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

November 15th email and pictures!

Hello family! I am finally sending pictures!! Enjoy!! The person in the photo with the bike was my trainer Hermana Carlosr! Just so you know who is who. Another week has gone by and we have transfers tuesday night but I'm pretty sure that I'll be here for another 6 weeks but who knows???

Well I have had a very eventful week!! First off I have to say that I have had my first experience where someone has thrown things at me because I'm a missionary!! My Companion and I were walking home through the neighborhood where our church is and our apartment. We walked by these teenagers and a few minutes later I could here rock flying through the air and hitting the pavement around us. I turned and looked and the teenagers were throwing rocks at us behind a bush and I saw one of them throwing rocks with all his might at our heads!!!!!!!! yep.....I was pretty horrified because we're Sister missionaries!!!!! But yeah.......the more we suffer, the more blessings that we will recieve so bring on the persecution......

But yeah I had some interesting experiences this past week. First off.....we had Conferencia de Zona in Posadas this past week. It was REALLY awesome and I recievered some big answers. Also it was awesome cause I got to see Elder Meeks from my District in the MTC. I am trying really hard not to compare myself to the others in my District or compare my area and think how much better theirs is. Almost all of them have LOTS of batipsms except for one in Corrientes in the Capital.

I'm in Ituzaingo COrrientes which is a tiny vacation town with a beach in the middle of no where. Honestly I think the state of Corrientes is the only State in Argentina that doesn't have a stake. But that's okay because Missionaries are here to help. I learned in Conference that its the faith of the missionaries that converts the investigators......interesting...huh??

Presidente Castillo said that if you don't want to work or you´re bored.......its because you're not obedient and don't have the Spirit. The Spirit brings us these desires.......be obedient and work has hard as you can and whatever problems you have will pass and you won´t want to leave your mission at the end.

But yeah there were alot of other things that were really powerful and my Companion and I left with a desire to do MUCH MUCH better in our area. Our numbers were soooo good the next 3 days after Conferience that we actually did better than our goals that we had set!!!!! One day we were sitting in the bus and this man looked at us and in my mind I heard.......talk to him....and of course my Companion and I were exhausted.....we were in the bus to head to the farthest part of Ituzaingo where its the poorest. My Companion was sleeping and so was I but the thought to talk to this man kept nagging me........so I sat up and watched for when he was going to leave the bus.......I whispered to my companion that I need to talk to him and when he got off....I ran off of that bus like crazy. I talked to him and asked if we could visit and teach him.

He said yes and later we passed by his house where he was sitting with his wife outside. His wife listens to ALL missionaries who pass by and she is special. She said that her husband normally does not listen to Misionaries but that we can pass by anytime and he said that he would listen!! Because I listened to a prompting we had 2 new investigators that day! We also had a miracle on Sunday where a woman who has ben investigating the church forever actually went to church!!!!!!! SHe has never been to church while I´ve been here and its been a REALLY long time since she has attended. So I actually cried when I saw her come with a member. She always says that she'll come but never does.

I've been teaching her for a really long time here and she actually told us about 2 months ago that she doesn't want to listen anymore and it broke my heart because she knows the church is true but is hard-headed. Her neighbors refused to talk to her and started creating problems because she was visitig with us. So she wouldn't even let us enter in her house anymore or open the door! But in the last 4 weeks she started to let us pass by again. But yeah it was a miracle for me and we actually had 4 investigators in the church Sunday. Anyway I have more but for now I've going to send more pictures!! I love you all!!! Keep emailing and writing!! love hermana Anna Schmidt

Emails November 1st & 8th

November 1st:

Hello family! Yep...another week has passed! Yesterday was my 7 months in the mission! WOW....it went by really fast.

This past week was interesting because Argentina had the 2010 Census here and I actually took it. Here is Argentina you have to stay in your house until a person comes to your home and interviews you for information. It was pretty amusing & interesting for me because they ask things like.....do you have a bathroom? DO you know how to read? Obviously it was in Spanish but I was able to do it no problems. To answer your question Laura.....yes I can understand and talk in Spanish......I'm like in the halfway mark of knowing Spanish. But my Companion is helping me alot.

