Pumpkins??? - Oct. 30, 2017

1. View from the ferry as we left Kingston

2. Before

3. After

That time that our dishwasher exploded with bubbles and much much more

Whenever Elder Camillo Gois gets surprised by some things he always does the same thing, he'll go "Oh WOW" verbally and then just stand there, I heard that so many times this week its been hilarious.

So lets see, the dishwasher exploded, I think I put too much soap in? but we were studying and before studies I turned on the dishwasher and went to study in the other room, came back out when we were about to leave and the kitchen floor was just covered in bubbles. and of course Elder Camillo Gois walks up behind me and I just hear OH WOW and then we both have no idea what to do so I turn off the dishwasher and we put the towels all over the place it was pretty funny. That was Friday, but it kept going, whenever we would turn on the dishwasher it would just spray out foam! We still aren't sure what to do so...I'll get you an update next week.

Yesterday was the weirdest Sunday of my mission, woke up at 5:45 to go interpret for a stake priesthood meeting. Super tired, sacrament meeting was the best, Elder Madsen spoke and so did Sister Knox they were cool, then we had a meeting with the branch president about Andrey, our russian investigator, that went super long then went to go visit an investigator and contact some potentials and as I am pulling into the spot I hit the curb, because I have the best luck with cars, anywho hit the curb and Elder Gois gets out and I look up, and I'm inside the car so I can't hear it but he goes "Oh wow" theres a hole in the side of the tire! the curb had a corner on it and popped our tire, so we had to change a tire in the middle of Seattle, it was great, so we go straight home. and decide to just video phone the rest of the night, we get home and I'm walking around a little bit and look at the pumpkins that we got from a member, you will see a before and after, but 20 minutes ago both were fine and then I look back again and mine has imploded and Elder Camillo Gois has moldy stuff all over its face, it was weird, we threw them out. So yesterday was crazy!

But we got 2 new investigators this last week and one was from the video phone his name is Kevin he lives on an island so we get to ride ferries all the time now, hes on date for Dec 10, we will get him there! Then the other we got a text from the ZLs as we are going to visit a less active and they go there is a deaf lady at the library! We immediately get back in the car and are zooming over there, I say ok you need to keep her there! just go talk to her, they said they can't because she is talking with someone, so they leave, another miracle about it is that we were only 3 minutes away, basically we have the whole state of Washington to go and we are about 4 blocks down the road, so we got an investigator that way, she is from Africa too.

ANYWAYS, Miracles are out there ladies and gentleman! I love you all! Sorry its long but there was a lot to tell this week! 

Today read the Book of Mormon! and every day! If you want to know the truth it is in that Book! Everything depends on the Book of Mormon! Joseph Smith! the Restoration! modern day prophets! Everything!!!! So read and ask your Heavenly Father if it is true!

Love you!

Few pictures - Oct. 23, 2017

That time Elder Camillo Gois saw a vision

Alright lets get started, you are probably wondering about the subject line, yes Elder CG saw a vision, no I'm not kidding, yes I will tell you the story. So we do daily planning at night and on Friday night Elder CG felt very strongly that we needed to visit two less actives, I said sure and as we were planning we realized we could be more effective if we moved an appointment with Torenza, one of the less actives back a couple hours. But I felt a strong impression, more like a voice in my head that was just super strong that said "Didn't you two already decide to visit him at 2? Was that inspired or not?" and besides we had already written in down in pen so...no going back now! I told Elder CG what I thought and he was on board, fast forward to Saturday we are driving to Lynnwood to go visit Torenza and as we are pulling into the apartment parking lot Elder Camillo Gois falls asleep (As he normally does, car rides are really boring for deaf people) before we went over a speed bump and it woke him up. As we pulled into a parking stall he told me that he saw a woman in Torenzas apartment in a yellow shirt with black hair that we were really excited to meet and we taught her about the gospel and then as he woke up he felt something push his elbow. He thought it was kind of weird and I told him maybe there will be a woman in there. So we went up to the door and Torenza answered and invited us in. We thought that it was just Torenza because there was nobody else that we could see but as the door closed we noticed a woman standing behind the door (kind of a weird place to stand don't you think?)  I talked with Torenza and Elder Camillo Gois talked with her a little bit, her name is Natalie, we taught a lesson and invited her to learn more she said yes! She also accepted an invitation to read the Book of Mormon! We are going back next week to teach Natalie and Torenza! As we leave I asked Elder Camillo Gois if that was her that he saw in the vision, he said yeah, he wasn't entirely sure because the vision was blurry and only like 2 or 3 seconds but he said yeah that was her. She was wearing a yellow shirt and had black hair, and on her elbow was a bandage, right where he had felt the push in the vision.

