Elder Schoemig - 4/30/18

1) We found a Japanese Garden

2) Next to a forest in the middle of Tukwila

3) It had a turtle rock

4) Comp Selfie, just for you mom :)

That time Elder Allmendinger learned sign language

So this week has been....interesting....ASL training is weird when I don't remember actually learning the language so I don't know how to teach the language but I think I am doing ok? I guess? but anywho, this week we had crazy things happening, from investigators wanting us to call the police, to ice cream and tacos (seperately), and then driving all over Tacoma. and getting kicked out of a deaf event in Yelm, Washington.

It was awesome, we had Mengistu come to church yesterday, he is from Ethiopia and he is so awesome! We are excited to be working with him! We are also working with quite a few other people and are honestly trying to help the see the importance of what they are doing! 

So the deaf event, was this huge Deaf Retreat in the middle of nowhere, if any of you have ever heard of Yelm before now I applaud you because I had no idea it was a thing. So anyway, we went there and we showed up and it turned out to be a multi church conference thingy and we asked if we could come in and just mingle and meet people. The first guy said "I don't think Jesus would shun people", the second guy said "Yeah I agree, but we have never let Mormons or Jehovahs Witness here before, but I think we can let them in" and they went and got a third guy, Head Honcho and I quote "We can't let you in" "Why not" "We just can't", even after the two guys told him what they thought and he got really awkward about it because we were pretty bold in what we were doing and then we just said ok, we will respect you, but we are going again next year and we will get in so thats good news!!

that was an interesting story, also we had a member make us ice cream that was honestly pretty good but it made us both sick. And tacos from a Taqueria El Rinconsito that were so good!! Also we drove all over Tacoma, super fun.

Anywho I am doing great! I know that the Lord guides His servants to do the most good that they can and that He can guide you too! Don't take my word for it though, follow President Nelsons advice to receive revelation and know for yourself!!

Love you all!

-Elder Schoemig

Last few pictures with Elder Bird - 4/25/18

Lots of pictures - YAY! 4/25/18

1) Shoreline Zone

2) ShoreLOVE Zone

3) One of the Sisters can't hold a straight face so we all started laughing except for the deaf one...lol

4) I made Elder Bird a goodbye cake

5) Elder Bird before he was cast out to English

6) Mt Rainier looked really big the other day, if you don't know, Mt. Rainier on some days will just disappear so on the days when you can see it its pretty swell

That time I be good

I am doing great this week! Transfers happened that was cool, Elder Bird got transferred to English, he is now a zone leader! He is going to do great, he's actually my zone leader, he stayed in Shoreline, in Lake Forest Park. so that happened. My new companion is......(drumroll)....Elder Allmendinger!! Yes you've never heard of him before, he learned sign language for 2 years before his mission so I am basically ASL training him, super stoked for this transfer! He is from Utah, Woods Cross. Oh also Elder Camillo Gois is a district leader! Cool!

In other news, Dhan and Bee are doing great, our communication has been going really really well! I will be practicing a lot with Elder Allmendinger to help him understand our conversations and lessons, both in ASL and gestures so I am excited! Other people, we are still working with Manny and helping him progress! We are going to go see him tomorrow with a brother from our ward! and Floyd too.

Cool story this week, Elder Bird and Elder Camillo Gois had interviews with President Schofield Thursday when he told us what would be happening with transfers and everyone's assignments and stuff and he just said "Elders I just know and I feel very strongly that THIS is what the Lord wants us to do right now" and he started to tear up and it was just another testimony builder of revelation in these latter days. I know President receives revelation to call us where he calls us and we do receive guidance from the Lord in our areas.

Another cool story, Elder Bird and I got to interpret for a play called Built on the Rock in Redmond, about the Book of Mormon, so cool, if you can find it I would recommend it super cool.

Funny story to end the email, Elder Bird and I stood in front of Dhan and Bees apartment for 15 minutes again but this time it was even more infuriating because the window was open but Dhan was looking the other way and drawing, which means he wasn't looking around at all, so I knocked on the glass loud and everything I could but didn't work, finally he glanced to the side and we got his attention, he thought it was hilarious that we were there for so long....gotta love it!

Anyways, I know that this is the Lords work and that we are all just His servants and when we set high expectations and work our hardest to achieve them we can with His support!

Love you all!

-Elder Schoemig

Elders - 4/16/18

That time we had some pretty cool stuff happen

HELLO EVERYONE! 

So quick update, we got smartphones, not facebook yet, Pres Schofield wants us all to digitize our area books before we do facebook, we will do it ASAP to talk to many deaf people all the time! Glide and the Sorenson app are super helpful. Sister Schofield told us at zone conference we need to be creative in our finding and basically chastised us because and I quote "We are all doing the same old things and getting the same old results! Its time to try new things!" and I know none of you know Sister Schofield but she has a really quiet gentle voice all the time but wow she spoke with lots of power, it was so cool!!!! We are definitely going to be creative to meet deaf people!

