September 15 Letter

  Well, I got your email and your package. I appreciate it. The pants fit good and I loved the ties.  As for Charles, he didn't get baptized because we felt he wasn't ready, so we moved it back a couple weeks.  He was fine with it so I don't worry about him too much.
 This last week was crazy because we had transfers and I got Elder Turner from Colorado Springs, Colorado.  He is alright, he can use some tuneups, but that's probably why I'm serving with him, to build him up.  But he is a hard worker and knows the scriptures very well.  I was kinda hoping Pres would give me a companion I could straighten out. I want to train soon so maybe this will help.
 But ya, that's cool you did do the studying.  I love that chapter and it gives you a different perspective of "come unto me" doesn't it.  I was reading in pmg (Preach My Gospel) the other day and studying temples. In ch3 under the 5th lesson it talks about temples and family history work. It says the Lord commands His people to build temples and to build the kingdom.  It's amazing how one thing leads to the other.  If we go to the temple then we will be blessed and building the kingdom will come easier.  I just wish more members would get the picture of the important calling we have not as missionaries, but as members.  If we all truly understood, we would be finding people for the missionaries to teach, because we would understand what the Lord has done for us. So we would want to share it with others.  Members of the Church often times need more trials to get them on their knees.  It just goes to show you how merciful the Lord truly is.
  Well anywase, I better get going. Tell Chris and Kristin that I'm looking to get their package today.  Would you mind sending me one of the cameras from home? I want a camera that has sound on the audio, mine doesn't and I like making videos, you know how it is. But, anywase, that's not important. Talk to ya next week, and tell Grandma Smith I love her and wish her the best.
Loves, by

September 8 Letter

(For those of you who have been following along with us this last year, the first part of Skyler's letter this time is in reference to the sad news we received last week concerning the potential adoption of the three children Steph and Jay were hoping for. It seems that this is not to be. Certain facts have come to light that has now made it impossible for these particular children to be placed in their home. Steph and Jay have not given up on the idea of adoption and we are all hoping for a much better outcome next time.)

     Well, I got your email, and man do we have trials in our family.  I figured God wouldn't make it too easy on us.  We've got to keep our testimonies strong, and the way to do it is through trials.  Well shoot!
  Well, enough with the bad news, time for some good news.  We have a potential baptism this Thursday, it's a guy named Charles. He has been an investigator for a while and has come to church a couple times. Those 2 people I told you about last week are doing good, so we have a potential of like 3 baptisms in the following weeks to come. SWEET!  The Lord is just blessing us right now. It's awesome!  When I got here, this area was a "dead" area.  Then I came in and now we've got baptisms.  The first ones since February. So we're getting the Ward out of a drought.  Any wase, it just shows how hard work pays off.
  Well, I got Grandma's package. Tell her I says thank you and I love the suspenders, ha ha!  I plan on writing her a letter today and possibly Grandma Smith as well.  I'm getting a new comp on Friday, it's transfers again. I just can't believe it! Where does the time go?  Oh ya, my new companion will be Elder Turner.
  Well, after what you told me in your email I was thinking about something that I had learned a few weeks ago.  It's called Celestial math.  So, I was studying Ether, chapter 4 and in 2 verses (like 13 and 14), somewhere over there Christ says "Come unto me", then in the next verse he says "Come unto me", again.  The Lord doesn't usually repeat Himself. So think about that "come unto me".  Those 3 words are pretty deep aren't they.  So going back to this Celestial math and "come unto me".  What it is, is we have Telestial math, that's 1+1=0.  So, like maybe you swear, but you go to church, so you're doing something bad and good at the same time. So it cancels out.  Then, we have Terrestrial math, that's 1+1=2. That's where you stop swearing and you still go to church, but you still hang out with the same friends, so you haven't taken yourself out of the situation.  Ok then, we have Celestial math, and that's 1+1=8.  What happens if you turn the 8 sideways? It then becomes infinity.  So what this means is, (1) we stop doing something the Lord wants us to stop doing, and (1) start doing something the Lord wants us to start doing, and this principle then becomes =8, eternal or never ending.  Interesting, isn't it.  You probably never thought of coming unto Christ like that before, have you?  So, in reality, those 3 words are very deep.  So go read that chapter and those verses(it might be others, but it's somewhere in there) and tell me what you think.  One other thing it says in those verses is "Come unto me and I will show unto you the greater things which are hid up because of unbelief.".  What are the greater things? Where do we go to learn the greater things?  So study that and tell me what you think. Remember what you tell me will be used to help strengthen the members here. So any stories you could tell or anything else, that would be nice.
  Well, I will be looking for your package. Tell everybody I said "Hi", oh, and I plan on printing some pics and getting some other stuff.  The one thing I wanted to get was a t-shirt from one of the high schools here, and the name of the high school is "Kickapoo High School", and on the back it says "Fear the Poo".  They are hilarious, and it's tradition for the missionaries serving in the area to get one (just so you know).  Well, I think I'm done for the day. So anywase, talk to you later. by

