Don't shake what you're momma gave ya...

This week was hard.. but good at the same time. Ups and downs. Welcome to missionary work. Am I right? We have really had to discern what people are ready for the Gospel and to make these changes in their lives and who needs to wait for the next great missionaries that come along. It's taken a lot of faith.. I get connected to these people really fast and it's hard remember that some day they will be ready for what their Heavenly Father wants them to know. 

Update on Investigators!

Andrea: Keeps asking me if she has to be baptized.. YES YOU DO haha she's 9 and she can't make up her mind about anything (girl after my own heart ;)) Hermana Romero is so cool about it all. I'm freakin out and she's all "It's fine. She'll get baptized." OKAY HERMANA. haha she has so much faith. I love it. 

Gabriel and Jose: Well.. my heart broke. We had to drop them.. which means you don't try to see them/teach them anymore.. that was rough.. but like I said.. God has a plan and their conversion story isn't over. I just know it.

Isidro: Old teddy bear man. I sent a pic to grandma i think! This week his wife was like.."I feel like you're pressuring us.." and then Isidro was like "nahhh I know i need to be baptized.. I just don't know when" HOLLER AT YOUR PROGRESSION! Paso a paso, people. The other elders in my district have a baptism on Saturday so we're inviting Isidro and we're hoping that will either make it or break it. He basically said he wants to see God before he gets baptized.. and we're all.. that's not how it works, hombre ;) Necesita tener fe. 

Juana: (little older lady that prays with a scarf on her head) We had exchanges this week and so Hermana Toro, from North Sac came to East Sac with me. I felt like I was under a microscope... but I know I'm doing my best and criticism means improvement so I'm pumped to see my transfer report.. not to mention I kept saying "crap" and "rad" hahaha some things never change.

ANYWAY Juana is excited to keep learning about the Book of Mormon and said that if she recieves an answer that it's true, she will stop going to her church, which would make a serious dent in her social life and be a huge sacrifice, and go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. WO WO JUANAAA! 

Maria Orosco: came to the ward activity this saturday! And our ward members were great! super friendly! She even brought her esposo!

Jaime: Miracle man. We were miracle tracting, basically going to apartments and picking our lucky numbers to knock on haha. hermana Romero picked #5. Jaime had been crying. He was like "It feels like Jesus himself is in my presence. I know that you were meant to be here right now." so cool. He's had a rough life. Seriously, like he wrote a book about it and it's been published.. also turns out he's the only spanish person in that complex. Not a coincidence. There is no doubt in my mind that God's hand is in every thing that we do and every person we encounter is not by accident. 

WARD PARTY! If I have time I'll send pictures! 

LA CENA INTERNACIONAL! 

So fun. Ward members from Del Norte (our ward) and Rio Tierra (North Sac) brought food from their respective Hispanic countries. So delicious. I actually had a tamale for breakfast the other day.. I'm officially a spanish missionary. haha. 

IT WAS SO HARD NOT TO DANCE. They even played Ice Ice Baby (in spanish) Shout out to Taylor! One of the ward members, Hermana Mora, and I were talking about how I took a social dance class and so I like to think I know how to Salsa. Before I knew it, she grabbed my hand and forcefully took me to the middle of the gym.. Hermana Romero was freakin the freak, YOU CAN'T DANCE. haha 

Our investigator maria was there and she even brought food and Hermano Mora did a great job fellowshipping them. It's so important that people feel welcome and like they have a place. Members are so crucial! Don't forget that! There's always something you can do. Someone you can talk to! 

Hermana Melix (my lady jam) also surprised us all.. HER HIPS DO NOT LIE. and she got a hair cut. Basically a new woman. Come get her, hombres!

Fun Facts of the week: 

Hermana Romero and I got hardcore lost. like 50miles in the car lost. Yep. My sense of direction still sucks haha. Then the distict leader called us to remind us about something and I'm just screaming like AHHH ELDER LADUKE WE'RE SO LOST. and then i hit some button and the wind shield wipers were going.. then we were in this private driveway that look straight out of the "Goosebumps" books series (blast from the past haha). Then we were like reversing in the middle of an intersection and the hole time.. I was on blue tooth via phone in Elder LaDukes car so all the elders got to hear our stuggle hahahahaha. 

Hermana Romero was trying to describe a cradle and called it a "baby nest." 

In church we were asked to share a thought in Young Women's with about 5 minutes notice. It needed to be about Christ. Totally by the Spirit, I shared the story about the 3 men in the rooms waiting to go to heaven and how the angel visited them and was like "Who was Jesus Christ?" and the last guy recognized him. The story from Mitchell's mission? The Spirit was so strong and it really made the girls think. It's so true that it will be given us in the very moment we need it. 

