Dinner and Elders

Hi! Someone trimming the tree cut our internet cable!

Hi all!  Did you miss hearing from me?  We had no internet and no tv for 3 or 4 days.  A tree trimmer cut our cable when trimming the outside tree.  I've sent a picture taken from the balcony of our apartment.  Can you see the tree to the left of the center.  It gets huge, and drops some fruit down below and they have to clean up the parking place.  So they trim it quite often.  Elder Klein said, I can't find your home when they trim the tree back.  We had the elders to dinner last night.  It was Elder Arana's birthday.  We had a ping pong tournament.  That is Dad playing.  The elders took a picture of me playing.  (Thanks for bringing the ping pong set Amy and Jake.)  They really enjoyed themselves!  It was the longest they ever stayed after dinner.  So we sent them home with the ping pong set to play on their table.  (The one they set for the Mother's Day dinner.)

Cumpleanos

The Mission President's birthday. Dad and I bought the cake and gifts. 

Note later from the Mission President:

Muchisimas gracias.

Pte. Rodriguez

How are you doing (Come le va?)

How are you doing (Come le va?)

We've had a lovely cool breeze today!!  What can I say, it's been awesome!!!!  How are things going?  How's school and work and studying and church and activities and jobs and meals and wash and everything going?  We hope terrific.  Today we readied packets for 24 missionaries to come, 10 packets for missionaries to go home week after next.  We had treats of cracker and cheese and raisins for hungry office elders. 

Love you!

Mom & Dad

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!!)