Week 8-First Baptism

Hey!!

Well first off we did have the baptism yesterday!!  It went really well and Ben was really excited.  Even though he is only 9, it was still cool to have my first baptism!

Thank you so much for the package and also what you told Sister Swingle to make for dinner :)  That made me really happy and it was sooo good!  I also loved the note you put in my baptism pants, that just made everything even better.  I am glad I found it before I got in the water though haha. 

Nothing else too exciting has happened this week.  On Wednesday we went to the hospital to give someone a blessing and we had to like wear surgical gear.   They made us put on gowns and masks and gloves before we could go in so it was interesting giving a blessing in all of that stuff haha.  Things are going well with our investigators though!  Alex is doing well and we are teaching a couple new people.  

I did find a Qdoba though!!!  We found it at ZDM in Canton so next time we have to go to Canton we are eating there.  haha I am excited!  

I am able to get your pictures. haha Sorry I never say anything about them but I enjoy them so keep sending them! 

Thats funny about President Maynes coming to the house though!  If President Sorensen came to our house I know I would be a little worried!  haha But I know they had everything cleaned up and stuff he wouldn't come without letting them know.  President Sorensen has never come to our place to study with us but when we were helping move the sisters a while back he sat down with us and helped us prepare a lesson which was awesome.  I am pretty sure he is like the most inspired man I have ever met next to the prophet haha. 

Its starting to cool down here a lot.  Everyone says Ohio is amazing in the fall because of all the trees.  Its like a jungle here to me so I am excited to see all the leaves start to change. 

I am sorry I dont have much to write this week,  I just cant think of anything that happened!  The days just jumble together but were doin good work every day.  I need to start writing things down throughout the week that I want to tell you then I will have more too write.  Everything just isn't all new to me anymore so things that I thought were so crazy and exciting are just normal now haha so I forget!  I promise I will get better!  I hope everything is going well and I can't wait to get your letter this week!   I love and miss you all! 

Love,

Elder Skalla

Week 7-Akron

HI!

So this week has been really good with the exception of the rain all the time.  These storms last for forever its annoying haha.   The work is really starting to get going here.  The ward mission process was not working well when I got here and nothing was happening so we are working with the bishop and ward mission leader with it for like a month now and we are finally starting to see it work.  We are teaching a ton of less active members and we have already had 3 big families come back to church since I got here.  I almost love seeing less active members come back as I do investigators.  There are part member families we have worked with too and there is so much potential!  I cant believe no one has even invited these people back to church or to take the missionary lessons until now but we are teaching them so that's good!   It's amazing what can happen when the ward actually applies the ward mission process!  We randomly stopped by a less actives house this week and we went in and they shared their conversion story and committed themselves to read the Book of Mormon as a family and come back to church!  We didn't even say 2 words and we got that far!  Sometimes that is all it takes! haha

This Sunday I am baptizing a kid we have been teaching for a while named ____.  He is 9 and his mom and grandma are members and he wants to get baptized so I am excited for that. 

We have had a couple tough teaching situations where I am not going to lie I didn't feel I had the knowledge to teach.  Wednesday we taught a guy named _____who ran into some senior missionaries at the Target he is the manager of and told them he had been studying the Book of Mormon and wanted to talk with someone about it.  He went to Bible college and has studied a lot of the Book of Mormon and is VERY intelligent in the bible and religion in general.  The teaching materials we have are way too light for him and he showed us all these books he has read about the LDS church.  None anti but some very in depth book.  We pretty much spent the whole time answering questions which were quite difficult but I felt like the spirit was there and we did a great job answering them.  We have another meeting tomorrow with him so I am excited to see how it goes.  We also had to teach institute on Thursday.  We had to teach Genesis 1-3...  Without really a teaching outline or anything haha it was hard.  It got too deep too fast but we did our best to bring it back in but it is hard to teach that to 30 college kids haha it was interesting but I think we did ok. 

I loved what you said about the weapons thing.  I definitely think there are some weapons we can all put down, especially as missionaries haha.

Zoned out yesterday at the Johnson farm was fun!  We got to take like a mini tour and play games and football and stuff.  It was pouring rain the whole time too so we kind of made a mess out of the pretty rolling grass hills dad was talking about in his e mail haha. 

