Brad's first missionary apartment!

This is Brad's first apartment in the Akron Zone.  He is serving in the Tallmadge Ward.  He is loving his companion and his mission so far!

 I love that you can see their bikes in the kitchen!  

Arriving in Ohio!

At the Salt Lake Airport bright and early in the morning on August 2, 2011

on the airplane…

 On the first day in Kirtland they met with President Sorenson, had dinner at the mission home and stayed there for 2 nights.  On the first full day they visited the Kirtland Temple and the other historical sites.  His letters said it was an amazing experience.  This is the group of 10 Elders and 1 Sister that arrived in Ohio with Brad.  What an amazing opportunity to serve in an area so rich in Church History!

Brad's companion, Elder Johnson is the one on Brad's right.

More Pictures from the MTC

 He said they die of heat in the MTC everyday!  Funny, in the winter my nephew said they froze!  We need to up the missionary fund to get that place some heat, air and water!

 This is Brad's district.

Success and Struggles-Week 2

Hi!!

 

Tell everyone I am sorry if I don't write them I only get an hour and don't have time to write everyone back!  P day is our busiest day!  But I will try hard to get back to everyone. 

 

So with the laundry Elder Johnson left his pen in a pocket and it exploded so that is what happened there.  Thank you for getting me new shirts so quicly but there was a problem with one.  It didn't have a pocket... haha the packages were identical but I put it on and went to put my name tag on and there was no pocket so I am not really sure what I should do with it if it was defective or meant to be that way haha but I need a pocket on it.  Also Thank you for the package!!  It was perfect.  But the dounuts got completly smashed and that day elder Johnson was eating them with a fork and there was a role of quarters in the middle of the pile of smashed dounuts but  the box was factory sealed when he opened it so we are very concerned how the quarters got buried in the doughnuts haha but we did appreciate the surprise quarters! haha

 

 This week had a lot of ups and downs.  Tuesday we had training meeting with all the new missionaries in Cleveland which was awesome.  After training meeting we went on exchanges and went contacting downtown Cleveland.  I was with Elder Kay (one from snowflake) and 2 others and we got to take the brand new car that had like 80 miles on it.  We met a lot of crazy people but I guess its true what they say about east Cleveland because when we got back to the car the windows were smashed in and Elder Kays backpack and the gps that was in there was gone.  Luckily I didnt leave anything in the car.  But elder Kay for some dumb reason had $300 cash in his backpack and a brand new camera he had just bought the day before and his wallet with all his credit cards in it.  I have no idea why he left all that but I felt way bad that only 2 weeks into his mission all his stuff was gone.  We called president and the cops and the cops took over an hour to get there so it threw off our whole night because Elder Johnson was at the mission office and I was there dealing with that so we had to cancel our appointments that night so it was kinda a bummer. 

 

 But not all that happens here is bad a promise!! haha we are getting a lot of work done!  We have a baptism this sunday for a 21 year old kid Alex.  He is awesome and we have been teaching him a lot and cant wait to mark him as my first baptism!  We dont actually get to baptize him though because president really wants members to baptize people so they have a connection to someone in the ward so I may not actually baptize a single person while I am here haha but oh well he is still awesome and making an amazing choice.  Our other investigators arent as solid as him but we are working on it. 

 

I have been having trouble with the phone calling people because the area code here is 330 and I am so used to dialing 303 that I have accidently called like 4 random people in Colorado haha I just type in 303 without even thinking haha.  Well, not much too exciting has happened things are starting to get more normal, although I have kind of been struggling this week.  We have a lot of less actives in our ward and some of our investigators are pretty intense so I have been struggling with that.  People tell me things that they should not be telling me and for some reason just because we are missionaries they think we are qualified to handle all of their problems.  It's really hard because you care about a lot of these people and I try my best to help them but sometimes we just dont know what to say.  I have been struggling with that and praying to be able to say the right thing.  Every night I fall asleep praying for and thinking of these people and how we could help them and I have been frusterated because I havent felt like I got an answer untill last night.  We were at a members house that has been struggling and been excommunicated and was telling us things we were not qualified to deal with.  After that this reoccurring problem was bothering more than ever because I didnt know how to help them.  We were at an active members home watching some mormon message things and  I really wasn't paying any attention because I was so troubled over how I could help with some peoples problems.  We were watching peices of an Elder Andersens talk in a mormon message and he kept saying over and over again you dont know everything but you know enough.  The last time he said it I finally heard it and felt like that was part of my answer.  I made us watch it again so I could pay more attention and that was exactly what I needed.  I realized I dont know everything and dont know how I can help these people but I know enough.  I know the gospel and how it has blessed my life and know it is true and how to share my knowledge with others.  I felt peace and realized that Hevanly father doesnt expect me to solve all these problems he expects me to share what I know and I know that he loves each and every one of us and provides a way through any problem if we trust in him.  I hope I can always remember that when I find myself in those situations.  