I mean come on! Is that crazy or what!?!? That has actually been happening a lot recently, Elder Camillo Gois will turn to me and say I remember driving this way in a dream a couple of weeks ago or this seems familiar, super cool huh?

But I am actually super grateful for that vision and that Elder Camillo Gois told me about it because without it we would not have been half as bold as we were, we just were bold and upfront with her and she accepted everything! It was crazy! 

Sorry that was so long but I had to explain everything!

Also we had a lesson with Andrey our investigator who lives 2 hours away yesterday and we taught faith and did how to begin teaching with him and he basically started telling us his life story! It was just devastating! his life has been awful, basically he has been alone for 17 years because his family only knows basic sign language and he lives in the middle of nowhere working 3 jobs without anything to make him happy, holy cow! We understand so much more about where he is coming from now! If I told you or not, Andrey can't understand English and his sign language is very basic, Elder Camillo Gois and I have to be very clear and gestural with him. Is gestural a word? I don't know but it works!

Loving the work! The Lord blesses us as we act in faith! Jesus Christ is our Savior and He LOVES YOU! 

-Elder Schoemig

Elder Schoemig and Elder Gios - Oct. 16, 2017

That time I met a deaf dalmatian

So this is a quick story that I thought was kind of cool. I was on exchanges down South with Elder Bird and we went to this deaf guys house and actually gave him a Book of Mormon and invited him to read, and then as we were leaving his house there was a couple of deaf people hanging out outside and we talked with them and figured out that this was a place where another deaf lady lives next door and deaf people hang out all the time. Then we met this awesome dalmatian dog that was running around and one of the guys goes, oh yeah shes deaf, I was shook, it was so cool. I met my first deaf dog, she understands sign commands and everything, super cool.

But this week for Elder Camillo Gois and I was a little rough as far as investigators go, we weren't able to meet with a lot, but we are going to this week! We are determined! We did a lot of finding, it was a good week!

Had a fireside last night and a fairly recent convert got up to share his testimony and he bore his testimony about the power of the priesthood it was way cool. He said it is a really special church where you can look to your left and then your right and find someone who has Gods power here on Earth. I agree! So cool that we have that opportunity! Everyone remember what a blessing the priesthood is for us! Always rely on the Lord and He will help you through trials!

Mosiah 9:17

Love you all!

Elder Schoemig

That time that Elder Camillo Gois and I went tracting in Seattle

Sister Jarvis, (My cousin, not the MTC one thats in LA, sorry) is going to New York New York South ASL!! Holy cow I am so excited for you! A mission is one of the best things for people to do!! I am so excited for you to enter the MTC!! The MTC is one of my favorite places on earth! The only place that beats it in terms of spirit levels is the temple! So amazing to be trained there! Love you!!

But I'm sorry you got sent to the wrong side of America...West Coast is the Best Coast. JK haha New York is going to be sweet!!

Anywho, this week was eventful, we tracted a ton...probably knocked like 70 doors, that might not seem like a lot but in ASL thats quite a few. We met 2 men, seperately that were ridiculously anti Joseph Smith and anti Mormon. both on the same day, Thursday, so that was very interesting, trying to testify to them and invite them to read the Book of Mormon but they refused. This one guy kept telling us that this persons going to hell and this one is too, he kept condemning people! Elder Camillo Gois was like, hold up, do you believe that God loves all of us? the man said yes of course! Then said but they still go to hell! At that point I got a little mad I'll be honest, I told him off for judging and putting himself in Gods place to judge where we will end up and then he kinda stopped, looked confused, realized that I was right, then switched on some other anti tangent thing, ugh. but really we both felt awful, we did our best to invite the spirit and invite them to learn for themselves of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon but they both refused so we ended with testimonies and left, feeling bad that these men won't accept the true gospel, sad for my brothers.

