Peder's Address in Cape Verde.

Here is Peder's address in Cape Verde for those who Would like to write to him.
Elder Peder Schillemat
CP 420 , PRAIA, SANTIAGO, CABO VERDE


Pretty easy, eh?  Letters take about 2 weeks, so be  prepared to wait a bit to heard 

Peder's First Week in His New Area

 So I have gotten through my first week here in my area. It's been way good. First off I've been working on remembering names here which is pretty hard because none of their names here really sound like anything I've heard before. It's just interesting. Some examples: Warley, Marisia, Mirmo etc. Either way it will take me a little while to get all the names down but I'm doing okay with it. I can understand people decently here. I'll admit that it is definitely still hard but I'm understanding parts. Everyone here though speaks Crioulu so sometimes it sounds kinda different. But eventually I'll understand and with the Lord I know that I'll understand. 
 So some cool stuff that happened this week. First off we've been teaching a kid named Pedro and he is going to be baptized this Saturday. I'm way excited for him. Also we have just been running into a lot of people that want to here the gospel which is awesome. Honestly it's kinda interesting.  Just a quick explanation of our area- usually Porto Novo is split into two parts' the sisters have one area of the city and the elders have the other. But this transfer there are no sisters there so my comp and I have the whole area. It's pretty big and we keep running into people that the Sisters had taught. Which is awesome, although it may have been helpful to have had record of that before. Either way we have found quite a bit of people. 
 Teaching has been way awesome though. I ,obviously, haven't been talking a ton but I'm still saying a good part of lessons. There was this one person we taught named João. He was recently baptized. He is awesome. We were talking about the faith of Nefi and he exemplifies that to a key. It's way awesome. He really knows where to put his trust and his example was awesome to me. 
My comp is way chill and he's really helpful. One of the first things he asked me was about how I was understanding the people of Porto Novo in comparison to the people of Praia. I said I wasn't understanding everything but it was better than when I was in Praia. Afterwards he stated: It's because you were called to this area and that's why you can understand them better than other areas. I know that I've been called to this area in Porto Novo. It's awesome and I'm so grateful for all the help that the Lord gives to me. I guess for Gretch that can be the one miracle of this week, actually I have another one. Pedro, and Dercia both have permission to be baptized which is awesome and honestly most of the time that the hardest thing about this area because a lot of people that we are teaching is the youth. But the work is moving forward and it's never going to stop. 


I love all of you and I love the example that you all show for me. The Church is true and I love it. :)

Elder Schillemat

ps: Mom you have my mission home adress right?  [CP 420 , PRAIA, SANTIAGO, CABO VERDE] That's it right there if you were wondering and that's really the way that you sen me mail. It takes about two weeks to get here and everything goes to the mission home and then to the islands where people are serving. 

First Actual Day in Santo Antao

So I have finally got into Santo Antão! Its pretty awesome. My companion is Elder Rodgers. He seems way chill and I'm excited to start the work. So first off: this last week. So we flew in on Wednesday night at like 9 and the mission president and everybody was expecting us like way earlier. So that was a little messed up. But we got our brief mission training session on Monday and then we went off with some of the APs and taught lessons with htem. So the first lesson that we had scheduled actually fell through which is a bummer but then we went to our another persons  house and started teaching so that she could get ready for baptism. She was speaking Criolu the whole time so I understood nothing. Halfway through the lesson she looked at me and said "cordo? (are you awake?)  " and I was still stinking confused. But its gotten better over the past couple of days. Ive been able to teach parts of lessons so far which has been good. Everybody still has no clue how to say my name. I was with one the APs (Elder Brown) and during one of our lessons all he just kept saying my name even goofier so that people would be even more confused (exxamples: schillyguy, schillyman). But its been fun to get out and start teaching. I still dont speak a ton but its all good. Oh and Mom you said you looked up Santo Antão? Well I think you may have seen pictures of Pointe do Sol. Thats where some sisters serve and its way green there and its the northern most part of Cabo Verde. The specific city that Im in is Porto Novo. Its a pretty huge area. Altogether on Santo Antão there is only my companionship and a sister companionship. But Im excited! There should be quite a bit of work to do here. Its pretty warm here and dry. Basically I'd describe it best as dusty. Obviously we're surrounded by oceans like everywhere so that is chill. It makes it pretty windy here though. Also when we got here theres a holdiay called Carnival here. So like tomorrow my companion and I will need to find people to teach because almost everbody will be at Carnival. I can't think of anything else specifically right now. Things are way good though. I'm loving being out here in the field. I still have a ton to learn but I'm excited about it. 

Eu amo vôces!,

 Elder Peder Schillemat

Peder Has Arrived in Cape Verde!