 

 I hope everyone is doing great and I am excited for the missionaries to move in!  I am jealous of them!  Also thank you for all the stories and things you send me I love to read them!!  Elder Johnson and I are still getting along great and we work hard and have a lot of fun together.  I am having the time of my life sharing the gospel! 

 

 Love,

 

Elder Skalla

Elder Skalla and Pres. & Sister Sorensen

A few hours after we got the email, we got a letter and a picture from Brad's mission President.

I also got the following quick email that made us laugh.  I called Mr. Mac and had the shirts shipped….one week and he already needs new shirts!  LOL  Could be a long 2 years!!

Hey!!

 

So when we went back to get our laundry there was a little accident with the dryer and a pen exploded on our white clothes.  Im way sorry but can you send me 2 more short sleeve shirts and 1 long sleeve.  I hate that arrow one we bought at khols so maybe spence could get me more of the kind we bought there.   They are enroe size 16 and on the long sleeve they are size 16 34-35.      Thank you!

 

Love,

 

Elder Skalla

Unexpected First Lesson! First letter from Ohio!!!

Hi !!! 

 

I am so glad i finally get to e mail you I feel like I have so much to tell you!!  This week has been insane so you are right!  I am so glad you are letting the missionaries live with you!!  That will be such a blessing!  I am jealous of them though compared to where I live but we will get to that haha.  That sucks about Ryan though...  I hope he recovers quickly and can start playing tennis again. 

 

Ok so first my address. 

 

2275 Eastwood Ave

Apt. 21-B

Akron Ohio 44305

  

Ok so first off right after I got off the phone with you and on the plane to Cleveland I had one of the most amazing experiences.  The plane was tiny and there was 11 missionaries in the back of the plane and then a woman named Joyce that I sat next to.  She was a bit overwhelmed by all of us and started asking me a bunch of questions about us and to make a long story short I taught her all about our church and the restoration and the plan of salvation because she lost a daughter when she was only 3. I gave her a mormon.org card and a book of Mormon.  It was so cool!  She was so interested and accepting and was highlighting things in the book of Mormon that I was showing her and she really wanted to read it.  She got my name and asked if I could meet her sometime and teach her more.  It sucked because I had no information to give her but I got her card and when I told president about it that night he had me call her and find out where she was and to set something up with the elders in her area.  She really wanted me to teach her but that wasnt really possible but president said he would make sure he kept me updated if she progresses.  After I got off the plane I was so pumped and just wanted to go to work!  It was silent in the back of the plane because all the other missionaries were trying to listen to me teach and were handing me material as I was talking haha it was really amazing.

 

That night we had dinner and meetings at the mission home.  The mission home was way nice and we met the AP's and got all of the information we needed.  We slept at the mission home that night and got up and headed to Kirtland that morning.  Kirtland was amazing!!!  Carl Andersen took us around and taught us so much.  The spirit is so strong in those buildings.  We spent over an hour in the school of the prophets in the Whitney store.  I can not tell you how much more some of those sections of the D&C mean to me now that I have read and learned about them in the very room they were revealed.  The scriptures talk of the Whitney store as a temple because of the revelations and appearences that happened there.  At the end we had time to individually kneel down in the school of the prophets and covenant with the Lord about what kind of missionary we would be.  It was one of the most spiritually uplifting days I have ever had.    When we were in the revelation room Brother Andersen looked at me and said I know you have ancestors that have been in Ohio who were they so I told him and he asked me if I thought it was coincidence I was called to serve here and after I told him the area I would be serving him he told me that that was one of the closest areas i could be to where my ancestors passed through and a lot of really cool stuff that just gave me goosebumps but I cant remember exactly what he said.  I wish I had more time to tell you about Kirtland but i have so much more to tell you haha.

