May 19, 2014

Dear Family,

Another week has gone by out here in this jungle of Liberia. Not much happened this week. 

We saw general conference yesterday. Well just one session of it. Very very good. Harbel branch is really progressing. everyone was attentively watching the conference and when i talked about conference after with some recent converts they were telling me things that they understood from these white people that spoke. I loved Bishop Gary A. Stevenson's talk he gave about the Olympics and this small 4 minute interval of life is the time for us to perform. I loved him talking about the members of the church who went to the Olympics. Just goes to show that the church isn't just a bunch of weirdos who never do anything besides go to church. haha
 I also loved President Ballards talk speaking about following up and things he learned from his mission. I was interesting how he talked about everyone reading from Preach my gospel. One thing my companion and i have been focusing on reading is the Finding People, or chapter 9 i believe. We are trying to find new ways that we can people who are ready for the gospel right now. To" find them that will receive us". We have had much success in the past few weeks as we have been here in our new area. 

This week as i was reading the Doctrine and Covenants i was learning and studying about putting on the Armor of God in section 27. I especially like what it said about your feet. That our feet are our goals and objectives. To have our feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace. I thought this was  very interesting. It also reminded me of the quote in The Knights Tale." how will i know the way back? Just follow your feet William!" I put it in gospel terms when we may ask our Heavenly Father how will we know the way back to him. He would reply follow your feet if your goals in life are being able to follow my son Jesus Christ, you will have no hard time finding your way back to me!

Some times i think about the love God has for each of his children. I pray for this same love as i go out each day that i might have Charity with all people that i will be able to see each person i open my mouth to with the same kind of love God has. 

I still wish i could memorize scripture like i can remember movie quotes. those things just don't leave my brain. 

I loved also President Monsons talk about loving our neighbors. Which reminds me. We had a great service project on last Tuesday afternoon. We wanted to fix this womans our neighbors bathroom. We needed to get bamboo because the sticks that were there were rotting. So we hiked about 1/2 mile into the bush to cut bamboo and then hall it back to the place. No small distance with heavy bamboo on our heads and shoulders. We then used our machete to cut the bamboo into size and stuck them into the ground and got the aluminum zinc to wrap them around. It was a good hard working 4 hour project with no breaks so we were tired after wards. only two or three blisters on my hands. But remember when we are in the service of our fellow being we are only in the service of our God.

Thank you family for the inspiring letters you write each week. It really keeps me going. 

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY PACKAGE it got here yesterday and i looks like i wont have to buy food for the rest of my mission. WOO HOO!!! You are really the absolute best. just wondering if the in-n-out shirt was from you or Lynn. haha 

Love,
Elder Skouson 

Keep calm and just do what is right!!