shalom

Who knew that being a missionary could be so fun!! Ok yes it's hard sometimes, and hot, and there are some long days and sometimes we have to walk a lot and blah blah blah.. but really it's so fun!

This week we had an all mission conference! Oh that was so much fun. We really do have the best mission in the world (No offense to any other missions out there) It was such a blast. Soccer, kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, football, skits, "cake boss" contest, tons of funny missinonaries, NY temple president came and spoke, and 4,000 pictures! AND at the very end the made the announcement that if anyone knew how to run photoshop to tell anyone in the office. um... ME! So We spent some time in the office the next morning and I photoshopped an Edler into the incoming group photo because he was in the restroom while they were taking it. It was a little adrenalin rush for me!! I am now the go-to photoshop missionary. I'll take that tag!

Anyway, NIINA HAS A NAME!! We're cutting it kind of close, but we found Nina's grandma. She is doing baptisms for her this Friday in the NY temple and guess what, we get to go!! I have really loved being able to be with someone through every step of this conversion. Nina is the ideal investigator to convert to member story. She is a huge pillar in this branch and she has made some huge changes in her life and we have been able to just walk with her every step of the way. She is giving a talk next week in church too! Can you imagine.. being a member for a month and having to give a 10 minute talk.. I know people that have been members their whole life and still won't give a talk!! AND she is getting a calling in the next couple weeks. What faith. She has really showed us the difference that this gospel makes in our lives. What it's like to live without it and the blessing it brings!

This was a really odd week. End of the month again.. You know what that means.. walking days! I really have so much respect for the Elders.. they have to walk every day! Sister Millward and I walked for three days and it about took it out of us! Granted two of those days we walked in the blistering heat and humidity uphill both ways with bricks on our feet.. just to get juked! Those are always the moments where you just have to laugh it off. Walking two or three miles to get to your appointment and have them not be there! ha ha The work has been really interesting. I am still really grateful for the advice that my Presidents wife gave us last month. She said the sometimes you do so much work and you never see the fruits of your labors. Results do not show in your numbers but that we are laying foundations. Laying foundations for people to build their testimony on. That is always good to keep in mind when we have weeks, or a month like this.

 All of our investigators dropped us. Frank completely broke our hearts by telling us one day that he was so excited to be baptized and the next making a complete 180 and wanting nothing to do with the church. Finding out that one of the members in the ward (her brother is Gemayorlay who we were teaching and he wanted to get baptized) goes around and tells people that they shouldn't get baptized and that there is not hurry. They should just come to church and wait for a couple years to get baptized. Can you believe that? Thats bogus!!  She even served a mission. Sometimes I just don't understand! Well needless to say she got to her own brother and now he's MIA. Oh and we just found out he is part of the secret police in Columbia... a little sketchy! and we spent a lot of time at the hopital on the edge of our area. One of members passed away yesterday just an hour after we had visited her. Sometimes being a missionary get the load of everyones problems. But this is also good. Sometimes that's just why we are here. Missionary work isn't baptizing. It's bringing others unto Christ.. Yes we generally prefer that every person we talk to get baptized but the most important thing that I have learned this week is that the Lords will be done. He has a plan and we just need to learn to do and say what he needs us to.

I am grateful for the testimony and the knowledge that I have. Oh and I am grateful that I saw the statue of liberty today!! We found out this week that as Sisters in this mission we get to volunteer on Liberty Island!! That was my first time seeing it!! See this really is the best mission ever! I am so lucky!! Well hope you enjoyed the update of my life in this lovely part of New Jersey. Stay tuned in for next weeks update. Ha ha Onward and Upward!

 

Hermana Schwendiman

Oh yes!! the temple! You'll read we get to go this friday to do baptisms! Nina is coming to pick us up at 5... yes five in the morning. Sister Schwendiman can get up at five in the morning. Hilary.. cannot!! ha ha but we are super lucky. I can't wait to hear about the fourth of july adventures you get to have at home! We don't have a bedtime that night!! Wahoo!!!! Sounds like this weeks going to be a little sleep deprived! Wish me luck! Love you!!

Hermana Schwendiman

Liberty Island

Nina now has her Grandmas name for the temple