Spritual thought:

 D&C 18:15 "If ye bring but one soul unto me...." IT BETTER BE YOU. Read that scripture and think about that. It's so true. As missionaries, our first and most important convert is ourselves. And it's not easy.

Vale la pena.

It will be worth it.

Con amor siempre,

Hermana Skidmore

creative title

Hola hola! 

CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS FOR A SECOND!?

We can't! haha but we can email about it (: 

So inspiring. Hearing from the prophet is like WOOO YEAHHH!!! And when President Utchdorf spoke about inviting others and reactiviating people my heart was swelling with pride. WE HAVE A PLACE FOR EVERYONE! 

"doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." yeah Presidnet Utchdorf! YOU GO, SIR! 

Love it. 

I really liked Richard G. Scott also. Normally I'd be struggling to ya know.. keep myself from staring at the inside of my eyelids but during his whole talk i was mesmerized! I loved how he talked about the fathers in the Book of Mormon and how they must have felt knowing that their past choices had negatively affected their wives and children even though they'd repented and everything. It was a perspective I'd never thought of before. But  how beautiful that through the Atonement we are all forgiven and it's important not to live in the past but to learn from it!

And the talk about women! and the importance of mothers! How he described that one woman as "love personified" oh my gosh I thought I would die I loved his sentence structure and word choice so much #geekinout :) I hope that's how my kids describe me one day! 

And finally - I loved the talk that said "I sent him to you because I knew you could and would love him no matter what." about the grandmother trying to do her best to love her wayward grandson. Totes got cloudy up top during that one. It's so true. Some people are just "wont to swim in deep water" as mom and dad always say. Meaning that you are meant to go through some trials because Heavenly Father knows that others of His children need you. So cool.

I've been thinking a lot about the pre-existance.. like how we lived with God before this life.. and who we've met so far that we already were friends with up in heaven. I think about that a lot with my investigators.. like "hm.. I bet we were friends up in heaven.. and I wonder if we talked.. and you said to me "I won't have the true gospel, so come and find me. and by you serving a mission, I'll be baptized. So please come and find me." " 

That's so weird. but it's totally possible! We read the story about the kid who served in Costa Rica and found "his friend" in Zone meeting this week so that's why that's on my noggin. 

ANYWAYS!

We had 3 investigators attend a session of conference! yyayay!

Juana - so cute! Just found her this week and literally had the most incredible lesson with her. Going back and forth from the Bible to the Book of Mormon, expalining that it's a second testament of Jesus Christ and how the Bible talks about it! and Joseph Smith and how we don't worship him or anything. He was just the prophet chosen to restore God's true church to the earth and she was like OHHHH. She's a bible expert so it was really intense but she sinserely wanted to know so it was a really cool experince to see her feel the Spirit and finally find those answers she's been seeking. Like how Heavenly, Father and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are all separate but one in purpose. Yes. 

She prays with a scarf on her head.. so we're working with that haha but she's the sweetest! 

Maria - found her this week! and she was like.. "I've been waiting for you! I've been waiting to find my place and the true Church." I was in shock... I just kept telling her "we found you. this is your place. we found you. your search is over." 

I love being a missionary.

Gabriel and Jose- my heart is breaking.. they have had to work SO MUCH, didn't come to church, and we found out they're not ACTUALLY married. Spanish culture is funny that way "esposa/esposo" doesn't mean ACTUALLY tied the knot..and Gabriel is saying he's going back to Mexico forever in November.. so we are kind of stuck on what to do with them.. My heart hurts. They are so incredible. Such miracles! It's one of those "I feel like we were friends before this life, PLEASE don't deny the gospel I promised I would bring you.." Yeah.. so that's a struggle but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan and it'll all work out, whether it's us that baptizes them or not. They won't be lost. 

Roxana - Ana Mata (recent Convert) sister came to conference and totally felt the spirit - we're giving her a baptism date this week (: 

SISTER SCHOW'S BIRTHDAY WAS ON the 3rd (: You know me. I went all out! 

We put streamers all over the kitchen and made her a smiley face out of pancakes and eggs for breakfast (: she loved and and told EVERYONE that called her that day about what we did for her. She's the greatest. She had been really sad about having to get surgery on her hand, she has MS and so her other hand doesn't really work and it's just going to be a struggle.. so her birthday was just what she needed to get her out of the slump. I'm trying to convince her to get a tape recorder and record stories about her life (like grandpa kluber!) because she NEVER kept a journal! But she's stubborn haha. 

