Fear thou not

Unplanned matching

So this past week I was driving down a street in a neighborhood we frequent. This kid was on the sidewalk dribbling a basketball, practicing some sweet moves. Just before I got to him he lost a handle on the ball... it rolled into the street right in front of our car and I ran it over. I felt like the worst human being of all time! It was a huge coincidence and kinda funny but mostly saddening. We slowed down and apologized to the kid and realized we had just knocked on his door the day prior looking for one of our investigators. It's safe to say though that my week got a whole lot better!

On Tuesday we had interviews with President and Sister Jensen, it was the BEST! I love interviews with President. I remember my first interview back in Quincy, Illinois, I was so nervous, but now it is such a great time. The fifteen minutes just flies by! After the interview we were in the hall saying goodbye and President almost gave me a hug! It was so funny. I just shot out my hand and he was like "oh, I was ready to hug ya." I love him and Sister Jensen so much!

All over Des Moines there are billboards with babies on them. Some cute, some... not so much. Well, they are accompanied by clever phrases like "we are the future" and "hair raising fact!" Sometimes they are in baby sized bath tubs and other times their hair is spiked real high. It's a strange little quirk about the political propaganda here in Iowa.

Sylvia Thomas was baptized and confirmed this weekend! Wow, what can I say. Just three weeks ago helping her be baptized was the gretest anxiety of my soul! Really though, I would have done anything to help Sylvia be baptized! She was so happy and wanted to stay in the font just to hang out cause she liked it so much. The service and confirmation went on without a hitch, which is a modern day miracle!

I wanted to share a few things that helped Sylvia be baptized. She had been taught so long that we weren't sure which direction to go. About a month ago her brother passed away and she had relapsed on smoking. It was really tough for Sister Williams and I. But we knew the gospel would help. We taught her about the eternal nature of families and the work of salvation done in temples. Those eternal truths answered one of her deep questions of the soul. Next up we focused on the restoration of the gospel and the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. We shouldn't have been shocked but we were a week later when she said she had given up smoking! It was a major testimony builder that the gospel of Jesus Christ is real. It's not just a good idea or a catchy phrase that we preach. It heals hearts. All the answers to life's hardest questions can be found. We can be lifted beyond our own strength. The adversary would have us think otherwise. I have seen it time and time again as people have yearned for truth yet turned away just when it was at their doorstep. We need not fear, the Savior of the world and creator of the universe is on our side! Christ and His teachings will never fail, as said in Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs