Letter dated 16Feb2012

[Dear Friends and Family, I hope you are all doing well. We are experiencing some wintry weather right now -- but we definitely can't complain! I hope you are all doing well. As you can tell, Weston LOVES to hear from you! Reply to this note -- and I'll get the message to him! Best regards -- Weston's editor - BWS] Dear Family, Happy (Late) Valentines Day! I actually had a very fun Valentines Day this last Tuesday. Two missionaries in our zone left that day to go to the Guatamala MTC and it was funny because they told us that they were sorry to break our hearts on Valentines. They were two very awesome and friendly missionaries and I know that they will do well at the MTC down there. They´ll definitely be learning Spanish at a ridiculous pace. But we also had a Tuesday Evening Devotional on Tuesday and a member of the Seventy spoke to us about love, as in the love of Christ. It was one of my favorite talks that I´ve hear yet and he shared many experiences from his own mission and also his service as a mission president in Bolivia. One thing that really meant a lot to me was that he brought with him his mission journal from 40 years ago and he shared some passages with us. Just to think of looking back at my own life when I get that old showed me the importance of writing down as many experiences that I possibly can. I do not want to forget those things, ever. He shared with us the importance of learning to love others and what that covers. From what I personally got out of his words, it becomes something that's even deeper than caring for people. You honestly love them and would do anything for them, regardless of attitude, personality, or behavior; we are to love everyone as Jesus loves us. I also did get a Valentines Card! It was from the Elliotts and I very much appreciated the note. Some of the missionaries in my zone and district got over 10 Valentines cards each! (Their moms had their classes in school and church write them little Valentines notes, which were all very cute) The best present that I saw someone get on Tuesday was given to Elder Rockwood. His girlfriend and her sister made a teddy bear at Build-A-Bear-Workshop and gave it a really creepy blonde wig to go with it. The best part is that the bear is holding a heart and when you press it the heart plays a recording. His girlfriend's sister left a very, very creepy message at the beginning and I thought I'd have a nightmare because of the creepy voice she was using... glad I slept well! I actually did get my first dosage of sickness this past week; congestion, a small sore throat, etc.. Good thing I'm doing better now and that I'm getting my sickness out of the way before I reach the field! Speaking of the field, since what you (dad) told me about my Visa status, I will most likely be going to a mission in the states for at least a month. I haven't been told anything yet, but I'm sure that's what's going to happen. Maybe I'll go somewhere like Chicago or New York! Naw, probably back to Nebraska like my original guess as to where I would be going. Heck yeah! Yesterday was actually a great day for my Spanish. As a zone we attempted to speak Spanish in whatever way we could througout the day and I could see it helping me with communicating! I don't want to pull an Elder Calhoone from "The Best Two Years" and say that the Spanish I'll be hearing isn't the Spanish they taught me in the MTC. But who knows, maybe I will! [This is a movie about a missionary in Holland who didn't recognize a word of Dutch when he arrived on his mission!] Today I finished the Book of Ether. I've been sailing through the entire Book of Mormon and I would probably be done with it by now but I studied a lot while I was in 3rd Nephi because of all the events and teachings that are there. I'm going to move on and read either D&C [Doctrine and Covenants] or the New Testament next, but you should tell me what chapter you as a family a reading on and I'll read that chapter that day as well in the Book of Mormon. I think that was a very awesome thing we did as a family with Joseph while he was in Prague so just send me the book and chapter you are reading on the next day you can send me a DearElder. As for letters, once again, I'd like to show my appreciation for all those who have sent me a personal letter or message recently. Just to name a few; the Elliotts, Janelle S., Sarita B., Sarah L., Brianne C., Lindsey T., Brigitte W. (soon to be Brigitte G.!!) and of course the rest of my family, notably Daniel and my parents. I know I've recieved more than that, but those were some of the more recent ones that I can think of. Thank you all! You are so great! With a great big kiss, And a hug from me to you, Elder Alexander Weston Schindler P.S. Just kidding. I can't kiss you or hug you. P.P.S. So I have another request. If possible, could someone send the lyrics to the song they sing in the Hobbit trailer? [That won't be me! Can someone help with this???] That would be very nice if you could! And I'm glad to hear from you dad that you are sharing the movie quotes from Lord of the Rings with Nick and Chris. Hopefully they appreciate the quotes as much as I do! [I do a quote a day -- but it's always the same quote which I read from a poster in their room -- "If I can't carry it, then I will carry you!" They guess it correctly -- every night!!]