A Very Interesting Week! - email from 16 April 2012

Well this week has literally just sped by. I honestly feel like every day was only one minute long. I don´t know how I´m going to keep up with what´s happening! I´m trying really hard to keep a good journal so that one day I can go back and read what happened because I don´t have time to really realize what´s going on! Time is simply insane on a mission.

So this past Tuesday, God really sent me a great message. :) I am supposed to be here in Negritos. On Tuesday, we found 3 new people that were interested in our message! It´s been a while since we found someone that actually wanted to listen to us, and we found three in one day! I was really so very thankful for that, and it was a great testimony builder that I am supposed to be here for a fourth change. We are going to continue working with these people, as they still have not accepted baptismal dates. However, I know that Heavenly Father guided us specifically to them and that things are going to go out well.

I wanted to tell you about one of the new investigators we met, and a little experience we had. Her name is Maria Bennites Vargas, and she has two children that are both in the equivilant of elementary school. When we knocked on her door she immediately just let us in. Normally when people do that it´s because they listen to everyone. Well, it was the same case with her! However, when we started the lesson, I think both Elder Ramirez and I both felt the spirit directing us as to what message she needed that day. It was one of the best lessons I´ve had because we were able to keep a conversation going the entire time. A lot of times it is difficult to do that because people don´t understand different points to the lesson. Maria understood. We taught her the plan of salvation, and she was able to understand all of it very well.

At the time, we didn´t understand the reason why we taught that lesson. We just knew that was what we needed to teach her. When we went back for the second lesson, she told us why. Her mom died just a few months ago, and she has talked to multiple religions about where her mom has gone. She´s been unsatisfied with every response. She said when we came in and just taught her without her having to ask, she just felt it was true. What a great feeling! At that moment I felt so grateful for the influence of the Holy Ghost in our work. We then began talking a little more about her family, and she said her husband, who is normally anti-religious, has taken the pamphlet we left her and is also interested in our message! She said she had also talked to him about our message, and he seemed really interested!

I´m so excited for this family. The second lesson was something of a miracle too. Her kids were there, running around the entire time, and even screaming a lot. Trying to teach about the Restoration with screaming kids is NOT easy. We got to where I was relating the first vision, something that is very sacred to us, when the dog just started barking REALLY LOUD, right in front of us! Maria got super upset with the kids who were bothering the dog, and for a few minutes we just had to wait. Thankfully, the spirit waited as well. When we finally were able to get back to the lesson, we finished without any other interruptions. I know that God had a hand in that. We gave her two pamphlets this time and set up an appointment to meet with her and her husband. I hope that things go well!

Another great experience we had this week was with Hermano Pedro. When we first showed up to his house, we ended up helping his son with some of his religious homework. It really amazes me how the Catholic high school is having them do this work! The questions were about Acts and the orginal church that Christ organized here on Earth. It simply doesn´t make sense to me that they study the church that Christ organized, with a prophet and apostles, living the commandments of tithing, baptism, confirmation, and even talking about the authority, yet they can still say the Catholic church is true today. Simply astounds me. When we helped him with his homework, we told him exactly what the Bible says! The church needs to have authority like the apostles had, and we need to be baptised and confirmed by the laying on of hands. However, he still doesn´t want to accept what we´re teaching. That´s ok!

After that little experience, we taught Pedro about Lehi´s Dream. It really was a great lesson where we talked about how he could take the first step, he could be the first to be baptised and his family would follow. We also talked about how he has received his answer. He agreed with us that he feels like he has received an answer, but when I tried to set a baptismal date he said he wanted another answer, this time as a strong feeling, something he couldn´t deny. Well...try as we might, we can´t change that desire. He wants that strong sign from God before taking this step. We told him that he could receive confirmation of the answer, but he has to do his part: read, pray, and attend church. However, he didn´t attend church yesterday. :( Not sure what happened because on Saturday he and his wife both said they would come. Oh well, we´ll keep following up with them!

My third experience this week really made me quite sad. It started Sunday afternoon when we went to visit Doraliza. She wasn´t there, but on our way back she flagged us down from a moto and we followed her back to her house. After a quick lesson, her non member friend came in, and we also talked to her for a while. I think it was all timing for what happened next. When we did leave, and were walking down a main street to go back towards our pensionista for dinner, I saw a SUPER drunk guy trying to walk home. When I say trying, I mean it. He could not tell his right from his left, and I could barely believe he was making any progress at all. At a certain point in the sidewalk, there are about four steps up, and they´re pretty high steps! He was on the other side of the street, and we were a little behind him when I saw him try them for the first time. He got about halfway and then fell back down, but managed to catch himself. Something inside me told me he was not going to make it the second time, and I was right. The second time he tried he tripped and ended up falling back and hitting his head, HARD on the pavement, where he stopped moving. We ran over, and he was out cold. When we started to try to see if we could get him to sit up, we noticed that he had cracked the back of his head open and was bleeding.

