Skyping on Mother's Day:
It was so neat being able to see you guys on Mother's Day through Skype! I'm glad we were able to get it to work and to be able to Skype! I loved seeing each of you and being able to talk to you. It sounds like you are doing so well, which makes me so happy - to hear that you are each doing well. I'm excited to see you in a month when you come to Temple Square for your visit. I love you! Continue to hold tight to the Gospel and don't let go. Like I said, it honestly will be your only life line and life preserver! You are the best! How did I get so lucky!
Seeing Miracles:
It's really neat to witness how the Lord provides in his own mysterious way. I want to share about some of the miracles he has allowed Sis. George and I to witness this past week. Not a lot has happened this week but we have seen several simple things occur.
Muslim Family Refers - On Sunday Sis. George and I received a text for a 999 Tour which means sisters aren't taking it and the people are waiting. Well, we were on the Square and decided we would take it. We meet the mom and dad and their son who is probably a couple years older than me. We start talking to the son and he mentions that they are visiting from the Midwest and are excited to be here to learn more about the Mormons and to see what they are all about. He mentions to us that due to them being Muslim they don't know much about the Bible and they don't really know a whole lot about our beliefs. That didn't bother us because we get things like that a lot. We just have to teach more simply. They asked to learn more about the history but, honestly, the history of Temple Square is the basic beliefs and as missionaries we are called to teach the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, we aren't called to be History Teachers. We share some facts but we mainly just share the Gospel. We let people know that at the start when we are doing our "How To Begin Teaching" with them at the start of the tour so they know what is going to be happening. Well, this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and so we felt it was only appropriate to take this family to the Christus and to share with them what was at the core of our beliefs, which is Jesus Christ. As we took them to the Christus they were just amazed. The son particularly was just amazed. We played the narration for them or what we call now "The Words of Christ." After, we asked them how they felt, and what their feelings were. The son's countenance had completely changed for the good. This is always a good sign :). We continued to take them around and as we were walking to the Assembly Hall the mom kept asking me all these questions and I was doing my best to answer them and to try and relate them to her. They didn't have a whole lot of questions but you could tell their countenance was different. The dad wasn't speaking much at all. It was mainly the son who was asking us all the questions. At the end of the tour we took them to the cut out replica model of the Salt Lake Temple and explained to them what happens in the Temple. The son was like "Why are there cows in the Temple?" It was neat because we were then able to teach and testify about the importance of baptism and how Christ set a perfect example of this. You could really feel the spirit at this point. One thing I have noticed lately is when you can feel the spirit it is SO MUCH easier to be bold on tours!!! We then testified about eternal families and showed them the sealing room and how God gives us these families for a reason and he wants us to be bound to those we love for all time and eternity. We testified to them of how God didn't give us our families for them to be torn apart but that as we attend the Temple these families, under the right authority, can be bound and sealed together. It was a really neat experience being able to testify of the importance of families and how being married in the Temple is so important. As we concluded the tour we , "I would really like that." And was more than willing to keep in contact and to meet with local missionaries. He mentioned that he wanted to read a little bit more though before we called but said he would love for us to call towards the end of the month. He isn't super familiar with the Bible and the Book of Mormon due to his religious background and so he wanted to become more familiar with is before we called and started teaching him. We will call both him and his mom here in the coming weeks and see how their Book of Mormon reading has gone, to follow up on the local missionaries and to see if they are still interested in learning more about how this can bless their life. It is honestly really special when you can just see the change in people from when you first take them on a tour to when you finish the tour. People are prepared. We must not be afraid though, to open our mouth and proclaim the Gospel!
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| All the returning outbound sisters! |
Raymond received the Melchizedek Priesthood - I don't know if you remember Raymond, one of my recent converts from back in October. Well, he is just doing phenomenal!! I call him about once a week and we will text occasionally but he is just thriving in the Gospel! Something came up the other day and he asked us to call him and while we were talking to him he mentioned he is getting the Melchizedek Priesthood this week. Well, I just received a text from him not even 20 minutes ago informing me that he received the Melchizedek Priesthood yesterday. He is just so excited right now! He was like, "Sister Skaggs, can we talk right now I have exciting news??" Unfortunately today is P-Day and we aren't allowed to call via our cell phones so I wasn't able to call him but he sent me a text informing me of the news. Honestly, one of the greatest blessings of being a missionary is seeing the Gospel change lives! I have seen on so many occasions how it has changed individuals and families lives for all eternity. Raymond was supposed to go to the Temple, I believe it was last week or the week before but due to the horrible weather and tornadoes in Oklahoma and Arkansas they cancelled their baptism trip. He was just anxiously waiting to go again to the Temple. It is just amazing to see the Gospel change people's lives. Of course we must first have the desire.
Transfer's Are Soon Coming to a Close, Which MEANS SUMMER is ALMOST HERE:
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| Our zone making a quilt at the Humanitarian Center |
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| Zone activity at the Humanitarian Center |
Believe it or not, transfers are almost here again. They are just flying by at this point. Next week at this time we will be in our last week of transfers. I'm nervous yet excited for next transfer. Assignments change, companions change, and responsibilities change but guess what?!?! The work will never change! That is something comforting to know. I'm excited though because that means our SUMMER SEASON will be here!!! I LOVE SUMMER TIME ON TEMPLE SQUARE!! Busy Busy Busy and just plain Busy here on Temple Square. We have heard that this will be the largest number of visitors to the States from China this year and when they come to the States they ALWAYS go to Yellowstone and then if they go there on their tour group they will then come to Temple Square! Our Mandarin Sisters are starting to get swamped. I believe today we had about 9 Mandarin Motor coaches of about 30-50 booked for today. And that is nothing! They honestly are some of my FAVORITE people!! I'm praying for a Mandarin speaking companion for summer time. I may just be dead at the end of summer like literally dead but that's okay. These people are just so prepared! I will explain why!!
MANDARIN MOTOR-COACHES, BEST THING EVER!!
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| I love the Chinese people!! Sister George and Sister Skaggs with a new friend! |
I have helped take about 3 motor-coaches so far this summer but they are some of the greatest 45 minutes of your life. Why?? They are just so prepared, whether they realize it or not. Yesterday we gave this Motor-coach of 36 Mandarin from mainland China a tour of Temple Square. The entire time we were showing them around they were just so amazed and so willing to listen about everything. At one point we were sitting in the Tabernacle and we were testifying about Prophets when someone says can the 2 Americans sing for us (of course saying this in Mandarin to the Mandarin sister but pointing at Sis. George and I)? Sis. Ye looks at us and says, "They are requesting you to sing to them." Umm, yah, I don't sing..... Well the 5 of us decided to sing together. We invited them to close their eyes and then we sang to them "I Am a Child of God" which is what we normally sing at the end to them. Afterwards they opened their eyes some were crying, others were just amazed, some were smiling super wide. As we were walking out of the Tabernacle they all were saying thank you and were asking to take pictures with Sis. George and I. Haha, they are so funny! When I take Mandarin Motor Coaches sometimes I feel super famous!! But seriously! Seeing them as we showed them around Temple Square is just something so special. To see these Children of God so prepared and intrigued by what they are seeing and feeling is just remarkable. At the end of the tour they were just so grateful and several referred unfortunately we can't teach them at this time, due to governmental reasons. But when the Gospel is able to be preached in those countries that are closed at this moment, it will be an AMAZING sight to see!!! I hope I'm around to see these countries open. The Church is just going to EXPLODE when those countries open. We see thousands of people from over there come here each summer and year and I just can't describe to you what we see. They are prepared in more ways than we can imagine.
Love always,
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