has not changed since I first met him. So this change will be difficult for that reason. But that's not all!
I'm training again also! Yep, you heard right, I'm about to have my third son, and he'll be born into a trio this Wednesday! I'm excited about that for sure. Somehow I've been deemed responsible enough by the Lord to be in charge of starting off another one of His missionaries. And I'm still district leader. Oh, and Elder Fernelius' old sector is being absorbed by our sector, so we also have to try to take care of all of the investigators that he had and all of mine. I am going to have a very full schedule these next 6 weeks. We're all rather confused as to why this is all happening (the zone leaders had told President Ghent that they thought it would be better for Elder Fernelius and Elder Rodriguez to stay together to work out some problems that they had with obedience, but that didn't happen), but we do know one thing: the Lord's ways are not our ways, the Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts, and He works in mysterious ways. I know that the Lord has called me to this responsibility because He knows that I'm ready to take on such a responsibility, and that I will learn a ton of things from this change. I'm just going to have to really learn and apply Chapter 6 from Preach My Gospel; Christlike Attributes. But I believe very firmly in and try to live 1 Nephi 3:7, and I will go and do what the Lord commands.
And it sounds like the Schomburg children in the States will be taking on more responsibility as well. Yay for jobs! Good job Jeffrey! I'm rather excited for you as well, and I'm sure that you shall do your job with enthusiasm and Jeffrey-like pizzaz! Yay! And yay for being called to help in the leadership of Aaron's Camp! That's pretty darn amazing, and you will learn so much as you are called to lead and be stretched more. You will become so much stronger, and you will grow even closer to your God and your Saviour as you do so. I have faith in you! You can do it!
And, because I won't be online tomorrow, nor any other day until next Monday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH!!!!! The sweet 16! That's ridiculous. My little sister isn't 16. That's not allowed I don't think. Nor is it allowed that she can now date. Nope, I won't have it. But I guess I can't really stop it, and if it's her choice, and Madre, Dad, and even the Bishop think she's ready, then I guess it's her time. ....I feel old now.
So, in response to the question if I've gotten any packages or letters lately, I would be lying if I said I hadn't, because this Friday I got the Schomburg Family Christmas Card! But apart from that, nada. I'm still waiting for the several packages that I was told were on the way, but it seems as if I need to be more patient with pouch too. Entonces, I shall keep waiting and hoping.
I don't really have too terribly much more to say for this week. We have a baptism this week! That's pretty cool because he was an "eternal" investigator, or rather, an investigator that liked to listen and everything, and liked more to hang out with the missionaries, and had been visited by tons of missionaries, and appeared like he would never take that step of faith, but now he is going to get baptized this Saturday, so yay! Sometimes I wonder for how long missionaries should visit an investigator until they have to call it quits. For example, some people could receive a million lessons and never come to the decision to be baptized. Others are able to come to that decision and be baptized in two weeks. I know that there are people out there that have been prepared to listen to the Gospel and receive it and make the necessary covenants, and that we're supposed to be focusing on finding those people, but some people do just need a bit more time. So, the question is, how long is too long to contine with an investigator that doesn't come to church or fulfill some compromises before one calls it quits? I just don't know. It's something in which we need to put our will in harmony with that of the Father, and then we will receive the answer. That's how it works for everything really, so we much always be humble enough that we can recognize and fulfill the Father's will.
Well, I believe it is now time for me to go, so I shall do just that. I love you all, and I am grateful for all of your prayers on my behalf and on the behalf of all of our investigators. I hope to hear from as many as you as possible this week and in the weeks to come! Keep striving to find out what is the Father's will and to do so, and you will be blessed with eternal life when all is said and done. I love you! ¡Chao!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tradition...
'ello chaps!
This day finds me very well, happy, and, as always, with a message! Woo! But first, I should tell you about something that I forgot to tell you the last week! It's an Ecuadorian tradition that's kinda cool, and I know how it got started (well, I'm 96% sure I know how it got started if it's as old as Elder Sotomayor tells me it is). Okay, anyway, there's a New Year's tradition here that's called the Burning of the Old Years (I kinda made part of that up because I only know that what they burn are called año viejos (old years)). The people make or buy what are basically piñatas that represent the old year that has passed, and at midnight (well, really, anytime during that day) on the 1st of January they burn the año viejos. Elder Sotomayor said that in Guayaquil they sometimes make año viejos 9 meters tall, and whole neighborhoods gather to party around and burn the año viejo. It's kinda cool, and it's a bit symbolic too. So, where do I think this tradition came from? Well, we know that the native inhabitants of the Americas are all descendents of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites in turn have roots with the Jews (before Nephi and his brothers Lemuel and Laman split into two groups, they lived in Jerusalem and practiced Judaism[I have no idea how to spell that word]). Well, the Jews practiced burning sacrifices to atone for their sins, and on the first of the year they also burned a sacrifice. Well, we know that through many years of apostasy and false traditions, the commandments and the correct way to perform sacrifices was lost completely. All in all, I believe that we can assume with reasonable certainty that the tradition of burning año viejos dates back to the times of the Lamanites. So there.
And on to another topic: GOOOOOO BRONCOS!!