My companion ended up getting blood all over his white shirt as we leaned him up against a concrete wall. The man came too and began telling us to go away, that he was catholic and would always be catholic. (funny how they still have that line even when they are completely hammered) We tried to tell him multiple times that his head was cracked open but he couldn´t tell and just wanted us to leave him to walk home, which was probably about 3/4 of a mile away. We refused, and showed him the blood that was all over his shirt.

While we were arguing with him, trying to get him to realize that he was hurt and needed to get a car or something to his house, people just kept passing us by. We finally got a moto to stop, and they even told us they knew the man. They said they would run and get someone real quick but they left and didn´t come back. Finally I told my companion, look no one is going to come. By that point the man had stood up and we were still fighting him to try to get him to wait for a car. He was just too stubborn. Finally, another moto passed by, this time an empty one. We flagged it down, and took the man to his house. However, his sister was not home, so we ended up having to leave him by himself there. His neighbor was kind enough to tell us, ¨ya, he lives there. Just let him be.¨ as blood was still coming from his head.

It really makes me sad to think that someone would drink so much that their mind just is not there at all. It makes me even more sad that a man can fall like that, in the middle of a street, and no one even tries to help him. I know that Heavenly Father put us there at that time so that we could help him, even if all we could do is make sure he gets to his house ok. The problem is that this is just NORMAL for everyone. People get hammered every weekend, so seeing someone like that walk down the street just isn´t a big deal at all. It makes me sad, and makes it so much more important to me to try to give people the gift of the gospel in their lives, so they don´t have to wake up every Monday with a gash in the back of their head and a huge headache.

So anyway, that´s what I was up to this week! Oh! I also had an AWESOME suprise! Elder Foutz sent me a package this week full of candies!!! Thank you!! It was an awesome!! Kinda crazy to think that from the original 4 that were here in Negritos, I´m the last one here! Changes sure happen quickly on the mission!

I hope you all know that I love you! Thank you all for your continued support and love. I am so grateful for all the letters and prayers I get from you all! I know that I am so blessed to have a great family behind me. I look forward to talking to you in another month! I´m pretty sure it will be the second Sunday of May, and I will be able to use Skype again. :) I look forward to it!

Love you all!

Elder Schofield

Four Changes in Negritos! - Email from 9 April

Well, we found out our changes today and I´m staying in Negritos with Elder Ramirez! It´s really hard to believe that I´m going to spend more than 5 months in my first area! Not going to lie, I have knocked every single door in this area now...many of them two or three times! That´s ok. :) Heavenly Father is always preparing people, and I know that He is the one that decides the changes, not President Chipman or the assistants, it´s God who is directing this work. I only hope and pray that I can continue working diligently in order to find and bring more people unto Christ. Sometimes it´s hard, not going to lie, looking up and down the streets and remembering knocking every single door and wondering, ´where should I go know? Which door should I knock again?´ However, I´m learning that I can knock the same doors over and over again, and usually you don´t run into the same people. :)

This week has been one of reflection for me, I think! I´ve been thinking a lot about the teachings of Christ this week and how I am personally applying them to my life. We haven´t had a lot of success finding people that are interested in our message. It´s been tough, a lot of people just simply aren´t interested. As a result, personal study has sometimes been just that: personal. Normally, we study for the investigators that are progressing so that we can help them. When you don´t have anyone progressing...well, you study to strengthen yourself. :)

Anyway, I was reading in Jesus the Christ about the parables of the kingdom of heaven. Mainly a couple that talk about someone leaving everything behind in order to reach the kingdom of heaven. I´ve been really pondering that a lot. Am I really willing to leave EVERYTHING behind for God´s work? As a missionary, do I still have some things that I´m trying to hold on to from home? It´s been tough to face the facts that yes, I still am not completely 100 percent devoted to the Lord´s work. I remember in the MTC I would always have to fight thoughts of worldly songs or people, or whatever. Here in the field, it is a lot harder. My neighbor just happens to be a fan of Styx and Queen. :) It´s not easy to not listen to that, or to not remember listening to it with Dad in the garage working on the cars. The streets are full of music and different things, and I haven´t been gaurding my thoughts as much as I should have.