The primary program was this week in our ward too haha it was way good.  I love the primary program.  (especially because 2 of our investigators were in it hahahaha)

To answer your questions Elder Johnson is the only one that drives the car.  So its weird I haven't driven in over 2 months haha. I think I am going to wait a while to buy a blanket.  I found a good one in our apartment I may use for a while until it really starts to get cold.

Well that's all I can think of for me but thanks for all the updates on Ryan and the tennis team and stuff I enjoy reading about it!  I hope everyone has an awesome week!  I know I will, I have big plans for this area in the near future!   

Love Elder Skalla

PS.   All these women in church keep coming up to me and telling me about sister Garrison and stuff haha I really wish I could have met her.  (Sis. Garrison is "Becky George" from our Omaha days. She used to babysit Brad as a little guy!  He doesn't remember her, but the girls do and she remembers him.  She is now the mother of 3!)

Elder Skalla at the Johnson Farm.  Brad is a direct descendant

 of Joel Hills Johnson.  This is the home where Joseph Smith was taken from and tarred and feathered.  The Murdock baby that they adopted passed away in this home.  

Elder Skalla, President Sorenson and Elder Johnson

Week 6-Akron

HI!!

I am glad everyone is doing okay and Jenni and Greg are doing well!  I am impressed you went 35 miles!! (On our bike ride) So transfers are tomorrow so that is why p day is Tuesday.  My comp and I are staying but Elder ___from our district is leaving and Elder ____who has been out one more transfer than me is going to train.  So we will get a new missionary tomorrow so I wont have to be the new guy in the district anymore haha.

This week was ok.  We were supposed to have a baptism on Thursday but some things came up and we are going to have to move it but it's ok, Alex is an awesome guy and will be baptized.  We had some serious transportation problems this week haha.  We caught caught in downtown Akron on our bikes and it was pouring like no other.  It is like a 30 minute ride home so we were drenched. After everything was soaked you kinda just forgot about it and had some fun haha.  I just took my tie off so it wouldnt get ruined since it was silk and we rode home.  Of course right when we got home though the down pour stopped haha.   Also we were driving and I was typing something in the GPS and Elder Johnson got pulled over and got a ticket and I have to pay half which is like 87 bucks so that is dumb but rules are rules.   He also popped his 3rd bike tire this transfer haha I dont know why but they keep popping and he keeps having to get new tubes and tires.  Other than those things it has been a pretty normal week.  No really new investigators but we have a couple of people we have  talked to that have a lot of potential.

So there is an Elder Johnson that just got home from the Denver south mission and he is in my ward here.  We had dinner at their house last night and it was so weird to talk to him about home and how he knew Elder Rassmussen and Elder Tonga and stuff.  He was mostly in the mountains but he spent some time in the Columbine stake.  I think I remember you saying you took our Elders to transfers so you probably saw Elder Johnson there.

So in Tallmadge they have the Tallmadge circle which is a ridiculously huge round about that is a pain in the butt for traffic but on Sunday for 9/11 they line the whole circle with candles.  One for each person that died.   The white ones are for civilians, red firemen, blue police and green service men.  It was way cool although I dont think you can see much in the pictures. Sorry.  The other one is just a cool sunrise when we were out playing football.  I know I look dead haha its 6:30 am.  The weather has been making me so mad this week.  Like every day it is 69 degrees and we have to wear jackets if its under 70 so I have been soooo hot running around in a jacket.  And then the one on my bike I am soaked.  You cant really tell but I am drenched haha.

I am not sure when I am e mailing next week because Monday is Zoned out where 3 zones get together at the Johnson farm and play football and stuff.  I am way excited to go to the Johnson farm. 

I hope everyone is doing well and you all have a good week!

Love
Elder Skalla

This is the round about area he talks about.  

These are taken when driving by while in Canton for exchanges.  I hope he gets to go there one day!

 Beautiful Sunrise!  Randy and I were wondering if Brad had ever seen the sun rise before his mission! He likes to sleep in!  

Soaking wet rain!

Hi dad!

Sounds like stake conference was way good.  I cant believe President Walker knows where all of us are.  Sounds like you had a good bike ride too!   Do it in a suit and I may be impressed hahaha. just kidding.  PLEASE keep the sports updates coming!!  I need those! haha Stupid Federer though.  He blew it.  We were in Dicks last week buying Elder Johnson socks and sportscenter was on and Nadal was like in a press conference but he was like screaming in the chair and almost fell off.   I think they said he was cramping or something.  haha I thought that was kind of weird.  But please keep giving me updates, haha I like to know.  Its hard not watching sports!   We have a guy in our ward that he gets a pizza and watches monday night football every week and hasn't missed a monday game since they started them and he invited us over yesterday and I knew the Broncos were playing haha its hard to say no to that!! hahaha but its ok I will survive. 

Love

Elder Skalla

Words of Wisdom...

I am including this on the blog because I am so grateful for his maturity, insight and the spiritual growth we see in Brad.  I couldn't be more proud of him and his words are a great source of comfort for me and Jenn.
This is the letter I wrote Brad on Sept. 5th

Dear Brad,
This is a hard letter to write.  In the early morning hours today Jenn lost her baby.  She and Greg are heartbroken as are all of us.  I was able to catch an early flight to Boise to be here with her.  Miscarriage is not uncommon and physically she is going to be fine.  Emotionally it will take some time.  I know how excited you were, believe me.  I was beyond excited!  She was just starting her 12th week and thought she was past the worry, but things happen.  She said looking back, she thinks she kind of knew.  It didn't feel like she thought it would.  Moms usually know and she was the mom this time.  I am very proud of her.

Keep her and Greg in your prayers.  I am sure they will try again soon.  I am so sorry you have to read this in an email.  I will hug her for you and know you are where you are supposed to be.    We are so proud of you.  I might not get a letter mailed as soon as I would have, but know you are loved.  I will make up for it :)

Times like this help to remember the atonement is for all kinds of heartache.  He knows our pains and is aware of each of us individually.  I know that for sure.

Love you tons,

Mom

This is the response we got from Brad today.

Mom and Jenni,

 

I was so sad when I had to read this e mail. I dont really know what to say except that you are in my prayers.  If there is one thing I have learned on my mission it is that the Lord has his hand in everything in our lives.  It is hard to remember but he sees the end from the beginning and knows what is best for us.  Christ has suffered for all of our pains and afflictions and knows exactly how you are feeling. I was reading in 2 corinthians chapter 12:9-10 this morning and it was paul talking about how in his weakest moments he is strong.  Remember that these trials of our faith in our lives are a small moment and in these moments is when we need to be strong and trust in Hevanly father and Jesus Christ the most. He is mindful of you and knows you will both make an amazing mom and Grandma one day when the time is right. I love you all so much and you and Greg will be in my prayers.

 

Love

 

         Elder Skalla

Doing great-Week 5 Akron

Hi! 

 

I am sorry I didn't get to answer your questions! I didn't get your letter until tuesday so I had to wait to answer you although I did just mail your little check list back.  So to answer your questions the weather has been awesome until this week.  It was SO hot and humid in the middle of the week like wednesday was 95.  The only time I have ever been bothered by the humidity. We went outside for workout an even at 6:30 it was so hot and the air was so thick.  The last 2 days have been in the mid 60's and cloudy so it feels way nice!  I have to wear my suit coat today since it is under 70 so that stinks I am usually in short sleeves with the exception of when we go to meetings.  But we do have like a swamp cooler type thing so that is nice.   My bike is a Trek but I don't know what kind.  I like it its pretty nice!  I do wear that strap though haha we look so dumb on our bikes but oh well haha.  I am at the library when I e mail but we just get guest passes.   We get fed really well!  Most nights we have a dinner so that is awesome.  I have tried lots of new things though! haha   As for the people we teach there is a mix.  A lot black and a lot white.  We are teaching a black girl named Fayetta in about an hour who came up to us at Akron one day and asked if we could help her not go to hell and if we did baptisms haha she is cool she works at Mcdonalds but she has no car so its hard to get her to church.  

