I am either in
1. Salem VA
2. Charleston WVA
or 3. Ohio
Any last guesses? You are all wrong! haha fooled ya! I am in Blacksburg VA! Me and my companion Sister Rowley are doubled in (which means we are both new to the area) as the new YSA sisters for Virginia Tech University. Go Hokies!
So you know how they say, oh your companion will know everything about the area, well apparently heavenly father thought i was strong enough to figure everything out with her. So its been a bit crazy. I think im here to toughen me up. its been real hard but i havent cried once. I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT, I AM HERE FOR A REASON. AND SOON ENOUGH HEAVENLY FATHER WILL TELL ME THAT REASON.
Let me start from the beginning:
Tuesday:Got up at 2:00 am and got on a bus to the airport, i passed the house, said hi to everyone that was sleeping from the bus and then arrived at the airport. Flew to Georgia waited till about 3:30 or 4 to actually get on the plane. On a very tiny plane might i add, to then meet my mission president and wife. They are absolutely the sweetest people on this WHOLE earth. I love them so much already. One of the first things i saw in West Virginia was a waterfall and i LOVE waterfalls, so that was a real sign that i knew i was going to love the next 17 months of my life. We stayed with the Sister Training leaders and then got up to go take some pictures, do training and walk through a museum. It was really cool. ill send pics. then
Thursday: was transfer day and i found out where i was going. Home of the Hokies. Then we got on a bus and drove 3 hours to get here. We get to our apartment. And it is NASTY. The last people to live there were elders and that was 3 months ago. and elders do not know how to clean so everything is not up to par. We dont even have cleaning supplies or a laundry. haha go us! We didnt have food so we spent that night going to the store then as we were checking out, my companion found out she had lost her wallet so therefore we bought everything on my card and we have like no food. But we have been getting lots of meal appointments so we have been taken care of.
We have been meeting with the bishop and his counselors and figuring out how we can get less actives to come back, but since school isnt in yet. We have nothing to do at all. We have been knocking empty apartments, but its fine. Im learning persistence and perseverance.
At church on sunday apparently we had the biggest turnout yet! It was 24 people! including us the bishopric and their wives! haha, thats so crazy to me! and the building we go to is the institute building which isnt even on campus. its the tiniest building ive ever seen.
I think whats been hard, and im just gonna tell you whats been hard, they advise us not to because they dont want us to worry our families back home but you all are strong enough to understand that i am strong enough to get through tough times. Ive done it before and ill do it again, is that we cant even proselyte on campus, at all. we arent allowed in dorms. basically arent allowed to do anything but call or text these kids and they dont respond back to us. And we are a walking area. one of the only ones so its been hard to get to know the area when we can only walk so far you know? but the people have been nice so far. its funny though. I never realized how much youd be invited to join other churches while being a missionary. Ive been invited to be a muslim and a chrisitan. The one lady was really passive aggesive with us. she told us all about how we didnt believe in Jesus Christ as our lord and savior and i wanted to say, excuse me? It says his name right there on the name tag! But i didnt because i knew that wasnt the right thing to do. We just said bye and walked away.
I feel i have been learning so much! I am memorizing scriptures easier and bearing my testimony has gotten easier and knocking on doors have gotten easier! I'm growing so much!But my hair is a frizzball so theres that.
My companion is sister rowley. shes from Lavan utah and has been out a year. She was a dancer but is now going into medicine. She is very sweet and working so hard to get me acclimated to the mission field and learn the area herself. I feel bad because she is basically doing everything and i have no idea whats happening a lot of the time. She is so stressed and i can see it but im trying to help her and make it easier on her. Its gonna get better, or though thats what everyone tells me.
Ive had some nice things said about me. The second counselor in the YSA ward said that he can just tell im going to be a good missionary and that im ready to be here. And my companion has said she sees how ready and willing i am to be here and how much i keep a smile on my face and am pushing through even though she can see how tired and overwhelmed i am.
Im a pusher though. Im willing to work hard to get some people to church. We've already been called names and been made fun of. but christ was made fun of and pushed around. And i am willing to put myself out there as a represenative of our savior so that all may know the truth.
I did service for the White sulfur springs area in West Virginia. I got to rake sticks and pick up trash for a while. It was hard but i met a really nice guy named joe who was one of the kindest souls who was so thankful for our help to him.
I hope ive said everything ive done. Theres so much we do its hard to think about the whole week and everything we do and write it all in here. haha
If you have any questions, email me! any inspiration! email me!
ill mail pics in a sec!
Love y'all!
Sister Schoemig
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