Rox & Talks

OKAY READY FOR THIS!?!?!?!

ROXANA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!! This Friday at 7pm. 

I feel as though I have been ungrateful. I have been praying and praying that we find someone prepared and feeling that we haven't really found the ONE. THE ONE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! 

Roxana is the sister of Ana Mata, the woman that Hermana Thomas taught and baptized right before I came. One night Ana wasn't home so we talked to Roxana and she said the most beautiful prayer - just like she was talking to a friend. I have been blessed to see her progress from the very beginning and now I will see her enter the waters of baptism and start her journey back to our Heavenly Father. 

She is amazing. I feel like I haven't bragged about her enough.. she laughs when she tells God things in her prayers that are funny.. it's SO COOL. She understand that we can't just confess that Jesus is our Savior in order to be saved. it takes WORK. we have to keep the commandments and pray and go to church. she gets it! 

She is a miracle. I feel so lucky that I've been able to teach her from the beginning. 

We were a little worried about her having friends in the ward but we prayerfully chose a member to take with us to talk about Thomas S. Monson (our living prophet today) with Roxana and Hna Cadarone (the member) was PERFECT. She was just like "welcome to the family, welcome to your new start, welcome to all the blessings that are waiting for you." words can't describe how perfect it was. Also turns out some of her in-law family is Mormon! Her husband speaks only english so her english is perfect and so she might end up going to an English ward if he decides he wants to follow her example but for now she's good going to the Spanish ward with Ana (: 

ahhhh I'm so grateful to be a missionary.

This week we've also seen lots of really cool miracles by follwoing the spirit. There are parts of our area that we haven't been to. So hna. Clonts and I say a prayer with the map in front of us, open our eyes and pick a street. When we got to Luna Lane, we picked a house. And in that house lived the only Spanish person on the block. LIKE WHAT!?! We both feel so good that we're worthy to have the Spirit work through us to guide us while doing the work of the Lord. SO RAD.

Oh.. I'm giving a talk in sacrament this Sunday because Hno Pallares (basically my grandpa in the ward) thinks my Spanish is good enough. He's like "Use the Spirit you can do it! I'm signing you up! I'll call the bishopric tonight!"  I'm the 3rd youngest out of 8 missionaries and I have to give a talk.. I'm flattered but then again really nervous.. I don't want to get comfortable with the Spanish I can speak.. I really want to keep progressing and help my companion improve too! 

Detalles Divertidos: 

I can almost play 3 hymns on the piano! Used to only be able to play 1! (mom I know you're so proud haha) 

Sacramento has very distinct smells (I think b/c we're in a valley) it's like 10 feet.. grass smell.. next 10 feet.. grilled cheese... gasoline... next 10 feet.. cotton candy... so strange! but fun to identify! haha 

This week Sister Schow goes "Sister Skidmore... Was it you that said you're good with toilets..?" why yes it was sister schow! haha I helped her unclogg her toilet hahaha yesss. 

This week I've really been trying to say gratitude prayers. It's sometimes during our toughest times that we plead with the Father and have really good heart felt prayers. I'm trying to get out of that habit and always make time to talk to my Father in Heaven and thank Him for the miracles we've seen and really express how grateful I am. 

I love you all so much and I love this Gospel. I love being a missionary. I'm 4 days away from being 1/3 through my mission.. WHAT!?!? 

Les quiero muchisimo y siempre

Hermana Skidmore

Hermana Cadarone and I wore matching outfits :)

Habla Español?

Hola familia! 

Ahhhhhhhh I have great news! I CAN SPEAK SPANISH!!!!!! AND I CAN UNDERSTAND IT!!!!!! WAHHHHHHHH LIKE ALMOST EVERYTHING!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH 

Here's how it went down:

We had transfers. I love my new companion Hermana Clonts! Serioulsy. She's so fun and someone that I feel like I would have been friends with before the mission! She's been out for 8 months and she's from AZ and she went to BYU before her mission so we may or may not have seen each other before... trippy.

