4.30.13: Quick update.

Hey fam!

So my new area is in ABQ. Our area is called Cibola North. And my address is:

Sister Hannah Marie Schieving

10001 Coors Bypass #2024 

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87114. 

Yes, there are 3 zeros. And we have our own mailbox. :)

My companion is Sister Graves and she's adorable! Very outgoing and I think she'll probably end up training me. haha. She's from Texas. 

We have a biking/walking area... this should be fun! I'll miss my Macho Nacho... I think we'll be getting bikes today. 

Prayers that we do well! That's all I've got for now. I can't wait to email ya'll on Monday! 

OLIVE YA!!!!!

Sister Schieving 

4.29.13 Surprise Transfer!

Hey everyone!! This week we got some big news from Sister Schieving. She received word that she will be transfereed this week and that she is being "promoted" to being a trainer! After only six weeks in Taos she will be moving to a new area and training a new sister. She's excited about her new leadership position and the new program she will be a part of. We don't know where she'll be after her transfer, so make sure to address letters to the mission home until we find out her new address. 

Here is the email she sent this morning! It has a great story in it and tells us a little bit more about what she's expecting in the next week. 


****

Dear Family and Friends, 

What the heck, right? I'm LEAVING TAOS! I'M GOING TO TRAIN A NEW SISTER! I can't tell you how bummed I am... I love Taos so much. I WILL be coming back. Even if I don't get to serve here again on my mission. Roadtrip, anyone? This is my town! 

I'll tell you what though, it's been a great last few days in Taos since I got the news I'd be training. A real miracle happened. Story time: So Tuesday was turning out to be an unsuccessful day. We got in our service clothes, ready to... well serve. No one was home or wanted our service! Lame, right? So we go change into our pros clothes and then go to Baskin Robbins to visit an investigator who works there. Wouldn't you know it, she's not there! We get back into the truck and the elders pull up. So we ask them who we should visit on this list of part-member families. Elder Lagerstrom points to a name. We go visit! We knock on the door and the 12 year old daughter answers. We ask if her mom is home. She says no, she's IN THE HOSPITAL IN SANTA FE CAUSE SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK THAT DAY!!!!! She wasn't yelling at us, that's just me emphasizing the magnitude of the situation. So we're in shock, we ask how she's doing, she says she's fine. This girl was composed. I most definitely would not have been if my mom, or anyone for that matter, was in the hospital because of a heart attack. So let me step on my soap box for a minute before I resume the story so I can exhort you all to please please please take care of yourselves. Eat well. Get some exercise. Go get check ups. I want you all healthy and happy while I'm gone. You'll break my heart and tear me to pieces if anything happens to any of you. Got it? Thanks. :) I say that all with love. :) Ok back to the story. Composed 12 year old. We ask if she has any siblings there with her. She has a 10 year old brother. We ask if they have food, if they need anything, etc. She says politely they dont... but really if you would have been on the outside of their trailer looking in, you wouldn't have believed them. We didn't. So we give the 2 kids our number and tell them to call us if they need anything and then we leave.We call the missionaries in Santa Fe right away to go visit her and give her a blessing. They did almost immediately after we called them. So anyway, we went back to Baskin Robins and the elders are still there and so is the Relief Society president who owns Baskin Robins. She goes over to the house and has the kids go with her and stay with her for the week until their mom gets back. SO! Had we not stopped by, those kids probably would have struggled a lot with having their mom gone, feeding themselves, getting to school, etc. So we were at the right place at the right time. Our day didn't turn out like we planned for it, but had it gone as planned, just think of what could have happened. Elder Lagerstrom was inspired to point to that name. Wow, God is amazing. He's in charge.

So... lots of fun times the last few days I've had in Taos. I think Saturday was probably the best day I've had here. We started our day at a flea market in Seco. Fun stuff! We talked to a lot of people, handed out Mormon.org cards, and shared our testimonies. We went to a yard sale ($2 skirt... heheheh), talked to more people, found the most AMAZING consignment/thrift store EVER ($1 shirt... heheheheheh super ugly and awesome. Next week you'll see pictures of it.), visited one of our favorite older members who loves basketball like grandma does, and had dinner with the families on the hill. I just love the people of Taos!!!

Yesterday... I cried a lot. Surprise surprise. In the meeting we always have with the bishop before church, I announced to him that I was being transferred. So he invited me to bear my testimony before the speakers got up. As he announced I was leaving, the whole congregation gasped! All I could do was feel loved, that people were so shocked I was leaving. So I got up and was crying before I spoke. I bore my testimony... I saw other people crying right along with me, even my companion. :') sniff! After I got down, I was crying so hard... probably as hard as I cried as I left my own family! 2 of the girls on the hill came and sat by me, leaning their heads on my shoulders and holding my hands and telling me it would all be ok. That just made me cry harder! To have these 2 little 9 and 10 year-olds come console and comfort me like that... I'm crying just thinking about it! They are so sweet. Lots of hugs an goodbyes during the rest of church. So hard! What the heck, how can I get so attached to people, an entire ward, in just 6 weeks?! That's the magic of Taos I guess, and impoderable of the gospel as well. Boy oh boy. Last night I had dinner one last time with the families on the hill. I taught the girls how to make weaving bracelets. And one of the girls had been making a bracelet for me the whole day before. I'm so loved! One of the dad's is a police officer for the city of Taos and gave me a police patch! Legit! People are so generous, I also got a recipe book from a lady in the ward. So... I had to say goodbye to the families on the hill and that was hard. HARD. Cause I love them the most. The girl who made me a bracelet (she's 10) gave me a huge tight long hug... and she started to cry. What?! So I had to cry... hugs and tears. So bitter sweet. That's been my life the last few days, knowing this is the last time I'll see this family, or go down that road, etc....

