San Jose California Mission Moments

San Jose California Mission

 

Missionary Moments

Missionary Moments

Just a quick update about the last 3 months. 

Elder Latimer left me for Argentina and I got to spend 6 weeks with a previous companion, Elder Hall. Elder hall is a big outdoorsman, growing up in the mountains of Arizona so every Nonday, we weren't indoors till we went to bed. We went gold panning, fishing, hiking, you name it, we considered it if we didn't do it. For the home of the 49er's, the hills have an abysmal amount of gold. We did manage to find fool's gold in the apartment complex volleyball court though (the little gold speck in the blurry photo). 

We also managed to catch a stingray with some fishing poles I found by the dumpster. Our best guess was that it weighed about 15 pounds. Not bad for dumpster poles!

But I only got six weeks with Elder Clint Hall before he got sent down south. I ended up with Elder Harris and we've been companions for another 6 weeks. 

While we were hiking one monday, we stumbled onto a rattlesnake slithering on and off the trail. He looked to be about 2 1/2 feet long and had 7ish layers to his rattle. Elder Hollis and I stayed close for another 10 minutes to make sure the snake didn't sneak up on the rear party of missionaries.

Now for scripture time. In Genesis 3:19, God is speaking to Adam about eating the forbidden fruit. So you don't have to look it up, I've pasted it here. 

"19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

It's a pretty straightforward verse, but I'm going to throw a twist on it. Another name for Jesus is "the bread of life". So if we replace "bread" with "bread of life" the scripture changes meanings just a little. Instead of sweating to put food on our tables, we have work hard to feed our souls. That's basically it. It's just another way to say "faith without works is dead", but it was a lot more meaningfull to me

Sorry for not writing, I've just been caught up in missionary work and haven't had much free time.

If I keep up this schedule, this is probably my second to last email so feel free to read it again

- Elder Schenewark

The colossus of clout

San Jose Mission Zone Conference

 

San Jose Mission - San Jose Zone Conference

 

With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Every family has stories that they don’t like to talk about. But when it comes to things like selling your brother as a slave into Egypt and lying about his death, Joseph’s brothers take uncomfortable family stories to a whole new level. Thankfully your brothers just try to be funny. But that story and more was the discussion at this week's Sunday CFM lesson hosted by Sawyer.

Even more funny was when Sawyer was hosting your phone call to us last Monday. When you were asked by the fishermen on the dock, if you wanted a smoke, Sawyer sagely said, "Tell them that the only thing you learned to smoke in Texas was brisket."

Sawyer was the recipient of a $500 scholarship from the Granbury Optimist Club at their Tuesday morning monthly meeting. Dad and I were there at 0630 hours to watch him receive the award. I let it slip out of the bag Dad was a former Optimist member in Ohio, and they are on him like butter and toast.

Miller had a track meet last Tuesdsay in 48 degrees. I was supposed to meet Dad there to shiver together, but when I arrived Miller was done and Dad was shivering by himself. Miller and Dad had spent some time together watching his film and trying to come up with some suggestions to improve his jump. He got four first place ribbons at the GMS only track meet - and for those of you whom these numbers make sense - 4x100 (50.38), 4x200 (1.44), 100m (11.3), high jump (508). The high school track coach and head football coach attended the meet and spoke with Miller about continuing to run, etc. He's thinking of doing the 7 man football league after track is over, and before school ends. Speaking of Miller, he has studiously been working on his  March Madness Brackets - I think he has ten working brackets, at least, and spends evenings perusing the basketball game options on TV.  Breyer is planning her Munch Madness, and has made a food bracket for her guinea pig. New grocery list items? radishes, mustard greens...

This week has been spring break for your siblings. Because Jarrod's was last week - first time since we've lived here they haven't been on the same week - no fun activities or trips were really planned. Sawyer had two big leather orders so there's been constant banging on the kitchen counter - truck consoles. Miller has had two track practices, a few basketball games with friends and a golf outing. I took him to a frisbee golf course in Benbrook when I had a follow up shoulder doctor appointment.

Sawyer turned 19 this week. We haven't had a celebration yet. He did get a piece of chocolate cream pie, just no candles. Or presents. But Happy Birthday to the son holding down the fort.

The elders in our ward are doing a FHE visit if you sign up. I was first on the list. I asked them to talk about missionary work. We had a nice discussion, and because Breyer was at volleyball, it was nice with just your two brothers there. They also made me a list of all those they visit on a weekly basis, in an effort to help identify, find and clean up our ward records. The elders have also been asked to come to the youth activities on Wednesday as there are non members that are coming. The young man baptized in the Granbury ward went to the temple this week to do baptisms. The single adult baptized in our ward has been attending the singles ward with the Roberts, and is also going to the temple. Sawyer's former baseball teammate, dating Julie Smith, visited BYU with his parents this week. He got to have ice cream with Hunter and Julie and his parents.

The war in Ukraine breaks my heart. I'm so sad for the people whose lives are so disrupted, literally torn apart, including family members. Our stake theme of Hear Him, our ward theme of Build Zion, and our stake conference theme of Our tents are large enough go together so wel! Hear Him. Build Zion. Our tents are large enough. So applicable for this part of the world. And us all.

Stay safe sweetie!

Love,

Mom

With All My Love

 Dear Elder Schenewark,

The weeks go by so quickly!

Sawyer found out this week he was accepted into BYU. He also found out he was awarded full tuition. He is continuing to work on local scholarships. He still has not decided where he is going, and now whether or not he'll go to school first or mission first. It's complicated. Short version - a fellow high school former baseball teammate might need him to go to BYU first so he's not out there alone. Stay tuned.

Porter found out he not only has free tuition for BYU law school, but also is the recipient of a generous $10K stipend for living expenses. He's still waiting to hear about an additional $5K stipend scholarship.

I know these blessings are partly because of your sacrifice and willingness to serve a mission. Our family is always blessed.

Of course you know that Hunter Dewey arrived home Sunday from his mission in the Congo sick with malaria.  It was wonderful to see him again. Sunday was also stake conference. I went to play the organ, but everyone else stayed home. My favorite quote of the day - Our tent is large enough. 

Breyer had an amazing party for her 11 year old birthday Monday. There was no school in session. She often reminded me that she hasn't had a party since she turned 4 - which is true - and now tells me I'm off the hook until she turns 16. She researched and found a murder mystery adaptable to the number of girls/boys and number of participants. She selected 8 girls, and got "Murder at the Floating Flower Oasis Spa." As a surprise, I arranged for two high school girls that live in Bentwater to come over halfway through the party and at the conclusion of the mystery to help with spa treatments.  Faces were masked, cleaned, lotioned. Fingernails buffed, lotioned and painted. Every prepubescent female's dream come true. No one guessed the murderer correctly, not even the murderer. But the plates were cleaned multiple times, cookies and cupcakes inhaled, and out the door three hours later.

I was back in a hotel Wednesday night and school was cancelled Thursday due to icy weather. Going from Tuesday night at bedtime to Thursday  night after dinner time seems longer than one night.

Dad and your brothers got to go to the temple Saturday morning. Although they didn't get to do too many baptisms they did get to baptize others, including Miller for the first time. He has yet to bless the sacrament but it's in progress. Sawyer gave a lovely talk Sunday morning about having faith in God - a topic he's becoming very well acquainted with. During his spare time - as he has no sports - he's been working on fulfilling his leather orders He was able to procure metal weights from the welding teacher, covered them with leather, and will use them to assist his process. Otherwise it's still lanyards, belts, baseball cards. I know one of his newer requests is for a console cover.

We've come full circle to Monday. Miller had his first track meet in Weatherford. He was in the middle of his high jump, I think at about 5'6", and he had to leave and run the 4x100 - third leg. When he finished his run and came back to the high jump his knee was hurting. He only cleared 5'8" and because he had one more miss, he placed second. And he was take out of the rest of his running events.

I don't know why I couldn't reach you on the phone - but know of my love for you. Be an enthusiastic proclaimer of the good news.

Love,

Mom

San Jose Missionary Training Council

 

San Jose Mission Shenanigans

 

San Jose, CA Mission Christmas Party

 

San Jose Mission Conference

We were privileged to have a mission-wide conference with Elder Carlos G. Revillo, from our Area Presidency.  Accompanying him were Elder Steve Merrill, our Area Seventy, and his wife Jeanne Merrill.  

Some zones met in-person, most were on Zoom.  

Sister Merrell reminded the missionaries that they carry the solution to life to those they teach.  Elder Merrell read from John 12:24 and taught us that laying our life down for Christ is more about aligning our will with His, than neglecting ourselves. 

Elder Revillo testified that each missionary was called by ‘divine design’ to serve in this particular mission, at this particular time, particularly with President and Sister Smith.  He also taught that us that one of the most important questions the Savior will ask us is, “Lovest thou me?”  And to ask ourselves “What are we NOT willing to give up?  What are we putting first before the Lord?”  Elder Revillo testified that this work yields much – ‘You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but cannot count the number of apples in a seed’.  We were all spiritually nourished!

San Jose Missionary Moment with the Boston Temple

 

San Jose Missionary

So for five weeks, I've been chilling in Campbell, California. I got a new area, a new missionary, and poison ivy all on the same day. People keep saying how nice it is to see my actual face.

I discovered two weeks ago that you don't have to be on a campout to make tin foil dinners. I don't know who is trying to keep this a secret, but if I disappear it's because they've found me. I received the best compliment a chef can receive as well. No one said a word until their plate was clean. To everyone that cooks, this is about as easy as cooking gets as far as effort vs. quantity. Very filling, pretty cheap, almost healthy, super tasty (11/10).

I also made sushi, 8/10 with yum yum sauce

- Elder Schenewark

the telliest of tubbies

Missionary Moments with a Dog

 

Missionary Moments

 

San Jose Missionary

 

Missionary Moment

 

Missionary Moment

So 6 weeks until I'm halfway done. Its hard to believe I've only been out 4 weeks and never, not once, missed an email. I've left the city and moved to Monterey county AKA wine country. I wake up to the smell of manure in the mornings and stare at the endless fields of grapes and lettuce and broccoli. I was with my MTC companion for 4 weeks and then got a third companion and two more areas for two weeks. Our area is the size of other peoples zones. (zones usually have like 20 missionaries and 5-10 areas). Our poor car has been putting in the work. The best part of leaving the city is that we get to enjoy the people a lot more. One week in to this transfer, we had a man come limp running down the street towards us. I, having been in the city for 8 months, knew what this meant. This man had to be on drugs and was coming to chase us off because we were monsters in his lost mind. Something similar happened about once a week in San Jose. But I said, why not go talk to him anyways. So I unlocked the door to the car parked across the street and told Elder Johnson to run to it if he was in fact crazy. But he wasn't. I was shocked haha. Turns out Louis had suffered a terrible car accident and is slowly recovering motor functions to one of his legs and he was way cooler than we expected. Anyways, just a cool story. Other than that, I've just been grinding down here in Greenfield. Enjoy some pictures of Monterrey and Point Lobos, a park nearish to us.

Elder Schenewark

The winniest of poohs