Anyways, it was up to me to plan our days and help her get to know our investigators so I have been pretty stressed and praying a lot.. I just feel like I have a lot of responsibility because I've been in this area for so long. I quickly realized that we will be helping each other grow a lot this transfer.. this is the first time Hna Clonts will be a senior companion so it's just kind of a weird transition I guess. We've been talking about it a lot.. like how we're going to teach in unity and things like that. 

The miracle though: as soon as we went out to work together for the first time, I could understand everything people were saying. just like BAM. I got it. I get it. I can do this. I could understand and respond really fast. There is no doubt in my mind that it was the Lord helping me out. I guess it's because I knew I HAD to be able to understand. sorry if this is a little confusing.. it's been a long week haha.

I also translated in sacrament meeting! I'm the youngest missionary besides the trainees who just got here...it went well i think! The bishops wife is the only one who listens so I basically just gave my own talk peppered with jokes about how I can't understand the speaker because he's mumbling haha Sister Woodland (bishops wife) is a good sport (: 

Enough about me though! Update on the area and investigators!

Another fun fact about the first time Hna Clonts and I went out to work, EVERYONE WAS SO NICE! Like sunshine and butterflies all around. We also found some super solid potentials. People that we will be going to visit this week and hopefully start teaching. The whole day I just felt like "okay, this is our time. this is our transfer to thrive." We both haven't been a senior companion and we both have the same goals to follow the promptings of the Spirit and completely relying on the Lord to help us. 

Investigators... well.. haha... we basically are starting from the ground up. This area is relatively new so I'm excited to go out and find those apartment complexes that we haven't been to yet and get some good potentials for the next missionaries that come! 

Roxana! (sister of Recent convert, Ana) we gave her the baptism date of Nov 22nd. So she is praying to know if that's her day!!!! She is going to be an incredible member of the Church. 

Sister Schow!

She had her hand surgery this week and OH MY GOSH IT WAS HILARIOUS! She's been SUUUPER drugged up and she is histarical! She wakes up and she's all smiling like "BOY I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP!" Then she made some jokes about how she can't put her bra on because of the bandage on her hand.. I don't think she'd want me to tell you exactly what she said.. hahaha

I'm so incredibly grateful for that woman. 

I love this Gospel. I know it's true and I love the opportunity I have to share it with the world. It's amazing to me that it takes an hour or a day for everything to change. At any time we could meet someone, share gospel with them and answer the questions they've had their entire life. I pray each day for the people we will meet. That they will recognize us as representatives of Jesus Christ and that we will recognize them as the ones that have been waiting for our message. GOSH I KNOW THEY'RE OUT THERE! 

Alma 29:9 

Les quiero muchisimo! Don't forget to pray :) 

Hermana Skidmore

Transfurz

Hola hola!

I don't have much time! Always seems like there's so much to do and not enough time to do it!

TRANSFERS:

Hermana Romero is headed home! She's different than anyone I've ever met... We didn't speak about her going home. AT ALL. I wasn't allowed to say anything about it. It's been a quieter transfer, much different from Hna Thomas but I've learned so much from Hna Romero. She's grown a lot on her mission and I feel like she knows EVERYTHING about the Gospel! haha. 

I AM STAYING IN EAST SAC! Del Norte North Area (: 

They surprised Sister Schow and told her they're putting a trio (3 missionaries) in her house.. Me, Hermana Clonts, and Hermana Arndston (visa waiter). Sister Schow kinda freaked.. she's having hand surgery and doesn't want to move a bunch of stuff around to accomidate 3. So we'll see what happens there! I'm excited to serve with Hna Clonts. She's really fun! I go back to riding passenger seat :( haha errbody thought I was going to train but I'm one of the youngest missionaries still so.. not yet! But I know I still have a lot to learn before I'm trusted enough to train. I'm looking forward to really working hard to find new people to teach, we're basically starting from the ground up. I feel like we're on the brink of something big.

The rest of our district.. the Elders I've come to know and Love.. are BOTH leaving.. I'm so sad.. and Hermana Hansen is headed to South Sac. Hermana Cardullo is training! It's bitter sweet... I feel so blessed to have had all of them as my first district. 

