A Light at the End of the Tunnel‏

This is from 05/07/15


To All I love,


There is A Light:

The Lord is just amazing!! I honestly don't know where to start with this week! This past week has been just amazing! There is most definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. We must persevere though through the trials that we are facing and keep our eyes focused on that Spiritual Light.

 

Fasting with a Purpose Brings Miracles, Miracles in LIBERIA

 

Sister Skaggs and Sister George in the
teaching center

After I emailed last week things got somewhat better but honestly I was still just so spiritually drained and for some reason the work still was not happening. Sister George and I were aware that fast Sunday was approaching and we had decided that we were going to fast for the full 24 hours and fast specifically that we can have the strength to see the work progress. As we were fasting there were moments that were really hard because we physically wanted to nourish our bodies but we kept reminding ourselves of Pres. Eyring's talk this past General Conference and how important it is to fast with a purpose, to keep it in mind and let our spirits overcome our natural man for this 24 hour period. During the time we were fasting we didn't see anything happen. It was a little sad but we knew that the Lord would provide as we did our part. As we were fasting we both felt we needed to receive Priesthood Blessings and that we needed to have President Poulsen do it. However, he is so busy and so I personally didn't want to bother him with such a simple issue. As we talked with the Zone Leaders about receiving permission to do so "Line of Authority" they mentioned that it would be a great idea. Due to things President had going on he mentioned that he wouldn't be able to till Monday which was totally fine. Well, we finished our fast Sunday afternoon. Right after that we had planned to contact 2 referrals we had received from a Branch President in Liberia. We went in to contact our two referrals and this is honestly where I can say miracles do and will occur. We had the number for the wife of one of our referrals when we called her we mentioned to her who we were and why we were calling. She mentioned, "Oh Sisters, thank you thank you we have been waiting for your call so my husband can be baptized and go through the Baptismal Process." At first I was like "wait, what am I hearing right now?" Well we called her husband, Morou, on Monday and he was just so grateful and appreciative to hear from us. He says, "I want to go through the baptismal process. I want to be with my family. Thank you. I appreciate this so much!" Since we don't have missionaries in Liberia due to the Ebola outbreak last year we are his "local missionaries." You wonder how 2 sister missionaries in Salt Lake City, UT can be the Local Missionaries to a gentleman in Liberia?? Well we will work side by side with his Branch President and will pretty much do everything. We don't know all the details of what will happen but we do know he will be baptized even if we don't have an established missionary force there. We mentioned to Morou what was going to happen and invited him to pray about a date he personally felt the Lord needed him to be baptized by and when he could be ready. Wednesday, yesterday, we called him and we asked him if he had prayed about a date to be baptized and he said, "Yes, the last Saturday for the month, May 30th!" The really neat thing about this is Sis. George, during weekly planning on Sunday, had discussed about when we felt like Morou could be prepared by and we both felt May 30th but we didn't want to influence his decision. When he said May 30th we both knew right then and there that it was a date that wasn't us but it was a date from the Lord.  Morou is so excited to be baptized. We talked with his Branch President yesterday and he said that will be perfect, and he is so excited for Morou. This is just one of the SEVERAL miracles we encountered this week. We are working with another gentleman from Liberia as well who is excited to learn more, too. Honestly, the Lord does provide. He knows us and he knows our needs. We must BE PATIENT with him. Can I say this burden has been eased a bit? Yes. Is it completely gone? No. There is so much we must do to catch up on the weeks we have lost. We must continue to be diligent. Will the Lord continue to test us? Most definitely. Why? Because it allows us to grow. It allows us to be humble and turn to him.

 

 

Meeting with President Poulsen

 

