Dear Mom,

 

First off... I owe you big time. Thank you so much. You know what I'm talking about. Tell Brother Iaulualo that I say "aloha." You know when he shakes your hand sometimes he says "good job" but it sounds like "good chop?" Well, I say that to Elder Nash at the end of everyday. I love that man! And tell Brother Campbell that I have been working for the past 21 months and have enjoyed every minute of it. As far as homecoming date, I already know when my release date is so I don't mind knowing that one now. I don't think President and Sister Jameson will be there because they are going to France and Switzerland for a few weeks after they finish. Over the past couple of weeks, I have gotten letters from the Kettenrings, Enghs, and Grandma. I loved hearing from them so much! Tell them thanks for me. Have you gotten any that I have sent you?

 

So, last Monday, I was able to finish reading Thomas S. Monson's biography and it was incredible. I believe it is called "To the Rescue." That book is so inspiring. Every time I put that book down I had the desire to be the best person I can be and just serve others and be charitable. I know with all my heart that that man is a Man of God. I would recommend that book to anyone. It was an easy read... just a little long. I know that if the reader reads with the intention of improving his/her life, they will.

 

We have an investigator named Steve and he is incredible! We had a rendez-vous with him this week and at the beginning we asked him how his study was going in the Book of Mormon because we had given him one the last rendez-vous. He looked down and said quietly that it wasn't going that well. He seemed scared that we would be disappointed. He said, "I only read a little bit..." I was still happy that he read a little bit and I asked him to share with us what he read and what he understood. So he pulls out his book and opens up to Mosiah 3 and begins to share with us five verses that really touched him out of the whole chapter. And then he recites Joseph Smiths story from memory because he had read the Joseph Smith brochure. In my head I was going, "Are you kidding me?! That's awesome!! I wish everyone we came into contact with would read like you!" Throughout the lesson we were talking about the ministry of Christ and talking about the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ and then Steve says, "Oh yeah, I studied that too... I wanted to know more so I studied Ephesians 2 as well." Dang. Steve is awesome. In our amis class at church he is always raising his hand and wanting to participate. I am so proud of him. He loves the message and you can just see it in his person. He is happier and he knows it. Last week Steve walked up to us at church to show us the extra study that he did in the Restoration brochure and then he announced to us that he wanted to get baptized... on June 15th. I was surprised and super happy! I'm sure he will be getting baptized much sooner than that. It was funny, I said, "Do you know what that day is? It is my birthday!" and then everyone around us (the Africans) all cried out "A sign! A sign!" It was pretty funny.

 

Here is something random... this whole week I have had growing pains in my legs and arms. I thought I was too old for that. Elder Nash was a little envious.

 

We have another awesome investigator named Jean. There are so many Jean's in Africa. So we have been with him since January and we weren't seeing any progress with him. One night Elder Nash and I were pondering and brainstorming what we could do to help Jean progress faster and we came to the conclusion, thanks to the Spirit, that he needs to join the choir. He loves to sing so that would be perfect. So we shared that with our branch missionary leader and with the choir director and now Jean is well integrated in the choir and this past Sunday he was there in white shirt and tie singing about Israel and Zion in the middle of Sacrament meeting. I am so happy for him. We have been teaching him and taking the young men of the branch with us so that they know where he lives and it is super convenient that the two strongest young men in the branch live the closest to him. Things are looking well for him. We have fixed a baptismal date for April 20th and we are really hoping that that will happen.

 

Things are going really well over here and I am super happy. I am so grateful for the opportunities that the Lord gives me everyday to help others but also to help me grow and become a better young man. My mission has saved me. How? By helping me receive a REAL testimony. A testimony that pushes me to act, and when necessary, to not act. It has helped me find true integrity and charity. I'm far from perfect but I am a lot closer than what I was 21 months ago. We, as young men, need the mission.

 

I love you Mom. I love you too Dad. I hope you had a great birthday. I miss you but I don't let it get to me. I'm doing what the Lord wants me to do and what you want me to do... and what I want myself to do. Ainsi soit il (Thus it is).

 

Je vous aime,

Elder Schmid