Halloween was fun! I was the only one who carved a pumpkin.. with a steak knife from the church's kitchen, HOLLER! haha. We watched that new movie "Ephraim's Rescue" and as I was reading the end credit things that like tell you what happened to each person ( I was reading them out loud because some people were too far away to read it) and i started CRYING! OH MY GOSH i"M A BABY! WHAT"S WRONG WITH ME!? 

Just got a soft spot for mis antepasados.

Hermana Romero and I dressed up as Sister schow for Halloween (: I'll send pictures. And I made her Ghost toast (toast shaped like a ghost) for breakfast haha. 

As far as investigators go.. yeah we're really just going to hit the ground running trying to find those people who are waiting. I know they're out there and I feel a great sense of urgency to find them. The mission has a goal of 101 baptisms for Decmeber! Woah! We're calling it "White Christmas!" 

I love you all so much and I love this work!

Siempre,

Hermana Skidmore

Faith is Allowing God to Work

"Faith is Allowing God to Work." that's my new slogan haha. Gotta get myself out of the way and let God work through me to touch the lives of other people. Can't do it on my own, ya know?

Short run down of the week and then some spiritual insights, aye!

Andrea said she doesn't want to get baptized.. and we're not sure about Roxana. She hasn't called us back in a few days. We wrote Andrea a little note and took it to her just to tell her we love her and will support her, but we hope she makes the right decision. 

Eausavio and Jose (brothers and investigators of the other Hermanas) are getting baptized tonight! Finally! I am really happy and excited about this baptism because I have gotten to know E & J really well at church, english classes, activites, etc. they've been through a lot and this will be a great step. Mom - I'm going to use one box of brownies for them i think (: so thanks for sending those!

Miracles despite difficulty: We were walking away from an apartment complex and I remembered meeting someone that lived there, her name is Magda but she'd never let us talk to her for more than a minute at the door. I felt we should go see her.. and I was a little nervous about asking my comp to change our plans. But I did. We knocked. and she let us in. Talked to Magda for an hour. She has 2 sons that live with her and they remind me so much of Mitchell and Cameron it's hilarious. It was just a sweet tender mercy. Hopefully we will talk to her again.

I want to share a story with you that explains how I've been feeling this past week and how my testimony and Faith in God has grown as a result. My mission prep teacher at BYU read it to us and I asked him to email it to me right before I left on my mission.

Pushing a Rock:

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and the Lord appeared. He told that man that he had an important work to do. The Lord then showed him a large rock in front of his small cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all of his might. So, obediently, this man did.. day after day!

For many years, he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving boulder, pushing with all of his energy. Each night the man returned to his cabin, exhausted, worn-out, discouraged, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture, as he always does...

He placed thought in the man's mind such as "you have been pushing against that rock for a long, long time and it hasn't moved! you aren't strong enough. It can't be done." He gave the man this impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thought disheartened the man. 

"Why am I killing myself over this?" he asked himself.. "I'll just put in my time giving the minimal effort and that will be good enough."

And that is what he planned to do.. until one day he decided to make it a matter or prayer and take his troubled thought to the Lord Himself.

"Lord," he said in desperation, "I have labored long and heard in your service, putting all my strength into doing what you asked, and yet, after all of this time, I have not even moved that blasted rock by even a millimeter! What is wrong with me? Why am I failing?" 

The Lord responded compassionately, "Who told you you were failing? My friend, when I asked you to serve me, and you accepted, I informed you that you task was to push against the rock with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength and you have done that! Never once did I mention that you were expected to move it! Your task, my son, was to push and now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.. but is that really so? Look at yourself! Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are calloused from constant pressure, and you legs have become massive and hard."

He continued, "Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass those which you used to have... yet you haven't moved the rock. But remember, your calling was to be obedient and to push and exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done... "

"Now I, my friend, I will move the rock." (Author unknown) END.

Friends and fam, I don't know why sometimes things don't work out.. but I know there's a reason. and I know with all the certainty of my heart that we have a loving Father in Heaven that DOES know. He challenges us for our benefit and I have seen that more than ever as I do His work. 

I have noticed a great difference in myself since starting my mission. My faith has grown. I rely on the tender mercies of my Savior and I fall to my knees in gratitude when things DO work out. And, for some reason, I have developed a sense of unshakable peace. Not gonna lie to you, I get discouraged sometimes, but as I read my scriptures and pray for help and guidance, I am filled with a reassurance that everything is going to be okay and everything "will work together for your good." 

