From 01/08/16
To All I Love,
 |
Who needs Charlie's Angels when
you've got MISSIONARY ANGELS?! |
This opportunity to serve a mission is priceless. Where to begin with this past week? I don't even know where to begin. A LOT has happened! The Missionary Work is really hastening. And it's funny how it is right when I'm getting ready to go home soon.
Entering the Waters of Baptism:
 |
The last of the "original" group that
came out in July/Aug 2014 |
It happened! On Saturday Jan. 2nd Gaiduwo and Anthony were baptized in Kakata, Liberia. Sunday morning we called Gaiduwo and talked to her about her baptism. She is remarkable. Gaiduwo couldn't stop saying just how happy she was. We asked how she felt when she got baptized and she said a huge sense of relief came over her when she was baptized. All of her past mistakes were gone. When she received the Holy Ghost she mentioned she felt really good and happy. It is really hard to share with you what was all said. Typing it out doesn't really do a whole lot from their deep gratitude and how they really express what they feel. From all of the people I have had the opportunity to work with over these past 18 months I haven't met someone who is filled with that much joy. Because it was fast Sunday we asked if she bore her testimony. Gaiduwo mentioned that she had and how she was shy at first to do so but she thanked God for everything she had been given and that she was so happy to finally be a member of the Church. She shared with us in her own words: "I never wanted to go to church at the start, haha. But it was by the grace of God that I did go to Church." The testimony and conversion she has of this Gospel is powerful. We talked with President Harmon after and he said we won't wait to give her a calling, she will be a great leader within the branch.
Opposition in All Things:
 |
| Sisters Lineras, Wu, Oh and Skaggs |
The preparations for this Baptism didn't go so smoothly. We wish we could say otherwise though. Right after we called Gaiduwo we call Siannes to hear all about her baptism. It was really confusing though, because she said she wasn't baptized. She got to the church at 10 AM for her baptism and President Harmon told her they are postponing it and to go home. When she told us that, we were really confused. We didn't quite understand what was happening. President Harmon later was able to explain to us what had really happened. When they got to the baptism something happened with the font and then they realized they didn't have all the baptismal clothes. The Elders, using their money, drove all the way to the Harbel Branch to get the baptismal clothes. By the time they got back it was already 2 PM and so those who were still there got baptized in the river. At this point Siannes had already gone home and, unfortunately, wasn't baptized. It was sad when we heard she wasn't going to be baptized but we are excited for her to be baptized on the 16th of this month!
Bright Things in Store:
 |
| Sister Brooks and Skaggs |
To say the work in Kakata is progressing would be an understatement. Everytime we call President Harmon he shares with us something else that is happening or under way in Kakata. Before we had called him on Sunday we talked with several of out other investigators who each said it was really crowded at Church on Sunday, which is normal, but they had never really expressed that to us before. We commented on that to President Harmon and he said that they had 297 people at church on Sunday....remember, this is a Branch. President Harmon mentioned that because they are growing they will split here more than likely next month into two Branches because they are getting too big, and that they are renovating another building that will turn into their chapel. At the same time, on the 16th they will have over 20 more people baptized. We asked if we could Skype this baptism and he was able to bring it up at church and several members within the branch said they know how to set it up on the computer at church. The only problem was it was at 3 AM our time. Which meant we weren't going to be able to Skype it. We told him that we wouldn't be skyping the baptism because of that. He is so funny....he was like, "Well we want you to Skype it. When would work best for you?" We mentioned that we would be able to do like 7 AM our time. Not even flinching he said, "Okay. I will talk to the Elders and we will move it to later so you can be there. We want you to be there, you have played a big role in this." We pray that we can get it to work out. If not, that is okay. It's funny, he mentioned that the baptismal pool is on a balcony 40 ft in the air outside. It should be an interesting sight to see if it all pulls through. We are really happy right now for them.
Elect Hearts:
 |
| Inside the Assembly Hall |
 |
"Stairway to Heaven" in the
Assembly Hall (really goes
to the attic) |
With the local missionaries in Kakata being so busy President Harmon is still having us call and teach people to prepare them for baptism and then the local missionaries will verify that all is good. About 2 weeks ago he asked us to contact Peter, who has been going to church for 6 months and cannot be baptized unless he meets with missionaries. This past Monday we had the chance to call him and he answered the phone. As we got talking he mentioned of the sincere desire he had to be baptized. He just couldn't be baptized until he talked with missionaries. We realized that if we work diligently with him we could prepare him to be baptized with this next group on the 16th of this month. We asked him how often he wanted us to call him. We were thinking like 2x's a week. He is like, "Umm - 4 times a week." We weren't expecting that response. Well, maybe we should have. Either way it didn't bother us at all. We later found out that the following day another Sister in the mission contacted him because his brother referred him. Because I'm going home in 3 weeks and she doesn't go home for awhile, I felt it was best that she continue to teach and prepare him for baptism on the 16th instead of me getting close to him to just having to transfer him back to her in 3 weeks.
 |
| Assembly Hall |
Jenna - Where do you start with Jenna? I'm not going to say much but just share with you several of
her texts to us from this past week:
"hehe it took awhile!! I've been reading 10-15 chapters every night for a little over a week now so
that I can reach a goal I set for myself to finish The Book of Mormon before my baptismal date! Alma is wonderful! I love all the messages it has about God's love and how he is always with us!"