September 2 Letter

   Well, we had an awesome week this last week.  We taught more lessons this last week than the missionaries ever taught before Elder Jeppesen and I.  It was in the hole when we got here.  This last week we had an awesome finding experience. I will just tell you about it.  So, we were walking by some apartments and there was an old guy and a lady named Brenda.  We had talked to Brenda before so we weren't going to go talk to her, but the Spirit said other wise.  We kinda walked past and at the same time turned around and went and talked to them.  The cool part was he (the old guy) had just saw us walk by and told Brenda(who is his wife) "I wish those 2 young men would come talk to us.", and then we came.  Long story short, we came back on Sunday and taught about the restoration and then we watched the restoration with him.  He said, and we could tell, that he was overcome with the Spirit.  He told us that he has cancer in his kidney and gallbladder and like 5 other organs and the doctors told him he would have 45 days to live and he has now lived for 2 years. Over the 2 years he has been prepared to recieve the gospel.  We actually ended up setting a baptismal date with him that night.  It was an awesome experience.  Elder Jeppesen and I had been praying to find the elect, and what happens?  The Lord provides every time. It's amazing!
 We had that on Sunday and the combined 3rd hour. The bishop here is really awesome and very mission minded.  So the theme on Sunday was missionary work and getting member referels to the missionaries.  It was one of those things where I didn't know what I was going to say. So I just said what the spirit wanted me to say.  But, basically what I told them was the vision I had for Springfield, and that was a temple.  I asked them where they saw the church here in 10 years, and now I think they understand.  You see, it's not about the baptism, it's about returning to live with God.  We as members don't get that.  We are the only ones to offer that because the church has the authority to do so.  So, I ask you this question, what's your vision of Burley?  Hopefully it's a temple.  You see the 2 commandments that Christ gave us are still in effect today, (1) love God, and (2) love thy neighbor.  If we love God, go to the temple, if we love our neighbor, let's share with them the true and everlasting gospel.  Mom, you and Dad have strong testimonies for a variety of reasons, and you know them.  But in order for our testimonies to grow we have to share them and I think Pres. Monson said that, I'm not sure.  But, any wase, enough with that.
  You asked the question about Nick. (*Note:I asked him if he had any experiences when he could tell that Nick was with him.) Well, I have noticed a helping hand.  One time we were out on the road talking to these guys working on the manhole cover. So their truck was parked on half the road, so cars would go driving by cautiously around the truck.  Well, after we were done talking, and I was going to go to the apartment (because it was right across the street)I didn't think to look for cars, and I just started walking when something just pulled me back and no sooner a car came flying by around the truck. So I'm pretty sure he was there.
 About Steph and the kids. Don't worry, their where they need to be.  Those kids definitely need to be where they are.  If it's hard to get used to them just think back in the last 10 years and when has it been easy for us.  The best thing Steph and Jay need right now is some good old Silcock support and how about a priesthood blessing.  I didn't tell you this, but when Steph told me they had found those kids and were hoping to adopt them, and they hadn't told anybody but me, I knew when Steph told me about them that they were the ones.  I had a spiritual confirmation right there on the spot!  If it's tough, look at where they came from and look at their background.  Remember, everything Christ touched, he healed. So what is the gospel?  The gospel heals things, and what's the first principle of the gospel.  Ya, that's right - faith in Jesus Christ, in His atonement. I have a cool  scripture for you, Alma 7:11-13, read it, it's good.  Not only will the kids be blessed, but as Steph and Jay continue to step up and become committed to the gospel, they will be blessed to.  You should get all the kids together and go to the temple together with everyone, and make it a tradition.  Remember, we should always preach the gospel and sometimes use words.  So we teach by example, that's strong.
 Well, I think that's it. Oh, if you get this and you haven't sent the package, get my camelback, because it's nice and compact, and my back pack leaves sweat stains on my shirt because it's so big and hot.  Don't worry, I'm gonnna try to send some more pictures.  Oh, and what's the deal with the hurricane?  I guess I'm not too far from it, so this week we're supposed to get a lot of rain, oh well, we will see, and I will keep my fingers crossed.   Well, tell everyone I says hello, and let me know how things are going back home. Oh, and could you send me pictures of my quad when I had it clean in Chris's garage, I know I took pics.  The reason is because Elder Jeppesen wants to see pics of it and I wouldn't mind having pictures to show. Well, I think that's it for me this week. loves, by!!!!!