The other thing that I´ve thought about is really submitting myself fully to God´s will, and not having my own priorities. Honestly, that is my biggest desire right now. Before my mission, I still had the worldly desires to have a great job and accomplish something for myself. Now...I don´t want that. I´m begginning to understand that yes, I am going to be judged for each and every action and decision I make here on earth. Christ was perfect because every action and every word He said was under the direction of our Heavenly Father. I want to do that. I want to be completely devoted to Him, and to forget everything else in this life. I´m beginning now, and I hope and trust that God is going to help me and direct me. I know that only by doing this will I have eternal happiness.

As far as investigators this week, I did have quite the interesting experience with Hermana Doraliza and her daughter. We were teaching a lesson, and I happened to ask a question, and her daughter Marla did not like the reply of Doraliza. She came out of our room and began calling her mother a liar, and ripped her up oneside and down the other. Doraliza began crying, and you could tell that Marla as well was really upset. Marla says that Doraliza has not been the perfect mother and Marla blamed everything on her. It was pretty pathetic, to tell you the truth.

However, I could tell that there was true feelings behind what Marla was saying. Maybe Doraliza has said some horrible things to Marla, maybe some things haven´t gone the greatest in their family. However, Marla blamed absolutely everything on her mom and wasn´t willing to face the fact that the reason she´s not happy is her own fault. We ended up going back the next day and just teaching Marla. We talked for a long time, and I think she understood that the responsibility to be happy rests on her shoulders. She needs to follow the gospel and keep the commandments, that is the ONLY WAY to be happy. It doesn´t matter what other people do to her, what they say, or even what they think. What matters is if she is completing her purpose here in life, if she is following Heavenly Father´s plan.

Another update is on Pedro Alama! I think I´ve told you quite a bit about him, he´s the lawyer that we´re hoping would get baptised soon. Anyway, we visited just his wife and son this week because we just haven´t had the opportunity to teach them, school has started so their very busy. We found out that He really does want to get baptized. He is reading the Book of Mormon and talking with his wife and son about joining the church. However, they both told him that he can join, but they will not. They say their whole extended family is Catholic, and won´t consider changing religions. Edy, his wife, made sure to tell us multiple times that she does have confidence in us, and likes that we come around and likes our lessons, but she just doesn´t want to change. She said maybe with time, but right now, no.

Well, it was kinda tough to hear that, but I´m really glad she came out with it. We said we understood, of course! A big change like this is hard, especially when your whole family is Catholic. All we can really do is try to keep encouraging them to progress, and to keep reading the Book of Mormon. Edy hasn´t read any of the Book of Mormon on her own. She said she doesn´t have time, or Pedro keeps taking it to his office. Well, I solved that by giving her her own copy. :) Now she really doesn´t have an excuse.

I hope this family can progress in the gospel. We´re going to keep working with them. I really hope that Pedro will have the strength necessary in order to be baptized without his family, and that they will follow after. I know that he knows it´s true. He´s received more than one witness. We just need to get him to commit. I think that´s going to be our goal this week.

Well, nothing else really big has happened this week...I keep chugging along here in the mission! I hope all is well with everyone in the states! Keep up the letters! I love receiving every single one of them!

Love,

Elder Schofield

Six Month Mark....Really?? - Email from 2 April 2012

It´s really hard to believe that six months have already passed! But I guess I have listened to my first General Conference all in Spanish now! Kinda crazy that they will mark every quarter of my mission, since I entered the MTC just right after the October Conference!

Speaking of Spanish and Conference...wow was that INCREDIBLE! I felt the spirit so strong in every session! I was actually able to attend all 5 sessions, and it was really an amazing experience. I learned so much, it was incredible. I went in with a list of 17 questions, and every single one received an answer. I know that God anwers prayers. I´m so grateful for our modern day prophet and apostles. The spanish was actually pretty easy to understand too. :) Another suprise...Elder Scott had already recorded his talk in Spanish! Him and Elder Ochoa from the Priesthood session had both done it. It was incredible to actually hear their voices. I don´t envy all the people in the world that don´t get to know the prophets and apostles on that level. I missed to funny intonations of President Monson, and I´m pretty sure I missed a few jokes here and there because of the translators!

Overall, I feel just so much more excited to be in this work. I felt like the whole conference was focused on the Plan of Salvation. Honestly, in my mission so far I´ve focused a lot on the Restoration and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They just seem so essential. However, God is training me. :) The Plan of Salvation really is everything! I was able to watch a World Wide Leadership training video from 2006 when they focused on families. I don´t know if you have access to that, but if you do, watch Elder Bednar´s talk. He talks about how when someone truly understands the doctrine of the Plan of Salvation, they will be much more better off in their families. They will WANT to do what´s right, to return to our Father in Heaven. Since I heard that talk, everything has stood out to me.

