1 Year shirt burn & New Companion

Sounds like you guys have a busy week this week.  Any luck with the fire ban or anything??  I like your new car!  It looks exactly the same but I like it haha. That stinks about Clayton!!  Poor kid has had a rough time so far haha.  Man never in a million years did I think Clayton and Dillan would go out to lunch on their missions haha weird...  

So I got my new companion!  My new comp is Elder Berryessa from St. George.  Everyone thought I was young when I got called up but this is only his 4th transfer!  They just keep calling them younger and younger.  Its weird cuz this is only his second area and first time being transferred and stuff so he has to deal with that plus all the zone leader stuff haha.  He is an awesome kid though I really like him I think we are gonna do really well together. He just wants to work hard so I like that!

As for the teaching pool it is still scarce.  We are teaching people, they just aren't very solid.  We have like 4 REALLY solid referrals but its people that actually have cars and jobs and lives so its really hard to meet with them.  We did have a couple people to church this week though and like all these less active families came on Sunday so that's good!  I think I already told you about the H family but they are still doing amazing.  Brother H never ceases to amaze me!  He has read the Book Of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants,  Pearl of Great Price and Old Testament in the last like 2 months.  And he is actually understanding everything in them!  Its crazy.  We were over there on Wednesday and he was just like "I am committed now man, my sights are set on Columbus (temple) and I'm not looking back."  Coming from a 2 pack a day smoker, alcoholic, filthy mouthed, stone mason.  Now he is just a stone mason!  Its been sweet to see.  I wanna go to the temple with them SO bad. 

Overall it was a pretty good week.  We have ZDM this week so I have to give more workshops... yay.  Then in the next 4 weeks we have 6 exchanges to go on so its gonna be pretty busy.  Everything is condensed because of this 5 week transfer. 

President Villenga is awesome!  I have only seen him like 3 times but he is good!  He is not like President Sorensen, but I think I am really gonna like him once he kinda gets things figured out.  In mission Council we all kinda felt that he thought we didn't know what we were doing or much about missionary work.  Everything he said it was like ya we know, we already do that haha but he will be amazing once he gets to know us better and the mission better.  It's just weird that President Sorensen isn't here anymore haha. 

Well I hope you have fun in all your camping this week!  I love and miss you!!

Elder Skalla

One YEAR!!!!

Hi!!! 

 

Glad you had a fun in Utah for the 4th!  Mine was pretty lame. haha We just went to Cleveland for our meeting and that's pretty much it, haha Nothing special for the 4th.  It was a good meeting though! 

I am so happy for Jenni and Greg!!  I wanted a boy but I will always want a boy no matter who is having the baby haha.  That is exciting though!  Watching that made me sad I missed it though!  You aren't supposed to distract me!!  hahaha

This week was pretty quiet.  We have so many potentials its crazy but we cant meet with them and its driving me nuts.  Hopefully the area takes off here soon.  I am staying in Youngstown!  Elder Anderson is getting transferred and I am pretty sure I am training a new zone leader but I am not sure.  They are blowing my whole zone up though.  No one has ever seen this much happen in one transfer to a zone.  We have 8 missionaries being transferred and were getting another set of sisters (lovely)  in the zone as well as 2 greenies.  I have all brand new DLs too so its gonna be kinda crazy for a while with all the change.  I am excited though.  

I got to go to a giant Greek Orthodox festival this week haha.  That was different. There is a member whose husband goes there and I guess volunteers the missionaries to help out with their summer fest each year.  It was fun we just helped clean  up and mostly just talked to people.  They thought it was pretty funny to have the Mormons there though haha.  Not much else to tell you about though. Hopefully I will have some investigators to tell you about soon though! 

I did get your package!  Thank you haha I have never heard of that before.  I seriously cant believe it has been a year either...  I try not to think about it though haha.  Sorry I don't have much to tell you this week.  I feel like I have just got progressively worse at telling you what happens haha Its just so normal to me now haha I never know what to tell you.   We are going bowling today with Elder Barlow since he is going home tomorrow.  Its so weird to see missionaries go home. Especially when you have served around them your whole mission. 

Well I hope you have a good week and I will try to be better at writing next week.  I love and miss you!!

 

Elder Skalla

New Mission President & Baptism

Hi!!

 

This week was a little better!  Still struggling to find people to teach.  We have like 7 really solid potentials but they all have jobs and cars and family and stuff so its hard to find time to meet with us... it sucks haha. 

