Beached Whale and other happenings

Famalia e Amigos,

 This week has been a pretty fun week but it has definitely been tough. We have had to find a lot of new people and really just work on improving this area a lot. It is way beautiful here but we really need to help the people here be more accepting of the gospel. But it has been really good. We have been working a lot with our branch president, president paisquinha, and he is a stinking goof. But it is a lot of fun. So during this week the work has been super fast but it has been good nonetheless.

 So as well we have been going to this zone called Povacao. It is super green and Elder De Barros went there on a split the other day and was able to contact a guy named Stefin. Stefin went to church the last week and he really liked it. He wants to be abptized and we are going to prepare him for this the 7th of July. Pretty awesome!

 As well one day this week a bunch of our appointments fell through. I asked Elder De Barros if he wanted to see where we baptize people and he said he would. So as we were walking over there a bunch of people were running to the port. Turns out that there was a beached whale there. Pretty crazy! First time I've seen a whale and it was pretty awesome.

 I'm super excited for the work that I'll be doing in this area. Ponta do Sol is stinking beautiful and truth be told this area is going to grow. It's been tough this week, with a huge party that happened and just finding people but I know that we will find people who are ready to recive the gospel. The Lord is always preparing people and it's no exception here.

 I love you all and I hope that everything continues to go well.

 Peder

Peder's life has changed a bit.

Familia e Amigos,

 So this week has been pretty busy. First off we had a training lined up for this thursday. Unfortunately what happened on tuesday was that we recieved a call and the training had been moved a day earlier so we had to get on the boat that day. It was 4:30 and the boat leaves at 5 when we got this call. So we ran over there, got to the ticket office(where the lady almost didn't sell us tickets) and then sprinted on the boat. During this whole time when we were passing by people they just were yelling run run. Furstrating but all chill.

 The training was way good and it really was a good help to work more effectively. After the training President Oliveira came to our to Santo Antão. It was way awesome and we were able to talk about our area more in depth. Also we did interviews with him and during the interview with my companion Pres Oliveira said that he would be going. So during this week I then was wondering really what would happen in this next transfer.

 The next couple days went well and the work is moving awesomely. We met somebody on the street the other day who had been taught in the past. I t was crazy because we just met him on the street. We marked a baptizmal date with him which was just awesome.

 During that day we had been really occupied with what would happen with transfers. So eventually at 9 on Saturday night we heard from President. Elder Palmer was sent to Assomada to be a zone leader. Pretty crazy. Then President started talking to me. So he was talking and he starting saying that I would be serving with Elder de Barros (he's from Fogo). I thought that was pretty chill and that I would be serving in Porto Novo. Turns out no. I have been transferred to serve in Ponta do Sol now. It's pretty insane and I can't believe I'm here. I'm still on Santo Antão which is stinking awesome. Today though has been a ton of transfer stuff so now I'm writing this late.

 As I said it's been a pretty crazy week. I'm super excited for this new area and Elder de Barros only speaks Portuguese so that should be way good.

 I love you all and I hope that everything continues to go well for you.

 

Elder Peder Schillemat

ps sorry I won't be able to respond to a bunch of e-mails. I'm kinda limited on time right now. Até proxima semana!