But this week was good! I feel good because we worked hard, if we go out every day in faith and try our best to find and do the Lords work we will see blessings!

Oh yeah, Elder Camillo Gois has been teaching me how to actually play soccer, and I can now beat a 8 year old mexican kid that we play with so thats good! 

I got a blessing this week, the Lord knows what His children need! Always be sure to access the Lords priesthood if you need it! He will help us understand how we can improve every day and how we are doing good! He knows our hearts and he wants to help us do our best!

I love you ALL!!! Have a great week! And pray for someone in your life who may be struggling! Try to be grateful in your prayers and not ask for everything, do a prayer of just gratitude and praying for other people and you'll see a change in your life!

Alma 34:17-27, try not to be on the first two levels of praying i.e. calling out to the Lord (Level 1) or crying out to the Lord (Level 2) but try to reach the third level of pouring out your souls unto Him in each prayer! 

-Elder Schoemig

Selfie and Elder Gios - Oct. 2, 2017

Pictures - I'll be honest I took no pictures this week, so I hurried and took some of Elder Gois and I last night.

Happy Birthday Carson!!!

First things first, need to congratulate Carson for being 13 years old now!! He is the best! Love you little guy!

Second, apologies to all those people from my old life in the MTC who I forgot to add to the email list, I'm lousy! Sorry, and I'm sure I'm still missing a ton but such is life! anyway, love you all!

Ok so this week was transfer week, It was pretty good, me and Elder Camillo Gois are companions and its been the best!! we are always laughing and having a great time, its awesome! He is really helping me improve my language! It really has been awesome! the more I practice the more I realize that I need to improve my language so much more!! I am nowhere near where I want to be in my language development. But we can always improve!

It really was a week full of contacting, we taught David a little bit, he is a deaf dad who has one daughter at home, but he is scared to learn more because he doesn't want to upset his wife who is a catholic. We are working with them to make them more open to learning.

We tracted a lot this week! It was good and I am getting way better at actually talking to people, taking over an area, having a deaf companion, and having to teach the hearing people we come in contact too and sign as well is a real good catalyst for development!

Wow, Conference was just the coolest wasn't it?????

A few of my favorites, Elder Callister on the Book of Mormon, President Nelson on the Book of Mormon, Pres Eyring on the Book of Mormon, Pres Eyring on the divine calling of the prophets and the unity we need to have with them. Elder Rasband, Elder Haleek "It IS true isnt it?", Elder Maynes on integrity, Elder Ballard on looking forward and being cautious, and lastly but not leastly Elder Anderson's powerful testimony of the callings of the prophets and the apostles, the divine revelation that they receive and his sharing of Elder Hales message "when we chose to have faith, we are prepared to stand in the presence of god, after the saviors crucifixion He appeared only to those who had been faithful to the testimony of Him, while they lived in mortality, those who rejected the testimony of the prophets could not behold the saviors presence, nor look upon his faith. Our faith prepares us to be in the presence of God." was just the icing on the cake, that talk was amazing!!!!

Something that really stood out to me this conference was this, the prophets and apostles are called of God, do not doubt, don't be afraid but have faith, when we have faith our fears and doubts are nothing, we receive the Light that Pres. Uchtdorf and Elder Stevenson mentioned, we need to fully trust in the Lord, and if we trust in the Lord with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength we receive a witness of the divine calling of imperfect people to fulfill His work and to fulfill his gospel. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, He loves us PERFECTLY! Consider that for a moment, your older brother, the only Perfect life that this world has ever known, loves YOU, how? Why? He has no reason to, but He does, He loves us so much! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Long letter I know, sorry, anywho the week was good, Elder Camillo Gois is awesome! He is hilarious, if you watch his joke that I had him record you will know he is funny too, but I love you all!

-Elder Schoemig\