June 23, 2014

Sorry. coming at you guys a little late. Yesterday was the mid summer holiday and so my Pday was packed.  We helped a member move all of stuff out of her apartment including refrigerators, ovens washing machine, all that fun stuff. I'm determined to be a minimalist. I hate junk. Not just with houses but with anything including my area's that I serve in. I like to be organized and in control of everyone i'm teaching, can be teaching, who I should stop teaching, etc. Obviously its not that fun and requires some time to sit down and think and plan but it feels great afterwards knowing that you have more control of what's going on, especially in a city like drammen where we have a lot going on. We also played some softball yesterday with our mission leaders family. His wife just had a baby but they still invited us to grill and play with them. It was basically 4 on 4 or something like that and only about 3 and a half of us knew how to play. It was kinda frustrating but luckily it was just for fun so i kept it pretty cool. I learned that there is a major difference between playing softball and just being in the game. Likewise, there is a difference between being a missionary and just going on a mission. I don't want to see other missionaries just go on missions and never actually become missionaries. Its equally as frustrating as being on a softball team without anyone who really has the needed skills (or even knows the rules). It does get me pretty stoked though to go on splits or have training meetings or just talk with other missionaries to try and help them with their missionary work. I'm learning all sorts of ways to be a missionary and I think that's because I need to use them and share these ideas with everyone else. 

  We got a lot of work done this past week and saw some cool little miracles happen. Its always weird to look back on the week and think about what I can write you guys about. So much happens in a week and, of course, time flies by. When you are effectively planning out your schedule its amazing to see how much you can do with your time. Making time count is way more fun and worth while than counting time. This especially applies with missionary work. This is my mission and my chance to give it my all and I'm super grateful for all cool things that went down. 

We went to Porsgrunn this week to go on splits and follow up on how things are going in the district down there. We're still trying to be persistent with this whole hastening the work with the members. Summer's is trying to stop us though but we'll keep at that and here in Drammen I feel like we really need to do some solid activities with the youth as a way to build them up and it will also be  great way for them to come and invite their friends. It will also be fun so its a win, win, win. We found this awesome family this week from Lithuania and they seem super excited to come to church this week. We're going back to teach them this week on thursday with a member who can speak some russian. So we've just been really blessed with investigators and we should hopefully be baptizing in these next couple of weeks. The more we try to work hard and get things done the more we realize how hard it is for us to have full control over everything. I guess that's why we just need to lose ourselves in this work and trust in the grace of heavenly father and pray that His will happens. 

Thanks for the email! have a great week:)

Love you!

Eldste Skinner

June 16, 2014

Hello hello!

Its been an insane week. We've officially initiated some hastening the work plans here in the zone and so we'll see what can happen in the upcoming weeks in the zone. Our training meeting went great on wednesday and I really feel that that was  the direction we needed to take here in the zone. We've been blessed with some great weather which is obviously not something that lasts too long in Norway so we're making it count. Last Pday we went on a sweet hike and I'll make sure to attach some pictures of it. Today We got haircuts at our local muslim chop shop, ate a kebab with this sweet kid in the ward. He showed us the best place to get a kebab, all we had to do was pick him up from school. This kid is an exact copy of matt moffitt but he likes to snowboard and that's pretty much it. hates on everything else.. its pretty funny. Him and I share a lot of the same interests so its pretty fun to talk with him. He fills me in on the snowboarding. We also had a sweet little grill with our district at the top of this mountain here in Drammen. Afterwards we had a meeting with our mission leader at his nice house. He's the one we play baseball with whenever we have time on tuesday nights. He said he tried to send you guys some videos, hopefully you got to see them. 

