The one place that I am growing to love and to adore is the Temple. For me I always wondered what happened inside the Temple. Getting out of the car, walking along the rows of freshly bloomed flowers with the wind blowing in your face all dressed in your finest Sunday best my mind was always curious but it never lasted long. Because every time I attended I would glance my head upwards toward Moroni at the top of the Temple and just stare in amazement at the beauty of the Temple.
Saturday, April 19th 2014 I had the experience of going through the Temple for the first time in my life. Ever since I was a little girl I had dreamed of such a day. I know I still have a ways to go in building my testimony of the Temple, however, I can testify that the Temple truly is a House of God. The spirit you feel there is something you cannot deny. I love this gospel so much and I am so grateful I have it in my life. I feel so blessed to be able to have a Temple so close. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Sincerely, Jen Skaggs or soon to be Sister Skaggs.
Ever since I was a little girl I had always DREAMED of serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, I always thought I would have to wait till I was 21, but then one Saturday morning at the beginning of Oct. 2012 that dreamed changed when the mission age was changed. Our beloved Prophet Thomas S. Monson below speaks about the change that was made.
MISSION AGE CHANGE VIDEO:
After about a year or so of waiting I was finally able to start my mission papers at the end of Oct. 2013, however, I wouldn't be eligible to submit them till the start of Feb. 2014.
The papers were finished, the interviews were finished and it was that time where the dreaded wait of getting your call came.
Several months before my call came I started to become super obsessed with wanting to go to either the Alpine German Speaking Mission or the Temple Square Mission to the point where I would read blogs, learn about the area etc. After my papers were submitted I really keyed in on the Temple Square Mission, I have no idea why I did it,it just seemed like such a unique and fascinating mission. I told my dad one day after my papers were submitted of how badly I really wanted to serve there and how unique of a mission it was, I remember him saying "Jen you need to knock it off, stop getting your hopes up. You are more than likely not going to get called there. So you need to knock it off and don't tell anyone about this because you are going to sound really weird especially when you don't get called there."
Everyone knew I wanted to serve there, at the time I was attending BYU-Idaho and so all of my friends, roommates, etc. knew that Temple Square was where I wanted to go. But I knew deep down that I was probably not going to get called there. MISSION PICTURE:
IT'S HERE:
Two and a half weeks later my call had finally arrived! By this point everyone knew how to figure out if it was stateside or foreign, and so my roommate after peeking inside one of the flab's saw that it was more than likely stateside, because it didn't show "page 1 of 4" which are your passport papers. Which I was totally okay with, because I wanted to go to Temple Square and Temple Square didn't require me to have a passport. The one thing I remember from that day was several friends and I went to the Temple like we always did each Thursday and I remember sitting there waiting with my call in my purse just thinking of how badly I wanted to go to Temple Square I whispered to Kayla who was sitting next to me saying "Kayla if this is stateside I need to go to Temple Square, that is the only place I can see myself at. If it's somewhere else I will totally be happy and excited, but I just really want to serve on Temple Square." I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy however she went along with it.
After waiting 6 hours it was finally time to open that packet! Here is the video of me opening my call.
OPENING MY MISSION CALL: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1453006164932926&set=vb.100006706687425&type=2&theater
Dear Sister Skaggs,
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor int he Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.
You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 16, 2014. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president.
When I read "Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission" I didn't know what to think. The fact that I was getting called to the one place where I really wanted to go to was just a huge shocker. It was a testament to me that I do have a Father in Heaven and Savior who know and love me, who knows the desires of my heart and knows what is best for me. I left the box blank on my papers when it came to asking for anything and I didn't mention anything to my bishop and stake president about where I would like to serve. I didn't want anything to influence where I was going on my mission. I know that this is where I am supposed to serve. That I am needed on Temple Square.
I can testify that this gospel is true, I have seen the blessings in my life that come from living the things we are taught. With this I can testify with all of my heart that I Jennifer Skaggs have a Father in Heaven who knows me by name, he knows what I am going through and he loves me so much! I have a savior who gave up his life and suffered all the pains and afflictions that I would end up going through so that I could come here to be tested. I can testify that as we live the teachings of the gospel and strive to do the Lord's will we will see our lives filled with so much peace and happiness, and one day after our time here on earth is over we will be able to return to our Heavenly Father again. I personally want to do all that I am required of so that I can live with my Father in Heaven again. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Skaggs or soon to be Sister Skaggs