Priesthood session talked about the importance of the priesthood here on earth and in the eternities. At one point, I realized I´ve passed through a huge step in my eternal life. I guess I never realized it before, but at age 12, I received the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood that I will have for the rest of my eternal life! Can you imagine that? For the rest of my eternal life. Now I have the honor of holding the Melquizedek Priesthood. I will also have that for the rest of my eternal life. Maybe that´s part of our purpose here on life as men. We have to learn how to work under the direction of our Father in Heaven, using His power to work miracles in order to bring souls unto Him. We will continue to do so forever.

Another thing I realized in this Conference was my responsibility to really be a true representative of Jesus Christ. Of course, we always have room for improvement, but where are we, really? How many of you have taken the name of Christ upon you through baptism? Do we really know what that means? That means that every single action, thought, or appearance we give should be what He would do in that moment. If you want to know how that affects people, read Elder Bednar´s talk from Priesthood session. As a missionary, am I really OBVIOUSLY a representative of Christ? Can people see that as I walk down the street with my companion? Can they feel it during lessons? As a result of all this self questioning, let´s just say I realized I´ve got some changes to make. :) However, I´m ready to do it, and I know that Heavenly Father will help me.

This week we didn´t have a ton of success as far as investigators go. That´s ok. :) I´m beginning to learn that my true purpose is inviting people to come to Christ, and helping them grow closer and closer. We may not take them all the way. They have their free agency. I don´t know many people that were ready the very first time the missionaries knocked on their door. They are out there, and Doraliza was one of them, but my job is more than just to find those people, it´s to help every single person come unto Christ. Every person I come into contact with should have an increased desire to pray, to find out the truth, and to make covenants with our Heavenly Father.

We do have one hopeful that we´re working with. Pedro is still steadily progressing. He´s loving the Book of Mormon, and is going to reread Alma 32 this week. I think he´s going to realize that yep, he´s received his answer. Then all we need to get him to do is act. :) That can be a challenge, but hey! I´m not the one doing this work, it´s Heavenly Father. I´m just a body that is trying to become a tool in His hands. I only hope that I am effective and that He uses me often and in the right way.

Well, I have to go! I love you all so much. I sent some letters this week, and I hope they find you safe and happy! I look forward to every piece of mail I get...don´t be afraid to let me know what´s going on in life. :) I´d really love to know what´s happening! Who knows? Maybe from thousands of miles away I can try to be the hand of the Lord in your life. Honestly, I try to be a missionary in the letters I write too. It´s not like Pday comes around and I´m no longer a missionary, right?

Anyway, stay safe! Keep your head up! Vote for Mitt Romney if he´s still in it! Haha, he´s mormon! :P

Love,
Elder Schofield

TWO Baptisms!!!

Well hello there family and friends!

We had a baptism this week!! It was pretty incredible...this lady, Doraliza Palacios Bobbio, was just ready to be baptized.

We met her only a week ago, but she accepted a baptismal date and was baptised 8 days after we met her! She´s already read through 1 Nefi, and has re read the pamphlets we´ve given here! She truly is devoted, and very strong already in her belief. It was amazing to see how quickly she changed and grew. She´s 76 years old too! Isn´t that incredible? Really, this week has been pretty much incredible. I didn´t expect her to be baptised so quickly, honestly.

When we meet old people, they´re usually set in their ways and don´t want to change. Not Doraliza. She has had some problems with her immediately family and was looking for something, and she found it in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can now really bare my testimony that the Lord is preparing people. They´re out there, and we just need to find them.

We also were able to take part in the baptism of little Katia Marisosa. Elder McDonough was able to baptise her. She just barely turned 8, and was definitely ready to be baptised as well. It really was an incredible fast Sunday for all of us. I couldn´t have asked for a better ending to a week.

Another success was our branch council meeting this past week! We were able to actually get some planning done, which I was really greatful for. I´m hoping that we can continue to have good meetings and that we can have great activities. As a result of this past meeting, the members were able to visit three of our investigators, including Hermana Doraliza! I really believe that that visit helped her to be ready for her baptism. She was really happy the day after the visit.

As far as the elders here in Negritos...things have been kinda tough! Last Sunday, as I told you, Elder Ramirez, McDonough, and Yupa all got sick. We found out it was some cheese that had been bad in the lunch we had. I don´t understand how I missed out on it, although I am very greatful! The rest of the week went fine until today. I don´t know what happened to him...but Elder McDonough became dilusional and couldn´t really hear or see well. He just got really sick, so we sent him off to Piura. He should be on his way right now, hopefully to see a doctor and get better. It was tough trying to get shoes on him because he kept fighting and didn´t know what was going on! I really hope that he gets better. All I can really do is hope and pray for him.

