I'm sorry, I'll be BOLD in this email!

This week has been fantastic! It has also been stressful, challenging, inspiring, scary, and refreshing, (pretty much the whole spectrum).
We have 21 investigators. In the Salem ward, we have Mike, Carly, Kaylee, Kelsey,(Family), Isaiah, Arianne, Cheyanna,(Family), David and Marilyn(Family), Margie, Marge, Clay, Kim, Latisha, Jake, and Alan. In the Singles branch we have Logan, Julia, Daniel, Josh, and Lillyanna. Each of these individuals have many strengths and understand differently, and 9 of them are progressing in the gospel. (Mike, Carly, Kaylee, Kelsey, Isaiah, Arianne, Cheyanna, Margie, and Logan).
I feel so blessed and humbled. "What great blessings has he bestowed upon us? I answer for you, that we have been made instruments in his hands to bring about this great work". (not word for word) I continue to understand what Ammon said, that he will not boast of his own power, but he will boast in the Power of his God. I hope that my life will merit this statement from Ammon. I too will not boast of my own power, but I am amazed at the blessing that have been given to our investigators. They have seen light and understanding come through their obedience and faith.
We have loved fulfilling our purpose in INVITING them to receive the restored gospel through HELPING them exercise faith unto repentance and showing their want to be a new creature through baptism, thereby receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, that they may live the rest of their lives as faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost and who make and keep covenants in the temple. Our vision has been raised, and so has theirs. We are working hard to that end. Not just to baptize, but to convert. We are just going about helping others live the gospel, inviting them to repent through obedience.
Elder Monibidor and I are getting along well enough, we have learned a lot from each other. I continue to learn from his example. Elder Monibidor was sick all week and still pushed through it. He was only down one day. WOW! Sacrament meeting was crazy, but the ward is so good to fellowship all 9 people that we had there this week. Every time we bring someone to church our biggest concern is fellowship. Will someone befriend them? Will they feel the spirit? I honestly believe it is hard for a non-member to feel the spirit unless they feel comfortable and have a friend to take the edge off of the fear and the unknown. It is hard work at times to hand pick and introduce members when nobody is saying hello but that's our position! We have the blessing of being the conservators of truth and the middle man for Christ. We do what it takes to get them feeling comfortable.

Monday: we were supposed to have a church tour with this guy named William, but it fell through, so I went to get a haircut. That cost me. I ran out of MSF "missionary support fund" so I had to use some from my debit card this week, but the thing is, I forgot my pin so I did it all on credit. MY BAD!!!! Mom, will you send me my pin again? :) Then that night we had Family home evening with the YSA's. Played Volleyball and had some non-members there. One was named Elias. ???? He looked like Jesus. He had a beard and these really sincere eyes. I think he is meant to be a member, Elias in the bible means "forerunner" so........

sidenote: Hey Dad, just try using both the blinker and the windshield wipers together all the time, a clean windshield is a happy windshield!

Tuesday: not much going on but we did have a lesson with Allison. (RC) Her husband is a non member and he is almost investigating but he's kind of just taste testing. Remember how I said not much going on? I lied, this night was packed. 3 lessons and a dinner in 5 hours. Logan was after Allison. Investigator, hasn't talked to us in weeks, and comes up to me in sacrament last week to say "Hey, we need to meet this week. I've been reading and praying and I like what I see." WOOHOO WAZOO!!! The lesson went well but it was short so we set another one for Thurs. Denhoffs for dinner. Then Josh martin, but he cancelled because his girlfriend was sick. (Personally I think his girlfriend's mom should be able to handle it but whatever)

Wednesday: A lot of tracting and contacting less actives, dinner at the Justesens, (Waffles :) ) Then we had Margie for a lesson and we read the book of mormon and ate dougnuts. She is still super scared about being baptized. "TIME KEEPS ON TICKIN, TICKIN, TICKIN, INO THE FUTURE>>>>"

Thursday: Transfers, more tracting and Bishop's less active and part member list, then at night Logan again. Very great lesson. We taught the plan of Salvation and he had questions on the true nature of God and the purpose of the Holy Ghost. He understood and we invited him to be baptized. In the middle of the invitation, Logan said "I've already been baptized", then Elder Monibidor added, "by the proper Priesthood authority" It was a standoff...... They stared at each other for 10.....15......20 seconds before Logan looked down and said "I'm not ready" Did you see the change in those answers? "Ive already been baptized" and "I'm not ready to be baptized" are two fundimentally different answers. The spirit was so strong in that silence and taught us all. Logan is preparing to be baptized and we were able to bare strong testimony that he can live the rest of his life as a member of Christ's church and go to the temple someday. AMAZING. Then we went to institute with him. Then to Kim's house to say hello and have a prayer, then home.

