Letter dated 6Aug2013

Dear Family: It is great to hear the news from you! I the DearElder messages and email notes are very great; thanks for them! I hope that Andrew's, Joseph's, Jacob Wilson's, and David Anderson's (if I'm remembering that one right) birthdays were all great this week, as well as Stephanie's + Scott's and Janell's + Wesley's weddings. Congrats to you all on a new age or being married! For me, this week was spectacular! The highlight was hopping on Skype to teach lessons to two church members in Sweden. Both were about 20 and really nice and patient with Elder Taggart's and my Swedish skills (with which I at least feel confident enough to call skills). Talking with them made me very much more excited to go to Sweden, and glad that 100% of my interactions with Swedes have been sweet! There have also been Swedes and former Swedish missionaries who have come to the MTC to have us practice teaching them in Swedish. We've been able to do that 3 times and it is really helpful and fun! On Sunday, the MTC had a fireside where Jenny Oaks Baker spoke about spiritual gifts and played the violin. She received her master's in violin from Julliard and is very good. It made me want to learn the violin when I get back and also made me miss the trombone. She talked about how in order to develop our gifts (which means abilities and talents) with God's help, we need to use them humbly and for good purposes, and that we should seek for those gifts of which we are most in need dutifully and prayerfully. Her four young children played "I am a Child of God" together, and they were really amazing. Her son who was 6 was wearing cowboy boots and played the guitar really boldly. He was my favorite part of the group. Recently there's been a cold going around many of the Scandinavian missionaries. Once for almost a minute, someone we could hear from the classroom was blowing his nose within a couple seconds of the person who'd just finished. I thought it was really funny and enjoyed imagining how Monk would be reacting. The other day, Elder Taggart's knee was injured from a run we'd gone on, so we went to an orthipedist's office outside of the MTC. This sort of field trip where you leave the facility is rare, and it was really sweet that everyone at the clinic treated us like we were celebreties, being decked in missionary attire and all. No one requested a signature, but it was almost to that point. Some interesting discoveries: the words "yetti" and "nonchalant" originate from Sweden. I actually only discovered that these words are Swedish for "giant" and "unnormal," and am assuming that they're original to Swedish. So don't quote me. Also, the Swedish word for "happy" is licklig, which reminds me of Christopher's favorite pokemon, LickyLicky. I hope Andrew has a great time F Altoing at band camp, and that dad has a safe return to the Auburn. I know that this church is true and love to be on my mission now! Love Äldste Daniel Schindler