I have gotten to the mission. Its been pretty chill. We arrived last
night at about 9:30 ish. We got to meet our mission president and he
seems awesome. So besides that things have been good. Weve been going
through training and I found out where I will be serving: Santo Antão.
My companion will be Elder Rodgers. Hes from Wales. So thats what's
happening here.
Love you guys,
Peder

Peder's Last Day in the Mission Training Center then off to Cape Verde

Familia,

 So this is my last day in the MTC. I leasve tomorrow morning at 6 which is insane. I really can't believe it. The MTC has gone pretty stinking fast. I have learned so much and it is just incredible. But here's the update on this last week. Basically we were just doing the usual thing. We would teach like two times a day and then just work on getting as prepared as we can to get to the field. It's actually crqazy to think how little I know about Cape Verde. No one really knows like anything. It's such a bummer. So on wednesday when I get there I'm sure there will be quite a culture shock but at least I know it's coming.

 So the thngs that really changed this week started on Friday. Friday we had this thing called in-field orientation. It was pretty chill and it was all about like working with members, finding and that sort of stuff. Gretch you probably remember this. It was a different change of pace but I think that I actually like normal class better. But it was good and I ran into some people from my freshman ward there. So that was chill.

 Saturday was pretty normal. We had class and then we had some study time later that night. That night though we had to practice for a song we were singing in sacrament. We sang Deus Vos Guarde- God Be with You. During the practice we decided that we were all going to have the whole zone sing the third verse and turn around and sing it to the branch presidency. It went way well.

 So sunday- not going to lie but I was pretty nervous about the song. But we went up there and it went awesome. The branch presidency really loved it. Sacrament meetings are always awesome. I really love them. We had a district meeting later that day where our Brother Hodges from our branch presidency gave his own little departure advice. It was awesome. Then after that we said goodbye to all our branch presidency. I'm going to miss them. They were all awesome. My Branch President: President Crosby, had the Spirit everytime he would talk and I could always feel his love for us. Brother Hodges was just a huge goof and he really liked to mess around and Brother Brough always gave the best counsel (although he was a little intimidating because he was way tall and really formal :) ).

 Overall though my time at the MTC has been awesome. I've loved how much I've learned and I'm ezxcited to go out into the field and work. I love my branch, my district and my companion. We worked on a lot of things but I've grown so much because of my companion.

 Eu sei que A Igreja e verdadeiro. Eu sei que O Livro de Mormon e a plavra de Deus. Eu sou muito grato pela felicade do evangelho. Eu amo minha familia. E eu digo estas coisas em nome de Jesus Cristo. Amem.

 Eu amo voces!!!

 Seu filho e irmao,

 Peder

Hola Familia--less than a week to go!

 So things are all pretty chill here in the MTC. We only have a week left here which is crazy. It should be way awesome. I'm way pscyched to get out into the field. I am trying to continue to stay diligent in the work though. It should be way awesome.

 So besides that we had the 50th anniversary at the MTC on tuesday. It was pretty chill. Elder Holland and Elder Nelson came in and talked about the history of missionary work and the fact that we are continueing to make the history of the church. It was way awesome. When apostles speak it is always so great and I can always feel the Spirit.

 So besides that my companion and I were able to teach a nonmember yesterday which way awesome. It made me feel so much better about speaking the language and I'm not as nervous to go out in the field. It really was an awesome experience. You know it's crazy that in a week I'll be out in Cape Verde. BTW I got my travel plans which are this :

 DEP: SLC @ 9:45 AM

 ARR: BOS@ 4:25 PM

 DEP: BOS@ 5:50 PM

 ARR: LONDON@ 5:15 AM

 DEP: LONDON @ 7:25 AM

 ARR: PORTUGAL @ 10:00 AM

 DEP: PORTUGAL @ 3:40 PM

 ARR: CAP VDP @ 6:50 PM

So yeah it's going to be a long flight. But I'll be going through Boston which should be awesome. I'm way excited. Besides that everything has been pretty chill here in the MTC. I love serving a mission and it's going way well. Oh I almost forgot, One member of our district got his visa and he left for Brasil this morning. I'm going to miss that dude but I know that he'll do great in Brasil.

 Mom: Thanks for getting me the driving record and insurance card. Thanks for always writing me and HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!! I love you and I hope that everything keeps going well.

 Dad: I hope that work continues to go well and I would love to hear from you. You may have to start e-mailing me though. :)

 Poul: I heard about the Pats, huge bummer. I was kinda depressed when I heard the news. I hope that work continues to go well and same with school.Also what did you think of the MTC while you were' here?

 Kirstin: Thanks for all your letters and I hope that everything continues to go well, I love the picture that Lucy drew for me. Just wondering, how was your MTC experience? We're you in Madrid?

 Johanna: How's the new semester going? How's teaching? I hope that everything continues to go well.

 Gretch: I'm so glad that we're serving missions at the same time and guess who I ran into: your roommate hermana cole ( I think that's her name). She just got in this week. :) It's been way chill.

 Andrea: How are things in Dallas? I hope that everything continues to go well and that you, Roland and the boys are all doing well.

 Geoff: What's up bro? I hear you are taking pre-calc. That class isn't as hard as long as you do the work. Just make sure to do the work.

 Well I love all you guys and next week that I'll be e-mailing you I'll be in Cape Verde. :)

 Eu amo voces!

 Elder Peder Schillemat