Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Joseph's letter dated 29Aug2011
[Dear family and friends, this is the letter we received from Joseph yesterday. He certainly sounds happy and busy. We are back in Michigan - after a very nice visit with family and friends in Utah and Idaho. We enjoyed seeing those we were able to see while we were out there!
We are anxiously awaiting Weston's mission call. We will let you know when we hear!
Joseph loves and appreciates your notes. Send me any note that you want him to receive -- and I will make sure he receives it.
Wishing you all peace and happiness as we begin a new school year!
Love, Joseph's editor - BWS]
Well first of all, before I forget, my next preparation day will be on Saturday, so please send me a message before then. That way, I have something to read on Saturday.
We were in Prague twice this past week. On Tuesday we went to Prague for our Zone conference and then we went back up to Prague on Saturday with Brother M is order to see a baptismal service there. He is preparing for baptism himself, in about three weeks and we knew it would be a good idea for him to see the service. He has changed so much in the past while. He actually is happy. [He is suffering from Leukemia.] He is focusing on the good things in life. It is so interesting that so much of our happiness depends on how we react to things, and not so much on what happens to us. We can either choose to be happy and to have faith in God, or we can choose not to be happy -- and thus we choose how we will approach life.
We have been meeting with several new people and we have also been setting up appointments with people who have met with missionaries in the past this week as well. We thus have been quite busy and I think we have quite an exciting week in front of us right now. This is the last week of the transfer and we really do not know what will happen next week, but we are going to be working hard in the mean time and doing everything we can to help the investigators and the members with whom we are working. This has been quite a great week and transfer.
This Friday we are hopefully having two baptisms in the Sisters' area -- assuming that the one investigator quits smoking and the other receives approval from his wife. This week is certainly going to be a rollercoaster.
Well, I love you and hope you enjoy the week. Good luck with school starting soon and be happy.
S laskou,
Elder Schindler
Joseph's letter dated 22Aug2011
[Dear friends and family, I hope everyone is staying cool and safe. We have greatly enjoyed being with family in Utah and Idaho. We are getting ready for our trek home to Michigan! Maybe Weston will have a mission call awaiting our arrival at home!
We are very blessed to have wonderful family and friends. Thank you all! Be sure to send me any notes that you may have for Joseph -- and I will forward them to him.
Be safe and enjoy the last days of summer, 2011!
Love, Joseph's editor - BWS]
Hello Family,
I have some requests for you if that is okay.
If you could swing by Deseret Book, could you pick me up a copy of the most recent conference Ensign magazine and mail it to me (the one with the Salt Lake Temple on it). [The Ensign magazine is a monthly church magazine.]
Also, please go to the Wikipedia page on The Great Blue Heron and email me the page that contains its information. Maybe also the page on herons themselves. I would like that. Please agree on who will do that and do it soon. Please. This week.
Also, let me know what happened with BYU and my enrollment deferment. Keep me posted.
Also, Elder McGowan, well Sean, would like to be added to the email list his address is "McGowan, Sean" <czechmate19@gmail.com>, .[He was Joseph's trainer. He recently returned home to New Jersey.]
Say hi to Alex for me. Ask him and Craig to write me. [Alex recently returned home from Mexico; Craig recently returned home from Colorado.]
Congratulations to Brigitte on her graduation. That sounds great for her and I am glad to hear about that. [Congratulations, Brigitte - on your graduation from BYU!]
So really quick, here is a description of this week's miracles:
First, Brother M, [different from Brother M who was recently baptized], a man that we found who recently was diagnosed with leukemia and had almost no hope, has completely turned around. He believes now and has found a light from God in his life. He is more or less alone in life, but his prayers have been so grateful for meeting us and learning of Christ. This is the first time I have really seen such a change in someone due to the atonement and due to Christ himself. This has been an amazing experience. He is preparing for baptism and has been to church twice.
Also, Brother Š came to church. He is learning so well and LOVES the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. he is making very solid and regular progress now.
