February 19, 2018

Hey friends and family, I hope you all have had a fantastic week! For those of you who haven't written me..........write me you fools! I love you and I just want to hear how life is going! Anyway, let me share with you my past week:

Monday was P-day which was great! I got to see Elder Rowe and the rest of the zone and we played some basketball and scatterball, which brought back some great memories from gym ha-ha! We also had our first lesson with Lucrezia Selner! She has been meeting with missionaries for years and her son is a member in the Roseville 3rd ward so we set something up through him and she finally met with us!  She set her own baptismal date for March 10th!!!! It was so awesome because we didn't even extend the baptismal commitment, she just said, "Well, I want to be baptized on March 10th. It's a Saturday and that seems like a good date." So that was an awesome experience!

Tuesday we helped a potential investigator we have never even met with moving and we had a good lesson with Peter O'con. We are working really hard to get Peter set up for baptism, but we will be patient. I know he will be baptized!

Wednesday we had a District Meeting and it was really good. We also had interviews with President Ward. I have to say I love that man so much! I know for a surety he was called of God! He is so in-tune with the Spirit. He just knows exactly what each individual needs to hear! We also had Michelle's interview with President Ward and that went super well! We had dinner with the Widow sisters in the ward so that was very nice. As well, when we were biking home, we saw a crowd of people and went over to see what was going on. It turned out this old (probably homeless) guy had fallen and cut his head open. We took him and bought him a first aid kit and walked him over to the motel across the street where he was staying. His Son or whoever opened the door and started freaking out, asking him a bunch of questions, like he was going to find whoever did it to him and beat them up or something. It was kind of hysterical. He then thanked us and gave us some stuff and said something like, " The Mormons aren't afraid of nobody and they always got peoples backs." So, I guess it was kind of flattering.

Thursday was eh. We had two good visits with Peter and Wendy Jacobs.

Friday we did some service for the O'cons and then weekly planned. So, nothing too exciting.

Saturday was an amazing day I will say! We had a great lesson with Darlene and her sister. And her sister's name I kid you not is Sheila Money. It was so good. Elder Colton and I gave each one of them blessings and we got Darlene to commit to baptism for March 17th! It'll be a long road, but I have faith she can do it! We also had another good lesson with Lucrezia.

Sunday was great as well! We had 5 investigators to church and we even got Wendy Jacobs to come to sacrament meeting! We also had two good visits with a couple of potential investigators named Joe and Dia.

But the crowning moment of this week, of my mission, in fact, I would maybe say of my life so far, was Michelle's Baptism! Michelle has progressed so well and has grown such a strong faith and testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. Michelle is seriously the best! Her baptism was so great! So many people showed up and it was just a beautiful service! I guess the only hiccup was the talk on the Holy Ghost, she was talking about like rap music and stuff and it was just weird, but anyways it was so awesome! Her fiancé, Steve Fear, baptized her and it was just amazing! I have really bonded and gained a love and appreciation for those two and I can't wait for that day when they can enter the temple and be sealed for all time and eternity! I also had the wonderful privilege to confirm Michelle and it was such a neat experience! I love this Gospel! I love it with all my heart! I can promise each and every one that this Gospel is true and it can bless your life more than you know!

I love you and miss all of you dearly! Have a fantastic week!

February 12, 2018

Week 16 and my 2nd Companion!

Hey Everyone, just want you all to know that I love and appreciate each and every one of you! Anyway, it's been a couple weeks, so I'll get you caught up!

My final week with Elder Dixon was a great one! We did a lot of contacting and had some wonderful lessons with Michelle and Valerie Jacox!!!! Finally!!!!! Valerie also made it to church which was super awesome! The 3rd ward Sisters also had a baptism for a 10 year old named Daulton Peterson and it was such a wonderful experience. Elder Dixon got to be in his confirmation circle but I wasn't able to because "You look Asian!" so that was nice. Also, Daulton's grandma told the sisters that I have a "Sexy smile" that kind of has me concerned, but oh well haha

On Friday, we had Elder Dixon's departing interview at the mission home in Granite Bay. I have to say that that is definitely the nicest home I've been in so far in California. Also, while we were there, I was waiting with Sister Ward, President Ward's wife, and she was talking to some guy on the phone and she had me tell him about the Book of Mormon. She ended up sending him a Book of Mormon. She is so awesome and such a great missionary! Then later that night we had correlation meeting with Brother West and he got us DQ which was nice. On Sunday, we tracted, went and visited some families so Elder Dixon could say goodbye to them, had a wonderful visit with Sister Betancé. We concluded our final night of proselyting by visiting the Patterson's! Elder Dixon was the best trainer I could've asked for and he truly taught me how to BE a MISSIONARY!