Sister Ryan and Sister Skaggs
with a former Temple Square
sister

I had mentioned earlier that I met with President Poulsen on Monday. It was a time I will never forget. I felt prompted that I needed to have him give me a priesthood blessing but that in general I needed to speak with him. Why?? I don't really know I just felt like I needed to meet with him. I went in to seek counsel on what has been occurring for the past 2 1/2 weeks and to get a Priesthood Blessing and we ended up talking about other aspects of my mission for the entire time. I spent almost 45 minutes speaking with him. Some of the most life changing and cherished moments I have ever had. There are always ways we can change. The Lord is counting on us to be the best we possibly can be. If we aren't doing everything we can then we are holding out on the Lord, which stops him from pouring those blessings upon us. President gave the example of being someone with so much to give but not giving your all. I can't really describe it. He used an example that I can't explain. In the end we may have all of these divine qualities, skills, and talents but we aren't using them to the fullest. But we MUST use them to the fullest. While meeting with him a lot of things that I had concerns about or things I have struggled with on my mission President was able to address with me and was able to give me counsel that the Lord, I feel, has been trying to get across to me for such a long time but I just haven't recognized it. Meeting with President Poulsen was just amazing. It was neat to just be open with him and to him being frank with me about things he and the Lord expects from me. I know this is where I am supposed to be. Have I been the most perfect missionary? By far, no. Can I improve? Yes. Must I improve? Yes. Why? Because the Lord is counting on me. The Lord has a divine work for me to do and for each of us to do and if we aren't EXACTLY OBEDIENT, and the key is STRIVING TO BE EXACTLY OBEDIENT, then we aren't going to achieve all that the Lord has to offer us. President mentioned that we must not think about the past, and we don't have control of the future but we have control of the now. What are we willing to change to be completely dedicated to the now? He mentioned being self-disciplined to the things I want to change and improve on. If I can learn self-discipline now then that will prepare me for so much more to come in life. I honestly can't describe all that happened. A lot of it is just a really spiritual experience. A moment of A LOT of self reflection and understanding of what needs to change in order for me to receive all the blessings the Lord is willing to pour out to me.

 

The Lord is more than willing to bestow blessings upon us. But we must be willing to consecrate our time and efforts to him. What is stopping us from being EXACTLY OBEDIENT to the things he is asking of us? We may say that we will work on it (like I have my whole mission on things I must improve) but are we actually putting those things into action? If we say we are going to read our scriptures and we are striving to but something is always getting in the way then are we making improvement? I guess the best way to do a self reflection is to see if we have made progress. If I'm STRIVING to be EXACTLY OBEDIENT then I'm making progress and I'm learning to be self-disciplined.

Sis. Skaggs & Sis. George
with a Mandarin tour

 

Being a missionary is one of the most amazing things! I'm grateful the Lord is still giving me a second chance, or shall I say 9 months, to continue to improve. I'm grateful I have time to still apply the things that were brought to my attention, to become that missionary that at the end of the mission the Lord can be proud of. One of the worst feelings a missionary can experience is finishing their mission and recognizing they didn't do all the Lord had required of them, for not sacrificing all they were supposed to. President Poulsen used a scripture of when Christ went to his Apostles and asked them to come follow him and that they "Straightway left their nets". Straightway means immediately. If the Lord asks us to do something are we immediately doing it or are we hesitating? Something, though, that was mentioned is just because we aren't being exactly obedient doesn't mean we are unrighteous. We are still righteous and are still capable of feeling the Holy Ghost in our lives.

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

 

I can't believe Mother's Day is almost here. Mom I feel beyond blessed to have you as my mother and best friend. For being someone who has been by my side through thick and thin. Someone I can call and share all of my treasured moments and some of my lowest of times with. I'm grateful for the relationship I have with you and for knowing you will always be there for me. Even though I won't be there with you this Mother's Day know I love you and will be with you in spirit. I'm grateful, though, that we get to Skype this Mother's Day - to see you and the rest of the family. I love you Mom!! I don't know what I have done to have been blessed with a mother who is so dedicated to the Gospel, who is fearless, devoted to the Lord, devoted to her family and willing to do all that is asked of her. Know that I love you and appreciate all that you do for me! I'm grateful for parents who have raised me with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a solid foundation in my life. The Gospel is what brings an eternal joy and I'm grateful you and dad were able to instill those simple truths in me. I know I'm not perfect -- haha, nor will I ever be but I'm grateful for all that you two taught me. And a lot of it was done by example. I LOVE YOU!! =0

 

Sisters looking good!

The Gospel is amazing! I just can't describe to you how amazing it is. I love being here, and I love the people I get to serve on a day to day basis! The field is white and it is ready to be harvested! I'm grateful for those who are anxiously engaged in that harvest. For the examples to me. President Harmon, the Branch President we work with, is a prime example. Someone who is anxiously engaged in harvesting the field. As I have talked to other sisters he has referred multiple individuals who are ready to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their life. The Gospel is true and does bless and change lives. I love you all and feel so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life!

 

LOVE ALWAYS,

 

Sister Skaggs