Saturday we had mission tour in Akron!  It was fun to drive back through Tallmadge and stuff.  It was stressful getting everyone ready.  The AP's had us all like line up and stuff and sit in order so we had to figure that out before President got there.  We were the first ones to meet him since we're the zone leaders.  I was so nervous cuz I still wasnt sure about the whole thing, but the moment I shook his hand and looked into his eyes I knew he was supposed to be here and cared about me.  It was pretty cool.  Then I met Sister Villenga and their daughter Kristen.  Sister Villenga held my had for like 5 mins talking to me and was like "Oh my goodness you are georgous! Isn't he georgous Kristen?  I just love looking in your eyes."   Pretty much the most embarrassing/awkward moment of my life.  I am sure I was like turning purple haha!  I didn't know what to say. They were all so nice though.  They are definitely not the Sorensens though...  The meeting went very different, it was kinda funny.  They were all just like greenies, wide eyed and not sure what was going on, haha it was fun to see.  They seem a lot more laxed too but I don't know, I still dont know him yet.  We will see in mission council on wWednesday. 

So I kinda forgot to tell you I kinda had a baptism on Saturday too.  There is this 15 year old kid Brandon whose dad is in our ward and he decided he wanted to get baptized, but he lives with his non member mom in the New Castle branch and splits his time.  So we taught him half the lessons and the New Castle Elders taught him half.  His dad has some back problems so I actually was in the water with them to help lift Brandon out of the water--haha it was interesting.  The first time his knee came up so we had to do it again.  I told Brother L that so then he just like throws him under again while I was talking to Elder Barlow hahahaha I guess he didnt know he had to say the prayer again haha but the third time we got it haha it was funny.  Thats about the only 2 exciting things that happened with me this week haha.

I like that idea with the new curriculum!  I think it will help actually convert people.  Most members have a testimony, but few are truly converted.  I think thats an awesome idea for the youth.  Well I gotta get going but I hope you guys have an awesome 4th of July!  I wish I could be there!  I love and miss you!!!

 

Elder Skalla

High's and Lows

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

Great week...

Dang that bike ride looks sweet!!  Sounds like it was pretty boring.  I am glad Ryan had fun at EFY though.  I am excited to hear about it.  Mission tour was way good.  We watched a talk Elder Holland gave in the MTC that was way good.  I don't know what it is called but every missionary should watch it before they leave I think.   Then President gave us some last words of wisdom ans Sister Sorensen spoke too and cried a lot haha.  It was really good but still doesn't feel like they are gonna be gone.  Like you just expect to see them at the next meeting haha.  We sang lead Kindly light to them and gave them a Book of Mormon with all of our favorite scriptures highlighted with our names next to them.  I got to present it to him so that was pretty cool. 

Went on exchanges with Elder Dowley this week.  He  is doing so well.  I don't know how he does it but it's amazing.  We had some really good talks.  Not much else exciting this week.  Andrea is doing ok.  It's gonna be a little bit slower process for her.  She is pretty overwhelmed.  She has done a 180 with her life so quickly and the fact that she is still barely 21 and still has friends that pull her different directions is getting to her.  She is one of the most sincere people ever and wants the gospel in her life so bad but she is stepping into it at a crazy time and doesn't really know how yet.  She wants it but she still wants to go have fun with her friends and stuff so there are a couple issues with the word of wisdom.  She will be fine though.  It's just a huge change.  We are gonna try to take her to Kirtland on Saturday.  We have been teaching a focus family a lot and they have been doing amazing the last month.  The mom and 3 kids got baptized last July and the dad has been a member for a while.  He didn't really want anything to do with the church but supported his family in getting baptized.  They were all pretty inactive till a little over a month ago.  We committed them to read the Book of Mormon and pray as a family every day and its like changing their lives.  They have read every day since we asked and have been to church every week. The dad is totally on board and once they started to read as a family he loved it and wanted to read on his own.  He told us at church he read all of Alma in 2 days and cant put it down.  He hasn't drank and is down from 2 packs of cigs a day to 4 a day.  It's like exactly what President Packer says in PMG.  The study of the doctrine will change behavior quicker than the study of behavior will change behavior.   If you read the scriptures you will be filled with a desire to follow Christ therefore you stop breaking the commandments and your behavior changes naturally.  That's the power of it!  I love it. 

