Hey friends and family!
When missionaries tell you
that missionary work is one of the hardest things they have ever done in
their life, but the most rewarding...they are not kidding whatsoever.
My first week at the MTC has been so crazy, yet the best thing that has
ever happened to me. Although I have only been here for about six days, I
have already made life-long friends, taught three different
investigators, talked to my family on Mother's day, faced
discouragement, and have blisters all over my feet.
I
thought I had a testimony of the church and of Jesus Christ before I
arrived at the MTC. But after sitting in my classroom for 4-5 hours at a
time, personal and companionship study, attending devotionals,
participating in the MTC choir, teaching our investigators, and learning
from everyone here...my testimony has strengthened and is bigger than
it has ever been. Sorry if it seems like I'm just listing a bunch of
stuff, but there is so much to talk about and so little time.
My
district is absolutely incredible. I know that we were put together for
a reason. They help me every day to come closer to Christ and remember
why I am here. Together, we have come to better understand our purpose
as full-time missionaries. "Our purpose is to INVITE others to COME unto
Christ, by HELPING them RECEIVE the restored gospel. Through FAITH in
Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and ENDURING to the end." It's all about the work.
Faith is an action word. We when we lose ourselves in the work, we truly
find ourselves. It is not about me, at all! People told me that before I
came here, but now I truly KNOW that it is centered on Christ.
My
companion is Sister Andrew, and she is from Boise, Idaho! She is also
serving in the California Carlsbad mission! In my district there are six
elders, and four sisters (including me). All of us sisters are going to
Carlsbad, as well as one other elder, and the rest of the elders are
serving in the Saint Louis Missouri Mission. We are excited to be the
older district and welcome the brand-new district tomorrow! Oh goodness,
I remember my first few days here, it seems like that was forever ago!
Crazy how fast it all goes by.
Yesterday was
pretty hard for Sister Andrew and I. It was our first day teaching our
TRC investigators (volunteer investigators), and we were a little
nervous. Our first lesson with Taylor went very well! She is the only
one in her family who is not a member of the church. She attends BYU and
really wants guidance; she wants to believe that God exists and that he
loves her. Her sister is serving a mission in Thailand right now, and
she wants that same confidence and direction in life. We taught her the
Restoration and we could see that her faith was already increasing. She
committed to read the introduction to the BOM (Book of Mormon. Sorry I
will be using that reference a lot), and she agreed to pray to know that
she really is a child of God.
For some reason,
I got really discouraged after the lesson. My companion felt great
about it, but I felt as if I didn't do a good job of teaching. I felt
horrible and that I was failing as a representative of Jesus Christ.
Coincidentally our teacher, Sister Greer, taught all of us how to deal
with stress. haha. I needed that. And then we went back to the TRC and
taught Leah. Leah didn't want to listen to a word we had to see about
what we believe. She has been at the TRC for three years, and I guess
she is tired of hearing about the gospel. She just wants someone to talk
to, we think. Maybe she's really lonely and needs to feel loved. But my
companion ended up getting offended by some of the things Leah said.
Let's just say, things were hard for us that night. But we ended the day
in a great testimony kinda meeting with our district and told each
other of our love.
I'm so grateful for my
companion and my district. I don't know what I would do without them.
But most of all, I am most grateful for my Savior. He truly is MY savior
and he loves me. I need to remember that this work is about him and
bringing God's children back. We must see people as God sees them. (:
Today
(Tuesday) is P-day and I can't wait to go do laundry haha. But I'm most
excited to go to the temple with my district! I love going to the
temple, it gives me so much peace.
This is to
my mom: MOM, make sure that you send my weekly emails to everyone who
wants them. Check my Facebook post with all the comments and email
addresses & put them on the list. haha. Or I guess you can just post
it to facebook or put it on a blog or something, idk.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
P.S.
Sorry I don't have pictures attached. Trust me, I have taken a lot, I
just don't know how to upload them yet. I will figure it out
I had to go to the computer lab to upload the pictures. It's complicated. haha. But here they are. (:
The blonde is my companion, Sister Andrew. We have the same bike
necklace too! How awesome is that? In some of the pictures we look
soaking wet, it's because we took a walk around the temple on Sunday
when it was pouring rain. Oh and another picture of
us with the headphones was when we were talking to our family on
mother's day. (:
Sister Alexis Skabelund
