Tuesday, October 11, 2011

October 10, 2011 E-Mail

So my new companion and I get along great. His name is Elder Kurtz from Prescott Arizona. But it seems like we haven't got a whole lot of work done this week because of our different meetings and transfers and things. On Thursday we had to go to Spokane for our zone leader council. That always takes up about a whole day. We are up at about 3:45 and get back to Wenatchee at about 7:00. But we learned a lot on how to improve the things in our zones.
The mormon.org campaign has been really cool. They started showing the commercials and things on October 3rd and we had quite a few people tell us they saw them. Members and non-members. One lady was not interested in listening to us at all. But after seeing a commercial she at least promised that she would check out the website. So if you haven't made profiles yet, do it! It doesn't take very much time at all. I made one, but I'm not sure if it's up yet or not. Tons of people are making them so it takes awhile for them to get approved.
Our investigator Chris accepted a date to be baptized for November 12th. He's the one who has a girlfriend who is a member. We got there and he told us how he wanted to wait like a year to get baptized. So my companion and I taught him a lot about how that is not something you want to wait for. By the time we were done he said yeah, I think I'll wait. I was pretty frustrated. We had a team teacher with us who bore his testimony and then talked about receiving the priesthood and stuff. Then after, Chris was like oh yeah I agree I get what you're saying. Maybe I shouldn't wait. Then he set the goal of November 12th.
We are also working with a couple who the missionaries were working with in the past. They just have some problems with the word of wisdom that they don't want to give up. They are really nice good hearted people though. They came to watch a baptism this week. That was really cool. I know this is pretty short but things are going great. Sometimes things aren't quite as exciting as Jared who is a branch president, or Weston who has to deal with typhoons. But I love my mission. I know the church is true! I love the Book of Mormon and the Bible. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Through him, we can live with God again. I love you all! Thanks for everything.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

October 3, 2011 E-Mail

This e-mail probably won't be to long because nothing crazy happened this week. No weddings or anything stressful like that. So I'll start out with transfer information. I will be staying here again. My companion, Elder Jones, will be leaving. He is going to Othello to be with my MTC companion. And an Elder named Elder Kurtz will be coming to be my companion. I'm really excited. I've served around him a little bit, in fact he was my zone leader when I was in Mattawa, and I really enjoyed him. He has only been out 6 weeks longer than me.
Basically the highlight of this week as you all know was General Conference. I really enjoyed it and I was even able to stay awake this time! I need to review my notes again to remember it all, but the one talk that really stuck out to me was that one yesterday morning about the Book of Mormon. That talk was sweet. The whole time I was just thinking about some investigators that we have that won't read in the Book of Mormon. If they could have just heard that talk! I loved how he said that it's either of God, or of satan. There are no inbetweens at all. As we read it, if it makes us feel better and closer to God, which it does, then it is of God. If it makes us feel closer to satan then it's of him. But it clearly won't do that. I love how he quoted a few scriptures. It testifies of Jesus Christ and brings us so much closer to Him. And it's the keystone of our religion. If it's true, then the rest of it is. I can't wait to get that talk printed off and read it with a few people we have been working with lately.
I just thought of this awesome guy named Jeff that we met this past week. He is paralyzed from the chest down and has been since last May. He had a 19 year old son that had passed away and they were at the funeral home getting his funeral set up. Well on there way home his wife fell asleep driving and rolled the car and it paralyzed him. This was all out in Iowa and due to finances he had to move out here to live with his mom. He had the most positive attitude for all that he had been through it was amazing. He is stuck to his wheelchair and wants to come to church but has no transportation because they can't afford a wheelchair accesible van yet. We are working on finding a way for him to get to church. He is a really cool guy.
Jesus and Desiree are still doing really well. Jesus has been really busy working because it's right in the middle of apples and pears up here. So a bunch of the hispanics are really busy. Hopefully as the fruit season dies down, our work will pick up. Alma is also doing great. She came to conference yesterday and all she could say was, "awesome!".
I love the gospel and I know it's true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know the church is true! Have a great week. I love you all!
Love Elder Schvaneveldt

Saturday, October 1, 2011

September 26, 2011 E-Mail and Pictures!

