Quote, Close Quote

Hey FAM!! :)

     This week has been killer! We are loving Virginia Beach and having a blast! Like I told you before, my companion is Elder Monibidor. From Nigeria. We like to walk around and talk like Elder Bednar and say things like "Paul, when talking to the Corinthians, told us a little bit about this subject. He said, quote 'there is a more excellent way' Close quote. Now, what Paul was talking about was...." Haha Idk it's just super funny and I already promised to use Quote, Close Quote in my next talk. We are getting along really well. He teaches with power and authority AND a Nigerian accent so the Virginians can't resist him. He is a spiritually steadfast man and I have already learned so much from him. I can tell this transfer is going to be fun! We have been trying to work harder than either of us have worked yet and we set a goal to be like the Sons of Mosiah, to fast and pray and help other missionaries and serve our hardest in the area. What a fun companion and the unity is superb! We could not have done this ourselves it is a blessing from on high.
     This week was a good one. We set goals and accomplished them, that is always uplifting.One of my personal goals this week was to teach more simply, I have been getting away from that, and Elder Monibidor is excellent at it so I am just trying to keep up and take notes. I'm just a little guy amongst all these spiritual giants ;)

So Esmerelda actually surprised us and set a date for next Saturday! We are Stoked! Elder Narramore is coming back for it too, should be a good time! We taught her again at Sister Justesens house and with Josh Debres. Great lesson! She is great we love her.

We also taught Margie yesterday and it was so good.

     OK last sunday, we were supposed to sing with the ward choir. Elder Narramore and I were the only men there haha, so we went recruiting. We got Bro. Schoppaul from the High Council, the Kempville Elders, and then we saw Josh Martin walk in. (investigator) so we asked him too. He came up and sang in the ward choir on his 2nd sunday haha and the Choir director jokingly said Quote "practice is tonight at 4:30" close quote. She called us later that day and told us that Bruce, Margie, Felicia, and Josh all came and sang for practice. Haha I guess we need to start using that more as a finding activity. Josh came to church yesterday to the Salem ward with Felicia AND to the YSA branch. They were supposed to be at the lesson last night, but we are going to set up a lesson with him in the next two days, he is so ready to be baptized. Felicia even said he's been talking about it. The cool thing was at her baptism D&C 84:20 was so apparent. The "power of Godliness was manifest" and Josh felt it. He is going to make a great member and this will bless both of their lives forever. They are talking about getting married but we're gonna get Josh to serve a mission ;)

     There is a YSA member named Ross who is such a great missionary. He served in Japan. I wish I could tell you of the love I have for him and his generous genuine attitude. I had the opportunity to teach with him yesterday and it was cool to see that he hasn't lost his teaching style or his power even 8 or 9 months after the mission. His friend, Eric, had never heard of Joseph Smith but Ross invited him to church and we taught him during gospel principals and set him for August 4th. The spirit was strong and he said he felt drawn to come with Ross to church. That was such a good example to me as I know one day I'll be back in school in a YSA ward and I can bring my friends and bless their lives. I love that, it was a bright ray of hope.

I was a little bit nervous about the responsibility of Elder Narramore leaving but hey, just like Mom said, Quote "Just take a deep breath and be yourself. Remember to rely on the Lord, He will bless you with the knowledge and help you need." close quote.  Thanks MOM :)

     What else....... as far as me personally, I have an ingrown toenail. haha Also, pretty much all of my shoe laces are thrashed and the toes of my shoes are hamburger from biking for 6 months. I have been getting headaches lately like a low rumble in the front of my head and it feels like it's because of my vision. I couldn't really focus on the pulpit yesterday in church so I just had to look down. I think I should have kept wearing glasses when I was like 13 or whatever but what do you think I should do? I'm fine for another week just let me know in your next email. As far as the shoes, was there a warranty on those as well? I feel bad asking so much of Mike I still wear them it's just almost to the point where I can't polish them any more.  

    Dad, about your talk, Preach my Gospel has a great section on accountability that can be tied in well with 2 nephi 2 where it talks about the agency we have. Do you think it would be a good Idea to take it from an eternal perspective? The plan of salvation is the one common denominator between agency and accountability eternally. We have had agency from the beginning and in 2nephi2 it says Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy. Then Christ rose to save us from our fallen state. I love that, Adam fell then Christ rose, putting us RIGHT in the middle. We are suspended in between good and evil, in the perfect environment to exercise our agency. I think it's verse 27 that says now man is FREE. Agency to me is the Freedom to choose that is given to us by Heavenly father, but only because of Jesus Christ. Adam fell, Christ rose, now we are FREE to choose Immortality and eternal life through Christ OR we can choose death through disobedience. It's the perfect plan and it's all our choice where we will go. Accountability ties in well in Preach My Gospel in chapter 8 under accountability there is a paragraph that says accountability doesn't only affect us at the end of our goal, it influences how we begin, how we think and feel about out responsibility, and how we report to our leaders and to heavenly father. In the eternal scheme, accountability started when our heavenly Father told us the plan. We chose to accept it, and now we are accountable for that choice. An accountable person feels that the responsibilities they have been given are very important, no matter where they are called or what they are called to do. An accountable child will Pray to the Father and let him know how they are doing. The center of our accountability to our Father though, should be in Christ. We have each received ordinances by covenant, and we should be accountable everytime we make a mistake by repenting of our sins and coming closer to him. The path that we are to be accountable to is the Gospel, faith repentance, baptism, gift of the holy ghost, enduring to the end. We account through the sacrament as well. I don't know if you can process any of that and I certainly commend you if you can put it simply and in a talk, but hope that helps :)

Well, I am on my way to Zion, I am on my way to Zion, I am on my way to Zion, through Jesus Christ our LORD.

Love you :)

 

 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