Sister Skidmore's Sacramento: #SegundoSemana

HOLA!!!

So I'll just dive right in!

- My District is HORRIBLE at singing. It's actually hilarious. But my new favorite hymns are 'How Great Thou Art' & 'Come, Come Ye Saints', if you want to know why, read the lyrics (: Good stuff right there.

- The MTC has special morning classes for the Sisters so we don't get fat. My favorite day is Yoga day, which requires like zero effort hahaaha. I actually love it. I"M SO GRANOLA NOW WHATUPP!

- My comp and I like to laminate anything that we can so if we take really good notes we say #LaminateIt haha I don't know if that's funny or not.. MTC humor... haha.

- I LOVE MY ZONE! Which is like 4 Districts combined to make up a Zone. We tell stories at meals and are super close. I freel really blessed to have them because we're like a family. I don't know if all zones are like that but we are and it's great! The other day, Elder Summers (An Elder from another District) bore his testimony in Church (which is where you state your beliefs and how the Gospel has blessed your life, that kind of thing) and he was like "I love you guys and I'm so grateful for a zone that looks good TODOS LOS DIAS." Which means every day.. in spanish. He said TODOS LOS DIAS like 5 more times before he was done because that's the only phrase he could remember hahaah. He leaves for Mexico on Monday hahahaha. He's great.

Now about my Investigators (which are people looking into the Church that the missionaries teach):

My comp and I are teaching Benjamin and Gabi! They are actually our teachers acting like investigators but they are such good actors and they're representing real people from their own missions so it's super legit.

Anyway, this past week - We taught Gabi about prayer. She is from Argentina and her life is just hard. Her husband got hurt at work and her kids are sick. When we "visited" her (knocked on the door of a classroom and pretended it was her house) she seemed really down. We told her that she has a loving Father in Heaven that wants to hear from her. We explained that God is like our Earthly fathers, he loves us and wants to know what's up! So we taught her to pray "Dear Heavnely Father.... give thanks.. and ask for the things she needs... and end en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen." It was incredibe. I already have such a deep love for her. I want her to know of the happiness that the Gospel brings. She makes me think about the people in Sac (ew I hate that I have to use that word.. haha) waiting for me to help them come unto Christ. Errbody out there, I would challenge you to get on your knees tonight, and pray out loud to your Heavenly Father. Ask him if He's there. Then wait. See how you feel. The love of God manifests itself as peace. Happiness. Comfort. Everyone needs a little bit more of those things in their lives, don't cha think?

Now Benjamin. Loved him from the Moment we walked in the door. he's 20 years old and his girlfriend is a member of the Church. He decided to take the missionary discussion because his girlfriend wanted him to. He reminds me of my friends back home mixed with my brothers. He's a super chill guy and he wants to be a doctor. We get along realy well and get along with him/joke with him etc. He doesn't really undersand the need for religion but we taught him about Heavnely Father and how he WANTS to hear from us. We asked Benjamin if he wanted to be even MORE happy than he already is. He was like uhh yeah? So we taught him about prayer, too. It was really cool. I LOVE hearing people pray out loud for the first time. Can't wait to teach him again.

I used to tweak out before going to teach a lesson, but I've realized the more I rely on the Spirit, the less scared I am. I don't have to pee 37 times before we knock on the door and I can speak the Spanish that I've practiced. It's such a blessing. I'm learning slowly but surely that I can't do this on my own. It's all about team work with our biggest allies - Heaveny Father, Jesus Christ & The Spirit. Separate beings. All with the same purpose.

A few things to think about:

- I heard a talk this week in which the Sister told a story about a mother who ONLY read the first verse of the Book of Mormon and knew it was true. She was worried about her kids and when she read "I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents." she was like shoot, I want to be a goodly mother. and Bam. Gospel changed her life.

- I would challnege anyone reading this to read the first verse of the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 1:1 and think about how what Nephi says applies to you. Ponder, pray, do what you gotta do. Then act on the impressions you get. You won't be disappointed, promise. http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1?lang=eng

Also read D&C 68: 1-5. (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/68?lang=eng) Replace "Orson Hyde" with you own name and consider your purpose as a missionary, whether full time or in your daily life. We are disciples of Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. I wear His name right next to my own on my name tag, right over my heart. Everything I do, is in His name. No pressure or anything, right? haha. But really, I love it. This is going to be the best adventure ever.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

-"LLEGAR A SER!" - it means (To become) in espanol! That's kind of my theme for my mission. And it's the goal of life if you think about it.. to become better, more like Christ, to "llegar a ser" like our Heavenly Father.

- AHH YEAH THAT"S MY LADY JAM!!! - my zone says this about anything that we like.. hahaaha

- "I want to walk out of there crying!" - My comp before a lesson haha we haven't had a lesson go really badly yet haha.

- "I came to deliver the lost sheep. Get inside!" - Elder Langi - He's from hawaii and he found 2 Elders from my District out in the hallway so that's what he said when he opened the door to let them back into our classroom haha.

- "Missionary work is awkward but that's okay!" - My maestra - Hermana Runyon - She's bomb!!

- "Hashtag Finger wave" - My maestro - Hermano Peterson, one of the best teachers I've had in my life. He uses social media terms in his lessons - I can dig it!

- "Hang on! Let me pray then I want to hear your story...#missionaryProbz!" - haha at dinner when our zone is together. everyone has to pray over their food before we all get caught up in conversation!

- TENGO GOZO EN MI ALMA HOY! = I have joy in my soul today! It's the spanish equivalent of the Hymn, "There is sunshine in my soul today!". But my district gets realllll animated when we sing it. haha. TENGO GOZO! so fun to say!

Read 2 Nephi 22:2 - In TRC this week we visitied with an older couple that was supposed to talk to us in spanish but talked to us in English.. hahaa. This is their fav. scripture and I love it! http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/22?lang=eng

OKAY LOVE YOU ALL! MUCHO MUCHO AMOR!

The Savior performed the Atonement and suffered for our sins. The hard part is over. So All is well. Todo es bien.

- Hermana Eskiiiidmas.