Okay, so here is a quick story. Yesterday, I was only one of two Melchizedek Priesthood holders [this is the church priesthood held by adult males] in church because our leaders were gone with family and in the hospital (with Leukemia). This brother with leukemia, Brother K, is simply amazing and is so positive, even in his advanced stage of the disease. He has been a key factor in helping Brother M find hope). The other Melchizedek Priesthood holder was my companion, Elder Heath [a new Elder in the mission]. So, I conducted Sacrament Meeting [our main Sunday worship service], gave a talk at the end to fill up time and then taught Sunday School (Second coming of Christ) -- it actually went very well. We focused on being spiritually prepared for the Second Coming of Christ). I was very busy and spent most of the week getting ready for all of those things. I had the talk ready just in case I needed to give it. I talked about living after the manner of happiness and used several verses from 2 Nephi 5 on principles of living a happy life. I was quite busy, a little nervous, but everything went well. We even gave Brother J, a new convert, the Aaronic Priesthood [the preparatory Priesthood which is held by new converts and young men], and he is our newest Priest [an office in the Aaronic Priesthood] in our wonderful branch here. Plus Brother M[the new convert] blessed the Sacrament for the first time today. It was simply a great Sunday.
Please make sure you tell Elder Darrington, or Cody (now i guess) about Brother Š and Brother M. He left before Brother M [the new investigator] made that big change. [Welcome home Elder Darrington! Thank you for being such a wonderful companion for Joseph!]
Here is a funny story. So we taught Brother S a lesson and then he wanted to know more about BYU, since we both go there (Elder Heath and I). He ended up looking it up on Google Earth, and then showed us the street view of it on the computer. Both of us felt a little homesick, but we quickly left and laughed on the way back to town about how wonderful BYU was; then we got right back into work as we walked/planned.
I love you all. Let me know how you all are doing. Several of us over here are looking forward to hearing from Weston and where he will be preaching the gospel. [We are anxious to learn this also!]
Love,
Elder Schindler
I have some requests for you if that is okay.
If you could swing by Deseret Book, could you pick me up a copy of the most recent conference Ensign magazine and mail it to me (the one with the Salt Lake Temple on it). [The Ensign magazine is a monthly church magazine.]
Also, please go to the Wikipedia page on The Great Blue Heron and email me the page that contains its information. Maybe also the page on herons themselves. I would like that. Please agree on who will do that and do it soon. Please. This week.
Also, let me know what happened with BYU and my enrollment deferment. Keep me posted.
Also, Elder McGowan, well Sean, would like to be added to the email list his address is "McGowan, Sean" <czechmate19@gmail.com>, .[He was Joseph's trainer. He recently returned home to New Jersey.]
Say hi to Alex for me. Ask him and Craig to write me. [Alex recently returned home from Mexico; Craig recently returned home from Colorado.]
Congratulations to Brigitte on her graduation. That sounds great for her and I am glad to hear about that. [Congratulations, Brigitte - on your graduation from BYU!]
So really quick, here is a description of this week's miracles:
First, Brother M, [different from Brother M who was recently baptized], a man that we found who recently was diagnosed with leukemia and had almost no hope, has completely turned around. He believes now and has found a light from God in his life. He is more or less alone in life, but his prayers have been so grateful for meeting us and learning of Christ. This is the first time I have really seen such a change in someone due to the atonement and due to Christ himself. This has been an amazing experience. He is preparing for baptism and has been to church twice.
Also, Brother Š came to church. He is learning so well and LOVES the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. he is making very solid and regular progress now.
Okay, so here is a quick story. Yesterday, I was only one of two Melchizedek Priesthood holders [this is the church priesthood held by adult males] in church because our leaders were gone with family and in the hospital (with Leukemia). This brother with leukemia, Brother K, is simply amazing and is so positive, even in his advanced stage of the disease. He has been a key factor in helping Brother M find hope). The other Melchizedek Priesthood holder was my companion, Elder Heath [a new Elder in the mission]. So, I conducted Sacrament Meeting [our main Sunday worship service], gave a talk at the end to fill up time and then taught Sunday School (Second coming of Christ) -- it actually went very well. We focused on being spiritually prepared for the Second Coming of Christ). I was very busy and spent most of the week getting ready for all of those things. I had the talk ready just in case I needed to give it. I talked about living after the manner of happiness and used several verses from 2 Nephi 5 on principles of living a happy life. I was quite busy, a little nervous, but everything went well. We even gave Brother J, a new convert, the Aaronic Priesthood [the preparatory Priesthood which is held by new converts and young men], and he is our newest Priest [an office in the Aaronic Priesthood] in our wonderful branch here. Plus Brother M[the new convert] blessed the Sacrament for the first time today. It was simply a great Sunday.
Please make sure you tell Elder Darrington, or Cody (now i guess) about Brother Š and Brother M. He left before Brother M [the new investigator] made that big change. [Welcome home Elder Darrington! Thank you for being such a wonderful companion for Joseph!]
Here is a funny story. So we taught Brother S a lesson and then he wanted to know more about BYU, since we both go there (Elder Heath and I). He ended up looking it up on Google Earth, and then showed us the street view of it on the computer. Both of us felt a little homesick, but we quickly left and laughed on the way back to town about how wonderful BYU was; then we got right back into work as we walked/planned.
I love you all. Let me know how you all are doing. Several of us over here are looking forward to hearing from Weston and where he will be preaching the gospel. [We are anxious to learn this also!]
Love,
Elder Schindler
Joseph's letter dated 15Aug2011
[Dear friends and family, I hope this letter finds all of you doing well! We are out in Utah right now -- we're heading to Idaho in a little while. We will be here for our nephew's wedding on Friday. We met his fiancee yesterday evening -- she is a wonderful young lady!
Weston's mission papers are IN! We're hoping to have his mission call soon.
Thank you for your love and support on behalf of Joseph. Love, Joseph's editor - BWS]
Dear Family,
I have very little time.
We had a great week. We were outside working or teaching lessons everyday and I had one of the most successful weeks of my mission. All three of us are working well together and things are going well for us here as missionaries.
I love you all very much and I am happy to hear that you all get to go out West this week. So does Elder Darrington. He is excited.
Love,
Elder Schindler
I have very little time.
We had a great week. We were outside working or teaching lessons everyday and I had one of the most successful weeks of my mission. All three of us are working well together and things are going well for us here as missionaries.
I love you all very much and I am happy to hear that you all get to go out West this week. So does Elder Darrington. He is excited.
Love,
Elder Schindler
[Here is the short addition we received!]
So I have a little more time.
We really are doing well. We are very busy and we even had some warm days this past week. Today was very hot and muggy, but then it started raining and now it is just wet.
Elder Heath is a great missionary and is developing well. He was very prepared to serve a mission and his parents did a wonderful job raising him and preparing him.
I do have to go now, so bye.
We really are doing well. We are very busy and we even had some warm days this past week. Today was very hot and muggy, but then it started raining and now it is just wet.
Elder Heath is a great missionary and is developing well. He was very prepared to serve a mission and his parents did a wonderful job raising him and preparing him.
I do have to go now, so bye.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Joseph's letter dated 8Aug2011
[Dear family and friends, it is already August! I hope that everyone is enjoying a very healthy (though warm!) summer.
This has been a busy last week - with Band Camp and Scout Camp. Julie and the twins are out in Idaho/Utah -- I am with the other boys here in Michigan for a few days before we join Julie and the twins. We have had some birthdays - with Weston (19 on July 6), Andrew (14 on August 1), Joseph (21 on August 5) and Julie (on August 17). We are anxiously awaiting Weston's mission call!
Joseph has decided to extend his mission until January 12 (the release day from my mission was January 13).
We were saddened a couple months ago when Julie's Mission President (Johannesburg, South Africa) and his wife passed away; we were saddened to hear that a few days ago my Mission President (Kobe, Japan) passed away. These are great men who had wonderful impacts on our lives.
Thank you for your love and support while Joseph is in the Czech Republic. He loves hearing from you! Send me your notes and I will forward them along to Joseph.