Yesterday was a bit difficult for me. We didn't have any investigators come to church again, and the one that we were able to pass by to see wasn't there. Throughout most of church I was really sad. I was irritated with my companion, I was mad at myself, and I basically felt like a failure. Also, we were three lessons and 4 contacts (people contacted in the day) short of the goals that we had set as a zone. I was feeling really down, and I had no desires to meet those goals at all. We went home for a few minutes before lunch, and I knew that I absolutely had to pray, and so I did. It was a simple prayer in which I asked for strength and for comfort, and at the end of the prayer I felt much better. Well, as the day progressed, my desires to complete our goals came back with full force, and we went crazy trying to get those lessons in (specifically they were lessons with active members, and for some reason almost none of the members were at home yesterday). By the end of the night, we had met those goals that we put; we had had 7 lessons to active members in the week and we had contacted 80 people. It was such a good feeling to be able to complete those goals. I learned that it's really not that hard to talk with people (I still have problems with just walking up to people in the street and just talking to them), and that the members need help just like everyone else. Overall it was a very spiritual experience, and we're going to be able to meet our goals again this week. Wooo!!
But surprise! That's not the theme that I actually wanted to talk about this week. Something that I've really learned this week is patience. Through the course of my mission, but more specifically in these past few weeks, I've learned that I'm not the most patient person in the world. I thought for a long time that I was patient, but I'm not really so much (an example is how badly I want my own family. Man! It's hard to be patient for that, especially when I see absurdly couply couples or babies that are just shy of being impossibly cute.). Patience really is a Christ-like attribute that we all need to develop more. Something that really caught my attention is that patience isn't just waiting for something to happen. It's also working diligently to obtain that something, all the while trusting in God and that if it's His will that sooner or later you will obtain that something. Patience requires a lot of faith in God. A lot. Patience requires a lot of humility, too. We have to be willing to accept that God has a plan for us. God has things that He wants us to do, and He will bless us according to our service to Him. Those blessings are promises backed by the most powerful Being in the universe. They are promises that will be carried out. That's what we have to have faith in. Many times we don't see the fruits of our labors for a very long time, sometimes even years. Some promises will not be fulfilled in our mortal life period, but they will be fulfilled. God's promises are eternal, not temporal. We just have to have the faith to say, "Okay Father, I'm going to do thy will, and I will do it for as long as thou asketh me to do it." Patience requires a positive outlook. We cannot be patient while at the same time pining and whining for what we want. If we truly believe that the Lord will bless us, we'll be able to go about our work with a constant smile. We'll be able to support whatever difficulties come across our way because we know that there is something better in store, and in the eternal aspect, we'll get that something very soon. I love Doctrine and Covenants 24:8 for this thought. We're going to have afflictions, and we're going to have a lot of them. BUT Christ will always be with us to help us support those afflictions if it is that we try our hardest to endure. We can be patient because Christ was and is patient. We can be patient because Christ and the Father will always be there to help us if we are willing to put in the effort. I really need to learn to be patient with myself, too. We all should. We cannot expect ourselves to be able to repent and become perfect instantly. We can't expect Christ-like attributes to come to us overnight. We need to learn to patiently endure the hardships that will come on the road to becoming like Christ. And the real kicker of it all is that to learn patience we have to wait. Patience does not come overnight, nor in the blink of an eye. It comes little by little, but when it comes we will be stronger than ever. I know that having patience will bless us greatly, and will help us to be better tools in the Master's hands.
Okay, for more news: did you know that Reese's cups come in half-pound sizes???? I didn't either until Wednesday! But now I do, thanks to the wonderful Read family! SNAP! Basically all that I have to eat in the house now is chocolate, but that's okay. Chocolate's good for you, right? Thank you so much!
Well, I now have to go. I love all of you very much, and I'm very grateful for all that all of you have done for me. Thank you to all that have written me and all that will write to me. I love you!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
This day finds me very well, happy, and, as always, with a message! Woo! But first, I should tell you about something that I forgot to tell you the last week! It's an Ecuadorian tradition that's kinda cool, and I know how it got started (well, I'm 96% sure I know how it got started if it's as old as Elder Sotomayor tells me it is). Okay, anyway, there's a New Year's tradition here that's called the Burning of the Old Years (I kinda made part of that up because I only know that what they burn are called año viejos (old years)). The people make or buy what are basically piñatas that represent the old year that has passed, and at midnight (well, really, anytime during that day) on the 1st of January they burn the año viejos. Elder Sotomayor said that in Guayaquil they sometimes make año viejos 9 meters tall, and whole neighborhoods gather to party around and burn the año viejo. It's kinda cool, and it's a bit symbolic too. So, where do I think this tradition came from? Well, we know that the native inhabitants of the Americas are all descendents of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites in turn have roots with the Jews (before Nephi and his brothers Lemuel and Laman split into two groups, they lived in Jerusalem and practiced Judaism[I have no idea how to spell that word]). Well, the Jews practiced burning sacrifices to atone for their sins, and on the first of the year they also burned a sacrifice. Well, we know that through many years of apostasy and false traditions, the commandments and the correct way to perform sacrifices was lost completely. All in all, I believe that we can assume with reasonable certainty that the tradition of burning año viejos dates back to the times of the Lamanites. So there.
And on to another topic: GOOOOOO BRONCOS!!
Yesterday was a bit difficult for me. We didn't have any investigators come to church again, and the one that we were able to pass by to see wasn't there. Throughout most of church I was really sad. I was irritated with my companion, I was mad at myself, and I basically felt like a failure. Also, we were three lessons and 4 contacts (people contacted in the day) short of the goals that we had set as a zone. I was feeling really down, and I had no desires to meet those goals at all. We went home for a few minutes before lunch, and I knew that I absolutely had to pray, and so I did. It was a simple prayer in which I asked for strength and for comfort, and at the end of the prayer I felt much better. Well, as the day progressed, my desires to complete our goals came back with full force, and we went crazy trying to get those lessons in (specifically they were lessons with active members, and for some reason almost none of the members were at home yesterday). By the end of the night, we had met those goals that we put; we had had 7 lessons to active members in the week and we had contacted 80 people. It was such a good feeling to be able to complete those goals. I learned that it's really not that hard to talk with people (I still have problems with just walking up to people in the street and just talking to them), and that the members need help just like everyone else. Overall it was a very spiritual experience, and we're going to be able to meet our goals again this week. Wooo!!