What a crazy week!!! The first really cool thing that happened was that we had a visit from a seventy, Elder Lynn G. Robbins. It was awesome. He didn't just focus on things here in the mission, but things for life. It was all about how we have 100% agency for all we do, which means we also have 100% responsibility of all of our actions. He talked to us about being good parents and stuff, that part was sort of weird. It was really cool though because we got to be with him almost all day. Because all of the zone leaders and district leaders met with him for a few hours before the rest of the missionaries did. We have been really blessed to be in the presence of general authorities recently. It has been awesome! I think it has lifted the mission quite a bit.
Now for some more exciting news, we had a wedding this week! And a baptism! It was crazy and I'm never going to plan another wedding as long as I live. The fun started last Monday night when they went to get there marriage license and they showed up about 10 minutes to late. Well in Washington there is a three day waiting period between the time you get the license and the wedding. The day they were going to get married was Friday. So that meant the only day they could get there license was on Tuesday or else it was to late. But Jesus works about 40 minutes away and stays up there all week long because he can't afford gas to come down to Wenatchee. And Desiree is currently out of a car and she lives about 20 minutes from the courthouse where you get the marriage license. Thank goodness for awesome church members!!! We were able to make it all happen. Sister Olson, an awesome Sister of the ward went and picked up Desiree and the kids and took her to the courthouse. Then the one and amazing Brother Pedersen saved the day again. He drove my companion and I up to where Jesus was working and we picked him up then brought him back to Wenatchee then Brother Pedersen drove him back up after. He also saves us I swear. Well we were at the courthouse waiting for Sister Olson and Desiree to get there. They told us that they had to be there by 4:30 and they showed up at like 4:31. It was a close one, but they got the license and all went well. God had his hand in everything we did this week. So Monday night they had there baptismal interviews and all was well, Tuesday they got the license. So we thought we had jumped the main hurdles. We were wrong. Thursday night we were setting up for the wedding and it was getting late and we needed to get home. We had a member there helping us, but we didn't just want to leave her hanging on her own. It just happened to be that a bunch of young single adults were there who could help set up. So we were able to leave and they set it all up. Friday we had everything planned out. We had a lady going down to pick up Desiree at 4:30 then go to the church to do her hair and do all that girl stuff. Well at 4:35 we were in a meeting with our bishop and we got a text saying she couldn't do it. So 2 hours before the wedding we had to find someone that could do her hair and go get her. We were freaking out and didn't really know what to do. And Desiree was also starting to have like a nervous break down. We were calling everyone and it just wasn't working out. Then we drove by the church and saw a ladies car there who we thought could do it. We drove up and she wasn't even there, but it turns out that another guy was there and he was like oh just call my wife she could do it. So she came straight to the church. Now we just needed a ride for Desiree. She had asked a member to get her some shoes and bring them to the church. Well the member just felt prompted at that exact time to go and take the shoes to Desiree. She got there right as Desiree was starting to worry and not know what to do. She also surprised her with a sweet wedding dress and she drove her to the church. That was Sister Olson again saving the day. Then we got a call saying that Jesus needed a ride from there house to the wedding. So we called everyone we could think of and no one could do that. Right as we hung up with the last person, a couple showed up to the wedding about 45 minutes early. They had gone and got dinner and felt for some reason that they should just go to the church and eat it. Well the guy was able to take us to pick up Jesus. We went down and took him the tux that someone let us borrow and then we came back. By the time we got back there were tons of people just helping Desiree and taking care of her kids and everything. Everything worked out!!! It was amazing it all came together. Without the spirit working in members lives, it wouldn't have happened. Then they were baptized on Saturday, and confirmed on Sunday. This week wore me out more than any other week I think! But it all happened and it was all because of the great members here. We had members from all of the wards helping. And that was our week!
I love the mission! And I love the people, including members and investigators. I'm so grateful for this gospel and for repentance. It has been great seeing people's lives change, including my own. I know that Christ is our Savior and that through him we can be cleansed. Through reading the Book of Mormon we can come so close to him. I love you all so much and thanks for everything! Have a great week!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

