My Kindred Spirit!

My new companion's (the APs don't like us to say "trainee") haha name is HERMANA CUESTA!!!!!

She is the bomb diggity. She is my kindred spirit. She is from Virginia (right outside DC) but born in New York and her parents are from Columbia.. you know what that means.. she's basically a native! She speaks perfect spanish... yessssss. 

I adore her. She has the testimony of a spiritual giant and she has already helped me become a better missionary. We have the same goals in mind I'm so pumped for this transfer! She likes to run in the morning, is super creative and hilarious! 

On her first night as a missionary.. I managed to get her into 2 almost fights.. yay.. haha FAIL. She is a go with the flow kinda lady so it's all good. 

We live with the Smiths! They have 2 dogs and we LOVE dogs!!! 

I am on the East Side of Tracy so I kind of already know my way around. It's been so nice to focus on people in a smaller area. BAHHH i love ittttt. 

Update on Adrian our Mexican gangster:

- We had dinner scheduled with the Ward Mission Leader so we asked Hno Gonzales if it would be okay if we invited Adrian.. like why not have your investigators at your dinner appointments, right? 

It was great. PAINFULLY awkward.. but great. haha I don't know what it is.. I am usually the one carrying to conversation.. trying to convince everyone that missionaries are normal people too! but unluckily we were all taking bites of food at the same time.. and then chewing.. so there were like luls in the convo and I couldn't do anything and I could get off the same talk, bite, chew pattern of everyone else.. struggles... 

BUT

after dinner, we were walking Adrian back to his car and he brought his Book of Mormon drawing assignment with him.. He told us he's like secretly artsy so we committed him to draw a picture of Lehi's vision in 1 Nephi 1 of the concourses of Angels.. etc. IT'S LEGIT! I almost cried. I'm sending a picture of the picture. He gave it to us! 

It doesn't stop there. 

He came to church again (4th time) on yesterday and he ran out of old recippts to write on so he started taking notes/questions on his HAND hahaha and he's kind of started to leave us.. like he's all "hermanas.. I got this.." AND. He volunteered to take our really old recent convert home from church (He's 80  yrs old and in a wheel chair.) WHY IS HE NOT A MEMBER YET!? 

Sunday night we had another lesson with him in a member's home. Hermano y Hermana Carreno just talked his ears off about how they joined the Church and their testimonies. Adrian had a lot of really good questions and he shared that his Mom was baptized 2 weeks ago in Fresno.. WHAT!? He said he's really noticed a change in her and that he's been talking to her about what He's learning. He asked a lot of questions about how long it ususally takes before a person is baptized.. I guess it took his mom about 3 weeks but his other friend investigated the Church for 3 years. We just explained that it's personal and he needs to pray about it.

I really have come to love him. He's very humble and patient. He's attentive and has sincere desire. I asked him what he was thinking.. a lot of times the members just chat it up and he doesn't really get to say much. I tried to explain that baptism is only half of it. He will also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to lead and guide him throughout his whole life. He said he would get back to us this next weekend. He also wants to tour the Oakland temple with his mom and the Carrenos exchanged phone numbers with him and said to call if he ever has questions. YES MEMBERS EMBRACING HIM! We have really been working hard with that. 

Also while we were talking on the way to his car last night.. I apologized that we take up so much of his weekend and he said (in spanish haha)

"Hermanas.. when I'm at church, I turn off my phone.. and I don't look at the clocks.. when I'm learning from you and from the members, I don't look at the time because time doesn't matter to me when I'm learning about God." 

Que? Is he real? I feel so blessed to have the privilage of teaching him.. 

We gave him a little notebook, a pen, and a tie for church :) he laughed and seemed to appreciate it. 

This week I have really progressed personally in the Gospel. Part of that I attribute to my new companion who has rekindled my fire. I am learning more about our Savior Jesus Christ and that he wasn't just killed by evil people.. He gave his life. willingly. 

I like the lyrics to an Alex Boye song that says " put your heart on the alter, trade silver for gold." 

I'm trying so hard to do just that. I'm giving it all over to Him whose work this is. 

Job 23:10.

Our Zone is exploding and the work is moving forward like never before. 

I love this Gospel. I know it's true. 

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Skidmore

Onward Christian Soldiers

Wowowow this week was woahhhhh! 

So many things going on!

First things first! It's official. Hna G and I are both training and I will be in Tracy East (not where I thought) haha SO I'M MOVING!

We pick up the new missionaries tomorrow morning! 

I'm moving in with the Smith Family on the other side of Tracy. Ahhh we didn't think I was leaving haha. 

I'm trying to go really fast so I can send pictures, too!

This week we tried SO HARD to find new people and teach lessons but it just wasn't happening.. I did a lot of re-evaluating, what can I do better? Why am I on a mission? How can I be a more effective instrument in the Lord's hands? Lots of time kneeling in prayer - but then you get up and get workinnnn. Hna Griffith loves to say "onward christian soldiers!" haha 

Bunch of random stuff:

- I learned that you should NEVER eat tostadas on a date when i get home. It's like a mexican salad on top of a GIANT chip we ate with a member.. it's so good but so ugly. No matter what.. creama on your nariz y todo. yep. guacamole close to my eyeballs and little pieces of chip left over in my scarf when I took it off at the end of the night haha. Needless to say, I got over my whole "I don't like eating in front of people" thing.. haha Lookin' at you Tay and Kelsie. 

- Our Recent Convert, Alfred, breeds these really expensive dogs and he names them after prophets! hahaha Right now he has Benson (Ezra Taft Benson) and Flora (President Benson's wife..) haha

- DO NOT joke about dating the Bishop's son.. the little old spanish ladies are already planning our wedding and talking about our future children.. he's serving his mission in Florida right now and Hna Bastias is trying to get me to write him a letter she's all "Tell Obispo that you're doing service for me by writing to Elder.. I have arthritis!" haha 

- Hna Griffith and I are out of miles in the car so we have been walking/biking ALL this week and it's actually lead to a lot of adventures and good opportunities to talk to people. We ended up in a park on sunday.. standing in a circle with 20+ homeless people while we held hands and prayed over their hot dogs that were provided by one of the other local churches, what uppp!

The week was hard but Sunday came and Adrian came to church again! Our gangster came with his shirt tucked in!!!!! He also took notes during church and wrote questions in the margins of his Libro de Mormon! ahhhh He's such a miracle. I'm excited to keep teaching him with my new missionary.

We also decided to stop back by this house where we met a teenage boy named Jose. He was really friendly the first time we stopped by but said his parents probably wouldn't be interested and that his mom wasn't home.. HE LIED hahah. We were fixing our bikes and she came outside to go to work. We taught them an amazing lesson and we all knelt and Marta (the mama) said the prayer at the end. 

I've realized this week that the thing that makes us different is that we are all about progression. We believe in the quest for perfection and that our potential is endless. I love this Gospel so much. It's all about improvement, and even though improvement hurts, vale la pena. siempre. It's always worth it. 

Con todo mi corazon </3

Hna Skidmore

Spreading More Than the Gospel

hna. skidmaaas esta enfermaaaa.

spreading the gospel and germs! wooooo. from your emails it sounds like the whole skid squad took a nose dive health-wise at the same time - true family bond right there. family that sneezes together stays together am i right?

everyone and their abuelita tienen la gripa! My voice sounds like a cool combination of Presient Packer and Emma Stone, whatuppp. Hna Griffith says I talk to her in my sleep even more now because I feel the need to tell her how bad I feel haha. She's a champ. Letting me blow my nose todos los dias and no complaints :)

This week we've been trying really hard to contact 20 people a day as Elder Ballard has asked. It's so fun! I've found that the more people I talk to, the happier I am.. I got sick on Friday so the first part of the week was more successful.. people don't really like to take pass along cards after  AHHHHCHOOOOOO all up in there - I don't blame them.

