Family and Friends,
I figured I should probably start writing the main email home instead of replying back to everyone! Family, it sounds like you are doing so well! I can't wait to hear all about your Southeast trip. You're going to have a blast even if I'm not there. But that's, okay because I get to be here serving the Lord and I will be with you in spirit. Not a whole lot has happened this week, surprisingly. I really want to talk though about those we are teaching. If you really stop and think about it, many people, even those you work with, are prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and believe it or not, it starts within our own families. Let me just give you examples of what I mean by talking about the people we are working with!
Liberia is Progressing:
 |
| A motorcoach tour - I love these people!!! |
GREAT NEWS!! As of YESTERDAY Liberia was reestablished as a mission, and they received their new mission president! We talked with the Branch President that we are working with in Liberia in a little city called Kakata, and he mentioned about the meeting he had the other week with the new mission president, mission presidency, and the area presidency. He mentioned that the mission will be reestablished as of yesterday and that a little handful of missionaries would be coming with the new mission president. Oh and even GREATER NEWS -- he will talk with them about setting up a day and time for our investigators to be BAPTIZED!! When he mentioned that to me it just made me so happy hearing about this. The Branch President said they will still be a couple months out, more than likely, until they will get missionaries but since they will have missionaries back there it will be a little bit easier to do the baptisms and the interviews. I'm so excited for the day I get to call each of them and hear about their baptism. The hardest part about teaching them is not being able to establish an actual baptismal date with them because of the situation we have. We still currently don't have local missionaries but that is okay for now. The church is firmly established there and so we know they are each in good hands. Let me talk about each of them!
Morou - We got a hold of Morou the other day!! We talked with his wife on I believe Saturday and mentioned that we would try calling on Sunday. Unfortunately we were unable to get a hold of them so we tried calling again on Tuesday. And guess what??? Ahh they are just amazing! So we are talking with him in the morning to set up a return appointment and Morou is like "Call me again late tonight. I will be home with my wife." We are like okay that will be perfect. He then proceeds to say, "You are teaching me the Word of Wisdom right? My wife told me that's what we would be talking about. I will be ready to learn about the Word of Wisdom." As a missionary that just makes your whole day when your investigator says that. It had been about 3 weeks since we last talked with him. We called them at like 10:30 P.M. their time (they like talking late) and they were both waiting together to be taught with their Word of Wisdom Pamphlet all ready to go. As we asked him questions and read and discussed about the Word of Wisdom he gave us such heartfelt testimonies about why he should live the Word of Wisdom. Here he has had to wait months to be baptized because he doesn't have local missionaries and it is just a little complicated and with the phone connection but he is still being diligent about preparing to be baptized. His wife is SO FUNNY! I just love her! My favorite part is when they say the opening and closing prayers. They are heart felt and sincere. They mentioned about how someday I will have to come and visit them in Liberia. I said someday I will whether in this life or in the next.
 |
| A family from Mainland China |
Patricia - We taught Patricia the other day as well! Her fiance is a member but she is not but she goes to church every Sunday and has a desire to be baptized. We had her pray about a baptismal date but she hasn't come to that conclusion yet on when she feels she will be ready to be baptized. We asked her why she feels she needs to be baptized or meet with the missionaries and she says, "I need to meet with you in order to be baptized and it will all prepare me for being married." They each have such a firm desire to follow the word of God. The one thing that just breaks my heart is when they ask if I will be at church on Sunday. I have to tell them every week that I wont be there. I wish that I could be reassigned to Liberia. But I know that is one prayer Heavenly Father won't answer. I told them I look forward to the day when I can say that "you will have missionaries at church tomorrow" but for now we will only be there in Spirit. Patricia's fiance, Jorou, is like, "Sista Skaggs, where are you staying when you come?" and then every-time I have to inform him that I'm actually in Salt Lake City, Utah in America. The Gospel is true, people are prepared! In both of these instances they are family and friends who have brought those dear to them to church and because of the example they have set these loved ones are preparing to enter the waters of baptism. It will be a glorious day when they can each be baptized.
 |
| A family from So. Cal. |
Cyrus - Cyrus is so prepared! He has been attending church EVERY SUNDAY for the past 6 MONTHS!! When we talked with him I asked him, "Cyrus why do you want to meet with the missionaries?" His reply, "Well, I know that I want to be baptized. I know that I must meet with you and you will teach me the word of God which will prepare me to be baptized." He has been living with his Uncle for these past couple of months. We invited him to really read the Book of Mormon and testified about how it will prepare him to be baptized. He asked us if we would read with him and so we gave him a chapter to read and then on Saturday we will discuss it with him and then on Sunday we will teach another lesson with him. He is an amazing example of someone who is dedicated to the Gospel and who has truly been waiting for this opportunity. 6 MONTHS!! I bet we have people all around us who are waiting to be baptized. Here he has been wanting to be baptized and has been waiting for such a long time. What are we doing to help hasten the work to bring our family and friends into the fold!
Having this opportunity to work with them each week and to help prepare them with Heavenly Father's help to be baptized is such a treat! They are the most humblest of people who are eager and prepared to be baptized. It makes you stop and think - Who around me has been waiting to be baptized? It takes just a simple act of courage to invite our friends and loved ones to follow Jesus Christ. The simplest thing to do is invite them to a church activity. But you can first pray and seek Heavenly Father's direction instead of just asking the first person you see. Use Heavenly Guidance. The Gospel is true and I feel so blessed to be apart of this amazing work!
Oh and FYI transfers are next week and so I do not know when my new P-DAY will be!!
 |
| Sis. Skaggs and Sis. Lin |
Love you all and hope you have a great 4th of July!!!
Love Always <3
Sister Skaggs
No comments:
Post a Comment