From 6/25/15
Family and Friends,
I don't even know where to begin with this email. Things are going so well! I'm just in amazement more and more each day with what the Lord allows us to see and do as we include him in all aspects of our life.
A Flashback to Saturday - Working hard is something that every missionary at some point or another recognizes as a means to an end. Saturday is a prime example of what it means to working hard but accessing the powers of heaven. It was like any other day. It started with us needing to be at the Flag Pole at 9 AM to give a tour around to anybody that speaks Mandarin. Unfortunately 9 AM rolls around and we didn't have anyone show up. We then receive a text from West Gate of about 18 Mandarin people at West Gate (The main booth for all tours). Sis. Lin and I decide we would take them. I just LOVE, or in other words, practically obsess with being able to give tours to Mandarin speakers or people from China. We were able to give them a tour around! 30 minutes later we finish the tour. As we just finish that tour another tour of 27 Mandarin people show up 30 minutes early. We had nothing to do so we decided to take them around as well! I LOVE THEM so much!! Just imagine a group of 27 people from CHINA in their 60's with BRIGHT colors, hats and umbrellas (they hate getting tan), SNAPPING PICTURES of EVERYTHING they see!! During the entire 30 minute excursion around Temple Square to the Tabernacle, Temple View and Assembly Hall they completely paid attention and were completely intrigued by us. As we finished the tour in the Assembly Hall since they were such a sweet, fun and just plain funny group Sis. Lin gave me permission to hand out the special Temple Picture that the Church made for them (we give it out to Mandarin tours who pay attention and are interested). Yah, BAD IDEA!!! Lets just say next thing I know Sis. Lin is over in the corner talking to several people who wanted a Book of Mormon and then there is me literally being attacked by 20, 60 year olds from China with 2 ladies grabbing my arms wanting pictures. The picture you are getting in your head right now is exactly what happened. [Sis. Skaggs' mom here - an actual picture of that would have been hilarious!] I just love them sooo much!!! After I quickly handed out the cards I stood there for a good 10 minutes getting my picture taken. I felt like one of those characters at Disneyland with a whole bunch of people wanting to take a picture with them. When we finished the photo shoot a handful of them asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and so they had to fill out one of the referral cards. Something about this group is when one got something they all wanted one. Next thing I know I have 5 more people coming up to me for a pen and a referral card so they could get one of those books that their friend had. But the neat thing was turning around and seeing them all sitting on the planters reading their own copy of the Book of Mormon.
They are prepared and the second China opens - the Gospel will be flooding to the couple billion of people we have there. We spent a good 15 minutes having them fill referral cards. The sad thing is we are unable to call them. But I know the Lord knows what he is doing and before we know it the Gospel will be flooding their own cities. Right after we took that tour we had another scheduled tour that we literally had to run to because we were already a little late. 3 hours of tours back to back. We had a little bit of lunch and while we were at lunch several sisters asked us to cover their Motor-coaches that evening. In the end, we had 3 Mandarin motor-coaches back to back at night with a 5 minute dinner break here and there. It was a wonderful day!! It was busy but it was exhilarating! Seeing how the Gospel changes people is something you can't experience anywhere else full time but on a mission. And it is something, that along the way, changes you. The Gospel is true and the Atonement is real. By the end of the evening Sis. Lin and I were just wiped but we knew we could get through it as we accessed the power of the Atonement. Which is a real thing. As we are willing we are able to have it carry us. Which is something that is vital if we want to help not only ourselves but others achieve their divine potential. As we ask for the Saviors help he is by our side carrying us and will continue to carry us. It is only through him that we are able to accomplish and overcome all that is put in our path. But the blessings are tremendous as we invite Christ into our lives!
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| Me and my awesome comp - Sis. Lin |
I don't even know where to begin with this email. Things are going so well! I'm just in amazement more and more each day with what the Lord allows us to see and do as we include him in all aspects of our life.
