1st General Conference in the Mission Field!

Hello Family!!!

Well this week was pretty sweet! Thursday was crazy!!! I don't know if you saw anything about the weather here, but there was the end of a tropical storm passing over us, and we received about 12 inches of rain from what I hear, whatever it was, there was a ton of it!!! Didn't stop us though haha we still did our normal thing. Friday, I had my first CDM, which is where we get interviewed by President, it was pretty cool being able to sit and talk one on one with him for a minute, but it really wasn't much of an interview, he just asked if there was anything that he could do for me, and then I was out of there.

As for Conference, I was able to watch all 10 hours of it in our ward building here! And it was sweet, I loved every minute of it, I even took notes!! Pretty cool, some of my favorites were Elder Holland on Saturday morning, when he talked about the sacrifice that his parents had made so that he could go on a mission really made me think about you guys, and everything that you have done, and are currently doing for me to be able to be out here, it kind of put a new perspective on things for me, and really made me appreciate you guys more! One of the others that stuck out to me was Pres. Uchtdorf's, both of them actually, when he talked about focusing on the simple things, and the quote "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" I love that, so many times in our lives we get to caught up in the little details of things when we really just need to take a step back and look at the big picture. His one about Pride was really good as well, and he had some very good incites, one of the things that stuck out to me was when he said something to the effect of when we are prideful it either means we are jealous of someone or we want someone to be jealous of us, there is quite a bit of that out here, he also said that we can be grateful for blessings, but don't inhale them, that was a funny statement, but profound at the same time so many times in our lives we take advantage of those things that we have when really we should be grateful for them. My other favorite talk was by Elder Bednar about the Holy Ghost, I loved how he said that just because we have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost, doesn't neccessarily mean we have received it, it doesn't just come to us with out us putting forth effort to receive it. I wish I had my notes with me right now, I would probably be able to go in to greater details on what I got out of them, but maybe I will just write a letter home this next P-Day :)

Other than that though, I would really appreciate if you guys could send out a rain coat for me, if possible I would like to have one that is a black, longer than my suit coat, waterproof, and that has a hood, if you have already got one for me, then disregard those details though haha. Also, if you could send out my Black neoprene gloves, last I remember, they were on my dresser, and if you could my thermals, also in my dresser. Thanks!!

Mom - We actually have a GPS in this area, but if I do go to an area where I need one, I will let you know! And yes I believe they do give the conference Ensigns to us, and we also have a monthly subscription I think. And Thanks so much for the gift cards!!!! I can assure you they will be put to good use!!

Dad - I am sorry to hear about Kyle, that is a rough situation, especially for Marilyn. I haven't heard anything about the stink bugs though. And General conference has not really had any effect on the work here, other than the fact that we tell people that they can hear the living prophet on tv!

Dani - I look forward to getting your letter!!! Keep powering through these two days until your break!!! You can do it!!

Love you guys!!!

- Elder Schaap

P.S. Check out the choir in Priesthood Session, Sean was right behind the chorister!! That was so cool to see him!!