Milagro: Savannah - the miracle girl from last week. She arrived RIGHT on time for our appointment and as we talked to her she interrupted and she said "Sorry to interrupt but I just realized something (we had been talking about the Spirit). I was at my friends house just now and no offense but I completely forgot you were coming.. but for some reason.. something told me it was time to leave my friends house.. and right as I drove up, I knew it was because you were coming."

yeah girl yeah! We have to pass her off to english because she's more comfortable there :( but we get warm fuzzies from knowing that we helped her find the truth!

the rest of the week was a little hard.. but just like Elder Worthlin says "Sunday will come." if you don't know where that quote is from - research time :) it's a life changer. 

Sunday came.

Adrian and Jose came to church! Adrian is miracle man from last week and Jose is an on-again-off-again investigator that knows all the missionaries hace como dos anos!

We had a choir number.. I got pushed to the back because I sounded like a teenage boy going through puberty, alright. it's fine.

Church for the investigators could not have been more perfect. One speaker spoke about the talk by Sister Burton of the Relief Society - the story about the oveja (sheep) that misbehaves and how the shephard just loves it and loves it some more and eventually the sheep se comporta bien (behaves well). It just really hit home with Jose I think. After sacrament he told me he thinks he's the sheep. I looked at him and said, "not anymore. you've found your place. i know it." He has a Mormon friend in Utah (like who doesn't right? haha) and they have been talking more and more! We're praying that it's really time for Jose to make the change. The Good Shephard is always there, He's just waiting for us to accept the unconditional love. UN-conditional. It's never too late. You've never gone too far off the path. Yep.  

Adrian LOVED church. He's a little shy in his converse high-tops and SERIOUS bling-bling haha but that's okay! The ward members really made him feel welcome.

Hno. Gonzalez - the member that reminds me of Dad :) - said something in Gospel Baics Class that I really liked, he said..

"Todo lo bueno, cuesta." - Everything good, costs.

Gonna keep that one in my noggin for a long time.

Sunday night (last night) we had another great lesson with Adrian, Alfred and Leilani. (Alfred and Leilani are both recent converts of about a year). Get this - It was a bonfire. A BONFIRE hahahah. We asked Alfred if we could have a lesson at his house with Adrian He was all "oh yeah! I can start a fire outside because my family will be really loud inside." haha whatever works!

We talked about repentence. Alma 22:18 and how the king says that "I will give up all my sins to know Thee."

I will give up all my sins to know thee. Not I would.. if I had the time.. Not I would.. if it wasn't so hard.. he says: I will. He wants a relationship with his Savior and his Father in Heaven THAT bad.

Adrian really wants that realtionship and to understand who Jesus Christ really is. We talked about how repentence is good! It means change for the better! All it takes is a prayer and determination. Our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ are our biggest cheerleaders.. I've realized a lot this week that it's usually us that hold ourselves back from that positive change because we figure that there's no way they could forgive us.. again. But yes. That's why the Gospel is such a blessing. Doesn't matter how many times you fall as long as you get back up again.

Fun facts:

- Everyone serves us Juice :) because no matter the country, usually where they're from, the water isn't good.

- All of the silverware is always on the right side - don't know why!

- Spanish people don't mind the annoying beeping of a dying fire alarm, so almost every house there's a beep.. haha.

Pics! Not sure the order!

In Tracy people actually have yards and sometimes there's more stuff stored in the yard than in the house haha. Hna G and I have this new hobby of finding treasures, we ask people about it and they're like TAKE IT PLEASE! hahahah our room is like an art exhibit..

Bonfire!

Les quiero siempre.

Hermana Skidmmmaaaassss.

Give 'em Heaven

Les necesito decir que yo estoy lo mas feliz que yo he estado en toda mi vida. 

I gotta tell ya I'm the happiest I've ever been in my whole life.

This week has been so JAM PACKED with miracles and uplifting meetings, boom boom. I feel like a lucky lady. 

