Lorena y Cari

read this: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/09/the-quest-for-excellence?lang=eng

we had to do a presentation for some young women in an english ward and we found this talk! shout out to President Hinkley! 

"The distance between mediocrity and excellence can be ever so small."

investigators! we had our last Mission Leadership Council with President and Sister Lewis because we will be getting a new President on July 1st - mind blown, whole mission getting flipped upside down wahhhh. haha it was really fun! Hna Pitcher and I got creative and made them a clock and had everyone sign it because President always says "now is the time." 

ALSO - Hna Pitcher had the bright idea to invite President and Sister Lewis to come to a lesson with us.. nbd.. I love and support my companion.. it's fine... we had an appointment with Cari on Friday, it. was. amazing. President ended up being the only one able to come! Pressure is on.. hna skidmore sweating more than ususal in the 102 degree weather watch out!

she is working on praying out loud and recognizing answers to prayers, and getting married, and stopping smoking.. we read 1 Nephi 15:11

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—Ifye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing thatye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments,surely these things shall be made known unto you.

"Cari, as representatives of Jesus Christ, we pray about you and we think about you and we want to help you to be able to keep all of the commandments and clear the lines of communication between you and your Heavenly Father even more, so that you can recognize the answer to your prayers."

Word of Wisdom: no coffee, no tea, no tabacco, no alcohol, no illegal drugs. With every what, there's a why. 

Why the word of wisdom? because God is all about freedom and Satan is all about addictions and dependency. If we follow the commandments, we have the Lord's promise that we will be healthy, clear head, clear mind. Complete self control, not dependent on anything. That's what it's about. God is all about freedom. Sometimes it seems the other way around. But the commandments protect us from all of the consequences that come from additcions, bad choices blah blah that stuff :) 

We talked about how sometimes we don't stop doing things... like we want to stop.. but we don't stop until we have a reason to stop. 

This is Cari's reason. She wants to know if the Church is true, if the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored by a prophet, if the Book of Mormon is the Word of God. She wants a better life for her family. and just like the scripture says, "these things shall be made known unto you." 

She accepted to prepare to be baptized on the 21st of June :)

We also added a new investigator Lore! I'm running out of time but we met her in a parking lot, then she brought her whole family to the baptism on Saturday adn came to church on Sunday, she's the cutest, shortest mexican I've ever seen but she's amzing!!! 

Fun fact.

there's creepy ice cream men everywhere!!!

I've been playing Venid A MI in Relief Society because that's the only one I can play haha

I asked an investigator if she had any questions.. normally I specify about God.. and this time I didn't.. and the question was "is my menstral cycle normal?" I almost died... never a boring moment, people. never. 

Les quiero con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Skidmore

Transfers and Spainards

alooo

we went to the temple today so this is gonna be speedy! 

We added a Spainard this week! His name is Ferran and he's straight from Barcelona. They speak spanish with a lisp there. so I'm like uhh... flash back to training when i didn't understand anything haha. He's so great! He's the neighbor of the Salinas family that got sealed last week! Ferran came to church and really liked it! He looks like a normal white guy dad-type.. trippy! I have giant eyes whenever he's talking to me because he looks like he should speak english! haha. He's learning english so he really respects that we learned spanish. 

Cari and her family were not able to come to church this week because Cari had a bad reaction to some medicine. The elders went with us yesterday to give her a blessing and it was so powerful. The priesthood that they hold, the same authority that Jesus used to heal the sick is on the Earth today. and worthy men use it to bless the lives of others. They placed their hands on her head and it was like WOOSH, the Spirit filled the room. a feeling of the love that our Heavenly Father has for Cari. gosh I love being a missionary. 

One of our old investigators, Janet, young teenager that we had dropped because we thought she wasn't interested, called us last night! She wants to come to church! miracle! She said the prayer when we left her last night and she called me "Hna S'more" haha 

fun facts:

car washes are a big thing because it doesn't rain very much here! 

one of the older hermanas in our ward, Hermana Ochoa, watches LUCHAS FOR FUN! haha did I already tell you this? she like to watch people like Nacho Libre beat eachother up. and her sons and daughters send her grandchildren to her house to watched luchas as punishment. 

the speakers in our car broke.. and they won't be getting fixed.. so we go old school and we have a battery powered CD player in the front on the floor - DJ hermana Skidmore whatuppp!

