Hey Mom :)

Wow, I can't believe that CHRISTmas is in only 6 days. In 10 days, I will have been out on my mission for 6 months!! Time is going by so fast! I love being on a mission so much. My testimony is growing and growing each and every day. This has been the most incredible experience I have ever had. Every night I listen to Christmas music and it makes me think of home and of my friends and family. Every single memory I had was being with family and spending time together and what not. That's what I love most about this time... Well, of course it's a beautiful time to really focus on Christ, but it is also a time where we spend so much time together. I'm going to miss that so much this year... not being with you, but I know that I will be blessed because I am out here. I was thinking about the feast that you are going to have at the Van De Graaffs... lucky. I could use some of your potatoes and steak.

So, this week went by soooo fast! I seriously can't believe that it is Monday already. I don't really have that many cool stories... I have CRAZY ones. So yesterday, our power was out the whole morning and we had no water... I have taken 7 bucket showers since December 3rd... no fun. Anywho, we were walking to church and we saw all these fallen power lines. I thought to myself, "hmmm... no wonder we don't have power" and right as I said that a mercedes drove right over the fallen lines and somehow they got caught on the underneath of the car and it started dragging them and pulling more lines down. It was crazy! There were power lines flying all around us! Luckily we weren't hit.

Now, that story is nothing compared to this next one. So that same day we were walking back down to our apartment and as I was walking I heard this little girl scream so I looked over at where I heard the noise and I looked at a gate to a drive way (if you could even call it a drive way) and through the little crack I saw a white car going backwards. I thought to myself, "No way..." and then BAM this white mercedes nails this fence open and comes rolling out. There was a little kid in the front seat with the door open. I guess he was playing with the car and he undid the emergency brake. Words can't describe the terror that was on this kids face. So anywho, this car just comes rolling no more than 10 feet in front of me and it was heading towards a 10 foot drop into a patio just in front of the doors of this church. There was absolutely nothing I could do... I just stood there and watched this kid roll off the edge and fall 10 feet. I quickly ran to the edge and jumped down to help him... I didn't realize how far the drop was until I had already jumped... and then I thought "ah crap." but all was well. I ran up to the kid and kept on asking "ça va? ça va?" The kid got out of the car and put on his sandal that had fallen off and was in complete shock. The first thing he said was a silent "merde" (google translate that one) and then he put his hands on his head and started screaming that word. Then he said "Quest-ce que j'ai fait?!" (What have I done?) Once I realized that he was completely alright I kind of chuckled because I knew that this kid was SCREWED!! He kept on saying that he was going to kill himself...that was a little scary but I think he was just overwhelmed with the thought of what kind of whippin was in store for him. Women love whipping their children here. No more than two minutes after the accident there was a crowd all around the car. Elder Lamb and I just walked back to our apartment and then I took a picture. You will see that soon. Crazy, right?! Its nuts because it happened RIGHT in front of us. I love my mission.

So, as far as skype and what not, I have no clue what the schedule is. When I find out I will let you know. Don't worry, you will know before Christmas Eve. I can't wait to see all of your faces and hear all of your voices! So when did you guys get skype? Do you have a new computer or did you by a web cam? I'm pretty sure I will have more than 30 minutes but I'm not exactly sure. I am so stoked!!

So, when the heck is that baby going to come? I have gotten my hopes up the last 3 times I have gone to email, but each time I read the same news. I hope all is going well with that. I pray for you and my little brother every day.

The work is going very well over here. Elder Lamb and I have been pushing 30 lessons a week the past couple of weeks! It's awesome! We are finding (I guess I should say 'being blessed) with so much success. I love Ekounou 1 so much. That branch is so solid. So on Sunday, this little girl went up to give a talk and gave a solid talk and she's not even a member! We are teaching her grandmother and she has been coming to church for the past month or two. How cool is that?! I'm not sure with how legal that is but I thought it was awesome.

Well, I have to go. I love you :) I pray for you and the family every day. Bon chance avec the baby! (Good luck with the baby)

Je t'aime,
Elder Schmid