January 4 - Happy 2016!

New Year's Glow Sticks, Our Grapes and Canada Dry, bringing in 2016

It's been a good start to the New Year!
Well in the middle of this week to be honest I suddenly felt super discouraged. These past 3 weeks I felt like I was giving my all, trying to do everything I possibly could to find the people who are ready.  I was keeping lots of hope, mustering all my faith, I felt like I was really doing everything. And we did find lots of new people, but then they would turn out to be not as great as we hoped.  So New Years Eve I was in need of lots of cheering up. 
But then we were blessed with a miracle. Her name is Angelica. She is this awesome super choice reference of one of the members. We taught her the restoration, and she accepted it with such love and such gratitude, she was saying "I knew there had to be prophets on the earth!",.  I felt SO thankful for him because of the missionary work he is doing!
I felt like in that moment, something clicked with me. Our efforts are never wasted. The Lord blesses us in His time. He knows what we are going through and doing for Him, and He will accept our work.  I just needed to learn to be patient, and recognize His hand. I needed to learn that working through the MEMBERS is the BEST way to find new people.
I'm really grateful for this week. We had people at church! a family of 4 whose daughter Isis wants to be baptized but we have to marry the parents, and they aren't as accepting.
and Maribel and Juan Carlos went to church! She is a great investigator, is basically a member now. Her kids got baptized the last cambio, but she had to go through a surgery and get her leg amputated. (that's the only reason she couldn't get baptized earlier) The changes I've seen in her mood in these 3 weeks here in Claveria are incredible. When I first met her, she was really depressed. But through her faith and hope I've seen a light come into her eyes and it's also an incredible example for me, in trusting in the Lord's plan for us in this short mortal life. The gospel has changed everything for her and her family, it's probably the coolest thing to see.

And another great highlight of the new year.. we watched FROZEN. I haven't seen it in forever obviously and I really didn't want to watch it... but I FORGOT how FUNNY it is. I literally was dying laughing with Hermana Lesueur the whole thing. I think for missionaries everything is just a lot funnier too. but man I love that movie.

Oh and the new year was great. at midnight my companion and I ate our grapes. Its a tradition here.. you have to eat 12 grapes and say 12 wishes every time the clock sounds. we don't have a clock that dongs so we tried eating one every second and that DOESN'T work. at all haha its way too fast. so then we tried again when Hermana Benito´s watch hit 12. it was a disaster too, but I think I got at least 6 of the 12 wishes in :) oh and then Hermana Benito played aud lang sin? (the new years song I can't remember what its called) on the cello. that was great too.

I can play the Cello

I'm really excited for the new year! it will bring lots of changes, lots of new things!

my resolutions:

1.keep meditizando 1 scripture a week

2 read the New Testament, Jesus el Cristo, and D and C cover to cover

3 pray always during the day in my heart (like one of the 70 in general conf, cant remember her name but I think he's from Germany)

4 develop more discipline

5 be the 4th missionary (also comes from a talk..)

and I've got some others too. but just a few haha

I love you all so much! Happy New Year

Hermana Schneider