Toronto

Toronto
Toronto, Canada

Thursday, December 31, 2015

I Saw the Wind this Week

Hot Pots with our singles branch on Christmas!

Grilled tuna!


Hello Everyone!

So thoughts on this week. First of all attitude makes all the difference. People are much more willing to talk to you when you have a smile on your face! Secondly Christmas is awesome, Hot Pot's are great! I just didn't realize how much food would actually be there... Still eating too much is a big part of Christmas right? Thirdly the language will come, even if you feel light-years behind everyone else just keep trying. We are a church of progress and God delights in our growing if we are really trying the blessings will just keep coming. 

Also apparently my brain has some issues with driving with a TIWI (The mission sponsored driving monitor) I don't think there's been a night here where I haven't had a dream that involved that automated voice telling me that I was never going to be allowed to drive again. (This is amusing since really I've been one of the best drivers so far so...)

Also being on time makes such a big difference. Christmas, starting out with accidentally leaving our phone back at the apartment so instead of being early to our skyping session we were late. That one thing set the tone for the rest of the day and we were five minutes late to just about everything after that. It was awful! We knew that the spirit was still there when we were teaching but it was so much harder to invite it in while we were being late. Having the spirit with you is an effort and once again if you are trying then it'll be there. God blesses those who try.

Also, starting a new area is hard! We had very few appointments this week as our biggest teaching pool is made up of students who all went back home to China for the holidays, so that meant hours of street contacting everyday walking up and down the now very empty streets. Talking with everyone who passed our way. After the first four hour day of walking my feet hurt! Like the really not good kind of hurting, not just the sore but the "I'm worried I might not be able to walk tomorrow if the bones in my feet keep feeling like they are going to break" feeling. I called up the mission nurse and he told me soaking with epson salts and inserts. So I got the inserts I soaked my feet and after passing a natural health nutrition place in the mall I got some peppermint oil. (I just know my dad is out there proud of me!) My feet are doing great now and all is well. 

Skyping was an interesting experience. Kate (the member at whose house we skyped at has three dogs. Luckily they only interrupted me once but let me just tell you those were the fastest forty minutes of my life! I loved seeing my family and feeling like I still got to be a part of Christmas morning. They had so much snow in Utah! and I was sitting there looking at the green grass and the blue skies and just kind of laughing. Luckily my mother had some divine inspiration about my health and encouraged me to buy some boots. I kind of nodded just to agree but the next day was boxing day (Think Black Friday except Canada) so we actually went to the mall parking lot to contact and there were some amazing boots on sale and I got them. Well, yesterday, (Another holiday... I don't know what for but that's why I didn't email on Monday) it did snow! A lot, it was really cool actually for the first hour of the snowing the flakes were so small that you almost couldn't see them and once they were on the ground in windswept piles they looked like white sand. The snow was so fine and the wind so strong that if you looked around you could literally see the wind flowing through the streets. It was beautiful it looked like you were walking on clouds. However beautiful it was also very cold. There were even fewer people out and those out wanted to get back in. Still it was on this day that we finally found a real solid "Yes I can meet with you tomorrow" investigator (The rest of them were more like, try January... Maybe) It was such a blessing. We also met with another investigator yesterday (Not technically our find but still ours) and I extended my first baptismal invitation. It was amazing. I actually knew how to say the words I needed to say and it just happened. Afterwords I could totally fee the Holy Ghost's influence but in the moment I was so focused that I didn't even really think about it. 

Finally I spoke on Sunday to our little singles ward branch and that was amazing as well. I had been praying all week that I would know what to say and that I could say it with out seeking any of the glory for myself, (Knowing that with God's help the talk would be amazing and everyone would love it.) and it worked. I said what that little branch needed to hear and know I just have to figure out how to give that same talk in Chinese and hopefully by then I can use it to help others. 

The thing about the wind is that it's there and we can see it's affects but not the actual wind. This week I got a taste of how God working in our lives is similar to the wind. Watch out for miracles big and small and you'll realize that God is working in your life and you really can see the effects and in time we will be able to see the day when He is revealed Glorious and Eternal. This life is not run on coincidences but on God's power. 

I hope you all have great weeks. 

Love,
Sister Skinner

Thursday, December 24, 2015

 Hello Everyone!

I'm not sure how to describe this week. First of all you should all know that there is currently no snow on the ground and even though it did snow on Thursday none of it stuck I've been told repeatedly that I should count my blessings. I just smile at them and then tell myself that I'll get better at handling the humidity. When the wind isn't blowing I'm fine but when it does hit I'm freezing now matter what the temperature is!