1. Members - We managed to have 7 member present lessons which is like unheard of in this area! I love taking the members to lessons (mainly for selfish reasons :)) because we get to hear their conversions stories! 

2. My love for teenagers continues. We taught a 13-yr-old named JJ about the Libro de Mormon and I just love how real he his. It was fun to be like "hey pal, I've been where you are." He also told me the first time he heard me speak spanish, he legit thought I was from Spain!!! Griteeeee (holler!) at your Spaniard! (don't know how to spell that..) 

3. We had interviews with President/Sister Lewis this week - Sister Lewis says, " I could tell when you and Sister Griffith walked in, that you LOVE this area and you are giving it all you've got." like awhhh thanks mission mama. 

4. Tried to go see Hector and Renaldo.. Renaldo was like walking out the front door and around the trailer.. I was like.. "hola...?" Trying to decide if we should go after him.. Then we hear him peeing.... they were both drunk.. #awk. Renaldo has a 13 year old son so we talked to him for a few minutes. Again, teenager. Adore him. I don't know what it is.. it's like when we talk to him.. we know there's so much good inside him. He hasn't been totally slapped around by the world yet. I just hope we can keep teaching and help his fam. We were super blunt with Hector like "No se tome la proxima vez, hombre." Don't drink next time, sir. 

MILARGROS!

* Went to contact a referral from a neighbor that said the house was Spanish, at first the young mom was really skeptical. Then we started talking to her about the Church. She said she's strong in her church.. Hna. G "why do you like it?" She was like.. ya know what.. I don't actually like it that much.. it tore my family apart because my Dad got fanatical. She started to cry. She felt so alone. Like if all these churches teach about God, then why would God want her family to be torn apart? 

We talked about the Book of Mormon. She said she'd been taught it was bad. We asked, "Have you read it?" she responds, "Nope, can I have a copy?" Yeah. I think we can arrange that. It was amazing. I feel so blessed to be in this area when so many people have been prepared for RIGHT NOW. 

*Had exchanges and I got to take Hna Thomas around Tracy :) It was so good to talk to her again and catch up! We laid awake till like midnight just talking about everything that had happened since she left East Sac. 

We went to contact a media referral.

Adrian Sachez. Another 20ish guy from Mexico! haha. Hna G and I can't escape them! 

I don't know if there's such a thing as a perfect lesson, but it was pretty darn close. We went to a Subway restaurant b/c he said the people he lives with wouldn't understand. We sat there for an hour and a half and helped this humble, sincere man feel the love of his Savior for the first time.

As we started teaching.. asking questions.. trying to figure out his background, he goes. En puro espanol, he speaks no english, "Hermanas, I'm going to be straight up with you... I know nothing about God/ Jesus/ All of it.. I walk into different churches and see a Man on a cross. I know who he is.. I know he died for me.. but I don't know what that means.. I don't know why that's important.. I need you to start from the ground up." 

We taught him how to pray, we read to him from the Bible and the Book of Mormon (can't read very well) and he just.. got it.. we taught him about Joseph Smith and the Restoration of Christ's oringinal church. He was like.. Where is Church and when can I attend?

It was stake conference in the buidling 20 mins away.. He's like "I'll be there sunday!" 

Sunday.

He got lost getting there.. for like 30 mins.. he arrived, calm as could be carrying his Book of Mormon :) and he just seemed content as we listned to Elder Packer of the 70 (super cool guy, btw) talk to us about the importance of sharing the Gospel with others and how east it is. and alllll of these stories about how people have found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and how it's changed their lives. 

Afterwards the members all greeted him and one member explained some of the unique vocabulary that was used in the Conference. We invited him to baptism afterwards and he said he wants to keep learning :) and he'll be at church on Sunday ahhh!! milagro. milagro. milagro. 

Se que esta es la Iglesia verdadera. Se esto porque yo he visto las camibas que vienen cuando personas se sienten El Espiritu por la primera vez in sus vidas. Yo he visto milagro des pues de milagro porque Dios quiere que todos sus hijos esten en lo mejor lugar posible. 