The Book of Mormon: A record for our time

Familia e Amigos,
 So this week has been good but a little tough. A lot of our investigators haven't been keeping their commitments (ie being at their house) so we have gotten a lot of walking in. But it's all good and we still we're able to teach some good lessons today. One of which was with our investigator Davi Fonseca. So what's funny about him was the fact that before this transfer I knew him just as the guy who owned the cyber maky. The first time we started teacing him it was way chill and we taught him in his store. Our next lesson we taught in the chapel. When we were teaching him today we were talking about the Book of Mormon and how it is really written for us. What was awesome was that I had read Mormon 8:35 that morning which is basically Mormon explaining that he feels that he is talking right to us because he was shown our times. It is just such evidence that the book of mormon really was written for us. Another lesson that we had yesterday was about the book of mormon as well. The lesson was going well and when we were teaching some people from another house came in and pulled out their book of mormons. It was pretty awesome and they were taught in the past and we are going to work on teaching them more and preparing them to be baptized. Altogether the Book of Mormon is just amazing and I know that it is true. 
 During this week we are also working on getting our investigator Warley baptized. We started teaching him the first day that I got here and he is just awesome. He has been taught everything and the problem is that his mom still won't give permission for him to be baptized. This week we are going to be trying way hard to work with him to be baptized. Yesterday we talked to the mom and she still said no but I am so tempted to just pass by her work everyday so that she can see how important this really is. It stinks though because after she said no I was a little angry mostly because Warley has been prepared for basically 4 months now and it just is awful that he can't be baptized. He is an awesome kid and really it is just awesome. Last week in fast and testimony meeting he bore his testimony and I actually started tearing up (don't judge people). He just is so awesome and I know that he will be baptized. We are going to be working way hard this week because truthfully he is so ready. 
 The work in the mission is awesome and truth be told I meet people here who are just amazing. I am so happy to be here. It is hard sometimes but if it wasn't hard then I wouldn't progress at all. I know that God loves us and really wants the best for us. He will always help us as we turn to him in prayer. The Book of Mormon is true and I know that as we read we will find answers to all the questions and difficulties that we face in our lives. This gospel is true and I know that as we live it that our lives will be so much happier.
 I love you all and I hope that everything is going well,
 Peder
 
ps I break 6months in the mission this week. Ain't it crazy? 

Peder is having trouble speaking English

Familia e Amigos,
 So this week has been an interesting one. First off I will start with tuesday. So there is an inactive we ran into called Luis. He can speak 5 languages and when we were there he wanted us to speak english. I gave the first prayer in english and I had such a hard time. It was so rough. I could not remember anything and it took me a long time to pray. Altogether I had a really hard time teaching in English. But it was alll good. It did worry me a bit about what will happen when I get back home. 
 Also after that we taught English to people this week. It was pretty awesome. I actually really enjoyed doing it and I'm excited to be doing it every week.
 During this week I got a fever as well. It did make it kind of hard to work but it went all well. The day was tough but after sleeping it off I was alll good the next day. People did start to realize how red I can get though.
 The end of this week was pretty awesome. So on Saturday we had the baptism of Rosiane's sister Fabricia. It was a good baptism and I had to conduct. Pretty crazy. But it was all good. Really the baptism went super well and I am super excited that Fabricia has followed after Christ and been baptized. 
 This Sunday was fast and testimony meeting as well. I stinking love fast and testimony meeting. I can feel the Spirit so strong throughout it all. One testimony that was awesome was of our investigator Warley. So he still isn't able to get baptized because of permission. But he knows all these things are true and he is stinking awesome. On Sunday when he bore his testimony it was just so strong to me. It was a simple testimony but I was so happy to hear it. 
 I love being here in Porto Novo. I love the people here and I love being able to feel the Spirit so strong here. I know that this Church is true. I know that we have a living prophet today and that he has been called of God. I know that families can be eternal and I love my family so much. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He died that all of us could return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that by follwing the gospel and following the Savior's example that we will have happiness in this life and that God is always with us.
 I love you all and I hope that everything is going amazing for you.
 Elder Peder Schillemat

Another Stinking Awesome week in Capo Verde

Familia e Amigos,
 So this week I did like a super long division with Elder Fernandes in Mindelo. He's our ZL and he is from Cabo Verde. So his english is limited to say the least. So Mindelo is way different than Porto Novo. Basically it is a lot colder and I really got to experience the differences in the criole there. It's all chill but for the first day that I was there I was having a hard time understanding people. But it was all good. And we taught this one lady who kept just messing around and talking the criole from Santo Antao which I absolutely loved. It made me feel so much more comfortable. But it was a good split and I was able to learn a lot from Elder Fernandes which was awesome. 
 After the split we had a training this week from President. It was good and it really assessed the things that we have to improve on, which I know have many things to improve on. But it was way good and I am grateful that we had the training because I honestly always need to learn more about how to do better. 
 Then after 4  days in Mindelo I finally returned to Porto Novo. It felt way weird because I hadn't been there in a while but I was glad to be back. Just a couple of pretty cool things that happened during the weekend. First off on Saturday we were looking for someone named Bemvinda that we had talked to earlier. Elder Palmer said that he found her house so we went at night to talk to her. When we got there it was a totally different Bemvinda but it was a way good lesson. She is about to have surgery on her leg and she seems really interested to learn more because she said that she has always had a belief in God. She originally lived in Mindelo and when she moved to Porto Novo she had prayed that everything would run smoothly. She said that God had really helped her throughout that time and that she knows that God will help her always. It was an awesome lesson and I'm excited to teach her again. Also we taught this guy named Davi. What's funny is that this guy I kind of new already because he owns a cyber that is pretty awful here. He is awesome and what's great is he always remembers the visits that we set with him and he is really ready to change. He is Catholic but that shouldn't impede him too much. 
 Altogether I have beenreally happy to be back in Porto Novo. Mindelo is chill and splits are great to learn but I really love Porto Novo. The people are great here and although it is not the prettiest place it is stinking awesome. I know that the work is going to grow here and I am so happy to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I love you all and I hope that everything keeps going well and that you always can find the miracles that are around you.
 Love, 
Elder Peder Schillema

