Dear Mom,

 

I always love to hear from you :) Thank you for always sending love my way. I'm going to miss these emails when I am home, but that will be okay because I will be with you! I loved hearing from Aiden and Ashlyn. I'll try my best to find what they would like. I think I'll be able to find everything. On va voir.

 

I can't believe that another week has come and gone. It is still hard for me to believe that I am finally at this point in my mission. Just thinking about it is a little overwhelming. To be honest, I’'m getting a little emotional about it right now just thinking about it. I think what gets me most is that I'’ll be reunited with my eternal family and will be meeting a brother that I have never known in mortality. It just makes me happy.

 

As a zone, we all went up to Mt. Febe where Elder Holland came four years ago to dedicate the country of Cameroon. We have access to the dedicatory prayer and Elder Whitesides read it as we stood there on the very rock that Elder Holland was on, and then afterwards, we all sang "“High On A Mountain Top"” and it was such a powerful moment. We may not have the best voices, but for me personally, that was one of the most beautiful renditions of that song I have ever heard, let alone sung. It was a beautiful moment. I wish you all could know what Elder Holland pronounced upon this beautiful country.

 

Johnston and I on Mt. Febe where Elder Holland stood

and dedicated the country of Cameroon.

We had 12 people in an 8 man vehicle. 3 up front, 5 in the middle and 4 in the back.

 

When you are on a mission I feel like you are constantly on a roller coaster and every week you are going up and going down. This week was a tough week for our inactives and even for one of our investigators. Our “best” investigator can no longer be baptized due to living conditions involving unofficial polygamy. Her mother's bad choices now are preventing this girls eternal progression. This girl is only 17 but has such a strong testimony and reads every week and loves being at church and is already at home in the young women's class. I was really hoping we could baptize her on my birthday, but even though the polygamy isn't officially recognized by the state because there are no marriage certificates, it is too close of a line for the church. The final call was made by the member of the 70 in South Africa. I accept what the leader counseled and agree 100%. It's just hard…

 

It's been weird… finishing up the mission. Don't worry, I'm not getting trunky or anything, but these past few days I have had the opportunity to really reflect on how far I have come over these past 23 months and I am constantly overwhelmed by the love of God that has been poured upon me. My life has been changed and I can't wait for you all to see that for yourselves when I get home. I look forward to having those little testimony meetings with the family again and reading with you all in the scriptures at nine in the morning :) I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week!

 

Bio,

Elder Schmid

 

Me and some random African kids that walked by us as we were chilling

 after walking a ton just to find our investigator not at their house.

Lame. The kids were cool though.