But surprise! That's not the theme that I actually wanted to talk about this week. Something that I've really learned this week is patience. Through the course of my mission, but more specifically in these past few weeks, I've learned that I'm not the most patient person in the world. I thought for a long time that I was patient, but I'm not really so much (an example is how badly I want my own family. Man! It's hard to be patient for that, especially when I see absurdly couply couples or babies that are just shy of being impossibly cute.). Patience really is a Christ-like attribute that we all need to develop more. Something that really caught my attention is that patience isn't just waiting for something to happen. It's also working diligently to obtain that something, all the while trusting in God and that if it's His will that sooner or later you will obtain that something. Patience requires a lot of faith in God. A lot. Patience requires a lot of humility, too. We have to be willing to accept that God has a plan for us. God has things that He wants us to do, and He will bless us according to our service to Him. Those blessings are promises backed by the most powerful Being in the universe. They are promises that will be carried out. That's what we have to have faith in. Many times we don't see the fruits of our labors for a very long time, sometimes even years. Some promises will not be fulfilled in our mortal life period, but they will be fulfilled. God's promises are eternal, not temporal. We just have to have the faith to say, "Okay Father, I'm going to do thy will, and I will do it for as long as thou asketh me to do it." Patience requires a positive outlook. We cannot be patient while at the same time pining and whining for what we want. If we truly believe that the Lord will bless us, we'll be able to go about our work with a constant smile. We'll be able to support whatever difficulties come across our way because we know that there is something better in store, and in the eternal aspect, we'll get that something very soon. I love Doctrine and Covenants 24:8 for this thought. We're going to have afflictions, and we're going to have a lot of them. BUT Christ will always be with us to help us support those afflictions if it is that we try our hardest to endure. We can be patient because Christ was and is patient. We can be patient because Christ and the Father will always be there to help us if we are willing to put in the effort. I really need to learn to be patient with myself, too. We all should. We cannot expect ourselves to be able to repent and become perfect instantly. We can't expect Christ-like attributes to come to us overnight. We need to learn to patiently endure the hardships that will come on the road to becoming like Christ. And the real kicker of it all is that to learn patience we have to wait. Patience does not come overnight, nor in the blink of an eye. It comes little by little, but when it comes we will be stronger than ever. I know that having patience will bless us greatly, and will help us to be better tools in the Master's hands.
Okay, for more news: did you know that Reese's cups come in half-pound sizes???? I didn't either until Wednesday! But now I do, thanks to the wonderful Read family! SNAP! Basically all that I have to eat in the house now is chocolate, but that's okay. Chocolate's good for you, right? Thank you so much!
Well, I now have to go. I love all of you very much, and I'm very grateful for all that all of you have done for me. Thank you to all that have written me and all that will write to me. I love you!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year!!!
Howdies to all!!
Happy New Year!! I hope that everyone had a wonderful (and safe) New Year's Eve and Day. Also, I hope that all is going well with any New Year's resolutions that have been made. Yay for new years!
I'm writing so late today because we're getting used to the part of Riobamba that we're now living in and we couldn't find a cyber for a bit. But hey, here I am! We moved into our new apartment this morning, and it is a wonderful apartment. It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and it's brand new. We got it at a really good price too, so Elder Sotomayor and I are happy about it. It'll take getting used to, but that'll happen fairly quickly.
Elder Sotomayor and I are getting along just fine. The language barrier is coming down brick by brick, but it's coming down. We have some investigators right now that we were really excited for, but this Sunday nobody came to church (none of our investigators), so all of their baptismal dates fell. That really made us sad because during the week they had all been excited about coming to church, and one even said that she'd come because it's a tradition of her's to go to church the first of every year. But, nobody showed up, even though we called and tried to remind as many people as possible. It's a bit rough getting people to go to church on Sunday, but I know that if we just work a little bit harder that they'll come.
One thing that I need to work on more (and it'll sound weird that I have to work on this) is trusting in God more. I've realized that I've had the attitude of "I can do this" for a long time, but I forgot some words in that statement: "with Heavenly Father's help." Many times we live life in such a way that we don't allow God to work. We might be reading the scriptures every day, saying our prayers, and going to church, but if we don't line our will up with God's will, we cannot help Him in His work. He has a lot of work to do, and He needs as many instruments as possible to do so. We can be His instruments, but we have to step aside and let Him take control of us. I'm realizing now that if I want to see more success here, then I need to be a lot more humble and I need to be the Craftsman tool in the hands of the Master Mechanic. I can do it, with a lot of His help. Any and all prayers for our investigators or me are more than welcome.
Yay driver's licenses!! That's pretty darn cool Jeffrey. I remember that I was way excited to get my driver's license, and when I took the test I got marked off points for not looking around enough. I don't know how the evaluator could tell though, because I was wearing sunglasses. Oh well, I got it! Good luck Jeffrey! You got this!
