Exact Obedience Brings Miracles 7/22/2014‏

To all I love, family and friends!!

I love it here!!  I don't think I have ever been in such a better place before.  It is definitely challenging not going to lie.  So, after you dropped me off at the curb, I went in and got my name badge.  That was such a neat moment.  I felt all official when I put it on.

 

 

 

 

My host took me to drop my stuff off and then I met my companion and district.  So the one thing you are so desperately wondering about.....who is Sister Skaggs's companion?!?!   Sister Bulaoat! Guess where she is from.... HAWAII!!

 She is 21 almost 22 and she wants to go into law.  She is the sweetest person ever.  We get along SOOO WELL!  The second I met her I knew things would go great.  We have been able to work well together so far.  We haven't had any issues yet and she is patient with me, very patient with me, when I go into one of the moods where I'm just harsh on myself and disappointed with how a teaching appointment went.  The hardest part having a companion is adjusting to our different teaching styles.  Other than that things have been perfect between us.

 

My District consists of 6 Elders and then my companion and I.  They are all 19 with one of the Elders being 20 almost 21.  The Elders are all fresh out of high school besides the 20 year old, of course.  I just love those Elders soo much!  We get along so great.  They were very shy.  I changed that of course! ;)  At the start I was getting us all distracted but then I learned the importance of "Exact Obedience".  So we now goof a round for 10 minutes and then dive right into the work.  It seems to be working really well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sisters in my room, there are 6 of us.  We are all headed to Temple Square.  We have Sister Desjourdey (Quebec, Canda), Sister Mahoney (Nova Scotia) yup that's right Sister Mahoney is now with us!!  Her visa came last Wednesday and so they immediately flew her out Thursday morning and now she is here!  Then we have Sister Fluckinger (Roseville, California), I love her sooo much!!  And then we have Sister Brooks (Oceanside, California).  So my companion and Sister Fluckinger received their mission calls 4 weeks ago.  We are SERIOUSLY the best of friends!  We are ALWAYS with each other.  And it's even better cause we are in the same zone.  Every night we sing a hymn together and then kneel and say prayer together.

 

Surprisingly the schedule has been pretty easy to adapt to.  Getting up at 6 am is not that hard. And I have had a lot of energy throughout the day which is really awesome.  I haven't had phone with drawls yet.  Only once when my teacher told me about the Malaysia flight being shot down by a rocket.  Then I had major with drawls because I wanted the details. Lol - gotta love my obsession with the news!

 

So guess what?  I haven't had GUM since Friday!!  Chewing Gum is a big no no here!  I was like you know I will be fine if I just sneak it. Well heavenly Father decided it would be really neat to teach me a lesson.  I kept hearing, no gum, obey with exactness.  And I was noticing things weren't going well with our teaching and I was very tired Thursday.  So I realized that maybe when I obey with Exactness the Lord will truly bless me.  So I decided to give it up and see what happens.

 

The biggest lesson I learned this week was when we obey we receive blessings, but when we obey with exactness we see miracles.  I gave up gum Friday morning and I haven't been tired throughout the day at all and our teaching and being in tune to the spirit has gotten so much better.

Yesterday we started teaching a 'real investigator' here at the MTC.  I have NEVER in my life been so challenged.  We go in there and her name is Leah.  She wouldn't talk to us and she kept saying "I have anxiety, I don't want to be here, I hate you Mormons, you're the ones that gave me PTSD, you don't love me, I have heard your spiel before, you're liars, etc."  It was really rough.  But I just spoke from the heart.  We met with her for an hour and a half.  She started really beating me up about my beliefs and saying I don't love my Savior Jesus Christ, etc. The moment she made those comments to me I felt the spirit stronger than ever before!  And I just started crying.  She asked if she offended me. And I'm like, "No. You just made me realize just how much I truly do love my Savior."  And at that moment I just bore my testimony to her with more power and love than I have ever done so in my life!  It was a true testament to me that my Father in Heaven was bearing witness to me that I do love Him.  He was reminding me to NEVER doubt, no matter what people say, that I do love Him and He is pleased with me, Sister Skaggs, with what I have and with what I am doing with my life.

 

 

When we left, I couldn't stop crying for 15 minutes because I have never been in such a situation before.  But I do know that my Father in Heaven is putting me through these tough trials to prepare me for what lies ahead.  Through these trials He is molding me into the missionary He needs me to be while I serve on Temple Square.  I know that experience happened for a reason.  Because when I get to Temple Square I have to be bold and declare the things I know to be true.  I know I will be mocked and made fun of by those who don't believe.  But I do know this gospel to be true.

On Thursday, our Branch Presidency asked my companion and I to be the Sister Trainer Leaders (The zone leaders over all the sisters in the branch).  So we have the opportunity to welcome the new sisters and to make sure they do alright and are being taken care of while they are here.  When he asked me, I was like "why me?  I'm not fitted for this assignment".  But I do know there is a reason. My Heavenly Father needs me and is trusting me to do this assignment for some reason.  What and why does He need me to do it? I don't know yet.

 

Also, mom, I'm sorry to inform you I wont be home for 2 Christmas's!!!  I'm SORRY!!  My expected release date is Feb. 3rd 2016.  Which means I will be out for 18 1/2 months...  Crazy, I know right!
 

Oh, so Tess Lundquist guess what?!?!?
 

ALL of the sisters learning Russian and going to Russia live next door to me.  I told them you were coming and they are sooo excited to meet you and they were like she will probably live next to you or near you.  I'm soo excited for you to come!

Well that's a lot!  I love it here!  It's hard in it's own unique way.  But that's the only way we can grow. If life was easy then we would never grow.  I know this gospel to be true and I know without a doubt I am supposed to be on a mission.  I'm so grateful for the trials my Heavenly Father is putting me through right now.  I wouldn't want it to be any other way.  It's rough, but I know He loves me and is right by my side.  And it's through the atonement and knowing my Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered everything for me that I know this isn't all that bad and that things will get better.

 

Oh I finally found the other Sister Skaggs!!!  She lives in La Jolla!!  We see each other all the time!  It is hilarious!!!

P-day will be next Tuesday and Friday.  So in a week.

I love you all!!  And hope life is treating you well!!
 

With much love,

Sister Skaggs

P.S. Note from Sis. Skaggs mom - here's some more pictures in case you're interested: