July 19, 2011

Hello Family!
Nice work Dad, you snuck that email in just in time. It’s great to hear that things are going well back home, that Mom is getting the house all tuned up and Eric is trimming the bushes well. Keep up with the double shifting work schedule. It’s hard sometimes, but you are saving for your mission and that's what is important. Katie emailed me. Eleanor is getting bigger! I spend so much time around kids here. They are everywhere! I haven't had those experiences at home, Eric can change his own diaper now.
In news, we have three baptisms coming up next week. They have interviews on Friday. Hopefully they do well. I have been hoping for two more baptisms this transfer, before August when I think I am going to transfer, but I don't think we can get them. None of our investigators have been progressing enough. None have come to church yet.
Our new mission president is great! I absolutely love him. He talks to us on a very personal level and often tells you exactly what you need to hear, in fact the 4 times I have talked to him I have received the answer to what I need to do next in becoming a better missionary. He is very different than President Hansen. President Hansen was a genius. He could spend 20 min expounding one verse. You learned so much from him. He taught us like a class, as he was a school teacher. President Schmutz is different. For his workshop we sat in a U around him and Sister Schmutz more like a family. He teaches very simply, but the spirit teaches you what you need to know. He writes long emails and really tries to give each missionary exactly what they need and what the Lord Himself would give. I am grateful to serve under such a man. He is so full of love, the very same principle he is teaching me. Love is so important, and we cannot gain it by ourselves, it must be bestowed upon us by He who is Love (Moroni 7:48). I love that verse. It is powerful.
Take care! I love you all. I’ll send pictures soon, my SD card is almost full.
Elder Schenk

Funny Story
Today we got together as a zone to play basketball. After we ate at Mang Inasal. They have BBQ chicken and pork. Elder Doxy had asked them the last time he was there for an ice water. They said they didn't have ice water, but tap water. So this time he just asked the waiter for a tap water. It took them forever! Everyone else had gotten their drinks first and he was like, "How long does it take to put Ice and water in a cup!" A little later they brought him a cup of water. It looked SUPER cold with steam coming out. He excitedly went to drink it and when he touched it realized it wasn't cold, but scolding hot! He said "What the heck man! I asked for ice water and they say they only have tap water. So I asked for tap water and they give me hot water! What do I have to do to get a cold water!" Then later, after he suffered down his hot water the waiter came around to give us refills. He was so excited for it! The waiter filled up my cup, then Elder Oliver’s cup and then when he got to Elder Doxy he only got a drizzle and then it ran out of water. We laughed so hard. About 5 min later the waiter came back and finally gave him a full cup.