"I'm feeling Good! Reading the Book of Mormon and talking to the missionaries regularly, and also hearing from you guys always sends me feelings that I'm on the right path. I feel like my life has already been blessed by fasting and praying and reading. If God is blessing me and I'm feeling the spirit so often it must be real, and that's so exciting! So it's going really well!:)"
"Aw that is so sweet of you to say! You are an example to me, a huge one! Reading them is just so powerful and it's something I look forward to doing everyday :) I'm still working for January 30th :) It's crazy. That's only in a couple of weeks!"
"Yes I am nervous! It's such an important decision and I've been thinking about it forever, it's crazy that it's actually happening now. I'm excited to get closer to God! This whole process has brought me so much closer to him and I'm excited to grow more and more in that relationship. I'm excited to see where my path leads me and all the doors that baptism opens for me in my life.:)"
It's pretty self explanatory. We are really excited for her and this step that she will take here in the next couple of weeks. Her heart is so set and seeking to know the truth. She is one who is prepared, who has just been waiting for the Gospel to come into her life.
Car Run-ins:
 |
The Feb 3rd departing group with
Pres. & Sis. Paulson |
Today my companion and I were talking and we realized we never have luck with cars. It's kind of funny what keeps happening lately as I get behind the wheel of the car, and how the Lord always delays the time that we are originally supposed to leave for various reasons. Let me just explain what is happening.
 |
The departing group getting a bit
crazy! |
When the car gets to just about half way (gas) we are to go and fill it with gas before we bring it back to the garage. Last preparation day (so a week ago) we were running really short on time before we had to have the car back but we needed to fill it with gas. The closest gas station is the Maverick on North Temple. We pull in, I have 3 other sisters in the car besides me (my companion, a sister from Hong Kong and another from Mongolia). I get out of the car and am going through the normal routine of filling it with gas. Because it's absolutely freezing outside I decide to get back in and patiently wait. Haha - then this car pulls in front of us to park on the other side of the gas pump. As they are driving by I say out loud, "Hey, is it just me or is that President Nelson? (President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles)" All of the sisters are like, "No that's not President Nelson." I'm like, "Ummm, I'm pretty sure that was President Nelson." We quickly turn our heads just as he is parking next to me and I'm like, "Haha - yah that's President Nelson." They were all like, "We want to meet him." I'm say, "It's protocol to not initiate conversation unless they start." Then I said, "Do not get out of the car to go see him." To be honest, it was a little nerve wracking to get out of the car to go finish filling the car with gas knowing you have an apostle on the other side of you, literally like 2 feet away. It finished but it seemed like and eternity for it to completely finish getting out. As I'm putting it back President Nelson casually moves to my side of the pump and was like, "Hi how are you?" I reply by saying, I'm doing great how are you?" He proceeds to shake my hand as he introduces himself. I have learned to not stare an
apostle in the eyes... Not a good thing. Why? Because that is when they are personally interviewing you to see the type of person you really are. But I made eye contact with him and we start to just have this casual brief conversation before I see him moving his head. Just guess what was happening? I turn around to see ALL the car doors open and the other 3 sisters get out of the car. I didn't care at this point because if I were them I would be doing the same thing, since he initiated the conversation. He greeted each of us and briefly asked how the work was going and asked if we served on Temple Square. One thing I keyed in on though were his eyes. Remember several months back when Elder Holland came? President Nelson had the same, clear glossy very light blue eyes that he did. It was interesting. It wasn't really scary talking to him this time compared to the other times. It just seemed as if I was talking to a friend of mine. The way he was, it was just interesting, his demeanor was different, its hard to describe. As we left I started to ponder the interaction that we just had with him. The thought ran through my mind of the importance of standing as a representative of our Savior Jesus Christ at all times. Over the course of my mission I have come to recognize how important it really is to stand and up hold that sacred calling we have as his disciple, that sacred calling comes upon each of us as we are baptized a member of his Church.
 |
| Humanitarian Square |
Same with this morning. We went to clean the car in the Church Office Building as part of our van maintenance this week. As we were washing the car, Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson pulled up behind us to wash and dry her car where we briefly interacted with her. We truly never know who is watching us. I'm not just meaning General Authorities but everyone. We stand as his disciples the moment we are baptized. People observe all that we do especially on Social Media. They see the things we are doing and they recognize if we are upholding that sacred call or not.
Changes Occurring:
 |
The Paulson's with the Temecula
Sisters |
A lot has been happening this week! I only have 3 1/2 weeks left on my mission and so usually your departing pictures, interview and meetings don't occur until your final days as a missionary. However, we are going to be receiving a new Mission President a week from today and President Poulsen decided to have all of our departing stuff now since we know him and since our new Mission President will probably be very busy with the 2 1/2 weeks we will have with him. It is going to be different having a new mission President for just a short amount of time, we are excited yet nervous. It's hard knowing that President and Sister Poulsen's time on the mission is coming to an end. Serving with them as been life changing! Who I have become, how the Lord has changed me into someone I didn't know I could become has been because of the way the Lord has used them as instruments in his hands. The counsel which they have shared with me has been something that has eternally shaped me.
Know I love you! I'm determined to give the Lord everything that I have in the remaining time that I have. The finish time is the time to sprint harder than we have ever sprinted before in our life. And this is the time. I'm grateful for each of you and the support you have rendered and the continued support as I seek and am determined to give the Lord every ounce of energy I have. I love you! Continue to find ways to trust in the Lord and to give your will to him. Hope you have a great week!
Love Always!
Sister Skaggs
 |
| Christmas morning |
|
| Christmas morning! |
 |
| More Christmas fun |
No comments:
Post a Comment