Also Sunsets from 10,000 feet up in the air with snow clouds on all sides is one of the most beautiful things I have every seen and would recommend it to everyone. So yes flying was fun. Delayed often but fun I really enjoyed it. I could have looked out those windows forever. I was also a bit airsick but not enough to stop me from really enjoying it though!

I arrived around 7 o'clock Canada time and it took a while to get through customs as none of them really knew what to do with me. Somehow I got the wrong intentions letter (It was the one for elders instead of sisters) so well... now my visa says I'm staying here until February 2018 so... fun stuff looks like I'm serving two years instead of 18 months! So after much confusion there I was picked up by some sisters and taken to the mission home where President and Sister Clayton were holding a party for the All the senior missionaries so I got to meet all of them which was nice.

I stayed with the sisters that night and then the next morning went though a bunch or orientation stuff and around noon got to meet my new companion! It would have been sooner but once again there was some paperwork confusion and I somehow got put down as speaking Cantonese instead of Mandarin which was really confusing for everyone as there are no sisters who speak Cantonese in this mission. (A couple of elders who go back and forth between here and Montreal) So, when they asked me if I spoke Cantonese my eyes got really wide and I said "No... Was I supposed to?"  Let me tell you I think that might have scared five years off my life.

So yes, I got to meet sister Liao and we've hit right off our personalities are similar and it's so great working with her. We spent the rest of that day driving around picking up her stuff, and then driving to Kitchener, where we are currently staying with a couple of Spanish sisters. They are both super nice and it's fun speaking three languages in the house.

Wednesday we started meeting with members and doing some street contacting. That was also terrifying. I keep switching back and forth between English and Chinese and forgetting who speaks which language so that was fun! Still I loved being out there and standing in the street and wondering who had been prepared by the lord. I loved meeting with the Chinese members as well. There is a lot of focus on new converts and returning members here. So we try to meet with people from the ward often. I really do enjoy sharing my testimony and I got a powerful witness this week that right now if I promise them a blessing from God it will happen... Isn't that so cool! I was inspired to promise one member looking for a job that if he went to the temple the Lord would tell him where to go and the spirit was so strong.

So yah, contacting members and trying to find new investigators as Sister Liao and I technically opened up a new area and don't have any new investigators so we're starting from scratch! That's been fun. Also it gets dark really fast being the middle of winter so were going to try going out in the mornings more this next week and then spending the dark hours studying instead of in the mornings where we feel safer out on the streets.

I've been driving this week too! Getting used to Kilometers has been super weird and I'm still trying to figure it out. So first time I got in the car I heard a weird noise when I braked and I called Elder Erickson the elder in charge of cars right away. He said that the sisters who had been driving it previously had been fine but if the noise continued to take it in to a shop. So Saturday that's what we did and guess what? Back right tire there was NO break pad left. It was metal on metal and they wouldn't have it fixed until Monday. So I called Elder Erickson again and so for the last three day's I've been driving the Kal Tire Minivan... Got to go in style right? I was just thankful that we were okay for those days that we did drive it. God really does take care of His missionaries. (It also helped that I've learned from experience to follow promptings when it comes to cars so...)

Anyways, I really am doing great. I'm still trying to figure out how everything works and trying to find my place here at the mission but I'm so excited to be here and in time I'll get to see how things continue.

I love you all and appreciate your prayers and thoughts.

-Sister Skinner
 

 

Monday, December 14, 2015

So what did you learn?



Jumping off of edges has always seemed incredibly stupid to me... 

You're probably looking at that sentence and squinting your eyes a little bit. You know where I'm going with this and you also know that I could very easily take this the wrong way. But I'm going to say it anyways. 

Jumping and therefore falling doesn't seem like the smartest idea to me. I like to say that we are made up of parts but wings are not one those parts. Still despite this belief of mine I still find myself often standing on edges and looking down into something that honestly scares me. Now here's the lesson I've learned this week: Don't look down. 

There is a reason that we are supposed to have an eye single to the glory of heaven and that reason is because heaven is upward. When we are standing on the edge there is really only one person who can give us the wings we need and that person is God. If we are continuously looking up He will bless us and give us the strength we need to go on. 

So even though we all have this inclination to look down ward to see whats the worst thing that could happen we need to realize that God has all the parts we need and he knows where we need to be. I have been reminded many times this week that as a missionary I will be seen as an Angel. 

Angels have wings.

I do not plan on falling on this mission. I plan to fly. 

---

So this is just a test email. I'm making sure that every get's my letter who wants it and that you all get a chance to see my love for you. There is so much to look up for in the world and I hope you get to see that this week. To those of you who have helped me and touched me throughout this MTC experience, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To those of you who continue to pray for me you are adding to my wings everyday. Stay strong, know that God lives, know that He loves you.

We are not meant to fall. 

So this is me, standing on the edge, I will miss you but we are made up of who loves us. 

This week has been great but now it's time to jump after all...

I'm flying off tomorrow

-Sister Savannah Skinner

P.S.  Hey Everyone!

I sent of my usual inspirational message mostly because I have the hardest time remembering what actually happened. Tuesday we had a wonderful devotional from Sister Oscarson General Young women's president and one of the best things I learned from her talk was that Sometimes we just don't understand and that's okay. Have faith in others area's and all will be well. 

Really this week has been made up of goodbyes and laughter which really is okay with me. I love my district and I love my zone and I'm so very grateful for them and what they've taught me. Sister Roberts hurt her foot this week, Sister Hughes found out she broke her hand this week, Sister Erickson sent off and got many letters this week (both for her and not for her), Elder Ramanlal got a package from his mother which as usual was almost more for us than it was for him and his back hurt less this week, Elder Joly has been nervous but excited and hilarious. Really life is good. 

Friday was in field orientation where we got to learn so many things about working with members, using all our resources and really just doing our best.Saturday was spent taking pictures with teachers and hearing all their testimonies. And this entire week has been spent periodically packing and making sure that none of our suitcases are over fifty pounds while trying to decide what to send home and what to take with us. 

I learned a lot this week about flying but I'm sure you all saw that one. I wore a light up necklace to breakfast most mornings. That was fun to. I photobombed a lot of pictures. That was especially fun. But in all honesty I went through this week just feeling ready to go. I want to be out there and I want to teach and the fact that I will be able to in less than 24 hours is such an exciting experience for me. 

I head out tomorrow everyone. 

Wish me luck. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week. 

-Sister Savannah Skinner









Monday, December 7, 2015

On Worthiness and Flying

Hello Everyone!

So what happens when you reach the end of the beginning? If we were talking about a story I would say that I'm almost done with my exposition and am going to be moving on to the rising action soon. I think that really hit me when my district and I went to the mail room together on Friday to get our flight plans. Everyone has a travel companion... except for me, the only person who's never been on an airplane before... My first thought was that I sure hoped that airports were as easy to navigate as people keep telling me. The second thought is that I always have a travel companion. So since then I haven't been nervous at all. The District keeps talking about the fear of heading to a different country and I've just felt so calm. I sure hope I keep this peace all the way up to actually getting on the plane. 

So yes, this week has actually been characterized by peace and love with is really nice. President Newel started our last interviews this week so Wednesday he came to start mine. He came in at 6 left at 6:45 to pick up his wife, came back right around 7:30 and we talked until about 9:15 So in total we were talking for over two hours. I loved it. For talking to me for that long I really didn't say as much as I thought I would. I got some amazing stories from him, however, his daughter was a skater in the 2002 Olympics. He spoke at a Geneva conference. He's done just about everything and we talked about it all. I told him some of the fears I've had and he shared some of his. Really I enjoyed it so much. At the end he was able to offer me a blessing, where I finally got the answer to one of my prayers that's been ongoing for nearly two weeks now. I felt so blessed. The thing is I've been struggling so much with wondering whether or not I was actually worthy to have the spirit with me. I was praying and worrying and thinking about it almost constantly and instead of answering me right away God has been blessing me in other ways with other experiences. It's been quite the test in patience but as par usual Christ has been watching over me. Finally after President Newel and I going over more of what I had been feeling about something that was said in my setting apart blessing that's been worrying me. But after some tender sharing on both our parts when he started the blessing one of the things that he said was that I was called for my worthiness not my 'perfections'. The tears started there and they just kept coming. I was told that that I was being prayed for and that the Spirit was delighted to be with me. There was much said but one of the final points was that I am pure before the Lord. I don't think I can describe the peace that descended over my soul. Since that point I've just felt so ready for the things that are coming. It really has been a good week.

Anyways, singing Christmas songs and telling stories has been great this week. I'm not sure I can fully describe the happiness that has come from my study of the scriptures this week and the thoughts that have come to my mind. It's day 35 of my spiritual fast and I am really starting to feel the promised blessings. 

Anyways I think I'll keep this shorter this week. But I want you all to know that I know that God lives. There is such power in those words that I could bask in the knowledge all day. This week is the beginning of my end and the end of my beginning. My story might never be over but today will be a good start for now. I'll be flying physically for the first time in my life next week. (Not for the first time spiritually though.) So that means there might not be an email next week but know that I'm thinking and praying about all of you. There is much to be gained from coming unto Christ. I have experienced so many blessings. I love you and God Loves you. 

Till next time, God be with you.

-Sister Savannah Skinner

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Thoughts About Learning

Hello Everyone!

I'm glad to let everyone know that I am in good health, and that this week was so much better than last week. I am so very grateful for my companion who has helped me pull through some really tough things. I'm also grateful for an amazing branch Presidency who all know exactly what to say and do to help us improve and come closer to Christ. (I've told you this before... I think, but if you have time President Newel has his own Wikipedia page... Let me tell you he has some interesting stories.) I am grateful for a supporting and loving family, extended family, and friends. I read all your letters and love them. You are all such a strength to me. I am also grateful for a day of gratitude. Let me just say that Thanksgiving was an amazing experience, and I really will remember it for the rest of my life. If you saw it mentioned in the news that was my district interviewed however Sister Erickson and I were not there with them at that exact moment in time so no Sister Skinner in the story sorry. Still it was a powerfully spiritual day and it ended with the starting of the Christmas season which... CHRISTMAS!!! I am so excited! I think I freaked my District out a little when Elder Joly told us his mom had sent him a little Christmas tree. We decorated it last night and it was so much fun... all three feet of it. 

There was a lot that happened this week but what I really want to share is something that I learned. And it's a bit long but I did try to explain it to the best of my abilities. I do promise to write more of my experiences next week. (I'm sure they're will be plenty to talk about. I get my flight plans this week!) And I wish you all the best of this start to the Holiday Season. Enjoy the Church's Christmas Campaign this year. (I've already watched like 20 times and I never get tired of it.) #aSaviorIsBorn is so much fun to watch and I can really feel the Spirit every time I watch it. The lights here are beautiful and after having Elder Oaks sing to us on Thanksgiving I'm almost sad that I wont be here for Christmas... Almost. 

---

So I learned an interesting truth this week. It started with something I heard in passing. "God would have atoned for us if he could have." This made me pause. It rings true to me but at the same time... Something in that sentence made me stop and think. I've had this theme that's been with me for the last month or so and I thought I had shared it in this general email before but looking over my emails I realized that I hadn't yet shared this particular thought. It's something that came to me while I was writing down my thoughts in a stream of conscious one Saturday my second or third week here and since I wrote it down, variations of it have been following me around since then slowing embedding itself into my soul.

Perfect Beings are Perfect because they Love Perfectly. 

When I think of perfection sometimes I have this tendency to think of it in an almost negative light. Sometimes I think of perfection as the Dursleys of Number Four Private Drive. After all "they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." But see the true stressed word in that sentence is the normal... not the perfect. Now here is one of the truths I learned this week: God is not normal... Think about that. Now that I've said it I think about it and laugh, because of course God is not normal he is extraordinary. And why is he extraordinary? Because He Loves us so perfectly that He would have died for us if He could have. 

So why didn't he? Or rather, Why Couldn't he? The answer of course lies in the Book of Mormon. Alma 34:8-20 The description about Justice and Mercy is an often quoted one but the interesting thing is that Justice Needs Mercy just as Mercy needs Justice.They are one and the same. This sound familiar at all? That's also how we often talk about the relationship between God and Christ. God is extraordinary because He is Justice and yet He begot Mercy. God is Merciful through Christ. Just as Christ is called by God.

God loves so perfectly that He gave His Son who also Loves so Perfectly that He Suffered for us.

Perfect Beings are Perfect because they Love Perfectly. 

How do I express exactly what it is that I learned with out saying things that you've heard before? How do I express the Joy that comes from realizing that God Loves us so much that He stands for Justice and yet Loves imperfect beings so much that He sent a Savoir who was also perfect to also Love us. 

They are one in purpose... Just as the Holy Ghost is one with them. I figured I should make a quick note that this Perfect Being line that I keep quoting myself on comes from a stream of thought that was about the Holy Ghost. The Spirit does not have a body of Flesh and Bone. Isn't that interesting? That is part of the divine purpose, and yet what a sacrifice it must be to spend thousands of years comforting and testifying. (perfectly I might add) of a Perfect God and a Perfect Savior and to not have that one thing that separated God and Christ in the beginning. I don't think we realize what an amazing gift our bodies are. The Holy Ghost testifies of Christ, and that must be something that He loves. Because to be a part of the God Head. To be a Perfect being. One must Love Perfectly.

Perfect Beings are Perfect because they Love Perfectly. 

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So I hope you all enjoy the next week. I promise that if you learn to love the rest of the Christ Like attributes with start to follow. Our church really is about love the Ultimate Love. The Ultimate Sacrifice. The Ultimate Hope. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas everyone! I can't wait to tell you more next week. 

Love,
Sister Skinner