August 5, 2013

Dear the greatest Family in the world,

Thank you so much for the birthday shout outs. Especially the support I am receiving to keep me out here on mission in best mission in the world. Thank s Grandma for the support you have given me.I know you prayed me to come and serve exactly were i need to be.
Well just because it is my birthday doesn't mean the worked has slowed at all I love the work i am learning so much.

I am still working very hard and am continuing to be blessed. Thank you again for the support. I haven't gotten the packages yet but hopefully soon. Sorry about the short emails but just know that i love you very much.

Love,

Elder Skouson

(the white african)

July 8, 2013

Hey i forgot to tell you i need new retainers for my teeth... they fell apart and got eatin by africa. Also i need a new memory card because i am almost filled my first one. thank you.

Just a few pictures from the area... Sweet-o

i like these two pictures because they are us in action. and these monkeys are sweet. i totally love them.

July 1, 2013

My dearest Family,

Well how di day. This week has been one for the books. At least for the angels and there silent note taking. No this week was a great week. On Friday we got a little view of what this mission is turning into by going into the mission home to pick up a few things. Can i just say WOW. Air conditioning, Sea side view, computers, actual power all the time, and what do you know an actual washing machine.hahah it was pretty abnormal to see one of those things. I can see there is going to be many improvments in this mission when President Kirkham has engaged in the work. Its good to go and see town life every once and a while to readjust to real life. Well to be honest i kind of just going into a modern day coma. 

We have been working very hard to get ready for Saturday. We had a baptismal service that we had to put on and we have been worried about our pump to get the font full. Thankfully our font is outside and i has been raining quite a bit, it really didn't look the pretties but the baptism was able to go on. My Companion baptized Watta H. a young girl who has really improved and become converted to the gospel, L. B. who has had a hard time before with drugs and different worldly things, and an old papa Issac M.. All three of these people really have had to have huge changes in life to turn there life to christ. Isaac massaquoi is a 69 year old man who is just the sweetest guy ever. Every time we pass his house he is doing three things; working in his yard, studying the Book of Mormon, and sleeping. Here is a man who has work all of his life and still going strong. He has a huge problem with ants in his yard and its because of one tree. This tree is about 30 feet tall and we offered our help to remove it. SO Saturday was the day. We gathered up our district for a great hard working service project. It took us about four hours to cut the tree down and cut it into sections using hand axes and machetes. Totally fun thing to do. Now we are all super sore and just beat. Papa Isaac worked the hardest. he would transfer the machete from his hands to his mouth to pick up palm frans. He kind of looked like a pirate when he would do that.

To end this great week we went to a Birthday party for a couple in our branch and thats where the pictures are from. There are very sweet and good to us missionaries. The Zeahns are a sweet family and very strong and active in the church. This missionary work is just so sweet.

We have really been searching for new investigaotrs and praying that the branch would help us out in that regard. From all of our labors these last couple of day the fruits are beginning to be very sweet. Our heavenly father is very mindful of this work and protects us missionaries. I feel more guided then i have ever been before i my life. 

My companion and i are still working out our Coconut challenge. We are learning to stick to our goals. I know heavenly father has sent me to this place to help me see what i am made of. I love this gospel and the help and comfort it provides for each and everyone of us.

I love you all very much. I hope you know i am still sprinting. 

Love,

Elder Skouson

(the white african)

PICTURES June 25, 2013

June 25, 2013

My Dearest Family,

Well another week has just past sometimes it is really crazy how fast it goes by. Not complaining but just being completely immersed in the work has just been wonderful. 

This week im am finally getting to know my way around the bush. I am starting to know the names of streets and different things which is just great. We still get 3 FMs every day. Which has kind of been weighing us down in a lot of ways. To keep ourselves up to speed we have now created the Coconut Challenge. 