 

This week was pretty good! It felt long for some reason but on tuesday we had mission conference with Elder Marcus Nash and it was sooooooo good.  Definitely one of the times I have most felt the spirit here.  On wednesday we talked with this lady named Deborah in the park and it was probably the best restoration lesson we have taught and she kept saying we were glowing like angels hahaha  it was cool but I am so mad because she doesn't live in our area so we had to hand her off and it stinks because I found her and started talking and teaching her by my self when Elder Johnson was on the phone.  I wanted to keep her! 

 

Not much else exciting happened this week.  Just a lot of teaching and stuff!  Yesterday we had a zone P-day and played football.  It was so fun.  Elder Johnson and I play catch and stuff every morning so I am getting surprisingly good at football haha so we tore it up when we played haha it was way fun but we are both so sore today.  It was pretty much tackle football and I have a couple bruises and a cut but it was way worth it!  Its nice to get exercise and have fun every once in a while!  

 

Well we have to go teach a lesson so I am sorry I didn't get to say much but I am still doing great!  I love and miss you all!  Thank you for your prayers and support! 

 

Love

 

Elder Skalla

Elder Uncle Brad

Hi!!

I cant believe I am going to be an uncle!!  Jenni is having a baby I am on a mission-when did we all grow up?!?!  I am so excited for them though and I cant wait to see pictures and to meet it!  I did get a lot of packages this week haha I loved it!!  I got yours first though so I kinda had  to assume Jenni was having a baby from your note haha but I was still excited!  (I sent mine 3 days after Jenn did!!  Not sure how that happened!!)  I am glad Ryans surgery went well!  I hope he can recover quick and get back to tennis!

I am soooooooo jealous of the missionaries. They are probably moving in as I type this.  Tell them they have it made down there compared to the rest of us hahaha.  I want to live in our basement. Are they not gonna have a sink or microwave or anything down there though?  And do they have to go through the back.  I am jealous they have Ryan there too.  He is like perfect he is 16 and can drive so he can go teaching with them and they can have like a ton of LMP's.  So tell Ryan to go with them a lot to practice teaching and help their numbers haha.

This week has been a lot better.  We have had to drop a couple more people that wont keep committments but the investigators we have all have pretty solid baptism dates and are progressing.  The less active focus families have been going pretty well too.  We are getting a few to come back to church so that is good!  I wish we had more member involvement.  Member work is sooooo important.  There are people that wont give us the time of day if we knock on their door but if one of their member friends talks to them about the church and invites them to take the discussions there is a MUCH higher chance of them accepting.  So invite your friends!! hahahaha

On wednesday Elder Johnson had to go to Cleveland for leadership training since he is a district leader so Elder (Blank)  came to Tallmadge for the day.  He got in an accident and cant drive and refused to ride bikes so I planned as good of a day as I could walking.  I thought it would be good because he is on his second to last transfer so I figured we could contact a lot and find some people to teach but I was way wrong.  For a guy that has been out almost 23 months I wasnt impressed.  He was lazy and didnt want to go anywhere and when I made him he would not talk to anyone.  He just stood there while I did everything.  It was pathetic so I got really frusterated with him. haha so I dont think he likes me very much but he needs to not be so lazy and go out and talk to people!  But it was good for me to plan out a whole day and take the lead.  But I was really happy to be back with Elder Johnson that night.

I dont know if I have told you about our insane neighbor but I had my first run in with him on that exchange.  The cops have been called on him multiple times because he accuses us of playing basketball on his wall and he like pounds on the wall and comes out and pounds on the window and the door but that was before I got here.  So as we were leaving and i was locking the door he walked by and I said hi hows it goin and he like came right up to me and got in my face and said good hows banging on my wall going and i just said ya know I have only been here 3 weeks but since I have lived here we havent even touched your wall and he said some other stuff but I seriously thought he was gonna like try to punch me or something right there hahah it was pretty funny.  If we have to call the cops on him again president said he would move us.

On saturday night we went on exchanges with the zone leaders so I spent the night and sunday in Canton.  It was pretty good and it was nice to see what things were like in a different area.  But I am VERY blessed to have the companion I do haha I am scared for when one of us gets transferred but I will survive! haha  Not much else exciting has happened this week.  Mission conference is tomorrow and Elder Nash is coming to speak so I am excited for that.  It is in our building and we have heard Sister Sorensen and Sister Nash are coming to inspect our apartment so we have to clean a lot today haha  its not messy but still it needs to be cleaner haha.