Wishing everyone the best August ever! Joseph's editor (BWS)]
Dear Everyone,
I do not have a ton of time, but I will try to fill you in.
I hope you liked the pictures. One is a picture of me after I finally found a mushroom today with Brother M that was not bad. I felt fairly victorious and even found three more mushrooms. I got a good laugh out of the picture that Brother M drew. It is a picture Brother M drew after we explained to him about fast and testimony meeting. [This is a meeting we have on the first Sunday of every month during our monthly fast where we share our thoughts about the Savior -- along with thanking Him for the things with which we have been blessed.] He seemed to get it (with a sense of humor).
We went mushroom hunting today and while we did not find very many, we had a good time. We did come back very hungry and tired (we still have not eaten lunch). (It is almost four oclock).
This week went well for us and we saw some good things and spent a lot of time travelling. We went to Brno on Wednesday and came back Thursday (nine hours round trip) for a conference for new missionaries. The conference was nicely presented by the assistants and President Irwin. Then we almost went to the Austrian border on Saturday for a meeting with a kind, married couple. That lesson went well and we are going back next Saturday (the ride was almost an hour one way). Then yesterday we took an half an hour ride to visit a less active family. We were fed on both of these days and we were happy to go there (the food was amazing).
Got to go. I love you.
Elder Schindler
I do not have a ton of time, but I will try to fill you in.
I hope you liked the pictures. One is a picture of me after I finally found a mushroom today with Brother M that was not bad. I felt fairly victorious and even found three more mushrooms. I got a good laugh out of the picture that Brother M drew. It is a picture Brother M drew after we explained to him about fast and testimony meeting. [This is a meeting we have on the first Sunday of every month during our monthly fast where we share our thoughts about the Savior -- along with thanking Him for the things with which we have been blessed.] He seemed to get it (with a sense of humor).
We went mushroom hunting today and while we did not find very many, we had a good time. We did come back very hungry and tired (we still have not eaten lunch). (It is almost four oclock).
This week went well for us and we saw some good things and spent a lot of time travelling. We went to Brno on Wednesday and came back Thursday (nine hours round trip) for a conference for new missionaries. The conference was nicely presented by the assistants and President Irwin. Then we almost went to the Austrian border on Saturday for a meeting with a kind, married couple. That lesson went well and we are going back next Saturday (the ride was almost an hour one way). Then yesterday we took an half an hour ride to visit a less active family. We were fed on both of these days and we were happy to go there (the food was amazing).
Got to go. I love you.
Elder Schindler
Monday, August 8, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Joseph's letter dated 1Aug2011
[Dear friends and family, I hope this letter finds all of you safe and well. Here is today's letter from Joseph. He definitely loves hearing from YOU! If you have a note for Joseph, reply to this note and I will send it along to him.
Joseph has decided to extend his mission call until January 12. This is an interesting date - since my mission release dated was on January 13 (1981)!
By the way, Friday is Joseph's birthday!! We are hoping that he receives his birthday package near his birthday.
Thanks for all of your love and support! Joseph's editor - BWS]
I do not have a lot of time, but I will try to fill you in.
I hope that you enjoy the pictures. Some of them did not make it to mom, but fill her in on them. They are from Elder Heaths camera, which is why some of them go back a while. [I will let you know when these pictures are available on Joseph's blog!]
Milo did get baptized. He was baptized on his birthday as well. He also received the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday. He is still doing very well and we are excited to work with him.
Sister Glaus [one of the sister missionaries in Joseph's district] went home today, so now our district is down to five missionaries, and I am reminded of how much time I have left since she was in the MTC [Missionary Training Center] with me.
Happy Birthday, Andrew. I hope that everything is spectacular and that you enjoy this day. [Andrew is 14 years old today! He is celebrating his birthday from band camp!]
It has been raining here a lot. Too bad it has not been so cool over in Michigan. Rain is not good for missionary work here.
Well, I love you and wish you all well. Where are you reading in the Book of Mormon? [We're reading in Jacob!]
Have a good time with all your camps this week. [We have band camp and scout camp going on at the same time!]
love,
Elder Schindler
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