November 10, 2014

November 10, 2014

Hello everyone!

Well this week was a pretty good one.  TIme is going super fast by the way.  It´s a bit strange.  Anyway, so, R. should be getting baptized this Sunday if all goes well!  She´s doing super great.  It has been hard for her to give up smoking, but she is doing so good!  If you could keep her in your prayers that would be great.  E. hopefully will be baptized the week after.  She couldn't come to church on Sunday because she lost her money.  As they were going to get on the bus she realized that it had fallen out of her pocket and she couldn't find it anywhere.  We are thinking that she can still get baptized though.  I will keep you posted.  The week after we should be baptizing a 9 year old girl named A. that is the daughter of a recent convert.  She and her little sister K. (3) are pretty funny.  It has been really fun to teach her!  It has also been very dificult becaues her little sister is super loud haha.  The last time we tried to teach her her sister kept yelling at us that we were salchchas- hot dogs.  We got a good laugh out of it.  We are also teaching a family called the Ochoa family that are going through some really hard times so if you could keep them in your prayers that would be great.  

We found a really strange guy this week named M. A.  He was a reference that we received.  We got to his address to find that there were about 20 door bells.  We just starting ringing door bells and we actually found him and he let us in.  He asked us a lot of questions (asking us in what would seem a very angry manner).  I guess we answered well enough his questions though because at the end he told us that he had enjoyed himself and to come back.  We'll see what happens this week.      

That's cool about the pictures that you are going to make.  I'm guessing that they are going to be similar to the Mickey Mouse ones that dad did right?  That's nice that you are getting to see Lauren, Cam, and Ella frequently.  It sounds like at least once a week or so. I bet that's really nice.  Wow, ISU won again.  That's a shocker haha.  That's cool about your temple trip.  I miss going to the temple.  Hopefully when the re-dedicate it we get to go!  I would like to work on geneology too when I get back.  I didn't realize that there was much left to do haha.  Well, I love you all.  Talk to you soon!

Elder Schow

November 3, 2014

November 3, 2014

Hey everyone!

Well it has been a good week. Well we had transfers and I am going to be the district leader. It’s going to be a great opportunity to learn and to serve. I’m excited to see how it goes. My companion is named Elder McEwan from Lehi, UT. I should probably start sending you pictures of my companions, huh? He has about a year and a half in the mission and has been district leader for like a year. He’s a really great guy- super humble, good teacher, funny, all that good stuff. It’s nice to be able to speak a little bit in English too. He’s here to show me the ropes. I know that I have a lot to learn from him. There are 4 sisters in the district and 2 other elders. One of the Elders was my last district leader and we have been in the same ward several times in the mission so that is kind of cool- Elder Wilhelmsen. We had companionship exchanges with the zone leaders this week which was really great. I learned a lot of things that I am doing well as well as a lot of things that I can improve on. The Elder that came with me is an amazing teacher. He speaks Spanish really well and he asks super inspired questions. I will also be able to learn a lot from him this change. I want to be able to learn to follow the spirit as well as he does.

Well not too much is new here. We found a couple of new people to teach this week, but no one is progressing super well. It doesn’t help that half of the world is sick either haha. It sort of killed our church attendance- it was like 50 people less than last week. Things are still going really well with R. She fed the four of us missionaries this week. She should be getting baptized pretty soon....like 2 weeks I think. She had a few small issues with the word of wisdom so we had to wait a little bit. We found a drunk guy that wanted us to talk to him in Portuguese a few days ago. That was interesting trying to explain to him that we don’t speak Portuguese haha. No matter what we said he did not believe us.

I’m glad that you guys were able to get away for a bit mom and dad. It sounds like you had a good time. You guys are a great example to me of a functional marriage that is based on love, respect, etc. I have seen so many destroyed marriages here. It’s a pretty sad thing. I know that if we base our families in the teachings of Christ that we will be so much stronger. I’m glad to hear that everyone is doing well. I like Ella’s costume. It’s super cute. There were actually a lot of people dressed up here on Saturday night trick or treating. Day of the dead was a bit underwhelming. It probably would have been more cool if we had been able to go to the grave yard. It’s all good though. I can look up a lot of pictures of it up on the internet after the mission. It’s a bit of an odd tradition. Well I’m about out of time, but I love you all. Talk to you soon!

Elder Schow

P.S. Were you guys able to get the videos off of my memory card too?

October 27, 2014

October 27, 2014
Hey there family :)

I hope that you all are well. It has been a crazy busy week, but a good one. Well it is my last day with Elder Cumbe...I will really miss that kid. We have sure had a fun time together, and we have learned a lot from one another. It will be interesting to hear tomorrow where he is going and with who and who is coming with me. I will make the best of whatever and whoever comes.

Three of our investigators are progressing so well. E. and R. are probably the most golden investigators that I have ever heard of. They show their faith through their works. They always read, they always pray, they do all that they can to come to church and as a consequence of their hard work they are seeing major changes in their lives. The teachings of Jesus Christ are changing them. He was not just a good man that taught beautiful principles. He was and is the son of God that came to this earth so save each and every one of us...Of course on the condition that we do our part. If we do our part and use His atonement we can be changed. It's not rocket science, but sadly, there are so many that just don't get it. As one of my companions always said, ¨I look around me at all of the people here and I see the need for a savior.¨ It is so true. There are so many people that suffer temporally and spiritually. All that they need to do to find relief is to come unto Him. I guess that is why our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ...not to invite them to come unto us, or unto the church, or to compel them - just to invite. These things help, granted, and they are essential parts of coming unto Him, but ultimately it is a decision that each and every one of us must take. To come unto him. I have been reflecting a lot about this lately. Have I really come unto Christ? Am I trying to be like him? Have I taken his yoke upon me? I know that I have a long way to go, but I can say that I am grateful for the progress that I have been able to make. I am grateful for the gospel and for my mission. I would invite each and every one of you to do all that is within your power to share this message of joy with others. I love you all so much and I think about you all often. Until next week.

Elder Schow

Oct 20, 2014

Oct. 20, 2014

Well I only have 5 minutes, but hello everyone.  This week has been busy but good.  We had a lot of companionship exchanges this week so I was outside of my area a lot and got to know several other people.  It was fun.  I got the letters from family home evening!  Thank you everyone!  It was so great to hear from you all!  We found a new family this week- the Ochoa family.  They are really great.  Only the 10 year old son came to church this week, but we are positive that they will all come the next week.  R, E, and E are still progressing really well, and are really seeing changes in their lives through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I know that they are being prepared for the spirit.  The mission is going by so fast.  I am trying to do all that I can to take advantage of this special time that I have in my life to serve the people of Mexico.  It is a great work.  It is the Lord´s work.  I love you all.  I will write more next week. 

Elder Schow

October 13, 2014

October 13, 2014

Hello everyone! 

Well this week has been a long but good one.  We have just been trying to work really hard as usual.  We had a pretty successful week in several aspects.  We were able to bring a lot of members to lessons this week.  They have been a huge help.  They actually formed some great friendships with some of the people that we are teaching so that has been great!  Many of them have even asked us, Elders when can I come to appointments with you?  My jaw about fell off of my face when the first person asked us that.  I don´t think I have ever heard that question in my whole mission so it was pretty cool.  I know that the Lord has been helping us a lot in this area.  When I got here it was not in the best of shape.  It still has a long way to go, but the Lord has really put prepared people in our path.  We are still teaching a lot of the same people this week, and many of them are progressing muy bien.   I am really coming to love the people here.  It is hard to explain, and it was something that was very difficult for me in the start of my mission but things are definitely changing in that aspect.  Little by little I think that I am beginning to understand a bit better the love that Christ has for us.  I am also starting to understand much better the changes that he makes possible in each of our lives.  It has been really fun teaching E.  She is a character.  The last time that we taught her she was telling us about some experiences that she has had visiting other churches.  She said that once the separated her from her daughter that was about 7 at the time.  When the service was over she asked her daughter how she had liked church.  Her daughter told her that it had been fine, but rather than teach them anything that they had forced the children to prepare dough for doughnuts haha.  There were a lot of strange stories that she told us.  I'm convinced that there is something whacked out with our apartment.  We had exchanges a few nights ago and we were praying sitting down because our DL can't kneel down because he had knee surgery.  While I was praying I distinctly felt something tug on my tie a bit hard twice.  It was super weird.  We've been a bit on edge at night.  We know that nothing can happen, but it´s still a bit strange.  Truthfully though, things are going great.  I'm glad that you all are well. It sounds like it has been a good week.  If you see someone without a smile, lend them yours.  Love you all!

Elder Schow    

September 22, 2014

Sept. 22, 2014

Hey everyone! 