Not really much has happened in this week...so I´m running out of things to say!

Haha! Oh! One crazy thing did happen...I finished my first journal! I wrote the last entry just yesterday. Definitely the first time I have kept a good journal, and it is full of my mission. Kinda crazy how fast it is going! Today I have to buy another one. Oh! Also, I got the package from Sam this past week! Thank you SO much for the CD´s and the food! I love the CD´s. :) They have some pretty amazing songs on them!

Another random thing, people have been asking in letters when my address will change or what address to send things too...I am going to have the same address my entire mission, so no worries there. :) It´s the mission office and they send the letters to our ZL´s every week, so that we can get them that way. It´s a lot easier and quicker, since the mail system isn´t the greatest here in Peru.

Well, I hope all is well with you! Remember that I love you all, and am praying for you! Keep up the mail! I can´t get enough of it. ;) I promise I will reply to everything I get, and I´ve done a pretty good job of that so far, I think! Just remember it takes over a month for things to get there...

Love you all!
Elder Schofield

**Mom's note... Dallon told us before his mission that he did not think he would ever fill a journal :) It's nice to hear he's not only doing that, but done that. Thanks to all of you who are writing Dallon. He has repeatedly expressed his gratitude for the letters e is receiving :)

The photo of Dallon in "civi" clothes with the very small guy is him with his current companion . The baptisms and a beautiful beachy equator sunset :)

Happy Birthdays and weeks! - email from March 19, 2012

Hello parents!! Hope this week was amazing for you both! Happy Birthdays to you both as well! Kinda hard from so far away to really be able to wish you both happy birthdays this month...but hey! At least you get it in an email! ;)

So this week was pretty intense! We had to work really hard, and meet a lot of new people. The investigators we have had, unfortunately, aren´t progressing. They just don´t seem to have the desire they did when we first met them. It´s frustrating, really, because I want them to feel what I feel so bad, but they can´t feel the spirit in their lives if they don´t invite it. Oh well, that´s all I can do, just keep inviting! As long as I´m doing my job, they will have the opportunity to choose between accepting the gospel, or not!

We are having more investigators attend church! I was really suprised to see an older lady there yesterday. We´ve taught her one time, and she´s really firmly a catholic, but she came! She seemed to really like it too. She´s about 75 years old...so we´ll see how she progresses! The really bright spot in my life right now is the family Guerrero Aleman. I´m really hoping and praying that we´ll be able to see them baptised. Pedro is a lawyer, super intelligent, and has a lot of faith in God and in the importance of families. His wife Edy is also really great! They have a 13 year old son as well who seems interested. Anyway, we´ve taught them 3 times now, and they have been saying prayers as a family every night, and Pedro is reading the Book of Mormon! He´s already had a lot of experiences where the spirit has witnessed to him that what we teach is true.

One of the experiences he told us about I thought was pretty cool! A few days after beginning to pray as a family, his coworker asked what he had been doing, because there was a light in his eyes! He said he knew it was something that he was doing with us missionaries. He´s also begun sharing the gospel message at work! He said he´s got a few coworkers that he´s talked to about our church, and he´s even cleared up some false rumors about us. This Tuesday we´re going to meet his dad! His mother died a few years back, and Pedro told us specifically that his father could use the message of the plan of salvation in his life. I´m really just so thankful for how God has prepared him, and I am really hoping that Pedro can continue to advance and become a leader in the church. We´re hoping to set a baptismal date with them for next Sunday, but we´ll see what happens.

The branch here is continuing to be a challenge. We are trying to organize a talent show, but it just isn´t working out. We talked about it two weeks ago in a leadership meeting, but no one did anything about it. We didn´t have a meeting last week, and then yesterday when we asked people if they would be willing to prepare an act for the show, all the leaders said it was too soon and we should have said something earlier. Not going to lie, I was a bit frustrated! I think they just honestly don´t know. Some of them don´t want to do anything more than what they are doing, which is a missionary devotional every thursday night where the four missionaries are in charge of a message and games. They honestly just don´t want to put in the effort. I have a feeling I´ll see this for the rest of my life. ;)

However, I´m learning a lot about the Atonement and how it can get members going. In Preach My Gospel it says that when members of the church really understand the effects of the Atonement, they will be more willing, and will be animated to share the gospel with others. So basically we, as members, can measure if we understand the gospel, the Atonement, by how much desire we feel to share the gospel with others in our lives. How much desire we feel to help other members, or even our neighbors.

