This past week has been such a blessing! I can't even begin to express just how amazing this week has been. One thing I have recognized is just how aware the Lord is of each of his children. And how we won't always recognize how he uses us to be an instrument. Teaching by the Spirit is going to be your greatest resource in teaching.
10 Months Later... You Can Witness Miracles:
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| Heather - 10 months later... |
Let me fast forward to now and then later on I will rewind to what happened. This past Sunday, everything we had set up, Tours etc., were falling through. At first I was a little disappointed about what was happening because we had really planned on what we would do for those tours. A whole bunch of stuff was happening and then again another tour didn't show up. We had 15 minutes until we were allowed to take our dinner and so we decided we would go to the Square and contact the people we see. After we walked out of the South Visitor Center we see this lady sitting on the flower beds - just sitting there. As we started talking you could tell that she was going through a rough time. She mentioned to us that she had just turned in her mission papers and how excited she was to finally be going on a mission, that so much was happening in her life and that the process to go on a mission was really long.
All of a sudden she stops and looks at me and says, "You're the one who changed my life."
I was caught off guard and said "What do you mean?" Heather replied by saying, "You're the one that changed my life. It's because of you that I'm going on a mission." I told her that it probably wasn't me and that I was a little confused. But as she started to open up to me more I recalled play by play the exact moment that I met her back in Sept. She said, "Because of what you said that evening I knew I needed to go on a mission. I lost your number and so I couldn't tell you what you did for me that day. But right after, I went to the grass lawn in front of the Assembly Hall and broke it off with my boyfriend (whom she waited for, for 2 years) and then started my mission papers. So much has been happening and so I finally was just able to submit them today. I actually came here today to Temple Square for that reassurance that going on a mission is what Heavenly Father needed me to do. And, well, I met you - the one person who changed my life."
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| Seeing the Koerner's on Temple Square |
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| Old family friends - the Koerner's |
As Heather was relaying this to me I was completely caught off guard and just shocked that our conversation just 10 months ago had such a profound impact. But I think back at that experience in general and how honestly we did absolutely nothing. The spirit did EVERYTHING! What happened was Sis. Casagrande and I were running late to something and as we were passing by the ramp to the Christus I noticed a girl walking down the ramp who just didn't seem 100%. I just briefly commented on something I liked about her and then quickly kept going. As she was walking away I kept getting this strong but subtle thought that I had to speak to her. I kept putting it aside because she had already walked outside and so it would be really awkward to just race after her. As we got closer to the Teaching Center I just stopped and looked at Sis. Casagrande and said that I felt we needed to speak with her. I was really hesitant but then she said, "Well, if you feel that way, that's the spirit telling you to talk to her." We walked outside and I don't remember what happened. But I recall that we just bore our testimonies and just really talked with her. At the end we were both crying and that was it. I had thought about her from time to time but didn't think much of it....until on Sunday when she mentioned she was the girl. I just think soooo much about how powerful the spirit is and how CRUCIAL IT IS TO LISTEN!!! What would have happened if I wouldn't have listened to the spirit? It goes for each of us. What do you think happens when we don't listen to the spirit? The Lord uses us in the most simplest of ways and a lot of time we don't know why. In this case I didn't know that a 20 year old's life had changed forever because we talked with her and because we had listened to the spirit.
Using the Spirit:
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| At Elder Perry's funeral |
I couldn't imagine what would happen in our lives if we didn't have the spirit with us to direct us and tell us what we are to say. On Tuesday we were at a particular assignment talking to the guests that came into the South Visitor Center. Well, I see this gentleman walk by maybe in his late 20's. As usual I just started to make small talk of "Why are you here? Where are you visiting from? etc." As we are talking he started opening up a little bit more. And I started to recognize things in his life he was particularly struggling with. At that moment I then started noticing just how bold I was being with him but how natural and not scary it was doing so. I recognized though, that it was the spirit. He had mentioned that he was struggling with a lot and that he didn't fill he had a purpose in life. I bore witness through the spirit that he did have a purpose here and testified of so many other things. I then caught myself looking at him and saying very boldly that what he is feeling is the spirit right now testifying to him that what I was sharing with him was true and that as missionaries we are just guides to help him recognize his purpose in life and to receive that guidance and direction. I briefly explained about how the Book of Mormon would bring direction, peace and truth into his life and that we as missionaries would love to call him and continue to share with him more and be those guides. He, without even hesitating, said yes and then quickly had to go. It is such a powerful experience being able to witness the spirit touch the lives of everyone. When we have the desire to have the spirit take lead in our lives then the Lord will allow us to witness miracles. We do absolutely nothing. We just get to witness these miracles.
