Life in Moments

Hello Everyone!

So thoughts on this week. Guess what? I got a camera! and it's beautiful and yellow and it takes wonderful pictures and now you're going to get so many pictures! So to whoever sent me the camera and will be forever grateful!

Anyways this week has been so fabulous! The Easter initiative started up this week and we've been working on that all over if you haven't seen the stuff the church has put out I would recommend it to everyone because it's beautiful and so cool! We did a lot of street contacting this week and it was actually pretty successful we've had a lot more people at ESL this week and that's been such a blessing. One of the day's we were out putting signs up I did get an angry man tell me that I was a menace and that I should go back to my own country. But when he was yelling at me all I could think was that I am in Canada on God's errand and this person wasn't going to stop me. There really is such power in knowing that God is on our side. There is so much to be grateful for.

We also had Stake conference this week and it was so good! There was such a focus on what baptism really means and that's been the focus of my study all week. Why we baptize is so important if we really understand the fact that Baptism is a gift a promise and a journey then we will reach for it! there is great power in knowing that God has promised to be with you when you get baptized... is that not amazing?

We fear not for we know that we are not alone!

I love you all so much!

Sister Skinner

Count Your Blessings

Hello Everyone!

This week has gone by so fast and there were a lot of things learned and lessons shared. 

I'm not even sure where to start so forgive me if this letter is all over the place! So one of the big differences between here and Kitchener is that there's no one place where all the chinese people gather. So that means we have to go about trying to find people through other ways. The three big ones I've seen work so far is ESL (English as a Second Language), Badminton Friday nights, and member referrals. To get people to come to the first two we basically go to any busy intersections and we post flyers on as many light poles as we can. This city is just covered in ESL flyers and we have our chinese badminton flyers floating around too. That being said we have had some really good success from both of those activities this week and it's been great being able to find new investigators. We also open our mouths in all places. We've had some success at the local campus but the only problem we have with that is that we have to hike into campus. and I'm not kidding when I say hike. All the campus parking is ridiculously expensive and so we park in the local city park about fifteen minutes away and then hike up a hill and go through a gap in the fence to get to campus. So unless we already have a lesson on campus or we have a least two hours in a row to go contact we are rarely on campus. On another side note we've been driving way to much this transfer. We have a girl by the name of Joy who is 20 minutes away by car that would get baptized but is 17 and her mom is currently not taking her seriously. This is a problem we've been working on and praying for a LOT in the last week or so because she is so ready the only problem is she doesn't want to upset her mom. Still having to meet with her three times a week means that in the last 7 days we've driven 600Ks roughly 370 miles with going back and forth so much. 

So yes we were in the car a lot last week. 

Sister Penrod was also super sick this last week to the point of getting dizzy during lessons. But she's been both inspiring and frustrating in her drive and her desire to keep on working. Luckily she's on the mend now which was such a miracle and such a blessing. 

We've taught so many good lessons this week. We've been able to meet so many good people. I feel so blessed just to say that God really is looking out for us. I know He lives and that there are people here that are going to be so blessed by the message that we carry. I'm so grateful for that reality. 

Also back in Kitchener. JIM GOT BAPTIZED!!! Even if the record states that the elders were the ones who baptized him it was sister Liao and I who found him and I'm so happy for him!

I also got to go to a baptism this week, even if it wasn't ours. It was a little old lady from Nigeria who doesn't speak English and was taught though her daughter translating everything the missionaries taught to her. But her face just lights up when she's in the church and she was radiant at the baptism... Which is a good thing because looking back at the baptism so many things that could have gone wrong did. The reason we went to this baptism is because one of our recent converts Shyce was the one who was going to do the baptism. He speaks English but he was freaking out the entire time. While practicing before hand he actually dropped the little old lady on the ground, and while in the font they took five minutes just trying to figure out where to stand. The baptism that had to happen twice because Aregash (The little old lady) just let herself float the first time and the second time he held her down for so long that sister Penrod looked away. After helping Aregash get out of the font Shyce also slipped down the stairs himself and belly flopped right into the water with a huge splash. But then when they all came out Aregash had a white dress on and looked absolutely on top of the world and the spirit came rushing back as we were all reminded that it's not the ceremony but the ordinance that matters. She bore a simple but beautiful testimony and it was such a faith building reminder that the gospel is for everyone the young and the old. (Oh, and to top it all off President Clayton was there too)

 

 

Really this week was a week of miracles both big and small and I'm grateful for the chance I have to be serving with both sister Penrod and sister Chen. 

We'll keep pressing forward!

Love,

Sister Skinner

Let Us All Press On!

Hello Everyone!

So, TANGIER GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!! We were so excited he was excited too and it was such a great experience to watch him and Roy (The elder's investigator) get baptized. They both bore beautiful testimonies and then watching them the next day get confirmed with such joy and happiness on their faces was the best thing. I feel so happy for them. I have loved seeing Tangier progress and seeing him really interact with all the members and people is wonderful.

We had a lot of success this week teaching members and working on the street. There were a lot of people who wanted to meet with us but didn't have time right then and there. Every time we went out we found someone willing to talk to us and that was such a blessing. It was also reading week and so everyone had a little bit more free time so we got to meet with Tangier and the rest of the people who didn't go on vacation....

We also celebrated one of the members birthdays which was a lot of fun. Cheryl goes with us to many of our lessons and helps us get investigators to church. So we tried to do something really nice for her. Somehow she managed to pay for the dinner we took her to though so I'm not sure if that quiet worked out like we thought it would.

