Monday December 20th email

Hey Family & friends!! I think I have survived one of the hardest weeks in my Mission so far. First off and most important......there was a baptism in Ituzaingo Corrientes for the first time in more than 7 months!!!! And.....she is my baptism : )

You would not believe the things that happened before this woman was baptized. I started feeling really sick but it was different than normal. I started having problems with my stomach last Sunday.....and then my back started hurting. I started to toss and turn at night because I felt pain and discomfort in my body.

Tuesday afternoon after our investigator's interview I felt like I needed to get a blessing from Elder Christofferson (yep there were Elders in Ituzaingo for maybe 2 hrs and it was AWESOME to see the looks on the faces of everyone here! ) In the blessing He said, God is watching over you and protecting you....God is also watching over and protecting your family.

There were other really wonder things but I really started thinking about how God IS protecting me and my family. Tuesday night was when things got worse. I started to have the craziest chills I have ever had!!!! I was sooo cold and then afterwards I started to get REALLY REALLY hot. I still had pains in my stomach and my body just really hurt. My Companion called the Mision President's wife Wednesday morning and she said go to the Doctor NOW.

We went to the Doctor in the Morning and after talking to me and feeling my stomach- he was very concerned. He was afraid that I had appendicitis and this Doctor started calling everyone in town during lunch to do analysis.......We have a 4 and 1/2 hr break in this town where EVERYTHING is shut down for lunch and a huge nap. The Doctor also said that he didn't want any money right now and that we could work everything out in the end. This was a HUGE blessing b/c here......you pay BEFORE you walk through the door. He made about 3 different phone calls and said things like........these girls are here alone and they are Missionaries from the church......this is serious we need to have right now.

Seriously Heavenly Father was looking out for me. We did X-rays right after of my stomach. Afterwards we left to have blood tests done and that alone was a horrible experience because I had the most horrible reaction afterwards in the Doctor office. I left reality for a little bit and it was awesome because I couldn't feel any pain but then I woke up with my Companion and the Doctor. My teeth hurt really bad because my Companion said when I blacked out that I started grinding my teeth like crazy.

This other Doctor made a taxi come and bring us to our apartment. We had to wait until night time to get all the results. This is when my fever started in REALLY strong and it was over 102 when my Companion took it. Honestly I was soooo frustrated and mad when all this started because we had a baptism the same week!!!! There were sooo many things we needed to do still. Anyway a member came to our apartment and gave me a blessing. He said that I would finish my Mission and that I would have health and strength. He also said that this thing that I had would NEVER affect me again in my life after my Mission.

Anyway the night came and we went to the Doctor with the results of the blood test and he was worried again. My fingernails had turned blue and my fever was still above 102. He said......you need to be in the hospital so you can be observed and have an IV. He called the hospital (there is only one here and its public) and we checked in. Alright.....I'm out of time......to be completed next week! But seriously this entire experience I was able to learn once again how blessed I am in my life and the miracle of how people's lives can change when we bring them to Gospel. I am so grateful that its Christmas and a little sad to be without my family. But I am without my family for a little period of time so that others can be with their families FOREVER!! I am grateful for seeing once again the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others!! I am much better and have many meds to fininsh off this thing in my body. I Love you all and MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Its sooo hot here!!! love hermana Anna Schmidt

Pictures and emails!

Update: Anna was in the hospital this week because of a digestive infection but was sent home on medication. At this time, please pray for her and a swift recovery!

Anna, her companion, and her investigator who has a baptism date

November 23:

Hello family!! WOW...I have got a ton of things to write about!!! First off...I'm still in Ituziango for another 6 weeks with my Companion......obviously this will be my last because my Companion has 2 more transfers until she goes home.

First off, Elder Christofferson is now my District Leader!!! He is now in Posadas and I talk to him almost every-night when we call to give info about how our day was. He said, yep your Mom was in a class of my Dad's and my Dad told me to keep an eye out for you and I KNOW EVERYTHING........of course I was like.....crap.... MOM.....I really hope you didn't share the world with his Dad. ......but I think he was joking...but honestly he is a REALLY great District leader......REALLY positive and always cheerful which is a huge deal for us because we are reporting our numbers & progress everynight to our District Leader.

I am hapy to say that I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the second time in my mission and am working hard on finishing my 3rd!! I hope ya'll like the pictures!! IN one of these pictures I am holding a giant dead iguana which is NOT someone's pet!! They are in their natural environment here and running around everywhere!! One of the members here is a firewoman (pretty awesome) and we are teaching a coworker of her's. Anyways, one of the fireman found this iguana and of course I was like.....when am I going to have the chance to take a picture like this again?? My Companion just about died but I was like...TAKE THE PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!

This past week we had some really special teaching moments and miracles and I am praying that we are going to baptize these really special investigators. We also had some really hard things happen this past week. First off our chicka (with a baptismal date) said her Mother is afraid of us!!! Now her Mother no longer lets us past into their home......I have no idea what happened but her Mother said that she feels something she doesn't understand when we are there in the home and she is afraid of us now. Seriously....its like we are working soooo hard and Satan is working just as hard to screw us up. This chicka who is 18 investigated the church for many years starting when she was 11. But now we can't even go to her house to teach her. We are praying that things will get better!

