Sister Jennifer Skaggs: Your Father in Heaven LOVES YOU!‏

To All I Love,

Thanksgiving day football -
Sister Missionary style

More Thanksgiving day football!

Okay so first of all, I'm so sorry about my email from last week! I promise I will write more this week. We were just so tired last week. We had to get up at 6 AM go to the 7 AM Temple Session till 9:30 AM. Then we had Zone Activity from 10 - 1 (Christmas Caroling to special needs students and then had a Mexican fiesta), then grocery shopping from 1 - 4 (it was the first of the month so a lot of food to get) and then we had to email. Think about just how tired you are after grocery shopping now add on going to the Temple, have a Mexican fiesta and singing Christmas carols for an hour. Yah, we were pretty tired. But hey, we made it through the night and no one died! Haha, so shall I get started with what happened this week....because SO MUCH HAPPENED THIS WEEK!! Like always, I have no idea where to start. How about I start with transfers..... First of all my Trainer comes back today from New Jersey!!

TRANSFERS!

Can you believe it? Another transfer has come and gone!! I swear it was just yesterday I started my mission. Can you believe I'm starting my 4th Transfer? I hit my 6 MONTH mark this transfer. Now that is weird. Well not as weird as all of my friends hitting their year marks. So nothing changed this transfer. I still get another transfer with one of my Best Friends. We are so excited! When we found out I was caught off guard for just a little bit. But then we started talking about EVERYTHING we want to accomplish this next transfer as a companionship and individually. Haha, you know that Transfer, Weekly, and Daily plan I created for the AP's last transfer? So Sister Bryuzgina and I decided we were going to do another one not only for me but for her, too. We are so stoked! Haha 42 days worth of goals.

The Sisters from the Temecula
Stake: Sughroue, Tiritilli & Skaggs

Roommates - Apparently I was the
only one that got the "be crazy" memo
for this picture!

Sis. Ennis and Skaggs

We are still staying in the Beehive House which I'm really excited for because I love EVERYTHING I'm learning there from Polygamy, to faith, to the importance of family prayer and scripture study everyday, to family time, to sharing the gospel. Just everything! I can't wait to share with you everything I've learned about the Beehive House. Haha, so last night I was saying goodbye to Sister Yeung (one of the Ap's) who is going home and I started talking like I was giving a tour in the Beehive House. I didn't know I was until one of the sisters was like, "Sister Skaggs, you sound like you're taking her on a tour through the Beehive House." Haha - we all started laughing. I'm like, "Well, that was awkward."

Girls just wanna have fun!

Sister Bryuzgina and me!

Sister Bryuzgina is still District Leader and I'm still her little Monkey. This next transfer I really felt like the areas where I need to improve on in-regards to exact obedience would be helped if I would have to be an example to younger sisters. Well, I got that...over half of the sisters in our district are younger than me. Which means it's going to really help me and force me to be an example to those younger sisters. We have such an awesome district this transfer. I'm excited to tell you more about them as the transfer goes. Oh, so get this - HALF of MY CLASS is in my Zone. 5 out of the 11 of us are in my zone. Crazy, I know, right! We are so pumped for this transfer! It's going to be an amazing transfer. I'm determined to do all that is required of me. Even if that means having to sacrifice things, aka power naps, or doing things I don't want to do.

All Things Relief Society

Sister Reeves of the Gen. Relief
Society Presidency

This past Thursday, Dec 4th, we had to meet in the Relief Society Building for Relief Society. When we have to meet there that means someone big in the church is speaking to us like an apostle, 1st presidency, general presidencies, etc. But they wouldn't tell us who or whom would be speaking to us. Well, Sister Bryuzgina and I decided to get there bright and early to get front row seats.

We ended up having the amazing privilege of the General Relief Society Presidency speak to us. Well, only Sister Reeves gave a talk but they each said Hi and introduced themselves. I just love them all. They are such amazing examples. It was really neat to be able to sit there and listen to them. Sister Bryuzgina and I sat in the front row so they were only about 3-5 feet in front of us. Sister Reeves and her Husband used to be the Mission President and wife that presided over the Riverside Mission right before we split off to the Carlsbad Mission so that was really neat to be able to talk with her about that for just a little bit. I don't have all my notes with me about what Sister Reeves spoke about. But It just made me really appreciate even more the wonderful privilege to be a part of the Relief Society. I took a picture with Sister Burton but that picture is on Sister Sughroue's camera and I haven't been able to transfer it over yet. Sorry! Hopefully I will be able to get it for next week.

At the Christmas Devotional

Afterwards we each split into zones and the Relief Society General Board gave us each cards and every card was hand signed by the General Relief Society Presidency and Board. That was 200 cards and they individually signed each. It was a really neat experience. Later that evening a Relief Society group came on and brought treats for the whole mission. We had specific times when we were allowed to go downstairs but when we did they had homemade goodies cookies, brownies, etc. waiting for us. Apparently they all got together and put these really cute goody bag things together.

It just reminded me a lot that whole day of giving of ourselves. Finding ways to bring a smile to those around us. The Relief Society General Presidency didn't have to speak to us, this Relief Society didn't need to bring us goodies. It just really reminded me of what is most important. It reminded me of the importance of giving of ourselves. And this time of season is a great way for us to do so.