Sister Liao and I really felt a lot of spiritual power this week too which was such a blessing. Working with others and teaching to the best of our abilities we saw a lot of success and progress. An investigator by the name of Caleb that we hadn't been able to meet with for two weeks came to our next lesson with him having read almost all of 1 Nephi and he was a totally different person. He wanted to know more about the plan of Salvation, he asked how the atonement works, he actually smiled during the lesson. It was amazing!

We also got to go to the temple this week for the first time. We had a wonderful experience and it was such a blessing to go and to see missionaries we had known previously and to feel the presence of the Lord. It was a very long drive but it was worth it.

So with all the success we had this week, all the joy and the lessons learned and taught, of course that meant that we're too comfortable with how things are so last night we got the call. Sister Liao and I are both being transferred away. She's going to Bayview and I'm going to Mississauga I'll have new companions tomorrow. Sister Penrod and Sister Chen (For all the MTC crowd it was fun to see her again this week at the temple.) I'm not sure if I've mentioned this but there is a grand total of 5 Chinese sisters in the Canada Toronto mission and so with sisters in Bayview and Mississauga that means there are elders coming to our area. For some reason all the members are really disappointed. I just kind of laughed when Jin called us just to scream NOOOOO! into the phone and then hang up.

I'm really going to miss sister Liao she and I have become really good friends and I've learned a lot from her both about being brave and about being kind. I hope I'll get to see her again while on my mission. She's been transferred or moved every transfer of her mission and so she's been preparing to leave all week. I was more stubborn but that'll be okay. When I told her I would miss her she just shrugged and said. 'I'll see you again. If not on the mission then I'll visit you afterwards to watch Start Wars together." ....This post mission Star Wars party is going to be a big one and I'm really excited. You're all invited! Ha! I guess we're all dreamers in the end.

Still spiritually I've felt like I've really grown this week. I made a mistake in a lesson but I was able to make it better still I was beating myself up for it for a while but after some words from sister Liao and a nudging from the spirit I was able to pray and the peace and the gentle. "You are on my errand. I will make it all okay." was one of most comforting things I've ever felt. We have so much to learn and so many ways that we can share and grow. I've got some more packing and cleaning today and I'm sad I have to take all my pictures down just after I put them all up but I'm so very grateful that I'll get to have them with me for the rest of my mission. So thank you all so much for your support and your prayers and your faith. I wouldn't be able to make it with out you. God really will pull us through everything and I'm so very grateful for His love and His spirit. We will go though this life together. Even if we're just on the same planet we'll grow just from our faith in each other.

God be with you all!

-Sister Skinner

 

 

 

Of Birthdays and Baptisms

 

Hello Everyone!

So thoughts on this week. I got to go to my first baptism out in the field (Though it wasn't ours it was still fantastic!) on my birthday! We had all three of our really solid investigators there and we were running just a titch late so we got there right before it started to see them talking to president and sister Clayton. Alex, Jim, and Tangier all really felt the spirit and it's been so great seeing that effect on them. Tangier passed his baptismal interview and will be baptized this Saturday! After the baptism on my birthday president Clayton was shaking everyone's hand and when he got to Tangier and said 'thanks for coming' tangier looked down sheepishly before explaining. "No I should be thanking you, I'm just so grateful your missionaries helped me find this church." I just about melted right then and there. That was definitely the highlight of my birthday was seeing all three of them really gaining strength from each other and from Allen's baptism.

For those curious about the rest of my birthday let me tell you sister Liao is such a fantastic companion and she made the day one of my best birthday's ever even though there was a mix up at the mission office so I won't be getting my birthday mail until sometime next week. As soon as we woke up she jumped out of bed and prepared a duo sa bao for me (one of my guiltily food pleasure) along with a really sweet note.

I thought that was it but it turns out after lunch she had arranged with our old roommates the Hermanas to bring over pizza and another present. She knew I needed a slightly smaller bag and so she got me one along with... well. I'll let you see the pictures for that one. needless to say that I was grinning like a lunatic.

The four of us had a great lunch together and then we headed out into -20 degree weather! it was only for a little bit but we had a great time knocking on doors until the baptism and then we even got dinner with our investigators afterwards. It was a very good day.

We had great success this week too. Jim accepted March 5th as his date and we're super excited for him. Alex still has some reservations but he's also progressing really well and has committed to live the word of wisdom. We also found three new investigators and six potentials (all of whom are female, in elder Kendell's words "The curse! It's broken! We have females again!") It's been a lot of fun getting excited about that. This was also my coldest week in Canada to date but we still had a great time. I am prone to get colds so I've been watching myself in the cold very carefully. No problems yet but the back of my throat likes to ache if I breath too much cold air.

We also had a great time with our fellow missionaries this week and will continue to do so. Sister Liao has told me that it's rare to see this many missionaries this often but I feel a close companionship with my district and zone because of it. And hey, who doesn't like to see missionaries?

We'll be starting ESL (English as a Second Language) This week and I'm looking forward to that and hopefully we'll be seeing new investigators come from this form of service!

Anyways I just want to say a great big thank you to all of you who wished me well on my birthday! I can feel your prayers and your support and I so look forward to reading the actual letters when I can get them!

God lives and he's moving his work forward there are people out there who need us and all it takes is one invitation to spark a fire.

Till next week!

Sister Skinner

Also we had a mishap with the glitter this week and making Tangier's progress record... Golden.

In order from tallest to shortest. Jim, Alex, Allen (The one just baptized), Sid (The member who performed the baptism), Tangier, and the girl is Cheryl who loves being our member present and working with the investigators. And the missionaries are me, Sister Liao, Elder Kendell and Elder Wuu.