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Elder Gideon says "Hi." He's chilling with us in the office right now!! And he misses you too!

So uhhhhhh..... this week was nice.... we had our Nairobi Zone Conference, and President has been working like a.......... person who works really hard. Interviews, branch and district business, mission branches, dumb concerns from crazy people - SO MUCH for mission presidents, ESPECIALLY in 3rd world countries where the Church is still in embryonic stages. But he has Priesthood keys to direct the work with direct revelation from the Lord, and my companion and I are seeing this revelation in action. President Hicken is an amazing Priesthood man and leader and I am learning ALOT from him. I love him alot and can't wait to keep learning more. One of his favorite quotes ever is this:

"Obedience is powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all." -Boyd K. Packer

Good quote, very true too. This week I have been trying to work more on loving people and not ever speaking negatively about them. I had a great companionship inventory with Elder Mulondo. He helped me to realize that I cannot say that I love my brother while I'm speaking anything negative of them (in a casual setting, but when we're in with President it's obviously different, evaluating missionaries and stuff). And he's absolutely right. I have really failed to speak good things of my past companions. I have always known that if you look for the good in somebody you'll find it, and if you look for the bad in somebody you'll find it, but i have failed to talk about the good and focus on that. Instead I had been focusing on their natural human weaknesses that are simply a part of mortality! We all have them, and they're all different. When we see somebody else with attributes that we can see need to be fixed, and focus on that, we fail to see ourselves clearly. Thankfully Elder Mulondo helped me correct this. Now it is much cheerier and I feel good and happy, and I am even developing greater love for my past companions because I am seeing them how the Savior would! I love Elder Mulondo and I am thankful for him alot. Please email him too and just let him know that we all love him and that he's awesome :) his email is dennis.mulondo@myldsmail.net

Ok confession time. When I read Elder Bodily's email, I felt a mix of depression, jealousy, happiness, and longing. While i love my time here and really enjoy everything i'm learning, I miss the field so much :( There are things i have even learned now that i just wish i could go apply now. I did work hard out in the field for sure, but at the same time i wish i could have worked harder. On reflection I know i did my best, but something about being out and blessing people's lives and being active and about every day feels so good! But I am so happy that the Lord is granting success to Elder Bodily. He is a great man and my best friend and i love him alot. I have alot i can learn from him i'm sure. Sounds like he and that Elder Nygren know where it's at. They sound pretty DANK, yo!!!!!!

Oh yeah! I asked Elder Mulondo what he might want in the next package whenever it comes, and he said these:
- an LDS card game called "Search, Ponder, and Play"
- an Idaho shirt (and i would LOVE an Idaho shirt as well, preferably potato themed)
- he didn't mention this one, but he's an AMAZING soccer player, he was given a 4 year full ride to Makerere University in Uganda to play soccer for them, and he turned it down to come on mission. So if there's some cool soccer thing that a soccer player could use, that would be nice too :)

So besides dat, we are here in the office for a while. Next week we take off to Western Kenya for the last zone conference. whew! Then transfers come, and i'll be down to 3 transfers. 18 weeks. *deep breath* :)

Loooooooooove you all kabisa!!!!!!!!!
Elder Schneider