I´m trying to apply that to this ward. This last Sunday I gave another talk, and my topic was supposed to be about missionary work. Well, I kinda twisted it a little and talked about the Atonement. ;) When I was writing it, I could feel the spirit guiding me. I first talked about the fall of Adam and Eve, and how we have two consequences: Spiritual and Physical Death. Then I talked about 4 things that the Atonement does for us:

1. Conquers physical death
2. Pays for our sins
3. Comforts us in times of need
4. Makes it possible for us to return to live with Heavenly Father

I think it went really well. When I looked at the branch members, most of them were actually paying attention!! Better than that, Pedro Guerrero was soaking up practically every word! I had written it under the influence of the spirit, and when I gave the talk, I could feel Heavenly Father helping me too. I didn´t need to look at the paper most of the time, and my Spanish was just perfectly understandable. :) I think they really understood what the Atonement does for us. I also talked about how we accept the sacrifice of our Saviour by having faith in him, repenting, being baptized, and enduring to the end. The Gospel!

I really hope that they can take some of that message to heart, and hopefully it will do some good for them!

So I also have to tell you about yesterday afternoon...and how your prayers really are blessing me. We had a great lunch of chicken, rice, potatoes, a sauce that I love, and an olive. It all tasted wonderful! However, the effects weren´t that great. I´m gonna guess it was food poisining. Anyway, about two hours after lunch, we were in a lesson with a less active when my companion had to run to the bathroom. I heard him throw up twice, so we left to our room.

When we got to the room, he ran to the bathroom again. About 10 seconds later, Elder McDonough and Elder Yupa walked in, both of them throwing up too! Honestly, I have never seen so much come out of a single person. All three of them just let EVERYTHING out. More than I thought possible! We were in our room from about 5 to 10 with one of them in the bathroom, the other at the sink, and the third waiting for his turn. It was not the best night. I had to just sit there, and pray. I gave Elder Yupa a blessing too, he was by far the worse off.

Anyway, I have to go, but THANK you for your prayers. I know it was because of you that I turned out to be perfectly fine when three other elders were puking all night long.

I love you all so much! Keep the letters coming!

Elder Schofield

A SUPER week! - Emal from March 12

Hello Everyone!!

This week just flew by! I have so many things to tell, and there just isn`t nearly enough time. I`ll have to be content with the time I do have. I do have one request...can someone, if at all possible, send me some updates of the other missionaries that are out/about to leave? A DearElder letter would be cool from their blog every once in a while...but I know Addison, Zach Oldham, Kirk Whitcoff, soon to be Forrest, Rob, Rick, and whoever else is out...just a few here and there would be cool!

So this week kinda started off on a rough note. On Tuesday night we had Branch Council meeting. It was a disaster. We had to make yearly goals as far as baptisms. It`s up to the leaders for the numbers on this one, it`s a branch goal. We told them that 4 a month is very reasonable for each companionship, and that if we had membership help, we could definitely accomplish that. However, they disagreed. They got into arguments about how none of the organizations do anything, and it just fell apart. The branch president doesn`t really know how to take control, so it just didn`t turn out well. They decided that 4 was way to high, and that it would be stretching us to reach 1 every month. I was pretty disappointed. I think JUST us missionaries could bring one every month, and with membership help, 4 wouldn`t be a problem. But that was their goal, so that is what we reported to President Chipman.

However, that was Tuesday! A lot changed since then! We worked really hard this week, Elder Ramirez and I. I had a lot of really spiritual experiences. I am learning more and more about letting the spirit speak through me, and how to truly love each person I meet. On Thursday, we had our interviews with President Chipman. I asked him about how I can learn to teach better by the spirit and he told me to make sure I really learned every doctrine principle. Well enough that I had a very strong testimony in it, so I could really feel the principle. Thats helped me a lot with my personal study, and I`m learning a lot now! I also asked him about the leader situation, and how I could motivate them and less active members to really want to come back or work. He told me that the Atonement is the key. It`s so true though! When someone truly has a testimony of the Atonement, they WANT to work. They want to bring others to the gospel to feel the joy that the Saviour can bring them. The joy that only the restored gospel, with the full knowledge of His sacrifice, can bring. I put that into effect, and already am seeing the difference in members and leaders! I`m also growing in my personal testimony of the Atonement.