I love what it says in the Book of Mormon: 

Jacob 4:7

 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our ^aweakness that we may know that it is by his ^bgrace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

I love you all so much. I love this Gospel. I know our Savior lives as does our Father in Heaven. I know the love they have for each of us is incomprehensible and yet beautifully simple in that they never leave us to figure things out on our own so long as we are willing to ask for that divine assistance. 

Have the best week and know that you are in my constant prayers.

Con amor,

Hermana Skidmore

Drops & Dreamz

Que pasa calabaza!?!?  (What's up pumpkin?!)

Right now Hermana Landon (One of Hermana Romero's companions that has been home for her mission since feb) is visiting with her family and she is hanging out with us for the day and driving us around to do some shopping! First trip to target on my mission! WHAT UPPPP! it's funny the little things that make me so excited now haha. 

Hermana Romero has like 3 weeks left of her mission :( waaaahhhhh

Esta semana!

We had exchanges and I went out to North Sac with Hermana Clonts (from AZ) and Hermana Washburn (from Utah).

I got some great news from Hna. Clonts when we woke up in the morning!

"Hermana Skidmore.. did you know that you talk in your sleep in spanish? Like really fast? It sounds really good.. you were saying..'Estamos ensenando.. blah blah blah..'" 

YES! Now if I can just transfer that fluency into the conscious part of my brain.. we'll be in business! haha

Drops....

This week we did lots of dropping.. meaning we're going to stop seeing some of our investigators.. 

Isidro: old teddy bear man, didn't come to the baptism or church.. i have faith that some day he will realize that God needs to come first..I'm sad, but yeah. There's other people waiting for the Gospel in this area, so we've gotta move on :(

Juana: (pray with scarf on her head lady) she dropped us.. she basically just said that she can't accept anything without hard evidence or like doctrinal proof.. donde esta su fe?  That helped me realize that faith is crucial...

Lightbulb moment: I do not know the answer to every question about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don't. Basically there are A LOT of things I don't know.. I'm only 19, people!

But, there are things that I do know. Without a doubt. Because I've asked the One who does know everything. 

I know that God lives. I know that he is aware of every single one of His children. I know that my Savior Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us. He knows how we feel in every trial, every tribulation, and every joy. I know Jospeh Smith was the prohphet chosen to restore the same church that Jesus esstablished when he was here, to the Earth so that we could all have the opportunity to enjoy the blessings. I know it. I know it. 

There's more but I gotta finish telling you about my week (:

SUNDAY! 

We had a really tough week dropping people and tracting and stuff but SUNDAY! was the greatest. 

It was the primary program where all the little kids sing and give little talks during the first hour of church (: 

Andrea was pumped! Ana Mata (her mom - recent convert) was so proud! and then! Roxana, Ana's sister SHE CAME! We had visited her on saturday morning and we invited her to be baptized with Andrea on Nov. 1st and she said YES if she's ready. She's incredible. Gosh. Yes. 

AND Maria Orosco (our future relief society president in the making) came also! 

All of them stayed all 3 hours and the ward members just did a great job loving them and welcoming them (: it was a great sunday! OH! and Jesus Gutierrez is now a primary teacher hahaaha. that sharp lookin guy in a suit up there singing with those kids. I'm lovin it. Ana and I just laughed and cried through the whole program. 

Miralce of the week:

We were tracting (knocking doors) and we ran into a less active man from the english ward. He shared stories about his mission with us and he said something that really hit me.

"When I was serving my mission in Brazil 60 years ago, we didn't have language training. They threw you right into the country and you had to learn. And then the missionary work in Brazil really took off and missionaries who had only been out 3 months were expected to train.. and didn't even know the language...

Those missionaries came back from their misisons to become the greatest bishops and stake presidents because they learned to rely COMPLETELY on the Lord. They had no other choice. Their own intellect would not suffice. And they establish that pattern for the rest of their lives."

Boom. I love that. I really need to work on completely relying on the Lord.

I love all of you so much. Have the best day and don't forget to pray :)

Hermana skidmaaas