Yeah so transfers! We're staying! I am so unbelievably elated about it. Gosh I love being a missionary. It's funny this week I've really been thinking about improvement.. how we know what we should do but sometimes we still mess up and I'm like "whyyyy hermana skidmore!? have you learned nothing!?" I'm so grateful for a patient Heavenly Father that sees our potential when we just don't. I've realized that if we think we've "arrived" if we think we've got it under control.. we're wrong.. haha it is a process of constant improvement. It takes a lot of humility and determination. and reconition of how much we depend on our Savior as our example and our Redeemer. that He was willing to go through all that he went through for each and every one of us. 

Les quiero a la luna de regreso (don't know if that actually translates ;)

Hermana Skidmore

Helmet Hair and Eternal Salvation

ayeeeee mis queridos!

This is gonna be fast again!

GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!?

We are teaching 2 families and they BOTH came to church!!!!! Yesss! 

La Familia Paredes - we found them last Sunday tracting and talking to everyone, right when they opened the door and they were all standing there like picture perfect, we knew they were special, they're so funny and their daughter looks like a white girl, blonde hair blue eyes but she speaks spanish like the mexican that she is haha. MAN DON't Mess with my mind! - Dad what movie? She's 10 and hilarious. we're talking about the Gospel and it's like SQUIRREL  - I want to learn to play the piano! haha  

La Famila de Cari, Jose Luis, natalie, and Sophie - Came to church again! We had a break through with Cari this week and she told us all about her life. It's amazing the things that people have been through... and they turn things around and work really really hard for a better life. She said that her kids are her motivation for everything. We explained that everything we've experienced has been experience before by our Savior Jesus Christ, he understands, and through baptism we can be completely clean. It's the greatest miracle of all to see God change a heart. 

Fun facts:

- Toilet paper was on SALE TODAY WOOOOO!!!!

-Spanish people have their front door mats backwards

- On exchanges, someone tried to convince us that Jesus wasn't perfect.

- After 9PM if I'm really tired - I start to talk like Kronk from Emporers new groove,  

- People still talk to us on biking days, THE GOSPEL IS SO TRUE. 

Fam bam, I know that these things are true. We have seen so many miracles as we put our missionaries first, we haven't been in our own area very much but we trust that as long as everyone else is doing OK, things will fall into place so that we're okay, too. Our Heavenly Father is so aware of us. He love you so much. The Atonement is a big thing that covers all of humanity, but it is also the thing that is so individual. 

I love being a missionary. 

siempre suyo, 

Hermana Skidmore

Alright Stop, Gird up your loins and Listen

HERE WE GOOOOOO!!!

BEST WEEK OF OUR LIVES!!!!!

This will be fast, hermanos y hermanas but here we go! 

Jorge (george) got baptized. He did. Yes. Dominic held him under the water extra long just to make sure all the dirty was out of him haha. They had this negotiation about how long Dom was going to hold him under. BUT GUYS! It's about following the example of Jesus Christ!... Boys.. haha. 

So this is his story.

Jorge was a lost kid. He's 19. Wasn't doing much with his life. Didn't know what to do, where to look, never been religious. But his Uncle (hermano salinas in our ward) was looking to reach out to someone. He remembered that his brother had a girlfriend.. and that they had a son.. but had never heard anything else about them. To facebook! They found each other and Jorge's mom expressed that Jorge needed some change. He started visiting the Salinas home and noticed something was different. Something felt different.

He started hanging out there more and more. They said, "Okay, but if you're here, you abide by our rules, and we go to church on sundays." Jorge agreed to go.. but said "Don't even think about converting me. I'm not into all this God stuff but I'll go.."

4 weeks later we get a call. It's hermano Salinas.. "Hermanas, que se tiene que hacer para bautizarse?" 

Who wants to be baptized, hermano?

Jorge.

We were at their house 4 days in a row and Jorge was ready.

He's amazing. We asked him why he wanted to be baptized he said "it feels right. I want to be clean. I want to be right with God. Ever since I've started all this, things are working out. I feel happier. I'm happier than I've ever been and I actually have a relationship with God. I want to get rid of my past and start over. I want to be clean. I want to really understand what my brother Jesus Christ did for me." 