This week we met a man that is an alcoholic. His son, Broc, is a less active. We taught them two lessons, and I really tried to bear my testimony of the Atonement both times. The first lesson was pretty amazing. We didn`t know about his addiction, and just went in to teach. I had the prompting to teach lesson three about the gospel, and focus on repentance. Well, I did, but it turned into more of a lesson on the Atonement and on how we can change our very nature by turning to Christ. It was amazing. He started to cry...and talked about how he really wanted to change and just didn`t know how. He was soaking up every word I spoke as I told Him how Christ could change his very desires if he was truly willing to repent. The next lesson we taught the restoration, but more about how the restored gospel is here to help him. I have a lot of faith that he can change, and that as he puts more faith in God, he will be a lot better.

On Saturday, we had a pretty tough morning! We knocked over 35 doors, and didn`t get into a single one! That is very unusual here, and I got a bit discouraged. I didn`t feel discouraged, still confident, just a little bit of a doubt if I was following the spirit or not. That afternoon I said a prayer and plead that God would direct my path. In the afternoon, it started off the same. All of our appointments fell through, and we were left to knocking again. This time though, I felt something pulling in a certain direction. I looked down one street and just felt good about it, so I went. I looked down another, felt nothing, so I just continued. The spirit literally led me to the door of a 19 year old, Elvis Smith. We knocked, and my companion tried to get in, but he refused. For some reason, I just started to talk, and bore my testimony of how the restored gospel was here again and that it could heal whatever challenges we had gone through in this life, and that we were sent to his door to help him. He let us in! The lesson went equally as great, and he actually seemed to be pretty interested! I hope he progresses, but if not, it was an experience that showed me that God loves me and is looking out for me.

That evening, in 3 and a half hours, we taught SIX lessons. It really was a miracle. I know that Heavenly Father was showing me that if I`m humble and have courage, He will direct my paths. I may have some days where I don`t have a single lesson, but that doesn`t mean I am faulting anything, there truly is opposition in all things.

Today for P day we had pizza!!! It was pretty delicious! Not like in the states...but still good.

I hope you all know how much I love you all. I`m working hard down here, trying my best to bring people to the knowledge that we`ve all been blessed with for years. Sometimes it`s not easy, but it`s definitely worth it. Heavenly Father blesses me so much with His spirit and His guidance it is incredible. Remember that each one of you has the right to His guidance and that He`s there for you. If you`re not reading and praying every day, repent and do it! It makes a HUGE difference. Even missing one day can be devestating to your spiritual health.

Love you all! Please keep sending letters. They mean the world to me down here! Mom, haven`t gotten the package yet, probably next monday. Oh! And if you are changing addresses for some reason let me know ASAP!! Chelsey, will you be living at home this summer? I need to know because I think my next letter will reach you after school ends...all of you, please send an address if it changes!

Tons of love,
Elder Schofield

Spirit filled week...new companion!

These past few posts have really brought home to me the reason I must have cried so hard when Dallon(Elder Schofield) left. We sent our son, our boy out on a mission. Somewhere in the back of my heart and mind I knew that boy would not be coming home. Over the past month especially that has been confirmed to both Cory and I. A boy will not be coming home. A man will return. It is amazing to see how much growth and progress Dallon has already been blessed with. His perspective on life and the importance of eternal life and testimony is phenominal. Each day he takes a step closer to the Lord. Eaach day he seems to grow in humility and compassion. We are so pleased to be coming to know this new man in our lives. We are truly grateful for the blessing of having a son serving the Lord full time. We are appreciative of his ability to learn, grow and adapt.

This week has been completely amazing for me!!! I can`t even tell you how happy I am to be a missionary. The work is just so exciting right now! I don`t know why, but with this little change, I feel full of energy and really ready to go to work.

So mom, I haven`t received the package yet, I`m sure it`s in the mail somewhere. :) And don`t worry about the name, they said they could still get them if they had Elder Swasy`s name on them. No worries!

My new companion is Elder Ramirez! As you can probably tell by the photo, he is not very tall. Actually I think he`s one of the shortest missionaries in our mission! Of course, I`m the tallest! Kind of crazy...but he is really a great missionary. When we had our changes, of course I was worried I`d get someone who doesn`t follow the rules or who I couldn`t get along with, but President Chipman really comforted me during the meeting. Among his remarks before telling us the changes he talked about how he had had to make a bunch of last minute changes due to sick elders and a few that went home. He said he had finished the changes that very morning, and prayed to Heavenly Father to make sure he got it right. He said he could hear a voice saying that the changes were right. This is how it was supposed to be! Boy, am I grateful for revelation and great leaders!!

Another kind of crazy thing...Elder Foutz stopped by on Tuesday! I met his parents! They seemed super nice, and they even took down our home phone number and said they were going to try to call you guys. That would be pretty cool if they did! Also, he was going to try to pick up a DVD of photos and drop it by the house when he goes up to Utah. He`s got Dad`s cell, so hopefully it works out there too.

