Man, I love it here, but I sure am ready to get to Mexico haha. The MTC is great and all but not for this long haha. I just feel so ready to get out in the field and start working and I'm just getting a bit impatient haha. I did hear about your scooter, I'm just not sure how I feel about it yet so I decided not to comment. I agree with Brad that you should let him get his motorcycle liscense if you get yours haha! Things are just kinda the same old, same old here. Our zone keeps growing and growing with new missionaries every week. We are getting new ones today too. Heres some names in case anyone knows anyone...
All going to the Puebla North Mission:
Elder Dixon
Elder Wilkey
Elder Hartvigsen
Hermana Jensen
Hermana Olson
Hermana Wathen
Hermana Larsen
Going to Argentina:
Elder McCutcheon
Elder Marshall
Elder Valanzuela
Elder Merrill
Elder Gregory
Hermana Terry
Hermana Christiensen
So we grew from a 1 district zone with 6 Elders to 20 with 8 more coming today. It's funny how all the new missionaries think we have been here for so long and know what we are doing and stuff but really we've been here less than a month and are pretty much in the same position as them haha. But they are doing a good job. All the ones that came after us are so much better than my district at like SYL and just a desire to learn. Sometimes I feel like one of the only ones in my district that wants to learn. They just get frustrated with the language and don't want to do what it takes to learn so that's hard but they're getting better. For a couple of them it's their first time away from home and so they don't really understand the whole independence thing yet and the consequnces in the MTC for not doing what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it aren't very big so I guess they'll just learn their lesson out in the field. I try to be a good example and everything but I'm not perfect either and you can't really help a person change if they don't want to change or let alone see the need to change.
Sunday Devotional was Janice Kapp Perry, who wrote the music for As Sisters In Zion and some other stuff, as well as wrote the new words that are focused on sister missionaries. It was probably the best devotional so far. She talked a lot about music and how it can help with missionary work and I was all over that because I love music. She talked about how there are some things spiritually that we can learn through music that would take us much longer to learn otherwise. She also talked about how music can be powerful with less-actives or inactive members to sing hymns or primary songs to remind them of the testimony that they once had. I thought that was cool. We sang a medley of a bunch of different primary songs and it was really cool. It reminded me just how simply they teach the doctrines and I love that. Speaking of simple doctrines one of our teachers had us read through Chapter 3 Lesson 3 of PMG as if we were an investigator hearing it for the first time and it was really cool just how much you can learn. Sometimes I feel like I take things for granted and just hear them without thinking about bthe implications of what they mean so that was a cool experience. On Sunday during sacrament meeting Elder Merling, Elder Garnett, and I sang Come Thou Fount and it was really cool. None of us are very good singers but it was really fun and the spirit was so strong and you could tell that that song had a meaning personally to each of us. After sacrament President Doman interviewed a bunch of people and when he was with me he told me I was one of the brightest missionaries he'd seen in his time at the MTC which was cool to hear. He said that I've been doing a good job and he has seen our companionship improve and told me to keep up the good work so that's what I'm doing!
After Sister Perry's talk all the missionaries watched the Joseph Smith movie since the mission presidents were taking up the rooms we usually go to. It was so good! Kind of put it in perspective for us of how much Jospeh went through for the sake of the church and how persucuted he was and how he just kept pressing forward because he knew it was true and we kinda have to do the same thing (just not as bad, hopefully). There is no way any man would ever go through anything he went through for a lie he told when he was 14. There is no way. (D&C 6:18)
Devotional Tuesday was D. Todd Christofferson, but 6 of the 12 apostles were there so it was way cool!
D. Todd Christofferson
Dallin H. Oaks
David A. Bednar
Neil L. Anderson
M, Russell Ballard
Russell M. Nelson
He talked about the worth of sould and it was really good. Every time one of the brethren speaks to us they always say that they are honored to be with us which seems a little backward to me because I feel honored to be with them! Elder Christofferson talked a little bit about how it is Gods work and glory to bring to pass the immortallity and eternal life of man, and that that's our work and our glory as well. Brad sent me something this week about the calling to be a missionary and what that means and I really liked that so have Brad show you that and put it after this in the blog.
My Missionary Commission
by Elder Bruce R. McConkie
I am called of God.
My authority is above that of kings of the earth.
By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is my master and He has chosen me to represent Him--to stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me.
My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts; my doctrine is His doctrine.
My Commission is to do what He wants done; To say what He wants said; to be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous Latter-day work.
How great is my calling!
After Devotional we always have a district devotional review thing where we all just talk about what we learned and stuff. One thing that Sister Doman said was that when we are out in Mexico and even in the rest of our lives, we should "Look for the one who looks like the one you shouldn't talk to, and then talk to them". You never know who is going to be ready to receive the gospel and who needs it in their lives and if you spend our whole mission avoding people who "look like you shouldn't talk to them", then you might pass up an oppourtunity to help someone out.
Being at the MTC has strengthened me and my testimony of the gospel so much. I know that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth. I know how much he loves and cares about each and every one of his children and he wants all of them to be happy, and that's why we have the gospel. So we can return to him and so we can be happy. I can't wait to get to Mexico and share what I know is true and what I know can bless the lives of everyone.
I love you all!
Keep writing me!
Elder Skalla
PS (he finally answers some of my questions!) Yes, I got grama's vitamin waters, I can't think of anything write now... more music maybe but that's not really urgent. I don't know if I need more probiotics, I guess you can send them if you want... My shoes are good... I can't complain about anything... One thing is I'm kinda getting worried about the warts on my hand so I was gonna get some duct tape and see if that works but could you send me that wart stick stuff I gave to Brad? I think that's all... I have some pictures to send too so expect those in a few minutes. Make sure everyone knows that once I go to Mexico they can't dear elder me anymore but to keep writing emails! Love you all! OH tell Sister Nyman thank you! She sent me a package! Alright bye!
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