Today is my last Pday here. We're going to the Ski Valley, the Gorge Bridge, and it will be a great adventure! I'm wearing jeans and the ugly shirt and these LEGIT boots a member gave to my companion. But we both tried them on and they fit us both, but I wanted her to have them because she could wear them when she gets home in June. But being the most amazing and humble and kind and selfless companion she is, she gave them to me and said that God would provide for her. And He did! Some members gave her money for this native jacket she'd been eying at a thrift store. Anyway, they're awesome. real leather, work boots and they're one of a kind. Anyway, I'm so sad it's my last day in Taos! 

After dinner tonight we'll be driving to Rio Rancho, right before ABQ to stay with the sisters down there for the night. Then at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning we'll find out where I'm going and who my new companion is! I'm so stoked! And scared! AH! But I had a little slice of personal revelation this week. I was pondering the atonement. I thought to myself as I was teaching it that..."Hey. If Christ could suffer for everyone, I can handle my trials.... what's so hard that I can't do if Christ already did the hard part for me?" I always knew that... but it clicked this time around. I'm so grateful for that knowledge, and I'm grateful that I've had so many great experiences here in Taos that I can remember for a lifetime, that I can reflect on when times get hard. I know God is there to help me through the hard parts and He'll rejoice with me in my triumphs. 

So that's about it... I know it's not as long as my other novels, but that's probably a good thing. Dad, the elders were very grateful for your letters and stamps! As was sister Harlan. :) Also, you probably don't need to be reminded but don't send things for me to them anymore. Send things to the mission home until I can get you my new address.

Well........ OLIVE YA'LL!!! I'm more and more grateful for my family every day. I miss you all, love you all... Thank you for your prayers and well wishes and good juju! My heard is so full!


Read Luke 6. It's a good one. :)

MUCH LOVE, 

Sister Hannah Schieving

***
Hannah sent lots of photos with captions this week!

My district. I'll miss them!

Elder and Sister Adams. Show this to the Herricks!

Me and one of the girls on the hill, the one who made me a bracelet and cried when she hugged me goodbye... I'lll miss that girl!

Playing hand games. She picks things up fast for a 4 year old!

Me and the little girls on the hill. I taught the one with glasses how to wink, how to do a thumb war, staring contest, and a hand game ;)

Other favorite girl on the hill

They were all zombies, lol!

I decorated Sister H's last planner!

Baskin Robins!

I should open my own photo studio down here! It's full of awesome stuff.

A special goodbye ice cream cake!

I'm the salt, the rest are pepper! :)

That's the $2 skirt...

4.22.13 ANOTHER BLIZZARD?!

Dearest most wonderful family and friends,

I will address the subject of this email first before I forget like I did last week. As it says, we endured another blizzard. 2 days of snow! And it stuck for a couple days! Winter wonderland in April... Good thing my family is awesome and I have boots and warm tights and a warm coat and gloves! Crazy. Just ridiculous. And THEN.... Yesterday it was like 65 degrees and I was dying of heat! What is this madness? What happens when (if) I ever go to El Paso where it's 110 degrees! I'm going to melt! And here I thought I loved the heat and being warm. 65 degrees felt like an inferno!

So since Wednesday... Let me try to recall. Everyday feels like all the other days. I can't keep track. The rest of our substitute Pday was great. And snowy. Nothing of real importance. Thursday we went to ABQ again for a trainer/trainee meeting. It was pretty good! I like to be around more missionaries that have no idea what they're doing sometimes, like me. haha. Some members drove us down which was insanely nice of them. We got some cool news at that meeting. There will now be sister missionaries with leadership roles. Kind of like zone leaders, but sisters. There will be a companionship of "training sisters" who will go on exchanges a couple times a week until they've gone on exchanges with every sister in their zone. They have more responsibilities but I'm not clear on what they are yet. Cause it's new news and I don't think everyone is on the same page with it yet. But that's pretty awesome right? More power to the sisters! Anyway it was a great day, even though most of it was spent in a car driving to and from ABQ.

Saturday morning was a very sad morning. A couple weeks ago, a baby of an investigator of the elder's passed away of SIDS. She was 8 or 9 weeks old. She was soooo cute, so tiny! She looked like a little porcelain doll with perfect skin, big blue eyes, and tonz of fuzzy black hair. A friend of that family who got baptized in October and loves the gospel who came from VERY rough circumstances (as has the family of the baby who died) gave the eulogy. It wasn't like a eulogy you'd normally hear. She got up, with her rough voice from years of smoking, hands shaking as she read from a torn envelope, sobbing as she spoke. You've never heard anything like it. The love that she has for that baby and family, the hope she has from the plan of salvation, the heartbreak and grieve in her words... it was the most tender, heartbreaking, hopeful moment I think I've ever experienced. A member then gave a talk on the plan of salvation. It was incredible! And there were mostly nonmembers there, so it was a great missionary moment for her. After that, everyone lined up to give the grieving family hugs. I cried so much... it was soooo sad. The mother sobbed through the whole thing. There's a picture I'll send of the back of the program. I made a really sloppy sketch of the view that I had at the funeral. The back of the mother leaning on the shoulder of the family friend/member who gave the eulogy. In front and a little to the right there was the table with a vase of roses, the box the baby's ashes were in, and a photo of the baby.

The rest of that day was great. Towards the end, anyways, We had planned to go see like... 5 people. But no one is ever home on Saturdays! I had gotten a little discouraged. I kind of just turned off my brain and went on auto pilot, not really thinking anything or being present. Later I had the thought which is similar to something President Monson said: "Time is a gift to be treasured and used wisely in the moment, not to be put aside for the future." Something like that, I'm paraphrasing. I shouldn't endure just to get through it... cause we were walking around, it was cold and windy, not having the greatest time, but not dwelling on the negative. Like I said I just kind of turned my brain off. I should endure with PURPOSE! If that makes sense. It does to me anyway. 

A highlight of our coldness was we stopped at a yard sale. I got this wicked native american patterned vest, a necklace, and a really nice sweater for dirt cheap. Thrift stores and now yard sales are my weakness!!! AH! Anyway, that night we had dinner with all the families on the hill. Our message was about missionary work. We decided to have a testimony meeting about missionary work. Everyone shared a story or an experience and it brought in the spirit so strong. A lot of us were in tears. I was humbled, I definitely needed it. A couple people (missionaries included) bore testimony about not being perfect missionaries. I had this grand idea that missionaries were so awesome and disciplined and spiritual giants. But a harsh reality hit when I found that wasn't the case, especially with the elders here in Taos. I even said to my companion a day before that I didn't look up to them as missionaries. I thought they didn't rise to the occasion or take being a missionary seriously, they didn't act as if the Savior was always in their presence, obedience isn't a priority for them. Their conversation consists of guns, cars, and.. you know. Things boys like to talk about. But when I heard testimonies that a missionary is a missionary, they're out here with a testimony of Christ and desire to share it, that's what matters. No one is perfect. My expectations were unrealistic. I just thought that everyone should take it as seriously as I do, cause I came from literally the best of circumstances. Raised in the Gospel, come from the strongest family I know, I have amazing relationships with all of them. And obedience is one of my strengths. I think of the Savior often and try to do what He would do. But He wouldn't judge them. And not to say that I'm perfect, I'm definitely not. I have a lot to work on too. But they are missionaries. I shouldn't just DEAL with them, I should try to HELP them and be an example. Cause right now all I can do is not talk to them because they drive me insane and anything I would say would not be in sync with the spirit. My patience is getting a little tiny eensy weensy bit stronger every day which I'm grateful for. I won't stop working on it until it is my greatest strength. Summing that up... I was humbled. I need to see everyone as a child of God. Even the missionaries who I hold to a higher standard that don't impress me. I can worry about me being the best missionary I can be.

So Church was awesome! Always is. The speakers talked about... MISSIONARY WORK! It was awesome. Church is awesome. Then we went to lunch at the Thomas'. We always do on Sundays. They fed us well. So the combination of being realllly full and the scorching heat of 65 degrees and still not being used to not taking 4 hour naps on Sundays = reeeaaaallllly tired. We were teaching a less active elderly lady from the PUEBLO (awesome, we got to see the actual Pueblo part with the 2 giant adobe mansions, made me think that's probably something like the civilizations of the Book of Mormon lived in). She lived in a smaller adobe home with a fireplace on the inside... with a fire in the fireplace... I was dying. We were there for an hour and a half. BUT I held my own, I made it though, and we survived the day! Sundays are awesome. They're the only day of the week that I can differentiate from the other days of the week because we go to church. The rest of the week is all smashed together cause every day is the same. At home I knew it was Monday cause I had council meetings and FHE, I knew it was Wednesday cause I'd see Laura, I knew it was Friday cause I always looked forward to them cause they were Friday Forums. Saturdays were awesome cause I could sleep in. You get the idea. 

This week should be good. Our teaching pool is growing! So we will be doing lots of teaching, hopefully, and we have some service planned. And we should be able to have a better schedule to stick to. Last week was crazy with going to ABQ twice and having district meeting rescheduled and the funeral on Saturday morning... This week should bring consistency! Which I'm a huge fan of. 

So I love Taos still. THE TREES ARE TURNING GREEN! I saw some blossoms too! And the grass is turning green too! I'm eating it up because everywhere but Taos is desert and brown. Not that I don't mind desert and brown. I'm just partial to green. There's lots of crazy things, we see a dozen hitch hikers a day. Knocking doors we find crazy people, ferocious dogs, random piles of junk, good stuff. It really is like a different country in some places with the dirt roads and run down homes and cars. Family, you're blessed! And mom, our house is a mansion and immaculately clean compared to some places out here. Most places, actually. People seem to just collect junk and never dust or vacuum or clean anything. Don't feel bad. Our home is a heaven on earth and I miss it! But I like having my eyes opened to the real world and how a lot of people live. We are soooo tremendously blessed! 