So it sounds like this week has been exciting!  Ella was born!  I can imagine that it was really fun to get to see her.  I´m glad that she was born without any sort of complication.  She´s very cute too!!!  I will wait with anticipation for more pictures soon.  Hopefully dad and Maddie don´t eat little Caesers too often haha.  Sorry about the car dad....that´s kind of a bummer.  It is really old though...I´m glad that the primary program went well.  It´s always fun to see!  That´s cool that the Moncurs are adopting another baby from China.  I´m very happy for them.  That´s cool too that Roger and Diana might be moving back to Pocatello.  It´s crazy how long they have been gone.  

This week has been good!  As you all know I got transferred to a new area.  I am currently in an area called Espartaco 1!  I am finishing the last 6 weeks of training for Elder Cumbe from Ecuador.  He´s a really good missionary.  We get along super well, and we've had a really fun time together so far  So it´s really a pretty cool area here.  It´s super chill, and sometimes it´s easy to forget that we are in the middle of the big city.  The thing that´s not so great is that the last several missionaries that have been here except for my comp. have been super lazy and there are like no investigators.  We have been working a lot on finding new people to teach.  We have been contacting like animals, okay not really haha, but we have been contacting a lot.  To be honest it´s something that I hardly ever did before.  I kind of regret a bit that I didn't do it more often before.  Hopefully it yields some fruits soon.  So I've decided that I like training.  It´s really fun.  This week I have really been able to understand better that we can be obedient, and serious about the work, but that we can also be a little bit loose and actually have a lot of fun.  It has been a good learning experience for me.  The ward here needs a lot of help. We really can do great things here if we can start to work with the ward.  I am really excited for this transfer.  It is not going to be easy, but with hard work it is possible.  This week I adopted a phrase that I really like: act as if it were impossible to fail.  I have really tried to internalize it, and I have seen some results.  Well I've got to go.  I love you all.  Talk to you soon!

Elder Schow 

September 15th 2014

September 15, 2014

Hey everyone,

Well my time in Independencia has come to an end...I am leaving tomorrow.  To where I don't know and with who I don't know.  My district leader saw something when he went to the mission offices a few days ago.  There is a rumor that I am going to an area called Ajusco.  It is way up in the mountains.  It's like 2 or 3 small outlying towns supposedly.  I guess I will see tomorrow what happens.  In some ways I feel ready to leave for a new area and in some ways no.  I will miss some of the people a lot.  R.  didn't end up getting baptized yesterday.  He couldn`t make it to his baptismal interview on Saturday because of his work.  Hopefully he will be baptized this Sunday.  I will probably miss him most of all.  He has been a really awesome person to know.  We were with him last night when the transfer calls came.  He was really sad.  He hadn't realized that there was a chance that I might be leaving.  He told me that he had hoped that I could be the one to baptize him and that I had had a very special effect in his life.  He really has changed a lot.  I hope that stays strong in his desires to change and that he goes forward with his baptism.  I know that the atonement can really change lives.  I am understanding that more now.  I am excited to go to my next area and to be able to use the knowledge that I have aquired here in Independencia.  I am leaving a lot of great people here.  There are some that I will never forget.  None of them came to church yesterday though so I didn't get to say goodbye to like anyone, but I feel that they will be in good hands with Elder Martinez.  Sometimes I feel like I didn't accomplish much here, but maybe my function has only been to help plant seeds in the hearts of the people.  So stay tuned.

So the baby still hasn't come, eh?  Now that is a big surprise to me...I thought that she was going to come like last Tuesday or Wednesday.  I guess it isn`t her time yet.  I hope that Lauren is hanging in there well.  It sounds like you guys have had a good week.  Sorry mom about the 5K.  I`m proud of you guys for doing it though.  It is pretty rare that we run in between appointments, but when we do let me tell you...I am dying haha.  I have been exercising a lot better in the mornings though so I think that some of it might have to do with the elevation.  I`m glad that you had a good family home evening and that you got to see everyone.  I`ll be excited to get the letters.  Thanks for sending the package!  I will await it with anticipation.  Good luck with the primary program.  I hope that it turns out well even though the practices are stressful.  Also, thanks for the quote mom.  It really is something good to think about.  I am learning a lot about the effects of choice in our thoughts and the difference that it can make to have good, positive thoughts.  Well I love you all!  I will talk to you next week....Hopefully Ella will be born by then!

Elder Schow