YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL!!

Hi!  Wasn't conference wonderful!!  How's the weather?  Cooling off and wonderful we hope!  We are doing well and having fun!  Keep up the wonderful work you are doing!!  Pray for each other and us!  You are each so  wonderful!!!  We're very grateful for our wonderful family!!

Love,

Mom & Dad

Update for Erickson Newsletter

Hi everyone!  We had a Women's Conference here in the mission.  The picture you see is all the sister missionaries.  When we came a year ago there were 12 sisters (Hermanas) now we have 50!  We had speakers, lunch, some learning activities and then picture taking.  Everyone handed their camera to the two elders (Aps) to take a picture.  So they were holding 50 cameras. The mission president's wife then called out my name, where was my camera?  Take the picture on Hermana Schmidt's camera and she can forward it to everyone.  (So I'm forwarding it to you.:)  You'll see President and Sister Devon Cornish (remember the ensign article of the doctor riding home from school on a bike and praying for a coin to buy a piece of chicken.)  Sister Zivic is with them. 

      My kids and grandkids are doing really well! Amy and Jake and Grace came to visit us!  It was so nice of them, we had a great time!

A FUN MEMORY OF MOM:  I can see Mom standing at the old camp stove cooking our supper at Yellowstone or someplace.  She would use the old grill and the big mess kit with the lifters for the pots and fry pan.  It was so yummy!  Hamburgers, fried potatoes and fried onions.  I can smell and taste those delicious meals now!

Elder & Hna Schmidt

Secretario de Finanzas

Misión Santo Domingo Oeste

República Dominicana

Today is our Year anniversary!!

Hi Kids and Grandkids!  Today, the 24th of septiembre, is the anniversary of our arrival in the Dominican Republic (la Republica Dominicana).

When we left the MTC in Provo on Friday the 22nd, they suggested we get 4 more shots.  We went to the Davis County Health Department to get a Chicken pox, shingles, pneumonia, and flu shot.  Dad did fine, but I was laid flat!  The night of the 23rd Dad said, can you get on a plane in the morning?  So we left for the airport at 5 am the next day.  We arrived in the DR at 10:30, got out of customs and to temple housing about midnight.

     We have been on an adventure ever since!  The best part?  The missionary spirit!  The worst part besides the hot and sweaty and dirty water and bugs is leaving you all!!

Last night at Family Home Evening in the MTC/Temple Housing, Elder Wilford Anderson, President of the Carribean Area (29 countries with 5 plus languages--English, French, Creole, Spanish, and Dutch.)  He just answered questions.  How do the Temple President and Area President work together, who is over who?  The Temple President is under the First Presidency.  The Area Presidency are Seventies, an extension of the Quorum of the 12.

What is happening in Cuba?  He said there are 3 small branches there.  Someone in Venezuela brought a Liahona to Cuba.  They read it and began to start a church from what they found in the church magazine in the capital city of Havana.  They contacted the church.  Robert Whetton a mission president was sent there, he found people paying tithing, passing the sacrament, and singing in a  ward choir etc.  The land was dedicated for the preaching of the Gospel in February of 2012 by David A. Bednar.  He said the Church just slowly steadily moves on.  It will fill the earth.  (He said not to post it on facebook.)

     They asked about Haiti. There are 7 chapels in Haiti.  They were built with steel rebar and withstood the earthquake.  People flocked to the chapels.  He said Haiti is the fastest growing country in convert baptisms and the highest in retension!!--or keeping it's members active.  Anyway, we are old, slow, but smiling and enjoying (disfrutamos) ourselves! 

     Today 6 handsome elders were working hard, munching on gummies, peach rings, strawberry candies, and Hershey kisses (that is all your favorite flavors right?--we found at a local store. We visited as 2 were released yesterday--we will no longer have Ayudants take the mail to the south (Sur), besides that, we worked on missionary pictures to renew their visas, balanced the purchasing cards at Bank of America, entered missionary reimbursements, paid rent on 3 houses, filed some passports, and forwarded email, wrapped packages, and sorted mail.

     Anyway, we love you all very much!!  We are blessed to be your parents and grandparents!  Keep up the great work you are doing!

Love,

Mom & Dad   (Dad says we'll be home in 5 1/2 months!!)

Just have to share!

Hi Kids and Grandkids!

     Yesterday we had 3 kids at our morning piano lesson before church.  Two young boys and a teenage boy.  Dad taught Priesthood, I played 3 numbers for Sacrament Meeting.  The branch President's wife led while I played and she always gives me strange looks, but I try to follow her, and try to do the introduction to the song just like the hymn book is marked.

     Then I gave a talk on Prayer.  The branch pres. introduced the speakers and I look down at Dad in the congregation and ask him if I'm 1st.  I spoke about prayers answered:  When Brent was a baby and choking in the next room on a piece of apple, the Spirit said to go help him.  When Darren lost his high school ring and it was placed in plain site.  When Amy chose to do YW instead of ballet and we had prayed.  When Andrea and her family were lost in the montanas after a family prayer, help came.  When Annette and later Ashley prayed for new friends and they materialized.  When our family was driving to Seattle to see Grandpa Schmidt who was very sick, who probably wouldn't last through the night, the regulator from the alternator went out, and we pulled to the side of the road in the "middle of nowhere."  What now, we asked?  We prayed and there was a knock on the window.  A truck driver behind us saw the lights go out.  He pulled his truck to the side of the freeway and walked back to help us.

