No email today :o( Here's a picture of Bronson though!!

08/18/08 Monday's are the best days!!

Here is the letter Bronson wrote! He is reading his blog so please leave a little note for him so he can hear from everyone!! I know it makes him happy!!! Thanks for the love and support!!

Hey mom, how are things going? I really hope you had a good week. Things have been going good here, this week has been good. We went on a branch outing to some place in France to a lake, it was really cool but at the same time it reminded me of going boating with my family. Everyone seemed to have a really good time.

We had one of our investigators come to church this passed Sunday and he stayed for the whole thing. We are hoping to get a family to come next week. The man that came with us to church is named Mohammad; his whole family was killed by the Taliban, it’s really sad. They came to search for him, so he had to leave, so he came here. He really loves Americans; He said that he really liked church. Hopefully we can teach him that he can see his family again.

What else has happened this week, we had a picnic in this garden that we do service in, the lady gave us so much of her stuff, including a pumpkin. I thought to myself, all I know how to do with a pumpkin is make a jack lantern ha ha, not make food out of it.

Well I only have like 2 more weeks till transfers, so it might be good to send any letters to the mission home so that I can receive them if I get transferred. I doubt I will get transferred, but I think my companion will get transferred, the address is 8 chemin william-Barbey ch-1292 Chambesy (GE) Switzerland. I swear things go by quick and slow at the same time here its kinda weird.

I have decided to do this thing called “live your language” which means to speak all the time in French; its really hard cause I don’t know how to say everything I want to say, but it makes me learn it quicker.

Here is the funny story for this week, we knocked on this door of this huge building and the concierge and his wife came out and told us they didn’t want to be disturbed on Sunday, so we where like ok, sorry. So we went to the next door and they came out and said, “hey we don’t want you in this building” and her husband came out and said some thing in German and pushed my comp, and acted like he was going to punch me. So while he was yelling at me in German, I was yelling back in English, they kept telling us they where calling the police and I was thinking go ahead, the police here are like glorified security guards, they don’t even have guns ha ha. My comp talked me into leaving. That one lady decided that she could make the decision for her whole building to hear the message, its kind of sad. But no worries, the next building we went into, we fixed two rendezvous, so it worked out for the better. je panse europe est trés dificile pour la famille par ce que chaque journal et trés mauvais.

What have you all been doing? Tell me all the details; I love to look at the blogs and stuff to see pics of everyone. Well, tell dad that tile setter is carlleur ha ha, sweet huh? Good times! Well I feel like every week is kind of like groundhogs day, and nothing really changes.

Next p-day we are going to the chocolate factory, I am so excited. I will be like the fat kid on Willy Wonka that loves chocolate. But today we are pushing for playing tennis, it should be really fun its clay courts. I will take pictures ok.

What else… we went to Ancy this week, which is in France. I had to get an x ray of my chest, they made me take my shirt off ha ha kinda awkward, but I understood the nurses direction in French, that was good. Mon collegue elder O’Rourke accidentally made a sexual joke to the lady doctor and so for the whole duration of the check up, she was so mean to me, elder roué felt pretty bad. Oops learning French is interesting, and like you see here, we make a lot of mistakes. I like the saying… if the church wasn’t true the missionaries would have brought it to its knees along time ago. ha... ha... That’s the gospel truth.

I am getting my hair cut today, it should be interesting, I think it will be my first hair cut by a man. They still have barber shops here. Hopefully I don’t end up with a mullet :( that seems to be the new trend here. I will take a picture if it’s bad.

Well I cant think of anything left to write other than, every day helps me see that this church cannot be disproved in anyway, cause believe me, we hear new stories everyday. I love when they say something and a scripture just pops into your mind that answers what they just said. I hope you are all reading the Livre de Mormon chaque jour. Well I love you all, so very much. I enjoy your letters and I am so thankful for your support.

Love Elder Schmidt

08/11/08** I miss my Traditions

sweet that is awesome you all went to bear lake, i really miss my traditions, but it makes me relive them when you talk about them, so how are the kids doing i hope great, i miss them so much tell gave i miss him and give paisley a big hug and kiss, just think next time i write i will have less then 600 days haha i looked at that counter thing on my blog you did a way good job with that. thanks, lets see i only have a couple min i just wanted to say i miss you guys so much, i swear i have the best family ever, does it feel like a while since i have left, i feel like i haven't even begun, i feel like a baby maybe when i get like six months under my belt i will feel like i have been here long. well i better get going i love you all so much i will try to sent you post cards or something ok. love your little brother Elder Schmidt.

Bronson writing home!

Family,
Things here in Fribourg are going great! I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the zone leaders this week. I was put with Elder Hamilton, he is a pretty cool elder. We had a pretty successful day; we taught a lot of finding lessons, and I didn’t get us completely lost in Fribourg. I am getting familiar with the area a bit more. It’s so much fun to do exchanges. I always think that they are going to go by badly, but they turn out to be the best days. Today I think we are going to take pictures of this old coliseum, I think it should be pretty cool.