This Sunday, apart from not having any investigators, was pretty cool. In Sacrament Meeting we hardly had any members (EVERYBODY and their brothers travel on 1 January), so I was asked to help pass the sacrament. It was a really neat experience. Usually I help save people through making a baptismal covenant, but this time I was helping save people by helping them renew that covenant. I could really feel the Spirit, and I was very grateful for that opportunity. Also, at the last minute (well, before Sacrament Meeting started, but still last minute), I was asked to give the closing talk. I talked about obedience (1. because it's what I gave a lesson on in the district meeting that week and it was still fresh in my mind and 2. because we could all be more obedient), and I think it went really well. Several people came up to me afterwards and thanked me for my talk, so I think it was pretty good for being all improvised. It really is so important for all of us to be obedient. We could say that being obedient is the only commandment which we really have. All the rest of the commandments are built on the foundation of obedience. In fact, obedience is the first law of heaven. Without obedience, we cannot be saved to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. Without obedience, we could not have even had the opportunity to return to Father's presence. Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to the Father, and because of such He atoned for all of us and conquered physical death, giving all of us the opportunity to be free from sin and to live again and receive a judgement. Without obedience, Satan's plan would have won out over God's plan in the pre-mortal existence, and we would never have had any of the opportunities that we now enjoy. Obedience to commandments keeps us safe and keeps us free; free from the bonds of addiction, free from guilt, free from feelings of regret and sorrow, free from sadness. Obedience to the commandments and to the covenants that we have made with Father brings us salvation. As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 82:8-10, the Lord is obligated to bless us when we keep His commandments, but when we are disobedient He has no promise with us. He is obligated to save us if we follow Him and live His gospel, but is under no such obligation if we do not fulfill our part. It's a new year! Let us all strive to be more obedient to the will of the Father. Let us especially be obedient to the commandment to repent when we fall short of living all of the commandments. I testify that obedience to the commandments will bring us neverending joy, blessings in this life, and eternal life after death (Mosiah 2:41). I know that obedience is the only way to truly find happiness in this life and to live without worry or fear. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Well, I must now go attend to other matters, like saving the world and such. I love you all, and I am so grateful for all of you. I hope all of you enjoy your week, and that all of you who have gone or will be going back to school this week (Cougars?) have an exitoso year and accomplish all that is needed. I love you! Oh! I sent a letter package the 26th and I have two more letters to send next week, so keep yer eyes peeled! Have a wonderful time! (Scroll down for Christmas photos)
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Happy New Year!! I hope that everyone had a wonderful (and safe) New Year's Eve and Day. Also, I hope that all is going well with any New Year's resolutions that have been made. Yay for new years!
I'm writing so late today because we're getting used to the part of Riobamba that we're now living in and we couldn't find a cyber for a bit. But hey, here I am! We moved into our new apartment this morning, and it is a wonderful apartment. It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and it's brand new. We got it at a really good price too, so Elder Sotomayor and I are happy about it. It'll take getting used to, but that'll happen fairly quickly.
Elder Sotomayor and I are getting along just fine. The language barrier is coming down brick by brick, but it's coming down. We have some investigators right now that we were really excited for, but this Sunday nobody came to church (none of our investigators), so all of their baptismal dates fell. That really made us sad because during the week they had all been excited about coming to church, and one even said that she'd come because it's a tradition of her's to go to church the first of every year. But, nobody showed up, even though we called and tried to remind as many people as possible. It's a bit rough getting people to go to church on Sunday, but I know that if we just work a little bit harder that they'll come.
One thing that I need to work on more (and it'll sound weird that I have to work on this) is trusting in God more. I've realized that I've had the attitude of "I can do this" for a long time, but I forgot some words in that statement: "with Heavenly Father's help." Many times we live life in such a way that we don't allow God to work. We might be reading the scriptures every day, saying our prayers, and going to church, but if we don't line our will up with God's will, we cannot help Him in His work. He has a lot of work to do, and He needs as many instruments as possible to do so. We can be His instruments, but we have to step aside and let Him take control of us. I'm realizing now that if I want to see more success here, then I need to be a lot more humble and I need to be the Craftsman tool in the hands of the Master Mechanic. I can do it, with a lot of His help. Any and all prayers for our investigators or me are more than welcome.
Yay driver's licenses!! That's pretty darn cool Jeffrey. I remember that I was way excited to get my driver's license, and when I took the test I got marked off points for not looking around enough. I don't know how the evaluator could tell though, because I was wearing sunglasses. Oh well, I got it! Good luck Jeffrey! You got this!
This Sunday, apart from not having any investigators, was pretty cool. In Sacrament Meeting we hardly had any members (EVERYBODY and their brothers travel on 1 January), so I was asked to help pass the sacrament. It was a really neat experience. Usually I help save people through making a baptismal covenant, but this time I was helping save people by helping them renew that covenant. I could really feel the Spirit, and I was very grateful for that opportunity. Also, at the last minute (well, before Sacrament Meeting started, but still last minute), I was asked to give the closing talk. I talked about obedience (1. because it's what I gave a lesson on in the district meeting that week and it was still fresh in my mind and 2. because we could all be more obedient), and I think it went really well. Several people came up to me afterwards and thanked me for my talk, so I think it was pretty good for being all improvised. It really is so important for all of us to be obedient. We could say that being obedient is the only commandment which we really have. All the rest of the commandments are built on the foundation of obedience. In fact, obedience is the first law of heaven. Without obedience, we cannot be saved to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. Without obedience, we could not have even had the opportunity to return to Father's presence. Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to the Father, and because of such He atoned for all of us and conquered physical death, giving all of us the opportunity to be free from sin and to live again and receive a judgement. Without obedience, Satan's plan would have won out over God's plan in the pre-mortal existence, and we would never have had any of the opportunities that we now enjoy. Obedience to commandments keeps us safe and keeps us free; free from the bonds of addiction, free from guilt, free from feelings of regret and sorrow, free from sadness. Obedience to the commandments and to the covenants that we have made with Father brings us salvation. As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 82:8-10, the Lord is obligated to bless us when we keep His commandments, but when we are disobedient He has no promise with us. He is obligated to save us if we follow Him and live His gospel, but is under no such obligation if we do not fulfill our part. It's a new year! Let us all strive to be more obedient to the will of the Father. Let us especially be obedient to the commandment to repent when we fall short of living all of the commandments. I testify that obedience to the commandments will bring us neverending joy, blessings in this life, and eternal life after death (Mosiah 2:41). I know that obedience is the only way to truly find happiness in this life and to live without worry or fear. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Well, I must now go attend to other matters, like saving the world and such. I love you all, and I am so grateful for all of you. I hope all of you enjoy your week, and that all of you who have gone or will be going back to school this week (Cougars?) have an exitoso year and accomplish all that is needed. I love you! Oh! I sent a letter package the 26th and I have two more letters to send next week, so keep yer eyes peeled! Have a wonderful time! (Scroll down for Christmas photos)
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Merry Christmas from Riobamba 2011
Missionaries love new socks!