The Sun is REALLY strong here!! We have not hit the high of Summer yet but WOW.....if I go outside....I get a sunburn!!! Now we are seeing alot of snakes in the sand!!!!!!! YIKES!! The other week for our P day we were exploring the beach and the forests along them when we saw a GIANT IGUANA!!! It was almost like those Komodo dragons!!! We were both scared!!!! As a missionary you experience, see and do things that you never thought you would do! Austin told me that!!! Its true!!

On Sunday we went to an investigators house to pick her up.......this investigator has this HORRIBLE dog!!!!! ! Well my Companion had clapped to let them know we were there when we saw this streak of black running for us.......the dog was coming out and running straight for my companion with his teeth out!!! I turned and jumped on top of an abandoned junk car and watched my Companion run like heck down the street!!!! The Dog kept chasing her until she was at the end! I just sat on top of this junk car in my usual missionary-sunday-clothes and was praying to God that my companion was gonna make it without injury. The Dog returned to the junk car.....looked up at me, did nothing and walked back to his house. I jumped off and went running for my Companion. I have never seen my Companion run from a Dog before......it makes it worse.....but I think the Spirit whispered......RUN!!!! Anyway afterwards.....we were laughing soooo hard.....we were both sick!!!! I literally jumped on top of a car to get away from this horrible Dog and just sat there!!!! We're still laughing about it.

But yep.....we are teaching alot and actually have some promising investigators. The stress of the mission and all in pretty severe. What's interesting now.....as I think about my time in the MTC.........how gratful I am for that period of time there and how I got to listen to Apostles of the Lord and just how I began my process of becoming what the Lord wants me to be......now I wished that I had enjoyed it more and not been so stressed about the Language. S

omething I am learning with my Companion is to enjoy my mission.......every rejection......walking in the rain....all of it because it goes by really fast and I won't have this chance again! Anyway I love you all!!!!!! I pray for you all!! love hermana Schmidt

November 8th:

¡Holá mi familia! ¿Como están? We are now in the last week and next tuesday we are going to have transfers. But I think that I have one more tansfer here in Ituzaingó Corrientes!!! Mom.......I got my package!!! THANKYOU but I am sad to say that if you put gum or food in my package......those jerks at customs stole ALL of it!!!! I got all the big stuff you put in my package but if you put food which you said that you did.....they took it! But thats okay!!!! I was so happy to get my package!!!

I have many interesting stories to share from this past week. First off......everyone in Ituzaingó knows where the mormon missionaries live...well we had Jehovah's Witnesses knocking on OUR door this past week...........my Companion said they were lucky that they didn't understand English because I was really mad. They know that we live there...the problem in Ituzaingo is that there are MANY missionaries in this town and they ALL talk smack about the Mormon missionaries to the people...interesting...right?? All the other missionaries here know the mormon missionaries.....ahem.....well my Companion answered the door and the chickas at the door said, ¨hello!!! We are Missionaires and we share a message about the bible..........My Companion looked at them straight in the eyes and said....oh...well...... We´re MIssionaries also......... of THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTERDAY SAINTS AND WE SHARE A MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST........DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST?

In our apartment we have the classic picture of Jesus Christ in the middle of scriptures that I have written in english and spanish. WHen you are at our door.......its starring you straight in the face. The Jehovah´s witnesses gave my Companion a pamphlet and left!!! I was really annoyed because the other missionaries talk trash about us and of course we don't say anything. But my Companion said.......Hermana, Tenemos una cosa que Ellas no tienien......El Espiritú............SIster, we have something that they don´t have....The Spirit!

I felt better after that because I know that she is right!! Another really funny thing in this mission....we are not allowed to wear sunglasses because the people think that the North Americans are SPYS or the CIA.......the stories people say are so funny and ridiclous sometimes!

This past week we were teaching this brother and Sister who have a bunch of dogs and one of them has giant blue eyes!!! There are more Dogs here with blue eyes than people!! Well I was teaching and the Brother is like 22 yrs old looked at me and started laughing......I was really annoyed and was like...whats your problem?? He said.......you have same blue eyes as my Dog!