There are no greatclips in my area the one that was here closed down like 2 months ago so next time Ryan or dad get a haircut will you get some gel and send it to me?   Thanks!!   Also tell Ali to e mail me I never hear from her haha

I cant wait to get your letters this week and to keep hearing about the baby!  I love and miss you all!

Love

Elder Skalla

Here is Brad's letter to Jenn.

CONGRATS JENNI!!!  I am so excited for this!!  I cant wait to see pictures and hear all about it!  I cant believe it will be like over a year old when I see it!! But I am way excited for you and greg.  I got your package haha except I got moms package the day before yours and she said love grandma Julie in it so I kinda just guessed that you were having a kid haha Thats good you guys got a calling and that you should be able to keep your job!  I cant believe you are  having a kid and I am on a mission!  When did we grow up?!?!  Anyway I am doing great and I am so excited for you!! 

 

Love

 

Elder Skalla

Week 3-Akron

Hi!! 

 

What is with all of them health problems?!  Thats crazy Jenni & Ryan were in the hospital! (Mom note:  nothing serious, Jenn had inflammation in her rib/lung area and it hurt to breath hard & Ryan is having surgery to remove a hernia tomorrow)  I will keep them both in my prayers!  You don't need to send me a new camera!!  It still works I just have to tape the bottom closed so it is fine.  I like getting a letter in the mail from you because it gives me time to write down everything I need to tell you and say back so I don't have to think about it at the library.   Also, I haven't gotten another shirt yet but I will keep looking and Ill find something to do with the one with no pocket. 

 

 

This week was rough numbers wise  a lot of flamed appointments and investigators we had to drop because they haven't done anything we have asked them to and have been through all the lessons.  Also Alex changed his baptism date so we didn't have it this week.  He said he wanted it the 18th or something because that was a bad day for him and he wanted something good to happen on that day or something I don't know but it is his journey so I guess he gets to choose the day haha. 

 

Last night we took Alex up to Kirtland for a fireside.  It was way good and he really enjoyed it.  A recent convert about his age (20)  got up and shared her testimony and stuff and he thought she was so good he started clapping after her talk haha it was funny but I guess he really liked it. I cant believe I have been to Kirtland twice now and never really had a full tour of everything.  The first time we just went to the temple and the Whitney store. 

 

Not too much exciting has happened with people we are teaching though.  It has been rough because we got kicked off Akron universities campus the other day because I guess we cant teach lessons there and that was where we did our best work.  It was weird seeing all the kids moving in to dorms and getting ready to go to college haha I may have been a little jealous.  But we worked something out with the university where we can set a table up there and talk to people but I don't know how well that will work out yet.  

 

On Tuesday we went to Canton for our zone meeting which was way good.  I saw Elder Kay there and that same night his bag got stolen him and his companion were saying their prayer before bed asking for help finding his stuff and during their prayer the phone rang and it was the Cleveland police and they found his backpack in a house from a random drug bust they had that night.  Everything was there except $60 and his quad and preach my gospel haha.   On the way back we drove right past the NFL hall of fame.  I wanted to go SO bad haha it looked so cool. 

 

Going to Canton and Cleveland all in one month has killed our miles so we have been riding our bikes a lot.  Elder Johnson got another flat this week and shredded his whole tire.  But now that I have ridden my bike more I can really tell a difference between dads with full suspension and mine.  But its still a nice bike so its all good.  There are some beautiful places to ride here you guys would love.  Just tons of huge trees and everything is so green.  Its pretty fun. 

 

We have 2 kids we have been teaching that are supposed to get baptized this Sunday but I am not sure if that will happen because they have to go to church one more time so my first baptism may not be till next month.

 

Elder Johnson are still getting along great and have become pretty good friends.  I am really glad I have him as a companion.  I don't think there is anything I need unless you have another box of donuts with a roll of quarters in them haha those go by fast in the laundry machines.  I love and miss you all and you are all in my prayers!! 

 

 

Love

 

Elder Skalla