Oh the agony!!!
(Magazines are not included in the approved missionary library)
Cool hat!
Burping volcano!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Merry Day After
Hello my wonderful Wonderfuls!
Merry Christmas! Well, rather, merry post-Christmas! I hope that everyone had a wonderful day full of many happies and much joy, and that everyone was able to feel the love of the Saviour and of the Father yesterday.
So my Christmas was pretty good. We went to Church and the Primary had their end-of-the-year program, then we went to the house of the district's second counselor (a gringo who hails from Colorado!) and had a wonderful lunch. Then we went to another lunch at another member's house, and after that I just didn't want to look at food anymore. We were supposed to have two dinners that night too, but that didn't end up happening, which I was very okay with. After we got home that night I opened the pouch that I had received from the grandparents (on both sides), and I can honestly say that I have never been so excited to receive socks as I was yesterday. And boy do they feel good! Thank you Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Ted! Oh, also, I received something that was both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time: an issue of Automobile Magazine that included a battle of all of the world's top supercars...and I can't read it for a year. I have a picture that better displays my emotions upon finding the magazine, but that will have to wait till next week because my computer doesn't have a port for an SD card. I would absolutely love to read the magazine, but as missionaries we're only allowed to read the Scriptures, the magazines put out by the Church, a handful of books by the Church, and that's it. Automobile Magazine is not in the approved missionary library, so I shall be waiting until I am back in the States to see if the new McLaren can beat the new Ferrari.
Also, thank you Grandma (Judy) for the lovely calendar and Christmas ornament, and for the lovely foodstuffs. I will be thoroughly enjoying all of those things. Oh, and yes, I was able to get a new camera, and it is lovely! I got a Sony SteadyShot DSC-W350, and I have been filling up my memory card little by little. Thank you to my wonderful family for such a wonderful gift! I'll make sure that at some point you see the fruits of the camera! Next week hopefully! Also, the sardines in the first box from my family did end up exploding and covering everything in the box, but I was able to save everything minus the sardines. I have yet to eat anything from the box though because I just haven't been that hungry, but that might change tonight. Thank you all! Also, more pouch should be coming this week...or the next week...or the week after that...I'll get whatever else it is that everyone sent sooner or later! A premeditated thank you to all!
I was sorry to hear about the passing of my cousin. I only met him a few times, and only really had the opportunity to talk to him once, but he was a good, funny, happy man. I know that now he has the opportunity to hear the Gospel and accept it as he waits for the Second Coming of Christ. He's not gone, not by a long shot. His physical body may have died, but even that is only temporary. When Christ was resurrected on the third day, He overcame physical death for all of us, and we will all be resurrected to be judged before Christ. Were it not so, we would never be able to receive a judgment, and we would never be able to live with our Heavenly Father again. If Christ had not come to earth, the end of our physical lives would also end any opportunity that we had to return to God's presence. But I testify that we all have that wonderful opportunity! God did not allow us to come here and never be able to return to His presence. He gave us the way in Christ, and Christ was resurrected so that we all too would receive immortal bodies and be able to live with God again. He has not gone away forever. He has gone on to a place in which he can learn about the plan of God for him, to learn that he will be resurrected as well to come before the judgment bar of Christ, and that we will see him again. He has not yet received his judgment because Christ has yet to come again. So while it is sad that we don't get to see him for now, I know that his spirit still lives, that his spirit and his body will be reunited again, never to be separated again, and that he is receiving all of the lessons and instructions he needs to make his decision about whether he will follow Christ or not. I testify of these things as a representative of Jesus Christ, and I know without a doubt that they are true because God has made them manifest to me, and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elder Schomburg has asked that I include the following links:
Well, we'll be looking at a new apartment tomorrow and hopefully we'll sign on it tomorrow too. I really hope we get it because it's probably three times bigger than our current one, and there will always be water (huzzah!!). Also, in response to the question of whether I need more clothes; I'm doing well so far. Some of my white shirts are starting to experience some discolouring and basically all of my pants have had some minor snags, but they're all still in relatively good repair. Maybe the only thing that would be nice would be new baptismal pants in a size 36 waist, 34 inseam. The mission makes you gain weight if you don't workout every single day. But apart from that all is well. When I get home I'll probably be getting all new garments as well, but they're still good for now.
Well, I think that's all that I have to say for today. I love you all and I am very thankful for all of you. Please keep staying strong, and don't be afraid to learn more! Don't be afraid to ask if you have questions, and always be courteous about other's beliefs. I love you all and I will talk to you next week. ¡Chao!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Monday, December 19, 2011
Christmas Spirit...
Helloooooo!!
It's hard to come up with different salutations every time, but Imma give my all!
Okay, before I forget (and I don't wanna forget because it's really important), I will be calling at 3:00 PM my time on the 24th of December. Okay, there we go. Yeeaaaaah, 5 days no más!! I may or may not be excited.