I was sooo shocked after he said that....that I couldn´t teach and looked at the Companion and said Le toca.......which means your turn!!!!! We laughed a lot about it afterwards. Also I heard the Spanish of Paraguay for the first time!!! Holy crap!!! Its sooo crazy!!! Its sounds like the Spanish version of Japanese!!!!!! There are lots of people from Paraguay in the Northern part of Argentina.

Anyways, I love you all and am proud of all of you!! love hermana anna schmidt

Monday October 25th

Well I made it through another week! The weeks fly by really fast!!! We are on week 4!! Another 2 weeks and transfers but I'm sure I ll still be here with my Companion another transfer.

We are working a lot and exploring others areas here in Ituzaingo. Here there are some REALLY poor neighborhoods that we are visiting and its always a really interesting experience! There are areas that we didn't know existed because the tourist maps don't have these areas on the map! Ituzaingo is about an area away from the state Misiones and about 4 hrs away from other major cities in Corrientes.

But in these really poor areas people are sooo friendly and listen. We always get new investigators when we visit these barrios buts its more than an hour to walk so we have to wait for a bus to go there but the buses for these areas are not every half hr like the rest of Ituzaingo. SO its always an interesting experience. And also becuase I don't look like like ANYONE in these areas. My Companion and I get a lot of unwelcomed attention here in Ituzaingo. But hopefully if we do our best we'll our 5 more baptisms! We are teaching a lot here but the problems is that no one wants to make commitments. SO we are working hard to find people who have a desire to work! Anyways I'm short on time! I love you all! Love hermana anna Schmidt

October 18th

Hey Dad, Mom, Laura. Johnny!!
Yep I am now 25 yrs old and 6 months into my mission and I can already see the effects of my mission in my body and face.........WOW..does your mission age you or what???

I am going to come home looking about 30 yrs old and feel like a million years older. But my birthday was wonderful!!!
My sweet companion talked to the Godoy family (Brother Godoy is the Ward Mission Leader) and we had my birthday lunch with them!! Sister Godoy made this really yummy lunch with homemade pasta with veggies inside and potatoes and meat and it was really good!!!

They also made me a birthday cake from scratch and they gave me a homemade gift!!!!!!! Its this big pink pillo with this beautiful knitted lace!!! It looks like something you would buy in a really nice store for your daughter's bed!!! But it was homemade!!

My Companion bought me this amazing ice-cream cake from Grido which is like the Baskin Robbins of Argentina!! All the ice cream there is amazing andn she created these birthday sign and cut out Happy Birthday Sister Schmidt and made the cutest signs ever!!! Lots of work!!!
But yeah......if you sent it express.....I should get it soon!!!!! Remember I have to wait for my package after it arrives in Argentina and then the Edlers who work in the mission office there send my package and mail to the Elders in Posadas and when we have a District meeting and go to Posadas I;ll get my package!!!!

YEAH!! Anyway My birthday was wonderful and thankyou for your birthday wishes!! I will eventually send a package with pictures and things of Argentina to yall!! I have been collecting some really cool stuff for my family!!

This past Wednesday we had our interviews with the Mission President! Presidente Del Castillo actually came to Ituzaingo and interviewed us in our apartment. It went REALLY well!!!!! I was sooooo nervous and stressed but I just really respect him more and more after I talk to him. I was feeling so discouraged with my area and the language and he had me read this section in Preach my Gospel and it answered every single doubt and frustration I had perfectly. We also talked about how we need to have 5 more baptisms before the end of the year in order to match the number last year.

IN the section in Preach my Gospel that he shared with me...it talked about how I have 2 responsibilities as a missionary:
1. To teach with clarity and
2 Teach with Power.......

now inorder to teach with power we must have the Spirit........The President asked me if I was exactly obedient.........of course I said no.....I'm obedient but not exactly obedient.

My Mission President looked right at me and said, " Hermana, if you are exactly obedient......you WILL have 5 more baptisms BEFORE the end of the year in Ituzaingo" When my mission President said that.......the Spirit literally punched me right in the face and I heard VERY clearly in my head.......ITS TRUE.

