Accepting the Invite to Apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ‏

I love you all,



Temple Square Missionaries

So I'm sorry I have like no pictures going home. It's really hard taking pictures here because - 1. You're not allowed to take pictures after 9 am here because we have to look professional at all times. Which means I can't ever take pictures really of Temple Square. And 2. we really just have no time here to take pictures unless its of my companion and I being stupid in our apartment. Which that never happens anymore because by the time we get home at 10 PM every-night and finish planning we are sooo tired we go straight to bed. So I apologize for the lack of pictures this week. But family the video you got from Ron and Mindy should make up for the lack of pictures. And for everything else that happened this week too ;) And then I'm calling you next week so yah I don't feel all that bad.

 

Mom and Dad I got your letters the other day it sounds like you are all doing so well, despite the little bumps in the road that pop up. Okay so I have heard Southern California is just getting HAMMERED right now. Finally!!! We have needed that rain for soo long. But I have heard it's causing A LOT of damage too, so who knows if its good or bad. I love you each so much and I'm so excited to call you next week! So we get about 40 minutes to talk. We are following the White Handbook and in the White Handbook it says preferably 30-40 minutes.

 

Okay so I guess I should tell you what's been happening here, right?? Well let me get started!

 

A New Transfer:

 

So far things have been going AMAZING. Sister Bryuzgina and I are getting along so well. This morning I was thinking about when we will have to separate. Not really looking forward to that day. But it's a good thing we still have 5 more weeks with each other. She has been amazing with helping me become that missionary that I'm supposed to become. We talk everyday about things that we can improve that will allow us to become more effective. Because when your on a mission Heavenly Father shows you all your weakness's. Gotta love it! But hey if he didn't show us what we could improve on we would never achieve our full potential.

 

A NORMAL Ward:

 

So for the FIRST TIME in 5 Months I actually was in a regular ward!! It was so amazing! It was definitely different not being with 200 sister missionaries but instead being with families, and older couples. What had happened is a sister needed me to take her place in speaking at a ward. So I was told Saturday morning that I was going to be covering for her and then I had to give a talk just 24 hours later. I usually spend about 10 hours preparing a talk...yah that DEFINITELY did not happen this time. Let's just say I did my best to let the spirit guide. I was asked to speak on "The Power of God's Love". I ended up referencing back to the talk John Groberg gave in General Conference several years ago. Such an amazing talk! You know He truly does love us. What Father would sacrifice his son for all of his children? That's exactly what Heavenly Father did. HE loved us each so much that He sacrificed his only begotten Son. The ward we attended was over in West Valley, I believe. Such a sweet ward! Everyone was so welcoming. We were sad we had to leave but it made me even more excited for when I will get transferred to a new mission for 3 months and be able to work with members again and attend a ward that is not all sister missionaries. Don't get me wrong I LOVE attending a ward with just Temple Square Sisters but there's something different about not being in a regular ward. There were four Temple Square Sisters that attended the ward. We were in charge of each giving about a 7 minute talk and then doing a musical number. We sang "How Great Thou Art" and it made me think of Grandpa Skaggs the whole time. For some reason I keep thinking that was his favorite song. Even if it's not it still made me think about him the whole time. I can't wait for the day until I get to see him again. Overall it was a really amazing experience to have. I loved being with those ward members and being able to get to know each of them.

 

SEEING ELLEN'S FAMILY:

 

On Saturday I had the privilege of being able to see Ellen's Mom, Ron, brother and sister and their spouses. When I saw all of them walk in and then when I was hugging her mom I just started crying. It was so great seeing them. Mom you had told me they were coming up here on the 12th or 13th but I didn't know which day exactly. Well on Saturday evening I received a phone call from a Sister saying that my best friends family was here looking for me, then right after that another Sister sent me a text saying that they were looking for me and then not even 10 seconds later I received another phone call saying they were at EF Desk looking for me. I was bummed because I was going to be in the Beehive House for another 45 minutes. The sister said they were going to come on up there. Well not even 5 minutes later I look over and they are all piling into the Beehive House. Thank you for taking the time to see me. It absolutely made my day!! I feel blessed to have such amazing people in my life. I'm so glad we got to talk and to hear how things have been overall. Love you all so much!!

 

Being Hit On:

 

Seeing Mykelin Higham!

Bumped into my dear friend
from home, Mykelin.

I know this teenager was joking around but it still was just hilarious and I wasn't expecting it. One of our assignments here during the lights is to take guests through 'God's Plan for His Family' every 6 minutes. What God's Plan is, is it's a 12 minute presentation that shows us a family of 5 and how they were able to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their life despite the everyday struggles that we encounter in our life. And then at the end of it we see why it's important to get married in the Temple. Well a Young Men/Women's group came up and asked to see it. I just started talking with them to get to know them and I was asking them where they were from, etc. One of the boys said, "Oh, well we are all dating" (pointing to several of his friends. I'm like, "That is super exciting." Then he looks at me and is like, "Would you like to join us?" I said, "Ummm, I'm okay. I already have a boyfriend but thanks for the offer." He says, "Ohh, okay." His leader looks over and says, "You shouldn't be hitting on the sister missionaries. You know you're going to be rejected. It is good practice though." I'm like, "Haha. Yup, I agree." I took a different group through and then I saw that group of teenagers come out and I asked how it was. The young man that asked if I would join him was like, "It was good but it would've been better if you were sitting next to me the whole time." Everyone just starting laughing. I was like, "Sorry about that. I know your life just isn't complete without me being in it." We all laughed and then they had to go. Haha it was definitely different. I haven't really encountered anything like that before on the mission. I'm just glad it was all out of fun and he was just joking or that would've been super awkward.