Huzzah for spreading happiness and joy and the Christmas spirit!! That's so amazing! I am so glad that you have chosen to serve others and help others in this time when people can feel way, way, way down. But just a simple act of kindness can give them the best Christmas ever. Way to go!! You guys get a whole bunch of brownie points (which are of course redeemable for brownies, but only in a year-ish)!
Also, my dad also gets all of the brownie points that weren't used for the family, because he treated my mom to an amazing time at the Broadmoor. He definitely wins, and he's definitely become an example of how a husband and father should be. "Yay dad!" (That's actually a very short quote from a movie, and if anyone can guess it, email their answers to my mom [or comment on my blog] and when I get back the winner will get...something. Exito!)
It's a bit disappointing that the missionaries may not be visiting you guys (mi familia) for Christmas, but I'm sure that they will still be well taken-care-of. Maybe next year missionaries will be able to visit you! That'd be really cool. Or maybe they can visit for New Year's (before they have to be in the house, of course, which for us is 4 o'clock [the same for Christmas Eve, and on Christmas we have to be in the house by 6 {I sure am using a bunch of parenthetical asides here}]). Either way, I'm sure they'll be able to visit you again at some time, even if it's not Christmastime.
Okay, so something I just want to put stress on: in this season, it is so incredibly important to reach out to everyone! Everybody is a child of God, and everybody is a spiritual sibling with everyone else. I know there are many people who are feeling incredibly downtrodden this year. What if you are the one (and the only one) who could make that person's Christmas marvellous? What if that person with the sad look on his face only needs a cheerful "Hello" or "Merry Christmas!" to help him remember how blessed he really is? What if passing by to have a quick visit to share a loving thought with the struggling family down the street could save a marriage? We could even say that the simple act of having a cheerful conversation with someone could save a life. Now, many might think that is far-fetched and won't happen, but I'm here to tell you that God still works miracles, and through the small things He will bring miracles to pass. What if you are somebody's miracle this Christmas? As children of God (and especially for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have made a covenant with God to reach out to others [Mosiah 18:8-10]), there is a need and a duty to love everyone more, and the need is even greater in this season. Please, everyone, do what you can, even if it's not much, to make someone's Christmas the best ever. You'll find that in turn your Christmas will turn out to be one of the best. Everyone should read the December issue of the Ensign, because it is amazing.
Well, I don't have a lot more for this week...wait a second, yes I do! One of the "perks" of being a district leader and having hermana [sister] missionaries in the district is that you get a higher chance of being able to baptize their investigators (seeing as when you do the baptismal interview you have to ask who they want to baptize them). I have now interviewed three people (all were investigators of the hermanas), and I have also baptized all of the people that I have interviewed. That's a bit strange I think, but I was very honored to be able to perform such a vital ordinance for three more children of God. It was a very good experience, and the Spirit was definitely evident in the room.
Okay, now I don't actually have anything else to say apart from my closing remarks. I love you all! You are all so wonderful, and I am thankful for having been able to get to know all of you and share a part in all of your lives (even if it was something small or it's only from reading this blog). I hope you all have the absolute best Christmas of all time, and that you can feel God's love for you more than ever. I love you, and I'll talk to you in one week's time!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
It's hard to come up with different salutations every time, but Imma give my all!
Okay, before I forget (and I don't wanna forget because it's really important), I will be calling at 3:00 PM my time on the 24th of December. Okay, there we go. Yeeaaaaah, 5 days no más!! I may or may not be excited.
Huzzah for spreading happiness and joy and the Christmas spirit!! That's so amazing! I am so glad that you have chosen to serve others and help others in this time when people can feel way, way, way down. But just a simple act of kindness can give them the best Christmas ever. Way to go!! You guys get a whole bunch of brownie points (which are of course redeemable for brownies, but only in a year-ish)!
Also, my dad also gets all of the brownie points that weren't used for the family, because he treated my mom to an amazing time at the Broadmoor. He definitely wins, and he's definitely become an example of how a husband and father should be. "Yay dad!" (That's actually a very short quote from a movie, and if anyone can guess it, email their answers to my mom [or comment on my blog] and when I get back the winner will get...something. Exito!)
It's a bit disappointing that the missionaries may not be visiting you guys (mi familia) for Christmas, but I'm sure that they will still be well taken-care-of. Maybe next year missionaries will be able to visit you! That'd be really cool. Or maybe they can visit for New Year's (before they have to be in the house, of course, which for us is 4 o'clock [the same for Christmas Eve, and on Christmas we have to be in the house by 6 {I sure am using a bunch of parenthetical asides here}]). Either way, I'm sure they'll be able to visit you again at some time, even if it's not Christmastime.
Okay, so something I just want to put stress on: in this season, it is so incredibly important to reach out to everyone! Everybody is a child of God, and everybody is a spiritual sibling with everyone else. I know there are many people who are feeling incredibly downtrodden this year. What if you are the one (and the only one) who could make that person's Christmas marvellous? What if that person with the sad look on his face only needs a cheerful "Hello" or "Merry Christmas!" to help him remember how blessed he really is? What if passing by to have a quick visit to share a loving thought with the struggling family down the street could save a marriage? We could even say that the simple act of having a cheerful conversation with someone could save a life. Now, many might think that is far-fetched and won't happen, but I'm here to tell you that God still works miracles, and through the small things He will bring miracles to pass. What if you are somebody's miracle this Christmas? As children of God (and especially for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have made a covenant with God to reach out to others [Mosiah 18:8-10]), there is a need and a duty to love everyone more, and the need is even greater in this season. Please, everyone, do what you can, even if it's not much, to make someone's Christmas the best ever. You'll find that in turn your Christmas will turn out to be one of the best. Everyone should read the December issue of the Ensign, because it is amazing.
Well, I don't have a lot more for this week...wait a second, yes I do! One of the "perks" of being a district leader and having hermana [sister] missionaries in the district is that you get a higher chance of being able to baptize their investigators (seeing as when you do the baptismal interview you have to ask who they want to baptize them). I have now interviewed three people (all were investigators of the hermanas), and I have also baptized all of the people that I have interviewed. That's a bit strange I think, but I was very honored to be able to perform such a vital ordinance for three more children of God. It was a very good experience, and the Spirit was definitely evident in the room.
Okay, now I don't actually have anything else to say apart from my closing remarks. I love you all! You are all so wonderful, and I am thankful for having been able to get to know all of you and share a part in all of your lives (even if it was something small or it's only from reading this blog). I hope you all have the absolute best Christmas of all time, and that you can feel God's love for you more than ever. I love you, and I'll talk to you in one week's time!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
Monday, December 12, 2011
It's the holiday season!
Hello to all!
I just got done with a game of Monopoly in which I lost fairly quickly. It turns out that Missionary Monopoly is a lot faster than any other Monopoly that I've played, and I believe because of that I lost so quickly. Or maybe I'm just not very good. One of the two.
So, life has been fairly good for me lately. Busy, but good. Being a district leader is definitely a lot of responsibility, but it brings a lot of blessings as well. My first baptismal interview went rather well I thought. She had to have a brief interview with the President in addition to mine, but she is good to go for baptism...just as soon as she decides that she wants to do it this year and not after the 6th of January. The interview was very good though. It took a bit, but I was trying to be thorough. It was a very spiritual experience for me though, mainly because I had almost no idea what to do and had to completely rely on the Spirit to guide me. I was way nervous going into the interview, but I came out of it full of confidence. I just had to trust in the Lord and He guided me through the whole thing. I have two more to do tomorrow, but they should be easier because they're a lot younger (15 and 11). Also, there are a ton of things you have to keep in order and a ton of things that end up bugging you (such as when your missionaries don't call at night or when they're 45 minutes late to a zone conference). Also, one of the missionaries in my district used to be my companion; I wonder if you recall Elder Ferneluis? Well, I'm also learning patience and how to be more loving. But all is well, and so far there haven't been any problems.
Elder Sotomayor and I are getting along well. It's a bit difficult to form a really close relationship with him because he has an accent that is extremely difficult for me to understand and so I can't understand him a lot, but I'm doing my best. There is certainly something more to learn from this. We're trying to find investigators, and I'm sure that as we keep trying we'll find the chosen ones. I sure hope so.
I really wish that I could watch the Schomburg Family Trio belting it out on youtube, but I can't. Oh well, I shall see it someday. I'm very glad that the ward Christmas party was a good one and successful. That is always a wonderful thing.
Yay Christmas preparations!! That's so exciting! I'm also very excited for Christmas this year, and I think it's because I'm focusing more on the reason for the season. I was writing some Christmas letters today and in them I of course shared some testimony about the Saviour Jesus Christ. It is so wonderful to be celebrating the birth of our Saviour, Redeemer, and the Son of God. He saved us! He redeemed us! He created all that we see! He was born! That's so amazing! I am incredibly grateful for all that He has done for me, and I will never be able to express my gratitude towards Him. He has done so much for me...He has given me the life that I have now and everything that is in it. I love Him so much, and I plan on doing my absolute best here and throughout life to show Him that love.
Okay, to answer the question about the Christmas phone call: I'll write and say for sure what I'll be doing next Monday, but right now it looks like I'll be calling Saturday the 24th instead of the 25th (the 25th being Sunday and all). That's my plan for right this second, but I will finalize it with the time and everything next Monday in my email. And if I do end up calling on Sunday, I'll let you all know. It can only be 40 minutes, just so you know, and I can only talk to family. I'd love to talk to all of you, but that would be against the rules, and I like to be obedient. I love you all though! President Ghent has approved the use of Skype for talking with families, but I kinda thought that maybe I wouldn't go that route. I don't want to get too trunky after the call. Also, attending church on Christmas is absolutely crucial! Well, only if you plan on remembering the Saviour on the day celebrating His birth. I know that it will be a meeting unlike any other. After all, how many times does Christmas fall on the holiest day of the week? Not many, so make the most of it by being obedient and going to church! It will be amazing: trust me on it.
Yay for helping out the needy! Yay for service! Yay for magnifying the Christmas spirit! Even just preparing to do so, as my family is doing, is getting them all excited. Just think of how happy you'll be once you're actually able to bring to pass your plans! I'm so happy and proud of you all. Keep on building that Christmas spirit and you will be blessed like crazy.
So the apartment that we currently live in is rather small and in need of some renovation, and the Geldmachers (the mission...money people persons [their calling is actually very fitting: in German, Geldmacher means money maker]) asked us to find a new apartment, so we'll be doing so hopefully shortly. We have an appointment at 5:30 with a person who just recently put some apartments on the market, so we'll see how that goes.
The membership here is mas ó menos [more or less]. They recently got a new branch presidency and attendance fluctuates between 50 and 100. The members are all really good and there are quite a few young men that can accompany us...now to just get them motivated to do so! I like the branch a lot though. I'm definitely happy to be here in Riobamba.
I got a package the other day! It was so good to get pouch! Pouch seems to have slowed down quite a bit in the past months, so anything I get now is absolutely relished. And thank you to my most beloved photographer [Jen Duval at duvaldigital.com - she's the best] for sending me such a wonderful package! When I told the missionaries here who the package was from, they all just kinda looked at me weird. I guess missionaries don't receive packages from their family photographers very often. I am appreciative of whatever anyone wants to send my way. And I'd love to send more pictures to all of you (speaking of photography and such), but my camera is very much out of service, so unless I find a way to get a new camera, the pictures will be few and far between. [Elder Schomburg will be getting anew camera for Christmas.] I love you all!