I absolutely love being a missionary. and I love all of you with all my heart. 

Hna Skidmore

Pon tu hombro a la lid

Hola!

Ahhhh this week was nuts. I'll just make a list because I don't know how else to include errrrthang!

1. Had a lesson with this woman Graciella and her husband who are very religious but they don't have parties.. we're like NO FIESTAS!? COMO PUEDE VIVIR?! How can you live? haha they were like "do you have parties in your religion?" We laughed and tried to explain that Mormons live for parties and potlucks but we had a hard time explaining dirty dancing without demonstrating.. haha like the fact that we don't dirty dance at the Church sponsored parties and stuff. They have been really closed off but I felt inspiried to just ask them about their beliefs and after they had a chance to explain, they let us share a little bit more about what we believe as well. We don't know why but we feel a need to go see them again. Their kids were sitting in the kitchen, interested.. but not saying anything haha.

2. Hna Griffith thought she saw a wolf one night. We got out of the car to chase it. hahaha anything for a cool picture! Then a car across the street ran out of gas so we rannnn over there...skirts and all, to help them out. we pushed the car back down the street away from the main street. Cool little missionary moment haha

3. Luz our investigator has been really hard to find... but every time we've gone over there, her vecinos have been outside so we just say hi and have some small talk, this week the wife asked a lot of questions about the church and was really interested in Eternal marriage. It's cool how that worked out! The Lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe the whole reason we've had a hard time tracking down Luz is so we could talk to Maria and Roberto!

4. I picked up this habit, partly from dad and partly from Hna Cardullo in East Sac, that you call people by their name without them telling you, like if they're wearing a name tag. So we have our friend at the gas station we always go to and his name tag says "magical Trevor" so we were leaving the first time and I said "Thanks magical trevor!" Hna Griffith just laughed because he looked stunned. But now we're pals :)

5. #blessing - biked SO MUCH this week and didn't unintentionally eat any bugs! Hollerrrrrr

6. Took a member to see our investigator Lara... They hit it off so well that we were there for an Hour and Half and found out more information about our investigator than we'd ever know before haha. And Hna Renderos (the member) invited Lara to church and told her she now has a friend to sit by :) can't tell you how helpful that is! This ward is incredible. *Sidenote: errrbody reminds me of mom and dad.. but Spanish. And the relief Society is like Elle Woods from Legally Blonde.. spanish version hahaha. tiny little lady and she enjoys eating the occassional 10 cow tounge tacos. What up!

7. Bad news bears.... Daniel, Randy, and Ronny all texted us sunday morning to say that they're happy how they are and that it was nice meeting with us but they're not interested anymore.. yep. I was heartbroken. It hurt... But we're choosing to see it as the Lord helping us identify who is really ready. We're not done with Randy & Ronny though. We're both convinced that they're going to serve missions. We texted them and they said we can still be friends so we'll be back over there for sure. Gahhhh. I'm so sad about them.. they're like pre-existance friends ya know? Like as if you have met them before? Crazy.

Escritura de la semana:

Alma 17:11 del Libro de Mormon - And the Lord said unto them also:

Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

I know this Gospel is true. It makes me soooo sad because I just LOVE people immediately and when I know they're walking away from something that will bless their lives immensely, it's hard!

But we keep on keeping on :)

Les quiero simepre y con todo mi corazon!

Hna Skidmaaas

pic is with the CUTEST dog my camera is a little cray so my face is scary white but the dog is like a curly haired chocolate brown leilani and it was totes "hugging" my leg... it's fine. haha

Feliz Año Nuevo Todos!

It has been such a crazy and amazing week!

