Tuesday, August 13, 2013

LAST ONE!!!


I have had such a good week, HOT, but good!!
 
I have been learning so much from the scriptures. If someone ever asked me what to do to get a TON out of one chapter in the book of Mormon, I would tell them to pick one topic that interests them and read just looking for that one thing. This week I have been reading all of the scriptures I can about "walking with God" What a subject!! Many of the ancient prophets "walked with God" and I have always been intrigued by that. What does that mean? At times I have felt like I was "walking with God" and at others, I have felt like I was walking on my own. When I have felt that I was walking with God, I can constantly feel the Holy Ghost, and I feel as though my decisions are based on the will of The Lord. When I feel like I am walking alone, I am always confused as to where I should go, asking "is this my will or the will of God". When I feel that I am walking with God, I have a sure knowledge that the course I am pursuing is pleasing unto him. I can excercise true faith, going to God with integrity in my prayers, knowing that God has said "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise". When I feel that I am not walking with God, I can feel the lack of power that comes with the lack of that promise.
 
In my reading this morning, I came across Alma 7: 20&21. It says that "God does not walk in crooked paths; neither doth he carry from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that whigh is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round"
 
I learned that God can't walk with us if our paths are not straight. If our paths ARE straight though, we will be walking with him no matter what.
 
Ok gotta go. Love you.

-- 
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ

Monday, July 29, 2013

29-July-13 <---SCARY


Hey ya'll :) I am doing well. Thanks for asking. Thanks for praying for "just one more" It's working. Mandy, Ethan, and Kirsten are our only hope. The others have been voted off of the "August 17th" Island. (they didn't come to church) It's really ok though I have no doubt that they are accepting the gospel and they will be baptized and join our Yorktown ward family sometime just after I leave. I'm still just as excited about that. But back to "JUST ONE MORE" man we have been trying to stay focused and work hard. The past 4 days have been especially hard. I have decided to use this time as an opportunity to learn all 13 articles of faith. Every time I think of home I memorize the articles of faith from 1 to 13. I started this morning and I have 1-6 memorized. (wow is the reply I'm looking for) that means that I can use my trunky thoughts as a springboard to memorize stuff! Cool! I should have the whole book of mormon memorized in 3 weeks!!!

Also I've eaten almost all of those seeds already. My companion probably hates me but I love those seeds. Gotta get practiced up. 

OH hearing about your goodbyes to Tanner made me want to CRY. I already miss him....haha funny I haven't seen him in 2 yrs. It's like another wave of missing him. THAT sucks. OH well. I sure loved reading his Email. I wrote him today too. Is there a way to write written stuff to him? GOSH THAT KID IS COOL. HE'S IN AFRICA...........

What is my subject going to be on again? Or maybe it will change. That's crazy we are getting two new wards. I can't believe that. How many units are in our stake now? 

So Ethan and Kirsten, the ones who whistled at us and told us to come over and then we took them on a church tour, they are awesome. I honestly thought that they would be the least likely to come to church but they came! Chelsea and Penny  spoke at church and it was about the restoration. Chelsea's brother Carragan (spelled wrong I'm sure) is dating this girl named Mandy that we are teaching. Also, their father Jesse is not a member and he was there. We go over there all the time for dinner and talk to him. He's way cool. The grandma was there too. Not a member. they bore testimony of the restoration and that the gospel blesses families. It was powerful. The talks were so perfect for all of our investigators. Those are the first three investigators we have had in church since I have been here. Including the other Yorktown Elders. It's all Elder Horne, he came in here and the area has EXPLODED!!! So the talks in church were perfect, then some youth got up and bore testimony about a trip to Palmyra and that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet. SWEET. Also, Bishop Marlowe got up and pounded the pulpit for a minute about temple recommends, hahaha that wasn't too hard to explain later though. After church we introduced them to a bunch of people and Chelsea and Penny walked Ethan and Kirsten out the door with us. It was so good. Chelsea got Kirsten's number and they were all chatting. PERFECT!!! Man they are good missionaries. Then we were setting up a lesson and Sister Banks goes "just come do it at our house! We'll do dinner. Tuesday night!" so we are having dinner and a lesson with Kirsten and Ethan. I'm so stoked. that is the perfect fellowshipping family for them. They are also friends to Mandy and her Mom. Hopefully things start moving there, not much has happened.

We have been contacting a lot of referrals this week from the blitz. NOt much success though. It's been slow tedious HOT work. The bike ride to that area every day just about kills me. Heat index 105 one day this week. That's been rough, no joke. I am afraid of getting heat stroke sometimes but I am even more afraid of being LAZY.

I am just trying to stay focused. Nothing too hard. We all like to joke around and talk about being trunky and how hard it is but it's no different than when I left on my mission. Take it one day at a time. I'm a little nervous, super stoked, sick to my stomach, but life goes on. It's like waiting for Christmas when you know you're ONLY getting green socks.

I love you all!!! Be safe this week. Pray hard! It works!!!

Love,
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose CHRIST

Monday, July 22, 2013

Happy 24th


Hello to my fellow pioneer heritage lovers!

Thanks for the seeds! I like that. I will think of all of the seeds that have been planted throughout the past 2 years. Make me all sentimental.......HAHA and everyone was laughing so hard when all you said was "see you soon!!"

I can't believe Tanner is out of here. Just like that. I haven't realized how weird that is going to be to come home to no Tanner. I am going to miss him so much. My big brother radar is going off like crazy. I'm like worried about him catching his connecting flights and all of that hahahahah. Tell him that I KNOW the Lord will protect and strengthen him. I KNOW it. I'm praying for it!!

This week was extra crazy! We found a bunch of people to teach. Elder Horne kept us OUT ON THE STREETS and finding those that would receive us. The Lord blessed us.

This week we met again with Shay and Barbara. We had left the restoration video for them to watch and Shay watched part of it but not the whole thing so we turned it on and BOOM the spirit testified to them that it was true. When the video was over they both looked over at us with wide eyes. We immediately expounded all things unto them from the beginning and testified that Jesus Christ has restored the truth for them to partake of it. They loved it and both agreed to be baptized if they come to know that it's true. They both promised to come to church but didn't :/ That's ok. They said they would be baptized on Aug 10th or Aug 17th.

We also met Ethan and Kirsten. Ok quick story. Elder Horne and I were biking back from finding pretty close to our house. E. Horne felt impressed to stop at a certain house on Cavalier st. Nothing, but the guy across the street took a book and wants us back. Well, we came back to cavalier to see him and ended up finding a less active lady who hasn't been to church in a minute, got her name and number and her two friends were interested (both of them in our area) we sat on the grass and shared some scriptures, said a prayer and left. Tracted into another lady who set up an appointment with us. Then as we were walking away we heard some guy whistle at us from the end of the street and waved us down. As we were walking over I turned to Elder Horne and said "ok, this will either be really good, or we're about to get beat up. Don't worry I brought my brass knuckles." haha. His name is Ethan. His girlfriend was in the car. He asked us if Mormons were Christian and we set him with a baptismal date for Aug 17th. Oh, his girlfriend too! What happened? THE SPIRIT happened. We actually parked our bikes and asked him if he would want to take a church tour right now. He agreed and drove us with his girlfriend to the stake center and we walked them through the building. He played the piano a bit. Then back to that awesome picture of Moroni burrying the plates. We taught them the whole time and then invited them to be baptized. They agreed. They didn't come to church though. DRATS! We will meet with them this week.

On Saturday we had a blitz. the 26 missionaries in the zone came to our area with about 6 members and we split the area up and said "GO!!" everyone worked hard and we had over 50 people to go back and see. Our Zone Leaders are so inspired, along with our District Leader. They plan to do a blitz in every area in the zone, one blitz every saturday for 6 weeks. Ours was first and it was so successful. we have a lot of work to do this week following up with all of these people. I'm going to be so tired...

During the blitz Elder Horne and I actually had a lesson with Rob and Shayna. (They hadn't brought any shark teeth dirt, hopefully soon) and we had an awesome restoration lesson. MAN it was so powerful. Shayna is so intensely committed to God, but in a non-denominational/"I don't need church organization" kind of way, and usually that means that "when they are learned, they think they are wise" but as we talked with her and asked her how she felt about religion, she opened up and admitted that there were some missing pieces in her opinion. That opened us up for the most inspirational lesson ever. The spirit was guiding us, but not only that, it was guiding Rob and Shayna. They were asking all of the right questions and the spirit was testifying to them. They had that light in their eyes! They got it!!!! OH I live for those lessons. They agreed to be baptized on the 17th of August. Does that day seem important to you yet?

We are overwhelmed and impressed by what the Lord has done in this area this week. Seriously, Elder Horne and I feel like instruments in his hands. I am learning that the goals that we set, when we work for them with all of our heart, the Lord is enabled to show us miracles. I am so thankful for this gospel. I can't ever remember being this happy. (or this stressed)

I love you all. Remember that Jesus loves you!!

Love,
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXT MONTH


WOOT this week went by like a flash. Gotta stay focused...gotta stay focused....

We have been working so hard. GOSH it feels good to just bike 20 miles ya know? We went to places this week that some of my previous companions refused to go to. I love Elder Horne. He is so down for anything. We contacted so many people and we are working towards that goal of one more before I get home. I don't know who it will be yet. 

Adam went out of town this week to CALI and we can't teach him till next week. He is doing well. He finally came to the realization that he does feel it's true and good but he doesn't belive that religion is important right now.....(that's a cop out) and SOOO, we have a fun lesson planned. We want him to know that the Atonement is for him. It is for TODAY. It makes us happy NOW. That will be pretty fun to teach and we have some good scriptures to back it up. His deal was "well, religion will probably be important when I have kids, so I'll wait till then" We are praying that the spirit can help him to realize that living the gospel is essential now, and in the eternities. 

Elder Nielson and I met with a man named John B. this week. He's Catholic. Very very nice. Both of his parents died this past month and he moved into their house. The zone leaders were looking for an area to tract so naturally we told them "tres leches" where we found Mary Lou. They found two way solid people for us. John B. And Robbie. 

Robbie is the man. We went up and he was in his swimsuit in the garage and invited us to go boating with him. (obviously I told him I would in 5 weeks) He's such a stud. Just a good ole' boy. He is going to get us a bucket of dirt from North Carolina this week and we are going to sift through it to look for shark teeth. That is his favorite hobby. HAHA!! 

John's lesson was typical of a lesson with a catholic. We brought up almost right in the beginning that we were not there to bash and he thanked us. It was a very nice encounter. He said he has seen Mormons before but that he let us in because he could tell by our attitude that we wouldn't try to tell him he was wrong and make him feel bad. Well, we didn't :) We just uplifted him in his time of great sorrow and shared some good scrips from the sticks and had a grand conversation. We got to a good  point in the lesson before we ended. Basically the poing that "it's either the Catholic church or the Mormon church" this idea that we are the only two churches with any sort of claim to holding authority from God. Either the Catholic church is true, and the authority was passed down from Peter to Linus, or the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored along with that authority. Every other reformed church either broke off of the true Catholic church and therefore is false or they broke off of a false Catholic church and are still false. No one else has a claim to any authority.

Jesus Christ said that in the last days we should beware of false prophets. (we like to tell our friends that we meet in VA to keep in mind that he didn't say to beware of prophets, just false ones) He said that "by their fruits ye shall know them" Well, as we know, the fruit of Joseph Smith and his claim to be a prophet of the Most High God is the Book of Mormon. It is a witness of Christ. If you come to know that the book is true, the fruit is good, and you know that Joseph Smith is truly a prophet. 

John B. shared some pretty interesting fruit of the Catholic church with us. He handed us a pamphlet. We read it. Let me share one tid-bit with you. 

"Do not be afraid to love Mary too much. She is the Co-adjutrix, a co-redeemer with Christ. She is the Mother of all living by way of her sacrifice, the sacrifice of her son on the cross. THE KEY IS: God wants to save sinners by means of the Immaculate heart of Mary"  

To me, this fruit is very telling. The plain and precious truths of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST have been removed, the true ordinances have been corrupted. This was a sickening witness to me of the work that the adversary is doing today. Please note that I am not bashing anyone, as we will not bash John B., but we plan on lovingly sharing that doctrine with him by highlighting the worth of Jesus Christ and his atonement in our lives, NOT by bashing the falsehoods and nasty lies that he has been taught. What an EYE opener. I had never realized what it meant when they said they worship Mary. To be honest, I wonder if THEY realize what they are doing when they worship Mary. The first commandment is to worship God THE FATHER and none else. 

I am excited for this week. We have a blitz on Saturday with the whole zone coming to our area. 25 missionaries, and hopefully 25 members, splitting into 25 companionships and finding in the Yorktown ward. That will give us some work to do. 

I want to bare you my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been restored to the earth today through the prophet Joseph Smith. I KNOW that it is true. It has changed me, and continues to change me today. I am so humbled when I think of the vision of this "marvelous work and a wonder" , "the work of salvation" that we are a part of. It encompasses all of this generation, the future generations, and EVERY past generation of the children of men. We, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ in the last days, have the responsibility of redeeming ALL PREVIOUS GENERATIONS through family history work and ALL NATIONS, KINDREDS, TONGUES, and PEOPLES on the earth today. That is quite a work. It's a MARVELOUS work. It's a WONDER that we even try to do it, but with the LORD's help, all things are possible. I know that is true. I love the Lord. I love his gospel. I love all of you :) 

Be safe. 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

Monday, July 8, 2013

New Mission...New RULES


Fireworks and butterflies eh? For some reason, reading that gave me butterflies.

My week FLEW by. We got a new mission president AND had a mission conference with what is now officially the Virginia Chesapeake Mission.

Funny story for you:
Back story: With the new mission president there are some new rules and some new policies that we are following that make life a little harder on us. For example, the rule used to be that we could have 3 Elders in a home with a single sister, now we have to have another responsible male adult (other than missionaries) for every lesson with a single sister no matter how many missionaries there are. Also, we can listen to nothing but Mormon Tabernacle Choir and music from LDS.ORG.

So Last night all 4 missionaries in this ward were going to dinner at the Martin's home. Brother Martin was cooking steak. He is so funny about his steak and he brags about it all the time. The other two missionaries got to the Martin's before us but we still needed a ride so the other Elders explained that they could not go with Sister Martin to pick us up because of this rule. Brother Martin argued over the rule because he didn't want to leave his steaks with his wife to cook them but he left to come get us with the other missionaries. We got in his van (he was already mad about rules) and we had to ask him to turn off the classical music because of the new music rule. He was joking about rules and how he hates them. Well, we got to the Martin's home with all 4 of us and walked in to sister Martin scraping off burnt steak, hahaha Brother Martin pretty much dropped to his knees and yelled "RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" In an anguished voice like he had gotten shot. MAN that was so funny because all week we had been talking about all of the new rules and stuff. I was rolling on the floor!

Elder Nielson and I set the goal again this week of leaving the apartment at 10 and not returning till 9. We failed. I hate not hitting goals. AAAARGH!!! We almost did it but there were a couple times when we had 30 min or so before our ride to dinner showed up and we went inside to get something and one of us would sit down on our bed or something. I just tried to read the book of mormon or do something productive. GRRR. On sunday we almost did it but Elder Nielson REALLY wanted to take off his suit coat when we got back to the apartment. I guess that's ok.... then laying on the bed again. GRRRRRRRRRR. I really just don't want regrets going home. I want to work my tail off.

This week I studied in Alma about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies or the children of Ammon. MAN they are cool. They made covenants with God and KEPT them. One point I really liked was that in ch.56 v.7and8 when you read that they almost broke their covenant and took up their weapons of war, I always thought that they didn't do it because their sons stepped in and stopped them, but there is another reason! I challenge you to find out why they didn't break their covenant!! Also, the blessings of not breaking their covenant.

Love you..... Pray for baptisms and diligence

--
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

BOXES HOME


I am healthy and I am happy. I forgot to tell you that two weeks ago they worked on my toes and I just had them remove both ingrown toenails from both big toes. I have pictures. The people at the doctor's office were so funny and the crazy thing is that earlier that day the other Elder Andreasen went in to the same doctors office to get an ingrown toenail removed from the same toe. WHAT?! That was such a weird coincidence. So they are both fixed and healing  :)

Elder Nielson says hello!

Ok now for the real stuff!!!!!! This week has been phenomenal! Mostly because yesterday I got to go back to Chesterfield to the baptism of Aurora!! You remember the R family right? Well, Aurora is their 11 yr old daughter. When we come back we have to come visit the Swift Creek Ward. That was probably my favorite area. Walking into that building was like coming home to a family reunion. I love those people!!!!! Aurora was such a good example to her family. She looked beautiful. The baptism was Sunday at 9am and she was confirmed at 10 in sacrament meeting. It was awesome to be in the Richmond mission on the last day that it was the Richmond mission. Before President Perry went home this week he told me I was his last exception hahaha. NICE. He sounded sad to be leaving and it was a tender mercy that Elder Nielson and I got to talk to him on his last day. We weren't even hoping for that, but we were on the phone with one of the mission office staff and she said "oh before you go President would like to talk to you". He is a great friend and he told me I had better be at his house in October for his mission reunion so I had better be there in October for his first mission reunion. When they left from Washington for their mission they sold their house but he is now moving to Salt Lake.... 

Anyway at Aurora's baptism and confirmation I was able to meet the Mission President of the New Richmond Mission. He told us that he is trying to attend as many baptisms as possible. He was super genuine. We had some refreshments together and talked about the Richmond mission. It was so funny, Sister Wilson said "We are just trying to see how we will ever fill the shoes of President and Sister Perry" and in my head I could hear President Perry saying "The new mission President and his wife will take this mission to greater heights that we never reached" I could see their potential and I know they will do just that. I was thinking "Sister Wilson you have no idea what The LORD is about to do with you". That was a moment of vision. 

The ward asked them to share some words during sacrament and He and Sister Wilson both talked about Member missionary work and how just this past week they had been in the crowd at the Marriott center for the worldwide broadcast. He told us that last week they had been in a small room in the MTC for sacrament meeting and the only speaker was President Monson. HA!! What a meeting! He shared some great insights into low pressure missionary work.  He said that in doing Member missionary work we need not be doing strange heroics, we just need to follow the spirit to do little things. Like the little boy who handed out invitations for his baptism. That was a power packed sacrament meeting. The baptism was beautiful. There were other miracles as well. :) Aurora's two brothers want to be baptized in the next 2 weeks. I won't be there obviously. :( Brother R and I had a good talk. I love that man.

In our area, no one seems to want to progress. We meet with John tonight and we'll read with him. He's way scared to give anything up. Adam and Kelly haven't answered a call or text :( Mary Lou either. DANG!!! I guess we really counted our chickens before they hatched there, I need to remember to stop doing that. No I'm just joking we still have hope for them and we know the gospel is still what they need so you never know what could happen down the road. 

Elder Nielson and I are the same exact person. We are both yellows if you've read "the color code". Both extroverted and talkitive and unfocused when we get together. The problem is that we like each other too much. Haha it is so hard to do any planning. We get it done but holy cow man Weekly planning is like pulling teeth. FOR 6 HOURS.

Do I still hold the record at the dentist office for most teeth pulled?

I am still loving this. My goal in weekly planning this week is to get lost. I want to figure out how to get back to being in the middle. It's been hard. Focusing is hard. I kid you not I wake up thinking about home almost every morning. I go to bed at night and my stress levels go UP as thoughts of what I'm going to do at home come to mind. Have you ever been fasting when it was around 4:30 and you know you could eat right now or you could wait out the last hour and eat with your family at dinner? That's how I feel right now in my spirit. This is the last hour of my mission and I am just straining not to eat for a while, it feels a lot like enduring rather than enjoying sometimes and that is what I'm trying to figure out. Any advise from anyone??????

I love you all and I hope you have a great week! Transfer calls this sunday will decide where I go for the last 6. WHOOP!!!

Love, 
Elder Skyler Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ


Monday, June 24, 2013

UNITY AND VISION


So holy cats.... my mind is still racing and I continue to find insight from the worldwide training last night. That was so symbolic.
 
Just a couple of symbolic things that I noticed that I can't wait to share:
 
A missionary gave the opening prayer, a member gave the closing prayer.....
 
We are pretty sure there was a missionary AND a member playing the organ.....
 
The choir was comprised of missionaries AND members, but not only that, the members they chose were WARD COUNSEL members and Bishops and Ward mission leaders.....
 
They showed an example of a ward counsel, stake counsel, mission leadership counsel, and the Quorum of the twelve, all in ONE meeting from video conference around the world....
 
The talks were about fusing members and missionaries, about the ONE-NESS of missionary work, member work, and temple and family history work.
 
My favorite part of the meeting last night was the talk of counselling with all of the general leaders in the church, men and women, member and missionary, to make the decision of changing the missionary age. UNITY comes in counsel. Proverbs 15:22 says "without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" The twelve and the first presidency are giving us an example of meaningful counsel in the church. I am so excited to apply that in whatever way I can.
 
I had a couple of really cool second witnesses during that meeting. I'll tell you that the meeting last night is the talk of the town in missionary land. We are all so excited and ready to put our effort in to the councils of the church. We know that the blessings of unity are great.
 
Every time we are in a member's home in the Yorktown ward we share the ward mission plan (developed by the ward counsel in conjunction with the ward mission leaders and the missionaries) which is to "pray daily for missionary experiences and the courage to act on them". We strive to help the members catch the vision, and our vision is this; if every member of a family is praying for missionary opportunities daily, and praying for the courage to act on them, the Lord will bless that family with missionary opportunities. We also share this idea from the First Presidency and Quorum of the twelve that missionary work is not about the members giving us names to go see and we go see them, missionary work is about everyone sharing the gospel, and missionaries are here to help members in that field of work. We are striving for unity in that vision.
 
Well, our favorite scripture to share with the families of the ward is John 17:20-21. This is a record of Jesus Christ praying for his desciples and the people who would believe his desciples. He prayed this prayer; "that they all may be one; as thou father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may know that thou hast sent me" Our vision has been stated like this;
 
"imagine if your whole family was unified in praying every day for missionary work, do you think the Lord would bless you with missionary opportunities?"
 
 the reply is always an enthusiastic "yes!"
 
We say, "what do you think the Lord would do if 3 or 4 families were all united in praying EVERY DAY for missionary opportunities, do you think he would give them to you?"
 
 Again, always a "yes" as they start to feel the power and vision of what we are trying to do. 
 
then we drop the ward mission plan again "and imagine if EVERY DAY, EVERY MEMBER and EVERY MISSIONARY in the WHOLE WARD was praying for missionary opportunities. Do you think the Lord would bless us with them?"
 
With big eyes it's always "yes, of course"
 
Our vision continues upward, and we say "read again John 17:21, imagine if 14.5 million members were united with 70,000 missionaries. Imagine if they were all 'one'. Do you think that the world would know that the Father hath sent his Son?"
 
There is no greater vision.
 
This is the purpose we share as members and missionaries. To bring all unto Christ. I am so inspired and uplifted by last night. I want everyone to realize that EVERY ward counsel and EVERY Missionary Counsel and EVERY Stake counsel of the church was watching last night as one woman gave the closing prayer, thanking God for the opportunity to do missionary work and the strength to do more. WE WERE ONE. I felt so unified with the church as a whole. We are becoming ONE. Read again John 17 "that all may be one, that the world may believe that the Father hast sent me"
 
I know that if the members of the church and the missionaries of the church are united, THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT THE FATHER HATH SENT THE SON. I know it. I FEEL IT. This is one work, "the work of salvation".  
 
This is nothing new haha. We've been doing all of this for a while now. Preach my Gospel is an attempt at this. Unity and Vision have always been in the church, but just as the apostles said last night, the Lord is calling for more. He is inviting us and exhorting us to do MORE. To become ONE in purpose and to do his work. I am so humbled to be able to work as an instrument for HIM. We will apply it here, but I can't wait to come home and apply this as well. I don't want to live it Utah, there are enough people to build the kingdom there. I want to go somewhere where there IS no temple and share the gospel with them all. I want to move back to VA and do my part to bring the gospel to every creature here. OR SOMETHING!!!!! Somewhere. "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord" Notice that was one of the songs in the program yesterday.
 
Our investigators are doing well. This week Adam and Kelly took us out to dinner and we had a wonderful lesson about the restoration. They caught the vision and loved it. Kelly has been the one to stop and ask Adam to turn off the TV so they can read the book of mormon. We invited them to be baptized and they felt like that was a lot of pressure. We are a little nervous because we invited him to a dinner and he said he was feeling pressured so we might just take a step back and evaluate what they need. Maybe it's not boldness that they need.
 
John isn't progressing much because he is fearful of leaving his old church. NEWS FLASH though the Newport News sisters called and they started teaching his mom this week! Just found her randomly. Well, not at random, it was God's hand. If john and his mother can't make the change individually, surely they can make it in unity. We are going to try to meet with them together with the Newport News Sisters.
 
No one else we are teaching really, a lot of finding going on. Lots of tracting. The ward is about to explode though, bishop is totally on board with this push of missionary work and already has a plan to have someone out with us each sunday. This is an awesome ward.
 
Haven't met with Mary Lou yet she keeps pushing it off. :/
 
Love you all, BYE!!!!
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I CHOOSE CHRIST!!! 

Monday, June 17, 2013

"Finding them that will receive you"


I am so excited to write to you this week. The Lord is blessing us so much.
 
First off, Happy Fathers Day dad :) Again, I am so thankful to have you as my Dad. I can't wait to beat you at mustache march. I have an 8 O'clock shadow now......so watch out
 
In Preach My Gospel Pg. 155 it asks a question, "What does it mean to 'Find them that will receive you'?" Then it gives a scripture in D&C 42:8.
 
"And from this place ye shall go forth into the regions westward; and inasmuch as ye shall find them that will receive you ye shall build up my church in every region."
 
This week we have continued with that as our theme, to "find [those] that will receive [us]". We are striving to strengthen our faith that the Lord is preparing people out there and following the spirit to find where they are. This week we had two days in a row where during the nightly planning session we prayed and asked the Lord where we should go and we felt like one specific place was right. Monday night we felt like these three streets were it, so Tuesday we went there and found one lady who was so darn prepared she was almost cooked, then Tuesday night we felt like we should be up in "Historic Yorktown" where they have these old churches and buildings and stuff. We ended up finding some sweet people and singing "I need thee every hour" to a couple people as a finding Idea. We sat down and had a discussion with Pastor Carlston Bakkam of the Historic Yorktown Episcopalian Grace church or something like that and we have a meeting with him next week as well. That was cool.
 
We were supposed to get picked up at 2:00 that day to go somewhere else but our ride was late and it was a good thing because at 2:15 WE FOUND A WAY SOLID INVESTIGATOR. He was the reason we were in Historic Yorktown without a doubt. So humble and teachable. and he's 22. His Fiance was also there on Friday when we went back to teach them. I can't tell you how excited I am about them. It has been so powerful to try to find the humble teachable people of the earth.
 
So I can't write everything here. I can't believe I didn't think of this before, but yesterday I made copies of my journal for the past week and I am just going to send them to you. I honestly can't write a fifth of what I would.
 
Gotta go ya'all.
 
Peace&chicken grease. Cash Money
 
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, June 10, 2013

I'M LOST


I have 2 boxes, one is a large flat rate from usps and the other is a "sing to me potty" box from a member that I will probably send usps as well. Just two. I didn't get everything packed or figure out all that I needed to send home until wednesday night. I just brought the boxes of stuff with me and I wll be sending them today if we can get someone to take us to the post office.
 
Haha that's a sweet scripture Dad! I just read it. I'll ponder that one. There are people everywhere, all of them need the gospel!
 
Good advise on the new mission Pres. Thanks for that.
 
This week has been fantastic! I have loved serving with Elder Nielson. He is amazing. MAN I love him. He loves to counsel and he is always asking the members "what do you think? how could we make this better?" I have really appreciated working with him in the area this week.

Elder Nielson and I taught in unity from the moment we were together. Waiting for the transfer van we did some tracting and found some potentials and taught a Jewish man the restoration. THEN we got our bags, went to the apartment, and left immediately with a member to go teach an investigator. I'm not even unpacked yet and it's been 4 days! We have been too busy!!! We are having such a good time and I really do love Elder Nielson. Why did the Lord bless me with such a good companion? Wasn't I supposed to get a troublemaker for the last couple months or something? I am humbled and grateful and amazed. We have UNITY. We teach when we find and find when we teach. The Lord has blessed us greatly.
    
On Thursday I woke up and we drove to Richmond, then got on the transfer van and drove to Newport News. It was a long drive but I was just chatting with the assistants and it went by way fast. I got to sit shotgun. YESSSSSS. When I got there, I guess I told you this, but we went right to work. We immediately were just like back and forth, he teaches and testifies, then I teach and testify. It is such a good time to be tracting with him. We haven't gotten sick of it yet. Usually after like 2 or three hours my brain says "man I'm getting sick of this" but it's always productive with Elder Nielson. We are blessed to be able to get people to open up and love them from the start! While we were waiting for the van we got a return apointment with a man named Julius. He is a YSA. When he opened the door my companion immediately started teaching and I followed. Then we said "when can we come over to teach you more?" and He was like "tomorrow at 3?" haha sweet.
 
Friday, weekly planning and a trip to Jimmy Johns with a member. At three we went on splits with the YSA Elders to teach Julius and pass him off to them. I went with Elder Larsen, Elder Nielson went with Elder H. Andreasen (yes he's my ZL haha it's so sweet) and the lesson went way better than we expected. Julius' father wouldn't let us in so we just walked with him over to the church, gave him a church tour, taught him the Restoration, and invited him to be baptized. He said he would. MIRACLE. I don't have time to put that story into the words I wish I could so just ask me about it later I guess.
 
We talked to one couple on the street on saturday who had seen missionaries before and weren't interested, but 30 min later we knocked on their door and they let us in and we taught them!!!! I don't know though. They made a deal with us that if we went to their church they would go to ours. It was pretty fun but I think they are just trying to prove us wrong. They are bible bashers, not really looking for truth. Came to church though. We also had another one of those powerful teaching moments on the driveway and set up a return appointment for Tuesday. We said "we are looking for someone humble enough and childlike enough to listen to a message about Jesus Christ and his church, when can we come to teach you about it" She said "evenings are best" hahahaha I love being with Elder Nielson and none of this is by our power. The Lord is blessing us so much.
 
Sunday, Those ppl came to church. Another crazy story.
 
I will see Chris Patty at mission conference in a month. I'm stoked.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.
 
I'm Lost in the work and so thankful for it.
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, June 3, 2013

On the Move Again


"You are now on decka nine"

OKEY DOKEY DIVE RIGHT IN!!! My last two transfers will be on a bike in Historical Yorktown. I get to bike through Civil War battlefields every day and there are tons of people down there. Just one companion and one area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's in the Chessapeake mission which means my departure date will now be another week early. Don't know exactly AGAIN but it's probably August 20th. Originally it was September 4th, then in the VRM the transfer schedule changed so it would be August 27th, one week early, now I will be coming home from the Chessapeake Virginia Mission and the transfer cycle is one week earlier still. So my guess is August 20th for now and we'll have to see. My new mission President will be President Baker. I will only see him twice, once at Mission Conference in July and once in my exit interview.

Dad, thanks for your advice on enduring to the end. I needed it. I talked to my new companion last night (Elder Neilson) and I told him that I am sending home all of my stuff except my quad and my bike and he said "wow, this is like a dream" haha he sounds way funny and from what I have heard he is a hard worker. I am excited to serve him and love him up and have the best transfer either of us has ever experienced. My new address is 

1200 Piccadilly Loop Apt. G
Yorktown, VA 23692

Louis is doing well. He is progressing. This week we had two lessons with him. I wasn't there for the first one, Elder Canova and Elder Moffett taught him the Law of Chastity and he loved it. We taught him last night as well and asked him what his next step is. He said he is still working for baptism and he wants to come to church so we just set some small goals for the week and plans to get to church and come read the book of mormon with him. He walked for 30 min with a walker this week. If he gets baptized I won't be here for it. I can't come back from Chessapeake. No big deal, We can visit him if we come back. I really love him. Did I tell you about the time we went over there when his nurse was helping him get dressed and they were listening to that country song "I may be a real bad boy, but I can be a real good man" it was playing way loud and louis was just rolling around in his wheelchair singing "I may drink too much and play too loud, hang out with a rough and rowdy croud" hahaha and really he only hangs out with the elders and a bunch of old people in the nursing home. i am going to miss going over there to see him.

Our other investigators aren't doing so well. We dropped KC yesterday, she understood. She has had missionaries coming over for 3 yrs, and really she just likes the company. We don't have time to spend with people who just like the company. It was nerve racking though, I felt like I was breaking up with her. (I had to be the one to tell her, everyone else was too chicken)

Dee dropped US
Melvin won't meet with us
Kim keeps cancelling
Judy is reading and praying but can't leave her nursing home. We are praying for a miracle there

The Zone? They are doing well. Everyone is just doing missionary work! We have some amazing missionaries up here in Waynesboro. I am really going to miss them.

Great insight on member missionary work Dad. I LOVE it. 

GOtta go ya'all.
TTYsoon

Love,
Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

I'M FINE


howdy all ya'all!!
This week has been absolutely edifying! 

  • I went to Chesterfield on Saturday for the baptism of Jose Cruz, husband of Elizabeth Cruz who got baptized when I served there, that was awesome!!! While we were there Elder Coon and I had the opportunity to get back together for the afternoon to visit some people we had taught. Sadly, many of them are struggling. It is so hard to see converts trying to hold on to the gospel when everything is crashing down around them. The Elders down there are great though and we will keep praying for them!!!  everyone that we saw was struggling. :( 
  • Louis was hospitalized on SATURDAY NIGHT. Right before church. He's back now, so this is kind of a joke!!!!! Satan is working so hard on Louis. 
  • That was an awesome Idea with the pictures. We were so confused though because we got this random text from wal mart saying that we had pictures ready and no one knew anything about them. I just shrugged and was like "well, I guess we better see what they are" Then we talked to brother Fairbank and it all made sense.
  • Flight nurse would be SWEET! Sign me UP! I could be there to take all of the "MIKE KOHLER"'s to provo. "jUst shoot me now!!" "I'll get my gun" "no don't shoot me!!" hah
  • I will be going to the doctor again for my ingrown toenail. missionary medical has approved it so I'm just going to tell them to use the whole bottle of acid and GET RID OF MY TOE. 

One thing I learned this week came from Elder Burke. I was having a hard day. I was irritable and angry and I was just tryng to get through it on my own. Finally, I knelt to pray at my desk at about 9:30pm and I locked the door so no one would come in. I just wanted to be alone. All I could think about was "why am I SO ANGRY right now?" Then, someone came rattling the door handle. OOH was I mad. I Stormed over to the door and said something like "I'M TRYING TO PRAY!!!" I opened the door to see Elder Burke poke his head in with that endearing smile and said "HI, how are you?" I said "FINE, I'm trying to pray" He just sat down in one of the chairs in our room and said "what's wrong" to get me talking. And I did start talking. I told him all about my day and he kept asking inspired questions. I told him how frustrated and irritable I was and he just listened. He then said something interesting; "you know you don't have to dig deeper to get over this right? This isn't about you finding your own strength to fight your hardest to beat your weaknesses, just give it to God. Tell him you can't do it and you trust that he will. Then you will feel the strength of the atonement" I'm paraphrasing but the point is, he taught me that I have been trying too hard to do this by my self. That has been my theme since then, and since then every time I have had struggles I just look up and say "Heavenly Father, I am not going to dig deeper right now. I don't know how to do this, but you do. What do you think? What is your will?" Then I go and do whatever good thing comes to mind. I have made beds, prayed, sang songs, and asked other missionaries to help in times of need this past week in the place of "Digging Deeper". That has been a humbling lesson to learn. Really, I'm learning that I can't do anything, I am nothing. Really God is the only one with the power of the Atonement in his hands. As long as we think we can do it by ourselves we never get rid of the self will and pride that is at the center of sin anyway, we just give up one self will to do another one.

As far as school goes, I don't know. All that I can see clearly right now is EMT certification for the first semester and working. I'll get my EMT certificate while working, taking institute, and figuring out my next move. Final decision. As far as future schooling in that field, I'll make that decision when I get back. I really need to make a decision and stop thinking about it. I have been super distracted this week and I want to get back into the groove for my last couple months. Transfer calls are on sunday and President Perry asked me what my favorite area was. I told him. We'll see what happens. I don't know if that means anything, other than i'm probably getting "put out to pasture" as dad called it haha! That makes me sad and happy and confused and I don't want my mission to end but I'm so excited for it to end and I'm confused emotionally but what the heck, I'm just going to take one day at a time.

I will be sending home a box at transfers whether I get transferred or not. I will send home all of the extra books and clothes and things other than my quad, missionary library, and the bare essentials. I am going green for the last couple months. back to the basics. No purse nor scrip. Probably not even 2 suits. I only need one.
Love,

--
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ

Monday, May 20, 2013

"WARNING"


Hey everyone!!

I have 9 minutes remaining. :(

8 now.

I am almost finished with the book "that all may be edified" By Boyd K. Packer and I am so loving it. I have learned about how to teach and edify in the way that the Savior does. I can't say I do it that way yet, but I'm learning and growing every day. This week Elder Moffett lead out in teaching and finding situations and did wonderfully!

Louis did not come to church. Medical reasons again. He walked 24 steps this week, more than he has in a year! He is progressing and the Ward temple trip is June 1. He will hopefully be going. He's a big man in a wheelchair but he gets around alright.

Specifically, I have learned about the teaching skill of "warning" this week. I have used different words in our exchanges with non- members like "we are here to warn the world of the dangers of sin and proclaim that Christ's work continues. It has been powerful.

Miracle this week, we found a man who had no idea why he ended up in Charlottesville at the downtown mall this week from Pittsburg, but absolutely loved our message and gave us address and telephone to come by in PA.

Gotta go ya'all

Peace and chicken grease
Cash Money

--
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ

Monday, May 13, 2013

So refreshing to talk to you all!


I am out of time this week but I sure hope you all are having a wonderful week. It was so refreshing to talk to you all. I loved it! Thank you.

Louis came to church! YES!! He also talked to the Elders Quorum Pres. and he wants to go to the ward temple trip. That was cool. We will hopefully get him there.

We are losing like half of our ward to the summer (they are mostly UVA married students) so we will be working with that. We also heard our Zone is probably splitting and our ward might get a second set of Elders. That would be sweet. I hope they send me to the second set on a bike.

Not much else going on... sorry.

Thank you all for your support and love! 
Love you all!

-Elder Andreasen
P.S. I CHOOSE CHRIST

Monday, May 6, 2013

WHAT...I'M TURNING 21?


Hey! yes I turn 21 tomorrow... who's asking?

This week has been good. There has been a theme. I like it when my week has a theme. On Wednesday I was feeling really un-inspired and nervous and we had our first MISSION LEADERSHIP COUNSEL which took the place of zone leader counsel permanently. (Side-note: If you get on mormonnewsroom.org and look for the post about new missionary leadership changes you can understand what I'm talking about. It is so cool. I am so excited about the new Sister Training Leaders. Already we have seen blessings of unity in the zone with the new Sister Training Leaders to counsel with. There are a total of 6 in our mission. 2 of them, Sister Moon and Sister Skousen, cover the Richmond side of the mission. 2 more, Sister Banner and Sister Wylie, cover the Tidewater side of the mission. 2 Hermanas cover the whole mission of Spanish sisters (second side-note:I just saw Hermana Camrie George about 10 min ago in the library. She is in our zone, did I tell you that? She has been in two of my zones now) So since the day the assistants called us and told us about it we have been calling it an opportunity for unity. We went to the library and printed off the post and gave it to all of our sisters. We have ten Sisters serving in the zone. That is like UN-heard-of but there are more coming. CRAZY.

So back to my theme this week. On Wednesday we had the first Mission Leadership Counsel and it was awesome. It was just the zone leader counsel with 6 sisters there and everyone counseled and put in their two cents. The sisters were way nervous so we did our best to help them feel included and feel like it was a counsel process. MAN ALIVE they had some good ideas and we are implementing them. It was a wise choice to call Sister Training Leaders. We have already been able to address some concerns that would have been difficult to handle without their help. ANYWAY (can you tell that I'm on board with this whole counsel thing?) So I was super stressed because so much was talked about in MLC and on Thursday I was not getting anything. We had zone meeting on Friday and I was trying to prepare a training about using time wisely (Ironic) and I was like spacing big time. That has never happened. I have been able pray and pray to see what the zone needs and counsel with my companion and DO IT but this time was different. I couldn't put 2 and 2 together. It was so frustrating.

As I studied and prayed, I felt like I should just leave it alone for a minute and study something else. I flipped open the book "we believe" and started looking at the topics and went to light. There was the coolest statement in there from Joseph Fielding Smith (I think) I'm not going to quote it but it said that the Lord cannot give us more light until we are living up to the light we have received. HOLY cow that opened up my soul for questioning. I have been asking myself all week "what light have you received that you haven't been living up to?" I'll have you know that the moment I made a list of things that I hadn't done that I felt like I should, then set goals to implement those things, my mind saw clearly what my training could be on. I prepared for the training and even received further ideas the morning of. I have been doing my best to live up to the light I have received. Those little things are where satan gets us.

Sometimes my intuition tells me to do something really small that seems insignificant. Sometimes when I do it I realize it was a prompting

-- Gotta go times up

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ


Friday, May 3, 2013


Hey that was a sweet Epistle Dad. I really debated just calling you Mark throughout this whole emal but I settled to respect my parents like the scriptures say.

This week was very spiritually draining but it was spiritually uplifting as well. I was able to go on exchange with a new missionary who just came out on Thursday. We had a blast riding our bikes all over Charlottesville and the UVA campus talking to every single person we saw. I had so much fun and Elder Thomas was uplifted as well. He had only been out 2 days and hadn't left the apartment yet so it was refreshing for him to just talk to people. He is 21 and played center at Dixie State. BIG BOY. Teddy bear. Softie for the gospel. I LOVE it.

The Contata went well. Hopefully we will get a dvd of it. Someone filmed it. There were a bunch of people there and some members of other churches. The spirit was strong. I loved it.

I have been working on my studies this week. My goal has been to feel the spirit guiding them more.

Ok I just spent a lot of time looking at my classes and I love what I saw! That all looks good. I'm stoked.

I got the seeds and I loved them thank you. I am still looking through the EMT stuff but I like that too. EMT/Paramedic sounds sweet. I have just always been the first one kneeling next to a hurt person on the scene and I never know what to do. Give me a....scalpel.... or something!!! I feel like that would be so natural for me to be an EMT/Paramedic.

OK I gotta go. Love you all. Louis is still on board to be baptized but not this week. He couldn't come to church. Hasn't been yet. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Love,


--
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ

Monday, April 22, 2013

Epistle and Gristle

GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Elder Skyler Andreasen, Elder of israel and servant of the Charlottesville 2nd ward of the Charlottesville Zone of the Virginia Richmond Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to any who are and may be interested in my dealings with God and my fellow brethren and sisters.

Mine eyes have seen the Glory of the Most High God and my heart has felt his spirit in this the week ending on the twenty-second day of April in the year two thousand and thirteen. The Glory of God is intelligence, or in other words light and truth, and the days of my week have been filled with the light and truth of the gospel.

I have seen the growth, as the growth of a seed, in Louis, son of God and investigator of the church, who has met with us the third time and understood all the words which we have spoken to him. He has assuredly comitted to be baptized and will nevertheless have much trial to pass through. He, through his faith in Jesus Christ whom The Father Hath sent, and through his repentance, shall be recognized by angels at the day he enters into the water to follow the example of this Jesus of whom we speak. His name shall be written in the book of Life, and the book of the Lamb of God.

Hymns are a prayer unto the Lord God, and in the night previous to this day we sang. IT was a dress rehearsal, but our hearts swelled and our eyes were filled with the glorious light of Christ as we bore sweet testimony of the life of the Son of God through our singings and our narrations on this subject. My voice was sustained of the Lord for the use of the Narrations and he allowed me to speak by the power of the Spirit unto the convincing of all who were present that my Grandfather was a radio announcer. I was much joyed and though we were tired and parched we rehearsed well. We feel prepared to perform in front of investigators, members, and the like, and before God and his angels we will make our plea to the people on the true doctrine of the Bible and the Book of Mormon unto their conversion and contemplation of such things. Our plan is to teach much of this people who attend.

The holy scriptures are my guide and the means of my answers from The LORD. My efforts to int.......ok this is hard I'm going to speak normally now haha holy cow. I have found so many cool things in the scriptures this week. I started the Book of Mormon again and I am reading it just studying one subject through the whole book. I have already learned so much! I also started the D&C countdown from when I had 138 days left. I would read one page a day from 138 down and at 133 I couldn't handle it any more. I can't do the numbers thing. I am now reading 2 sections a day so that I will finish it backwards then I will finish it again forwards before I come home. JUST so that I don't have to see those numbers count down. That was hard, even for 5 days.

I am stoked to come home. That makes me feel kind of guilty but I'm not working less because of it. In fact, I'm striving to work more diligently and more efficiently and the Spirit really has been with us. Transfer calls were yesterday and I am staying another 6 weeks! Elder Canova and Elder Moffett are staying too. I just know that one day my mission will end and that doesn't make me sad. It's only 2 years, we can't have more than that. There are other things we have to do! I just don't want to forget about it until the day of and then beg the Stake President not to release me.... I am going to miss it but I will be ok.

Anyway.... Ok. That's about it. I was in West VA. That was cool. We also have more and more members sharing the gospel. I can't wait until we see the return on this investment of spending time with members.

Welp, LOVE YOU ALL!!

peace and chicken grease
cash money

Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, April 15, 2013

Bucket List

HI howdy hello!!!

 What great emails!!!!!!! Thank you. 3rd witness MOM, that was my 3rd witness. That is amazing. 

I have had a good week. We went on 2 exchanges this week. That is tiring. We have another one tonight! I'm going all the way to FRANKLIN WEST VIRGINIA! WOOT! Now I can say I have been to North Carolina, VA, and West VA. How many states have I been in? We did a cross country trip and we've driven to California. I am just wondering how many states that is. I want to go to them all one day. 

Bucket list update: this week Elder Burke asked me if I have ever made a real bucket list. I say that a lot "oh, I need to put that on my bucket list" but I haven't ever had one. So I started! On there so far I want to ride a bull, sky dive, and see the sun rise on the East Coast then set on the West Coast in one day. Any more Ideas or things I have said I should do can be emailed to me at skyler.andreasen@myldsmail.net. Thank you.

I met a man named Seven. Zach and I always talked about naming our first sons Seven. 

We have gotten a lot of sun this week. On Saturday we were out all day at the downtown Mall (it's an outdoor mall) at the Chalk wall where we go every Saturday and write either "MODERN DAY PROPHET" or "FAMILIES ARE FOREVER" in big letters. This week we drew a huge temple (in yellow, sadly we didn't have white) and talked about family history. That caught some attention. People know that if you want to know about your ancestors you should ask the Mormons. So this girl came walking up and I started talking to her and we stood in that same position for an HOUR and FIFTEEN minutes. Can I tell you that only one side of my face is tan? It was so funny. What is more funny is that I was on exchange with  Elder Hopkins and Elder Canova was in Staunton and when we exchanged back the left side of his face was bright red burned, Just one side!!!! Oh my gosh we laughed so hard. He got caught up for an hour and a half talking to a Seventh Day Adventist about how Saturday is the sabbath. Man that was funny. What wasn't funny though is that we got back to our car after doing the chalk wall for about 4 hours and our car window was smashed in and Elder Canova's wallet was gone from the cup holder. Please say a prayer of thanks because my GPS was in the window and didn't get touched. I don't know how. 

In other news, Louis is doing well. We taught him 2 lessons this week and he is loving it. I swear he is a member already. He answers everything perfectly. Just kidding, he is genuine and progressing towards baptism. He took a full page of notes on the Restoration video. He is a big man. 360lbs of spiritual giant. We may or may not be using a Hoya lift in a hospital pool to do the baptism. He can't walk, but he's trying. He puts forth so much faith. He almost didn't have a ride to church and he flipped out at the handicap bus service and demanded to speak to a manager. He was offering to fork out a bunch of money to come to church. he wanted to come so bad but Saturday night he was admitted to the Martha Jefferson Hospital for Cellulitus in his legs. We went right after church to see him and gave him a blessing and he said "I'll be back in 3 or 4 days no problem." We have faith that can happen. Hopefully next week we can get him to church. 

We have been meeting a ton with the active members of the ward. We never spend more than a half hour or 45 min there and we never get too casual. We just teach and testify and invite them to do missionary work with us. This has resulted in over 20 potential referrals from the members. This means we have a list of 20 or so names of the Members and their friends and we have a specific invitation for each member to do something to share the gospel with this person whether it's invite them to learn from the missionaries or give a pass along card out or something. We never come up with the ideas we just teach and bring the spirit in then say "so you have done missionary work before, what is the next step for you? Really, you have a friend named Jan you've been thinking about? What could you do to help things along? How could we help?" All of these people have someone to share the gospel with and I feel like this is the way missionary work should be. We have only taught one friend of a member so far but it was powerful in the member's home and with that member's testimony to back what we taught. Find someone for the missionaries today! Do something small! 2 horses working together actually have 3 horsepower! Imagine if the 15 million members of the church were unified with the 65000 missionaries out right now. It would be HUGE. It would probably gather Israel.

Love you :)

Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, April 8, 2013

I Loved Conference


HOWDY HOWDY HOWDY!

This week has been the bomb.
 During the choir practice yesterday we practiced a new song called "I am Jesus Christ" and at the end of one line it said "what a morn, glorious dawn, Christ is born" or something but the r and the n on the end of morn and born looked so much like an "m" that the first time singing it some people sang on accident "What a mom, glorious dawn, Christ is bomb" OH MAN that was funny. AND it rhymed. 

Mom, I appreciate your love and your letter. I love you so much!!!!!!!!! 

I loved conference but I am going to have to get the conference ensigns to read all of the sessions. On Saturday in between sessions, we got a call from a bishop in the area who had a member in the emergency room in a hospital near here so we left immediately. It was a good experience, nothing too traumatic. She was very appreciative of the visit and we were able to give her a book of Mormon. She hasn't been to church in a while due to her health and she hasn't been reading her scriptures so we promised her that she will at the very least feel God's love and peace from the spirit as she reads daily. She has family that she has been trying to share the gospel with and they were there as well. Good experience. We then got a call, not 3 minutes after we had returned to the church house, from a member in our ward who's husband is in an assisted living home and was having a very hard week. We went immediately again and he had been moved from his previous room because he got in a fist fight with his roommate the night before. We visit him often, but he was way different this time. He said he lost his wife 6 months ago and he tried to kill his dad 6 months ago because his dad beat him up his whole life for looking like Sylvester Stalone. He also told us later that Sylvester owned the building we were in and the heaters in it. It was so bizarre. None of that is true, haha, so we just tried to be his friend. The most real moment was when he asked for a blessing. We asked him what's been going on lately and he said "I don't even know who I am anymore" I remembered Elder Uchtdorf's talk and said "Phillippe, you are a son of GOD who is going through a rough time" and he got really quiet and said "I haven't felt like a son of God in a long time" he was teary eyed for a second, then a minute later he was back to ranting about killing people and Sylvester Stalone playing various roles in his life. WIERD. 

We felt like Phillipe's ex roommate Louis might need a visit and so we went to see how he was doing. He was a little shaken up but we actually stayed there and watched conference with him! After some prying he told us that his family had just gotten baptized in Maryland and that he was interested in learning. After conference (he slept through most of it, bless his heart) we had a little lesson and set him to be baptized on May 11. HOW AMAZING!!!!!? We know that The LORD prepared for Louis to meet us that day. 

I loved conference. Being gone for a session threw me off a little but I loved the Priesthood session and the whole time I was thinking "Dad and Josh are there" and that was cool. 

This week we got a new companion, Elder Moffett. He was in our zone being trained but we took over the training. :) I love that! He has been out 3 weeks and we will finish out the 12-week training program with him. 

I need to go, I love you all!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ!

Monday, April 1, 2013

FUNNY..... REAL FUNNY.

You have talked about selling that house a ton I was definitely fooled for a sec. GOOD ONE!

SO today we came to a new library and in the basement they are having a booksale. I bought 4 dictionaries for 4 dollars. I have been looking for a dictionary of Etymology for a while and I found one! For a dollar! I also found a rhyming dictionary (good for freestyle rapping), a dictionary of American Sign Language, and a Meriam Webster's. I don't know if I told you.... I like words. 

We helped someone move today until like 1. Crazy. I am exhausted. I'm stressed because that took most of the preparation out of our preparation day and I can already tell we won't get everything done that we need to. That means doing wash all week with 4 of us. Hopefully I will at least get the important things done like washing the car and cleaning my desk. I have been stressed this week!!!!!!! Don't think I'm mad we had to do service on preparation day or anything helping that woman move was stress RELIEF. This has just been one of those weeks. 

Your Easter package was received and it helped. You will probably never know the irony and perfection in your timing and when that package came. Let's just say I was "Saved by the knock". 

Josh's Parents didn't come to dinner but his sister did. She is so sweet. We may have been a little intense for a first meeting but we also knew that this was one of a few chances to talk to her so we bore some pretty intense witness and I think she felt it. I hope she accepts the gospel.

We have been traveling a lot lately. We went to Richmond this week and to Staunton (pronounced Stanton). Staunton is in our zone but far away and we had exchanges there. 

To be honest, we have been doing administrative stuff all week and it's stressful and we have hardly taught anyone. We had a wonderful zone meeting on Friday and we had a representative from the stake high counsel there. How amazing! He spoke on what we can do to have unity with the members of the church (which is what the meeting was about). A theme for the whole meeting was unity. There were trainings on Planning and Member missionary work and Unity. I loved it. I felt the spirit and I was excited to be there with the whole zone. Afterwards, everyone had brought a lunch so we ate together (to help along our unity theme) then we had an activity where we sat in a circle and everyone said a strength their companion had and we all learned about each other. The idea is that if the sisters in Waynesboro have someone that would click with the missionaries in Franklin we want to get an exchange or a blitz set up to get them over there. These are EVERYONE'S investigators and everyone will be helping everyone else to invite others to come unto Christ. President Perry has called it "assists" before, like basketball assists. He has debated many times with us whether or not to report assists as a key indicator on Sunday nights. I love the Idea. Now that we all know each other in the zone we are more equipped to love each other and work in unity by helping each other. 

I went to VA Beach on saturday for Margie's baptism. WOW that was amazing. We rode down with one of the YSA sisters' recent converts and the YSA sisters. (Sister Tanner taught Margie too) and at the baptism we sang together. Margie requested that I sing the song that I first sang to her when Elder Narramore and I came to her home. We sang "Nearer My God to Thee" it was Sister Jones, Sister Tanner and I. We composed our own version of the order of the verses and when we split in parts and when we sang in unison and stuff. That was fun. Elder Canova and I sing a lot together. Hymns are powerful. We sang in our ward choir on Sunday, and we are singing in a Contata on april 28th with the stake choir. What a great activity!!!! I want to do one in our stake when I get home. It is a song and narration through the  whole book of mormon and life of Christ called "Come unto Christ". After practicing last night with the stake choir we are so excited to have the whole zone bring all of their investigators and sing in it or just attend. I will be doing the narration part, tell Grandpa Andreasen I'm trying to live up to his radio announcer days. I did sing with the choir last night though and I fell in love with the music so I'm not entirely sure if I want to narrate. 

I love you all and I can feel your support and prayers! I am trying my best to stay focused and engaged, while still realizing this will end and that it's OK that it will end. This is the only time in my life that I will be able to give my full time and attention to serving God and I am very thankful for that. 

I love you all, I hope I answered your questions..... 

Love, 

Elder Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, March 25, 2013

People with houses like that live in the woods for a reason and have guns and stuff

Hey fam! I forgot my library card and so I'm on Elder Canova's, which means we each get half the time. Sorry :/ This week was great. I am going to spend time on one story that was cool because Elder Canova wants me to write it so he can copy paste it on over to his own email. EFFICIENCY. 

First, though, there are two books that I have read parts of on my mission and I would request them both. "However long and hard the road" by Elder Holland was amazing, I recommend it, and I was wondering if you can get it for me. The second is a book called "That all may be edified" by President Boyd K. Packer. Again, I recommend it, and it taught me a lot about the way the savior teaches. I only got halfway through it before I got transfered and I was wondering if you could find those two on amazon or deseret book and get some hard back copies. Paperback is cool too but I loved reading the hardback of president Packer's book. 

My knee brace doesn't fit me anymore and I have been playing without it (which feels like a sin). I really don't want to hurt my knee again so maybe just ask Larry what he thinks I should do. Can it be re-sized? IDK. My thigh is too big and it cuts the circulation off on my calf. Let me know. 

I got your card. Thanks :)

I am so thankful for a spontanious companion. This week we were in a country area off the side of Charlottesville called Crozet (said Crozay) and we had an appointment with an investigator fall through. As we walked back to the car, I looked to the end of the road and saw a dirt road going right up the mountain. (keep in mind I'm still in the honeymooner stage with these mountains up here and we drive a subaru with AWD) I was so curious to see if there was a view from the top or some campground or something, so up we went. :) 

About 1/4 mile up the dirt road it started to get really bumpy and it was kinda steep. It was like driving back behind SV hill in a car and going on top of the SV. Not that impressive but it was just a tree tunnel trail that had been kind of washed out in some spots and I was exhilarated. Elder Canova and I kept looking at each other like "Should we go back?" and we never did. A couple times there was a pull off and I just decided to keep going. Don't know why. I've always been the type to go to the top :) why stop half way up where the view is only half as good right? I made Claire climb plenty of Mountains ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP using that reasoning. Anyway..... so we kept driving. We saw an abandoned truck and some cool views but just kept going, to a point where we honestly had to keep going because the road was pretty steep and I don't know if I could have backed my way down it. Ok, I sound super disobedient right now in the mission vehicle but I want you to read Jerimiah 16:16 and then hear me out with this story.

As we came up over a ridge, I saw a house. WOW I was blown away. I looked at Elder Canova and said "well, we kind of have to knock now" haha and so we pulled onto the driveway and it wound up and to the left to the side of a big brown cabin with a smaller little cottage off to the side. Two mountain goats hopped away as we walked up. We're talking WOODS here. And it was steep on the side of the hill in the trees. I'll send you pictures I didn't bring my camera sorry. Anyway, I'm just thankful Elder Canova is spontaneous and likes to do scary random things because I have had companions who would not have knocked on that door with me. I'll admit, I was scared. People with houses like that live in the woods for a reason and have guns and stuff. EEGHGT. So we knocked. 

No one answered (see what I did there) and so we looked at the little cottage and there was smoke coming out of the chimney. We left a card on the door and walked over to the cottage. I could hear a tv on. Lots of wood stacked outside. These people keep to themselves. We knocked and a really young looking 85 yr old man opened the door, with a short beard and disheveled white hair. He was wearing white Hanes socks. I noticed because he stepped outside in them. He was pretty short but looked strong. He must chop and haul his own wood because he moved like he was 30 I swear. He looked up at us and said "hello boys" and we preceded to try my best to lighten the weirdness of us showing up at his door by praising the placement of his home and the uniqueness of the mountains and loving him up. He said "why don't you come on in" and we went in! Woah not what we expected but we sat down and some of the first things he said were "Where's the nearest Mormon building to here" and "I didn't know there was a ward this close" and some very careful statements that were telling about his background. We asked "have you ever met with missionaries before?" and he said "I've..........been exposed to the church." we asked how and he told us his son was a member. We asked if he was a member. He said yes. WHAT?!?!

Don Hansen (name changed), 85 (or so), from Minnesota, lifelong member, Endowed, not active, FOUND. He had pictures of NASA astronauts and the first shot that was ever downloaded from  an orbiting spacecraft on the wall. When he went to the other room Elder Canova read the caption "picture taken by Don Hansen" we just sat back and looked at each other and said "NO WAY" This man is a retired mission manager from the Appolo missions. He is so amazing. He is snowed in his house this week (it snowed last night) so we called this morning to see how he is doing and we are gaining a friendship with him. We will try to get him to come speak to some young men or the scouts or something to get him out of the cabin and back in the church. He said he will come back it will just take some work.

MIRACLES HAPPEN
  Love you gotta go bye

Elder Skyler Andreasen
P.S. I choose Christ

Monday, March 18, 2013

I hope I can grow a MUSTACHE by then!

Happy late St Patrick's day! 

I am loving the new area. I wish I had hours and pictures and the words to describe the first view that I had of Charlottesville and the feeling that created. I hadn't seen over the trees for 19 months, and that is NOT an exaggeration. In Richmond it was all buildings, in Newport News it was ghetto and trees, Va beach it was the same as Richmond, but a lot of trees, and in Chesterfield there were trees as well. Trees in VA are like a 35-40 ft. wall alongside every road and yard. You don't ever see past the trees. It's crazy. As we were coming to Waynesboro there was a wall of trees on the right side of the freeway and a wall of trees on the left side of the freeway and at some point way off in the distance down this channel of trees I could see the ridge of a mountain!!!!!!!!!! HOly cow I flipped out. I was so excited. It wasn't big, it was actually quite small, but it was a welcome sight. I told Elder Canova to take me to the best view in town first thing so he took me to this small little hill where you are barely above the trees but it was so amazing! I could see for miles!!! I could see all of the mountains to the left and all of the mountains in front of me and all of the mountains to the right. I wanted to CRY! Is that crazy?! I got my mountain fix and we were back to work quickly but I am so excited. We already convinced a member in our ward to have an investigator picnic activity on the mountain next to their house. It's in the Shenandoah national park and they have a lifetime pass so they agreed to take us to have a picnic in the mountains. I will take pictures. That has been my favorite part so far. I'm in love. We will get to see Monticello and the view of the Shenandoah valley soon. "Country roads, take me home, to the place, I belong! West Virginia, mountain Mama, take me home, country roads" I feel right at home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tell Jordan Snow I am starting to appreciate that bluegrass music he always played. I'm just about living in that song. 

We have only had 1 lesson so far but it was great. It was with Casey, and she is awesome. She is bed and home ridden and desires to be baptized. We are contemplating finding a pool that has an easy ramp access and wheeling her in. This will be a fun one. Her story with the missionaries goes back about a year if I'm not mistaken. She is so fun and particular about everything in her house. She wanted to get to know us and asked us a bunch of questions about our families. You can tell that she loves people and is extremely interested in the culture of the church and of missionaries, the organizational side of the mission, and things such as that. She is very smart and sweet and we love her already! 

Elder Canova and I had a good planning session and have a good direction for the area. This ward is ready for success. Already we have 12 or 13 names on our list of potential member referrals. When a member tells us the name of a friend they are desiring to share the gospel with we just write the name down so that we can follow up. We usually invite them to do something like invite them for a church tour or to Easter services. It seems as though everyone has a friend that is interested in part. We will just do what we can to harvest that. I don't see a whole lot of time for tracting in the future. We have ten ward missionaries and they all want to go out. That is unique and a needed blessing. We also met with the bishop and he gave us a list of names in different categories that he has been thinking about. 

Well, I gotta go. Oh yeah, another thing that happened, it snowed last night! We woke up to snow on the ground. FUN :)

Love you all!

-- 
Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen
p.s. I choose Christ