Blessings from the Atonement:
As the days get hotter the more people flock to Temple Square. WHY?? Ummm, good question. But as we have more guests that means the demand for us as missionaries goes up. As it has been getting hotter and we are pushing ourselves to points we didn't think were possible it is really tiring. But something quite miraculous happens. We are able to truly see a sneak peek at how the Atonement is applied to our day to day lives. We are able to access the grace that is given to each of us through our Savior Jesus Christ. We are given that added measure of strength to just keep going, to be a little more diligent and to meet the demands that the Lord needs us to meet. Let me give you a sneak peek as to what I am talking about. Lets flashback to SATURDAY:
A Flashback to Saturday - Working hard is something that every missionary at some point or another recognizes as a means to an end. Saturday is a prime example of what it means to working hard but accessing the powers of heaven. It was like any other day. It started with us needing to be at the Flag Pole at 9 AM to give a tour around to anybody that speaks Mandarin. Unfortunately 9 AM rolls around and we didn't have anyone show up. We then receive a text from West Gate of about 18 Mandarin people at West Gate (The main booth for all tours). Sis. Lin and I decide we would take them. I just LOVE, or in other words, practically obsess with being able to give tours to Mandarin speakers or people from China. We were able to give them a tour around! 30 minutes later we finish the tour. As we just finish that tour another tour of 27 Mandarin people show up 30 minutes early. We had nothing to do so we decided to take them around as well! I LOVE THEM so much!! Just imagine a group of 27 people from CHINA in their 60's with BRIGHT colors, hats and umbrellas (they hate getting tan), SNAPPING PICTURES of EVERYTHING they see!! During the entire 30 minute excursion around Temple Square to the Tabernacle, Temple View and Assembly Hall they completely paid attention and were completely intrigued by us. As we finished the tour in the Assembly Hall since they were such a sweet, fun and just plain funny group Sis. Lin gave me permission to hand out the special Temple Picture that the Church made for them (we give it out to Mandarin tours who pay attention and are interested). Yah, BAD IDEA!!! Lets just say next thing I know Sis. Lin is over in the corner talking to several people who wanted a Book of Mormon and then there is me literally being attacked by 20, 60 year olds from China with 2 ladies grabbing my arms wanting pictures. The picture you are getting in your head right now is exactly what happened. [Sis. Skaggs' mom here - an actual picture of that would have been hilarious!] I just love them sooo much!!! After I quickly handed out the cards I stood there for a good 10 minutes getting my picture taken. I felt like one of those characters at Disneyland with a whole bunch of people wanting to take a picture with them. When we finished the photo shoot a handful of them asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and so they had to fill out one of the referral cards. Something about this group is when one got something they all wanted one. Next thing I know I have 5 more people coming up to me for a pen and a referral card so they could get one of those books that their friend had. But the neat thing was turning around and seeing them all sitting on the planters reading their own copy of the Book of Mormon. 
They are prepared and the second China opens - the Gospel will be flooding to the couple billion of people we have there. We spent a good 15 minutes having them fill referral cards. The sad thing is we are unable to call them. But I know the Lord knows what he is doing and before we know it the Gospel will be flooding their own cities. Right after we took that tour we had another scheduled tour that we literally had to run to because we were already a little late. 3 hours of tours back to back. We had a little bit of lunch and while we were at lunch several sisters asked us to cover their Motor-coaches that evening. In the end, we had 3 Mandarin motor-coaches back to back at night with a 5 minute dinner break here and there. It was a wonderful day!! It was busy but it was exhilarating! Seeing how the Gospel changes people is something you can't experience anywhere else full time but on a mission. And it is something, that along the way, changes you. The Gospel is true and the Atonement is real. By the end of the evening Sis. Lin and I were just wiped but we knew we could get through it as we accessed the power of the Atonement. Which is a real thing. As we are willing we are able to have it carry us. Which is something that is vital if we want to help not only ourselves but others achieve their divine potential. As we ask for the Saviors help he is by our side carrying us and will continue to carry us. It is only through him that we are able to accomplish and overcome all that is put in our path. But the blessings are tremendous as we invite Christ into our lives!  |
| Sis. Lin - after a long, hot day on the Square |
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| Me - after a long, hot day on the Square.... |
How do we access the Atonement? - A big question I believe we all have through life is this: "But how do we access the Atonement?" For me it is a simple answer...through our faith and our belief that it's possible. We have been told that it is possible to receive this Heavenly help and so why not try it for yourself. You can't know it unless you try it. For me, enabling the power of the atonement comes through recognizing that it is in and only through Christ I can receive strength. As I remember him, and pray during those hard times for strength and continue working knowing that all will be well, it is fine. In the end, it's our view point, it's our thought process, Faith+Hope+Prayer+Action=Accessing the Powers of the Atonement. As we do so we are able to do things we didn't think were possible but are in and only through the Saviors help. I'm still recovering from that crazy day but it was so worth it and I know that I can do it again with my Saviors help. Think about a little kid trying to climb a hill. Sometimes they can't do it on their own and their parents know that because they have more than likely climbed the hill before. And so when it gets difficult the little child usually turns to their parents for help. Most parents then pick up their child and help carry them to their final destination. That is us. As we turn to the Savior he will carry us. Through his help we will be able to arrive again at our Heavenly home.
The Work is Progressing:
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| Made homemade dumplings! |
The work is going well! We have a good handful of people we are working with. Morou is just amazing! He is the one that lives in Liberia and is supposed to be baptized this weekend but unfortunately it more than likely wont be happening this week. We haven't been able to finish teaching him due to the phone connection and he has had a lot going on. With his wife having Malaria again and his daughter being in the Hospital. However, he mentioned that we can call him tomorrow. It's interesting to see the lengths Satan will do to stop the work from progressing. Then we have Patricia. She was referred by her Branch President in Liberia as well. With no local missionaries back in Liberia just yet we are taking their place for the time being until we get the local missionaries back within the next couple of months. She has been attending church. We invited her to be baptized and she accepted. We will work with her on preparing her to be baptized. I don't know when that will be because it is a little complicated in Liberia right now. But we want to have them ready so when the baptism takes place or the missionaries get there they will be completely prepared and ready to go. We have several others we are in the process of working with right now. We didn't have a whole lot of Teaching Center time last week due to the fact that we were just so busy on the Square and we for some reason missed a lot of our assigned TC time due to tours. But the work is hastening and ever so slowly we are inching into our busy season. July is the busiest of them all and next week we will hit JULY!
Special Guests:
Elder L Whitney Clayton (Presidency of the 70) -
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| That's just what we do! |
He and his wife came on Sunday and were our speakers for Sacrament meeting. Some of the main points that really stood out to me was when Sis. Clayton talked about having the eyes to see the wonderful and using our hearts to capture the wonderful. And how, with the spirit, the missionaries and the Heavenly Message we create a Heavenly Combination.
Elder Clayton focused a lot on our Legacy. What are we doing to leave a legacy? When we die how will our name be remembered? What are we doing to be followers of Christ? He focused A LOT on how we can GIVE A SIGN TO GOD. He said "Do you really want the Sacrament to sanctify you? Then you must prove to God." He mentioned how it comes by how we we keep the Sabbath Day Holy! Which is interesting. How do we keep the Sabbath Day Holy? Are we showing God on this day that we are taking him seriously? Or do we do contrary to the things he has asked us? He asked us what more can you give to God on the Sabbath Day to KEEP it holy? I thought about the many times I wasted doing things that weren't bad but things that weren't the best choice. In order for the Sacrament to sanctify us we must give a sign to God through our faithful and diligent actions to follow him on this sacred and special day. It is a day to remember his son and to draw nearer to him. It is a sacred day that has been prepared for a time to worship him and to do the things that would be pleasing to him. It made me really stop and think about WHO do I want to BECOME after my mission - when it comes to OBSERVING the SABBATH DAY?
Brad Wilcox -
This morning for Relief Society we had the opportunity to hear from Brad Wilcox. Many of you will know him by the devotional he gave several years ago at BYU called "His Grace is Sufficient". It was really powerful as he focused on the power from accessing Grace and what it really means. It really allowed me to stop and think about what is Grace and how does it apply to me. When reality is - it is applied to each of us.
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| A day in the life..... |
This past week in general has been AMAZING! Sis. Lin has become my BEST FRIEND and I thoroughly enjoy being able to spend this time with her! We have A LOT of fun. Things have GREATLY improved between the two of us and I feel blessed each day to be her companion. This week has been particularly tough as she has had to chose between staying and finishing her mission here on Temple Square or going back to Oakland/San Francisco for one transfer and then going home. We have had a lot of talks this week as a companionship as we have been trying to seek Heavenly Fathers help. It has been amazing to witness just how strong she is and the desire she has to do what her Father in Heaven sees fit for her to do. On Tuesday she felt like staying here and so she talked with President Poulsen and he said he would give her Mission President a phone call to see if that was okay for her to do so. As she was praying that night she felt that she needed to go back. Torn between these two feelings she was just confused when she went to talk with President. Again, he mentioned that her Mission President gave her the go ahead to finish her mission here since she only has 2 transfers left. As we were touring the Conference Center yesterday all she could talk about was the desire she had to stay here and she asked about all that would happen if she would stay here. So I mentioned what life is like for a missionary who leaves here and how, if she stays, she will be here for General Conference. This morning she talked with President again and gave him her final decision. When she came out I said, "So what is your choice?" Well, let me just say she stinks at lying!!! Haha - she looks at me with big smile, "I'm going back." Haha - yeah I nudged her and said, "You're lying. You're staying." Her reply, "Haha - yeah, I am." I'm so excited! We had a rocky start but it's amazing how fast a relationship can change when you just forget yourself and focus on what matters most. She is amazing and I love her so much!!
Well this email is like an eternity long so I'm going to get off now! This sums up my week and all that I have learned! Know that I love you and I pray for each of you! Never give up on the Lord. Allow his atonement to heal you and to give you the strength to endure.
I love you so much!! Your favorite, daughter and sister ever *Cough cough* the only one!! :D <3 Oh and friend! ;)
Sister Jen Skaggs
Random pictures for you all to see ------
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| It was a LONG, HOT day. |
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| My family made it in the Temple Square blog! |
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