Hey Ya'll!! How's it going?
This week has been another great week!! (Besides the fact that the Cardinals just got pooped on) It's been full of lessons, dinners, laughs, cries, and just a little bit of in between. You can definitely tell that Elder Sagmeister and I have been together for 16 weeks. We mess around with each other too much and we disagree more often. If we
stay another transfer together we might rip each other's head off. ;) I find it crazy that I've been out for 4 months yet I've had the same companion and same area for that whole time. Transfers are in two weeks and I am just at a lost of what is going to happen. My companion and I were both new in the area so anything could happen. We could both stay or one of us could leave or both of us could leave (although the latter is very unlikely due to the success we are having in the area)
Quick funny story!!! We were walking in the trailer park late at night and we ran into a couple of our investigators walking in the street. One was holding a long metal pole so I was suspicious. He said they almost got hit by a truck who didn't have his lights on so they were walking around looking for the truck. Elder Sagmeister did not get it
so I had to explain to him that they were looking for the truck to wack it up with the pole!! Oh geez, the people we find in the trailer park.
And yes, we are having a lot of success in this area. We have changed this area from a no baptizing area into a whole lot of baptizing area. It's amazing. It is literally a gold mine. We are running into people who are so intrigued about the gospel and who want to learn more.
We have 2 baptisms scheduled for this Saturday. 1 baptism scheduled for February 6th 3 baptisms scheduled for February 20th And 1 baptism scheduled for March 11th. That is amazing. And yet I don't feel like I've done a whole lot. All I've done is trying to be more obedient, helping others increase their faith in Christ. And being the Lord's tool. I feel the Holy Ghost as my constant companion.
I've also had fun and have been pretty happy this week. There is fun found in the service. I just got done baking a cake that the young women from my home Ward sent me and I still wonder why I am so fat. I just had the best home cooked Chinese food yesterday. I am spoiled. People are just handing us money left and right and I try not to accept it but they won't let me. So I would say that this mission is a very convenient mission regarding housing and finances. But there are plenty of hard days in the field.
Yesterday was a really hard day for me. Not in the sense that I'm struggling. I'm not at all. But yesterday we had a progressing investigator tell us that he wanted to remain Catholic and did not want to listen to the gospel lessons any more. Elder Sagmeister and I just wanted to stop by his house and check up on things so he let us
in his home and explained the whole situation.
I was devastated. That whole night I just felt like crap. During that visit, all we could do was testify. And I don't think that I've ever felt the spirit so strong before. I testified of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, of temples, of families, of real happiness, of coming to church. I literally testified of all the truth I knew. And then I gave a very powerful prayer that involved tears and emotion. The spirit was there and I just hope that our former investigator felt it. Immediately after that lesson, Elder Sagmeister and I were walking in
his neighborhood in the trailer park at about 8:00 pm. We both were just so heartbroken and full of tears. And that's because we both love.
We love the people we work immensely. I knew I loved my investigators but I just didn't know how much. So I learned a couple of things that night about myself that I had no idea. I realized there is nothing I can do as long as I try my very best in helping others come closer to Christ. I guess we were so full of emotion because we both know how much the gospel and change people's lives for the better and it's hard
to hear someone who is progressing say they are not interested anymore. I guess that's all part of missionary work.
So even with that experience I still felt like I had a pretty solid week. A family accepted the invitation to be baptized and that always brings happiness. I feel like I have changed a lot and I've noticed that a lot this week. I gained a strong testimony this week regarding the atonement. Christ did not suffer for all our sins. He suffered for
all our sorrows and pains as well. As we use the atonement, we will be able to keep moving forward and find that strength and peace that we are all searching for.
The mission is tough, it's not easy. Yes we may seem to be baptizing more but that's only because of hard and tough work.
The field is white already to harvest. This is the toughest work. Yet the most rewarding. Rewarding to the investigators, the less actives,my family, and I guess myself as well. The windows of heaven are open and the blessings our pouring out in every direction. I am careful to not be prideful. I pray to be humble each and every day. All I want to do is be the Lord's servant and that will take a lifetime of work to accomplish.
I love you all. The gospel is true and it is becoming more true each
and every day!!!
With love,
Elder Skabelund
This is what I walked in on my way to church.
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