We had an amazing experience with an investigator who had been investigating the church FOREVER. I seriously love this Lady and we have had some wild challenges with her but we had the most amazing teaching experience with her that I've ever had so far in my mission. I don´t know why but she starting sharing dreams with us that she has had. She began talking about in her dream how she was at this giant beautiful door and she was able to pass and walk in but there were other people who wanted to enter but they couldn't. She said the inside of this building was more beautiful than everything she has seen and all the beautiful tiny details everywhere.

There was a person who was helping her around and showing her the areas in this beautiful place. She said it was almost more beautiful than anything in this world She said that she knew everyone in this place and how she felt enlightened & freed in this place. She also talked about how she was wearing this beautiful dress and the beautiful details in her dress. I couldn't understand everything as she was talking but I began crying as she was talking about this place. My Companion asked her what color her dress was. Our investigator looked at us and said WHITE....my dress was white.

I just started bawling when she said this. She talked about how the person who was helping her around showed her another door that led to the outside world and she said that outside of this door...she saw all the horrible things in the world that existed outside of this special place. Our investigator said that she didn't think this place existed in this world. My Companion looked at her and said.....You are talking about the Temple......I pulled out the picture of Cessily, Mom and I standing in front of the Temple and said, "This is the building in your dream....it exists and you can go to this place in this life." I have never felt the Spirit so strongly in a lesson before. There are many other details in her dream which I don't have time to write but it was a really special experience.

We have another investigator who is 18 yrs old and he just moved here to be a firefighter and he is really special and another Miracle and a witness of how God prepared people for you to teach. His story is really sad but he is prepared for truth. He actually lives like a member of the church. He doesn't drink or smoke and go out with the chicks in town. He is facing a lot of persecution in work because the other fireman want him to do these things. They actually robbed him and stole his cellphone and money in his bag. But he is still having the lessons with us and coming to church. He actually had a horrible accident before church last week and thank goodness we had a fast because he was still able to come to church. He actually fell down the stairs at the firehouse and couldn't feel his toes......he was rushed to the hospital and still came to church!!!!

This was our special miracle this past week. I have to say that these past months in Ituzaingo have been really hard but I know that I am here for a reason and I have learned so much. Like how unimportant things of the world are. There are families here with nothing but they are soo happy and love each other. There are husbands and wives who can't afford to buy a wedding ring but its not important. Now I'm like....heck....you can buy me a ring from Walmart. Who cares?? If you are with the one you love & your family....those things are not important and your happiness is not dependant on things like this. Anyway yep.....I'm grateful for my time here and everything that I've learned....I love you all and pray always for my family!! ! Love hermana anna michelle schmidt

December 6th:

Hey family!!! Happy to hear that everyone is doing better!!! I'm happy to hear that Cessily is doing better, Liesel is going to have a girl and that Mom, Dad and Johnny are doing okay despite a really serious car serious accident. What's really interesting is that I had a blessing a while ago here that was for some other things and in the blessing the Elder said.....DO NOT WORRY about your family.....they are going to be okay. Afterwards I was like thinking.....What? I never said anything about my family but okay...thats great. This blessing came to my mind after I found out about the accident. Its interesting how Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need to hear.

I had a very interesting week. I was in Posadas for 2 days for a huge training session for the missions who are leaders. Normally its only like Zone and District leaders with Presidente Castillo for like 4 days training and learning how to be better. But this time Presidente wanted all the Senor Companions to come with their Companions so that included us. But yeah I was pretty terrified because it was A TON of practices with Presidente Castillo. In English how scary.......in Spanish...REALLY scary. BUT.....I actually did really well and I was a little frustrated because he kept making me practice and forced me to leave my comfort zone which I know is good for me. I need to overcome my problem of my huge fear of being in new situations and messing up or failing. You're not going to grow if you are always comfortable........so yep it turned out to be a really good experience and actually a lot of the Elders said my spanish was good for 8 months and other good things.

My Companion and I are thrilled because we received money from the mission and bought all the new things for our apartment that President wanted us to buy! We now have a new stove with 4 working burners and an oven!!!!!!!!! We got all the electrical and bathroom stuff fixed and now we have light in our tiny kitchen for the first time in FOREVER.....soooo we are thrilled and I made delicious veggie and cheese empanadas for the first time that we are going to cook in our new oven!! But yeah on to the important things.....we are working hard to have baptisms here in Ituzaingo. There are many people that we could baptize but you would not believe the problems that come up. Satan is working just as hard as we are.

There are some huge things that I have learned in my 7 months here in my mission in Ituzaingo. First off I finally understand the importance of the Priesthood for the first time in my life. Without...the church wouldn't exist and we couldn't be together with our families forever. This is a huge problem here.........there are very few worthy men with the Priesthood. I've realized now how much I want to have a family with a man who is a worthy, strong Priesthood holder because I've seen the damage that can be caused here in my Mission by the men who are not worthy or doing their part.

