Hello Dad,

Mom didn't email me this week so I will respond to yours for the big
email. Thanks for the heads up with what to say... I'll try to be
better. So to start off... CONGRATULATIONS ALEX ON YOUR MISSION
CALL!!! That will be such an incredible experience! Teaching the
message of the Restoration is always a spiritual experience and I
can't even imagine teaching it in the place where it actually
happened! I am so happy for her. The mission has blessed my life so
much and I am excited for her to start receiving the blessings from
serving the Lord full time. Alex you are amazing :)

Alright, I will try to answer all of your questions. Life is treating
me well. This past week was great... like always. Time flies by so
fast as a missionary. I love it! I love working with Elder Pister.
That kid is an awesome teacher and I am learning so much from him. His
french is very good, so I am learning a lot just by listening to him as
he teaches. We have an awesome thing going on over here. There has
been a miracle that has been taking place in my life over the past two
weeks that I would like to tell you about. So lately, I have been
reading a lot from "The Infinite Atonement" about spiritual gifts and
how to achieve them. This section really caught my interest, so I read
it over and over again. A lot of change has been happening in my life
lately... me aligning myself with the desire and will of God. I have
been trying my best to always have the company of the Holy Ghost because,
as we all know, when God is present miracles follow. As I was reading,
I was thinking about 3 specific gifts that I would like to have at
this moment in my life... wisdom, gift of interpretation, and gift of
tongues. My question really was, "How can I attain these gifts so that
I could further the work of God (missionary work)?" Well, as I was
reading I felt pretty stupid... because it is so simple!!! As members of
the Church, we have the right to these gifts. There are two requisites
though: worthiness and simply asking. How many times in the scriptures
do we read "Ask and ye shall receive?" It finally clicked for some
reason... so these past two weeks I have been asking the Lord to bless
me with these 3 gifts that I desire at this time. Well, guess what? I
have seen a miraculous climb in my french skills!! I can seriously
understand everything that people say to me and I can speak with them
and not worry about not knowing the proper word or structure. I have
noticed as well, that the way I teach has been improving so much and
people are really understanding when I teach... wisdom. I know without
a doubt that the Lord heard my prayers and has poured down the
blessings of these gifts upon my head... and it was as simple as
asking. That book (The Infinite Atonement) has been working miracles
in my life since becoming a full time missionary... I know that DJ was
inspired to give me that book.

I love what Bishop Hitchcock talked about at the BYD. What a marvelous
blessing to have a leader who is inspired by God. That topic has been
one teasing my mind lately... maybe not teasing, but I have been
finding a lot of joy in studying that topic. For church the other day,
I brought with me that temple brochure that they give you to read
before you go through the temple, and I read the entire thing. Enduring
to the end is physically and spiritually impossible without the temple
and the ordinances that are performed there. I was reading about the
New and Everlasting Covenant and I was naive and didn't realize really
what it encompassed... the New and Everlasting Covenant is
accomplished when all necessary covenants and ordinances have been
done. I just thought that it was the covenant of eternal marriage...
nope. The covenant of eternal marriage is necessary for the N&EC but
it is not the N&EC. I would really like to study more concerning this
subject, so yes, please send me the notes that you took from that BYD. I
would really appreciate that. I love that he talked about that...
baptism and the Priesthood are necessary but it is not THE END.
Enduring to the end basically means GO TO THE TEMPLE. And when you do
go to the temple you will learn how you can actually endure to the
end. I don't know if any of this makes sense... I am trying to type
out what is in my head but I am reading it and it looks like I'm
crazy.

I am sorry the work situation is not looking too hot. I pray for you
everyday, especially concerning your work. I know that all will end
up well... Ether 12:6. I was talking to this taxi guy the other day
and I just felt inspired to talk about families... he was telling me
how hard life was and how things "ne vont pas." I asked him if he had
a family and he said yes, and he went on to tell me that he is married
and has two little boys. I then went onto explain how life will ALWAYS
be difficult but in the end your family will ALWAYS be there. The
"joy" that so many seek for can, and will, be found in the family unit.
I can't wait for the opportunity to marry one of God's daughters in
the temple for time and all eternity and then to begin a family of our
own. The greatest blessings come through the family... after all, you
can't achieve the highest level in the Celestial Kingdom if you didn't
first start a family (marriage). So always know that after a long hard
day of work... the family will always be there... and THAT is where
you will find the joy.

I am glad everyone is doing well back at home. I am proud of Caelan
and with how well she is doing in choir. That is my biggest regret in
high school... not doing choir. I remember Mom telling me I was going
to regret it, Sister Arnett telling me I was going to regret it,
Sister Halm telling me that I was going to regret it, and all of my
friends. Well guess what... I regret it. I love singing out here so
much. I am sorry, but African members put our ward to shame when they
all sing. A group of 10 people can out sing our ward any day. They
have so much spirit and they truly sing with all of their hearts. I
will pray for Kayson... that hurt to read that. I hope all will be
well. We just have to always know that there are ALWAYS blessings
amongst the trials. I have a hard time telling that to myself when I
find myself in a trial, but when I do, things always get better.
I love you Dad... you are my hero. I pray for you and the family every
morning and night and throughout the day. And I want to thank you for
all the prayers in my behalf. I know that the Lord is with me and that
Grandpa is with me. I have been comforted numerous times by Grandpa
putting his hands on my shoulders. The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is truly the Lords church. I know that the Gospel of
Jesus Christ is a gospel of miracles. I know that more now than ever
before in my life. All is well :)

Je t'aime,
Elder Schmid