I gave a talk in church yesterday, talk about being scared; and so many people where visiting. A 15 min talk in French is like a lifetime of talking. My companion helped me work out some kinks, everyone seemed to understand it, and they told me I did fine. I totally imagined myself in primary having my mom or dad whisper the words in my ear. That’s probably how I sounded, except I didn’t have anyone to turn to and say… what??? It’s seriously like being a kid again. I just need to get the patients kids have. je comprende pour le plus part mais je ne peux pa parler bien, par ce que apprendre le langue et tres difficile pour moi, mais jai besoin de esseyer mon mieux. ha ha ok I will stop. I don’t even know if that is correct, maybe Vic can read it.

What else can I tell you about this week, hhmmm… oh funny story… We where teaching some Italian guy and he kept saying, “I like this guy and pointed to me... I don’t know why, cause I didn’t say anything hardly. He kept getting up and telling Elder Orouke to box with him, he would do a couple fake jabs and then slap Elder Orouke (not hard) but it was funny. I kept telling Elder Orouke to go a round with him, then maybe he will listen, it was so funny.

Oh then I was going to tell you we have taught so many guys that look like Brother Bob Marley… ha ha. We go into there house, and they have their "stuff", to make "stuff" that you smoke. I keep thinking to myself that if Old Bob Marley just said, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, right before he kicked the can, how many new members we would have.

I can’t believe I have been gone for four months that went by pretty quickly. I really miss you all so much, thanks for your support. I cant wait to see "pictures" that you all sent me...(insert hint) :) tell dad I miss plongée souse marine haha… that’s how they say scuba diving, much easier in English. Well sorry this is so short, I love you all and I hope you have the best week. Keep reading the Book of Mormon, it will make your days so much better; and go to the temple if you can, for me.

Love Elder Schmidt

Bronson is reading his blog!!

I just got an email from Bronson and he said he was able to see his blog!!! YAY!! He said "just think next time I write I will have less that 600 days ha ha" I just wanted everyone to know he can and will be able to read the blog so feel free to leave comments so he can read them when he gets on. Under each entry I write there is a spot that will say 0 comments just click on that and write a little something for him to read!! Thanks for all the prayers and support for Bronson!!

08/04/08 Another Week in Switzerland

Family,
Hey, how are things going back home? I hope everything is going great! I have had a pretty good week. We are dropping four of our amis. I thought it would be more difficult, but it says in preach my gospel teach those that will receive you. I looked up the word receive and basically it says: they have received us into their house but they aren't ready to receive the message. I think what it means is, those that will receive the message. So we are back to finding.

We decided this week to step it up and talk to everyone on public transportation, like bus and train. I explained it like getting up on the highest platform to jump into a pool. You feel like its uncomfortable, and that you may not be able to do go through with it, but the only way is to just do it. So the other day we where on the bus. Elder Orourke was in the back of the bus, and I was in the front of the bus, and that drunk man got on the bus and started off on elder orouke. I took this opportunity to talk to the lady next to me, named Rose. I said to her, that's my companion back there... not to many people here like us...(this is in french by the way) she just laughed and said don't mind him. I asked her if she knew who we where, she said yes; she had met some missionaries before. I asked here if she liked the message they shared... she said yes. I then shared a simple finding lesson about how god loves us so much that he sent a prophet to help us. Then I testified and asked if she would like to hear more... she replied yes, with no hesitation. So, I received her address and telephone (this whole time I was talking Elder Orourke was taking one for the team, and getting yelled at) It was what I like to call a mini miracle. I write every mini miracle in my planner, that way I don't forget how much I am being blessed. It is something you all can do too. It reminds me of the talk given by Elder Eyring, where he wrote something down every day about how he was blessed.

Lets see what else.... We have been having a lot of mangervous, and this last one there was too much meat to eat.... did i just say that ha ha So you eat all you can, cause they made it for you, and then they come our with like four other deserts. I swear its bad.

I have to recite the mission purpose and mission scripture at zone conference this Wednesday in English and French, so pray for me. It's weird, I have it in french, but its hard in english. Like I have to translate back to english ha ha, only on that though. Its still hard to speak, but I can hold a conversation, and understand what they are saying, for the most part. I feel like a little kid learning a language, cause its like I know how to say what I want in my language, but they don't understand. So I will have to talk like a cave man, and use a lot of hand motions ha ha. Thanks for all your prayers.

So did anyone go to the Temple this week??? I hope you did, its a chance to grow spiritually. Oh did I mention I have to give a talk in church this Sunday 15 min, on how to learn your mission language. I have no clue how this is going to help the members cause it doesn't apply to them, the branch president is on one about using topics in Preach My Gospel. I think he thought Elder Schmidt doesn't know this language, who better to give it too. So I need all the prayers I can get.
I guess I can tell you a little bit about it here. We have bout 25 members in our branch. The average baptisms per month in our mission is 10, if that. The shopping carts back wheels are not fixed and absolutely everything is very expensive. The people here don't smile or talk to each other. I think its like number 2 for suicides. Speaking of which we saw this crime scene... like one min away from the apartment. I am pretty sure from what I saw, that the person didn't make it., that's very sad.

Oh there is now a lady in our branch from Utah, she acts normal and laughs when something is funny, its refreshing. I think I will sound weird speaking English when I get home, cause the people we talk to, we have to pronounce clearly and slowly. I found my self speaking to my companion very slowly, it made me laugh. Well I love you all. This church is true. Keep reading the book of mormon. It is so clear to me that this church is true, I just need to show everyone here.