I could feel the truth of this statement right to my core. He also asked me who had created all the signs with quotes and inspiring scriptures in our apartment (everytime I read a scripture or quote from the Liahona that I like...I write it on pretty paper in english and spanish and put it up in our apartment side by side.....our walls are covered) of course I said...."I did....all"

Presidente Castillo said........there's your answers........I had written a quote from Dieter F Uckdorf from General Conference about how its your reaction to adversity that determines how your life story turns out.

This is something that I am learning in my mission....how to be happy when things are difficult or miserable.........the happiness of a person it not determined by your life circumstances.......its how you choose to react. With the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be happy and have peace even when things just totally suck in your life. But we need to study and better understand the atonement.

But anyway there were other really wonder things that we talked about but my time is limited and I have other things to say. First off........now I'm pretty sure that I'll be in Ituzaingo for the next transfer after this with my companion. Now my goal is to be exactly obedient so that we can have our 5 baptisms. Also the President was there to check out our apartment which I'm not sure if hes ever been in there before because its a disaster and I'm pleased to say that he's authorized some big changes!!!!!!

TO start with....we will be getting a whole brand new stove with oven!!!!! YEAH!!!! The stoves here use gas and are different then what we have back home.....or at least in this area. But yep......major changes to make the apartment better!!!

Now my Campanion is stressed because all the things we need to do quickly but our aprtment will be sooooooo much better!!! Now we can cook so much better with 4 working burners and an oven!!! Prefect for Christmas together!!!

Also it was funny....because he looked through our closets and told us to buy more hangers to hang up our clothes with. All my stuff is organized but I don't have many hangers so all my skirts are hanging over the bar in my closet. My Companions closet is a disaster......with no hangers. But it was really funny to have my mission President tell me to hang up my clothes......its been a while since my Mom has said that!! But of course the same day we bought hangers and hung up our clothes properly........and yes its better!!!!!!!

I have some really funny stories from my companionfrom teaching other people that I want to share because I just about died laughing when she shared them with me......I have more but for now heres one.......My Companion was teaching the first lesson and had taught about the first vision and José Smith. She asked the investigator about what questions he had. He turned and looked at her and said....." SO God and Jesus Christ are MORMONS? "

Another really funny one was about Micheal Jackson........My Companion had taught about how Jesus Christ has the Priesthood (sacerdocio in spanish) and how he gave the Priesthood to others and how he performed miracles and how because of the atonement of Jesus Christ...we can be resurrected. Well this man had seen the thriller music video where Micheal Jackson is rsied from the dead into a zombie.......and this man said....." OH!!! Micheal Jackson has the priesthood..........he was resurrected"!

Yep.......I´ve got more but for now this will do!! Anyway I love you all and please forward my email to family and friends. By the way.....WHERE ARE MY ADDRESSES??? Beckstrom family and Bret Wink???? also VERY IMPORTANTE!! Please tell Taylor Turner belated happy birthday for me and HOW MUCH I MISS HER!!!!!!!!! love you all!! love hermana anna schmidt

Monday October 9th

Hello everyone! Well my companion and I are still together for this transfer and we have 2 people with dates for baptisms for October 30 so pray for you that everything will work out and we'll get them baptized!

I think this will probably be my last 6 weeks in Ituzaingo but who knows? My Companion is wonderful and I am learning a lot from her. We are trying to help this area and we have seen little miracles here and there. Yes my Spanish has improved a lot and my companion says that I am learning really fast and that my Spanish is as good as her other American companion who has 11 months in the mission. But I still have soo much to learn and its not easy.

I have officially eaten my first weird food in Argentina......cows stomach!!!!!!! We had lunch with our investigator Salvador and he made up a really good dish of food and my companion just about died when he said what it was. She hates cow's stomach with a passion. It was weird but because he prepared it really well with spices and pasta and other things...it was almost like chicken. But I ate it because he is awesome and always wants to help us which is kinda funny because we want to help him!!!!!!!

But yeah........you can bet after my mission I will be returning to my healthy vegan ways soooooo prepare yourselves family for rice milk and dairy free ice cream, fake meat when I return in 1 year!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Note from Laura-oh joy...)

Here's something that I have learned that's interesting......you know how everyone thinks that all Spanish is the same??? Its NOT!! Every Spanish speaking nation has a different version of Spanish and different words!!! We are very close to Paraguay and they speak a total different version of Spanish that Argentines can't understand but they can understand us more or less!!!

In Formosa half of the people there speak paraguan. SO it'll be interesting to experience if I go there. I also have something kind of funny but also sad. I saw my 3rd dead dog in the street about 2 weeks ago! But guess how he died?? He was struck by lighting and he was lying on his back with his legs sticking straight up and eyes wide open like he was frozen and then turned upside down. It was a crazy sight to see!!!!!!!

! I have also become familiar with the smell of something that died. My companion and I cover our noses and gag. We are teaching a lot and trying to help all the inactives and get people to come to church!!! Its not easy but we had a fast Saturday night and the next day Sunday was amazing!

But anyway I'll tell you more about it later! I will be 25 yrs old this Saturday at 10:30 pm! How crazy is that? I am halfway to 30!!!! WOW.......that is really crazy and scary!!! Please tell the Turners Happy Belated Birthday to Taylor Turner and that I really miss her soooooo much!!!!

Also how are the Beckstroms?? Can I please have the addresses I keep asking for the Beckstroms and Bret Wink??? I love you all every much and pray for ya'll A LOT!!! Please pray for my companion as well!! My companion said that her Mom knows all about every companion and prays for them by name and puts their name in the temple!!! My Companion's name is Jessica Catricura!!!! Please pray for us!!! I love you all!! love hermana anna schmidt

6th month mark! Emails from most of September and beinning of October

September 13th:

I saw my first dead dog in the street this past week with my Companion. But I know I'm adjusting when I'm not longer upset by seeing things like this. I actually thought......that dog is better off dead. But anyways sorry!!!!!!!!!

What a sad way to start my email! This past week we worked really hard and pretty much got no results because we didn't have any investigators in church for the first time. We always have at least one! About 2 months ago the President of the Mission said that the Missionaries can't attend church if we don't have investigators in church. So my Companion and I didn't get to have sacrament and we were looking for investigators for 3 hrs to go to church.

Things are hard for my new Companion because my sweet oblivious trainer left everything a disaster here in Ituzaingo. There are problems with our apartment that my trainer never got fixed and other things. But we are working hard to change things! I have some crazy stories to share. One of them involves a catholic priest! We were knocking on doors when this young adult came out and we talked and he said we could visit. Well as we were talking a Catholic Preist ( A Father?) came out of the house!!!! I think he was there to give someone a blessing or something like that! He came right up to us and starting asking my Companion questions like.....whats your name? WHat church? WHO is the son of God? WHo is the Mother of God?

It was really irritating because he knows we are Mormon missionaries and we have black tags right on our shirts. But she looked at him and answered the questions. I looked at him straight in the eye and held my ground. It says right in Preach my Gospel that we have power that he doesn't have. We are the true Restored Gospel in this World. He wasn't mean but it was like he was trying to school us.

What's funny is I'm pretty sure we have the same amount of religious education with years of Seminary in high school and religion classes at BYU and being a member of the church our whole lives. What was funny was later in the week we saw him in a Parade here in Ituziango and he looked at us and I waved at him. When he saw he.....he looked away really fast. Kinda funny! The Catholics here aren't friends with us like the Catholics in the United States.

Anyway another funny story was when we taught this old lady this past week who was really sweet but I think crazy. I was trying so hard not to die laughing because it was almost like something in a movie. She has these 2 Dogs and when she wants them to leave she waves around this stick with like a piece of string tied to it like a whip. I stood there watching this old lady screech at her dogs waving around this stick to get them to leave. She was so sweet but my Companion and I couldn't teach becasue she kept talking and couldn't hear us very well.

