Mish Pics

Silly Toys

Okay so as for me! Not much has happpened since the last time I wrote but I did have a little epiphany yesterday I can share with you! We had just gotten done teaching an investigator and I couldnt really understand what she was saying and we were talking about teaching people not lessons and making our lessons be able to fit our investigators need! I was thinking how can I do that when I dont know what she is saying and I dont know what she needs! I was just really down on myself becuase I dont know the language yet! Then I remembered.. wait. Ive only been here for a little over 2 weeks! Of course I can't speak the languauge! I need to start being more pround of the things that I can do! Like yesterday we did our whole lesson without notes for the first time! It was a little rocky but we did it!! And then I realized how awesome that is! So the moral of the story is I need to not be so hard on myself but proud of the things that I am doing! Portuguese will come! I just need to have more faith in my learning! Class time is long but I am enjoying it! I really like learning the language but I am having some trouble focusing in class... when our teacher isnt there its just so easy to not do anything! And we love playing games as a district so im often distracted by the elders... They are just so fun! We really like playing with toys in class so if you feel like sending me something send something fun! we like bouncy balls and rubber bands! any silly toys! Oh and some salt and vinigar chips they dont have any here! haha Well my time is up! But I love you guys soooooooooooo much! Thank you for all the love and support you give me! The letters from you guys keep me going! I dont really get any from friends so thanks for always being awesome!

EU AMO VOCES!!!!! have a good week and remember....


A INGREJA E VERDIDEIRA!!!! :) Eu sei que Jesus Cristo e meu salvador!!!


MUAH!

Feliz Natal!

FELIZ NATAL!! From the MTC! Ive offical been here for 2 weeks! It has gone by so slow yet so fast all at the same time!! I am learning alot here and i am so blessed to have the opportunity to grow. For Christmas we have been kind of spoiled! We get to watch 2 movies, had a devotional with Russell M. Nelson, and another one with Greg Olsen. That should be pretty cool! So these past 2 weeks have been so crazy! From the moment I walked into my classroom my teacher started speaking Portuguese at us and she rarley speaks english! It was so scary at first but now I can pretty much get what she is telling me, most the time at least! She uses her hands alot and point to stuff so we can understand! Minha Compeniera is awesome!! She is from Lancaster, California and we get along so well! We are birthday twins so that makes it so much better! My whole district it awesome! There are 11 of us missionarios that go to class together and its pretty much a party everyday! you know me! ;) haha but we also do alot of learning together and growing. I am inspired by their testimonies everyday!

I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be here! Although I miss everyone so much just know that I am soo happy! I love learning about the gospel and preparing to teach the people in Brasil! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as you celebrated the birth of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.

I will just end with my testimunho Eu Sei que a ingreja de Jesus Cristo e verdiderio! Eu Sei com tudo coracao que Cristo es meu salvador. Eu amor o livro de mormon e arrepreder muito from its pages! Eu amor voces muito!!! En no nome de Jesus Cristo Amen.

Love, your missionary Sister Schwitters!

P.S. Dont forget to write me! I love recieve letters and emails! My p-day is friday so thats when I can reply! Feliz Natal and a happy new year!!!

The Trap

I love everyone! I’m doing great here learning a lot! And having fun of course! Write me letters and I’ll tell you more J

So Sunday was really awesome! We had Sister Dalton speak to us in relief society! She was soooo good! She talked about how important we are in missionary work! As sisters that is. She said that in like March there will be 2000 sister missionaries in the Provo MTC! Crazy right?! We had sacrament meeting with our branch and that was fun! Everyone speaks Portuguese although some are going to Brazil, Portugal, and Africa! They are all really awesome though! There are only 8 sisters in the branch so that’s fun.... we get to deal with lots of elders! Yay us! haha We also had a devotional Sunday night and the president of administration or something at the MTC spoke to us! That was super awesome!

So this week has been really good! We just finished teaching our investigator! He is getting baptized January 5th!!! haha we know he's not really an investigator but we were just really excited that he said yes!! Still can’t understand what he says... but its okay! We'll get it eventually! haha I am struggling with the language right now but I think I just need to be better about studying! My district is really awesome! and distracting...,. haha I think we may be having a little too much fun! haha all the missionaries in my branch are really fun so they are always outside the hall doing crazy stuff. We call it the trap because it keeps us from studying because we leave the classroom and participate in the fun! haha In my district 6 of us are going to Sao Paulo and 2 are going to Campinas, and 3 to Cuiaba. So we are going to be really sad when we go to our different missions. I have been seeing a lot of people! Sister Davis always tells me that I see someone new that I know like every day! haha I saw Tyler Evans, Paul Krey, Ryan, and Jill Sudweeks! She isn’t even in the MTC but I saw her by the temple! haha It was pretty crazy!

I love you guys!

Tchao!!!! :)

First Day

Usually Shaelie will write a letter directly for me to post on the blog, but her first few days were too busy, so she only had time to write a few personal letters to family. I am going to share some parts of the letter she wrote me. Enjoy!