1. We taught Randy (teenager from Mexico) and we are really trying to add investigators so we asked him if anyone in his house would want to hear our message? Turns out he has a TWIN - A TWIN LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! a very stylish, super chill, twin. Who is interested in coming to Church. His name is Ronny and he reminds me of Mitchell because he was wearing a scarf that looks like one Mitchell has haha. The lesson with them was so funny because they give each other a hard time about everything. Like when Randy went off about random things and asking a million questions, Ronny would smack him and be like "shut up.." haha then when Ronny was praying at the end of the lesson for the first time, he messed up like "Padre Celestial" and Randy corrected him throughout the whole thing hahaha. Hna Griffith and I were DYING laughing and trying to hide it with our eyes closed head down arms crossed during the prayer. We said "Amen" and they looked at my face and Randy's like..

"Por que se pone roja?" - Why is your face red?

I was like uh.... I'm feeling the Spirit! (sorry, that's probs a little sac religious..) I just told them I thought it was nice they were helping each other! After the lesson Hna Griffth was like "Good save.." hahaha

2. I was like stressin out one day about finding investigators, how we're going to manage 2 areas, using our time wisely... just a lot of things and I still don't know the area very well and we got lost going a few places... BUT that night. We randomly found 2 men in a trailer park, so we got a member, went back and had an AMAZING lesson with them. Hector and Renaldo. Renaldo seemed really interested like he was contemplating everything we were saying. Hector just talked a lot.. and got confused between Jesus and Jospeh Smith #ohboy. But I'm super excited for them!!

3. Got a text on the 30th that REYNA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!! #miracle - I had one day to find a member to take me.. on New YEar's Eve... and hour and a half away.. and WE GOT ONE! AHH It was so great

Reyna was so happy. She just looked peaceful. She said that she had heard a voice multiple times telling her she needed to be baptized. And she finally said "I told the voice.. OKAY I'll do it!" totally the Spirit :) love it.

 It was like visiting home. All the members . I got to talk to all of the missionaries from East Sac, too. Gosh I miss them ahhh. It was so nice to go back!

This past Sunday, I read The New Testament in an hour! haha I read the little kids picture version and I learned SO MANY NEW THINGS! mas tarde que nunca (better late than never haha) 

I finsihed the Book of Mormon again last night at 10:25pm :) I started right when I got to the mission. Reading it again just strengthened my testimony of how much God loves us. I know it's true. I love it. I feel like Moroni was my friend and he wrote me a letter at the end of the Book of Mormon haha. "Just stay faithful Hna Skidmore and it's all gon be okayyyy."

I love being a missionary. Especially with this  new year. so many opportunities and experiences waiting to happen. I can't belive it's 2014!!!!

Les quiero siempre,

Hna Skidmore

Rayna's Baptsim!

Making papusas

Feliz Navidad!!

Hola hola!

OKAY SO TODO ESTA INCREIBLE en Tracy!!!!

The ward is fantastic. The Ward Mission Leader, Bishop relif society president all told me my spanish is real good for only 7 months and that my accent is pretty solid for a white girl. They have an attractive son that's serving in Florida right now #plus

I adore my companion.

Hna Griffith was in the MTC with me! We get along perfectly. And we're both excited and super motivated to work hard in this area. She reminds me a lot of Leah Bartek haha.

Miracle of the Week:

We met Randy Roberto. He's 18 and from Mexico as of 4 months ago. His family loves to go look at the Oakland temple.. not really knowing what it is. Hea media referral from the Visitors Center! We knocked on the door and he was like.. "What do I have to do to go inside? I'll do it." haha OKAY! He said that he is really interested because this is all different from what he's ever heard before. We gave him a Libro de Mormon and a reading assignment. He was like.. that's it? so gave him more :) haha ahhhh these people are so great!!!

I read something this week that I really loved:

"by becoming the anwer to someone's prayer, we find the answers to our own."

It's all about service. Especially during the Christmas season!

Gosh I love being a missionary. It's constannnnttt work! But it's constant improvement as well. I am so grateful for the birth of Jesus Christ because that's where it all started. The Savior of the World  was born. and the rest is history. Literally. The rest is also still in progress.

Les amo siempre.

Hermana Skidmore

Skyping Morgan on Christmas