On Tuesday, I met Elder Colton and he is pretty cool. He is from Vernal, Utah and he's been out for 20 months. He is very different from Elder Dixon, but he is a great guy and a solid missionary. We have both bonded over our love of baseball so that has been nice.

Wednesday, we had a wonderful lesson with Michelle and talked about the baptism and interview so that was good. We mowed and edged the Bishop's lawn after that so that was awesome to be able to do some service. We got some In-n-Out and contacted the rest of the day. Thursday, we had a couple good lessons and had a great visit with Mike Vernott who is a LA in the ward who is moving to Utah so that was great. We had dinner and contacted for the rest of the evening.

Friday was an awesome day I have to say though. We were weekly planning and I made a call to some Elders in the Sacramento mission to help us out with one of our investigators who is moving and I called them and he said, "Hello this is Elder Malangsang and Elder Ludlow." And I just started going crazy and laughing and then I said "What is up Taylor?" and Taylor was just like, "Riley! What are you doing!?" and I explained it all and we talked for a second so it was pretty awesome to be able to talk to my cousin, Taylor. Also, we had a great first lesson and were able to pick up a new investigator named Andrew Gomez and he is awesome! We had a wonderful lesson and dinner with Michelle at the Dufort's home and we were able to call in Elder Dixon for that so that was neat.

Saturday, we had another 2 good lessons with a couple referrals.  We were also blessed to find 2 new investigators named Mike Williams and Kevin Fonda. Sunday was super awesome! We had 4 investigators to church, one of them being Will Comalander! As well, Steve Thinger, who is a less active came to church and brought a friend which was awesome! We talked about meeting with her so hopefully that will work out! We also had a great visit with Gabriela Betancé!

Overall, these past two weeks have been full of some ups and downs and plenty of challenges, but they have been two of the greatest weeks of my life. I am just eternally grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve my Father in Heaven and to represent my Savior Jesus Christ. It is hard, but it is so worth it, and I want to make sure I make this time which I have been given worth it! Love you all and hope and pray you have a wonderful week!

Love, Elder Schneiter

#1- The O'con children

#2- Pretty sky (I guess I'm pretty basic haha)

#3- Always rep the 801

#4- The legendary Bishop Patterson!!!

January 29, 2018

Well everyone I'll just jump straight into it!

Monday: P-day and we basically just spent the whole night at our dinner appointment (Which is not a good thing😬) but it was good! And we learned that Brother Livingston, who was feeding us, couldn't go on his mission because he killed a possum, darn those animal rights activists. haha

Tuesday: Had a wonderful lesson with Will Comalander. He and Desi, his fiancé, really opened up and explained how thankful they have been for our visits! They explained how ever since we have been coming over, life has been going better! And Will even bore his first ever testimony, but he doesn't even know it. lol It was such an awesome spiritual experience! But Will explained he isn't looking for conversion (for now!) but we will see. We also taught Michelle Leonard about the Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom (The big boyz) and she was just like, "Yeah, I can live those." It is so awesome! She is seriously the best person ever! We also moved her baptism up to February 17th! Also, finished the night with a nice dinner from Claim Jumper, provided by the Tibbetts!

Wednesday: District meeting and a very wet, rainy day!!! Also, Kim dropped us. lol It stinks to have someone drop you, but then I always remember that we are looking for those who will receive you!! We had dinner with a less active family and the time while we were there was probably the strongest the spirit has been in their home in a long time!

Thursday: Taught the Techau twins, Candy and Cora, who can't be baptized until they are 18 because of their father. But it was wonderful and they are such awesome girls! We also taught Michelle the law of tithing and when we invited her she said, "I will live it, but I don't make any money, so to make up for it, could I do some volunteer work?" Elder Dixon and I’s jaws just dropped and we just told her how awesome she is!!!

Friday: Zone Conference and it was just so awesome! The Spirit was so strong there and it was just what I needed! I was asked to bear my testimony by President Ward and I did. I think I needed to hear my testimony more than anyone else there needed it. It was such a wonderful time!

Saturday: I woke up with a terrible cold so we stayed in all day....it stunk! But I got a lot of sleep!

Sunday: Regional Broadcast which was so so good! Also, more rest! And an awesome lesson with an inactive lady named Gabriela Betance.

Also I wanted to share some awesome verses I read in my studies! They are found in Alma 7:15-16 which is an amazing chapter in that wonderful blue book! They read, “Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism. And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.” Man.....the Book of Mormon truly is just an incredible book. Highly recommend everyone to read it! 

Love you and miss you all and hope you have a fantastic week! Also sorry this email was so long lol

#1- Elder Duseigneur (Who took me tracting on my 1st day!)
#2- Always gotta have an MTC squad pic!