So as far as this week goes...it really was amazing. We`ve definitely worked in a different manner than Elder Turcios, and I`m liking it. With Elder Turcios we worked to get a second lesson, and tried to really focus on the investigators we had instead of just honing in on like two or three and looking to find a ton more. Right now, we`re just searching searching searching! We have four investigators we`re really trying to help, but really more like three. Instead of wasting time with people that aren`t super interested, we bear our testimonies and look for people ready to receive us. I`ve noticed a big difference in the way I feel too. I`m searching for their interest, and really trying to react with the spirit, amazing things have happened too!

First really cool experience happened with our mission leader! He actually went out with us last week, and we had a great experience. He took us to one of his friends, and when we knocked on her door she let us in without question. We taught her the first lesson about the restoration, and she just broke down and started crying. She said just before we knocked on her door she had been praying for someone to come. She said she knew we were sent by God and really just accepted everything. Tatiana, that`s her name, really is ready, we just need to get her married (of course they just live together) and set a baptismal date!

The other miracle happened on Saturday. A lot of our appointments fell through, and I was leading in the door knocking because Elder Ramirez doesn`t know the area super well. I felt just a slight impression that we should go to this random hill with these big houses. Normally, they don`t let us in, and usually the rich people are working almost all day. Anyway, we went! We got rejected four times before coming to the last red brick house. We knocked and no one seemed to be home. For some reason we waited longer than usual, and then Edy came around the corner and saw us. Her husband, Pedro, followed and we began talking. They let us inside.

During the lesson, I felt the spirit really strong. Just a calm reassurance that we were supposed to be there. They didn`t really say anything, but were really interested in what we had to say. The lesson just seemed to go really well! Towards the end of the lesson we asked them what they thought, and they kind of just looked at each other and told us that they felt we were sent at exactly the right time. They said they had just barely been having some struggles, and that they were looking for something that could help them out, and then there we were on their doorstep. Pedro is a lawyer, so he`s obviously very busy. He looked at us in wonder and just asked why we had chosen to knock their door, because no one comes up their hill. I told him the truth, I just felt the need to do it, so I did! He said he believed God had sent us.

It was such a great lesson!! Pedro is super intelligent, and so is his wife. They have a 13 year old boy and a 3 year old girl that we weren`t able to meet, but you can tell their family is super close knit. On the outside, you may even think they were mormon! However, something is going on underneath. We also went back Sunday afternoon. When we got their, you could tell they had been waiting anxiously. They were really excited and let us in and we began discussing the Book of Mormon.

The spirit just seemed to enter so quickly during that lesson. I asked them if they had been able to pray as a family about Joseph Smith like we had asked them too, and they looked at each other again, and then began explaining how as they had prayed, they felt this joy just enter into their hearts, something they had never felt before. They were trying to describe how powerful of a feeling it was, but they just couldn`t! They said that their 13 year old had felt it too. They didn`t recognize it as an answer, but they said since we had come into their home, they had felt this spirit, and just have felt...happy.

Of course I was completely excited about this, and we bore our testimonies that that was the Holy Ghost they were feeling. They accepted that. Another kind of random thing happened...we talked a bit about baptism, and they accepted a baptismal date. Both Elder Ramirez and I thought we should leave 2 Nefi 31 because it talks about baptism. However, when Pedro asked us where he should begin reading, 2 Nefi 31 flew from my mind, and I couldn`t think of anything better than starting from the beginning. It was a weird kind of impression, but I followed it! Elder Ramirez told me later the exact same thoughts went through his mind. We`ll see what happens!

I`m just really excited with this family! We set a baptismal date for the 18th of this month. We`re hoping that comes true, because Pedro works a ton, and his wife Edy is going to have obstacles with her family. They`re both catholics, and even asked if they could attend the catholic church in addition to our church after they`re baptized. Of course, nothing says we can`t, so we told them yes. However, I think their minds will change when they come to church. We have another appointment this friday with them. I really hope they read the Book of Mormon and continue praying. Heavenly Father definitely prepared them for us, and it was incredible to be there.

I`m really looking forward for this next week. We`re going to work hard. Our goals are high, which is definitely good.

I love you all so much! Oh, hey, if someone can give a shoutout to Ryan Hatch, tell him good luck this week entering the MTC!! That`s really awesome that he`s going Spanish speaking! Also...David Archuletta is coming to Peru??? What mission?? That would be weird to be his companion...especially since we made a music video to his song...

Anyway...love ya all!!

Elder Schofield