Que tal mis queridos!?
Okay, woah. Ready for this?
La Familia Machuca... dropped us. Hard. It was rough. I've already sufficiently beat myself up about it, so we count our blessings and move forward. Leydi (the awesome 16-year-old) also hit a road block.. her parents said no.
Enough of the storm clouds -
Watch this video. applaud. cry. see it. love it. let it change your life :)
The Church made this video for Easter and it really changed the whole way I view the Savior and what he did for us. I think so often we don't realize how what He did applies to us... we focus on the fact that He suffered so much.. but HE ROSE AGAIN! He lives. He lives and He leads His Church. He was born. He worked, He grew up, He suffered and died for us, and He resurrected. And so will we.
LA FAMILIA MORALIS! La mama se llama Inez and they're doing so well! They all came to the primary activity this saturday (sending pics!) We had an amazing lesson with her about our purpose as missionaries and our purpose as children of God. Something like this:
"Inez, before we were born on Earth, we lived with Heavenly Father as Spirits, we wanted to learn and progress and have bodies like His so he created a Plan. He said, "Inez, Will you go down to Earth in order to learn and progress, it's going to be hard, but I promise I will bless you. And, Inez, will you come back to me?" What do you think you said, Inez?"
"Pues...sí."
"Exactamente. We passed through a veil and forgot everything so that we could focus on our lives here. We promised that we would return to Heavenly Father but no unclean thing and be in the presence of God." (3 Nefi Ch 27 v. 19 - Libro de Mormon). And none of us are perfect... so where is our hope to return to God?"
"Jesucristo."
"Yes! God sent us a Savior to show us the perfect way. Jesus came to Earth, organized the His perfect church, and was baptized by John the Baptist who held the proper authority and lived a perfect life. When we're baptized by God's authority we're clean! If we do our best, we can return to live with Heavenly Father again, and keep our promise."
This is our purpose as missionaries... yes. We want to baptize... but our goal is to help God's Children keep the promise that their Heavenly Father so desperately wants us to keep. We invite other to come unto Christ and be baptized in His church by His authority. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Our goal is to help Inez make it to the Celestial kingdom, the highest "level" of heaven so that she can see her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, but the baptism is the door. And we're promised by God, the Gift of the Holy Ghost to help us keep making good decisions throughout our lives. That's why missionaries want to baptize so bad! We want everyone to get back to Heavenly Father! So that after this life, God can reach out His arms in love and say, "Welcome, home, sweet child. You did it."
Life isn't just living & dying - it's learning & returning.
Transfers: normally if you're being called to a leadership position.. President or the APs call you earlier in the evening, otherwise the Zone Leaders of each Zone call each of their companionships and tell them their assignments...
Last night.
8:30PM rolls around.. no phone call. "Hermana Cuesta, I think we're good, champ! We're staying!"
9PM - I text the Sister Training Leaders in Lodi, "anything?" They answer, "Congratulations! You'll be a great Sister Training Leader!"
Homegirl say WHAT? I thought it was a joke.. No one had called earlier in the night!
The Zone Leaders finally call us.
"Alo, habla la hermana Skidmore."
"Hello Sister Training Leader Sir!" - Elder Gray (one of my Zone Leaders)
"Elder Gray, NO ONE CALLED ME! HAHAH THIS IS A SICK JOKE!"
"No one called you...?"
"haha... no..."
"Oh... well that's weird... the APs (assistants to the President) should have called..."
HAHAHA - So... Hermana Skidmore is headed to North Sacramento with Hermana Pitcher (hermana Thomas' last companion!) to be Sister Training Leaders - basically like lady Zone Leaders haha.
Like raise your hand if you feel inadequate.... it's all good. I'm ready to work hard and learn A LOT. We'll be doing exchanges with all the spanish sisters in the North Half of the mission and I GET TO SEE SISTER SCHOW!!!!!
I love being a missionary. I know God lives, I know He loves us and I know he laughs. I KNOW God has a sense of humor. that's why I've been called to be an STL.. haha.
I love you all so much. I know that God is on our side, our biggest cheerleader to get back home! He's pulling for us, don't let go of the rope ;)
Con todo mi amor,
Hermana Skidmore