Obviously the most fun thing going on right noe is the work. Its been pretty crazy and we were on the verge of baptizing on saturday but long story short we were overstrict on some rules I guess and thought that we had to wait a little longer. We've been super blessed with positive people who are taking the gospel seriously so its great to see that every once in a while. I hope that  the spirit can continue to convert those that we teach. I've really thought a lot lately about how I always need to work on becoming a better teacher. Its definitely something i've gotten better at on the mission but its nothing I feel like I can master. Its fun to teach people but its not always easy for me to explain exactly what I think in feel in a way that others can understand where I'm coming from. Sometimes I wish I could just transplant my thoughts and testimony into other peoples minds but I guess its not supposed to work that way. As we work on ways to teach the gospel, the Lord gives us different opportunities to learn the gospel and strengthen our understanding and commitment to the gospel. Sometimes I imagine how the prophet Nephi felt after the Lord showed him all sorts of amazing things that would happen to his decendants. Obviously he must've been pretty bummed to see them all be destoroyed by 400 but the lord also show him us, right here right now in these latter days. We're super lucky to be able to have the gospel restored here on the earth today, that we have all the ordinances and teachings we need to make it back to heavenly father. Nephi must have been stoked to see that some day, christ church would be on the earth in its fullness before the second coming on christ. Imagine being able to see all of that in Nephi's time and then having to describe it. One way he did it was by reciting some of the writings of Isaiah. Then he just goes off trying to encourage everyone they could to do their part; to have faith, repent, remain righteous, etc. Thats basically all I can do too sometimes. I know jesus christ really is our savior and that he can help us overcome the effects of the Fall. Living his teachings is the way we come unto him. His teachings, the gospel, are restored here in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints after hundreds of years being lost . anyone who wants to know that this is true can pray to their father in heaven and ask him. 

I'm stoked you guys had a fun time at girls camp. Have a great week this week too. Sorry this email is kinda short and choppy. Didn't have very much time so I basically started just freeestyling. take it for what its worth and know that I'm working hard and loving the mission and that I love you all!

Eldste Skinner

June 9, 2014

Well, I didn't wreck my car or lock myself in my apartment this week.There were quite a bit of frustrating cancelations this week but nothing is really getting us down at all here in Drammen. We're still tearing it up and pressing forward with that "perfect brightness of hope". A lot of great things happened this week that are getting me even more pumped to be here in Norway.

The week started off pretty rough. We had some appointments fall through that led us to our back up plans.  Luckily on Monday night we tried one of our  investigators and shared the Book of Mormon with him. He was muslim so I'm not too sure about how interested he is in changing but he agreed to read a little. He was a nice dude from pakistan and he also made is some legit food.. No idea what it was called or even made of. classic. On tuesday we were super determined to get 2 new investigators before the week started flying by on us. We ended up resorting to do some finding in the park and we were really praying to find someone that we could teach right then and there and  then get a return appointment so that we could get some of the members (young men) involved. We ended up spotting this women sitting in the shade on a bench. We felt prompted that we needed to go out of our way to talk to her. As we started talking to her, her husband also came and started talking with us. We shared the plan of salvation with them. There was a great spirit there and she told us straight up that she's been thinking about God and the meaning of life quite a bit lately. It was a cool experience because we recognized that she had been prepared and that we were guided to her by the spirit. I also learned how important is it for us to teach on the spot, rather than just set up appointments to teach later. We need to help others feel the spirit and recognize the truth. Right after that we were led to a lady who already had the book of mormon and has read it a handful of times. People are out there. We just sometimes have to show a sincere desire to find them by being guided by the spirit. Being guided by the spirit sometimes means doing things out of the ordinary to avoid getting stuck in routines. 

I stepped up my grilling to another level this week. The hotdogs and burgers were great but the pork was insanely good. Elder Holden was crying about it though because he saw blood and burped up a spice that made his throat burn. I also pitched this week to the baseball team here in drammen. It was super fun, one of those things I never expected to do as a missionary here. Our misison leader is on tthe team and there open to having us and our investigators come and practice with them on tuesday nights. Elder holden and I now have some borrowed gloves so we usually run and play catch every morning for exercise. Living the dream.

We've stepped up the "sense of urgency" here in our zone and mission have gained a lot of momentum. things are starting to happen. Its great to work with Elder Holden because we're the #1 haters of wasting time. Finding on the streets is usually a waste of time. Far too many missionaries are filling time with contacting in the streets and knocking on doors... I feel bad for them because its torturous, a huge waste of time and not necessarily the way the Lord wants us to do His work.  We have heard about this whole "Hastening the Work" thing for about a year now and we've decided that its time for us to step it up and actually start doing it. 