Ok, second thing second. We had Letitia come to church and do some more family history with our family history consultant and he showed her the Restoration video and she said she thinks its true! so stoked, now we just need to make sure she understands priesthood authority!

Also Dhan and Bee came to church! Also they are gestures and have no phones or anything for anyone to contact them, and people that wouldn't let them come to church before, but they did! Such a miracle, we invited them and they wanted to come, so we set up a ride. then Sunday morning at 10:30 we get a text from Letitia who is in the car with one of our members Barry. Barry is trying to get ahold of them by waving his hands in their window so they will come out. Letitia says they will be late to church, ok. Then a couple minutes pass and we say that if its not working then they can just come on their own because Dhan and Bee forget sometimes. Then Letitia texts us, "They are out here, we are on our way". Holy guacamole I can't even describe the moment I read that text, instant joy, so excited. I jumped around like a little kid for a second and then we prayed and gave thanks for the miracle! Then at church the branch was baller and helped them out so much. So get this picture, at our branch yesterday there were 6 non members who were learning and 3 deaf blind. We had to interpret for the deaf blind, the was Elders Bird and Madsen and myself. and then Elder Camllo Gois was watching the sign language at the front and interpreting it to gestures for Dhan and Bee and it was one of the most spiritual sacrament meetings I've ever been in, so much going on but so peaceful!

Also cool moment, I got to help Joel, pass the sacrament a few months ago for the first time. and ASL North has been practicing the sacrament prayers for him to bless. And I got to help him bless the sacrament for the first time, it was cool. Joel is like my best bud.

Anyways, basically all you need to know about this week is that it was amazing, the Lord truly guides His work and helps His imperfect servants do things that would otherwise be impossible, and that Jesus is the Christ!

Love

-Elder Schoemig 

also we got to stay at ASL North twice this week because of mile limits

That time we had people come to church!

Ok so big news this week is that its my sisters birthday!! Happy birthday!!! She's AWESOME!!!

Next big news, WE HAD PEOPLE COME TO CHURCH FROM ASL SOUTH YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is huge!! Manny and Letitia came yesterday and they are awesome! We haven't had people at church from ASL South since before I was transferred in but we had two yesterday and it was so awesome!!! We were going to have three but one man got super sick, bummer. We will help them ALL come next week because church is so important for feeling the Spirit!

When Letitia took the sacrament she just smiled and I asked her what she was feeling and she told me that she just felt better, it was a really cool moment, and the Spirit was so strong. Awesome! I can't say it enough.

Second thing I went on 2 exchanges this week and so I feel like I was never in my area haha, but the exchanges were good learning opportunites! One was a zone leader exchange and I went with an elder who used to be an assistant so I really learned a LOT! It was really cool

Thats about everything this week. I ate some Indian food, it was spicy and really good. Elder Bird drove 200 miles in one day two times this week. One day I was on exchanges though, Elder Bird drove a lot.... Thanks for the birthday package mom! It was awesome!!

2 Nephi 9:45, is an awesome scripture. The Lord wants us to be happy and come unto Him, I mean who wants to be in chains, I would much rather be standing on the Rock of Salvation. I just really loved that scripture this week and I know that it is true! He is waiting for us to try to break the chains that we have and since we can't do it alone He is there to break them for us! Just try your best and He's got the rest!!!

Love you all!

-Elder Schoemig

Staying with Elder Gois - 4/2/18

1) Elder Camillo Gois....

2) He accidentally sat on the letters my family sent him, sorry

3) Sleepover selfie

That time Elder Camillo Gois got really sick and then we had a bomb General Conference

Basically the only thing you need to read from this email is the subject line because that about sums it up! Last week Elder Camillo Gois got way way sick, with numerous illnesses and it was pretty bad. So he had to stay home all day and Elder Madsen started to get cabin fever so Elder Bird and I had to sub for him some days and go stay at ASL North and let Elder Madsen out of the apartment! Elder Camillo Gois was sick from like March 22 to March 30, long time, but he is healthy now so thats great!

Second, WOWEE!! What a General Conference we just had!! I definitely felt the "rush of revelation" this weekend! Such amazing changes that will be great for us as members of the church! I felt the Spirit testify to me that each of these revelations were from God. They are the Lords will for us, to be better and improve ourselves in preparation for the second coming of our Lord. My companion and I yesterday decided that the Lord is giving us the "higher law". If we step up to these changes they will be so amazing!!! I know that President Nelson is a Prophet called of God, so are the counselors in the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Anyway, I know my mom probably wants to hear more about ME. So I'll talk about what we did this week. We met with our gesture friends Dhan and Bee and we are trying to improve communication and yesterday was great! The Gift of Tongues was truly there! It was amazing! So we are going to continue working with them!

Thats about it actually...sorry mom! 

The Church is led by Jesus Christ thru His chosen Prophets! I know thats true and so can you! Just pray and ask and He will testify of that truth to you!

Love ya!

-Elder Schoemig