Heyyyy!

The dream team has been guaranteed another 8 weeks at least together. We started an new transfer and we're happy about all the momentum we've been blessed with. Over and over again in the scriptures its says that Heavenly Father will reward us and strengthen us according to our faith. We still have the faith and expectations that bigs things will happen and they're aready happening. makes it easier to make things continue to happen. In our area right now we have 4 investigators with baptismal dates next month and thats only scratching the surface of what we're capable of. Elder Holden and I are alike in many ways but one thing that helps us be a dream time is that we never settle. There's always one more family to be found, one more person to fit into our schedule, one more person that can come to church. Maybe its being greedy but I'd call it relentlessness. We can always do better and go even harder. Going through the motions and having just average results isn't enough for us. There is no time to waste, we 're in the business of helping people come unto christ which is the only way to true peace and exhaltation. We can't just settle with one or two people to work with. Heavenly Father has given us this hunger and we got to feed it.  We've been super blessed with opportunities to teach people and help them feel the spirit. I 've never been in a companionship with more energy and unity. Although, we're not perfect at all, we teach with power and its awesome to see how people can change when the open up their hearts to the spirit. I am definitely convinced that its not just Elder Holden and I who are just good at finding and convincing people to believe in the message of the restoration. The spirit is doing it all. We're just trying to see what the Lord can do through us. He has called us to the work and I'm just grateful that He has put this trust in us. Its a two way deal; He needs us and we need Him. Luckily we're promised his guidance as we put our hearts into the work, refrain from idleness, and engage ourselves in this great cause. The spirit keeps me pumped up. No need to hold back and try to conserve energy, president encourages me to put the pedal to the metal so I'm going for it. I'll probably be coming home on a stretcher. Have an oxygen tank ready for me at the airport. takk!

So happy that its summer time. I discovered a grill in our attic so I've taken it upon myself to become a grillmaster. We made some homemade jalepeno burgers the other week and they weren't bad, but I know how to make them better next time. I'm kinda teaching myself as I go but its kind of hard when you don't have youtube or enough time in the day (we'd rather be doing bigger and better things).

Super stoked that we have such a great zone. Last week we went on splits twice which kept us from our own area for a little bit but it was all worth it. I want to see every companionship enjoying their mission as much as I am. Its fun to work hard and make things happen. I wish we could all chose to be this happy and enjoy this awesome adventure in this incredible country. this life is "our four minutes" and our missions are even shorter than that. I'm not going to let my four minutes suck.

I'm happy that you guys are all doing well at home. I know that the gospel truly does bless our family. Super grateful that you and dad are faithful members of the church  and such great examples of hard work and endurance. Keep it up! Once we get in motion, we tend to stay in motion. Its like inertia... "look it up on eBay or something" haha:)

Love you!!

Eldste Skinner

May 19, 2014

I'm sunburnt and exhausted from that sweet birthday party we had for norway on Saturday. The weather was absolutley perfect. best weather this year so far and and its staying really nice. So on saturday we spent norways bicentennial in its capital city (Oslo). Its was insane. I am super bless to experience it again in oslo. this time was even crazier than last time. Way more people and way more flags. I had a way fun time because I like people watching and being out in the sun so it was sweet. I got to chill right outside of the kings palace but I spent most of my time roaming the streets of oslo with Elder Weaver and Holden. It was pretty sad because it was my second and last syttende mai on the mission. trying to figure out how I can still keep coming back... 

After the parades and partying we tooked the packed trolly to the mission home. We had to zones there so there was about 30 or so missionaries barbequeing and playing games at the mission home. We ate some hotdogs and sloppy joes and potatoe salad and all that classic stuff. We started a game of dodgeball between the east and telemark zones and of course our telemark zone dominated. It was a lot of fun and president chilled on the patio and watched us basically destroy his backyard. I'm sure he was pretty amazed to see us in a non missionary environment. Elder Holden and I had a lot of fun playing around with other missionaries. It was a way cool way to build up friendships and get to know eachother a little better. Everyone here on the mission is awesome and its fun to do normal things with them.  

So that was fun to be able to have that whole day to do things besides just missionary work. By the end of the day we were missing the work and ready to get back at it. Although it was fun to run around in the sun and destroy other elders with a dodgeball, it didn't compare to the joys we've been experiencing with the work here in drammen.

We had another great week with finding some prepared people and we're having plenty of things to do. We're being smart with our time and really trying to not waste any of it. We've been seeing some great blessings and that have come according to our faith and works. I know that Heavenly father is pleased with us and blessing us with the energy we need to stay pumped. We're being dedicated to finding families and those who have been prepared for us. I love weach morning when I can wake up and dive into the book of mormon for a part of my studies and just get a huge energy boost from the spirit. I like the promise that the lord gave to oliver cowdery in doctrine and covenants section 24. "And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men." I know that the spirit has been keeping me pumped. I heard in the last conference that if we need energy we can plug into the spiritual power of prayer and scripture study. Sounds like Patrik could tell you which talk that was haha but its something that I've learned is true. 

its been a great week and i'm grateful that you guys are still writing me even though melissa's more new and probably more exciting. Have an awesome week! ha det godt :)

Love,

Eldste Skinner

Drammen! - May 5, 2014

Holyyyyyy...

my life has been changed. Still can't really describe how much new energy and stokedness has been poured upon me. I feel like Ive been prepared my whole mission to serve here in Drammen. Elder Holden and I are expecting amazing things to happen here and they already have. I took a forever long train ride that became even longer because of alll the delays. Had to keep borrowing peoples phones so that I could let the elders know I needed to be picked up late. Ended up getting off the train in Drammen about 2 hours behind schedule. Elder Gunther and Holden were waiting for me at the train station. Once we loaded up all my belongings into the car (I'm driving again!) and started driving home we could finally feel that this transfer call wasn't just a dream. I hasn't felt real at all and it still doesn't.

HAd my first sunday here yesterday and this ward is straight up huge. I'd say bigger than the ramona oaks ward but maybe not. Tons of families and a bunch of legit youth. I've never actually had youth to work to be around. I met this one chill kid who's 15 and likes to shred and also got to run into some kid I knew from fredrikstad. The ward mission leader is a beast. His wife from california and ended up living there for a couple of years. He moved back to norway to build up the church.  He loves baseball. His team is the angels and yesterday I heard how badly the padres are sucking. We play baseball every tuesday so I'm super excited for that. What are the chances of that happening? the bishop here is 29 and is also legit! We were with both of them to meet up with the ysa to have a missionary work "kick off". These guys are great examples for me and get me even more pumped to be out here.

Elder Holden and I are straight feeling like we've been prepared from the spirit world to come out here and tear it up together. Never have I ever been more full of faith and energy to go out and share the gospel. We have some unreal energy and excitement that we're trying to spread through the whole zone.

Anyways, I can just keep blabbing on about how sweet missionary work is. Something I can feel super passionate about and convey to others when I talk to them and work with them but its tough to type into words. All we're doing right now is focusing on being urgent, following the spirit as find and teach, and being bold and self assured in the message that we 're sharing. Its something that I've been trying to focus my scripture study on. This is literally the dream team united in the heart of the missionary work in Norway. I don't know what could be better. I'll definitely look back on this time as the highlight of my life so I'm just soaking it in.

Sorry about a rough week. It'll just help you enjoy this week which will be way better. Love you! See you on Sunday:)

Eldste Skinner