I love you all so much! The Church is true and the work is moving forward. Heavenly Father knows each of us personally and is aware of what we need in order to grow and progress. Don't forget to pray & have the best week (: 

Siempre,

Hermana Skidmore

Startling and Fluffy

This week has been so funny with having a native companion. Hermana Romero is basically fluent in English but she still asks me about certain words: fluffy and startling. 

We're riding our bikes and randomly she goes... "What does it mean...fluffy?" hahahah It caught me so off guard and (SHOUTOUT TO TAYLOR) hermana Romero's accent sounds straight from Nacho Libre, I asked her if she'd heard of that movie and turns out - it's her favorite! ES FANTASSTIC!

I was a little baby when I had to leave Hermana Thomas.. having to put my big girl skirt on and actually learn the area because I drive now #rough but we're getting there. Hermana Romero and I have a map in the car - who needs a GPS? Call me a boyscout!

Hermana Romero is MUCH different than Hermana Thomas.. She's very quiet but super agreeable. I just have to get used to the quiet.. which we all know is a stretch haha. For some reason I feel a lot less stressed with her.. Like I have more time to do stuff.. I don't know if that's good or bad? haha. But I feel like I need to be doing things.. I want to plan fun activites and try out different things with the members.. but I'm struggling with my confidence because she's a native and I'm not.. yeah.. i dont' know. Working on it! 

 At the beginning of the week I was really stressing.. I felt super overwhelmed having to teach her the area and stuff. but I just put all my trust in my Heavenly Father and so far hell hasn't broken loose so I'd say we're doing alright (: I'm learning so much from Hermana Romero. She's an INCREDIBLE teacher. She knows her stuff... I hope I'm as knowledgeable as her when I get to my last transfer! 

It's also a little difficult because the natives know that she can speak/understand them perfectly so they just talk to her.. and I just sit there and struggle like OUCH. then I get embarrassed and it's just a whole lotta ugly. 

BUT I know the Lord put us together for a reason and I'm determined to take full advantage of having a native companion! 

Jose and Gabriel didn't make it to church on sunday :( So we have to push their baptism back to October 12th. We visited Gabriel last night and he said he is going to try and get work off on the weekends from now on. They also told us this week that they don't understand Joseph Smith and that's the only Baptism interview question they can't answer. So we're working on helping them be truly converted and pray to know that he was the prophet chosen to restore the same church Christ established to the Earth when he was here and that we still have a living prophet today to lead and guide the church (Thomas S. Monson) who happens to be HILARIOUS and very wise. 

My heart kinda hurts for Gabriel and Jose. They are so prepared. They want to do what's right.. but their monetary situation is preventing them from making this covenant.. I pray every day that they'll have enough faith to do what it takes to keep the commandments and trust that the Lord will take care of them. I fasted for them yesterday, too! Love fasting now. A nice chance to deny your natural tendencies for 24 hours and think about others, Holler. 

Oh! cool miracle! On the way to see Gabriel and Jose - our member that was going to come with us bailed. I was like crap.. how are we going to hit our goal? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN the Lord provides a way..

Just so happened that another member of our ward was walking home from work and decided to take a different route to change up the scenery RIGHT down Gabriel and Jose's street! hahah YESSS! We were like "hey.. wanna take a detour and bless some of God's children?" so cool. 

ALSO! Get this:

We were going to stop seeing Isidro (the old man teddy bear that is waiting for fireworks in the sky to tell him to be baptized) but for some reason I felt like we should call him to invite him to church. 

Hermana Romero called and Isidro was like "yeah I'll be there!" WHAT!?

I was freakin the freak. That has neverrrr happened with him! Hermana Romero was looking at me like I was crazy hahaha. I was sooo happy! 

THEN Church started and he hadn't showed up :( I was like all bummed out on the inside but then he walked in ALL BY HIMSELF! PROUD MOTHER MOMENT! ahhhh. Still doesn't know when he wants to be baptized but hey. baby steps. poco a poquito. 

Andrea is still set for Nov. 1st. She loves brownies.. i don't blame her but I really want to make sure she's not just getting baptized for the refreshments haha. 

Loved the General Relief Society meeting. I really liked how they talked about how we need to really understand what we're doing when we take the Sacrament, I've been working on that! And understanding and pondering the scriptures like President Monson talked about, so great. AHHH I love it. It's like the Super Bowl for missionaries. General Conference this weekend YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA!

Quote of the Week:

"Want to talk to God? Pray. Want God to talk to you? Read your scriptures." 

Amen, Hallelujah! 

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Skidmore