Things in Cape Verde

After talking with Peder for 2 hours on Mother's Day, this missionary mom is feeling pretty good.  Here's the latest news from Capo Verde:  

Familia e Amigos,
 So things are pretty chill here in Porto Novo. During this week we have been working hard with the members here to find a lot more people to teach and the members have been great and way helpful. Yesterday at church two of the people that the members referred us to showed up to church and the members were just so supportive and it was just so awesome to see. Besides that the work is moving pretty well. Let's see this week we had some awesome lessons about Faith. Really a lot about how faith really isn't just believing but true faith is shown when we are doing the things that we need to. It was way awesome and one lesson when we were talking about that one of our recent converts gave us a referrel like way quick even when we weren't asking for one. Honestly faith is just amazing and with faith we can do everything. 
 Besides that our district is moving really well now and the Sisters in the other half of Porto Novo really are doing well. It definitely is different only having sisters in our district but it's way chill. 
 This week was chill but I don't have a ton of people to report on. Basically the work is just moving really well and I'd say it is because we are getting so  much help from the members here. Honestly the members are essential and they know like everyone here. With the members we are finding a lot more people and it is just stinking awesome.
 I hope that everything is continuing to go well for all of you and I love you all,
 Elder Peder Schillemat

Peder has a New Companion and a New Assignment.

Familias e Amigos,
 So this week has been pretty awesome. First off the end of this week was transfers. I will talk about that a bit more in detail at the end but that does explain the title.
 So this week we were preparing three people for their baptisms. We prepared Rosiane, Bruno and Miriam. So the baptism was on Saturday. All of them were ready and we were just waiting for all of them to show up. Eventually, an hour late, Rosiane and Miram showed up. It was kind of freaky because they were so late but it was all good and it was awesome to see them all come unto Christ. Also we had a ton of people come to baptism and support them which was awesome!
 On Sunday it was fast and testimony meeting. It was such an awesome sacrament. First off Miram bore her testimony and she said that she just felt so happy. She said she couldn't explain it but she was just undeniably happy. It was amazing to here hear testimony and after church as she was talkign about her baptism she said that she wants to be baptized again because she just felt so happy and she felt something so warm in her heart. Honestly it was just amazing. As well Rosiane bore her testimony. She mentioned that she was quite a bit nervous before her baptism and that afterwards she just felt so much peace. It was such an awesome experience and I loved it so much.
 As I was saying as well it's transfers. Elder Rodgers has left me and I am now serving with Elder Palmer from Idaho. He seems pretty chill and it should be awesome to work with him and to bring more people unto Christ. As well because I am no longer a greeny I have been called as a district leader. It has a lot of new challenges but with the Lord I need not fear. I  was pretty sad to see Elder Rodgers go last night. He is an awesome Elder and I learned so much from him. Last night we had an FHE and everyone went around just talking about the influence that Elder Rodgers had made in their lives. It was stinking sad and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't tear up a bit. But it is going to be awesome and I am grateful to work here in Porto Novo and I love this gospel.
 I can't wait to hear from you family on Sunday! I love you so much and I know this work is just amazing.
 Eu vos amo tanto!
 Elder Peder Schillemat