Friday: Crazy stuff. I don't have time to finish the week if I tell you about running down the middle of the Freeway in my suit so I'll save that one.. Sorry. We taught the Davis fam. Just moved in and want to be baptized (set for the 8th of September) We feel so blessed. If they were any more golden they wouldn't be human. It's almost not even fun. Where are the concerns? Where are the cigarettes? BRING IT ON!!! Nope, just a sincere family who are ready to receive. I'm totally kidding we are amazed and humbled at the opportunity to teach them. Also the Dennisons this night. Great lesson as well and progressing, no date yet. At one in the morning Elder Monibidor woke me up and asked for a blessing. He was hurting in the stomach.

Saturday:Elder Monibidor was sick. We still trained a district leader and met with Melinda Mills and went to a party with investigators at brother Thomas's house but this night was a sleepless one. I took Elder Monibidor to the hospital at about 10:30, pain had turned into uncontrollable vomiting and more pain. He just had the FLU bad but also some stomach spasms. Didn't get in till 2 am. Woohoo to the late night life!

Sunday: great day. Elder Monibidor stayed home so I went to 3 sacrament meetings and was able to see miracles. I hadn't eaten since the night before and barely slept, so after church I had some soup and exchanged back with my companion for the night. I rested a little and he rested a lot, until about 8 when I took key indicators and wrote in my journal.

Today: Elder Monibidor is doing better and we are rested up. We will probably stay in today because Elder Monibidor might still be contagious. I hope I don't get that flu please pray for me! 

Great week, out of time, Love you much. 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ

I'm going be weird when I get home!

I really didn't think that you were serious when you used to say "We're just going to wait until our kids move out, then we'll go to fun stuff" You guys are like Rolling Stones or something. I don't even know where my parents are most of the time they're just traveling the world! Haha that is super fun. What kind of missionary experiences have you had?

Thanks for the support and kind words Dad, those motivate me to be better and better. You really touched on something I have needed this week. I have been working so hard to teach simply that I forgot to say what the spirit would have me say in greater measure. We didn't teach a ton this week, but it still seems like we were so busy. I don't even know! I've been in this area 6 months.

We went on two exchanges this week, one with the Pembroke spanish district leader (Elder Richards) and one with the Sandbridge district leader (Elder Bischocho, Philippines). I love exchanges! They are such a good opportunity to recieve revelation and to uplift, encourage, inspire, and bless. In both exchanges, I went with the district leader's companion in our area, so I was with younger missionaries (one is being trained). I love the FAITH! It is very refreshing to sit down and plan a day with a missionary who has total faith that we will find someone to teach that day. Then we go and DO. On thursday; Elder Knaras, new missionary in the zone, and I, found some good people and taught a lesson to our investigator Kim. We ended up in a garage with two huge military guys who were all tattooed up and working on their harleys. They were young guys who normally would have told us to buzz off but it was cool to see how our testimonies changed the mood and the one guy told us that he was about to be a father! WOW cool! I bore my testimony of my parents and how grateful I was to be raised in a home and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that his son would thank him in the future for doing the same. He said he would let us come back and teach him. Honestly I still try to read the book by it's cover and it fails every time.

Saturday We had Elder Richardson with us. His companion wanted to go with another companionship for a day to see how they plan and work together so we were in a tripple for a day. It was super good. Even with no practice the lesson we taught was unified and we had some good gospel discussion while knocking doors. I learned a lot this week from other missionaries. I'm trying to take Dad's advise and stop trying to teach others so much and just listen and learn from them. It takes some humility, sometimes I think I'm cool or know it all or something. I really don't know anything. I'm just a little guy roaming among all of these spiritual giants.

The investigators we have are doing well. Logan, (don't know if you remember him) came to church this week. We thought he had left for good and dropped us but he came up to us after sacrament and said "hey we need to meet this week, when can you see me" So we set something up. He wasn't saying any more so we asked him what sparked the sudden excitement and he said he has been reading a ton and has a lot of questions. The talkes yesterday were about missionary work and how important the Gospel is to people hearing it for the first time so everthing was for him. I love it when that happens.

In the salem ward yesterday we had 3 non- members there. We were supposed to have another but she didn't come. I'm almost glad she didn't, a man spoke about how his wife died and wasn't baptized so he convinced his new wife to get baptized for his old wife and get sealed to him for herself and for the old wife. Haha he was just bringing up all sorts of stuff. it's just funny that he would get up there and say that. People get super freaked out about stuff like that.

We did find this new guy named Daniel, and we have been running into a lot of Vivint salesmen (APX changed to Vivint) So I was able to relate to them and incorporate some gospel in there. They said they were coming to church this week but they didn't. There's this kid, Sean, who we have run into repeatedly who reminds me of myself when I was selling door to door. Except he's actually selling!!! HAHAH!!! No seriously though he is super excited to hear of the restored Gospel and we could feel the spirit touch him and he was confused that 20 yr olds like him could bare testimony like that. He will accept the Gospel I know it.

my goal for next the year? to be able to say "I have truly forgotten who I was. I'm blazing a new trail now." Is that crazy to say? I'm going to be wierd when I get home.

