September 9, 2013

Hello Mi Familia,

This week has been a great week just to let everything out. No pun intended. No but seriously its been great to get some time for some extra study and just building my testimony. I have never been one who knows everything about the gospel and trys to know deep doctrine but i know that the gospel is true. I had the opportunity to read a few Liahonas general conference additions. I still just got a major gospel talk crush on Elaine S. Dalton. I'm not really sure why but i think it is just those simple sayings that she talks about that just really hit the spot. Mom i can remember you always quoting things like that so that probably why it has such a profound effect on me. As we had a leadership meeting in which my companion and i conducted i reflected back on one of those profound simple sayings. This time it was "Whatev'e thou art, act well thy part." We introduced this as our Leadership Meeting theme. It simply just means what ever thing you are doing, do your very best at it. In this talk she was explaining about a time when she went traveling on the BYU folk dance club. At this time she felt very alone and depressed she saw this and it lifted her spirits. (Interesting that i found this quote when i was in a similar situation.)  Well needless to say it too lifted my spirits and made things just come out so much easier. Again no pun intended.  But don't worry i didn't stop just with sister Dalton after she is now released but i have to say my favorite apostle is Definitely Elder Jeffery R. Holland. The way he describes more complex doctrine is easy to understand. I love the talks he gave. If you get the chance Look up the talk he gave at a CES fireside about leaving our religion at the door i highly recommend it. By the way WE NEVER LEAVE OUR RELIGION AT THE DOOR. It very good and talks about the gathering of Israel something like Israel, Israel god is calling?? calling thee from lands of woe???

As you can see i didn't do much proselyting but i did learn a lot. Amazingly we still had many of our investigators come to church. I gave one of our investigators a promise. Liberians have the best excuses of not coming to church, "the rain" " by gods grace". I gave our investigator a promise that if they come to church on time they would not be beaten by the rain. And surely it come to pass, about 10 mins after church had started the rains came down and the floods almost came into the church. Thankfully our investigators were all seated ready to listen and feel the spirit. A total of 9 came and there childern it is so wonderful to see the church progressing so much here in LIB.

Speaking of progression, Kakata has just opened and for the first time missionaries will be sleeping there on Wednesday. Elder Elliott and his son Elder Cooper we be some of the first as well as Elder Harris the great Elder Finau and two more. Hopefully sometime i will make my way out that way. So amazing if you could here about the Branch there. i am sure President kirkham has talked about it but what a miracle. WOW. the Church is True. Not only the Church but the Gospel and atonement of Jesus Christ is real. What profound effects it can have on a person if they just let it. I have been thankful enough to see it time and time again. Many wonderful stories i have witnessed and been a part of. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY, now that i have grown a foot or two.

Notice for future missionaries: I was thinking about it this last week about what a person needs to do before mission. Of course they need to study from Preach my Gospel and the Book of Mormon hard core but there are other things to work on. There is a great quote "People dont care how much you know, until they know how much you care". You can know the scriptures backwards and forwards but if you dont actually care about the person they wont ever listen to the words you are saying. Now how do you do that?? You practice now. Find and listen to the spirit now, if it isnt there fix that problem now now. Go out with the missionaries. GO TO SEMINARY. and dont fall asleep. All these small small things are cruciale to having and being a successful missionary.

Family and friends i love you very much, because of your prayers the sickness has moved and i am back and at them again. Dont worry about me i am doing great. nothing is falling out anymore everything is back in place.

Love,
Elder Skouson

(the white african)

P.s. dad great krio, but you need to work on your kolokwa. Im a liberian not from saleone.(sierra leone)