I've also realized how blessed I am to have a family who has been to the temple. I miss the Temple soooo much but as a Missionary how awesome is it that I can help people go to the Temple and have an Eternal family. For the first time in my Life I'm seeing blessings that I didn't know that I have. I'm realizing how blessed my life is and sometimes I feel so helpless because of my weaknesses. But I think about Ether 12:27 how if we will come to the Savior he will show us our weaknesses and make them into strengths. I'm still working on allowing the Savior to heal me and understanding the atonement. Anyways, I have more interesting stories but am out of time!! I love you all and pray everyday for all of my family!! Dad & MOM & Johnny I love ya´ll so much!! Laura...it´ll be soo awesome for us to both go to graduate school in Utah together one day after my mission!!! Les Quiero mucho! Love Hermana Anna Schmidt

December 13th:

Hey Everyone!!!! SO I've got some big news...first off I am pleased to say that the horrible dog who chased my companion down the street while I jumped on top of a car.......remember him?? Well this dog is soooo horrible that the neighbors of our investigater actually put posion in the dog's food and he DIED!!!!! How crazy is that??!!! Now we no longer have fear to come near this house and teach our investigator.

But I have some bigger more important news...I am going to have a baptism this Saturday!!!!!!!!! Its the long time investigator who dreamed about the temple. We decided to put a date with baptism and she actually said........Can't we do it sooner?? Seriously its a miracle!! I know that the Lord has been preparing this woman FOR YEARS. Honestly I have been wanting to baptize her since we taught her my first transfer here.......Its kinda funny because I think she looks like a relative....she's tall, blonde and has eyes like Grandma Schmidt....there are not many people here who look like her here.

I sent some pictures a few weeks ago and she is the Lady in the Middle with my Companion and I and I am wearing purple and my hair is curled. She is a woman of incredible faith and its time for her to be baptized.....soooooo I need my family to fast for her PLEASE...... one day this week. She has her interview with Elder Christofferson ( yes...its the nephew of the Apostle ) tomorrow Tuesday in here Ituzaingo at 5 pm and then her baptism is this Saturday at 5:30.........family please pray for my investigator!!! If you want to put her name in the temple....Maria Maciel...please do it and have a fast this week for her!!!!!!!! But yeah.....we have been visiting with her every single day to get her ready and honestly its been really special. I've learned soo much about her and now I understand EVERYTHING.

She really needs to be healed by the Savior and I am soo thrilled that she has finally decided to be baptized.Yesterday we visited with her and she has a really bad cold and a member gave her a blessing of Health and a really special blessing aferwards. The Spirit punched us in the face after this blessing. But yeah I forgot to bring my planner to the Computer and I'm a little frustrated because there were sooo many things that I always write on Mondays in my planner to tell all of you......

This is funny....its starting to get difficult to write in English....I have to correct myself a lot. But yeah I can't believe that I have about 2 weeks and a few days left in Ituzaingo before transfers and Its pretty obvious that I will be leaving...The other areas of our mission are NOT like Ituzaingo at all.......lots of people and noise. But I'm happy to have my Christmas with my Companion Hermana Catricura.

We have been decorating our apartment for Christmas......its not like in the United States where EVERYTHING is covered in decorations.......most people have small little trees on their sidestands with lights and stuff. But yeah we have a little tree and we bought lights and decorations and it looks REALLY good !! I'm going to send pictures next week. It'll be my first Christmas without my family and my last without my family........ON the 31 of this month I will be halfway done with my Mission......WOW...thats crazy.....I feel like there is soo much that I need to change and do still.

But all the Sister missionaries always take a picture on their halfway mark where they look pregnant.......sooo yeah....you'll be recieving that picture in a few weeks I guess. : ) RIght now I´m trying to enjoy my last few weeks here in Ituzaingo...its crazy but I already know that I'm going to miss it here.

I learned and changed a lot here...I now understand better and am grateful for the blessing that I have in my life. There are families that have very little or nothing but they are happy. We have way more than what we need in the United States. I can also see families in the church who have a lot of problems but because they are faithful members of the church they ARE happy. I've realized how I want to have my future home to be like.....strong & centered in the Gospel. I am soo grateful for the Book of Mormon...I am now reading it for the 3rd time in my mission......its amazing how I can recieve answers and feel closer to the Savior.

I am still studying the atonement of the Savior like crazy. There is a member in our Ward who has an amazing story......she was living with a man who was the father of her child. He has a lot of money and they lived in this huge house with everything that she wanted. She started to have the lessons with the MIssionaries and knew the church were true. Her boyfriend didn't want to get married and refused to do it so eventually she left him with her child so that she could live the Law of Chasity and be baptized......this was about 4 yrs ago and last Saturday she was married in the Paraguay Temple to a worthy Priesthood holder. We are also thrilled because her new husbend will bring in some badly needed Priesthood authority to Ituzaingo and of course we are thrilled because now we have a future Bishop whos really going to change this area.....YES!!!!!!!!!! Anywaya My time is up......I love you all and pray often for ALL of you!! love ya Hermana Anna Schmidt p.s. excuse all my spelling mistakes.....I can´t spell in Spanish OR English now