12/30/09

Me, Elder Bird, and Elder Swan

getting ready to open presents!

Hello Everyone!

So this past week was Christmas and It was sweet!

On Christmas Eve we had a zone conference, so we went to Sorocaba the night before and spent the night at the Zone leaders house. Then we got up early and went to the zone conference. It was way awesome! We just watched a movie "Its a beautiful life" Its an old black and white, but it was super good! Then we ate lunch and after we played the biggest game of white elephant ever! There were like 85 people! I got a thing of cheap brazilian deoderant. haha Yes!

Then when we got back we went to a members house and hung out and talked for a little bit, but we had to be home by 10. Which was kinda a bummer because everyone here has a huge feast Christmas Eve at midnight. So we missed out. Oh well.

Then we woke up on Christmas morning and I opened the box that my mom sent, which was full of candy and good things like ties and socks and cds of mormon tabernacle choir. Afterwards we went to a members house and ate lunch. It was soooo good! We had a huge pork roast and chicken and brazilian potato salad. Then for desert she made american apple pie with ice cream! It was the greatest thing ever!

After that we got to call home! It was so nice! But i was completely homesick afterwards for the rest of the night. But it was still awesome!

Christmas is completely weird on the mission, but all in all it was pretty good. But luckily I only have to do it one more time! :)

Things here are going well, im sweating because its so hot right now! and Im super sore because we went to Sorocaba today and played soccer with a bunch of other missionaries. Im pretty sure ive never sweated so much in my life, and Im sore in places in my body that I didnt even know exsisted! haha

This friday 2010 will start. I will spend ALL of 2010 in the mission field. Ah! Not that I dont love being a missionary. Its just starting to hit me how long of a time it is! wow!

Haha but Im loving it here!
Thank you for all the love and support!
Happy New Year!
Elder Schoen

P.s. Letters are awesome, and if you have nothing to do and are reading this, Write me a letter! Thanks :)

12/22/09

A HOT day in December

Merry Christmas!!!

This past week was awesome! At interviews I got two packages! The one you sent for Thanksgiving, and the pre-Christmas one! Thank you!

I gave it another try at fixing our shower! and... Success! We now have hot water again!

On saturday our ward had an activity at this place that the church owns. Its where they do girls camp here. It was way fun! We played soccer and had BBQ. It was a super fun day! I was planning on taking pictures but I forgot. Sorry... But we went hiking on this little trail. It was so sweet! I can officially say that I've been hiking in the jungle now! There was a ton of wildlife and bugs and snakes and streams. It was an adventure!

Then on Sunday we organized a group and went caroling and visited people that we are teaching and inactive members in the ward. Elder Costa brought his guitar and played along. It was a great activity and everyone loved it!

I'm super excited for Christmas! Well... I'm excited to be able to call home!

Sorry I don't have alot of time to write much more today!

Thanks for all the love and support!
Feliz Natal!
Elder Schoen

12/16/09

Hey!

So This past week was great! It went by super fast and we were able to have alot ofmembers come with us to teach investigators.

Tomorrow we will have interviews with the president so that means that I get to pick up my package and letters! YES!

The mission is kicking my butt lately, ive been so tired! Seriously, every time I sit down I fall asleep. Its super bad after lunch. I think I have a sleeping desiese! haha

This saturday the ward is having a christmas activity thats at the cabin type thing! Im so excited! We are going to bring some investigators, which will be really good. Its an all day thing with games and activities and soccer! It should be super fun!

So last thursday I was taking a shower and, (well to better explain my story... here in Brazil they dont have water heaters. They use elctric shower heads. I know. What a not vey smart Idea. So the shower head is hook up to electricity and it heats the water right as its coming out.) Ok so I was taking a shower and I head a shocking noise and I looked up and the shower head had caught on fire! So I shut the shower off and the bathroom was completely filled with smoke. So bottom line is, our shower doesnt produce hot water anymore. Which normally, wouldnt be a problem, but for some reason its been unusually cold a rainy here. So we have been taking cold showers. Then two days ago I was tired of taking cold showers so I set a chair under the shower head and stood on the chair so I could try and fix the shower head. I had already shut off the power in the appartment so everything was safe, right? ...Wrong! haha I was trying to fix it and electricuted myself! oops. I fell off the chair and slammed my hand on something, im not exactly sure what, but it cut my hand. So ya, im really excited for when I get home, I dont have to deal with electric showerheads! But the whole situation is actually realy funny looking back on it! haha

Other than that, things here is São Roque are going well. Im really liking my new companion, and the ward members are awesome! This is a great place to be for Christmas!

Thanks for all the love and support!
Elder JD Schoen

12/9/09

Hello!
Everything here in Brazil is going great! This past week has been raining almost everyday and it has been really cool! It been so nice, its probably been around 65 degrees!

Not alot happened, it was just a normal week but it went by super fast. We were super busy so I didnt get a chance to take any new pictures. Sorry.

So this week we went to a less active members house to eat. She is about 65 and I think she is the only member in her family. She was talking to us and she was like, "I have a question for you, So last week my nephew was really sick and in the hospital and so I took some consecrated oil and put it on his head and put my hands on his head and said a pray and asked heavenly father for the authority to give a priesthood blessing and gave him a blessing. Then just a little while later he was maraculously better." So her question was, "was this correct? Was I aloud to do that?... cause it worked" So we got to explain to here that she did not have the authorty to do that and that the oil did nothing, but that here nephew was probably healed because of the faith she had that it would work. And thats how heavenly father works, is through our faith.

We found a couple of new families this week, so we will see. They seem like they have some potential. But we will see.

Thats about it for this time. Sorry Everyone!
Love
Elder Schoen

12/2/09 mom note

So in talking to JD on Wed he said he got the box marked do not open until Dec 25th.  Which is weird! he still has not gotten the box we sent back in Oct for Thanksgiving. and he did not get the other box for Christmas we mailed the same day as the one he got.  So I am grateful the most important box arrived with his gifts.  It's hard being patient with the distance.  He has been getting letters just fine and at the normal delivery time.

Please feel free to send him a note once in a while.  It means alot.  He even says he likes the pictures the kids draw for him.  Thank you for all your love and support, he is having the time of his life!!

12/2/09

Meet Elder R. Costa

Hello Everyone!
Well This last week was super super awesome! Elder Briggs and I enjoyed a beautiful thanksgiving feast prepared by a member of the ward! Which is awesome because people here don't even know what Thanksgiving is!
Then on Saturday we went to an English school that a less active ownes and we talked with his students in english for a while! It was super super fun!
On Sunday we baptized that family of 3 that we took to the temple a couple weeks ago! It was so awesome! I baptized Felipi, the 14 yr old son. The mom works alot so we couldnt do the baptism on saturday and so we did it after the church meeting on sunday. But there is a rule that converts have to be confirmed in a sacrament meeting, so this sunday we will confirm them. but unfortunatly we were super rushed and didnt get to take a pictures at the baptism :( But it was super awesome and they are a super excited family that will be really strong in the church.

Then on monday we got the call, Elder briggs was transfered :(

On tuesday the ward was having an end of the year Seminary and Institute party, that pretty much the entire ward went to. It was the perfect chance for Elder Briggs to say bye to everyone. It was super fun!

Im really really going to miss Elder Briggs, he is a great missionary and I learned alot from him!

My new compaion is named Elder R. Costa. he is Brazilian and doesnt speak a lick of English... Joy! He is from Fortaleza! I heard its a beautiful place, you should look it up! He seems like a pretty cool guy, and a hard worker. I think we will get along well!

I love all of you and thank you for all the love and support!
Elder Schoen