     Our office elders walked the sister missionaries home to be safe then they had to walk through an area to get home.  They stopped at a member's home to check on them.  The lady said where is the other missionary.  There were 3 of you coming down the road.

     As a teenager, I prayed for help on an exam.  I could see an open textbook in my mind with the answers written out.

Many, many, muchos blessings have come through prayer!  We pray for you all at least 4 times a day!

     OH, ONE MORE:  Today Elder Claudio R. Zivic of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, and his wife came to the office to begin a tour of the mission.  They met with the President an hour, then the AP's, then the whole office.  He went around the room and asked us each our names, where we were from, how long in the mission, and our responsibilities.  He was very nice, told us to be loyal to President and to work hard.  That we had the mind and heart to serve the Lord in this area and that is why we are here.  Then he wife spoke (in English) and said she was talking to me and Sister Clawson the 2 ladies in the room.  She said the hardest thing about serving the Lord is being away from our families (they are from Argentina.)  She said quoting scripture:"Your families are fine.  They are in my hand."  And who can do better than the Lord at taking care of them she said.

     Then the AP Elder Arana from Virginia, turned to me just before he stood to close, did I know they wanted me to give the prayer!!  What I said?!  Then he stood and called on me to pray (where was the closing song, oh well, I stood and Prayed (that the Lord would help me pray) and tried to bless the country and the mission and thank the Lord for His goodness, the opportunity to serve, and nuestra familias.  After my prayer, Elder Zivic congratulated me on my prayer!--it was almost a loud cheer!  EEK! 

Love you all!  (Oh, I ironed 3 table cloths that Dad and I bought to look nice on the tables for the luncheon.  I sat next to Sister Zivic, the Mission President next to Elder Zivic, the Clawsons and Dad and I at one table and the 6 Elders at the other table.  Afterward we took a picture and Elder Zivic asked me to stand by him!  Two men from a new catering place, dished up the dinner--new food-- rolled chicken breasts, eggplant lasagna, steamed vegetables, wild rice, little sliced, flavored breads.

Oh the Joy---6 months left!  Will I ever feel comfortable?

Love, Mom & Dad  

Elder Zivic

Middle of September 2013,  with Elder Zivic

Re: Thanks for all you are doing for the church

Dear Bro Parry and High Priest Quorum:

 

What an experience to be here.  What a different world--not just in language but in customs.  Sister Schmidt and I stay very busy in the office in a mission of over 250 missionaries.  Three fourths come from Latin countries and only speak Spanish.  The others are Americans.  As of late we have been receiving more Americans. I guess from the availability of the 18 year olds.  What do we do--it's more like what don't we do.  Passports, visas, all missionary credit cards,  mission credit cards, bank reconciliation, missionary mail/post office, letters to incoming missionaries, letters to new members, folders for new missionaries, letters/certificates for terminating elders/sisters just to name a few.  We work about 8 hours a day-sometimes more.  My phone rings all hours--I used to get so frustrated because I couldn't understand, but now that has has improved.   Our president is Dominican and does not speak English.  But, the lord has blessed us.  Many a time I have said a prayer that I would understand him when we met--the lord has truly blessed us!  When things come to him in English he trusts me to translate and help him--what an honor!  Sister Schmidt plays the piano in a small branch about 45 minutes from here in the countryside where we are assigned ,and I teach the young men.  It is summer here year around, and we live with fears of hurricanes.  I have seen miracles--The Lord is at our side.  There is not time or space to relate stories, but we have some.  With what has happened in our lives we will never be the same.  We will be home in less than six months--in fact we will be requesting our flights like we do for all the missionaries.  The Dominican people are warm, accepting, and friendly even though they don"t know how to drive. They have never made fun of my Spanish or harassed us for being Americans.  We do stick out as foreigners.  Our mission is baptizing about 750 people per year.  The Santo Domingo Temple is located 20 minutes from here.  It is moderate in size and very special to all those in the Caribbean.  Take care Brother Parry!  Saludos,  Elder Schmidt, Santo Domingo

Hi Fergusons!

We have 6 months left in the mission.  It has been great.  I guess the best part is working in the office with the Mission President and the Elders and being part of the workings of the Mission!  (And Elder Schmidt says he's learned a lot about himself here.)

   The Nizao Branch that we go to on Sundays has given us an opportunity to be with several sets of sister missionaries, sing and play for the choir, teach piano lessons before church, and play for Sac. Mtg, team teach the Sunday School lessons to about 17 youth (for March and August), teach the Aaronic Priesthood lessons, and try to communicate with a branch family where we mostly just say "Hola!" and shake hands and give hugs. 

     We've enjoyed the seniors at FHE too!   We took a ride earlier today to the aquarium, Tres Ojos, and the Falon de Colon.  Last week we drove to Juan Dolio.  Our daughter and her family are coming the end of the month and we thought we'd see if we could find these places.  The last time we were there at the beach was with you!  Thanks for the great time! 

     The Yterraldes had their farewell last Monday.  They spoke of how much they missed and enjoyed being with you!

Love,

The Schmidts