Dang, That doesn't sound fun!! I never thought I would rather have Ohio weather than Colorado weather! It is nice here today. Like 75 and no humidity. Last week was way hot though.
Soooo I don't even know where to start with this week. There has been so many ups and downs. We went on exchanges with the APs this week and I went with Elder Prince in North Olmstead. It was probably the best exchange I have ever been on. We got back to Cleveland and they had 4 hours of tracting planned. I was excited cuz Elder Anderson never wants to tract anymore but it was 97 degrees and sooooo hot. We were just like well we're here Lord, it's hot, it's the middle of the day, we need your help. Best tracting ever. We knocked on 6 houses in 4 hours. 4 of the 6 people we talked to we taught lessons to and set return appts. It was amazing. Tracting only works when you have the faith and attitude that it will. If not, its just the most effective way you can waste your time. So after that we had a couple member lessons but our 8 o clock canceled so we went and knocked doors. The second house we knock on this older gentleman answers the door and starts talking to us. He says ya I have been searching for a church for 3 years now and have been to so many but I haven't found one I feel write about. Honestly who says that? So we start talking about Joseph smith and his experience and he was like completely engaged and asking questions and stuff. We had been talking for like 15 20 mins at this point. The words I saw a pillar of light came out of my mouth and he turned around to find his wife coming to the door yelling at him and telling us to go away and all this crap. He was like wait I want to listen to them but she wouldn't let him hear us out and said I am sorry you have to go. I said sir what I am about to tell you is one of the most important things you will ever hear. He just apologized tried to give us money and then closed the door. Talk about impeccable timing on Satan's part... We both just stood there for like a minute speechless. Before we talked to him we were just talking about being more persistent and having faith like the apostles and stuff. As we were walking away Elder Prince was like Holland would go back, Paul would go back, Alma would go back, were going back. We knocked on his door a couple more times but could hear his wife yelling at him. We left a note with the Book of Mormon and a pamphlet with Josephs testimony in it on the door. It was just unbelievable but I am sure they will see him again. On the way back to the apartment we drove down to Lake Erie and just sat on the peer and talked for a little before the sun went down. We just randomly gave a card to a lady and her husband. Turns out he met with missionaries in Albania years ago but never got baptized. He said he still reads the Book of mormon and showed us the gospel library app on his phone haha. We talked to them till like 10 30 and got their number and stuff. Such a good day! The next morning we got up and went running on the beach and then headed back to Youngstown.
The last couple weeks I haven't really been the happiest. I have had a lot on my mind but that was nothing new so I didn't really know what was wrong. Something that has been weighing heavily on my mind is something that it says in my patriarchal blessing. You will be given to know before your mission is through why it was that the Lord called you to that specific mission and people. There hasn't been a day that has gone by since I got to Ohio that I haven't thought about that sentence. But I have thought a lot this week. I am coming up on a year ya know and I just feel like I don't understand completely why I was sent here. I know there are things that have been good but I guess I am just terrified of getting to the end and still not knowing ya know? The other assistant left me a note on his desk that made me think even more. It was just a short little note but part of it just said understand why the Lord put you here Elder Skalla. I thought about it that whole morning and got to have a good talk with Elder Prince about it all. As we were talking we were listening to Lead Kindly light and something struck me. " keep thou my feet, I do not ask to see the distant scene, one step enough for me." I was just like huh and told Elder Prince I think I got an answer. I think I am worried about having this one ah hah moment where all the sudden I know why I am here and that time keeps going and I still don't know. I think I may just miss it if I keep thinking like that. I just need to let Him lead me one step at a time and learn what I am supposed to learn one day at a time and I will come to know why I am here before the end. It will just all come together.
So I was all in a good mood and stuff when I got back from Cleveland and then everything in our area just started to tank. We got a text from Andrea saying that she can't continue her lessons right now and needs some time to get her life figured out. That broke my heart... I called her and left a message and still haven't heard back from her. We talked to Tina about it but she doesn't know whats going on with her. Ugh then it just got worse and basically our entire teach pool is gone and we have no investigators.
We did get to go to Canton on Friday night for a cool fireside. This guy from the church media department or something came and had a fireside about sharing the gospel using social media. He showed us a bunch of news clips of Mitt Romney and Jabari Parker and stuff so that was cool. I don't think I really learned a whole lot but it was cool to see all those news pieces about the church.
Transfer are not next week. This is a 7 week cycle since we are getting a new MP. He gets here on the 28th and we are going to a mission tour to meet him on the 30th. The fourth is gonna be lame... We have an all day meeting with the zone leaders and president Vellinga?? I don't know what its gonna be about but I guess we will find out haha.
Well, I think thats about it. I hope you have a good week and it starts to cool down!! Just keep praying for us and Andrea. I love and miss you!!!!
Elder Skalla
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