Reunited With Long Lost Friend

A Chance meeting with BYU Roommate Elder Dusty in Santa Lucia

Dear Fam,

Well Pops, it sure sounds like you all had a really good week.  Thanks for the pics, too.  I sent a couple of photos to mom, and there should be some attached to this email.

This week went by really really fast for some reason.  We didnt have any big meetings with the mission presidnet or anything, but we did have this really cool meeting on Wednesday with our stake president, Presidente Giuffra.  He is a way cool, way down to earth guy, and it's going to be a lot of fun working with him.  At the end of the meeting, he showed us this old projector thing that the missionaries used back in the 80's.  Wow, technology has come a long ways since then, ahaha.

(Comment from old man -- yes, it is actually a film strip projector, which I and likely my brothers used on our missions, way back in the 80's.  I even notice a familiar film strip of "The First Vision", which I'm sure I showed hundreds of times.)

Low Tech Device (pre DVD, VHS, YouTube, ipad, etc.) for showing media presentations

That looks like a young man wondering which church is right...

This week was particularly good because we worked a lot with members.  We also have a TON of family home evenings planned for this week, so we are really excited about that.  I think that the biggest news of the week is that we set the baptismal date with Mercedez and with Claudio, so right now Elder Sandoval and I (with the help of some leaders) are doing all that we came to help them meet that goal.  (Also, mom told me that you guys are working with the missionaries and feeding them, etc. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!)

Elder Sandoval and I spent a good portion of our Saturday doing service, and actually it was the first time that I have done service here in this sector.  We helped a less active lady move her things from her house to a house down the street.  There were about eight of us in total that helped.  It was a really good time, and she was really, really grateful for all of the help.

Like I have said in earlier emails, I am reading the Book of Mormon for my personal studies.  I have the goal to finish it before the end of the year, and I am at the tail end of Mosiah right now.  It was so interesting, because I was reading about King Benjamin right around the time of General Conference, and I realized that I was reading about one of the first general conferences EVER!  I love how Benjamin's people gathered around, and there were so many that he had to make a tower, and that people brought their tents and their family and their flocks and that there were so many people that some couldn't even hear him, so he had scribes write down what he was saying and they passed them out to everyone (first copy of the Liahona ever).  I know that if we can place our tents facing the prophets (figuratively) and follow their counsels, we will be blessed.  One of my favorite quotes from conference came from Elder Hales when he explained that the greatest blessings that come from General Conference happen AFTER the conference is over, when we apply what was said into our lives.  

I am so thankful for this time that i have to serve as a missionary, and I am thankful for the love that i can feel on a daily basis from my Heavenly Father.  I know that he loves us and wants the best for us, but He will only come to us if we seek Him!  Thank you for your love and support and for everything that you do for me.  I am really looking forward to hearing from you again next week!

with love,

Elder Schwartz

P.S. Yes, i saw Elder Dusty today.  We found each other in Santa Lucia.  It was the best reunion ever -- he is doing GREAT!  Pretty much made my mission!

Elder Dusty and Elder Nate

From a random parade in town....