September 19, 2011 E-Mail

It has been another one of those crazy weeks that has just flown by. Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes and the testimonies you sent me. I had a great birthday last week thanks to you all. It's pretty weird turning 21. Especially as a mormon. Because nothing changes! I guess that's a good thing! It sounds like you all had a great time at the family reunion too.
On Friday we had something pretty cool happen. We had been at the church pretty much all day between our meetings we had and planning and things. So it was driving us nuts just being there so we took off to do some work. Well we went to the trailer park where we had planned to tract and neither of us really felt like that was the place to be. So we talked about it for a minute and we decided that we would go to a different place where we had been tracting the day before. We went there and the first door we knocked on a lady answered and was really nice. Her name is Maribel. She told us how her husband had talked to missionaries in the past but that he was busy at the moment. We asked if we could come back in 15 minutes and she said sure. So we went back and he invited us right in. It was another one of those situations where I thought it was going to be a bash but he was the nicest most sincere guy. His name is Selvin. We talked for a while and it turns out he even went to church once but because of his work schedule he couldn't keep attending. Since then his schedule has changed. On Saturday they came to the church and did a church tour then they stayed for an activity that took place. It was awesome. They were trying to make it to church yesterday but couldn't make it. I'm pretty excited to see what comes of it.
The spanish branch is the one who put on the activity but they invited the whole stake. I think they said like 300 people came. It was basically a multicultural celebration thing. So there was a lot of food and some talents. Right when it started we were told that all of the missionaries would be singing called to serve in spanish. It went well. And the food was awesome! The day before they had gone and killed a couple of pigs. One of them they cooked in a hole in the ground however they do that. They other I'm not sure how they cooked it. Spanish branch activities are always the best.
Jesus and Desiree are still doing well. They are going to get there marriage license today and will be having a baptismal interview tonight also. Satan is really trying to make things hard on them. He will do anything he can to destroy a family. Yesterday they got in a really big fight. We showed up at just the right time and had the perfect team teacher with us to help the situation. It's funny how the Lord works like that. Then while my companion was teaching Jesus in Spanish I was able to just talk to Desiree in english and really help her out. She was telling me how her mind was telling her not to go through with it, but her heart was. So I was able to teach her about the spirit and how it communicates with us. Both of them have changed so much and just want to come closer to God and do what God wants them to do. My companion and I have been doing a lot of praying for them.
I know that God is our Heavenly Father and that He is well aware of everything that is going on in our lives. Through prayer we can communicate with Him and He can help us. He listens and He answers. I know this gospel is true. Thank you so much for all you do!!!

Love Elder Schvaneveldt

September 12, 2011 E-Mail

Yesterday was pretty much the most exciting day of the week. It was stake conference. Well we were waiting outside for our investigators to show up(Jesus and Desiree). Well they weren't coming so we were getting a little sad and then went in to listen to the meeting because it was being broadcast from Salt Lake. So we went in and about a half hour later a spanish investigator came in from the Sisters area. So we took her and showed her where the room was where it was all translated into spanish. Then we were walking back to the english room and saw another spanish lady coming in so we decided to wait for her to show her where to go. And in the mean time, Jesus and Desiree came walking in. And it was at the perfect timing because a lady was walking out of the bathroom and it turns out that she used to teach Desiree in like kindergarten. Well Jesus and Desiree are planning on getting married on the 23rd and Desiree was worrying a little bit about it because they don't have any money or any plans or anything at all. But she mentioned to Sister Lacy that they were going to get married. Sister Lacy was so excited and told her that she would take care of a lot of it and she has a lot of the stuff to decorate for weddings. It was awesome! So Jesus and Desiree are still doing awesome and progressing so well. They fed us dinner a couple of times this past week and it was great. I'm really excited for them and the changings that they are making in there lives and the blessings that they are receiving.

The other night we were with a team teacher and he was taking us back to the church to get our car. It was pretty late and completely dark. Well we saw a duplex that was completely engulfed in flames. And the fire department wasn't even there. So my companion called 911. It was crazy. While he was on the phone with 911 something in the house blew up and flames went everywhere. It was pretty cool looking. Luckily no one was hurt other than a pet bird.
Last Tuesday we had a mormon.org training. It was really cool. I think I mentioned it last week, but the ad campaign they are doing is going to be sweet. There are going to be tons of commercials on tv and also the internet and some billboards. I know they are doing it where Sis and Justin live too. I know she was trained on it. They told us to make some profiles so I should be making mine this upcoming week. I think the campaign is going to work miracles. They said last time they did it in different missions that the members and missionaries just weren't prepared and it wasn't very effective. That's why they are training all of us and the members so it becomes a great experience.
That's really about it for the week. Sounds like the family reunion will be fun. Thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes and the love and support. I know this church is true. I know it was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. And I also know that when we are obedient we are blessed. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love Elder Schvaneveldt