 

 So after kirtland we had transfer meeting.  I am serving in the Talmadge area which covers most of Akron Ohio.  President said he sent you a map so hopefully you can see where I am. My companion is Elder Johnson from Idaho Falls Idaho and I love him.  We have gotten along great and have a lot in common.  He has been out about 7 months and it is his first time training.  His last companion he didnt really like and drove him crazy so he is glad to have me.  When we got to our area we dropped my stuff off and immidietly had an appointment. We cover University of Akron so we go contacting there a lot and my first night we taught the first lesson to a student at Akron which went really well.  I am loving the area so far and am having the time of my life.

 

So I want to tell you some stuff that I probably shouldnt tell you but I want you to know what its like here and I have to make you worry about me a little bit haha so I will probably never tell you again.  So there are some VERY ghetto parts of our area.  I have been in some houses and tracted in some areas you would have never even let me set foot out of the car in haha but it is awesome.  We found a mattress on the sidewalk covered in blood on saturday haha  Someone has only tried to actually rob us once but people ask for money ALL the time.  I have tracted a bunch since I have been here I have probably already trippled what Jeff said he tracted his whole mission.   I am so shocked about how mean people are to us!! I have only been called a few names but Elder Johnson almost got punched by some guy haha not like trying to fight him but he was just a crazy that opened the door and just swung at him haha it was pretty funny.  When we tract we can get like 50 return appointments but NO ONE will keep the appointment or committments.  Its really frusterating to try and find real investigators. Elder Johnson said our appartment is one of the worse ones but I dont think its too bad.  I will mail my memory card back to you but now that I know where Kris and Craig and all those guys are living I am not one to be complaining haha.  Haha I probably shouldnt tell you all of that but I have to make you worry a little bit!! 

 

So the good news is that we have 8 people with baptism dates!  Only like 2 are probably going to be baptized on their date but we will see how the others go.  Oh and an elder Prince came up to me at transfers and he is the one that knows Rachel skalla Parcell. I am curious about that story because when I told him she was married now and his companion was like we know and gave Elder Prrince a hug haha so I laughed about that. 

 

Elder Johnson and I have a car but we bike a lot.  He got a flat tire on saturday so we put his bike on my handlebars and he jumped on my back haha we looked pretty crazy and only had one really bad crash haha but it was fun.  Sunday was a killer.  We cover the Talmadge ward and also the singles branch so We are at church from 7:30  to 4:00 every day with 6 hours of church and 2 ward council meetings I thought I was going to die on sunday haha going to church twice is rough.

 

 

Sorry this e mail is so rambling but I keep remembering things I have to tell you.  I wish I could just have a video camera attached to be you could watch.  I think it would be pretty entertaining I have seen some pretty interesting things and people in a week haha I wish you all could experience it.  Doing the Lords work is truly an amazing thing and I am so blessed to be here and share the gospel with these people no matter how crazy they are sometimes haha.

 

 

Well I am sure I will think of a lot more to tell you but that is all I have for now haha hopefully when things settle down I wont have so many things to tell everyone about and can tell you more about my experiences. I hope everyone is doing well and you are all in my prayers!!  I love and miss you all!!

 

 

Love,

 

Elder Skalla

 

Things I need:   Now you can send food! haha we get fed well but we hate having to go buy stuff!   If you have any extra rolls of quarters send them because we dont have a washer.   I dont need these right away but I need more g's  just a coulpe of the cotton/poly briefs and a couple drilux medium tall crew neck shirts. I think thats it and if you want some nice pencils with a metal clip thing not the plastic kind with .5 led.   (its hard to write in my planner with .7)  and a couple nice pens with a metal clip.   Thank you :) 

Unexpected Letter the night before leaving the MTC!!

Hey,  I had a few minutes while I was doing laundry so I figured i would let you know a little bit about this week.  We are waking up at 3 am tomorrow and are leaving the mtc at 4.  It is so weird that I am actually leaving.  As nuch as I want to go I am kind of sad because this is a once in a lifetime experience and it went by too quick.  This week was crazy.  Friday morning the woke us all up at 6am and made us pack up everything and move up to a different floor.  Maybe for bed bugs but I dont know.  Also me and Elder Randall got to go off campus on Thursday to get  his ingrown toenail taken care of.  It was weird being in the real world!! They made me watch him with his toe it was nasty like when I had to do it in St. George.  Well I need to go finish packing but I got your dear elders and I cant wait to talk to you tomorrow!!  Love you!!

Love Elder Skalla