Well that's pretty much it for this week!!  I hope you have a great week and don't get too hot.  Its been way nice here.   We don't ever ride bikes cuz Elder Anderson hates to.  I kinda wish we did cuz I love it but its all good. That is a bummer about Clayton! poor kid...  I haven't e mailed Dillan I don't know his address.  I could probably guess it but I always forget.  Tell Craig I said hi and that I'm prayin for him to get back out here!  I love and miss you!!

Elder Skalla

Doing Great!

Dang you did have a crazy week!!!  That hail is crazy!  And the kitchen looks soooo different!!  I like it though its all like fancy now haha.  I am glad Ryan got off to EFY.  I wanna go back!  My friend Stephanie is gonna be a councelor at USU for EFY.  I am jealous...  I think I wanna do that when I get back but who knows.   I got your gift card!  Thank you SO much!!!  I got a package slip and I am gonna go pick it up today so I assume that is my garments.   We did have fun with the zone!! We just had lunch and cake and played basketball and stuff!  While we were playing basketball though I went up to the hoop and both my calves cramped up soooooo bad!  I have only had like 1 cramp my whole life and I got 2 at the same time.  I couldnt get up and you could see my muscles in my calves like moving all around it was so nasty and hurt so bad.  I guess that is what happens when you dont do anything all week and then go play ball.  We had a good time though. 

It was a pretty good week!  Very normal so thats good.  I went on exchanges with Elder Johnson so that was fun.   We are in serious finding mode now though.  Our only investigator is A.  That family is going through so much.  T was supposed to speak in church yesterday but ended up having to go to the ER sunday morning.  She was so mad.  She has been way stressed the last couple weeks and none of them can stay healthy.  They are doing well still.  We are having dinner with them tonight.  

I did hear Andie met sister Hansen haha she called me after and like freaked out telling me.  I was a little confused but then I figured she went on Heritage tours.  Someone shoulda told me and I coulda had the sisters give her something from me!  Sister Hansen was pretty excited though and said Andie is a "cutie".

Not much else happened this week, just the norm.   Tomorrow we are goin to Canton for presidents mission tour.  Last time we get to see him before he goes home.  Its so weird but I am pretty excited to get a new mission president.  I am sure we will all love him just as much as president Sorensen.  

Well I love and miss you all!!!  Thanks for all your love and support!!

Love, Elder Skalla

Happy 20th Birthday!!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!!  I got your package and some post cards and stuff thank you!  

This week was so good!  We didn't get a whole lot done here but it was way good.  Thursday we drove up to Kirtland for leadership training with all the district leaders and zone leaders.  We had the first part of the meeting in the Joseph Smith home right next to the temple that the church just bought a month ago.  President said it was the first church meeting held there since the saints left Kirtland.  We talked about the sections in D&C that were revealed there and went over section 102.  It talks about disiplinary councils... Not sure why we went over that but it was very interesting haha.  After lunch we all went to this river in the middle of a forest.  We brought tables and chairs and everything and had the rest of the meeting in the forest. haha It was a little weird at first but ended up being way cool.  We went down to the river and president told us about how Sidney Rigdon taught about baptism in the very spot we were standing and invited people to be baptized right there.  It was sweet.  Then we sang Joseph Smiths first prayer and had a workshop on the restoration.  It was sweet.  Kinda felt like we were in the sacred grove.  
After the meeting all the zone leaders had planned to spend the night at the mission home so we could have mission council the next day.  Elder Anderson and I went in a triple up with one of the APs and worked in Cleveland that night.  We had to meet some people at the mission home and we got there a few mins early, like 8:45 pm so we decided to go talk to people at the RTA train station across the street.  It was like the best contacting experience ever.  We just split up and I went to talk to this guy Tony sitting in his truck.  I ended up teaching him for like 45 mins and he is meeting with the missionaries there this week.  It was amazing.  
Friday morning we got up and went to the church played some basketball, Sister Sorensen made us breakfast and we were planning on going to the meeting.  Then president was just like I want to go on a bike ride who wants to go?  No one really knew what do do cuz the meeting started in like an hour and none of us had gotten ready yet. We thought he was testing us cuz we were supposed to be studying haha  But he ended up saying forget about starting the meeting and we went on a bike ride with president instead haha.  It was way fun.  I think he is getting a little trunky, haha he would have never done that before.  

My birthday was good.  Just a normal day working haha.  Sister Freeman made us dinner and a cake for me and sang me happy birthday and decorated her door haha it was nice of her.   Today we are having a zone birthday party at the church so that should be fun.  The kitchen looks great by the way and I loved seeing the pictures of Jennis baby!!  

Love and miss you!!!

Elder Skalla