We walked into our monthly Mission Leader Council on wednesday prepared to share some ideas on what we could do with the momentum in each of our zones. Elder Holden and I really pushed on how crucial it is for  all mssionaries to take this momentum we have and carry it over to our members. Here in our zone, we're blessed with some great wards (drammen is the best in Norway) but we're not yet taking advantage of using them as our greatest tool for real growth here in norway. As missionaries, we all know and have felt several promptings that the secret to missionary work is working with the members. Not just from eating dinner with them or bringing them on teaches, but by helping them in their own missionary work and consistantly following up with them and encouraging them along the process of inviting their friends. All members have a desire to contribute to the work but are hesitant to start for a variety of reasons. Its our job as missionaries to build their faith. I want to see every member here in norway (starting here in telemark zone) replace their fears and doubts, with true faith when it come to sharing the gospel. We are the key to getting things going here and seeing any sort of real progress here in Norway. Elder Holden and I really pushed for this last wednesday and president felt like it something for the whole mission to focus on. So we'll be training the zone this wednesday to help them feel the passion and devolop an idea on how to actually go about making it work. We're going to be persistant and follow up on this so this isn't just another one of those things we talk about but never actually do. Actions speak louder than words, faith without works is dead. Elder Holden and I really feel the potential of unreal growth here in Norway as a result of encouraging all members and missionaries to put faith into action.

I know that this work is true. Never felt more converte in my life and I know that I need to make the best of my time here on the mission and my life on earth. I'm grateful for the joys that come from sharing the gospel and progressing the lord's work forward. I came on the mission to really make a difference. By no means do I just want to go through the motions of being a missionary simply because I have a tag on. Have an awesome week in Utah! Thanks for your example and support! Love you guys! 

Eldste Skinner

June 2, 2014

The gospel is true and means everything to me. Heavenly Father taught me alot this week. It seem like he wants me to learn a lot about how I can be happy and successful not just in the mission but in real life. I witnessed a lot of dumb things this week but I really appreciate the oppoturtunity god gives me to not just learn forom the good examples around me, but the bad ones too. I love reading in the scriptures about Nephi and his amazing leadership qualities. Nephi is amazing and I've studied alot about how he takes initiative and responsibilty. He's accountable and quickly recognizes how much the Lord and his family is relying upon him. Sometimes I feel like Nephi, expected to find food but breaking my bow, expected to build a ship but having no clue how to actually do it. I'm learning about how important it is to just pray for guidance and then take initiative. If there's a problem, then we supposed to  fix it. We can't just sit back and moan. Laman and lemuel were bums. they had  potential like Nephi but they used their agency to become my favorite losers in the Book of Mormon. I guess someone had to do it but in no way do I feel like they were born to fail.

This week was great! We taught a whole lot of people. we had some frustrations that come from dealing with some sketchy people but other than that we had all sorts of great spiritual experiences. As we were teaching one of our investigators with a baptismal date, we also were led to one of his brothahhhs who is an inactive member from bergen who has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth. Heavenly father knows how to lead his servants to his children.  It was cool to be led to this guy. He tried to hide the fact that he wasn't a member but he totally blew his cover after we were finished teaching the Law of Chastity. He apparently used to be a way solid member in bergen, know's everything about the missionaries, and even considered going on one as well. Not really sure as to what happened yet but know he lives here and drammen and is a preacher in another church. He's a smart dude and a smooth talker and we knew this dude still couldn't deny that the lds church is true. Its nice because all we have to do is go back to the book of Mormon which is evidence that the restoration of christ true gospel really did happen. He doesn't read the book of mormon anymore and now he's a completely diffferent course. Sad to see, but fortunately Elder Holden and I know the converting power that comes from the Book of Mormon, as well as the guidelines that were set for christ's church in the bible. I love how fired up I can get inside about the truthfulness of the gospel. I know that this work I'm doing is God's work, it hurts to see people turn away from it, especially when they don't even give it a chance. 

It was great to get the experience to use the priesthood this week to give a man a blessing. He's smoked his whole life and is now paying the price. He was referred to us by a member and he ended up being a really nice guy. He pretty religious and seemed to understand the whole idea of the priesthood and the responibilty to serve others. We called him yesterday and he seemed very happy with the changes in his health. He says he's had a lot more energy. We asked if we could come and teach him this week and he said yes! we're stoked to be teaching a norwegian dude who believes in god and already has see the power of the priesthood. Going over there with another member. I think you guys should go teach with the missionaries sometime. I want to know what you guys think about it. I know it'll be a great experience and the missionaries will appreciate it a lot. try it out. 

On a lighter note. Grill sesh round 2 was way better than one. I made the necessary improvements and the we had some amazing burgers. Becoming a self made grill master! Elder Holden also got the chance to play some baseball on tuesday evening. We were tearing it up and i couldn't notice any sort of loss in skill even though I haven't practiced in over 2 years. It was super fun and super weird. Happy to say it didn't even compare to the joys of being a missionary. This zone is my team and we're just trying to go hard and set the standard over here in this awesome mission. Thanks for all the love and support! have an awesome week. 

Love,

Eldste Skinner

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