Saturday, September 10, 2011

September 6, 2011 E-Mail

It was a great week. But once again I can't really remember much that happened. I'm sure you are sic of me saying that to you guys. I've been sick this past week and I'm just getting over it. Just a really bad cold. But we still got out everyday and worked. Jesus and Desiree are doing so great. They came to church again on Sunday for all three hours and they loved it. They told us that they feel so much better after they go to church. They invited us over last night for dinner and it was great. We taught them the law of chastity. I taught him in spanish while my companion taught her in english. They really seem like they want to get married and change there lives around. They know that through God it is possible but there is no other way. And they are already seeing some of the blessings and happiness from keeping the commandments and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are such a great couple and family.
That other guy I talked about, Chris, is doing awesome too. He is the one who's girlfriend is a member. Well him and the girlfriend sort of broke up and he's still investigating. So we know that he is doing it all for himself and not for her. We have had some great lessons with him and he's even reading in the Book of Mormon. He told us that this is something he has been seeking for, he just didn't know it until it came to him. Preach my gospel mentions how there are many people who are seeking for the gospel, they just don't know where to find it. He says he wants to be baptized he's just not quite sure on a date yet. He was going to come to church on Sunday but had to go to the doctor. He was refilling a lighter and got lighter fluid on his hand then lit the lighter and burned himself.
I think I also mentioned teaching Corina. She is a great lady who we met tracting and she just opened up about her whole life story with us. Well we have taught her a couple of times and she is came on a church tour and really enjoyed it. They church tours are awesome because everyone that come's on a church tour then feels comfortable to come to church.
It's going to be another busy week. Within our mission they are doing a mormon.org ad campaign. So throughout the mission there will be billboards and stuff advertising mormon.org. I think they said only 9 missions in the United States get this opportunity right now. Tomorrow someone from Salt Lake is coming to train us on how to effectively us the ad campaign. It should be a great training and we should see great things come from this.
Well I know that this church is true and I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. We met a guy yesterday who was sort of arguing about being saved by grace and not works, well anyways it just really made me think of our Savior. I know that He died for us. And I know that he will make up for our short comes. I'm so grateful to be a missionary. It's been a great experience. I love you all!! Thanks for all of your prayers, love, and support. Have a great week!

Love Elder Schvaneveldt

Sunday, September 4, 2011

August 29, 2011 E-Mail

It was a good week but not to much happened. It can't compare to the week before. This whole week we had our mini missionary. His name was Jared and he was from Spokane. He was a really cool kid and had a hard time leaving he loved it so much. He was 17 so still has a couple of years before he goes. You might remind me talking about Jesus and Desiree when I first got here to this area. Well they sort of fell off the charts for awhile because he was working so much. We made contact with them the other day and he isn't as busy. They came to a church tour the other day. They loved it. After they stayed to watch a baptism. Then the next day they were at church for all 3 hours and loved that too. They are doing really well. I lost hope and faith in them before because they never did anything. But now my hopes are high again!

Yesterday we did get some upsetting news. It was pretty hard on us. Our investigator that was supposed to get baptized next Saturday decided she didn't want to. She sent us a big huge text message basically dropping us. It's tough because if anyone knows that the Book of Mormon is true it's her. I believe she will come around and be baptized. But it's not going to be this next Saturday.
With that, we did a lot of finding this past week. And on Saturday we had a great day. We decided to go and try to see a potential investigator who is really awesome. She really wants to find out if these things are true, but her husband feels comfortable where they are. But we taught about the Book of Mormon and committed her to read it and she agreed. Her 9 year old daughter was also very excited to read it. Then we decided to go and knock some doors. We tracted into this guy who said his girlfriend was a member and that she would be at his house in about an hour. He invited us back. I sort of just thought it was a brush off. So we went back and he was there. Him and his girlfriend are supposed to come on a church tour tonight. I'm looking forward to that one.
We have started a little group here of recent converts. Every Monday night we meet at one of there houses and watch a little church video and then eat ice cream. It's really cool to be around them all and feel of there fire and strong testimonies. There are a lot of great recent converts here who have stayed active and will be going to the temple within the year.
That is honestly about all that happened this week. At least as far as I can remember. I've really enjoyed reading in the ensigns lately. I'm so grateful that we have a living Prophet who talks to God and tells us what God wants us to know. I'm also very grateful for the opportunity that we have to listen to the Prophet and apostles in general conference coming up. I know this church is true without a doubt. I also know that the Book of Mormon is true without a doubt. I love you all so much. Thanks for your support and prayers! Have a great week!!