Wendell

I just love Wendell!! He is seriously the best. I'm sad though because if I don't see progress in the next couple of weeks I'm going to have to drop him. I really don't want to though. But we are here to find the elect. There are people who are ready and waiting and we just need to find them. Wendell is doing okay. He is still struggling a bit with believing God loves him. But I feel as if we are making progress. I stressed the importance the other day of him meeting with the local sisters again in his area and he promised me he would do his best to get in contact with them. I invited him to attend church this Sunday and he promised me he would try his hardest. I'm praying my hardest that things work out and that he follows through with these commitments. Being able to talk with him and share with him the Gospel each week is something I look forward to and I really don't want to have to put him aside. But we will see what happens. This week will tell me a lot.

Julio

Another Christmas Devotional pic

Believe it or not I haven't talked with Julio in 2 weeks!!! It makes me so sad!! I love Julio and really miss talking with him. I hope all is well. I haven't been able to get a hold of him now for 2 weeks which is weird because HE ALWAYS answers his phone. I will try calling him again within the next couple of days and if I don't get an answer I will more than likely call his Ward Mission Leader to make sure all is well.

let's just go trip and fall:

Okay so awkward story, so this morning I was walking, okay maybe just slightly jogging, up the stairs outside our South Visitor Center and I face planted it in the mud. Yah, that wasn't a fun moment. I tripped over the last stair in front of me and slid across the pavement. So grateful though no one was around. Well except the one worker who was probably wondering why a Sister Missionary was kneeling on the ground like a dog. Haha, we just started laughing to make it look like nothing happened. Haha - Sister Bryuzgina is so sweet, she was really concerned for me after I fell. I just scraped up my knees, got mud on them and then on my bag but hey all is well that ends well.

I Just LOVE Inbound Calls!!!

Okay, so Dad, guess what I did for the FIRST TIME MY WHOLE MISSION!?!? I took an INBOUND CALL (that's when people call into Mormon.org) and not just one, or 2, or 3 but 7 of them!! And it has only been 2 days. Monday I looked at Sister Bryuzgina and I'm like, "Okay, fine. I'm going to do this. I'm going to take a call." And if you know me I'm deathly afraid of talking to people I don't know on the phone. Why? Well that's a good question. Anyways I did it and we picked up 6 new Investigators! They are each so amazing and I'm excited to get to help them along this journey they are each on. I want to tell you about Nelly. Ahh I just love Nelly sooo much!!

NELLY - an Inbound Call

Nelly called into Mormon.org yesterday and she is just amazing. She is a grandmother of 11. Four of them have a lot things that she has to work with - I forgot the word she used to describe them. Her story is just soooo sad I don't feel it is appropriate to share it with you via email. If you remind me I will share it with you when I get off my mission. All I know is it just made me beyond grateful to have parents who love me so much and who do all that they can to show me they love me and to just be there for me. She mentioned that she is trying to get back with God and to get back to a church. She isn't a member but really wanted to go to church on Sunday and wanted to verify where it was. I started sharing with her about how she has a Father in Heaven and that he has a plan specifically for her. She was really excited and just started crying. We talked a lot about her and the situation she is currently in and this plan can help her in her life.

I have an appointment with her again on Friday so we will see what happens. I have the faith that things will continue to work out. She just has so much faith and so much hope. I pray that things will work out. She has 11 grandchildren 4 of which are severely disabled from what she said, due to past family experiences. So it will be somewhat challenging having to deal with her circumstances from what she has mentioned to me. But I know that if she has this faith and desire everything will be okay.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I seriously just can't stress this enough! If you EVER doubt that he loves you then please just get

down on your knees and pray to him until you feel of his love. To anyone who is reading this, no matter what is happening in your life, the circumstances you're in, the things that you have done, your Father in Heaven LOVES YOU and he loves you more than you will ever know! You know we each go through points in our life when life becomes just hard. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. The Atonement is real. If mistakes have been made there is ALWAYS a way to return home. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, SACRIFICED his life for YOU. He bled from every pore because he was taking upon himself all the sorrow you would ever experience, all the pain you would ever face, all the sins you would ever commit. He did this for YOU. Why?? Because YOUR Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ LOVE YOU so much!! My Testimony of this has INCREASED so much this past week! Sister Bryuzgina and I this past week dealt with many people who had lost this love in their life and were on their way to end the life they had been given or were facing pretty scary circumstances, circumstances that I didn't even think I would ever hear about or would come in contact with. But it's there. This is something I surely can testify of. Your Heavenly Father is there and he loves you!

That is the number one thing I love so much! That we have a Father in Heaven, someone who loves us so much more than we will ever imagine. I want you to think to yourself right now, "What am I doing to feel of his love?"

I just love this Gospel more than words can describe!! I love you all so much! I know for a surety this Gospel is true, the Atonement is real, we are all children of a Father in Heaven. He has given us families so that we can learn the Gospel together and grow to become who He wants us to become. I know that my family and future family will be together for all eternity because of the Temple. I know so much more to be true but I don't have much time left.

Please be safe this week! And know that I love each and every one of you.....even if I don't know you!

Till next week,

Sister Jennifer Skaggs