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ

It's a really HOT August

"We're three million miles away from the next human being, what do you mean it wasn't you?!?!?!??!?!?"

 

Hey, thanks for the Gold medal mom, I'll count that as another win for the USA!

 

DAD< HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! The best gift I could give you would be to replay that time Sister Federico called you "a fit looking young man" or something like that. HA! Still wooing the ladies. You are a great man. I have heard you change through your letters, is that weird? You have become very gentle and sensitive to the spirit, at least from my point of view. I wanted to share a quote with you for your birthday that has changed my life,

"I would also recommend checking to see if the drinking fountain works before forming your lips"

Thank you for everything, your support is much needed and much appreciated

 

This week has been pretty good, we have seen things slow down here a LITTLE bit, but I don't think we are going to get sisters back. There is another Elder Andreasen coming into the mission, crazy eh?

 

We are trying to help our investigators progress toward baptism but it just seems like every single one of them is trying to overcome one big obstacle right now. Daniel still isn't convinced that the Mormon church has the authority, he says he has some feeling in the back of his head and neck but it's different than the Holy Spirit he has felt before so he just doesn't know what to do. Margie knows it's true but is afraid of making the commitment, but she received revelation about the Book of Mormon and she believes that it is true. Julia (new investigator last week) is really struggling and trying to find out if there really is a God and if He really is our father, that has been a really fun opportunity to teach about actually. She asks us really good quesions, like "If God really is our father, why do we need a Holy Ghost and a Jesus Christ?" We love her. Clay has investigated for like 10 years and doesn't want to change, even after he felt the spirit at the church and his grandson is preparing for a mission. Josh is catholic and afraid to make a decision on wether to join or not. We sense that there are some fears there about telling his parents, but he has read well into 2Nephi. We know he'll make it someday. Kim needs to get a divorce, and they are trying to but they said the Lawyer they paid is asking for more money and now they can't do it. She has such a strong desire to be baptized, but the important thing is that she is exercising faith every day and repenting. Marge is 84 and so sweet, she let's us come over and talk, but she can't read anymore. She has a whole book of poems that she wrote and she recites each of them by memory! Quite a feat if you ask me, but she's tied to her Philipino church because they let her recite a poem every week in the sunday service. (They really know how to retain recent converts)
The funny thing is she's not even Philipino! She's white as the snow.....
We have some really good recent converts. Josh D. is always stalwart, coming to church and helping us teach, and he just received and accepted the call to be a ward missionary. Josh J. is 19 and wants to serve a mission really bad. His family is almost dis-owning him though because he's a member now. His dad apparently flipped out the other day and threw away his quad. WOAH that is rough, but he just asked us for a triple and a bible, he said "OH well, they'll find out some day."
I am excited for another week in the field, trying to make every day count. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am so thankful to be here.

Love you all! 

 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ

It Is A Glorious Monday

Good afternoon! It is a glorious Monday! I can't really focus there's a tv to my left on the wall and the Olympics are going on. Two man row boats today I guess haha. SAAWEEET!

I am downloading all of my pictures to my flash today so I can send you a card. after you get it you can probably delete it, I'll let you know in my letter. The work is going great and we have some good news! We are getting 20 missionaries in this transfer so we might be getting sisters back in the Salem ward. That would be such a relief, we would be able to focus on other aspects of the work that have been neglected a little. Our responsibilities have been stretching us thin as of late. I feel like we don't blink from 6:30 am till 10:30 pm.

Daniel was avoiding us for about a week, but we made a surprise visit to his house and had an hour and a half lesson on how he's not done looking because he has felt the spirit and can't give up yet. He's scared because he is tied up in the ministry of his church and he might be finding out that ours is true. He didn't say that but he definately can't give up yet. We won't let him!

I don't know what to say this week. We have been slacking in our planning, but that's because things come up all night long that need to be taken care of. There is a rule that the mission began to enforce a while ago that the phone can't be used in the car at all, not even by the passenger. If you have a third companion in the back seat, they can use the phone. Do you know how many calls that means we have to wait to make? We sometimes come home with 5 or six calls that have to be made that have to wait until we have an idle moment, which is after 9 o clock. Usually it's only three or 4 but lately we have been flooded with problems in the zone. I don't know what the deal is! Oh well, we are going to try to do better this week. Our goal is to be in at 9 and actually thoroughly plan out our day, is that pathetic that we have to set that goal or what? I have been absolutely frustrated about it.

Anyway, I am sorry about the short email. I am doing well, I am loving the area, loving the work, and loving my companion. I love you guys too! Thanks so much for your support! I can only send one sd card because I only got one downloaded today but I will be sure to send it. Thanks!

Love,

 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