Saturday December 15, 2012
"So, I have to tell you everything about the first day?! haha It was pretty overwhelming but still awesome! When I left mom and dad an elder took my luggage and I went and got my name tag, room key, and all that jazz, then I met up with a sister who went with me to pick up all my materials. We dropped my stuff off then headed to my classroom. My teacher immediately started speaking portuguese! From the moment I walked in the door they didn't speak English for the next two hours! It was pretty crazy! She speaks a little bit now, but for the most part she only uses Portuguese! We met the MTC Presidency, they're awesome, had a little teaching experience where we all taught an investegator together as a group. Then we met some people from our branch and our coordinating sister. There was a lot that happened that day. The last few have been much better. I'm learning a lot of Portuguese. Last night my companion and I had to teach our first "investegator" in the language! That was SO SCARY! We totally sucked and couldn't understand anything he was saying, but I guess everyone does bad so its okay. :-)
My companion's name is Sister Davis. She is awesome. We get along really well! She is from Lancaster and is an awesome missionary! I love her already! In our district we have three sister comps and two elder comps (although one is a trio), so there are 11 of us total. All of us sisters share a room and everyone is way cool. We are all really easy going.
My favorite part about the MTC is probably the teachers. They are so awesome! The worst part is for sure the showers! They totally suck. The building we live in is like under construction so its got like wires coming out of the ceiling and stuff. Its pretty ghetto! haha
It feels pretty Christmasy here! They have lights up everywhere and its currently snowing, so thats pretty fun! If you want to send me email, you have to send it to shaelie.schwitters@myldsmail.com. I can't use any others. Keep the letters coming! Love you all!"

Sister Schwitters

Big Red Suitcase

Sister Schwitters entering the Provo MTC, 1:00pm, December 12, 2012. You can't miss that big red suitcase. No tears... just smiles. And anxiety. This is Brandi by the way (her sister). I'll be keeping her blog up. I will mostly be posting her letters on here and any pictures she sends. But occasionally you'll get an editorial from me :-)
Shaelie had a fantastic little farewell. Her talks (in both the Brentwood 1st Ward and YSA Ward) were just fabulous. If you're reading this, chances are you know Shaelie pretty well, so I don't have to tell you how unbelievably unique and powerful Shaelie and her spirit are. She is just amazing. There is no other way to put it. She was set apart on Monday evening at the Rio Grande building in Antioch. We went out for her choice, Chef Chens, as a family with a few friends. Everyone there in the room when she got set apart shared a few thoughts and their testimony. She left on the road with mom and dad early Tuesday morning headed for Provo. She was supposed to enter the Brazil MTC, but her visa has yet to come. They stayed at our brothers house and went out to Tucanos Brazillian Grille for her last dinner out. Before going into the MTC, a Cafe Rio stop was a must! I talked to her on the phone about 15 minutes before she went in. I asked her... "Are you nervous?" Her reply: "Heck ya! I feel like I'm going to throw up. I've felt like I'm going to throw up all day. I know as soon as I get through this first day, I'll be all good. Its just the unknown."
So there you go! She is officially checked in and able to receive letters! So don't forget to write!!

And she's off!

Well what a great weekend it has been! The past 2 days have been filled with so much love and sentiment. On sunday I had the privilage of speaking in not only my home ward but also my YSA ward. I thought that both went pretty well (at least for planning them 2 hours before church... haha classic shaelie the winger!) But the highlight of the day for me had to be when my friends and ward family got up and sang one of my favorite songs, Come Thou Fount. It was so touch and loving I couldnt help but cry the moment they stood up! and it continued about through the whole of my talk! haha but It was just so wonderful and I am so grateful for that. It truely was the best gift they could have given me! :)

That night was also my open house. Again I was overwhelmed but the outpouring of love that I felt. I am so thankful for everyone who was able to stop by and say hello! I know that I will be blessed on my mission becuase of all the people here at home praying for my. I am so lucky to have so many awesome friends and family who have always been there for me and supported me! So thank you for helping get me to where I am today.

And finally tonight I was officially set apart as a missionary! Wow! What a special experience that was! I am again so fortunate to have a wonderful Stake President who gave me such a beautiful blessing and the words of family members who love me was so uplifting! I am heading off with more confidence becuase of he powerful words and testimonies given. I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the right path for me. I love this gospel and this church so much I cannot wait to share it with the people of Brazil!! On my facebook will be posted my address so be sure to write me so that I can know how everyone is doing! Your stories and experiences will help me as I teach others so dont be bashful!!

To end I just want to share the testimony that I read during my talk in my home ward. Although this was written over 2 years ago everything in it is still 100% true and I couldnt put it better any other way! I Love you all and thank you so so much for all the love and support! :)

"It is the 3rd of October 2010 and I am sitting in the Sacred Grove in Palmyra, New York. It was in this place that a young Joseph Smith got on his knees and prayed that he would know what church to join. It was in this place that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ apeared to Joseph and told him what he was to do. And it is in this place that I will share my testimony. I know without a doubt in my heart that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints is the one and only true church on the earth today. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God sent to this earth to bring the gospel back to its inhabitants. I know that Thomas S. Monson and all those before him are latter day prophets and that they are inspired of God to teach us that which we should know. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that if we ready it prayerfully we will find truth and guidence in its pages. I have been inspired by the scriptures and have found answers I was searching for in them. I know that Jesus Christ my brother, Lord, and friend knows me personally and that he died so that I may be able to repent for my sins and live with him and our Heavenly Father for eternity. I know that the plan of salvation is true and through the knowledge of it I hvae found peace and guidance. I am so eternally greatful that I have been given such a wonderful family who loves me as the savior does and I know that through rightousness I will be able be with them in the Celestial Kingdom. I am filled with love as I think of all that has been sacrificed so that I may know all that I have written here today and I know that I will one day be able to repay all those who helped me gain this testimony. Again I know with all my being that this is the true and everlasting Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And it is in Him that I come to know all that I am and can be. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen."

Shaelie Schwitters