SO my companion and i are now addicted to Coconut we have to have one like everyday. They are sooooo good. and  because they are so stinkin good we have come up with goals that we have to keep and complete throughout the week in order to treat ourselves to one every day. They are simple things like actually work out in the morning. Read the Book of Mormon at night for 30 minutes and write in our journals everyday. We do this for a whole week. Monday to Sunday. If we miss any of these things throughout the week, no coconuts the next week. This is a simple but very challenging task at the same time. You can apply it for anything. You dont nessary have to have coconuts to make this a challenge. It is a wonderful way to keep yourself constantly trying for something. You have goals in life but sometimes it is hard to accomplish them. Use something you love to gamble with. If you accomplish the goal you reward yourself if you dont you have to take that thing you love away. If you dont it will never work out.

I dont really know why i went on that tangent but it is something i have learned in the past week or so. I give you the challenge. You must come up with your own coconut challenge and stick to the plan you have set. 

But this week has been a great missionary week as well. We have been working and walking a ton. We are just working as hard as possible and we are using our time wisely. I love this work, it is so rewarding. I realize everyday how important it is and i just love the people here, We are helping 3 people to come and be baptized this week. I will tell you more about the next week. Truly wonderful converted people to this gospel. 

Not got too much time, i love you all very much and i will write more next week. Keep the Faith my brothers and sisters in the gospel.

Love,

Elder SKouson

(the white african)

June 18, 2013

Dear Mi familia,

Yes there are spanyards out here. Not really just my companion has just tan dark skin. but anyway. Happy Birthday millie on the 19th. Its crazy to think i have been out on mission for almost everyone birthday. Besides Marissas and my own and i think Cameron. Cant remember sorry ya. Speak of the man how is he doing in nepal??? Are things working out for him. Or is he alive? 

So i have been really excited this whole week. In this area it is very spaced out so that means there is alot of walking to be done. We walk about a mile or so just to get into our area. But its totally sweet. The people here are so kind. The members are really nice to us. Maybe we get three meals a day for three different families. Throughout this week i have been looking forward to church so i can finally see the branch. The missionaries before didn't really work with the branch all that much and i wanted to give the branch a new perspective on missionary work. 

So Church was great we got to the church building and its actually a gazebo. It kind of just has half walls and a roof on top. Seriously the sweetest church service because there was a breeze coming through the whole time. AkA i wasn't sweating as much. But after church i introduced myself to the branch President and i could see is a very formal business man kind of guy, who didn't have time for some lazy elder. So i introduce myself, ask a few questions and said i wanted to sit down with all the branch auxiliary member sometime to discuss our Branch mission goals. I could tell that he new I meant business and we have a meeting set up for next week. 

I'm doing things i have never been able to do before. I am trying to be more bold. I have noticed sometimes in my life i have let people walk over me. But that one of the things i am trying to apply. Just to be bold and let the spirit testify.  Remember i am not boasting of myself but my God that has given me this opportunity to be a better missionary.

Yesterday we had Zone Conference( thats why i am emailing today). It was the roggias final farewell. They had some of the most impressive words that just really stuck to my heart. Not only do i need to become a better missionary i have to become a better missionary. By doing this im trying to use my time more wisely. Its a good thing because out here in Gardnersville it is VERY isolated. We really don't hear or see too much that goes on outside our compound. It been god because i am setting goals and actually accomplishing them. Like reading the BOM everyday for 30 minutes or Exercising everyday. Just the little things that were hard to accomplish in other apartments I am doing here. I know heavenly Father sent me here for a reason and i think it is to find myself. To seek for personal revelation and even to be more focused on doing missionary work.

I have loved this time i have had on mission already and can see it is going by almost fast. I'm learning to use my time better and be able to accomplish great things. It helps me not to platue as a missionary but to continue to climb every minute of my day.

I love you all very much, i pray like crazy for each one of you that every thing will be alright. In the words of Bob Marley,"Dont worry, Be Happy. ". Sounds like i am a great missionary huh.... ok maybe there is music everywhere. sorry ya. 

Love,

Elder Skouson

Pictures

 Elder Skouson smiling as Elders Humpreys and Elliot do a little dance. 

 At Zone Conference April 27, 2013