We invited Amos Schwartz and his family to come and share their history, and faith with the missionaries. I have no photo's of this wonderful night, because they do not allow their photo to be taken. So you know me and my photo's I took some photo's of An Amish buggy, to add to this page.
The family includes; Amos, Esther, Christina, Deborah, Joas, Marcus, Elizabeth, Rose Anne, and the new baby Doris. They also had friends that wanted to come to Adam-ondi-Ahman, so their Preacher Fred, and his wife Ida Otto, and two teenage girls, Regina, and Lorene Detweiler cousins of the Schwartz family.
The sisters all cooked a wonderful meal, and we enjoyed visiting together before the fireside.
We played an opening song and used the Piano, they all watched Elder John Huber play, and they sang along with us.
Amos invited the Amish group to sing an opening song for us, they do not use instruments, their voices sounded so beautiful, has they harmonized together.
Amos had three questions, that he addressed tonight.
Where do we come from?
Amos believed that it all started during the Religious Reformation in the 1500's,
they were called the Anti-baptist.
He also made an interesting comment about how there are no
Amish in Europe, they started in America.
His second Question,
What do we believe?Amish believe that during the Fall of Men, Adam was told to work,
and because of this, the Amish communities choose to not use technology
to lighten their work load. They don't drive cars, or use motorized machines.
They don't were modern clothing, or modern convinces, even though they may be
cheaper to purchase, these items. They believe in honest hard days work.
They believe in sprinkling or immersion baptism, he said it does not really matter to them.
The youth are baptized if they choose between the age of 16 to 18.
They have 18 Articles of Faith, that the Amish as a whole, use to guide their lives.
But each Community, makes decisions that are best for their group.
Which in some communities, many changes have occurred, and in other communities have
stricter, or more correct guidelines to the original Amish culture.
The third Question.
Why do we live the way we do.
We would like are children to play, work and learn.
And not be cluttered with what the world has to offer.We also love to have them feel the mud between their toes, and play at the
creek bed. We believe in a simple way of life.
He had a young girl approach him while tying up his buggy.
And with a cute face of innocence,
said to me, " Why do you live this way?"
Amos said I had to think about that, it was just my way of life.
Their community is close, they live, love, and laugh just like we do,
they help each other, and live a Christ like life.
Amos and Esther, have a beautiful family, and we all enjoyed there visit so much.
We were so blessed to have them share their love for their faith.
At the end of the night, the Amish group sang two more songs in closing.
The last song was written by their daughter Deborah, it was a very beautiful song.
Amos's Team of Belgium Draft Horses
one more cute photo of an Amish Buggy
