Wanna hear something funny? I was studying this week, and I looked in the Bible Dictionary for something, and I found Mercedes hair in my Bible Dictionary! Haha! I started taking it out, but it made me so happy that I decided to leave it in there for next time :)
So this week was awesome! It might have been my hardest week so far, but also a really good one! So let's start with Tuesday: We sang in the choir, and got to see Elder D. Todd Christofferson speak!!! It was incredible. I felt so bad though, because I was drowsy for the first like 2/3 of the talk! Ah! It reminded me of that time that I was falling asleep when that General Authority spoke in our stake and I was on the screen. But anyways, for the part that I was attentive for, it was incredible. He shared a David O. McKay quote that went something like, "It is better to be trusted than loved." So true. I was thinking about that, and how especially in leadership positions, it is drastically more important for Heavenly Father to be able to know that He can trust us rather than for us to be loved by those around us. And then just like when Elder Anderson bore his testimony of the Savior, it was incredible when Elder Christofferson bore his. I can't remember everything he said, but I remember how I felt. I felt a confirmation from the Spirit that Elder Christofferson truly is a prophet, that he does have an apostolic witness of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ is real and He is our Savior, and that He is resurrected, and that through Him we are healed. It is incredible hearing their testimonies. It's my favorite part of their talks. :)
Wednesday and Thursday were good! I had this really cool experience with one of our "investigators." Our teacher role played as Fjorela (pronounced Fyorela), and she is a muslim young adult going to school to be a gymnast. We "contacted" her on the street, and in like our second lesson, we were talking about Jesus Christ. And at one point, she said (I think), "Kush është ai?" Which means "Who is he?" Woah. This person just asked who Jesus is, which is crazy to think that someone knows almost nothing about Jesus Christ. So I began by saying that "Jezu Krishtit është Birit të Perëndisë." (Jesus Christ is the Son of God.) And then went on to share that through him, we can be freed from sin, and that he suffered for our sins. It was just super meaningful to explain to someone who Jesus Christ is, and it helped me to be grateful for what I know and for the relationship and love I have for my Savior. I have a feeling I'm really going to like teaching Muslims, because they seem like such nice people, and we get to teach about the divinity of the Savior, which is AWESOME.
Then we had TRC on Friday, and that rocked, because it was with a real Albanian! It was over Skype, and we got to give her like a 30 minute lesson! And guess who works at the MTC. Jacob Scoville! And he was in charge of setting up our TRC, so we got to hang out a little bit! TRC was super fun, and cool to see that Albania is actually a real place, and Albanians are a real thing, and our member we got to talk to was so cool! Her name is Mimoza, and she was actually taught by one of our teachers here at the MTC! We would ask her a question, (our lesson was on Service and Missionary Work from Lesson 5 of PMG) and she would talk for no joke, like 7 minutes straight. It was incredible. We asked her a question, and after her first comment, I was like, "Ai ishtë gjithë mesimi." (That was the whole lesson.") She just laughed, and we kept going. But seriously, she has such a zeal for this gospel and for this work, that it was amazing to teach and be taught her! It was just a little rough, because I didn't understand a whole bunch, but I was able to communicate at least and teach a lesson!
So yesterday, out of nowhere, Elder M. Russell Ballard showed up and spoke to us for our devotional! Oh and before that, I had just kind of been having a rough day, so it was awesome to hear him speak. And this time, I didn't fall asleep! (Yase! *The Masked Avenger*, by the way, there is Elder in the other Albanian district that loves Balloon Shop, and we quote the Alex and Derrick videos all the time, and sometimes he pretends to shoot me like Thomas does in that one video and I pretend to die. It makes me happy.) He started, and he said that he didn't really have anything planned, and that if he had anything worthwhile to say, it was because the Spirit prompted him to. It was great. There was a part at the end that I liked. He said that he doesn't think we realize how difficult it is being an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was saying sometimes people ask him if it's hard. "Yes." Also, if he ever gets tired, and he said, "I'm tired right now!" But he bore testimony that as you bear testimony of Jesus Christ, it will become a part of you and help you. That was pretty much exactly what I needed to hear. These men who Jesus Christ has chosen to lead his church are incredible. They have so much faith, and it is because of their own agency that they are disciples. They choose to have faith and choose to believe. They are like you and I, but have chosen to follow the Savior in all things. I want to be like them.