I really thought.......I'm in a movie right now.....this isn't reality. But yep my Companion is frustrated here because people here won't say that they´re not interested.....they all say yes!! I want to go to church and blahblah but then they do nothing. IN Ituziango.....just about everyone listens but won't make commitments. IN other places......people straight out say no or actually when they listen...they do their commitments!

SO we are teaching a lot......we have many investigators but very few progressing! But anyway at some point I will be leaving here and I have a strong feeling I'll be heading off to Formosa or some area in Resistencia. I'm basing this on the fact that I had a blessing which described the area I would be in and our Mission is huge.....but based on this blessing....those areas best fit the description. But who knows?? Anyways I am grateful for the support of you all!!!!!!!!!!! If I didn't have your support I don't think I could do this at all. Please try not to change the entire house while I'm gone or get ride of anymore animals until I get back! Seriously I want our house the same!
I love you all!! PLease pray for me....I pray for you all!!! love hermana Anna Schmidt

September 27th:

Please forward this email to all of the family!!! Well............I will start off by saying ITS REALLY HOT!!! Summer hasn't even started yet but its already REALLY hot. We don't have any ceiling fans but we have about 3 giant fans in our apartment that we are using so I can't complain! I shouldn't even complain now because its not even Summer yet.

We had our Reunion de District in Posadas last week and I was able to recieve ALL my mail!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!! Keep writing and keep sending emails. If you want to send me uplifting photocopies of talks in the mail.....I would love it!! Every month the missionaries receive the church magazine Lihona but the Spanish speaking missionaries get it first!! We get our english versions a little later. As far as general conference my companion says the the English missionaries always get to watch it in English in another room but since I'm in Ituzaingo I wonder if I'll get that same chance.

We shall find out...my Companion Hna. Catricura wants to watch it in English too. After her mission she wants to go to BYU in Utah. (Shes from Chile) Anyways......she is absolutely wonderful!!!!! Its interesting how many of our investigators after we teach them and we ask them when we have another appointment....many of them say....TOMORROW???

Its really sweet...its interesting also as companion we can feel the spirit at the exact same time and knows things...its also interesting how when someone is angry how the spirit just leaves the room in a second.

Anyways we are working hard in a difficult area with problems but hopefully with time my Companion and I can change this are and help it. We are teaching some wonderful people who I just want them to receive their answers sooooo BAD!!!!!! If they know the church is true.....they can totally change their lives and have the hope they need to have!!

We have seen some little miracles here and hopefully these peoples' schedule will change so they can go to church cause they want to!!!!!!!
I love you all and I am doing well. I have a lot fo spanish to learn but with time its getting better......who knows?? Maybe one day I'll have an investigator who'll do commitments and be baptized....heehee......love you all!! Love Hna. Anna Schmidt

October 4th:

Hey family! So Tuesday night is when the Elders call to say if you're leaving or not. TRANSFERS!! But I'm pretty sure I'm going to have another transfer here or at least I hope with my companion. We worked hard as usual and had investigators with us in Conference. We had about 5 people in the space of 2 days there with us which is a miracle for my area. I got to watch conference in English of course in another room with my own tv and it was really great!!!!!!

Today we had an activity with the Elders and other Hermanas in Posadas and we went to a chinese resturant and ordered chinese food in spanish.......pretty crazy huh???? But it was REALLY good and my compnaion and I were so happy to get out of Posadas. Anyway Sorry this email is really short but I would like to follow the advice of Jeffery R Holland and say THANKYOU DAD; MOM; LAURA; JONTHAN for being my family. Thankyou Dad for how hard you have always worked to support our family and for always encouraging me to get an education and serve a mission. Thankyou for playing with me fun games! I'm grateful for Grandma and Grandpa Schmidt for their examples and how hard they worked and loved me Thank you Mom for always pushing me to leave my comfort zone and encourage me to develope my talents. Thank you for the awesome summer memories when I was in school and for singing me songs in bed and reading stories. I am most of all grateful that ya´ll always took us to church and insisted on reading scriptures and having family home evening.

Thank you for the vacations and life experiences. Laura and Jonathan, thank you for being my sibling. I always brag about my siblings to all the missionaries. I love you all every much!
-Hna Anna Schmidt