Week 2-Last email from the MTC!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!  When I sent the sd card I was in such a hurry to get it out before the mail was picked up I didnt even think about it getting there on your birthday!!  Thats awesome you got a bike!!  I am glad you guys enjoy doing it so much in your nice shorts and t shirt dri fit clothes while I will have to in a suit in 90 degrees with humidity hahaha :)   

 

Ryan-  Good job with starting your challenge matches! You need to make varsity!  You are so lucky you guys get brand new courts.  I am happy to hear Flan is doing so well.  So you know the EFY medley you sing at EFY?  My district is singing the armys of Helaman part for our farewell song in sacrament on sunday.  We changed the words at the end from we will be the lords missionaries to we are now the Lords missionaries.  It gives me chills to sing it like that.  I remember singing it at EFY and thinking the day would never come where I would be a missionary.  It comes a lot faster than you think so get ready!!

 

I was so sad to hear about Brynn.  I have been keeping her in my prayers.  We are fasting today for 2 sisters in our zone who are really sick.  We gave them a blessing also but I am adding Brynn to my fast.  The temple is finally open so we got to go this morning.  On the walk back I ran into Lance Stutz going to the temple!  It was nice to see him.  I have seen a lot of people I know but I havent seen Westley or Sister Gill. 

 

My investigators have been going great.  Our less active is going back to church and preparing to go to the temple whith his fiance after they are married.   Arnold is being receptive even though he is very stubborn.  I asked him to be baptized when we taught him on monday and he said he would think and pray about it so we are making progress with him. 

 

I got my travel plans! I fly on delta at 7:15 to Detroit and then on to Cleveland so I will have to call you at like 6:30am on tuesday morning haha so be up!!  My layover in Detroit is only 50 minutes so I dont know if I will be able to call there but I will try.  

 

I am still loving it here but lets just say hotel MTC isnt exactly 5 stars haha.  I have had one warm shower this week.  No matter what time of day there is no hot water or water pressure.  You wait in line for 15 minutes and then pretty much picture showering in a drinking fountain but less water pressure.  I have found that if you turn the water to all the way cold it is the same temp and you get a little bit more pressure but it is horrible and hard to shower.  I forgot to tell you this but 3 days after we got here the room next to our all got bed bugs and had to be a biohazard haha there was big biohazard bags and everything.   Last night I found a bug crawling on top of my bed.  I killed it and tried not to think much of it but I didnt get bitten last night so we will see how that goes.  Also every room here is blazing hot so it is so hard to focus.   Well that is enough complaining I am surviving and still loving every minute here.  I will be sad to leave but I am soooooo ready to actually apply what I have learned and teach real people. 

 

At our devotional last night the speaker said something really cool.  He said you may not know why you came on a mission or even didnt want to go but you are here now... so what are you going to do about it. Its true.  We are already here and its time to do something about it and work as hard as I can and forget about the comforts of home and focus on the Lords work. I know missionary work truly is the Lords work and 100% by the spirit.  I can try to convince people of the truthfulness of the gospel all day long but if I am not teaching by the spirit it is impossible to convert someone. 

 

You are all in my prayres and I love and miss you so much!  I cant wait to talk to you on tuesday!!

 

Love

 

Elder Skalla

MTC PICTURES!!!!!

It makes my heart happy to see these!!!  It was the best birthday present he could have sent!  OK, not sure he even remembers it is my birthday, but I will pretend!!

 The official nametag!!!

 Elder Skalla and his companion Elder Randall in class.

 This is Brad's room at the MTC.  Looks like he scored a bottom bunk!  

These are his roommates from left to right:  Elder Skalla, Elder Randall, Elder Kay and Elder Whitesell.

Elder Randall and Elder Skalla

The guys in the black shirts are the Zone leaders.  Elder Skalla is the District Leader.

The famous map picture.  All four of them are going to Ohio.

I have waited 19 years for this picture!

This is Scott, a friend from Utah State.  It is fun for them to see each other again in the MTC.

I can't tell you how happy letters and pictures make a Mom.  I am so happy he is where he is and wouldn't trade this experience for the world!  We are already feeling the blessings of having a missionary.  

The first Week...

Hi!!!

I did get your dear elders and your packages!  Thank you so much! But are you guys TRYING to get me fat?!  haha I have shared stuff with my district so it is working out. I dont even know where to start!  This has been the most insane week of my life!  We were allowed to write letters the night we came because technically that was our P day so thats why Hill got a letter but I sent one to you too!  Im glad you guys had fun in Boise and got Jenni all moved in.  The MTC is amazing.  I can see why some people hate it but the only reason you can hate this place is if you dont want top be here and are too lazy to do the work.

So I will start with thursday.  It was SUCH a long day but very productive.  I am pretty sure I have been more productive this week than I was my entire first year of college with my school work haha.  So thursday night we met our branch presidency and had our interviews.  After everyone was interviewed he called me back in and called me to be the district leader.  There are 12 of us in my district.  I didnt think being a district leader in the MTC would have much to it except for just getting everyones mail every day.  On top of that I have a ton of extra meetings and leadership training things to go to and I also have to have meetings with elders who are homesick (which we have a couple) and companionships that dont get along. (Which we have a couple).  I have to conduct every class and meeting we have and teach district study twice a week so I have had a lot of extra stuff on my plate. But I honestly love doing it all!  Its funny because since I was called to be district leader everyone in the district asks me questions all day long assuming I am supposed to know haha when I have been here just as long as they have, but I am getting pretty good with answering their questions and getting them where they need to be. 