 

Surprise! We Are Getting BAPTIZED:

 

Okay, so first of all, don't just shock a missionary by casually saying "so yah I'm getting baptized". Sister Ryan, one of my really good friends here on Temple Square, left for outbound and so she transferred to me a family who is progressing towards baptism. However, the mom and dad aren't married and so they can't be baptized until they are married (since they are living together). The only problem is due to financial circumstances they can't get the marriage license which means it's holding them back in regards to being baptized. Last week I called the family to see how things were going and they were doing really well. The mom mentioned to me that the four kids were on date to be baptized on the 20th of December and that it had been confirmed, which was super exciting because Sister Ryan didn't know how long it would be until they would all be baptized. I asked her if she had an update on when her and her boyfriend would be married. She said she didn't know because they were still having issues in regards to getting the Marriage License. We talked more about why she was so excited to get baptized and what the four kids were thinking in regards to being baptized. Well that was the end of that conversation. So then on Sunday I called her again and she was like, "The kids had their baptismal interviews and they all passed and are super excited." She mentioned to me that they are getting baptized Saturday at 6:30 PM. We talked about how church went and how they are starting to do family prayer and scripture study together everyday. And then the biggest bombshell of all. She mentions super calmly, "So yah, Bruce and I met with the Bishop today and he asked why weren't getting baptized as a family and so we explained to him our situation." The Bishop was like, "Well what if someone was able to help out? Would you get baptized as a family?" They said they would like to pay for it themselves but that they would allow it. The Bishop was like, "That's it then. You're getting married this week and you're going to get baptized on Saturday with your kids. You're going to be baptized as a family, all 6 of you. How about if you get married tomorrow?" Melissa says, "We are getting baptized as a family! However, I put my hand down in regards to getting married the next day. I need some days to prepare." I was like, "Haha. I agree a wedding is a big deal for a woman. We must prepare for these types of things." She just started laughing. But she was like, "So yah, we are getting married Friday at church and then baptized on Saturday as a family." When she shared with me all of this I pretty much just started crying. You have no idea how amazing of a miracle this is. I'm just beyond excited for them as this family of 6, well 7 but one of the boys is 5 and so he wont be baptized for 3 more years, to be able to enter into the waters of baptism together. They each are just beyond excited. I asked Melissa why she was so excited to be baptized and she mentioned because she will have the Holy Ghost with her and she will have more opportunities to serve others. This family is AMAZING and so prepared to receive the restored Gospel in their lives. People like this are such examples to me. They are truly converted to the Gospel and they are wanting to really just apply every aspect of it to their life. I can't wait for when they will get sealed in the Temple together and become an Eternal Family.

 

Wendell and Julio:

 

So I haven't talked with either of them since we last talked. So I don't really have an update for you. I believe Julio is doing well. I may have mentioned I talked to his Ward Mission Leader and he said that he was still attending church...he was just busy. Wendell - I haven't talked with him in a week we always play phone tag. Haha but they are still great. I'm hoping I will get in touch with them before the end of the week.

 

Christmas Dinners:

 

Sister Skaggs

Serving on Temple Square we don't have ward members to go to their homes and have meals with them so we are in charge of cooking all of our meals. Which includes Christmas Dinner. However, the mission was able to pull something together like what happened for Thanksgiving Dinner, and so every night this week about 15 companionship's will go to a members home in a neighboring stake and have a pre-Christmas dinner! I'm super excited! I get to got to a members home and have a meal. There is just something so special about a member's home.

  

This past Sunday during Sunday announcements we were informed that several families were going to be bringing us dinner that night. I talked with Sister Poulsen more and she said the same group of families that provided dinner for us one of the nights for General Conference had so much fun that they wanted to do it again and so they asked if they could come back and bring us dinner. It was amazing! They prepared multiple soups, bread and desserts for us to have. It was just so sweet of them doing that for us. Because it's definitely not an easy task doing this. There are 200 sister missionaries here and so imagine having to cook enough food for 200 people. But it's simple things like this that are just amazing. I hope someday I can give back just like what these families have done for us and what they continue to do for us!

 

A mission is definitely something remarkable, something that is life changing. I feel blessed for the privilege I have to be a full-time missionary, an official representative of my Savior Jesus Christ. What a glorious time this is. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored upon the earth today in it's fullness. And not only that but our Heavenly Father is calling all individuals who are willing, to help him prune his vineyard and to bring all of his children the gospel and give them the same opportunity to return back home to him. For personal study I studied several verses in Jacob 5: 11-13, 61-64 and 74-75 (Book of Mormon). What a glorious time this is to be a part of the pruning. To be his hands as we help him to graft these trees and bring about the gospel to all who are willing to accept it in their life. I know this Gospel is true. All who are willing to allow themselves to apply it to their life can see their life change. I know that families are eternal. As we marry in the Temple we can be with those we love for time and all eternity. I know that we have a Father in Heaven. We are his children and there is no changing that. He loves us and wants us to return to his presence again. I can testify with my whole heart this is all true.

 

If your reading this and you don't know for yourself, ask and apply it to your life and you will see what glorious blessings can come from us following our Savior Jesus Christ's example by applying his teachings into our life. I love you all so much but more importantly I love my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. I leave my testimony with you in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week this week! Family, I look forward to being able to talk with you on the phone next week!! I love you!!!

 

Love ,

Sister Skaggs