Well, I guess that's about all that I have for today. Nothing really spiritually uplifting I know, but sometimes you just need to take time to respond to stuff that's happening. I hope everyone is doing splendiforically today and continue to do so throughout the rest of the year ('cause it's almost over!). I love you!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
I just got done with a game of Monopoly in which I lost fairly quickly. It turns out that Missionary Monopoly is a lot faster than any other Monopoly that I've played, and I believe because of that I lost so quickly. Or maybe I'm just not very good. One of the two.
So, life has been fairly good for me lately. Busy, but good. Being a district leader is definitely a lot of responsibility, but it brings a lot of blessings as well. My first baptismal interview went rather well I thought. She had to have a brief interview with the President in addition to mine, but she is good to go for baptism...just as soon as she decides that she wants to do it this year and not after the 6th of January. The interview was very good though. It took a bit, but I was trying to be thorough. It was a very spiritual experience for me though, mainly because I had almost no idea what to do and had to completely rely on the Spirit to guide me. I was way nervous going into the interview, but I came out of it full of confidence. I just had to trust in the Lord and He guided me through the whole thing. I have two more to do tomorrow, but they should be easier because they're a lot younger (15 and 11). Also, there are a ton of things you have to keep in order and a ton of things that end up bugging you (such as when your missionaries don't call at night or when they're 45 minutes late to a zone conference). Also, one of the missionaries in my district used to be my companion; I wonder if you recall Elder Ferneluis? Well, I'm also learning patience and how to be more loving. But all is well, and so far there haven't been any problems.
Elder Sotomayor and I are getting along well. It's a bit difficult to form a really close relationship with him because he has an accent that is extremely difficult for me to understand and so I can't understand him a lot, but I'm doing my best. There is certainly something more to learn from this. We're trying to find investigators, and I'm sure that as we keep trying we'll find the chosen ones. I sure hope so.
I really wish that I could watch the Schomburg Family Trio belting it out on youtube, but I can't. Oh well, I shall see it someday. I'm very glad that the ward Christmas party was a good one and successful. That is always a wonderful thing.
Yay Christmas preparations!! That's so exciting! I'm also very excited for Christmas this year, and I think it's because I'm focusing more on the reason for the season. I was writing some Christmas letters today and in them I of course shared some testimony about the Saviour Jesus Christ. It is so wonderful to be celebrating the birth of our Saviour, Redeemer, and the Son of God. He saved us! He redeemed us! He created all that we see! He was born! That's so amazing! I am incredibly grateful for all that He has done for me, and I will never be able to express my gratitude towards Him. He has done so much for me...He has given me the life that I have now and everything that is in it. I love Him so much, and I plan on doing my absolute best here and throughout life to show Him that love.
Okay, to answer the question about the Christmas phone call: I'll write and say for sure what I'll be doing next Monday, but right now it looks like I'll be calling Saturday the 24th instead of the 25th (the 25th being Sunday and all). That's my plan for right this second, but I will finalize it with the time and everything next Monday in my email. And if I do end up calling on Sunday, I'll let you all know. It can only be 40 minutes, just so you know, and I can only talk to family. I'd love to talk to all of you, but that would be against the rules, and I like to be obedient. I love you all though! President Ghent has approved the use of Skype for talking with families, but I kinda thought that maybe I wouldn't go that route. I don't want to get too trunky after the call. Also, attending church on Christmas is absolutely crucial! Well, only if you plan on remembering the Saviour on the day celebrating His birth. I know that it will be a meeting unlike any other. After all, how many times does Christmas fall on the holiest day of the week? Not many, so make the most of it by being obedient and going to church! It will be amazing: trust me on it.
Yay for helping out the needy! Yay for service! Yay for magnifying the Christmas spirit! Even just preparing to do so, as my family is doing, is getting them all excited. Just think of how happy you'll be once you're actually able to bring to pass your plans! I'm so happy and proud of you all. Keep on building that Christmas spirit and you will be blessed like crazy.
So the apartment that we currently live in is rather small and in need of some renovation, and the Geldmachers (the mission...money people persons [their calling is actually very fitting: in German, Geldmacher means money maker]) asked us to find a new apartment, so we'll be doing so hopefully shortly. We have an appointment at 5:30 with a person who just recently put some apartments on the market, so we'll see how that goes.
The membership here is mas ó menos [more or less]. They recently got a new branch presidency and attendance fluctuates between 50 and 100. The members are all really good and there are quite a few young men that can accompany us...now to just get them motivated to do so! I like the branch a lot though. I'm definitely happy to be here in Riobamba.
I got a package the other day! It was so good to get pouch! Pouch seems to have slowed down quite a bit in the past months, so anything I get now is absolutely relished. And thank you to my most beloved photographer [Jen Duval at duvaldigital.com - she's the best] for sending me such a wonderful package! When I told the missionaries here who the package was from, they all just kinda looked at me weird. I guess missionaries don't receive packages from their family photographers very often. I am appreciative of whatever anyone wants to send my way. And I'd love to send more pictures to all of you (speaking of photography and such), but my camera is very much out of service, so unless I find a way to get a new camera, the pictures will be few and far between. [Elder Schomburg will be getting anew camera for Christmas.] I love you all!
Well, I guess that's about all that I have for today. Nothing really spiritually uplifting I know, but sometimes you just need to take time to respond to stuff that's happening. I hope everyone is doing splendiforically today and continue to do so throughout the rest of the year ('cause it's almost over!). I love you!
Love,
Elder Schomburg
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