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