So fam bam. He's a miracle. 4 weeks. 

I know that the gospel is a feeling. That we say.. "I know" when we bear our testimonies but the reason that we know is because we've FELT. I'm not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because my parents told me it was true, I'm a member because I've felt it. I've felt the familiar feeling of my heavenly home as I've gathered with my family to pray for rain, or a job, or a test. I've felt that feeling as we all go to Church together. I've felt that it's true when our world explodes, nothing goes right, but we still laugh at family dinner. I've felt that feeling when I've fallen to my knees in my room alone at night because I just don't know what to do anymore and I don't know where to turn. I've felt that feeling as I've become more and more dependent on my Savior because I know that He understands. 

I know because I've felt. and Jorge does too. He knows the basics of the Church. but it's the feeling se llama El Espiritu Santo that is the reason he decided to change his life. 

Alma 5:26.

I love you all so much. I love being a missionary. I love my Savior and I love this Gospel. I know it's true. I know this is the true church. I know it. I know it. I know it. 

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Skidmore

Learning and Returning

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 :)

www.mormon.org/becauseofhim

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

hey. hey. hey. hey LEYDIIIIII!

querida familia!!!

We are teaching a new investigator! Her name is Leydi (pronounced Lady) and she is 16! She accepted the invitation to be baptized on May 10th! We found her while we were street contacting one day, we offered to help but mostly watched her family try to fit a giant couch through their front door.. haha. We went back and she was the only one home.. but we had the impression come like, "This is so awkward, but DON'T STOP TALKING TO THIS GIRL!"

She shared with us that she didn't belive in God because no one could give her the answers she was looking for. We taught her to pray. Gotta try talking to Him if you want to know if He's there. Then we're all trying to get to know her like... so... do you like cheese? - name that movie, Mitchell. haha. She actually likes history! Aye. Just so happens I was holding in my hands the history of her ancient ancestors in the American continent. Funny how that works out. SPANISH WORK IS THE BESSSSSS. She loved it. Read more than she was assigned to after our first lesson! 

AND - it gets better. Leilani ( 20 year old recent convert of 2 years in our ward) Is like her perfect fellow-shipper. 

BUT - yeah, there's a but :( Leydi's parents aren't too pumped about the whole changing religions thing.. and Leilani's parents weren't either at first... BUT - another but. sorry for all the buts... This is not our work. This is His work. And miracles happen. yes. they. do. So just like it says in Doctrine and Coventants 123:17 that dad sent to me that one time - We will do all we can and then stand still and cheerfully wait for it all to work out :) haha (in my own palabras) 

La Familia Machuca... have been really busy.. but we had a great heart to heart with Diego on his doorstep. I almost cried. 

"Diego, As representatives of Jesus Christ, I just want to you know that we are so proud of you. It's a privilage to be a part of your life. And I know that if Jesus was standing in my place right now, He would be proud of you, too. But you know what you've gotta do. Put Him first, and everything else will either fall into place, or fall out of your life."

Something like that.. 

Get this; we decided to park at a park (go figure) and walk to our dinner appointment (in the area of the Other Hnas.) On the way back to the car from dinner, this woman walked out of her house to throw away her garbage.. we could have just kept walking.. she was on the other side of the street anyways... but NO HERMANA SKIDMORE YOU TALK TO EVERYONE. so we akwardly crossed the street.. "Hola somos misioneras..." Yeah she wasn't spanish.. haha. 

Her name is Babalasha.. she's from India.. walking out of her house to throw her trash away was the first time she'd been outside in days... "My father is gone..." She said.. "I'm so sad..." In broken english she explained the pain of losing someone and not knowing where they are... she burst in to tears.. there was a few embraces.. (Tay are you so proud of me? haha this is like a recurring theme in the mission..Lets cry and let Hna Skidmore take the long awkard hug..) 

No but really.

- Would you like to know where you father is?

- Yes, can you tell me...? How do you know where he is...? I miss him so much.. will I see him again.

Yes, Babalasha. There is a wonderful book of scripture called the Book of Mormon. in it the Lord revealed the Plan of Salvation. We can tell you exactly where your father is and I promise you, you will see him again. 

I love being a missionary... I can't explain the sense of gratitude that filled me as we got back in the car. Knowing that we were able to be there EXACTLY when the Lord needed us to be in order to bless His children is such a privilage. 

FUN FACT:

We were wlaking along the street doing contacting and saw some people moving. This group of friends that graduated from high school together were helping some other friends move - we offered to help and they said YES! They were all strong in a different Christian church but it was so fun! We moved boxes for 2 hours in our skirts :) and they we all shared Pizza and talked about God. 

Every day is an adventure. 

It's Easter Season todos :) I know God lives, I know He sent His son to live a perfect life, establish His church and show us the way. I know that Jesus Christ died for us and that he resurrected the 3rd day. I know that He lives Today. Now. And I know that he leads and guides His restored church on the Earth today through a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. 

My name is Hermana Skidmore, I'm an awkward missionary, and I'm a Mormon. 

Con todo mi amor, 

Hna Skidmore

"El Evangelio no es una carga, sino las alas para voler."

AYEEE ESTA SEMANA! 

"The Gospel is not a weight, it's wings!"

- Sister Stevenson- President of the Primary...right? haha

CONFERENCE EVERYONE! CONFERENCE WAS SO GREAT! WOWOWOW 

It is so cool to know that the Prophet, Apostles and other leaders have prayed and fasted for such a long time to know what God would have them say to His children around the world! 

I loved that President Monson talked a lot about how tons of people say they love God, but if we really love him, we ought to love His children as well. Love yo neighbor! 

Other quotes (sorry if they're inaccurate, we were watching in Spanish) haha:

"The Internet is good but is also full of trash.. and we don't play in the garbage." 

"Gratitude is the daddy of all Christ-like attributes." (I'm pretty sure I mis-heard this one...) haha

"Keeping divine commandments brings blessings EVERY TIME; just as breaking divine commandments brings problems... EVERY TIME." I love this because sometimes the consequences of our actions aren't evident immediately. 

Gosh gosh gosh. So many great things! 

This week we taught Diego and the ninos La Palabra de Sabiduria - the Word of Wisdom (AKA the health code that God gave to the prophet Joseph Smith to bless the lives of the members of Christ's Church.) It was hilarious. Everyone drew their favorite food and then we talked about the 5 things we don't eat or drink: Tabacoo, Alcohol, Illegal drugs, Coffee, and Tea. Then we flipped all the papers upside down and one by one flipped them over and the kids had to decided if it goes on the "Si (as in yes)" side of the white board o "No, no debemos tomar.." Diego was laughing like a little girl at the different things his kids drew. He started drinking coffee because his brother does.. but he's like I DON'T EVEN LIKE IT! haha queee bueno! He dropped his baptism date and they weren't able to come to conference but I know they'll get there :) I just hope I'm still here...

La Familia Ortiz came to conference!!!! They are progressing really well! They have had a serious health issue come up in the family. Margarita, the mom, is going through some really tough stuff, and we just kept promising her that if she came to conference she would feel peace and find answers. They came and LOVED it. Espeically Elder Bednar and Elder Utchdorf about gratitude. 

I thought a lot this week about what it says in PMG under "A successful missionary" That "No effort is wasted." sometimes I feel that way.. like if I'm doing my best and preparing really well... then why do we sometimes not get to use what we prepared? Well...

Hna Cuesta and I love the scripture in the Book of Mormon that says : 1 Nefi 11:17 - I do not know the meaning of all things, but I know God loveth His children. 

I'm gonna go ahead and agree with Nefi... God's got it under control :) I've also learned a lot about our Savior's sacrifice. When Christ died for us, He suffered for our sins.. so the redemptive power of the atonement, but also overcame things so that we can find strength in Him... the enabling power. I know that there is no way missionaries could do what they do without being able to call on the Savior to offer just a little more strength.. just a little more "you can do it..and I'll help you." 

I know this Church is the only true church on the Earth today. I know that because I know that Jesus Christ himself leads and guides the church through a living prophet. I love President Monson and i know he is not perfect but that he is chosen by God to do what he does. 

I know God lives. I know he lives because I look into the eyes of His children every day and I feel of the love He has for them. an indescribable and undeniable feeling that just... is. 

Les amo con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Skdimore