Thanks for everyone's letters this week. Every time I read (or think about) your letter, Mom, I tear up. I'm so loved! You all know exactly what to say to make me feel better. And a few people gave me confidence boosts from the ward too. One lady said to me "I don't know what it is, but you are looking especially gorgeous today!" I had my hair up high in a bun how it was, I hadn't done my hair like that yet, so I thought that might be it. Though she and many others liked it like that, that wasn't it. She couldn't put her finger on it, but that's ok! And another member from the ward came up to me yesterday and said that he uses me for an example for his daughter. She's tall and slender, probably 7 or 8 years old. He points me out to her and says "look, she's tall and slender and carries herself with such confidence! AND she's a missionary!" So that made me feel good too. :) She's a cute little girl and has cute freckles like Abbi. :) Anyway, that took an unexpected turn... back to thanking my family for being AWESOME! Dad, I got your package of pictures, a letter, an insurance card, stamps, and a star chart. :) SO THANK YOU! I loved it! It hasn't been as starry out this week, probably because the moon is on it's way to being full. But I can't wait to pull it out and find some constellations! Family, I just love you all so much. I find myself thinking about you often, and giving myself virtual tours of our home. It's comforting and fun to see familiar things in my head. Is that weird?.... Anyway, I am super grateful that I come from the most perfect example of a family I've ever seen. I love you soooo much and I hope you can feel my prayers for you every day! 

And because I have such an amazing family, I have an assignment for you all. Anyone who reads this really. So you know how I have you send things to the elder's mailbox to give to me? Well I'm really blessed and get A LOT of mail. They get little or none. So I am commanding (because I can cause I'm a missionary... lololol ;) ) you all, everyone who reads this but especially my family, to write a letter to each of the elder's here. There's Elder Lagerstrom and Elder Smith. Even though they drive me nuts, they deserve some love. So I better be seeing floods of letters coming their way this week and next! Here's their address so you won't forget:

108 Carbajal Road

Taos, NM 87571

Thanks for being awesome! I know you'll write them!

Anyway, a couple last things. BOMBINGS IN BOSTON? Are the Grossman's (isn't that their name? The ones who sold us the red Subarau?) ok? EXPLOSIONS IN TEXAS!? What's going on! I feel so left out of the loop! Which is probably a good thing... but boy do I miss NPR! I'm super glad I have a Tshirt so I can have something NPR related. So enlighten me, let me know about the world's affairs. I know the world is ending.. but I didn't think it would end that fast! Also, does anyone remember what happened at Taos High in like 2004? A few kids poisoned a bunch of other kids with some sort of chemical they thought would just be a laxative. One of the members was involved in that case, he's a police officer. He asked us if we remembered that, it made national news. So just wondering if you remembered that. So yah, What's the deal?

Well family, OLIVE YA! Thanks for everything you guys do. I just can't believe how blessed I am!! I don't have time to send individual emails today, but just know I'm thinking of all of you. I hope to write this week, but I never know if I'll have time. 

I'll leave you with a thought or two:

"If you look after and truth, beauty will take care of itself." -Eric Gill

"Establish a character before God that could be relied upon in the hour of trial." -Lorenzo Snow

Alma 7:12 It's a good one.

I wish I didn't have to go! I feel so close to you all when I'm here emailing you. But I have to go be a missionary. I can't wait to hear from you hopefully during the week and definitely next Monday!

OOOOOLLLLLIIIIIVVVVVEEEEE   YYYYYYYAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

MUCH MUCH love,

Sister Hannah Schieving

Snow!

And more snow....

And Companions in the SNOW

THe sunsets are amazing!

Quick sketch on the back of the funeral program. :(

4.17.13 Belated update

Dearest Family,

First of all, OLIVE YA!!!!

Ok so since last week... much has happened. Good times and bad times. But something that I love about the Gospel is that it amplifies everything good and turns negatives into positives, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. It's truly an amazing thing that I am soooo grateful for. And thank you family who has given me so many uplifting words after I was down on myself last week. I wasn't fishing for any compliments or encouragement, I just knew that I could confide in my family and they gave me support and happiness and uplifting anyway. So thank you. :)

It's been such long time since I've written a novel for you all... And all the days kind of just blend together. So I'll just go through some highlights.

The bishop's wife reminds me soooo much of my mommy! She's an incredible home maker, world class chef, amazing hostess, selfless service, kind to everyone, married at 18, and is the bishop's wife! Crazy right? We went to their home for dinner last week and it was so great. She made so much food for us and it was right up there with yours, mom! On Friday the ward had a young womens fundraiser. It was an enchilada dinner with a dessert auction. I made magic cookie bars! They sold for $14! It was a blessing because I had all the ingredients, I didn't have to go buy anything. Don't worry, I saved some for myself. And they were delicious! Anyway, it was a resounding success. They sold tickets for the event and with the dessert auction, they raised $1,500! Big deal for such a tiny ward! It was so much fun.

Sunday was such a great day. Testimony meeting! The spirit I feel at testimony meetings is always so strong and something I hunger for. My companion and I shared our testimonies, and everyone else who shared was amazing. This ward rocks. And one of the girls on the hill shared hers, she didn't know what to say. She said she knows that heavenly father and Jesus Christ have shown her the right path. It was so simple and powerful. The missionaries taught a combined lesson for Priesthood and Relief Society about the missionary handbook, rules, etc. We taught mostly about appropriate relationships and missionary conduct. It went pretty well. Again, this ward is AMAZING!! AND I fasted... with real purpose... I have to admit I never really had much of a testimony of fasting. I'm weak. But I was blessed, I got my answer.

The temple was so calm and just... yah. Ridiculously awesome. The rest of the day was just as amazing. I saw some of my favorite missionaries from my MTC district, that made me super happy! And the bishop's wife (the one who reminds me of mom) was the one who took us to the temple, we left at 6:30 am to get there on time, she took us to lunch, she drove us around, she spent 12 hours with 4 obnoxious missionaries, what a saint, like my own mother. :) I know that when things get hard I can look back and draw strength from the experience that I had in the temple that day. That night we had dinner at the Baronne's where usually do, and that's always amazing and uplifting and always insane amounts of food. I just loved Monday. I can't believe I don't get to go back to the temple for another 6 months! So all ya'll go for me as often as you can, ok? :)

Yesterday was a miracle. we go to Baskin Robins to use their bathroom. We end up getting ice cream... of course, how can we not. We ask the girl who just started working there 3 weeks ago if she'd ever seen missionaries before. She said she had seen them often at UNM college. She also said her 2 good friends from high school went on missions. Turns out those boys are sons of some of our favorite members! Immediately we asked if she wanted to come to dinner with us at one of their homes. She said yes! THEN we hoped and prayed that they would be ok with us inviting ourselves over for dinner in a matter of hours and bring a stranger along with us... They graciously allowed us to and we went over and helped them make dinner. The girl came and it was such a great time! She's super smart and friendly and is looking for a church that won't offend her... let's hope that's us! haha.


Now let me take a moment to thank my family for the30 pound package they sent me:
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Truly, from the bottom of my heart. You all were inspired! Thanks especially for the book about Christ and the New Testament. Did I tell you that's what I've been focusing on? I also started to read the Ensign all about Christ. And that talk you sent me about Patience... golden! I can't wait to read the other talks! Lisa, your artwork always inspires me! Laura, how'd you know I was running out of stamps! When that fell out of the envelope I just dried.... Grandma, I love the stickers and can't wait to fill that photo album! WOW, JUST THANK YOU! So much food, yummy healthy food. :) I am so blessed and I can't even believe it. Really, I can't express my gratitude. What did I do to deserve such an incredible family!? All of you, please stay strong in the Gospel. My heart would shatter if any of you fell away. Because you all are the reason I am where I am. Out serving the Lord. Sharing the Good News to families, hoping that they'll receive blessings like I've received.


Some other random highlights:
-Garage sale: pretty purple skirt (wearing in temple picture) for.... $1. No lie!
-Favorite thrift store: super nice khaki skirt, exciting blouse, hat, and bracelets all for... $11!
-Got to do a little bit of art
-Wisdom from Thomas (not Louis this week...): "Pain is temporary. Love is eternal."
-Interviews with mission president and his sweet wife.
-Haven't been attacked by a dog yet!
-Members giving us fruit! we LOVE fruit!

Well... that's about all I got for now. I hope you guys have a fantastic week and I love you all more than you know! Keep on keepin on! Enjoy the pictures. :)
MUCH LOVE,
Sister Hannah Marie Schieving

The Taos Gorge

One of the girls up the hill made this!

Temple day!

The rest are a bunch of "I miss Wallace (my big camera)" shots. The little camera does OK, though!

4.9.13 Peeps and pretty things!

Sister Schieving is missing her DSLR camera, Wallace. But she takes lots of pictures with her little point-and-shoot. Here are a bunch she send back this week!

This is what happens when little girls paint your fingernails :)

Sister Schieving with Ed Sandoval

Sister Schieving said, "Sepia makes everything look better! Ha."

The Lovely Companions

Another creative sepia shot. 

Sunburst

Isn't Taos pretty?!

Conference Camp Out

Art-ified journal

Microwaving peeps: Before

During

After

3.8.13 Letter

Hi people!

I just love Taos. It's gorgeous. Surrounded by beauty which I am so grateful for. It's inspiring!

Last Monday I got to meet Ed Sandoval, a legit artist. I had seen his work many times before. He has his own studio and gallery right on the main street and we see him outside painting almost every day. I went up and started to talk to him and then showed him what I do. He loved it and showed his manager and she loved it. I gave her one of the prints to keep with my name and color.by.hannah email address. Sweet, right? I also got a picture with him and he's a little crazy... but all artists are. :) Last Monday my companion and I also went to our favorite thrift store and I got a tan cord blazer, a bright pink skirt (I know what you're thinking, who is this person?!), a bracelet, and a belt all for $7. LEGIT! I love thrift stores!

So some other highlights from this week have been teaching our investigator and finding a new investigator. Though we have to recommend her to the elders cause she lives on the East side and we're in charge of the West side. But I finally felt like I was able to testify with the spirit when we taught. It felt good. 

Another highlight is spending time with these 3 families that live on the same hill that are all recent converts. They are all such great people, we LOVE their kids and they love us. We're over there at least 3 times a week either because they signed up to feed us or because we have no one to teach and the elders are over there, so they invite us too. We did a fun thing with the older kids the other day. We made conference Bingo cards for them. they had to pay attention for a particular work or colored tie, etc and if they got a Bingo we had a prize for them. Their parents were impressed at how well they paid attention! At least to the first session on Saturday morning. They got Bingo's faster than we anticipated. We didn't have any prized for them yet! So that's one thing we've got to do today. ;) But last night we were at one of their homes for dinner and as we leave we always leave a message. I shared a bit of personal revelation I got during one of the talks on Saturday that didn't even have to do with what they were speaking on. One of my greatest fears is falling away from the church. I've always thought that if any of my sisters were to fall away, it would be me first. Even after a mission, I know it's possible. I've seen it. I had the thought that I made the most important decision already when I chose to join 2/3 of God's spirit children and come to earth. So I need to have more faith in myself that I can make good decisions and remember how hard I worked to get to where I am, to have the testimony that I have. I shared that because this family are all recent converts of the last 5 or 6 years, but have been reactivated or baptized within the last 8 months. One of the dad's shared his experience with me of falling away and what keeps him going is his family, and striving to be worthy of the priesthood. It turned into a really great discussion/testimony meeting that strengthened me and I know strengthened them. My companion and the elders all shared personal experiences of the priesthood and it was such a great message turned lesson for all of us.

Some other random highlights:

-The elder's making us dinner when our dinner appointments fell through. Don't worry, we ate on the porch, not in their trailer!

-FREE ICE CREAM! ALL THE TIME!

-I'm 120 lbs! I think. If the scale I used was accurate. ;)

-watching the little girls that live on the hill play Just Dance and hearing ONE DIRECTION! :D 

-Watching General Conference at the church. We basically had a camp out there cause it was cold so we brought our blankets, lots of food to eat between the session while we were locked in cause we had nowhere else to go, and knowing that my family was watching the same thing I was. :) I loved seeing the Temple, that's my home!!! :)

-Sunday all 3 meals were provided for us. We had breakfast at a recent converts while we watched the morning session. Lunch at another member's home in between sessions. Dinner after the last session. I ate SOOOOO much yesterday!

-Little girls on the hill gave me the stickers they got from the dentist. They were kittens with angel wings that I put in my journal. Those girls are the best! I teach them hand games and Abbi, I taught a 4 year old how to wink and she winks at me every time she sees me! :) 

-I put my markers to use on the outside of a tiny moleskin journal I got. yay!

-Microwaving Peeps is the best thing ever! They get HUGE! We microwaved some and then made smores. :) Enjoy the pictures that will follow. 

A little bit of housekeeping:  

-We DO NOT have a post office box. So continue to send packages and letters to the elder's trailer. 108 Carbajal Road. Taos, NM 87571. They are really good at getting things to us promptly 

Well, I'm so relieved to know that you are being blessed. President Eyring's talk on Saturday morning helped me know too. :) I loooooooooooooove you all and I hope you got my letters this week. and the stickers I sent! Wear them proud!

I also encourage you to read the 4 Gospels. Get to know your Savior. I just finished Matthew today. I loved reading it! It's helped me strengthen my relationship with him. What an incredible blessing scriptures are. Read them, love them. :)

Like I said, OLIVE YA!!!!!!!!!!! Soooooo much! I think of you often. and how grateful I am for the upbringing I had. I'm so blessed it's ridiculous!


MUCH LOVE,

SISTER Hannah Marie Schieving

Pictures to follow!

4.3.13 Avocado Pie!

Sister Schieving says....

"Deeeeaaarressstttt family and friends,

Where do I even begin? This week flew by but it's like I thought today would never come! So much happened. ish. All the days blend together so if I don't write in my journal there's no way I can remember things as they happen. So maybe I'll start with last Monday and move forward, the important things that happened day by day. 

So you'll never guess what I did on Monday. I CUT MY HAIR! But it's pretty much the same. The biggest difference is I got bangs again. My companion and I were thinking about getting our haircut together and we decided if she got bangs, I'd get bangs too. So we did! I also got a lot of layers. The length is still there though. It's shaggy. If that makes sense. One of the members we love to visit and hang out with cut our hair for us for free. She owns her own salon in town. I saved some of my hair and Hermana's hair and put it in my journal. Nasty, I know. haha. So that night and every Monday night for the next forever we've been invited to the Barrone's home for dinner/FHE with the elders. They love food. They love company. They remind me a little of my own family! They are really great. They invited whoever wants to come and there's usually like 15 or 20 people there. There's always this older couple who are very eccentric and... theatrical you might say. very interesting people. The husband Alfie has like... no boundaries and will talk to you 6 inches from your face and spits all over, quotes all these poets and philosophers and whatnot... but he's very entertaining and fun to talk to. I can't think of someone to compare him to to give you an idea of who he's like.... maybe one of these days. From now on, however, I will refer to him as crazy Alfie. Anyway, the Barrone's have 3 kids, their daughter is 28 and just got engaged. Their two sons are like 26 and 23 and very lumberjackish. They are super funny and always happy. We love their company. Sarah, you should marry Dan Dan. He's the 26 year old. I think you guys would be great together. :) Don't be frightened by his full beard and longer than yours hair. ;) If you ever do get to meet him. lol. ANYWAY....

Fun times on Tuesday when we drove to Angel Fire. 45 minute drive to lunch at a member's/investigators house through the windy-est canyon ever. I was going like 20mph over those curves! This investigator (the elder's investigator) has seen complete blackness and it's heartwarming to see her change and watch her testimony grow. I see that with even the recent converts and all their stories. I love this place. (at lunch we had blushing pears. They sound disgusting but they're pretty good! Get a pear half, a dollup of mayo in the center, sprinkle it with cheese and cherry jello powder. gooood!) Our dinner appt that night was with the elder's (most are... that's a lie. ALL are... haha) at the patriarch's home. They tease that he's one of the three Nephites. I believe it! That man has incredible stories, should have died like 3 or 4 times (inhaled molten copper through is nose in an explosion... crazy, right?), and just the way he talks and quotes scriptures and general authorities, he's probably one of the three Nephites. he's also Native and so is Hermana so they connected. I mean CONNECTED. She has a tendency to do that with the natives. It's crazy. I love watching it and being a part of it. :) Later that night we went to a recent converts home and they have an untrained huge dog that was OUT OF CONTROL. I was doing my best not to freak out, I was like protecting myself with a chair. The elders had to like... wrestle that dog to the ground! They could barely keep him still. So they eventually (not soon enough) put him outside. I suffered only a minor heart attack...

Wednesday we had 'specialized zone training' which is code for 'let's get 100 missionaries together and role play all day.' It was pretty good though. I loved the end though, where President Miller spoke to us and shared a video about missionary work and the atonement. If you can find it you should watch it, I think it could apply to everyone. Elder Holland and Eyring were the main speakers with videos of Christ mixed in there and really sad-to-happy music playing in the background. It was incredible. I love being a missionary. I love the gospel. After the training we got mail! I got a few letters, and my box I sent myself from the MTC. YaY! Then we drove home. 2 hour drive to and from... unnecessarily exhausting. When I got home though, I had 2 packages waiting for me! Our land lord sister Gonzales picked them up for me at the post office. So you can breathe now, I got them! And I thank you! I am soooooo blessed. I say this a lot, but I wish I could do more than just say thank you and that I'm grateful. Even with all the members who do so much for us... we can't do anything but say thank you. but that's not enough! Oh well. I hope God blesses them for what they do. And for what you do! Is my family being blessed?! Please say that you are! Again, THANK YOU for all that you do. And for those packages. :) For dinner that night we went to the Ely's. They are crazy! The wife is poly and the husband is this 6' 8" white guy. They have the most beautiful children. We find ourselves at their home a lot. 

On Thursday... you'll never believe what we did finally. WE TRACTED! We went to this super sketchy culdesac (not sure how to spell that) of trailers. And 2 out of the 3 people we actually talked to only spoke spanish. Thank heavens for my companion who speaks some! I just smiled and nodded and said "buenos dias!" when we left. But it was a good experience. I felt like a real missionary! This dog followed us around to each door we knocked on until we left. but he was a nice dog, thankfully. So this day and the few days before and the few days after I'd been sneezing like no other, my eyes are all watery and itchy, headaches, dry throat... I think it's a combination of allergies and a cold. Cause I began to have the sniffles as I left the MTC. So this day in particular was little harder because of all that. but I did my best to not be tired and visibly drained, but it didn't work very well... cause at dinner we went with the elder's (surprise) to a part member home. the wife is but her husband isn't. Their kids are all out of the house. But she was so sweet and knew I didn't feel good and kept asking if I was doing ok and she wasn't offended if I didn't eat much. And then on our way home we stopped by the elder's trailer and one of the elder's (Smith, he's a little harder to get along with) gave me some decongestant. :) That helped me have charity towards him which I had been (and still am sometimes) struggling to have for him. So he got some brownie points this week when he saved me from the jumpy scary dog and then gave me medicine. :)

So Friday was great. For lunch we went to a recent converts home.With the elders. The husband was baptized about a month ago. His family says they don't know who he is now, that they're all so surprised and all the changes he's made, his new attitude, etc. So after we eat we try to leave with a message and it turns in to him giving us an hour sermon. it was so great! I took notes! Prepare yourselves for "Wisdom from Louis:" 

• "Through prayer, we can deal with it."
• "It doesn't just come, you EARN faith."
• "Patience, patience, patience. Receive it as it comes."
• "Sometimes I find myself thinking, 'give me, give me, give me. Give me blessings.' But what do I give Him?"
• "I come to find out after I became a member: God was always there. I left Him."
• "Jesus Christ did the hardest part. We have it easy!"
• "If the snow is 20 feet deep, it's ok. He walked through it already, we just have to follow."
• "Repentance... am I doing it because I have to? Or because I want to? Because I want to be better?"

Can you even believe this guy? I love it! After our message turned sermon for the missionaries, we went to the Ely's house again and..... PRACTICED SINGING FOR A BAPTISM THE NEXT DAY! My companion and I somehow got roped into singing for a guy's baptism that the elders have been teaching. Louis' brother in law. Everyone here is related somehow. I can't get it straight. But these guys are part of a family who all live on the same hill in trailers. The kids love us. They all do, really. Anyway, so we practice singing "I Am a Child of God" while Elder Lagerstrom played the ukulele (not poly... skinny white blonde kid. lol.) and while elder Smith (who I have a hard time loving) played the piano. We were there for almost 4 hours.... aaaahhhhh!!! Finally it was time for our dinner appt with the elders at a member's home. Single older lady and her grand daughter. It was pretty fun. She lives in a trailer but the inside is like a bazzar with all kinds of random odds and ends. So much character. Open fire inside and adobe fireplace. We smelled like campfire when we got home. Awesome! 

After we were leaving the member's home, there was the most fantastic sunset. She lives on a mesa so the view was completely unobstructed. I loved it. I hadn't seen a beautiful sunset since... who knows when. Then we were about the leave but the elders had another package for me. :) The one that you send with my boots, more tights, and other random things I asked for. So again, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Really, I won't ask for another package until Christmas. Cause I've gotten 4 so far just from my immediate family. So anyway, we get to our home sweet cement block and there's..... 2 more packages waiting for me! One from Lisa, Laura, and Grandma. :) THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH TOO! My companion was so touched and excited that you'd send her something too. She loved it! I love it! Happy Easter to me! And I got the package from dad with paper and envelopes. So THANK YOU dad! I wrote you a letter on Saturday but haven't sent it yet... so it'll basically be a smaller version of this email... sorry. haha.

Finally onto Saturday. (hopefully some day I'll find a more efficient and effective way to email... right now it seems like I'm typing endlessly, still not being able to say everything I want to!) It was such a fantastic day. Morning... not much. After lunch though, my companion and I finally taught our FIRST INVESTIGATOR THE VERY FIRST LESSON AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE HER TO BAPTISM AND SHE ACCEPTED FOR NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did it! I did the invited! By the spirit of course. ;) So I start teaching and get like halfway through when Hermana gently stops me. She was sensitive to the spirit and could tell that our investigator didn't really know much of what we were saying. So we kind of started over and explained it very simply and slowly. After I caught on I continued teaching and made that invitation. I know it happens a lot that and investigator is invited to baptism but doesn't really understand it and doesn't follow through. I'm prepared for that to happen. But we're also prepared to continue to teach her tomorrow and in upcoming days and weeks. And hopefully be baptized and come one step closer to eternal life! That's what it's all about! And I love it! So that experience REALLY made me feel more like a missionary. It only took us a week and a half to find an investigator... but it came nevertheless and I'm that much more excited to be a missionary! :) 

After our amazing teaching experience, we went to the baptism. It was such a wonderful experience! All our favorite families were there and my companion and I sang our hearts out. A couple of the little girls of the families came up and sang with us. :) The elders did a wonderful job playing their instruments. I wasn't even nervous cause I know that I don't have the greatest of singing voices but I can at least carry a tune. And I'm singing about being a child of God, which everyone there was. And I prayed and prayed for Sarah's spirit to be with me so I could sing with her spirit and hopefully people enjoyed it. :) It was a fun time. That night we had a great "easter eve" with the family that got baptized and the other families on the same hill. We had a great feast and I let the little girls paint my nails and we had good talks, played with puppies, and it was such a  good time. I'm so grateful that heavenly father prepared more families to take us in and help me adjust to leaving my own family that I love so much. :)

EASTER SUNDAY! You'll never believe (AGAIN) what I did. I sang with the relief society choir in sacrament meeting! What's with all the singing! I never would have done this at home! It's amazing what being a missionary does to you. Anyway, we sang "I Heard Him Come." I love that song, I have fond memories of Mom and Sarah singing and playing that song as along as I can remember. It was somewhat of a tender mercy to sing it. :) After church we had 4 lunch/dinner appointments. 4!!! Lunch at the Thomas's. Where dessert was AVOCADO PIE. So amazingly delicious! And you all know how much I LOVE avocados. So look up a recipe for it. It's super delicious. Graham cracker crust, avocados, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice. You would love it. Super tangy. MMMMM. Next lunch was ON A REAL LIVE LEGIT INDIAN RESERVATION! I cannot even describe to you how cool that was. Driving into it, the structures that have been preserved since the beginning of time... and all the run down homes that people actually live in, I felt like I was on another planet. The feeling though was so peaceful. There were, however, real functioning houses, one of which we went to. They're members and live on the Pueblo. That's what it's called there, the Taos Pueblo. They were so nice and so sweet. And again my companion just connected with everyone there. Speaking her native tongue, swapping stories like natives so. So awesome. 

Next appointment was at the Barrone's! We had an easter egg hunt! I found an egg with actual money in it... I'm $5 richer! :D Lots of food, good conversations. Crazy Alfie complimented my high forehead and modelesque figure that some famous European painter would have liked to paint.... creepily flattering... I guess.... haha. Elder Smith lost his glasses but I found them. More Charity! THEN our last dinner appointment and one of the families that live on the same hill. Pretty much all of the families were there though. We had a good time watching old school conference talks and looking up all the missionaries facebooks. So Sarah when you get on mine, start accepting friend requests. :) I just love all these people! It was such a great easter. I had the opportunity to say a thousand prayers, the heads of households seemed to call on my every time yesterday. It was great that I could thank Heavenly Father for our brother's sacrifice for us. And for our ability to live again because of Him. I really have a testimony of the atonement, even though I don't fully understand it. I came up with an analogy. (I think it's my own, but you may have heard it from other creative people... ;) ) Here's us, on earth. We want to get back to God. But imagine a brick wall that separates us from God. Each brick is a sin. One sin. Each sin ever committed by anyone that ever was on the earth, is on the earth or ever will be on the earth. Jesus Christ painstakingly ripped off each brick. Tore down that wall brick by brick so we can step into heaven to live with God again. BAM! Good one, right? I thought so. :)

One more random thing... I invented a new sandwich. Nutella with apple slices. Super yummy! I'm addicted to Nutella. I went through one jar in one week. no lie. I loooove it. Ok that is all. :)

anyway, I've spent and hour and a half typing this... pictures to come... sorry it's so long... I won't be offended if everyone doesn't read all of it.... but I love you all! I hope all is well! My prayers are with you! I hope you write my beautiful sisters letters sometime this week. Keep calm and Carry on!

Much love,
SISTER Hannah Marie Schieving"

Home for the next little while!

Clouded Sunset 

After Haircuts

Sunset again!!

After Easter Sunday

Not the scary our of control dog...