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| At Elder Perry's funeral |
The Work is Progressing:
I'm just loving the work right now! Morou is doing AMAZING!! His wife is just a PHENOMENAL MEMBER! For FHE she is reviewing ALL of the lessons with him and is really just preparing him to be baptized. Morou has been going to church and is just looking forward for when he will be baptized. Sis. Jallaa is just a prime example of an amazing member who is just dedicated to the work of the Lord. Morou, with his work schedule, is just beyond busy but has a family and every Monday they wait until he comes home now so they can hold family home evening. I just think of how much dedication and diligence that must take. But the blessings that come as we work to put the Lord first in all things and strive to magnify our callings as his representatives. We are still having some problems in regards to the connections but we know the Lord has it all under control. As we do our part and have the faith the Lord will provide.
Here, on Temple Square, we have a Standard of Excellence of 50 solid tours a week with 2 new investigators a week from those 50 tours. Sis. Lin and I have really been working hard to see our goals fulfilled. As we have gone through these past couple of days we have noticed just how much the Lord is providing. We have seen just how much the Lord has provided these past couple of days. Our number of tours have almost surpassed our goal for this week. But we know we haven't done anything. We just recognize that as we truly want to be his servants that means we must work hard, diligently and with the spirit. As we are bold and not overbearing the Lord will perform miracles in our life. We are working on inviting to stay in contact with everyone we meet on Temple Square. I have noticed that when it's a tour done by the spirit and you are bold but not overbearing they may refer. But when we go through the motions (without the spirit) that's when people are more timid to do so because they couldn't feel the one instrument that is the key to all conversion. I'm just loving it here! The Gospel is true and it's a blessing to have it still today in our lives.
20th BIRTHDAY on a Mission:
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| Happy Birthday to me! |
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| Sharing my birthday! |
It's interesting because going into my birthday I wasn't expecting it to be anything special. But it's funny how the Lord ALWAYS has stuff up his sleeve. I have to say it is probably one of those birthdays that I will never forget. I just can't describe how special it was. In the morning I had sisters call and sing me happy birthday and then a lot of sisters were just so excited to see me throughout the day and wish me happy birthday. They were wanting to do so much for me and surprise me in any way that they could. And then to have my second family surprise me during District Meeting with balloons and a cake was just super special. Having them so willing to bring me a cake (on my mom's request) was just something that meant the world to me. I just about broke into tears when I saw them at the top of the stairs. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by people who I just love and who mean the world to me. Spending the day with some of my 200 best-est friends, even though I was missing some, was something I will never get again. The Lord, a lot of the time, reveals his love for us through other people. I definitely could feel that love. Whether it was through unexpected letters, packages, HUGS, singing, quality time, or surprise visits. It was a day that was deeply cherished. I can definitely give it a thumbs up for being one of my all time favorite birthdays!!
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A great 20th birthday in the
mission field! |
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Partying missionary style - just lots
of fun and crazy!! |
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I am a blessed birthday
girl! |
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My second family surprising me
on my birthday!! |
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The Lundquist family - my 2nd
family - on my birthday |
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Feeling the love from my fellow
sister missionaries on my birthday! |
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Sis. Lin and me with the Lundquist
children - on my birthday! |
It's a tremendous blessing to be on a mission. It is beyond hard!! But it's a blessing. I don't want to lie and say it's always easy. It is HARD and still continues to be each and everyday. And at moments when you feel like you can't go ANY further, like literally you can't go any further, the Lord provides a ray of hope which enables us, through him, to push forward just a little bit more. As we continue to seek for those rays of hope through Christ we will be enabled to push just a little bit further. We are given trials, hardships, tough people, etc in our lives for a reason. It's up to us to chose to keep going or to give up. But just know, like I learned yesterday, that it is very possible to rely on the atonement especially when you can't go any further. I love this gospel. I love the work and I love the opportunity to be in his service. I hope you are each doing what the Lord is requiring of you. As you rely on the Spirit and push just a bit farther you will see MIRACLES PERFORMED THROUGH THE SPIRIT.
Love You ALL,
Sister Skaggs
This past week has been such a blessing! I can't even begin to express just how amazing this week has been. One thing I have recognized is just how aware the Lord is of each of his children. And how we won't always recognize how he uses us to be an instrument. Teaching by the Spirit is going to be your greatest resource in teaching. 
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