We have jumped right into teaching.  We struggled at the beginning of the week but now Elder Randall and I are getting pretty bomb at teaching and understanding what the investigator needs and being able to teach with the spirit. Our teachers play investigators and we also have 2 TRC's a week where we go into a room that looks just like a house and teach people. Some are members acting and some are real investigators and its insane because it feels so real and you can feel the spirit when you are with them and learn to love them even though its just role play.  We are teaching a old single man named Arnold and our first lesson with him went so great.  He is reading the book of Mormon, going to church and praying so we are going to ask him if he will be baptized next lesson, he seems like he really wants to. haha You probably think I'm weird telling you about role playing but I wish you could understand how real it feels.  We are also teaching an inactive who has been home from his mission for 2 years and stopped going to church.  You really have to go by the spirit when you teach inactives because you know they already know the material so its not like you can just teach them the first lesson again. 

At our fireside on Sunday we had a former mission and temple president talk to us and he said if you are not tired you're not being a very good missionary.  I am seriously exhausted every night so I must be doing something right! haha I love the firesides and devotionals we have, they are so helpful.

So like I told you in the letter my companion is Elder Randall. We see his dad and grandparents all the time so its like he hasnt even left home haha.  We get along pretty well which is good! He is one of those guys that kinda tries to be all professional and intellectual in his lessons which is frusterating because the investigators dont understand what he is talking about so I have to do a lot of defining haha but we are getting pretty good at teaching together.  My roommates are Elder Whitesell from South Carolina who is hilarious because of his accent.  Just picture Larry the cable guy reading the Book of Mormon and try not to laugh haha.   Elder Kay is awesome he is from Snowflake Arizona.  We have a lot in common so the 4 of us get along great. 

Its hard to remember what to tell you haha next time I need to write things down.

So I have 2 things I want you to send me. My pocket knife (its in my desk where the keyboard goes)  I always need a knife to open packages and letters but we have to use our keys.   Im gonna try to attach pictures now but I dont know if it will work.  Well I have no idea how to get my pictures on here im sorry! 

Love and miss you guys!!!

Elder Skalla

The MTC

 How cool is it that Brad's roommate at USU Elder Dillan Lewis was able to be his Host!  I think that made it much easier on Brad AND on me to send him with a friend.  The missionaries were all so happy, it made it easier to leave him there.  

One last goodbye!

He wrote the following letter that night and mailed it the next day from the MTC.  It waited for me in my mailbox since I was in Boise helping Jenn and Greg.  I was soooo happy to finally get home and read this even if it was just a short letter written on his first night.  I am looking forward to and email tomorrow!!!  

7/13/11

Mom & Dad,

This has been an insane day!  Trying to figure this place out will take some time.  My comp is Elder Randall.  He is from Provo and his grandparents are in the MTC, both his mom and dad work here and so did he so it’s like he hasn’t even left home.  Hi is a little weird but I like him and I think we will get along.  My teacher Sister Maxfield just got back from her mission in Omaha 6 months ago so she likes me.  My zone leader is from Loveland, CO and 4 missionaries in my district are going to the Denver North Mission.  4 are going to Tampa FL and my comp and I and my 2 roommates are all going to Cleveland.  One is from South Carolina and is such a hick haha.  He literally just walked out and said “Im gonna go find me some Mountain Dew” in his thick accent. Haha Doesn’t he know where he is? 

I hope you guys had fun in Boise and got Jenni all moved in.  My pday is Wednesday.  Everything is going great so far but I don’t think it has really set in yet.  We will see when 6 am comes tomorrow.  I love and miss you!

Love,

Elder Skalla

The Farewell & Setting Apart

Brad did an amazing job at his farewell.  He spoke of preparing others for the Second Coming of Christ and spoke with confidence and maturity.  He did get emotional which I think caught him off guard, but he did an amazing job and we were very proud of him.  We had some close friends and family over on Saturday night to say goodbye.  We have amazing friends and such supportive family.  I appreciate the influence so many have had on our son.  He is a great young man who is ready to go out and serve the Lord.

 Pete and Julie and their cute family stopped in Saturday night on their way home from Utah!  Then they came to the farewell the next morning!  Thank you sooo much for your support!!

 Brad's girlfriend Hillary flew in from Utah for the farewell.  She and Kendra and my mom took care of most of the food.  Thanks guys!

Brad's friend Ali Kavorkian and her family came to say good bye.  They have known each other since 3rd grade and the Kavorkian's have kind of adopted Brad!  We really appreciate their friendship and support.

Uncle J.D. and Aunt Kendra flew in from Gilbert, AZ and stayed for a few days.  We had a great time and really appreciate them coming and spending time with Brad.

Hillary has been very supportive of Brad and full of encouragement for him to serve a mission and we appreciate that so much!

Jenni and Ali both flew in for the farewell and it felt for a minute like time had stopped!  I appreciate their great husbands who let them come while they stayed home and worked!  They are great guys and I love them both!

 Look now, because Ryan will be taller than Brad when Brad comes home!  

 Papa Doc and Grama Joan came and spent the week with us.  It is great to have such supportive grandparents!  

  

 Papa Dean and Grama Judy came  and passed on a new family tradition.  When they went on their mission 2 years ago, they were given a "baton" or the iron rod is what I like to call it.  Each of Brad's Skalla Uncles and even Aunt Carol served full time missions.  Grandpa and Grandma finished strong to have all 7 of them serve full time!  That is quite an accomplishment!  Each name is on the "rod".   It was passed to Brad and he looks forward to passing it on to his cousins and brother.

 That night at 9 PM we met with President Ralph Walker who set Brad apart as a Full Time Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Bishop Bertoch was kind enough to join our family.  It was a wonderful blessing and I am so grateful for these two men and their influence in Brad's life.

 Our family with our Missionary

Brad's address for the next 3 weeks...

Elder Bradley Dean Skalla
MTC Mailbox # 231
OH-CLE 0802
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Time for the farewell…..