Ok, one of the craziest things happened this week. I Jared Herald's little brother from Texas!!!! Do you remember the Herald's!? Conrad used to be friends with Jared, I think. He is from Allen Texas, and knows John Benion (the kid that said Darth Vader is rude), John Taylor (that weird one i used to hang out with that in my mind is eternally wearing sweat pants and has bruises on his forehead. By the way, he's going on a mission to somewhere in Mexico!), River Terry (my first best friend), Brenden Hart, and even Destiny Osbourne! It was wild. It was like a blast from the past, because he was telling me that he went to Vaughan Elementary, and all these things and naming off those people, and I felt like I was in a dream, and also like that part of my life where we lived in Texas was a dream, because it was so long ago, and I only vaguely remember it! Isn't that crazy though!?!? I'll send a picture. It was interesting, because I had met him like a week before with Elder Robinson, the elder from Jamaica, because we were looking for some missionaries going to Jamaica. At the time, I was a little bit upset, because Elder Robinson was taking a long time to find them, and it was during study time, and so I was getting a little bit impatient. So we started talking to these Elders, one of which was Elder Harrold, and I just wanted to go study, so I didn't really say much, and then two weeks later I realize that Elder Harold is from Texas, and I was freaking out when I found that out! I'm telling you this, just because I realized that because I was letting myself get a little bit impatient, and I was not happy, I almost missed the opportunity to talk to Elder Harold, which made me super happy. So don't let your circumstances put you in a bad mood, because you may just meet someone, do something, or have a thought or impression that will change you.
Dad, we chatted, so I
Mom, I'm glad you're feeling better and that nobody died! I hope you know that I'm praying for you each night! Thank you so much for the package! I love the shoes! I haven't used them for exercise, but they fit like perfectly, and I like how they look, so they're great!! Thanks so much! I'll ask around to see if anybody hasn't gotten a package yet, but I think they all have. That is so sweet of you, Momma! You're the best! Oh, and yes, some of the missionaries did write Claire some messages in one of my emails! She said she liked them :) Also, she sent me a package :) :) With a shirt and pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and multi-grain tortilla chips :) :) :) Oh and haha I don't remember saying we're having a competition for the most packages, haha but there is this one elder who got like 3 in one day last week! Craziness. I love you a lot Momma. I pray for ya each night.
Jessie, You are the best! I can't believe how many letters and Dear Elders you send! I love getting those so much! Thanks so much! Also, in this picture I'm sending, I'm wearing my yak wool! Ok, and you have 26 credits? You're a madwoman. An inspiring madwoman. And 4 fitness classes, and Relief Society president. Ç'fare!? I know you can do it though, Jess, and your faith inspires me. You can bet I'm praying for you too :) Also, check out the new Meet the Mormons movie when it comes out, because there is this story about this horsetrainer guy that I bet you're gonna love! Also, I can just imagine you marrying someone like that guy, because he's so cool.
Conrad, Dude, How's the lady-life? Also, can somebody send me some family history stories? I would really like some interesting and faith-promoting stories I can share with people, because I totally believe that Family History is a super good way to meet people and get them interested in the church. That would be great. I miss you man. Missions are so cool. What a concept.
Dan, you sound like a new person from your email! I love everything you said. It made me so happy! Like really, really happy just to hear that you are loving Seminary, and that your testimony is growing and that you think Jesus is so great! And I'm so happy that you read almost every day! I'm so happy for you, and your email made me so happy! Thank you for your example to me, buddy. Conrad and I learn so much from you. Thank you for your advice about not missing you all too! Because I have been missing you all a bit, but that helped. Seriously. I love you, buddy. And Ben Rector a lot. They have a rule here that we aren't supposed to sing non-churchy things, so I've been dying a little bit.
Also, thanks for the packages so much! I took pictures of us with them! I about died when I saw those olives. Too funny. And were those plums from our tree!? I love you all! Do any of you want a shirt? They have some cool ADS mission shirts here, and I think you can buy them, or I can buy them for you and have them shipped to the house! I'll send pictures.
Ju dua shume!!!!!!
-Elder Schneider
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