Amber Waves of Grain

So like I said last week, fall is in full force. That means that the corn stalks are rotting and all the bugs that were in the fields are now dive bombing our faces because they are scared of giant tractors. But that's besides the point. When we drive to see other sisters in other small towns, a line from "America the Beautiful" takes on more meaning. "Amber waves of grain" are so so so pretty! No joke. We'll be driving, come over a hill above the six foot tall dead corn, and just see rolling hills of swaying grain. It truly is a sight to see, one you can see for miles and miles. It's awesome. 

These past two weeks we've gone to choir practice. If you know me even the slightest, you know I am not that kinda person. But lunch can wait, and when you're a missionary you have greater patience/appreciation for others' interest. Plus also, the spirit is really strong when 30 people are singing Redeemer of Israel!

This past week we went on exchanges to Marshalltown, which is pretty much a miniature version of Des Moines! We talked to so many people and they were all just the coolest cats. We even taught a Liberian family, I was in heaven and my companions were a little less than thrilled about the loud noises and lack of attention given to our words. Going to Marshalltown was definitely a tender mercy! There's even people from Burma there!

I wanted to share the secret to the success of the Iowa Des Moines Mission. We have a successful mission. With 100 less missionaries we are still doing the same amount of work. It's amazing. President Jensen tells us all the time, "the secret to a successful missionary and mission is SANCTIFICATION." It is a true principle. When we are sanctified the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, the real teacher, will be with us. President never focuses on new programs and rarely focuses on teaching skills. Rather he teaches us how to be pure. 

The same principle can be applied to all phases of life. The secret to the success of a ward is sanctification. The secret to the success of a family is sanctification. The secret to the success of a presidency is sanctification. We all have weapons of rebellion that we can bury to in turn become more pure. Through prayer we can identify what the Lord would have us root out of our lives and never return to. We can ask ourselves "what lack I yet?" Do it! The Lord will help you and His grace is suffiecient The spirit will be with you more and personal sanctification will bring success. I know it is true because I have seen it time and time again in myself and other missionaries. 

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

"On Date!"

She said there were a lot of frogs.

This is at a place called Ledges in Courtney's area.

So this past week we drove a whole lot! We went all the way to the northern most part of our mission, Mason City. There are sister there and we went on exchanges. It just so happens that my trainee, Sister Nakayu, is serving there and we spent a good 24 hours together! It was epic. 

 In Mason City on exchanges

What else was epic was the massive amounts of tractors and combines on the road and in the fields. Everybody and their dog is harvesting right now. It's pretty cool to see big monster looking things mow down stalks of corn by the dozen and make big dust clouds as they chop up the dry soy beans. What else do you see driving through Iowa for two hours? Wind farms! Man, we drove through this part of the country that had probably 50 windmills all spread out. They are HUGE and it's super cool to just drive with all of them around!

Wow, my life is just full of the coolest and most epic things ever right now, hopefully you'll understand. So when I left Kirksville they closed the are to sisters and brought in elders. That means all the people we taught got forgotten, for the most part. But sisters are back in Kirksville as I exclaimed a few weeks ago. In president's weekly email he has a list of everyone that has a baptismal date and has been to church. I checked it today and THREE people I taught in Kirksville are "on date" for baptism! I am so so so elated!!! Fist pumps were in order reading those three sisters' names. It's great knowing that my efforts in Kirksville were not in vain and that despite not having any baptisms there, the seeds were sown and are now sprouting for other sisters to harvest.

It really is all about the Lord's time and our perspective. We must trust, continue forward in faith, and be obedient always. The blessings and miracles will come. They always do.

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

Apply it!

This is right next to their building.  Very scenic.

Courtney with Thomas the Train!

So this past week was a doozie! We were blessed to be able to be in at least 20 hours of meetings (Mission Leadership Council, Zone Training Meetings, and General Conference), had two people attend General Conference (Allan and Robert), and it's finally legitly cooling down! I walked out of our apartment building, which smells like pancake batter and dust bunnies, and it was beautiful outside! The air was nice and crisp and the smell of fresh cut grass was in the air. I love tender mercies!

Every small town in Iowa has a claim to fame, some more famous than others. But they really latch on to that claim and run with it! Here in Boone they don't let anyone forget that they have a Walmart, Ledges State Park is right down the road, and Mamie Eisenhower was born right in this here city! Yup that's right, First Lady Eisenhower! Sometimes we drive the street named after her and if we're luckty we drive past her birthplace every fourth day. Gotta love small town Iowa. Oh and if you were wondering there are 12,000 people here in Boone! It's great, pretty soon there will be two wards here with all the people we're planning to help be baptized!

Two people that we are teaching, Allan and Robert came to conference like I mentioned. They are a bit older but both quite a hoot. The demographic of people we teach out here is far different than that of Des Moines! Blue jeans, flannels, man pony tails, and houses full of overstuffed recliners are much more common. It's great.

I absolutely LOVED conference! Like i've said before, it's like Super Bowl weekend for us missionaries. Eight hours is finished and we say "it went by too fast, I wan't some more!"

I especially loved all of the talks... no but if I had to choose one of the talks I enjoyed a lot I would have to say it was Larry R. Lawrence's talk. He spoke of praying and asking Father in Heaven "what lack I yet? What is keeping me from progressing?" I have seen the Master shape me time and time again as I have been in His service and asked Him those questions. Sometimes the answers are simple like "take care of yourself and stop eating so much sugar." And other times the counsel carries equal weight but is more poignant like "don't just look at the atonement sitting on the shelf, apply it!" 

I know that I am not perfect in this regard. I still strive to ask these questions more frequently. But I know that our Father in Heaven will guide us as we turn to Him and we will changed as we heed His counsel.

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

From Des Moines to Boone...

Man oh man, I am back in small town Iowa! I was transferred last week and now reside in Boone! It's a town of twelve thousand and I love it! There is a full ward here and church yesterday was great. It's quite a change from Des Moines, but I am liking it a lot. Boone is about fifteen minutes west of Ames, which is where Iowa State University is. 

I forgot to tell you but a few weeks ago in Des Moines we found a new investigator, Mu Kye (Moo Kai). She was really cool. She is Kyean, from Burma. Well we were in her house and were looking at photos on her wall. All the ladies had gold rings on their necks and on the knees. Yup, Mu Kye used to stretch her neck with those gold rings. You've probably seen her on National Geographic. To contrast the type of people we find here in Boone, I'll tell you about Robert. We taught Robert yesterday on his porch. He has gray hair that is pulled back in a pony tail, and wore a flannel and blue jeans. Oh the people you find in Iowa! I love 'em.

My new companions are Sister Beattie, from Nashville, Tennessee and Sister McKinstry, from Phoenix, Arizona! They are just great and we have a lot of fun together. I actually served around Sister Beattie in the Nauvoo Stake and I was her Sister Training Leader in Des Moines, so we're good friends already. Last night we were taking mustache pictures with our hair and watched the blood moon. We're pretty much BFFs already.

Here in Boone there are a lot of trains! Like for real, we go to sleep hearing the trains rumble by just a few blocks away. Also, Thomas the Train was in town. No joke, a train that looked exactly like Thomas. His eyes moved, smoke stack spewed some sort of vapor. He was the real deal, and totally the talk of the town. 

I really liked the song we sang this morning in companionship study, "They the Builders of The Nation." Particularly there was a line I felt to share. "Ev'ry day some burden lifted, Ev'ry day some heart to cheer". Everyday we can have our burdens lifted by the atonement of Jesus Christ. Truly the atonement is for everything, an everyday remedy. And as we have our burdens lifted we can in turn let the light of Christ shine through us and cheer another one's heart. There's really nothing better than applying the atonement and sharing the resultant light with others.

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

Last week in her beloved city

So this past week has been beyond stellar! The weather has been perfect, in the 60s and 70s. I keep telling people "Hey this is what Christmas day feels like in California!" It's safe to say I have had some great nostalgic moments, like thinking briefly about riding my new scooter from Santa down the street in shorts and a new hoodie that is too warm.

Yesterday we were out contacting less active members and inviting them to church, these were people that did not have home and visiting teachers assigned. AKA people that have requested no contact with the church. Those can be really interesting at times, super awkward for them but I just laugh it off and fulfill my missionary duties. So knock on a house door and we talk to this guy who is living with a member. The member wasn't home. We extended the invite, he said "cool", and we gave him a picture of Christ. The picture had our number on the back, and oh yeah, the 13 Articles of Faith. It was the sweet picture of Jesus sitting with the kids, the one you get in primary. So this random guy takes the card, glances at the back and says "Oh, it's got his stats on the back!" That gave me a solid laugh that I couldn't hold in. Touché, random bearded guy, touché.

We got transfer calls this morning... President Jensen called. I am leaving Des Moines! I am so sad, but all good things must come to an end. I have made so many great memories and friends here! Des Moines will always have a big place in my heart. I love this city! (Insert yet another cheesy and cliché phrase)! I am excited about a new adventure though! President informed me that I will go to a new area, I will have a Sister Training Leader companion, and us two Sister Training Leaders will train a brand new sister!!! That is insane! I have never heard of such a thing happening! I am curious how a trio will work out... but I am super excited for this new adventure. What's even crazier is that Sister Williams will be staying here and the same situation will happen! Two Sister Training Leaders and a fresh new sister. Transfers are always exciting, but nothing this adventurous has happened to my companionship before. Next week I will be sure to tell you about my new area and my TWO new companions!

Yesterday in church we heard about humility and pride. It was a great reality check. Someone said once "If you think you are humble, you're not." I have come to learn that humility is like a drop of water on clay. It softens us up and makes us workable. When we are humble we are able to be shaped and formed in the Master's hands. When we are prideful, or lack humility, we dry up, become hard, and simply sit on the table as a hunk of clay. I'd much rather be the soft and workable! I know that as we strive to be humble through prayer, studying the Savior, following the spirit, and serving others we will be able to become what the Master has in mind for us.

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

Take Courage

So being here in Des Moines we have the lucky privilege to just stop by the mission office any time! It's awesome. We go almost everyMonday, to get supplies or just say hi. I have really grown to love the office missionaries! Sister Stringham takes care of all the missionaries coming in and going out, and she has a blue sheet that has the next three transfer's arrivals and departures on it. It's not good news when you've made it to the blue sheet... Last week one of the Assistants, Elder Zabriskie, was at Sister Strigham's desk talking with us and said "hey Sister Skaggs, look at this." There was my name on the blue sheet. Not cool! I have three transfers left and plan to keep sprinting to the finish line! I love this too much to get trunky already.

One of the Assistants is going home this transfer so the new one was announced this past weekend so that he could attend the temple and transfer plan this week. It's Elder Banta! I'm super excited because he and I have served together a lot. He came out just a transfer before me and we were both trained in Kirksville. And then I followed him to the Quad Cities for our second areas! He's coming here to Des Moines and hopefully I don't leave! We'll see what happens because transfers are next week. 

This past Saturday we attended a funeral for a little boy in our ward. It was really sad. There were a ton of African people and they were grieving pretty significantly, weeping and wailing. My heart hurt for them as I heard and saw them cry. They had a time in the service when people could get up and say something. Many of them used the phrase "take courage" as they addressed the grieving family. I don't know if it is an African thing to say but I really liked it. I also didn't know that it was custom in Liberian culture to wear white to funerals... us missionaries were a little out of place.

Nonetheless, we can all "take courage" a little more in our lives. Missionary work, shunning Satan, loving others freely, having family home evening, keeping the Sabbath day holy, forgiving frankly. Take courage! Living the gospel is not easy nor convenient. It takes courage. Daily, hourly, and moment by moment! I have had to pray for courage many times as I have served and every time Father in Heaven has given me more strength and resolve to do that which is required and expected of me. So take courage! Pray for it and apply the two word sermon to any aspect of your life. Blessings WILL come!

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs

stringing scriptures

Searching hard for signs of Fall.

So this past week was stellar! Still hotter than no other, but this week is cooling off already. The leaves are changing on about one in every 50 trees... but that's still pretty exciting! I've already collected a handful of super rad ones and they're in my scriptures getting extra flat.

We found a whole slew of new investigators this past week. A few weeks ago we realized that not many of our investigators were really progressing. So over two weeks we purged about 50% of them. It was hard but a total act of faith that the Lord would lead us to those where prepared and legit about finding and following truth. It was amazing because Father in Heaven blessed us with eight new investigators, three of which we have already set baptismal dates with! One of them, who's name is TaRena, saw an ad online for The Book of Mormon and felt like she needed to read it. She is so SOLID! I am so grateful for the blessings of diligence, faith, and obedience as we serve and strive to bring souls unto Christ.

I am beyond grateful for the gift and companionship of the Holy Ghost.

This past Sunday our recent convert, Sylvia, bore her testimony! A week with the gift of the Holy Ghost has done her wonders. Her testimony and conviction concerning the restored gospel has just blossomed. She is filled with peace, love, and so much joy. She said in her testimony "I am not ashamed to say that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!" To which bishop and us missionaries got the biggest grin on our faces. "People ask me if I go to church and when I tell them yeah they scoff. I just say, I'll pray for ya!" Man oh man do I love Sylvia and her testimony. Miatta also got up and bore a powerful testimony about how she can feel Jesus with her all the time because of the Holy Ghost. There's nothing like hearing your recent converts bear their testimonies, your heart is filled with joy and you feel like a proud mother!

Also on exchanges I was in the Hermanas area. I didn't know what was going on most of the day because everything was in Spanish. Needless to say it was great because the spirit was there. During a lesson I was prompted to share a sequence of scriptures from the Bible, all scriptures I had memorized references to but had never strung them together. Because of the influence of the spirit I was able to teach Allan simply and clearly why he needed to be baptized again and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was amazing! The spirit bore witness of the truthfulness of the doctrine and Allan accepted a baptismal date!

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. It is a foretaste of Heaven that can bring it's blessings and miracles. Be worthy of it, seek it, and then strive to always heed it's promptings!

Love y'all,

Sister Skaggs